Microsoft Unveils Web Design Tool Set

New Microsoft Expression suite positioned as alternative to Adobe, Macromedia software.

Elizabeth Montalbano, IDG News Service

LOS ANGELES-- Microsoft today unveiled Microsoft Expression, a suite of Web site design and graphics software that enables.Net developers to handle tasks similar to those that users of corresponding software from from Adobe Systems and Macromedia have performed for years.

As expected, Sparkle Interactive Designer, a new tool for building 3D animation and graphics, is part of the suite. Eric Rudder, senior vice president of Microsoft's Server and Tools division, unveiled a prerelease version of Expression in his keynote speech at Microsoft's Professional Developers Conference here on Wednesday morning.

In addition to Sparkle, Expression includes Acrylic Graphic Designer (a painting and illustration tool) and Quartz Web Designer (a layout and design tool for building Web sites). All of the current names for individual tools are Microsoft code names.

Microsoft Expression is now available as a community technology preview; the company expects the suite to ship in 2006. Microsoft plans to make several more CTPs available before releasing a full production version of the suite.

Filling the Gap

Although Expression gives designers an alternative to using tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia Flash, and Macromedia Dreamweaver, they are unlikely to begin migrating in droves from those tools to Microsoft Expression anytime soon, according to one analyst attending the PDC.

Macromedia's tools are most widely used on Apple's Macintosh hardware, which is still the platform of choice for graphics and Web site designers, said Ron Schmelzer, senior analyst for Zapthink, a research firm in Waltham, Massachusetts.

"Macromedia and Adobe aren't that threatened because they have a Macintosh installed base," he said. "Most designers prefer the Macintosh [as a platform], and I don't see Microsoft offering Expression for the Mac anytime soon."

Instead, Microsoft Expression fills a gap in Microsoft's own tools portfolio, he said. Microsoft has not previously had a compelling set of tools for graphics designers, so developers creating applications for.Net will now have design tools that are closely integrated with Visual Studio, Microsoft's core tool set for building.Net apps.

In fact, by using Expression in conjunction with Visual Studio, developers who are writing server code can work more seamlessly with designers to create rich user interfaces for.Net applications, Rudder said. Microsoft developers demonstrated this functionality during Rudder's speech.

Following Macromedia's Example?

This capability is similar to what Macromedia offers to Java developers with its Macromedia Flex tool, which enables programmers who are writing server-side Java code to work with designers of graphical user interfaces to create rich Internet applications, according to Macromedia.

The San Francisco-based Web tools company recently released Studio 8, a suite of its core design and development tools, including Dreamweaver, Flash Professional, and Fireworks.

"We continue to watch all competitive and complementary technologies very closely, including this one," Jim Guerard, vice president of product management and product marketing for Macromedia, said Wednesday of Microsoft Expression.

Adobe is currently in the process of acquiring Macromedia, a deal that shareholders have approved but that still awaits regulatory approval.