で vs. では
I was talking about how I like the nostalgic websites on Neocities.
I initially said: Neocities でみんな90年代スタイルのウェブサイトを作っています。
My teacher suggested: Neocities では、みんな90年代スタイルのウェブサイトを作っています。
で
Simply states where the action is happening. The word is neutral.
If I had to translate the sentence it would be like:
Everyone is making 90s-style websites on Neocities.
では
は is the topic marker, so it gives emphasis to the place.
So it sounds more like:
On Neocities (as opposed to other platforms), everyone is making 90s-style websites.
One more example
学校で勉強します。
I study at school. (neutral)
学校では勉強しますが、家ではゲームをします。
I study at school, but I play games at home. (contrasts between school and home)
Check out my Neocities site and join the Tamagotchi community if this is also your thing. The site is kinda playable too ❤️