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Adobe Dreamweaver CS3

Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 Review



Overall 3.00 of 5 (by 1 user)


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CyndiA
southern, NC
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Dreamweaver - not for dummies - makes you feel like one.
3 star rating

online writer, melting down, need to do own web sites
Pros

    smart people get it I guess, fine if you already know it, can be figured out - maybe

Cons
    front page - where is the overview, made me cry, not one bit user friendly, call me a moron but . . ., hyper huge learning curve, costs a ton, makes you feel stupid

MAY
1
2008
 
 
 

Since two of the sites I write for went down this year, I thought I should go out on my own. Some other webmasters told me that was the way to go. It made sense.

It's really a bummer to write and write and write and then a site goes belly up. In some cases, sites just change the rules. So, even when a site doesn't tank, writers can come out on the short end of the stick. You're making a little online. Then, you're not making enough to make it worth your while - 20 cents and hour and such. You'd be better off at McDonalds and getting an hourly wage.

Domain Name First Thing

I got my domain names. You have to have a name to have a web site.

Then a Host

Then, I needed a host. There are about a million out there, and if you Google . . . Hum. Be careful. Most of the top hits for hosts are just affiliates who make money if you sign up on their sites. They may say "such and such" is a top ranked or best host, but they make money when you click and sign up.

Next Up Software (for many of us)

Once you have site names and a place to beam them up, you need software that makes web sites. (Well, you could hand code that). This is where Dreamweaver comes in. The hard core siters will tell you to write your own code. That's all well and good, try taking a blank page and putting in all manner of little squiggles and then praying they are the right ones. I was pretty sure I'd freak on that.

Dreamweaver is software with WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get - to some extent). You see the design in other words rather than just line after line of mumb-jumbo. Some things you do not see - or I don't (like the ads). This sounds good.

In addition you can go in and do code as well. So, Dreamweaver is not all templated. If you want something special and if you figure out how to go in and make that happen, yippee. If you don't do it right, you have a mess (as I know).

Stayed Up Too Late Rant

I have been trying to make sites for three days. Yes. I do have some random junk up. No. I will not tell you the site names. I do not air my dirty laundry, and what I've managed to link up there is none too impressive. All I can say is, "Thank goodness Google does not list up everything where you can actually find it."

There is a front page when you pull up Dreamweaver, but it does not have any click that I have found in three days that really shows you what you have there. Dreamweaver is most helpful in helping you create a new page. Old pages? They are there. Good luck finding them. This file system is like nothing I have ever seen in my life. If I click around enough I can find all the old stuff. My new host finds some of it and posts it up for the world to see. I pray no one sees it though.

Then there are things that just don't seem to work. I have tried to change the background color, but it will only change the letters every time. If there is a background button, I have yet to find it. Will probably have to try to figure out where that is hand coded.

I am also wondering where the "do over" button is. Most programs have a spot to go to "edit" and "undo." If there's such a thing on Dreamweaver, I can't find that either. This is why I kept starting new pages. Oh. The other reason is there is some screen that looks like it is asking if you want to save all the work you just did. If you press "yes," then all that goes away. You have the old version. Bummer.

Yes - I Have Used Software Programs Before

It's not like I've never used more complicated programs. I do newspaper lay out with PageMaker (now defunct). That's Adobe as well. You'd think things would be somewhat similar. NOT. The front page on Dreamweaver is like a mess. It is fine for starting new things, but where the heck are the things I was working on an hour ago (oh yes - somehow online with the upload arrow button).

The Update

I melted down last night (OK - I cried as I said before the edit). Today I got up early and tried, tried again. That's my style. Last night I needed that Drumstick ice cream and some sleep.

Today I do have a somewhat better home page and it is actually online and not just lost in my folders. The next part is to make a template for the rest of the pages. I am hoping I do not manage to lose my home page in making the template.

If anyone is getting Dreamweaver, one tip I would give is to check out this tutorial:

The Site Wizard dot com (can't link it here - but Google - it's a good one).

It's easy to follow. It does not cover all the things I'd want or need to do, but it helped me get a basic page up and now I'm at the template section and crossing my fingers.

 

Last edited on May 02, 2008


I_thumb_down Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 is not recommended by CyndiA


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I_comment_shdw24 Comments about CyndiA’s Review



CyndiA wrote on May 6, 2008 at 5:45AM


In response to Fardreamer's comment from May 6, 2008 at 12:26AM:

I'm sure the program will do loads of things. That's great. But it is awfully expensive. I wish I'd known how hard it was to figure out. After writing this I've had several folks tell me that they just gave up on Dreamweaver. Maybe this will save someone some money and a lot of stress - knowing that this is a very difficult program to figure out.


