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New Microsoft Web Design Tool in Beta

By Nate Mook, BetaNews

September 6, 2006, 1:35 PM

Microsoft late Tuesday released the first beta of its new Web design tool that will compete with the likes of Adobe Dreamweaver. The program is part of Microsoft's forthcoming Expression lineup, which also includes a graphical design tool and an interface designer.

Expression Web Beta 1 is the second public preview of the tool following a Community Technology Preview issued in May. Features of the application include the ability to build sophisticated CSS-based layouts, standards compliance and built-in support for ASP.NET 2.0 server technology.

The tool -- formerly known by the code-name "Quartz" -- replaces Microsoft FrontPage, which has largely been reincarnated as SharePoint Designer and is included in Office System 2007. Microsoft is endeavoring to target professional Web designers with Expression Web, and has removed features that relied on FrontPage Server Extensions in Beta 1.

"This beta preview is part of Microsoft’s commitment to customers to provide an opportunity for feedback on the product while engaging with the community around the wants and needs of web designers and developers," a company spokesperson told BetaNews.

Expression Web Beta 1 works with Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista, and requires .NET Framework 2.0. It is available free of charge, although Microsoft will be charging for the final set of Expression products.

CTPs of Expression Graphic Designer and Expression Interactive Designer are also available for download.

Add a Comment (13 Comments)

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By grrreat

edited Sep 8, 2006 - 12:08 AM

This news has just been added to the SharePoint BUZZ Network.

Visit http://www.sharepointbuzz.com

Score: 0

By ds0934

posted Sep 7, 2006 - 9:29 AM

Microsoft DreamCleaver.NET 2007 Premium Ultimate Extras Edition! I should be in marketing.

Score: 0

By wincement

posted Sep 7, 2006 - 3:03 AM

Man... "Adobe Dreamweaver"

I'm still not used to it.

Score: 0

By SupremeFx

edited Sep 6, 2006 - 3:54 PM

MS want to play with the big dogs in Web development stuff. We withnessed Frontpage. We know all to well what next. Another piece of crapware.

Score: 0

By THZGryphon

posted Sep 6, 2006 - 4:13 PM

Heh, SupremeFx meet kettle.

Score: 0

By Lotheric

posted Sep 6, 2006 - 3:35 PM

I get an error during setup on Vista x64 RC1.

Score: 0

By foxfyre

edited Sep 6, 2006 - 2:19 PM

How can MS issue a "Standards Compliant" development environment when their browser is not "Standards compliant?"

The same way MS released a proprietary Kerberos that was incompatible with real Kerberos!

Standards?... What standards? We don't need no stinkin' standards!

Some questions are simply not meant to be asked! ;-)

Score: 0

By RootWebGod

posted Sep 6, 2006 - 2:51 PM

How about using the "Post a Reply" feature so as to not make it seem like your "post" is original.

Score: 0

By FireStorm9

edited Sep 6, 2006 - 1:58 PM

How can MS issue a "Standards Compliant" development environment when their browser is not "Standards compliant?"

Score: 0

By RootWebGod

posted Sep 6, 2006 - 2:49 PM

Because they are working to improve their Internet browser by making it compliant with web standards. Both their upcoming Internet browser (Internet Explorer 7) and their web development tools, as mentioned in the article, are still in the testing phase.

That is the only answer to your pointless and yes, stupid question.

Score: 0

By Paul Skinner

posted Sep 6, 2006 - 3:34 PM

Actually, flamer, he/she has a good point.

There is no use in bringing out a piece of software that adheres to standards if the outputting software can't handle it itself.

Make IE standards compliant, then make tools for it. It's no good making a standard compliant site without looking at it in IE, realising it's all broken and ****ed and then having to make hacks for it anyway.

Score: 0

By IOMO

edited Sep 7, 2006 - 5:49 AM

You fail to see the point, Mr. Skinner. Expression Web is not a "tool for" Internet Explorer, it's a tool for making web content. Just because IE is not fully standards compliant (and has to be - to some degree - backwards compatible) does not mean that all of MSs new software will not help people to make standards compliant software/content. Ultimately all they can do is try to help the users of such software (web authors) conform to standards, they can't force them to do so if they don't want to. And who says they have to use IE to view the content they're making?

Score: 0

By AaronDobbins

posted Sep 7, 2006 - 1:47 PM

I think the point is that the development tool is fully standards compliant, yet the leader in the web browsing market is not fully compliant. In essense when you develop with this tool and then view it in the market dominant software and realize it does not display properly you have to change things so it looks better, thus not using the standards to their fullest.

It is ironic considering Microsoft created this software and also owns the market-dominant browser. Kudos anyway, it looks like a nice tool. I'm sure it beats the pants off Front Page at any rate, and eventually when IE becomes standards compliant everything will be kosher.

Score: 0

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