Allow other Browsers to see Publisher web sites

[Starmist]

OK, having just spent 2 WEEKS developing a great looking website with
Publisher, I find out that it is not viewable to anything but IE browsers
even without VML on. That SUCKS..... Microsoft neeeds to be shot for
selling this as the all purpose publishing tool.

So now my question: Is Microsoft DOING anything to remedy this situation or
are we all being sold a bill of goods with no redress? Is there anything
ELSE that can be done to fix this situation?

Thanks in advance -- I truly admire the expertise I have read here.

 

[JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]]

Can't blame me - I recommend FrontPage over Publisher for websites. And
Publisher over Word for newsletters. And a screwdriver over a butter knife
for tightening screws. Proper tool, my dear. Always use the proper tool.

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash\)]

You can produce webs with Word as well, but it's not what Word was designed
for...same for Publisher...FrontPage was. MS has been pushing for VML to be
more widely accepted but it hasnt happened yet.

btw...Vector graphics rule!

 

[Starmist]

I admire your expertise and thank you for the response. Even Frontpage,
which was designed for web page building, needs Front Page Extentions on
whatever web host you have in order to work. That pretty much tells me that
it had some internal problems as well.

I just think it is very sad for unknowing consumers (like me) are presented
with programs that are supposed to work as represented for HTML buy something
and then find that it doesn't work outside of the narrowing world of
Microsoft. Especially when other programs from vendors that are represented
as such actually DO work without hitch. Publisher is indeed an excellent
graphics program -- like MANY others out there, but with the limitations on
any other browsers besides the latest versions of IE not being able to see
the sites built, it should NOT be presenrted as a web design tool.

Too bad MS is such a marketing monopoly with it's browser that they aren't
forced to comply with what the rest of the web world is doing in order to
survive in the world of program competance based only on performance. It
leaves a very bad taste in my mouth that I devoted so many hours to learning
and using Publisher only to have it fail at the end to delvier what it said
it could do. Surely this must be happening with many other intrepid newbie
web site builders. Doesn't MS CARE? Do they think I'll buy anything else
from them in the future if I can help it now?

Please don't think I'm attacking you personally -- I think your expertise is
fabulous and I truly appreciate your response and dedication to helping
people here. Perhaps you have more nosebleed-level contacts with MS who
might actually want to hear this type of feedback. How difficult could it be
to comply with the worldwide standards if other far less capitalized
companies are all doing it?

BTW, I haven't tried Vector graphics, but I will just for grins now. Thanks
for the tip....

 

[Starmist]

Fun post. Thanks -- I needed a grin about that time. Perhaps MS should put
in a big warning label on the box to say that while it can format your pages,
nobody will be able to see on the web them unless they're using the latest
version of IE. I will always opt to use the proper tools when I know what
they are. Unfortunately, there was no warning about this one. Like buying a
car and being able to seat 8 passengers in it but then finding out that you
can't get it out on a road unless it's just the driver in it. but thanks for
the comment. I'll have to read the boxes better before buying my tools next
time.
--
" Microsoft .... where quality is job number 1.6 "

Can't blame me - I recommend FrontPage over Publisher for websites. And
Publisher over Word for newsletters. And a screwdriver over a butter knife
for tightening screws. Proper tool, my dear. Always use the proper tool.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

OK, having just spent 2 WEEKS developing a great looking website with
Publisher, I find out that it is not viewable to anything but IE browsers
even without VML on. That SUCKS..... Microsoft neeeds to be shot for
selling this as the all purpose publishing tool.

So now my question: Is Microsoft DOING anything to remedy this situation
or
are we all being sold a bill of goods with no redress? Is there anything
ELSE that can be done to fix this situation?

Thanks in advance -- I truly admire the expertise I have read here.

 

[David Bartosik [MSFT MVP]]

inline...

OK, having just spent 2 WEEKS developing a great looking website with
Publisher, I find out that it is not viewable to anything but IE browsers
even without VML on.

while it's not designed for browser compatibility, as a blanket statement
your statement is not true. As for VML, Pub 2003 always uses it. A VML
option under web options only determines the degree of usage.


That SUCKS..... Microsoft neeeds to be shot for

selling this as the all purpose publishing tool.

It's target market is small business, it's a desktop publishing program
meant for the small business to create newsletters, business cards, flyers,
etc., and to create a small static presence on the web.
While I have beat a dead horse for 4 years now championing for cleaner code
and so can understand your frustration, I can't fathom why you wouldn't
create a small test site for testing purposes before sinking time into your
project.

So now my question: Is Microsoft DOING anything to remedy this situation
or
are we all being sold a bill of goods with no redress? Is there anything
ELSE that can be done to fix this situation?

Their position is that it is working as intended, by design. So there is
nothing wrong to be fixed.

David Bartosik - [MSFT MVP]
http://www.publishermvps.com
http://www.davidbartosik.com

 

[David Bartosik [MSFT MVP]]

Question 21
http://www.microsoft.com/Office/publisher/prodinfo/faq.mspx

David Bartosik - [MSFT MVP]
http://www.publishermvps.com
http://www.davidbartosik.com

Fun post. Thanks -- I needed a grin about that time. Perhaps MS should
put
in a big warning label on the box to say that while it can format your
pages,
nobody will be able to see on the web them unless they're using the latest
version of IE. I will always opt to use the proper tools when I know what
they are. Unfortunately, there was no warning about this one. Like
buying a
car and being able to seat 8 passengers in it but then finding out that
you
can't get it out on a road unless it's just the driver in it. but thanks
for
the comment. I'll have to read the boxes better before buying my tools
next
time.
--
" Microsoft .... where quality is job number 1.6 "

Can't blame me - I recommend FrontPage over Publisher for websites. And
Publisher over Word for newsletters. And a screwdriver over a butter
knife
for tightening screws. Proper tool, my dear. Always use the proper tool.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

OK, having just spent 2 WEEKS developing a great looking website with
Publisher, I find out that it is not viewable to anything but IE
browsers
even without VML on. That SUCKS..... Microsoft neeeds to be shot for
selling this as the all purpose publishing tool.

