During my time at the Internet I have noticed that many people don't know the "basic" rules when they start building a homepage. I am no "web wizard" but I have learnt a few things about design and layout over the years. :-) At this page I would like to tell you some "design" tips and also some other stuff that is good to know. But please remember that design is about taste - and this is my taste. The main thing is that you think it is fun to work on your homepage! :-)

Content Navigation Use air Unusual Fonts Annoying tricks Small images in Kb

Your Design Backgrounds Your text Long text lines Gifs and Jpgs Netiquette

Animations Copyright Width and Height Under construction How to use a border bg Your Links

Content
First of all - try to find something to write about. Just a page with a lot of links isn't that interesting, to tell you the truth... But links that associate with the topic of your page is good. If you have a page about dogs, for example it is good if you have some links to other good dog pages.


Your Design
When you think of some kind of design. Think about to coordinate the colors at your page. And to make all your pages look like they "belong together". I have been to too many pages that want to use all kind of different backgrounds and graphics, and sometimes I don't even know where I am - everything looks so different.


Navigation
Another thing that is very important is to have some kind of navigation at EVERY page of your site. If I search for something at a search engine, I don't necessary end up at your index page. Then it is good if you have a link back to your main page - if not - I surf on! And if I stay for a while at a site it is nice to surf around without having to go back to your main page every time I want to go to some of your other pages.


Backgrounds
Choose a background that isn't "messy". The text must be readable... Visitors can't concentrate at the text if it is very hard to read!


Use a lot of air
Use a lot of air/space! Put in some
(Break row) quite often! That will make your layout "more clean". And it will be easier for the visitor to see everything.


Width and Height
Always set the "Width" and "Height" for your images in your HTML code. If you don't do that the browser has to "stop and think" every time it comes to an image. Setting the width and height also makes your page load a lot faster.


The text
Don't have text that is too big! Many homepage builders think it will be more readable if it is big - but it is the opposite! So use something "normal looking". Try to use the same font color at your text as well at the same page. And be careful not to make too much text "blinking". If you want to point something out in the text don't underline it. It is confusing when it is used at a WebPages - visitors think it is a link! Then it is better to make it bold or italic.


Unusual Fonts
Think twice before you use an "unusual" font... Even if I have that font in my computer and can see it the way it is supposed too, those unusual fonts never look as good as the "usual" Arial, Times, Comic Sans etc. Those unusual fonts are very hard to read.


Long text lines
Don't let your text go from side to side at your page... It is VERY hard to read - no matter how interesting! Use a table to "shorten" the width. Put the text in the table and then center the table. I have used it here at this page. This is an example of how you write it in your code:
< TABLE WIDTH="500" >
< TR >
< TD >
Here comes your text
< / TR >
< / TD >
< / TABLE >


Annoying "tricks"
Some new homepage builders like to use a lot of "tricks". Like pop up signs that says "write your name here", or background music. The first time a visitor see or hear this, he or she may be impressed. But - after a few more pages like this, the viewer will just be very annoyed. I have to admit that I always turn off the sound - I have my own music at my stereo when I surf... And I NEVER write my name in that little java pop up...


Small images in Kilobyte
Make your images as small as you can in Kilobytes - No matter how fast an Internet connection is, graphics on web pages take a long time to load. The average computer user is only receiving 28.800 bits of information per second. Select only graphics that add value to the site content, and shrink your large graphics by using a graphic program. If you want to have many images - split them up at more pages than one - or make thumbnails! Then if people click the thumb they go to the bigger image.


Gifs and Jpgs
Talking about images... Gifs are good to use when you have an image with FEW colors. Jpgs is best to use for photos. Many people think that a gif is automatically smaller in Kb than a jpg - but that isn't true... But if it is few colors it is!


Under construction
Do not have any "under construction" signs at your webpage! Every good page is always under construction. If you think that you are "excused" if you have those signs, you are wrong. If I see a sign like that I "judge" that page immediately. If you feel that it isn't ready to show - don't make it public...


Animations
Don't have too many animated images at one page. It is very annoying to try to read the text at a page where everything is moving. Maybe one (or maybe two) at a page is enough.


Links
Check your links OFTEN. And make sure they go to the right page..! Nothing is more annoying that a link that isn't working! I often see at pages that use my graphics that they have written the wrong URL (address) back to me. CHECK your links before you make the page "public".

If you don't want the "border" around a linked image - just write "BORDER="0" in the image tag. Linked images looks much nicer without a border. :)


How to keep the page's content outside the border
If you want to learn how to keep your text outside the border at a borderbackgound - Please go to my "Bordertip" page!


Copyright at the Internet
Do NOT take images from other sites without asking for permission. Check if the image or text is copyrighted first! Almost everything at the internet ARE copyrighted - even if it doesn't say so at the page. Someone made the image, photo or text from the beginning and that person still has the right to his/hers work. Please think about that. It is illegal to use copyrighted material, and you can get into big trouble, or get your page removed..! The copyright rules are the same at the Internet as everywhere else. If you use a graphic set from a "free site" be sure to give credit to the artist and provide a link back to him/her at EVERY page where you use the graphics. Learn more about this at my page about copyright.


Netiquete
I often get mail from people that ask "How do I do this" or "Help me with that". I am glad to help if I can. But please try to solve your problem first, before you ask for help. I often get mail from people that want me to teach them HTML (or a program) from scratch... There is no way I can - or have time - to do that! My advice is - buy a book and learn! That is how I started, and so can you! :-)

Often when if I reply to a question I don't hear a word back. Please be NICE and say "THANK YOU" if someone helps you. Remember that it is a real human being at the "other side of the computer". To tell you the truth, I am getting sick and tired of ignorant people that never say "Thanks". It will only take you a minute. I get at least 30 mail a day - so I am busy - and if I help you with something - please tell me that you appreciate it! Otherwise we will soon stop answering mail..! Sad buts true...