Adobe Muse EOL announcement - Alternatives to Adobe Muse?

Report · Mar 26, 2018

Hi all,

For those of you that haven't received the email around the Adobe Muse EOL, see the FAQ Product Announcement that tries to answer some the common questions around the announcement including the reasons behind the decision.

Before we proceed with discussing alternatives, the Muse application will continue to open on your computer. You will be able to continue to edit existing or create new websites with the application. Adobe Muse will continue to be supported until May 20, 2019 and will deliver compatibility updates with the Mac and Windows OS or fix any bugs that might crop up when publishing Muse sites to the web. However, it is quite possible that web standards and browsers will continue to change after Adobe stops support for the application.

While there is no 1:1 replacement for Adobe Muse at this stage, the FAQ link above provides some alternatives. Also, Adobe is making our own investment in DIY website creation and welcomes all Muse customers to join our upcoming pre-release program for a new format that will be introduced this year as part of Adobe Spark. Build a beautiful website—in minutes | Adobe Spark

That being said, I would like to open up this discussion for discussing other solutions and migration paths. It would be ideal if we could focus our efforts on the topic at hand.

Thanks,

Preran

Report · May 03, 2018

Please stop this bantering and make wrong and get back to the original purpose for this forum. Which apps will replace Muse. For those looking for alternatives, here,s a list:

Muse Alternatives

Comments on how they are working for you or how they compare are welcomed.

Report · May 03, 2018

My point as well. I just posted below yours. I don't need to read about if coding is best or this or that. Muse has been my go to program for 4 years now and I need something that feels like it. I'm hanging tight for Without Code to be released by Muse-themes.com. If you go to their website they have some really insightful info on the program and their thoughts on this big Muse announcement. Muse-themes have been a very good service for me so I want to see what they have to offer before I invest time in learning a new platform. We have some time with Muse. At least a couple of years.

Report · May 03, 2018

bernwa wrote
I'm very interested in what Muse-themes.com has coming. They have previewed WO... Without Code. It looks to be the answer for me. I'm not subscribing to anyone else until I see their program.

bernwa wrote
I'm hanging tight for Without Code to be released by Muse-themes.com. If you go to their website they have some really insightful info on the program and their thoughts on this big Muse announcement.

That will be interesting to see what they ultimately offer, in general W/O Code seems to be built upon Duda.

Report · May 03, 2018

Illostraight wrote
Please stop this bantering and make wrong and get back to the original purpose for this forum. Which apps will replace Muse.

You have already professed to switching and liking Sparkle (good for you). Which is clearly evident in your continual defense of it and its developer, while you try to police others comments as you "like" every comment about it.

Instead if you truly want to sincerely hear about alternatives and reasons for them then let people talk. Otherwise I'm not sure why you continually try to be a moderator, while the actual ones continue to allow open discussion here. Your repeated attempts to stifle those who want to discuss anything other than your own ideals goes against your very own wishes towards the purpose of understanding alternatives.

Report · May 03, 2018

Can you just stop berating!!!

We are all here to help not be hauled over the coals everytime we step out of line with your thought-set!

Report · May 03, 2018

wrote
Can you just stop berating!!!
We are all here to help not be hauled over the coals everytime we step out of line with your thought-set!

I don't know who that is aimed at or why but I don't recall anyone being berated here.

As a forum moderator, I would take appropriate action if that were warranted. So far, it hasn't been.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User, Community Expert & Moderator
Alt-Web Design & Publishing ~ Web : Print : Graphics : Media

Report · May 03, 2018

Rather amusing since I previously complimented you. Thanks for now taking my comment to someone else, responding to it and then trying to impose it upon me. Again amusing.

Report · May 03, 2018

There you go again!

W_J_T, I can see that you have a great mind and know a lot, but it comes across you are always trying to prove a point!... and yes thank you for complimenting me, appreciated!

---------------------------------------------

Ok, I'm going to give my last run down on what I have experienced over the last 2-3 weeks with a number of applications out there to replace Muse so thankfully dropped by Adobe...

- Blocks : a really well thought out and fast visual website-maker based on bootstrap with a good amount of automation (pre-responsive breakpoints, and able to connect to CMSs) out of the box, plus the community behind it is fantastic and a helpful source of knowledge. The owner is making for a major update a bit later in the year! [One-off cost] The obstacles to overcome is that it is a rigid grid canvas and forces you into the "box model" of website design... also learning CSS is a must if you want to get more out of it, plus only for macOS!

- ShowIt : I love this one for its free-flowing canvas capabilities and simplicity. It is an interface website-maker for WordPress but with great and innovative ways (including web project styleguide) to build free-flowing website layouts. It works on a responsive framework automating the breakpoints plus you can customise the mobile layout to present different to the desktop/tablet layout. The browser-based application is good for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Also they have great free templates that can start you off! You also can run a blog from the application and the community is very supportive! [Subscription based] The obstacles to overcome are the business model they offer, your clients need ShowIt as well to edit their site you create for them, and monthly subscription.

