Members: Virtual Interviews with members of AnyFrontPage Bytes Ezine
Current Issue 4 Vol a: 25th March 2006 Members: 2,395
Get to know your peers - those who have the same interests that you do.
Let them meet YOU - take the virtual Interview at the bottom of this page.
Anne Sharpe
St Sacrement Beaucerons
http://beaucerons.com
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Q. What attracted you to AFP?
A. When I first began working with FP, I joined the FP list at Yahoo for assistance and guidance. I found a great community there with lots of expertise. Then Tina Clarke announced her list (AccessFPList), geared to those of us less experienced (who had to first figure out what some of the questions were in order to understand the answers <G>) and it was from Tina's list I discovered AFP.
Q. What do you mainly hope to accomplish with FrontPage?
A. A credible web presence including a variety of features and functionality that creates a user/visitor friendly environment.
Q. Were you more interested in the speed?
A. Well-the program itself is a bit weighty but the learning curve was
considerably less steep than other programs more HTML oriented.
Q. Had you thought to use other functions more in your work?
A. I'm contemplating trying a database driven site next and possibly an
intranet as well (more for the exercise than actual need.)
Q. What are your goals for your website?
A. My personal site is an informal, information based site about my hobby: kennel and breed history. My client base has also been dog/dog services oriented as well. As such, all the bells and whistles are not necessarily employed but each has used some built in feature of FP differently from time to time, and most are now owner managed-which is one of the advantages in designing in FP. Owners can relatively easily assume maintaining their own sites with the purchase of FP-or a MS Office suite.
It might be nice to ask others a wishlist question when you interview? How about
'favorite add-ins' too? :)
Q. Anne, thank you for this interview and for the extra interview questions that you've now sparked for others that we plan to do. This is going to be a great addition to our Community.
A. I like the idea of getting to know the others and look forward to it.
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Lesley Ann Hartman
http://www.lesleyannhartman.com
http://www.nature-artists.com
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Q. What attracted you to AFP?
A. It looked a friendly approachable place to learn. I also respect the opinions of the writers.
Q. How did you first hear about AFP? Was the 'zine recommended to you? Or did you spot it surfing for something else?
A. I lurk on a FP List and clicked on the URL when I saw it on there.
Having read the help on that List given by people like Tiffany and Tina I thought it would be an interesting site to visit and I was not disappointed. I still have not seen all of it :-)
Q. What do you mainly hope to accomplish with FrontPage?
A. I needed to put an on-line portfolio of my work on the Internet...that is where the majority of my commissions come from now. As I know very little HTML (regretfully) I thought FP looked a good program capable of helping a complete novice to make a decorative site. I love learning to work in the HTML mode and know that FP has helped me put up a decent site. (Together with all the generous people out there!) I started with FP 98 and now have FP 2000
Q. What are your goals for your website?
A. My goals would be to continue to improve the site, making it easy to
navigate and decorative for people to visit. It is, thankfully, pretty much doing a good job of advertising my work. Time permitting I need to learn more HTML so that I can understand more and tidy the code when needed. Also, CSS sounds a good time saver and making a template sounds a great idea... I just need a few more hours in the day :-)
Q. How long have you been working on your site?
A. I have had a site for around two years I think. Working on it is never at a halt, there is always something else that needs to be added or revised. I made the mistake of putting roll over buttons for navigation at first and rapidly learned that some people could
not navigate. I have completely changed the colours and some of the layout since then.
As an artist, I work in isolation at home for most of my time and the FP lists and E-zines are a wonderful place for me to see what others
are doing and to learn all the things you can do with the program.
Q. What feature of FrontPage would you most recommend to a friend?
A. Ease of use I should think. As it has the interface most of us are already used to it looks familiar even when you first load it. When you are just starting this is reassuring.
Q. Thank you so much, Leslie, we've really enjoyed this interview and your sites are lovely.
A. I think it is a great idea to post interviews so we can become a closer community.
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http://www.Justjoy.net
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The following is a delightful email interview with a lady who has pinpointed the great attraction of the internet - you can follow your dreams without leaving home.
