Buying Web Services: The Survival Guide to Outsourcing
Chapter 12: Web Resources
You're already a busy person, and now you've got a new assignment: get
your company or institution online (or revamp an inadequate Web site).
Depending on where you're coming from--top management, marketing, sales,
information systems, or human resources--your level of knowledge can vary
greatly, as can your budget and in-house resources.
You've probably already checked out publications, Web sites, vendors,
and consulting services. But chances are, unless you've been living and
breathing HTML for the past few years, you'll need more help to find out
the latest wisdom. Nowadays, the issue is no longer how to get information--it's
how to navigate your way through the data overload to find what you need.
In the old days, you would start out by deciding whether to look for technical
guidance offline or online. When you really want to concentrate on a complex
or technical subject, you're likely to choose a book or magazine. Yet
more and more often you'll find a hyperlinked, interactive exploration
would be helpful. Fortunately, most publications now have online versions,
where you can find more up-to-date information and useful details that
didn't make it onto the printed page.
What follows is a selective list of starting points--not a comprehensive
list. We've tried not to clutter this chapter up with physical addresses
and phone numbers: many of them won't work a few months from now. Instead,
whenever possible, we give you a URL (of course, they change too, but
a few minutes at a search engine should bring you what you need).
Specialty Web Sites and Hotlists
Most of these resources are intended for developers--but buyers can
find much useful information at these sites.
Builder.com
is CNet's superb repository of technical information, evaluations of tools
and trends, and conferences.
CMP
Netguide's WebBuilder 101 includes tutorials, tips and resource lists,
directed more to a business audience than to developers.
DevEdge, Netscape's developer community, features
Open Studio and offers tips, tools, news, special discussion areas,
discounts, showcase areas, and other services.
Developer.com
from Earthweb (creators of the Gamelan Java site) provides a community
for developers, with conferences, resources, and software.
Mainspring
is aimed at those who plan, design and build large Internet and Intranet
sites. It includes very useful editorial material, templates, and conferences.
Annual membership is $500.
Microsoft
Site Builder Network provides resources for all Microsoft Internet-related
products, such as Active-X.
Mining Company's Web
design page is one of the largest sets of links to many useful resources
on web develoment; it also includes features and confernces.
Project Cool
provides thoughtful features about content and technology, advanced tutorials
and conferencing areas.
Devsearch is
a searchable index of resources at several dozen key developer Web sites
(including many of those on this list).
Sun
Microsystems Developer Connection provides technical support and information
for Solaris and Java users.
Virtual
Promote offers information about Web site promotion techniques and
pointers to resources for Webmasters.
Web Review
provides information services for web developers, including a design "studio,"
development workshops, reference guides and tutorials.
WebDeveloper.com
from Mecklermedia offers a newsletter, forums, links to site-authoring
tools, and tutorials.
Web Developers' Virtual
Library offers tutorials, examples, and links to resources for Webmasters
and Internet developers--including more than 10 other virtual libraries!
Webmonkey
is HotWired's resource for web developers. It provides tutorials, lists
of recommended tools and books, and links to other developer resources.
Web-Vantage
tracks emerging technologies for developers, and includes a Site Builders
Emporium of resources. Annual membership is $89.
Specialty Services for Web Site Owners Seeking Developers
Currently, the marketplace nexus between buyers and sellers of Web development
services is relatively underdeveloped--especially online where it should
be exploding!
Constructors
connects Web site owners and a broad universe of vendors with matchmaking
and follow-up "handholding" services. It includes a searchable database
of Web shops and "WhoBuiltIt?", which enables visitors to find out who
gets the kudos for existing Web sites, as well as industry discussion
areas. Other resources under development include webshop profiles.
Cyberjunction
offers website owners "Interactive Blueprints" (requests for proposals)
and matches them with a group of participating developers.
Digital
Talent also matches customers with a selection of participating developers.
Periodicals: Magazines, Newspapers & E-zines
Virtually all of these publications have frequently updated versions
on the Web, and many have subscription-based weekly e-zines. Publications
marked with an asterisk are free to qualified subscribers who fill out
an application form. Discounted subscriptions are often available from
cards in the magazines, or from one of the companies listed at Yahoo under
"magazine subscription services." Many of the e-zines are available both
by email and at a Web site.
@NY is a weekly
e-zine from New Paradigm Communications with news and profiles of the
entire New York metro area's Silicon Alley community.
Alertbox
is a weekly e-zine by Jakob Nielsen, one of the most perceptive analysts
of trends in technology and content on the web.
Business
Week frequently profiles emerging technology companies, tools and
trends. It charges for some of its information online (at a discount for
print subscribers).
Byte from McGraw-Hill
provided thoughtful, non-hyped big-picture views of current and future
technology. Recently shut down after being acquired by CMP, it may be
re-launched.
