Should we use HTML 5 right now

Nowadays a new type of question is wandering in the mind of people- should they use html 5 for their website building purposes? Some doubt that this new version of html will simply revolutionize the website building whereas some feel html 5 has to walk a long distance to become friendly to all the browsers! So, now you must be thinking, what is the main scenario then? If you are planning to build a website should you use html 5 or you go by the present proven markup languages available – html 4 or the XHTML!

Actually working as a freelance graphic designer, I do face this situation and I try to make the clients understand that we have to embrace the future technologies or improvements coming in the ways of website development – we should apply html 5 for the creation of the new -age web pages, however, it is still in the labs to come out of the greatest issue – browser compatibility.

Now let us see how still we can use html 5 in our website creation and there may be some benefit on its use. Hope this will help you understand or clear the doubt on html 5:

• We may use html 5 as it is coming with new elements that simply provides the coders with facility to use semantic tags. For example, in the html 4 and even in xhtml there was no tag like "header", "footer", "nav" and others. To use these tags the use of CSS was the easy and best possible way. But now coders can use the html 5 and directly code these elements and markup will be cleaner.
• Coders may use html 5 to get one of the exciting features of this html version – web forms. Now in creating the web forms will be very easy and there will be less or no headache to write or copy paste the various Javascripts that may be blocked by some of the browsers (IE 6 or lower versions) and your visitors may see nothing but blank fields. Whereas, if coders use html 5 the browsers will show standard display text fields. Isn’t the coding getting easier and will be with some newer functionality for any type of web forms!
• There was no "article" tag in the html 4 or other versions. But now coders can use the html 5 and easily let the html represent any portion of the web page as a stand alone part for creating a blog post, forum entry space or commenting space against any content. This is really a great option and good benefit of html 5.
• Now on coders or the developers can use html 5 to apply any API to integrate audio files or video files directly and with great ease! With the advent of html 5 and its "video" and "audio" tag the coders are even getting the drag and drop facility in the process of integrating any API. The process is less time consuming and clean.
• The mobile version of the websites has gone almost unavoidable as the surfing of the web through the latest smart phones has gone really a habit among everyone of us. And the mobile applications as iphone , android applications now come with webkits to use the 3G and other telecom facilities for the users. And when you are trying to build the mobile version for your websites why do not you ask your developers to use html 5 with which the development will be much faster and easy.

The above are just a few instance of effective use of html 5! In this way there are quite a good number of reasons to use html 5. There may be some issues against browser compatibility of html 5 but slowly the popular browsers are accepting the fifth version of html. And hopefully within coming two or three years the older version of Internet Explorer (IE 6 and the lower ones) will be completely obsolete and the entire browser community is going to accept html 5. Finally, you may be having a desire to use the html 5 for making your site future ready, carefully choose the developers or the designers for your website projects. When you are making the choice and looking into the web or graphic design portfolio, check out the live sites to get confirmed if he or she knows how to use the html 5.

Personal website templates help to personify your identity and presence to people

Hope nobody doubt that every one of us like to personify ourselves differently from the crowd. This is one of the reasons the millions of profiles in Facebook, Twitter, Orkut and other social networking sites quite uniquely present each others. However, it may be the case that your portfolio is simply design with the tools available on those sites! But think if you are to present yourself separately through a website or you would prefer to create your own page completely in superb way! Then, the solution to this situation is personal website templates. Just one of the best templates can make your presence bold, highlighted and you stand out in the crowd.

By the way, now you may be thinking how you would understand that personal website templates can have some features which may personify your attitude and person through it? Let us see some features that will help you to understand the things:

• You have to choose one of the personal website templates with ‘out of the box designs’. It may be that your web page is going to be for your personal purpose not the business. Then also you should have the complete freedom to get it modified in your way. Say, unusual design of menus (bold, highlighted etc). You may also ask the print (embossed or letterpress) effect or something like that. It will show your taste.
• The color combination does matter. You should not choose the personal website templates that do not fit your taste of color. Every one knows that our color choice reflects our visual impression or nature. For example the red color is symbolic of force, vigor and energy while blue is for spirit, contemplation and prayer. So color does make sense - right?
• Never choose personal website templates that do not have ample scope to highlight your activities or character from the header onwards. There should be space to embed flash or 3D effects in the header to let your visitors understand what your message to them is. Even the layouts should have scope to make those completely matching with several other animation effects. Everywhere your person should be in focus.

