Earlier this year, I did something I had said I was going to do for a long time—see if anyone—absolutely anyone—among web hosts supported FrontPage.

I can hear the tech folks out there right now, laughing their heads off. Still, I was serious. When my, then, current web host quit the FrontPage extensions some years back, they suggested I use FTP. I used one for a few years, even while the web host was pushing me to switch to Word Press. Finally, even the FTP (file transfer protocol) quit moving my update successfully.

Okay, I get it. Word Press is what a majority of business web sites are built with, but it’s not that easy to figure out. At least for me. I had earlier heard it was more difficult, and maybe that gave me a bit of a block. Who knows? However, I was told that if I wanted the friendly techs at the web hosting outfit to help me, or do it for me, it was just a low fee. (Now I am laughing!)

I was told there were a couple of easier web building platforms and my web host offered them for free. Great! I tried and they didn’t seem that much easier. Besides, the free was for a couple of pages. Seriously? Three web pages for a business?

So I finally had the bright idea to see if anyone—anyone—still supported FrontPage. And I found a couple. I picked the one that seemed to have the best rep and switched my site over to them. The start-up was a bit bumpy at times, but not as bad as I thought it would be. Finally, I (we) got it up. Since then, I have realized just how easy it is to fix changes on my web site and load the pages up with FrontPage extensions.

Don’t get me wrong. At the beginning of this millennium FrontPage was hard for me to pick up, but when I did, it was love! Now I have redone my author site using some “best practices” from one of those online author courses. What bells and whistles I couldn’t add with FrontPage, I built with another service and plunked them onto my pages as jpegs or gifs. And when I’m ready, I just tell my FP to publish the page, put in my password and Bam! It’s there!

To be honest, I have used the original FrontPage 2000 for almost twenty years. I only recently searched, found, and bought a brand new FrontPage 2003 update and loaded it into my computer. It has some nice upgrades from the old dinosaur, but I haven’t diligently looked into them yet. I am just happy to have something that is easy, quick, and doesn’t take me away from the other things that go along with the business of writing—like writing.

Where there is a will, there is a way. Check it out and see what you think.
www.bookscape.net

Susan Kite is the author of six published books and stories in three anthologies. She is a proud member of Author’s Guild of Tennessee. Check out her books and other things at her website above.