| WebPlus | |
| Developer: | Serif |
| Discontinued: | yes[1] |
| Latest Release Version: | X8 |
| Programming Language: | C++ |
| Operating System: | Microsoft Windows |
| Genre: | Web design |
| License: | Proprietary |
| Website: | www.serif.com |
Serif WebPlus was a website design program[2] for Microsoft Windows, developed by the software company, Serif. It allows users to design, create and upload their website onto the internet without any knowledge of HTML or other web technologies.
Much like Microsoft Word, WebPlus uses WYSIWYG[3] drag and drop editing to add and position text, images and links as they would appear on the finished web page. Once a user has designed their site, WebPlus can preview the site in a web browser before uploading the site using the in-built FTP.
The software comes with a variety of pre-designed sample websites containing Filler text like Lorem ipsum, which can be used as a template for quickly designing a site. It also provides drawing tools for creating and editing buttons and web graphics.
Previously Serif had made available feature limited Starter Editions of their software, based on older versions, which could be obtained and used free of charge. For WebPlus the final free edition was based on version X5 and this was released in September 2012. This continued to be available from Serif's server until it was withdrawn around March 2016. WebPlus was then only available as a paid-for version X8.
Around mid-2014, the algorithm used to generate the product keys across the entire Serif "Plus" software collection was broken. This enabled unlicensed copies of all the Serif programs issued prior to that date to be installed by means of a third party code-generator software. This software provided a way to make the new code (key) needed at the time of each program installation.
Serif responded by patching some program installers and making these versions freely downloadable from their website. The patched versions detected and blocked the codes generated by the third party key software. 2014 and later issued patches for older software also included detection and splash screen indication of suspected third party codes. Serif also withdrew the installers for older versions of their programs that were not under active development, and thus were not patched against the third party codes (e.g. all versions of MoviePlus), to try to prevent users circulating the now effectively unlocked software, and to block its entry into the public domain.
With WebPlus for example, the original X7 disc media was open to the use of third party codes. However Serif's downloadable patches for X7 to v15.0.2.31, v15.0.3.35 and v15.0.4.38 (final), reported detection of these "unauthorised code"s but allowed the software to continue to operate. Conversely the publicly downloadable WebPlus X8 installation file from Serif appears to accept a third party key during installation, but reports an "unauthorised code" and then terminates the program operation on startup.
In March 2016, Serif announced that WebPlus X8 would be the final version, and that there were no current plans to design an application to replace it. Sales of WebPlus X8 by Serif were ended around December 2016.
In early 2018, Serif announced that Serif Web Resources, hosted on Serif servers and required to implement some advanced web-site functionality in WebPlus created sites, would no longer work after 31 August 2018.
In 2018, Serif also shutdown the servers that generated the "Plus" software registration numbers on-line from the product version and the individual generated installation number. Serif revealed the alternative was to use a universal master registration number, which is 881887. This is known to work with post 2003 Serif "Plus" software (e.g. verified to work with PagePlus v5.02). However, later Serif "Plus" software still registers itself automatically if within a certain recent period of a previous Serif software registration on the same PC.
WebPlus was developed for Microsoft Windows "Win32" graphical desktop interface and is fully compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista (32/64bit), Windows 7 (32/64bit) and Windows 8.[4]