Weaving the Ultimate Web: The Challenge
News & Views Feature Article

by Rajini Prakash

Copyright © 1998 Rajini Prakash. Rajini Prakash contributes to the innovative web authoring solutions produced by Unisys Product Information.

Originally published in News & Views March 1998 issue.

For permission to reprint this article, contact the Managing Editor .

Those of us in web publishing know the dilemma that we face in constantly chasing technology and trying to keep up with the myriad of Internet design solutions that change so quickly. How do we cope with this new paradigm that has spawned an information overload? Is it possible to winnow what is feasible from what is merely hype from such a mind-boggling array of technologies? The answer is--it isn't easy!

Web designing takes on additional challenges that web authors must conquer along the way. Some hurdles arise from our efforts to build the ideal web site that is platform-independent and cross-browser compatible, enables fast downloads with minimum burden on the server, adheres to web server restrictions, dazzles with interactivity, and is cost-effective as well! All this seems like a daunting task even to the seasoned publisher.

The good news is that in the spirit of the Internet, there are invaluable free resources that allow you to keep pace with the technology curve without having to needlessly reinvent the wheel or feeling overwhelmed about implementing solutions from scratch. Where does your journey begin? This article presents useful tips that tell you how one web author copes with the rapid changes that can take place in one web year and uses Internet resources to enhance career skills right from the desktop.

Know the buzz words
Keeping up to date with web terminology and its applications is certainly a desirable trait even if they do not directly apply to your current work situation. An awareness of some of these terms will not only give you a head start if you are new to this area, but also help you tune in to discussions on these topics. Make sure to keep your personal list updated.

Establish clear goals within the scope of your project
Surprisingly enough, if your team has established a clear mission statement and a set of standards to define the site's intended audience, then you can easily filter the workable solutions from the ones that just won't fit within your design scheme. For example, if you are designing for a cross-browser uniform look and feel, you need to make sure a Cascading Style Sheet that shines through one browser doesn't fall flat in another. If your design standards include support for backwards compatibility of browsers, then you must ensure that any JavaScripts or similar features do work in all the required environments. Knowing what you want ahead of time and establishing guidelines based on the recommendations of your management team is the most important step in avoiding design pitfalls. Be especially wary of a browser-specific feature that's known to work only in the browser for which it was created.

It's OK to use shortcuts
Until now, implementing new features and figuring out what works seamlessly cross-browser weren't easy to do. But with the help of new web development tools like Dreamweaver (http://www.macromedia.com/software/dreamweaver/trial/main.cgi), all you have to do is select the options that fit your design solution and have the tool configure the appropriate tag sets. Even HTML code jockeys admit that such WYSIWYG tools ease tasks such as creating complex tables. In addition, emerging tools for creating style sheets, such as The CoffeeCup Stylesheet Maker++ 1.0 (http://www.coffeecup.com/style/mirrors.html), code cryptic style sheet tags for you and save plenty of time and effort that can now be devoted to improving the content.

Explore and expand your horizon
Internet-savvy technical communicators research web sites that give insight into innovative, futuristic, and leading-edge information design and implementation techniques. Remember, though, that before you actually ride a wave, it may have moved away only to be replaced by something newer and trendier.

Amidst the plethora of web sites, the resources in the following section can be commended for their exemplary information, examples, and tutorials. They will help you keep up with the jungle of Cascading Style Sheets, conflicting DHTML (Dynamic HTML) and layering codes, cross-browser incompatible JavaScripts, insecure Java applets, the applications of XML (Extensible Markup Language), and all that hype over Push 'n' Shove technology. Be prepared to probe several layers beyond the first level of information in a web site to retrieve what you need.

Check out the hidden treasures...
Often, valuable information on the World Wide Web remains hard to reach and avoids the "hits" of even a robust search engine. Once you come across a useful site, make sure you bookmark it right away in a folder that contains similar topics, lest it be lost forever.

