OT: Office XP Small Business

[Instar]

Originally posted by Atrocities:

quote:

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Originally posted by Will:
Well, quick searches on Microsoft's site yielded cryptic information... they're more concerned about telling you about the wonderful document workspaces than what actual software you get.

But, from experience, I would assume that it would include Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Visio, and Publisher. They might still be including FrontPage, if anyone would actually WANT to use that.

what would you recommend other than front page?

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This may sound crazy but I have started using Visual Studio .NET 2003 to edit HTML pages. The code it makes is amazingly clean for an WYSIWYG editor, and you can flip between source and design quickly. The editor does lack a lot of cool features that I had in Dreamweaver though, but I got the VS .NET for free, Dreamweaver probably costs a bazillion dollars.

[Ragnarok]

Originally posted by Instar:
The editor does lack a lot of cool features that I had in Dreamweaver though, but I got the VS .NET for free, Dreamweaver probably costs a bazillion dollars.

I think to buy Dreamwaever as standalone (not in any package deals with Fireworks, etc) is around $350.00 . One of the employees bought it here at work for his own personal use. It is a rather steap price to pay for a program.

[rdouglass]

Originally posted by Instar:
...This may sound crazy but I have started using Visual Studio .NET 2003 to edit HTML pages. The code it makes is amazingly clean for an WYSIWYG editor, and you can flip between source and design quickly...

That's nice to hear since I just got my Version and have yet to install it - all 7 CD's worth! I admit it; I'm a FrontPage user but I use it primarily to maintain sites and structure and rely very little of FP's WYSIWYG or 'bot capabilities. I write all my DB conn's by hand, etc. but FP does have some nice plug-in capabilities that do come in handy for 3rd party add-ins.

I got VS.NET 2K3 Pro primarily to assist in build COM objects for .NET since I'm needing to port many of my "things" to Data Grids, etc. (You got it for free! I paid $511 US for it!!!)

And to all those "hardcore" HTML writers that insist on using only notepad (and you know who you are .. ), I do agree NotePad (or even vi for you old-time UNIX afficionadoes) has its place and will never leave my toolbox. Sometimes a basic text editor and a good grasp of HTML just can't be improved on.

Fortunately or unfortunately depending on your point of view, MicroSoft still does a few things OK once in a while; in fact, somethings are downright easy and good... Not ALL things but SOME things. I just seem to get a lot more work done lately using MS products (and I have tried many other products and platforms - been doing this since '81 which is pre-Windows!!!)

...and of course what will says about the business world being MS-oriented. It would be nice if I could do my own thing with my own "free" tools, but working in the business world, I do have to interface with said world. Hence the MS bag-o-software...

Just my $.02

[Karibu]

Yes. Dreamweaver would be my choise for HTML editor. I use it and I like it.

[Will]

I've worked a bit with Dreamweaver, and like it. Plus when I look at the code, I am not overcome with the sudden urge to run away screaming. FrontPage, Last time I saw it used, just made me increadibly pissed off when I viewed the code. What made me run away screaming was a webpage that a friend of mine "made", in Word. With the save as HTML option. Ugliest thing I've seen in my life, and that includes the time I had to go through some C source code that was stripped of all whitespace.

But yeah, I do everything in a plain-text editor. The one I use is called Metapad, makes things a bit easier by having the option to save as ASCII or Unicode, in both DOS and UNIX formats. Plus a few other things that make my life a bit simpler. Only other thing I might want is syntax highlighting, but I can always just telnet in and use EMACS for that

And Instar, I think you've been having a bit too much fun with VS.NET. Look what programming COBOL has done to you!

[Fyron]

Yes, COBOL is an evil mistress. But Visual Studio is the best IDE on the market...

[Ragnarok]

Thanks for the information Thermodyne, that will come in handy. And thanks to everyone else for their help as well.
Dreamweaver MX 2004 is the best WYSIWYG editor out there, but I still prefer to do all my HTML coding by hand as Dreamweaver tends to mess some code up to old standards at times.