Web Design Articles Index
Articles on the Web Design Site Listed by Subject
| Articles by Jennifer Kyrnin |
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• Table of Contents • Index • Current Articles • Topical Listing |
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General HTML Tables Frames Web Design Marketing Your Site Conference Notes |
Being a Webmaster Dynamic HTML Forms and CGI XML Reviews Awards and Surveys |
General HTML
10 Tips to a Great Web Page
Simple ways to enhance your Web pages.Abbreviations and Acronyms on Web Pages
Abbreviations can be really useful, but if your readers don't know what they stand for, you can have trouble. Using the abbr and acronym XHTML tags will help prevent that problem.Absolute and Relative Paths
Learn how to link to pages and images using full domains, absolute and relative paths.Accessible Frames
Unless you're careful, using frames is a poor accessibility experience for customers with screen readers. If you must have frames, do what you can to make them accessibleAccessible HTML - Allowing Other Viewpoints
Creating Web pages that can be viewed by people with different abilities.Adding and Uploading Images
Putting an image on a Web page is a great way to make your site more fun, but if you don't upload and link to them correctly, you'll just end up with a page full of broken graphics. Learn how to upload and link to your images with ease.Adding Images to EBay
Your EBay advertisement will be much more effective if you include a photo of what you're selling. And it's much easier to do than you think.Adding Streaming Audio Files
Add RealAudio streaming audio to your Web site. Use it for newsfeeds, information, music, and much more. Learn to stream from a streaming server or an HTTP server.Alignments
Most Web pages that have fancy layouts use tables, but there are several simple attributes of tags used in nearly every Web page that can create fancy page layouts.Alt Text: Describing Your Images for Better Web Accessibility
Alt text allows you to do more than just describe your images for when someone puts their mouse over it. This article describes alt text and how to use it as well as how you might use alt text in different situations and how alt text assists with Web usability and Web accessibility.Alt Text - Not Alt Tag
The term alt tag is actually an incorrect term that refers to the alt text or alt attribute on images, applets, and input elements to define what is in those elements. Alt text is used to help accessibility and to provide a little more information on the Web page.Anatomy of a Blog: The About Web Design Weblog
There are specific formats that all blogs share, the About Web Design/HTML blog is no exception. Whether you want to learn more about weblogs in general or the Web Design/HTML blog in particular, this article delves into the anatomy of a Weblog.And the Attributes
When people think of HTML they often think only of the tags, but the attributes are a vital part of the equation. These attributes are for commonly used tags, that people often forget about.Are Your Web Pages Color Sensitive?
Creating a Web page that is accessible to color blind people can make a big difference in how your pages are perceived. As much as 12% of men in the US are color blind, and if your pages don't reflect that, they might not be seeing your pages at all.The Back Button - How People Use Web Sites
The back button is the most important button on a Web page, and it's not even part of the page itself, but the browser.Baking Up Some HTTP Cookies
Learn how to use cookies on your own site.Blog FAQ
Learn more about blogs and weblogs through this FAQ answering the basic questions about weblogs or blogsA Brief History of the World Wide Web
The Web has it's roots in the telephone and telegraph industry, but it really all started in March 1989, when Tim Berners-Lee wrote a proposal for managing information that became the World Wide Web.Bringing Backgrounds to the Foreground
Learn how to use background colors and images to enhance the look of your Web pages.Browserisms - Two Browser Specific Tricks
Iframes and layers allow you to tailor your pages to IE or Netscape specifically.Building a Web Page for the Totally Lost
In order to learn HTML, there are a lot of things that you will need to know. This pre-beginning tutorial will help you to assess how much you know and teach you the basics of creating a Web page with HTML.Choosing a CMS
Choosing your content management system CMS is a big step for any site, but there are a lot of things you need to consider, to be sure that you're getting the best you can. From the backend server information through what the CMS costs and what it supports you need to know these things to choose the CMS that's right for you and your site.A Closer Look at Content Management Systems
Find out all the different things that CM systems do beyond just managing content.Colocation Bandwidth Billing
Bandwidth is the typical way that colocation providers bill for their services. But unlike ISPs or other hosting services, it's not usually just a simple straight number. The billing for bandwidth in a colocation situation can be tricky and this article by Mark Kyrnin should help clear it up.Colocation Extra Fees
Besides bandwidth there are other fees and options that can jack the cost of your colocation service if you're not careful. But this article by Mark Kyrnin explains what some of the more common costs are and why you might or might not want to add them to your service.Colocation Rack Space
In order to understand colocation you need to understand what they mean when they say rack space. This article covers the basics of rack space and how to find the colocation provider that has exactly what you need.Comments in Internet Explorer
Microsoft Internet Explorer has a number of proprietary tags and features that can extend how you use the browser. This article discusses conditional comments and the comment element.Comments on Comments
HTML comments allow you to write notes about the code, hide old information, and hold reminders on the page. Comments are not seen by the people viewing the page, but they show up in the HTML code.Content Management for the Masses
Weblogs, or blogs, are an easy way to get content up on a Web site, and there is more to them than just online diaries.Content and E-Commerce
Examine three popular e-commerce sites to see how you can bring repeat visitors to your site, and from there, sales.Content Management
Maintaining a large Web site with multiple content developers can be easy if you have the right tool.Copyright on the Web
Just because you can easily copy images and text from a Web page does not mean you're not violating copyright law. Learn some of the common misconceptions about copyright and the Web.Creating Online Education
Learn how to use your Web site to create online education for your employees and customers. E-learning is a powerful tool to help reduce costs and retain employees.Data Driven Web Pages
Using a database to create a Web page makes your site more dynamic, and easier for you to maintain.Definition Lists
When people think lists, they usually think of numbered or bulletted lists, but there is another type of list that can be very useful to Web designers - the definition list. This article covers when to use the definition list and how to style them so that they look nice on your Web page.Do We Need Web Standards?
Standards compliance is nearly there in Web browsers, but now we need to look to authoring tools to create more standard Web pages.Don't Tell Your Readers What Browser to Use
Don't expect your readers to change browsers. What if they put in a DVD and the player said I'm sorry, this DVD won't play unless you have the Sony Trinitron HDTV player and 42inch receiver. Your Web page shouldn't be doing that either.Does Your Web Site Have a Content Management Problem?
Many larger Web sites do, but there are content management systems available to help. Find out if your site has similar problems to this case study.Don't Catch a Virus from Your Web Page
Spammers and virus writers are getting ever more clever in finding email addresses to mail. Learn how to protect yourself and build a Web page that still has contact information your readers can use.Dreamweaver 8 Walkthrough
Learning Dreamweaver can be tricky, but this walkthrough will take you through the standard panels and what you can expect from Dreamweaver.
Going Beyond Plain Text
Learn how to use special characters in your Web pages to display more than just what's on the keyboardHTML Pet Peeves
Some tips to improve your pages, by avoiding annoying habits.Five Easy Steps to Starting Your Web Page
Learn what you need to do to get your first page up on the Web.How can I create a variable-width container without a table?
The display: table; CSS property is not supported in IE. This means that the only way to get the look of a table with CSS is to use a table.How Cookies are Used by Web Pages and Web Browsers
Cookies are used to store bits of information. Cookies can only get the information that the Web browser can get or that the person browsing gives to the cookie.How Do I Include One HTML File in Another Using Dreamweaver?
The Dreamweaver library function is one of the best things about the editor, because it allows you to create include files for your site without having any actual include functionality on the server.How to Use HTML Codes for Special Characters
It's easy to include special characters in your Web pages, even if the characters aren't on your keyboard layout. Simply use Unicode and HTML character entity codes to define the characters on your Web pages.How Useful is Your 404 Page?
Most Web servers have a way for developers to edit and maintain their 404 page. In many cases, you can even set up 404 pages for different areas of the Web site and to suit different purposes. But it's easy to create a 404 page that is basically useless.How much programming does a Web Designer do?
