Dreamweaver or....?

[lindastacy]

I'm considering putting the latest Dreamweaver on my wishlist. Would you go with Dreamweaver or some other WYSIWYG editor?

(Yes, I use self-hosted WordPress for many of my sites, but I still have some HTML sites that I'm not sure I'll convert.)

[StephenT]

Linda, I am a definite newbie so don't really listen to me, but I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents.

I have owned two html editors. I started with coffeecup. I was good, but it does not have the features that Dreamweaver does, which is my second. The cost for coffeecup is considerably less, and I guess you can do just about anything with it although not quite as easily as the much more expensive DW.

I am sure others have much more experience and can tell you better than I!

[Lynn Terry]

I use and like Dreamweaver.

[lindastacy]

Thanks.. Adding... I already use Dreamweaver, but I have a very old version and am considering updating. Just checking to see if there's anything else new and perhaps better?

I tried downloading a couple of free editors including KomPozer, but didn't really like it. Just looked at Artisteer and it doesn't seem to fit my needs either.

[bornstein75]

If you are serious about web design then Dreamweaver is the best program out there. I used to be a web designer, and that's what i used to use. It's very powerful.

The only thing is that it may take you a while to learn the ins and outs, but it's worth it!

[ress]

DW is definitely a great editor but I love using PHPDesigner. It's no WYSIWYG but I love the feature when they highlight matching HTML tags. I'm not sure why DW doesn't have that.

[Lynn Terry]

I actually liked my older version of Dreamweaver better. I'd look at what features you want, and decide which version to use based on that. Don't just upgrade for the sake of it (I wish I hadn't lol). I still use the old version on my laptop and prefer it.

[TraciKnoppe]

I'm another Dreamweaver using, been using it since v.3 eons ago. But then I've been a web designer for more than 10 years... so it was a very useful tool for my business. I still use it almost daily for something. I currently am using v.8.

[NicoleDean]

Another vote for Dreamweaver here. But, do you need to upgrade? Is it giving you issues?

If you do, here's a big hint. If you or someone in your immediate family is in college, order through this site:
http://www.journeyed.com/

You can get HUGE discounts on software. We stocked up when hubby was taking classes.

Hope it helps!
N

[wendywood]

I'm also a Dreamweaver user and absolutely love it. I use to use FrontPage ages ago but decided to go with DW from some of its features a while back. It's been so long, I can't remember why exactly I decided to make the move - but I'm glad I did. :)

Thanks for sharing that link Nicole, I've been thinking about upgrading some of my Adobe software and since I'm enrolled in an online credited school for graphics, the link couldn't have come at a better time. ;)

[NicoleDean]

Glad to help, Wendy. We saved so much money on software by ordering there. It's worth jumping through a few hoops to prove you're a student. :)

[wade_watson]

I've never spent much time with Dreamweaver, but have gotten by fine with Microsoft FrontPage for HTML design. Kompozer can be useful, but it had some nasty bugs that can cause more problems than it fixes. You don't want to use it to edit existing stylesheets directly or it will screw things up.

FrontPage has now been replaced with Microsoft Expression Web. I've not used it, but you might want to look at it also. Since most of us are used to the MS interfaces from office, it tends to be easy to get up to speed in their products. Expression Web looks like very good to me and will be my next WYSIWYG editor.

Wade Watson

[lindastacy]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I downloaded a trial version of the latest Dreamweaver and I'm in agreement with Lynn... not sure I need any of the new features and rather than learn my way around a new version for what I need, I think I'll stick with my ancient version. I'm sure I can come up with something else for my holiday gift wish list. :)

I've used FrontPage extensively and would never start a new site with it now. Besides all it's quirks, it's no longer being developed so I wouldn't recommend it. I haven't tried Expression Web and given my bias I probably never will.

[webmann]

Most of what I have now for web sites are blogs but I still have a few clients from before my heart went wacky on me. I started their sites with Dreamweaver and still use DW to update them.

I use XSitePro for any sites I have that aren't blogs now. It's a pretty cool editor but I would never try to use it on an existing site. I only use it to create and maintain new sites as I have had real headaches trying to convert or import a site and have it work properly.

[SSMockingbird]

I use DW all day long at the salt mines, and use it almost exclusively for anything HTML/CSS/PHP related.

Three features that I hope are in your older version: Templates, Save to Server, and the Sync entire site.

Saves oodles and oodles and oodles of time to make one change and update multiple pages, modify images locally and just update all with one click, and not have to fumble and bumble around looking for directories etc.

Most of which can be setup and monitored through the Manage Site menu interface.

Once you are comfortable with the basic features, add these to your bag of tricks.

Use what works best for you, but as you get more and more comfortable try using additional features.

[Clay Franklin]

I love Dreamweaver. I especially like the web development package with photoshop and adobe pro. If you are a student and don't use it for commercial purposes you can get a discount rate.

