Dreamweaver can only do easy/cheesy JavaScript code. Real functionality can only be done by hand.

have you ever looked at the source for a website made in something like word or dreamweaver and seen how much unnecesarry crap is in there?

an editor is easier but writing by hand makes for more efficient and readable code

I have to agree.

Dreamweaver derived code is absolutely horrible. I use dreamweaver, but only as a coding tool...not to do the coding for me.

You should know how to code by hand before using any program to do it for you...just like you should know how to add before using a calculator.

I find if i'm using Dreamweaver it's just to add colors to my code =P, and same with any editor to be honest. I don't even like functions that auto-close tags or auto "fix" my markup... generally they don't have a clue what I'm trying to do and cause more trouble than they're worth...

Dreamweavers generated code is substantially better than MS Word's.. but it's still somewhat inefficient, and if you don't know what your code is because you've laid down a page using WYSIWYG tools, you wont have a clue how to fix that code if a problem arrises.

Dreamweaver could be used just to make very simple simple pages. It of course generates unncessary code , but atleast its better than others. And yes you couldn't make whole flash sites, never, for that you need to know flash.

As far as making dynamic pages, dreamweaver has few features that allow you to connect to database, create simple log in pages etc. But if you want to do what you want to have you need to learn HTML, CSS etc etc...

Dreamweaver is very good for coding, but personally I use Homesite+ and WeBuilder. I like them much better.

And yes at last, WYSIWYG couldn't compete wth hand coding, never ever.

Dreamweaver produces really unvalid code at time and the only way to fix it is to get you hands dirty! Hand written code is also easier to read and can be faster aswell.

Hand written code also make you familier with the structure of your document, by structure i mean the code structure.

That is a very good point because I know from xperience that if you create something in a wysiwyg editor and try and find something in the html it can be very hard. Plus you can change the structure of your code to make it easier or maybe even harder to read... Have a think about that...

Dreamweaver can help in learning code greatly, especially with its functionality to label certain snippets or tags of code by using different color pallettes.

Though, usually if I use dreamweaver I delete whatever's naturally generated by the program and start myself, by hand. There are better and more efficient ways of coding than some of Dreamweaver's methods, though I still do like to use it for its ease rather than Notepad - even if I do hand code something.

You can always collaborate software, Dreamweaver and Notepad (or other rich text editors, possibly?) for fine code if you know what you're doing.

I learned the basics of code, though, using Dreamweaver before reading any books and then improved upon my existing knowledge by reading some more books ... So I'm definitely thankful for the program, but there are better methods.