Good WYSIWYG Webpage editor for Mac?

[MorningGlow]

Hi everyone,

I just got a new MacBook for Mother's Day (hooray!), and the only problem is my copy of Dreamweaver won't run on it. (I get a message to reload it, but then it refuses to acknowledge my username and licensing number.)

I would like to find a decent WYSIWYG Webpage editor to replace Dreamweaver. Note that I only do the very basics of Web design--no Flash or fancy stuff--and I'm a downright chicken when it comes to HTML. (What can I say? I'm just right-brained to a fault.) I can do HTML if someone held a gun to my head, but I really prefer to work in a design-type view.

Anyway, I did a little googling and found SeaMonkey, Amaya, Nvu, etc., but I don't know which one is really good to use. Any suggestions?

TIA! :hi:

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. I use Dreamweaver, but you MAY have to buy a new copy or

contact them and see if they sell you a license for the mac for the price of the upgrade

Your WIN version (that is what I am assuming you got) will not work on your MAC

(I own two versions, a win version that runs... sort off... on Windows and my MAC version

Oh and stay away from I-WEB... it adds a lot of crappy code

[MorningGlow]

2. Oops I think I wasn't clear

I did have a Mac version loaded on my iBoob. It was a licensed copy from where I used to work. Although I transferred everything from my iBoob to my MacBook, and it seemed like all of my programs worked, when I tried to open Dreamweaver today I got an alert saying there was a problem and I had to reload the program. Tried doing that off the CD, and it rejected my username and license number as not valid. They were both correct, so I suspect Dreamweaver doesn't like the same copy being loaded on two machines. So my solution for now is to keep my iBoob plugged in for Dreamweaver, which I don't use too often--maybe once every couple of weeks--and my OS 9 programs (Photoshop, Quark), which I hardly ever use, until I find some replacements.

I was just reading about iWeb and how the pages are so huge they won't load easily. I'm not looking for a template version of Web design anyway. I want something close to what Dreamweaver is (for less than the $400 price tag, of course).

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Call the company, you need to physically

change the copy from one machine to the other. You cannot use the copy since they registered your machine with your copy.

You should be able to find the info you need on the website.

Then again, it might be time to upgrade from MX if that is what you have to CSS

I would call Adobe or look at their FAQ for this

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. And here from the FAQ

http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=66ac80b7&sliceId=1

MX 2004 products, Contribute 2, Contribute 3, Captivate, Flash Paper 2

If the software is still installed on the original computer, open the program there, go to the Help>Transfer your Software License feature in the software, and follow the directions to transfer the license. When this is completed, the program should activate and install on the new computer.
If the software is not still installed on the original computer, but you still have the computer available, install the software again (it should automatically reinstall without activation). When you have done this, open the program, go to the Help>Transfer your Software License feature, and follow the directions to transfer the license. When this is completed, the program should activate and install on the new computer.
If you no longer have the original computer, or the original computer is not connected to a network, select the phone option for activation, call the number provided, and explain the situation. In most cases the Activation group can provide a solution.

[MorningGlow]

5. Thanks for checking, but I suspect this might not apply to my situation...?

I have Dreamweaver 8, so I went to the Adobe site and checked on using the same program on two computers. The info said I can, but it doesn't say how. I checked the "Help" in DW and I couldn't find anything about transferring the software license. Oy vey...

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. You may have to call them

really

And that kills a day... been there, done that.

Oy

I wish Adobe made things easier, I truly do.

THough I do understand why this happens... the small percentage of people who love to use pirate copies.

[MorningGlow]

8. Darn.

I don't think I can call them (even if I had a whole day to sit on hold)--my copy might be considered pirated now that I no longer work at the job I got it from/for.

Sigh. Hence the need to replace it....

Oh well. Thanks for trying though! :hi:

[Bongo Prophet]

7. Check out Freeway Pro- I have read good things about it for visual type designers

http://www.softpress.com

They have a free trial, decent price at $250 (plus competitor sidegrade that may apply to dreamweaver for $200)

Check it out - I plan to after my next site or two - just for quick html type visual site turnaround. Dreamweaver doesn't always show things correctly in the visual realm, and that slows my progress, hopping from firefox to css edit to DW...though having desktop manager to flip virtual screens is a big plus there!

And DW has crappy CSS, IMO - hence CSSEdit, which has saved me hours and hours - best 30 bux spent ever. Seriously - macrabbit.com CSSEdit is THE BEST WAY to do style sheets.


That said-----
You SHOULD be able to get DW8 working - Maybe install the 30 day thing in the meantime?
Also, you may need a newer version to install. I still have a powerbook, so <b>ntel vs ppc, and whether it is Universal compliant </b>are issues to consider...

Do check back and let us know, okay?
Happy mothers day, indeed!

[MorningGlow]

9. Cool. I will definitely check it out.

Me likely free trials.

Hee--I am such a creature of habit--I always drag my feet when I have to start using a new program that's unfamiliar to me. I wish I could get DW8 working, but I don't think I have a leg to stand on since I'm using a copy from my previous full-time job. It's their license. I can't lay claim to it any longer. x(

[Bongo Prophet]

11. The appealing thing is that it has a page layout GUI, so a quark type experience

Since you had mentioned being more visual than code based, that jumped out at me.
I have been watching Freeway develop for awhile, and it is getting more comprehensive for the quick layout of visual elements. Sometimes that is what you want, rather than getting too deep. for that, I prefer drupal or joomla - a full CMS is best for really complex things, in my experience.

Agreed, free trials are good.

And the crossgrade was for the now defunct GoLive, but they mat take it for your dreamweaver license if you write them - I saw a post on a forum somewhere where this happened. They just want a screen capture of the info box, I think. It's 175 or so, not 200. Tempting...

I got my macromedia studio 8 package by buying a cheap old fireworks on special, then getting the upgrade price - saved several hundred $$. so, think strategically, and try to leverage that license if you can! ;)




A pretty good review here: http://www.it-enquirer.com/main/ite/more/freeway_5_pro/

and a news release here: http://www.graphic-design.com/news/2008/freeway_5_pro.html


I really like the interface, esp. on a laptop - very document focused.
(I do GUIs for a living, so a bit picky)
Sometimes I sound like a salesperson, heheh.
So. not. true.
hope it helps though.

[papapi]

10. Nvu should Du....

If your doing just basic stuff. It is WYSIWYG and its reliabe. Its open source so its free. I've noticed a couple of bugs but the developers have continued to update the program periodically.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Unfortunately NVU does not behave well on a MAC

and trust me I tried it... I have a copy on WIN and have used it from time to time

[Robb]

14. Still hard to beat for the price

I've yet to come across any bug I couldn't deal with by saving often and restarting the program.

Free = good, if you're a cheap bastard like me. :)

[alfredo]

15. Works fine on my Mac.

[Bongo Prophet]

13. Oh, and don't forget to check out rapidweaver -$50 and dead easy.

Add $50 in plugins to customize blocks and it is a great way to get things done quickly. Another free trial- I am checking it out. Lotta free stuff for it too...