Xsite Pro or Dreamweaver?

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I have been using a trial version of Dreamweaver but before I invest the $400 in buying it - as I'd rather not - just wondering if Xsite Pro is just as good. One of the things I really like about Dreamweaver - and some free ones like Kompozer don't have - is the split screen and when you highlight on one screen (code) you see exactly where it is in the other screen (regular view).

Does it do that?

Any comments or advice?

Thank you.
Tiffani
#main internet marketing discussion forum #dreamweaver #pro #xsite
  • I started using Xsite pro and I must say it is awesome!

    Easy to use with a nice interface.

    Dreamweaver is good also, but huge learning curve.
    • [2] replies
    • Hi Designguy,

      Does Xsite Pro have split screen?
      Thanks
    • Before people chime in about using WordPress let me get my vote in for XSitePro2.

      I used to code sites by hand with notepad, then I opted for HomeSite. XSitePro2 beats those hands down. Ease of use, tons of features, forms, etc are just a click or two away.

      If you know anything about building websites, you will be blown away with XSitePro 2.

      Ok now the WordPress folks can chime in.
  • xSite Pro produces 10-year old code (at least its first version does). It does the job but its coding is therefore quite clunky. As an example I seen a website produced via it, and it was quite easy to reduce the (X)HTML and CSS used by around half.

    But it *does* do the job and it looks very easy to use, so if people like it then great. Google doesn't seem to care much about the quality of the code, so I guess it's no problem

    I personally hand-code everything (via a standard text editor like Notepad, but the Linux version of it), I just find it easier (and cheaper! ) that way.

    However if you can afford Dreamweaver (or are happy with xSite Pro) then either of them are good choices.

    I'd probably say that if you can afford Dreamweaver then that could be the best choice since it produces better and more accessible code, and has more features, however xSite Pro seems good enough for the average job.
  • Totally different products. I have used both. I no longer use either. XSitePro is very slow once you build large sites... it gets to be annoying.

    Dreamweaver is a site design platform and very flexible. But do you want to design sites or make money?

    XSitePro is an html system based on a very ridged template system. Very cookie cutter.

    If you want to market products you should find tools that create consistent looking sites that are based on standards. There is no reason to waste your time on coding and maintenance.

    Find a CMS - Joomla, WordPress, Drupal, and some nice templates and get to work. Spend your money on the template and the CMS is free. Much cheaper, much more effective.
    • [1] reply
    • I did this in a way... I spent a few days designing some sales letter designs and full site frameworks in Dreamweaver. Then I just morphed them over to templates in Wordpress and now I can make a few tweaks to color schemes or header design whenever I want to open a new site and I'm set.

      I'm lucky because I learned how to design websites when I was young, but even a good outsourcing option can take care of this easily... it's a huge asset to have your pocket.
      • [1] reply
  • Hello,

    100% XSitePro I use it for all my website and I love it!
    Simon
    • [1] reply
    • If you are a web developer who wants to do some internet marketing... they you may want to go the Dreamweaver route. If you are an internet marketer who wants to do some basic to moderate complexity web development... XSitePro is the obvious choice.

      If you are a newbie.... XSitePro is the ONLY choice..... other than Wordpress. I find them both to be the perfect solution for a different types of sites.

      OBTW... XSitePro does not have the split screen function you are asking about. The transition form Design Mode (WYSIWYG) to HTML Mode in XSitePro is clunky but you do get use to it.
  • I've never tried Xsite Pro but buying Dreamweaver 5 years ago (specifically Macromedia MX Studio 2004) was the second-best investment I've made for my online business. The best investment was just upgrading to the latest versions of Dreamweaver (specifically Creative Suite 4 Web Standard).

    The learning curve initially was rough... I'm a copywriter, not a web designer so it was completely foreign to me. But once I got the basics down, it was a lot smoother after that.

    Now I can create pretty much any type of web page... I haven't found anything that I wanted or needed to create so far that Dreamweaver couldn't do.

    My advice would be to hit Ebay and look for someone selling an older version of Dreamweaver. Get started with that and when you can justify upgrading, then do so. If it helps... Dreamweaver's versions since 2004: MX 2004, Dreamweaver 8, Dreamweaver CS3, and Dreamweaver CS4. CS 3 was when Adobe bought Macromedia and moved all of their products under their name.

    Hope that helps,

    Mike
    • [1] reply
    • I have DreamWeaver 8 but I keep going back to my Macromedia MX Studio 2004. Just the thought of upgrading to the full suite CS4 makes me foam at the mouth.

      I'm hear to tell ya...if you ever get a taste of Dreamweaver, you'll be addicted from there on out.
  • Neither, use WP
  • Banned
    [DELETED]
  • Tiffani,

    I have both XitePro and dreamweaver, and will have to agree with Mike. It's by far one of the best tools I have, or have seen in action.

    Btw to answer your question, no XsitePro cannot do that - it doesn't have the split screen between design and code.

    To be fair, XsitePro is great of you are a beginner, but if you know what you are doing, the extra features in DW (and there are many more than in XsitePro) are well wort it in the end. Plus that, the code in DW is some of the best when you get right down to it - it's much cleaner code then anything I've ran across.
    • [1] reply
    • Dreamweaver is the industry standard for web design and will therefore do rather much EVERYTHING that can be done on the internet. I do feel though that comparing XSPro to DW is faulty thinking to start. Recommending to use one over the other (any platform that is, including WP) is inadequate advice, at best - given the limited information provided.

      XSPro is for internet marketers who want to put up quick sites - with little command of the HTML. However, most any program that allows you to do that also means there is more end-code that go into building your pages, which in turn is not as easy for search engines to document. There is a trade-off. I don't really believe that DW has HUGE learning curve as others have mentioned, and in the same note, I personally had a lot of issues with XSPro on my VISTA machine. In addition, I think XSPro sites are amongst the ugliest properties on the internet and stand out like a purple house.


