Vernacularism

May 24th, 2008

Picking your First Website Host

Posted in School of Webbing

If you’re just starting out on the web, the process of picking a web hosting company to run your site can be daunting and scary at first. With all the technical jargon and features that hosts offer, how do you separate what you need from what you don’t need? In this article we’re going to take you step by step on how to pick a quality web host for your first site. You’ll learn how to separate needed features from fluff, and what to look for in a host with your eye on the future.

What are your needs?

The first step in choosing website hosting is to identify your needs. Take a look at your site and ask yourself, “What do I want to do with this site?” Is your site just a family page to post pictures so your family can keep up with you, is it a personal blog, is it a fan site of some sort, or is it just a site that is dedicated to something you’re interested in? You have to identify what the target of your site is before you can identify the immediate and potential needs your site will have.

Now you should have an idea of what kind of site you want, and you can start looking at various hosts. You’ll want to look at disk space, and bandwidth at first. Disk space is how much space your files are allowed to use up, and bandwidth is the amount of data you can transfer to visitors. To get a better idea of bandwidth, whenever someone visits your page, the page they visit is transferred to their browser. If your page is 200kb in size, you use 200kb of bandwidth every time a visitor comes to that page. For a graphic intensive site, you’ll need more bandwidth then if you just have a lot of text.

So should you choose based on disk space or bandwidth? The answer is both. If you just want to have a site that you share family photos with friends, you won’t need a lot of either. While pictures will take up space and use bandwidth when your family visits the page, you can estimate with a pretty fair degree of accuracy how many times people will visit the pages, so you can calculate how much bandwidth you will need. If, on the other hand, you plan on promoting your site and hoping strangers will visit it, you may want to get a bit more bandwidth since it’s hard to say exactly how many visitors will come.

What about if my site grows faster than I expect

If you’re lucky, your site my skyrocket in popularity quickly. If that happens, it can cause some problems with your provider in the form of extra charges or service stoppage. To prevent unforeseen costs and service stoppage, before you pick a hosting plan you should check a few things. First, what happens if you go over your allotted bandwidth usage for the month? Do they start charging you extra for the bandwidth you go over, or do they just take your website down so users cannot access it? You should also check to see about their policy on plan upgrades. If you find yourself needing more space, more bandwidth, or more features, can you upgrade a plan without extra costs? If you are on a less expensive plan, be sure your host allows you to upgrade to a higher plan by paying the difference between the two plans instead of having to purchase a more expensive plan outright.

As you get more experienced with your website you will have a better idea of what you need from a hosting plan. You can start to try out other providers that either aren’t as big or that target a specific hosting need (Unix hosting for example). Be prepared to pay more for the extra features though, as better plans come with a price tag. Be sure to also look out for deals that look too good to be true - they probably are.

Adrian Titus is a software engineer by day and the webmaster of the Website Hosting Directory by night.

May 20th, 2008

Websites are not television

Posted in School of Webbing

Have you noticed that websites today are adapting the concept of
television?

Nowadays, web sites are complete with state-of-the-art graphics,
sounds and videos. To top it all up, advertisements are also
rampant. On a single page alone, you get to see a lot of
products or services being offered. Makes one wonder if websites
are giving television a run for their money.

But what website owners are missing out is that their visitors
are not there to watch television. If they were, they would not
be browsing on your site in the first place.

Visitors are there for a purpose; to get information fast and
leave. With all the things you have put into your site, chances
are your visitors will long be gone before your main page can
even load. The fact is, most are viewing your web site on a
screen that is between 15 and 19 inches wide, can only see 216
colors, and can only download at 28.8 kb per second.

As a website owner, you should make sure you are on a 28.8
connection; type in the URL for your web page; hit enter, and
hold your breath. Your web page should be no larger then 50K.
Less than 30K is best.

Take note that the number one visited web site home page is
under 21k. You heard right. Yahoo’s home page is only 20k. One
of the main reasons why it is quite popular in any part of the
world. This might seem like very little but you really can do a
lot within that size.

Why do you do that?

