FrontPage Vs Dreamweaver

[Greg]

I just want to make a few comments that may benefit someone out there looking to make a decision on which to invest in -FrontPage or Dreamweaver

I have being using FrontPage for a few years. I had designed my company's website with FP2002. Like most people in business, after a few years, you want a new website to project your company's image and to show changes taking place in your business. I started to look for a web page editor that would help me accomplish this goal. I heard that Dreamweaver was the way to go. And because I had been using FrontPage, I figured why not try something new. So I plunked down several hundred dollars to buy Dreamweaver. I also bought several books worth over a $100 to help me with the transition. I am on my third month and I still don't have a single page produced. I have never felt so intimidated by a product that I actually began to dread working on the project. I have wasted so much time trying to figure this thing out, time that could have been well spent running my business. I find Dreamwever difficult to use. It was only this past week that I said to myself, if you've spent all these money and time and you're still struggling, you shouldn't be using this program. I realize that there are people out there who swear by Dreamweaver. I will like to say that if you're just starting out in web designing/developement, or you are a small business person that can't afford to pay a professional web designer to design your site, stick with FrontPage. Dreamweaver is for professional web designers or for people who are just too smart

Greg

 

[E. T. Culling]

You said: "I will like to say that if you're just starting out in web
designing/developement, or you are a small business person that can't afford
to pay a professional web designer to design your site, stick with
FrontPage."

Although, as a web designer, I did switch over to Dreamweaver (several years
ago when v.4 came out)... except for still working with a few earlier FP
sites ... I will agree with you. The learning curve is very steep because
it is not at all like other Microsoft products. I found the books and CDs
from www.lynda.com to be the most useful !
Both products will do a fine job, but I find that DW has so many more
capabilites (much more available from third parties etc.) that I'm glad I
took the time ... and it was far more than 3 months .... to get a handle on
how to use it. Often I am still overwhelmed!! The latest version of FP is
getting much closer to DW ... about v.4 now and I imagine it will be even
more Dreamweaver-like in the future.

Go back to FP knowing you gave DW a good try. It's time to get your life
back!! Maybe you can sell your copy of DW.
Which version do you have?
Eleanor

I just want to make a few comments that may benefit someone out there

looking to make a decision on which to invest in -FrontPage or Dreamweaver.

I have being using FrontPage for a few years. I had designed my company's

website with FP2002. Like most people in business, after a few years, you
want a new website to project your company's image and to show changes
taking place in your business. I started to look for a web page editor that
would help me accomplish this goal. I heard that Dreamweaver was the way to
go. And because I had been using FrontPage, I figured why not try
something new. So I plunked down several hundred dollars to buy
Dreamweaver. I also bought several books worth over a $100 to help me with
the transition. I am on my third month and I still don't have a single page
produced. I have never felt so intimidated by a product that I actually
began to dread working on the project. I have wasted so much time trying to
figure this thing out, time that could have been well spent running my
business. I find Dreamwever difficult to use. It was only this past week
that I said to myself, if you've spent all these money and time and you're
still struggling, you shouldn't be using this program. I realize that there
are people out there who swear by Dreamweaver. I will like to say that if
you're just starting out in web designing/developement, or you are a small
business person that can't afford to pay a professional web designer to
design your site, stick with FrontPage. Dreamweaver is for professional web
designers or for people who are just too smart.

 

[wp]

Every program has a learning curve. If you started out woth dreamweaver, you'd probably swear by it. However FrontPage's interface is intergrated with Microsoft programs, and uses IE extensively, making a much easier learning curve
I started out with a program that is no longer available, but it did teach me a few things. Using this newsgroup is an excellent method of asking questions if you have problems. As far as learning curves go, try go live by adobe if you're young enough.

 

[Brightbelt]

Hi-
I wanted to share a specific experience I've had also
between the two programs that hopefully might help
someone out there. Though I do web design mostly as a
hobby, I do one for a company nearby. I had the whole web
in FP 2000 (this was a while back) and one of the web
pages had form data/field entry content etc. Well I had
acquired Dreamweaver and was pretty psyched. I did learn
alot about how to use it, and got most of the web
imported into DW and working correctly, but
unfortunately, I saved the form data page for last. Sure,
I was able to get all the form fields done on the page in
Dreamweaver, but when it came to setting up the
processing for the form data, it was at that point I was
informed that I would "have to supply my own CGI or ASP
script". The processing of form data is something FP
makes very easy, especially for me since I'm not a coder.
Well, I put the whole web back into FP and have been with
FP ever since, and I'm now with FP 2003. I'm fairly
certain that there are extensions for DW that do form
processing with a friendlier software interface, but it's
already there in FP.
Also, DW does not have shared borders, which is a
feature that comes in really handy and a big time saver
I've found. (Watch out if you're putting your FP web with
shared borders into DW - it doesn't use them !) I hope
this helps someone and isn't too long of a post.
Thanks,...Frank

-----Original Message-----
Every program has a learning curve. If you started out

woth dreamweaver, you'd probably swear by it. However
FrontPage's interface is intergrated with Microsoft
programs, and uses IE extensively, making a much easier
learning curve.

I started out with a program that is no longer

available, but it did teach me a few things. Using this
newsgroup is an excellent method of asking questions if
you have problems. As far as learning curves go, try go
live by adobe if you're young enough.

