Macromedia Announces Dreamweaver 8; Industry's Leading Web Development Tool Focuses on Efficiency, Innovation, and Integration

Macromedia, Inc. (Nasdaq:MACR) today announced therelease of Macromedia Dreamweaver(R) 8, the latest release of itsprofessional web design and development tool. Dreamweaver 8 provides apowerful combination of visual layout tools, application developmentfeatures, and code editing support, enabling designers and developersto create visually appealing, standards-based sites and applicationsefficiently. Dreamweaver 8 is available as a stand-alone product or asa component of Macromedia Studio 8, which also includes MacromediaFlash(R) Professional 8, Macromedia Fireworks(R) 8, MacromediaContribute(R) 3, and Macromedia FlashPaper(TM) 2, and is the essentialsuite used to design, develop, and maintain effective, interactiveonline experiences. To learn more about Dreamweaver 8, please visithttp://www.macromedia.com/software/dreamweaver/.

"The advances in Macromedia Dreamweaver 8 are the direct result oflistening to customers around the world and then building a host ofpractical features to fit their needs," said David Mendels, generalmanager, Macromedia. "Dreamweaver 8 not only delivers tools andworkflow improvements that help make users more efficient, it alsosupports the web's best practices and is more closely integrated withthe Studio 8 family and the latest technologies."

Dreamweaver 8 makes the best practices of web developmentavailable to everyone, from users working on their first website tothose developing advanced web applications with Extensible MarkupLanguage (XML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). New visual tools inDreamweaver 8 simplify the integration of XML-based content like RSSfeeds into websites and applications using a drag-and-drop workflow.Other advancements include improved code hinting for XML andExtensible Stylesheet Language Transformations (XSLT).

Dreamweaver 8 also greatly simplifies working with CSS. The newunified CSS panel provides an easier way to understand a CSS file andhow the cascade of styles applies to content. This panel provides apowerful, visual way to manage and edit CSS, reducing the need toresort to code-based trial and error. CSS layout visualization allowsusers to see complex CSS-based layouts more clearly on Dreamweaver'sdesign surface. These tools make CSS more approachable to new userswhile offering greater precision and control for advanced users.

Dreamweaver 8 offers optimized workflows that reduce the timerequired by users to complete common tasks. The new zoom and guidestools in Dreamweaver 8 allow users to inspect images and get controlover complex designs at the pixel level and to easily measuredistances between objects in design compositions. Dreamweaver 8 speedsthe development process even further with a new code collapse tool tofocus on specific code, and a new coding toolbar to easily accesscommon coding functions. Dreamweaver 8 users will enjoy increasedfreedom and productivity to continue working as they performbackground transfer and upload functions using the new background filetransfer feature.

"BASF IT Services uses Dreamweaver 8 to create dynamic websitesfor its customers," said Dr. Hans-Peter Knipp, head of enterpriseinformation and collaborative solutions unit, BASF IT Services. "Thenew features and workflow improvements in Dreamweaver 8 enable ourdevelopers to work more efficiently on a broad range of tasks."

With Dreamweaver 8, users can easily integrate Flash Video into awebsite with a simple five-click process. In addition, Dreamweaver 8offers new support for the latest technologies, such as MacromediaColdFusion(R) MX 7 and PHP 5, as well as deeper integration with theMacromedia Web Publishing System.

"Dreamweaver 8 incorporates a wealth of best practices andexamples into a rich set of web design tools. By adding the knowledgebase to the workflow, CSS, and video tools, Macromedia helps guidedevelopers toward good design," said Susan Feldman, vice president,Content Technologies, IDC. "New XML integration tools, easy-to-use CSSfeatures, and the fast ability to incorporate video into any websitemake this an effective solution for building dynamic and engaging webexperiences."

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

Macromedia Dreamweaver 8 is expected to ship in September.Localized versions in German, French, Japanese, Spanish, Italian,Korean, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese will be availableshortly thereafter. Pricing is $399 for a full license (NA commercial)and $199 for an upgrade (NA commercial). Education, government, andvolume pricing is available. To learn more about pricing options,please visit http://www.macromedia.com/software/dreamweaver/.

ABOUT MACROMEDIA

Experience matters. Macromedia is motivated by the belief thatgreat experiences build great businesses. Our software empowersmillions of business users, developers, and designers to create anddeliver effective, compelling, and memorable experiences -- on theInternet, on fixed media, on wireless, and on digital devices.

Copyright 2005 Macromedia, Inc. All rights reserved. Macromedia,the Macromedia logo, Macromedia ColdFusion, Macromedia Contribute,Macromedia Dreamweaver, Macromedia Fireworks, Macromedia Flash, andMacromedia FlashPaper are trademarks or registered trademarks ofMacromedia, Inc., which may be registered in the United States andinternationally. Other product or service names mentioned herein arethe trademarks of their respective owners.