• Today it is time to make the online presence very much interactive. And to make the sites interactive there need chat option, videos, podcast and other facilities. Are you choosing personal website templates which are having scope to put these things? You see the social connect buttons will help users notify your sites to their friends. Whereas the chat will give you chance to interact with you. Ultimately it shows that you are running with trend of the time.

Hope the above points clarify how your taste and natures can be depicted through the personal website templates. Every time the chosen layouts are with the facilities to infuse with latest technologies as drag and drop boxes or fields (using java-Scripts, or j-query), it shows your urge and taste to remain modern and trendy. But here you have to remember that the layouts have to be completely customizable to make those 100% yours. You may even choose a freelance graphic designer to help you customize one of those personal website templates. Even you can gather the features of several layouts and ask any designer to design your own novel one. In this case you have to confirm that the designer you are selecting for the customization process has a good web and graphic design portfolio, otherwise he or she may cost you good chunk of money and loss of time in customizing one of the standard personal website templates.

Online fashion house or boutique can set new trends with amazing fashion web templates

Fashionable people are undoubtedly trend setters! But it is not that these categories of people only include men and women who use fashion products; rather we must not forget the designers and the sellers who present us with these products! However there are various ways to come across the fashionable goods – website is one of the media. Thanks to every web designer or freelance graphic designer who strive to present us with the most attractive and useful fashion web templates! If they stop to present us with best of layouts, how will we be able to view the fashionable products just the way we see those in stores or fashion events and buy those online even?

But the easy way I could tell you about the great design of the fashion web templates; it is not that easy to design those templates! There needs great experience to understand the trends of the time for showcasing those properly. And there needs great intelligence to structure the fashion web templates in a way that it ever matches with the sudden changes in the trends! Now being a designer, I have tried to pull out a few great features of the layouts that can make those great fit for the online fashion sites. Let us see the things:

• All the fashion web templates need to be structurally unique to match several demands to show the fashion goods. What I mean to say is the proper use of the header with little flash work or even video to present the latest and attractive products and the offerings. And it is always better to make it dynamic, so that according to the need of the time easy changes can be incorporated. The navigations have to be clear and easy.


• The color matters very much for all fashion web templates. Fashion means multicolor affair and for this very reason we need to be very much careful in the use of the colors. The layouts need to have a perfect blend of colors that suit the placements of differently colored goods. In other words we may say the background effects needs to be carefully placed in every templates. The goods have to depict the original colors they have, certainly matching with complete structure of the site.


• The exposure of the products in the fashion web templates need to get first priority. People are coming to see your products and they must get satisfied with the view of those. So the placements of the product blocks have to be very much attractive. If you can not expose the products, the complete purpose of building the site gets unsuccessful.


• In the use of text all the fashion web templates should be economical. As the complete focus is on the products, the text descriptions have to be limited. Yes, you may put some fashion tips and the notice about the upcoming event, but those should not crowd the layouts.


• All the fashion web templates need to be updated with the latest technologies in use. What I mean to say is there should be social sharing button, chatting option, RSS feeds and other latest features to keep your visitors stuck to your site and updated.

So, if you can find these features in fashion web templates, you can be sure that any of the layouts is worth buying for building your website. But remember you got to be little careful in the process. There is no question that you got to confirm that you are getting the resource files with the layouts. The layouts need to be completely customizable to make those fit for your sites. And there is certainly the question of affordability! It is not that you have to pay a lot for getting the one of the best fashion web templates. In this competitive market there are lots of designers and design houses who can offer you best layouts at really affordable prices. You just need to carefully visit the web and graphic design portfolio of the designer you are selecting the design from. Finally, I hope you come across the best designer and get one of the best fashion web templates for your site!

