Monday, May 5, 2008

My experience building a web site.

After two days trying to understand the tutorial, I began searching the Internet for Web designs and web site building information. I have a few friends that are Web page builders and know how to do this, but we could not get together. As I indicated, I do not learn well by reading or listening to instruction. I have to see it and do it to make sense of the instructions.

I found Web.Com to be easy to understand and navigate. There are only three steps involved. The first step (of course) involves money. I had to by my domain name. What a concept. I have my own domain! Once I was registered on the site with my domain name, I could begin building the parts of the Web site that I wanted.

Web.com provides easy to follow prompts for each section of the site. It provides a choice of templates for the look of the home page. You can choose the font and size, color combination and you can personalize each area of each page with “edit” prompts. I was able to make a variety of pages with links to other page.

My initial home page was very informal, and I wanted to change the look to be more business-like. I found a picture in my files that I could edit and post. It took some work to crop and adjust the size for the site (four hours, in fact). I had trouble finding an appropriate welcome greeting. The Logo picture I chose from the UNLV logos site transferred with blurry edges, in spite of being a Jpg. Image. I don’t know how to make it clearer. It will have to do.

My resume page worked well once I figured out that I could not “copy and paste” into the boxes. As there were several boxes available for text, when I copied and pasted my resume, it copied my text several times as a running text, but in various font sizes and styles. Wow. That took two days and the help of a friend to resolve. We finally started over and just typed the text into the boxes on the page per maximum characters for each box. That worked and looks OK. I took Dr. J’s advice and removed my personal address and other information like that, since this information is now public.

My links page is a little different in that all of the text I put in the page about the link became the hyperlink for the site. It is all underlined and I am not sure how to change it. I changed all of the font throughout the site to have a uniform, look. I hope that gives it a more business – like appearance.

Over all, once I overcame my anxiety and actually began working on the Web page, I found it interesting and fun. I am not sure if I will keep the site, (for $11.95 a month). Or convert it to different, Free site. I will need some help getting on to the UNLV publishing site. I started there and, because I am not faculty or staff, would have to buy the program. Not at this time. Thank you.

Check it out at www.Pattimidwyf.com

1 comment:

Dr. Jablonski said...

Patti,

Your reflection shows the technical barriers to publishing on the web. Espcially for those on the older side of the Internet age divide (not saying that's you, per se), it takes some initial instruction in the basics of creating and publishing web pages. And, yes, it is 100% easier if someone shows you. Here's where some classes (e.g., UNLV ed. outreach) can come in handy. Even with classes it is still pretty complicated, so many webhosting services do try to make things easier, but some control over design is lot via these templates.