I have little doubt that Mr. Hughes “gets it.” Freeway was merely held back my its MacApp roots. Rebuilding it in Swift will be no small undertaking, assume that is even what SoftPress2 is up to. But whatever is built in Swift by them should be far better than anything produced on MacApp when running on our modern Macs in this day and age. The only matter will be how long it will take to develop such an app. Even small changes to Freeway took ages in the past. But I don’t know if that was due to MacApp or something else. I guess we need to wait and see. But there must have been some light seen at the end of the tunnel for SoftPress2 to have been created. I doubt it was revived on a whim.
–James Wages
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Allow me to post my two cents, Thanks first for returning to build Freeway for the users that enjoy it, I read lots of these emails (sorry not all) and I have learned from the many great users here, from what I see there is no way for Softpress to exist if their only target is the PRO designers making a living from this app, they need guys like me as well, I buy every update but only update my one web site once every year or two. So with that being said I do need/want features that are the Freeway best but can not afford to pay a subscription for my extremely limited use. I don’t think I am alone in this as I’m sure Softpress has more that 15-25 users. I fully understand what the Pros want and actually need to a lesser degree than me. I would like some of those features too but will never learn CSS or HTML. So I hope all you PRO users get what you want and need but that Softpress can still remain within reach for guys like me.
Thanks, Studiodave
ps: a quick search on my system shows I have 106,891 emails from Freewaytalk going back to 2008
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FW doesn’t force users to go beyond their comfort zone. It could still build flat static sites as before, if I wanted. For those who prefer to keep things easy, the only relevant changes in the UI have been in various sizing options (flexible, etc.).
For those who need to keep things simple, the best thing is to hang on to earlier versions. I manage one static site, for example, that was designed on 5.5 and is not in need of conversion to something newer. If there are any small tweaks needed, I launch 5.5. For all my other sites I use 7.
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Again I must say that I am much relieved to learn that my beloved Freeway Pro will be around now maybe much longer than me! (I was terminal two years ago at this time and ended up getting an experimental aortic heart valve popped in without open heart surgery)
Years ago, like in 1997 I knew that sooner or later I would not be able to continue doing my electrical contracting and the isolation of ceiling mounted surgical microscopes and started to study SEO in the summer of 97, a year before Google was on the net.
Being SEVERLY dyslexic I can not do any real coding and never intended to learn it really. I bought my first computer that same year because I saw it all coming together, the decades long visions in my head, multimedia and broadband. It was finally becoming possible and it was a very exciting time for me and though I had a very complex business dealing in the world of micro surgery, I did not have all that much intensions of using the computer for business as I did to learn multi media and the web.
Next month makes it twenty years I’ve been using a computer, always a Mac. My first three paid for applications were Photoshop 3, QuickTime 3 Pro and Netscape. (Yes, I paid $35 for Netscape!)
The amazing thing about the Mac and the applications made for it, especially back then was the fact that all you needed was the thoughts in your head and the determination to make it happen with multi media. You picture in your mind what you want and tell that to the software and then the software itself writes the code. PERFECT!
Started using PageMill around 2000, moved on to GoLive and a few years later got screwed on GoLive 9 and in January 2009 I started using FWP as my web software. The beauty of FWP is that you do not have to be a “pro” at anything to make a website basically as you want. Granted, I am not an artist and have little graphic training whatsoever, so my web design is not the best visually.
But here’s where I found FWP to really help me make most of my living these days. It really allows me to create my style of organic SEO that puts my clients at the top of the search results on the first page. To me the very most important aspect of any business website is the careful plotting and planning of building a solid foundation in SEO and then build the design around the needs of the SEO for that client.
My clients’ competition all mostly use WP or another CMS web builder and I find that truly puts me to the advantage right from the start. A complex “backend” can and does really screw with SEO and you’re best not to use it when you can.
The way that I can manipulate how I want the directories in a site, how I can name the URLs and many other little things that are just common sense to my SEO seem to be a tough thing to maneuver with the CMS systems. And the search engines are not reading a ton of crap before it finds the SEO parts it wants to read like it does in a CMS.