Thank you for your interest in my opinions. I am very new to AFP but have already become quite attached. Your articles have greatly helped me to polish my site. Immediately after joining your circle, I added a link to you on my Favorites page. I know that others will come to enjoy and rely on it as much as I.
Q. What attracted you to AFP?
A. Pretty much everything. The articles almost always pertain to issues that I am trying with which to deal. Your tips and tricks have all been useful and easy to understand. Who wouldn't like the free downloads? They've added great aesthetic value and ease to my sites.
Q. How did you first hear about AFP?
A. I don't quite remember what I was searching for, but it was definitely related to my FrontPage web site. I know that I had been searching for a long time to find new ideas and content for my site. As for how I found FrontPage, it was recommended to me by my brother. He is the computer tech. division head for a major corporation. FrontPage is what his computer techs use to design and build all of their national and international websites. For this I am very grateful.
Q. What to do mainly hope to accomplish with FrontPage?
A. I hope to be able to quickly build websites that are professional and easy to use. Instead of speed, I was more interested in ease.
Q. What are your goals for your website?
A. My ultimate goal is to establish a website design business that I can run from my home.
Q. How long have you been working on your site?
A. I had been wanting to build my website for many years and had purchased many expensive design CD's that were too complicated and very plain. It wasn't until I got FP 2002 that I was able to carry out my website dreams. I have only been working on my site for about two months but I had it published and running within 10 days. And four of those days were spent just waiting for my web presence provider to set up.
Q. When did you do your first one and what was it about?
A. This is the first one that I've gotten as far as publishing and will be splitting it in two very shortly. FrontPage has made it so easy that I just keep expanding the one I have. I'm up to 23 pages! I am in the process of creating three more, but for other people.
Q. What feature of FrontPage would you most recommend to a friend?
A. What! You mean I can pick only one? I've tried, but can only narrow it down to three. 1. Ease. 2. Affordable. 3. Fun. (I like number 3 the most.) Well, that's it for me. Again, I'd like to thank you for your interest in my opinions but I'd also like to thank you for the E-zine most of all. You've been very helpful and you've helped me to make friends with other FP users all over the world. I continue to correspond with an FP user in Australia. I'm not only learning about FP but I'm also learning much about their country too!
Thank you Joy, it was our pleasure! Your kind words and zest for life have made our day.
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http://www.geocities.com/dramaq68/
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Daryl is one member who is always willing to help us out with surveys and stuff.
Q. What attracted you to AFP?
A. I love FP and needed more resources than what I was used to.
Q. How did you first hear about AFP?
A. I can't actually remember, but I'm pretty sure I found it while searching for a problem I was having with shared borders that even MS couldn't help me with. Actually I will tell you that back in the old days of the first WYSIWYG design software, I had tried demos by others, but just didn't get it. I played around with a friends FP97 when he was doing his homepage and EVERYTHING made sense. I haven't looked back.
Q. What are your goals for your website?
A. With my work one, unfortunately my goals don't meet what I am required to do. My aim was to turn it into a site that was more aesthetic and easily updateable (at the time all 500+ pages were 100% static). I got it to a shared borders state with a nice uniform cross platform look, but am not able to move towards CSS or ASP as my work will now be temporary until a portal takes over mine and other related sites.
Q. How long have you been working on your site?
A. Hmm.. lets see. My very first personal site.. about 5yrs. Works, about 12 months. My very first homepage I started back in 1997 (with FP97). What was a simple About Me and theatre reference site, become 20 big pages. My friends were impressed, and I still get messages from people that see my site about how WOW it is. It is still going and I have changed it countless times. I still am not happy with it and really really want to
make it less chunky, but every time I find a new FP tool or script, I make improvements and trim it down a little, and it gets a little better.
