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Basics of Web Design
The basics of a web site are the same no
matter if you design the site yourself or contract with
someone to do it. We will try to keep it simple. Should
you need more information, please contact us.
Internet Address
This is commonly called a domain name. Your address is
how people find your site. The end of the domain can be
.com, .net, .org, .cc, .us, .edu or many more. The most
common is .com and we will use that in examples.
Free Address
Usually, your internet provider will provide you with
free space for your address. Also, sites such as Yahoo
or Geocities will provide you with a free site. The
addresses may look like domainname.com/yourname or
something similar. These sites are intended for
personal sites but can be used for a small business or
organization. The problem is that many of the free
addresses either run ads or limit what design techniques
you can use. Also, most have a space limitation of how
much space you can use for your site.
Directory Address
The directory address will look like this:
http://ohiowebs.com/yourname. Notice it is similar
to a free address. However, there is generally a charge
for the address and space by whoever owns the domain
name. In the example, ohiowebs.com is owned by Web
Designs of Bath. We can set up a site at the location.
See Custom Pages for more information
Your Own Domain Name
Ideally, this is the best way for a small business or
organization to follow. All of our current clients have
their own domain names. A domain name of yourname.com
identifies your business or organization better. There
is an annual charge for the name and is handled by
different registrars. We can get your name registered.
The one problem that arises is that many businesses or
organization find out that someone else already owns the
name they want.
Hosting
Once you have your internet address, you need to get
space to store the site. The free addresses give you a
limited amount of space but also restrict what you can
do with it. We can host your site and provide you with
e-mail addresses at your domain name. You can still keep
your old e-mail address and we can forward e-mail to it.
You also can have an autoresponder that will
automatically send information to someone who requests
it.
Software
You also need software to create your site. The free
sites provide you with very simple but limited software
to construct your site. Dreamweaver and Adobe GoLive are
excellent but expensive site building software. We use
Microsoft Frontpage to build a site. We use it because
if someone wants us to build the site they maintain it,
they are probably using other Microsoft products and the
learning curve is quicker. Also, you will need graphics
software to enhance the site. We have software available
to enhance your site.
Time
You must have time to build your site, make changes and
other tasks that will take time. We give you personal
service and most changes can be made within one day. You
manage your business and let us manage your site.
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