SkinGenerator.com Blog
Archive: December 2011
Jquery menubars have become a very standard component to just about any website. If you are a web designer wanting to construct a jquery menubarfor your website, the overall most advantageous option is to build a jQuery menu system. There are two essential reasons behind why jQuery menus will soon enough become the standard for website navigation.
First of all, jQuery menus are 100% SEO-friendly in contrast to their previous Javascript or Flash cousins. There are some valid justifications to be made about making Javascript and Flash menus SEO-friendly, but in the end, the html mark-up for a jQuery menu is normally a basic unordered list. You simply can't get more SEO-friendly than that!
Next, jQuery menus have a sizeable amount to offer in terms of leading-edge user interface bells and whistles. jQuery has proven to be capable of pulling off some pretty complex animations and effects. As the use of jQuery grows, so will the collection of jQuery plug-ins, making it an even more impressive technology.
Ok, so now that that you're (hopefully) confident of the strength and versatility of jQuery, just a single drawback; Like all brand new technologies, there is a significant learning curve associated with learning how to develop an advanced jQuery menu for your website. This is one of the primary reasons that our jQuery menu builder was developed. Not only can you crank out an awesome menu for your website, but it's also a great way to learn by example since you can download all of the html, css, and jQuerycode and images necessary to run the menu. As always, we look forward to receiving your suggestions on our tool as we proceed to work toward improving it.
Before modern-day content management systems, many successful website design suppliers counted on managing static HTML sites for a substantial portion of their revenue. On the other hand, with the breakthrough of content management systems such as DotNetNuke, the customer has swiftly become knowledgeable of the many benefits provided by dynamic web sites. In order to manage with this new requirement, web designers need to become acquainted with the possibilities introduced by these completely new technological breakthroughs. The skinning architecture in DotNetNuke allows professional web designers to create beautiful user interfaces which assimilate seamlessly with the underlying portal application to generate a impressive, yet visually pleasing client website.
One of the nice things about classic ASP - and one of the primary reasons for its reputation as a rapid web development (RAD) tool - is the fact that ASP scripts can be put into regular HTML markup to turn otherwise static HTML content into intelligent web pages. This characteristic makes it feasible to rapidly write ASP applications that construct web pages dynamically from a database and to create impressive web applications.
Skinning requires the use of "templates" which distinguish presentation and layout attributes from application logic. An intelligent skinning engine is then used to assemble the artifacts into a final product. This two-tiered approach affords both developers and designers a reasonable level of liberty when it comes to maintaining a web site, and can considerably lessen the time and effort needed in the post-release phases of a development project.
However, skinning also presents some complexities to your web application. The process of merging multiple files into a single page can result in critical performance degradation. Not to mention, developers must be effectively educated to keep the presentation details of layout and appearance abstracted from their script code. Both of these items can be mitigated through the use of technology and a robust skinning architecture.
Consequently the skinning solution needs a process for a web designer to define a skin using the most obvious base technology. HTML is the lowest common denominator when it comes to the Net and has the largest support in terms of design tools. The only problem with HTML is that it is entirely static - yet a web application has needs for dynamic components as well.
Based on the requirements and conflicts specified above, it would seem to be useful to allow web designers to incorporate placeholders into their HTML markup which represent dynamic functionality. This offers the cleanest abstraction of “form” and “function”. The skin file could be edited without impacting the application logic. The application logic could be modified without affecting the user interface. The only challenge is the performance penalty imposed by this extra layer of separation.
Website menu tools have existed since the dawn of the net. Supplying convenient navigation for your site viewers is an important aspect of any website design. Over time there have been many advancements pertaining to website menu systems and some of these have actually had a negative impact regarding Search engine optimization because they have made it more challenging for search engines to successfully crawl your website.
Among the most widely used menu system types are the simple html menu (1 level only), horizontal drop down menu, vertical menu (aka: side navigation), tabbed navigation and floating navigation. Each type of navigation has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Choosing which type is best for a particular website is based upon on the overall site design and the structure of the site.
