Victor Pavlov has created XML Cooktop, a Windows IDE for XML, DTDs, XSLT and XPath, available for free.

Cooktop offers a similar set of features to the commercial package XML Spy, including color-coded XML editing, spell checker, code library, document navigator, support for XPath creation and testing and XSLT stylesheet development and testing.

Although currently freeware, XML Cooktop isn't open source. The author explains:

XML Cooktop is a personal unfunded project run by software developers who love and believe in XML and XSL. There is a clear need for simple XML and XSLT tools and Cooktop seeks to address that need with high-quality software. Yes, the competition is fierce and for-profit tools are getting better every day. But Cooktop is free so we're not worried.

Cooktop is freeware but it's not open source. The wisdom of open source is still a bit of a mystery. Sure, the free press is good, but the financial rewards are obviously lacking. We're not a bunch of altruists after all.

They go on to explain that given interest by a company, XML Cooktop would cease to be free, so "enjoy this free software while it lasts."

Download XML Cooktop from XMLEverywhere.com.