 

[Tom Gahagan]

Dreamweaver is for professional web designers or for people who are just too smart.

Greg

Ooooh... thanks Greg. rofl!!!!

I got an initial start in dreamweaver and like it but I've not kept up with
the new mx series other than to us it to do a real quick asp site. (For
that... it worked like a charm.) I got into FP when I purchased a web
hosting web site design company that used only FP. For the most part I think
FP is a wonderful product and the help you get here is the best. I would
suggest, however, that you consider doing BOTH products. In this day and
time it can't hurt and since you are under no pressure to produce in DW (I
assume anyway) you can take your time and have some fun learning it.
Learning keeps you young and is fun... I try and do it every day!

Best to you......
Tom Gahagan

 

[PMC]

Ooooh... thanks Greg. rofl!!!!

I got an initial start in dreamweaver and like it but I've not kept up with
the new mx series other than to us it to do a real quick asp site. (For
that... it worked like a charm.) I got into FP when I purchased a web
hosting web site design company that used only FP. For the most part I think
FP is a wonderful product and the help you get here is the best. I would
suggest, however, that you consider doing BOTH products. In this day and
time it can't hurt and since you are under no pressure to produce in DW (I
assume anyway) you can take your time and have some fun learning it.
Learning keeps you young and is fun... I try and do it every day!

Best to you......
Tom Gahagan

I use both programs and train people on it. My experience is that DW is very
nice because of its behaviours and ASP/PHP support. But the learning curve
is steep and some parts of the program really need brushing up. Even the
latest version has a very akward Frames interface. There is really no need
to change from FP to DW, this so called 'more professional' is ballony, FP
is just as Professional, certainly the latest 2003 version.

Having said that perhaps I can help you out. Let me know if you have any
specific problem(s),


Peter

 

[PMC]

Ooooh... thanks Greg. rofl!!!!

I got an initial start in dreamweaver and like it but I've not kept up with
the new mx series other than to us it to do a real quick asp site. (For
that... it worked like a charm.) I got into FP when I purchased a web
hosting web site design company that used only FP. For the most part I think
FP is a wonderful product and the help you get here is the best. I would
suggest, however, that you consider doing BOTH products. In this day and
time it can't hurt and since you are under no pressure to produce in DW (I
assume anyway) you can take your time and have some fun learning it.
Learning keeps you young and is fun... I try and do it every day!

Best to you......
Tom Gahagan

I use both programs and train people on it. My experience is that DW is very
nice because of its behaviours and ASP/PHP support. But the learning curve
is steep and some parts of the program really need brushing up. Even the
latest version has a very akward Frames interface. There is really no need
to change from FP to DW, this so called 'more professional' is ballony, FP
is just as Professional, certainly the latest 2003 version.

Having said that perhaps I can help you out. Let me know if you have any
specific problem(s),


Peter

 

[Greg]

Yes I went out today and purchased FP2003 upgrade. I'm already feeling excited getting back to familiar grounds. I will keep the copy of Dreamweaver MX and will look at it again in 6 months to a years time. Maybe then the new features in FP2003 I would have mastered will help me shorten the learning curve in DW

Thank
Greg

 

[E. T. Culling]

Good plan ... let us know how it turns out. The photo gallery component is
very weak and not improved in the 2003 version so here are some suggestions:
http://www.eleanorstravels.com/PhotoGalleryPrograms/index.htm
Eleanor

Yes I went out today and purchased FP2003 upgrade. I'm already feeling

excited getting back to familiar grounds. I will keep the copy of
Dreamweaver MX and will look at it again in 6 months to a years time. Maybe
then the new features in FP2003 I would have mastered will help me shorten
the learning curve in DW.

 

[Daria]

Hi.

I'm a photographer new to the web scene. I have a crude small website
(I used *gasp* Fusion) but would like to update it using either
Frontpage or Dreamweaver. Don't need a fancy website- but something
that would allow me to easily update photo galleries/links possibly
every week (I've been using the Web Gallery function in Photoshop-
very nice), support nice photo quality, allow for downloading
slideshow clips, pdf forms and ecommerce eventually. Obviously I
don't know a thing about coding. I am confident with Photoshop and
think I could potentially learn DW or FP in some time. IF I really
learn the picked program I would like to market my web development
abilities to other local photographers.

Is Frontpage for me? Can I use templates I made in Photoshop/Image
Ready?

Thanks for your opinions!

Daria

 

[Stefan B Rusynko]

Hard to say - probably yes
Try the free online demo to decide
See http://www.runaware.com/microsoft/frontpage2003/





| Hi.
|
| I'm a photographer new to the web scene. I have a crude small website
| (I used *gasp* Fusion) but would like to update it using either
| Frontpage or Dreamweaver. Don't need a fancy website- but something
| that would allow me to easily update photo galleries/links possibly
| every week (I've been using the Web Gallery function in Photoshop-
| very nice), support nice photo quality, allow for downloading
| slideshow clips, pdf forms and ecommerce eventually. Obviously I
| don't know a thing about coding. I am confident with Photoshop and
| think I could potentially learn DW or FP in some time. IF I really
| learn the picked program I would like to market my web development
| abilities to other local photographers.
|
| Is Frontpage for me? Can I use templates I made in Photoshop/Image
| Ready?
|
| Thanks for your opinions!
|
| Daria