Web Development Essay

Importance of web development: essay introduction, developments, cultural benefits, conclusion for web development, works cited.

At the outset, web designing emerged as an easier and simple way of exchanging information. It was a better means of communication and had better networking benefits compared to the commercial reasons. Later on, the Web became an avenue for making profits, and the information space that was prior for providing free exchange thus changed to a space for commercial transactions.

The open source movement first emerged when major players met and decided to begin the initiative of licensing to protect software developers. The movement was therefore a licensing measure meant to make source codes available to others beside the author through leasing.

There was also need to allow programmers to distribute their software freely and enable people to modify source codes. The current web-based software developers such as PHP, Firefox, WordPress and Linux are thus major contributors to development of modern websites. Open source has consequently had a direct influence on web development and browsing such as flexibility and innovative development initiatives in addition to providing network solutions.

Development of ‘open source’ receives very little attention especially official concerns by the initial founders for its development. The initial organizations to benefit from the open licensing systems directly included the Department of Defence (DOD), Research Agencies, and the Lab researchers such as National Laboratories (Reece et al, 92). These organizations were the most viable producers, users and beneficiaries of the licensing operation.

The firms also provided the platform for major advances such as the firewalls, and other network security tools. Open licensing therefore caused firms to merge ideas and integrate development of operating systems and related software to high-tech but inexpensive software/hardware supercomputers to replace the original Pentium-based systems.

Although departments such as the DOD or Space Agencies may have developed or initiated most of the research into open source, in overall, today’s beneficiaries include commercial agencies. Commercial enterprises such as Netscape, Red Hat, Cygnus, MacAfee and Caldera were quick to realize the opportunities offered by web-based methodologies and begun to offer the open source arrangements.

Other firms that latter on came in support of open source included the hardware developers such as Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Compaq, Sun Microsystems and IBM (International Business Machines) among others. Consistent with VanDyk, the concept open source emerged from software engineers, but today the entire movement is made of technologically motivated individuals (9). They focus more on technological productivity as opposed to economical benefits.

Although the initial authors retain all the rights of their code, restrictions are less and simpler to allow others to utilize the code. Today, different countries have constitutions supporting the freedom of speech. Users never thought programs would be freeware in a manner comparable to the way verbal communication is an inalienable right today. Redistribution of software code does not face unnecessary restriction, since developers found that ‘open source’ is an effective way of finding and correcting faulty codes.

Open source also encourages reliability and quality of software due to the independent reviews and the rapid dynamic nature of the web-based programming. According to Van Reijswoud, the simplified way of defining ‘open source’ may appear more pervasive compared to technical definition (230).

The open form of licensing allows any individual developer as well as a corporation to give others freedom to change competence and quality of a code, at the same time retain ownership as long as the beneficiaries agree to equally share the code with others under similar terms of agreement.

This form of web development allows development of new web programmers particularly among users who wish to make their contributions on success and quality of products. Web development has therefore advanced to allow better distribution of expertise through refinement of existing codes. Experts are also able to provide new services through innovation and inspired creations.

The new trend of user-developer enhances development of diverse and advanced modern websites. Open source therefore allows a progressive form of dynamism that is almost impossible to achieve given any other condition that developers may find (Meeker, 38). There is a revolution on the way the software engineering industry has developed in terms software quality and ability to assist beneficiaries from the developments.

Current success of the internet is for the reason that there is direct success of the open source form of web development. Success of World Wide Web therefore indicates the evolution and power of open content. According to Richter, ‘open source’ is a form of licensing that affects development, distribution and use of software, thus causing direct change on corporations (281). It assists to focus innovation of information technology to ensure generation of profits.

Pragmatism demands that people share ideas and beliefs as opposed to involvement in scientific formulae. Open source has therefore been on constant demand among human needs indirectly, since proponents hold up to strict scrutiny of applications. Scientists allow extensive source code usage and analysis, which often means critical review of design, functionality, structure and content.

In line with Allen et al, programming involves more that art or design work, it has a foundation of functionality and practical knowledge (81). Technology maturity has thus caused spreading of knowledge and enhancement of techniques. Programmers are ready and more willing to have their codes examined, verified and used by others. Allowing others to use the code is mostly based on utmost good faith that the favour will be replicated or returned as opposed to financial benefits.