Is it important to learn C++ or Java or some other programming language in order to be a successful Web developer?How to Convert Word to HTML with Dreamweaver
When you use Word to save as HTML you end up with a lot of strange codes that can make the page look wrong on your Web site. Plus the HTML is a lot larger than it needs to be. Luckily you can use Dreamweaver to convert Word documents to HTML in just a couple of steps.How to Create a Dreamweaver Image Placeholder
Dreamweaver image placeholders make it easy to create a new design without needing the images for that design until you're ready to build them.How to Create a New Web Site Using Macromedia Dreamweaver
This visual tutorial will help the beginning Dreamweaver author create a new site using the site builder tool in Dreamweaver.How to Install the Apache Web Server on Linux
Learn how to install the Apache Web server on a Linux system from source files.How to Install the Apache Web Server on Windows
Learn how to install the Apache Web server on a Windows system.How to Protect Your Digital Photos from Being Copied
Protecting your digital photos from people using them without your knowledge is essentially impossible. But there are some ways that you can make it more difficult.How to Set up a Webcam Web Page
Learn how to setup a Webcam Web page with the correct HTML codes in the document and the Web cam image on the page.How to Use an Accessibility Validator
Unlike HTML validators, accessibility validators require that you do a bit more manual work to make sure that your sites are accessible. This document will help you understand how to use an accessibility validator so that your site actually is accessible.HTTP Cookies
Learn how cookies are used and what they are for. They are only as dangerous as you make them.HTML vs. What's On the Screen
It can be difficult to understand that what you type in a Web editor is often very different from what displays on the Web browser. Learn to tell the difference between HTML and Web pages.Images Should be Clickable
Graphics on Web pages are one of the places that customers tend to gravitate towards, they want to click on them. So you should make them clickable.Improving on the Image Tag
Using images is key to having an interesting Web page. But there is more to the IMG tag than just the source of the image. Learn how to use it effectively.Introduction to Dreamweaver
Learn how to define a Web site in Macromedia Dreamweaver MX so that you can edit it and manage it with Dreamweaver.Let Your Organization Reflect Your Site Layout
Use the organization of your directories and your 404 page content to help your readers navigate your site."Link Rot" Are You a Culprit?
Do you you move your pages? Reorganizations and other changes to a site can cause links to go bad when they don't have to. Stop link rot at the source, don't change your URIs.Links: How Your Readers Get Places on the Web
This article covers the basics and more advanced aspects of linking on a Web page. Beginning Web designers will get resources to learn how to create links and more advanced designers will learn how to style links effectively and check for problem with their hyperlinks.Low Vision Web Page Layouts
Because the Web is primarily text, people with low vision often only need to expand the size of your text to be able to read it. However, even with the most flexible layouts, there can be problems when the reader zooms in using the Web browser. So some designers developed the idea of creating alternate style sheets that were written specifically for low vision readers.Making Spaces
Using the non-breaking space ( ).Managed vs. Unmanaged Colocation
Managed and unmanaged colocation are two of the options you need to understand if you're going to choose to colocate your Web server. This article by Mark Kyrnin will help you to understand the differences.More on International Pages
It's important to think about dates, phone numbers, and the platform your readers are on. Global sites can be challenging to run, there is a lot to remember.A New Year's Resolution
Make the resolution to build or improve your Web site. These tips will help.Opening a Link in a New Window
There are two ways to open new windows when your readers click on links.Organize Your Site
Spring cleaning is for more than just your house. Whether you have a large site or small, it's always a good idea to reorganize and make it easier to manage.Overcoming Resistance to Content Management
A closer look at why people might not want a content management system, and what you can do to overcome these issues.Perfect HTML Painlessly
Using online HTML validators to clean up your HTML.Playing with HTML Codes
You might be surprised at the various HTML codes that are available. Use these special characters to dress up your page or just include more correct language.Playing with Lists
There are many attributes of lists that you might be unaware of that allow you to create more flexible lists.Pre-Processed HTML
Enhance your Web pages while reducing your workload with HTML pre-processors.Pretty HTML
Even if you use a WYSIWYG editor to write your Web pages, it can be a good idea to look at the code once in a while. If you need to pass along your HTML to another developer, you should make sure that it is easy to read and review.Put up a Page on About.com
You want to build a personal home page, but you don't know where. Look no further than About.com. It's easy to build a home page, you can have one up in about 20 minutes.Putting Together a Web Site: Part 1
When you're thinking of creating a Web site, you need to know where you're going to host it.Putting Together a Web Site: Part 2
Once you have a place to host your site, what tools will you use to create it?Putting Together a Web Site: Part 3
HTML Editors aren't the only tools you'll need. You'll also want graphics.Putting Together a Web Page - Part 4
Once you have the tools, you need to decide what to write about. Learn of some tools to help generate ideas and some Web cliches to avoid.Questions and Answers
Answers to questions about SSI, caching, image loading, and more.Secure Web Sites and Servers
Security on Web sites is important. It is an easy way for crackers to break in to your computer, but there are some simple things you can do to make it more difficult.Separating Content from Design: A CMS Standard
ne of the common themes among content management software professionals is the need to separate content from design. This article discusses this concept and provides an argument for why that will never work effectively in many CMS implementations.Sending HTML Email
Why send plain text email when you can send formatted email with images, links, forms and more?The Size of Your Pages
While bandwidth is getting higher, download speed is still a concern.Sounding Off
Using sound on your Web pages.Spanning the Division
Learn to use the SPAN and DIV tags on your site.Speeding Up Your Web Page
Tips to make your Web site download faster and keep your readers happy.Tabindex: Making Your Pages Accessible
Tabindex is a seldom used attribute that could make Web pages so much more accessible and usable if only it were used more frequently. Tabindex provides an order for the clickable elements on the page so that someone using a keyboard does not have to resort to the mouse to get to the more important links.Taking Great Pictures for Web Sites
Taking photos for your Web site is very important - but you can completely destroy the effect if your photos are bad. Make sure that your photos are saying what you want them to say.Tagging: What is Tagging and Why Should We Do It?
Understand what tagging is so that you can add more meta data onto your pages for easier searching and navigation.Tags for One Browser
There are many tags that work in just one or two browsers.Templating Your Web Pages
Use SSI, PHP, ASP, JavaScript, or other technology to include portions of HTML on many pages of a Web site."Thank You for Your Patience"
Comparing the reasons why someone might wait on hold for over two hours but only wait 10 seconds for a Web page.Thanks Mom!
I became a Web developer because of my mother. And she helps me improve my site. Who inspires you? She learned HTML from me, which is the least I can do for all that she's done for me.The Title Attribute
The title attribute allows you to annotate your document elements with titles that explain things about that element. It is primarily used on the anchor (a) or link tag, but is valid for many tags within XHTML. Used in the anchor tag, it acts like a tool tip when your readers mouse over that link in modern browsers.Time to Switch from IIS
If you're running your Web site on an IIS Web server, it might be time to switch to one that is more secure.The Top of Your Pages
When you're working on your Web pages it's easy to get distracted by the content and forget about the hidden information at the top of your Web page. Learn what that information does for your page.Transfer Your Files (FTP)
It used to be difficult to move your files to your Web site, but now with easy to use FTP clients and upload forms, it's easier than you think.Types of Web Files
There are many different extensions on Web sites, and they all mean different things. Find out the difference between .htm and .html and what a .shtml file is, as well, as lots of other Web file types.Using Web Pages with Excel
It's easier than you think to convert Web pages into Excel spreadsheets. It's just a matter of formatting your data so that Excel can read it.Using an HTML Validator
Problems with your Web page often are caused by incorrect HTML code. HTML validators are available to help you write correct HTML code.Using Non-English Letters
If you're going to write a Web site in a language other than English, then you need to know how to use non-English special characters. Learn why there are special characters and how to use them.Validating for Accessibility
Creating accessible pages is easy if you have the tools to check your site. With Bobby, you can make sure that your pages are accessible to all.Web Images that Display at Home and on the Web
One of the most common problems beginners have is with getting their images to display both on their local hard drive and on the Web site. Learn why this happens and how you can fix it.Web Style Guide
This Web style guide is intended to help Web designers and Web developers work within a Web style format that is easy to edit and use. Web style guides help you maintain consistent code and thus consistent pages.WebTV HTML
If you design pages to look good in both Netscape and Internet Explorer, then you should probably think about the ramifications of a new browser out there. WebTV provides interesting challenges for the Web Developer.What do the Accessibility Guidelines Mean to Me?
