Designing with Java
or Not?
by Heather Champ
Why have just a billboard presence? Why not develop a service on-line that will create repeat
traffic and have an added value of reducing stress on limited "real time" resources.
It used to be, given the limited interactivity of Web browsers, that sites
were created more as a billboard for
a company rather than providing services for users on-line. If you ask a
random sample of Web designers
and developers to list their favorite sites, chances are that Federal
Express will be among
them. Now, though the site is attractive, it's not looks alone that
establish its popularity. Federal Express
works well because it is functional and provides a tool for users to
quickly and easily track packages.
In many ways, the great Web land rush of '95 and '96 is over. Clients are
now closely scrutinizing their
Web presence. Why have just a billboard presence? Why not develop a service
on-line that will create repeat
traffic and have an added value of reducing stress on limited "real time"
resources. Everyone wants
a cool site, and within the industry the definition of cool is evolving to
include what looks
good and serves a purpose.
With the ever increasing number of applications and tools introducing new
and more complex methods of
interactivity, the nature of good Web design is evolving. This growth means
there are myriad ways to
develop a site. Many clients want every bell and whistle, to ensure their
site will be considered "third" or
"next" generation, the current standard for superlative design. Many of
these bells and whistles may not be
used to their best advantage. Incorporating Java for the sake of stating
"this site is Java enriched" or
utilizing GIF89a animations to the point where everything moves is overkill
and not the
best use of the tools available.
There are many considerations to take into account when one is determining
what to new forms of
interactivity to use. Who is the typical user? With what speed modem will
your typical user be accessing
the site? It's hard to draw a line as the statistics shift continuously.
Yahoo has an extensive
listing of resource
sites for current demographics and projections to find out what browser
they're most likely
to be using.
Yes, a designer may take a stand: "You must be using X browser to view this
site-go here to download
the most recent version before you can experience our site in all its
glory." But chances are, unless a user
has an overwhelming desire to interrupt their journey for a "quick"
download experience, they
will either proceed with what they have or jump to the next site on their path.
In addition to determining who the typical user is, it's also important to
determine what tool to use to
create the best possible experience for the user. Java, Shockwave, Flash,
and GIF89a are the most popular
methods of incorporating additional interactivity and animation. What is
reasonable use? What's
unreasonable to the point of alienating users? It would be pointless to
create a simple
animation in Java where a simple GIF89a would do the trick.
Java
It goes without saying that Java is the holy grail of Web development. Java
is a very powerful platform-
independent programming language which brings the greatest possibility for
interactivity on the Web and
given the extreme complexity, the greatest headache. Unlike Shockwave or
Flash, Java does not require a
plug-in. This may seem to be a trivial point for veteran Web users, but for
the novice can be a daunting
proposition. Given that the majority of popular browsers support Java, a
designer can rest assured that the
site will be experienced as created.
Java interactivity goes beyond that of Shockwave and Flash. Java allows an
applet to have full client/server
interaction between itself and a back-end realtime server. This can allow
not only basic point-and-click
interactivity, but also real-time display and dynamics. Stock quotes,
sports scores, weather
conditions, chat-all of these may be fed to a Web page via an applet.
In addition, Java interactivity goes far beyond rollovers and animations.
This interactivity can engage the
user by developing applets where one has the ability to customize real estate within browser, whether it be
creating postcards or other design oriented experiences.
Java can also be used to extend the limitations of small, quick download
graphics such as
banner ads. After meeting the requirement of the quick download, a socket
can be opened
back to the server and additional information can be streamed to the banner.
If you don't have the budget to work with a C++ programmer, have the
patience of Job, and still wish to
add the functionality of Java, check out Gamelan. Gamelan, the official
Java directory, has libraries of different applets available for designers
and developers. By
following the directions, you can custom tailor applets for your needs.
Interactivity
alternatives
GIF89a animations are by far the easiest way to add a bit of zing to a
document. Aside from creating a
button to link to another document, they add very little interactive value.
But if real estate is at a premium,
it's possible to extend space by creating a series of images which can then
loop to convey the
desired information. GIfBuilder for the Mac (freeware) and GIF Construction
Toolkit for
the PC (shareware) are easy to use, and accept a variety of image file types.
After GIF89a, Shockwave is most likely to be the most accessible for
designers who have experience with
Macromedia's Director. Creations originally intended to run from a CD or
desktop may not have been
created with the Web's limited bandwidth considerations.
Macromedia hosts the Shockwave Gallery which purports to
be the world's largest collection of Shockwave. Additionally, though
somewhat out of season, the advent
calendar created by Meta Design shows
the breadth of
Shockwave possibilities.
Macromedia Flash, formerly known as FutureSplash, is the new kid on the
block, and it will be interesting to
see if it will be embraced within the Web community. The Flash Animator
creates small, fast, vector-based
drawings that can be viewed by users who have installed the free plug-in.
Unlike GIF89a or Shockwave, Flash animations stream onto a document and
will play as they download.
Because the animations are vector based it's possible to enlarge or "zoom,"
because the images are scaleable,
while maintaining the integrity of the image. Text is incorporated into the
animation in such a
way that a designer doesn't have to rely on what fonts a user has within
his or her system,
let alone deal with cross-platform issues.
MSN has created a very elegant site which
incorporates many of the currently
desired Web design features. The Flash Animator is available for a 30 day
trial period. It includes extensive
tutorials which introduce all the concepts and features available.
you choose.
Each of these methods, and this list is by no means definitive, has its
pros and cons. By determining which
features will enhance your project, you can create the best interactive
experience for your users.
Heather Champ is Creative Director at the Primary Group in NYC and calls Jezebel Dot Com home.
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