Employers of excellent source-code providers such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sun Microsystems, IBM and other corporations also have a direct benefit of fame, recognition and demand for goods or services. Their products are a direct reflection of business personality, capabilities, and the collaborative nature.

The use of ad hoc organizations has assisted in great developments, for instance the Apache Group were able to build up the most popular server “World Wide Web”, without ever convening. Working partners such as the Berkeley Software developers’ in-charge of commercial firewalls have employees working from various locations and collaborate electronically. Open licensing therefore allows organizations to pull web-based initiatives together and ensure survival of best products without disenfranchising anyone.

Programmers are becoming smarter to ensure production of the best and greatest codes compared to potential competitors. The easiness of obtaining the source code is also a great inspiration and a guide for many initial code developers especially web designers. An author of a code can find feedback such as suggestions or criticisms from other users and this is vital for systems productivity.

Companies such as Microsoft can also be able to find the open-source teams and expand their capabilities indefinitely since such measure is global and allows full-time international interactions. In line with Koch, open source enables a firm to ensure continuous use, maintenance and enhancement of a product (5). They must be able to integrate change on future developments to ensure competitive investment. The systems are able to harness sustainability, through collaboration of users and developers.

Although code developers are eager to maintain a reputation in the industry, open source may compromise need to recognize ownership of the original version of code. Indiscipline among users and lack of tight security measures to protect originality leads to existence of multiple versions of a code. With such scenario arising, it is extremely difficult to give credit where it is due. The uses are supposed to benefit from enhanced applications and related financial benefits, while the initial developer gets recognition.

Software developers have often engaged and appreciated the open source form of programming due to easiness on implementation of aspects that initially seemed to conflict such as reliability, innovativeness and interoperability. Internet community ought to value creativity and efficiency and ensure that accomplishments are not redone/duplicated but rather improved.

Good open source software incorporates other common data formats, and these forms of reuse and refinement have previously enhanced development of quality and unique software. There are various debates based on open source especially envisioning future prospects of the field of sharing codes. The current research studies on the matter provide only a glimpse of the facts and fail to expound on the possible pedagogy and technological changes.

Today there is a unique but exiting era and as Canne puts it, “the perfect e-storm is becoming less cloudy and ominous” (151). The writer emphasizes the importance of maintaining the idea of open licensing. Founders such as CISCO termed open sources as the greatest investment a company and consequently the government can make.

Open source applications are thus the basis for implementation of the Internet, as well as mail servers. Ideas of the programmers provide chances for improvement, scaling and reutilization of code to achieve new goals. Various internet protocols such as TCP/IP are a long lasting communication and sharing rules still in use on any network today.

Allen, Chris,. Balkan, Aral,. Grden, John,. Arnold, Wade,. & Cannasse, Nicolas. The Essential Guide to Open Source Flash Development . New York, NY Apress. 2008. Press.

Canne, Torre. Product-Focused Software Process Improvement: 12th International Conference , PROFES 2011: Lecture Notes in Computer Science / Programming and Software Engineering Series. Vol. 6759. Italy: Springer ltd. 2011.

Koch, Stefan. Free/open source software development. Pennsylvania, PA: Idea Group Publishers. 2005. Press.

Meeker, Heather J. The open source alternative: understanding risks and leveraging opportunities . New Jersey, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc. 2008. Press.

Reece, Monique., Shah, Rawn., & Tasner, Michael. How to Innovate in Marketing (Collection) . New Jersey, NJ: Ft Press Delivers. Press.

Richter, Susanne. Critique for the Open Source Development Model. Germany. GRIN Verlag. 2007. Press.

VanDyk, John, K. Pro Drupal development . Second Edition. New York, NY Apress. 2008. Press.

Van Reijswoud, Victor. Free and open source software for development: exploring expectations, achievements and the future . Milan Italy: Polimetrica s.a.s. ltd. 2008. Press.