With the government and the W3C coming up with accessibility standards for the Web, it's more and more important to follow them. And the good news is: It's Easy!What do Your Links Say and Where Do They Lead?
When you click on a link, you want to know where you're going. If your link text doesn't match what's on the page the link goes to your reader can get confused and possibly lose trust in the Web site where they clicked.What HTML Can't Do
HTML has a lot of features, but there are things that it just isn't built to do. Learn how to password protect, use forms, protect your images, and open new windows, all without using HTML.What is Colocation and Why Would You Choose it for Web Hosting
If you're looking into getting a new hosting system for your Web sites or domains, you should look into colocation. There are many benefits to co-lo and this article discusses why you might choose colocation over other types of Web hosting.What is a Dreamweaver Design Note?
Use Dreamweaver design notes to describe and annotate files so that your customers won't see them, even if they view the source, but your team mates will.What is an IP Address?
IP addresses are the backbone of the internet network. They allow systems to identify and locate one another in a distributed environment. IP addresses are the mailing addresses of the Internet.What is mod_rewrite and How Do You Use It?
Using mod_rewrite you can change the URLs that your customers are viewing on-the-fly. Your customer types in one URL and your Apache server interprets it using mod_rewrite to point to a different location or script. Custom URLs allow you to control and protect your Web site.What is Text?
Writing HTML requires that you use a text editor. But what does that mean? Why can't you use Word to write Web pages? Text, to a computer, is different than you might think.What's the difference between display: hidden and visibility: none?
These properties may seem like they do the same thing, but they actually act differently.What is the W3C?
Are you confused by the World Wide Web Consortium, or just want to know what it is? This article from the Web Design Guide will help you understand both the group that specifies the Web and the jargon that they use to do it.What is Web 2.0?
Web 2.0 is a watchword for the new definition of the Web and the Internet. The idea is that Web 1.0 was a creation of Web pages that provided information to readers. Web 2.0 takes that information and interacts with the reader to allow the reader to find the information he or she wants in the format that is most useful to them.What is Web Administration?
There is more to building Web pages than just learning HTML, but many Web designers and developers forget about the layer underneath the Web pages, the Web server, the security, and the programs that make your Web page work.What to Write About?
Content is important, but if you can't think what to write about, here are some ways to get ideas.What's in a Title
The title tag is one of the most important tags on the page, but it is one that is often overlooked by beginners.What's My URL?
Getting a page to the Web server isn't that hard, but how do you know what your URL is once the page is up? These tips will help you figure out what your URL is.White Space in HTML Can Slow Your Pages
Creating pages that download quickly is always important to Web designers, but once you've moved all the scripts and CSS to external locations and optimized your graphics what can you do? Whitespace, whether you put it in deliberately or because of programming adds a lot of it, causes a longer download time.Why are There Different Versions of HTML?
If you understand what the different versions of HTML mean you'll have an easier time writing HTML or XHTML that meets your needs and displayed correctly.Why Databases?
Why would you want to create a database driven site?Why Rewrite Your Web URLs
It's easy to redirect your customers, and there are many good reasons to do so.Why Validate Your HTML
HTML validators are a powerful and easy way to make sure that your HTML is viewable and looks right to most readers.Wikis, Blogs, Weblogs, Web pages: Who CARES?
A Web site is a Web site is a Web site, whether it's a wiki, a blog, or something else. Why do many people get upset with the definition of their site when they should be worrying about what's on it and who's reading it.Windows versus Linux for Web Page Hosting
Choosing an operating system for your Web hosting provider used to be a much bigger deal. Now it's less important.Writing HTML in Notepad
Notepad is a text editor that comes free with every copy of Microsoft Windows. There is no need to get anything else when you want to write HTML. You can create complex and beautiful pages using Notepad.Writing HTML for Specific Browsers
Should you do it? How to make your pages more friendly to your customers.Writing a PDA Friendly Web Site
Learn tips and techniques to write a Palm friendly Web site.Writing Web Pages that Meet Your Customers' Goals
Most Web pages are intended to answer a question or assist a customer with something. But if you're answering the wrong questions, you can end up annoying your customers more than you help them. Make sure that your content is focused on the goals of your customers, not the goals of your marketing department.Writing Web Sites for a Global Audience
The Web is a global endeavor, but does your site reflect that? You could be getting customers or readers from around the world, but if you alienate them, they won't return.Your Files are Not Secure
If you upload a file of any type, it can be found by a search engine. And if it can be found by a search engine, your competitors can find it.
Tables
Don't Forget the Missing Table Tags
Using the additional table tags like caption, thead and tbody as well as the summary attribute can make your HTML tables more accessible.HTML Tables Tutorial
An introduction to using tables in your Web pages.Table Tricks
There is more to tables than just columns and rows.Tables FAQ
Tables are a challenge for the new HTML developer, but they can be done, and you will find that they are not as difficult as they seem. These frequently asked questions will help you get a sense of how to write tables.Tables for Tabular Data - What is Tabular Data?
While you don't want to use tables for the layout of your pages, it is perfectly alright to use tables for tabular data. The problem is, what IS tabular data? This article attempts to shed light on this mystery.Using Tables Part 2
Attributes used with the table tag.Using Tables Part 3
Using tables to design Web pages that look good and load fast.
Frames
Browserisms - Two Browser Specific Tricks
Iframes and layers allow you to tailor your pages to IE or Netscape specifically.Creating Framed Web Pages Part 1
An introduction to using HTML frames on your Web pages.Creating Framed Web Pages Part 2
There are only three tags required to make a framed Web page. Do you know them?Creating Framed Web Pages Part 3
Once you have a frameset, what do you do with the frames themselves?Creating Framed Web Pages Part 4
Targeting your frames and the IE in-line frame.Frames FAQ
Frames can be confusing, but some of the more common questions have fairly easy answers.Frames and Search Engines
When you use frames, it makes it more difficult for search engines to catalog your pages. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't use them. Find out how to create a framed page that gains you hits, not loses them.Frames Tips
Open your frames links in the frame you want them to open in. Plus, learn how to make your framed pages "friendly".Frames -- Why and Why Not
Confessions of a frames turncoat.Noframes - The Key to Usable and Accessible Frames
Noframes helps you provide a site even if your customers can't use frames. Get help learning to use one of the lesser used frames tags - noframes.Open Two Frames with One Link
Links usually open only one window, but with DHTML you can open two windows with just one click.
Web Design
10 Tips for Good Web Writing
When you write for the Web you write differently than when you write for printed publications. Knowing some of the basic guidelines will help you to make better, more effective Web pages that people want to read.Adding an IE Favorites Icon
When your readers bookmark your pages in Internet Explorer, do they get a customized icon to represent your site? Learn how to create one and add it to your site quickly and easily.Advice versus Control - Web Designers are Not Print Designers
Print designers have very different requirements than Web designers, and if you're designing your Web site like a print project you'll failAre You Invading Your Customers' Privacy?
