Webmaster Blog

In the early days of the web, design was completely different. Function took place over style because of the limited resources we all had at the time. Plus, we were working with languages that were barely being developed. HTML, Flash and other programming languages were in a very primitive state. These days, we have a plethora of tools that give us liberty to create whatever kind of site we want. This means that the website you’ve always wanted is really just a few clicks away. Your first tool for building a website is the most basic of them all. Get a sketchbook. Before worrying too much about coding or colours, sketch out the layout you want for your site. This allows you to start working with a clear vision of what you want, and how it’s going to work. Otherwise, you run the risk of making multiple prototypes that are not quite up to snuff. The next step should be informing and educating yourself. CSS, HTML5, Javascript; there are many ways to build a website. Check out some tutorials, visit web design blogs and see which tools work better for your ideas for the website. If you’re not a designer or...

Over the past few years, the conundrum posed by Adobe Flash and HTML5 has continued to spark an unending debate in the IT industry. Both are scripting languages used to perform similar functions in developing websites. However, with a few features of one better than the other they are standing against each other. As a user you may not feel the difference but it’s a developer’s dilemma to choose between the two. You’ll often find articles swarming with conflicting advice on which technology is providing better solution and usability. With this heated discussion surrounding the subject, it becomes very difficult to make a choice. Keeping this in mind, I have penned down my take on the matter with a hope to clear the cloud around it.   Let’s start by discussing both the technologies along with their pros and cons. We’ll discuss Flash first since it’s been with us for a longer time. What is Flash? Adobe Flash, commonly referred to as Flash, is a multimedia system generally accessed in a website. It’s also used to create compelling interfaces and menus on some mobile phone software. Flash is the system that is used to support streaming of videos on sites like...

It only takes one click to get a web user hooked. But if your site can’t pull them in with engaging content and easy navigation, your readers are more likely to “bounce” -- or head to another site after only visiting one page of content. The good news is that if you’re opting for HTML5, you just might be able to hold their interest. HTML5’s improved features are already helping to cut down bounce rates for sites like Vimeo, a leading video-hosting service. In fact, when it comes to building web pages that provide the most memorable user experiences, one could really learn a lot from Vimeo. Already known for its high-quality videos, Vimeo recently rebuilt its default player using HTML5 in order to provide much quicker load times for its users. The results, as it turns out, have been quite remarkable. Because HTML5 doesn’t require web browsers to install additional plug-ins, some of their videos will now only take a second to load -- yes, literally, one second -- according to Vimeo’s Senior Application Engineer, Brad Dougherty. Think about what a one-second loading time means for a web user. No more clicking on a link and queuing up another tab...