Muse Alternatives

[Nancy OShea]

The winner is Webflow with a score of 48/50.

MuseToWebflow

https://indd.adobe.com/view/e9fcfe26-b2de-4bed-b9d1-79a3d3515c3f

[W_J_T]

Their switch decision almost seems predetermined from various inaccurate verbiage and exclusions in that What Next PDF. Which ends up making it not being very impressive or accurate research that they did.


I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they reached out to Webflow once they knew of the Muse EOL or vice versa, to directly form a new working partnership. I wouldn’t even be surprised if they are financially sponsored by Webflow now in some way.

WebFlow may very well be a viable alternative to some, but that is not as accurate of an assessment as they wish for it to appear.

[work_at_it]

I’m a musegrid and muse-themes member.

First I want to say I have not seen mention in this thread of the muse-themes answer, which may be the choice for some. They are a building their own offering on the Duda platform. They are calling it W/O Code. They are the largest current muse widget supplier.

I am going with musegrid‘s recommendation of Webflow.  Musegrid had fewer members than muse-themes but I think they were the second largest.

They have point -blank said they are not currently connected with Webflow. Their report may have some deficiencies but I forgive that since they say they rushed it. Give them a break, they are the only people that I know of that actually prepared a comprehensive report on what was out there.

[Studio96]

Been waiting for this particular nugget - what W/O Code will be built on.

Had a quick look at Duda - initial glance seems that pricing is per month per website - bearing in mind I have already delivered sites to clients on their own hosting, it seems the export is only available on the enterprise plan. Otherwise its a monthly fee which is ok for new but i would have a hard time re-selling back to existing clients. I'll wait to see what W/O code comes up with in terms of pricing etc.

Had some fun with Sparkle last night, which was good - particularly the import page feature. Got Pinegrow to import pages too, it's just less intuitive about scaling height of slideshows etc and moving layout about. I have one client with site search - looks like webflow is the only one that has that natively - google search is apparently going. So it's all about trying to future proof existing builds - once I pick a product will have to have a chat with each of the clients.

[mik05]

Studio96 your not alone. I also just built in MUSE and lunched a website with a search box using business catalyat platform. Of course after we went live a week later the annoucement went out. So now I am seraching the web to find a replacement for the serach box that I created and a new platform to host.  In addition, I have a client I need CMS so they can go in and alter their existing website they also are Businesscatalyst. I am doing the same before notifying my clients trying to find a sustiable replacement for the problem Adobe has caused.  I hope with all of us out there looking we can do just that!

[Studio96]

Thanks for your comments, I hear your issues too.

None of my clients are on BC but still take advantage of search and IBE. So I do really have to match what i have already delivered and charged for But the search is elusive.

I am drawn to Blocs and Pinegrow. In relation to CMS I may well just have to offer the client a fast turnaround to do the updates myself and suck up the time / cost.

Good luck.

[mik05]

Thanks for you reply. I am going to have to offer the same service unless I can come up with something before the deadline. I had not heard of Blocs I will have to check that out as well. In regard to the search box have you heard of Openindex Site Search ? it looks like you enter the web address in and paste in the code. This may be a potential option I need to read up on it but I wanted to share it as well.

Best of luck to you and the rest of us out there.

[W_J_T]

mik05  wrote

I had not heard of Blocs I will have to check that out as well.

It was talked about above earlier in this thread also ...

W_J_T  wrote

if you are on Mac then BlocsApp

And in that link to another thread post about it.

[Studio96]

That is very helpful, thanks. Looks interesting - shame like most things, it has a monthly cost, but clearly the capability is out there. I’ll try it out.

Webflow has a built in site search but the subscription is a bit pricey and the more i read it seems a closed ecosystem.

once i get my head aroubd controlling elements in blocs, or taking the step up to Pinegrow, ill post my thought!

[mik05]

Sounds good I hear you and if I find anything else out I will also post.

[Nancy OShea]

mik05  wrote

So now I am searching the web to find a replacement for the serach box that I created and a new platform to host.  In addition, I have a client I need CMS so they can go in and alter their existing website

1)  A search form is not hard.  Paste this code into your HTML document where you want the search form to appear.

<script>
//GOOGLE SEARCH
//Enter domain of site to search
var domainroot="example.com"
function Gsitesearch(curobj){
curobj.q.value="site:"+domainroot+" "+curobj.qfront.value
}
</script>
<form class="search" action="http://www.google.com/search" method="get" onSubmit="Gsitesearch(this)">
<input name="q" type="hidden" />
<input name="qfront" type="search" required class="searchField" placeholder="Google Site Search" maxlength="50"/>
<input type="submit" class="search-button" value="SEARCH" />
</form>

Change the domainroot="example.com" to your website's actual domain (i.e. www.yourdomain.com or yourdomain.com). Use whichever produces the best results on Google. If unsure, open your browser and type site:www.yourdomain.com in the address bar.  Hit Enter/Go. If you don't see any results, try it without the www prefix.

2) CMS -- The info below is for anyone interested in creating a custom CMS for client projects.   Best of all, it works with any web hosing plan that supports PHP code and a MySQL database.  Your final product will be tailored to your client's needs and not some boxed service or app over which you have no control. 

I use Dreamweaver but any code editor can be used.

Perch CMS

Cost:  $69 license per website.

Perch - Perch, the really little CMS

Happy coding!!

[Studio96]

I will look at Perch, thanks.

But also i have read that site seach is being discontinued by Google. Plus, it has adverts- not always suitable for clients.

[Nancy OShea]

Studio96  wrote

i have read that site search is being discontinued by Google.

Well sort of.  They're replacing Google Site Search with new & improved Custom Site Search APi.   You can read more about it below.