There are some requests that Web developers make that are needlessly invading the privacy of their customers. Does your site require these calls, find out why it still doesn't insure you'll get what you want.Basics of Web Design
Web design is made up of some basic premises, and if you understand them you can design pages that will impress and illuminate your readers. These fourteen tips will help you create great Web designs that work with your readers and not against them.Basics of Web Layout
It's one thing to know how to build a Web layout, but it's something else to know the rules behind designing a layout that works.Box Elements
Box elements or block-level elements can be difficult to understand as they have different properties than standard in-line elements. Some commonly used box elements are p, div, and h1.Browsing on the Bleeding Edge
Before you add the newest HTML technology to your site, have you thought about if you need it?Building Your Home Page
Learn how to design a front page that explains what your business is and how it will help your customers. The first page is crucial to make a good impression and get off to a good start.Changing Font Attributes
When you change your font type, you make your page more unique. This tutorial will explain how to change the color, size, and face of your text. All with one HTML tag.Click Here: How to Write Links That Work
Web writing is a bit different from writing for print publications, and links are a huge part of that. This article is for beginning and advanced Web developers who want to improve the writing on their Web pages by improving the content of their links.Color Harmony
Learning to put together colors in a harmonious fashion is one of the most important skills of a Web designer. Once you understand color theory, you'll be better equipped to create color schemes that really work.Color Symbolism
Color symbolizes many things to different cultures, but it is easy to forget this when designing a Web site. If you use color on your site, then you should be aware of the different meanings different cultures attach to color.Color Tips for the Web
These tips for using color include color shorthand, finding color triads quickly, and whether or not you should use the browser safe color palette.Color Wheel and Color Theory
Web pages are designed in color, but if you don't understand how color works, you could end up with some really ugly pages. Understanding the basics of color theory will help you create better Web pages.Colorizing the Web
Beginning HTML tips on adding color to your Web site.COPPA Turns One
Protecting children online is important. Learn about the US law that protects them as well as other parental controls for the Internet.Creating Better Links
Links are the mainstay of your site. If you don't have good links, people won't stay.Creating a Great Web Page
With this checklist of items, you'll create a page that is well formed, and user friendly.Designing a War - Getting Attention With Your Site Design
Learn how to use different design techniques to get attention for unique events on your Web site.Designing in Color
Learn how to write color codes and convert to hexadecimal from RGB.Did You Know? - All Web Graphics are Square
Web graphics may look like they are round or have jagged edges, but they are all square. Once you understand the basic shape of a Web graphic, you can use it to manipulate the way your pages lookDynamic Fonts
Use TrueDoc or OpenType to display the fonts you want to display on your Web pages.Effective Web Navigation
Designing effective Web navigation is crucial to create a Web site that your readers can get around on. If you don't have decent navigation, even if they like the site, they'll leave without finding all you have to offer. Learn how to design effective Web navigation.Fixed Width Layouts Versus Liquid Layouts
Web page layout has essentially two different methods: liquid and fixed width layouts. Learn the pros and cons of each, and how you can decide to use one or the other for your site.Formatting Rules to Live By
Advice on how to format your Web pages so that people will read them.Font Families - Serif, Sans-Serif, Monospace, Script, Fantasy
A guide for beginning Web designers and anyone who uses fonts on Web sites to find the right font for the right situation. This article will help you choose fonts for your site that show your originality but also work for your readers.Grab 'Em Quick
The first page of your site is where you hook your readers or lose them forever. Make it fit your site, your readers, and yourself.How to Drive Away Your Readers
Are you trying to create a site that people want to read and return to? Or are you doing things that make them never return, and tell all their friends to avoid it, as well?How to Set a Price for Web Design Work
Web design pricing is a hot issue for new designers - learn how to set your web design prices and charge your customers reasonable and fair rates and fees for web design work.Is Your Site Cool?
Find out why Jared Spool says, "Cool doesn't cut it."K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple, Silly!
When you are creating a Web site, keep your HTML simple. Tag bloat is difficult to read and modify later, and can create pages that are overly complex. The most common culprit is the <table> tag.Large Web Sites Don't Change Much
If you've been visiting one of the larger Web sites on the Internet for a long time, you may have noticed that many of them don't do massive redesigns the way that smaller Web sites tend to. Redesigns can be very difficult for customers to get used to unless they are done in an iterative approach.Little Web of Horrors
Design tactics that will often scare away even the most dedicated reader. These tactics are the worst of the Web - and should be avoided at all costs.Manipulating the Cache
Caching helps speed up a page, but can prevent content from staying up-to-date. Web developers can control this caching.Navigating Web Pages
If your readers can't find their way around your site, they won't try, they'll just leave.Navigation Menus Using CSS Lists
Learn how to use CSS to style basic unordered lists into vertical navigation menus for your Web site.A New Resolution
Web design often revolves around screen size and resolution. Take a look at your customers and determine if your site is designed with their resolutions in mind.Old Aunty Eh-Leeas (anti-alias)
Images and fonts might have the "jaggies" on your page, if you aren't familiar with anti-aliasing.Optimizing Images
Pages that download fast are more than just fast HTML, they have well designed images. Learn to optimize your images.Pricing Web Projects
Learn to use forumlas to estimate both the base cost of a project and how much you need to earn to make a decent salaryPaths of a Web Designer
Whether you've just decided to learn how to create a Web page or you've been designing pages for years, there is sure to be something new to learn - once you know where you are on the path, you know what you're ready to focus on next - from beginning HTML, advanced HTML, professional web designers and programmers, to XML.Quick HTML Refresher
Five quick tips to keep your pages looking good, loading quickly, and keeping your readers happy.Safety on the Web
The Web is a wild and mostly non-regulated place, but you can build Web sites that have any content you would like, but are still rated age-appropriate and safe for children and corporations.The Science of Web Design
Most people, when they start building Web pages, don't spend a lot of time thinking about the reasons why they use various techniques. Learn to be more scientific in your Web designs.Splash Pages: Pros and Cons
Splash pages are a popular Web design feature, but if you put up a splash page, you may get more than you bargained for - or less page views.The Three Layers of Web Design
Understanding the three layers of Web development can help site maintenance easier as well as give you focus on what you're working on.Use Real Text for Testing Page Designs
Learn when to use lorem ipsum and when to use actual text that people can read when designing a Web site.Using Browser Safe Colors
When you use browser safe colors on your Web site, you ensure that your page will look the same (color-wise) on the largest number of browsers.Web Criticism
Learn how to evaluate Web pages in an objective an useful fashion.Web Design Software: Which One is Right for You?
If you're looking to find the right Web design software to meet your needs you should take this questionairre. After just a few short questions, you'll have a list of some of the best Web design software tools available to meet your needs and your budget.Web Page Widths
Once you've moved beyond beginning Web design, you'll come across the most aggravating question for a Web designer: what resolution should I design the pages for? This also comes out as how to decide how wide your pages should be.Web Pages Should Go Away, Eventually
When you move pages or take them down, it is often tempting to put up redirects so that your customers don't get lost or confused. This also helps prevent link rot. But is that really helping things in the long run?Web Typography
Before CSS there were font tags to style the typography on a Web page, but now CSS allows you to separate how your fonts look from the actual text of the page, providing powerful tools for Web typography.Web Writing Rules to Live By
Web writing is not as hard as you might think it is. Web writing is basically just saying as few words as you need to get your point across clearly. Use these nine tips to improve your Web writing.What is a Font?
Font families can be hard to understand, especially when trying to develop a decent style sheet for a Web site. Once you understand what the fonts are, you can better use them to style your pages.What is a Printer-Friendly Web Page?
As Web pages get fancier and fancier, the ability to print out simple versions becomes more necessary. What makes a printer-friendly page printer-friendlyWhy Won't My Page Display As I Wrote It?
Browser caching can cause your page to not display even after you have edited it and re-uploaded it. Learn how to fix this once and for all.Writing Well for the Web
Good writing is essential to good content.You Can't Get Every Page to Look Identical, So Stop Trying!
Do you work with graphic artists and print designers who are always criticizing your Web designs? Well, they need to learn that the Web is not a graphic and it's also not print. Flexibility is key to Web design.
Marketing Your Site
Are You Being Robbed?
With new technology comes new ways to cheat. There are now some software companies that are making advertising money off of the ads on your site, while you make nothing.Attracting Advertisers
Advertising is still one of the only consistent revenue sources on the Web. But with the current advertising recession, you need to do all you can to find the advertisers and convince them to use your site.Basic Meta Tags
Meta tags are a great way to get your site seen by search engines. But what are they exactly? What tasks do they perform and how do you use them?Before You Write Meta Tags
There are many different types of meta tags, figure out what types you need before weighing down your site. Your site will be more effective, and search engines will spider your site.Boosting Your Hits
How to increase the number of visitors to your Web site.Building Online Communities
When you create an online community, you give people the sense of belonging. They'll want to return to your site.Cloaking: What it is and Why You Shouldn't Do It
This article discusses the issue of cloaking and why some firms will recommend it as a way to improve your ranking in search engines. Web site owners who are working with search optimization firms should read this article so that they are aware of the issues surrounding cloaking.Controlling Web Robots
Search engines and other systems use robots or spiders to automatically crawl through your Web site. They parse the pages and store the data. It's possible to control where those robots go and what they do on your site using the robots.txt file.Even More Meta Tags
Use meta tags to prevent search engines from searching your pages, plus protect child viewers, and provide more information about the page.Every Page is an Entry Page
If you want someone to find your Web site, does it really matter if they find your home page or some other page on your Web site? Many people focus so heavily on optimizing their home page for search engines, that they forget that other pages on their site might be easier to optimize and result in more page views.GaGa for Google
Learn how to edit your Web page so that it works with the Googlebot and not against it. These tips won't guarantee you top ranking, but they will help.How to Use a Blog for Non-Diarists
It's possible to use a blog or weblog to improve your business, even if you think your business really isn't suited to blogs.If You Build It, Will They Come?
