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The Issues
The Web is one application of the
internet, which in turn is the largest connection of different
networks in the world. Real
potential still exists in the effective delivery of content
that can enhance the future of e-commerce.
- Shopping
- Community
- Entertainment
- Brand Identity
- Learning
- Information
Yet limitations do exist and due to
the speed of change there are real problems with this global
information network.
With no compulsion to follow standards,
there are a multitude of incompatible and inept tools for
Web authors.
- Text editors
- WYSIWYG html editors
- Graphics packages - photo manipulators
- Multimedia animation and film
editors
- Content management systems -
databases
There are a multitude of incompatible
and inept browsers, which vary greatly due to a number of
issues.
- Age
- Manufacturer
- Links to other packages
- Purpose or niche market
- Operating system
Network variants have to be considered
for the delivery of graphics and animation.
- Connectivity and bandwidth
- Kb or mb per second
- Ukc - 10mb p/s to the desktop
- Modem - 56.6 kb p/s to the desktop
Plug-ins and Helpers offer none of
the restrictions of paper and rather than just being something
else to download and install can instill customer loyalty.
- Other file formats besides html
and text
- Plug-ins - in the browser
- Helpers - outside of the browser
- multimedia - animation, video,
sound, other document formats, print files
- Bandwidth
The viewer's machine must be considered
so as not to alienate or prohibit access from any potential
audience
- Hardware - processor speed, memory
size, disk space and display.
- Operating system - unix, mac,
95/98/nt, os2.
- Browser - lynx, amaya, opera,
netscape, internet explorer.
- Plug-ins and helpers.
- Connectivity speed and cost
Free internet access has left a growing
audience of sophisticated users, with their own browsing habits
- Has control to change presentation
via the browser
- Has nano-second irritation.
- Will not scroll down or click
four times unless significant benefit can be discerned.
- Has a specific need or wants
to browse
- Has visual, aural or motor impairments
A useable site is a more popular site
and human computer interaction studies show what makes an
easy to use web page/site.
- Design, navigation, use of information,
accessibility
- Pure design Vs pure technology
What of the future? Xhtml, xml, xsl
?
- More providers, more users more
powerful pc's
- Faster network connections more
multimedia
- More triumphs of design over
content
- More useability, more disenfranchised
viewers?
- More corporate failures or personal
successes?
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