Assignment 1 web authoring-ASM(:
- 1. 16-09-14 Assignment 1: Web Authoring, Protocols, Design Conventions and Software Introduction In this report I will be discussing what Web Authoring is, how it works and I will be talking about the aspects of Web Authoring. Web authoring is when web pages are able to be visually created like a desktop publishing programme because the website development system allows it. It was designed to allow you to create websites and web pages. There are three different aspects of Web Authoring, which are: Protocols, Design Conventions and Software. Protocols Firstly, Protocol is another word for “rule”. When we are talking about Web Authoring Protocols, we are talking about the rules which govern the exchange of data and information over the internet. Here are several Protocols that need to be understood; URL URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator. It is the Web address of a website. For example: http://google.co.uk, this protocol will direct you to the website. Domain Name The Domain Name is the name of the website. This is normally memorised by people so they can easily type the name into an address bar or search engine and the Uniform Resource Locator will show below. For example, “Facebook” is the domain name of www.facebook.com and “twitter” is the domain name for www.twitter.com. Top level Domain Name This is the last section of a URL. They indicate the location of the website and the website itself. Country Codes Top level domain names and in a variety of different codes, these are divided into country and organisation, for example, some country codes are; ‘.uk’ which stands for United Kingdom, ‘.ie’ which stands for Ireland and ‘.jp.’ which stands for Japan. Organisation Codes Some organisation codes are ‘.ac’ which stands for academic, ‘.gov.’ which stands for government and ‘.sch’ which stands for school. Domain Name Registration This is how users buy a domain name, for example Mr Akitt bought ‘Akitt’ with the top level Domain Name ‘.co.uk’. These are sold and managed by Domain Name Registrars. An example of a domain name registrar would be https://www.123-reg.co.uk/
- 2. ISPs ISP stands for Internet Service Providers. You are provided with the access to internet, for example, BT, Virgin, PlusNet, Talk-Talk by this company. Hosting You are allowed to host your website of the Companies servers. Your website files air stored on their serves which are accessible to others via the internet. A fee had to be paid, either monthly or yearly. Advantages are that they pay for the server. However disadvantages are that you have to pay monthly or yearly, and if the server goes down, then your website will not work. Web Page Naming Conventions Websites are made of lots of pages, they all use the same URL. It is important that each web page has a suitable name that reflects the content on that page. For example the URL for Amazons Home Page is http://www.amazon.co.uk . The URL for their Contact us page is https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/contact-us . And the URL for the Help page or Customer Service pages http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer . It is very important for pages to be named properly so they are easier to find, if the page is not named properly then it will be harder to find the page. Conventions Design Conventions are rules that govern the aesthetic design of websites. For example The Rule of Thirds, Layout, Colour Scheme and Type face. Rule of Thirds The Rule of Thirds is one of the most important design principles. It is a rule that is applied to the layout and composition of images and websites. Websites and images can be divided into thirds: three vertical lines and three horizontal lines. Where those lines cross are “points of focus”. The eye is naturally drawn into those positions; a website that uses the rule of thirds is universally seen as visually appealing. Here is the layout of the Rule of thirds:
- 3. Here is what a picture looks like before Here is what the same picture looks Rule of Thirds, it does not have point of like after the Rule of Thirds, it does have Focus. By being in the middle the a point of focus, this is because it’s been Composition of the image is “off”, by moved to where the two lines intersect. Moving it into the third we make a This means that eyes are drawn to that Visually appealing image position. The bird rests on a join in lines And rests in 1/3 of the picture. Colour Scheme A website can be designed with three main colour schemes. You need to pick the right colour scheme for your website, it is very important; you don’t want it to be hideous. The colours set the tone and the feel of the website. Colour schemes nearly always reflect the nature of the website. The three main colours are: Monochromatic Colours Monochromatic means ‘one colour’. So if your website it monochromatic, you will only have one colour, but they will be different tints, tones and shades. Websites might want to use this colour scheme to describe the atmosphere, so for example the colours of Costa are Red and brown, those colours show that the place is warm and homey. Here is what Monochromatic colours look like: Analogous Colours Analogous Colours means using similar colours. Analogous Colours are located right next to each other on the colour wheel. The term analogous refers to the having analogy, or corresponding to something in particular. An analogous color scheme creates a rich look. It’s best used with either warm or cool colors, creating a look that has a certain temperature as well as proper color harmony. The scheme also lacks contrast and is less vibrant than complementary schemes; here is what analogous colours look like on a colour wheel:
- 4. Complimentary Colours Complimentary colours are opposites, but visually, they work extremely well together, they are opposite each other on the colour wheel. Websites might want to use this colour scheme because even though the colours are opposites, they work together and make it very eye-catching and attractive, which will catch the audience’s attention, here is what complimentary colours look like on the colour wheel: Type Face/Fonts Finding the right font for a website is important visually and for usability. Fonts are divided into two categories: Serif and Sans Serif. Serif and Sans Serif Serif is when each letter has a flick on each edge of the letter, makes it look quite face, however Sans Serif is when the letters are extremely clear, they have no flicks. Sans Serif is used more because its much easier to read, when billboards or signs are made, the people who make them use Sans Serif. It is better to use Sans-Serid because the font is muich easier to read, it is very clear. I personally prefer Sans Serif. Here is a picture that shows the difference between Serif and Sans Serif, its quite obvious: Here is a picture of Sans-Serif being used: Here is a picture of Serif being used:
- 5. Layout Font size and colour are extremely important in designing a web page. Titles and sub-headings should be larger than the text below them to show importance and to break the page and content up. Fonts should also be clearly coloured so they can be easily read. For example I use a white font (Sans Serif font) on a black background; I do this because it is so much easier to read. If I use yellow font on a white background, it will not be easier to read, however if I change the background to black I will be able to read it. This is important because the easier it is to read, then the better it is for the audience. Text on websites can sometimes be grouped together poorly, making it harder for the user to read. Paragraphs are used in websites, same as they are in writing, to break up long bits of text. Each paragraph should have its own focus. For example; A paragraph welcoming you to the website and a paragraph introducing the website and then another explaining what it is about. Paragraphs should have their own focus so the user of the website can understand it, and so the user does not get confused. Backgrounds on websites are generally single colours, patterns or images. Single Colours Should follow your colour scheme for consistency, and should make it easier to read your website. Patterns Can also be used, but should not “distract” from the foreground and content of your website. Images are sometimes used, but finding the right images can be difficult and large images can make websites slower to read. Here is an example of a very hideous website!