From FrontPage to Expression Web - Intro

Author: Corrie Haffly, PixelMill

If you have used Microsoft FrontPage for a while, you are probably familiar with terms like Themes, Shared Borders, and webbots. The newest templates now boast CSS layouts with XHTML-compliancy and accessibility, while Themes and Shared Borders have quietly fallen off the scene. It is not a coincidence that Microsoft Expression Web and Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer are touting the very same concepts of XHTML, CSS, and accessibility, and have completely removed Themes and Shared Borders as well. These new products and templates reflect the industry's movement toward usability and compliance.

For the average FrontPage user, the learning curve for compliance, CSS, and usability may seem too steep. But if you intend to create websites or maintain a website in this new environment, the cost of not keeping up is high. Lower search engine rankings, lower usability by viewers, and limited future growth are just three examples.

This article series is meant to ease the transition between FrontPage and Expression Web by providing some practical tips and know-how. It will also provide you with the basic foundational knowledge that you will need for creating and maintaining compliant, accessible, and usable websites.

Articles in this series

1. Transitioning to XHTML Strict in 10 Steps
2. Transitioning to Semantic Markup
3. Transitioning to CSS
4. Learning CSS
5. Transitioning to Accessibility
6. Transitioning to Expression Web