What is Web 3.0 ?

Web 3.0 is one of the terms used to describe the evolutionary stage of the Web that follows Web 2.0.

Nova Spivack defines Web 3.0 as the third decade of the Web (2010-2020) during which he suggests several major complementary technology trends will reach new levels of maturity simultaneously including:

1. transformation of the Web from a network of separately siloed applications and content repositories to a more seamless and interoperable whole.
2. ubiquitous connectivity, broadband adoption, mobile Internet access and mobile devices;
3. network computing, software-as-a-service business models, Web services interoperability, distributed computing, grid computing and cloud computing;
4. open technologies, open APIs and protocols, open data formats, open-source software platforms and open data (e.g. Creative Commons, Open Data License);
5. open identity, OpenID, open reputation, roaming portable identity and personal data;
6. the intelligent web, Semantic Web technologies such as RDF, OWL, SWRL, SPARQL, GRDDL, semantic application platforms, and statement-based data stores;
7. distributed databases, the “World Wide Database” (enabled by Semantic Web technologies); and intelligent applications, natural language processing, machine learning, machine reasoning, autonomous agents.

Research under Spivack's definition

Transformation: Web 1.0 was "read-only", Web 2.0 is "read-write", and Web 3.0 will be "read-write-execute".

Network computing: Web 3.0 could be the realization and extension of the Semantic web concept. Academic research is being conducted to develop software for reasoning, based on description logic and intelligent agents.

Distributed databases: The first step towards a "Web 3.0" is the emergence of "The Data Web" as structured data records are published to the Web in reusable and remotely queryable formats, such as XML, RDF, Website Parse Template and microformats.

Intelligent applications:Web 3.0 has also been used to describe an evolutionary path for the Web that leads to artificial intelligence that can reason about the Web in a quasi-human fashion.

3D spaces: Another possible path for Web 3.0 is towards the 3 dimensional vision championed. This would involve the Web transforming into a series of 3D spaces

Socio-technological research: Web 3.0 is "the biological, digital analog web where information is made of a plethora of digital values coalesced for sense and linked to the real-world by analog interfaces.

How is Yahoo! different/similar to Google marketing?

Billing

Yahoo! Sponsored Search allows advertisers to decide on the maximum amount they want to pay for every click that their ad gets. It sets a minimum account balance and sends you a bill when that amount has been reached—which may mean multiple charges each month.

Google Adwords has no minimum spending requirement. It accumulates advertising clicks and sends you a bill every month.

Keywords feature

Google Adwords allows its clients to choose the keywords that relate to their business, and offers cost estimates as well as keyword traffic to allow its clients to make more-informed decisions on selecting keywords to help maximize their budget.

Yahoo! Sponsored Search also comes with an interesting, but much less powerful keyword-help feature, where various keywords (relevant to your business) will be displayed for advertisers to select from.

ADs Matching
Google Adwords uses a technology called contextual targeting that automates the matching of ads to relevant web pages in the Google content network. Google Adwords also offers its advertisers greater control by allowing them to hand-pick particular sections of websites where they wish to see their ads appear.

Using Yahoo! Sponsored Search, the maximum cost-per-click and the quality of your ad determines where the ad will be displayed in the search results.

Reporting
Google Adwords advertisers can measure results using the placement performance report, through which an ad's performance can be reviewed site-by-site, to determine better-performing websites that should be targeted more aggressively.

Yahoo! Sponsored Search data are only updated daily.

What are the most popular Web analytics tools?

Google Analytics (www.google.com/analytics/) is in a class by itself. It offers substantially more functionality than the other basic tools, but is free.

Unlike tools such as Webalyzer or AWStats, you need to install Google Analytics on your site, which involves pasting a chuck of HTML (provided by Google) into every page. This obviously requires a bit of HTML know-how, but if you know what you're doing, shouldn't require too much effort. Depending on the size of your site and how it's set up, installing the Google Analytics code might take anywhere from a couple of minutes to a few hours. Once the code is added, Google displays your statistics in a custom reporting interface that you can view online.

