Resources for Expression Web Users

I’m often contacted by frustrated Expression Web users, both those new to Expression Web and those who are moving from FrontPage, who are struggling to figure out how to accomplish seemingly simple tasks such as formatting page elements and arranging page content. In almost all cases, the cause for frustration is that these users are not familiar with current methods of website design.

Is Expression Web really the “new” version of FrontPage?

A few years ago, we stopped development on Microsoft FrontPage and released the first version of Expression Web. As a result of that timing, many FrontPage users looked at Expression Web as merely a renamed version of FrontPage. That’s not the case. The fact is that website design has evolved far beyond FrontPage, and as a side-effect, the knowledge required to design modern websites has evolved as well. In other words, Expression Web is really not the new FrontPage.

Today’s website designers, whether using Expression Web or another design application, are required to have a knowledge of many technologies. CSS, XHTML, and basic JavaScript are an absolute must, and among those, the one that throws most Expression Web newcomers for a loop is CSS. Trust me. If you don’t know CSS, designing a website in Expression Web will be a frustrating endeavor.

With all of this in mind, I asked our MVP community to recommend some resources to help Expression Web users get up to speed with modern website design technologies. It’s our hope that these resources will help you to get the most out of Expression Web.

Official Microsoft Resources

Internet Explorer Development Center

A wealth of information on web design with a focus on Internet Explorer.

Official Expression Web Site

There are plenty of articles on website design on the official Expression Web site.

Expression Web and SuperPreview Forum

Frequented by web designers, Microsoft MVPs, and Microsoft employees, the forum is a great place to ask questions and get help.

Third-Party Resources

Note: Microsoft does not endorse any of the resources listed below.

Basic Website with Expression Web Video

Cheryl D. Wise, MVP for Expression Web, has a 1.5 hour video tutorial on basic website design that’s a great introduction. Cheryl also provides sample files for download.

W3Schools

Free tutorials on all aspects of web design.

Veign Resources

Chris Hanscom, MVP for Expression Web, offers a wide assortment of resources.

CSS 2 Quick Reference Guide

CSS 3 Quick Reference Guide

Color Quick Reference Guide

Website Development Center

WebReference.com

A wide assortment of topics on web design and programming.

Smashing Magazine’s CSS Layout Series

This two-part series provides a wealth of information on creating website layouts using CSS.

SitePoint Reference

SitePoint’s web design reference is a quick way to learn about HTML, JavaScript, and CSS.

HTML Dog HTML Tutorial

HTML Dog’s tutorial is designed as a beginner’s tutorial, but it’s useful for anyone wanting to brush up on HTML.

HTML Dog CSS Tutorial

The companion tutorial to HTML Dog’s HTML tutorial.

CssDog.com

CssDog.com also offers tutorials on CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and more.

Have a Recommendation?

I plan on adding to this post as I find other resources, but if you have a favorite resource that I’ve left off, please feel free to add a comment!

Jim