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Consultancy
The Issues
The Web is one application of the internet, which
in turn is the largest connection of different networks in the world
- Text plus hyperlinks = hypertext
- Hypertext seen through browser = web page
- A magazine rack tied together with string
Real potential exists in the effective delivery
of content that can enhance the future of e-commerce.
- Shopping
- Community
- Entertainment
- Brand Identity
- Learning
- Information
Yet limitations do exist and due to the speed
of change there are real problems with this global information network.
- Standardisation of authoring languages and
tools
- Standardisation of browser capabilities
- Standardisation of software and hardware
- Network variance
- Needs of providers / audiences / maintainers
/ technical support people etc
With no compulsion to follow standards, there
are a multitude of incompatible and inept tools for Web authors.
- Text editors
- WYSIWYG html editors
- Graphics packages - photo manipulators
- Multimedia animation and film editors
- Content management systems - databases
There are a multitude of incompatible and inept
browsers, which vary greatly due to a number of issues.
- Age
- Manufacturer
- Links to other packages
- Purpose or niche market
- Operating system
Network variants have to be considered for the
delivery of graphics and animation.
- Connectivity and bandwidth
- Kb or mb per second
- Ukc - 10mb p/s to the desktop
- Modem - 56.6 kb p/s to the desktop
Plug-ins and Helpers offer none of the restrictions
of paper and rather than just being something else to download and
install can instill customer loyalty.
- Other file formats besides html and text
- Plug-ins - in the browser
- Helpers - outside of the browser
- multimedia - animation, video, sound, other
document formats, print files
- Bandwidth
The viewer's machine must be considered so as
not to alienate or prohibit access from any potential audience
- Hardware - processor speed, memory size, disk
space and display. Operating system - unix, mac, 95/98/nt, os2.
- Browser - lynx, amaya, opera, netscape, internet
explorer.
- Plug-ins and helpers.
- Connectivity speed and cost
Free internet access has left a growing audience
of sophisticated users, with their own browsing habits
- Has control to change presentation via the
browser
- Has nano-second irritation.
- Will not scroll down or click four times unless
significant benefit can be discerned.
- Has a specific need or wants to browse
- Has visual, aural or motor impairments
A useable site is a more popular site and human
computer interaction studies show what makes an easy to use web
page/site.
- Design, navigation, use of information, accessibility
- Pure design Vs pure technology
What of the future? Xhtml, xml, xsl ?
- More providers, more users more powerful pc's
- Faster network connections more multimedia
- More triumphs of design over content
- More useability, more disenfranchised viewers?
- More corporate failures or personal successes?
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