In addition to the reports offered by tools like Webalizer or AWStats, Google allows you to find out how often visitors come to your site, tracks visitor conversion across a series of pages, compares the behavior of different types of visitors (such as new versus returning, or those from different referring sites), and much more. A selectable date range allows you to analyze any given time period, instead of being limited to a monthly view (as you are with AWStats and Webalizer). Google has a nifty feature that allows you to look at a rendered version of the site and see the percentage of people that clicked each link on a given page.

What kind of assistive devices are there?

Braille embossers transfer computer generated text into embossed Braille output. Braille translation programs convert text scanned-in or generated via standard word processing programs into Braille, which can be printed on the embosser.

Light signaler alerts monitor computer sounds and alert the computer user with light signals. This is useful when a computer user can not hear computer sounds or is not directly in front of the computer screen. As an example, a light can flash alerting the user when a new e-mail message has arrived or a computer command has completed.

Screen readers are used to verbalize, or "speak," everything on the screen including text, graphics, control buttons, and menus into a computerized voice that is spoken aloud. In essence, a screen reader transforms a graphic user interface (GUI) into an audio interface. Screen readers are essential for computer users who are blind.

Speech recognition or voice recognition programs, allow people to give commands and enter data using their voices rather than a mouse or keyboard. Voice recognition systems use a microphone attached to the computer, which can be used to create text documents such as letters or e-mail messages, browse the Internet, and navigate among applications and menus by voice.

Screen enlargers, or screen magnifiers, work like a magnifying glass for the computer by enlarging a portion of the screen which can increase legibility and make it easier to see items on the computer. Some screen enlargers allow a person to zoom in and out on a particular area of the screen.

Reference Link: Assistive Devices

What tools are available for SEO?

There are a lot of free and easy to use SEO tools available in the Internet. The website http://www.seocompany.ca/tool/seo-tools.html list out 136 SEO tools which can help the developer to optimize their website and move their search engine position higher.

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Other benefits to using Web standards

(1)Reducing dependency on any one developer
A common challenge for web developers when assuming management of existing sites is the code written by other developers with poor HTML code quality. Because standards are very well documented, another person taking over some standard-compliant code can hit the ground running - and will not need to become familiar with the previous developer's coding practices.

(2)Benefits to web site visitors
Thanks to accessibility, faster loading web pages, and compatibility with more browsers, visitors are more likely to appreciate your service and come back later.

(3)Increase Website Traffic -Better search engine ranking
Separating presentation from content increases the information/markup ratio, making CSS-based documents more pertinent with regard to the search terms, which makes them rank higher in search results.

(4)Compatible with newer browsers
More and more browsers, other than Internet Explorer for Windows, are used to surf the web. However, testing each web page in every configuration is impossible. Coding to standards is then the only practical solution.

What are the different deliverables for information architecture?

Typically, there are seven deliverables for Information Architecture.
Occasionally they will not produce all seven, the choice of which to use and when to use them will depend on the needs of the project.

(1)Conceptual Model:
A conceptual model is most often a graphic, though it can be a chart, a written paragraph or a flowchart. The key is that it expresses an explanation of the system's behavior to the user that is easy. It does not have to be how the system actually works.

(2)Content Inventory and Organization
The content inventory may be provided by the IA or the client. It is a complete list of all the content that the site holds and will hold. Typically card sort is performed with the end user of the system, rather than only by the IA. The IA can then take the result of the card sorts and refine the collection and labeling.

(3)User Flows/Scenarios
User flows are simple diagrams that follow a user down a path of activity. Occasionally they look like storyboards, other times like flow charts. The important thing is to not outline every single possible behavior, but rather show most likely user experience.
Scenarios is used to tell the story of the users working with the system.

(4)Task Analysis
This is a discrete step-by-step analysis of how users accomplish their desired tasks. This allows the IA to carefully analyze each step a user needs to complete any give task.

(5)Site Map
The site map documents the various pages or page types throughout the site and the user paths to and from them. It is typically started early in the project, and refined throughout.

(6)Page Architecture
Also called wireframes. It is are a basic visual guide used in web design to suggest the layout of fundamental elements in the interface. Because of this they are often completed before any artwork is developed.

(7)Decision tables
The tables allow precise documentation of the design of every interaction possible. It is especially useful when designing error handling.

