Today I went looking for a free WYSIWYG HTML editor that was good enough that my students could use it instead of purchasing FrontPage or DreamWeaver. I found KompoZer. It was everything I was looking for and more.
From what I understand, KompoZer is an update to Nvu. Both are open source programs, but Nvu is no longer being updated.
I was looking for a program that could switch between HTML and WYSIWYG modes while editing. I have tried to use the HTML mode in OpenOffice, but have found it to be more of a “convert your Word document to a web page” instead of a program that can be used to create a series of pages for a more complex project. KompoZer can handle a complex project complete with cascading style sheets.
I only played around with the program long enough to show it to my class. In less than half an hour I was able to figure out most of the features of the program. I was able to format text, drag and drop images into my pages and complete advanced table manipulates.
I have used DreamWeaver for more than seven years and don’t plan on switching to something new, but it is good to know that a robust program like KompoZer is available for free.
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