march 2002 -- issue 2

Welcome to the second issue of Jessett.com's monthly newsletter!

I'd like to thank everybody for signing up and hope you all find the newsletter useful. Please continue to be as enthusiastic with your questions and responses.

We encourage you to forward the newsletter to others, but ask that you copy it in its entirety.

There's been many questions this month, so on with the show. Please feel free to repsond to any of the questions/responses via the links.

Until next month!

Jessie
Editor in Chief
http://www.jessett.com/

Post new questions -- mailto:mailing@jessett.com?subject=New

in this issue

Special features

-- SSI (server side includes)
-- Site search facilities

Responses to last month's questions:

-- How do you choose your color schemes?

Questions posted this month:

-- The need for creativity vs the need for communication?

-- How can I decide when to design using flash or html according to my client's need?

-- When will XML will become the standard on the Internet?

-- How do you use official privacy statements and/or copyright your web site?

-- How should I get a new website hosted if our market is mainly local?

-- Where should I position navigation on pages (top or left)?

-- Are there any web/art design/construction schools that stand out from the rest that you might know of in the United States?

-- Advice for designers facing the problem of getting work when everyone seems to have a (often bad/untrained) "designer"?

-- Use of style sheets with respect to Netscape browser (what works and what doesn't!)

site of the month

-- Jason Brooks

ssi (server side includes)

Server side includes are the best way to include the same bit of code in more than one page and are ideal for use with navigation panels and headers.

These are generally used when the same element is going to be used on several pages (such as a navigation panel or copyright). This can then simply be linked to in the relevant HTML file. This makes site maintenance easier as you only have to include one line of code and changes only have to be made to one file rather than editing every single page.

Create the html for the repeated element, but remove the <.html> and <.body> tags (Leave only the required html). Save the file as filename.html (or .inc if your editor allows you to create files with this extension - Dreamweaver 3 did not, but this has been fixed in Dreamweaver 4). Save it in a folder called something like /includes/ in the web site to also help ease site maintenance.

Use the following HTML (e.g):

Depending on how the server is set up, may have to change the file extension to .shtml which tells the server to pick up the linked to ssi file. In addition, the server may have to be configured to call up the index.shtml as the home page for that directory. Your hosting provider should be able to sort this out for you.

Respond -- mailto:mailing@jessett.com?subject=ssi

search facilities

Many people have been asking about search facilities for use on their web sites. Jessett.com uses Atomz.com as it's a brilliant facility and is free for sites with less than 500 pages. Here's a list of other providers:

how do you choose your color schemes?

Dear Jessie. Thank you for your first newsletter, I really enjoyed reading it. You mentioned how you choose colours. I'd like to share how I choose mine. Of course it depends if I have to work within a corporate brand or if I have free reign. If I can start from scratch, I get a flavour of the content: if it's open, upbeat and light, I'll use bright citrusy colours, if it's serious and corporate I'll use darker colours -- often blue or green as the main colour. Bango.net web initially had 3 colours in their branding (black, white and cyan). For their web site, I expanded it to have a 15 colour palette. We recently redesigned the web site it to be more corporate than before as their business model had altered. I kept the colours as before for consistency, but used a darker set of blues this time. I have an American client at the moment who wants an angelic feel to her web site. I'll use light blues, violets, yellows and golds, with lots of white. I always use lots of white in my designs, which I think comes from studying a lot of minimalist stuff during my graphic design training many moons ago!

Thanks once again for the newsletter, may Jessett.com go from strength to strength!

Sharon Holdstock Managing Director Rawcreation Ltd http://www.rawcreation.com

Respond -- mailto:mailing@jessett.com?subject=Colors

the need for creativity vs the need for communication?

This is a subject much argued about and basically comes down to one of usability. A designer's job is to make the web site as aesthetically pleasing as possible, while a writer's is to effectively communicate the web site's message. You could put up a web site that looks like a boring text document, or you could add a little creativity and provide a nice looking site which works. It's all about finding the right balance.

Bare in mind the following:

(i) Download speed - avoid heavy graphics
(ii) Readability - don't use too small fonts, make sure there's enough contrast between text and the background color (remember some people are color blind), split the text up into readable chunks (include plenty of headings and bullets), use the inverse pyramid - put the most important information at the top
(iii) Make it easy for your visitors to get to the information, quickly. Don't use unnecessary splash screens/flash intros etc
(iv) Use an intuitive navigation system, don't change standard link colors/underlines etc

Respond -- mailto:mailing@jessett.com?subject=Communication

how can I decide when to design using flash or html according to my client's need?

You need to determine the function of the site, ask your client what they want to achieve by having a web site. If they're an artist simply wanting to showcase their work, Flash may work well. If they're a new business who need to communicate a lot of information and be found by search engines, Flash may not be the way to go.

Flash enabled sites can be fantastic, but don't use Flash "just because you can". Use it to enhance your site and add features that simply can't be done with static html -- or, provide a Flash and non-Flash version. There's certainly nothing wrong with creating the next Flash web site masterpiece if you like, but provide a fast easy to use version of your site for those not interested in your bandwidth-hogging masterwork.

Consider usability from the outset. If accessibility is important to your site, don't use Flash. Link colors don't change, text cannot be made bigger in the browser, the "find in page" feature no longer works and the back button does not work predictably.