Card Sorting

Card sorting is a quick, inexpensive, and reliable method, which serves as input into your information design process. Card sorting generates an overall structure for your information, as well as suggestions for navigation, menus, and possible taxonomies.

Two Methods:
Open Card Sorting: Participants are given cards showing site content with no pre-established groupings. They are asked to sort cards into groups that they feel are appropriate and then describe each group. Open card sorting is useful as input to information structures in new or existing sites and products.

Closed Card Sorting: Participants are given cards showing site content with an established initial set of primary groups. Participants are asked to place cards into these pre-established primary groups. Closed card sorting is useful when adding new content to an existing structure, or for gaining additional feedback after an open card sort.

Advantages:
Simple, Cheap, Quick to execute, Established, Involves users & Provides a good foundation.

Disadvantages:
Does not consider users’ tasks, Results may vary, Analysis can be time consuming & May capture “surface” characteristics only

Step To Do:
(1) Prepare the cards: Each card named with different content or function
(2) Participants are requested to sort the cards into groups
(3) Participants are requested to give name for each group
(4) Analyze the result

Google Docs

It is very good web tools that you can create/upload/access documents, spreadsheets and powerpoints online from anywhere, anyplace and anytime. It is no need to concern about the software (MS office, open office, pdf creator.etc) you need to to install on your personal computer or public computer, you just only need a browser, Internet access and a google login account. Besides it is free of charge and you can also convert your docs into pdf format too. Enjoy!

http://docs.google.com/

Why use CSS rather than HTML Tables for layout.?

Here is the answer

Web accessibility

Web accessibility refers to the practice of making websites usable by people of all abilities and disabilities. When sites are correctly designed, developed and edited, all users can have equal access to information and functionality. For example, when a site is coded with semantically meaningful HTML, with textual equivalents provided for images and with links named meaningfully, this helps blind users using text-to-speech software and/or text-to-Braille hardware. When text and images are large and/or enlargable, it is easier for users with poor sight to read and understand the content. When links are underlined (or otherwise differentiated) as well as coloured, this ensures that color blind users will be able to notice them. When clickable links and areas are large, this helps users who cannot control a mouse with precision. When pages are coded so that users can navigate by means of the keyboard alone, or a single switch access device alone, this helps users who cannot use a mouse or even a standard keyboard. When videos are closed captioned or a sign language version is available, deaf and hard of hearing users can understand the video. When flashing effects are avoided or made optional, users prone to seizures caused by these effects are not put at risk. And when content is written in plain language and illustrated with instructional diagrams and animations, users with dyslexia and learning difficulties are better able to understand the content. When sites are correctly built and maintained, all of these users can be accommodated while not impacting on the usability of the site for non-disabled users.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_accessibility

Usability

Definition

Usability is a qualitative attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use. The word "usability" also refers to methods for improving ease-of-use during the design process. Usability consultant Jakob Nielsen and computer science professor Ben Shneiderman have written (separately) about a framework of system acceptability, where usability is a part of "usefulness" and is composed of:

• Learnability: How easy is it for users to accomplish basic tasks the first time they encounter the design?
• Efficiency: Once users have learned the design, how quickly can they perform tasks?
• Memorability: When users return to the design after a period of not using it, how easily can they re establish proficiency?
• Errors: How many errors do users make, how severe are these errors, and how easily can they recover from the errors?
• Satisfaction: How pleasant is it to use the design?

Benefits of usability

The key benefits of usability are:

• Higher revenues through increased sales
• Increased user efficiency
• Reduced development costs
• Reduced support costs

It is important for Web Design

Usability is the most important aspect to web design. It's all very well having a beautiful looking dynamic web site, but if it takes a long time to download or is difficult to navigate, users will give up and visit someone else's site. Users want to find the information they are looking for - if they don't find it quickly, they will look elsewhere.

Remember who you're providing the site for. Don't sacrifice usability for design. A lot of what you consider to be important when regarding usability will depend on your target audience and purpose of your site. If you think about usability before embarking on a new design project, and incorporate it into the design in the development stages, it will both look good and be useable. Put your visitors first.

Navigation

Navigation is the most important aspect of a web site. It helps users find their way around, and tells them where they are and where they can go within the site. It provides a visual means for demonstrating the hierarchy of information to be found. Good navigation often reflects good site structure.

