What is HTML? |
HTML stands for "Hyper Text
Markup Language", the programming code used to create web pages. (Back to Top) |
| What is Java, or Java Script? |
A programming code, specifically
used to create various applications on the World Wide Web. Examples: Web calendars;
clocks; calculators; colour and text change effects; etc. (Back to
Top) |
| What is an ISP? |
ISP stands for "Internet
Service Provider", a company, or individual whom supplies your access to the
Internet via their server. (Back to Top) |
| What is a URL? |
URL stands for "Uniform
Resource Locator", it specifies the location of an image, addres, etc. on the
Internet. Some example URLs:
http://www.acme.co.uk:8080/images/map.gif
ftp://wuarchive.wustl.edu/mirrors/msdos/graphics/gifkit.zip
mailto:dbh@doc.ic.ac.uk
news:alt.hypertext. (Back to Top) |
| What is a domain name? |
A domain name is a unique name
assigned to every web site on the Internet. Without a domain name, Internet users
around the world would be unable to locate your web site through the vastness of
cyberspace. The name usually (not always) starts with "www", then your
company name or an abbreviation of your company, and may end in ".com" or
".co.za" (South Africa). (Back to Top) |
| How do I get a domain name? |
The simplest way is to ask your
ISP to register one for you - they are in frequent contact with the body that controls all
domain registration, and they know the procedure. You could do it yourself, through
a company called "co.za" (http://www.co.za). (Back to Top) |
| What are Search Engines? |
There are several large Internet
Search engines such as Info Seek, Web Crawler, Alta Vista, that have special software
which reads website after website and catalogues all information in a giant database. They
"score" each site, on words that are contained in the text of the site and
placement of same; e.g. "car security" appearing in the heading of a web page is
considered more important than the "car security" appearing in the body of text.
When a person enters specific keywords in a search facility, the software looks for
corresponding words in the database (we are talking about millions of web pages!). When considering getting a website, take into account any words which may
aptly describe your site, as well as vocabulary and spelling of the person searching.
Ensure you use those words often, in various combinations, and in the heading of your home
page. Don't emphasize the company name, emphasize the keywords! And yes, some things never
change, a site called "AAA Car Security" will still be listed first among sites
with a similar score!
There are also hidden parts to a page, created with HTML,
called META tags. These allow the web page designer to tell the search engine what
description to display and what keywords are important -- a very useful tool!
Remember, unless you have a unique product with unique
keywords, you will probably get lost in the jumble -- again, your advertising of the site
is important! (Back to Top) |
| How do I tell people about my website? |
Having a web page
(http://www.mycompany.com/) does not guarantee millions of people all over the world are
going to visit your site. The primary means of bringing people to your site will be
your traditional media advertising!
Print advertising, small classified ads,
newspapers and magazines - targeting your audience can be very effective!
(Back to Top) |
Is the web secure,
and what is SSL? |
A simple explanation:
First - the use of "https" causes your browser to send the request to a
different web server from a normal "http" request. This is the
"secure" server.
Second - the service is "secure" because instead of transmitting data
between your browser and the server as plain text (where potentially someone who had
tapped your connection could read it), the data is encrypted with special coding that
only your browser and the secure server understand. Anyone else intercepting the
transmission would see gibberish.
Third - just doing the encryption is NOT enough. How do you know that your browser
is really connecting with the "secure" server, e.g. evil space-aliens have
taken over your ISP and are intercepting ALL your transmissions.
Fourth - ensuring that the secure server is really the one you want is done through
verifying a "certificate". This is a complicated process, but third-party
companies issue certificates (which are also encrypted), to enable companies (secure
servers) to prove they are who they say they are. (Back to Top) |
| How do I password protect certain areas of my web
site? |
Password access allows you to
CONTROL who can see your files on the basis of what directory they are in. You can give
people passwords, and then change them on a periodic basis -- unlike trying to hide the
file names -- with password control, the visitor must know the password, OR they cannot
read the file. When a browser makes a request for a file from your site the web server
first checks for the presence of an access control file in the directory. If this file is
present, the server checks the file to see which login names are allowed and where the
password file is located. (Back to Top) |
| How can I prevent people from violating my copyright, and
stealing images information etc from my website? |
Generally, (at this moment in time)
you have no control over the information, images and other details you place on your
website - anyone can "steal" them, and you would be none the wiser, unless you
happened to stumble upon the product they created using your content. There are
various techniques, however, which make this a time consuming or more difficult process
for the unauthorised copier. These methods include using: Java script preventing
them from copying images; placing watermarks on images; using written threats of
prosecution should anyone "steal" your information. (Back
to Top) |
|
Should
you have a website-related question please send it to us via the email enquiry page (click
here) - we will do our best to answer it for you |
