Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA; 800-426-9400; http://www.microsoft.com/. Read original review

Web Authoring

Microsoft FrontPage 97

The unequaled level of automation in Microsoft FrontPage 97  makes it the HTML editor of the year. No other program made so much of the page creation process--including site management and dynamically created pages--so easy. In the FrontPage Editor, the changes you make on one page can be automatically applied to the rest. More advanced features are also surprisingly easy. You can design and implement animation sequences using the included Image Composer. And FrontPage's WebBot lets even beginners create discussion groups and forms without having to learn CGI scripts.

FrontPage 97's extras give it an edge. For example, FrontPage automatically converts graphics into Web-friendly files. When you're ready to publish your site, the program will determine whether or not your server supports FrontPage extension; if not, it automatically launches a Web Publishing wizard. By merging simple page creation with powerful features, FrontPage garners a "Best of 1997" spot in this rapidly evolving category.

Jennifer L. Anderson