Replacement for MS FrontPage (or workaround)

[Paul Fenton]

I manage 4 websites and our host for the last 10 years is shutting down. He recommended MDDHosting as a good replacement. I'm always used MS Frontpage as my editor, but am finding that there are problems using it with MDD. I'm looking for a solution, ideally continuing to use FP since I don't want to have to learn a new web editor, or, if that's not doable, a suggestion for an easy to use editor that operates similarly to FP. I do NOT know html, which is why I chose FP in the first place. Suggestions, please.

[fshagan]

The problem with Frontpage is that it is no longer supported, and therefore not updated, and therefore increasingly vulnerable to hacking attempts.

 

There are some very expensive products, like Dreamweaver, around $400, and some inexpensive tools like Xara Web Designer that is around $40. There are free alternatives like those that Jennifer Krynin recommends at Webdesign.About.com.

 

No matter what you choose, there will be a learning curve.

 

A very popular alternative is to use Wordpress as a content management system (or CMS). Unlike other CMS like Drupal or Joomla, Wordpress is easy to install, and easy to update in place without having to FTP files into your account (instead, you click a link in the Admin panel and the update is applied). There are thousands of free templates available at http://wordpress.org/extend/themes and on other sites, and thousands of pay templates available as well. Recent stats from Matt, the originator of Wordpress, show that just over a quarter of new websites are based on Wordpress.

[SnakEyez]

I'll add the obvious upgrade. Frontpage still exists but was upgraded and is now Expression Web:

 

http://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/web_overview.aspx

 

It's $150 for the new version since you have not upgraded for awhile you do not qualify for upgrade pricing anymore.

 

Dreamweaver is an excellent tool as well, but for a price. It is also a professional level tool, so many stay away from DW until you have a good understanding of HTML and CSS. And to be honest that knowledge will take you farther than any tool and will allow you to manipulate the CMS options as you need.

 

If you were a Mac user I'd also recommend Coda from Panic. Those guys make some amazing products and arguably the best FTP program on any platform (Transmit) despite the fact it is Mac only.