Dreamweaver a must?

[meekochan]

Hi! I am an amateur webdeveloper, it's a hobby and i enjoy it. i'm not that advanced, but i'm a bit more then beginners level. anyways, i've been thinking about dreamweaver, and whether it's a must to get it? i know it's a wysiwyg html coding program. but until now i've done all the coding by hand, in notepad, and i don't mind it at all. of course, like i said, i'm not that advanced, but i can do some html and php and css. to be a professional, ever, would i need to have and use dreamweaver? or is that just up to me and what i perfer? it just that whenever i search for dreamweaver information, i keep reading that it's for professionals and lots of people use it, and it sounds like i have to have dreamweaver in order to be considered a professional webdeveloper. is that right? what do you think? are there any professionals who don't use dreamweaver? is it even ridiculous to think of becoming a professional webdeveloper without dreamweaver?

one other thing. i know flash is for flash, but if i have flash, is that enough, or should i still have flash and dreamweaver? or could i just make flash movies with flash and then integrate it into my website using a notepad?

[JPnyc]

Believe it or not there are a few companies out there who insist on DW, but in general, I would say no WYSIWYG program is ever a must. I wouldn't take any job where that was the standard anyway. If you already know hand coding, stay with that, and continually further your skills.

[The Little Guy]

You can just hand code using DreamWeaver, Just turn off The Code Hints, and Tag Auto Completion, and only view everything in the Code View, and Preivew in your browser.

I would reccomend getting DreamWeaver, It has many useful tools, such as a
- code validator
- The Code Hits
- Tag Auto Completion
- Source Formatting (for when your source starts to get messy will apply indents)
- Manage Web Sites
- And So Many More Features, to have a well made Web Page

[Ubik]

I have Studio 8, and I use homesite more than Dreamweaver.

Dreamweaver has a lot of functionality, so much, in fact, that it gets in my way a lot. But I still use it for quick layouts and cheap projects where I don't care how the code is actually rendered, but looks great anyway.

I like the code coloring scheme that HomeSite offers, as well as the FTP functionality.

I am not sure if you can get Homesite separate, but it comes with Studio 8. You might can find it on eBay.

[Robert Wellock]

There are plenty of Open Source IDE's that have enough power I know very few webmasters who use Dreamweaver out of choice then again I tend to hang around the standards people.

DW is a waste of money for what most people require: html-kit, NVU, Syn Text Editor, are just some examples of rather powerful tools that many of my colleagues use.

[pogy366]

... Dreamweaver, for whatever reason, is the industry standard, but is by no means required for developing professional web sites.

i started out using Notepad to learn HTML and i'm glad i did. It helped me understand things better by not having a bunch of WYSIWYG mumbo-jumbo in the way.

Then, when i found 1st Page 2000, i started using that and was happy with it, especially because it's free and offered more options than Notepad.

I moved up to Dreamweaver when i landed a full-time gig doing web design, and while it's a good program, i have to admit that i don't use all of its features.

i still code by hand, and have scaled back the DW features so it doesn't do it's WYSIWYG mumbo jumbo to what i'm doing. The big upside to DW (at least for me) is the built-in FTP and the fact there are tools available when/if i need them.

But with that said, if you're using Notepad, and it's working for you, then there really is no reason to shell out the cash for DW.

The heart of the matter is the code itself and the quality that you put into it, not the actual tool that you used to make it.

[Mouse77e]

i started out hand codeing but now i couldn't be without DW. it's not that i am lazy i just got hacked off trying to get everything to work right first time. saves time and saves me pulling my hair out :cool:

Mouse

[LiLcRaZyFuZzY]

would i need to have and use dreamweaver?

don't, it's a massive waste of money, instead buy a good graphical program and continue coding by hand (not necessarily notepad, there are some colorful alternatives)


one other thing. i know flash is for flash, but if i have flash, is that enough, or should i still have flash and dreamweaver? or could i just make flash movies with flash and then integrate it into my website using a notepad?
yes you could

[Chandler30]

Hand coding is stupid, dont' reinvent the wheel einstein. Instead use that time and create
something new.

Good programmer write code, excellent programmers steal it.

- Chandler

[LiLcRaZyFuZzY]

Good programmer write code, excellent programmers steal it.
last time is heard such stupid thing must have been bush's last speech

[Mr Initial Man]

Hand coding is stupid, dont' reinvent the wheel einstein. Instead use that time and create

... Chandler, I honestly hope you are joking. That is the most ridiculous statement I have heard in ages, paws down.

[LiLcRaZyFuZzY]

yeah, he gotta be kidding..

[meekochan]

Thanks everyone for your replies, I'm glad most of you don't think that dreamweaver is a must. I can continue to happily code by hand....

[LiLcRaZyFuZzY]

oh yes you can ;)

[Mr Initial Man]

Code away! The results will be better anyways!