Allaire just released the latest version of their superior HTML editor, HomeSite, version 4.0. This version shares all the "WYSIWYN" (What You See is What You Need) features of older versions of HomeSite, but with special additions that make it even easier to use.

HomeSite is a text editor based HTML editor. It expects you to know a little bit about HTML. However, even if you don't know much about HTML, HomeSite will help you with tag tips, tag insight, and tag completion. If you want to write clean, fast HTML, then you should have HomeSite. This is one of the best HTML text editors on the market, and that is why I am giving HomeSite 4.0 the "Best of the Net" award from the HTML site from About.com

My Favorite New Features:

• code sweeper - this handy little feature allows you to take HTML that was written by someone else, or another editor, and convert it to your style. Do you like spaces before all your tags? Do you want your attributes in lower-case and your tags in upper-case? The code sweeper converts it for you!



• HTML checking - as you type in the tags, they are validated, but what is especially nice is that you know immediately if the tag is deprecated. For example, the <FONT> tag has been deprecated, and when you use it in HomeSite 4.0, it suggests that you use Cascading Style Sheets.



• custom keyboard shortcuts - if your hand hurts using a mouse a lot, then this is just the key. You can write keyboard shortcuts quickly and easily to do the things you do most. So your typing is faster and you don't have to pause to use the mouse as often.



• underlined spell checking - like all the newer word processors, HomeSite 4.0 will validate your spelling as you type, with little red underlines for words that are misspelled.



• new tag dialogs - all the tag dialog boxes now have CSS and dHTML attributes included.



• code templates - write your HTML in shorthand. If you have common blocks of code or text, you can write a shorthand template for it, hit Ctrl-J and HomeSite will write the HTML for you.



• version control integration - if you share files with a team of people, the integration with tools like MS SourceSafe and PVCS is invaluable.



• style sheet editor - this is an external program that will help you create great style sheets.

Same Great Features as 3.0
If you are used to 3.0, you may take a few moments getting used to the new color coding, and some of the items on the "Common" toolbar have moved, but otherwise, it's your same favorite editor. HomeSite 3.0 and 4.0 both include:

• pure HTML - HomeSite doesn't change your tags, or add anything to your pages. If you didn't type the HTML, then it won't be on the page.
• great support - not only does HomeSite come with some excellent support manuals, but it is easy to add more as you find them. If you find a great article that explains CSS on the Web, you can put it into the HomeSite help tree for easy access and review.
• project management - manage multiple projects at once with HomeSite. The files stay together, and you can maintain them easily. HomeSite allows you to do one-button updates of projects, as well as link checking, and validation.
• extended search and replace - search across files, folders, or projects and do replaces quickly and easily.
• color coding - the HTML is easy to read and review on-screen as all the tags are color coded, and HomeSite 4.0 allows more customization and clarification of the color coding for your convenience.

Go Get HomeSite 4.0
HomeSite 4.0 is a fairly inexpensive editor for all of its features. Retailing at around $85 and an upgrade price of $29 or $39 (it's cheaper if you download the upgrade straight from Allaire), it is a powerful, high-quality HTML editor.