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IvyPanda. (2019, April 29). Web Development. https://ivypanda.com/essays/web-development-essay/

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Bibliography

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MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources (Web Publications)

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The MLA Handbook highlights principles over prescriptive practices. Essentially, a writer will need to take note of primary elements in every source, such as author, title, etc. and then assort them in a general format. Thus, by using this methodology, a writer will be able to cite any source regardless of whether it’s included in this list.

However, this guide will highlight a few concerns when citing digital sources in MLA style.

Best Practices for Managing Online Sources

Because online information can change or disappear, it is always a good idea to keep personal copies of important electronic information whenever possible. Downloading or even printing key documents ensures you have a stable backup. You can also use the Bookmark function in your web browser in order to build an easy-to-access reference for all of your project's sources (though this will not help you if the information is changed or deleted).

It is also wise to keep a record of when you first consult with each online source. MLA uses the phrase, “Accessed” to denote which date you accessed the web page when available or necessary. It is not required to do so, but it is encouraged (especially when there is no copyright date listed on a website).

Important Note on the Use of URLs in MLA

Include a URL or web address to help readers locate your sources. Because web addresses are not static (i.e., they change often) and because documents sometimes appear in multiple places on the web (e.g., on multiple databases), MLA encourages the use of citing containers such as Youtube, JSTOR, Spotify, or Netflix in order to easily access and verify sources. However, MLA only requires the www. address, so eliminate all https:// when citing URLs.

Many scholarly journal articles found in databases include a DOI (digital object identifier). If a DOI is available, cite the DOI number instead of the URL.

Online newspapers and magazines sometimes include a “permalink,” which is a shortened, stable version of a URL. Look for a “share” or “cite this” button to see if a source includes a permalink. If you can find a permalink, use that instead of a URL.

Abbreviations Commonly Used with Electronic Sources

If page numbers are not available, use par. or pars. to denote paragraph numbers. Use these in place of the p. or pp. abbreviation. Par. would be used for a single paragraph, while pars. would be used for a span of two or more paragraphs.

Basic Style for Citations of Electronic Sources (Including Online Databases)

Here are some common features you should try to find before citing electronic sources in MLA style. Not every web page will provide all of the following information. However, collect as much of the following information as possible:

  • Author and/or editor names (if available); last names first.
  • "Article name in quotation marks."
  • Title of the website, project, or book in italics.
  • Any version numbers available, including editions (ed.), revisions, posting dates, volumes (vol.), or issue numbers (no.).
  • Publisher information, including the publisher name and publishing date.
  • Take note of any page numbers (p. or pp.) or paragraph numbers (par. or pars.).
  • DOI (if available, precede it with "https://doi.org/"), otherwise a URL (without the https://) or permalink.
  • Date you accessed the material (Date Accessed). While not required, saving this information it is highly recommended, especially when dealing with pages that change frequently or do not have a visible copyright date.

Use the following format:

Author. "Title." Title of container (self contained if book) , Other contributors (translators or editors), Version (edition), Number (vol. and/or no.), Publisher, Publication Date, Location (pages, paragraphs and/or URL, DOI or permalink). 2 nd container’s title , Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location, Date of Access (if applicable).

Citing an Entire Web Site

When citing an entire website, follow the same format as listed above, but include a compiler name if no single author is available.

Author, or compiler name (if available). Name of Site. Version number (if available), Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site (sponsor or publisher), date of resource creation (if available), DOI (preferred), otherwise include a URL or permalink. Date of access (if applicable).

Editor, author, or compiler name (if available). Name of Site . Version number, Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site (sponsor or publisher), date of resource creation (if available), URL, DOI or permalink. Date of access (if applicable).

The Purdue OWL Family of Sites . The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue U, 2008, owl.english.purdue.edu/owl. Accessed 23 Apr. 2008.

Felluga, Dino. Guide to Literary and Critical Theory . Purdue U, 28 Nov. 2003, www.cla.purdue.edu/english/theory/. Accessed 10 May 2006.

Course or Department Websites

Give the instructor name. Then list the title of the course (or the school catalog designation for the course) in italics. Give appropriate department and school names as well, following the course title.

Felluga, Dino. Survey of the Literature of England . Purdue U, Aug. 2006, web.ics.purdue.edu/~felluga/241/241/Home.html. Accessed 31 May 2007.

