For most of you all that matters is knowing that HTML is like a foreign language. If you were to write to someone in another country who didn't know English you would need to write in the language they understand be it French, Japanese or Spanish. By the same token to communicate with a computer? You need to write in HTML.
To save you the trouble, most blog sites are of a click-and-build variety that have what can best be described as a translator. So, you type in English and whatever you type is translated into HTML for the computer to understand. When writing posts on Blogger this would be in the "Compose" view.
The Benefit: You can customize aspects of your blog template like font sizes and colors without having to know HTML
The Drawbacks: There are many, many more customization options you can exercise if you know HTML. Options that you won't be able to use if you are limited to the click-and-build feature.
Some things are kind of half and half. A good example on Blogger is creating a link that when clicked on will open in a new window. You have to go into the "Edit HTML" window and add some code (target="_blank") to be exact, by hand.
Usually the only people who know HTML at all are geeks of some type be they web developers or computer programmers. You can learn HTML fairly easily by buying a book or studying online tutorials. For most people though? It's easier to hire someone to say, customize their blog template using HTML.
RAQ (Recently Asked Question)
Question: I tried to put your widget on my site and it didn't work--I know it's me but I can't figure out what I am doing wrong... I guess I should mention I am on WordPress.
Answer:
There may be a special option you have to select depending where you are adding the code that accepts HTML. In blogger this would be located in the Page Elements option to add links to certain areas of the sidebars. If I try to put a piece of HTML in the side bar without first selecting the "HTML/Javascript" option it won't work and just appears as code on my page. If I make the proper selection it becomes a live link. Unfortunately I am unfamiliar with Wordpress :o(
