These tips are edited highlights
from a long
running thread at the forums, with thanks to all of
those who have contributed. We have added some links to
further information after some tips.
Tables
Use tables to hold your
content (easily the 'top tip').
Do not drag the edges of the table or cells. It often will mess up the math and not show correctly in Netscape
Empty table cells need to either
to be merged together or to contain a small transparent gif to keep them open in Netscape.
Don't use Frontpage hover buttons! They are not stable in Netscape.
Avoid
"splash" pages, have at least some content on your "Home" page.
Use animation only when it helps with the
message
Only use frames if
absolutely necessary and not on the "Home" page.
If you just have to add background music, give the visitor a way to turn it
off or, preferably, the option to turn it on.
Use "pop ups"
sparingly and for a good reason
Page transitions may look nice, but cause problems and increase page loading
time
Compatibility and
Code
Learn HTML if you don't already know it.
Look at your own HTML code and other peoples as a way of learning what goes on An introduction to HTML
Get Netscape and
Internet Explorer installed on your computer (find a friend with a Mac - it's a different world)
A
LOT of people are still surfing at 800x600 pixels. Use the
'File' menu, and then select 'Preview in Browser' set to 800x600.
Horizontal scroll bars are BAD form,
make sure your page is usable on small screens and at
low resolution
Style and Design
An
FP theme can be spotted a mile away ... be a little more
adventurous
Surf a lot for inspiration
Navigation - it has to be
intuitive, the back button in a browser shouldn't be
needed to navigate a site More about
navigation
Break up text to make it easier to read and digest quickly. How long do you stick around a page with miles and miles of text unless you're reading a story? More about text
Keep it simple. Glitter and
glamour can outshine your message. Make sure you keep images and effects in perspective. Make sure the first thing a visitor sees is the message you want them to see most.
Meta Tags and
Keywords
META tags are very important if you need to get hits from search engines
Discover good keywords for your
site's theme ahead of time. Write content geared towards those keywords.
Get Organized
Keep a page of handy tips as
a tips.htm page in each website, so they're there when you need them. For example,
your Hex codes of your links/backgrounds
tricks and coding that you don't use often but want handy (if too many, start a binder)
even a hyperlink to the Outfront forums in case you need help!
Use external files for
JavaScript and CSS as making one change is better than making one hundred
Use folders, a lot of
them, to organize your site
Use page
filenames that are self explanatory - come back and try to fix a site 2 years later and you will see why
Publishing etc
Backup, backup, backup - each
time you publish in case you mess things up badly.
In FP always PUBLISH your website instead of using ftp if you are using the FP server extensions. Using ftp on a FrontPage web can corrupt your extensions and cause all sorts of quirky problems
Never use spaces in file names. You can get some weird errors that are hard to track down.
Get on a first name basis with all the guys in tech support at your
hosting provider. They get frustrated customers calling and screaming at them all day long. It's amazing how much more
helpful they are if your conversation doesn't start with griping about the 30 or 60 minutes you just spent on hold. These guys can help save your hide and can be a great resource.
