MX - opinions please

[tomothy]

Hi,

Dreamweaver MX boasts to be the best web development tool on the planet. I know that Dreamweaver 3 is very good as i use it. However it lacks in Web Application development ability so I turned to notepad and use ASP to build dynamic interactive sites. ASP works a treat and can do pretty much any thing. MX states that it has a huge Web App development environment within it and it is able to build shopping carts and other useful stuff. Is this technology a replacement for things like ASP? If so how effective is it?

Are the apps in MX as powerful as custom programmed apps? Are they highly professional solutions or lose armature 'make do's'? What technology is used by the apps and how widely supported is this by both client and server?

I'm from the school of notepad programming and I don't like drag 'n' drop dev environments like VB. I like to develop in a way where I have complete control of my code. I don't like environments where I have to click on an object and add a bit of code and then click on another and put a bit more code in. I like all my code in one place and I like to be able to edit it easily. Will MX offend my archaic nature?

How easy, and be honest, is it for someone with no HTML or web development experience to use? Do the apps in MX provide a better way of doing what I do, bearing in mind that I need to be able to build highly customisable web sites that I can edit at a raw code level? Any other opinions on MX would be helpful.

Thank you for your time
Andrew

 

[Cheech]

works for me.. why not try a trial download from Macromedia and see for yourself.

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made.
Groucho Marx (1895-1977)

 

[EugenePaliev]

Hi Andrew!

I'm absolutely sure that DreamWeaver is the best program (not only for web) I've ever seen! To answer ALL your question you need just to install trial version - and you will immediatelly fall in love with it (as I did).

The only thing I want to add that, unfortunately, I had a big problem with prerelease version - it didn't want to save files created/updated from templates when working with MS Visual SourceSafe. But I hope you don't use SourceSafe so you won't have problems with it.

TRY IT! Good Luck!

 

[bluranj]

1. Server Technologies with MX

MX achieves dynamic pages with the following technologies
a. Colf Fusion
b. ASP
c. PHP
d. ASP.NET
MX is like a backbone. Common coding like creating a database connection, creating a recordset, etc. are built in (just as behaviors in DW 3 and 4). But if you need a unique solution you use the tools MX provides and then code the rest of the stuff either yourself or use 3rd party extensions (just like DW 3 and 4 extensions).

2. Is it ameteur or professionals?
Like DW 3 and 4 behaviors the server side behaviors provided with MX are good (no excessive coding, just what is required). But if you take a look at the 3rd party extensions in MX exchange, few are very very professional and some rank ameteur. So evealutate the extensions yourself and decide whether to keep it or but it into the recycle bin

3. How easy is it?
I would say that the learning curve is less compared to hand coding. There are good tutorials with the package itself and all over the web to help.

4. Hand coders typically are shy of WYSIWYG packages. But MX has 3 different views to choose from Design (WYSIWYG) Code (Notepad with syntax highlighting) and Split (Design & Code in a split window). It can't get better than that !! Ranjan

http://www.dreamlettes.com

fragments of dream, weave them together

 

[GUJUm0deL]

Will MX work on a windows XP?? I have not failed; I merely found 100,000 different ways of not succeding...

 

[bluranj]

Yes Gujubhai It works on XP Ranjan

http://www.dreamlettes.com

fragments of dream, weave them together

 

[tomothy]

Thank you all very much for you opinions. You have been most helpful and I look foward to working with the trial when it has downloaded tomorrow (i left it over night at work).

Thank you again
Andrew

 

[GUJUm0deL]

bluranj-bhai, thanks for the tip...
I will d/l it next week...but I heard alot of ppl. had problems with it...how is the interface design like?? I heard it way different then DW4... I have not failed; I merely found 100,000 different ways of not succeding...

 

[Cheech]

You soon get used to it.. everything is still there and some more The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made.
Groucho Marx (1895-1977)

 

[bluranj]

you can also use the classic DW mode if you prefer gujubhai, it gives you a choice of the old or new Ranjan

http://www.dreamlettes.com

fragments of dream, weave them together

 

[GUJUm0deL]

Cool... I have not failed; I merely found 100,000 different ways of not succeding...

 

[EugenePaliev]

What does bhai stand for? I see you're using it: bluranj-bhai and gujubhai... Does it mean anything or you just making fun on each other?
Good Luck!

 

[GUJUm0deL]

LOL, no we're not making fun of each other...
bhai means brother in our langauge. We're indian... I have not failed; I merely found 100,000 different ways of not succeding...

 

[bluranj]

bhai is also giving respect Ranjan

http://www.dreamlettes.com

fragments of dream, weave them together

 

[EugenePaliev]

OK I see, Bluranj-bhai and Gujubhai! LOL Good Luck!

 

[Cheech]

is that respect as how Ali-G would use it?

LOL LOL LOL The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made.
Groucho Marx (1895-1977)

 

[GUJUm0deL]

lol, EugenePalievbhai...
Cheech, i'm not sure...but like I always say: "respect is worth much more then pride"... I have not failed; I merely found 100,000 different ways of not succeding...

 

[bluranj]

well in Bombay city (commercial capital of India). Underworld kingpins are also reffered as BHAI, just like DON was used by the Italian mafia Ranjan

http://www.dreamlettes.com

fragments of dream, weave them together