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This morning I was bopping around on the 'net in search of ideas for an article. There are a lot of ideas for a person like me. All I have to do is peruse Perl and JavaScript download sites and view scripts that interest me. But there is a problem with that approach. While I get many ideas, I have my own way of doing things. Although good at the job they do, many of the free scripts simply don't measure up to my own preferences related to ease of use. An informal survey suggests that about a third of WillMaster Possibilities subscribers are adept with Perl CGI and JavaScript, about a third are able to get by without too much trouble, and about a third are beginning the learning process. So ease of use is very important. Then I found something that is handy, easy to use, and quick -- a dropdown navigation menu generator. A lot of elements go into a well-designed, easy-to-use site. Take a look at http://suzannesmountainherbs.com/ which Mari and I are creating for a client. It has a pleasing design. Yet it is easy to use, from store tour to information pages to shopping cart. The site is 99.9% complete; fully usable. Part of the site's ease of use comes from the unobtrusive yet always available dropdown list of links to product categories -- part of the overall navigation design. Here is a URL where you can create your own dropdown navigation menu: http://javascript.internet.com/generators/drop-down-menu.html It's easy. Just decide whether you want to activate the link as soon as it is selected, require the user to click on a "Go" button, or require the user to click on your custom designed graphic. Type in what the visitor will see in the dropdown list and the associated URLs. Then click the button. The underlying program generates the JavaScript code for you, complete with simple instructions. All you have to do is copy it and paste it into place on your web page. It's easy. It's quick. It works. You don't even need to know JavaScript. If you've been wanting dropdown navigation menus for your site, here is the easiest method I've been able to find -- short of hiring someone to do it. Have fun with it! Copyright 2000 by William and Mari Bontrager
William Bontrager, Programmer and Publisher
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