KompoZer on the Web

Free downloads of KompoZer took off like a rocket with the release of 0.7.10. The features offered in that release caused folks around the web to take another look at this free, WYSIWYG HTML editor. Most reviews are short and similar to mine: It works, it is good, go get it. One review goes into a little more detail. I put the review on my recommended reading list for those of you who are considering KompoZer to create your first web site.

Amateur Status

I don't think I have ever claimed to be more than a novice web author. My technical abilities were clearly depreciated in a piece that included: "You can be assured, howsomever, that I’m not a geek. The clock on my VCR flashes all the time. That, and the fact that I still have a VCR, should tell you something about my technical qualifications." I always thought that Nvu and KompoZer products were built for all of us who lack an understanding of HTML, CSS, style sheets.

This blog tries to interpret some of that geek stuff to encourage you to get your thoughts on the web and to not be intimidated by code speakers. It is nice to see someone with a better understanding technical stuff (and writing) give a good, thoughtful review of KompoZer.

KompoZer revives Mozilla WYSIWYG Web editing software

Nathan Willis contributed his review (title above) a little more than a month ago. I just found it thanks to one of our visitors. Beyond assessing the features of KompoZer 0.7.10, Mr. Willis goes into some of the development background for this line of editors and the persons involved.

It isn't really productive to review a review so I will just recommend you read the article. Like many of us Nate Willis wonders not what is next but when the next milestone in the developer's roadmap will be reached. Because Nvu is dead and the next generation off in the distance, KompoZer is my choice for web editing.

Shortly after orphaning the Nvu codebase in 2006, Daniel Glazman of Disruptive Innovations announced that he was starting over on yet another HTML editor, ... A year later, there is still no public release and very little news on this effort, so KompoZer remains the most capable free software HTML editor. Nathan Willis

The Dark Period

A year ago hope for improvements to KompoZer was really low. Kazé had cleaned up the first batch of bugs in the Nvu code but then fell silent and went missing. Nothing happened over the winter and Linspire even lost interest in the Nvu support forum. It was a dark period for those of us who believe in the potential of this project.

I argued at that time that KompoZer was still a pretty good tool for web authoring and maybe even a classic without further improvement. Kazé came back with a vengeance to give us a bunch of improvements leading to release of 0.7.10. Willis notes that Kazé "has intentionally not promised anything for the long term. I consider that a wise move, especially for a project run entirely on volunteer time."

Since the 1 October release of Willis' review Glazman has hinted that the next generation project is alive and well, perhaps with corporate sponsorship. I guess that is good news but I'm on record for the "next generation."

My personal view is that product is like the space shuttle replacement: We may see both in 2015 and neither will fly.

I say go get a free download of KompoZer and get busy on your web site. Nathan Willis has it right when he says that Kazé and the KompoZer "development team has done an excellent job of picking up where Nvu stopped, and producing a powerful, easy-to-use Web editing app that feels right at home alongside Firefox, Thunderbird, and the other Mozilla suite alumni."

Wysi

; .