I dream in colors

Cool links (6)
Mobile stuff (1)
Photos (34)
Ramblings (93)
SnowyDay (4)
Travels (3)
Uncategorized (1)
Vlog (14)
Webdesign (10)
WordPress (4)

10/28/06 XSitePro – an unbiased review (for real)

Earlier this year, around march, i took a job doing some maintenence for a website. I will not link to the site, but i will tell you this: it was the damn most awful site in the whole internet. Last time i checked, the home page alone was 1.6 Mb of just text and the ocasional image (and that’s because i got tired of waiting and stopped it – i’m sure it’s larger). Don’t get me wrong, the job was pretty cool; good work enviroment, very flexible hours and great people. The pay, on the other hand, was ridiculously low. Think of a low number… ready?…

No, it was lower than that, seriously. Try again.

No, lower than that too.

And than that too.

Ok, we can be at this all day, so i’ll just keep going. So, the site was awful, built on FrontPage (the boss wasn’t stupd though, he once told me “ugly sites sell more. Have you ever googled ‘Ugly Websites’?”). Part of my job was to move this site to a new one, using this program called XSitePro. When i first interviewed for this job, the boss asked me “have you ever used XSitePro?”, in a sort of gloaty voice, like this program was the best thing since sliced bread (i think i also heard some fanfare too…). I didn’t know about it, but he assured it was easy to use. Needless to say, i hated the program every single day i worked there.

Last night i checked the website again out of curiosity. It reminded me of this XSitePro software, so i went and googled it. Here, look for yourself. Nothing but review after review, all with affiliate links at the bottom (pretty similar to the site i was working on to tell the truth – so there really is a market for these kind of things or, wouldn’t surprise me at all, the boss was also behind XSitePro…) . Even one titled Xsitepro – is this the only Honest Review on the Internet? has an affiliate link at the bottom, and it’s posted on several articles sites. I looked at 15 pages of a google search for “XSitePro review” and couldn’t find a review that looked… well… honest.
So, here it goes, an XSitePro unbiased review, for real.

Should you buy XSitePro?

No.

Why? Because if you’re thinking of buying this program, you’re on Windows (it’s not available for any other OS), and if you’re on Windows, you already have FrontPage, wich is pretty much as good at building websites as XSitePro (i.e. not good at all). It may have all those easy publishing tools, but the WYSIWYG interfase is awful. Good luck trying to stylize a link. And the code it writes is terrible. Three words: table based layout.

“But!”, you may say, “XSitePro has all those useful tools like SEO optimizing!” Ha, i laugh at that. It’s pretty much useless. There’s a reason why SEO specialists charge so much.

If you’re serious about your online business, either get a real WYSIWYG program (you can get some even for free) and spend some time learning how to use it, or pay someone who knows what they’re doing to do it for you.

I left that job after a few months, to start SnowyDay. Now i do my web design with the best HTML editor available, the Notepad.

Technorati Tags: XSitePro, notepad, html editor, build websites, ugly websites

17 comments

whats wrong with table based layouts?

…

yea boooooo

Thank you! I’ve had the same problem trying to find ‘honest’ reviews on XSitePro and Site Build It. I really appreciate this one.

Interesting review. I had loads of problems with xsitepro after buying it. Took over a week to get it working, the first web site it produced was a dissapointment. I decided to uninstall it and go back to frontpage

I tried xsitepro too because of all the wonderful reviews. Not bad for a quick page generator, but my sites never managed to rank very well and similar sites I did with Wordpress or Dreamweaver ranked much better. I suspect the search engines don’t like xsitepro because its mostly used for thin affiliate or adsense sites.

As far as tables vs css for layout. CSS is the way forward, but until it gets as easy, predictable and reliable as laying something out with a table, tables will continue to get used. Css seems straight forward, but trying to lay out something to look the same in all browsers is an exercise in banging ones head against the wall.

Hello,

With respect to the article on XSitepro, I am wondering whether the criticism is directed to the generic (initial) version of the software or the latest one XSitepro 2. This is important, as I am thinking of purchasing the latest one. Any unbiased opinions, would be greatly appreciated. Please feel free to comment – thank you!

Paige:

Tables are meant for displaying tabular data, not layout. The easiest way to build a wall is just piling bricks on top of each other. That doesn’t mean it’s the best or correct way. You’ll do yourself a favor if you learn how to use the correct tools properly.

