Content-rich website setup

Building a web site for the first time might seem like an extremely difficult task, especially when you have to consider that you will be building a site for a world-wide audience comprising individuals with a wide range of abilities, platforms, and viewing conditions. We have a sure fire method for success and any person new to web developing must carefully consider the following eight areas:

Audience of the web site
Purpose of the web site
URL of the web site
Design
Navigation hierarchy
Usability
Content
Hosting
This may seem like an enormous task at first, but don't worry it is much easier than you might think. Let's take each one in the list and briefly analyze each.

Audience of the web site

First and foremost, when you have come up with your brilliant idea of a web site, you have to carefully consider who your audience is going to be. For instance, is the audience going to be primarily young people, businesses, pet owners, teachers, or maybe government officials?


Once you have determined who your desired primary audience is, it will become much easier to maintain consistency throughout your site.

Purpose of the web site

Now, let's say that you have decided that you want to build a site that is about PlayStation 2 games and your primary audience is going to be 14-25 year olds. Now you need to determine what the purpose of the web site is going be.


Your purpose needs to be specific but at the same time flexible, as your site will grow, you might actually decide to change the primary purpose.


For our example let's say the purpose of your new web site is to inform young people about all the new PlayStation 2 games that have been release and also provide members lists of cheats to those games.


Now you have set your purpose. You want to assist young people by providing the game cheats so that they might be able to win a few of those PlayStation 2 games.

URL of the web site

Choosing the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of your new web site is a bit more difficult as you might have to do a little research. You need to determine what the name of your site should be. Now there are several ways to do this.

Name the site after your purpose
Name the site after keywords that people use to find PlayStation 2 cheats
Name the site related to your audience
Or all of the above
So let's think about this, our audience is young people, we are providing PlayStation 2 cheats, then perhaps an ideal name for the site would be www.playstation2cheats.co.uk or www.ps2cheats.co.uk or www.cheats4playstation2.co.uk or even www.cheats4ps2games.co.uk. You should be getting the idea now.


You wouldn't want to name the site www.gamecheats.co.uk as that is a very broad term and if someone was to search for your site on a search engine it might not come up, but with a highly targeted and named URL you stand a better chance.


So let's say we have decided to name our site: www.cheats-playstation2-games.co.uk


Now you will have to check the availability of that URL. There are many web sites that can check the availability of URL's for free. Here are few:

http://www.checkurl.info/us/link.htm
http://www.123-reg.co.uk
http://www.rackspace.com
We would advise that you shop around and try to find a good price for your URL before making that first purchase.

Design

Probably the single most important and useful quality for Web site design is flexibility. Most of us are pathologically incapable of getting anything right the first time, and while we're trying to do that, the universe changes, invalidating our Perfect Design.

Programmers well know that the key to flexibility is separation of concerns, typically implemented using "indirection". For example, Web design should separate content and style, then link one to the other.

However, this separation is a Good Thing only up to a point. First, it adds another thing to be managed. Second, it often adds another dimension to get confused in. Style sheets may be buggy, and browser support is still inadequate. Above a certain threshold of complexity, changes you make in the style sheet may have unexpected consequences ' rather like software programs where you change one line and later discover it caused a bug. The best you can do is to try to keep it well-organised and as simple as possible (but no simpler).

You will probably need a HTML editor; there are many free editors online that function using the WYSIWYG method (What you see is what you get). A few first HTML editors might be:

' Mozilla Composer

' Tellian WebPAGE

' Netscape Composer

Navigation hierarchy

That there should be a hierarchy is almost mandated by considerations such as user familiarity, file system structure, etc. We instinctively think in terms of topics and their subtopics, and map these to file-system directory trees in our Web sites.

Note that content structure actually has two major levels: how you implement it (e.g. in the filing or database system), and how the users see it in navigation facilities. They don't at all have to be the same thing, because the user isn't looking directly at your filing system; they will see it through links or redirects or intermediate software. This indirection can provide you with some flexibility as your site evolves. Your initial filing scheme might prove to be less than ideal; you notice that users are going to a page or set of pages that you'd placed deep down in the hierarchy, and so you would prefer them to be prominent on the navigation menus. Not a problem, those menus don't have to mirror the server's filing system! However, we prefer to keep them synchronised (on the K.I.S.S. principle) and occasionally move files or directories ' taking care to add server redirects.

