Web Page Design Information

The example sites show the use of a logo and a custom name header, as well as a variety of page colors and a few carefully chosen images. It is possible to use any choice of colors, special backgrounds, images, photos, etc. Of course, your primary purpose is usually to convey some information on a choice of subjects, both with text and images. You may have a product or service that you wish to advertise or sell.

There are essentially two parts to having a website, creating the pages and maintaining them on a server (a computer that "serves" them up to web browsers on request). The pages are an individualized matter, depending on whether your needs are business or personal, and the basic purpose and "feel" you want to achieve. Your choice of a server depends mostly on how complex your site is and whether you want your own domain name (www.yourname.com).

Most businesses will want their own domain name, both because it looks more professional, and it is easier for your customers to remember. Personal sites can go either way, depending on what your purposes are. It costs more to use your own domain name, but not that much more.

Assuming you have an internet service provider (ISP), you probably already have access to a server on which to publish your personal web page. If not, you can get ISP service for about $20 per month, including internet access, email, and a webpage server. If all you want is a webpage, you don't even need your own computer! If you want your own domain name (yourname.com), it will cost you a little more, since most ISP's do not handle domain names other than their own, or charge extra to do so. Unless you are a large company, it makes more sense to have your site hosted on a web server, rather than installing your own server and dedicated high speed lines. Hosting varies in cost from $10 to $50 per month, unless you have special needs, usually less than $20. You will also pay $15 per year to register your domain name. I can handle all the details for you, or just the specific aspects you request.

Once we have your website up and running, I can handle ongoing changes and additions, or help you learn to do it yourself, the choice is yours.

If you are writing your own HTML, but are having trouble getting the effect you want, I can also provide suggestions on which tags to use or how to use them. I do all of my work in raw HTML, using several different applications to create and process the necessary images for each page. I use Macintosh programs, but the end product is not platform dependent.

There is a link below to our section on pricing where you can get a good idea of the costs involved in having us design and set-up your site. Feel free to contact us for specific data and to get a quote for your particular needs.

If you are interested in the applications I use to create web pages, click here.