There are also various technologies necessary to accommodate these various menu system types such as standard HTML, CSS (cascading style sheets), Javascript, jQuery and Flash. From an SEO perspective, building your navigation with simple HTML and CSS is the safest option. However with the debute of jQuery into the mix, many of the fabulous effects only achievable with Javascript can now be applied to a standard HTML unordered list, which is actually highly SEO-friendly. As far as Flash goes, there are a few ways to get your navigation menu to be reasonably SEO friendly, but the bottom line is that flash navigation should be prevented if SEO is a number one concern.
The last aspect to consider is where should the navigation be placed? The obvious leading 2 standards are along the top and the left side. However many blog sites have their navigation located to the right side. There are also a number of sites that use a combination of both. For example, their top navigation represents the 1st level of their site and the sub navigation is presented in the form of left or right nav.
With all this in mind, the decision to use a simple html menu system over a more advanced jQuery menu system really comes down to the amount of time you are willing to spend towards the development of your navigation. jQuery is an awesome new technology, but defintely has a serious learning curve. If you do want a more innovative navigation system and don't have experience with jQuery, it's best to take advantage of an online jquery menu bulider. This way, you get the many advantages of having a very SEO-freindly navigation system and the excellent user experience provided by jQuery's capabilities.
A key element of each and every website is the menu system used(ie horizontal jquery menu. If you happen to be a web designer hoping to construct a horizontal jquery menufor your website, the overall most efficient option is to build a jQuery menu system. There are two main reasons jQuery menus will very quickly become the standard for website navigation.
To begin with, jQuery menus are completely Search engine optimized in contrast to their earlier Javascript or Flash relatives. There are some real justifications to be made about making Javascript and Flash menus SEO-friendly, but inevitably, the html mark-up for a jQuery menu is typically a basic unordered list. You simply can't get more SEO-friendly than that!
Subsequently, jQuery menus have a immense amount to offer in terms of leading-edge user interface bells and whistles. jQuery has proven to be capable of pulling off some pretty advanced animations and effects. As the use of jQuery grows, so will the collection of jQuery plug-ins, making it an even more dominant technology.
Ok, so now that that you're (I hope) convinced of the strength and flexibleness of jQuery, just a single negative aspect; Like all brand new technologies, there is a significant learning curve associated with learning how to build an innovative jQuery menu for your website. This is one of the principal motives that our jQuery menu builder was created. Not only can you build an impressive menu for your website, but it's also a great way to learn by example since you can download all of the html, css, and jQuerycode and images needed to run the menu. As always, we look forward to receiving your feedback on our tool as we proceed to work toward improving it.
Previous to advanced content management systems, loads of qualified web site design firms counted on managing static HTML websites for a considerable percentage of their profits. Nevertheless, with the emergence of content management systems such as DotNetNuke, the end user has swiftly become savvy of the many advantages provided by dynamic sites. The skinning architecture in DotNetNuke allows professional web designers to create awesome user interfaces which assimilate seamlessly with the underlying portal application to produce a robust, yet aesthetically appealing client website.
One of the great things about classic ASP - and one of the key explanations for its reputation as a rapid web development (RAD) tool - is the fact that ASP scripts can be injected into regular HTML markup to turn otherwise static HTML content into intelligent web pages. This feature makes it possible to rapidly write ASP applications that create web pages dynamically from a database and to produce powerful web applications.
However, this simplicity comes with a price. Many ASP web sites incorporate a mangled spaghetti of intermingled HTML markup and ASP script, making them tough to understand and even harder to maintain. This difficulty frequently rears its ugly head when web designers need to change the user interface. Since the presentation characteristics are embedded in the ASP script, adjustments typically require a joint effort between a web developer and a designer to ensure the integrity of the modification. This ultimately results in a lot more effort, more time, and higher cost.
Skinning entails the use of "templates" which distinguish presentation and layout characteristics from application logic. An intelligent skinning engine is then employed to build the artifacts into a final product. This two-tiered approach allows both developers and designers a good degree of liberty when it comes to maintaining a web site, and can considerably decrease the time and effort necessary in the post-release phases of a development project.
However, skinning also presents some complexities to your web application. The process of joining multiple files into a single page can result in serious performance degradation. Not to mention, developers must be effectively educated to keep the presentation details of layout and appearance abstracted from their script code. Both of these items can be mitigated through the use of technology and a robust skinning architecture.