- Sparkle : this has great potential and I love it for its simplicity, intuitiveness, a dedicated free-flowing canvas, and the ability to test your site on your mobile devices in real-time. The application is fast and for most part behaves similar to Muse, but the framework is solid allowing you also to present your mobile layout different to your desktop/tablet. The application works really well with web compliancy via the very detailed settings area and you can save your site locally or upload it to your server of choice as the app is desktop-based and free-standing. You also have access to Google web fonts or use your own! The developers are working on a big release through the year to improve site layout, functionality, more block-type options, and maybe CMS integration which they are presently working on. [One-off cost] The obstacles to overcome are being patient for the next big update, and it is only macOS based!

- Pinegrow : this is a fee-standing visual and code application website-maker on steroids and walks all over Dreamweaver and then some! The framework is what you prefer; bootstrap, grid960, foundation, server-side script, straight html, and even Wordpress. You can start with their free offered templates, or visually drag and drop responsive components, or even just start from scratch! The desktop application runs on macOS, Windows, Linux, and is very stable and fast. There is a lot to this application, but you are able to assign a stylguide to your web project and projects are displayed in a dashboard on app startup like Muse. The application allows for side-by-side visual testing, but I haven't been able to get it to work in real-time on my mobile devices? [One-off cost, or subscription] The obstacles to overcome are a few if you not into coding and the visual canvas isn't free-flowing like Muse, and the CMS option is to purchase a scaled-down version of Pinegrow for your client allowing them to edit.

Ok, a bit to read through and also this is my take of my experience with these applications. I know a number of you are talking about Without Code but my concern is the pricing if what is being said is true that it is built on the Duba platform.

At the moment you can take your Muse site (with Musegain's expertise) and convert it to a Wordpress site where Muse is the layout generator for your Wordpress site - cool!

Ok, I hope the above is of help to any of you looking for something to replace Adobe Muse - RIP!

Report · May 03, 2018

Greenskin:

Thank you so much for your helpful summary. I didn't know about ShowIt, I'll have a look at it.

Report · May 03, 2018

Now that's what I'm talking about! Awesome reviews! Thanks so much for taking the time. Much appreciated. Maybe u should start a review blog.

Report · May 04, 2018

Thanks greenskin much appreciated by someone balancing full time commitments elsewhere whilst still needing to find a Muse replacement.

Musegain has nudged up my list a bit but if it stillrelys on Muse for design etc what happens when muse is no longer supported by the OS?

Report · May 04, 2018

You are welcome!

If Muse was to have about 2-3 years before it falters then there will be something far better out there! Imagine Sparkle in 2 or 3 years!

The beauty of Musegain's MuseExpress is that when Muse falls over then your websites will still be running and will be editable because it is WordPress integrated - Muse is acting like a template generator for WordPress. The only thing is that you won't be able to change the layout anymore or add extra pages after Muse falls over.

Report · May 04, 2018

greenskin wrote
- Blocks : a really well thought out and fast visual website-maker

Just to clarify its called Blocs without the "K" or BlocsApp to be further distinctive.

As for your lack of "obstacles to overcome" regarding Sparkle, no real surprise you depicted them as being absent (hence it was deemed a great review).

But in reality concerning Sparkle ( just to give a couple ) you forgot to state it needs an overall better "responsive workflow" as directly evidenced by most Sparkle sites made by its users being clearly non-responsive. Sparkle also lacks a user forum for users to share and help each other. Sparkle likewise has no way for 3rd parties to add additional extensions (widgets) for features users may require as shown to be loved concerning Muse, Blocs already has a Developer API. Your comment on Pinegrow and CMS would be the same for Sparkle as the person editing needs to own a copy of the actual app. But by contrast with Pinegrow you can just hook into any web based CMS you desire and not need the app, like Blocs which already has many built-in web based CMS options for users. As for Blocs and users needing to know CSS, your dramatic depiction is largely untrue for most things users need in that regard for styling the drag and drop Blocs and Brics. So its sad to see even the slightest glimpse of learning being viewed as negative. Of course pointing out any of these things will probably not be viewed well by yourself or Illostraight. :--)

Also from examples of sites built with Sparkle -vs- Blocs - or any other builder. It still remains true concerning no evident benefit regarding the final website result derived by designers. Or the apparent differentiation of aesthetics or design originality in the sites produced by Sparkle. I am also still searching for that mythical 1000+ page Sparkle site also.

Report · May 04, 2018

Yes I saw that W_J_T but when someone replies I can't edit the post anymore!

I have built a website from scratch in Sparkle and it is fully responsive as I have done with the others so I could give the review that I left here! With Sparkle you add the breakpoints otherwise it defaults to a desktop. I'm not sure the Sparkle sites you refer too but the ones on the Sparkle website made by the designers are all desktop versions - they are free templates. The other thing you missed was that I mentioned some of the drawbacks you refer to are being looked into on the next big release including a CMS setup! Why do you have it in for Sparkle???

