iWeb support and continuation

iWeb is still working, you can keep using it. iWeb is a tool to create and maintain web sites, it is not a "provider".

Nothing will happen to your blog.

If you read carefully it says: blog and photo comments, blog comments & photo comments, are not available.

So if you have these, they will disappear.

This and the other features can be replaced on the new server. Actually these features can be replaced right now on MobileMe.

Just search this forum for the relevant key words.

iWeb gives you two other options for publishing...

http://www.iwebformusicians.com/iWeb/Publish-Website.html

... and you can add these features when publishing to a non MobileMe server...

http://www.iwebformusicians.com/iWeb/Comments-Password-Protect.html

You could consider moving your blog to a better, more stable, platform like Wordpress.org.

"I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link."

The mentioned features are using mini programs off of the server that the page is hosted on. They are locked to that server.

Hit Counter is the easiest example. A hit counter simply asks the server how many times a page was requested and provides the information in the format requested. When you make a page with iWeb and publish on MobileMe, this code is known and imbedded correctly for MobileMe's server application that provides the data.

Any page that is moved to a new server, has to used that serve's command for hit counter to get the data. This will also be set to 0 as default, because that new server has never given out the page to anyone before.

So yes, the functionality of the replies will be lost when moving to a new service. This is true for most server moves. You can however make Archives of existing pages to preserve the interaction, and then incorporate them into a new site.

Apple may or may not drop iWeb. I think dropping it would be a bad marketing decision. The iLife suite has always been one of the strongest selling points for buying a mac. It is easy to use, has many of the tools of pro media software products, and best of all it's free. You can load photos from your camera, edit them, create music with Garageband, edit videos with iMovie, and then create a simple website with iWeb and publish it all.

If they drop iWeb, what will happen? You will be able to create all this great media content with iLife and then... just sit on it? Not be able to share it? Post it all on Facebook? That just doesn't seem very Apple-like.

I would hope they continue to develop iWeb, either as part of the iLife suite or as a stand alone app. Add some more useful features like rollover creation, templates, and raw code editing. And they could easily add an FTP uploading feature like Freeway or Dreamweaver, allowing you to buy your own hosting space and upload and sync with that. If they separate it from the iLife suite, they could sell it on the App Store for around $100-$200, depending on what it becomes. I for one would buy it. I use iWeb, Freeway, and Dreamweaver to create sites for clients. If all they want is something simple, 5 or 10 pages, audio, video, a few downloadable files, i will use iWeb every time. I can work very fast and charge them a lower price. I don't invoke the Big Boys unless the site demands it. A more capable version, somewhere between the current iWeb and Dreamweaver, keeping all the well-thought out convienience and ease of use features (like the blue alignment guides that pop up automatically when you're stacking a bunch of pictures) would be a huge seller.

And yes, I've tries Sandvox, Rapidweaver, etc., and none of them have the raw ease-of-use simplicity of iWeb. Plus, you can hot-rod it to do some of the more advanced things if you have the skills.

If Apple drops it, then they are litterally dropping the ball.

Once published, all webpages are equal.

In your communications with whomever, never ever mention iWeb.

It confuses people, even the experts.

Always listen to experts. They'll tell you what can't be done and why. Then do it.

Robert Heinlein

US science fiction author (1907 - 1988)

It is now apparent that iWeb, and iDVD, will no longer be supported by Apple. This is evidenced by the fact that new Macs are shipping with iLife 11 installed but without iWeb and iDVD. iWeb will still continue to work but without the following:

Features No Longer Available Once MobileMe is Discontinued:

◼ Password protection

◼ Blog and photo comments

◼ Blog search

◼ Hit counter

All of these issues can be replaced with 3rd party options. The RSS feed and slideshow subscriptions will still work on a 3rd party server if iWeb is used to upload the files to the server. if the site is published to a folder first and the file uploaded with a 3rd party FTP client those two features will be broken.

There's another problem and that's with iWeb's popup slideshows. Once the MMe servers are no longer online the popup slideshow buttons will not display their images.

Click to view full size

However, Roddy McKay and I have figured out a way to modify existing sites with those slideshows and iWeb itself so that those images will display as expected once MobileMe servers are gone. How to is described in this tutorial: #26 - How to Modify iWeb So Popup Slideshows Will Work After MobileMe is Discontinued.

