Dreamweaver CS3 is Adobe's first version of Dreamweaver since it acquired it when they purchased Macromedia a little while ago. Last version, Dreamweaver 8, was pretty solid and supported most, if not all, Web design standards and was very user friendly as well. After Adobe took over development of Dreamweaver, they began to integrate Photoshop and other design programs in the Adobe Creative Suite to transform Dreamweaver into a very intuitive and seamless program.
Dreamweaver has always been know for its simple interface that isn't cluttered and uses collapsible pallets to organize design tools and information. Web designers have always praised Dreamweaver for this interface that allows for a seamless transition from design to coding. Because of this, Adobe has kept Dreamweaver's interface almost exactly the same as previous version, except for the minor change here and there.
Dreamweaver CS3's interface is pretty similar to previous versions.
Adobe has also updated Dreamweaver's CSS support and added support for Adobe's own new "Spry Framework," which is a set of JavaScript snippets built into Dreamweaver for incorporating dynamic elements onto Web pages, such as collapsing menus, database items, or XML feeds. Adobe has added new CSS coding tools and more validation tools. There is also seamless drag-and-drop functionality between Photoshop CS3 and Dreamweaver CS3.
Dreamweaver CS3's top navigation menu includes tabs containing powerful design tools, including the new Spry design scripts.
Novice users may find Dreamweaver's control pallets a little overwhelming and might be more comfortable using Microsoft's Expressions Web design software. With Dreamweaver, you get total control over every element of a Web page (sometimes a little too much control for some). Dreamweaver's impressive WYSIWYG design is very powerful and allows for the modification of every small detail. There is also a code view for those of us that know HTML and PHP code and would rather design with them.
Dreamweaver CS3 also comes integrated with Adobe's Device Central, which allows you preview and design pages for mobile phones and PDA's. You can also go to Adobe's massive free extension database online to add features that are not preloaded with Dreamweaver. Adobe has added support for Windows Vista with version CS3 as well.
If you are looking for a Web design program that lets you get "down and dirty" with elements of HTML code, then Dreamweaver CS3 is without a doubt the choice for you. Dreamweaver's impressive tools and features will please anyone who wants to create a professional-looking Web page without a lot of hassle.