Use more design and fewer graphic. For a web page to be
successful, it needs to download quickly and look good. The most
common dilemma that owners encounter is they are torn between
downloading quickly and looking good.

Instead of designing graphics and taking pictures and turning
them into jpgs to make your web page look good, try using color
schemes. Use cell colors to make boarders. Use the negative
space on your web site. What is not there is just as important
as what is there.

Remember sometimes less is more. When in doubt think of a
typical visitor coming to your web page. Would that extra
graphic sell them or keep them coming back again and again. If
the answer is yes, by all means keep it.

If the answer is “well maybe” or “it just looks good there”,
yank it. Viewers will appreciate not waiting more then they have
to. The web is here to make our life easier not to sit in front
of a screen waiting for heavy web pages to download.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit
http://www.ucreative.com

May 12th, 2008

Which Web Server?

Posted in School of Webbing

If you’ve been lurking in the various forums and newsgroups
devoted to webmastering, you could hardly fail to notice the
heated debate going on at this time. No, it’s not which is the
best browser. This debate is about web servers. More precisely,
which one is better: Apache or Internet Information Server (IIS).

To tell you the truth, I’ve used them both (and a few others as
well) and the simple plain truth of the matter is these two web
server platforms are really functionally equivalent.

Ease Of Use

IIS is much easier for the novice as operators can maintain it
from easy-to-use screens and forms. Windows 2000, on the other
hand, costs a lot more than other operating systems such as
Linux, FreeBSD and Unix.

Straight Apache requires a huge learning curve to learn how to
operate and administer. Everything is configured in extremely
obscure text files, and these configurations are done by hand
(although you can purchase add-on utilities to enable entry of
much of this information from screens and forms.)

Security

The security model of IIS is one of the best ever designed,
based as it is upon NTFS (the security model of Windows NT and
Windows 2000). This model is far superior to the anything
provided with Apache for non-Windows systems. Of course, on
Windows, Apache can use NTFS as well.

Of course, IIS has been plagued with a number of vulnerabilities
lately, and these are a concern. It’s common to patch IIS at
least monthly, and to install a new service release (a
collection of patches) twice a year. Most of the bugs were
worked out of Apache (prior to version 2) long ago. Of course,
with the release of version two of Apache you can expect a
number of security and other flaws to surface - these are a
normal part of a product’s life cycle.

Customization

IIS does NOT have the equivalent of HTACCESS. The HTACCESS file
in Apache is used to individually configure virtual sites (web
sites) without restarting the web server. However, on IIS you
have a very flexible method of configuration with ISAPI filters
and other similar methods. Both methods (HTACCESS and ISAPI
filters) are very obscure and for advanced webmasters.

Efficiency

According to several reports that I’ve come across lately IIS is
more efficient than Apache. My own testing has led me to
conclude the performance of the two is roughly the same for
static pages. PHP (the server side scripting platform common on
Apache) tends to be more efficient than ASP (the server side
scripting system for IIS) according to many sources, although I
have tested neither for speed.

Hardware Requirements

I have run both web server platforms on large and small boxes of
many different configurations, and I’ve found they require much
the same hardware. This is not surprising, since the two
platforms basically do the same thing.

When you configure Windows and IIS, it’s a good idea to strip
the operating system of unneeded functions. This reduces the
size box you need (as well as increasing security).

I’ve run both platforms on 64mb of memory with a single 5600 RPM
IDE drive and 200mhtrz processors with reasonable response time
(all things considered). I’ve also run them on dual 2gigahertz
systems with 15k RPM SCSI raid 10 drives with incredible
performance. The two platforms are equivalent in hardware needs.

Large Server Farms

Microsoft has worked hard on load balancing, so there are more
options available for IIS and Windows 2000 for this than other
operating systems. In fact, Windows 2000 clustering (the ability
to run several servers using the same disks) is very advanced
and makes disaster recovery a breeze.

Disaster Recovery

IIS backup solutions (those which are provided with Windows
2000) are surprisingly weak. There is no way to back up the
metabase (all of the IIS configuration parameters) from one
machine and restore it to another (which makes disaster recovery
difficult). On the other hand, with Apache it’s just a matter of
saving all of the configuration text files.

