Dreamweaver VS Rapidweaver - Pros & Cons

[monkboymark]

hi,

I have been a rapidweaver user for the past 2 years. I think I am getting to the limits of what I can achieve with that software. The big question is does the $ spend merit the extra functionality? and will I need training to get stuck onto Dreamweaver properly?

answers on a postcard please!

 

[imeldesign]

I use both. Rapidweaver is great but it definitely does have its limits. I use RW for small sites and just love it. Dreamweaver I have used since version 2 but keeping up with the changes in each new version can be daunting. As far as training in Dreamweaver that would depend on how much you know about CSS and div layouts. The nice thing about RW is it does all that for you. Dreamweaver has some nice built in templates but sometimes you are going to have to start from scratch.

Good training in Dreamweaver? I learned the "old school" layout of using tables years ago. This year I decided to drop tables for divs (I know about time huh) but every tutorial I found on Dreamweaver already assumed I knew all about divs. I ended up going back to tutorials on Dreamweaver MX to find tables vs divs with the explanation I was looking for. If you like video tutorials I can highly recommend lynda.com. For $25 a month (cancel anytime) you have access to an enormous video tutorial library. The Dreamweaver and CSS tutorials are excellent.

 

[monkboymark]

hey imeldesign.

thanks for all that info. I will look at lynda.com for sure. Yes, looking at the complexity of Dreamweaver after friendly little Rapidweaver it is a little intimidating. However, I am pretty handy at Flash - so I don't think I can avoid Dreamweaver forever.

Have you any experience in intergrating Flash into Rapidweaver?

 

[imeldesign]

I have made a few little flash adds for RW websites. I just use the embed technique for side bar (<embed src="index_assets/ksflash.swf" width="140" height="365" />)I imagine it would work in Blocks as well.

 

[monkboymark]

here is a question for you - Have you tried this Dreamweaver tutorial?

http://www.designprovideo.com/tutorial/dreamweavercs4101

I have been thinking about laying down the $$ for the Flash one, and am asking around about its quality - have tried you the Dreamweaver one? have you heard of the company before?

 

[imeldesign]

I've never heard of them. I have been a book person so I get them from bookpool.com Lynda.com was my first online subscription. I got a month free with my adobe CS3 suite then kept it.

 

[monkboymark]

I subscribed to lynda.com for a "free" month, but they ended up charging me for several more months even though I wasn't using their service! Never again!!

I have been using this now, really good. u can skip about inside the player to find whatever you need, and its downloaded to your computer...

http://www.designprovideo.com/tutorial/dreamweavercs4101

 

[imeldesign]

THanks...I'll look at it.