Step 5: Working Out the Bugs ... Debugging  
 

"A computer program is a collection bugs! And the process of testing a computer program is the process of removing bugs!"  Enough said ... web pages are computer programs that will have bugs. Testing, reviewing, adjusting, and modifying programs is paramount.

Gremlins often play tricks with Web pages, and that's why no professional Webmaster announces a new page to the public before testing it. Surf the Web enough, and you'll probably stumble into a brand-name business's test site that's been posted online so page designers, executives and other insiders can find the bugs before the public does. Do the same thorough testing before publicizing your own site.

Few sites get put up without kinks; the remedy is to pinpoint what's not working. The usual problem is that an image isn't displaying, and the cause is typically a botched hyperlink, a Web direction to images and other files stored elsewhere. Strip down any Web page to its essentials, and you'll find a little text interspersed with many hyperlinks. Put in the wrong hyperlink, and the online page shows up as a jumble. That's when it's time to do a quick cleanup with HTML code. Don't panic: HTML isn't an intuitive computer code, but the basics can be quickly absorbed. Click View/HTML, and a screen filled with gibberish appears. Hunt for the code pointing to the image or text that's not displaying. A good bet is the link reads something like: <img src= "C:\WINNT\temp\ whitesand. gif">. No link that includes directions to local drives"C:\ Windows\temp"will work online. The cure? Erase everything that comes before the image's name. The result will then read: </img src= "whitesand.gif">. And it will work exactly right online.

Follow the same drill with anything not displayed properly, and all images and links will display the way you intended.

Professional web developers have QA techniques that minimize the process of eliminating bugs. Their review processes ensure that pages get to the web on time with very few problems. When selecting a web developer, always inquire about their test procedures and QA plans. Look at their track record and ask their customers what their experiences were. And above all, get involved!  Test, test, test ... till it hurts!  Don't rely totally on the test plans of others.  Get involved!

Go To Step (6):  Promote  It!
Go To Step (1), (2), (3), (4), (7), (Web Development Page)