A.Clue is a weekly
e-zine from journalist Dana Blankenhorn directed at online managers and
strategists, exploring who is clued-in and who is clueless in bringing
businesses online.
ComputerWorld
is a semi-technical weekly from IDG covering business and technology.
Fast Company
profiles "smart businesses" with an emphasis on networks and technology,
for a general business audience.
Fortune twice a
month hosts the perceptive Stewart Alsop, veteran commentator on emerging
trends and technologies.
Infoworld *
from IDG is a platform-agnostic industry weekly featuring pull-no-punches
columnists Bob Metcalfe, Nicholas Petreley and others, for anyone interested
in staying on top of the latest developments in computing.
Internet
Standard from IDG is a new weekly competitor to Internet World, directed
at business readers.
Internet Week
* (formerly Communications Week) from CMP Publications focuses primarily
on networks, for technically advanced readers.
Internet
World * (formerly Web Week) from Mecklermedia remains the industry's
leading publication, for business and techical audiences.
Retro-push,
a weekly e-zine from Michael Sippey for online managers and technologists,
explores what does and doesn't work online.
NeTProfessional
focuses on tools and techniques and is directed mainly at Macintosh-based
developers.
Profit * (800/672-2531) is a non-technical quarterly from Oracle Corp.
focusing on case studies about saving money using database software and
technology.
Red Herring
covers technology for investors, and periodically produces "Hits," a supplement
profiling successful businesses on the Internet.
San
Jose Mercury News has extensive Internet-related reporting in its
Business and Technology sections for general business and consumer audiences.
Silicon
Alley Reporter has a daily e-zine bulletin and a monthly magazine
covering the entire New York metro area's Silicon Alley community.
The
New York Times; the print version features media on Mondays and technology
on Thursdays, for general business and consumer audiences.
Upside * reports on
technology companies, with an emphasis on startups, for general business
readers.
Wall Street
Journal features technology on Thursdays and runs a periodic "Net-Interest"
section. It charges for some if its information online at a discount for
print subscribers).
Web Techniques
from Miller Freeman covers technical issues for developers.
WebMaster *
from IDG's CIO Communications focuses on case studies of Web sites primarily
for business readers.
Wired offers profiles
of industry leaders and technology trends, for general business and consumer
audiences.
ZD
Inter@active Week * is a relatively non-technical publication and
is a must-have for anyone tracking Internet technology, content and commerce.
ZD Internet
Magazine presents comparative product reviews, case studies, and surveys
of trends for business readers.
ZD TV "your computer channel" promises 24-hours/day of computer information,
linked to its Web site
for business and consumer audiences.
ZD Yahoo Internet
Life is a consumer monthly about popular Web sites.
ZD's e-Commerce
Alert is a print and online monthly publication highlighting new market
trends and technologies for business strategists.
Daily Intelligence Sources
You have to decide how you like your news served. You can customize
the topics and organization of your news at Excite
or Yahoo and at some of
the sites below:
Headliner
provides customized streams of headlines only from one source, NewsEdge,
to your browser.
If you want to get your news by email, check out Infobeat
and the three-times-weekly Edupage.
Providing a stream of the latest news from single sources are CNet
(perhaps the most easliy navigable site), CNN
and the daily newspapers listed earlier.
Computer publishing giants CMPIDG,
Mecklermedia
and Ziff-Davis provide
both central news areas and specialized sites for each publication.
"Roundup" sites that pull information from many sources are found
at:
Internet Wire
tracks and archives technology news.
Newshub,
our personal favorite for its range and speed in loading.
Newsbot tracks technology
news and offers a downloadable personal agent to customize news.
NewsPage from
NewsEdge gives you many ways to customize what you see, specifying particular
industries, products and companies.
Trade Shows, Conferences and Seminars
There's no better way to get the pulse of this industry than to go to
a trade show, or a large conference with an exhibits area. Most trade
shows have a large accompanying program of seminars, workshops, and tutorials.
Increasingly, all but the most technical events have a strong business
focus. Be sure to bring a small stapler with you to the show to keep product
info and business cards together, and some file folders if you're out
of town, so you can organize your notes and papers back in your hotel
room.
For a rundown of events, check WebMaster's
all-in-one-list, IBM's customized Java-based ConferenceTracker
or CMP's categorized TechWeb
Calendar.
Top events include:
Internet and Electronic
Commerce Conference and Exposition sponsored by dci.com annually in
NY in April.
Internet Commerce Expos
and Extranet Expo sponsored by IDG are held twice yearly.
Internet Engineering
Consortium hosts interactive online tutorials on technical topics,
sponsored by major corporations.
Internet World is the leading Internet general interest trade show.
Mecklermedia holds local versions in several dozen countries. In North
America, locations and times are usually Toronto in February, Los Angeles
in April, Chicago in July, and New York in October.
