7 Habits of Highly Effective Web Sites
Well Organized and Informative
If someone comes to your site in search of information, they should be able to
find what they want with a minimum of difficulty. That's why I first work with
clients on the often-overlooked, but important, matter of determining what their
viewers are seeking. Then we develop an outline for helping viewers find what
they want. Then we add cross-links to help them find what they want even when
they don't follow our outline.
Compatible
Some web surfers (including me) prefer Netscape, while others prefer Internet
Explorer. Some prefer a 640x480 pixel display while others prefer an 800x640
pixel display. A well designed web site lets them decide. The site should look
reasonably good even if the viewer hasn't upgraded the browser! When building a
site, we check it out with Netscape 4, Netscape 2, Internet Explorer, and Lynx.
We may add something that is even better with a particular browser or screen
resolution, but we try to accomodate the needs of all. If sound is part of the
message, we'll incorporate it into the site using the most widely available
technology available (currently RealPlayer®).
Accessible
Checking the site with the Lynx browser is particularly important to me. Some
web surfers lack the gift of sight. Modern technology has created text-to-speech
interfaces. These work well only when the site is navigable in a text-only
browser. Even when graphic navigation improves the aesthetics of a site, a text
alternative should be provided so that the blind may also surf the site. Frames
and javascript pose serious problems for such surfers, so we avoid them. It's
not hard to do, but the web designer must care about this audience. We do.
Use good English (or good Spanish or whatever)
The plain truth is that most web designers are young men barely beyond puberty.
While knowledgeable about computers, some seem to have slept through English
class. Having once taught English (and still certified to do so in Kansas), I
think my sites are a bit closer to perfection in this regard. You may find a
typo or two, but you'll also find an eagerness to correct them t1 providers. A few of the
pages you'll find on shorock.com are not in good English — because they are en
español or some other language, but we still try for perfection in those
languages.
Quick to load
My first computer experience was in 1962, when 1K of memory meant a cubic foot
of magnetic core. Later, I spent a decade as an active programmer in the TI-99/4a
community. Whenever possible, I made my programs usable with a minimal 16K
system. Thus, my love of elegance is deeply rooted. I still value each
byte. Since download time is directly proportional to t1 price quotes, I do my best to
squeeze out every unnecessary byte of code and, when using images, instinctively
choose the most efficient way to get the job done. If the web surfer gets tired
of waiting for the download, hits the stop button, and then backs out, it
doesn't matter how beautiful your site was.
Well-maintained
I've heard several people complain that their webmaster was too busy to make a
change they want made. If anything, my clients have the opposite problem. When I
notice something on their site is out-of-date, I'm hounding them for more
current information. When they need something updated, they often find it's done
that day. Since installing t1 prices Linkbot, I regularly spider my sites, looking for
those nasty “404 — File Not Found” messages so I can change or remove
broken links. Knowing that a site is well-maintained keeps surfers coming back.
Affordable
The simple fact is that I love to do web design so it doesn't take much
to motivate me to build a T1 site. Given a worthwhile cause like folk music or a
non-profit organization, and I'll probably do it for a pittance or even for
free. However, since my car now has over 270,000 miles and my house could use
some repairs, I wouldn't mind being paid for web design. Thus, your
ability to pay becomes a factor in what your site will cost. All of my clients,
though, will tell you that they got a bargain. If you have your own web space
available (probably courtesy of your ISP), I can build your t1 rate quote site there. On the
other hand, we can give you space on aivae.com at no additional cost. At a
surprisingly low cost, we can create and host a virtual T1 line
or cheap travel rates
domain for you on
airvae.com, giving you a personalized web and e-mail address.
Herve Warasse
President/CEO
Airvae Design Partners
Advanced E-Commerce Solutions
Innovative Development
http://www.airvae.com