Granted, I need to learn more HTML and CSS now these days. But after a week of trying to use Pinegrow, I am so GLAD that I can still use FWP and keep doing what I have been doing!
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I’ve been a Freeway Pro user since 2004, when I wanted to build a batch of websites without learning coding, but rely upon my knowledge of Adobe products.
Freeway fit the bill. I probably didn’t have to spend more than a couple of hours looking up things in the manual before I had everything down. And I found that the updates occurred often enough for the software to be current (according to my limited expertise), but not a case of updateitus, where you’d have to worry about endless conflicts.
I don’t do much with the websites I administrate; just make changes when necessary. But I was so concerned about not being able to update my MAC OS on a regular basis that I installed the MAC 10.11.3 on a virtual machine with VM Fusion and transferred all of my freeway stuff to that virtual machine. For a reason I could not determine, Freeway worked fine, except that I could not add text or select existing text to modify. After 3 hours of trying to find a solution, I was getting ready to create another VM with a lower version of El Capitan, 10.11.
Before doing that I checked the Softpress website and discovered that they have been exhumed. Naturally I am grateful. Like everyone, I’d love to know when one could expect FW to be Sierra compliant.
Not that I am complaining, mind you. I’m an old guy who was a techie “back in the day,” having been retired 8 years, and not looking to haunt all of the boards to figure out the latest tweaks. I just want my stuff to work so I can go onto other things.
So best to Jeremy et al. I hope that the transition to Swift based code works out, and that we’ve many years to go with such an intuitive and friendly product.
greg
greg
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Haven’t checked-in in a while…nice to find this update! In the meantime, I’ve been tinkering with PineGrow Pro (bought it) and CoffeeCup (until the trial ran out).
Would like to take this Freeway new development opportunity to express my top “wish list” items. First, I’ll voice some of my likes and dislikes of Pinegrow and CC to put them in context:
I like Pinegrow for the following reasons: Can open up other sites from any program (no need to rebuild), brings in the style sheets, etc. (so far, perfectly!). The latest version includes a built-in CMS that is very easy to apply to any element that you would want clients to be able to edit themselves. (I should add that Muse now has a built-in CMS, albeit limited) that also enables the desktop file to automatically update to include any in-browser changes.) I also like that Pinegrove is a combination of visual and coding. I’m not an expert coder by any means, but I like that I can easily access it when I want or need to. On the flip-side, while Pinegrove has much flexibility, it also has a big learning curve (I’m still at it) and there are certain things about the interface I wish were different and more intuitive.
CoffeeCup: Fun, intuitive interface. Lots of add-on components and always developing more. They say they are working on the ability to edit visible code (side panel type-thing) and a built-in CMS feature, as people have been asking for these, but they don’t have a roll out date. A new version is coming out soon, but it doesn’t look like it will include these yet. They definitely will not be offering the ability to open up sites created in other programs.
So, for Freeway Pro, my top wish items for the new version are: 1. Easy, built-in CMS (to allow clients to edit specific areas…text, photos, videos, etc.—a must-have these days.) I’m aware there are 3rd party plug-ins available, but prefer to have all-in-one, and even better if the desktop file could pull-in any changes made by the client (like Muse does); 2; Ability to edit code in a side panel or pop-up, rather than buried in extended panes, etc.; 3. Fresh, new interface— as much as I like FW, I always felt the interface was a bit clunky and dated; 4. Ability to open up other html sites. I realize this last one may be the toughest from a programming aspect, but it would be great. It could also encourage non-users to transfer over (like InDesign did with Quark…subsequently replacing Quark as the professional design industry standard.)
If the new FW Pro could incorporate all or most of these, it could leap beyond its competition, as none of them contain all these features. I realize I’m looking for perfection, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.
In the meantime, I won’t begin new sites using FW, as it will affect my professional credibility if a client ask what program I’m creating their website in or googles Freeway to find the company has gone out of business.
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Personally, I think this is a weird thing to think… I have been building and designing sites for 20 years with literally thousands of items such emailers, websites, print items, video work, and no client has ever asked what I have created the item in.
If I were you I wouldn’t worry
max
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Personally, I think this is a weird thing to think… I have been building and designing sites for 20 years with literally thousands of items such emailers, websites, print items, video work, and no client has ever asked what I have created the item in.
