The Office XP versions of Microsoft's Web-publishing and print-pub lishing programs (FrontPage and Publisher) enhance the design themes and automated features of previous editions, and both programs have become flexible enough for high-end users.
FrontPage 2002 includes only incremental revisions to the brilliantly designed previous version. A tabbed document interface within the workspace now makes switching between open files easy. The program also builds picture galleries automatically, and it includes drawing and table-editing tools.
Web Components let users add Microsoft-based content, such as headlines and maps, to their Web sites. And FrontPage now has built-in support for e-commerce features such as shopping carts; the previous version relied on third-party e-commerce add-ins that users had to find and install themselves.
If your Web server supports Office XP's SharePoint Team Services, FrontPage can build threaded discussion boards and create lists that authorized users can edit in their browsers.
Microsoft Publisher used to lag behind the rest of the Office suite in power and flexibility, but this version goes a long way toward catching up. The program can now open multiple documents at the same time, but it wastes space by opening separate windows for all files instead of using a tabbed interface like the one found in FrontPage. Publisher 2002 offers expertly designed font schemes, sets of fonts that look good together. Headers and footers and optional horizontal lines above and below paragraphs add to Publisher's page-formatting features.
Publisher 2002
| Manufacturer est. price | AU$276 |
| Upgrade information | AU$165 |
| System requirements | Pentium 133MHz or higher; 24MB (Win 98), 32MB (Win Me or NT), or 64MB (Win 2K) plus 8MB for application |
| PC operating systems supported | Windows 98, 98 SE, 2000, Me, NT 4.0 with SP 6 |
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