ITD 110 Lecture 1 (Lesson 1)

Chapter 1: Introduction

  • Course Overview:

    • Focus on markup languages and site development tools.

    • Discussion on HTML, XML, website diagrams, and ADA compliance for accessibility.

  • Importance of Web Development:

    • Web development skills are increasingly important across various professions.

    • Both small and large businesses may require updates to internal websites.

  • WYSIWYG Tools:

    • Emphasis on tools that are user-friendly (What You See Is What You Get).

    • Allows non-technical users (e.g., reporters) to update web content without needing knowledge of HTML.

  • Web Developer Responsibilities:

    • Professional web developers handle structured content using HTML.

    • Proper structuring of web pages includes headers, paragraphs, lists, etc.

  • Cascading Style Sheets (CSS):

    • Used to style web pages and control layout across multiple pages.

    • Changes can be made in one place to affect entire websites, which is more efficient than manual updates.

  • Historical Context:

    • Shift from on-premises hosting to cloud-based solutions (e.g., AWS, Microsoft Azure).

    • Highlights the importance of reliability and uptime for web services.

  • Internet vs. World Wide Web:

    • Key distinction: the Internet is the underlying infrastructure, while the WWW is a service accessed via the Internet.

    • Historical origins trace back to military needs for resilient communication systems.

Chapter 2: Web Page

  • Text Editors and HTML Structure:

    • Text editors (e.g., Notepad++) require manual HTML tag entry.

    • Proper HTML structure includes opening/closing tags for HTML, head, title, and body sections.

  • Versus Code Editor:

    • Recommended for web development due to its features such as auto-completion and syntax highlighting.

    • Supports Live Server functionality allowing real-time updates without manual browser refresh.

  • Web Design Fundamentals:

    • Encouragement to explore viewing page source in browsers to understand HTML structure.

    • Example story illustrating ethical considerations in web development (Missouri Governor incident).

Chapter 3: Kind of Web

  • Trifecta of Web Development:

    • Essential technologies: HTML, CSS, JavaScript.

    • Overview of the evolution of markup languages; HTML derived from SGML.

  • HTML Versions:

    • Variants like HTML 3.2, HTML 4.01, and focusing on HTML5.

    • Notable features of HTML5 include eliminating the need for plugins and ensuring inclusivity (accessibility considerations).

Chapter 4: Create A Web

  • Web Development Planning:

    • Importance of having a clear plan and wireframe before development.

    • Engagement with stakeholders for feedback on web design.

  • Accessibility and Compliance:

    • Americans with Disabilities Act requires web developers to consider accessibility (e.g., alternate text for images).

    • Risks of legal liabilities if accessibility standards are not met.

  • Intellectual Property Considerations:

    • Cautions against copyright infringement when using images and content created by others.

Chapter 5: Initial Website Plan

  • Website Management:

    • Regular updates are necessary for maintaining web content.

    • Understanding the backend hosting needs and responsibilities.

  • Cloud Hosting Advantages:

    • Discussion about transitioning away from in-house servers to reliable cloud services.

    • Evaluating cloud providers based on reliability, downtime, and performance.

Chapter 6: Conclusion

  • Final Considerations:

    • Importance of thorough understanding of web development principles, accessibility, and intellectual property laws.

    • Emphasis on hands-on experiences like developing a fictitious U Corp website as part of practical learning.