If
you dislike that achy, bloated feeling that other HTML editors can give
your computer, KompoZer may be the freeware cure you're looking for. An
open-source Web development tool built on the NVU architecture,
KompoZer aims to improve upon the NVU's bugginess.
It does a fairly admirable job of that, while not being bloatware.
Major editing buttons live on the top three-tier toolbar, including a
one-click Publishing icon as well as one-clicks for Image insertion and
Table and Form creation. Font tweaks like Size and Style live in
toolbars just below that, making for easy HTML editing. A Site Manager,
including File tree, is anchored on the left, although it can be
collapsed, and the WYSIWYG standard means that KompoZer can compete
more than adequately with other, better-known editors.
Currently packaged with Portable Apps, KompoZer's exposure seems to be
growing. While this is a good thing, the program lacks a certain
finish, potentially making it visually unappealing to "professional"
users. Judging from the smooth, bug-free way KompoZer tested for us,
it's definitely aiming to play the same tune that its competitors are.