The planets have aligned for web designers this month. Adobe finally released their suite of next generation applications, CSSEdit was given a nice upgrade, and Panic, dear, lovely, heavenly Panic reminded us why using a Mac to develop websites is a thousand times better than anything else because their applications only run on a Macintosh. This month we have been given better tools to craft and fabricate web standards based websites from design to development to deployment.
To really appreciate how far we have come you should try finding and using the applications of yesteryear like Adobe Pagemill or Netobjects Fusion. Or try using the original Photoshop 3 and see how far you get before using language combinations normally reserved for prisoner lovers or merchant marines.
Sure the tools we have today have bloated over the years but after kicking the tires on these new and revised applications I've got to admit things are getting better, getting better all the time.
Now, if only we can take web design to the next level, beyond the capabilities of the tools we're using, just like we used too, boy howdy, that would be something to see.
Join the fray by reading through and commenting at the end.
I was just thinking this today, it certainly does seem like the God's of design have once again smiled down on our little industry.
Here's to apps that keep me pushing pixels!
word.
Working in Coda, with all of its small touches and brilliant UI effects, inspires me to create smarter, more unique work. Of course, inspiration is much different from execution, but...
Amen.
I keep making changes to a site with Coda and I think I finally have the application that will make me lose, and love the loss of,
tables.
Netobjects Fusion...UGG!
So I take it you like Coda? The reviews I've read seem kind of mixed ... but lean towards "this is a really great start, but it's not quite there yet." I guess I'll have to try it for myself.
I agree that the current crop of tools are simply amazing, but ultimately a tool is still just a tool ... it's all what you do with it. Sometimes I think that the difficulties and restrictions imposed by the software/hardware of the past actually resulted in more creative and inspired designs.
I'm so excited for the new version of Fireworks!
I've been considering a switch to Mac, but a big holdup for me is I'm a Homesite user and BBEdit just didn't work for me. How does Coda compare to Homesite?
Coda is just like HomeSite but looks a hell of a lot better. The only problem with Coda is that it doesn't currently support ColdFusion syntax. This means no syntax coloring for us ColdFusion developers. I did contact Panic and they replied with "We're absolutely considering it, and I'll mark down your vote!". So, if you want ColdFusion support, E-mail your request to coda@panic.com.
Well it looks like I'll have to have my Mac friends download it so I can try it out. I use Eclipse for all my programming and it's java so I'm ok there; I've just found that nothing measures up to Homesite's snipets or extended find/replace. I'd probably miss my custom VTML forms and the fact that you can't write your own color coding controls is a disappointment but I can manage.
Coda is a great start to a product. I like what it is, I'm excited about what it will be... I've been looking for an alternative to the bloated Dreamweaver/GoLive, I'm hoping this will be it.
I hate the logo tho, sorry Panic. Pretty dull.
Coda really couldn't have come at a better time, at least for me. A co-worker and I have are working on a project that has to be done in a very short amount of time. Coda's sharing/collaboration feature is incredible and is saving us hours of time.
For a 1.0 application, it really is a great product. There are some things that will obviously come with time, but as others have said, something about this application just makes the whole process a lot more fun!
Also, Simo, I like the logo, sure it's cliche Web 2.0, but it's nice.
Yay!
a big Bear Hug to mac developers this month!