What is URL?
 

URL stands for Universal Resource Locator or Uniform Resource Locator. It is the address of a resource or file available on the Internet. A URL has three parts, namely, the protocol (e.g. http:// or ftp://), domain name for the resource and the hierarchical name to the file (address). For instance, in the URL: http://www.geosoft-tech.com, the protocol is http://, the domain name being www.geosoft-tech.com where geosoft-tech.com is the main domain.

What is a domain name?
 

A domain name represents and locates a business, an organization or other entity on the Internet. It can also be referred to as the web address. Entering the web address, say www.geosoft-tech.com, on your web browser prompts a request through your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to that address. The ISP then checks their DNS (domain name server) to find the domain name pointing to its web host (e.g. Geosoft Tech’s web host). When the correct hosted website is found, it is displayed on your browser.
Finally, deciding on an appropriate domain name is entirely dependent on you. There are no restrictions as to the choosing of a domain name, although we suggest you choose one that best describes your business and is easy to remember. Also make sure that you choose the right extension for your domain name according to the nature of the organization. A few examples would be: “.com” or “.biz” for commercial enterprises, “.edu” for educational sites, “.gov” for government related sites, “.org” for organizations etc.

What is web hosting?
 

You need to pay a regular amount to put up your site on the Internet. This is called web hosting. To do this, a hosting account is created with which your website is made accessible to users on the Internet.
Geosoft offers reliable web hosting services to all types of businesses at affordable prices. 
 

What are static and dynamic websites?
 

In a static website, all the contents are written in HTML and hard coded into each page. It involves no database application and so the pages act like separate documents. As its name suggests, the major drawback of this type of site is its inflexibility with databases and its lack of interactive features.
With a dynamic website, you can save information at a location which is different from that of the actual web page which gives you the flexibility to make useful changes to the contents of the page without having to alter the format of the page. This is done by incorporating a database in the web development process so that any change that is made to the site’s contents is saved in the database and makes no difference to the overall design of the site.
If we compare the costs of the two sites, the former might look profitable in the beginning as it only involves simple HTML coding and no database management. But if you are looking forward to cutting down on ongoing maintenance costs, a dynamic website is what you need. A dynamic website will cost more during the development phase as it requires complex coding and a content management system (CMS) to manage your website information. But it has huge benefits when the volume of data in the site starts to increase as data management is made much more efficient and the site more flexible. A separate log in area can be assigned to users, for example, which allows them to change parts of the site by adding information, products etc. Since each page is constructed using a database, an interface helps to change the information in the database.

What do I need to do to get my site on search engines? Do I get good ranking by using flash movies in my site?

As soon as you get your web site published on the internet, you will have to submit it to the popular search engines such as Google. It may take several weeks, or months, to get your web site listed in their directories depending on the database update schedule of individual search engines. Majority of the internet users search the internet for their topics of interest through search engines and directories. So in order to make your site visible in the search engines, you will need to upgrade the search engine ranking of your site. For this you will need someone who has sufficient knowledge in Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Geosoft  offers SEO service at attractive prices.
Your site’s ranking is not affected by the use of Flash movies or intros. They are only helpful in making your site look more appealing.
 

What is CSS? Do I have to use it in my website? 
 

A CSS or Cascading Style Sheet is a sort of template which helps web designers to define the style of HTML pages. Using CSS, the different style attributes of a web page like font, color, size, margin etc. can be predefined for as many pages as desired, thus helping to provide similar pages with a uniform look. It largely cuts down the amount of time and money that you would have to spend if you designed each page individually. By defining the style of similar pages in a style sheet, you can use the same CSS for as many pages as you want.

 
Tell me something about database management in web applications.

A database, as you know, is the cache of information that is required for future reference and decision making purposes. Every business, regardless of its nature and size, should maintain a well managed database to keep track of data that is vital to its decision making. You can do this with the help of a Database Management System (DBMS).
A Database Management System (DBMS) is usually an application that helps you manage the bulk of information vital for your business. It is created using one of many popular database applications like MS-SQL, MySQL, MS-ACCESS etc. A DBMS coupled with a dynamic interface begets the perfect online brainchild, the dynamic website, which gets your business up and running in the global market.
Geosoft offers custom database solutions to meet your unique database requirements.

Do I have to supply the contents for my website myself or will you do this for me as well? What type of content do you require?
 

Yes, you have to furnish us with the text, images etc. that you would want to appear on the web site although some changes might be necessary. We can also write your contents for you at an additional cost. But if you prefer to do it on your own, you can always count on us for precious advices regarding the typical nature of web site content as opposed to any other form of communication.
You can also specify what color schemes you would like for your web site and you can even provide us with sample websites that you like. The layout of the website can be discussed in the outset and you can feed us with your preferences as the development proceeds.
You can also provide us with the details and the database of your products if you want to put them online.

How will I communicate with my designer?

You can communicate via e-mail as it is both easy and reliable for you to send us an e-mail describing all your designing requirements. Although you can contact us over the phone, it is both cumbersome and expensive as compared to correspondence through e-mail. At the start of the project, you can talk to your designer to discuss your ideas regarding the site’s design. Our designers will do their best to ensure 100% satisfaction from you before the end of the project.

 Will I be able to keep track of the progress during the development process? How will I do this?

Of course, you must know every single detail in each phase of the application’s development. This will help build good rapport between you and the developers and will also provide the project with the required pace giving you high end products within the targeted timeframe and minimum expenses.
Right from day one, a project manager will be regularly monitoring all the improvements making sure that our developers are on the right track throughout the development process. You can be in touch with the manager anytime during the development of the project through email and discuss the project progress. On top of that there will be proactive updates on the details of the project development via email on a regular basis. 

 
If I already have a web site, will you redesign or edit it?
 

Of course, we would be happy to help you with renovating an already existing site to your satisfaction incorporating new features and technologies according to your need.

How many pages can I have on my website?
 

Depending on how many pages you would want to put up on the site and also on the nature of the website, any number pages can be made. Each page should carry some relevance as to the overall nature of the website and unnecessary pages should be avoided as far as possible. If your site requires an invariably large number of pages, using dynamic pages would be the smartest decision.

Does your quotation include hosting as well?
 

Our quoted price includes those of web design and maintenance. It will also cover initial domain registration and hosting expenses. Thereafter, there is a nominal cost for domain renewal and hosting depending on your requirements like bandwidth and space.

 What is the procedure to sign up with you?
 

To get benefited from the array of services and products that we offer, all you need to do is place your order or accept our quotation for custom website development by agreeing to the stipulated terms and conditions. However, we need to have a special legal agreement before proceeding if the budget exceeds USD5000.
 

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