Extend your legal helping hand through your law firm website built with the best law website templates

When legal issues come calling, people sometimes feels tensed! Thanks to the lawyers who come to help people wade through any complexity regarding legal affairs! However, it is not always possible to contact these busy friends via phone! But that does not mean that we remain helpless! We can find out hundreds of legal help sites ready to listen to our problems! Are you a lawyer or somebody engaged in resolving legal issues for people? Do you have a legal website built with one of the best law website templates? Again, are you thinking to build a site that can extend your helping hand to the world people? Whatever the case is, you need a nicely designed and developed site for sure!

Well, there may not be any particular definition on how law website templates can prepare the most perfect legal website! But it is for sure that there are some certain points that I have found necessary to incorporate in a law site while I get such layout design issues as a freelance graphic designer. So I thought it will be best for me to let you know how should be the law website templates that can help to build one of the best legal websites. Hope the following points helps you to choose or hire website designer for designing your legal or law related sites; in other words you must tell those designers to include the following features in the layout design of your site.

• Choose one of the law website templates that have wide or ample space to place the texts. Now you may think why? It is because a legal site deals with huge information and people would like to read several solutions matching their cases. For example the case studies need to get proper place in the layouts to be visible and read well. Even there should be a place to add a notice board on newer issues of interest.
• It is right that images speak louder than the words, but in the law website templates the use of the images have to be very much limited or no to leave space for the texts. The reason for not using or placing very limited image is simple – let people read the things in details – it is not possible to make everybody understand the legal affairs with images only. Whereas limited images may be used (the smiling or rejoicing faces can be there) to relieve or encourage the tensed people suffering from legal complexities.
• All law website templates have to be very much user-friendly in navigation and advanced in search. If you carefully notice all the existing sites, you can see that the sites are full with so many navigation menus, and there is a search box. People are coming to get information on various legal issues, naturally there will be ample space to place various menus and those should be designed or placed well to come in notice. At the same time all law website templates needs to have a search box (placed at proper position) through which people can find out the contents from within the site and outside (via Google search option).
• Won’t you like to make your site interactive! Just imagine if you can keep some videos, animations that describe the legal issues or documentations step by step. On the other hand the chat support, the contact forms or the “request a help” similar to “request a quote” can make your site more helpful to the visitors. But to keep theses things, you have to choose one of the best law website templates that provides with scope to place such things or the functionalities!
• It is an era of social connectivity and fast speed! So why don’t you keep the social connect options in your legal help site or the RSS or Atom feeds to keep people updated? At the same time the site has to support multiple languages to reach maximum people through their vernacular. But these are only possible when you buy one of the law website templates that has place to add such things.

Hope you have understood how should be the legal sites to extend the legal assistance or help to the world people. But it is also true that you may not find all these facilities in all the easy available law website templates of the template shops. Why not hire website designer for building your site. You may also take the help of any expert freelancers in this regard. Remember you have to check if the law website templates are completely customizable or not. If you buy a layout with minimum customization, you can never fit it for your business. It will be always better to note the best features of various law website templates and design one befitting your business purpose at an affordable price.

Which Web Log Analysis Tool Is The Best

In plain words web log analysis tools are the analytics software that purses a log file from a web server, FTP server or the mail severs to trace the activity of the visitors of those sites. In other words we use these tools to trace the visitors of all sorts for our websites through various servers. Gone are the days when the site owners simply wait for the direct activity of the visitors on the sites or simply rely on what the search engine optimizers or the developers are saying about the activities and success of the websites! Now even a common man can use the one of the many web log analysis tools in his or her site. For example, simply putting a short code in the html coding of any webpage, a site owner can use the Google analytics to fetch the most comprehensive log details from the web server about the visitor activities!

However we are not supposed to discuss about Google analytics (if it is not the best web log analysis tools)! Then now the question is very simple which tool is the best? And the answer to this question is not that simple! There are many web log analysis tools available on the internet and each one is packed with several great features! Some come totally free and some are paid services! But it is fact that all of those are not equally popular to the users. When working as a freelance graphic designer, open source developer and SEO consultant, I come across this particular question – which tool should be used to analyze the log data? I simply tell them that it depends on what type of services you are looking from the web log analysis tools or how would you like to use them? Do you have deep knowledge to handle the configuration data? Do you want a very easy to use and install tool for your site? Depending on the basis of the answers, I try to tell them the following things about few popular web log analysis tools:

• Google analytics: This is one of most used web log analysis tools as it is free, comes with comprehensive analysis and the trust of the giant search engine – GOOGLE. It helps to get traffic report with an eye on the marketing effectiveness of the visitor activities. It comes with the customization (drag and drop of the several analysis boxes) facility for the report to get the subsets of the traffic analysis, multi-dimensional analysis. It is best for anyone who wants simple interface to install and use.
• Web Log Analyzer: If you are trying to get one of the best web log analysis tools that can perfectly map visitor locations with the tracking of IP addresses, this tool is the best for you. This feature is the best one with all other features it has.
• Deep Log Analyzer: The best part of this tool that separates it from other web log analysis tools is its ability to log the files without any code or bugs in the sites. It can also analyze log from all the popular web servers. You can write your own queries or download the log files from the FTP servers.
• AWstats: If you are looking for web log analysis tools that can graphically analyze FTP or mail server statistics this tool is one you are looking for. More on that is its ability to export the analysis report in XML, text or PDF file formats. It even can generate the 404 page reference reports also.

• Piwik: Are you in search of open source web log analysis tools? The facility of open source – add, edit or removal of any feature- is available with this tool. If you have some developing knowledge or can hire website designer or the developer to customize it in look and functionality (plug-ins), this tool is the one you should use to analyze log data completely in your way!
• Analog: Among all the web log analysis tools, this one is the easiest to install and run on any operating system and can generate reports in 32 international languages! Particularly for these two features site owners and the developers love this tool most.
• Web Analyzer: Sometimes we find that many web log analysis tools are not functioning well in all the browsers! Those have a bunch of features but due to incompatibility with several browsers we feel sorry to use those! But the solution is here with Web Analyzer that can generate all the reports in HTML format and we till get all the bunch of comprehensive log reports!
• W3 Pearl and My Blog Log: These two small web log analysis tools are popular but not that much comprehensive ones. Yet with W3 pearl we can track the web log analysis data with the use of a page bug. On the other hand, via ‘My Blog Log’ we can get the information about a visitor activity (when he or she is to which page, how long is staying on a page or even page to page navigation). This helps to improve the page depending on the report. But these two tools are not complete to use singly for getting log data. These can be supplementary to other web log analysis tools.

Anyways, this is my reference on the use of tools for web log analysis. As I told at the beginning that it is always impossible to say which tool is the best, you may use any of the tools according to your requirements and expertise. There are lots of paid services also. Some of the above web log analysis tools even have paid versions. You can easily go for those to get more facility on analysis report. But it never means that free versions are useless. Whatever tool you select that will definitely work for you if you can make complete use of it. So choose one and get the proper analysis of your visitor and web or ftp server activities.

How to use DTD in XML and DTD in HTML documents

Document type declaration (DTD) is simply a notification or instruction put with a HTML or XML to clarify the mode of rendition of the documents in browsers, the version of HTML or XML in use and for validation of the coding. Though there are other factors to use DTD in HTML and DTD in XML. In other words it is the DTD for which the html and XML files properly work. There will arise several issues if the DTD is not properly used with the two file types.

Now here we will try to point out what type of situation may arise if you hire website designer who does not know how to use DTD properly. The coders should mind just a few points mentioned below to use DTD in HTML and DTD in XML. Let’s see the things:

• DTD in HTML and DTD in XML files are stated to identify the version of the XML or HTML in use. Without this declaration it is not possible to validate the files. All the validation systems use this process to put the mark of ‘standard verified XML or HTML’ against all the XML and html files. So the coders need to add red portion in their declaration.:

                          

                        <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN"

             "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/strict.dtd"> 

or 

            <?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>

                <note>

                    <to>Tove</to>

                    <from>Jani</from>

                    <heading>Reminder</heading>

                    <body>Don't forget me this weekend!</body>

                </note>

  

• If the DTD in HTML and DTD in XML files are not stated properly, the browsers would not understand the mode of XML or HTML to be shown to the viewers. When a browser does not find the DTD description then it directly shows the web pages in quirk mode, if finds out the description then shows the standard mode. In the following example follow the red marked area:

        

                <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN"

                 "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/strict.dtd">

                      But look the following one

                            <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC>

• Finding only the “public” note the browsers have to render the webpage in quirk mode (a display of web page in older version of a browser for finding DTD in HTML and DTD in XML files.  It is because the coding is not compiling with the latest validation updates provided to current browser version).