Agree - all my sites are built with html and css - the actual application is just not relevant!
D
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Just tell your client you use a variety of tools, not excluding hand-coding (which we all do to some extend even within Freeway). It’s not like a client needs to know every little secret you employ to get the job done. Maybe they are asking so they can go out and buy the tool you mention so they can then ditch you!
James W.
Proud user of Freeway, since 1999.
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Personally, I think this is a weird thing to think… I have been building and designing sites for 20 years with literally thousands of items such emailers, websites, print items, video work, and no client has ever asked what I have created the item in.
Agree - all my sites are built with html and css - the actual application is just not relevant!
I’ve had a client who, after finding out I was a Mac user, often asked me, “can you do that on a Mac?” (she didn’t even know that I used Freeway) I learned to not bother telling them anything about my tools like that. What’s important is that you get the job done efficiently and well.
OTOH, it’s good to tell fellow Mac users who are or want to get into web work about Freeway and spread the word!
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Thanks for your input. Regarding beginning new sites in FW at this time, it’s great that those of you who commented are still comfortable using it, I’m just saying that it’s not the correct situation for me it at this time. It’s not just clients (I agree they don’t need to know all the details, nor do I offer them, but they do ask, as they are informed and curious), but it’s also professional colleagues and strategic partners with whom I sometimes collaborate. Working in defunct software just won’t cut it. When the company and software are back in full swing, I will be very excited to look at it again.
As for the CMS, I did write that a CMS can be added to a FW site and I’ve done so, it was merely a suggestion and something I would like to see. If the competition is already beginning to incorporate such a feature, it would make sense for FW to consider doing the same.
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I understand the need to collaborate with others. Working for a manufacturer, I use FW to create full-site templates for dealer websites and pass things over to a third party to handle the customization for the individual dealers.
With something like PineGrow, someone can import pages from FW and get right to work. Clearly, things such as master pages must be output and imported as well and there are other details, but it really comes down to the situation as to what’s the best approach, including whether to use FW or something else.
As for being defunct, this is not the case with FW. It hasn’t been upgraded in a good while, but in terms of the app, nothing whatsoever has changed.
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Such an assertion demands an explanation of how “defunct software” is more horrid than hand-coding a website.
Whatever gets the job done in a way acceptable to the client (or yourself if building for yourself) should be all that matters.
James Wages
P.S. This is FREEWAYtalk. As such, if I appear to be defensive of Freeway, should anyone be surprised? By the way, I am not just a Freeway fan but one of its biggest critics; however, I seek constructive criticism with the aim of making it better. With SoftPress back online again, even with limited staff and resources, perhaps that can still happen. I hope so. Freeway has its problems, but I still use it unashamed.
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Such an assertion demands an explanation of how “defunct software” is more horrid than hand-coding a website.
Whatever gets the job done in a way acceptable to the client (or yourself if building for yourself) should be all that matters.
James Wages
P.S. This is FREEWAYtalk. As such, if I appear to be defensive of Freeway, should anyone be surprised? By the way, I am not just a Freeway fan but one of its biggest critics; however, I seek constructive criticism with the aim of making it better. With SoftPress back online again, even with limited staff and resources, perhaps that can still happen. I hope so. Freeway has its problems, but I still use it unashamed.
I looked at Coffee Club and LOVED it, but I will stay faithful with FW until I think it’s not a goer. I have GREAT HOPES!!! I loved FW for ease of use, I don’t want to know about codes etc, I want to design and create!..… hmmm just saying…
On 9 Mar 2017, at 16:33, David email@hidden wrote:
Such an assertion demands an explanation of how “defunct software” is more horrid than hand-coding a website.
Whatever gets the job done in a way acceptable to the client (or yourself if building for yourself) should be all that matters.
James Wages
P.S. This is FREEWAYtalk. As such, if I appear to be defensive of Freeway, should anyone be surprised? By the way, I am not just a Freeway fan but one of its biggest critics; however, I seek constructive criticism with the aim of making it better. With SoftPress back online again, even with limited staff and resources, perhaps that can still happen. I hope so. Freeway has its problems, but I still use it unashamed.
