A 2018 study found that 48% of people base their impression of a business’s credibility on its website. However, not everyone is proficient in the complex skills of coding, which are often required for building websites.
That’s where KompoZer.net came in. The HTML editor made it possible for people to design websites without the need to write code.
Even though some people were still recommending this website in April 2018, it had not been actively developed for almost ten years, and the website has since gone dark.
We took some time to follow the history of Kompozer.net to understand what happened to the site.
Table of Contents
A Brief History of KompoZer.net
KompoZer was an open-source HTML editor created in 2005 to fix bugs on a previous HTML editor known as Nvu. Daniel Glazman developed Nvu.
The lead developer of KompoZer.net was Fabien Cavanaze, who is also known as Kazé. KompoZer's unique spelling might be linked to Kazé and Glazman’s names. However, the record is not clear – it could simply have been an issue of failing to get a domain name where the word Composer could be used.
KompoZer was a form of WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get). As an open-source HTML editor, KompoZer was a software application that allowed the user to create a webpage and make changes to it without having to use code. Advanced users could also edit in code using the software.
Simple and Free
KompoZer’s primary appeal was its simplicity. It was not only easy to use, but it was also free to use.
WYSIWYG tools such as KompoZer.net also save users a lot of time. For instance, there is no need to learn complex code to create structures such as tables. A simple push of the Table button can generate a table, and pushing the Source button displays the HTML code used to create the table.
KompoZer also made it possible for users to identify publishing errors quickly and provided ways to resolve them. The software was designed in such a way that files that failed to publish were not lost. You simply saved the file to a hard disk and tried again later.
KompoZer’s Top Features
An HTML open-source editor like KompoZer.net ensures that there is no need for hand-coding when creating or editing a website’s content. The editor automates the process. For example, to insert a page title, you would simply type it.
KompoZer was compatible with operating systems like Windows and Linux. It also incorporated the HTML editor with CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), a markup system that separated the look and feel of a page from the logic that controlled its functionality. The CSS editor helped users see changes made to a website instantly, giving them complete control over their web design.
KompoZer could also run multiple sites simultaneously, allowing users to multitask. It also had file management through FTP (File Transfer Protocol). This software enabled users to move between WYSIWYG and HTML.
The Glazbugs Insult
In 2005, Daniel Glazman stopped development on Nvu to focus on other projects.
In the interim, KompoZer.net was developed by Kazé. After identifying several bugs in the system, Kazé named these glitches "Glazbugs." Glazman was not amused. He confronted Kazé and accused him of failing to contact Linspire before starting work on KompoZer (Source). Linspire helped develop and sponsored Nvu.
The feud would escalate with Kazé saying that he had proposed several suggestions to Glazmen “but never got any reply." He continues, "So I don't see the harm in bug fixing a free, open-source, unsupported app."
Glazman would eventually relent but not without warning: “I am glad to leave Nvu 1.0 codebase to Kazé who started integrating bug fixes, but I remind him that Nvu is a trademark by Linspire Inc..." (Source)
Too Busy to Work on KompoZer
The last KompoZer update users report seeing is from 2010. In 2011, Kazé said in a blog post that has since been deleted: “The KompoZer project is stalled at the moment since I am the only regular developer, and I am too busy.”
There seem to have been no more updates by Kazé after this statement. Even though there is no official information about the end of KompoZer.net, we believe that the resource was abandoned when no one could work on it.
Filling the Void Left by KompoZer
Now that KompoZer.net is no more, what solutions are available if you are looking for an open-source HTML editor? We found a few.
WordPress
WordPress is possibly the most popular WYSIWYG resource that both novices and professionals use to create websites. It has many customizable designs and themes for users to choose from.
One of the best features of WordPress is that it allows users to create responsive websites that can be accessed on different devices, ranging from desktop computers to tablets to smartphones.
Adobe Dreamweaver
Adobe Dreamweaver allows you to design using either WYSIWYG or through code. It supports HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, among other coding languages.
Through its grid systems, users can also create layouts for up to three device sizes at a time. Dreamweaver is only available via subscription on Adobe Creative Cloud.
BlueGriffon
BlueGriffon delivers a simple interface for web design and code for advanced users. It can modify sites that were created on other platforms. It also has its own parser for CSS. Parsers analyze strings or texts to ensure that all browsers understand your styles.
Nova
Another option is Nova, formerly known as Coda – a flexible text editor. Some of its features include smart autocomplete, multiple cursors, a Minimap, and more. It has a robust extensions API written in JavaScript and many more tools worth exploring.
WebStorm
WebStorm supports JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, among other languages. It has smart code completion and error detection among its features. Its developers describe it as the "smartest JavaScript IDE." IDE (Integrated Development Environment) brings together tools to create a comprehensive platform for designers.
Pinegrow
Pinegrow offers a well-laid-out platform with an easy-to-use interface, and it also has WordPress integration to help create templates. If you’re looking to get accustomed to the program, the platform offers video tutorials to help you. However, some users have complained about its price.
FAQs
Is KompoZer still being developed?
No, KompoZer has stopped being developed. The last update it received was in February 2010, but its website had remained active for several years before it went completely dark.
As of 2020, KompoZer is a part of ITT Visual Information Solutions, and if you go to its site, you’ll be redirected to KompoZer’s page on the ITTVIS official site. The software is no longer being updated, yet it is available to download.
It remains to be seen what the future holds for KompoZer.
What is the best alternative to KompoZer.net?
Many would probably agree that the best alternative to KompoZer.net is WordPress, the most well-known and widely used open-source website builder. WordPress may have a slight learning curve, but there’s a reason why it powers 43% of all websites.
There are tons of themes for creating a good-looking website, plus there are plugins for any feature you can imagine. We have written at length about WordPress, so if you want to know more, take a look at our WordPress feature.
Over and Out
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