Apple has announced that iLife is now an unsupported product and those iApps will only be available thru the App Store from now on. However, there may be some copies of the boxed iLife 11 still on the shelves that would include iWeb and iDVD. Those two apps were listed in small, gray text on the iLife 11 box that I bought. Personally, if I already didn't have a copy I would purchase one to have it for reinstallation purposes if ever needed.

OT

This may be just a bit off-topic, but possibly (and hopefully) helpful for people looking for another web host...as am I.

I've done a lot of research on web host companies over the last several days, and have just found a tidbit of info that just might save people some time.

Two web hosts that have been highly recommended on this list are IX Web Hosting and HostExcellence. I'm not 100% sure, but I believe these two companies are the same. If you look at their packages and their local phone number, you'll see the clues.

I'm not in any way saying that this is a negative thing...just hoping to help others make their decisions easier and with less hunting. (In fact I'm pretty sure I'll sign up with one of them tonight.)

I've also noticed that if you go to both company's chat lines, you'll get the same foreign workers...most of which know very little about the product. I would suggest calling their 1-800 numbers for any type of support in hopes that you get someone that knows more about the product than the folks on the chat lines. I chatted with four separate tech support people, and all four had very poor tech support skills.

In hopes of helping others...

Gramps.

I use a webhost nobody recommended : http://www.one.com

It's here: http://wyodor.net

As backup and as development server I use a NAS at home :

http://myfabulousownwebserver.wyodor.net

Gramps, I can only relate my experience with HostExcellence. I moved my sites to them in June, based in large part to recommendations from some folks here that I've learned to trust. My tech support with them, on the two or three times I had to call at the outset, was nothing short of outstanding. Initially, I was connected with somebody who needed to search for an answer to my question. While he gave me his name and direct extension in the event I did not hear back within 15 minutes, he did, in fact, call me in less than that amount of time. Another time I had to call, I spoke with somebody who was incredibly helpful, knew iWeb really well, and as a result, quickly solved a problem for me.

On both occasions I believe they indicated that they were based in Ohio. While I'm sure my Philly accent clashed with their Ohio accent, the English spoken by the tech support folks was probably better than mine. (Not that this says a lot, but I digress....)

I guess My Mileage Did Vary.

Hi Spikey - I agree with you wholeheartedly. I've been playing with iLife since it was iTools and although I eventually lost my original web pages in the transition to MobileMe, I embraced iWeb and MyGallery! These tools upgraded me and better integrated me with my iLife apps, my iPhone, my iPad and my family and helped me to win over many other people to the Mac's potential. I have friends around the world that I connect with and I share everything that I've written or created over the past 40 years with the greater world through my blog-style http://web.mac.com/magnant homepage. Apple has helped me to create this online presence and I don't mind paying for their support. I have always felt that people who didn't subscribe to MobileMe were missing out. I can appreciate that the advances of technology will cause changes to be necessary but I've always thought of Apple as leading the way while bringing along their faithful followers with them. I believe that this integrated Macintosh community is a major contributor to Apple's reputation and success.

If Apple moves into China's cell phone market with the iPhone soon and doubles its revenues, I say 'hooray for Apple.' I personally didn't have a cell phone for the first 66 years of my life but I'm on my second iPhone now... because it put a Mac, my books, my contacts, assorted family Galleries and my homepage into my pocket. It brought my wife, my kids and my grandkids along as well, which I can now share with everyone. If new Apple directions are going to basically disrupt this existing connectivity and abandon this legacy that we are all continuing to build upon, I for one will be very angry, extremely saddened and I will feel a significant loss. I have just begun to send out inquiries to Apple about this but so far I've found no joy yet. Please visit my web pages while you can and drop me a note. I don't intend to easily let this one go. Maybe we can help to make a difference in what is being offered to us in the future. I certainly hope so. Is anyone else out there?

Best regards - Bob Magnant

WordPress is not really a provider - you can use http://wordpress.com to create a blog or website and then host it on the WordPress servers, but providers are really other hosts such as http://www.godaddy.com or http://www.hostexcellence.com.

Have a look at these as alternatives and if you get one of these you can easily also use http://wordpress.org to create a website and blog - you just automatically load it onto your server. WordPress.org is open source and a CMS like both Drupal and Joomla.

Thanks Rob. Good info to know. I really appreciate your input. I'll most likely go with them as well.

Take care, Gramps.