Microsoft FrontPage 2002: Pros dig it, Beginners get it

Ever wonder why Microsoft FrontPage 2002 is one of the most popular Web site development and editing software products on the market today? It’s due in part to the fact that FrontPage is a full-featured Web page editing and publishing tool commonly used by professional Web designers to build personal and commercial Web sites. Web designers like it because it offers them the flexibility and power they need to deliver customized Web solutions for a wide variety of clients. It’s fast and easy for designers to try various designs and site features in the developmental stage for presentation to their clients. And their clients like it because it’s much easier for them to participate in the on-going management of their Web site’s content as it grows.

But what really has propelled FrontPage’s popularity is its ease of use even for beginners who don’t have a clue about HTML (hypertext markup language). Now anyone can build and manage a Web site without having to be an expert programmer. That’s because Microsoft has developed FrontPage to be a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) interface for creating HTML Web pages without having to know HTML programming. You make choices about how you want your Web pages to look with drag-and-drop functionality and FrontPage takes care of creating the correct HTML to make it happen. All you have to do is cut and paste text and drag in graphics and you’re ready to publish your site! But FrontPage also offers more advanced users the ability to work with CGI scripts and import their own HTML.

Learning how to use FrontPage is even easier if you already know how to use other Microsoft Office programs like Word, Power Point and Excel. The main menu of FrontPage looks like the Microsoft Word interface with a standard Menu bar, Toolbar and Formatting Toolbar. FrontPage does have some additional features that you will need to familiarize yourself with such as the New Page or Web Task pane on the right and the Views bar on the left. If you want to insert your own HTML to add special features to your site, you can easily modify the FrontPage-supplied HTML from the HTML window. FrontPage also supports advanced Web programming tools and techniques including Active X Controls, Web Browser Plug-ins, Java Applets and Scripts. It also includes NetStudio, a graphic design program to help you design banners, buttons and logos for your Web site.

If you aren’t a Web developer but you want to take control of your Web site yourself, then Microsoft FrontPage 2002 is worth a closer look. You should also consider hosting your Web site with a hosting company that specializes in FrontPage hosting to be sure your host’s server supports FrontPage Extensions. This will allow you to log directly on to the Web server and make changes to your site in real time.

To compare FrontPage hosting plans now, go to FrontPage Hosting

To view an interactive Macromedia Flash demo of FrontPage 2002, go to http://www.microsoft.com/frontpage/evaluation/demo.htm

If you want to know more about FrontPage, but don’t have the Macromedia Flash Player installed, go to

http://www.microsoft.com/frontpage/evaluation/tour/default.htm

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