I just read on FrontPage Webmaster that Microsoft is pulling the plug on FrontPage. They are replacing it with a number of different products, most notably (IMO) the soon-coming Microsoft Expression Web Designer. The word is second half of 2006. If its before Christmas I’d consider that early.
Supposively its big with standards and CSS. In fact, the little video that intros MS Expression Web Designer on the MS site ends by stating you can “Create CSS-based, XHTML compliant Web sites with ease.”
I’m actually fairly excited about it. I’ve used various versions of FrontPage for years and actually really like FrontPage, although there certainly are a number of bugs and issues – especially with the Database Results Wizard in earlier versions (cough cough, freaking code that uses parent paths and how it won’t let me edit that code to use on a site where the host does not have parent paths enabled due to security concerns… GOSH!). However, I think FrontPage by and large gets an undeserved bad wrap.
I also use DreamWeaver. Alot too. I think DW is more of a pain, and in my opinion most people seem to think DreamWeaver is so superior simply b/c that seems to be the popular opinion. I think it has more to do with the user base. Both tools are great. FrontPage tends to attract more amateurs and beginners though – and thus you tend to see alot more junk as the output of such users using FrontPage. As was mentioned in that FrontPageWebmaster thread I referenced above – a poster states that “a tool is a tool is a tool”. So true. He (for my laziness) also says that the brand of hammer has very little to do with the outcome of a construction project – its the person that’s swinging the hammer that matters. I totally agree. Both programs are very good, and each has its advantages – but really its how you use it that matters most (how and who anyhow).
By the way – check out that video, the CSS on/off type feature looks pretty sweet!