Hi all,

I have recently completed an evaluation of the open source, Mozilla-based, Web editor KompoZer, which is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Linux users may find this tool helpful as a Web editor since Dreamweaver is not available for that platform.

Just thought I'd pass on the evaluation below. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks!
Lisa

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	Re: KompoZer evaluation
Date:	Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:19:00 -0400
From:	Tom Miller <tkm@ncsu.[redacted]>
Organization:	NC State University - DELTA
To:	Lisa Fiedor <lisa_fiedor@ncsu.[redacted]>
References:	<4863EFA5.5070500@ncsu.[redacted]>

Lisa,

Thanks very much for doing this analysis!  I thought that KompoZer might be a good, free alternative to Dreamweaver for our user community.  It sounds like it might work for some, but probably not for the masses.

This is a very informative evaluation.  If you think it's appropriate, feel free to post it for any interested parties... Thanks!

Tom :-)

Lisa Fiedor wrote:

Hi Tom,

I've spent some time looking at and evaluating KompoZer per your request. Please see my evaluation summary and notes below. Also, please let me know if you have any questions, or need a more formalized report.

Thanks,
Lisa

Summary

KompoZer, is a free, open source Mozilla-based WYSIWYG Web authoring tool available for the Windows, Mac, and Linux environments.

I disagree with their statement on the Features page of their website that says, "KompoZer is designed to be extremely easy to use, making it ideal for non-technical computer users who want to create an attractive, professional-looking web site without needing to know HTML or web coding." From my experience in trying to develop a standards compliant website using HTML and CSS, this was not a very simple tool to use. It would provide an inexpensive (and portable) tool for the experienced user, as it provides good access to the HTML code and it displays the relevant tags in a visual format, which is helpful. In addition, KompoZer allows the insertion of PHP code, basic JavaScript, and some advanced element properties, which the experienced user could leverage and who may not have access to a full-featured WYSIWYG editor like Dreamweaver. Since Dreamweaver is not available for the Unix/Linux environment, this tool could be useful to developers on those operating systems. Another open-source tool that could be evaluated for this purpose would be Amaya the W3C's open source Web editor/browser ( http://www.w3.org/Amaya/ ).

Evaluation

KompoZer version 0.7.10 (20070831)
www.kompozer.net

KompoZer, is a free, open source Mozilla-based WYSIWYG Web authoring tool.
Platforms: Win, Mac, Linux
Portable stand-alone edition available

Site Management

The Site Manager allows for defining multiple sites in which one can see, create, edit and organize files to be included in each website.  Although it provides a files panel to see and edit files, but does not allow the creation of new directories or renaming files on a remote server. It does allow for these actions when the Site is directly mapped to a Web-enabled directory located on separate drive (e.g., K or H drive mapped to Unity space) (see Publishing). It allows for the creation of Templates with locked and editable regions, as well as the building of pages off those templates, and the ability to detach a page from a template.

Publishing

It allows publishing of pages via FTP, although it does not provide Secure FTP, which is required by NC State FTP servers. A workaround would be to have WolfCall installed and access the desired Web space as a drive. Unfortunately, this does not provide the protection of developing on one's local computer, then FTPing to one's remote server, as your working space is directly in the Web enabled directory. A separate FTP program is needed to delete published files, rename files or create subdirectories on the remote server.

Page Properties and Elements

It allows for the editing of basic page properties and adding of multiple HTML elements on a page, including links, anchors, images, tables, and forms. It also provides simple formatting of body text, paragraphs, heading levels, and lists. See the Accessibility section for the limitations with respect to these elements.

CSS

It provides a CSS editor similar to Dreamweaver, allowing the creation of Style rules for tags, classes, ids, and custom rules. Within the editor, it allows one to hand-code the CSS, as well as providing options for styling of text, background, borders and lists. It also enables using the box model for positioning, and providing an aural stylesheet. The option for creating an aural stylesheet is not available within Dreamweaver.

Advanced Properties

For most elements it provides an interface to add HTML attributes, inline styles, and JavaScript events. There is no assistance with JavaScript in the Help documentation beyond a definition, so to use that feature, one would have to already understand what is required as a value for a JavaScript action. The list of available JavaScript attributes is limited to keyboard and mouse functions. It also allows for the incorporation of PHP code.

Accessibility

• Allows text sizing in relative units, including ems
• Provides a clear way to insert alternate text for images upon insertion of said image, as well as an interface to edit  this and other image properties.
• Allows for adding both mouse and keyboard JavaScript events.
• Does not create tables with headers, but allow cell headers to be indicated in the Table Properties dialog box.
• Allows for adding a caption for a table, but not a summary.
• Allows for adding Tab Index and Access Keys for forms, but does not assist in the creation of a required explicit association between the form label and its related element via the <label> tag. This must be done in the code view.
  
• Enables the provision on an aural stylesheet.
• Provides a way to validate the HTML with the W3C's HTML Validator
  

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Lisa Marie Fiedor
Web Accessibility, Usability, & Design Specialist
DELTA Instructional Support Services
Campus Box 7111, NC State University, Raleigh NC  27695-7111
Rm 2133 DH Hill Library, East Wing
v XXX-513-4616 f XXX-513-4005
lisa_fiedor@ncsu.[redacted]
  

--
Thomas Kenan Miller III, Ph.D.
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Vice Provost for Distance Education and Learning Technology Applications
Director, Engineering Entrepreneurs Program
North Carolina State University
E-mail: tkm@ncsu.[redacted]    Phone: (XXX)513-5006    FAX: (XXX)513-4237

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--                             --                           --
Lisa Marie Fiedor
Web Accessibility, Usability, & Design Specialist
DELTA Instructional Support Services
Campus Box 7111, NC State University, Raleigh NC  27695-7111
Rm 2133 DH Hill Library, East Wing
v XXX-513-4616 f XXX-513-4005
lisa_fiedor@ncsu.[redacted]