Everybody's doing it. Web page creating has become so easy that many people feel it their duty to put up a personal web page, no matter how bad it may be.

David B. Alpert, '00 business manager of the Harvard Computer Society, says it is hard to find a good web page because "what makes a good Web page can be very controversial."

Alpert says the controversy arises because pages can span the spectrum from being a work of art to focusing solely on content.

According to Alpert, "it isn't hard to make a Web page. If people spend a little time thinking about it, they can come up with great designs." He believes that "the lack of good Web pages is due to the lack of time. Most students are just busy."

Most Web sites at Harvard seem to focus on the person and their immediate friends. Many pages have dead ends--no place to go but to press the back button on your browser--and lack characteristics that might make them unique.

Some pages have great ideas, but the information is so hard to find that users get frustrated just looking at the page and give up after five or six seconds. Other pages have great organization but lack content or have broken links--links that create errors when they are clicked on.

Of course understanding the technical details is a prerequisite for creating a Web site. However, putting that aside, the focus should be on good Web page design. In order to help you design a great Web page, take a look at these sites, and see what they do right, and what they do wrong. www.college.harvard.edu

Site Summary

This Web site has it all. From great design to great content, this Web site exemplifies a good site. Everything from student life to academic life can be found here. Need to know about the weather, Harvard publications or the shuttle schedule? Need to find someone on campus, or just want to know what the campus looks like? This page has it all. A link-intensive clickfest gets you to what you want to know.

What's Right

A navigation bar that lets you know where you are and where you can go at all times. There are no dead end pages, and the graphics show the importance of contrasting colors in order to highlight.

What's Wrong

Lacks the glitz and glamour of Java-enhanced pages, which some people prefer. volonnin.student.harvard.edu

Site Summary

Talk about a New Jersey Devil's fan. This site, authored by Michael R. Volonnino '01, who is a Crimson editor, has it all. A well-designed and easy-to-use site with everything you ever wanted to know about the New Jersey Devils but were afraid to ask. A photo gallery, video clips, editorials and box scores. Complete and frequent updates keep the information fresh and the news interesting. (Of course, if you aren't a Devil's fan you'll have to look elsewhere.)