Fardreamer wrote on May 6, 2008 at 12:26AM


Great review, Cyndi.


kid-kansas wrote on May 5, 2008 at 1:24PM


In response to CyndiA's comment from May 5, 2008 at 6:23AM:

Anytime Cyndi ;)


CyndiA wrote on May 5, 2008 at 6:23AM


In response to kid-kansas's comment from May 4, 2008 at 11:36PM:

You're the first person other than family to see it - that I know about anyway (-: I still plan to see if the webmaster at school will do a little contract work to make it look better. Thanks for looking and for the kind words.


kid-kansas wrote on May 4, 2008 at 11:36PM


In response to CyndiA's comment from May 4, 2008 at 9:13PM:

You're very welcome and I feel honored that you wanted me to look and give my opinion! ;) Yes pictures will spice it up even more but like you said getting the meat & potatoes there first is essential. You can always add the extra spice to season it later on in the cooking process. ;)


CyndiA wrote on May 4, 2008 at 9:13PM


In response to kid-kansas's comment from May 4, 2008 at 8:19PM:

Thanks so much for giving it a look. I know my Momma and my boys are going to say that it's great. I know I need a real header but do not know how to put that together. I need to add some pictures which I think I can do (got a couple already) but need to get the articles up first and then add those. I have those very few ads and no interest in making this a flashing banner site. It would be nice to break even on ads. But I'd rather get the info out and eat the cost than have running monkeys and pop ups. I just want a nice personal site where I help folks. Every page is hand crafted as I did not get the template thing. That's OK. I can invest the time and love to do that. Thanks for some nice words. My mom and kids said it's great, but they love me and can't very well say other.


kid-kansas wrote on May 4, 2008 at 8:19PM


In response to CyndiA's comment from May 4, 2008 at 2:14PM:

I just looked over your site and I love it, great tips, recipes and I like the layout as well. It is clean and not cluttered and easy to navigate. Well you know how all the political ads on tv end right? So there is only one thing I can say....I am "The Viewpoints Resident Redneck/Outdoor Chef and I approve this site!!" You did a great job with it Cyndi and I have it on my bookmarks so I can drop in from time to time....Now since this is the start of the grilling season I celebrated today....We just had Grilled Turkey thighs and they turned out fantastic!! ;)


kid-kansas wrote on May 4, 2008 at 8:02PM


In response to CyndiA's comment from May 4, 2008 at 7:27AM:

Sounds like it, t's a shame they made it so unfriendly to use.


CyndiA wrote on May 4, 2008 at 2:14PM


In response to kid-kansas's comment from May 3, 2008 at 10:17PM:

Well. I have some pages up. They sure aren't perfect looking. But I know the recipes are good. It's yesyoucangril(dot)com if you want to see what you think as the resident redneck and outdoor chef. The bottom link to site map has all (I think) the pages there, so I don't get confused. Well, I get confused. Maybe less so with a list too.


CyndiA wrote on May 4, 2008 at 7:27AM


In response to kid-kansas's comment from May 3, 2008 at 10:17PM:

If the girl I emailed can cover some contract work, she's really great with web design. I'm crossing my fingers on that. I also borrowed a DW book, but there's so much in that . . . I think it's mostly minor things I need to fix, but even one little oops in Dreamweaver can ruin a whole page.


CyndiA wrote on May 4, 2008 at 7:25AM


In response to PattyTherre's comment from May 3, 2008 at 10:15PM:

All that info (like folders) went right into the Dreamweaver program from the host, and the FTP is built in. I guess that's the good part. I wish I'd done something easier though.


CyndiA wrote on May 4, 2008 at 7:23AM


In response to BayouBengal's comment from May 3, 2008 at 9:49PM:

Oh yes. That's who bought out PageMaker. I guess I'm going to have to update to that, but I sure do dread it. I'm pretty good with PageMaker. Maybe they're pretty similar. I'm sure hoping so.


kid-kansas wrote on May 3, 2008 at 10:17PM


In response to CyndiA's comment from May 3, 2008 at 7:01PM:

I sure hope they get it figured out for ya! ;)


PattyTherre wrote on May 3, 2008 at 10:15PM


Dreamweaver is really hard. I have it but I use Front Page and Cute FTP to do my website. It's kind of a dated way to do it but it works for me. I tried Dreamweaver and promptly dissed it and put it aside never to use it again.


BayouBengal wrote on May 3, 2008 at 9:49PM


In response to CyndiA's comment from May 1, 2008 at 9:49PM:

I finally remembered the name. It's IN Design. I think if that was my whole job description I would be bald. LOL!


CyndiA wrote on May 3, 2008 at 7:01PM


In response to kid-kansas's comment from May 2, 2008 at 6:23PM:

I've contacted someone to hire for help. Life is too short. A class might help, but I just want to write and get my stuff up. Plus, there are not classes close here. There's nothing close here period.


kid-kansas wrote on May 2, 2008 at 6:23PM


In response to CyndiA's comment from May 2, 2008 at 4:52PM:

Sounds like something I would not like at all, just too many hidden things to trip you up.


CyndiA wrote on May 2, 2008 at 4:54PM


It is not great, but it's at www(dot)yesyoucangrill(dot)com. Then another page is the same but add /gettingstarted.html if anyone knows how to look at the code and see what the heck I broke. It took me a couple of hours to even figure out I had the second page up, since it did not click link it's supposed to. Who makes Adobe? Is it Bill Gates? And does anyone have his phone number?


