Dreamweaver CS6 and Contribute
lisztdesign May 15, 2012 2:24 PMI have spoke with several Adobe customer care reps and tech support. NONE of them have been able to answer even the most basic questions about the new Adobe Creative Cloud and how the newest software (including Muse) impacts web designer/developers who have web projects that are delivered to clients.
Here's the issue:
I create websites in Dreamweaver and have trained my clients to use Adobe Contribute to maintain the content on their sites. This has been working very well for a long time.
I recently signed up with Creative Cloud and am starting to use the new CS6 products (Dreamweaver CS6, etc.). But there is no Contribute CS6.
When I called to ask, I was told that "Contribute is being dropped and will be replaced with Muse." I was also told that any NEW sites I create with Dreamweaver CS6 will not work with clients using Contribute CS5 (or 4 or 3). So now what?!?!
One tech support person suggested that I "give all of your new clients your login/password to your Cloud account" so that they'll be able to use MUSE to update their new sites. When I asked about security, and whether with my credentials they would have access to ALL of my content in the cloud, including other client work, they said YES. (Is this just about the most stupid suggestion you've heard?!)
This is confusing at best, and here's why:
- Currently my clients pay between $10-$20/month to pay for hosting on their existing sites; new clients will likely pay the same.
- Previously they would simply *purchase* Contribute which would allow them to edit the content on the sites I've created for them which are based on locked templates with designated 'editable regions' for them to access.
- So if Contribute is being abandoned, how do clients maintain their site content??
- If they subscribe to the Cloud-based MUSE, it will cost them an additional $15/month. (as much as their hosting costs!!)
Questions that I still do not have answers for (since no one at Adobe seems to have a clue!)
- If I create the site with Contribute CS6, will clients be able to still edit content in defined 'editable regions' of their site pages using MUSE?
- Where will they host their site?
- Does a monthly MUSE subscription include hosting? and/or is that yet another separate charge for hosting through Adobe Business Catalyst?? and what is this combined cost?!
- All of these seems very cumbersome and not to the benefit of my clients or to me as a web developer using Adobe Creative Suite products? and finally...
- HOW do I get answers to my questions? (I've spent a total of 5 hours talking to overseas tech support staff with 'Adobe' who read from a script and cannot answer ANY of these questions)
- Customer Care cannot answer ANY of these questions either
I need support and clarification.
Thank you!
Tim Liszt
LisZt Design | Claritas Consortium
503.504.0869





