Upgrading from PageMill?

Any recommendations from Mac users?

[buckworks]

I've been using PageMill to build my pages and sites, and I'm starting to wonder if it's time to upgrade to new software.

My needs are not as complex as a lot of folks on this board (I'm a writer, not a techie), but I'm starting to feel I'm pushing the limits of PageMill. Most of my pages are plain-vanilla HTML spiced with the occasional cut-and-paste javascript, and I'm trying to master CSS. My pages are usually heavier on text than graphics. PageMill doesn't give any help at all for CSS, and it also does strange things to javascripts sometimes.

I'd welcome suggestions from Mac users about what might make a good upgrade from here. Dreamweaver? GoLive? Other?? What do you like and why?

[korkus2000]

I like dreamweaver on the mac. I did the pagemill to dreamweaver upgrade about 5 years ago. It is a pretty easy transition.

You will find that dreamweaver will help you make more advanced websites without trouble. I would also only get dreamweaver and not ultra dev.

[Macguru]

Both DreamWeaver and GoLive will help you a lot with CSS and JS. I prefer DreamWeaver, because last time I purchased it, it was bundled with BBEdit. Also for it's site management features. I find GoLive graphical interface to be a tad easyier to work with, but it tends to generate quite a "chatty" code.

[EliteWeb]

How much of a WYSIWYG editor do you want or are you comfortable doing the coding yourself? If you are fluent with HTML and whatnot then BBEdit is a wonderful app with neato color/coding effects to help you out with your pages.

GUI - Top used for Mac :
Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 6.0
or visit VersionTracker listing of HTML tools [versiontracker.com]

[buckworks]

I like to work with a WYSIWYG editor because it's so much faster for me and it suits the way I think. That said, I usually know what's going on in the code and I'd sometimes want to be able to tweak things by hand. My ideal program would create lean, clean code without a lot of tweaking, though, because I want to be able to update pages frequently without a lot of fussing.

[john316]

I have to say dreamweaver sounds like a "fit", based on your needs.

[buckworks]

"I would also only get dreamweaver and not ultra dev."

Korkus, any chance I could get you to expand that comment?

[mivox]

I find GoLive graphical interface to be a tad easyier to work with, but it tends to generate quite a "chatty" code.

Hehe.... dunno what Macguru was doing, but my GoLive code always looks pretty clean to me. ;)

I'm very happy with GoLive, and their CSS generator has become a tremendously useful tool for me. I think GoLive vs. Dreamweaver is a 6-of-one-1/2-dozen-of-another issue. Personal preference is really the determining factor...

If you use primarily Adobe apps (Photoshop, Livemotion, etc.) GoLive may fit into your workflow better... if you want to set up a streamlined web-only workflow, the Dreamweaver/Fireworks angle might be preferrable. If you use PaintShopPro or another non-Adobe/Macromedia app for your graphics, you could probably flip a coin and be equally well-served by either.

But you're best off sticking with hand-coded/cut&paste javascript no matter what. I don't think anyone offers good, lightweight auto-generated javascript yet.

[korkus2000]

You sound like you are not interested in heavy web development (application design). From what I understand your not really looking for a server side solution (database connections, session, e-commerce).

Ultra dev will be a waste of money for regular vannila sites. If you are looking for that stuff then by all mean get ultra dev. I just think it might confuse you at first. You can always do the upgrade later :)

I have personally not been impressed with ultra dev's capabilities in that area. IMHO You will find server side needs the attention to detail you just can't get from a WYSIWYG editor (not that client side doesn't either).

[buckworks]

You have described me well, Korkus. :-)

Based on comments here, and reading I've been doing in other corners, I'm leaning towards Dreamweaver. Now I'm off to compare some prices ...

[piskie]

There is no competition in my mind, it has to be Dreamweaver.
If you get the current Dreamwever MX version, it incorporates all (and some) of the extras that came with Ultradev.
It is easy to ignore the bits you don't use and grow into them as needed.

[Macguru]

dunno what Macguru was doing,

Ok, OK that was a while back! I had a table festival when trying to have some image to stay put. ;-)

Image ready helped a lot when it showed up.

[txbakers]

If you want Dreamweaver, there is no reason to pay full price. They have a great education support. If you, or someone you are involved in is involved someway with something that resembles an education setting, you qualify.

Previous versions were $99, and it is the same product 100%.