Why Do People Want to Have Websites?
The Web today is a world-wide phenomenon and is expanding by the minute. Back in the 1960s, this so-called “Network of Networks” consisted of just a few slender threads linking military complexes, research centers and universities. The World Wide Web as we know it today surfaced only in 1993, when the Internet began to be opened up for everybody to use, noy just official organisations, but also commercial companies and private individuals.
Today, the Web could just as well be compared to a beehive or an anthill, because rather than being the fruit of the efforts of a single spider spinning its threads in solitude, it is the result of the collective effort of the millions of people around the world who are online every day.
The Web is not only getting bigger, but it is also getting bigger every day, as software is refined, new technologies are developed and it seems as though the list of things you will be able to do on the Web will be limitless. As an Internet guide says, the Web is already a multimedia universe, teeming with colours and sounds, information technology has truly donned all its finery and is strutting its stuff in style. Art, fashion, design and music have invaded the Web to the delight of one and all.
Finally, because the Internet is by definition intended to be interactive, cosmopolitan and democratic, it has become accessible to all. The forbidding and elitist technological barrier that it once put up has been broken down and today the Web is a network that links a world-wide community in a universe of image and sound. We can all be a part of it if we wish. So, after having cruised around the Websites of the world, you feel it’s time to make your presence felt and grab your own little bit of cyberspace, why not create your own Website?
If that’s what you’d like to do, then you should follow the rules according to those you will create the best website. Everybody has at least one good reason for wanting to create a personal Webpage or site. You may have a particular case to defend, a passion to share, some information to publish, or you may simply wish to get in touch with other people and show what you can do. Most people at least want to talk and exchange ideas and information with like-minded others. Creating a Webpage means creating your own window on the world and your own fifteen minutes of fame.
If you have a magnificent collection of exotic butterflies, matchboxes or coins, you needn’t let them collect dust on a shelf or idle in a drawer. If you are a photographer, musician or silkscreen artist, for example, you can show your work on the Web. If you have been through an incredible experience, a romantic love story, or if something comical has happened to you, why not share it with others?
The Web is a vast democracy, created by and for all, without any real supervisory body. To keep it that way, a number of rules have gradually come into force which form a code of conduct known as “Netiquette”. These unwritten rules are essentially a matter of tolerance, patience and courtesy, so if you stick to these principles, you won’t go far wrong.
For surfers on the Web, the Internet is a real Ali Baba’s Cave, teeming with treasures. It has images by the million, pulsating music, thousands of amusing cartoons, animated logos and a host of all kind of applications that enrich Webpages and make browsing such fun. Remember however, that not all are free. Unless explicitly specified to the contrary, you cannot just help yourself without asking. Both the real and the virtual world are subject to copyright laws. Appearances can be misleading. The Internet is not a totally free market. You can draw inspiration from it, but shouldn’t steal. On the other hand, if you are really tempted, you can always contact the author of the site that contains the particular item you covet and admire and ask him or her for permission to use it.
The quality is the keyword here. No one wants to log on to a site that offers no information, aesthetic pleasure or other reward. Similarly, one of the great features of the Web is that it is a constantly changing universe, so it’s better not to leave pages containing outdated information on the Internet, update them as often as you can. Also, remember to check the spelling in your site. People who are familiar with computers and the Internet tend to scoff at those who aren’t and call them computer illiterate. However, if the contents of some sites are anything to go by, it’s a distinct case of the pot calling the kettle back. However much of a rush you may be in to get your page on the Internet, it is always worth spending an extra few minures checking through what you are about to post before going ahead. First impressions count on the Web just as they do elsewhere, after all.
Though it may not look like it, when viewing an all singing all dancing version, the basis of a Website is simply lines of programming code in HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language). Creating a document in any language requires software capable of managing it, software that speaks that language. Software that speaks HTML has existed since HTML was created in 1989, but it was not until the advent of the Web in 1993 and the Internet boom that it ushered in, that these HTML-fluent software applications began to proliferate and enter the public domain. So, if you want those fifteen minutes of fame, you must know HTML.11
