If you're looking for a website, you should understand that there are two kinds of websites that you can have. They are:

• Static website
• Dynamic website

The static website consists of web pages arbitrarily put together. These pages are located on a server in the same state as you'd view them with your browser.

The dynamic website brings together several underlying technologies. It stores the content in a database and using a script, dynamically retrieves and packages that content into a web page before it is sent to the client browser.

The static website is relatively limited in its functionality. The dynamic website has vast potential in terms of functionality, but can become extremely complex and convoluted to use.

Certain web environments have come into use to deal with the complexities of the dynamic website. In terms of functionality, these could be broken down into:

• Content Management System (CMS)
• Shopping cart or ecommerce system.

Both use the same underlying technologies. Note that there are many variations and combinations of these technologies, which can be split into proprietary and non-proprietary systems. Also note that there is overlap between these two systems so that a CMS could be fitted with ecommerce functionality.

Totalnetqc specializes in the development of two such systems. Both are non-proprietary, opensource systems whose underlying technology is opensource too. They are:

• Joomla! content management system (CMS)
• osCommerce ecommerce solution

Deciding on a system

The first decision that you have to make is whether to go with a static website or a dynamic website.

The static website is appropriate when:

• Your website objective is simple (ie, text and a few images nicely arranged)
• You won't change the content very often, if at all
• You know that you won't change or add functionality to your website in the next few years
• Optimizing your website for the search engines isn't a real priority
• You don't plan on enhancing your business online.

Some may argue that a small, static website can be very well optimized for the internet, however, as of October 2007, content has become a primary factor in determining page ranking. Therefore, depending on the popularity of the website's subject matter, designing a static website and throwing some text on it may not be sufficient. If a website owner is serious about getting their website ranked, they will understand that after the website is already online, the existing website content will be refined more than once and new content will be regularly added to the website. Although it is possible to change existing content and add new content on a static website, the process is not convenient to the average user and requires a knowledge of html.

A static website is appropriate when the website owner wants an online presence as a means of  providing additional information about their existing business. In other words, an online business card.

The dynamic website is appropriate when:

• You want to sell products on the internet
• Your website will be updated regularly
• Your website will be updated by multiple users
• You plan on possibly adding new functionality to your website at some time in the future
• Optimizing your website for the search engines is a priority
• You want to acquire new, online customers or visitors to your website.