NetObjects Fusion presents a WYSIWYG interface for creating and editing your web pages. But in a market dominated by Dreamweaver, GoLive and FrontPage, what makes Fusion so different?

Unlike rival applications, Fusion doesn’t assume that you’re a designer, presenting you with a number of editable templates to work from. There are templates for individual pages and entire site structures, covering everything from small sites through to much larger ones. New to this version are increased Flash and Javascript capabilities, so you produce even more impressive results quickly.

The WYSIWYG approach is enhanced with a built-in Flash viewer so you can see how your layout will appear with embedded SWF. What’s more, the new Flash navigation methods, plus the ability to create Flash banners mean it’s now possible to create impressive features without being a Flash master.

What’s new?
CSS is becoming an increasingly important component of any web design, and Fusion 9 boasts improved methods of configuring such elements. The associated dialog makes the process supremely easy, as does the creation of more dynamic navigation styles. For the more capable coder, improved form control means the streamlining of related functions are grouped within a single toolbar. The new form validation tools also ensure that your forms work as anticipated.

Fusion has several advantages over FrontPage – not least of which is its superior code, which remains consistent across various browser and OS combinations. ASP.net support has also been introduced, along with database display control using CSS and remote vs local database profiling. This further eats into Microsoft’s advantage and proves Fusion is more than just another WYSIWYG environment.

The software may still struggle when compared with Dreamweaver, but professional designers will find some of the extra controls attractive. Dreamweaver previously established a template system, and Fusion introduces a similar feature, with locking controls that ensure certain page elements aren’t accidentally edited. Dreamweaver still holds the edge thanks to the way it can control multiple pages, but for the smaller site, Fusion is more convenient.

As far as collaborative design environments are concerned, the ability to track different versions allows a project manager to keep on top of changes applied. This is useful, both for a site’s development and for providing the client with multiple design variations, without multiple separate sites having to be created. Alternatively, the same feature might be used by a site manager to monitor an edit’s pending approval.

Fusion may not challenge the might of Dreamweaver, but it provides a powerful intermediate editor that will be appreciated by users frustrated with the limitations found in FrontPage. And, with a loyal and growing user base, you can be sure that the software will be around for some time yet.