Microsoft dropping support for FrontPage?

  • Thread starter Thread starter khackbarth
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khackbarth

I've heard rumors that Microsoft is planning to drop support for FrontPage.

First, is that true.

Second, if true, does Microsoft have a plan to transition FrontPage users to
another software platform?

Third, if not true, does Microsoft plan to provide a future version of
FrontPage that supports more than just Internet Explorer?
 
Where have you been? ;-)

MS discontinued FrontPage quite some time ago. The replace is called
Expression Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/overview.aspx?key=web

FrontPage has always supported more than just Internet Explorer. Since FP is
a tool, it is up to the author to understand about browser compatibility.

--
Tom [Pepper] Willett
Microsoft MVP - FrontPage
---------------------------
: I've heard rumors that Microsoft is planning to drop support for
FrontPage.
:
: First, is that true.
:
: Second, if true, does Microsoft have a plan to transition FrontPage users
to
: another software platform?
:
: Third, if not true, does Microsoft plan to provide a future version of
: FrontPage that supports more than just Internet Explorer?
 
" Where have you been? ;-)" -- mostly under a rock.

You'd be surprised, or maybe not, about the way that FrontPage (and
Expression Web) is described in the Firefox forums. Mostly as a way for
Microsoft to ensure that people will continue to use IE - because only IE can
consistently display FP sites. I don't want to get into that argument but
the same was said of Expression Web - namely that it doesn't generate W3C
compliant pages. I tried running my own site through validator.w3.org and
came up with lots of errors. I can't make heads nor tails of them. I don't
know HTML and browser idiosyncracies and purchased FrontPage many versions
ago to insulate me from them (and from CGI).
 
Regardless of what web authoring tool you use, a web designer must know
HTML, CSS, etc., and what features work in what browsers. The days of using
web authoring software as a point and click WYSIWYG are long gone.

Those that bash products don't know how they can be properly used. Now,
consider that Firefox users use Firefox because they don't like IE and don't
want to use it.

Then, of course, you have Linux users.

The bottom line, you must educate yourself. And, the errors you find when
running through the validators...you must learn how to fix them.

--
Tom [Pepper] Willett
Microsoft MVP - FrontPage
---------------------------
--
Tom [Pepper] Willett
Microsoft MVP - FrontPage
---------------------------
:" Where have you been? ;-)" -- mostly under a rock.
:
: You'd be surprised, or maybe not, about the way that FrontPage (and
: Expression Web) is described in the Firefox forums. Mostly as a way for
: Microsoft to ensure that people will continue to use IE - because only IE
can
: consistently display FP sites. I don't want to get into that argument but
: the same was said of Expression Web - namely that it doesn't generate W3C
: compliant pages. I tried running my own site through validator.w3.org and
: came up with lots of errors. I can't make heads nor tails of them. I
don't
: know HTML and browser idiosyncracies and purchased FrontPage many versions
: ago to insulate me from them (and from CGI).
:
: "Tom Willett" wrote:
:
: > Where have you been? ;-)
: >
: > MS discontinued FrontPage quite some time ago. The replace is called
: > Expression Web:
: >
: > http://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/overview.aspx?key=web
: >
: > FrontPage has always supported more than just Internet Explorer. Since
FP is
: > a tool, it is up to the author to understand about browser
compatibility.
: >
: > --
: > Tom [Pepper] Willett
: > Microsoft MVP - FrontPage
: > ---------------------------
: > : > : I've heard rumors that Microsoft is planning to drop support for
: > FrontPage.
: > :
: > : First, is that true.
: > :
: > : Second, if true, does Microsoft have a plan to transition FrontPage
users
: > to
: > : another software platform?
: > :
: > : Third, if not true, does Microsoft plan to provide a future version of
: > : FrontPage that supports more than just Internet Explorer?
: >
: >
: >
 
You can generate non-compliant pages with any design software
You can also generate 100% compliant pages with any design software

It is not the tool but how it is used.

khackbarth said:
" Where have you been? ;-)" -- mostly under a rock.

You'd be surprised, or maybe not, about the way that FrontPage (and
Expression Web) is described in the Firefox forums. Mostly as a way for
Microsoft to ensure that people will continue to use IE - because only IE
can
consistently display FP sites. I don't want to get into that argument but
the same was said of Expression Web - namely that it doesn't generate W3C
compliant pages. I tried running my own site through validator.w3.org and
came up with lots of errors. I can't make heads nor tails of them. I
don't
know HTML and browser idiosyncracies and purchased FrontPage many versions
ago to insulate me from them (and from CGI).

Tom Willett said:
Where have you been? ;-)

MS discontinued FrontPage quite some time ago. The replace is called
Expression Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/overview.aspx?key=web

FrontPage has always supported more than just Internet Explorer. Since FP
is
a tool, it is up to the author to understand about browser compatibility.

