There are several factors you should keep in mind when youre designing a Web page. Here are a few ways that you can make your Web page functional and attractive.
Use system palette colors whenever possible. Colors nice, but custom colors slow down imaging of the page. Whenever possible, limit the Web page to 16 colors.
Avoid high resolution images. Remember that few machines can display images greater than 92 pixels per inch (72 pixels for Macs). Including high resolution images does nothing more than increase transmission time.
Dont oversize the page. The majority of monitors cant display anything wider than 640 pixels. If you design a very wide Web page, few people will bother to scroll back and forth in order to read the page.
Interlace your graphics. When you use an interlaced image on a Web page, the graphicalbeit fuzzilyappears quickly on the page. The images clarity improves during data transmission as more of the defining information is received.
Keep your design well organized. Just like other mediums, too much information is as bad as too little. If you have a lot of information, split it into several linked pages.
Provide links to your home page on all other pages. You always want users to be able to quickly return to your home page, no matter how far into your Web they might be.
Tell people how to get in touch with you. Include your E-mail or snail mail address somewhere on the home page. You might even want to set up a mail link on the page.
Use the hierarchical headings of HTML to your advantage. Dont make all your type the same size or style. A creative use of the HTML headings can make your page more attractive and legible.
Try to have a purpose for every item on your Web page. Each item on the page should have a valid communication reason. Remember that if you clutter a page with extraneous items, youre increasing transmission time as well as reducing legibility.
Make your Web pages legible. Dont include colors that clash or are too hard to read against the background. Also, remember that a background is just thatthe background. Dont make it too busy or you may take away from the entire page.
If youve got more than just a casual interest in the Internet, you might want to get Inside the Internet, The Cobb Groups monthly guide to the information superhighway. For more information, call (800) 223-8720.
We hope these tips from The Cobb Group help you get started with your new Macintosh. For more techniques and in-depth computer know-how, subscribe to The MacAuthority. For a free preview issue, visit The MacAuthority Web site at http://www.cobb.com/tma/ or call The Cobb Groups Customer Relations department at (800) 223-8720.