Six tips to market your Web page and encourage repeat visits.Magic with Meta Tags
Meta tags can help improve your standing in search engines. Find out if you're adding them correctly.Meta Refresh Tag
There is a special tag in the <head> of your HTML document that will reload the current page, or force your readers to go to a new page.More Meta Tags
You can use meta tags for more than just search engines. Move people around your site.Pros and Cons of Pop-Ups, Pop-Unders, Overlays, and Intrusive Ads
Pop-up ads can be annoying, but there are reasons why people use them - And there are lots of pop-up blockers available to stop them - find out why to use them and why notSearch Engine Optimization Made Simple
Search engine optimization can be as simple or as hard as you want it to be. These five steps make search engine optimization easy and fun. You'll have your pages optmized for search quicker than you think. And you'll get more page views when you use these tips for search engine optimization."Sticky" Web Pages
Focus on more than just getting people to come to your site. Get them to stay and browse through your site.Useful URLs
If your URL is short and easy to use, people will return to your site, as they will remember the address.What is a Web Robot?
Robots often visit Web sites, and they can be beneficial to you or possibly harmful. Understanding how robots work and how they interact with your site can help you rank higher in search engines and get more pageviews.Why Create an Online Community
Community is a great way to increase interest in your site, and keep people coming back.Will Community Work for You?
Building Web community used to be considered crucial to every Web site, but the reality is that it's not appropriate for everyone. Learn when community works and when it doesn't.
Web Conventions
Conference Notes: Web 98
Day one of Web 98, "Welcome to the Summit".Web Design and Development: Day Two
Today I learned about Web usability and how to design navigation.Web 98: Day Three of the Convention
My final day was filled with product demonstrations and seminars.Why Not Attend a Web Conference?
Web conferences are a great way to meet people learn new skills and find jobs. And there are many to choose from, all around the world, some coming up very shortly.
Cascading Style Sheets
Advanced CSS
Get the most out of your cascading style sheets. Learn how to use font and text properties and change the look of your HTML and XML.Aural Style Sheets
Aural style sheets specify how your Web page will sound to customers who use audio browsers - especially for customers who are disabled and use assistive browsers for accessibility.Avoid Inline Styles for CSS
Once you've learned the basics of CSS it can be tempting to do things that ultimately make your CSS harder to maintain and use. But if you follow best practices for CSS, you'll have Web pages that are accessible and easier to maintain. One of the basic best practices for CSS is to not use inline styles.Beginning Cascading Style Sheets
CSS can help you control the look and feel of your site, with ease.Borders - Learn How to Dress up the Edges of Your Elements
This article is for Web designers struggling to take their borders from basic to exciting. You'll learn how to do more with borders than just decide what the width and color should be. Use CSS to create borders that are dashed or dotted and that only show on specific sides.Box Model Hack
The CSS box model has very specific rules for how wide a box should be when a width is applied and padding, borders, and margins are applied. However Internet Explorer doesn't follow these rules. So we need a hack to make boxes in CSS the same width or height (whichever is defined) in Internet Explorer as in other browsers.Centering Stuff with CSS
Learn how to center text, images or blocks on your Web page with CSS.CSS 2 Selectors
CSS 2 selectors extend the reach of CSS selectors to allow you more power and control over what you can style in your documents. Once you understand CSS 2 selectors you'll have more wildcards and depth of styles for your cascading style sheets.CSS 3 Opacity
Opacity is a method of making elements transparent in CSS 3. It is not supported in all browsers, but there are ways to get around it in the browsers that don't support it.CSS 3 Selectors That Work Right Now
CSS 3 is not yet complete, but there are some selectors already available that you can use to help improve your documents destined for a Mozilla/Firefox audience. CSS 3 selectors give you a lot more flexibility and power with your Web documents.CSS and Bulleted Lists
Learn how to get your unordered and Bulleted lists to look as you want them to.CSS Drop Shadows
Learn how to write CSS drop shadows without using any images. It's even possible to create drop shadows on text, but currently not in a standards-compliant or accessible way.CSS Editing Software: Which One is Right for You?
If you're looking to find the right CSS editing software to meet your needs you should take this questionairre. After just a few short questions, you'll have a list of some of the best CSS editing software tools available to meet your needs and your budget.CSS FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions About Cascading Style Sheets
There are many things that you need to know to learn to write Cascading Style Sheets. This FAQ will help answer some of the more common questions about CSS.CSS Media Types Create Print-Friendly Pages
Learn how easy it is to use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) media types to define a printer-friendly page without actually building one.CSS Outline Styles
The CSS 2 outline property is different from the border property in several ways. Primarily in that they do not take up space and they may be non-rectangular.CSS Positioning
Use Cascading Style Sheets to position your HTML elements precisely where you want them.CSS Selectors
CSS selectors are the basics of cascading style sheets. Once you understand CSS 1 selectors you'll be able to select many of the more common elements and situations to create a well-styled document.CSS Specificity
CSS specificity is the way that Web browsers determine how two or more competing rules will apply in a given situation. If two CSS rules could apply to the same property, one will be more specific and so it will win over the other.CSS Step By Step
Learn how to use inline styles, stylesheets in the header, and external stylesheets.CSS2 Generated Content
Sometimes you don't want content to be included in the document tree for some reason. Now, CSS2 comes with a way to include that content.CSS2 vs CSS1 - What's The Difference?