"Obstacles" are not negative and as you would have read here by the many, many posts there are a lot of xMusers looking to create websites without knowing the full spectrum of html5/CSS3/javascript. I have expressed my views based on experience and I'm not here to make up peoples' minds, just to let them know what I found suitable and the nearest to what Muse offers!

W_J_T do you do web designs?

From my experience Blocs is less mailable because of the grid framework where Sparkle is a free-flowing canvas. You are right that in general the website trends of today have become "blocky", even some of mine of late but it is up to the designer that allows that trend to capitulate.

Report · May 04, 2018

Greenskin, I appreciate the fact that you actually used it and therefore was able to give an honest review instead of prejudgment. I have only done the desktop version so far. I felt the same about Blocs, blocky. Appropriately named and u need a little code knowledge. JMHO

Report · May 04, 2018

Hi @greenskin

greenskin wrote
With Sparkle you add the breakpoints otherwise it defaults to a desktop. I'm not sure the Sparkle sites you refer too but the ones on the Sparkle website made by the designers are all desktop versions

I am referring to many live sites online built with Sparkle, given the workflow its apparent people don't understand how to use it based upon most the live Sparkle sites being non-responsive (as previously pointed in a former post so are some pages on the Sparkle website). Responsive and accessible across devices in todays web is not an afterthought but its a definitive requirement. Also if its so easy in Sparkle why are the provided templates not responsive, or some pages of the Sparkle site, not to mentioned the many live customer sites?

greenskin wrote
The other thing you missed

I didn't miss anything, I merely pointed out the lack of perceived obstacles and the absence you presented in the obstacles for Sparkle.

greenskin wrote
Sparkle is a free-flowing canvas. You are right that in general the website trends of today have become "blocky", even some of mine of late but it is up to the designer that allows that trend to capitulate.

Thats - the continued point.

One that you yourself declared it in your "opened my mind for change" comment previously. This seemingly imprisoned mindset by people towards this singular "free-form" feature will certainly keep people searching for such apps. But the ideal towards need for complete free-form is hindering peoples understanding. As demonstrated vastly by such tools not providing them with the differentiation of aesthetics or design originality in the deployed websites they build even while having "free-form" features in the app they use.

Report · May 04, 2018

To W_J_T

Greenskin wrote this: W_J_T do you do web designs?

If you do, could we please see a couple of them?

And know which app you used to make them?

Report · May 04, 2018

GARRogers wrote
if you do, could we please see a couple of them?

Do you not recall what I previously responded directly to you?

W_J_T wrote
I am not here to advertise, promote myself or my services.
I am only here sharing my time freely and thoughts to try to get Muse users to think of aspects they may not think of concerning alternatives or replacements in this time or anguish concerning Muse EOL.

GARRogers wrote
And know which app you used to make them?

I have very briefly commented on that previously also ...

W_J_T wrote
As a user of Pinegrow among other IDE's for editing source and development (Atom, VS Code, etc.,)

If you want me to list about 400+ apps, online services, trials, demos, etc., that I have directly tried including Sparkle, and watch across the web development spectrum to ease you mind concerning my aptitude towards workflow and features, I could. But I see no point in taking the time to doing so. If you instead want to dispute a specific point I have made that you feel is at fault, then lets talk about it.

Report · May 04, 2018

W_J_T

Do you not recall what I previously responded directly to you?

Yes, I do remember your replying directly to me, thank you.

I also know it is helpful to see examples of people's work, we all learn that way.

As your points of view are always strong, those of us who are visual learn as much by seeing examples.

That's all.

Report · May 04, 2018

GARRogers wrote
I also know it is helpful to see examples of people's work, we all learn that way.

I could show you some Bootstrap, Flexbox & jQuery based projects I've worked on. But if nobody here understands or uses them, what's the point? You won't learn anything from it. Ditto for WordPress.

I think it's fine to keep discussing & comparing MU alternatives. We don't really need to see sample's of people's work to justify their points of view, do we?

Nancy O'Shea— Product User, Community Expert & Moderator
Alt-Web Design & Publishing ~ Web : Print : Graphics : Media

Report · May 04, 2018

Nancy O'Shea wrote:

I could show you some Bootstrap, Flexbox & jQuery based projects I've worked on. But if nobody here understands or uses them, what's the point? You won't learn anything from it. Ditto for WordPress.

I think it's fine to keep discussing & comparing MU alternatives. We don't really need to see sample's of people's work to justify their points of view, do we?

I don't think it is a only a matter of 'justifying points of view'.

People always say the difference between teaching a child and teaching an adult is this:

you can tell a child 'learn this because I tell you to' whereas a busy adult sees better if you say 'learn this, here's an example of how and why it is superior and will help you.'

You are likely right, many of us wouldn't understand, but when people go on and on about certain points of view (as has happened here in this forum) my first response is always 'let me see why he/she feels so strongly about this or that.' Education has to start somewhere, doesn't it.