Microsoft Frontpage 2003 replacement

[MischiefK9s]

What program replaced Frontpage 2003? And if you use it, do you like it?

[lauderdalems]

Since I also use FP2003, was wondering why you are wanting to change.

[MischiefK9s]

Just wondering if it had better / more features.

[Pete]

It's been replaced by two programs.

If you're using SharePoint, it's "SharePoint Designer". If you're not, it's "Expression Web"

See -=HERE=- (http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/frontpage/FX100743231033.aspx) for more information.

[jacuff]

What program replaced Frontpage 2003? And if you use it, do you like it?

Most people I know would say Adobe Dreamweaver CS4. ;) I haven't upgraded to CS4 yet, but I do like CS3.

Sharepoint Designer is the closest. I've used it a couple of times and honestly don't see any reason to upgrade unless you are using Sharepoint Web Server. If not, you'll get by continuing to use Frontpage 2003.

[tracknut]

Personally I would not recommend continuing with FP2003. Expressions Web is much better, and will get you away from all the proprietary "FP Extensions" components that need to be on servers. I use Expressions for all my web development.

Dave

[scubasushi]

check the pricing you can get for Sharepoint Designer and Expressions Web (sometimes people can find designer actually cheaper). SharePoint Designer has a superset of functionality of Expression Web - so even if not needing all the Sharepoint functions you get everything Expressions have and more (worth it if you can find it for cheaper - maybe not if you can't).
both should be pretty intuative if you already know Front Page. (and as tracknut mentions - no more of those stupid FP extensions !!)

[brecklundin]

the upgrade price for Expression Web from any version of FP is just $99. And their whole Expressions Studio is around $300 for the upgrade price. Here is the upgrade page. Of course it requires Silverlight 2....sigh...

http://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/Upgrade.aspx

I have only tried an early version of Expressions Web when it was first out. It was interesting and no doubt a direct response to the Dreamweaver Suite/Family of tools, but I use Visual Studio as my development platform and only use FP as a quick and dirty way to do some mock-up pages and add a bit of supporting ASPX code.

Something you could look at are the free Visual Express Developer apps. One is Visual Web Developer. It's not as spiffy as Expression Web but not bad.

http://www.microsoft.com/express/vb/default.aspx

These tools are powerful enough for easily 90% of the tasks you might want to do...they really are quite impressive for hobbyist and developer alike.

BTW, my opinion on the tools Adobe has now for developers is skeptical as before being acquired by Adobe the apps (Dreamweaver and the rest) were very nice...but now, much like MS's tools, they are very geared toward using Flash and Adobe tools. Flash might be one of the most universally disliked yet also enjoyed tech out there today. Mostly from over or trivial use of the tech. In fact many either refuse to install the flash plug-in or block it's use simply due to misinformation that it's a security problem.

So, much as I dislike it I use MS tools as they are about the most open out there. Problem with them is their complexity compared to environments like Dreamweaver.

FYI, still use FP03 as I am stubbornly refusing to keep up with the constantly moving target represented as a development environment...even with my MSDN membership I can pretty much run anything MS offers as part of the deal I am also still using XP and VS2005...like I said stubborn... :)

BTW, there are also a couple options for small companies/individuals who are, ahem, just starting out or have a specific app they want to develop using MS tools & platform...one is the MS Action Pack and last I looked cost just $375 and includes a HUGE library of licenses (multiple) for almost all MS platforms and applications. There is another program for new developers that contains slightly different apps all for about the same cost. I am not 100% positive these programs are still to be had...if they are it's best and cheapest way to outfit yourself with all the legal licenses you might need for running the MS platform. Just google "microsoft action pack" to see if the thing still exists...

Here is a link to the developer centric program called Empower:

https://partner.microsoft.com/US/program/managemembership/empowerprogram

Like I mentioned it contains slightly different tools from the action pack and is more geared toward developers...coughcough...

[brecklundin]

check the pricing you can get for Sharepoint Designer and Expressions Web (sometimes people can find designer actually cheaper). SharePoint Designer has a superset of functionality of Expression Web - so even if not needing all the Sharepoint functions you get everything Expressions have and more (worth it if you can find it for cheaper - maybe not if you can't).
both should be pretty intuative if you already know Front Page. (and as tracknut mentions - no more of those stupid FP extensions !!)

Personally I would not recommend continuing with FP2003. Expressions Web is much better, and will get you away from all the proprietary "FP Extensions" components that need to be on servers. I use Expressions for all my web development.

Dave

FP Extensions have not been needed since at least FP2k...and they have always been optional...ya just had to manually upload your web site/app. But, yes, they really stunk...so nobody used them, if ya knew what was good for ya anyway... ;)