Site Components
All websites have a few common elements:
- A domain name
- A hosting service
- Webpages
- Webmaster
As part of creating your web presence, you will need to make some key decisions
regarding each of these elements.
A Domain Name
A domain name is your electronic address. More than a street address,
domain names, such
as "yourdomainname.com" (and you'd see in http://www.yourdomainname.com/"), often convey
meaning about your organization to your visitors, not unlike your business or organization's
name. And also unlike a street address, your domain name becomes an asset of your
organization. If you don't already have a domain name, we can work with you to develop
a domain name and help you set this up.
A Hosting Service
There are (at least) two computers involved in your interactions on the web: the computer
you're currently using and the computer that holds the pages that are shown on your
computer (the hosting computer).
Most organizations don't own their own hosting computer. Instead, they often lease
space/time from a hosting service
to house their website (and other internet services such as email).
There are many companies offering service packages and it can be difficult for the average
person to figure out which is the best solution and who the reputable providers are. Although
you may find an attractive price, there are many other factors that weigh into the choice of services.
Although hosting and website development are independent activities, some web firms
will also offer hosting packages with the rationale that your site developer will
also be responsible for managing your hosting account. We focus on the development
and maintenance of your site, and leave the actual hosting to others, enabling you
to choose best of breed hosting. We can work with you to make that choice and can
manage the relationship with the hosting service on your behalf. Either way, the goal
is to make the right set of choices for your needs.
Web pages
Web pages are stored on the hosting computer and are sent to the visitor's computer when
requested (either by entering the page 'address' in their browser or clicking on a
link, i.e., an address). Web pages can be built once and appear the same to all your
visitors (static pages), or the site may have additional capabilities enabling it to
be partially or fully customized for each of your visitors (dynamic pages).
Web pages are created by a web developer,
such as Still Waters Software. S/He is a software developer who is specifically engaged in
the development of Web applications, or applications that are run over the
HTTP protocol using an HTTP server, a web server, and an HTTP client, a web browser.
We view web development as the entire process from website idea through to site deployment
and on-going maintenance. We work with many different clients in different scenarios of
development. In some cases
we provide all website design and development services from concept to completion and in
others we may only provide administrative or webmaster services. We meet clients where
they are, understanding the specific needs of each client, and tailor solutions to fit
their needs.
Webmaster
The Webmaster is the technical
person responsible for administration and maintenance of the website. You can perform this
duty yourself or hire a professional. Depending on the scope of work, your webmaster might
be responsible for any or all of the following:
- coordination and renewal of domain name and hosting services
- making sure that the hosting service is always running properly
- ensuring website functions are always operating properly
- control of email accounts including SPAM and virus filtering systems
- monitoring site traffic and correcting errors
- collection and analysis of statistics
- creating and updating website pages or databases
- replying to general user feedback
- monitoring of ecommerce operations
In some cases the Webmaster might be the same person who performed your site
development. They are the person that will be available for you whenever you need
advice or changes and they are the person
responsible for managing the web portion of your entire business - you should be
comfortable that they are "watching the store".
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