What is the difference between CSS2 and CSS1? Cascading Style Sheets, level 2 offers many new properties and methods to control the look and feel of your documents in various different settings - not just Web pages.Designing for IE - Design for Firefox First
It is often very difficult to design a Web site when you need it to look the same in both Internet Explorer and Firefox or Safari. The trick is to start with a different browser than you're probably used to starting with - design for Firefox first.Displaying Stylesheets Dynamically
Learn how to use Dynamic HTML to use stylesheets that take advantage of the browser.Divitis - The Habit of Using Divs for Everything in CSS Layouts
One of the most common mistakes a beginning CSS layout Web designer will make is to put everything in divs. Sometimes even down to the paragraph level. While this might make things easier to think about, it's not semantic markup, and it ends up being harder to maintain, as it's impossible to look at the code and know immediately what it's supposed to be.External Style Sheets
External style sheets (CSS) allow you to use one style sheet on multiple Web pages - so when you change the look for your site, you chage the CSS in one location.<font> vs. CSS
The font tag has been deprecated in favor of Cascading Style Sheets. Find out how to do all the same things as the font tag, and more with CSS."Framed" Pages without Frames
CSS positioning is a great way to create framed pages without using frames. CSS allows you to position your HTML elements including making it look like a frame.Hiding Your Cascading Style Sheets
When you use CSS to style your Web pages you may notice that there are certain properties that don't work as you expect in all browsers. The most common way to deal with that is to write browser-specific cascading style sheets and then use JavaScript to browswer-sniff. But you can also use bugs in these same browsers to hide your style sheets from various browsers.How to Avoid Deprecated HTML
It's one thing to be told to use CSS in place of deprecated HTML, but if you don't know what to use it can be difficult. This article will show you how to use CSS in place of those deprecated tags.How to Style a Tag Cloud
The styles for a tag cloud aren't that difficult to master, but once you understand them, you can use them to create a tag cloud of anything on your site that is measurable.Making Web Columns Appear to Be the Same Height
When building CSS designs you may find that the columns end up all different heights, which can look bad. But there is a way to fake it so that the columns appear to all end at the same place.Organizing Your CSS Files
Writing a CSS stylesheet is often just a matter of slapping all your styles into a document so that your pages look okay. But if you organize your stylesheet, your pages will be more easily maintained in the long run.Playing with BLOCKQUOTE and CSS
When you use the blockquote tag it can result in pretty boring looking quotations. But if you use Cascading Style Sheets, you can dress up your quotations to get blockquotes that pop on your Web page.Rounded Corners Using CSS and No Images
Rounded corners on boxes is a popular way to make CSS designs look less boxy, but the most common method requires a large amound of images which can drastically increase the download time for your pages. This method uses stripes and inline elements to get the effect of rounded corners.Safe CSS - Cascading Style Sheets For Most Browsers
Safe CSS properties are cascading style sheets properties that will display in most browsers.Scrollbar Colors
Using CSS to change the scrollbar colors in Internet Explorer or Konqueror is not legal XHTML, but it can be interesting. Learn how to prevent other designers from changing your browser settings. And also learn how to change the settings of your readers.Styling Horizontal Rules with CSS
If you want to divide sections of your HTML, one way to do it is with the HR tag. But this tag can be really ugly if you don't style it. Learn how to use CSS to style your HR tags.Styling Links with CSS
Don't let your links be boring, create links that are styled just like the rest of your Web pages. And before you think that just means changing the hover color - there's way more to it than that. When you're designing your page, don't forget to design your links.Stylish Backgrounds
Use CSS style elements to change the backgrounds of your Web pages and elements within them. Set up things like watermarks quickly and easily.Tableless Layouts
CSS Positioning helps you create Web pages that have a creative layout without the use of tables. This is often called tableless layout.The Ten Most Important CSS Tips
Cascading Style Sheets or CSS may seem daunting to beginners, but there are ten simple things you should understand about CSS in order to create style sheets that work and styles that do what you need them to do.Think INSIDE the Box
Use box properties of CSS to create boxes of text, and affect the layout of your page without tables.Thinking About Positioning - Using CSS to Layout Your Web Pages
Understanding how to do CSS positioning is a lot different from understanding why you should do it. This article attempts to explain some simple tricks to help you learn to position your Web pages with CSS.Tips and Tricks Using CSS
The biggest problem with CSS is that it is interpreted differently in every browser. But there are some methods to overcome this, without using JavaScript to create browser detection scripts.Understanding CSS Float
If you understand how to use the CSS float property, you'll have a lot more control over how your Web pages are laid out and you can more easily join the ranks of CSS designers everywhere.Using Cascading Style Sheets
Learn the syntax of styles and some of the commonly used attributes.Using CSS Site Wide
The primary strength of CSS is to make your site consistent. This article shows you how.Using Points, Pixels, Ems, or Percentages for CSS Fonts
Pixels vs points - deciding what unit of measure to use on Web page style sheets is a hotly contended issue. Ems, pixels, and exs are relative units, while points, picas, inches and milimeters are absolute. Is one better than the other?Using Style Classes and IDs
You can use CSS across multiple tags or multiple styles across one tag.What is CSS3?
CSS 3 is the modularization of Cascading Style Sheets to allow additions to the specification as well as limit the properties used in a given situation. With a specification that is modular, additions and changes to that specification become much easier.What is a Font?
Font families can be hard to understand, especially when trying to develop a decent style sheet for a Web site. Once you understand what the fonts are, you can better use them to style your pages.What is a Style Sheet?
Style sheets are used on Web pages to define the design and layout of the page - the style of the page.What is a User Style Sheet?
User style sheets allow you to control how pages that you visit look. They fix usability issues and can help deal with tags and elements that you might find annoying.Why Should I Avoid Tables (for Layout)?
Learn why you should use CSS to position your pages rather than HTML tables.Your First Style Sheet
CSS is not as hard as you might think. It's easy to change the fonts on your Web page using Cascading Style Sheets.Z-Index in CSS
Positioning elements with CSS can sometimes result in elements overlapping one another. With z-index you can control what element displays on top, in the middle, and on the bottom.
Being a Webmaster
A Day in the Life of a Webmaster
A fairly typical day in the work life of a professional Webmaster.Advice on Freelance Web Development
Learn how to get started being a freelance Web developer. In interviews with five freelancers, you'll learn what it takes, what's hard, and the rewards.Authorware 7
A first look at the new eLearning package Authorware 7Become a Hosting Provider
You would be surprised at how easy it is to become a virtual hosting provider. It only takes a few minutes to add a new domain. Finding the perfect domain name will take longer than setting up the hosting.Behind the Scenes at Web Design/HTML @ About.com
Business Web sites are often built and maintained in a very different fashion from how you build and maintain your personal site. There are a lot more programs, processes, and people involved in building and maintaining the Web Design/HTML Web site than you might realize.Creating Your Web Design Business Site
Where to start when building your own Web design business Web site. Many Developers seem to leave this site for last when building sites. I am guilty of this myself. Learn how to build the site that helps attract more customers.Do You Want This Job?
Many people learn HTML with the goal of becoming a professional Web developer, but do you know what the job really entails? It's not all peaches and cream. Learn some of the "cons" in a job that some feel has only "pros".Freelance Web Designers - What Does Your Web Site Say About You?
Your Web site can and probably will be seen by your customers, clients and future bosses. Is it saying what you want it to say about yourself and your skills?Getting a Job as a Webmaster
Do you have what it takes? What are the steps I took to getting a job as a Webmaster? updated 6/1/98Gifts for Webmasters
Essential tools of the trade to give and to ask for.Hand Coding HTML vs. WYSIWYG Editors - Continued
Readers comment on writing HTML from scratch or using editors.HomeSite Help and Resources
HomeSite Help and resources to learn to use the Macromedia HomeSite HTML text editor and Web development tool.How Are You Being Served?
If you know what Web server your site is running on, you can take advantage of it's features. Learn how to choose the right server for you.How to Set up a DNS Alias
It's easy to set up DNS aliases with the Apache Web server. What this means is that if you have one Web domain or 100 you can set them all up to point to different directories on your Web server and host them all yourself.I Know HTML, Am I a Webmaster?
What does the title Webmaster really mean?I've Learned HTML, What's Next?
Once you've learned HTML, what should you learn next to be a good Web developer?Macromedia Dreamweaver Help and Resources
Dreamweaver Help and resources to learn to use the Macromedia Dreamweaver HTML WYSIWYG editor and Web development tool.Tracking Web Page Views
Almost from the day that the Web was invented, people wanted to track information about the pages delivered and the computers requesting that information. This is stored on Web servers as log files - usually in Common Log Format (CLF) or Combined Log Format.Web Analytics Basics: Learn to Measure Your Web Site
Web analytics - learn to talk the talk when setting up web measurement so that you can get the most out of your Web metricsWeb Analytics: How to Use Web Analytics Effectively
Web analytics can be very confusing, as there are many ways you can evaluate your Web site. But it's important to be systematic when reviewing your Web analytics so that you can get the most out of them. The best thing that Web analytics can do for you is to help you improve your Web site.Web Design Businesses - Start with a Business Plan
If you're ready to start a work-from-home business as a Web designer, there are a lot of things you need to do to prepare and be ready. The key is creating a business plan. If you treat your home business like a business from the start you'll be better off in the long run and have a more lucrative business.Web Design Horror Stories
Everyone makes mistakes, it's a fact of humanity. But sometimes Web mistakes can be disastrous, and sometimes they are just funny. I have made some major mistakes in my time as a Web developer, and I'm sure I haven't made my last.Web Design Jobs
When you're looking for a Web Design Job it can be hard to find one, possibly because there are actually so many options for the Web designer looking for a job. Web design jobs come in many shapes and sizes and these resources and tips will help you find the perfect Web design job for you.What is a Referrer?
Referrers or HTTP Referers are anything online that drives visits and visitors to your Web site.What is a Webmaster?
Do you know what a professional Webmaster does all day?What is a Webmaster - Part 2
There are so many different definitions of the word Webmaster, but there are actually two other titles that are just as popular to people who spin the Web.What to Buy Your Favorite Webmaster
The second annual HTML Holiday buying guide. Recommendations from under $50 to give that special Web Developer in your life.WYSIWYG Isn't Really - What You See May Not Be What Your Customers Get
Just because you use a WYSIWYG editor doesn't guarantee that your pages will look the same to your customers as what you see when you view your page in your editor. WYSIWYG is actually a misnomer when it comes to Web editing software.WYSIWYG vs. Hand Coding, the Great Debate
Can you get a job if you can only write Web pages with an editor?
