dacs.doc electric

Web Pages

Create Your Own Web Page, Really!

By Mike Kaltschnee

THIS MONTH I'd like to help you understand how Web pages work, and the best way to learn is to actually create one of your very own. It's not hard to do; in fact, it's only a little bit harder than writing a letter (or a DACS column).

The easiest Web page is done using a recent version of Microsoft Word, preferably 7.0 (you can also use WordPerfect if you desire). You simply type the document as you normally would, select "File" from the menu bar, then "Save As HTML." Put the resulting file somewhere on your hard disk you'll remember, such as your "My Documents" folder. The name of the file is very important: It should be kept to eight characters and end with ".htm".

To view your first Web page, load NetScape Navigator or Internet Explorer. Under the "File" menu, select "Open" or "Open File in Browser." Select your file. Viola! You have just created your very own Web page. You can even get fancy, adding clipart or photographs from your digital camera or scanner. Just remember to keep the layout simple, because the Web doesn't support all of the fancy features in Microsoft Word. Safe things to use are tables, indents, alignment, bold, and italics.

To understand how Web pages really work, we'll need to use Notepad. Run Notepad and type the following in exactly as it appears, including the right and left wedges.

<html>
<title>This is my first Web page</title>
<body>
This is my first Web page.
</body>
</html>

Save the file as "firstweb.htm." Run your Web browser, and load the file ("Open" or "Open File in Browser"). It should look like Figure 1.

The words in the "<" and ">" brackets are called tags, and there are about 20 tags to learn if you are going to create Web pages. Don't confuse HTML with programming; it's a lot simpler and you don't need to be a "geek" to create Web pages. You just need to pick up a good book on Web authoring. I recommend anything by Laura LeMay, but you can find a book that speaks to you at Borders or Barnes & Noble.

The only way to get good at Web page creation is practice, and lots of playing. A great Web site for tutorials and tips/tricks on Web page authoring is www.htmlgoodies.com. You can also use a trick to learn how someone created a site that appeals to or awes you. Anytime you see a page you like, simply select the "View" menu in your Web browser, and select "View Source." You'll see all of the tags, and the secrets behind the page will be revealed.

If you want to learn about Web graphics, I've put an old DACS column online that teaches all about images. You can view the pages online at www.demorgan.com/seminar/graphics.html.

A great tool for creating Web pages may be the same program you're using to view them. Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator now include Web authoring tools. I use Netscape when I want to put a quick and easy page together. It even has a "Publish" feature that will move your Web page to the Internet. To get started, just use "File" and "New Document."

The final step in creating a Web page is to publish it on the Internet. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to pay anything for space on the Internet if you don't want to. Free space is available for non-commercial Web pages at several great locations. Geocities calls it "homesteading," and you put your pages in the same area as others of the same interest, hobby, or type. Tripod, is another place where you can post your pages, without paying a dime.

The term for publishing your pages is called "FTP," which stands for File Transfer Protocol. Don't let it scare you; it's just the copy command of the Internet. If you're using a Web authoring program such as Hot Dog, Navigator, FrontPage, Fusion, PageMill, or any commercial program, it should easily allow you to transfer your files to the Web. If you're using Word or Notepad, you can download a great program for FTP called "WS FTP" from www.shareware.com.

So, now that I've got you started, get your Web pages online. When you're done, send me the URL. The reason the Web has grown so quickly is that it's so easy to get your ideas, hobbies, interests, stories, and more published so the whole world can see. I know 13 year-old Web publishers as well as 50-plus-year-old grandmothers who have put whole Web sites together. I'm looking forward to seeing your pages.

Web Pages

Create Your Own Web Page, Really!

*By Mike Kaltschnee*
THIS MONTH I'd like to help you understand how Web pages work, and the best way to learn is to actually create one of your very own. It's not hard to do; in fact, it's only a little bit harder than writing a letter (or a DACS column). The easiest Web page is done using a recent version of Microsoft Word, preferably 7.0 (you can also use WordPerfect if you desire). You simply type the document as you normally would, select "File" from the menu bar, then "Save As HTML." Put the resulting file somewhere on your hard disk you'll remember, such as your "My Documents" folder. The name of the file is very important: It should be kept to eight characters and end with ".htm". To view your first Web page, load NetScape Navigator or Internet Explorer. Under the "File" menu, select "Open" or "Open File in Browser." Select your file. Viola! You have just created your very own Web page. You can even get fancy, adding clipart or photographs from your digital camera or scanner. Just remember to keep the layout simple, because the Web doesn't support all of the fancy features in Microsoft Word. Safe things to use are tables, indents, alignment, bold, and italics. To understand how Web pages really work, we'll need to use Notepad. Run Notepad and type the following in exactly as it appears, including the right and left wedges. <html> <title>This is my first Web page</title> <body> This is my first Web page. </body> </html> Save the file as "firstweb.htm." Run your Web browser, and load the file ("Open" or "Open File in Browser"). It should look like Figure 1. The words in the "<" and ">" brackets are called tags, and there are about 20 tags to learn if you are going to create Web pages. Don't confuse HTML with programming; it's a lot simpler and you don't need to be a "geek" to create Web pages. You just need to pick up a good book on Web authoring. I recommend anything by Laura LeMay, but you can find a book that speaks to you at Borders or Barnes & Noble. The only way to get good at Web page creation is practice, and lots of playing. A great Web site for tutorials and tips/tricks on Web page authoring is www.htmlgoodies.com. You can also use a trick to learn how someone created a site that appeals to or awes you. Anytime you see a page you like, simply select the "View" menu in your Web browser, and select "View Source." You'll see all of the tags, and the secrets behind the page will be revealed. If you want to learn about Web graphics, I've put an old DACS column online that teaches all about images. You can view the pages online at www.demorgan.com/seminar/graphics.html. A great tool for creating Web pages may be the same program you're using to view them. Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator now include Web authoring tools. I use Netscape when I want to put a quick and easy page together. It even has a "Publish" feature that will move your Web page to the Internet. To get started, just use "File" and "New Document." The final step in creating a Web page is to publish it on the Internet. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to pay anything for space on the Internet if you don't want to. Free space is available for non-commercial Web pages at several great locations. Geocities calls it "homesteading," and you put your pages in the same area as others of the same interest, hobby, or type. Tripod, is another place where you can post your pages, without paying a dime. The term for publishing your pages is called "FTP," which stands for File Transfer Protocol. Don't let it scare you; it's just the copy command of the Internet. If you're using a Web authoring program such as Hot Dog, Navigator, FrontPage, Fusion, PageMill, or any commercial program, it should easily allow you to transfer your files to the Web. If you're using Word or Notepad, you can download a great program for FTP called "WS FTP" from www.shareware.com. So, now that I've got you started, get your Web pages online. When you're done, send me the URL. The reason the Web has grown so quickly is that it's so easy to get your ideas, hobbies, interests, stories, and more published so the whole world can see. I know 13 year-old Web publishers as well as 50-plus-year-old grandmothers who have put whole Web sites together. I'm looking forward to seeing your pages.

Mike Kalschnee is a co-owner of DeMorgan Industries Corp., the leading developer of Web graphics, and also teaches Webmaster and Internet marketing classes at the Internet School in Naugatuck Valley Community Technology College. You can reach Mike at: mikek@demorgan.com