To experience the functionality of some of these web sites, you need a fourth-generation browser and a speedy machine to go with it! This list focuses on topics that target the web designing experiences of this web author in software technical communication.

http://webreview.com Web site nirvana for all your web designing and authoring needs. See it to believe it. For cross-browser CSS tables, check out the Master, Safe, and Danger lists that are updated frequently. An invaluable reference.

http://www.mcp.com An authoritative encyclopedia of computing. Access the topic, "Resource Centers" on the home page, then under the topic, "Web Programming, Administration", click on "DHTML Guru Resource" for its words of wisdom on cross-browser DHTML and to view a web designer's dream layout. Also, under "Web Publishing", click on 24-Hour HTML Café for a one-stop reference guide on HTML 3.2 and 4.0 versions. Don't miss this one to find out how you can mix HTML with a good dose of humor!

http://rampages.onramp.net/~jnardo/javascript/zen.html The Way of JavaScript lets you experience a tutorial for ultimate JavaScript bliss. Cool design.

http://javaboutique.internet.com/ The Java Boutique is an invaluable resource that tells you how to embed applets in a web page and includes many examples that add sizzle and interactivity to your web site.

http://www.filename.com/wbt/index.html Web-based Training Resource Center with information and links to several WBT sites.

http://www.htmlgoodies.com Just like the name says.

http://robot0.ge.uiuc.edu/~carlosp/cs317/cft.html A user-friendly tutorial that walks you through the basics of form handling.

http://www.intranetjournal.com For Intranet 101 design.

http://www.lcc.gatech.edu/gallery/dzine An online guide to good web design.

http://www.wpdfd.com/wpdhome.htm Great web design and typography hints.

http://www.coolnerds.com A webhead's wonderland for all those nerdy cruisers out there.

Remember that "The Web moves at the speed of light. If you want to keep on top of it, you should too."

Terms:

ActiveX	Microsoft Corporation's technology that lets web sites use a Dynamic Linking Library (DLL) module to enable multimedia effects in web pages, or for common tasks to be reused by an application program.
Auditorial	An online tutorial with an audio track. See http://www.auditorial.com to experience sample auditorials.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)	Allows typographic and layout control of web pages similar to that of word processing style templates. Eliminates redundant coding for recurring styles and lets you change the appearance of multiple web pages by editing just one file.
DHTML (Dynamic HTML)	An HTML extension that introduces dynamic effects on web pages. DHTML works on the client side with fewer burdens on the web server. DHTML is often seen in text and graphic animation that can change a passive site to an active one.
FUD (Fear , Uncertainty, and Doubt)	Pronounced "fud", this condition arises from speculations and rumors primarily in the work place.
JavaScript	A scripting language that creates interactive HTML pages that process user input. The code is integrated with and embedded in HTML. JavaScript allows you to create windows and to display moving text, sound, or other multimedia elements. JavaScripts can be used instead of common CGI operations, like processing form data. "Cut-and-paste" JavaScript sites make it simple for non-programmers to make their sites JavaScript-powered.
Java applet	A small Java program that runs as a nearly independent application within the browser and can be embedded in an HTML page. Java applets increase the functionality or presentation of information on the web. They enhance otherwise static web pages by displaying animations, showing step-by-step tutorial instructions, or running demonstration versions of computer software.
Push Technology	Push technology delivers information to your desktop instead of pulling it from the server (the conventional way). Some call it the next paradigm of web publishing; others think of Push technology as "glorified email." Using tools like PointCast to create a Channel Definition Format (CDF) based on your specifications (a no-brainer), you create channels that users subscribe to and get automatic updates directly from your web page (e.g., news, software upgrades). Channels delivered on corporate intranets can be tailored for particular departments or individuals so that subscribers can locate interesting content easily.
SMIL (Synchronized Multimedia Integrated Language)	SMIL, pronounced "smile," synchronizes multimedia elements such as audio, video, or images and allows you to schedule the delivery of multimedia elements using a timeline instead of complicated scripts.
WBT (Web-based Tutorial)	A viable way of delivering effective interactive audio/video multimedia presentations via the web in real-time. Intranets could use WBTs to create online corporate universities and training resource centers.
XML (Extensible Markup Language)	A subset of SGML that uses extensible tag sets to let you identify your own mark up elements and describe the data structures stored in your documents. Chemical Markup Language (CML) and Channel Definition Format (CDF) are two examples of how XML allows industries to design specific tag languages to solve specific problems.