Also DW CS5 will be coming out very soon, so I would suggest you wait a few weeks and get the latest version. I am saving up for it now.

[cadehugue]

i think Dreamweaver is the best one personally i also use it.

[John P]

Also DW CS5 will be coming out very soon, so I would suggest you wait a few weeks and get the latest version.

Yes DreamWeaver CS5 will be released on April 12th. I just bought the Adobe CS4 Master Suite about six weeks ago after waiting several months to upgrade. Now they are releasing CS5, Grrrrrrrrrr

Anyway the software is amazing, especially PhotoShop CS4

John P

[dominicfilip]

Dremweaver is the best.. i prefer it only..as its the most realible.

[StephenT]

I had DW and used it ow and then. Since my sites are all Wordpress, I don't have too much call for an editor. When my computer crashed yet again this last week, I lost DW. It was a borrowed :o program and now it's gone. I had bought coffecup html editor some time ago and I still have it. It works for what I need and is a darn sight cheaper!

[Bridgett Raffenberg]

Thanks for all of the tips on Dreamweaver guys. I entered the biz after Wordpress and have not had the need for a WYSIWYG editor as I am a big proponent of Wordpress. However, I am now finding that so many things would be so much easier to do if I had DreamWeaver too. I watched a teleseminar yesterday and the speaker wrapped a video with an image and branded his biz within the image (basically a small sales page with video). I know I could hand code it but I am running into those situations more and more and am now thinking that DreamWeaver needs to go on the list.

[jhonsadins]

According to me Dreamweaver is the best editor today. I am sing it from last year and I never faced any problem with dreamweaver. Notepad is also a great editor but it is old and dreamweaver has more feature than notepad.

[Engage]

I've not used Dreamweaver, and so can offer nothing there...

More generally speaking, a case can be made that custom designing sites is an inherently unproductive activity for a publisher to invest their time in.

Yes, I know. Everybody is doing it, so it must be the right way etc.

Except that it isn't.

If we trace the history of webmastering from the early 90's to today, there is a clear trend. Building better and better looking sites has gotten steadily easier and easier.

Just project this trend a little bit farther in to the future. Coming soon, everybody on earth will be able to create a really professional looking site with just a few button clicks.

And then....

There will be no ego or business advantage to having a slick looking site, because everybody will have one.

And...

It will be ever harder for your slick site to get noticed, because all the information known to humanity will already be online, and will be endlessly repeated by over 6 billion people.

The challenge is not looking good, but having something truly interesting and unique to share.

Building nice looking sites is where we go to hide from that very demanding challenge.

[waynelapricon]

I am also usinng the dreamweaver as I think it is the best software for the designing the web site. As it has all the altest features and the application, also it has many features which helps to design site very attractive.

[robert adams]

personally, I think DW is way overkill for what most people need.
not to mention the cost.

It is really not just a web page creator, it is a webs site creation and maintenance program.

You can do everything DW does with many of the free wysiwyg type html editors and a free ftp program.

robert

[nickelodon007]

Dream weaver is my favorite too.. i think its very eay to use and very effective too. At times i also use front page but i like Dream weaver more.

[josaphlewis]

There are lots of image editing software available in the market such as Dreamweaver, WYSIWYG, CoffeeCup etc. but my favorite editors are CoffeeCup and Dreamweaver.

[robert adams]

There are lots of image editing software available in the market such as Dreamweaver, WYSIWYG, CoffeeCup etc. but my favorite editors are CoffeeCup and Dreamweaver.
none of those are image editing softwares.
wysiwyg is not a software it is a type of editor.
WhatYouSeeIsWhatYouGet

dreamweaver, frontpage, golive, komposer, kvu, etc. etc

are wysiwyg type html editor/web page creation software.

coffeecup offers many different types of software. one of which is a wysiwyg html editor but none of which is a image editing software( that I can find on their site )


robert

[retta719]

I've never been a fan of DW :( I used FrontPage for awhile, then tried out the new Expressions and didn't really like it much, so if I'm doing HTML these days I just use Notepad. *gasp* I also like the Coffee Cup software, and they offer a WYSIWYG editor that I liked well enough.

Nicole mentioned student discounts, and that reminded me that DW is an Adobe Suite product and you can get a discount for any kind of student (not just college) when you order through the Adobe site also. I purchased a new copy of Fireworks for a big discount using my 13 year old sons school info and he's learning how to do some graphics for me this summer :)

[dbjbob]

I have never used DW when we first started our florist I tried front page but never really learned it. I use the control panel on my hosting site. I have been told before that I would be better off learning DW or some other software but I have never really understood why? Other than I don't have upload my site to a hosting company's server.

any thoughts?

[aussieroo1]

I found Dream weaver more useful and you can easily navigate it since this software is user friendly. And I don't think I still need to upgrade my Dream weaver since I rarely use it nowadays.