INTRODUCTION
There are several different ways that an opinion on this software could be written, from the point of view of someone new to creating web sites, or a person who's tried several all-in-one web design programs. This opinion will come from the point of view of an absolute beginner on the subject ... because that is exactly what I am, and I believe so are many of you. I figure if I can create brilliant-looking web pages with Frontpage 2002, anyone can. The downside to being a beginner, though, is I cannot compare this product to another one meant for similar service. Being an absolute beginner does have its advantages in review writing, however. I know as little or less than you do about the Internet and web creation, and I made a nice-looking web site using Frontpage 2002! This brings me to Frontpage 2002's best asset ... it's easy!

EASY!
In the retail box Microsoft includes its abridged version of "Discovering Microsoft Frontpage." Being the man that I am, I did not even open this book. I went straight to designing my web site. I had already paid for a domain name and a hosting service and was ready to go (these are necessary if you want your own web site, but not if you are just using Frontpage to edit your web pages within other sites). I sat down at the computer, my head filled with ideas, and opened up the Microsoft Frontpage2002 program. A fresh new page was there and I started typing. I wrote what my site was, why I made it, and what I hoped to have on it; this would be my homepage.

After I wrote and wrote I began to bore myself, and thought to myself, "wouldn't it be nice to insert a picture?" I hadn't read the book, so I looked at the tool bar. There was a tab that said "insert," and "insert picture" was an option ... a no-brainer. I didn't have any pictures on my computer, though, so I almost changed my mind about the "insert picture" tab. Somehow I had downloaded a Clip Art program with Frontpage 2002, though, and hundreds of pictures were available for my use. I scrolled down, picked the perfect one, inserted it where I wanted it, and my home page was done! At least for a while ...

I started to explore Frontpage 2002 more and more, coming across "templates" and "themes" for my web site. With the templates you can create a guestbook, a survey, and about fifty other types of web page. There are also dozens of "themes," which enable you to keep the fonts, colors and designs on each of your pages consistent ... no matter how long it takes you to develop your site. This proves beneficial, especially for us uncreative folk, because your site looks interesting and like it took a lot of time to create, even though all you did was press one button!

The best part about Frontpage 2002, in my opinion, is just the simplicity of it. You create web pages just by pressing buttons, typing in your text, and clicking and dragging images you want on the pages. There is no HTML to worry about, and this is essential for me, a person just beginning to experiment. Some professionals find that Frontpage limits what they can do on a site, but for me it actually expands what I can do. Without it, my site would be blank.

WHAT'S NEW IN 2002
The book lists some new features that look to me like they are written in a different language. I guess it will be a while before I get my feet a bit wetter and get into "team web site features," and "HTML 4 Tags." I still barely know what just plain old HTML is, so I think I will just confuse myself if I worry about #4. The other features that are new in 2002 I have actually experimented with. Frontpage 2002 now has editing features, as the book describes:

"Using a technology called Vector Markup Language (VML) [whatever that is!!], Frontpage 2002 now supports line graphics drawn within Web pages." Drawings, Autoshapes, WordArt, and Tables are among the new features. I have played with all of these! In fact, I used all of them to make my new web site! My favorite of these new features is WordArt. After clicking the WordArt icon, you just type what you want to say, and then select one of the WordArt ways of presenting it. You can make the words three-dimensional, shadows, or have the letters go from larger to small. The tables, drawings, and autoshapes are self-explanatory. With the table you just tell the computer how many rows and columns you want and it inserts a table for you. The drawings and autoshapes are easily created, once you click the appropriate button, by using your cursor. The shapes automatically form (hence the name autoshape).

CONCLUSION
Without Frontpage 2002 I would not have a web site. Before I bought the software my web site was just a blank page that said something like "coming soon". The day I purchased Frontpage 2002 my site was up and running ... and it looks pretty good, at least for a first-timer =) If you are also a beginning web-site designer, I would recommend this program. It does require some computer knowledge, but not too much. The hardest part of the whole process for me was just finding the domain name and getting a hosting service. Making the web site with Frontpage 2002 has honestly been the best part, and by far the easiest. Whenever I find the program frustrating, I assume it is because of a lack of knowledge on my part. I then consult either the book that came with the software or the help feature within the program. These have yet to let me down.

If you are trying to create a web site and want some down-to-earth help from someone also going through the process, drop me a line =)

Just a little piece of advice: make sure your web site is configured to accept Frontpage 2002 extensions (whatever that means). Most are configured this way, but make sure yours is before you spring for this product.


Recommended: Yes