Hierarchical organization imposes a useful discipline on your own analytical approach to your content, as hierarchies only work well when you have thoroughly organized your material. I recommend putting a lot of effort into designing a logical system based on the user's view ' rather than say, departmental structure, though that might play a role. Your navigation system should then be able to take advantage of the file structure, and good keywords will appear in the URLs themselves, helping users figure it out.

So using this as a guideline lets look at our own site example. We know certain that we want a page that lists all PlayStation games. We also want a page that would be for new releases, and we want an individual page for each game that describes the game and maybe has an snapshot image or something.

Our website will already have a root folder that is where your default homepage would be placed. Now you could create a folder called games in the root folder and then you could create a new folder in the games folder for every new game you add to your list. So let's say you want to add Grand Theft Auto to your site.

www.cheats-playstation2-games.co.uk/games/grand-theft-auto/

Or you could avoid creating a new folder every time and just create a new web page, so for example:

www.cheats-playstation2-games.co.uk/games/grand-theft-auto.html

We would recommend the second option for your game description page. You would also have to create another file for the cheats. Again following the method above you could do the following:

www.cheats-playstation2-games.co.uk/cheats/grand-theft-auto-cheats.html

Notice that I modified the name of the html file by adding '-cheats' to the end of 'grand-theft-auto', that is for two reasons. One, when editing files you will never be confused about which page you are working on. Secondly, the actually file name will help search engines index the page better, hence giving you a higher page rankings.

Usability

A Web site has to be accessible, before it is even usable. Accessibility refers to the ease with which either disabled users, or users with non-standard browsing situations ' or even users with typical visual abilities and the usual browsers ' can access the information and other features of a site. In a sense then, accessibility is an extension of 'usability', in that a site needs to be accessible by more than just the CEO at his or her PC on your intranet.

Usability refers to the ease with which anyone (disabled or not, or with unusual viewing situations or not) can navigate a site and achieve the objectives which you have set for it, such as learning how to win their PlayStation 2 games. Your Web site may be wonderful, but if users find it to be unusable or perceive it to be so then it's unlikely they'll get far enough to discover just what's so wonderful about it.

A page of beautifully coloured Netscape layer pull-down menus won't be much use to the visually impaired non-English speaking users who favour Lynx, for example. If your target audience profile excludes such people, fine, but very often Web sites exclude valid users by default rather than design.

Content

One of the major problems in a site with a lot of content is how to present it without overwhelming the user. If you bury it down in the navigation structure, many people may never realise it's there. One way to solve the navigation problem would be to put links to all available pages, on the home page. Your visitor could reach every page with a single click. However, this is impractical for sites with hundreds or thousands of pages; there are further requirements such as keeping the home page fast- loading and not too complicated.

In our example, as you build up your site with all of the available PlayStation 2 games, you will need to carefully decide how to organise the home page. Perhaps only having a new releases list and maybe a What's Hot list and then a search box, which would allow users to immediately search through all of the content of the web site and find information on the game they are looking for.

Putting it all on the home page may make it too cluttered. The most important navigational device for any Web site is the home page. This page alone is most likely to be the one that determines whether your visitors view one page, or many, at your site. If it doesn't offer any clue that this site has valuable information, and how to locate it, then people are unlikely to expend much effort to track it down. If on the other hand, the home page gives clear indications about what's available at the site, and how to get to it, then your user's interest is likely to last longer.

The conventional approach is to provide a few links to the next level down, from the home page, supplemented with a small selection of representative links from the next level down. An important question to answer is "How many clicks will it take my visitors to find anything?". People's patience begins to fade very soon after a few clicks; but you probably don't want a very large number of links on every page.

Domain hosting

Now the final step for getting your first web site live is hosting. This may be one of the more confusing steps as you will know doubt find thousands of companies offering hosting packages and choosing one of those packages might be difficult. But there are a few things to bear in mind:

' Size of your web site ' At first your site will be small, but will grow with time.

' Cost of hosting ' As your web site will grow, so will the cost.

' Easy upload methods ' Since this is your first time you will want to make sure that the hosting company provides a very simple method of uploading your files to your domain, ie FTP client, Web service, etc.

We recommend that you consider some of the following companies to host your domain:

' www.rackspace.com

' www.hostway-uk.com

' www.123-reg.co.uk

Article source: Content-rich website setup

4 Things Frustrated Dog Owners Should Know

You've probably had a day or two when you felt like your dog just wasn't paying any attention to you at all, right? You talked, you yelled, you shouted, maybe you jumped up and down and waved your arms, but she just wasn't interested in anything you had to say to her in any tone of voice. You're not alone.

