A few weeks later I landed a job as an entry-level web developer with a major publishing house. My first day on the job, I was presented with two things: HomeSite and a huge stack of work.

The menial work ebbed and flowed, but that copy of HomeSite went on to become a seminal, essential driving force in my career. I used it to learn HTML, CSS, and through it the art science of web development.

After that first day on the job in August of 2000, I immediately got a copy for my home computer, and in the 9 years since, I have built and edited literally hundreds upon hundreds of web pages and websites using HomeSite. A file browser, some snytax highlighting, and a top-notch find and replace function: If those 3 simple yet beautiful features weren’t invented by HomeSite, they were certainly preserved and revered, as much as the web development world has changed during my time.

I ate so many Smore’s pop tarts at that first job that I can still conjure up the taste of them whenever I see the familiar red globe logo of HomeSite. Hearing that it is gone means that the ancient, familiar HomeSite install folder saved on my “Programs” directory has become all the more valuable today.

Thank you, HomeSite, and thank you Nick for building the tool that built the web.