Macromedia’s 'Contribute' for web publishing

NEW DELHI: Macromedia, Inc. has announced Macromedia Contribute, a new desktop application that enables users to easily update, add, and publish web content to existing websites without requiring technical skills beyond basic word processing.

Macromedia Contribute works with any HTML website, including those coded by hand or created with tools like Macromedia Dreamweaver‚ MX or Microsoft FrontPage.

Macromedia Contribute allows web developers to delegate web content maintenance while protecting the site design, code, and functionality. Contribute rolls out in minutes using encrypted connection keys and permission groups. Contribute also maintains a living history of page changes so users can easily roll back changes and switch between different versions of a page. In addition, the quality of the code is guaranteed because Contribute is built on the core HTML authoring engine of Macromedia Dreamweaver MX.

Macromedia Contribute allows users to update web content in three simple steps. Users browse to the web page they want to update, edit the page, and publish their updated page to the live site. Contribute also features integration with Microsoft Word and Excel, so users can drag-and-drop Word or Excel files from their desktop onto a page and the content is added with the original formatting intact. Users can even e-mail draft pages for review before publishing them. Web pages can also be updated offline and published later.

An update to Macromedia Dreamweaver MX would be available simultaneously with Macromedia Contribute to enable advanced administration and improved performance within Dreamweaver MX.

Macromedia Contribute offers unprecedented support for Section 508 accessibility requirements, so people with disabilities can read and create web content. Macromedia Contribute also works with existing network security methods, and does not require any special servers or technology.

Macromedia Contribute would be available for Windows in December with introductory pricing at Rs 4950. Education, government, and corporate volume licensing would be available. Macromedia Contribute would be available for Mac OS X users in 2003.

Macromedia is currently working with Opera Software to develop the embedded browser technology required for this product. Users on the Macintosh platform would be able to download a new product update in December to improve Dreamweaver MX performance and provide interoperability with Macromedia Contribute.