Because of this the skinning solution needs a procedure for a web designer to define a skin using the most obvious base technology. HTML is the lowest common denominator when it comes to the Web and has the greatest support in terms of design resources. The only problem with HTML is that it is ultimately static - yet a web application has prerequisites for dynamic elements as well.
Based on the conditions and issues specified above, it would seem to be useful to make it possible for web designers to incorporate placeholders into their HTML markup which represent dynamic functionality. This provides the cleanest abstraction of “form” and “function”. The skin file could be modified without affecting the application logic. The application logic could be modified without affecting the user interface. The only issue is the performance penalty added by this extra layer of separation.
Website navigation tools have been around since the dawn of the net. Supplying user friendly navigation for your site viewers is an important part of almost any website design. Through the years there have been many advances regarding website menu solutions yet some of these have actually had a negative impact relevant to Website positioning because they have made it tougher for search engines to successfully crawl your website.
Among the most well-known menu system types are the simple html menu (1 level only), horizontal drop down menu, vertical menu (aka: side navigation), tabbed navigation and floating navigation. Each type of navigation has its own set of pros and cons. Figuring out which style is most efficient for a certain website is dependent on the overall website design and the hierarchy of the website.
There are also several technologies required to accommodate these various menu system types such as standard HTML, CSS (cascading style sheets), Javascript, jQuery and Flash. From an SEO perspective, building your navigation with simple HTML and CSS is the safest option. However with the introduction of jQuery into the mix, many of the impressive effects only doable with Javascript can now be applied to a standard HTML unordered list, which is definitely very SEO-friendly. As far as Flash goes, there are some ways to get your navigation menu to be reasonably SEO friendly, but the bottom line is that flash navigation should be avoided if SEO is a number one concern.
The last aspect to examine is where should the navigation be positioned? The obvious major 2 standards are along the top and the left side. However many blog sites have their navigation positioned to the right side. There are also numerous sites that use a blend of both. For example, their top navigation represents the 1st level of their site and the sub navigation is provided in the form of left or right nav.
With all this in mind, the decision to use a plain html menu system over a more advanced jQuery menu system really comes down to the amount of time you are willing to spend towards the development of your navigation. jQuery is an awesome new technology, but defintely has a serious learning curve. If you do prefer a more advanced navigation system and don't have experience with jQuery, it's best to take advantage of an online jquery menu generator. This way, you get the advantages of having a very SEO-freindly navigation system and the impressive user experience provided by jQuery's functionality.
A essential piece of each and every website is the menu system used(ie horizontal jquery menu. If you are a web designer wanting to build a horizontal jquery menufor your website, the overall superior option is to implement a jQuery menu system. There are two main reasons behind why jQuery menus will very quickly become the standard for website navigation.
First of all, jQuery menus are 100% Search engine optimized unlike their earlier Javascript or Flash relatives. There are some legitimate arguments to be made about making Javascript and Flash menus SEO-friendly, but in the end, the html mark-up for a jQuery menu is usually a common unordered list. You just can't get more SEO-friendly than that!
Next, jQuery menus have a sizeable amount to offer in terms of leading-edge user interface features. jQuery has proven to be capable of pulling off some pretty advanced animations and effects. As the use of jQuery grows, so will the collection of jQuery plug-ins, making it an even more powerful technology.
Ok, so now that that you're (hopefully) confident of the power and versatility of jQuery, just one drawback; Like all emerging technologies, there is a considerable learning curve associated with learning how to create an innovative jQuery menu for your website. This is one of the prime reasons that our jQuery menu builder was designed. Not only can you create an awesome menu for your website, but it's also a superb way to learn by example since you can download all of the html, css, and jQuerycode and images necessary to run the menu. As always, we look forward to receiving your feedback on our tool as we proceed to work toward improving it.
Previous to modern-day content management systems, a great deal of experienced website design agencies depended on managing static HTML websites for a hefty percentage of their earnings. However, with the breakthrough of content management systems such as DotNetNuke, the consumer has quickly become aware of the positive aspects offered by dynamic websites. The skinning architecture in DotNetNuke allows professional web designers to create impressive user interfaces which integrate seamlessly with the underlying portal application to produce a impressive, yet aesthetically attractive client web site.