• Suppose the client browser does not support the latest updated CSS formats you have used in your coding, what would be the display or how will you be able to show the web pages in proper condition on those browsers? Answer is very simple use “transitional” mode of coding. But if the case is otherwise the mode of DTD in HTML and DTD in XML files will be “strict”. See the coding below:

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC

                                                "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"

                                                 "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd">

            Or simply 

           <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC

                                               "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN"

                                               "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/strict.dtd">

• Now there may be some cases when you need to code or use DTD in HTML and DTD in XML files for your private view. The web pages will be visible in your system only. How would you stop the public view of those pages? The answer is very simple use “system” keyword in the coding, instead of “Public”. Look at the code below:

                    

                    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>

                    <!DOCTYPE note SYSTEM "Note.dtd">

                    <note>

                        <to>Tove</to>

                        <from>Jani</from>

                        <heading>Reminder</heading>

                        <body>Don't forget me this weekend!</body>

                    </note>

If you write “public” at the place of the “system” the pages will be visible to the world. So DTD in HTML and DTD in XML files has to carefully state if the pages are to be viewed by public or not. A small mistake may disclose huge confidential matters to the world.

• Without the proper DTD in HTML and DTD in XML files the page elements may not come in display. Particularly in the XML files DTD are the building blocks to structure the legal elements. If there is any mistake the complete coding will be useless. On the other hands many a times XML data is shared within various groups. In such cases if common DTD is not present, sharing will not be possible.

However in this way you may have understood how to use the DTD in HTML and DTD in XML properly. There are many other document type declarations for proper functioning of the XML and the HTML files. I have only tried to exemplify the few ways to use it. But here I must tell you one thing for sure, there are many coders who do not perform these tasks or take this ways to make the web pages perfectly functioning in all the browsers. As a freelance graphic designer, I never feel any lethargy to make the DTD in HTML and DTD in XML perfect for all my client sites.  I know how to make my clients satisfied with best of design and development. Hope you find the best coding for your web building purposes! 

What is cross browser dhtml

We more or less no what is Dynamic HTML (DHTML). Simply to give the plain HTML the interactive attitude the developers use DHTML. And really it has bought life to the HTML. At the same time there are some issues for which dhtml do not perform well across all the browsers. Especially the problem of cross browser compatibility of the dhtml occurs in the "Netscape Navigator" (NS) and "Internet Explorer" (IE). Actually the dhtml is a coding that works for the document object model (DOM) manipulation in the object oriented coding structuring. But it has gone really a headache for the developers to make the dhtml compatible in cross browser platforms (NS and IE). But it does not really mean that the developers are going to end up sacrificing to the issue – they have invented the cross browser dhtml coding with which their dhtml can nicely work on all the browsers.

Now here we are going to see what the purpose of cross browser dhtml is! Rather as a freelance graphic designer I will try to venture how the dhtml is made cross browser compatible in plain language. Let us see the things in a non technical language:

• Adapting to the specific DOM for all the browser platforms is a great issue. We all know that DOM is the key for modifying an object‘s property or triggering a specific behavior. This is a no issue for the developers to code in dhtml. But eventually it is found that the NS and IE have developed some specific DOM structure to integrate into their browsers. Foe example the coding to comply with the IFRAME model for the IE is not supported in NS. So what is going to be the solution - cross browser dhtml. Developers simply code their dhtml for both browsers.
• It may be the case that developers have to use two separate dhtml pages to comply with the NS and IE. This process of cross browser dhtml coding is known as creation of "forking page". The client (browser) side when requests as NS it pulls the code for it and same way it shows specific dhtml code when requested from IE. The compatibility issue is more or less solved in this way.
• Another way of creating cross browser dhtml is through amalgamation of the requirements for NS and IE. In this process developers create a coding structure that contains the contingencies for both the browsers. This is a code which works as relevant when particular browser request is got. The importance of using this type of dhtml is nothing but the light weight coding. At the same time the developers do not have to update their dhtml files also.
  