I've also done some community sites such as CIPAID http://home.vicnet.net.au/~cipaid/, a community group done as a volunteer through Vicnet (simple design with bad use of hover buttons *I know*), and Agile Mobile Hostile http://home.vicnet.net.au/~perko/, a local performer also done as a volunteer through Vicnet (I quite like this one; simple and uses FP thumbs).
People's Playhouse http://www.geocities.com/pplayhouse/ is a local youth theatre group which needs major updating (but I don't get changes that often), and my own site is http://www.geocities.com/dramaq68/. Some love it, I hate it, but it's a work in progress. There is actually a slight reference to starting at web design, but that was written before bells n whistles scripts were invented <g> back in the days of grey backgrounds, and hasn't been touched since. Very very naughty but I'm always planning on making something of it relevant for todays beginner.
On the work site, I would just like to point out that I didn't do the Events graphics <G> http://www.vacc.asn.au/
Q. What feature of FrontPage would you most recommend to a friend?
A. I'm pretty sure that would be shared borders. I only started working with them with my works' site in an effort to reduce the number of pages to change, and now have them on every site I manage. And hth Tina <g> has pointed out the benefits of includes, making a combination of the two very powerful design (well at least for me, because I only do basic html pages). ALSO (I have to list two here), publishing your site within FP. I don't know how many times with FTP I forgot to upload files, then
spring cleaning was a nightmare. I know everybody has their quirks and faves, but I love my FP.
Daryl, thank you for your interview. Looking at those Vicnet sites tells us that you do a lot of volunteering and are a valuable member of more than one community.
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RebelWolf Martin
http://espina.tripod.com/index.html (Remember Them)
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Q. What attracted you to AFP?
A. I needed to learn more about FP, and from down-home people who encourage, help, support, without actin' uppity and have patience with us who are disabled.
Q. How did you first hear about us? Was the 'zine recommended to you?
A. No, at the time, I didn't know anyone who took the 'zine, it's been so long ago. I think I found it on another FP site.
Q. What do you mainly hope to accomplish with FrontPage?
A. Makin' web pages easily since I knew little about html and less about css.
Q. Were you more interested in the speed?
A. No, I think I was more interested in functionality and ease.
Q. Had you thought to use other functions more in your work?
A. Not until I purchased FP 2002, I have hopes of workin' with lots of the other functions.
Q. What are your goals for your website?
A. I haven't really thought about it much. I just started a personal site to hold some family pictures, my stories and ponders and some shared information that I found on the net. It just keeps growin', I guess as I do. One of my sites is a dedication to the pow/mias of Vietnam War, sort of a healin' project for me, as a female vet.
Some personal info, if ya want. I was born in Michigan and was raised in the South ( a rebel by heart, Yankee by birth) and I served as an RN (WAC) in Vietnam durin' the war. I'll be 59, Aug. 8th. I've been married (this time) for 21 years. I have had Multiple Sclerosis for 25 years and am disabled. I have low-vision and do my readin' with a text-speech reader. I'm on a fixed income and am a recluse, livin' in the desert 30 miles from town.
I have 13 pets, leftovers from our no-kill rescue shelter, that I had to give up as my health got worse (5 birds, 2 snakes, 4 dogs, goldfish and a quail).
Q. How long have you been working on your site?
A. I have had an ongoin' site for a few years.
Q. Is your first site still up, or have you replaced it?
A. I did the first one about 5 years ago. No, it's been replaced, moved a couple times and revamped each time.
Q. What feature of FrontPage would you most recommend to a friend?
A. Gettin' started with the "create new web" feature, especially for us newbies.
RebelWolf, thanks for the time and the great interview. You've been a great participating member of our community.
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http://www.guardianangelssantee.org
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Q. What attracted you to AFP?
A. Well, I've become pretty good at surfing to try and find information on many different things. So, when I decided I needed good information on FrontPage and anything to do with it - I surfed, big-time. I joined several "e-groups" set up specifically for FrontPage users. So, AFP was an item I heard about through the groups and through surfing for information. Also, I'd seen Tina Clarke's name all over the e-groups and liked what she had to say so checked out AFP that way.