The term “Skinning” pertains to a software architecture which provides you with a manageable way to separate application logic and content from its presentation. This abstraction of “form” and “function” is sometimes referred to as a two-tiered presentation model. The added benefits of skinning are that application logic and web page layout are divided and can be designed and modified on their own. A software developer and a web page designer can collaborate without the risk of interfering with each others work.
One of the good things about classic ASP - and one of the main reasons for its popularity as a rapid web development (RAD) tool - is the fact that ASP scripts can be injected into ordinary HTML markup to turn otherwise static HTML content into intelligent web pages. This feature makes it feasible to quickly write ASP applications that make web pages dynamically from a database (or other external data source), and to generate powerful web applications.
However, this simplicity comes with a price. Most ASP sites consist of a mangled mesh of intermingled HTML markup and ASP script, making them difficult to understand and even much harder to maintain. This problem often rears its ugly head when web designers need to update the user interface. Since the presentation properties are embedded in the ASP script, adjustments usually require a joint effort between a web developer and a designer to ensure the integrity of the modification. This ultimately results in more work, more time, and greater cost.
Skinning involves the use of "templates" which distinguish presentation and layout characteristics from application logic. An intelligent skinning engine is then used to construct the artifacts into a final product. This two-tiered approach affords both developers and designers a reasonable level of freedom when it comes to maintaining a web site, and can considerably lessen the time and effort needed in the post-release phases of a development project.
However, skinning also introduces some complexities to your web application. The process of merging multiple files into a single page can cause considerable performance degradation. Not to mention, developers must be effectively educated to keep the presentation details of layout and appearance abstracted from their script code. Both of these items can be mitigated through the use of technology and a robust skinning architecture.
As a result the skinning solution needs a process for a web designer to define a skin using the most basic base technology. HTML is the lowest common denominator when it comes to the Net and has the greatest support in terms of design resources. The only problem with HTML is that it is totally static - yet a web application has demands for dynamic elements at the same time.
Based on the needs and problems specified above, it would seem useful to allow web designers to include placeholders into their HTML markup which represent dynamic functionality. This offers the cleanest abstraction of “form” and “function”. The skin file could be altered without impacting the application logic. The application logic could be re-factored without affecting the user interface. The only issue is the performance penalty imposed by this additional layer of separation.
Website navigation tools have existed since the dawn of the online web. Offering easy to use navigation for your website visitors is an important attribute of your website design. Over time there have been many breakthroughs relevant to website navigation techniques and surprisingly some of these have actually had a negative impact in terms of Search engine optimization because they have made it more difficult for search engines to successfully crawl your website.
Among the most well-known menu system types are the simple html menu (1 level only), horizontal drop down menu, vertical menu (aka: side navigation), tabbed navigation and floating navigation. Each type of navigation has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Deciding which style is best for a specific website is based on the overall website design and the hierarchy of the website.
There are also many technologies needed to support these various menu system types such as standard HTML, CSS (cascading style sheets), Javascript, jQuery and Flash. From an SEO perspective, building your navigation with simple HTML and CSS is the safest option. However with the introduction of jQuery into the mix, many of the impressive effects only achievable with Javascript can now be applied to a standard HTML unordered list, which is truly SEO-friendly. As far as Flash goes, ther may be ways to get your navigation menu to be somewhat SEO friendly, but the bottom line is that flash navigation should be avoided if SEO is a top concern.
The last consideration that remains is where should the navigation be located? The obvious main 2 standards are along the top and the left side. However many blog sites have their particular navigation positioned to the right side. There are also a number of sites that use a mixture of both. For example, their top navigation represents the 1st level of their site and the sub navigation is presented in the form of left or right nav.
With all this in mind, the final choice to use a simple html menu system over a more complex jQuery menu system really comes down to the amount of time you are willing to devote towards the development of your navigation. jQuery is an awesome new technology, but defintely has a significant learning curve. If you do want a more complex navigation system and don't have knowledge with jQuery, it's most effective to work with an online jquery menu generator. This way, you get the many benefits of having a very SEO-freindly navigation system and the excellent user experience provided by jQuery's capabilities.