If you use an intro page, indicate how long it will take to download. Always include a prominent "skip intro" button. As above, include an html version of your site that your visitor can choose instead of the Flash version. Visitors may have the Flash plug-in and a fast connection but don't always want, or have the time, to view the Flash enabled site. Make this html version as attractive as your Flash site, rather than a brief after thought. Give your visitors the choice of viewing the html version by having a prominent link on each version of the site that they can click to view the alternate site.

However, remember that this effectively means you'll have two versions of a web site to update. Also, search engines don't spider Flash content well yet, so if traffic from search engines is important, don't use Flash.

Also consider that you can add Flash, as you would a smaller graphic, and simply embed this into the page. This is no different to adding a graphic and can add momentum to a web site while maintaining the benefits of an html web site. Alternatively, you could provide a text link to a Flash presentation, say which format the file is and how large it is so your visitors can choose whether to view the Flash or not.

Respond -- mailto:mailing@jessett.com?subject=Flash

when will XML will become the standard on the Internet?

I believe XML eventually will become the standard, and will be supported fully by the next generation of browsers (IE6 already does support it pretty well).

I don't personally code using XML, but would recommend anyone who believes they know a lot of HTML to learn XHTML as this is a good entry point. XML is a more complicated database programming language. At the moment, it's difficult to use standard WYSIWYG editors, such as Dreamweaver, to code XHTML. As soon as this happens, I will be using XHTML.

Don't get left behind...

Respond -- mailto:mailing@jessett.com?subject=xml

how do you use official privacy statements and/or copyright your web site?

On Jessett.com, we simply wrote our own and added prominent links to these from every page of the web site. Any graphics or words that you have created yourself are copyright of you. This is no different to any other copyrighted materials, but it's more difficult to enforce on the Internet. Remember you have the same rights as anyone else with regard to copyright enfringement.

Here's ours:

http://www.jessett.com/web_sites/copyright.shtml

Here's some useful info:

http://law.about.com/cs/cyberspacelaw/index.htm?terms=Internet+Copyright+Reg ulation

Respond -- mailto:mailing@jessett.com?subject=Copyright

how should I get a new website hosted if our market is mainly local?

It really doesn't matter where globally you get you web site hosted, but if it's for a web site where you would lose business if the site went down, make sure you get a hosting provider with a good support package. You should be able to contact them and expect a reply within a few working hours. You may find it easier to get a hosting company who you can contact during the working day in your timezone.

Respond -- mailto:mailing@jessett.com?subject=Hosting

where should I position navigation on pages (top or left)?

This is really up to you. People position them at the left and top because this is what visitors are used to. You can also guarantee (most of the time) that if navigation is somewhere at the top or left, that all your visitors will be able to see the navigation without scrolling, no matter what screen resolution they have.

Navigation is often placed on the top and left as Western speaking languages are read from left to right, and this is what visitors will see, and want to use, first. Some research has also found that visitors find it easier to use navigation at the right hand side, as this is the side of the page they come in to (if they're right handed).

There's some useful info here:

http://www.usability.gov/

Respond -- mailto:mailing@jessett.com?subject=Navigation

are there any web/art design/construction schools that stand out from the rest that you might know of in the United States?

As I'm from England, I can't answer this, but some fellow US designers may be able to...

Respond -- mailto:mailing@jessett.com?subject=Schools

advice for designers facing the problem of getting work when everyone seems to have a (often bad/untrained) "designer"?

This is a common one. Many companies, especially if they're small, often know of a friend-of-a-friend who "does design" (i.e. they've learned how to use some graphic design software, but have little talent).

My only real answer to this one, is to get together a great portfolio demonstrating how good you are. Arrange to meet up with these people and show them what is possible. Make sure your web site (and you should have one!) is a great example of your work - learn how to market it on search engines so potential clients find it. You could even send potential clients a nicely designed postcard/mailer with all your contact details.

In the meantime, get as much freelance (charities etc) work as possible. This will prove you can work with real clients and may provide you with valuable word-of-mouth advertising. Also, just make sure you tell everyone you meet what you do (then you'll become the friend-of-a-friend who is recommended to someone!)

Respond -- mailto:mailing@jessett.com?subject=Getting_work

use of style sheets with respect to Netscape browser (what works and what doesn't!)

With regard to this, it's important to clarify the difference between Netscape 4.x and Netscape 6.x. Netscape 4 doesn't support css very well whereas Netscape 6 supports it better than Internet Explorer.

From my personal experience, Netscape 4.x doesn't display borders on elements, the hover attribute on links, padding and margins are extremely buggy and pseudo elements, such as first-letter, aren't displayed.

There's more info on browser support here:

http://www.jessett.com/web_sites/css/css_browser_support.shtml

Respond -- mailto:mailing@jessett.com?subject=Netscape

site of the month

Sites of the month don't necessarily get picked because they're the best design we've seen, but because they've got something unique about them we feel would be inspirational to others.

jason brooks

http://www.jason-brooks.com/

Jason Brooks was picked, not just because the site is an elegant, simple design not afraid of using color, but also for the quality of the graphic design showcased.

Submit a possible site -- mailto:mailing@jessett.com?subject=Site

(Please say why you like it and why it should be site of the month)

Jessett.com has a new section dedicated to inspirational web sites, called "Sites for sore eyes". Check it out:

http://www.jessett.com/web_sites/inspiration/index.shtml

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