Java One,
the Worldwide Java Developer Conference is held annually in San Francisco,
and is primarily for technologists.
Seybold Seminars,
held in New York and San Francisco, focuses on all facets of information
delivery.
Web
Design & Development Conference is sponsored by Miller Freeman and
held twice yearly, most recently in Boston and San Francisco.
Web.Builder
are CNet's periodic conferences, most recently held in New Orleans and
San Francisco, primarily for technologists.
Web-X,
sponsored by Miller Freeman is held in conjunction with PC Expo yearly
in New York City.
Industry Analysts
Industry analysts can help you decide what technology trends are significant
and which are flashes-in-the-pan. If you can't afford their high-priced
reports, you may get some insight from the free summaries and excerpts
offered at their Web sites. To understand their specialties and services,
check out:
Aberdeen Group
Forrester Research
Gartner Group
Giga Information Group
International
Data Group
Intelliquest
Jupiter Communications
Meta Group
Yankee Group
Zona Research
Trade Associations and User Groups
These organizations are evolving almost as rapidly as the Internet.
They are generally good places to get a view of industry trends. If you
persist, from these groups and discussion areas, you'll find a place that
meets your needs: for professional contacts to get work or find freelancers;
for colleagues to share experiences and war stories; for experts to help
you out of a jam or check out your latest brainstorm.
Many of these organizations have both online and physical incarnations
in the form of mailing lists (listservs) and regional or local chapters
or events. You may find that attending local chapter meetings will be
the best way to determine the value of their services.
Association of Internet
Professionals is the leading effort to organize people in the industry.
It was formed by a merger of the Internet Developers Association, the
International Society of Internet Professionals, and the Webmasters Guild.
Don't miss their Qualifying
Document for purchasers of services from web developers.
HTML Writers Guild
is an international user group serving the needs of individual web designers
rather than web development companies.
International Interactive
Computing Society has been in existence longer than any other group
of multimedia developers, and has several dozen chapters worldwide.
Internet Professional Publishers
Association is a user group that highlights outstanding Web design
efforts.
Lynda Weinman's
Web Design List has over 2,500 subscribers and provides tips and job
listings for web professionals.
National Association of Webmasters
is directed at individuals and organizations who create, manage, or market
web sites.
SigGraph, the
Association for Computer Machinery's Special Interest Group on Computer
Graphics, provides information on national conferences, local chapters,
and other useful resources.
Regional User Groups
Regional user groups usually combine of face-to-face meetings, networking
events, and listservs. You may find locate additional pages by searching
at Yahoo for Internet User Groups.
San Francisco Bay Area: NoEnd
is a small San Francisco Bay Area group that holds meetings and has a
medium-trafffic listserv.
San Francisco Bay Area: Multimedia
Development Group is a regional interactive media trade association
with a list of members and other services.
New York: New Media Association
is a networking organization with frequent meetings and an annual print
member directory.
Worldwide Web Artists Consortium
is a high-energy group that holds general and special interest group meetings,
and has a high-traffic listserv.
Northwest: NW Cyberartists holds meetings and has a medium-traffic mailing
list; to join, send email to: listproc@u.washington.edu. Leave the subject
blank, and in the message write "Subscribe cyberartists [Your Name]."
Discussions and Communities
Usenet newsgroups, including comp.infosystems.www.authoring (and others
in the infosystems.www. hierarchy) are places to search for specific topics
and to post queries--but with no guarantee about the professional level
of anyone who responds. They have in large part been superceded by conference
areas at such web sites as:
Netscape's
Professional Connections area holds conferences to discuss technology,
content, and what does and doesn't work online, for business and technical
audiences.
Online
Insider e-zine from Robert Seidman is supplemented by provocative
Insider Talk discussions, for business managers and strategists.
ProjectCool's Peoplesphere
hosts discussions, mostly on technical issues.
Builder Buzz from
CNet hosts discussions on technical and business issues.
Vendor Lists
You can find lists and directories of major vendors online--where lists
can benefit especially from being more frequently updated than print equivalents.
Ad Age's NETMarketing
NetB2B Directory publishes city-by-city listings of Webshops that
include the companies' self-descriptions.
Channel Seven
provides a list of the "top" 100 interactive ad agencies.
Clickz includes profiles
of leading interactive agencies.
Constructors
sponsors a searchable list of web development companies. They are currently
working on profiles of companies as well.
Directory of Interactive
Marketing from Ad Week lists many web site development companies and
is available in print or on CD.
Internet
Media Sourcebook is a book with an online version, covering many categories
of vendors.
Internet World's Second
Annual Web Design Survey (previously Web Week's) lists over 100 web
shops with Fortune 1000 customers.
Ultimate
Webdeveloper List is a database of Webshops and their specialties.
ZD
Internet Computing magazine includes profiles of leading web shops.
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