Web 2.0 vs. Visual Developer 2008

I started my web experience using the Web 2.0. I used webnode. The link is here Feudal Anime. Overall I think it is a mediocre site. It lacks functionality due to being unable to use javascript and css well. Have to pay to use most functions. Other free sites are the same or close to it. My home page is entitled Feudal Anime. The link is the title at the top of the screen. I made some minor adjustments to two banners and used them for this page. I added a news feed for functionality and a link to a movie synopsis on the right. Do not like the fact that I could not change the white background unless that was something I over looked. (Could not mess around with the CSS to much or the page would be ruined.)

The next page is the Video. I like that fact that I could save space by embedding a video here instead of uploading my own. Also avoids copyright laws by doing this. Wanted to put a menu bar for more videos at the bottom but needed more time for coding. The next page displays some banners and pics. I used Tried to remember crap concepts used in webdesing. Didn't like the white space so I kind of filled it in. You will see a difference on the Dreamweaver/Visual Web Developer site. The next page is the entertainment page and I tried to use the java and css here but was unable to link the scripts and the pics correctly. Creative Commons to obtain pictures. Some of them I cropped to make smaller and fit on the screen. The about me page is simple not a whole lot going on. I added a small slide I found. Could not add the flicker or other photo slide the site had. Maybe I should of used another site like Webs.com. They had a great list of templates to choose from.

I give all praises to Dreamweaver and Web Developer 2008. Lots of functionality and interactivity between the two products as long as the correct suffix was attached. Dreamweaver was great for awhile but then lab time got interrupted due to the break. Everything though was simply drag and drop to create space. Then I found a template online and was able to configure the css to my liking.

My first page has more design to it and allows for some creativity. I changed up the anime and the video page. I added a two slides from Slides. Not quite the effect I was looking for. I wanted it to move from right to left. But it adds some effect. Added some links on the left. Want to continue with the site and have the search bar at the top right go to google or search on the page. Also want to be able to add comments in the future. The video page worked out great. Again I do not have to add a video to the files. I would like to do so in the future if I can find a host. Hulu, like other sites saves time but not without commercials. :( I like the Entertainment page. Web Developer was forgiving in adding a simple javascript file. I made some minor adjustments to the pictures. Wanted to add some real cards but did not have time to find and save all the pictures needed. The about me page is close to the same. I gave credit where it was due and there is also a link on the bottom of every page. I like my Bear Hat photo don't even think about stealing it.

Web Project

My website will be on Anime (hopefully). I want to show various aspects of Anime while trying to stay within copyright laws. At the same time I want to try and show different aspects of HTML, css, and/or jave if time permits. I will try and have updated news and events in the Anime world. Also, there will be an video page to view old school or newer Anime. There will be links to different Anime sites. This will include news feeds and drawings. I will try and do it all in Dreamweaver. I have a rough draft of my storyboard but to stay current I will be getting up-to-day news while working on the project. The images will be taken from free sites including the Creative Commons link that I found. If it can not be done on Dreamweaver I have made plans to do it on a free Html editor which will be a lesser version on the Dreamweaver one. I also plan on using Weebly, Webnode, and the Freewebs site.

Sites to be used.

www.Anilinkz.com - This site allows for embeding of flash or video on websites.
Animenetwork.com - This is an uptodate anime site.
Funimation.com - This is another uptodate anime site and news sharing.
CreativeCommons.com This site allows for the free transaction of media under
a creative commons lisence.

Dreamweaver - After using Dreamweaver for several hours I think I have gotten the hang of it and the website should be finished tonight. I will also try and create one over the weekend using the Microsoft Express or another Free download.

I will try and find other information as it becomes available.

Another Week of Graphic Design.

Hi. Its me again. Here to talk about another week of graphic design. I started out the week by doing the three images. It was a daunting task. Hard work and effort were put into these images. Here are the final results. The I am please by the final results but not please that I can not post another pic to this blog. To update on what I did. I first took three photos, cropped, cut, rotated, and shrunk the image to look like my instructors. I then took some fish and threw them on a grill to make what I think is a collage. Next I took some boats blured the motion and colored them to make kewl effects. *pant* *pant* Oh I actually posted a pic sorry

I then had to read the dreaded book Web Design book. What are web pages anyway? What do you think web pages are? They are what you are I want them to be. A mixture of text, images, and entertainment. Anyone can make a web page. With little or no effort. Some things you should know before building your first site.

1. Plan ahead... What do you want the page to look like.
2. Find a free host... There are many servers out there that will host your site for free. They also might include building tips and tricks to help you get up and running.
3. Subject... The subject "matters". This is how you get readers and surfers to your site. You use key words, labels, and tags to guide them to it.
   
4. Advertise... If you want people to actually go to the site your going to have to tell friends and family about it. Maybe have it picked up by a web crawler or program that finds the specifics of site.

Is creating my own website good or bad?

I think it depends on what I am trying to do. If I am trying to run a business and have no clue what I am doing. I might want to go and find professional help. There are self help books out there but I do not want my business to fail. If I am just playing around, maybe throw some pics up on a site. Then I might do it myself.
Building ones own site allows for freedom. Meaning I can tune the site to how I want it when I want to. When your site is given to another you might be constrained to their time and ideas. Also, the site might not turn out how you were expecting it.

Usability and Accessibility

I don't know much about both. I think accessibility has to do with who is able to view the website. Like handicapped people. People who can't see right or people who are unable to type. They might need to use the mouse in a certain way that would help them type.
Usability would be how easy it would be to perform a task on the WWW. This is important because some business would a web based data base and if they could access a site from one point they would need to access it at another site. And if they couldn't access it from another they would fail miserably.

Evaluating Web Sites

Web Sites Evaluated

1. Myspace
2. Cnn

The purpose of Myspace is yet to be discovered. It is a useless site mainly used to exchange photos and social network. The site loads quickly at first but once you get into someones spam site forget it. Music upon background animated gifs is a website nightmare. This site is not a business but you could conduct business on it. The author would be Tom. Whom I think started out at Facebook. If I had to rate the site I would give it a C only because some web pages could become loud with all the design, music, and gaming applications.

The second site I evaluated was CNN. This is a global business/news site. Like all other news organizations it is opinionated and sometimes biased. The information is presented in a clear and visible manner. The site did not take to much time to load. There is no main authority for the site but the owner is Turner Network or Ted Turner. The authors are easily contacted through blogging or direct email. You can also email the news anchors.

The thorough evaluation of both sites leads me to believe the one that I just created could use some work. I have some color and some style but... It lacks any activity such as pictures, web applications, contact info. I have also learned how to pick out hoax sites more easily now. Most sites have some type of copyright protection or better business image on their sites. These are the most legit.

Other than that I find HTML to be somewhat easy. There are helpful areas on the WWW to guide me in building a site. My future plans include trying to incorporate some type of JavaScript into my webpages.