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AU_student_iceBook · Jul 28, 2003, 10:39 AM

It honestly seems more responsive and well thought out compared to dreamweaver. It integrates with .mac, and makes a lot of sense right off the bat.
It uses wysiwyg editing, and preserves html code. Not bad.
If anyone has any questions let me know.

-Q- · Jul 28, 2003, 02:01 PM

Thanks for the feedback. A couple screenshots would be cool. I'm interested in what the interface looks like and how it integrates with a full site. How do you assign file permissions ("You can edit text, but don't mess with the graphics.")?

Peter · Jul 28, 2003, 02:34 PM

Just in case you didnt know, there is a trial available to download on the macromedia website.

AU_student_iceBook · Jul 28, 2003, 02:41 PM

Originally posted by -Q-:
Thanks for the feedback. A couple screenshots would be cool. I'm interested in what the interface looks like and how it integrates with a full site. How do you assign file permissions ("You can edit text, but don't mess with the graphics.")?

I would be more than happy to post some pics and go into more detail but PeterClarke2002 is right, it is available for a trial.
Let me know if you want me to go ahead and answer your questions.

schwa · Jul 28, 2003, 02:48 PM

Contribute's main problem, IMO, is that it's a client application used to manage web content. That's fine for very small teams, but any decent CMS is integrated into the actual site, where I can do my editing directly from the page, using nothing but my web browser.

There also seems to be no approval/workflow capabilities.

What Contribute does have, that I really wish someone would do in Flash/Java/DHTML/whatever, is a Mac-compatible WYSWIG editor. GOD HOW I WANT THAT!!!!

Peter · Jul 28, 2003, 04:17 PM

After using Contribute, it is a lovely app. But somehow, call me mad, but it reminds me of......FRONTPAGE!

-Q- · Jul 28, 2003, 04:49 PM

Originally posted by PeterClark2002:
Just in case you didnt know, there is a trial available to download on the macromedia website.

Heh. No, I didn't know but I should have figured. Bad monday. I think I'll go start it over again.

Synotic · Jul 28, 2003, 05:33 PM

I've actually been really interested in this. I am on a PC for a few more weeks but I'd like to try out Contribute when I am back on my mac. If you could answer my questions, I'd be extremely greatful

OK, I have a site that is worked on by two people, me (coder, designer) and another person who takes care of the content. Now he isn't exactly competent with html so he uses GoLive to edit the pages... Which really mangles the code. So I was thinking about using Contribute, I especially like how it doesn't mess with your existing code.

Firstly, I the site is hand coded and I already have about 50-100 pages of content. I believe Contribute has some template features but is there anything I can do with my existing site other than creating new templates and re-entering all the data?

I have certain pages where tables of informations are required, does Contribute allow a client to add tables, or is that just with Dreamweaver?

Does everything work remotely? Currently there is a local copy of the site on the the guy's hard drive. He edits the local site and then uploads it with Transmit. But this can be a pain when I update something on the site, and then his copies are out of date and visa-versa? So it would help if everything was done on the server.

That's all I can think of for now but I will probably have more questions later. Again, thanks.

Nebrie · Jul 28, 2003, 05:47 PM

Has product activation :/ Looks like I'll have to buy two copies just for me.

Semantic Mike · Jul 29, 2003, 03:00 AM

...any decent CMS is integrated into the actual site, where I can do my editing directly from the page, using nothing but my web browser.

There also seems to be no approval/workflow capabilities.

CMS through a web interface can be extemely limiting, especially for mac browsers that don't support the windows/ie html editing component that so many of these systems rely on.

Personally, I like Contribute and version 1 certainly had approval/workflow capabilities using provisional file copies and e-mail. And, for me, it's pure WYSIWYGness and platform independent design wins out over any bespoke system.

GENERAL_SMILEY · Jul 29, 2003, 05:03 AM

Runs quite nicely, and integrates with your .mac account. Looks good for individual projects with small groups - correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Sitespring meant for more industrial sized clients? (never used it so forgive me).

Could be great to give to clients so they can edit sites you've already built, or slick personal sites, portfolio stuff etc... Paypal integration is interesting too.

