[Toxaris]

Originally Posted by JimLL

Hmmm, Referring to Atlantis I assume you're talking about hand coding HTML, because it does not do HTML via WYSIWYG. The Atlantis people told me that in so many words. Altho it can apparently convert docs to HTML, I don't know how that helps edit anything.

Atlantis Word Processor does nothing with HTML (well, maybe importing), but it is essentially a Word processor which can also export to ePUB directly. It does a nice enough job when I tested it.

Originally Posted by JimLL

I know basically that epub is essentially a zipped HTML, and that it is sort on features compared to other standards.

I think you meant 'short on features'. That is not exactly true. It has much more features than the outdated mobi for instance. However, not all readers implement all available features. Not the fault of the format.
It is more than a zipped HTML. It can also contains stylesheets, images, fonts and more. Also, it is nor restricted to one HTML fortunatly.

Originally Posted by JimLL

I used to code HTML before it got hugely complicated. I haven't found a free WYSIWYG HTML writer.

Then you are in luck. The ePUB2 standard only uses simple HTML with stylesheets. None of that pesky javascript and so on. In general it is plain simple HTML. Only a few quirks, mostly due to being XHTML, but those are easily spotted by the validation.

Originally Posted by JimLL

But it's really too bad that the people around Sigil actually, deliberately want to keep it only for experts.

Not true, sorry. It has a leaning curve, as has any program. If you have basic knowledge about HTML/CSS it is a ball in the park to do most stuff. Use CodeView and find the basic HTML/CSS by Pablo in the ePUB forum. Keep that besides your desk for referral if you can't remember certain things.
If you want more complex stuff of advanced Search&Replace, you have to learn more. Not Sigil's fault, since this cannot be made a lot easier.

Originally Posted by JimLL

I use Calibre. Altho like Sigil, it has no primer. Like Sigil it's all tech details.

Calibre is pretty simple to use for most things. If you want it to use as a library, it is good to go. Simple conversions, good to go. There are tech details, but most people don't need/use them. Personally I only use the library function because I dislike the code it produces while converting.

Originally Posted by JimLL

And apparently I'm not as thin skinned as most, unless people start suggesting I'm lazy or stupid. Ignorant about something and stupid are very different things.

Nobody said anything about lazy or stupid. However, you really tend to ignore all good advice. It is not that if someone mentions that you need to study the format or learn basic HTML/CSS you are described as lazy or stupid.

The tutorial is here.