Language and other support

IIS and Apache both support CGI, SSI and PERL (ActivePerl on IIS
is excellent). IIS natively supports ASP and I’m sure you could
find PHP if you looked (I have not). Apache tends towards PHP,
although you can install something like Chilisoft ASP if you
want.

CGI, SSI and PERL are performance hogs and security nightmares
in both web platforms.

Stability

Both web platforms are rock solid stable. I have run apache
servers which have stayed up for longer than a year without a
reboot, and my IIS servers have run for years with the only
rebooting required is the occasional service pack and security
patch. Neither web platform (or OS for that matter) has even
once crashed due to a bug.

Operating System Integration

IIS and Windows 2000 is a more “integrated” environment than
Apache, since IIS is targeted specifically for the operating
system. This has the advantage that the GUI and controls of IIS
look and feel the same as every other tool on Windows.

On the other hand, you can find Apache for just about any
platform, including Lunix, Unix, BSD, and even such things as
OpenVMS. If you need to be able to move between platforms, then
Apache is a great choice.

Email

SMTP on IIS is primitive but functional. This is because it is
only provided to allow scripts and such to send email from the
server. If you need additional email support, you are expected
to use Exchange or some other email system.

Apache does not support SMTP (sendmail), although a version is
usually provided on the target system. The provided email
solution is full featured - but you must be very sure to check
the configuration to be sure your system is not an open relay.

The IIS SMTP module is configured through the standard Windows
2000 entry system, while Sendmail requires configuration file
editing. IIS SMTP is absolutely trivial to maintain; Sendmail
can be a challenge.

DNS

DNS on Windows 2000 is far, far superior to anything available
on Unix or Linux. Bind (he DNS for Unix and similar systems) has
traditionally suffered from a huge number of security
vulnerabilities) and is very involved to maintain.

My own experience with DNS servers indicates the best solution
is a dedicated DNS application box. These are inexpensive (for a
business), easy-to-configure and much more secure than either
the Windows 2000 version or the Unix version.

Search Engines

There is NO difference as far as search engines are concerned
between Apache and IIS (or any other web server, for that
matter).

Conclusions

I’m sure I could write for hours and hours about this subject
(and perhaps I will in an article on my own web site).
Basically, IIS and Apache do the same thing. They have a vastly
different design philosophy, however, and the underlying
operating systems have even wider differences.

My experience is that Linux and Unix people prefer apache, and
windows people prefer IIS.

To me, the choice of webserver really comes down to “what are
you and your group comfortable with?” If your experience is with
apache, linux or unix, then you probably want to stick with
Apache. If your experience is with Windows, then you will
probably be uncomfortable with Apache.

I’ve used both (and several others) and quite frankly, to me, it
does not matter. Drop me on a server running apache or IIS, and
I will feel at home.

May 3rd, 2008

I Want To Be A Freelancer

Posted in School of Webbing

So you have decided that you want to do freelance work. You have done your homework and have developed your skills in HTML, PHP, CMS, and a slew of other applications. Now you are ready to start your new career. So how do you get started? Without clients your business is non existent. So how exactly do you build your business and find clients. Below are just a few key elements to help you get started.

Develop a website portfolio

In order for your potential clients to see what you offer, and get a feel for you, it is necessary to have your own website. The purpose of your website should act as a portfolio for potential clients. Show completed projects in the form of gif, or jpegs. When people can see your work, they will be more apt to use your services.

Develop your website as a total package to your clients. Don’t just present your portfolio and leave it at that. Offer tutorials, articles, support forums etc. These additional services not only provide additional content for you clients, but if developed correctly will bring additional traffic to your site which will potentially lead to more sales.

Word of Mouth

In the freelance industry, word of mouth is probably your biggest asset. If you do a good job for one client, ideally he will tell someone of the service you provided and recommend you. Of course this works both ways. If you do a job for a client that was sub par, that will poorly reflect on your business and result in a loss of potential clients. In the field of freelance work viral marketing is essential.

