That was and still is a messy and unfortunate carry on that happened with Rapidweaver and Stacks. I did feel that Stacks was thrown under the bus. Stacks unlocked features, possibilities and opportunities for users and 3rd party devs and turned the RW/Stacks combo into an awesome powerful creature with an amazing community. When it was announced that Realmac were developing Elements and existing stacks could be converted to Elements, even to somebody like me that was a user not a dev it was “whooah! that’s harsh”, meaning eliminate the need for Stacks (and the dev) and take the users and 3rd party devs in to their business model. Then the erratic changing to pricing with it’s a subscription, it’s not a subscription, it is a bit, it’s not agin etc for RW. I then bought Realmac Squash app, it wasn’t subscription, then very quickly it became on at a high price of $30 a year for an image convertor. It’s just an image convertor. So within a few months I’d stop using that as couldn’t update. That’s just my own experiences as to why Elements is something I just wouldn’t trust, it’s just not on the radar at all as a viable option. Also you have to factor in support, it will require a lot of support with the functionality and third party compatability, are they ready for that?
The guy the makes Stacks is a lovely bloke, honest and genuine. It’s just a shame for Stacks that there is little information and assurance that it’s standalone version in development is happening.
My hand was forced to look for alternatives, as I didn’t know when RW would stop working with Mac OS updates, whether or when Stacks was going to be released, then my framework and blog/cms dev stopped business due to dwindling users. It was then I discovered Blocs, found it had a healthy userbase and community and offered virtually everything I need and is progressive in its development. It’s been great adopting Blocs.
Here’s a can of worms to open, I’ve always been against subscription models, but having the experiences of RW/Stacks/Foundry/Alloy I now believe subscription is the way to go so long as it is fair. With Blocs now, if it was a choice of no subscription but threatens long term sustainability or a fair subscription and sustained business model I would welcome that. The Foundry/Alloy didn’t have that and it has gone bang and that was a shame.
Hi, webflow is great but I would need to use their hosting, afaik. Unfortunately, or lucky for Blocs, this raises some GDPR/DSGVO concerns, as the data is processed in the US.
Excellent point, well spotted on that one. I’ve got a few sites that are for public bodies and organisations, for somebody like me that would have massive implications that could and mostly likely would come back to bite.
That comparison would be a bit unfair. After all, Elements is still in beta, Blocs is in Version 6. Plus, Blocs uses the Bootstrap Framework while Elements uses Tailwind.
I do like the approach of Tailwind compared Bootstrap a lot so I took the plunge and paid for the beta. After being a RW user for many years before too, I do like what I see and I believe that Elements will be a big one for Realmac. A basic CMS and Blogging function is planned too and the Team is doing a great job and listens to their user base when it comes to features (like Norm does with Blocs).
And concerning this whole Stacks vs Elements crap that people still are upset about. I’d say it was a necessary step. A clever business decision for Realmac of which lot of users will profit eventually. And it even opens a new market for developers. If some won’t develop for Elements for whatever reason … their own fault.
There are a lot of reasons the remaining Stack developers aren’t interested in developing for Elements (not only because they stopped their Stacks to “Components” converter, btw.).
There is something called integrity…
Welcome @TangoArtist I’m still learning Blocs as well. I recommend you to follow @Eldar He has been an invaluable asset, allowing me to effectively manage my clients. Initially, I focused on recreating my Rapidweaver websites using Blocs, and his tutorials along with one-on-one support have proven to be among the best resources available for Blocs users. I also purchased the Minimalist Library from him, and for anyone familiar with Rapidweaver and Stacks, this library will feel incredibly familiar and comfortable. Regarding Webflow, I must say it is an exceptionally powerful tool, highly recommended if you don’t mind a monthly subscription—which I personally dislike. That’s why I chose Blocs. Recently, I’ve also been utilizing Google Firebase for my website’s backend needs and Dyad for embedding web apps within my Blocs-generated sites. I genuinely believe that, with the rise of these code-based LLM alternatives—both free and paid—developing websites is only going to become easier in the near future. Exciting times lie ahead!
