Article:		Dreamweaver MX 2004 for Mac OS X
Subject:		Performance Issues Are Problematic
Date:		2004-01-17 20:50:41
From:		robreed
Response to: Performance Issues Are Problematic
I couldn't agree more. I registered just to say that. I want to say thanks to everyone at Macromedia working on these issues. And thanks for openly acknowledging them in the first place. You don't have to look any further than Apple for a company that does less than that. As a matter of policy it seems Apple refuses to even acknowledge huge issues with shipping products before they have a patch available and even then you have to read between the lines with the release notes to find vague references to real problems. 10.0/10.1 Server had huge problems and 10.3 Server still has big problems, though it's much improved... Panther client has problems and everything from Apple Remote Desktop to PowerSchool... iPhoto 4 is great, especially compared to the horrible performance of the previous version. There was an iPhoto article (at least one) here too and that article didn't make a big deal out of big performance issues either, if I remember correctly. As users (or administrators, managers and developers)we're as much a part of the platform as any application developer, hardware or software product or the OS itself. Do you ever think to ask yourself if you're living up to your responsibilities? Take the time to ask yourself if you're a good member of this community? These performance and stability problems are real. If they are preventing you from being productive and waiting for a promised fix isn't an option for you then unfortunately you may have some difficult choices to make. This is hardly new territory for anyone who has spent any amount of time working with IT and computer technologies. We're all disappointed with issues like these from time to time. They're an unavoiable part of the process. No one has unlimited development dollars, testing is hardly a perfect process and no one would be happy if developers endlessly sat on products chasing some unattainable perfection. It's a respected adage in IT that's it's best to avoid any 1st revision product in a production environment, whatever the product. I want to know if a developer is working in good faith. When I go through the new Dreamweaver I see a product that has a number of real improvements, new features and enhancements, that does a good job of matching the pace of the related technology and other indications that Macromedia is indeed working in good faith and I say to myself, it's too bad the performance is such an issue and I hope they can correct it and keep building toward a strong and important application (important to me and important to the platform). This ranting doesn't help anyone and certainly isn't making you anymore productive. Making note of the problems is helpful... but this thread stopped being helpful to anyone many posts ago.

Showing messages 1 through 3 of 3.

• Performance Issues Are Problematic
  2004-01-25 03:14:34  Crag [View]
  
  
  "but this thread stopped being helpful to anyone many posts"
  
  Oh really? I think it's very helpful to the poor sap who thinking of buy DWMX2004 for the Mac. I think it's very helpful indeed.
  
  As for making notes of the problems.. many here, inculding me already have, numerous times at MM's own Tech Support Website and boards.
  
  These kinds of rants, and notice not many have been in support of MM, are helpful to both MM and any future customer. It tells MM they have troubles and this "version" has created a bad image problem for them in the Mac community and it tells any customers to look before you spend your dollars.
  
  
  
• Performance Issues Are Problematic
  2004-01-27 10:31:16  robreed [View]
  
  
  There are endless little dicussions like this all over the Internet about Dreamweaver MX and every other piece of technology you could think of, including ones that you love... ones that I think are great.
  
  It is a problem that they are fractured and scattered all of the place, in places Macromedia will never find. They've found this one which is good, O'Reilly.com is a 'well known place' obviously but still this is one random article. Even if you stuck to just major mainstream periodicals and publisher websites you would find dozens of Dreamweaver reviews and almost as many discussions.
  
  What's my point. If you have an issue with a Macromedia problem, the best place to take it is Macromedia. If everyone did that they would know exactly where they stand with Mac users and every other category of customer. Macromedia knows how many Dreamweaver licenses Macromedia has sold to what platforms, what version and when. If a significant # of users start complaining (to Macromedia) then they'll certainly know they have a problem - whether a technical problem, image problem or whatever.
  
  Macromedia has openly acknowledged this issue here x2. I'm not saying that the discussion isn't helpful... just the dog-pile style ranting. New comments have been added in since my post that are helpful in my opinion. They contribute new information about these performance issues. New "yeah Macromedia sucks bad..." comments aren't necessary, they've been made here already.
  
  Hey, I'm just saying that I've been involved in IT for a long time and it is rare for a company to openly fess up to performance issues in a shipping product. I'm thankful for that as a user. I don't think it makes sense to slap it away.
  
  I'm sure that the best way for you to complain to Macromedia about a product is to take the issue to Macromedia.
  
  In the interest of adding some helpful info... here is a link to Macromedia's support site that talks about "emerging issues" with Dreamweaver MX on Mac OS X including this one.
  
  http://www.macromedia.com/support/dreamweaver/ts/documents/emerging_issues.htm
  
  They've also posted a performance survey here. Everyone who has Macromedia Dreamweaver MX would do themselves nd everyone else using the product and Macromedia a favor by investng the time to take the survey
  
  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=5358277649%20
  (I think this will work if not then there is a link to the survey on the emerging issues page above).
  
  I'm in favor of Mac OS X being a strong platform. That requires great applications running great on Mac OS X. As users we should be concerned about doing everything we can to help developers build support and maintain great Mac applications.
  
  
  
• Performance Issues Are Problematic
  2004-01-28 08:12:17  jostevison [View]
  
  
  I think a great number of us have taken it to MM. My problem is not that there are so many bugs, but rather the fact that it is taking them ages to get us a patch.