Front Page vs. Dreamweaver...which is better?

[dannyz]

I have been using Front Page for the last 5 years as my html editor, and I know it in and out. I don't have any major problems with using it, but I have heard a lot of people say Dreamweaver is better.

Can anyone shed some light on this, and why they think Dreamweaver (or Frontpage) is the better program? I bought a book on Dreamweaver and am just wondering if it's worth investing all the time to learn it. I think you can do more with style sheets with Dreamweaver if I'm not mistaken, although the new versions of Front Page have that too.

Please don't post and tell me I should be using notepad LOL, I couldn't write code if my life depended on it.

Cheers!

[MidwestMale]

it all depends on how confused you want to be ....

Frontpage is great for easy html editing and easy page making ,

Dreamweaver is for your advanced people who like multipul popup boxes at 1 time for diffrent features who love getting lost building a website.

now as for me i like using the following programs to build websites.
1. Namo Webeditor 6
2. trendy flash website builder
3. Frontpage 2000 or frontpage 98
4. Website Complete Deluxe Edition
5. Websmartz professional

other programs i use for apart of web design
1. anim-fx banner and button creator
2. album creator (flash program)
3. Firm tools album creator 3.4 (or something to that effect)
4. MGI photo/video editor
5. Panasonic Dv Motion Studio Video editing.
6. Websmartz professional for my flash intro and flash websites.

Matt...

there is multipul options you can use for building websites to basically make it easy for you just use a program you are familiar with and know it by the back of your hand. its alot less stress then learning a new program.

[Xstr8guy]

Wow MidwestMale! I can't believe I found someone else uses Namo other than me. Imo, Namo is a good combination of Dreamweaver and Frontpage... easy, versatile and clean. Check it out dannyz.

[gaystoryman]

I use both Dreamweaver and FrontPage.

I find it easier to input a story page into my html in frontpage than in DW, though for the bulk of coding I use DW... in code view and check it in both IE & Firefox.

I find code view in DW easier to follow, to use than in FP. I like the easy pop ups to add basic code rather than FP plus it is easier to enter my CSS codes.

They both have their good sides, but DW was easier for me to learn CSS than Frontpage, plus the code is cleaner than in Front Page, which improves page load times.

I think what it comes down to, is what are you comfortable in doing and if the program you are currently using does that job for you. If frontpage does all you want, then why change? I mean no need to change horses in the middle of the race if you are leading... now if FrontPage isn't doing all you want, then sure, go for something new...

just my opinion though.
Ian

[Chilihost]

I don't use Dreamweaver but can tell you that frontpage sux!!! It bloats your page with useless code and often times the end result looks vastly different in IE vs every other browser (sometimes pages don't even work in other browsers). Also, if you require frontpage extensions on your site this really messes things up on the server end of things, as fpx installs all its own .htaccess files plus all these other files and leads to a total mess.

Aside from namo there is also http://nvu.com/ as a frontpage alternative. But I think that namo is the better of the two (once again, not totally sure since I code in homesite and notepad).

cheers,
Luke

[Jasun]

Depending on what you want to do, Dreamweaver rocks, but it tends to insert weird, unnecessary code into what you're doing, and for the most part, is a bit of a monster unleashed.

But it's relatively easy to use and for the average webmaster making galleries and AVS/Free sites, it's excellent.

I still use it to not only make pages but to make the html newsletter that I send to my affiliates with new banners and links to zip-files of free content.

[Dzinerbear]

I started on Adobe Pagemill, went to FrontPage, and then, graduated to Dreamweaver. This was five years ago, but FrontPage was okay, however, I didn't like how it seemed to purposely make things look perfect in IE but totally fucked them up in Netscape. And now, years later, we're finding with stritct HTML compliant Firefox that code generated specifically for IE falls apart in Firefox.

I got tired of Microsoft's efforts to grind Netscape into dust and me being caught in the middle, so I switched. I went to Dreamweaver and I've never looked back. I love it.

The one thing that always bothered me about FP was FP extensions. Most of programs achieved the same functions through Javascript, but FP required your hosting company have FP extensions installed to make your site work. That's just dumb. That's kind of like saying when you get into your Volkswagon, you've got to stare at the Volkswagon logo and turn the key at the same time or the car won't start.

Also, I think it's smart to have a WYSIWYG editor provided by a different company than your browser and operating sytem. It keeps the WYSIWYG software people on their toes and more compliant with standards.

Cheers
dzinerbear

[Lee]

Luke,

With their latest release FP doesnt put any addition code in the HTML, that was a major problem which they seem to have fixed.

Michael,

You dont have to have Frontpage extensions on your server to use frontpage, you only need those installed if you are going to be uploading via the FP application to your server, in fact, i dont think i have ever used FP to upload a site to any of the servers ive had over the years, i find using a stand alone program such as CuteFTP gives me a lot more control over how i upload sites built in FP.

As to which is better, as with anything it comes down to personal preference and taste, i like FrontPage but then again, its the only WYSIWYG editor ive ever used and been able to grasp relatively quickly LOL

Regards,

Lee

[dannyz]

Wow, thanks so much for all the excellent advice guys...truly helpful. I agree with what Lee said in that the new version of Front Page does seem to have improved with regards to the extensions, and I also like working in the 'split screen' where I can see the html and graphics view at the same time. I think I will stick to it for the basics, but just be sure to check the pages to make sure they work in Firefox.

I've never heard of Namo until now strangely enough, but it sounds interesting! I haven't learned how to use CSS yet, but that is something I do want to learn. It sounds from your posts that it will be better to learn that in DW or Namo.

[Dzinerbear]

CSS opens up a whole new world, it'll change the way you design sites.
Do it!
dzinerbear

[Xstr8guy]

CSS opens up a whole new world, it'll change the way you design sites.
Do it!
dzinerbear

CSS... bah humbug! Lol. I can never to get it to work right even when I steal, I mean borrow dzinerbear's style sheets.

[Chilihost]

Lee thanks for the tip on the new frontpage, is that 2003?

And I have to agree with Michael, css is sweet! Once you learn it, its just a matter of building super basic pages and then adding css to make it look pretty and professional.

Then the next step is to start learning php. I only know basic php but it makes building pages 10X quicker and easier as you just reuse code with simple include statements. And once you start tying it into sql queries or dynamic content, your sites really start to rock!

cheers,
Luke

[dannyz]

Luke, I do believe Lee was referring to 2003. That's what I'm using.

I am looking forward to learning CSS! Does anyone know any good (quick) online courses learn the basics of it?

As for learning php, my sql, and dynamic content...I'd love to learn all that...but think it might be better to leave that to hiring the professionals. I'd much rather be looking at men jacking off then looking at all that code LOL!

[jIgG]

DW
Been using it since version 2.0.

8.0 should be having some better CSS support, hopefully.
If it's too expensive for you, try and get an academic discount if you're in college or have a friend student/teacher to get you a copy for just $99

[Bec]

I use Dreamweaver. As to CSS, simply type css tutorials into your search engine and you'll get a slew of sites to check out.