You're absolutely right, @Nancy OShea —complacency is a luxury we can't afford. Dreamweaver’s uncertain future, compounded by Adobe’s retreat from desktop web tools (Muse, Brackets, Business Catalyst, GoLive, etc.), makes it imperative to have a solid exit strategy.
To add to your advice:
Be Wary of Platform-Locked Tools
Many modern site builders (e.g. Wix, Squarespace, Webflow) lock users into proprietary hosting and code structures. If the company folds or changes its terms, your site—and its portability—could vanish overnight. Worse, some tools compile code in ways that prevent manual editing (like Muse did), leaving you unable to tweak HTML/CSS directly.
Lessons from the PVII Extension Crisis
The recent disappearance of Project Seven and its website left many Dreamweaver users scrambling. Even though PVII extensions still show as installed, they’ve vanished from the UI due to XML corruption. Users like @MarvinHeston and @pegprice have been forced to reverse-engineer fixes, such as restoring insertbar.xml from backups. Others are struggling with broken extension managers like DMXzone’s NW.js-based app, which now shows blank screens or cryptic errors
What You Can Do Now
Here’s a practical roadmap:
Use Dreamweaver While It Works
Back up your configuration files regularly (especially insertbar.xml )
Keep a local archive of all extension manuals and assets
Use DMXzone’s Extension Manager cautiously—its NW.js shell may be unstable on some platforms
Prepare for Transition
Wappler is a strong successor, built by DMXzone, with support for modern workflows and full code access
Bootstrap Studio, Pinegrow, and Visual Studio Code offer flexible, transferable codebases
Avoid tools that abstract away your code or force hosting lock-Think Portability
Choose platforms that let you export clean HTML/CSS/JS
Avoid compilers or proprietary formats that obscure your source code
Host your assets independently when possible
The PVII situation is a cautionary tale. Let’s use it as fuel to future-proof our workflows and advocate for tools that respect user autonomy.
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