[shaftb]

Anybody ever used this piece of software? Isn't it FrontPage in a new box?
A client of mine wants to switch over to this to update their site.

Could you rate this vs. Contribute please.

Thanks.

[Liam]

Who'd want to try anything by Microsoft?

[shaftb]

That is what I was thinking. So have you used or heard anything good about Contribute? Or is there something better out there?

[Cborrow]

I tried it while it was in beta, it is a major upgrade from Frontpage, but might not be something for the average Joe to pickup and run with. Although I believe with some time and any included documentation it should not take to long to get up and running with.

I found some reviews and such for it. Might help out some.

Microsoft Expression Web - TrustedReviews
Vitamin Reviews » Microsoft Expression Web Designer
ZDNet Microsoft Expression Web Review & Comparison
HTML Editor Reviews » First Look: Microsoft Expression Web Designer

[steveb]

Favourite Microsoft expression: This application has unexpectedly terminated due to an unseen error.

[proc355]

Originally Posted by steveb

Favourite Microsoft expression: This application has unexpectedly terminated due to an unseen error.

lmao

[herkalees]

Microsoft isn't in the business of making software, only failware.

[steveb]

Turdware.

That's how soft it is.

[pgo]

Haha, Microsoft sucks!

Anyway, Expression Web is decent enough. It's a major upgrade from FrontPage. I've never used Contribute and only briefly used the trial of Expression Web, but I would be willing to imagine that Contribute is better for "non-web people". I think Expression is geared more toward developers (more like Dreamweaver).

[Hunch]

It's actually not all that bad. I spent a few hours fiddling with it and came to the following conclusions.

1. It's geared more towards 'developers' than 'designers'. I'd argue the toss that the design view is actually slightly better than Dw's, but it looks and feels like a coding environment.

2. They've obviously stolen some of their ideas from Dreamweaver, however there were times when I found a neat feature which made me think "I wish Dreamweaver did that". On the flip side there were times when I thought "why the fuck didn't Microsoft do that?"

3. They're facing an uphill battle because part of the attraction of Dw is that it integrates with the rest of CS3, which MS apps obviously don't (although by the look of it, they're planning to release an entire suite of products which are 'supposed' to fulfill some of these roles).

4. At almost every turn (especially in their promotional blurb) they make a HUGE play out of the fact that it's all about standards compliant code; which stretches the bounds of irony to the limits when you consider that a lot of standards compliant code won't even work in their own fucking browser.

[shaftb]

Thanks for all the input. I recommended Contribute because they are using CS3. But a guy that "sold" them on it said that it all works seamlessly together?!? I didn't think so, but I'm meeting with them tomorrow to discuss.

I'm just trying to find a good & if possible, cheap, CMS for my clients.

I see so many variations online like Tweak, Mambo, and others. Just not sure if those are the route I want to go, or if having them purchase a piece of software to install is the best.