Old down-New up?

[Charlotte Hinger]

I'm doing a total website overhaul including replacing my old hosting
service. Do I have to take down the old site before uploading the new?
Previously, I used Front Page (on Nextech) through a sharepoint transfer now
I want Publisher and will use Comcast's FTP. I want to use my same domain
name and website: www.charlottehinger.com

Charlotte

 

[Spike]

When you change hosting services you will need to tell the NEW hosting
service what your URL is so that it will be directed to them. No need to
take down the old one as when the new redirect is in place the old service
will not be accessible. Also when you terminate your old service they will
scrub the files and the access to them.

What version of publisher are you going to use?
Have you read the latest posting on here about 2007 and SP2?

Spike

 

[Charlotte Hinger]

Hi Spike-OK. I would hate to lose some serious Google hits I have going.
I'm using Publisher 2007. I just signed thing to this group so I haven't
read any of the 2007 postings or anything about SP2. I have Vista. Is the
SP2 a general office update? I have the MS Office Enterprise suite. I
checked and it's SP1

 

[Spike]

Charlotte

With IE 8 on the scene, publisher 2007 SP1 produces web pages that are not
compatible
With 2007 SP2 they are computable with IE 8
Do a windows update and see if Office SP2 is available

Spike

 

[Charlotte Hinger]

Where can I find the version of IE? How's everyone doing with SP2?

 

[Spike]

Charlotte

It is not your version that is the issue. IE 8 just came out and MOST of
the users will download and install it, so your web pages need to be
compatible with IE 8. Your windows update will let you know if you can
upgrade to IE 8. As far as SP2 problems - - I have heard one person having
a problem opening files created in earlier versions of publisher.

Browse through this forum and you will get an idea of what is going on. So
far I have had no problems with SP2.

Spike

 

[DavidF]

If I may throw my two cents in...

I would question whether it is a good decision to switch from building your
site with FrontPage to Publisher. Why are you doing this? What is it that
you hope to gain?

Among other things, you will loose the 'liquid' dynamic capability of your
site to scale to the web browser window size. Publisher produces fixed width
static pages.

Don't get me wrong...I am the first person to defend the use of Publisher to
build relatively simple, static, fixed width websites, especially if you
already own the program, but I can see no advantages for you to switch. What
am I missing?

DavidF

 

[Charlotte Hinger]

If I may throw my two cents in...

I would question whether it is a good decision to switch from building your
site with FrontPage to Publisher. Why are you doing this? What is it that
you hope to gain?

Among other things, you will loose the 'liquid' dynamic capability of your
site to scale to the web browser window size. Publisher produces fixed width
static pages.

Don't get me wrong...I am the first person to defend the use of Publisher to
build relatively simple, static, fixed width websites, especially if you
already own the program, but I can see no advantages for you to switch. What
am I missing?

DavidF

 

[Charlotte Hinger]

David: Excellent question. Here goes: I’m hoping to gain free hosting
through Comcast vs. a stiff fee through Rural Telephone (Nextech) I’ve moved
from KS to CO and switched ISPs. However all the posting on Comcast forums
about glitches with FrontPage are scary—and old—like in 2007, and it looked
like Comcast was trying to clear up the problem. I’m a novelist, and
switching to mysteries and as Deadly Descent will be out in September, I need
to get my site reworked fast.

I hate it that MS is discontinuing Front Page. But why should I stay with
an obsolete program? I have Dreamweaver, but that’s not going to happen
fast. The Comcast personal web page builder is too light weight. Author’s
Guild free software is pastel with few options and not me, but they will host
files for just $9.00 a month. Publisher is the fastest to master.

I would appreciate your advice.

1. Stick with FrontPage even though MS doesn’t support it?
2. Go with Publisher even though I have to go through a bunch of nonsense
when I re-do pages? (which will be fairly often)
3. Can I create a site in Publisher, then overwrite my old Front Page site?
Or should I just sneak the new site into my old FrontPage site text box by
text box?

 

[Charlotte Hinger]

First of all my apology for the double posting. I received a message that
the server was unavailable and thought I had lost the first one. Thanks for
the thoughtful reply. You understood my concerns. I do not want to spend
all my time figuring this out. I completely agree with the free vs. a modest
fee. Marketing is too important to quibble over $10.00 a month.

It's critical to keep my domain name. It's registered through Author's
Guild. I'll check out http://www.webhost4life.com/hosting. I have to change
stuff fairly often so a really appreciate your recommending a reliable site.

A question: After I acquire the new host and get my old site running (it's
still better than nothing) can I just go into the index page and change it
text box by text box, and reformat the background, fonts, etc--load a new
photo? And just work on it when I have time?