CyndiA wrote on May 2, 2008 at 4:52PM


In response to kid-kansas's comment from May 2, 2008 at 2:20PM:

Oh I have paths. And more paths. When I messed up, I started over. Then I could find no delete button. So I have about 20 front pages. And I don't even know which one is the one working. I did something right somewhere - but broke my menu buttons, so I may have to start over again. I know I had them right. Then I made it a template like it said to do and BAM broke menu buttons. That part of the template is uneditable. Sigh.


CyndiA wrote on May 2, 2008 at 4:49PM


In response to bkovacs's comment from May 2, 2008 at 2:20PM:

Well I made a page and then even another page. But the help guide had me make my front page a template, and somehow the template broke my link buttons up the side. So now my site won't link together like it looks like it does and should. Do you know how to undo templates or at least unstick the sidebar? I wish I'd just done every page manually now. I could have done that at this point.


kid-kansas wrote on May 2, 2008 at 2:20PM


In response to CyndiA's comment from May 1, 2008 at 10:34PM:

If I didn't I was darn close! Where ever it is putting the files it has to have left a path, somewhere there is a command to send them to a path. The problem is finding that command line.......not a easy task but it can be done. I wish I knew where to tell you to find it but as I said DW is not my cup of tea. Good Luck. ;)


bkovacs wrote on May 2, 2008 at 2:20PM


I used Adobe Premier Elements over the weekend and had similar hair-pulling experiences. It's a video editing package and I was doing a 30-second long edit. However, I wanted the graphics to fade to black at the beginning and end so that they didn't clash with the video. I easily found the "fade" command for the graphics but couldn't get it to work. After at least 30 minutes of clicking, looking at the help files and re-trying, I finally figured it out. In the center of what appears to be the "Fade" button is a little icon of a triangle. I had to click on the triangle icon, not the whole button!!! Once I figured it out, it worked perfectly... geez! --Bob


CyndiA wrote on May 2, 2008 at 6:44AM


In response to kevin's comment from May 1, 2008 at 11:29PM:

Hi Kevin - I actually did go into the code and got some stuff right there. There's an option to hand code too. The main problems I have are the files. There's no OPEN that I can find that shows the various folders and sub folders. I can click around and get some once I open a file but not always. So I can't find something and start over and have multiple files of the same first page. Also, the backgrounds are an ugly gray. I have a tutorial, and it even says there's no easy way to change that. I have to look for this and that - which I have not found. I would think something as basic as a background color would just be a click and select. It is for the colors of the letters but not the background.


kevin wrote on May 1, 2008 at 11:29PM


Yea, we hand code all our stuff here at Viewpoints, but I can understand how it's not for everyone. Too bad about this tool, it doesn't sound like it's for anyone!


CyndiA wrote on May 1, 2008 at 10:34PM


In response to kid-kansas's comment from May 1, 2008 at 10:21PM:

Come on. Admit it. You cried too (-: OK. Prob not. Guys don't much get to do that. With two days trying to get the host thing right and then 7 hours today on PM and then a bad draft up live and my bad (but not as bad) file lost somewhere . . . I wish I'd wrote my stuff on paper, made copies and handed it out on the streets. I don't know if I'll fool with it tomorrow or not. Prob not. I can handle PageMaker and Photoshop. Dreamweaver - kicks my butt.


kid-kansas wrote on May 1, 2008 at 10:21PM


In response to CyndiA's comment from May 1, 2008 at 9:54PM:

Adobe seems to have a knack for doing that with files. They always gave me a hard time and I used their biggest sellers for my degree 7 years ago. I had to walk away and clear my head and then I would finally figure out what was going on. Page maker and Photo shop were my biggest headaches. ;)


CyndiA wrote on May 1, 2008 at 9:54PM


In response to kid-kansas's comment from May 1, 2008 at 9:34PM:

I am not even trying to do anything fancy. I can do the pages. It's the darn files on Dreamweaver that make no sense at all. Plus, I can't even find delete. Right click. Nope. No delete. So I have all the messes plus better ones, but the messes (of course) are going online at the moment. I knew I should have gone to truck driving school. I'd make a lot more money, and life would be so much less stressful. I know. I worked sheet metal and drove the 10 ton. I slept much better at night then.


CyndiA wrote on May 1, 2008 at 9:51PM


In response to LoveisJoy's comment from May 1, 2008 at 7:49PM:

I'm dealing with Vista along with . . . The bugs kind of auto worked out, but I still don't see the point on Vista. Better grahpics I'm told. I don't play computer games. Good for you getting XP. I should have, but I guess I'm too deep on Vista now. Still don't like it.


CyndiA wrote on May 1, 2008 at 9:49PM


In response to BayouBengal's comment from May 1, 2008 at 7:40PM:

I can't even figure out what I need to remember. When I click to DW, it has for the first row a lis of things I recently worked on. Then the next row is make new. Where all the mess I made over the last three days go . . . I do not know. It's there. I stumble on it from time to time, but whew. Where is like a basic tool bar at the start of the start menu that says something like "files?" I will make sure not to buy the Adobe program for newsletters and mags. This one has done me in.