Is it too late to put the user back into HTML?

Author

Magel, Ken

Author_Institution

North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND, USA

Volume

30

Issue

12

fYear

1997

fDate

12/1/1997 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

131

Lastpage

132

Abstract

Originally, HTML was intended to be a simple, rather limited language for describing primitive information layouts in World Wide Web pages. The first version of the HTML specification emphasized simplicity. The browser, not the HTML coder, controlled the actual page appearance, determining the appearance of headers, paragraphs, and other primitive layout elements. In recent years, however, complex features have been added to HTML, including frames, dynamic HTML, and cascading styles. These extensions have served designers well, giving them more control over the appearance of their pages. And today designers have pixel level control over the layout of every element. Unfortunately, these enhancements have ignored the Web user. None of the recent additions to HTML help the user to traverse the Web or to find suitable information quickly. The article describes methods which make the Internet easier to use, including: adding value to links; line thickness control; color usage; icons and pop-ups; and preselection

Keywords

Internet; electronic publishing; human factors; hypermedia; interactive systems; page description languages; user interfaces; HTML language; HTML specification; Internet; Web user; World Wide Web pages; browser; cascading styles; color usage; complex features; dynamic HTML; frames; icons; line thickness control; page appearance; pixel level control; pop-ups; preselection; primitive information layouts; primitive layout elements; Displays; Educational institutions; HTML; Internet; Level control; Protocols; Thickness control; Watches; Web server; Web sites;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Computer

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9162

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/2.642821

Filename

642821