Articles from GBE Friends

We can use the office metaphor to better understand the world wide web. Think of a web site as a collection of paper files organized into folder which are themselves sorted into various cabinets. A web server could be thought of as the cabinet. This cabinet is accessed by web surfer using a web browser program, which displays the content of those files onto the user's computer screen. The cabinet, or web server, has an address called the URL which directs the web browser to the desired destination.

As with any other document meant to be seen by a large number of people, a web site must be carefully designed. The content of the site must be thought out and then assembled or produced, after which it must be laid out in a way that people can read. Before publication, the web site has to be tested to ensure that it can be reliably accessed. This entire process is usually referred to by the name website design.

The design and publication of web sites does not require the investment of time, training, money and resources that producing professional publications on other media does. Using the free website design tools available today, almost anyone with a computer and internet access can engage in website design and publication.

A simple web site design for non-commercial purposes can be very quick and inexpensive to produce. Such personal web sites typically contain basic media like text, images and video. Complicated web sites, often commercial in nature, can be very expensive and time consuming to produce. Such web sites typically contain additional interactive features and links to databases for applications like virtual shopping carts.

If you are new to the world of website design, and would like to get started producing your very own web site, the first thing to do is to think about the nature of the content that you are interested in sharing. Next, consider your intended audience. Your target audience could be the entire world, or just a few close friends. Your intended audience could even be just yourself - especially if you would like to keep a journal, personal photos or writings on the internet where you can access them any time, and from almost anywhere.

Finally, you will need to find web design software to help you to put it all together. Depending on your needs, the best web design software is often the free software tools that your internet service provider probably provides. You can learn more by searching for a phrase such as 'web site design software', or by visiting the main page of your internet service provider.

A web site must be carefully designed. Before publication, the web site has to be tested to ensure that it can be reliably accessed. This entire process is usually referred to by the name website design. You'll need to find web design software to help you put everything together. Depending on what your needs are, the best web design system is usually the free software tools your internet service provider likely offers. You will learn more by searching for phrases like 'web site design software,' or by visiting your internet service provider's main page.