Homework 1 Comments

For homework 1, the construction of homepages, everyone who had a homepage was given full credit. The reason is that homepages don't have a particular objective which a document like a resume does. Here are some comments that came out of looking at all of the pages.

Content

  1. WWW pages allow you to publish nearly anything on the web, the question is whether you should put nearly everything on your homepage.

    It is probably best to design your homepage first as a presentation of yourself to other people, and second as a resource for your use (e.g., links to useful information). How you present yourself is up to you, but you might want to think of your homepage as a resume that provides better access to your work and background. This is especially important for if you are planning to enter a research community where you might try to find a post-doc position with someone who's seen your homepage.

  2. Some material may not be appropriate for publishing on the web. Anything that might be potentially offensive would probably be avoided because it doesn't present you well professionally. However, the cultural differences between people who have access to the web are significant which means what you think is appropriate may be pretty outlandish to someone else.

    As an example, consider the image you would place on your page if you jokingly wanted to present your "future" spouse.

Mechanics

  1. Don't be a sloppy writer. Just because a web page is the analogue of junk mail, don't forget to write well and organize your thoughts (do what I say, not what I do). Good writing technique is just as important as in other writing.

  2. A basic concern in the design of a web page is presentation.
    1. Consider how much of your page will show up on a browser? The end of pages that are too long for the browser window might be avoided. You might want your homepage to fit within one screen and then link to other pages. Another approach is to use a menu with links to refs on the same page.

    2. Visually separate unrelated or marginally related information.

    3. Use hierarchical lists to organize information logically to help a visual search of your page for particular information.

  3. Graphics should be used carefully. Some of the homepages for students in the class include graphics which are too large and fill or nearly fill the browser window. Unless the picture is the major point of the page, it should not dominate any text that appears. Also, centering smaller graphics and providing adequate space around the graphics will make the page look nicer.

  4. If you link to other pages you should make sure the links work. Also, make sure links to other sites are up-to-date. Having links fail is very annoying, and a vistor might not come back to see if the link works later.

  5. Be watchin' that speling and gremmer.