User Guide

If you are developing a web on a server other than the one that will ulti-
mately store, or host, your web, the development Web server should be as
similar to the host server as possible to minimize potential problems.
Secondly, who will ultimately store, or host, the web once you’re ready to pub-
lish the web? Will you host your own Web server or will you use an Web
Presence Provider (WPP), sometimes called an Internet Service Provider (ISP)?
Although you will give up some control and money, it’s often more convenient
to use a qualified WPP because they can deal with the technology side of
things—such as securing your web’s domain name—again saving you time to
work on your web. Just be sure the WPP you select will support FrontPage
webs and all the things you need your web to do; include the WPP folks in
every stage of development. Note that if you do decide to host your own site,
you will need to learn about a wide range of server technologies.
It’s never too soon to get your web’s domain name and you don’t need a
site yet to reserve one. Search for the domain name you want at http://
networksolutions.com/.
To find a registered FrontPage WPP, go to http://www.microsoftwpp.com/.
One other guideline in planning is marketing. This may be outside your scope,
depending on your job role, but planning a marketing strategy early is a very
good idea. Start by asking, how will the site be publicized? Will it be adver-
tised in various media outlets? Will you submit it to search engines on the
Web? In many ways, this is an afterthought that depends on your audience.
Will it be publicized? You may not even want to “tell the world” if the web
will be an intranet, specifically for your employees. (An intranet is typically a
protected web belonging to a particular group or corporation that is accessible
only to authorized users, such as members or employees.) How will you attract
new visitors? Will you provide “free stuff” or will you run contests? How will
you keep returning visitors? Will you create a web community for them so
they can collaborate on issues? Or will you offer them discounts on various
products?
The purpose of an intranet, a protected web belonging to a particular group
accessible only to authorized users, usually differs from that of a web that’s
part of the World Wide Web because the audiences differ.
Example: For the web you will be creating, the planning process has been done for you.
The web is to be a corporate presence (purpose) for people unfamiliar with
Vision Office Products (audience). It will provide visitors with an overview of
the company and its products, as well as necessary contact information
(content). The content will be arranged logically in general categories, intro-
duced by a home page (organization). And although you will primarily be
working alone on this web, other “departments” will have input and provide
some content (resources). The web will be hosted on your company’s server
(location) with advertising to be handled by another department (marketing).
LESSON 1
Lesson 1: Creating a Web 9
Reference Material
Please Do Not Copy