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Mike
Joined: 29 Dec 2005
Posts: 120
Location: Ontario, Canada
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 Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:00 pm Post subject: Which version of Dreamweaver? |
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For those experienced with dreamweaver, what version should I get? I don't want to spend hundreds upon hundreds of dollars on dreamweaver. So if there's an older version that is awesome, please suggest it.
Thanks
Mike |
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Will
Joined: 26 Feb 2006
Posts: 148
Location: UK
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| Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:47 pm Post subject: |
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I would suggest that it depends on your requirements; specifically, if you want to build websites using valid, structural mark-up and CSS for presentation then you will want to go no earlier than Dreamweaver MX 2004. Dreamweaver MX didn't handle CSS layouts very well at all and of course, the latest Dreamweaver 8 handles it best.
Can I ask, do you specifically need Dreamweaver? If so, have you tried the free trial version from the Macromedia website?
If not, then have you considered the likes of XSitePro or even the freebies such as Nvu and 1st Page? |
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Mike
Joined: 29 Dec 2005
Posts: 120
Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes I have tried dreamweaver, and I'm pleased on the program. I was thinking of XSitePro, but a lot of the sites I've seen done with XSitePro weren't too appealing to me. |
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Will
Joined: 26 Feb 2006
Posts: 148
Location: UK
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| Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:30 am Post subject: |
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Do consider a many people using XSite Pro might not necessarily have the design skills to compete with professional designers who use an industry standard application like Dreamweaver.
Put Dreamweaver in the hands of those same people who produce the XSite Pro sites that don't appeal and you'll probably still be faced with unappealing websites!
I've not used XSite Pro, but I'm pretty confident that in the hands of a skilled designer, the sites it produces can look just as attractive as those built with Dreamweaver.
Take a look at www.xsiteprocommunity.com/showcase to see what can be done with XSite Pro design-wise. |
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Mike
Joined: 29 Dec 2005
Posts: 120
Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 5:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Will wrote: | Do consider a many people using XSite Pro might not necessarily have the design skills to compete with professional designers who use an industry standard application like Dreamweaver.
Put Dreamweaver in the hands of those same people who produce the XSite Pro sites that don't appeal and you'll probably still be faced with unappealing websites!
I've not used XSite Pro, but I'm pretty confident that in the hands of a skilled designer, the sites it produces can look just as attractive as those built with Dreamweaver.
Take a look at www.xsiteprocommunity.com/showcase to see what can be done with XSite Pro design-wise. |
I understand completely with what you're trying to say. Even the professionally designed sites on the page you linked to aren't "up to standard" to me lol The only thing I don't like about the websites is the navigation. The plain text for the links on the navigation bar aren't too exciting.
On the other hand, I really do like the netprofitstoday.com layout. So maybe I should check out Homesite (I think that's what Ros made the website with, correct me if I'm wrong). The way everyone makes Homesite sound though is that it's outdated. How is Homesite? |
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Will
Joined: 26 Feb 2006
Posts: 148
Location: UK
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| Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Even the professionally designed sites on the page you linked to aren't "up to standard" to me |
But of course, it's a matter of personal preference!
I used to love HomeSite although I've no idea what the latest incarnations of it are like.
Are you looking for a code editor or a page design application? |
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Mike
Joined: 29 Dec 2005
Posts: 120
Location: Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Will wrote: | | Quote: | | Even the professionally designed sites on the page you linked to aren't "up to standard" to me |
But of course, it's a matter of personal preference!
I used to love HomeSite although I've no idea what the latest incarnations of it are like.
Are you looking for a code editor or a page design application? |
I'm have more trouble with page design. What do you mean by a page design application? |
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boysbach
Joined: 27 Dec 2005
Posts: 195
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| Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 12:27 am Post subject: |
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Mike I have tried dreamweaver and as I said before I had too much going on with work, family and moving continents to really learn it.
I now use xsitepro and love it. I haven't used any of the templates because they are not what I want. But I am slightly confused by some of your comments. The navigation on most xsitepro is basically the same as on this forum the only difference is the underline.
Basically on xsitepro when you create a page you opt to put it on the navigation, that means you click one box and it is done. The default is no decoration but you can change that if you wish. If you want to do your own navigation then you leave the box unchecked and lets assume you want it in the right column like here you do it manually on the page format you can put the bullet you can put the decoration or anything else you wish using standard html. I wanted to add a blog onto mine which is done via the hosting rather than xsitepro so I just used that facility to do it.
You also have an area where you can put scripts which goes onto all pages, maybe people (myself included) haven't used all that can be done, but there is a lot around that can be used. Also remember that you can build a template (whatever you want) and then export it into frontpage and work from that.
Maybe if you could give some idea of what you think is a professional page and then those who use xsitepro could tell you if you could do it or not.
Bev |
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Will
Joined: 26 Feb 2006
Posts: 148
Location: UK
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| Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 12:39 am Post subject: |
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| Mike wrote: | | I'm have more trouble with page design. What do you mean by a page design application? |
What I mean is do you want to hand-code with raw HTML source or do you want to use a WYSIWYG editor? HomeSite is code-view only, Dreamweaver offers both, a text editor such as Notepad is code-view only, etc. |
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larrylef
Joined: 01 Jul 2006
Posts: 7
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 3:03 am Post subject: |
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| Will wrote: | Put Dreamweaver in the hands of those same people who produce the XSite Pro sites that don't appeal and you'll probably still be faced with unappealing websites!
I've not used XSite Pro, but I'm pretty confident that in the hands of a skilled designer, the sites it produces can look just as attractive as those built with Dreamweaver. |
I agree with Will on this. Both Dreamweaver and XSitePro are tools, and ultimately, the way your site looks will depend upon your own sense of design. Whether you hand Leonardo Da Vinci a box of Crayola crayons or a set of the finest oil colors, he could probably produce something well beyond what you or I could do. The point is - I've seen both beautiful and unattractive sites created with both Dreamweaver and XSitePro. So if you want a beautiful site, learn the rules of good visual design and employ them in your work.
Visual design is a discipline who's principals are independent of the medium - whether it be web, print, fine arts, architecture, etc. You can study visual design for many years, and there are basic principals such as contrast, alignment, proximity, repitition and color.
Most of us weren't born with the eye of an Italian Renaissance painter, but we can develop our sense of design, and employ the lessons learned to improve our websites. I know that I have definitely made progress with this over the years, and you can too, because in our culture we are bombarded with design everywhere we look. Take a look at advertisements in magazines, on TV, billboards. Which ones look attractive and professional to you and which ones look bad - and why are they different? One good idea is to get a book that teaches basic design principals, and see how these rules are exploited in the advertisements you consider attractive, and ignored in the ads that don't look very good.
Best Regards,
Larry |
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