[IT2.1, IT3.1, GMS1, GMS2, MS AO2]

The two main types of web site are:

• Business/Commercial site – exists to sell you a product and provide a service.
• Non-profit site – usually exists to provide information

Business sites have to contain information. You need to think about how much or little information is offered, and how biased it is. Remember that opinion can sometimes be disguised as information and vice versa.

But it is more complex than this, these two main types can also be subdivided into:

• Information sites
• Opinion sites

The problem is that these last two categories may also cross the boundaries of ‘Business’ and ‘Nonprofit’ sites.

There are also:

• Ego sites

These are owned and run usually by one person who wants to express his/her views and ideas.

Sites vary in the quality of their artwork, the better the site the clearer the navigation and instructions on how to order what you want (if it's a commercial site).

Any or all of these types of site may be plastered with confusing or distracting advertisements – though a nonprofit site tends not to sell space on its site for advertisements. You should think about the effect of advertising on the site.

The real problem, then, is telling the difference between ‘Information’ and ‘Opinion’. A nonprofit site may be more interested in giving information, but information can be biased and tainted by opinion.
Visit some of the sites listed in the table below [which you will also find in Links for Comparison] and then try to categorise them.

Now move on to Evaluating Sites