Dreamweaver CS4

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I have been thinking of purchasing Dreamweaver for mac or Web Premium and was wondering if anyone had ever used this software. If so, how is it, is it user friendly, and what can you do with it. A page made with it would also be really helpful as well.

Thanks!
 
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I use Dreamweaver primarily because I had been using MS Frontpage on PCs before I got a MacBook back in December.

There is no other web management software for the Mac that compares to Frontpage. At least, not that I've found.

I tried iWeb, NVU, and Rapidweaver. None have the all-in-one flexibility that Dreamweaver has. Since most of the stuff I do at this level is maintanence of existing sites, this was important.

At first, I was intimidated by Dreamweaver's reputation for being a steep learning curve and hard to master. I have since learned that it seems to have more robust features, but isn't that different from Frontpage for interfacing and making changes/updates. It just takes some getting used to.

In reality, I've found it has some features I either never used in FP or FP doesn't have, to where I have abandoned Frontpage altogether and will continue with Dreamweaver, even on a PC platform.

Hope that helps.
 
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I use Dreamweaver primarily because I had been using MS Frontpage on PCs before I got a MacBook back in December.

There is no other web management software for the Mac that compares to Frontpage. At least, not that I've found.

I use FP now on my PC, I am really trying hard to do everything on my Mac.
I asked at the mac store if Dream weaver was pretty easy, was told no, very hard. To use Freeway instead. Boy that is nothing like FP and not user friendly.
Is Dream weaver WYSIWYG?
These are the only 2 things I have not figured out yet, my web builder and my Paint Shop Pro program.
 

vansmith

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As someone who doesn't use Dreamweaver, I can't really comment on how useful it is. That said, the best way to find out if something is good or suitable for you is to try it out. Everyone you ask could say it's great but if you don't like it, those opinions don't matter much. So, give Dreamweaver a try by downloading the trial here.

A page made with it would also be really helpful as well.
As much as I can see the value in this, the person makes the page, not the program. Just because a program is good or bad doesn't mean the web page is going to be that way.
 
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There's nothing hard or easy about Dreamweaver, it all boils down to whether you know how to code effectively in HTML and CSS. If you can't do that, then no non-WYSIWG editor is going to be "easy."
 
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I use FP now on my PC, I am really trying hard to do everything on my Mac.
I asked at the mac store if Dream weaver was pretty easy, was told no, very hard. To use Freeway instead. Boy that is nothing like FP and not user friendly.
Is Dream weaver WYSIWYG?
These are the only 2 things I have not figured out yet, my web builder and my Paint Shop Pro program.

I think the vendors really need to understand that if you're a Frontpage User, then Dreamweaver isn't 'very hard'. I never heard of Freeway, but I'll add it to the other list of 'not quites' based on your observation.

Dreamweaver is WYSIWYG, but I've found myself spending more and more time in the HTML code itself making changes.

The big factor for me is to be able to compare the server side and local machine directories side by side and ftp over everything I need right there without opening up another program.
 
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Dreamweaver is serious top of the line web building software. With it you can do anything you may want. If you are inexperienced you may find the learning curve daunting, but rewarding. If you need something simpler I'd recommend (in order of complexity low to high)> RapidWeaver (or Sandvox), Freeway Express, Freeway, Dreamweaver
 
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Dreamweaver is a top piece of software. It does take a bit of getting used to, but once you're up to speed, you'll enjoy it.

I would say that the suggestion to 'try it out' is a good one (do they still do the 30 day trial?), but you should bear in mind you'll need longer than usual to get used to it, so don't give up after an hour!

It is on a different planet to Frontpage.
 
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Well I was using my PC to continue with my web site building,it just quit!!!
So now I am really out of luck.
The closest thing so far to FP is Komposer, but now cannot figure out how to publish <sigh>
Sure wish FP had not been so easy, I would have given up before I built 25 or so web sites for others.

I am in trouble now.
 
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I am planning to switch to Mac in the near future and I am trying to figure whether to run Windows & Mac side by side or Mac alone and sounds like the I might have to run this way until I find a replacement fro FP and PSP.

BTW how do you listen to Midi & MP3 background music on a Mac (I am using a Imac G4)


I use FP now on my PC, I am really trying hard to do everything on my Mac.
I asked at the mac store if Dream weaver was pretty easy, was told no, very hard. To use Freeway instead. Boy that is nothing like FP and not user friendly.
Is Dream weaver WYSIWYG?
These are the only 2 things I have not figured out yet, my web builder and my Paint Shop Pro program.
 
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My only experience with web design is basically good old HTML, and I have never messed with CSS. I hope to seriously dig into DW soon as I know its probably got features that once I get a little comfortable with the basic program... I'll try incorporating them. I bought RapidWeaver and I think I'd still stick with DW because I'm so used to working with PhotoShop's conventions over many years that it's sort of a "mission" to learn DW now!

I bought my iMac thinking I'd install XP/Fusion (so I wouldn't have to buy/learn new apps) but I've been holding off and I'm just trying to stick with OSX. Sometimes the transition effort gets in the way of jumping into new apps like DW, but I'm now committed to spending a month or so with it. I've opened it a few times and dabbled, but I think that like anything else... it takes a commitment to really understand. I recently was trying to "teach" my BIL a little about using a serious image editor and turned him on to GIMP because he can't afford PS. He's constantly amazed at what can be done with these programs and I take it for granted, even though I admit I'm still learning new things after 10+ years of PS.

Now if I can only look back in 6 months and feel I'm getting "there" with DW I'll be soooo happy.
 

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