Web Technology: Web Development - Research Paper Example

? Web Technology: Web Development Web Technology: Web Development This paper will discuss two theories, two best practices, and two technologies that relate to web technology. To achieve this, I will describe the Graphic Design and the Gestalt Principle theories and relate them to how they specifically influence the creation of digital media in web technology. I will then describe CSS and SEO practices and explain why each practice is a best practice, and then relate them to how they specifically influences the creation of digital media in web technology. Ultimately, I will describe the Web 2.0 and HTML 5 technologies and explain how they are used, and then relate them to how they specifically influence the creation of digital media in web technology. The Graphic Design theory explains the different components of design, which are significant in composing a design in web technology. The Graphic Design theory has three sections, which include creating the field, building on success, and mapping the future (Armstrong, 2009). The graphic design theory is very fundamental in web technology as it defines web design. Indeed, this theory applies in all forms of design including the design of digital media. The theory helps web designers to establish which aspects of the design were effective and ineffective. Ideally, an effective web design must have a background in graphic design. The graphic design theory defines the specific elements and principles of design, which include balance, rhythm, proportion, dominance, and unity that are fundamental in designing digital media. On the other hand, the Gestalt Principle theory refers to theories of visual perception, which seek to describe how people organize visual elements into groups while applying certain principles, which include similarity, continuation, closure, good gestalt, past experience, proximity, and figure (Gallace & Spence, 2011). This theory is applicable in web technology and specifically in web design. Ideally, the Gestalt principle theory influences the creation of digital media in web technology where it applies in catching the attention of the audience in advertising by the first glance. Indeed, the theory maintains that the human eye sees objects in their entirety before perceiving their meaning and hence the need to create digital media that will captivate the eye with urgency. It thus applies these principles in designing attractive websites, web pages, and digital adverts with an aim of enhancing the utility and the derived meaning through sounds, colors, and distinct images. The Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) refers to a method of designing a website, which formats web page content according to a presentation style specified by the web page author (McFarland, 2009). It also refers to a style sheet language that describes the presentation semantics of a document that uses markup language. The CSS commonly applies in styling web pages written in HTML and XHTML (McFarland, 2009). The main aim of a CSS is to separate document content from document presentation. Notably, this separation is significant in improving content accessibility, reduces complexity, and offers more flexibility in specifying presentation characteristics (McFarland, 2009). Ideally, CSS information can emanate from various sources and CSS has various levels and profiles, which range from CSS 1 to CSS 4, which have improved features (McFarland, 2009). CSS is a best practice since it can manipulate font, style, color, and font size. Moreover, it offers precise control of content without relying on frames or layout tables. It also facilitates the publication of content in multiple formats and improves accessibility of content (McFarland, 2009). In fact, CSS specifies a priority scheme in case one rule crosses a particular element. Ideally, CSS influences the creation of digital media since it helps in creating 3D interfaces. Indeed, HTML5 and CSS3 allow the creation of more visually stunning interfaces through browsers' native rendering engines (Risley, 2013). On the other hand, Search engine optimization (SEO) practices refers to strategies, techniques and tactics that webmasters and Web content producers uses to enhance the number of website visitors by acquiring a high-ranking placement in the search results page of a search engine which may include Google, yahoo, and other search engines (David, 2011). Ideally, the SEO practice influences the visibility of a website or a web page in a search engine. The practice of optimizing may involve editing the contents of a website and editing HTML for purposes of removing barriers in indexing activities and improving the relevance of specific key words in search engines (David, 2011). Notably, SEO targets different searches, which may include video searches, accde4mic searches, and other searches. Indeed, SEO is a best practice as it offers techniques, which improve the visibility of websites. Moreover, SEO increases the page rank of a website and enhances business online. It maintains the level and monitors the position over the search engine. Furthermore, SEO ensures that a website is accessible in and by the search engine. Worth noting is that SEO influences the creation of digital media. Indeed, SEO determines content in digital media and defines traffic in digital media (David, 2011). In fact, SEO helps in web design, which defines the traffic and revenue from digital media. Web 2.0 is a web technology, which defines web sites, which use advanced technologies. The web 2.0 technology focuses on the ability to collaborate and share information online. Web 2.0 technologies refer to improved emphasis on user-generated content, data and content sharing, collaborative effort, new ways of interacting with Web-based applications, and the use of the Web as a social platform for generating, repositioning, and consuming content (Harris & Rea, 2009). It manifests a transformation of information from static HTML web pages to dynamic web. Notably, there are various types of web 2.0 technologies, which include podcast, blogs, start Pages, social Networks, wikis, and Virtual Worlds (Harris & Rea, 2009). More so, web 2.0 technology hosts the most popular websites, which include Facebook, Wikipedia, MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube. Additionally, the main features of Web 2.0 include social bookmarking, social networking sites, user created web sites, Web content voting, and tagging (Bohley, 2010). Web 2.0 allows anyone to create and share web sites and applications. In fact, it allows all users equal freedom to contribute and proposes the cumulative changes in the designing and use of web pages. More so, web 2.0 provides more user-interface, software, and storage facilities to the user within the browser. Notably, web 2.0 is different from other websites as it is independent on any web design or publishing skills to participate. As such, web 2.0 technology is easy to use as it allows users to create and communicate their work across the globe. Furthermore, web 2.0 influences the creation of digital media. Indeed, it allows for the creation, sharing, and communication of information in digital media. It also provides more user-interface, software, and storage facilities that are relevant in digital media. Indeed, web 2.0 derives the capacity to zoom into images in digital media and helps in navigating through pages (Burden & Atkinson, 2008). Moreover, it uses tags to create groups, which helps in centralizing digital media. On the other hand, the fifth version of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is the new standard for HTML. HTML 5 is a fundamental technology of the Internet and a markup language that structures and presents content for the World Wide Web. Notably, HTML5 technology adds new syntactic features like canvas, data storage, video, Geolocation, MathML, offline, drag and drop, and audio (Lawson & Sharp, 2011). The new features seek to help the Web application authors where they focus on defining clear conformance criteria for user agents in an effort to improve interoperability. Indeed, the core aim of HTML 5 is to improve the language with support for the latest multimedia. However, the new technology seeks to maintain ease in reading it and maintain consistency in its understanding through computers and devices (Lawson & Sharp, 2011). Nevertheless, no browser has full support of HTML5 since it is not yet an official standard. References Armstrong, H. (2009). Graphic Design Theory. Retrieved from: http://bib.convdocs.org/docs/2/1911/conv_1/file1.pdf Bohley, K. A. (2010). Web 2.0: What is it and is it for me? American Journal of Business Education, 3(7), 7-9. Burden, K., & Atkinson, S. (2008). Evaluating pedagogical affordances of media sharing Web 2.0 technologies: A case study. Retrieved from: http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/melbourne08/procs/burden-2.pdf David, M. (2011). Word Press 3 Search Engine Optimization. Birmingham: Packt Publishing Ltd. Gallace, A., & Spence, C. (2011). To what extent do gestalt grouping principles influence tactile perception? Psychological Bulletin, 137(4), 538. Harris, A. L., & Rea, A. (2009). Web 2.0 and virtual world technologies: A growing impact on IS education. Journal of Information Systems Education, 20(2), 137-144. Lawson, B., & Sharp, R. (2011). Introducing HTML5. Indianapolis: New Riders. McFarland, D. (2009). CSS: The Missing Manual. Gravenstein: O'Reilly Media, Inc., Risley, H. (2013).Creating 3D interfaces with CSS3. Retrieved from: http://www.mentordigital.co.uk/updates/dev-lab/2012/november/creating-3d-interfaces-with-css3/ Read More