I've always avoided front page like the plague.  In part due to the fact that I don't want to unghost my pages but also in part because I just dislike the tool.  However, that's changed...

The ability to create data view web parts and more importantly to convert list view web parts into dataview web parts (with a simple right click I might add) is very cool.  Add the list view web part to your page, right click in front page to convert to a dataviewweb part and you're done.

Of course using front page will unghost the page you're working with -- however, you can always export the DWP file and use it other places.

Another useful tool...

Rob