• To make the cross browser dhtml situation the developers also use syntax patching or the meta dhtml creation process. In this process a ‘fork page’ is used at the beginning of a the dhtml structure which creates common library. In other words a patch up work is done atop the syntax structure of the DOM language. Simply meta dhtml is simple building blocks from which cross browser dhtml can be constructed.
• To make the cross browser dhtml situation developers use the meta function library. This is nothing but a set of functions all of which operates separately on the basis of particular meta language principles that make the dhtml cross browser compatible. The useful part of this is very much interesting. Depending on this functional library no incompatible situation occurs as the library is huge to support almost all the issues.

Hope you have understood what is cross browser dhtml and how the developers have gone their all out to make the dhtml coding compatible to all the browsers. There are other processes in use for making dhtml working for all the browsers. I have tried to show you only five points that are hugely effective in this purpose. At the same time I must tell you that no specific example is cited simply to make the reading a normal one for all the reader who feel little uneasy when reading with technical citations. So when you hire website designer and web developer, do care and ask how will be the coding of the web pages. Do they know how to tackle the cross browser dhtml situation? I have told you to ask the designers as they do have a helping part in making the web pages compatible in several cross browser platforms. However in my case, as a freelance graphic designer, I never stop coding the web pages of my client cross browser dhtml compatible for highest performance in all the browers! At least I help my client in this regard up to my level best.

Colocation rack space - pros and cons

For a website, hosting is very important. If you have a very small website then there is no need to think so deeply about the hosting services. But if you have larger business type, you have to think twice on choosing hosting service for you. There are many types of hosting available in the market - colocation rack space based hosting is one of such. In plain words this particular type of hosting is a freedom to the user – physical rack space, software and maintenance is yours. But you house to a reliable second party and take the broadband connection from them with guaranteed undisrupted power supply. However in colocation rack space use, there are some disadvantages that deviates the users or the customers to select this type of hosting services!

I have found that people get little confused to select the type of web hosting after they have selected or completed the process to hire website designer and the developers. To make the things little clear to you let us have a look on some pros (advantages) and cons (disadvantages) of colocation rack space hosting:

• There are some cases when it is necessary that you want total control of your hosting to keep complete confidentiality of things in your hand. Then it is always better that you go for colocation rack space. Even you get the exact hardware and software as per your requirements.
• It is always necessary that your hosting service is always available with guarantee. There should not be any excuse of power cut, failure of broadband connectivity or limitation of bandwidth. If you choose colocation rack space hosting, your hosting partner will assure you these things with power backups, 3 tier broadband connection and unlimited bandwidth. You feel relaxed.
• Colocation rack space hosting not highly scalable; it is because it is not possible to improve the hardware or the software as and when required. Due to remote location and fewer number of service providers the maintenance becomes a headache. You always should keep your server with excessive resources. Besides that the service providers may not take the responsibility to even reboot the server in need.
• Colocation rack space hosting is not for the inexperienced, newcomers. It can be that you are plunging in the online business with no knowledge in the hosting matters or may know the things but not well experienced. If the either of the case matches with you, this type of hosting is not for your business as you may not completely use and maintain it.
• One of the setbacks that have pushed the colocation rack space hosting on the back seat is high expenses. First of all you need a dedicated team to manage it. Even your team may need to travel to the location of the physical server. Otherwise you have to pay extra to the service provider to maintain your server.

Anyways, you may have understood what are the primary advantages and disadvantages of colocation rack space hosting service. You may see that on average the points are against the use of this service! But does it mean people are not using this service! Certainly not! Today sometimes even working as a freelance graphic designer I face situations when my customers want advice about most reliable hosting. They feel sad that they are not capable of going for collocation racks pace due to shortfall of budget, but I tell them about the new service “managed colocation rack space”. With this new service you can simply use all the top benefits of this hosting service within your afford. Whatever cost effective the other hosting seem to us, unlimited bandwidths at low cost and constant availability of all resources are hardly 100% present in those services.

A new era in web designing

Gone are the days when the web pages used to be designed for showing the information this ways or that! Now we see new web designing trends or methods are coming in front of our eyes! Whether it is the structure, use of tools, medium of display or the nature of interaction, web design has gone admirable changes to make it more acceptable and striking to users! Actually the thought behind web page designing has gone upside down – now the motto is to convey the message and gain return on investments by any means.

