Web Hosting Reviews & Ratings

March 05, 2010

Frontpage Web Hosting vs. A Capable CMS

Frontpage web hosting was once a very popular solution as it provided direct integration with Microsfot's HTML editor Frontpage. However, over the years Frontpage has been replaced by a host of more convenient and powerful applications such as Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 and others. As the popularity of Frontpage decreased, Microsoft stopped offering support for the software and all Frontpage development was halted. As a result the number of web hosting companies that still offer Frontpage hosting is minuscule and most people that are new to the web hosting industry have never even heard of Frontpage.

Content Management Systems Replacing HTML Editors

Perhaps even more popular than the WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) HTML Editors like Dreamweaver, are the extremely user-friendly content manage systems such as WordPress. In fact the popularity of WordPress as a website management solution has exploded over the past couple of years and has easily surpassed all of it's competitors. Unlike HTML editors, content management systems let even the most novice users set up professional websites with little to no experience in website design. Absolutely no coding skill is required and the user can even create custom pages using a graphical interface and preset designs called themes. These themes give you the ability to create a website in just minutes that appears to have taken hours.

Control Panel Applications

Another type of internet technology that is making Frontpage web hosting obsolete is the ever expanding selection of control panel applications that enhance the overall functionality and even search engine optimization of a website. Most control panels even include easy installation software that helps you install these applications with ease. The aforementioned WordPress content management system is often included for free with a web hosting account, and this may be one of the reasons why so many people take advantage of Wordpress.

How Long Will Frontpage Hosting Last?

After realizing just how much the popularity of Frontpage hosting has declined in the past couple of years, the question is not “Which is better - a CMS or Frontpage,” rather the question is “How long will Frontpage Hosting last?” At this rate, since Microsoft has stopped developing Frontpage, the service might as well already be extinct. This isn't to say that some old school users won't find it useful, however the software is now retired and does not have a use any more in the general public. In fact, it is even difficult to find a web hosting company that uses Frontpage compatibility as one of its selling points. Of course, you can still use Frontpage to create sites with whatever hosting company you'd like to, but the question is why would you want to?

What is the Future of Web Hosting and Site Creation?

As more people venture online to begin their business endeavors, we will undoubtedly see more people looking for simpler solutions to build their own websites. The fact is. Most website owners do not want to take the time to learn HTML or other site coding techniques, so they'd rather use a theme, learn a little bit of CSS and then make a few adjustments to it. This is the mentality that you should expect to see as the web becomes more user-friendly in the years to come.

Tags: FrontPage web hosting,  FrontPage,  CSS,  control panel applications,  CMS,  Adobe Dreamweaver,  Wordpress,  website management,  themes,  site creation,  HTML editor,  WYSIWYG