I

It should be your primary purpose to communicate. Mature wisdom will dictate that the use of such an electronic wonders shall not be used to say, as kindergartner's often do, "Hey! Look at me!"

II

Even with all technical justification, such as "bandwidth," your page should not impose a time burden upon the innocent viewer. Obviously, the greatest obstacle to rapid delivery of your page is the inclusion of vapid and illogical graphics and photos such as 2 photos of your family dog; one before and one after he has had a bath.

III

Be aware of the difference between a clever layout and cutesy-wootsy! Let someone else look at your work, and then ask them if they understand what you're trying to say.

IV

Unless you are selling something, eschew Java. A winking eye may sell dirty books, but is a physiological fact that anything which distracts the reader reduces comprehension.

V

Remember, it is not an insult to understand that all your viewers are not into the technical jargon that may be a part of your vocabulary. When a viewer receives material he believe to be incomprehensible, you have lost your ability to communicate.

VI

While "frames" may have a use, on occasion, in the layout of your message, the size of the average monitor screen is limited. Any system which encroaches on the broader view of your text, does a disservice to clear understanding.

VII

If you are going to include links to other sites, test them regularly. It reflects upon your site management when half the links are no longer available.

VIII

Don't get cute with links within your site. It should not be a burden upon your viewer to understand exactly what area of your overall message each internal link covers.

IX

Understand what print designers have discovered over hundreds of years. The type you use (except, perhaps, in advertising) determines readability; stick to Times Roman! Text in all capitals is not as understandable as the normal mixture of capitals and lower case. Large type is also less comprehensible except when standing alone as a headline.

X

By following the above rules, you may not be picked as site of the week by Yahoo!...but then, who wants to be a "yahoo?" (Look that up in your Funk and Wagnall's!)

Lee Daniel Quinn  words@iop.com
Editor of 2 daily ezines: Gentle Humor and
FYSST that examines words, their meanings & etymology.
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