* Macromedia releases Studio Version 8
Perhaps this is where you’ll hear it first: There’s a new version of Macromedia Studio now available and it isn’t a minor release – see https://www.macromedia.com/software/studio/ for the full details. I had a discussion with the Macromedia product team and despite my world-weary, cynical response to claims of “new and improved” anything, I was, as is said in the vernacular, blown away.
Macromedia Studio 8 is a remarkable release. It not only introduces scores of new features, it also adds far better integration of its components and consequently much improved workflow facilities.
Just to make it clear: Studio 8 is a product bundle that includes Dreamweaver 8 for building Web sites; Flash 8 (you know what this product does); Fireworks 8 for creating and optimizing images; Contribute 3 for updating and controlling Web site content; and FlashPaper 2 for converting printable files into Macromedia Flash documents or PDF files.
There’s way too much in the release to cover in a single newsletter so I’ll just hit a few highpoints of one of the key components: Dreamweaver.
The new version of Dreamweaver includes:
* The integration of XML-based data (e.g. RSS feeds) into Web pages using a drag-and-drop.
* A new, “unified” CSS panel that makes understanding a CSS cascade about as easy as any product I’ve seen so far.
* CSS rendering improvements that include “advanced CSS techniques, such as overflow, pseudo-elements, and form elements.”
The latest Dreamweaver supports both CSS and accessibility with an updated evaluation tool that includes WCAG Priority 2 checkpoints (https://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/full-checklist.html). It also features improved WebDAV support (https://asg.web.cmu.edu/rfc/rfc2518.html) which includes digest authentication and SSL; background file transfer; the ability to compare page layout to comps with “pixel perfect accuracy”; a coding toolbar; improved site synchronize and check in, check out; support for PHP 5, Flash Video, ColdFusion MX 7, and Macromedia Web Publishing System.
Pricing for Studio 8 is $999 for a full license, $399 for an upgrade, and $299 for educational use. Flash Basic 8 is only available as a full license at $399 while Flash Professional 8 is $699 for a full license, $299 for the upgrade, and $149 for educational use. Dreamweaver 8 is $399 for a full license, $199 for an upgrade, and $199 for educational use. Finally, Fireworks 8 is $299 for a full license and $149 for an upgrade.
I’ll be looking at the individual components in future newsletters. If you get a chance to check out Studio 8 in the meantime – let me know if you are as impressed as I am.
