PaulQ602's Full Review: Adobe Dreamweaver 4.0 Full Version for PC (DWW40D0...
I have used Microsoft FrontPage and NetObjects Fusion but it wasn't until I found Dreamweaver that I discovered a web editor that I really like. It's important to point out that choosing a web editor is somewhat personal - sometimes it just comes down to personal preference.
Dreamweaver usually comes bundled with Fireworks, a full featured graphics editing program aimed at the web. The two programs are integrated tightly. Switching from one to the other is easy and each program is very aware of the other. It makes developing web pages much easier. If you need to tweak a graphic or create one, you just pop over to Fireworks.
Dreamweaver 4 has multiple display modes. Since I know HTML, I can work in a split window with the HTML code at the top at the real-time WYSIWG page below. When I edit in either window, the other updates automatically.
The WYSIWG editing system lets you make complicated layouts easily. You can use layers to group elements and move them around with pixel accuracy. With one click, you can view your pages in a browser. For the most part, it creates code compatible with all newer browsers.
As for creating an entire site, Dreamweaver can manage all the pages well. In addition, it has an intuitive FTP interface so you can upload/download pages and graphics from within Dreamweaver. Although I don't use them, Dreamweaver also has extensive tools for working with a group on one web site.
Dreamweaver 4 seems to fix all the major bugs that were in Dreamweaver 3. If you want a full featured web editor and feel comfortable with a little bit of complexity, this is the product for you. It's not for beginners. I would say intermediate to expert users would benefit from this.
Go to the Macromedia web site and download the 30-day trial. You can try it out before you plunk down the cash.
UPDATE: Technically, Dreamweaver is not 100% WYSIWYG. I am not aware of any web design programs that are truly WYSIWYG. Although even Macromedia refers to the "WYSIWYG mode" of the program, it's not completely accurate. You will find yourself tweaking pages after displaying them in your browser. For this reason, I hold to my recommendation that Dreamweaver is not necessarily for beginners.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.