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Chapter 1: aesthNETics
list of the features you want or expect when you access a website, but here are a few that would
probably appear on most people’s lists:
❑ You can find what you want easily.
❑ There is a consistent look and feel to every page you visit.
❑ Pages are laid out in an intuitive and logical manner.
❑ Graphics, if used, are not overpowering or obnoxious and not just used for the sake of
using graphics.
❑ Colors used don’t burn your retinas or make you immediately want to leave the site.
❑ You don’t load the page and think ‘‘Wow, there is just too much going on here.’’
❑ The page doesn’t take too long to load, even on slower connections.
❑ You don’t immediately think ‘‘Hey, I’ve seen this template before. A lot.’’
In addition to these items, developers might think of how to provide the best experience for their
patrons. Things like browser compatibility come in to play. You must at least decide which browsers
you want to support and, subsequently, code your site to meet this standard. When thinking
of browsers, though, you should remember that large populations of Internet surfers use
text-based browsers or readers to access the content of your site. Have you coded your site
for these people?
aesthNETics incorporates all of these ideas. aesthNETics means that you don’t forget the look
and feel of your site. It means that you don’t just worry about the business logic and data of your
site; you give equal consideration to making the interface user-friendly and pleasant. aesthNETics
means that you remember to make the things your site patrons can seebeaspowerfulasthethings
they can’t.
The skill set for a good aethNETics programmer includes:
❑ A good understanding of web design and layout basics.
❑ An appreciation of colors and graphics. (Sometimes less really is more.)
❑ A working knowledge of cascading style sheets.
❑ A comprehensive knowledge of the tools in ASP.NET that allow for consistency among pages
you create:
❑ Site Navigation components for intuitive and consistent access to content.
❑ Master Pages for structural layout.
❑ Themes for consistent .NET components.
Using this book as a guide, you will learn to appreciate the design element of the websites you
produce. You will learn enough about graphics to get you started on your quest to learn more. And,
most relevant to .NET programmers, you will learn about the new features of .NET 2.0 that can help
you with the aesthNETics of the sites you produce.
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