Forums

Forums are an amazing resource for your new business. The idea is, you post in forums that are relevant to your services. Have your website name and description in your signature. If people see that you do know what you are talking about, they will be more likely to visit your site. Forums are ideal for the needed exposure you need to build a strong client base.

Forums are also great place to learn and gain feedback and experience on your work. Go to web design communities such as New York Freelancers and get reviews on your work. Remember, criticism is essential in order for you to grow and learn.

To be a successful freelancer, you have to develop a business plan which works from all angels. If you can develop you business with has a professional looking portfolio, use forums are a source for potential clients, and develop a positive relationship with each client, your chance at success will be high. Of course there are many other factors to consider as well, but if you can master these simple points, you will have an excellent start.

The New York Freelancers website has all information you will need on Freelancing in the New York area as well as around the world Or check out our Website Promotion service, ideal for new forums or websites.

May 1st, 2008

How to Build a Website

Posted in School of Webbing

Building a new website can be both exciting and daunting. The opportunity to communicate to such a large audience is exciting whilst the work involved in getting a site ready for launch can indeed be daunting. However, with a structured and logical approach, it can be made quite painless - and in fact quite enjoyable!

Website Purpose

Before even thinking about design and structure, the first decision to be made is with regard the purpose of the site. Write something akin to a mission statement, for instance: “our site will enable people to buy great quality sporting goods at a superb price”. It is critical that you write down on paper just what you want your site to achieve and communicate. This informs and lends purpose and structure to the rest of your site and should be kept in mind throughout the design process.

Target Audience

You will also need to clearly hold in mind your target audience - who you are writing the site for - this will inform both design, tone of voice and, most importantly of all, site content.

Page Titles

Next, you should define the number of pages you will need and the key theme or title of each page. Jot these down on a piece of paper.

Taxonomy

You are now ready to define the structure, or taxonomy of your site. Group the page titles you listed above into a logical structure that - critically - will make sense to the customer and not just to you. Give this a lot of thought as it can make or break your site. How easy or hard it is for the customer to find what they want can be the difference between a successful and a disappointing website.

Remember to consider how many levels of navigation you are prepared to have, and bear in mind that for each extra click down the site traffic will often fall off by around 50%. This means you should aim for a flat but logical structure, with no more than three clicks from the homepage to reach deepest content if at all possible.

Page template

The next step will be to define your page template. This will ensure that the hierarchy established by the taxonomy is followed. The best place to put navigation is down the left hand side so that it is easiest to access and find. Since most sites put navigation down this side of the page, it is also the best place to put it - the eye almost expects navigation in that area of the page when viewing a site.

Remember to have space at the top of your page for a logo and, if relevant, search. Some sites also put a list of links in a horizontal navigation bar underneath the logo at the top of the page.

Content

The final step is the writing of the content for your site. Remember to bear in mind the site purpose, audience, page titles and taxonomy when writing the content - or pass these details onto a copy writer if you decide to use their services.

Ensure that you write clearly and succinctly - and break up text with lots of white space, lists and perhaps a few images if they add value.

Ensure your ‘calls to action’ are clearly labelled and that all language you use is non-technical and free of jargon that is used inside your company.

If you follow this advice, you’ll be well on the way to creating a website that works well for you, your company and - most importantly of all - your visitors.

Dan Moore is Director of Clarity Media Limited, a web design company and supplier of puzzles such as sudoku, kakuro, hanjie and codewords

April 26th, 2008

Advocates of the Internet - Incoming Links

Posted in Links + Linkage, Marketing, Marketing Resources, School of Webbing

In today’s society, links would be considered the referrals of the internet. When you hang out with people more intelligent than you then this in turn will eventually make you more intelligent because of your fellowship which in turn will deliver you more perceived value. Referrals or links have three very important things in common: more people you know the better, the more quality people you know the better, and not knowing everybody the better.

In the beginning, starting out in business you probably did not know numerous people. But as you got more clients, your territory of influence becomes wider. Thus giving you the capability to recommend them to others. With links, it is the same way. Link popularity is dependent upon the amount of incoming links you have, therefore giving your web site more exposure and higher rankings.

