Report One: Discussing the Concept of Web Publishing

Why you should publish on the Web

Publishing on the Web is a major development in information access over the internet. This major event has its advantages over the common, and usually boring print publishing. These advantages include accessibility, time, eternal life, low overhea d cost, and availability.

What's the weather like over there?

Contrary to print publishing, Web publishing allows access to timely information anywhere around the world, 24 hrs a day. This means whenever you feel like looking up the weather in China, all you have to do is turn on your computer and search for it . By the time the delivery boy brings your morning paper you already know its too cold to go rollerblading.

How old are you?

We live in a society where people are yearning for information that's quick and current. What can a book do for you that's outdated? Nothing. On the Web, things are updated all the time and within minutes. You don't have to worry about how old this article is or how long that book's been on the shelf anymore.

Over the hill and beyond...

In addition to the quick availability to current information, we can also consider the lasting ability of Web publishing. Old books and journals eventually stop getting published whereas what you publish on the Web will always remain there. Isn't th is great! This means your legacy on the computer will live on for your grandchildren, great grandchildren, and those after that to view whenever they want to. Can you say that about a book your grandfather published as little as fifty years ago? Of cours e not.

Amazing interactive capabilities

Some key advantages to the Web are the amazing interactive capabilities possible because of hypertext. Hypertext allows the user the ability to jump around inside and between documents by creating quick and appropriate links. Sure you can do the sam e thing with the table of contents or the index of a paper book but what a pain! Hypertext does it for you automatically, just point and click! Travis Abe is a classmate of mine and his reports include table of contents and indexes which allow you to pick and chose where within the reports you want to go. Shopping on the Web is another good example of being interactive over the internet. Lucky for me I'm just a screen shopper (get it, computer screen shopper). Here's one of the places I like to visit. NY Style

Just a pocket full of imagination

By this time I bet you're wondering how you could get started and how much it would cost. All of this will cost you next to nothing when you compare it to print publishing and it's absolutely simple to get started. All you need is access to a compute r and web browser, an Internet connection, knowledge of the HTML text, and thoughtful planning. Once you got all that, then comes the hard part...using your imagination to create. Most of us are a little rusty in this area but don't worry, after viewing about a dozen homepages, you'll start to develop a sense of what you like and what you don't like. If you still don't know, buy a book. There are lots of books to chose from which offer you easy step by step instructions for those of you who don't have a clue where to start.

Netscape vs. Lynx

For most users, their browser is the most important piece of software they can have. Browsers allows you to utilize a click and point approach to interacting with information. Netscape is a graphical browser simple to use. Everything is labeled on t he top of the page so you can never get lost and can go back "home" whenever you want to. Netscape also supports multiple frames which doesn't reload the entire page when one part is updated. Lynx on the other hand is a text-only browser and cannot disp lay or deliver graphics. It supports keyboard navigation and displays the hypertext links in a boldface display. These browsers are useful for seeking information regarding everything you ever wanted to know.

Which do I prefer

Although Lynx and Netscape has access to the same amount of information, I personally prefer Netscape over Lynx. The reason is I am an extremely impatient, slow, and grouchy reader. I'd rather use something that's quick, easy and will get me where I want fast. Lynx just doesn't do that for me. It is a text-based only browser and doesn't allow me to use my precious mouse. Netscape allows for a quick click and point approach I am more accustomed to.

My homepage

Before you decide to publish on the Web, you must put in some thoughtful planning as to what you want to show your audience. For my home page I would put in a brief description of myself such as my goals and accomplishments (very short section.) I w ould also provide fun links to sites, and other people's home pages I'd like you to see...
CafŽ de Paris - live chatting in a virtual Paris cafŽ! Make friends, discover travel tips, discuss hotels, restaurants, museums, life in general.
The Noodles club- direct from Portland State University. A live performance from the Noodles club. This is an exclusive club open to those special people who can't live without the wonderful Vietnamese noodles, Pho,...oh so yummy!

Go back to my home page
Go on to Report two