Microsoft Expression

Often in schools, we have to create web-pages for exams, homework or even our personal use. The IGCSE specification for ICT has a web development part in the specification. Often, people have moved on to Adobe Dream Weaver, which is a web tool, that I find inadequate for students studying web development, it has a complex user interface, and having used Microsoft Office applications all my student life, it seems difficult to handle. So, I started looking for an alternative.

Microsoft is not know for its design software. But the new Microsoft Expression Suite offers a rich tool for building web-pages. There are four parts to the package:

• Expression Web
• Expression Blend
• Expression Design
• Expression Encoder

After the announcement, that Microsoft was to discontinue Microsoft FrontPage (the part of the office suite that designed web-pages) it had different plans for web designing. Microsoft Expression web is the main part of the Expression package, being the HTML and CSS editor.

Expression is aimed at web developers and that is why it comes with a basic Design tool, that can help you design logos, templates etc. I do not find it as detailed as Adobe’s products, that are used for high end graphics, I personally find this a far better tool for the web. However, I am talking about Microsoft Expression 3; the next version may see many changes.

What is also great about is that there is not CD Key or any other hassle, so its a very easy install.

If you are in an American Public school, you can also get your hands onto the product for free.

But for serious web developers, there is something very special. Microsoft Expression can be used to make Silverlight applications, a very lightweight and powerful tool, like flash, but a lot more stable and a lot more capable of different applications.

Flash has many glitches as well as potential weaknesses for hacker, but Silverlight is a powerful piece of technology synthesised using both C++ and Microsoft’s latest language C#.

With this, you can create several applications as well as video footage of things like a camping trip etc.

This package also has a SuperPreview mode, that can show you, how a webpage will look in different web browsers, so that you can spot any potential problems users may face.

In all, I find this a superb piece of software for students as well as web developers. To learn more, simply click on the image at the top.