Frequently Asked Questions

The term web design means much more than arranging the visual components of what you see when visiting a web site. Web site design involves an entire process including laying out a site's architecture and navigational structure, creating custom graphics and multimedia, generating copy, building forms, and advanced back-end programming for interactive functions. We are experts in all of these functions.

Most companies want a web site that evolves over time. If your customers rely on your web site as a resource for up-to-date information, keeping your site's content current is critical. Maintenance services are changes made to your web site after the initial construction is complete. Typical changes including pricing revisions, adding a new product line, or updating product or service specifications. You may find that adding interactive functions such as forms processing or a shopping cart can save you valuable time in the office.

Signing a maintenance contract may save you money if you foresee making many monthly changes, but most of our customers prefer to have changes made on an 'as needed' basis. We are happy to service your web site either through a maintenance contract or on an 'as needed' basis.

Using a 'content management system' (CMS) is a way for a web site owner to update content on their site themselves. We offer a variety of such systems.

Web site hosting is 'renting' space on a server computer that has large bandwidth connections to the internet. Your web site is uploaded to the server computer and from there it is 'served' to anyone accessing your domain name with an internet connection. Gray Space Design provides high quality hosting services on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis. The reliability and speed with which your web site is served to the public is directly related to your hosting company's hardware, software, staff, and internet connections. Detailed information regarding our hosting services can be found in our web hosting section.

Accessibility and usability in the web design world refer to the process of ensuring that a web site is easily read, understood, and navigated through by as many people as possible without modification. This includes people with disabilities, and people using different browsers and operating systems. We design our sites to conform to accessibility and usability standards. You can read detailed articles on these topics at Wikipedia: accessibility | usability (links open in a new window)

A browser is the program we use to surf the internet. The majority of Windows users use Internet Explorer, although Firefox and Opera are gaining ground. Mac users typically use either Safari or Firefox. In addition, there are different versions of each of these browsers. For example, Microsoft's Internet Explorer is currently in its version 7 form. Each of these different browsers and browser versions translates web coding differently, resulting in web sites that can look very different, depending on which browser a user has installed on his or her computer. A professional web designer will minimize this effect by taking browser differences into account when building a web site. This is called 'designing for cross-browser compatibility.' We are experts in this field.

A search engine is a database of web sites that is compiled by 'robots' which scour the internet, collecting information from web pages. When a person performs a search from a site such as Google or Yahoo, the search engine pulls from its database a list of web sites matching the query.

Search engine optimization is the process of preparing a web site so that it can be easily found and indexed by search engines. This is a complex task of keyword and key phrase selection, meta tag placement, content and link management, graphic and page naming, and many 'behind the scenes' optimization techniques. We are experts in the search engine optimization process.

Using a content management system allows a web site owner to edit, add, and delete content on their web site themselves, without the need to pay a web designer to be constantly making changes. Although setting up a CMS is more costly at first, it is a good idea for a company with a web site that requires frequent changes. There are many different ways to build a CMS depending on the size of the web site. We can help determine which is right for you.

Simply put, ecommerce is selling your products from your web site. The web site is automated so that it presents the product to the prospective customer, takes the order, processes the transmission of funds, and informs the web site owner of the sale. There are many different ways to build an ecommerce enabled web site. We are experts in this field and can help determine which way is right for you.

Flash is an internet content delivery technology developed by Macromedia, and now owned by Adobe. The vector based Flash format features streaming animation, sound, and advanced interaction capabilities. We are experts is using Flash technology.

How much does a car cost? That's too general of a question to answer. It depends on many factors. The only way we can give you an accurate quote is to discuss with you your requirements, expectations, and budget concerns. Please feel free to fill out a web design quote request and we can begin the process.

This depends on many factors, but we will give you an estimated time frame upon presenting a design proposal.

Yes, we give deep discounts to 'not for profit' organizations. We also discount our work for 'starving artist' types in order to show our support for the artistic community.

Yes, although we only host sites that we design. You can find detailed information in the web hosting section of this site.

No, we are happy to work with the web host of your choice.

Absolutely, we are experts in the field of ecommerce.

Yes, because of today's high speed communication options, we have successfully performed work for out of state customers.