Charlotte

 

[DavidF]

MSFT has quit producing FrontPage the client side program and replaced it
with Web Expression, but that does not mean that you couldn't continue to
use FrontPage to produce your site for a long time. What is confusing is
that some web hosts have quit providing/supporting 'FrontPage Server
Extensions", but that does not mean you can't use FP to build your site. The
FPSE are server sided scripting and they power forms and makes HTTP
uploading protocol possible among other things. Publisher webs can also use
the FPSE. Google FrontPage Server Extensions or FPSE for a better
explanation.

But all that is beside the point. You can find inexpensive windows based web
hosts that still offer FPSE and will offer them for some time probably years
to come. I use GoDaddy for registering my domain names, but use
http://www.webhost4life.com/hosting.asp for hosting my sites. It offers
windows hosting and FPSE for as little as $5 a month. And if you decide to
move to WebExpression in the future, it offers ASP.net and PHP...in other
words everything you might need in the future regardless of what program you
eventually move to.

Free is good, but there is almost always a trade off, and surely you can
afford $5 to $10 a month for such an important part of your marketing. And
surely your time is worth more...

My point is, rather than invest any time in rebuilding your site with
Publisher which you are already considering only an interim step for you,
just sign up for a hosting account with webhost4life, redirect your domain
to their servers and continue using FrontPage for the immediate future. You
can be up and running almost immediately. Then spend your time writing
instead of building websites. Then when you have time invest some in reading
about and researching Web Expression...and or Dreamweaver...and perhaps
other code editors. Take the time to plan the transition carefully, so that
you don't have to rebuild a second time.

If you read the Web Expression group, you will find links to articles about
how to convert your FP site to Expression. As a practical matter you cannot
easily import a Publisher web into Web Expression...the code is too
different. Save time and hassle and just move to a web host that supports
FPSE and continue using FrontPage.

DavidF

 

[DavidF]

PS...I should be saying 'Expression Web'...sorry.

 

[DavidF]

You will have to check with 'Author's guild' about your domain name and
about how to redirect it to your new host. Hopefully it won't be a big deal.
You can also get good instructions in the support and FAQ sections of
webhost4life about the process.

Before you give up on Comcast, check with their support and see if you could
use them...I just made some assumptions based on my experience with free
services...

As far as editing your site, you would edit it as you always have. I am also
assuming that you know how to edit your site with FP. Just changing the web
host won't change the way FP works.

Just research it all before you make the move...

DavidF

 

[Charlotte Hinger]

David, I used the advice from Comcast and it worked like a charm. The site
even came up on the "View my Site" thingy on Comcast. Thanks for all your
patient advice.

I'm still frustrated over the FP discontinuance. If this is not the case,
folks certainly believe it. A lady who has a knitting store even mentioned
that her ISP told her that FP was obsolete.

Charlotte

 

[DavidF]

Charlotte,

I am delighted that you checked with Comcast before signing up for a new web
host. If all else fails, read the directions <g>.

Yes there is confusion about FrontPage and FPSE, and MSFT has dropped
FrontPage in favor of Expression Web. It is a good thing that things evolve
and change. But none of that means that FP is necessarily functionally
obsolete, or that you cannot continue to use it.

I guess as I have gotten older, and perhaps 'obsolete' myself in some ways,
I have become more pragmatic. I tend to believe that if it ain't broke, then
don't fix it. I still use some software daily, that was written 10 years ago
for Windows 95. There has been at least 6 new versions introduced, so I
suppose my version is 'obsolete', but it actually is more functional than
the newest versions. I use still use Publisher 2000 for my production work
even though I have copies of each of the four newer versions. Just because
there are 'newer' tools to build webs than FrontPage, or even Publisher,
does not automatically mean they are 'better'. Just because something is
older, does not mean you should always replace or discard it...

Continue to test your site with the new browsers. Check in with the expert
users on the FrontPage newsgroup, and ask them if there is anything you are
doing with your site that you need to change. But until you find a real
reason to change, why change? Just my two cents worth...

DavidF

 

[Rob Giordano [MS MVP]]

If you don't rely any of FP's features that require FrontPage Server
Extensions you could continue to use FP for the next forever years. FP will
be supported for the next two years I think it is. You don't HAVE to switch
to anything.

IMO it's taking a major step backwards going to Publisher....you can't edit
Publisher's code easily like you can in FP...in fact you can't even see
Publishers html since it's not an html editor, granted there are
workarounds - but what would take two seconds to do in FP will take 5+
minutes to edit html in Publisher and you'll have to make those SAME edits
every time you make a change to the website.

Publisher is great for dtp, not very good for cross-browser websites.

I would continue to use FP as you learned the replacement of your choice.




--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rob Giordano
Microsoft MVP Expression