The new Dreamweaver better displays CSS elements and lets you drag and drop XML feeds.

For veterans of this professional Web design tool, Macromedia's Dreamweaver 8 may look and feel much like its earlier version, but subtle usability tweaks promise to show up once you dig into the program. To start with, you can zoom in to enlarge a page. But the most welcome change may be the program's ability to show and collapse sections of code for less scrolling, faster navigation and an easier overview of a project. You can also roll over design elements and view pop-ups of source code.

Our preview of the beta version of Dreamweaver 8 found that while there are quite a few changes under the surface, version 8 doesn't seem to add anything revolutionary, such as the CSS-based design introduced by Dreamweaver MX 2004. Still, the new Dreamweaver 8 touts its ability to better display CSS elements, such as by colour-coding. The most future-forward feature may be the drag-and-drop syndication of XML feeds onto a site. Fitting graphics within your Web pages should also be easier, thanks to new ruler guides that echo those in Adobe's Photoshop and Illustrator.

Dreamweaver 8 will cost £339, or £169 if you're upgrading. To find out how well Dreamweaver 8 performs -- and how it compares to Adobe's GoLive CS2 -- stay tuned for our full review.

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