Initial Questions
There are many ways to get a website. As you consider your options, here is some basic information that may help you make a more informed decision.
Question categories:
Web design questions
Website questions
- What is a website?
- What do I need to have a website?
- What is a web host?
- What is a domain name?
- What is a web address?
- How do people find my site?
- What is a browser?
Attic Windows Web Design Questions
Answers
Web design answers
- What's web design anyway?
- Web designers create websites. Here's what's involved:
- Organizing content
- Creating the page layout
- Establishing site navigation
- Writing and/or editing text
- Editing pictures and/or creating graphics
- Determining and balancing the needs of the site's audiences
- Addressing usability
- Recognizing accessibility requirements
- Web designs can be turned into web page files that computers can read by applying the appropriate code to the information. This work, called development, is sometimes done by the designer or by a web developer.
- I am a web designer who also does basic development using XHTML and CSS.
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- Is web design different from graphic design?
- Yes, though there can be some overlap. A graphic designer designs graphics but may also design web pages; a web designer uses graphics and may design some or all of the graphics she uses.
- Is a logo a web design?
- No, though a logo may be a design that appears on a web page. See above for the answer to what a web designer designs.
Website answers
- What is a website?
- A website consists of computer files; these files are written so that computers can display the information for us and we can interact with that information.
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- What do I need to have a website?
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Jargon version:
- Web page files
- Web hosting
- The pictures and words you want the world to see in a format computers can understand
- A place to put them so others can see them
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- What is a web host?
- A web host stores web page files in such a way that others can see them. This means that they have the space to hold the files and that they provide access to the files for site visitors. Space and how much access (bandwidth) a host provides will vary, often according to price.
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- What is a domain name?
- A domain name is an easy-to-remember label for a website. The actual label for a website, the one computers use, is a series of numbers. A domain name, AtticWindowsWebDesign.com for example, gets assigned to the set of numbers so people can use the words and not have to remember the numbers.
- To get a domain name, you must register it with a domain registrar. There is an annual fee to have a domain name. Fees vary but it's unlikely to be more than $30 per year and is often less.
- You do not have to have a domain name to have a website. If you have a personal site, you may not want one. For businesses and organizations, it establishes credibility and makes it a lot easier for people to find you.
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- What is a web address?
- You can find the web address (also called the URL: universal resource locator) in the aptly named address window at the top of your browser. It contains the domain name of the site, the file name of the specific page you are on and information about what type of file you are looking at.
- An example of a web address is:
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- How do people find my site?
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- Submit your site to search engines
- Establish links with other sites
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- What is a browser?
- If you're sitting in front of a computer reading this, chances are you are using a browser.
- A browser (or web browser) is the program you use to view web pages. Firefox, Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Opera and Safari are some common browsers.
- Web pages can look different in different browsers. One of Attic Windows' services is cross-browser testing: testing to make sure your site displays well in different browsers.
Attic Windows Web Design Answers
- How long will it take to design my site?
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The answer depends on several things:
- My available time.
- The size and complexity of the site.
- Your available time. I'll need the site content as well as feedback from you to complete the site.
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- What will it cost?
- I know it would be more convenient if I could quote you a price without seeing the project details, but I can't. Custom work means custom prices, which is not the same as high prices; my goal is to be fair. Please contact me for a quote.
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- Do you use templates?
- Jargon answer: No. Each site is custom made.
- Non-jargon answer: No, I don't use pre-made designs into which I fit your content. I create the design for your site according to your requirements.
- Special answer for quilters: I use templates for hand-piecing only, not websites.
- Note: when comparing Attic Windows Web Design prices to prices of other design studios, please be aware of the difference between template-based designs and custom-made designs.
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- Do you design graphics and logos?
- I can create graphics and edit photos for your site but if you want a logo for your business, I'd recommend using a logo designer who specializes in that area.
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- Do you follow professional standards in web design?
- Jargon answer: Yes, I follow W3C recommendations. I validate my sites.
- Non-jargon answer: Yes. I follow the recommendations of the World Wide Web Consortium when I design sites. The Consortium takes a long-term view of the Web, working to make it stable and accessible. I test my sites using its services throughout the design process to make sure that my sites meet the Consortium's recommended standards.
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- Do you have any training?
- Yes. I have a Web Technologies Certificate from the International Webmasters Association - HTML Writers Guild.
