I wasn't sure whether to post this here or in the Front Page forums so feel free to move it if it's in the wrong place.

 I've been reading up on Microsoft's Web Expressions website design software and it has gotten excellent reviews.  Has anyone created a website using Expressions?  Thanks.

I don't use Web designer programs and I try to avoid Microsoft crap as much as possible, so take the following advice with as many grains of salt as you wish. If you're used to using FrontPage, Expression Web (I think that's the correct name) is similar and might mean a smaller learning curve. If you're new to website design and don't already own EW, I wouldn't bother purchasing any such software, and would use PageMason or CoffeeCup (both free from LP) or some free tools off the Web. The only reason for using EW would be 1) you already bought it, 2) you're heavily invested in FP and other MS tools and feel it would take too long to get up to speed on something else, or 3) you're a tremendous Bill Gates fanboy/fangirl.

Here's what I believe is an unbiased review of Expression Web: http://www.thinkvitamin.com/reviews/css/microsoft-expression-web-designer-final-release/

You can always download the free trial to try it out if you'd like.

Expression Web looks and acts a lot like FrontPage without the FrontPage Web Components. If you're familiar with FrontPage or other Microsoft products, the user interface will look very familiar.

Note that LunarPages offers free web site templates installable through Fantastico. These files can then be edited in FrontPage, Expression Web, or other editors (but probably not in the online web-builder type programs.)

To use the free Templates Express templates, install the chosen template in Fantastico, download the files to your computer, edit and modify as desired, and upload (publish) back to the server.

Hi,

I always forget personal opinions about software...except my own! Ultimately, don't worry about whether Microsoft employees are eating live puppies for breakfast or are planning a nuclear attack on Cambodia, if the software works for you - use it!

Believe me, your customers don't usually care if their website code was ethically created - get the best tools to run your business or project.

Having said all of that, I have had concerns about Microsoft for some time - thinking that FrontPage was never going to mature into anything remotely useful. Expression Web is virtually a carbon copy of Visual Web Developer Express, so don't even bother with Expression Web trials because you'll get 95% of the same experience from Visual Web Developer Express which is full software totally free forever....and Microsoft's Sharepoint Designer is also a twin of both previously mentioned software titles...and all are leading us toward being Visual Studio users, no doubt (another similar interface and the daddy of them all).

And those that opine Dreamweaver may not do so for long with the all-powerful Adobe now at the helm.

And always remember that free or cheap doesn't always mean inexpensive!! Costs can mount where you least expect or envisage them when starting out developing on new software.

Many people get interoperability confused with the notion of 'standards'. Always point your browser at ICANN or W3C, etc for the latest info and SCORM compliance. The same people usually forget that Microsoft created their ODF largely in answer to Adobe not allowing them to use PDF export in Office 2003, even though Acrobat exports to Word (really badly)...and OpenOffice.org are now bellyaching about it...nothing has changed from VHS/BetaMax/BluRay/Whatever and nothing will change while there is money to be made out of us technohungry saps...Look at how the corporations took Linux and made it a cash cow!

Personally, I'd rather use Notepad for web developing even though two poodles and an alsation were probably sacrificed in its creation!

Whichever program you choose - have fun and all your works will be masterpieces.