Adobe Muse Beta 3: Updated With Tighter Code Output

Adobe delivers Beta 3 of its Muse tool that enables graphic designers to create HTML Websites without coding.

Adobe Systems has delivered an update to its Web creation tool for designers, code-named Muse, with Muse Beta 3.

Adobe Muse enables graphic designers to create and publish professional HTML Websites without writing code or working within restrictive templates. Adobe said Muse has generated a "wildly enthusiastic" response from the design community with more than 260,000 designers downloading the beta technology in the first 40 days since its initial release.

Responding to direct user feedback, Muse Beta 3 contains over 40 enhancements, including improvements to how the technology generates code to reduce load performance and data usage of Websites. The Muse blog gives more details on Beta 3.

"Muse has generated an enthusiastic response from the design community over the past several weeks, resulting in more than 260,000 beta downloads to date," said Lea Hickman, vice president of Design and Web product management at Adobe, in a statement. "By getting this update in the hands of users and listening to feedback from the design and web communities, we can continue to improve the qualities and capabilities of the product."

Muse Beta 3 enhancements include reduced Website load time and data usage by cutting the size of generated HTML and CSS files by up to 60 percent. In addition, users now have reduced page render and load times through improvements to the way Muse outputs the JavaScript code required for widgets such as tab panels, accordions, and menus. A full list of fixes and code improvements can be found on the Muse Website at http://muse.adobe.com/beta3.

Designers who are already using Muse will be prompted to install the Beta 3 update the next time they open the application. Once Beta 3 is installed, designers can apply the code improvements to any Websites that have been published with Muse by simply republishing the site.

"Muse has generated an enthusiastic response from the design community over the past several weeks, resulting in more than 260,000 beta downloads to date," said Lea Hickman, vice president of Design and Web product management at Adobe. "By getting this update in the hands of users and listening to feedback from the design and web communities, we can continue to improve the qualities and capabilities of the product."

Muse works using Adobe's AIR runtime, and generates HMTL5 and JavaScript compatible code, rather than relying on the company's Flash plugin. Adobe clearly is concerned about transitioning from Flash to HTML5, as the writing is on the wall that this is the direction the Web is moving towards as a whole. Most of the tightening comes from removing duplicate code. The smaller generated code size should mean faster load times and lower data usage for sites built with Muse.

Muse Beta 3 enhancements include reduced website load time and data usage through cutting the size of generated HTML and CSS files by up to 60 percent. In addition, users now have reduced page render and load times through improvements to the way Muse outputs the JavaScript code required for widgets such as tab panels, accordions, and menus.

The rest of the improvements involve correcting compatibility, preventing crashes, and improving keyboard layout and file locations.

Beta 3 of Muse is said to provide a range of bug fixes and enhancements over the initial release in August, with an emphasis on efficiency. These include reduced website load time and data usage thanks to more tightly-generated HTML and CSS code; reduced page render and load times through improvements to the way Muse outputs JavaScript; the removal of redundant CSS declarations; the removal of empty divs used for clearing floats; and the move of JavaScript from the document head to just above the end of the document body.

For new users interested in downloading Beta 3 or viewing a gallery of Muse-created Websites and instructional tutorials, visit http://muse.adobe.com. To provide feedback and ask the Adobe Muse team questions, visit http://support.muse.adobe.com.

Posted in: Press Releases