Usually found in these forms:

1. navigation panel
2. location indicator device (breadcrumbs)
3. home button
4. links
5. html title
6. site map
7. search facility
8. the 404 (and other error pages)
9. graphics as navigation and/or links

Reference: http://www.jessett.com/web_sites/usability/

Website Planning

Before creating and uploading a website, it is important to take the time to plan exactly what is needed in the website. Thoroughly considering the audience or target market, as well as defining the purpose and deciding what content will be developed are extremely important.

Purpose

It is essential to define the purpose of the website as one of the first steps in the planning process. A purpose statement should show focus based on what the website will accomplish and what the users will get from it. A clearly defined purpose will help the rest of the planning process as the audience is identified and the content of the site is developed. Setting short and long term goals for the website will help make the purpose clear and plan for the future when expansion, modification, and improvement will take place. Also, goal-setting practices and measurable objectives should be identified to track the progress of the site and determine success.

Audience

Defining the audience is a key step in the website planning process. The audience is the group of people who are expected to visit your website – the market being targeted. These people will be viewing the website for a specific reason and it is important to know exactly what they are looking for when they visit the site. A clearly defined purpose or goal of the site as well as an understanding of what visitors want to do or feel when they come to your site will help to identify the target audience.

Content

Content evaluation and organization requires that the purpose of the website be clearly defined. Collecting a list of the necessary content then organizing it according to the audience's needs is a key step in website planning. In the process of gathering the content being offered, any items that do not support the defined purpose or accomplish target audience objectives should be removed. It is a good idea to test the content and purpose on a focus group and compare the offerings to the audience needs. The next step is to organize the basic information structure by categorizing the content and organizing it according to user needs. Each category should be named with a concise and descriptive title that will become a link on the website. Planning for the site's content ensures that the wants or needs of the target audience and the purpose of the site will be fulfilled.

Compatibility and restrictions

Because of the market share of modern browsers (depending on your target market), the compatibility of your website with the viewers is restricted.

Planning documentation

Documentation is used to visually plan the site while taking into account the purpose, audience and content, to design the site structure, content and interactions that are most suitable for the website. Documentation may be considered a prototype for the website – a model which allows the website layout to be reviewed, resulting in suggested changes, improvements and/or enhancements. This review process increases the likelihood of success of the website.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_design

What is Web Site Design

Web Site Design

A Web site is a collection of information about a particular topic or subject. Designing a web site is defined as the arrangement and creation of web pages that in turn make up a web site. A web page consists of information for which the web site is developed. A web site might be compared to a book, where each page of the book is a web page.

There are many aspects (design concerns) in this process, and due to the rapid development of the Internet, new aspects may emerge. For non-commercial web sites, the goals may vary depending on the desired exposure and response. For typical commercial web sites, the basic aspects of design are:

• The content: the substance, and information on the site should be relevant to the site and should target the area of the public that the website is concerned with.
• The usability: the site should be user-friendly, with the interface and navigation simple and reliable.
• The appearance: the graphics and text should include a single style that flows throughout, to show consistency. The style should be professional, appealing and relevant.
• The visibility: the site must also be easy to find via most, if not all, major search engines and advertisement media.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_design

Typical steps of DESIGN

Typical steps of DESIGN

A design process may include a series of steps followed by designers. Depending on the product or service, some of these stages may be irrelevant, ignored in real-world situations in order to save time, reduce cost, or because they may be redundant in the situation.

Typical stages of the design process include:

• Pre-production design
  • Design brief - a statement of design goals
  • Analysis - analysis of current design goals
  • Research - investigating similar design solutions in the field or related topics
  • Specification - specifying requirements of a design solution for a product (product design specification^[2]) or service.
  • Problem solving - conceptualizing and documenting design solutions
  • Presentation - presenting design solutions
• Design during production
  • Development - continuation and improvement of a designed solution
  • Testing - in-situ testing a designed solution
• Post-production design feedback for future designs
  • Implementation - introducing the designed solution into the environment
  • Evaluation and conclusion - summary of process and results, including constructive criticism and suggestions for future improvements
• Redesign - any or all stages in the design process repeated (with corrections made) at any time before, during, or after production.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design