As part of the net, links operate the same way. A link ( referral ) from an .gov is considered more trustworthy because of the source, therefore giving you a great referral. Pick your interconnections wisely.Therefore if you start hooking up with fishy persons then your site rankings will go lower.

Also be conscious to the fact that if you get 250,000 friends over night, then bells and whistles start going off and your website usually gets punished by the Google.

At Magnetiks, a Houston SEO company should help you build your interconnections consistently over time therefore guaranteeing continued web presence As part of the net.

April 16th, 2008

Web Writing Essentials

Posted in School of Webbing

In today’s modern times, writing grows with time. At the onset of website development, writing expanded and created different forms and styles. Standard writing gave birth to web writing. Compared to the former, the latter is more demanding. This is because visitors of a homepage or a site lack the diligence of the conventional readers.

If you want to your content to be a sure hit, you have to have these web writing essentials:

1. Readability. Patience - that’s what most of the visitors do not have. Thus, you have to immediately give them the information they wanted. Be sure that your font size and color will contribute to its readability.

Another, express what you want to say in brief and full sentences. Bear in mind that a word can be a sentence. You need not go verbose for the readers won’t like it.

2. Scanability. Scanning is another great probability because online readers tend to scan. To make it easier for them, use bullets, numbering and letters to produce an outlined look. Use frequent paragraph breaks to make the eyes rest at every break. Subtopics can also be had for summarization of ideas.

3. Relevance. Your content must be relevant to your site’s purpose. Otherwise it should not be placed there. To know whether it is relevant, ask yourself if it is related to the topic or site. Is it important to your cause? If it is then, never forget to include it.

4. Error-free. Mechanical and factual errors can be disastrous. They can spoil the visitor’s reading experience or worse, ruin the site’s credibility. Moreover, you have to read, proofread, edit and edit some more.

5. Harmony with the web design. The content and the web design must be in harmony with each other. The responsibility lies on both the designer and the writer. They must work closely together to achieve this end.

6. Consistency. The tone, terms and style must be regular throughout the pages. Inconsistencies baffle and upset the readers.

7. Personality. Every home page must be distinct from all other. It must exude personality which gives them the chance of knowing you or your company.

Content is the king of the website. Be sure that the king will appear regal and pleased.

Please visit Website Development site at www.webdevelopmentpros.com/page/Website-Development.html for comments and inquiries regarding this article.

April 8th, 2008

User Friendly Web Development

Posted in School of Webbing

It’s not very difficult to create a web development that is user friendly. It only takes some thinking ahead. When initiating web development the first thing to think about is the audience. The content and style should cater the audience preferences. A web designer should take a look at the sites that they commonly visit and take note the qualities that are most appealing. What makes this website so appealing? Is it the graphics that are offered? Does the text seem to flow logically? Piecing together positive aspects of different websites will aid in the basic concept of the desired web design.

These aspects that have been taken from other websites can be pieced together to form the desired web design. However, in a web development plan always think about the user. A website is designed for a person to come on and use. If the website is not user friendly then usage will be low. There for keep in mind the visitor when creating a web design. In web development think like the average web surfer that is visiting the website for the first time. Make sure that the pages connect logically for the user. Don’t forget to provide them with information and navigation cues. Having a way for them to be able to navigate between pages efficiently will aid so much. Never underestimate the use of the back cue on a website.

A good knowledge in HTML in web development should not be forgotten. It is valuable in the implementation of the website. Templates will help keep consistency in the development of the website. If at all possible test the web page before it is finished. This will make sure that the web development that was implemented had the desired effect and is indeed user friendly. Another aspect to include that will keep the development plan user friendly is to create an extendable directory and a basic file structure. Organization is the key.

Once everything has come to fruition it does not necessarily mean that the web development is complete. Continuously think of new ways to make things better. Web development never finishes. It continues to change and get better over time with the addition of new forms of technology and better ways to help visitors to the website use it. Once the web development is successful in its implementation promote it in every venue possible. Don’t keep a good thing hidden. Link the website with others and do not underestimate the power of word of mouth. Taking into account all of these things in web development will create a productive user friendly website.
Jatech

Web Development

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