Week 6

Reflect on what you have learned...
There was allot of information to absorb over the last 6 weeks, some of which I kind of knew, but most of it was new to me.  I had heard about Photoshop many years ago and thought it was just a simple photo editing tool that wasn't very powerful or widely used professionally.  Boy was I wrong.  I never realized how this software could be used outside of just cropping photos until we worked with the Photoshop CS5 "Tips and Tricks" book.  The exercises in that book really opened my eyes to the level of complexity this software brings to the table.  It's no wonder web designers use it as often as they do.  I purchased a copy Elements 10 just for this class and I plan to continue to play around with it and create different projects of my own, and who knows, they may even end up on the web some day.  If not, as least I know that my kids are taught Photoshop in high school and there is a high probability that they will get some mileage from the copy of Elements if I don't.

I think the C.R.A.P. principles opened my eyes to what's good and what's bad in printed and electronic materials.  I can honestly say that I'm looking at advertisements, articles, and websites with a different appreciation for layout and content.  I can only hope that I use these principles for what ever I publish or create in the future.

I found the information about "writing for the web" to be interesting and helpful.  It makes sense to keep it simple when you consider your audience only skims the material.  I know that if I'm searching for something on the web, I typically look for key words that point me in the right direction instead of wasting my time searching through pages and pages of information.  I would have to say that the C.R.A.P. principles as well as the "writing for the web" information will have a substantial effect on how I critique/view printed or electronic material in the future.

I found it very interesting to learn that websites are made up of simple code that can be created in Notepad.  This really boggled my mind.  I expected to learn about the different web authoring programs available to web designers, but I guess I never really realized how it all came about.  I plan to continue to play around with the copy of Expression 4, possibly creating another website, and I'm even contemplating checking with my ISP to see if I can upload a site of my own.

Lastly, I found that writing this blog was enjoyable.  I was somewhat skeptical at first, I'm not a Facebook junky, but once I started it was easy, just more time consuming than I thought.  I found it very interesting reading everyone else's view on the assignments, plus it's nice to be able to complete your homework from any computer and submit it electronically.  I wish more of the professors would do something like this instead of handing in paper copies of the previous weeks assignment.

Compare and Contrast...
In comparison, I was able to convey the same information on both web sites and use a similar template.  I was able to use the same pictures and text to complete both projects.  Both sites have the same main navigation area which is located on the left side of each page.  Each site utilizes the same page names making if easy to navigate either site.  When you pick a link on the "Links" page both sites open up a new window and take you to that web site.  All in all, both of my web sites are very comparable.

In contrast to one another, the Expressions site allowed more control over making changes to the web pages.  I could make changes to the code or to the page and both ways would work.  In the Weebly site I had to use a menu and drag and drop, which had many limitations, my selection in place.  In the Expressions site I have a navigation bar on the left side of the page as well as one at the bottom of the page.  I could not figure out how to add the bottom navigation bar feature to the Weebly site, therefore, it doesn't have it.  I was able to build a table in the Expressions site and place the pictures in each cell and wrap the text however I wanted it.  The Weebly site had limitations.  I needed to place the pictures on the page in a column versus in a table.  This limited my options for text.  I had to drag and drop the format for each picture, insert the picture in a predetermined area, then type in the text, which I had limited control over its placement as well.  The colors and text styles were fixed in the Weebly site where as the Expressions site allowed full control for change.  I could have gone back into my Expressions site and changed it to match the Weebly site, but that would have defeated the purpose of this posting and I preferred the look of the Expressions site.  I think the Weebly site is easier to use, especially for a novice web designer; however, with ease comes a price and that price would be the limitations and control over change.  You don't have all the options or control over the final design like you do with an HTML editor.

How did you final project differ from the initial storyboards...
My final project was very close to my storyboard.  There were a few things that I changed and the color scheme was probably the most obvious.  Instead of using green I used a shade of blue.  I liked how the color of the background and text complemented one another using the template that I did.  I kept the same picture layout as my storyboard, however, I did change some of the text describing the different pictures. Lastly, I changed up the links page a little and removed 1 of the links from my list.