Creating a Custom Search Engine  |  Custom Search  |  Google Developers

In addition, there are other free and low cost search engine services you can use like Freefind.com.

Site Search Engine, Free and Pro Versions - FreeFind.com

[Studio96]

Thanks- really useful - I’ll check those out!

[mik05]

Awsome thanks for the clarfication and the tips!

[mik05]

Nancy,

I am not sure you aware but google search is on its way out. Here is the link https://searchengineland.com/google-site-search-way-now-271366  it also list some other options. I hope this helps others also thanks for Perch information I will check that out.

As for happy coding I can't say I like it its one of the reason why I used Muse minmal coding. I dread to think I have to go back an pull hair out to coding.

Thanks for the info Nancy.

[Nancy OShea]

mik05  wrote

Nancy,

I am not sure you aware but google search is on its way out.

For what it's worth, I just tested the old Google Site Search form and it works on my web sites no problem.   But if you want to future proof your projects, I suggest creating a search engine instance via Google's new & improved  Custom Site Search API.   It has a lot more options, too.

[mik05]

Nancy,

Thanks appreciate the follow up I will check out instance via Google's new & improved  Custom Site Search API.

[W_J_T]

work_at_it  wrote

deficiencies | comprehensive

Can those two exist together 😉

work_at_it  wrote

Duda platform - W/O Code

Interesting. But Hmmmm...

[rayek.elfin]

I am sorry, but that "report" is as shallow as a rain puddle in the Sahara desert. It reads like one of those sponsored "best 5 Photoshop alternatives" web articles. Marketing, marketing, marketing.

Do your own research. And I still think it's an insane decision to choose a completely locked-in service like Webflow to rely on for your business after this Muse debacle. Fool me once...

[work_at_it]

Well rayek.elfin, no one wants to risk trusting anyone again, but if you want to have a form, or more on your website, if you want real CMS, you want real creative power without coding, if you want the option of clients paying for hosting themselves with an optional margin for you, you're going to have to bite the bullet with something like W/O Code or Webflow.

I have not seen any other options mentioned in this thread that will check off all those boxes simultaneously. These things were what the Muse/BC combo delivered--except the CMS thing was stuck at In Browser Editing--unless again, you had wanted to learn technical inside BC.

I have done my research. I have spent many hours in the past week, like I'm sure you have as well. And that report was part of the research. I am thankful for it. It was done by a Muse widget supplier whose entire business got thrown out the window by Adobe.

I had a love affair with Muse, and I've been dumped. That doesn't mean I will be afraid to love again.

That report was done in a rush for their existing customers as far as I recall; by people who obviously know what they're talking about since they built the kinds of Muse widgets we use, and I don't think they intended on putting it out there for the world to pick apart.

[W_J_T]

work_at_it  wrote

if you want to have a form, or more on your website, if you want real CMS, you want real creative power without coding, if you want the option of clients paying for hosting themselves with an optional margin for you, you're going to have to bite the bullet with something like W/O Code or Webflow.

I have not seen any other options mentioned in this thread that will check off all those boxes simultaneously.

If you are on Mac then BlocsApp can help you check off those boxes. With the added benefit that you are NOT locked into an eco system like you will be with W/O Code or Webflow.

[work_at_it]

Sorry W_J_T, but if you want CMS with Blocs you will have to "lock yourself into" a paid 3rd party service....or get into open source... quoting from their website:
"Blocs has integrated support for a range of premium and open source Content Management Systems."

That also means when something breaks in CMS, you'll be wondering where the problem lies.

I'm not saying Blocs is a bad way to go, but you're wrong in saying it checked all those boxes.

[W_J_T]

work_at_it  wrote

I'm not saying Blocs is a bad way to go, but you're wrong in saying it checked all those boxes.

It checked all the boxes you posted, of course I can't foresee additional boxes you plan to post later.

work_at_it  wrote

if you want CMS with Blocs you will have to "lock yourself into" a paid 3rd party service....or get into open source... quoting from their website: "Blocs has integrated support for a range of premium and open source Content Management Systems."

That does not differ at all from using the others you stated above, you are still at the mercy of the services you chose.

[Guest]

None of these suggested “alternatives“ are really very serious options for professionals...

Muse always had its issues from the very beginning but many, not all of them, had been dealt with.

Some are only a one or two person shop. Others have too many restrictions in hosting, i.e. bloated code (better but not going to be up to new standards), not enough money and or people to handle being stable enough for the future. There are so many “under the hood” aspects to the framework used in building websites. Next/Html 6, and the push for more efficient code equaling faster loading sites that 70 plus percent are opened on mobile phones Is the demand. Just like Adobe ignored the security and battery draining problems with Flash they ignored the problems with Muse.

Pinegrow requires some code but offers a wide variety of options. At least you can do both learning and building at the same time. You could do this with DW as well but not if DW gets dropped too. Asking someone here if DW will be continued is laughable. They didn’t know that Muse was being dropped. Not even the Project Manger supposedly. Adobe is headed towards “big data” business and has been going that way for some time.

Adobe may have prematurely dropped Muse. With at least 50 to 75,000 users it was hardly an unused App.

The frame work it was (is) built upon was always vulnerable and fleeting as are all things in tech these days.

Think long and hard before you “hook your wagon” to another app that lures you in with the “no code” tag line.

I’m sure it’s in the future and some form of it will surface soon. Right now everyone is trying to build some version of Muse. Someone will. Apple surprised IBM after all. It will take great knowledgable people with many specialties other than just engineers. Bringing in real UI experts, SEO experts will be paramount. Listening to customers and educating them about what is and isn’t good in web design.

It will also take money, long term funding. Most of all...It will takeand lots of great customer support which Adobe lacks.

Websites with no code...It just isn’t there yet.