Does Front Page meet industry standards

[EricK]

Help needed



Front Page 2002 running on XP Pro.



I have been using Front Page for over seven years for my business web site.
However, I have resently been told by my service provider that Front Page
dose not meet industry standards and I risk being removed from the search
engines because of this. I was also told that I shuld be using a program
such as Dream-Weaver if I wanted to develop a business site as Front Page
was intended for home use only.



I'm not sure what standards or requirements they are talking about and I
cannot imagine that Microsoft would market a program that did not meet
industry standards. I have downloaded MS Expressions and have been thinking
about upgrading. , I am however very comfortable with Front Page and would
be happy to continue working with it.



Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.



EricK

 

[Tom Willett]

1) Ask your provider to provide you with the list of industry standards it
doesn't meet.
2) Ask your provider why you risk being removed from the search engines
because of this.
3) Ask your provider why FP was intended for home use only.

Ask them to provide you with the documentation for all of the above.

Your provider is full of poppycock. If I were in your shoes, I would find a
new one.
--
===
Tom Willett
Microsoft MVP - FrontPage
---
FrontPage Support:
http://www.frontpagemvps.com/
===
| Help needed
|
|
|
| Front Page 2002 running on XP Pro.
|
|
|
| I have been using Front Page for over seven years for my business web
site.
| However, I have resently been told by my service provider that Front Page
| dose not meet industry standards and I risk being removed from the search
| engines because of this. I was also told that I shuld be using a program
| such as Dream-Weaver if I wanted to develop a business site as Front Page
| was intended for home use only.
|
|
|
| I'm not sure what standards or requirements they are talking about and I
| cannot imagine that Microsoft would market a program that did not meet
| industry standards. I have downloaded MS Expressions and have been
thinking
| about upgrading. , I am however very comfortable with Front Page and would
| be happy to continue working with it.
|
|
|
| Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.
|
|
|
| EricK
|
|

 

[Mike Mueller]

I have been using Front Page for over seven years for my business web
site. However, I have resently been told by my service provider that Front
Page dose not meet industry standards and I risk being removed from the
search engines because of this. I was also told that I shuld be using a
program such as Dream-Weaver if I wanted to develop a business site as
Front Page was intended for home use only.

I'm not sure what standards or requirements they are talking about and I
cannot imagine that Microsoft would market a program that did not meet
industry standards. I have downloaded MS Expressions and have been
thinking about upgrading. , I am however very comfortable with Front Page
and would be happy to continue working with it.

Now that is a bunch of crap.

FrontPage is a tool, and like any tool it can be used properly and
improperly. FP has gotten a bad rep for being IE-centric, and not looking at
other browsers. As far as being removed from the Search Engines, I honestly
do not believe that is going to happen, as they look for content and not the
program used
MS does have more powerful developement tools, such as Expression Web and
Visual Web Developer. EW is centered on design compliance to standards, and
VWD provides a very powerful backend if needed

 

[EricK]

Thank you for all of the above I have been blissfully unaware that I may not
be compliant. Mike's post may be the best way for me to go. That is,
upgrading to MS Expression and learn how to make my Web site compliant.



Has anyone upgraded to MS Expression?



"EricK"

 

[Ronx]

I am running FP2003 and Expression Web - using both on the same
websites.
I suggest you use the trial version (60 day trial) before purchasing,
from
http://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/download.aspx?key=web

Do not forget the essential product key - a link to this is on the above
page.
--
Ron Symonds - Microsoft MVP (FrontPage)
Reply only to group - emails will be deleted unread.
FrontPage Support: http://www.frontpagemvps.com/
http://www.rxs-enterprises.org/fp

 

[L Graham]

1. I'm not sure what standards or requirements they are talking either ... A
large number of web sites are not 100% compliant with the W3C standards - it
thsoe are the "industry standards" they are talking ablout. But web sites do
not need to be 100% compliant ... nor is it easy to make them compliant when
different browsers are not 100% compliant either and render pages in
different ways.

You will not be removed from a search engine because of the the tool you use
to create your pages... it is the quality and uniqueness of your content that
will get and keep you in sear ch engine listings. I have used versions of FP
for 10 years .... one of my FP created web sites reliabley gets 1st and 2nd
place result on major search engines for our target keywords.

FP is not just for home use, but people may think that bacause it is widely
avasilable in computer and office shops. I do not think I have ever seen
Dreamweaver in shops - only online.

Peoplo who criticise FP very often have never used it... I have used FP,
Dreamweaver and others ... I'm far happier with FP overall. Dreamwear has
some very odd ways of marking up code sometimes. It also uses terminology
that are unique to the way it works. It's also very popular to deride
Microsoft... some people just like to try and knock anthing sucessful.

You say you are "very comfortable with Front Page ", so stick with FP... it
*IS* a good tool and it you are happy using it, that uis most important.

 

[EricK]

Thanks for your answer to my question; it has helped me understand what my
ISP is talking about. I think the comments about FP only being for home
users may be more about snobbishness than technical fact.



I also used the words "industry standards" I really meant criteria. However,
I am going to stay with FP and will learn more about Web criteria and W3C
standards and also learn how to use CSS to keep it all together. At lest
with FP I am half way there.