WRITING FOR THE WEB

source: http://www.muirtech.com/servers.php

It is amazing that a lot of times, we do things instinctively, but have little knowledge of its actual workings. It is just like driving a car for instance- so many can drive a car, but how many understand its workings? I discovered this truth when we began this module on 'Writing For The Web.' It was an eyeopener in so many ways for me because it hit me that I had assumed a lot of things about the web. I want to summarize what I grasped from these sessions.

In writing for the web, just like writing for any other media, a common trait for all demographics is information. The purpose varies and one could be writing to educate, entertain, or inform. A lot of people come online to search for all sorts of information on different subject areas. In order to satisfy this quest for knowledge, it is imperative to know what people are searching for, in order to satisfy the need. The use of google keyword planner comes in handy to serve this purpose.
The internet is still a huge mystery for so many people, who do not understand how it works, and are afraid of all the technical jargon associated with the web.I will simplify a few terms as much as I can.

• Website- a collection of files stored on servers.

• Servers- the web hosting company manages the servers. A server is a computer connected to a network that other computers may or may not access. Unlike other computers on a network, a server is a dedicated computer set up for one or more purposes. For example, a user may setup a server to authenticate and allow or prohibit users from accessing a network, send/receive e-mail, manage print jobs, or host a website. Every server has an address which is identifiable by numbers.
 

• IP- internet protocol. A unique address assigned to every computer on the internet which does not change and is differentiated by numbers.
• DNS- this is the domain name system which translates data imputed on the net to readable form. 

A good website should not only be easy to navigate, it should be well organized and have good content among other features. Images should be used creatively to attract people. You must test your contents for: accuracy, completeness, precision and efficiency. Determine what is more important and begin with that. Be concise and do not write too much, but present your ideas succinctly. Facilitate scanning bu using keywords, short paragraphs, indention, bulleted and numbered lists, labels, headlines, and summaries.