Anyways, here we may have a look on a few aspects that has been giving web designing ever new lease of life. In other words the designers are trying to survive against the increasing and ever changing demands from the users and the site owners. At least when people seek and find out a freelance graphic designer like me, the first thing their demand is - what is new with you to offer? Let’s see the things:

• The structural look of the web pages has gone huge change. The latest trends of web designing are driven to break all the conventions. No way are the three column structures bound to be there! Now designs are purpose oriented or simply to attract the eyes of the visitors. For example we may find out a huge header and small footer or embossed design reflecting the printed effect. All the icons and logos are bold and glossy!
• To create ever effective web designing, the designers are ever innovative to try with new design tools. They want to create designs fast, effective and prefect. And in making the designs truly perfect new design tools (Firebugs, fireworks or panic coda) have come up in use. For example slicing and dicing images to create PDF with clickable component in light weight Fireworks is just amazing.

• Now web pages are not only designed for the desktop, laptops or other computer types! Browsing webpage has entered into mobile phones. Now web pages are specially designed to fit in mobile phone browsing. Some websites even have two separate versions of websites. We find trimmed texts, images, graphics and animations are what designers aim to create mobile versions of web pages.
• Now the web designing has become interactive in true sense. With the evolvement of web 3.0 technology – the mantra of which is to interact and present what the user is looking for – designers are designing to match this technology. The 3D or animated characters, navigations are designed to let the users feel ease and at home. Even structuring the designs for "augmented reality" is cared by the designers.

The above are only the four aspects of web designing that has come up with the changing taste of the era. There are so many other things that have come up with this era and its users. But remember one thing for sure, you as the site owner, never should go for anything new that does not suit the purpose of your business. Actually you should be properly guided by the experienced and expert designers about your web designing requirements and the trend of this new era. Again you have to be initially careful when you hire website designer or a freelancer to design your site. Carefully look out for their web designing portfolio and you will understand if they are keeping up with the changing of the era or not. Hope you will select the right designer for you!

Custom error page - do's and don'ts

We all know why the error pages occur.Apparently this may look a simple matter, especially if you are newbie in handling the matters of your website. Plainly speaking, error pages does matter. Particularly the most common error page is the 404 which comes in case there is any broken link, unidentified deleted page or page with a misspelled URL. Whatever the case may be, there has to be proper reply to the user query. Here is the use of a customized 404 page.

Now there may be a question how should be the look of the custom error page? You may also ask what should be there in a customized 404 page when you hire website designer to know the level of efficiency he or she has. Anyways, let us have a look on the matter.

• Never let your visitors feel irritated with junk scripts rather state them in clean and clear language that the requested page is not found. Custom error page should clearly say what the reason of the error is. The user should understand that the result against their query is not found through a simple customized 404 page.
• The custom error page has to be designed just like the other pages. It is sometimes found that the 404 pages are very dull in look and does not fit to the overall design with the site. Remember you are to show the customized 404 page in a way that user feel it no way boring or something irrelevant.

• Have you customized 404 page with only a blank message"page not found"? Make its presence relevant, put there your site map which will help the user navigate to other pages. If you can custom error page in this way, definitely the user going to stick with your site; otherwise they will never return to your site anymore. At least there should be a link to go to the sites home page.
• When you customized 404 page, have you ensured that the pages are not indexed by the search engines? Sometimes it is found that the custom error page is left to be indexed by the search engines. This creates really bad impression to the eyes of the visitors. Simply block the page with meta tag from the web crawlers to crawl.
• Custom error page with widgets that help to show a search box with which users can search anything within the site just staying on the page. It will certainly help the users to stay on your site.

However these are few dos and don’t about the custom error page. There may be many other things to show a customized 404 page to the users. Even today it is found that the pages are with an option to report the broken link. Visitors are politely requested to report through this type of custom error page. However the error page design is no issue to me. I have been working as a freelance graphic designer for last decade and no client of mine has any question about the customized 404 page design for their websites. You should equally take care of customized 404 page design issue and keep your visitors coming back to your site.