Dynamic HTML
What is Ajax?
Web applications can be a challenging endeavor where you try to get your customers to wait for data to load or pages to render. But with Ajax - Asynchronous JavaScript and XML - you can create multi-purpose Web applications that feel like desktop applications. No more waiting for pages to load, and the hourglass is gone.Another Look at Browser Detection
Learn why using browser detection scripts might not be the best solution, and the basics of object detection as a solution.Change is Good - It's Time to Give Up Your Table-Based Designs
It's time to break your old habits and admit that using tables for layout is outmoded and lazy. It's time to move on to CSS layouts, as your excuses just won't hold water for much longer, and why keep bailing when you could join the rest of us at the helm!Change Text Color Dynamically - Modern Browsers
It used to be very difficult to get text to change color in Netscape (4). But now it's very easy. And your HTML can be valid XHTML as well.Changing Text Color Dynamically
And do it in both browsers. Use the DHTML to acheive text rollovers.Cross Browser DHTML
Here are four options you have for creating cross-platform Dynamic HTML Web pages.DHTML Menus - Not Standards Based - For IE and Other Browsers
DHTML menus are one of the most popular ways to use dynamic HTML. They allow you to have crisp menus on your site while providing additional information to your customers as they mouse over the links.Displaying Stylesheets Dynamically
Learn how to use Dynamic HTML to use stylesheets that take advantage of the browser.Dynamic HTML
What is dHTML and how do you use it?Dynamic HTML Attributes
An easy way to get started understanding DHTML is to understand the attributes that are used for dynamic changes to a Web page like onclick onmouseover onfocus and so onDynamic HTML References
Dynamic HTML is fun and exciting, and with these references, you can get started quickly.Easy Dynamic HTML
This is an example of an easy way to add dynamic HTML to your Web pages.Open Two Frames with One Link
Links usually open only one window, but with DHTML you can open two windows with just one click.Quick JavaScript
JavaScript is a great way to add dynamic elements to your site, and these quick, simple scripts are easy to add to your pages.Simple JavaScript for DHTML
Some simple JavaScript scripts to create Dynamic HTML Web pages.Standards Based DHTML Menus
DHTML menus are one of the most popular ways to use dynamic HTML. They allow you to have crisp menus on your site while providing additional information to your customers as they mouse over the links."Watermarking" Your Web Pages
There are two ways you can create a watermark effect on your Web pages. Use CSS for a less intrusive, standard watermark. Or use DHTML to create a more dynamic watermark image.Web Pages for Everyone
With just a simple script and redirect you can set up your site to display a different page depending upon the browser your reader is using.What is the DOM? Explaining the Document Object Model
Learn how to use the Document Object Model (DOM).When to Use Ajax and When Not To
Just because your boss or your marketing department or you think that Ajax is cool and you really want to build an Ajax application doesn't mean that you should. If you understand what Ajax is good for, you'll be better off when you do get the call and can create an application that uses Ajax well, and not just for the sake of using Ajax.When to Use JPEG or GIF Format for Your Web Images and PNG Too
When creating Web graphics it's important that you use the correct format for the job. GIF and JPG files each have different uses, and should be used for different types of graphics.
Forms and CGI
Built-In ASP Objects
Using the built-in objects in ASP allows you to create dynamic pages without needing any external elements. Learn how to use some of the more useful built-in objects.Beyond CGI to ColdFusion
Learn how you can create dynamic data-driven Web pages quickly with ColdFusion.Building an Automatic Frame
Frame outgoing links with one CGI. Similar to how About.com does it.The Common Gateway Interface (CGI)
Learn about how CGI works and how to add interactivity to your Web pages.Disabled Attributes in Web Forms
The disabled attribute is a useful tool for HTML forms developers, as it allows you to make forms that are more dynamic and useful to the user. Use the disabled attribute to set form elements to disabled so that the customer cannot fill them in.Form Validation
If you have an HTML form, how can you be sure that they answer all the questions you want answered?HTML Forms Tutorial
Add interactivity to your site with HTML forms.HTML Forms Tutorial - The INPUT Tag
The INPUT tag is your primary form tag. It has a lot of features, and once you know them you will have the basis for superior forms.HTML Forms Tutorial - Method, Mailto Forms, and Multiple Pages
Using forms can be difficult, but if you know how to do these trickier elements you'll be all set.HTML Forms Tutorial - Textarea and Select
Once you have mastered the textarea and select form input fields, you'll have all you need to make well crafted forms.The HTML Label Tag - Make Your Forms Accessible
Using the label tag to label HTML forms elements that don't have implicit labels gives you more control over the design and accessibility of your Web forms.How to Create User-Friendly Forms
It's fairly easy to learn to write HTML forms, but there are a number of tricks to creating forms that your readers will want to fill out.Installing a Guestbook
If you're looking to add a guestbook or other CGI to your site, you will find that it is much easier than you might think. You can choose to use a guestbook on another site, or you can even learn how to install a CGI on your own server.Introduction to ASP
Active Server Pages can give you the dynamic, interactive pages you crave. Find out how this technology works and how it is different from other Web technology.Mail Links on Your Web Site
Contact pages are the best way to build a rapport with your customers. But you don't want to set up something that you can't handle or that allows spammers free access to your mail.A Perl Library
If you add these four books to your library, you will have all you need to learn and use Perl effectively.Pretty Forms
There are ways you can make your forms look nicer and interact with CSS layout and design directivesSearching Your Site
Give your site some extra functionality by adding search engine capabilities to your Web site.Using CGI to Upload Files
Uploading files with a CGI takes more than just the <input type="file"> tag.Using Forms and CGI
Learn to use Perl to write scripts that handle form data. A simple form to email script is examined.Ways to Submit Your Forms
When you build an HTML form, you need to think about how your readers are going to submit the data to the CGI. There are three basic methods.When Mailto Forms Don't Work
Mailto forms are very easy to build, but mailto forms don't always work as you expect.
XML
Anatomy of an XML Document
XML documents have a very specific structure. It is something like a tree with branches off the trunk. Learn how an XML document is structured.Attributes and XML
Attributes allow you to describe your XML elements.Converting Web Sites to XHTML+CSS
Many Web designers have been building pages for years, either by hand or with an editor, and the idea of converting their site(s) to XHTML+CSS is daunting at best. This article looks at the issue of conversion and shows the pros and cons for converting, so you can make your own decision.The Difference Between CSS and XSLT
Not all style sheets are created equal. CSS and XSLT have two very different roles.DTDs and Markup Languages
Learn what a DTD or Document Type Definition is and how you use them in XML and HTML documents.Ecommerce Functions in XPath
XPath is a powerful tool for ecommerce, with many functions that help manage and manipulate the data.Examining XML
XML is a very generic language, and as such, can be confusing to understand. However, once you understand some basic principles you can start creating XML documents that are well-formed and valid.Form vs. Function - XML-like HTML Tags
There are several HTML tags that look a lot like XML. But what does that really mean? Learn about why some tags were deprecated in XHTML 1.0 and some specific tags that weren't.How Should My XML Look?
XML doesn't define how a document should look when it's displayed. It's easy to use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to define how your XML documents should look.How to Syndicate this Site
The Web Design/HTML weblog is available for syndication. And with a simple script, it's easy to have this site and other RSS feeds right on your Web page. You can also use aggregators and newsreaders to read RSS feeds you're interested in.Introduction to XSL
XSL is more than just transformations of XML documents, it allows you to define your presentations and provide specific maps of your documents.Modularization of XHTML
XHTML has been broken up into modules to make it more extensible and allow it to be used on more diverse platforms.Origin and Design Goals for XML
The ten design goals for XML and what they mean.Privacy Policies and P3P
Use the Platform for Privacy Preferences Project (P3P) to create and use privacy policies on your Web site. And find out what browsers support this project.Push Technology - XML In Action
It's easy to set up a Web site with push technology using the XML application CDF or Channel Definition Format.Quirks Mode - Using the DOCTYPE Tag
If you don't use the DOCTYPE tag, your Web pages won't display in standards compliant ways and might result in some strange Web pages.Rewriting the Web Design Site with Web Standards
It is possible to take a site that is completely non-standard HTML and convert it to XHTML. It also reduces the file size as well.RSS - Really Simple Syndication
Really Simple Syndication or RDF Site Summary or Rich Site Summary, no matter what you think it stands for, RSS is the answer to Web site syndication.What is the Semantic Web?
