Moving happily through the World Wide Web

Abstract

Looks at some practical approaches to improving the process of interacting with information distributed over the global information infrastructure, specifically for the World Wide Web. The introduction of NCSA Mosaic changed the way we get information over the Web. With the click of a button, Mosaic's graphical user interface made it possible to browse and retrieve literally any information accessible through the Web. This is true if you know the document's Universal Resource Locator (URL), an identifier expressing its location. You type in this address and sooner or later (depending on document size and traffic at the time), the document appears on your screen. If you do not know the URL, or even which documents contain the requested information, you might want to browse or search the Web. Interacting with information on the Web starts with browsing and searching; continues with selecting, digesting and assimilating information; terminates with generating new information; and begins anew. The user's needs and desires must occupy center stage during development of Web systems and sites. The approach chosen should let users interact easily and effectively with the information contained throughout large arrays of documents. Visualization, computer graphics, and just plain common sense in designing Web pages and presenting information make the process better for users. This article discusses how to construct effective presentations (Web pages).