Here is my Weebly site....
http://704577964988964490.weebly.com/index.html

Week 5

Additional comments on readings.....
I found chapter 13 hard to retain without having Photoshop CS5 readily available.  As I read through the chapter I tried to imagine following along on the computer, but that didn't work.  I tried to use Elements 10 and some of the commands are not in the same place or available in this version/edition.  From what I've learned in class and all that I have read, Photoshop is a very versatile and powerful photo editing software that makes web creation interesting, dynamic, and visually appealing.  I never realized that Photoshop was used so heavily for animating websites.  Who'd a thunk it?????

As a website designer you put a tremendous amount of thought, time, and effort into creating or building your website.  The last thing you want is a website that is difficult to view or follow due to technology limitations.  For this reason, one of the most important things you need to consider when building your site is troubleshooting the site on various computers, browsers, and displays.  Getting into this habit is both smart and a good practice.  Once your site has been uploaded and active an equally important task is to maintain your website regularly.  Chapter 14 reviews the various ways to accomplish all of the above.  I was amazed to find out that there is software available that actually tests your site for problems or missing links.  This is has got to be a huge time saver.

Chapter 15 is the next logical step. They provide instructions on contacting an ISP, gathering all the necessary files needed for your site, to testing and updating you site once its live.  The most important thing you need from your ISP is the ftp information. This information tells you the who, what, and where about your site, not to mention the necessary information in order for you to modify its contents once you've uploaded it and are live.  Without it your dead in the water.

Diigo readings were plentiful.  There were multiple articles that focused on writing for the web and how it differs from print.  This information was helpful in completing part of this weeks blog assignment as well as understanding what should be included in my website.  There were a few articles that explained the need for storyboarding and how to go about doing that. This is where I'm having the most difficultly.  I like to dive into a project and see the results as I progress.  To me it's easier to see my work unfold on the computer than it is to visualize what it will look like on paper.  I don't like to write, give me a computer and I'll type the notes versus hand writing them.  I realize that you need to plan ahead before taking on a project, yet this is where I struggle the most.  Even when I write papers for school I like to just start writing instead of creating an outline.  I prefer to look at this as a force of habit, instead of laziness, right brain -vs- left brain, or even old dog new tricks etc...

Storyboards.....
The storyboard allows you to create your story or layout on paper ahead of time.  It's a complete visual representation of the entire site that will help you determine if you like the flow prior to writing code.  By using the storyboard you enable yourself to make changes and view how everything is linked together all at once without having to change or re-write code.  It's like creating note cards or a rough draft for a term or research paper.  You have most of the information available at your fingertips prior to writing the final draft.  The same holds true to your website, sure you can still make changes, but at least you have a foundation in which to build your site.

Web writing....
When you write for the web there are many things you need to take into consideration.  Most web surfers, don't read web pages word for word.  Instead they read about 20% of what's displayed.  Therefore, you need to get your information in front of the viewer fast or you'll loose the opportunity.   Long drawn out paragraphs won't cut it, use action words to grab their attention.  Now that you have their attention, make sure you keep it personalized.  Give your viewers a way to contact you in case they have questions or comments.  Most people have something to same or comment about if given the opportunity.  And for god sake, Check Your Spelling and Grammar!!!!

Tips for writing for the web -vs- print

• Short paragraphs and to the point -vs- long winded explanations
• Use of lists, bullets and subheadings -vs- paragraph after paragraph
• Link your source to the content instead of footnoting or citing
• Use conversational language -vs- formal language
• Inverted triangle, conclusion in the beginning -vs- towards the end

2.0 website...
I'm leaning towards Weebly for my web 2.0 site for three reasons.
1.  It's free
2.  No advertisments
3.  It one of the sites Michele recomended