My interest in FrontPage was due to an assignment at my State Job about 3 years ago - my boss asked me to find out everything I could about web pages and gave me 3 weeks to set up an initial site. And, this was at a time when I knew nothing about websites. This is an intranet site - so I unfortunately cannot show it to you - nothing secret - just too many firewalls and passwords. It is a page set up for our Construction Resident Engineers out in the field (building freeways). And my goal is to have "one stop shopping" for people who need information fast - so I learn what they do and what they need to do it with. When I began my search - FrontPage was on the list of "approved" State software, along with DreamWeaver, so I purchased it and began to learn it as fast as I could. I came up with 3 or 4 pages after 3 weeks to publish (3/1/99) and since then it's grown to 30 or 40 pages. Currently, FrontPage has been deleted from the list of State approved software and they want us (statewide) to use DreamWeaver now. Well - it's way too late for that - I'm hooked on FP and they'd have to burn me at the stake to get me to recant! Besides, what do they care as long as the end result is a good web page!
I also do a website for my church - volunteer work, no charge - and that site is up and running if you care to check it out.... www.guardianangelssantee.org
I like working in FrontPage - it's clear, clean and makes sense - it's a solid, good program and I have grown comfortable with it. I am now wandering into ASP pages with FrontPage - so that I can get good, interactive pages out there for my customers. Am also interested in FLASH or SWISH, although I know that I wouldn't use those programs extensively - at least not until they become more "accessible".
Accessibility is the most recent training and reading that I have done and am in the process of making all of my pages accessible (Section 508 and W3C accessibility standards). I purchased a product from Crunchy Technologies called PageScreamer for FrontPage which is a help to make my pages accessible. It's an add-on that fits quite nicely within the program. Am learning as fast as I can in this area - quite a challenge - especially since I need to add changes to current sites right now instead of working them in as I build them.
Q. What are your goals for your website?
A. Continue working in changes, improvements, refinements - it's alive! (as the old scary movies say..) A web page should never just "sit there" - it should grow and change as time goes on... Make it accessible and clear - and know my audience - they are the ones these sites are for - not me, nor any big judge in the sky - just the clients - without whom we would have no websites. Design sites that call clients their way - savvy, interesting, pleasing to the eye and brings them back for a second time, time after time.
I hope someday soon to learn enough to build, design and sell websites for a living - but I think I have a long ways to go - someday..... I do know one thing - I'll be using FrontPage to do the work! And, it's thanks to sites like AFP that keep me up-to-date on the latest FrontPage issues and changes. Thank you to you and sites like AnyFrontPage for continuing to bring good information and support to users like me!
No, Diane - Thank you! It is especially fascinating that you are also defining our goals at AnyFrontPage. Accessibility has been a key issue for us this year as well as the drive to get to know our subs better. Just as you said, "they are the ones these sites are for".
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AnyFrontPage.com Wants YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
Send us YOUR Virtual Interview. We would like to post these interviews on-line as a new feature - Our community needs to know each other in order to help. Our strength is in our numbers. (It would also give you a link to your website.<G>)
Please use the sample questions below as a guideline - they may not all apply to your situation, if they do not - ignore them and tell us what you want to say!
We really look forward to hearing from you and thank you in advance.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS:
What attracted you to AFP?
How did you first hear about AFP? Was the 'zine recommended to you? Or did
you spot it surfing for something else?
What do you mainly hope to accomplish with FrontPage? Were you more
interested in the speed? Had you thought to use other functions more in
your work?
What are your goals for your website?
How long have you been working on your site?
When did you do your first one and what was it about? Is it still up, or
have you replaced it?
What feature of FrontPage would you most recommend to a friend? We would like to interview you for the Bytes Ezine.
What do you have on your wish list for FrontPage?
What are your favorite add-ins?
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