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Unit Web Sites and Newsletters Course G305 Mike Brown, T.80 Cortland What do you need to build a website? • Web space on an internet service provider’s computer. • An internet access account. • Editing software : MS FrontPage Word processor (MSWord) MS Publisher Netscape Composer CuteHTML • FTP Software (CuteFTP) • Photo editing software • Scanner and/or Digital Camera Why Build a Web Site? Why Build a Web Site? • Recruiting Why Build a Web Site? • Recruiting • Publicity for an Event or Facility Why Build a Web Site? • Recruiting • Publicity for an Event or Facility • Communications with members Why Build a Web Site? • • • • Recruiting Publicity for an Event or Facility Communications with members Teach skills Why Build a Web Site? • • • • • Recruiting Publicity for an Event or Facility Communications with members Teach skills Preserve History Why Build a Web Site? • • • • • • Recruiting Publicity for an Event or Facility Communications with members Teach skills Preserve History Promote Scouting in general Why Build a Web Site? • • • • • • • Recruiting Publicity for an Event or Facility Communications with members Teach skills Preserve History Promote Scouting in general Ego Who is our target audience? What is our audience looking for on our website? •Content •Content •Content What to put on my Unit web page? • Meeting Information: Where / When • Contact Information • Annual Schedule • Coming Events • Newsletter • Photo Album • • • • • • • Stories of Activities Troop History Troop Policies Troop Roster(?) Instructional Material Advancement Reqt Links to useful sites How do we organize the content? • Single large page How do we organize the content? • Single large page • Chain of smaller pages Main Sub1 Sub2 Sub3 Sub4 How do we organize the content? • Single large page • Chain of smaller pages Main Sub1 Sub2 Sub3 Sub4 •“Tree” of pages Main Sked Camp Forms Photos Our Trip Trip 1 Trip 2 Links Camp Barton Web Site Main Page Waterfront Scoutcraft Nature History Forms Shooting Sports Make your main page count! How do I use frames? Index Frame Main Frame Frame2 Frame1 Frame3 Frame4 Frame 2 Frame 5 Frame 1 Frame 3 Frame 6 Scrolling! Frame 4 How do I use frames? Don’t! How do we provide this content? • Text Text Watch what you write... • Spend 90% of your time planning, and the other 10% writing. • Remember your audience. • Remember your purpose. • Use short paragraphs. • And complete sentences. • Eschew multisyllabic verbiage. • Make sure you check speling and grammar. • Passive voice should be avoided • Link rather than copy. • “Give credit for quotes, and ask permission.” - Anon. Watch how you present the text. • Reverse type is hard to read and can’t be printed. Don’t use it. • Text should contrast with background. • Remember the color-blind. • Don’t mix type fonts. In fact, don’t use fonts at all. • • • • Use Italics or bold for emphasis. Avoid underlining. Especially blue. ALL CAPS IS HARD TO READ, TOO. Never, ever, use flashing type! How do we provide this content? • Text • Graphics Use graphics for interest... ...but don’t get carried away. Caution: Use animated graphics sparingly! Fancy Dividers are getting old... Pick one and stick with it or just use the standard <hr>. Background graphics can enhance a site but be careful... Background graphics can enhance a site but be careful... Don’t make the site hard to read. How do we provide this content? • Text • Graphics • Photographs Photographs... ... do’s and don’ts Use images of “reasonable” size Try to keep individual images under 20K Total size of any page should be 64K or less No image larger than 535 x 400 pixels Optimal size is 250 wide, at most. Keep useful image large We’ve been canoeing! (128K) Use Thumbnails Choose action photos over static groups. Choose high-quality photos, and use a photo-editing program to make them better. Final thoughts on photos... • • • • Use .jpg for color, grey scale. Use .gif for line art, or if need transparency Compare formats, and pick smallest file. Don’t use effects that look like buttons, unless they are... • Watch copyright... Inlining: Inclusion by link How do we provide this content? • • • • Text Graphics Photographs Links Linking Considerations • Netiquette requires that you ask permission first. • Be sure link is appropriate. • Properly identify external links. • A brief description is helpful. • Where to find links? • Check links periodically. • Web rings... The dreaded “URL not found” In-site Navigation Get Yourself Known • Request links from other sites • Submit your site to search engines and directories Final Considerations Protect your message... Avoid full Scout names Not everyone has the latest and greatest... • Avoid browser-specific commands. • If “this site is viewed best with Netscape 7.0 or IE 6” - it’s too complicated... • Flash is evil! • Build pages for 800 x 600 resolution. • Avoid specifying fonts. • Do not assume everyone has a sound card. Test your site! A few pet peeves... What’s he looking at? so what? Logomania: The desire to add irrelevant logos all over web pages. Splash Screens Mystery Meat Navigation Try for Fast, Fast, Fast loading! • Use more small pages, rather than few large pages • Limit picture size and count • Avoid graphics if you can use text. • Always specify image size • Resize picture before uploading – do not size in web page • Avoid JAVA, counters, CGI’s, external pictures. Consider Accessibility from “Working with Scouts with Disabilities 1. Maintain a standard page layout throughout the site 2. Design for device-independence 3. Do not use frames 4. Ensure that documents are clear and simple 5. Organize content logically and clearly 6. When applicable, include textual links within web pages (e.g. next page, return to home page, etc) 7. Use a standard set of navigational text 8. Provide a text-only version of all pages 9. Provide alternate text (ALT-Text) and/or image tags for all images, pictures, and graphical bullets. 10. Provide for alternate versions of forms Consider Accessibility from “Working with Scouts with Disabilities 11. Provide text equivalents for all non-text elements (i.e., images, animations, audio, video) 12. Provide summaries of graphs and charts 13. Don't rely on color alone and ensure that all information conveyed with color is also available without color 14. Provide alternative content for features (e.g., applets or plug-ins) that may not be supported 15. Hypertext links are descriptive 16. Forms are accessible by download 17. Avoid default text entry 18. Avoid background patterns 19. Background color contrasts well with the lettering to maintain readability Consider Accessibility from “Working with Scouts with Disabilities 20. Include outlines at the beginning of documents. Outlines identify the relevant features of a document, such as a general description of its structure, function, or content; 21. Avoid the use of non-standard HTML formats 22. Avoid special tags 23. Provide for a description for all abbreviations and acronyms So you’ve got a website. Now what? Keep it up! Avoid Flags that your site is out of date “Last Updated”… a long time ago Avoid Flags that your site is out of date “Last Updated”… a long time ago Text references to out-of-date material This page downloaded March 7, 2004 Avoid Flags that your site is out of date “Last Updated”… a long time ago Text references to out-of-date material Dated Forum and Guestbook Postings Avoid Flags that your site is out of date “Last Updated”… a long time ago Text references to out-of-date material Dated Forum and Guestbook Postings Use of Current Slang Static Style Elements Static Content www.webpagesthatsuck.com Newsletters • Why have a newsletter? • How often? • Who does it? • How to distribute? A few practical tips… • “See the above” – same rules apply as for web pages • Use columns or smaller pages • Typography should enhance, not distract. • Include contact information • Leaders should review content