What You Need To Create a Web Site

1) Web page/s = simple file with HTML tags that describe how and where the text (& images) should be displayed on the computer screen

• use code or editor (eg, Dreamweaver, MS Word, FrontPage)

HTML = HyperText Markup Language -- in the form of tags to define fonts, colors, headings, embedded graphics (W3 Consortium)

2) Web browser = program that interprets HTML tags within the page; pulls pages from a server to your machine (eg, Netscape, Internet Explorer)

3) Web server = computer that stores files, with software program that responds to browser's request (ftp) and delivers pages.

• free space (ads, banners)
• fee (domain name)

4) Users ? (promote your site)

But, before you create, you should plan:

• know your purpose (to provide information, teach, sell something, market a company or product, impress someone ?)

• know your audience (think about who they are, what they want/don't want)

• outline the structure

• write the text

• design a basic layout for all pages (make it graphically interesting)

• with navigation on all pages; links to home & contact information
• choose colors, fonts, headings, images carefully

• always keep usability and accessibility in mind
  • Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox : http://www.useit.com/alertbox/

  • Web Style Guide : http://www.webstyleguide.com/

• always test (on different users, on different browsers, on different monitors -- screen resolutions, on different connections)