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(28)


| Downloads:74,553 |
| Version Downloads:1,748 |
| Type:Development : HTML |
| License:Demo |
| Date:18 Jan 2012 |
| Platform:PPC / Intel |
| Price: $229.00 |
Overall (Version 5.x):![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Features:![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Ease of Use:![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Value:![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Stability:![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
+1
Golfgirl reviewed on 11 Feb 2012
I tried and used almost every type of web design software (Dreamweaver etc.) before settling on Freeway as the best available for my needs. It's unique in that it's approach is that of a graphic design program, that exports the code once you've done you layout. You don't work in code, you work in design and have the ability for advanced code as well. It offers many extremely convenient and simple shortcuts that get the job done quickly. The only real negative I can see is that clients cannot edit their own websites without owning the software and keeping an exact mirror of all the files used to create it.
-2
-1
+1
-1
+2
+106
Their version numbering makes my head hurt.
+4
-86
Hines2kj reviewed on 24 Feb 2011
Freeway's methods of doing things does take some steps, but they're logical. I was even surprised that elements could be indicated as layers so as not to cause other elements from moving. This app never crashes, freezes or causes any problems so far. The developer is beautiful and quick in answering questions via email. My company bought this, I can't wait to get this for myself. It's well worth the $$.
-1
+28
-2
-1
Flux seems better GUI-wise, but all those dialogs put me off.
+3
+68
-5
-1
An app that lets designers not learn code is so 90's. If it worked, it would be nice, but does it really? Perhaps if you lower your work product expectations.
The issue I had with an old version — could have been even older than 3 — of Freeway concerned that certain settings of text in the GUI produced not text, but an image, in the resulting page. For body text? Hello? Considering the lack of indications of this in the work process and Freeways ads at the time about exact control of text, I still found this to be cheating the concept. I'm done discussing features of old versions of Freeway now.
+5
+18
Vito reviewed on 01 Jan 2011
I'm not afraid of coding. I'm not a whiz at it, but I understand it. I know how to tweak it if I have to. But it's not my idea of fun to build entire sites from the ground up using code. I'm a visual kind of person, and I would much rather work with WYSIWYG graphic and text tools. Freeway Pro provides those tools.
For me, standards compliance is a big deal. Whether a site passes the W3C validator checks says a great deal about the site owner. (Alas, MacUpdate's site doesn't pass…but I digress…) Standards compliance raises the bar for site design, and it's a happy thing that more and more sites recognize its importance every day.
For that reason, I was not interested in a web design application that generated garbage code that wouldn't validate. If there was one thing that sold me on Freeway Pro—the one thing on which I would not compromise—it was the fact that it creates sites that validate. Every time. YOW!
As for Softpress, the company has integrity. Not only is their support is excellent, but they're VERY responsive, which is probably the single biggest indicator of a developer's (or any business's) quality. The company has created a super product, which is (mostly) well-documented and well-supported.
NOTE: The standard Help menu (called "Using Freeway") is NOT all-inclusive or comprehensive. It's really more of a general guide. If you really want to dig into the features of Freeway Pro in depth, you need to refer to the "FW5Reference" PDF. That's where the detailed information resides.
Gripes:
1. Like every other FW Pro aficionado, I add my voice to the chorus of users who lament that Freeway's most serious drawback is its lack of multiple undo functionality. You get one level of undo, and that's it. It's barbaric.
2. I'd like to see the "big" PDF reference document accessible from the help menu.
3. The hierarchy of formatting options isn't clear. Changes (such as font color or line spacing) made at one level might not apply because they've been overridden by contrary formatting options elsewhere that have priority. Eventually, you figure it out, but it takes a while.
4. The menus aren't intuitive. If you don't know what to call the feature you're looking for, you can't always find it just by poking around in the menus. That's also true (but to a lesser degree) with the Help documentation.
Gripe Nos. 3 and 4 (above) need some qualification. The main thing to realize about Freeway Pro is that it's a very powerful, fully-featured application. Like every other application of that kind, it's going to take an investment of time to master such a sophisticated tool.
Nevertheless, it's worth the effort. After years of searching for a web design tool that works for me, I've happily embraced Freeway Pro as the best for my purposes. There's nothing else like it.
+3
+67
Bdkennedy1 reviewed on 29 Dec 2010
For instance, a new feature is CSS Menus (barely documented in the Help file). I used one of the provided templates to mess around with it and couldn't figure out where to edit the hyperlinks for the menu items. That feature should be in the Inspector with all the other settings, right? No. It's in the Edit menu.
It's the kind of design like that, that makes the learning curve of this product so high. It's WYSIWYG so it's supposed to be easy.
And still only one level of undo. If you change 2 things, you can only undo the last change.
I was hoping for a rewrite for version 6, but it took them 2 years just to get version 5 stable.
-1
+650
What's new:
http://www.softpress.com/images/uploads/Whats_New_In_FW55.pdf
Unfortunately, I did not see whether they offered multiple levels of Undo.
"Purchasers of Freeway 5.5 Pro or Freeway 5.5 Express should download the Preview below until the preview period is over.
After this date Freeway 5.5 will be available to download and serialize."
"Important!
Until the final release of Freeway 5.5, please use the Preview - no serial required."
"Users who purchased Freeway Express or Pro after June 1st 2010 will receive a free upgrade to Freeway 5.5. Users will be notified by email after the preview period is over. Those who purchased Freeway outside of the Softpress store should contact sales with proof of purchase."
Upgrade from version 5 Pro to 5.5 Pro is $49, which seems very reasonable. They offer some additional discounts.
I'll give it a try over the weekend and decide then whether or not the new features are worth the $49 for my needs. I know that I will not use many of them.
+3
+109
I also would like to know what I'm paying for so where is the new feature list?
Actually I just installed it and it seems to be a Preview Version!!!
I'm using FW since the early days and like the software but have to say
it's now lagging behind quite a bit no new features or real improvements (and there are plenty to be made GUI, multiple undo, HTML 5) for 2 1/2 years so I find myself using Rapid Weaver more often then FW now.
Seems like the vision and creative spirit has left the company
+4
+44
+4
+67
eppenstein rated on 11 Feb 2012
cybervision rated on 11 Feb 2012
+14
Jeffrey Harris rated on 31 Dec 2011
-1
Donw rated on 21 Nov 2011
Michel Hautin rated on 19 Aug 2011