Also - almost the most interesting thing for me - was the inclusion of Opera, what an interesting browser. Can't make it import my safari bookmarks though.

AU_student_iceBook · Jul 29, 2003, 08:34 AM

Originally posted by Synotic:
Firstly, I the site is hand coded and I already have about 50-100 pages of content. I believe Contribute has some template features but is there anything I can do with my existing site other than creating new templates and re-entering all the data?

It can easily open the HTML files you have already created and edit those like it would any other. It can also use any page you have created and create "templates" from that pre-existing page.

I have certain pages where tables of informations are required, does Contribute allow a client to add tables, or is that just with Dreamweaver?

I believe you can do tables no problem.

Does everything work remotely?

It is your choice, I had it connect to my .mac account and updated the files there directly. You could also have it work on local files instead.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

AU_student_iceBook · Jul 29, 2003, 08:35 AM

Originally posted by GENERAL_SMILEY:
.... - almost the most interesting thing for me - was the inclusion of Opera, what an interesting browser. Can't make it import my safari bookmarks though.

I also thought that was interesting. Why the heck wouldn't they use safari's web core?

ckohler · Jul 29, 2003, 09:05 AM

I tried Contribute 2 on my PC at work yesterday to edit a small website. I do website design professionally and all my stuff is completely hand coded.

Of all the WYSIWYG editors I've seen, this one was certainly the friendliest and respective to my original code. The only changes it made was some unnecessary tab indenting (which I HATE!) and added a few <P></P> tags where I usually don't even bother. Other than that, it placed just two directories on the server to manage the rollback history and site settings. Overall, I was impressed.

The biggest Achilles heal of Contribute though is that it only really works with purely static web content. Most all of the sites I deal with anymore contain dynamically generated pages and there isn't any logical way to make Contribute work with database driven sites built from templates and perl.

On the other hand, if you have a little, static brochure website or maybe even a blog it would be a simple way to manage the site.

Synotic · Jul 30, 2003, 08:10 AM

Originally posted by AU_student_iceBook:
It can easily open the HTML files you have already created and edit those like it would any other. It can also use any page you have created and create "templates" from that pre-existing page.

I believe you can do tables no problem.

It is your choice, I had it connect to my .mac account and updated the files there directly. You could also have it work on local files instead.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks for the replies. I'll be sure to download the trial when I can.

BTW, ckohler...

Indenting = Good
<P> tags = Good
Using break returns instead of <p> tags = BAD!

Good luck

Griggsy · Jul 31, 2003, 07:17 AM

i took the plunge and ordered contribute for a windows client for a site that im going to be building in mx on my mac rather than build a cms from scratch.

I mean for �100 it looks like a good option for fairly major content change on a page by page basis.

From what ckohler saying its good on static stuff, so it will be useful on my site, where the client wants the ability to change all the 'content' on a regular basis, but doesn't want to pay for anything like a dynamic site, it seems to fill the middle ground between static and dynamic nicely!

anybody else used it in anger (professionally?)

Synotic · Jul 31, 2003, 07:47 AM

OK, another dumb question... It's 100 bucks, but do you buy two copies? One for the developer and one for the content maintainer? Or do you set it up and then transfer your license to the user? Or is it a developer + client package?

Griggsy · Jul 31, 2003, 08:24 AM

Originally posted by Synotic:
OK, another dumb question... It's 100 bucks, but do you buy two copies? One for the developer and one for the content maintainer? Or do you set it up and then transfer your license to the user? Or is it a developer + client package?

i thought you just bought the client for the 'client' as it were and set everything up in dweaver, guess thats what the 30 day free trials are for for any local testing you need to do?

AU_student_iceBook · Jul 31, 2003, 09:56 AM

Originally posted by Synotic:
OK, another dumb question... It's 100 bucks, but do you buy two copies? One for the developer and one for the content maintainer? Or do you set it up and then transfer your license to the user? Or is it a developer + client package?

If you both wanted to use contribute, you need to buy 2 copies of it. They have bulk discounts starting at 5 copies (I think).
It has some new activation thing on it (like office and windows XP) where you need to contact them and register it.