INTRODUCTION> Virtual Volunteering : Other Approaches : Copyright

Other Approaches

I know that my no-frills DIY approach to web design isn't everyone's cup of tea. I can recommend some other good places to start if they suit your own ideas better:

Want to build a simple basic homepage without having to learn every aspect of web-building? Try one of the all-in-one online homepage-building packages. Bear in mind that you will be very limited in what you can do, and any work that you do put into the site may not be transferable to a "real" site later on. And the amount of advertising may be pretty heavy (since they're free).

techupdate.zdnet.com/web_technology/site_development.html
fortunecity.com
geocities.yahoo.com/home/
angelfire.lycos.com
directory.google.com/Top/Computers/Internet/WWW/Free_Stuff/
www.bravenet.com

There are also low-cost versions of online builders that might be worth considering if you don't want the hassle of learning to build a proper site and also don't want it to be infested with ads like the free sites. For example, photo portfolio sites such as my friend Judy Sidonie Tillinger uses:

www.pbase.com/magpiejst/

If you're the geeky type, you might actually want to learn to code manually in a text editor in html. Some people are strange.

htmlgoodies.com

If you like all the latest bells-n-whistles, there are sites to assist people who want get into web-building on a serious scale, and who aren't too fussed about excluding low-tech users from their sites. Some excellent free resources can be found at:

www.zdnet.com
home.about.com/internet/
www.flashkit.com
www.actionscript.org
directory.google.com/Top/Computers/Multimedia/Software/Macromedia_Flash/Resources/

At the other end of the spectrum, there is Jakob Nielsen, with his site useit.com. He's the guru of simplicity on the web, and the mastermind behind many of the world's top sites designs. He doesn't believe in any unnecessary use of graphics, that usability is the primary consideration in website design. While I have the utmost respect for him and think for e-commerce sites his principles are essential, I'm a visual person. In particular, I need graphical stimulation to help me to learn - I get very bored with straight text. If I'm dealing with someone, I want to see a picture of them. And when I'm showing newbies the web, the first sites I think to show them are ones that have stuck in my memory because they're beautiful.

Of course, sites have to be usable as well - I'll never visit a site twice if the navigation is difficult to use, or if it takes too long to load. Entertainment and educational sites are my greatest interest, and I think that with those sort of sites, character is just as important as usability. This also applies for small business sites. You're never going to compete with Amazon.com, so why waste money trying? What a small business has going for it is it's individual character, so a bland yet functional e-commerce site just isn't going to do you any good. Your best chance is to engage your audience on a personal level.

Nielsen's principles are still worth considering, though. As a shopkeeper, it's good to learn why people spend more money at a well-designed K-Mart store, so that you can see which of those principles will work in your own shop (eg, putting "impulse purchase" inexpensive items nearest the point of sale).

Web usability has come a long way in the past few years. A site can look good AND be highly functional. A summary of my personal recommendations for which books to buy and such is on retrokat.com.

Before you actually get started, I'll have a brief word to you about respecting others' labour - the important issue of copyright.