What do I need to know to produce a simple web site that looks nice,
gives plenty of information and a simple email link back to me?
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Almost nothing. The display you see on your screen is usually written
using HTML (Hypertext Mark Up Language). You can read the HTML code used to create this page (or any other) by clicking View and Source in
your browser menu. HTML basics are quite simple to learn but you can buy something
like Microsoft Front Page to design quite sophisticated pages without any knowledge of HTML.
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Is that really all?
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Well yes & no. The technology and the standards are changing. The next version of HTML is in draft stage and does incorporate
some changes. To include graphics you will need to learn a picture editing programme.
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How can I get a Dot.Com (domain name for example Santa Stefano.com)?
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You find a name that has not been taken and register it, there is an annual fee.
Unfortunately it is not always easy to find the name you want that is still available. There are many other domain name endings, .org, .tv and so on.
Visit Domain Name Registration to see what is available. They offer a combination of economic pricing and
a good look up system. Santa Stefano Software now use Cheap Domain.com exclusively because we have been unable to find their combination of excellent
service at economic pricing with any other supplier. Furthermore our personal experience of Register .com (one of the biggest and most expensive
registrars) has been particularly bad. Perhaps we were unlucky.
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So, I have built my site now I want to publish it
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Identify an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
There are many ISPs offering to host your site. You can find many "free" providers but usually this will mean you
carrying some kind of advertisement for the host company. Santa Stefano Software recommend
paying for Internet hosting, a simple internet search will list hundreds of ISPs offering
their services. We can offer excellent deals starting at euros 75 per year including domain registration.
click here
for details.
We offer a free web tracking service that will report visits to your page, the source
(search engine or web site) and key words used by the visitor to find you. Click here for details.
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What about these animated
cartoons and so on that I see everywhere?
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Quite easy but you need some software
to build animated gifs. Front Page comes with a gif animator and there are many other
easy to learn programmes available. Santa Stefano Software particulalarly recommend
Banner Maker Pro
for an economic, easy to learn programme for making animated banners and gifs.
You can see some samples of banners made using this programme at GenovaWeb.
None of these simple banners took more than 5 minutes to produce. You should consider what sort equipment your users have. If they are visiting
your site through a dial up connection be aware that data transmission is relatively slow. Cartoons, music, film clips etc. take a lot of bandwidth and transmission
may be slow over such a connection.
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It's so easy then that I don't need to pay Santa Stefano Software to
design, publish and maintain my page.
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If you can write good content and only want a simple site that gives information, links to other sites and your company it
is perfectly possible to Do-It-Yourself. The software you need is easily learned and we wish you luck with your project.
If you want to communicate interactively with your users you need a new set of skills. It will be necessery to learn about Common
gateway Interface (CGI), programming languages to use for the CGI (perhaps perl, Java, PHP, Mysql) and, if you have
little or no programming experience you will have to invest considerable learning time in the project.
Alternatively you could contact Santa Stefano Software for a no-obligation discussion with one of our designers
and discover how we can make your first steps into e-commerce and the World Wide Web painless and successful. Email george@santastefano.com Telephone: + 39 010 8461492
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