English Department . Purdue U, 20 Apr. 2009, www.cla.purdue.edu/english/. Accessed 31 May 2015.

A Page on a Web Site

For an individual page on a Web site, list the author or alias if known, followed by an indication of the specific page or article being referenced. Usually, the title of the page or article appears in a header at the top of the page. Follow this with the information covered above for entire Web sites. If the publisher is the same as the website name, only list it once.

Lundman, Susan. “How to Make Vegetarian Chili.”  eHow , www.ehow.com/how_10727_make-vegetarian-chili.html. Accessed 6 July 2015.

“ Athlete's Foot - Topic Overview. ”   WebMD , 25 Sept. 2014, www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/athletes-foot-topic-overview.

Citations for e-books closely resemble those for physical books. Simply indicate that the book in question is an e-book by putting the term "e-book" in the "version" slot of the MLA template (i.e., after the author, the title of the source, the title of the container, and the names of any other contributors).

Silva, Paul J.  How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing. E-book, American Psychological Association, 2007.

If the e-book is formatted for a specific reader device or service, you can indicate this by treating this information the same way you would treat a physical book's edition number. Often, this will mean replacing "e-book" with "[App/Service] ed."

Machiavelli, Niccolo.  The Prince , translated by W. K. Marriott, Kindle ed., Library of Alexandria, 2018.

Note:  The MLA considers the term "e-book" to refer to publications formatted specifically for reading with an e-book reader device (e.g., a Kindle) or a corresponding web application. These e-books will not have URLs or DOIs. If you are citing book content from an ordinary webpage with a URL, use the "A Page on a Web Site" format above.

An Image (Including a Painting, Sculpture, or Photograph)

Provide the artist's name, the work of art italicized, the date of creation, the institution and city where the work is housed. Follow this initial entry with the name of the Website in italics, and the date of access.

Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV . 1800. Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid. Museo Nacional del Prado , www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/the-family-of-carlos-iv/f47898fc-aa1c-48f6-a779-71759e417e74. Accessed 22 May 2006.

Klee, Paul. Twittering Machine . 1922. Museum of Modern Art, New York. The Artchive , www.artchive.com/artchive/K/klee/twittering_machine.jpg.html. Accessed May 2006.

If the work cited is available on the web only, then provide the name of the artist, the title of the work, and then follow the citation format for a website. If the work is posted via a username, use that username for the author.

Adams, Clifton R. “People Relax Beside a Swimming Pool at a Country Estate Near Phoenix, Arizona, 1928.” Found, National Geographic Creative, 2 June 2016, natgeofound.tumblr.com/.

An Article in a Web Magazine

Provide the author name, article name in quotation marks, title of the web magazine in italics, publisher name, publication date, URL, and the date of access.

Bernstein, Mark. “ 10 Tips on Writing the Living Web. ”   A List Apart: For People Who Make Websites , 16 Aug. 2002, alistapart.com/article/writeliving. Accessed 4 May 2009.

An Article in an Online Scholarly Journal

For all online scholarly journals, provide the author(s) name(s), the name of the article in quotation marks, the title of the publication in italics, all volume and issue numbers, and the year of publication. Include a DOI if available, otherwise provide a URL or permalink to help readers locate the source.

Article in an Online-only Scholarly Journal

MLA requires a page range for articles that appear in Scholarly Journals. If the journal you are citing appears exclusively in an online format (i.e. there is no corresponding print publication) that does not make use of page numbers, indicate the URL or other location information.

Dolby, Nadine. “Research in Youth Culture and Policy: Current Conditions and Future Directions.” Social Work and Society: The International Online-Only Journal, vol. 6, no. 2, 2008, www.socwork.net/sws/article/view/60/362. Accessed 20 May 2009.

Article in an Online Scholarly Journal That Also Appears in Print

Cite articles in online scholarly journals that also appear in print as you would a scholarly journal in print, including the page range of the article . Provide the URL and the date of access.

Wheelis, Mark. “ Investigating Disease Outbreaks Under a Protocol to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. ”   Emerging Infectious Diseases , vol. 6, no. 6, 2000, pp. 595-600, wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/6/6/00-0607_article. Accessed 8 Feb. 2009.

