Customizable Websites - The Definitive Guide

By Abid Warsi
2008-02-06


Types of customization

Currently websites offer a variety of customization methods, allowing users to:

• Reposition content on the page - Boxes containing content can be moved anywhere on the page (or even removed). See the Redbridge Council homepage for an example.
  
  
• Add applications known as 'widgets' - These are small applications often built in HTML and JavaScript that can be used to display content feeds (such as RSS) or perform more advanced functions. The most popular widgets on Google's customizable web page, iGoogle, include a simple clock, a local weather summary, a daily horoscope and a Wikipedia search.
  
  
  MyYahoo! also offers a widget selector that includes content feeds from other sites.
  
  
• Add settings and preferences - Examples include setting how many news headlines are shown and setting your location to get relevant weather reports.
  
  
  This BBC homepage beta widget can be set to show the weather at the user’s location.
  
  
• Add 'skins' - These can be used to change the overall appearance of the web page, including its colour scheme.
  
  
  Users can add skins to change the overall appearance of their iGoogle page.

Tutorial Pages:
» Introduction
» Types of customization
» Benefits of adding customization to your website
» Disadvantages of adding customization to your website
» Tips for adding customization to your website
» When you should add customization to your website
» Conclusion

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