Posted 18 years ago on 7/10/2006 and updated 1/9/2008
Take Away: Microsoft is killing FrontPage later THIS YEAR!
KB100393
Microsoft is discontinuing FrontPage later THIS YEAR! Microsoft will replace FrontPage with three new products: Office SharePoint Designer 2007, Expression Web Designer, and Visual Studio 2005. Microsoft Expression Web Designer is the direct replacement for FrontPage and is intended for the professional Web designer. Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer 2007 is intended for enterprise information workers and Visual Studio 2005 is the best choice for the Web developer that needs to create robust solutions.
According to Microsoft's website, the main reason for their decision to discontinue FrontPage after nine years is due to the need for a set of products that allows a website designer to create dynamic, standards-based websites easier and faster, while limiting the amount of coding necessary. Microsoft also states that these new products provide exceptional support for integrating XML, CSS, ASP.NET 2.0, XHTML and other standard Web technologies into sites to make them more dynamic, interactive and accessible.
Use Microsoft's Expression Web Designer if you are a professional Web Designer. If you are currently using FrontPage, DreamWeaver, or Notepad to write HTML, use Expression Web Designer instead.
Use Office SharePoint Designer 2007 if you are a solution creator and content author working using SharePoint technologies. SharePoint Designer 2007 will enable information workers to develop applications and solutions on top of the SharePoint platform to enable organizational agility, business process automation, and get the full value of Microsoft Office applications on the SharePoint platform.
Use Visual Studio 2005 if you are a Web developer. Visual Studio 2005 is aimed at professional developers and enables you to build high performance, robust, and enterprise ready Web applications with ASP.NET 2.0.
Hobbyists and enthusiasts can also get Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition which is a new, easy to use, and easy to learn development for building Web sites. This is a stripped down version of Visual Studio 2005 with features specific to web developers.
Many questions remain unanswered regarding FrontPage compatibility and migration. Look to Prestwood Software for future articles addressing compatibility and migration issues you're likely to encounter. If you need help with your FrontPage-based website, the SharePoint platform, Visual Studio 2005, or need a new website, contact Prestwood Software.
If you look closely at the new Expression Web Designer, it really feels like and probably is just the next version of Microsft FrontPage but with very needed ASP.Net and developer features added.
Design
Print This
