When you use FrontPage, you have to have a web server of some kind. You'll probably end up with two servers: your local computer running either MSPWS or FPPWS, and an ISP or corporate heavy-duty server. Here's the lowdown:
On what type of server will your pages end up? | Microsoft Personal Web Server | FrontPage Personal Web Server | Disk-Based (local) Web | ISP without FrontPage Extensions | ISP with Front Page Extensions | Corporate Server (e.g., Microsoft NT Internet Information Server or Netscape Commerce Server) |
Nickname/Abbreviation: | MSPWS | FPPWS | ISP | ISP | IIS | |
Summary: | A server that runs on Windows 95. The best choice for testing locally when creating pages in FrontPage; not terrible for an intranet, but probably not suitable for Internet serving, since you'd have to leave your computer connected all the time | A server that only runs when FrontPage is running; light-duty intranet only, definitely not for internet serving | No server at all: just reading the web from disk; may be sufficient for simple files, and you can even share them across a network | A remote server that doesn't support all of FrontPage's features; there are many different servers, such as NCSA and Apache; all are good -- and even better, you don't have to worry about it, since it's administered by a professional | A remote server that does support all of FrontPage's features; makes many things easier | If your corporation or small-business is well-connected and has the bucks, then you can run the show yourself |
Location reference name that you use in FrontPage when editing your web | localhost 127.0.0.1 (your computer name) (your IP number) |
localhost 127.0.0.1 (your computer name) (your IP number) |
(pathname) | You'll have to use either MSPWS or FPPWS as well, but when you publish you'll use an ftp: URL | If you're editing live, you'll use an http: URL, otherwise use MSPWS or FPPWS then publish | If you're editing live, you'll use a http: URL consisting of your server's name; otherwise, use MSPWS or FPPWS then publish |
Actual directory where webs are stored: | C:\Webshare\Wwwwroot\ | C:\FrontPage Webs\Content\ | (any) | (varies) ~/public_html is typical | Depends on server, but C:\Webshare\Wwwroot is typical | |
Platform: | 95 or NT | 95 or NT | Any | Any (typically Unix) | Any (typically Unix) | NT or Unix |
Server Price (your cost): | None | None | None | None | None | High |
Monthly Cost: | Depends on ISP | Depends on ISP | None | $20 - $50 and up | $20 - $50 and up | Depends on ISP and Phone Company |
Connection Speed: | Limited to your connection to Internet (typically modem or ISDN) | Limited to your connection to Internet (typically modem or ISDN) | Zero | Depends on ISP, typically T1 or T3 | Depends on ISP, typically T1 or T3 | Depends on corporate connection (typically ISDN, Frame Relay, or T1) |
Edit web on local computer? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Usually Not |
Must you publish to a different server? | You don't have to, but you can | You don't have to, but you can | If you want anyone on the Web to be able to read it, yes; otherwise, no | Yes | If editing live: No If testing locally, then publishing: Yes |
If editing live: No If testing locally, then publishing: Yes |
Good for testing and while under construction? | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Local editing speed: | Decent | Good | Great | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Local memory requirements: | Hefty (16 min, 32 better) | Normal (8 ok, 16 better) | None | n/a | n/a | n/a |
What you lose: | Speed of access for viewers coming to your page; sole possession of your computer | Performance if you actually serve your pages this way; some advanced features of Bots | All Bots (including Indexing, etc.) | Most Advanced Bots (Search, Discussion, Forms) | Nothing | Nothing |