Front and Center: Learning from FrontPage

If you haven't realized it yet, realize it here: developing for the Web is very different than developing in any other medium. You simply don't have the control that you'd like to think you have.

Despite your best efforts, users and browsers can set or change font types, colors, just how much "fancy stuff" will be allowed, and more. You simply aren't able to control every aspect of what your audience will see. This requires an approach to design different than any of the other traditional design mediums because you need to understand what the possibilities are and how that affects everything you do.

This book isn't about this issue. It's about FrontPage 2003 and how to use it to create the site you want to create. Knowing what kind of site you want to create and what your limitations are is key, and we hope that we've made that clear.

I'd like to make one suggestion as a means for better understanding the HTML you are creating with FrontPage 2003:

One of the more unique new elements in FrontPage 2003 is the Split view that shows both site HTML and the content it is creating in WYSIWYG mode. It is discussed in detail in Chapter 3.

Many will use the tool to fine-tune their designs, "nudging" HTML when and where needed. In many ways, that's what the tool was built for. Many will update to the latest version just for this part of the product.

However, another element associated with this tool shouldn't be overlooked.

Want to learn HTML? Want to get a greater understanding of the elements discussed in this chapter? Design in Split view. As you develop your page, FrontPage will show you the exact HTML it is using to create your page and you can see (and learn) the efforts of your development as you are doing it. You will be surprised how quickly you will learn the basics of HTML through this approach. Use this tool to understand what happens when you set the properties for your pages and content through the FrontPage interface.

Just how much HTML do you have to know to build a Web page especially when products such as FrontPage 2003 make the design process so easy? In some cases, you can get by without learning a single tag. In other cases, there won't be a page in your site where you won't have to "nudge" the code to get the effect you are looking for.

You will have to figure out yourself where you stand on this one. Using the Split view will give you a unique peek into what FrontPage is creating on your behalf.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Web design.