Has HTML code changed since DW8?

Question

I was able to remedy my Hot Spot issue posted earlier by copying code generated from old DW8 files into a DWCS5 page. I've been resorting to this workflow since I upgraded to CS5 because it doesn't seem to generate good code using the so-called automated tools. Has HTML coding lauguage changed since DW8 and is it different for CS5?
I'm still also not clear about using some of DW's automated tools to generate code. I was told in earlier discussions that I should maually code because DW's various tool sets don't generate good HTML, DW is mostly used as a layout and FTP tool.  Should I rely on Page breeze or a similar HTML editor instead?  And what version of HTML should I use?
Or should I go back to using DW8?

Answer 1

Indie767 wrote:
Has HTML coding lauguage changed since DW8 and is it different for CS5?
Yes and no. HTML 4.01 and XHTML 1.0 have remained unchanged for the past 10 years. So HTML code generated by DW8 and CS5 is identical. The difference is that Dreamweaver CS5 with the 11.0.3 updater also supports HTML5, which is expected to become the new standard in years to come. Dreamweaver CS5 does not use any of the new HTML5 tags unless you create them manually in Code view.
I was told in earlier discussions that I should maually code because DW's various tool sets don't generate good HTML, DW is mostly used as a layout and FTP tool.
I don't know who told you that, but it sounds like a load of nonsense to me. Dreamweaver generates good, clean HTML, provided you use the program correctly. However, having a good understanding of HTML and CSS is a basic requirement of using Dreamweaver efficiently.
And what version of HTML should I use?
That's not such an easy question to answer. Some people advocate using HTML5, because it's "the future". Others advise caution, because the HTML5 specification isn't yet complete, and not all browsers support some of its features. To avoid confusion, I would recommend using HTML 4.01 at the moment. HTML5 builds on top of HTML 4.01, so making the transition should be very easy. However, in the final analysis, it doesn't really matter which one you choose. Make a decision, stick with it, and learn how to use it properly.