--
Tom [Pepper] Willett
Microsoft MVP - FrontPage
---------------------------
: I've heard rumors that Microsoft is planning to drop support for
FrontPage.
:
: First, is that true.
:
: Second, if true, does Microsoft have a plan to transition FrontPage
users
to
: another software platform?
:
: Third, if not true, does Microsoft plan to provide a future version of
: FrontPage that supports more than just Internet Explorer?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
You'd be surprised, or maybe not, about the way that FrontPage (and
Expression Web) is described in the Firefox forums. Mostly as a way for
Microsoft to ensure that people will continue to use IE - because only IE
can
consistently display FP sites. I don't want to get into that argument but
the same was said of Expression Web - namely that it doesn't generate W3C
compliant pages. I tried running my own site through validator.w3.org and
came up with lots of errors. I can't make heads nor tails of them. I
don't
know HTML and browser idiosyncracies and purchased FrontPage many versions
ago to insulate me from them (and from CGI).
Click to expand...

the trickwith the validation is to use something that explains things
easily...

there is a free desktop validator that does not only your page but your
entire site...
there is also the html tidy validator that explains things a lot more.

the other trick is to reduce all those errors by fixing your site coding
errors first.

so if you get expression web and set it up correctly it will tell you a lot
of those...

the next trick is .. not to fix all those pages.. but to just fix your
template.. (and 9 times out of 10) make a new one with a new design .. the
next trick there is to get it passed around by as many people as possible to
spot all the quirks you didnt... and you learn a lot in the process. Using
the validators at this time you can also ask for help in fixing any
problems... how do you make a template? Well it depends on how you want to
go about it.. you can buy one and take pot luck on the code... you can make
one and of course take pot luck you are able to acheive that or you can get
a free template from Pat Geary whose coding is spot on or cheryl wise ..
both ew mvps.

so once you have your template then you some of the neat features ew has to
remove the old one and and replace with your template ... there are lots of
little tricks to that.

so now your template is clean - and hopefully your also using a dwt (dynamic
web template) (replaces themes and to some extent shared borders) which will
make your life easy.. you can also use page includes for your menus within
the dwt. so now clean template clean site easy navigation and easy
maintaintance...

the right time to fix your site is always right now... before it gets any
bigger:)

here are some resources to cover the things i talked about above.


Setting up Expression Web Ebook ( Fr*ee )
http://any-expression.com/expression-web/ebooks/setting-up-expression-web-ebook.htm

Getting started with expression Web Videos

Design Time Includes
http://any-expression.com/expression-web/tutorials/insert-include-pages.htm

Expression Web Dynamic Web Templates Ebook ( Fr*ee )
http://any-expression.com/expression-web/ebooks/expression-web-dwt-ebook.htm

Free Templates and dwts
http://www.expression-web-tutorials.com/ew-templates.html
http://by-expression.com/content/samples.aspx

FireFox HTML Tidy extenstion
http://users.skynet.be/mgueury/mozilla/
Total Validator Advanced Desktop Tool
http://www.expression-web.net/desktop-validator/
 
You'd be surprised, or maybe not, about the way that FrontPage (and
Expression Web) is described in the Firefox forums. Mostly as a way for
Microsoft to ensure that people will continue to use IE - because only IE
can
consistently display FP sites. I don't want to get into that argument but
the same was said of Expression Web - namely that it doesn't generate W3C
compliant pages. I tried running my own site through validator.w3.org and
came up with lots of errors. I can't make heads nor tails of them. I
don't
know HTML and browser idiosyncracies and purchased FrontPage many versions
ago to insulate me from them (and from CGI).
Click to expand...

grrr .. don't you just hate it when the post zings off god know's where... I
had not finished editing ... don't know how that happened... sorry about
that... ok read on

the trick with the validation is to use something that explains things
easily...

there is a free desktop validator that does not only your page but your
entire site...
there is also the html tidy validator that explains things a lot more.

the other trick is to reduce all those errors by fixing your site coding
errors first.

so if you get expression web and set it up correctly it will tell you a lot
of those...

the next trick is .. not to fix all those pages.. but to just fix your
template.. (and 9 times out of 10) make a new one with a new design .. the
next trick there is to get it passed around by as many people as possible to
spot all the quirks you didn't... and you learn a lot in the process. Using
the validators at this time you can also ask for help in fixing any
problems... how do you make a template? Well it depends on how you want to
go about it.. you can buy one and take pot luck on the code... you can make
one and of course take pot luck you are able to achieve that or you can get
a free template from Pat Geary whose coding is spot on or Cheryl wise ..
both ew mvps.

so once you have your template then you some of the neat features ew has to
remove the old one and and replace with your template ... there are lots of
little tricks to that.

so now your template is clean - and hopefully your also using a dwt (dynamic
web template) (replaces themes and to some extent shared borders) which will
make your life easy.. you can also use page includes for your menus within
the dwt. so now clean template clean site easy navigation and easy
maintenance...

the right time to fix your site is always right now... before it gets any
bigger:)

at the moment there is a 50% off ew upgrade - see the microsoft online store
see here about eligibility
http://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/Upgrade.aspx

ew3.0 is due out july 10th though...

this is my take on that. which i wrote before i knew ms were going to have a
sale... (which is usa only btw) though i still think having ew2 is always a
good thing
http://www.expression-web.net/further-ew3-insights/

here are some resources to cover the things I talked about above.


Setting up Expression Web Ebook ( Fr*ee )
http://any-expression.com/expression-web/ebooks/setting-up-expression-web-ebook.htm

Getting started with expression Web Videos
http://by-expression.com/media/p/1295.aspx
http://by-expression.com/media/p/1296.aspx
http://by-expression.com/media/p/1297.aspx
http://by-expression.com/media/p/1298.aspx
or
http://by-expression.com/content/fullbasic.aspx

Design Time Includes
http://any-expression.com/expression-web/tutorials/insert-include-pages.htm

Expression Web Dynamic Web Templates Ebook ( Fr*ee )
http://any-expression.com/expression-web/ebooks/expression-web-dwt-ebook.htm

Free Templates and dwts
http://www.expression-web-tutorials.com/ew-templates.html
http://by-expression.com/content/samples.aspx

FireFox HTML Tidy extenstion
http://users.skynet.be/mgueury/mozilla/
Total Validator Advanced Desktop Tool
http://www.expression-web.net/desktop-validator/

hope that helps
Tina
 
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