Is Adobe Muse the Solution for Designers Who Don't Want to Learn or Pay for Coding?

Adobe Muse--which is just a temporary code name--is the latest creation from Adobe.  Muse is targeted at graphic designers who want to use their skills and familiarity with other Adobe products to build state of the art websites without writing any code.  This new program will only be offered by monthly subscription which Adobe states will allow them to ensure the product is updated frequently for all users.  Muse is currently in beta phase and is free until the first quarter of 2012 for anyone that wants to try it out.  Some highlights of the program are:

• Similar layout and buttons as Adobe InDesign
• Interfaces with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
• Useful widgets for javascript elements such as sliders, lightboxes, etc
• Requires no coding knowledge but a basic knowledge of website functionality is helpful
• Produces SEO-friendly and validated code

The internet and media all seem to agree that the program still needs to be developed further before it truly becomes a tool to create the same quality of websites that traditional coding offers but it is definitely a step in the right direction.  On a side note, I am currently using this application to develop a website for one of my clients.

Tom "The Unstoppable Force" Brady

Opening week of the NFL season was highlighted by some great individual and team performances, notably the Ravens dominance over the Steelers, Sebastian Janakowski's 63-yard field goal and of course Tom Brady's incredible offensive performance.  I was born and raised a New England Patriots fan so naturally I am a little biased when it comes to reviewing their gameplay but you would be hard pressed to find any player or analyst that was not impressed by Tom's Monday Night Football heroics.  He ended the game with 517 yards of passing and 4 touchdowns.  Even more impressive than the stat line was the way he commanded the offense on the first game of the year after a very short preseason. Tom ran a no huddle offense virtually the entire game and absolutely picked apart the Miami Dolphins defense.  It was a game and a performance for the ages and hopefully a foreshadowing of what this season has to offer for the Patriots.

A Review of The DMB Caravan at the Gorge

This was my fourth year making the epic pilgrimage to the Gorge Amphitheater in George, WA for a weekend of camping and Dave Matthews Band concerts and this year certainly did not disappoint.  Unlike past years, this concert series was a festival style event with about 20 other awesome bands and musicians in attendance.  Of these 20 or so bands that joined Dave Matthews for the caravan, one in particular stood out for me... DISPATCH.  Dispatch is a household name in New England where I am from but outside of that area of the country they have more of a cult following.  They are best known for their "last" concert in Boston which was a free concert were they expected about 25,000 people to show up but wound up practically shutting down Boston with over 110,000 fans in attendance.  After a 7 year hiatus, they got back together and started touring this year as part of the DMB Caravan.  Between the great music from Dave Matthews, Dispatch, John Butler Trio and others, beautiful scenery, great food and even better friends, it was a truly unforgettable weekend.