My job is to maintain the department Intranet, which houses all of the resources that the various smaller departments within my group utilize. I use Microsoft Front Page 2000 for the majority of the web page design required for my position. I do some manual coding for anything remaining. Originally I used Front Page 98, so I have some observations about the version differences. I found that while Front Page gets the job done, like most software it is far from trouble free. Through experience I have found ways around most of these problems.

The main reason for my company's choice of this software is its compatibility with the server that our department's Intranet resides on. The server has FrontPage server extensions installed, so using Front Page seemed to be the logical choice. Front Page 2000 has some similarities to other Microsoft Office products, such as Microsoft Word, so it is very easy to use. I find that I can bypass problems by adding manual or hand coding to supplement the capabilities of the FrontPage 2000 software. I have tried other html coding software, and thus far have found that they all have their drawbacks.

Front Page 2000 allows you to create a customized web page or site from start to finish. It is intuitive in a lot of ways, and has extensive help files to assist you when necessary. There are many online sites that also have tips and tricks for FrontPage users, so there are no lack of resources. I have found that it to be simpler to use than other applications that I have tried, which include Dreamweaver, AOL Press, and Netscape Composer.

Microsoft Front Page 2000 allows a user to plan and build an Internet site from scratch, import an existing site, set options to personalize software as well as individual sites, manage multiple sites. Ease of use includes the ability for the user to publish their page or site at the push of a button. It has several wizards built in to help the user create templates, themes, forms, and FrontPage components. It also has features to insure security on a site. Front Page 2000 has a series of reports that can be accessed to view errors on pages, new pages generated, old pages, slow pages, and other things that are important to keep track of. All of these reports can be customized to meet the needs of the user. It offers instant access to three different page views for the editor: html, WYSIWYG, and browser view.

Some of the more advanced features include WebBot components, forms, ActiveX- controls, Java applets, plug-ins, VBScript, JavaScript, and more. I have found some of these advanced features have problems when run on a server without FrontPage server extensions, or wrong versions of the extensions. The WebBot components are specific to Front Page, and require Front Page server extensions installed on the server to work. Additionally, FrontPage adds some code to authored pages that may not be obvious, so it can be difficult to isolate problems.

I create web sites on a personal level as well, for friends and family, as well as independent work for other businesses or individuals. I choose to use Front Page 2000 for those purposes too. I like the reliability convenience and results, and have also found that most of the major free web sites available (including Tripod and Geocities) offer FrontPage access and support. I find that my work is more consistent, faster, and easier by using only one application.

Having used Front Page for a couple of years now, I have found many ways to get around some of the drawbacks of the software through trial and error. I feel that I have enough experience with it now to be able to use it to my full advantage. I think that overall it is relatively good software and it saves me time in my job of web page development. I think that all ranges of skill levels, from beginners to advanced users would find this software useful in design, creation and maintenance of their site.

For as much as FrontPage 2000 has to offer, the drawbacks are minimal. I am glad that I have had the chance to use it, as it has contributed greatly to my work. The time that it would take to create web pages is drastically decreased with the use of FrontPage 2000, so if you are a Webmaster, and you haven't tried it already, you should definitely give it a shot.




Recommended: Yes