Rapidweaver vs. Dreamweaver

Hello! We are a small bed-and-breakfast with a simple website that we have been updating for many years using a very old Dreamweaver 3 (which is a monster headache) on a very old PC that freezes up almost every time we use it. We now have a nice MacBook and are trying to decide what program we should use for our website.

We only get on our site every month or so to add new pics, change a few items. Not too much use. We might like to be able to add a youtube video and possibly a slideshow.

Our site was designed on this old Dreamweaver program. Can we switch it over to Rapidweaver? Is the newest version of Dreamweaver a lot more user-friendly than the old one? Is there a different program we should try?

Despite having managed to get by with this old Dreamweaver program, we're not very computer, or HTML, literate.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

I don't believe Rapidweaver can import a Dreamweaver created site. So, unless you want to purchase the Mac version of Dreamweaver, you're looking at a redesign if you want to use a new tool.

With that said, the Mac comes with iWeb, which is a very easy drag-and-drop site creator. I would give it a whirl and see if it suits your needs. If not, download the free trial of Rapidweaver and do the same.

yes, CWA107 is correct - RapidWeaver can't import sites made in any other program. If anything, the newer versions of DreamWeaver are more complicated than previous versions - they offer a lot more features. If you are not very well versed in the ways of HTML then I would also recommend using iWeb or RapidWeaver. They both have their advantages - I think iWeb is easier and makes better looking sites, but RapidWeaver is more flexible and is more search engine friendly - as a business site this is something you may want to consider.

Really if you've been using Dreamweaver and like your current design, I don't see any reason why you should continue with DW. Granted it is a bit expensive compared to others and considering what you want to do with it, but as the old saying goes...if it works...dont fix it!

On another note, if all you need to do is add pics and videos, you may want to consider a product called Adobe Contribute instead. It allows you to edit your existing web pages by downloading a temporary version to your computer, and then uploading it immediately upon saving. I've installed it for a few people that I have built sites (a few "non-web-savvy" customers), and they are able to easily edit their site text and more. It may turn out to be perfect for your situation!

web publishing software, creative web development | Adobe Contribute CS4

Hope this helps!