KompoZer 0.8a1 Release History

The release of KompoZer 0.8a1 on 6 Feb may not mean much to Windows users. That release was made to serve the Linux community and is not yet a ‘production’ release. It should serve notice to all that KompoZer is alive and well, progressing and improving toward being a 1.0 product. That always sounded strange to me, KompoZer not being a 1.0. If you are evaluating whether to use KompoZer I thought maybe you would like to review the history of KompoZer.

N|vu and KompoZer History

The KompoZer web site tells the story about N|vu and KompoZer. The KompoZer developer could continue the project with N|vu code but not the name. They also explain why N|vu was called 1.0 and KompoZer started with 0.7 using the same code with improvements.

One of my first posts talked about the genesis of N|vu and KompoZer and the fact that the logo here, the purple and orange disks in it, represented that evolution. There was a lot of grumbling on the web because no further development was obvious after the fall 2006 release of KompoZer 0.7.7. In May 2007 my observation was, “Altruism doesn’t generally pay much so the day job takes priority.”

You are encouraged to donate to the KompoZer project. If you use KompoZer and appreciate the work that has gone into it DONATE TO KOMPOZER.

My next post expressed my notion that maybe there was no need for further development of N|vu or KompoZer because they could be classics. Classics don’t perform as well as the contemporary product but they perform and maybe good enough for most of us. The promise of N|vu set a high mark for the project but not the user:

“Finally! A complete Web Authoring System for Linux Desktop users as well as Microsoft Windows and Macintosh users to rival programs like FrontPage and Dreamweaver. Nvu (pronounced N-view, for a "new view") makes managing a web site a snap. Now anyone can create web pages and manage a website with no technical expertise or knowledge of HTML.”

Anyone Can Create Web Pages

A lot of people in the community (smarter than me) took exception with the bold statement that “anyone can.” I happen to agree that “anyone can.” In a follow up post to my “classic” concept I said, “I'm still pretty impressed with N|vu-KompoZer because:

1. They are free WYSIWYG web authoring software,
2. I have proven they can be used to create web pages without understanding HTML, and
3. There is a community available to answer questions.”

Working the N|vu support forum taught me that with a little help anyone could use WYSIWYG HTML editors to create web pages. The other fact is that most people should create and share with us. The bugs in N|vu were troublesome. KompoZer fixed some immediately and set a higher standard for the project.The community got a big shot in the arm with the release of KompoZer 0.7.10 on August 31, 2007 because it not only fixed more bugs but improved the application.

N|vu is Dead, Kind of

Shortly after the release of KompoZer 0.7.10 I did a post called, “N|vu is Dead, Kind of “ and that title still applies. My comment then was, “Nvu may be dead but folks keep moving the body.” That continues today. In fact N|vu never looked so good.

The new N|vu site shows software boxed and ready to go even though there was no boxed version. There still isn't a boxed version but you may agree it looks pretty impressive. Research says there are more downloads if you show a box (even thought there isn't one!).

There are still people downloading N|vu and if it works for them I am happy. I had problems with N|vu that KompoZer seemed to resolve so I made the switch to KompoZer. Since then KompoZer has continued to develop. The N|vu site acknowledges that and provides a link to KompoZer.

Box of Wysi

And so I asked myself, “Self, how do these guys get pictures of boxes when there are no boxes?” A quick Google search and I had free, on line and download versions to make images of boxes. In both cases you make the art, identify it to the application and poof, your box appears with reflection and shadows if you like.

The online version offers a choice of box, CD box and DVD box. The routine is simple and quick but the product does not download. A link is provided but I would rather have the image on my web site. I “downloaded” the CD box with FastStone Capture.

The utility you can download is also easy to operate and results in a decent output. The box is only going to be as good as the images you provide. My images were quick and dirty but you get the idea of what is possible.

Of course there is no Box O' Wysi but W.Y.S.I. Free -- What You See Is Free. KompoZer is free, the box makers are free and almost anything I mention here is free.

It is a wonderful thing these folks do. The tools they provide are really cool, helpful and professionally done. The good people who do these great things -- provide free and open source software, give freely of their time and resources.

The KompoZer project has taken a great deal of time so it is time to say thanks. Say thanks with a kind word, a link to the project site, and, it is time, say thanks for KompoZer with a donation.

Wysi

; .