To read more about how the web works (with images for reference), visit Enterprise Integration Technology's How Does the Web Work? site.

Aside from considering how the web technically works, we must also think of the Internet from a much broader perspective. The Internet is HUGE! Nobody can deny that. So huge, that we often times we refer to the it as the "Information Superhighway." Because of its immensity and probably due to the fact that when you log onto the Internet, you are like a driver, going to a topic of interest. The site that holds this topic of interest, is like an area of town (e.g. library) and so you pull off the road and take the next "cutoff" and "visit" the area.

Also, because the lines that run between servers and computers are like giant highways, each running in numerous directions at varying speeds. Posted sporadically are "rules of the road" and other signs on both the highway and the I-Way.

Like, the highways of the world, the Internet can become a difficult place to navigate, without the proper directions. Links on a page are like directions on how to get to Grandma's house, but better. Yet, many "netizens" abuse links or "misorganize" them in a page and most times, confuse us rather that help us.

Links are key in that they supply quick references to related sites, topics, etc. necessary to the current document. If you are discussing the topic of basketball, right away you can reference sites such as NBA.com, or ESPN's NBA Page. And, unless you were trying to be some sort of Basketball links source page, you would probably want to stop there and not add too many links to confuse your viewer.

Links on a page, must have structure. I like to use lists when organizing links for quick and easy structure. Lists can either be ordered, which looks like this:,

• Cyber
• Psychology
• Rules!

or this:

1. Breakfast
2. Lunch
3. Dinner

This provides a visually appealing way for a visitor to navigate your web site, without effort...

Here are two sites that have nice link structure

Yahoo!

Normally, having too many links on one page hurts a web site, but Yahoo has found their niche in organizing their links hierarchtically, creating a better navigational feel to their site. If you know exactly where you want to go, you can go right to that topic area and find what you are looking for right away.

CNN Interactive

From the very top, you have clear-cut options of where you want to go (e.g. weather, sports, showbiz, etc.). The top story, with picture, is placed right in the middle and the general look of the page is clean and visually appealing.

Here are two sites with not-so nice link structure

Thor's Golf Links

Here's a good example of overkill. Like Yahoo, there are tons of links on one page, but these links go vertically, one on each line (very navigationally frustrating). Not enough information is given about each site, so we would probably have to surf each link to see if it is any good. Maybe a ranking system would be good for this type of site.

Woo-hoo! It's Homer!

Nice page design and easy to look at, but again, the link descriptions are to vague. Navigation to each link would probably be necessary before I find what's good.