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.
The term ‘website design’ refers to the process of producing web sites for publication on the world wide web. Web site design follows the same guidelines as any other published document. The content of the web site is selected, altered, or produced as an original work. The page layout must be organized, logical, and easily navigated. The site itself must be thoroughly tested before final publication.
Website design doesn’t require much specialized knowledge or any financial investment, unlike the preparation of paper publications or other physical media. Today, there are website design tools that anyone can buy that will allow anyone with a modem and computer to design and operate his own website from the bottom up.
A simple site made to present basic media, like text, video, and images, might take a few minutes and no dollars out of pocket to design and then publish. A complex site, usually with lots of interactive features, or connections to a big database of info, might need professional help and a much bigger budget.
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.
The last thing you will need to help you put your site together is web design software. If your web site is non-commercial, the free tools your internet service provider probably offers are often the best tools. Visit your ISP’s web site, or search for a term like ‘affordable web site design software’ to find out more.
A good description of a web site would be to think of it as a lot of files, similar to paper files in their folders that are filed into several cabinets. 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 package is usually the free software tools your Internet service provider likely offers.
- jason ciment
Highlights 
November 10th, 2008 