ED 603: Technological
Capabilities
The University of Michigan / School of Education
Internet Tool Review - Claris Home Page
What is Claris Home Page ? It is a computer program which functions as a Web Editor. Simply stated, one can use this program to create documents that can be viewed in a web browser via the Internet and the World Wide Web. The technical preparation of these documents involves the use of "html". This acronym stands for "Hyper Text Mark-up Language", and it is the code which computers around the World can read thereby translating your information across phone lines and network connections to different computer systems.
The beautiful advantage of Claris Home Page is that a technical knowledge base is not required to create these documents. Knowledge of "html", for example, can provide benefits for improving web sites, but it is not necessary to have this knowledge to begin web design. In fact, most beginning users can create modestly sophisticated web pages with some minimal training.
Below is an annotated description of six of the most salient features of Claris Home Page:
- WYSIWYG Editor -- Literally, this
means "What You See Is What You Get". For the most part, the
information that you input into Claris Home Page will appear in a
similar fashion in most web browsers such as Netscape. The
arrangement (layout) of text and images is preserved...making this
feature very intuitive to most users.
- Graphical Images -- Claris Home
Page allows users to insert images usually of a file format
referred to as "gif" or "jpeg". These images can be used to
supplement or replace text as a means of emphasizing or
reinforcing a particular point.
- Forms Features -- These items
allow the creation of "forms" so that ultimately when the document
is viewed in a web browser, a user will be allowed to interact
with the web page. This interaction can be characterized as input
that a viewer provides and is subsequently sent to the originator
of the web page. These forms are useful for submitting comments,
e-mail address, and URLs for example. They are commonly used among
retail companies as "catalog order forms on the Web". For an
example of a form specific to the Technological Capabilities Web
Site,
click
here.
- Editor Windows -- Claris Home
Page has numerous "editor windows" which allow you to easily
modify your document as you progress in its completion. You can
resize and reshape windows that appear in tables as well as the
size of images. Claris features "Drag and Drop" capabilities for
easily moving images. A link editor to specify URLs and to provide
within document links is included.
- Spell Checking -- A popular
feature (and recent addition to Version 2.0) of Claris Home Page
is the ability to spell check documents that you create. It is as
simple to operate as those found in common word processors. It has
the ability to "learn" new words so as to increase your personal
dictionary on your computer. The spell checker will also suggest
word(s) that most closely match the misspelled word. By their
nature, professional documents necessitate proper spelling.
- Advanced features -- Claris is
experimenting with the ability to incorporate the necessary
"plug-ins" for use with your web document. A "plug-in" will allow
you to hear "real audio", for example. Other advanced features
include the ability to select from many different types of "forms"
and the ability to access an expansive media, clip-art library.
Lastly, Claris Home Page allows users to work with "frames"
whereby a single web page is partitioned into separate parts. It
closely resembles the concept of having a "screen within a screen"
on your television set.
The URL for information regarding Claris Home Page: http://www.claris.com/
Click here to return to Internet Tool Review or follow these links to navigate to any of the pages within the Technological Capabilities Web Site:
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