The Semantic Web was devised by Tim Berners-Lee as a way to make the Web into a giant database. With the current status of data on the Web, computers do not know what data they are displaying it. Instead, all that the markup language usually tells about a document is how to display it or structure it. The Semantic Web makes the data understandable to computers as well, so it can be cataloged and used more efficiently.Simple Object Access Protocol
What is the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and how does it relate to XML, HTTP, and Web applications.Top XML Books
XML is a huge topic to learn and understand, and these books offer both the beginner and the advanced programmer something to use. While there are many books on specific XML languages and specifications, these books are some of the best all-around XML information manuals. There are books for people who learn by example and for the more studious minded.Tools to Read (Parse) Your XML
Many Web developers think that XML is just a new version of HTML that is viewed in Web browsers. Learn about XML parsers.Using Web Pages with Excel
It's easier than you think to convert Web pages into Excel spreadsheets. It's just a matter of formatting your data so that Excel can read it.VoiceXML
With VoiceXML you can not only display Web pages on phones, you can hear them over the phone.Well Formed XML and HTML
When you write XML that can be ready by an XML parser, your XML is well formed. How does that relate to HTML and XHTML?What are All Those "ML"s?
HTML is based off of SGML, and XHTML is based XML, but what do those letters mean? What exactly is a markup language? And how do they all relate?What is a DTD?
The Document Type Definition or DTD is the basic building block of an XML document. Learn the parts of a DTD and how to write your own.What is a Podcast?
There are many misconceptions about what a podcast is. This article will teach you what a podcast is, why it's called a podcast, and give you references to start your own podcast.What is a Sitemap?
What is an XML sitemap and why should I use them on my site? XML sitemaps are a new schema and protocol accepted by Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo! to help assist search engines. Setting up a sitemap for your Web site allows search engines to more accurately review the files on your site, including their locations and relative importance to each other.What is XML?
Extensible Markup Language is not an off-shoot of HTML, in fact, it is the creator of languages like HTML. Learn what it is and how it relates to HTML.Who Uses XML?
XML might be the new big thing, but what are people really using it for?Why Learn XML?
The Web development community is getting more and more complex. There are many more languages and protocols to learn, but why should you learn XML? The good news is, you don't need to, but XML does do things that HTML cannot.Wires Not Required
Use WML (Wireless Markup Language) to write documents for WAP devices like cell phones.Writing a Schema
If you're going to write an XML application, you should write a schema to describe your XML. Schemas are valid XML documents, so they are a bit easier to write than DTDs.XForms
XForms allow you to create forms that work on many platforms, are accessible, and integrate directly with XML.XHTML 2.0 - What is It?
XHTML 2.0 is the latest version of XHTML - it brings XHTML even closer to its XML origins and is no longer backwards compatible with older versions.XLink
Using XLink, you can create more flexible links, anchors and more, than you can with HTML. The XML Linking Language is the solution for XML documents.XML Books
There are many books available about XML. Find the one that is right for you. Three great books, one to learn XML, one reference manual, and one short pocket reference. Plus several others to help.XML Conversions
Learn by example, how to take an XML document that is not well-formed and invalid and turn it into a well-formed and valid document.XML Elements
Learn how to use the most basic building block of XML - the element.XML Explained
The newest markup language can be pretty intimidating!XML Namespaces
XML namespaces clarify XML documents and allow you to use elements and attributes using the same name.XML Terms
An explanation of some of the more common XML jargon and what they mean.XPath Introduction
Learn the conventions for pointing to specific parts of your XML document. You should know XPath to work with both XSLT and XPointer.XSL-FO - Extensible Stylesheet Language Formatting Objects
What is XSL:FO and how do you use it? Extensible Stylesheet Language: Formatting Objects is the way to make your XML look the way you want it, online or in print.XSL: The Style of XML
Once you have XML, how do you get it displayed? XSL is the stylesheet language built to display XML.XSLT: Advanced
Learn how to convert a more complicated XML document into HTML using eXtensible Style Sheet Language for Transformations.XSLT - The Basics
XSLT is the style sheets language for transforming your XML into any other text based language, including HTML. This week, we'll learn how to do basic transformations.XSLT: More Transformations
Learn some powerful tools for transforming your XML. XSLT elements give you the power to convert the XML into the format that you need.You Already Write for Cell Phones
You may have heard of other languages you would have to learn if you want to write pages for cell phones and PDAs, but that is no more. These devices are now standardizing on a language you already probably know - XHTML Basic.
Reviews
Allaire HomeSite 4.0
The best HTML text editor on the Net. Many professional Webmasters use HomeSite to develop their pages, find out why.Before You Buy an HTML Validator
A review of the different types of HTML validators and how to know what kind is best for your needs.Book Review: Photoshop for the Web
This is one of the best books on creating Web graphics I've ever seen. If you use Photoshop for your images, you should have this book.Book Review: Creating Cool HTML 4 Web Pages
How were you writing cool Web pages before this book?Book Review: CSS Pocket Reference by Eric A. Meyer
If you're looking for a CSS book you can carry with you all the time, this is the perfect book, but don't rely on it as your only CSS reference unless you're Eric A. Meyers yourself.Book Review: Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug
Web usability is something many developers don't think anything about, but if you don't think about usability your sites won't be usable. Steve Krug's book Don't Make Me Think doesn't force you to think about usability. Instead, it shows you, with pictures and humor how to make your Web sites better.Book Review: Instant Netscape Dynamic HTML
How to use dHTML to improve your Web pages.Book Review: Pocket Guides
Good things come in small packages, and these tiny books are a lifesaver for the desperate Web developer.Book Review: Web Concept and Design
A very good book on Web design by Crystal Waters. (Updated 01/12/98)Head Rush Ajax by Brett McLaughlin
A review of the book Head Rush Ajax by Brett McLaughlin. A quick and dirty way to get your Web site up and running using Ajax.Introducing the Macromedia Web Publishing System
More than just a content management system, the new Macromedia Web Publishing System puts together everything an organization would need to publish to the Web quickly and effectively without the hassles of a CMS. This system includes new releases of Macromedia Contribute 3 and Macromedia FlashPaper 2.Macromedia MX - A First Look
A first look at a fully-integrated Web development suite and server solution.Macromedia Studio 8: A First Look
Macromedia Studio 8 offers an exciting upgrade to one of the best software suites on the market right now for Web developers and Web designers. The Studio 8 software suite includes Dreamweaver 8, Flash 8, Fireworks 8, Contribute 3, and Flashpaper.Review: Perseus Software Survey Solutions
Create and manage professional surveys on your Web site without needing HTML or CGI.When is HTML Not Enough
This great book will take you through HTML and all the elements of Web design. It's a beginners guide, but it's great for non-beginners as well. It covers many elements of Web design, from HTML, to graphics, to layout.The Zen of CSS Design by Dave Shae and Molly Holzschlag
This book might be a bit much for the beginning style sheet user, it is definitely a must-have for anyone with some CSS experience. Based on the CSS Zen Garden Web site, this book teaches through example, and every designer should own it.
Awards and Surveys
Jennifer KyrninAnd the Winners Are...
Readers choice awards for February. Should your site win this award?Award and Survey Results for January
Who has the best pages, and what are they using to create them?HTML in Action
A weekly review of sites that demonstrate HTML as it can be done.Introducing the Tip of the Day
There are so many sites on HTML, how can you see them all?One Year of HTML
A contest to celebrate my first year as the HTML Guide. Submit your entries by 10/31/98 and possibly win a free book.Survey Says!
What do the readers of this site prefer? Are you using the same editors, browsers, etc? And is your job title in parity?The Year in Review 1998
There are many different articles that are still of use even after a year or more.
