FrontPage

I know its dumb and people don't like the frontpage, but it is what my work has and it is what I am using. Unfortunatly every time I try to publish my site a window pops up saying that the server does not have frontpage plus server extensions installed. The site has strongly discouraged me from activating that program, but it seems like my only option. Should I just do it? Is there any way to deactivate the server extensions on my end, I don't think I'm using them. Ech....

FrontPage support is available, at least it is as much as it is anywhere else on a linux platform, but you should understand that MicroSoft is *not* releasing any new server extensions for *nix and there *are* problems with the ones presently available. (google can show you a lot about the demise of FrontPage)

That said, you *can* use FrontPage as a page editor, and you can *publish* using FTP, without having FrontPage extensions installed on the server as long as you do not use the Front Page features that require the extensions.

If your site *does* utilize features that require them, you will have to either enable them for your domain (and deal with the resultant issues) or re-code those parts of your site using standard web tehnologies (CGI, php, etc.)

You might find useful information in this DH WIki Article on FrontPage.

Given that Microsoft has abandoned the product, it is also time to consider approaching your "work" about moving on to a more stable and modern toolset - that Google search about the future of FrontPage, and it's current state, should give you plenty of information to make your case that, unpleasant as it may be, it is definitely time to change.

Hey, we all use the tools we have and the tools we know, but sometimes we'll all just have to move on.

--rlparker

Thank you for the info. I have come to realize that my non-profit has a faaar outdated version of frontpage and still requires extensions. Do you know if I can temporarily enable the extensions, put up my frontpage site for a bit and then, when we have changed our system, disable the extensions and then join everyone in present internet technologies.

I seem to recall seeing a recent post stating that DH will put you on a special server (pariah.dreamhost.com) if you need frontpage extensions.

I'm not sure whether it's a separate cluster and if all the servers in that cluster have frontpage extensions enabled or if it's a server-by-server, site-by-site setting.

Have a dig around. I'll do a search in a little bit. Haven't gotten enough work done today...

You are placed on a different server for FPE, but you can also contact support and ask them to put in back in a normal enviroment.

However, I don't understand exactly what you mean by saying your outdated FP requires extensions. I know that since FP 97 at least (probably before) extensions were not required unless you were using *features* such as their discussion forum.

I don't think you should have any problem turning extensions on and back off again - but realize each change takes some time to propagate.



--Matttail
art.googlies.net - personal website

I don't really know the particulars of how going back and forth between the extensions and a standard *nix server environment works from a DreamHost perspective, but I'm sure they can accommodate you either way.

However, I'd like to respectfully suggest that before you go that route, you share with us the link/url for the site in question so that we can take a lot at it's code.

If the only extension in use is a form processing routine or two (and that is *often* the case wit older FrontPage sites), it is very trivial to convert that to a standard hosting environment. That would allow to to continue to use FrontPage as an editor (or not) but free you from the whole FrontPage extensions tyranny.

Even if a Discussion board is in use, Dreamhost's one-click" installation of phpBB is probably simpler to use.

At any rate, we could advise you better if we could see what extension(s) the site is actually using; I'd hate to see you go through a whoe "turn extensions on", run a while, convert site, and turn extensions off" routine if all you really need to do is get a little help to re-code a form or two.

--rlparker

Don't forget that non-profit organizations can get FREE HOSTING from Dreamhost - that's even better than the 97 day money back guarantee.

Wholly - Use promo code WhollyMindless for full 97$ credit. Let me know if you want something else!

That's amazing about the free hosting! I've already signed up, is it too late to take advantage of it?

Thanks!

No, it's not too late. Just contact support and they can switch you over after you submit all the necessary paperwork.