An Article from an Online Database (or Other Electronic Subscription Service)

Cite online databases (e.g. LexisNexis, ProQuest, JSTOR, ScienceDirect) and other subscription services as containers. Thus, provide the title of the database italicized before the DOI or URL. If a DOI is not provided, use the URL instead. Provide the date of access if you wish.

Alonso, Alvaro, and Julio A. Camargo. “ Toxicity of Nitrite to Three Species of Freshwater Invertebrates. ”   Environmental Toxicology, vol. 21, no. 1, 3 Feb. 2006, pp. 90-94. Wiley Online Library , https://doi.org/10.1002/tox.20155. Accessed 26 May 2009.

Langhamer, Claire. “Love and Courtship in Mid-Twentieth-Century England.” Historical Journal, vol. 50, no. 1, 2007, pp. 173-96. ProQuest , https://doi.org/10.1017/S0018246X06005966. Accessed 27 May 2009.

E-mail (including E-mail Interviews)

Give the author of the message, followed by the subject line in quotation marks. State to whom the message was sent with the phrase, “Received by” and the recipient’s name. Include the date the message was sent. Use standard capitalization.

Kunka, Andrew. “ Re: Modernist Literature. ”  Received by John Watts, 15 Nov. 2000.

Neyhart, David. “ Re: Online Tutoring. ” Received by Joe Barbato, 1 Dec. 2016.

A Listserv, Discussion Group, or Blog Posting

Cite web postings as you would a standard web entry. Provide the author of the work, the title of the posting in quotation marks, the web site name in italics, the publisher, and the posting date. Follow with the date of access. Include screen names as author names when author name is not known. If both names are known, place the author’s name in brackets.

Author or compiler name (if available). “Posting Title.” Name of Site , Version number (if available), Name of institution/organization affiliated with the site (sponsor or publisher), URL. Date of access.

Salmar1515 [Sal Hernandez]. “Re: Best Strategy: Fenced Pastures vs. Max Number of Rooms?” BoardGameGeek , 29 Sept. 2008, boardgamegeek.com/thread/343929/best-strategy-fenced-pastures-vs-max-number-rooms. Accessed 5 Apr. 2009.

Begin with the user's Twitter handle in place of the author’s name. Next, place the tweet in its entirety in quotations, inserting a period after the tweet within the quotations. Include the date and time of posting, using the reader's time zone; separate the date and time with a comma and end with a period. Include the date accessed if you deem necessary.

@tombrokaw. “ SC demonstrated why all the debates are the engines of this campaign. ”   Twitter, 22 Jan. 2012, 3:06 a.m., twitter.com/tombrokaw/status/160996868971704320.

@PurdueWLab. “ Spring break is around the corner, and all our locations will be open next week. ”   Twitter , 5 Mar. 2012, 12:58 p.m., twitter.com/PurdueWLab/status/176728308736737282.

A YouTube Video

Video and audio sources need to be documented using the same basic guidelines for citing print sources in MLA style. Include as much descriptive information as necessary to help readers understand the type and nature of the source you are citing. If the author’s name is the same as the uploader, only cite the author once. If the author is different from the uploader, cite the author’s name before the title.

McGonigal, Jane. “Gaming and Productivity.” YouTube , uploaded by Big Think, 3 July 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkdzy9bWW3E.

“8 Hot Dog Gadgets put to the Test.” YouTube, uploaded by Crazy Russian Hacker, 6 June 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBlpjSEtELs.

A Comment on a Website or Article

List the username as the author. Use the phrase, Comment on, before the title. Use quotation marks around the article title. Name the publisher, date, time (listed on near the comment), and the URL.

Not Omniscient Enough. Comment on “ Flight Attendant Tells Passenger to ‘Shut Up’ After Argument Over Pasta. ”  ABC News, 9 Jun 2016, 4:00 p.m., abcnews.go.com/US/flight-attendant-tells-passenger-shut-argument-pasta/story?id=39704050.

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  5. MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources (Web Publications)

    Cite web postings as you would a standard web entry. Provide the author of the work, the title of the posting in quotation marks, the web site name in italics, the publisher, and the posting date. Follow with the date of access. Include screen names as author names when author name is not known.

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