1. Your dog isn't human.

Unless you believe in pet psychics, there's really no way for you to read your pooch's mind and figure out exactly what she's thinking. The good news is that, like many dog owners, the problems you're having can probably be traced to one simple thing: you're trying to communicate with your dog from a human standpoint, and your dog isn't a human. Sure, you know that, but lots of humans try to relate with their dogs in the ways that they think are rational as humans. The problem is that dogs are driven in every act and every moment by very strong instincts. Deciphering those instincts and leveraging them to build a productive relationship is like finding the keys to the city.

2. Your dog doesn't speak English.

Take the word 'no' for example. Does your dog speak English? Not understand English. Does she speak it? What's meaningful to her is your tone of voice, not the word itself. Now let's think about that we're taking up excess time trying to teach our dog a word she'll never speak and that probably doesn't mean much to her anyway. Sure, it's meaningful to us, but that's only one side of the equation. What about something that's meaningful to both human and dog?

3. You know what a growl means, and your dog knows what a growl means.

If you think that mutually meaningful language doesn't exist, you're not thinking creatively enough. What does it say to you when a dog growls at you? Anything from 'get away from my food' to 'back off, dude' right? Yet in every case, a dog's growl typically means that she is not happy with whatever you've done. And you've seen dogs react to other dogs' growls, right? So you know what a growl means, and your dog knows what a growl means. Where's the disconnect? Growl at your dog!

No, seriously. The next time your pooch starts stepping outside her bounds or doing something you don't like, growl at her. A nice, strong, guttural growl that would put the alpha wolf in a pack to shame. While you're growling, look directly into her eyes. You're almost guaranteed that she'll back off.

4. Instincts save time and communicate effectively.

See that? You worked with her instinct and the information hardwired into her brain, and the result was instantaneous. Why spend tons of time trying to work against that instinct and end up frustrated, angry, and still miscommunicating? This approach works in everything from basic discipline to full-on obedience training. You just need to figure out how to apply it in each of those situations.

I'd like to help you learn to apply it, and that's why I created the multimedia presentation Instinct vs. Man. It addresses day-to-day life with your dog as well as specific topics like playtime, training, and territory. Beyond that, you'll get some great insight into why your dog thinks the way she does and how it affects her actions and reactions. You'll understand why those months of training stopped working after a few weeks and how to get her back into the routine and acting like the fun, upbeat dog you love.

Article source: 4 Things Frustrated Dog Owners Should Know

Factors To Consider When Choosing An Espresso Machine

Price

Definitely a consideration for most people. As a general rule, you do get more for the extra money - more metal, less plastic, higher-quality workmanship, better support, more controls. On the other hand, if you just want an occasional cappuccino, or if you rather buy other things with your money, most cheap machines can make a pretty decent drink.

Espresso machines are definitely not cheap, but, compared to going to Starbuck's every day, it may not take long at all for a good machine to pay for itself. Spending $3 every weekday at the local coffee house translates to $750 over the course of a year. You could buy a great machine for that amount that will last for years to come. A handy Espresso Machine Comparison Chart organized by price ranges can be found here - http://www.coffeemakersetc.com/espresso-machine.html.

Type

Moka or Steam - Steam provides pressure to push water through a bed of coffee grounds. No real controls on pressure or temperature. Length of brewing time is controlled by operator.

Semi-Automatic - Pump provides pressure. Operator grinds, doses and tamps coffee into a portafilter. Brewing pressure and temperature are set and controlled by machine. Length of brewing time (and, therefore, volume) is controlled by operator.

Automatic - Pump provides pressure. Operator grinds, doses and tamps coffee into a portafilter. Brewing pressure and temperature are set and controlled by machine. Machine automatically brews to a predetermined volume.

Super-Automatic - Pump provides pressure. Machine automatically grinds, doses, tamps, brews to a predetermined volume, and ejects the spent puck, all with the push of a button. Some commercial super automatics can also steam milk automatically, depending on your brew selection. Some manufacturers of super-automatics are Bosch, Saeco and Solis.

Lever - Lever pushes down a piston to provide pressure. Lever pushed down manually by operator. Lever espresso machines are harder to operate, but provide greater control over shot. For those who enjoy the art of making espressos. The most widely-known lever machines are offered the original manufacturer - La Pavoni.

