Macromedia Contribute 2.0

Rating:
Summary: Simple... too simple
Review: All of Macromedia's propoganda says that Contribute is so great because it is simple. That is true, it is very simple. It's just like a basic word processor with FTP built in. But if you think Contribute will suffice as a single product for maintaining even the most simple of websites, you are wrong.

* You can't do ANY file maintenance with Contribute; so plan on buying an FTP program if you want to clean-up your server and remove old files. It is humanly impossible to delete a file on your server using Contribute. Once you've uploaded something, all you can do is edit it. You cannot remove it.
* You can't resample an image in Contribute (unlike FrontPage and others, which let you resample images after you resize them). If you put a 2MB photo on your page and drag the borders to resize it into a tiny photo the size of a postage stamp, you will still have a 2MB file. No big deal if you just want a photo or two on your site, but if you are trying to build a family photo album with hundreds of thumbnails like I was, this is a showstopper. Absolutely infuriating. So again, if you buy Contribute, plan on buying photo editing software too.

I wish FrontPage was compatible with Mac, because I would just buy that, even though it's far from perfect too. I wish I could tell you what the best web editing solution for Mac is, but I think I can say with a fair degree of certainty that it's not Contribute.

Rating:
Summary: Simplicity with Stable Output and Power
Review: Contribute 2.0 gives the begining website developer power components to create stunning, stable websites. All of this, yet providing simplicity and sophisticated, rich controls that take drab websites to new heights. The program offers a built in FTP (File Transfer Protocol) client also adds Secure FTP for encryption. Contribute allows you to forget about the technical aspects of creating websites, while retaining its strength as powerful tool to the beginner. Simply click the edit button to switch to edit mode for a page and when you are done, just click publish and you are done, your page is updated. Assistance is always by your side, so you can never go wrong. The program does have its draw backs, you are not able to create a website or design one from scratch. The program introduces features for applying Cascading Style Sheet designes from a template, which is associated with Dreamweaver. Contribute features integration with Microsoft Office, you can easily import Word and Excel files, the only draw back it does not retain the font used either in the Word document or spreadsheet. Over all, for the beginner who might want a simple, powerful enough, web site tool, Contribute is an excellent starter and provides superior alternative to Macromedia Home Site and Microsoft FrontPage.

Rating:
Summary: It's good, but sometimes you have to look around 4 features
Review: The previous poster was wrong, you can delete files, but only one at a time, and it's a process that takes a few steps for each file.

I find Contribute to be a good program, and easy to use. the WYSIWYG is not the greatest, and I find myself constantly adjusting margins because it has it's own way of doing things.

One of the coolest things about it is the ablility to transform office documents into flash paper, you have to see it to believe it, it's that cool.

Not a perfect program, but great for the application in which I am using it for, which is maintaining and updating a website that was built off of a template. I don't have to worry about messing up the design of the page, just the content



Rating:
Summary: Comparing Contribute to Frontpage is Ludicrous
Review: To discredit Contribute because it doesn't allow you to resample images like Frontpage does is tantamount to going back to a horse and buggy because you don't like the windshield wipers on your new Lexus.
Incredible.
I've deployed this tool to a number of non-technical users to maintain their own corporate intranet web sites, and not one of them has been unhappy.
It's not perfect, but it gets better with each new release. As we attempt to break people of the bad code and skills they developed with Frontpage, Contribute is a blessing.