Oh, and CSS was the way forward 5 years ago. It’s the norm now.

Giom:

No, I never used the new version (thank god). This was written about the original, in 20006. But from my experience with the original version, I seriously doubt it changed much. I wouldn’t recommend it at all.

you used a version 4 years ago, todays version could be a whole lot better. I do agree though – trying to find an honest review of this program is very hard!
If you want a wysiwyg editor I like wysiwyg web builder 6.5

XsitePro must be good for something – so many people are promoting it? Maybe it is useful for making a quick and simple sales page. I find it is slow, clunky and non intuitive. Simple operations like insert image take ages. Preview mode loads slowly and is non functional so the only way you can really preview is to publish. Linking often fails to produce correct and complete code so be prepared to do some editing.
Try working with this and you will appreciate how user-friendly the old favourites are.

Slow, clunky, buggy, pos software that continually gave me issues. Trying asking for a refund,they give you the runaround.

Seriously, I wonder what reality all these people live in that recommend it. I’ve used the latest version 2.150 and I cannot believe the are asking $200 for it.

There should be more accurate reviews online, rather then ones promoted by affiliates that make $50 form each sale.

Thanks for the honesty..

Omg…

I can cry today! I read youre revieuw to late!
I made a website on wix.com verry easy and good system for everyone who is no webdesinger but wanna make theire onw styl website.
But because its Flash and it bounce back sometime’s I started to look for faster program!

I came on the site of XSitepro! Only story’s and going about theire SEO! So I bought it it looked good from my point of vieuw i paid 180,- euro!

Get 20 Ugly ass templates! System is fuck-ed up to work with so bought just at template =moster one…You realy cant style the websit!

I used XSitePro and here is the most honest review.

1. The tech support sucks. They respond at their own time (never within 24 hours, sometimes you wont hear from them for days). BTW , the first post on this comments column is from a guy called Rob who works for Xsitepro.

2. The software hangs and creates funny problems like the layout will get skewed, the updated pages dont actually get updated and many other problems.

3. If you need a refund they will make you wait for 2-3 days before they will even respond.

4. They have a board but it sucks . It is heavily moderated. Anything that you say about XSitepro will get censored.

This is the most honest review of XSitePRo. People dont let them take your money and run away. Do not Buy this Shitty Software called XSitePro.

X Site Pro is a software made by a single person out of a shanty house and now 3-4 college going kids run the board and the tech support. Refunds you can forget. They have a pledge to donate 100 $ to a charity of your choice if they dont respond in 24 hours. They never respond in 24 hours and they are not broke yet, so you can imagine if they keep up to their word.

XSitepro sucks and was probably made by a C++ programmer for 400-500$ and now they are sucking your money.

Stick to Dreamweaver as it is made by Adobe. Get this of this XSitePRo which is gimmick selling.

XSite PRo Review – Like Anthony Wakefield said , XSite Pro guys give you a run for their money when you ask for a refund . Do not Buy XSite Pro . All other reviews on XSite Pro are affliate marketers and most of them have not even used the software themselves. XSite Pro is scam and fraud. No Refunds, Lousy Crappy Piece of Software. Stay Away from XSitePro.

As for editing, and inserting new fields the program is fiddly and time consuming. If you want to edit a template (or heaven forbid make ur own) it isuncompramisingly glitchy and technical elements cannot be aligned with ease. I wamted to insert a logo, and gave up as the editing threw out the formats of the site. Iwas initially pleased, then dismayed at how STUPID this software is at ‘editing’ – ie adding a picture or 2. Waste of time, glad it was a pirate copy. BOO HOO XSITE2 SUCKS!

Download 4 free @ http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/5719780/Xsitepro_2_with_crack

Hi. I’ve got a theory about xsitepro. I believe the builder of xsitepro2 has a couple of hundred URLs regarding xsitepro and with them has created his own “world” of search results. He knows few ever go past the first group of links, so everyone hits 1 or more of his sites. I believe he has even created and populated his own internet marketing forum as well. Your thoughts?

Really. I don’t need to look for reviews. You don’t need to be a genius! Just ask yourself why they don’t have a trial version???????

Speak your mind

Hi, I'm Nico :)

10/28/06 XSitePro – an unbiased review (for real)