The future of the web and web building tools

¶ … Future of the Web and Web building tools

The future of the Web as an arena for information trading and eCommerce lies in the effective creation, editing and presentation of cogent data and information. In many senses, the future of the web and its expansion depends largely on web building software and applications. The present growth and development of the Internet is mainly due to one simple reason: the increased participation of millions of users who add to the information base. The success of ecommerce is also dependent on the increased online usage. Both these aspects are predicated on another important factor which is the ability to add information and communicate easily on the Web. This aspect depends on the ease-of-use that software and online applications can provide.

The Internet is developing at an exponential rate. Not only is the number of online users increasing, but the Internet is changing the way we interact, communicate and do business. Here are just a few of the figures that show this amazing increase in Web usage over the past few years. .

In Sri Lanka the increase was from 6 to 234 or 3,800%, and in Pakistan the jump was from 17 to 386 - almost 2,200%. Currently more new information is being created and revised on Web sites (plus all the connected Intranets) in less than a week than was available on the entire World Wide Web during its formative years. For the last five years Internet user growth in South America has been a staggering cumulative average growth of 125%, compared to 119% in Asia; 87% in Africa; and 80% in the United States and Canada

( Smith T. 2003. p. 81)

In the very early years of the Internet's development, Web pages could only be constructed by directly using HyperText Markup Language to HTML. HTML is defined as " A markup language designed for the creation of web pages and other information viewable in a browser. The focus of HTML is on the presentation of information -- paragraphs, fonts, italics, tables, and so forth -- rather than the semantics -- what the words mean." ( Onelook) WebPages were created usually by using a simple text editor such as Windows Notepad to write the underlying syntax. This language was created and displayed the web page in conjunction with an application known as the Web Browser. The early Web browsers like Netscape, in conjunction with the underlying language, allowed for the standardization of the Web, so that all web pages could be displayed, viewed and interacted with by the browser users.

While the HTML language was relative easy to master and implement, yet it was still the reserve of the more technically minded and those who had the time and patience to master the language. This was all to change racially with the introduction of WYSIWYG applications and tools intended for Web building and creations. WYSIWYG is an acronym for what -- you - see - is - what - you -- get. WYSIWYG applications or Wed editors provided a user - friendly interface and were often template driven, which facilitated easy Web page creation without any knowledge of the underlying HTML to other languages. This meant that the ordinary user could easily create and maintain Web pages for personal or commercial use. This in turn lead to an increase in the user base for communication and commerce, providing not only a new market but new marketing strategies and methods of trading and doing business online.

As a result of this lucrative market, the ease of use of Web building tools have increased over the years. They have become more effective and allow for the building of Web sites which can incorporate the latest technologies such as Flash without the user having to know more than the essential basics. Therefore the future of the Web and the Internet as a whole depends on the interactive input and output of information which is facilitated by more and more effective Web building tools.

.Applications such as Microsoft's FrontPage was one of the earlier programs that allowed for the WYSIWYG revolution in Web editing. This was followed by even more user-friendly and effective editors such as Adobe's GoLive and Macromedia's well- known Dreamweaver. These programs, among others, have achieved a level of sophistication that allows for quick and effective Web building of even the most complex ecommerce site.

However, the use of Web building tools has developed to another level in the last few years. There have been a number of technical innovations on the Web which have radically increased the potential for communication and information sharing. Among these innovations is the popularity of Peer-to-Peer ( P2P) networking and Weblogs. Both these innovations not only provide new avenues for ecommerce and communication, but are also indicative of the trend to provide Web buildings tools online, as part of an integrated communications and sharing experience. P2P communities often supply easy template - driven Web pages that users can create for free or for a small fee. Weblogs are possibly one of the most important innovations on the Web today. These have become so popular that many companies are offering free Weblog tools that allow for the easy creation of one's own Weblog or Webpage.

These new developments provide a clue as to where the Web is heading in the future. Web building tools have become integrated with the Web and with various forms of communities. This is an indication that a new type of communications system, with different rules and perceptions, may lie in the future. As Theresa Smith in her Article, The Digi-Human states, the future of the Internet lies in the evolution of a new 'consciousness' or way of perceiving the world around us, which will effect the way that we interact with each other on both a personal and business level. .