      WP and Joomla are something you may want to look into if the cost is an issue. Last year I converted a lot of my websites to Joomla and am very happy with it. But I still have WP, XSPro and DW sites all over the place too. It depends on the job you want it to do, but in the end, if you take the time to learn Dreamweaver, you will have a fundamental knowledge of ALL web design standards and everything else will seem like a piece of cake.

      **Also one of the best combinations for great looking, fast websites is to use Artisteer with DW.
  • Wow, thank you everyone for such great advice. Everybody here is so helpful.

    Tiffani
  • No comparrison,

    Dreamweaver all the way. Cs4 is the nuts. Thats the version I have and very happy with it.
  • I use XSitePro for my Adsense sites. It's fast and easy. I use Dreamweaver for everything else. I think each performs their own task quite well.

    But if you locked my in a room with the choice of one app, it's Dreamweaver. Been using it since it was UltraDev and I love it.
  • I have been using XSP 2 for some time now and have to say it is easy to use and awesome quality sites too.
    • [1] reply
    • DW is worth the learning curve. It was one of the best investments I've made since going online. I opted to go with the CS3 version first since it was cheaper and had many of the features that I needed to get started. I've since started to think about upgrading. There is even a plug in available that allows you to edit Wordpress themes directly in DW. Hope this helps.
  • Hmm. Interesting discussion. Thought I'd toss in my 2cents. I have Dreamweaver CS4 and I've used it extensively to create web front ends in PHP for database applications. Works pretty good. Just gotta keep track when DW wants to make improper code changes on the fly.

    BUT, for creating IMing sites, I would think that xsitepro may be the better buy simply because it has a lot of bells and whistles that are very internet marketing oriented that you'd have to pay either $$$$ for in DW or lots of time to do as well. Here are a few that come to mind:
    - sitemap creation and modification
    - automated site updates
    - tons of widgets and graphics
    - IM tools like front ends to aweber and such.
    - etc

    Now, I'm going to disclose that I don't have xsitepro, but sat throught the 90 minute video taking one through the program and was impressed. I'm on the fence about it too, not because I have Dreamweaver, but I extensively use wordpress with strong success. But there are times that blasting a quick site together in a package like xsite may be the ticket.

    Don't know for sure though?

    Frank
    • [1] reply
    • It took me around 6months to get comfortable with html/css with dreamweaver. It's an amazing html/css editor...it's like cheating in a school test because it automates the coding for you.

      You don't really have to learn hard/hand coding with dreamweaver. It pretty much automates the coding for you once you gain experience with it.

      Another feature with dreamweaver is the incorporation with Adobe fireworks and photoshop for graphic designs. You can mock up design from photoshop and export it to dreamweaver easily.

      If you don't have the time to learn dreamweaver and just focused on getting your site indexed quickly then go for x-site pro.

      But overall dreamweaver is just an awesome application especially with the design feature split screen. You can learn coding at the same time while using the design feature.
  • I usually like to code by hand just by writing in notepad.

    With that said, dreamweaver is good if you are technical whereas Xsite Pro is good if you are more visual.

    Personally I would like to get Xsite Pro and its next on my "To-buy" list after I pay for my bills. hahah
    • [1] reply
    • How about Microsofts replacement for FrontPage. I use it.

      Expression Web is its name. It is now in Version 3 available as 60-day Trial download from Microsoft. Upgrade version (any Office product qualifies) $79 from Microsoft.

      It must fit the bill for some of us in terms of power, ease of use and price and easy availability and online training.

      ---------------------------------------------------------------

      Here's a little more info that I have gathered.

      Microsoft Expression Web Version 3

      OK, you can qualify to buy the Upgrade version (latest Version 3 only) for $79 directly from Microsoft if you Own any Microsoft Office product or a prior version of Expression Web, FrontPage or any Adobe CS product.

      You can download a 60-Day Trial Version from Microsoft.com. Look for free trials.

      With Version 3 you can:
      Create Professional Graphics for Your Site
      Powerful vector drawing and editing tools in the included copy of Expression Design let you explore new artistic possibilities and create compelling graphic designs and illustrations. Integrate vector artwork and bitmap images in the same document to create hybrid compositions that you can import in part or in whole into Expression Web. Use Expression Design's sophisticated slicing capabilities to create web-ready graphics.

      Import Photoshop files
      Expression Web can import Photoshop files directly with complete control over transparency, the layers imported and the converted image format (PNG, GIF, and JPEG). Expression Web remembers your layer and format settings so that you can quickly reimport to reflect any changes to the Photoshop original.


      Version 3 also comes with Expression Encoder 3 with which you can:
      Screen Capture
      Capture all activity on your PC screen with the screen recorder feature including your narration from webcam and microphone, then edit and publish in ultra-high quality using all the features of Expression Encoder.

      There is a lot of training, much of it video online for using Expression Web.
  • I thik it woudl depend on what you're trying to build, whether it's a website or a blog that contains something in particular.

    For example if you bought a domain and host you could use dreamweaver and it would work great specialy beacuse I would say it's a little bit more organized but it requires good knowledge about the software.

    All comes to this, if you're gonna change a software that you're already familiar with you must understand that it will take you time to learn whichever you decide for.

    K.
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    Xsite Pro or Dreamweaver?

    I have been using a trial version of Dreamweaver but before I invest the $400 in buying it - as I'd rather not - just wondering if Xsite Pro is just as good. One of the things I really like about Dreamweaver - and some free ones like Kompozer don't have - is the split screen and when you highlight on one screen (code) you see exactly where it is in the other screen (regular view). Does it do that?