DEV Community: John Doe

Network & Internet basics.

John Doe — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 10:38:05 +0000

Network & Internet Basics

The Internet is a large network of computers that communicate all together, when two computers connect together they connect with either an ethernet cable or a wireless wifi signal that connects them.

It's like a road that connects you from your house to a shop, servers are highly functional computers that are connected to the internet. Servers store webpages, apps, files and etc in their SSD harddrive.
Servers are like the shop you want to buy something from,

Data centers are big buildings with many servers or highly functional computers, that store the data in the servers. We have a few here in Iceland and it seems like it's a growing business here since we have a lot of space and a cold climate, which helps with keeping the centers cool, so they don't need to use a lot of energy to cool it down.

Everything connected to the internet directly or indirectly has an Ip address, so servers, clients, routers, cell phones, and so on.
Like Google server has a special protocol address, or IP address it has 72.14.205.100 and your personal computer has one as well. That's why DNS was invented or Domain Name Server, it's like a huge phonebook that connects all the names to the IP addresses, so every time you hit Google.com you are directed to the 72.14.205.100 IP address.

Our personal computers are not servers, they are clients that are connected to an internet service provider like Vodafone or Síminn and they connect us to the internet.

When information or data is sent through the internet the information is usually broken down into smaller pieces or packets as they call it.

Anywhere the internet intersects there is a Router, Routers direct your packets where to go. Every time you visit a webpage there may have been 10-15 routers direct you on the way.

•Your internet connection:
Allows you to send and receive data on the web. It's basically like the street between your house and the shop.

•TCP/IP:
Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol are communication protocols that define how data should travel across the internet. This is like the transport mechanisms that let you place an order, go to the shop, and buy your goods. In our example, this is like a car or a bike (or however else you might get around).

•DNS:
Domain Name Servers are like an address book for websites. When you type a web address in your browser, the browser looks at the DNS to find the website's real address before it can retrieve the website. The browser needs to find out which server the website lives on, so it can send HTTP messages to the right place (see below). This is like looking up the address of the shop so you can access it.

•HTTP:
Hypertext Transfer Protocol is an application protocol that defines a language for clients and servers to speak to each other. This is like the language you use to order your goods.

•Component files:
A website is made up of many different files, which are like the different parts of the goods you buy from the shop. These files come in two main types:
o Code files: Websites are built primarily from HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, though you'll meet other technologies a bit later.
o Assets: This is a collective name for all the other stuff that makes up a website, such as images, music, video, Word documents, and PDFs.

(This information was taken from „www.developer.mozilla.org“)

When you type in a webpage, your browser goes to the DNS server(„phonebook“) which looks up and finds the Ip address of the server that is hosting that website you want to look at.

There are two types of hosting, traditional hosting that's in servers, inside data centers and the other one is in the cloud or called cloud hosting, like in Github. Cloud hosting has been getting a very good reputation for its versatile scaling options, data security, mobility control, efficiency and cost reduction, disaster recovery. Many web owners are moving their webpages from traditional hosting to cloud-based hosting these days.

After the browser has found the IP address it sends an „HTTP“ message request to the server for a copy of that webpage to the client. This message and all the data is sent between clients and servers on the internet using the TCP/IP. After the servers accept requests it sends all the files in packets back to the client.
Which then we can finally look up, the webpage he or we typed in.

Design theory

John Doe — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 20:02:59 +0000

Design Theory

Design is everywhere around us whether we notice it or not. When making a design we are trying to bring a message or an emotion to a user/viewer. Great designs are clean, well-structured layouts that help the users to guide through its content in a comfortable way. Without design, life would be dull.

Design theory based on a few design principles which are contrast, colour, alignment, Hierarchy, repetition and balance. If we apply these principles we are able to create a design that is visually appealing, well organized and hopefully user friendly which is our goal.

Alignment
Aligning graphics, paragraphs and other elements can be very important as it helps and guides the viewer where to look after each line, not to be confused where to look. This creates a visual connection between elements and simplifies the layout.

Contrast:
With contrast, you are able to control the eye, define the hierarchy, movement and meaning. Contrast can be created with colour, texture, size, value, etc.
With contrast, you are also able to tell better stories within your frame.

Hierarchy:
Hierarchy adds structure to design so it can help the user, what to look and in what order. It creates a visual organisation, direction and can add emphasis on what´s important and what´s less important. It basically helps the viewer navigate through its content.

Repetition:
Repetition sounds boring but it’s not in design it can empower designs if used in the right way. It is a way of capturing your user attention. There are three methods of repetition: repetition, patterns and rhythm.

Balance:
Balance in art is exactly what is sounds like, for example its way of ensuring one colour, size, shape or element doesn´t over power all the other ones.
We have symmetrical balance as well as balance by tension.

Colour theory:
Colours have the power to affect our moods and provoke emotions. 😊

Orange is refreshing and energetic and evokes creativity while blue is the colour of peace calm and serenity, as for elements in nature like ocean and sky they trigger a sense of tranquillity. Green is a lot in nature and symbolizes vitality, life and personal growth.
Purple is rare in nature and people with more money used to wear as a sign of wealth.
Same goes with all the other colours they can evoke a sense of feeling or emotion from a viewer.

Colour theory based on three primary colours red, blue and yellow

Secondary colours are purple, green and orange are created by mixing primary colours.
Purple is made by red and blue, green is made by blue and yellow and orange is made by yellow and red.

Then we have Tertiary colours which are made by mixing primary colours with secondary colours. By mixing: Red-Orange, Red-purple, Blue-purple, Blue-green, Yellow-green, yellow-orange.

With all those colours and mixes they make the colour wheel. (see image).

Complementary colours sit across from each other on the colour wheel. By putting two of these colours together create a great contrast and visual interest.

Hue is the name of a colour red, blue, green, yellow and orange.
Saturation is the intensity or purity of a hue. With higher saturation the brighter the colour is with less saturation the colour looks washed out of grey.
Value is the degree of lightness or darkness of a hue. Values are divided into Shades, Tints and Tones.
Shade is hue produced by adding black to a colour.
Tint is hue produced by adding white to a colour and Tone is hue produced by adding grey to a colour.

Colours can also have temperature: Warm colours are red, orange and yellow while purple, blue and green are cool colours.

So, with all those colours we make the exact same design from really boring design to very impressive design. Can make us feel happy, sad or get excited, so it´s very important we get some colour in our lives because they move us in a way.

Design is something we create from the heart, so these principles are no more of guideline then a rule, that can help a designer make their work more effective.

“Design is intelligence made visible.” - Alina Wheeler
“Make it simple but significant.” – Don Drap