Hi guys,

I have been pondering on a simple definition to give to "website", I was thinking of strategy of communicating with website novice on the basic issues that surround website and the first question that came to my mind is "what is a website?".

I know I could get a definition from google and dictionary.com but I will like to tap into the intellectual capability of colleagues in the industry and get there view of what they call a website.

Now believe me, I trust your creative thinking and I know we all can benefit from this exercise.

thank you and hope to read your responses here.

Regards

Temidayo Oyebade

Friend, this is a good question. The word 'web' is linked to the maze of links that the spider spins to catch its prey. You know those days as a child we loved to watch helpless buterflies get caught in the mazy wirings of the spider. It struggles to get free but no, the master web spinner, the spider comes and cuts its arse open and sucks it up. If you have read Greek classics, or watched them dramatised, you will have a graphic picture of what a web is. Its a connection of points that leads away form where one is to another place even onto confusion.
Well a website, in computer parlance, is a 'house' built in a land in the world-wide-web which has information partaining to a given person, group of persons or organisations. A website is your business office. If you sell online, it could be you silent PRO, perfectly promoting your goods and services. I can multiply metaphors, but the bottom line is that a website is build and hosted on a domain akin to your buying a land at Mowe and building a house there. Note that the house is yours but the land is yours only for a given time. If at the expiration of government's 99 years lease you are not able to renew your lease, you lose the land and the house. So is the website. It is hosted on a given site for a given period of time. This is my contribution to the question, what is a website?.

In a nutshell:

A website (as opposed to a web application) is a site that is devoid of any interaction with a backend/database. In other words, it's basically an informational site where you click from one page to the next - no personalization, no sessions, no logging in, etc. In other words, even though your files might have a ".php" extension for example, a website is basically developed in XHTML, CSS and JavaScript.

Example(s):
You develop a website for a lawyer to advertise his law firm - website. You develop a social networking website - web application.

@steven5

Thanks for your response, and the simplicity you added to your response

@yawa

am surprise you choose to ply the route that leaves a novice in more trouble. your technical words didn't really express the simplicity I am looking in defining "what a website" is.

I am actually looking for a simply way of describing a website to the trader in the market, the novice and the no so educated folks in the country.

I expect more post sha , cos i intend to add this post to my website as professionals definition of a website.

thank you guys.

What is a website? It is the hosting of a domain name. It can be mini website e.g. one page
website or major website i.e. consist of several pages. Domain name is the host name that provides memorable name to stand for numeric Internet protocol {IP} addresses. e.g.196.168.56.10 etc. Domain names are Yahoo.com, Domainmoney.biz, Hotmail.com, Google.com, etc.

@alari

alari55:

What is a website? It is the hosting of a domain name. It can be mini website e.g. one page
website or major website i.e. consist of several pages. Domain name is the host name that provides memorable name to stand for numeric Internet protocol {IP} addresses. e.g.196.168.56.10 etc. Domain names are Yahoo.com, Domainmoney.biz, Hotmail.com, Google.com, etc.

hmmm, I wonder how a carpenter will be able to relate with all this technical BIG language (domain name, host name, Ip address etc), must sound like french to the poor guy. you even mention "website" in your definition.

no insult meant, I am only wondering if we can simplify our definition and stay away from bogus technical word, knowing fully well that the people we are communicating to do not know the meaning of the BIG words but MUST be communicated to.

thanks anyway , this is getting interesting to me, as it is becoming an eye opener to me as to why we find it hard to communicate well with clients in this industry as to why they should invest in a website.

lets get more pls, hope we get a simpler, clear and free of slangs (technical terms) soon.

thanks.

ah, so u need a layman's definition? na so u for talk since

A website is like a sign post for your business. the only difference b/w the 2 is that whereas a sign post of your business at ore meta can only be seen by those who drive by it, a website can be seen by people all over the world. Often, such people will have hard pepper to buy your products/services which means you stand a better chance of making more money from them than you would from people in maroko.

Is that layman enough?

well I think a website is some sort of a universally accessible book about anything. So if you have anything to show the world build a website for it adn the world will be able to see it as long as they have the internet.
key words: UNIVERSALLY, ACCESSIBLE, BOOK

@yawa ,  and @mambenanje ,  are we there yet?

can anybody put it in a simpler format/way? is this the best definition we can get on what a website is? common I know we can do better than this and guys please don't disappoint me ooo i beg.

below are some of the mail responses i have got on what a website is:

A website is a document/combination of files containing text, images, and media content that runs on the internet

A website is a globally visible brochure of any organisation

more? please post it here.

thanks.

A website is a virtual Organization.

A website is electronic dynamic information evolution from paper information that comes with text content, navigations, video files, music files, and stylesheet as well as programming/scripting RUNNING ON THE INTERNET.

A website is a virtual directory or profile of Organization.

dayotee,

if my layman's definition doesn't work for you, i dont know what will

@yawa,

oga mi, it is not what you think oo, I deeply respect your definition and appreciate the fact that you were generous enof to visit the thread and added your post.

but my main reason for starting this thread is not just for me, yes i want to know what web masters call a website but beyond me, a lot of people will also want to know, if not today maybe tomorrow and maybe the day after that.

so this thread may not be ending soon, even when we get the most perfect definition. Somebody will still benefit from our exchange of ideas.

Here dey hot see babe dey yarn pass men 4 here!

@dayo*
a website is computerized brochure that can be accessed from any where in the world using a computer or any internet enabled device
maybe u might have to also define internet if its for a lay man

Collection of webpages,

You can also view one of my contribution to the forum here:

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-205014.0.html

Thanks.

Olu Oludimu

System Administrator ; Emmanuel Communications Limited

Admin; http://www.oakservers.net | http://www.oakmediang.com

E-mail : olu@oakmediang.com | Tel: 08051614052

Ehen (clears Throat) Website is an office that is online FUuuuuuuuLSTOooooooooP. That is all i know Guyz!!!!!!!!!

cdsloane:

Ehen (clears Throat) Website is an office that is online FUuuuuuuuLSTOooooooooP. That is all i know guys!!!!!!!!!

@ cdsloane

I love you your definition, simple and definite. , online office hummmmmmmm.