An HTML composer must let students, easily compose text files, save them as specified filenames in a specified location ("publishing" or built-in FTP should not be necessary), create internal and external hyperlinks directly and intuitively, and not require the student to learn HTML code. It should use the simplest possible form of HTML coding. Graphics, music, etc., are not necessary. Menu-driven programs are an encumbrance.

At the same time, the default HTML editor should not "adjust" links behind the scenes on saving, to make local links absolute, and it should not offer its own view of what an appropriate filename is (as do the Composer components of Netscape 7.* and Mozilla, as well as WordPerfect "publishing" to HTML). It should not add excessive amounts of unnecessary code to pages, thus making editing more difficult.

Ideally, students should be able to use any HTML editor they are already comfortable with to edit and publish their work.

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