Does not actually exist. This is supposedly a type of
HTML editor, which, unlike a
text editor,
renders the
HTML on the fly. Frequently they are advertised as
WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get), meaning that no matter which
browser a
web surfer uses, they will see approximately the same thing. However, from
Lynx to
Mozilla to
IE, all browsers look a little different, and that is something
web designers just have to get used to.
Programs commonly, and inaccurately, called "WYSIWYG HTML Editors" vary widely in quality and adherence to W3C standards. Some are cheap shareware and only have basic layout functions, while others (such as DreamWeaver UltraDev) can interface with server-side architectures, and can cost $1000 or more. Generally high-end apps are extremely customizable, so that, say a web development firm can automate routine tasks or use special code parsed by the server. Advanced editors can also help a web desgner implement Cascading Style Sheets, JavaScript functions, Flash animations, and embedded Java applets and a myriad of other interesting new technologies.
Some well-known WYSIWYG HTML editors include Adobe GoLive, Macromedia DreamWeaver, Microsoft FrontPage, Claris Home Page, Wallaby and others. Today, many larger browser packages such as Netscape Communicator include WYSIWYG HTML editors of relatively low quality, though you can't beat the price.