The WebDev Buzz

For the specialist, web design is a creative process in which he can experiment on many things and fulfill some inner need to express art. But for the beginner, starting in web design can be downright confusing. The good news is that eight-year-olds can create impressive web designs. This implies that the whole process does not require a person to have a PhD.

There are web pages that are simple and direct, while others have music, movements, or images that talk. The beginner may be eager to produce the latter, but attempting to create a web page with lots of fireworks when one has no intensive experience can lead to frustration. Therefore, it is simpler to design a web page by thinking only of three things: text, graphics, and tools.

• TextWhen thinking of the right text to use, the beginner need only to visualize the web page as a sheet inserted into a word processor. Some words are bigger than others while some are in too fine a print that a cursory glance will not detect them.The most unique feature of a web text, however, is the presence of links. A link is usually an underlined word or phrase. Of course, in some web pages, the underline is removed. Still, a link must be easily identified. A link will lead to any of these:
  • A part of the same web page
  • Another web page within the website
  • Another site
• GraphicsGraphics or images or pictures can make a web page more attractive. The graphics are usually in any of these three formats: GIF (Graphics Interchange Format), JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), and PNG (Portable Network Graphics). The GIF is excellent for diagrams and illustrations using only a few colors. While the JPEG is appropriate for portraits and photographs. The PNG is being eyed as a substitute for GIF.What the beginner needs to know is that an image, like the text must be hauled from one website into another through the telephone lines. This implies that the bigger is the image, the more CPU memory it will occupy, and the transmission will be considerable slower. In fact, it has been estimated that an image, which area is only one square inch, is equivalent to about 166 words
• ToolsThere are only two types of tools to use in designing a web: the tool for writing the text, and the tool for creating the graphics.In writing the text for the web page, any text editor will do. Even the later versions of Microsoft Word can be used However, the more convenient tools are Adobe GoLive, Macromedia Dreamweaver, and even the Microsoft FrontPage.In creating the images, the beginner may use any bitmap image editor. Or he can go for the low-cost programs such as PaintShop Pro or Photoshop 5 LE. He may also have a more professional-looking website by using Adobe Photoshop of Macromedia Fireworks.

Of course, these three important things will not be enough to make the best looking web page. Experience becomes an edge.