web design definitions
Here are some definitions we think might be helpful.
Accessibility – refers to ensuring that Content is accessible, i.e., ensuring that Content can be navigated and read by everyone, regardless of location, experience, or the type of computer technology used. Accessibility is most commonly discussed in relation to people with disabilities, because this group are most likely to be disadvantaged if the principles of accessible Web design are not implemented.
Animated Page – this is generally a Flash™ Opening Screen which allows you to add a short movie or animating to the opening of your web site. This is generally done by sites that wish to show a little more flare, but also requires the user to have Flash Player and can make the site very slow.
CMS – Content Management System – a content management system is a system used to manage the content of a Web site. Typically, a CMS consists of two elements: the content management application (CMA) and the content delivery application (CDA). The CMA element allows the content manager or author, who may not know Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), to manage the creation, modification, and removal of content from a Web site without needing the expertise of a Webmaster. The CDA element uses and compiles that information to update the Web site. This is generally used only on fairly large web sites.
Contribute – a program written by Macromedia which allows the owner of a web site to update, edit, and publish parts of pages without affecting the underlying code developed by the web designer.
CSS – Cascading Style Sheets – is a specification for the presentation of HTML marked documents. Cascading style sheets work like a template, allowing Web developers to define a style for an HTML element and then apply it to as many Web pages as they'd like. With CSS, when you want to make a change, you simply change the style, and that element is updated automatically wherever it appears within the site.
Database – a database is a collection of information. Much like a telephone book, although the information is stored on a computer. The information could be a membership list or a list of your products – with or without prices.
Domain – a domain name locates an organization or other entity on the Internet. For example, the domain name
locates an Internet address for “shiesl.com” at Internet point 216.117.163.217 and a particular host server named “www”. The “com” part of the domain name reflects the purpose of the organization or entity (in this example, “commercial”) and is called the top-level domain name. There can be other top-level domain such as “dk” for Denmark or “th” for Thailand.
Forms – web pages comprised of text and “fields” for a user to fill in with information. They are an excellent way of collecting and processing information from people visiting a website, as well as allowing them to interact with web pages.
HTML – HyperText Markup Language – is the coded format language used for creating hypertext documents on the World Wide Web and controlling how Web pages appear.
Image – a picture that is to be displayed on your page. There are two types – stock image and custom image. A stock image is one from our collection of clip art, used as is. A custom image is one that we need to scan in, is created by us or one supplied by you. There are also several fomats that an image may have, e.g., GIF (Graphics Interchange Format), JPEG (Joint Photogrphic Experts Group), PNG (Portable Network Graphics), SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), and WebCGM (Computer Graphics Metafile) Profile.
ISP – Internet Service Provider – an ISP is a company that provides access to the Internet.
JavaScript – a scripting language from Netscape that is only marginally related to Java. Java and JavaScript are not the same thing. The difference is that Java was built as a general-purpose object language, while JavaScript is intended to provide a quicker and simpler language for enhancing Web pages and servers.
Links – these are the gateway of the World Wide Web. They are used to move from one web page to another and can connect pages in the same site or in a different country. Links usually take the reader to a page that contains more information about the subject being read.
Merchant Account – is an account that a merchant has with a bank, that allows him/her to accept credit card payments from customers. Processing the order is a different issue, and involves encrypting the information sent, authorizing credit cards, withdrawing funds and placing funds in the merchants bank account.
Page – a document connected to the World Wide Web and viewable by anyone connected to the internet who has a web browser.
Payment Gateway – is software and hardware interfacing electronic merchants and credit-card authorization networks.
Search Capabilities – allows a user to either search for information on your site or, using search tools like Google, through out the entire web.
Secure Server – a web server that will encrypt the information sent from forms. This keeps the information private. Necessary for safe credit card processing. If you want to accept credit cards online (and if you want to set up the system yourself) you need to get a place on a secure server for your order page.
Shopping Cart – makes a site’s product catalogue available for online ordering, whereby visitors may select, view, add/delete, and purchase merchandise.
SQL – Structured Query Language – a standard interactive and programming language for getting information from and updating a database. Although SQL is both an ANSI and an ISO standard, many database products support SQL with proprietary extensions to the standard language.
System Analysis – the analysis of the role of a proposed system and the identification of the requirements that it should meet. The term is most commonly used in the context of commercial programming, where software developers are often classed as either systems analysts or programmers. The systems analysts are responsible for identifying requirements (i.e. systems analysis) and producing a design. The programmers are then responsible for implementing it.
VBScript – a scripting language created by Microsoft as an answer to Netscape’s JavaScript. VBScript, which is based on the MS Visual Basic is, like JavaScript, embedded as a small program in a web page that is interpreted and executed by the Web client.
WebTV – a pioneering Internet appliance, based on the premise that a consumer would be delighted to enjoy email and Web browsing without having to suffer with the complexity and system administration overhead of running a Microsoft operating system.
Wireless/Handheld – Using the radio-frequency spectrum for transmitting and receiving voice, data and video signals for communications.