Windows geeks say notepad, Unix geeks say VI or VIM, save for those misguided few that use EMACS.
You will find that KompoZer (the successor to NVU) is one of the best free WYSIWYG editors.
Microsoft's Visual Web Developer Express is likely pretty good as well, but I have never used it.
If you want to pay $$$, then the traditional choice is Dreamweaver, but Adobe likely has done terrible things to it by now.