Design

The traditional espresso machine is somewhat square and boxy. If this is OK - great - there's plenty from which to choose. If you would rather have a machine with a more modern design, you might consider the Espressione Cafe Retro, the La Pavoni Cellini or the La Pavoni Pisa. For an old world design, you could consider a La Pavoni Lever Machine.

Boiler

The boiler heats the water for the espresso. Usually, it's made of aluminum, brass, copper or stainless steel. Aluminum heats the fastest, but brass and stainless steel retain heat longer. If you just want one quick cup in the morning, aluminum may work best. If you brew repeated shots, consider brass, copper or stainless. Over the years, aluminum may tend to corrode more then brass, copper and stainless.

Another consideration is boiler size. Smaller boilers (3-5 oz.) heat up faster and are great for 1 or 2 cups, but they generally require more recovery time and may not maintain temperature as consistently as a larger (7-12 oz.) boiler. As a general rule, the more expensive machine, the larger the boiler.

Bar Pressure

The amount of pressure the machine can produce for forcing the steam through the coffee grounds and making the espresso. Technically, only 9 bars are needed, so it doesn't make much difference if the machine produces 15, 16 or 18 bars.

Housing

Espresso machines are made with either ABS shock-resistant plastic or metal housing. If plastic bothers you, make sure you look for a machine with a metal housing. As expected, these cost more, and options in the lower prices ranges are limited.

Size

Remember to consider your counter space and how your espresso machine will fit on it and in your kitchen before buying. Don't buy a machine that's too big and unwieldy.

Article source: Factors To Consider When Choosing An Espresso Machine

The Real Key To Happiness, Peace of Mind, and Massive Succes

Do you know the secret that allowed 100% of the world's wealthiest people to become successful?

Amazingly though, even if you read all their books, attend their speeches, or even ask them in person, you'll probably never discover the one true secret of their success.

Why?

Because they probably don't even know themselves ...

They're too caught up in what they do each day. They may be totally unaware of why almost everything they're involved in becomes a success.

Would you like to know their secret?

Listen closely:

All truly successful people live in alignment with their passions ... they're fulfilling their purpose in life. They're living their own dreams.

The famous theologian William Barclay once said, "There are two great days in a person's life--the day we are born and the day we discover why."

Most people, regardless of religion or lack of religion, instinctively feel that there's a higher purpose to life ... and that if they could determine their mission in life, they'd be much more happy and satisfied.

Once you start to follow your passions and mission in life, the Universe (God or Nature, depending on what you believe) seems to start helping you achieve your goals, often by presenting startling opportunities for you ...

In a recent interview with Chris and Janet Attwood, they revealed a remarkable tool that'll help you quickly determine your purpose in life--The Passion Test.

(Note: To access the Attwood's complete audio interview for free, see end of article)

The simple test, a series of probing questions that you ask yourself, will quickly help you identify your top passions, what's really important in your life.

According to Janet, "The number-one reason people don't get what they want is--is they don't know what they want."

Once you discover your passions and align your life with them, success comes quickly and automatically.

What's more startling, she found that every single highly successful person who's taken the test (Mark Victor Hansen, Jack Canfield, T. Harv Eker, Dan Poynter, to name a few) already are accomplishing their top passions.

Undoubtedly knowing your passions speeds up the path to success.

Most importantly, she also revealed ways to help you realign your life to help you follow those passions.

The one key ingredient in reaching any goal or accomplishment is that you must totally love and enjoy whatever you are wanting to appear in your life.

It has to be your dream, not someone else's.

Do you really want a million dollars or would you rather have someone to love and be loved back?

Do you want that mansion or would you rather travel and not be tied down to any geographical location?

Only you can decide ...

After taking the Passion Test, I was profoundly changed in the way I view my life.

For me, I discovered that my number one passion is gaining dynamic health, my number two passion is improving myself, and three is mastering the guitar.

I realize now that I've put those desires on the back burner while I worked totally on survival goals (you know, making money and dealing with life's obstacles).

With that in mind, it's clear to me that I've missed out on a lot of joys that accomplishments in those areas would have brought me.

So I have a lot of work ahead of me to bring my life back into alignment with my most important passions ...

What about you? You owe it to yourself to discover your passions. It'll help you to become a success in all areas of your life.

Article source: The Real Key To Happiness, Peace of Mind, and Massive Succes