Web Hosting Reviews & Ratings

September 05, 2011

A World After Microsoft Frontpage

In the early years of web hosting, Microsoft Frontpage was possibly the most popular web design software.  Offering Frontpage extensions became a near-necessity for a web host.  Even if some questioned its value and the quality of the pages it produced, there was no denying that it brought a lot of people onto the web who were leery of learning HTML.  It wasn't the only HTML-editor in town, but for a long time it might as well have been.

Changing times caught up to Microsoft, and in 2003 it finally discontinued Frontpage and passed the torch to a new line of products.  Being eight years ago, there probably aren't a whole lot of web designers who are unaware of this history.  If you are one of the stragglers who just realized that the last time they updated their web site was when “Friends” was still on the air, a quick catch-up summary of the packages that put Frontpage to bed is in order.

Microsoft WebMatrix

WebMatrix is simultaneously the oldest and newest entry on this list.  It was originally introduced by Microsoft in 2003, discontinued, and then brought back in late 2010.  It was marketed as a lightweight easy-entry editor for both the beginner and designer webmaster.

While most reviews of this software agree with the easy part, opinions on its overall value are mixed.  Even taking into account its more minimalist approach, some users expressed disappointment over a lack of some common features, such as a debugger, and basic plug-in support.  Microsoft seems to be listening to feedback on this product though and, given its retail price of free, it's hard to argue with its value.  The overall consensus so far seems to be that it is an incomplete product but one that might have good use for beginners.

Microsoft Expression Web

Responding to the dominance by Dreamweaver in the market of serious web designers, Microsoft released Expression Web in 2007, with its most stable release being Version 4 on June 7, 2010.  Though not satisfying everyone, especially as it is being marketed towards experts there is a bit of a learning curve (though it does come with a one-hour instructional DVD), it has received solid reviews, with some stating that it outdoes Dreamweaver while still providing an effective bridge for old Frontpage users.

Microsoft SharePoint Designer

Though it originally could make generic HTML web pages, Microsoft SharePoint Designer is now restricted to only making web sites that can be integrated into Microsoft Sharepoint, a web application platform.  While this makes its use limited, Sharepoint has a lot of devotees, and should especially be considered by anyone making a set of web sites for a number of related or collaborative organizations or companies.

Microsoft Visual Studio

Finally, on the other extreme, we should mention Microsoft Visual Studio.  It is the “other extreme” because, as opposed to being specialized, it can be used for almost anything media-related under the sun.  It also predates Frontpage, so it's not technically a successor.  Nonetheless, it is a popular web design package that former users of Frontpage might want to consider.

Which software you choose really comes down to exactly how deep into site design you plan on getting, and how much you plan on integrating this into the rest of your business.  Each of Microsoft Frontpage's progeny fills some of this void, so simply think about what exactly you are trying to accomplish with your site, and your instincts should guide you safely from there.

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