Microsoft Expression Web - Reviews of the program

[hidden]

SOFTWARE BY MICROSOFT

This is software to go up against Adobe's Dreamweaver.  (EW = $299 vs DW = $399)
PROFESSIONAL LEVEL HTML/WYSIWYG software.

PC Magazine  4.5 out of 5 
h**p://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2109372,00.asp

  The only serious problem I found with Expression Web was its lack of support for Secure FTP file transfers for publishing a site to the Web. If your server requires Secure FTP, then you'll have to upload your files using a separate FTP program, and you won't be able to use Expression Web's well-designed automated feature that optimizes code when uploading.
  Still, this is a minor complaint about an elegant and efficient application—one that not only makes designing a page simpler but even makes designing a standards-compliant page easier. The beta was a long haul, but, in the end, the time was well spent. Microsoft Expression Web definitely deserves an Editors' Choice, and I strongly recommend it to anyone who builds Web pages, no matter how simple or how complex.

Webreference review:
http://www.webreference.com/reviews/expressions_web/

  As I stated at the beginning of this review, I'm generally not fond of many Microsoft products but I must say that I was pretty impressed with this package. Unlike other WYSIWYG editors, it only writes the code necessary for the work being done.
  Using the editor was pretty simple. I generally don't read the instructions until I've had the software for some time so this one was pretty easy to maneuver around. Most of the items were placed in areas where you would expect them to be.
  If you like editors that do a large portion of the work for you, and you want the WYSIWYG capability, download the trial package and take it for a test drive. Everything is functional so you can get the entire perspective. If you're currently using FrontPage then you'll want to upgrade to this package.

Amazon.com reviews
h**p://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Expression-Professional-Design-Tool/dp/B000OOEKLM/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-0632159-8988816?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1186331109&sr=1-1
They have the program listed many times.  I especially found this review interesting:

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
This One is the Best, June 7, 2007 By  Michael Khalsa (Crestone, CO United States) - See all my reviews 
  As a professional web designer and software developer from way back, this is the current king of web development programs. I have been waiting many years for someone to make a replacement for dreamweaver, which because of its code base has some deep flaws (although dreamweaver is still a respectable and good product over all - the previous king).
  I can move back and forth between visual studio effortlessly, and it plays nice. It will even open up dreamweaver templated sites with no problems.
  And it is fast, like instant fast - much better than dreamweaver in this regards - when you have 2 dozen windows open, then resource usage starts to become a factor.
  For those reviewers you are complaining about lack of front page features, front page was one of the worst products out there, creating sloppy code and difficult to use when creating dynamically driven sites.
  If you are serious in your web design work, then get this product.
  For newbies - the learning curve involved is one of learning the basics of web development, not so much the product itself. Ignore the advice to start with frontpage which will teach you bad habits, and start off correctly.
  For those of you developing dynamic sites, if you use cold-fusion, php, and the like then stick with dreamweaver. If you use or lean towards the net framework then go with web expression and couple it with visual studio (either the free or pro version)

ZD Net review:  7 out of 10
h**p://review.zdnet.com/software/microsoft-expression-web/4505-3513_16-32383169.html

The bottom line: Microsoft Expression Web is a solid Web site layout program that replaces FrontPage and offers tools for dynamic designs, although we'd like more help for newbies.

Download.com has 2 out of 5 because it is listed as FREE.  It is actually 60 day free trial
h**p://www.download.com/Microsoft-Expression-Web/3000-2068_4-10628568.html

[hidden]

OH NO, I just checked out the site and viewed the videos -- I say OH NO because this looks good! But am I correct to think that one can work in either the WYSIWYG view or coding view for development? I really looks like more than I want to take on but darn I love a good challenge. My friend who used to build all of his web sites with note pad - and then used Dream Weaver for over a year and didn't like it and went back to his note pad - is giving it a try. So far he hasn't had much to say about it and to me that in itself says he kind of, sort of likes it at least. lol

He thinks I might be ready to take it on even though I don't really have time to be a full time web developer or learn all of the coding that I would need to in order to work with dream weaver or create on a note pad for example. We didn't discuss it at much length when it came up in our conversation and I had forgotten about it until now .. so I am wondering..

Am I ready for this or should I just be content doing what I can do for now without too much more learning? 

[hidden]

I was offered a 10-hour training CD on this product in exchange for a full review from a CSB user viewpoint which may be different that from a Dreamweaver view. I agreed as much to help the other person as myself.  I am REALLY going to do my best to learn this one and give it my full attention when I try it out. 

I think it's time I took webs a bit more seriously. 

Actually, we have a lot of lightweight software listed on the forum as possible replacements for CSB users and really thought we needed one with more meat on the bone to round out our selections.  This one seems to be the most logical choice for our forum. The price point, though high, is better than Adobe's Dreamweaver.   So far the reviews are much much much better than FrontPage () and look promising.  2 drawbacks:  No built-in support for PHP and does not do Secure FTP.  I truly think they will add the FTP so it can be authorized for use on Government jobs.

Long-term, some of us may want to move up to stronger, more professional software and other than Dreamweaver, I know of no other product as "professional" level as this one.

Wanda, should you try it?  SURE.  You get 60 days full trial! That's great.  I do think this software would require some time that you can devote to learning it.  I don't think it is like CSB open and publish same day so keep that in mind before downloading the trial.  Do it when you really have time to immerse yourself in a different product.

[hidden]

Well thanks Sam,  so can you work in WYSIWYG panes as well as in the HTML pane? It seemed to have appeared as such on the videos but they went so fast I didn't quite grasp that aspect of it. Before I download yet another software knowing whether or not it at least gives this option would be helpful.

Front page = YIKES! I built and published one complex tester page in it long ago and decided right then and there it had too many drawbacks to go any further when there were easier and better performing products out there.

Thanks for bringing this one up for us to consider.

[hidden]

so can you work in WYSIWYG panes as well as in the HTML pane

Not sure!  Will be a few weeks before I can try it out (will wait for that traning cd) so I start out on the right foot.

This is where I would start: Expression Web Quick Start Guide!
It's 244MB  of info so it should be comprehensive

Creating a Standards-Based Website
Get creative in Expression Web now! Download this hands-on lab-including a step-by-step guide, video tutorial and full assets--and start building a standards-based website immediately.

[hidden]

ohhh good idea - I thought I looked all over the site .. once again missed something important Thanks!

[hidden]

FWIW - I've read only praises for Expression Web at WebmasterWorld. No complaints - even people who hated FrontPage like it. Very unusual for a MS product (or, as some there would call it, a M$ product).

[hidden]

Yup.  The reviews I have read convinced me to add it here.  FrontPage folks seem to be the ones that don't like it.  Even Dreamweaver users are reporting well.  Surprising.

[hidden]

Ok... received my dvd of the program and the training cd.  Probably won't start on it til the first week of september so I can really concentrate on it.

[hidden]

Is there anything new to report on EW? While I do not need frames, I prefer to have a banner at the top that stays t here while the page is scrolled and a small banner with the page revision date at the bottom which also stays. Anyway to do that in EW?

I have seen nothing on the test of this posted for a long time.

[hidden]

I have 2 versions of Expression Web. Version 3 will not fully install on this decrepit pc so I must wait till I replace to install that version.  It promises to resolve the major issues I had with the first version. You can read about those comments here:  http://samisite.com/forum/index.php?topic=412.0