Learning Web Design

Jennifer Niederst was one of the first designers for the Web. As the designer of O'Reilly's Global Network Navigator (GNN), the first commercial web site, she has been designing for the Web since 1993. She is the author of Designing for the Web and Web Design in a Nutshell, both by O'Reilly. In writing this book, she draws from her experience teaching hundreds of absolute beginners.

Preface Part I: Getting Started 1. Where Do I Start? Am I Too Late? Where Do I Start? What Do I Need to Learn? Do I Need to Learn Java? What Do I Need to Buy? The Moral of the Story 2. How the Web Works The Internet Versus the Web Serving Up Your Information Web Page Addresses (URLs) The Anatomy of a Web Page Browsers Putting It All Together 3. Getting Your Pages on the Web Putting Files Online (FTP) Finding Server Space www.YOU.com! 4. Why Web Design Isn't Like Print Design Designing for the Unknown Surviving the Unknown Designing Democratically Know Your Audience Why Web Design Is Cool 5. The Web Design Process Conceptualize and Research Create and Organize Content Develop the Look and Feel Produce Graphics and HTML Documents Create a Prototype Test, Test, Test! Upload and Test Again Part II: Learning HTML 6. Creating a Simple Page (HTML Overview) Introducing . . . the HTML Tag Assembling a Web Page When Good Pages Go Bad HTML Review--Structural Tags 7. Formatting Text Typesetting on the Web Building Blocks: Headings and Paragraphs Inline Styles Text Size, Font, and Color Lists Aligning Text Some Special Characters HTML Review--Text Formatting Tags 8. Adding Graphic Elements Adding Inline Images Background Tiles Horizontal Rules HTML Review--Graphic Element Tags 9. Adding Links The Anchor Tag Dissected Linking to Pages on the Web Linking Within Your Own Site Linking Within a Page Several Links in One Graphic (Imagemaps) Mail Links HTML Review--Link Tags 10. Tables How Tables Are Used How Tables Work Designing Tables HTML for Tables Where Tables Go Wrong Using Tables for Alignment HTML Review--Table Tags 11. Frames How Frames Work Setting Up a Frameset Document Frame Appearance and Function Targeting Frames Content for Users Without Frames HTML Review--Frame Tags 12. Color on the Web Specifying Colors by Name Specifying Colors by Number Elements You Can Color with HTML The Web Palette Part III: Creating Web Graphics 13. All About Web Graphics File Formats Image Resolution File Size Matters Tools of the Trade Image Sources Graphics Production Tips Web Graphics Highlights 14. Creating GIFs All About GIFs Creating a Simple GIF, Step by Step Adding Transparency Optimizing GIFs Designing with the Web Palette Some Things to Remember About GIFs 15. Creating JPEGs More About JPEGs Making JPEGs, Step by Step Optimizing JPEGs Some Things to Remember About JPEGs 16. Animated GIFs How They Work GIF Animation Tools Creating a Simple Animated GIF A Cool Shortcut (Tweening) Beyond Beginner Some Things to Remember about Animated GIFs Part IV: Form and Function 17. Web Design Techniques Fancy Bulleted Lists Fun with Boxes Using 1-Pixel Square Graphics Vertical Rules Background Tile Tricks Multipart (Sliced) Images Pop-Up Windows A Closing Word on Web Design Techniques 18. Building Usable Web Sites Focus on the User Information Design Interface Design Navigation Design Bringing It All Home Building Usable Web Sites: In Review 19. Web Design Dos and Don'ts General Page Design Advice Text Formatting Tips Graphics Advice Aesthetic Suggestions Jen's Personal Pet Peeves 20. How'd They Do That: An Introduction to Advanced Techniques Forms Audio Video Cascading Style Sheets JavaScript DHTML Flash Advanced Techniques in Review Glossary Index