So now my question: Is Microsoft DOING anything to remedy this
situation
or
are we all being sold a bill of goods with no redress? Is there
anything
ELSE that can be done to fix this situation?

Thanks in advance -- I truly admire the expertise I have read here.

 

[David Bartosik [MSFT MVP]]

inline...

I admire your expertise and thank you for the response. Even Frontpage,
which was designed for web page building, needs Front Page Extentions on
whatever web host you have in order to work. That pretty much tells me
that
it had some internal problems as well.

a blanket statement that is incorrect. Extensions are only needed if you
want to use Web Folder (http) publishing, or, because you want to use server
side functionality that is achieved thru the extensions. They are not
required and in fact the extensions have been discontinued as FrontPage has
begun to move to standards.

I just think it is very sad for unknowing consumers (like me) are
presented
with programs that are supposed to work as represented for HTML buy
something
and then find that it doesn't work outside of the narrowing world of
Microsoft. Especially when other programs from vendors that are
represented
as such actually DO work without hitch. Publisher is indeed an excellent
graphics program

I think you have a big identity crisis in regards to the product, earlier
you stated it was an all purpose tool, now you state it's a graphics tool.
Not being mean here, but neither are true.

-- like MANY others out there, but with the limitations on
any other browsers besides the latest versions of IE not being able to see
the sites built, it should NOT be presenrted as a web design tool.

now you state it's a web design tool? not to be mean, but seriously, it's a
small business dtp tool.

Please direct me to where you see it being represented as a web design tool.
I do contact marketing and request changes when I find potentially
misleading information.

Too bad MS is such a marketing monopoly with it's browser that they aren't
forced to comply with what the rest of the web world is doing in order to
survive in the world of program competance based only on performance.

another blanket statement that is false. The FP product group has been
working hard as of the last couple releases, and continues to do so for the
next release, to provide a web design tool that is not MS centric and to be
standards robust.

Publisher, Word, and PowerPoint, will create a web site. They each share the
same "Office" html technology which is designed to exploit the powers of IE
to deliver the best result to the customer.

It
leaves a very bad taste in my mouth that I devoted so many hours to
learning
and using Publisher only to have it fail at the end to delvier what it
said
it could do. Surely this must be happening with many other intrepid
newbie
web site builders. Doesn't MS CARE? Do they think I'll buy anything else
from them in the future if I can help it now?

Please don't think I'm attacking you personally -- I think your expertise
is
fabulous and I truly appreciate your response and dedication to helping
people here. Perhaps you have more nosebleed-level contacts with MS who
might actually want to hear this type of feedback. How difficult could it
be
to comply with the worldwide standards if other far less capitalized
companies are all doing it?

Consider your feedback as heard.

David Bartosik - [MSFT MVP]
http://www.publishermvps.com
http://www.davidbartosik.com

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash\)]

inline...

I admire your expertise and thank you for the response. Even Frontpage,
which was designed for web page building, needs Front Page Extentions on
whatever web host you have in order to work. That pretty much tells me
that
it had some internal problems as well.

I just think it is very sad for unknowing consumers (like me) are
presented
with programs that are supposed to work as represented for HTML buy
something
and then find that it doesn't work outside of the narrowing world of
Microsoft. Especially when other programs from vendors that are
represented
as such actually DO work without hitch. Publisher is indeed an excellent
graphics program -- like MANY others out there, but with the limitations
on
any other browsers besides the latest versions of IE not being able to see
the sites built, it should NOT be presenrted as a web design tool.

The world of MS is not that narrow, IE still holds marketshare in
browserworld...dunno if that will last.

Publisher is not presented as a web design tool, it's presented (imo) as a
dtp that can also do webdesigns (limited), so can Word, Notepad, you can
even save Excel files as html but you wouldn't use it to design a website.

Too bad MS is such a marketing monopoly with it's browser that they aren't
forced to comply with what the rest of the web world is doing in order to
survive in the world of program competance based only on performance. It
leaves a very bad taste in my mouth that I devoted so many hours to
learning
and using Publisher only to have it fail at the end to delvier what it
said
it could do. Surely this must be happening with many other intrepid
newbie
web site builders. Doesn't MS CARE? Do they think I'll buy anything else
from them in the future if I can help it now?

Monopolies don't produce innovative products.
Two words: Due Diligence (on your part). I research any product I intend to
buy before I buy it...a great place to find out if a product will work for
you or if it has problems is on the usenet or other http forums. - for big
purchase at least. Also many products offer 30 day trials - my computer is
FULL of expired trial software that I didn't like!

Please don't think I'm attacking you personally -- I think your expertise
is
fabulous and I truly appreciate your response and dedication to helping
people here. Perhaps you have more nosebleed-level contacts with MS who
might actually want to hear this type of feedback. How difficult could it
be
to comply with the worldwide standards if other far less capitalized
companies are all doing it?

BTW, I haven't tried Vector graphics, but I will just for grins now.
Thanks
for the tip....

Of course you can't use vector graphics directly on the web - you have to
convert to jpg, png, gif as your last step before using them on the web.
If you want to try a trial vector graphics program try Xara X1 ... much
easier to use than Illustrator and a heck of a lot cheaper.

Good luck!