Dan has lost his grip on reality. Selling Elements for $99 with a mandatory watermark is simply outrageous. Furthermore, if you don’t shell out for the more expensive tier, you can’t even create websites to sell. No matter how impressive the app may be, his business model has ensured that I will never use RapidWeaver again, and I’ve been a dedicated user since version 1!
Regardless of the quality of the software, comparing business models is always useful. Depending on the needs and target audience, a working designer could have all the apps and use the one that is most useful.
Furthermore, the transition from RW, after 15 years of Stacks development, should be gradual, and Blocs offers all the tools.
then it must be said that the work model in RW CLassic is different from both blocs and elements, so it is not easy to change habits
I’m not sure I understand what you mean. I know both software quite well and use them as needed. Another software I recommend is Hype Pro (Blocks also works with Hype). If you’re working, you need a lot of software, including Blocs, of course
Obviously, if you’re working, the costs are affordable. Otherwise, you’re looking for the best solution, and no one likes a subscription, not even me.
Just comparing the apps. Elements has a long way to go for usability and many of the more important aspects of building a website. It’s seems like a fine design tool I suppose. I’m not a designer. I’m an end user and that is where Elements falls flat on its face. Right now it is a geek’s playground, not a proper production tool.
Blocs with Minimalist smokes Elements in this area. I know I have very specific needs. But my needs are not unique, in fact, they are standard visitor and SEO best practices. That said, not many apps have the ability. I don’t even know if Blocs has all of them. I’ll be asking Norm and most likely Eldar as soon as I narrow down my list to the needs and not the wants. Both have been very helpful even though I am a noob on their software.
A certain balance should be maintained in communication , and the positive thing is that over the years, users have become more aware and are making more forward-thinking choices!
Developers who already have a client portfolio must worry about their customers, not just the software. One (almost) invisible factor in the Elements landscape is the demand from existing customers for support in the transition.
Blocs has all the tools to offer an alternative to RWClassic ( a different comparison than elements), but even in this case, it’s the user who decides, and they do so in a more informed way if the developers offer alternatives.
The most forward-thinking software houses understand this mechanism; it takes time
Furthermore, only after spending a lot of time with all the software is it possible to understand the differences; it takes some effort
I had a look. Gave the benefit of doubt for a while. But development in the core app has stalled. In favour of development of the store to build and offer their own add-ons (third parties “soon”), and if you thought RW and Stacks was expensive, here’s a the way they have set the pricing president, for something any half seasoned tailwind user can create in half a day tops. An eye watering $199
I looked, I tested, I noted, but I won’t be developing for Elements.
I guess this was the main idea behind all this. Build a baseline functional app, sell own add-ons for it, and remove the 3rd party developers from the table.
Even from a webmaster’s perspective this is an issue. The app is very green and immature. It cannot do the basics when it comes to actually adding content efficiently, not even an undo in many cases. It’s a shot gun of ideas with nothing completed. I understand there are priorities, I am questioning the order of the priorities. They got us all hyped up for a new app and then dropped the ball indefinitely to “it’s on the roadmap.”
I just want a product, not an Apple, Steve Jobs, wannabe company. Blocs seems to understand this. They are constantly pushing the boundaries on enabling the webmaster without sharking their community. I know this may come off harsh, it’s just my perspective and what I see. I’m too old to drink the kool-aid.
I loved it - enjoyed using it. My main site is still in version 8 (not sure I will be continuing with it), however my most recent sites have been built in Blocs. Again, it’s fun to use and Norm is based in my area of the country.
@Jannis summed it up for me - I think the way Realmac treated its users and developers was bad. I get commercial realities and business decisions, but they broke a lot of trust.
There are one or two concerns about Blocs eg being dependent on Norm and the marketing isn’t the best (videos are of phenomenal quality), but I wouldn’t recommend anyone went near Realmac with a barge pole.
, and the positive thing is that over the years, users have become more aware and are making more forward-thinking choices! 
