Webpages are created with a language called HTML. HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Language. While the title may sound confusing, it is not that difficult to learn HTML. For every start command in HTML, there is an end command.
Example #1: <center>Hello
Everybody</center>
Example #2: <center><B>Hello
Everybody</B></center>
Example #3: <center><B><I>Hello
Everybody</I></B></center>
In the first example, Hello Everybody would appear centered on the screen. In the second example, Hello Everybody would appear centered on the screen in bold print. In the third example, Hello Everybody would appear centered on the screen in bold and italic print. The</command> ends the command.
You can use any word processor or even Notepad to type up your webpages. Every webpage ends with .htm or .html. Your homepage is named index.html. When you name your webpages, make sure you do not put any spaces in the file names. The reason no spaces are allowed is because you will be soon transferring your webpages to a Linux operating system which does not allow spaces. I also highly recommend that you keep all your file names all lowercase. The Linux operating system is case sensitive and can cause you headaches if you save your file names in upper and lowercase combinations.
So where to start? Here is the skeleton code of a webpage:
<html>
<head>
<title>Title which appears in title
bar</title>
</head>
<body>
Insert your webpage here.
</body>
</html>
The main difference between webpages and word processing documents is that word processing documents contain the pictures on them. On webpages, the pictures are separate from the webpage. The HTML tells the picture to show up on the page. The HTML command for doing this is <img src=”abc.jpg”>. Web browsers can only support two types of pictures: .jpg and .gif.
Do you want to learn more about HTML? Here are some ways to learn more:
Helpful Websites: http://www.stars.com and http://webhelp.org/index.html
Go to a search device (altavista, lycos, etc.), type HTML Coding
Go to http://www.yahoo.com and select www (under computers), HTML, Guides and Tutorials
Go to your favorite webpage, then in Netscape 4 click on View, then on Page Source. In Internet Explorer, click on View, then on Source.
If HTML sounds too difficult for yourself, you do have other options. You can use a program called an HTML editor. There are several editor programs available, including free ones. Netscape comes with one called Netscape Composer. These HTML editors work more like a word processor. They use WYSIWYG technology – What You See Is What You Get. Some of the latest word processors even have features to convert documents into webpages.
Once you get your webpages done, you then need to get them from your computer to our server. This is done by using a program called FTP. FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. The most popular FTP program is called ws_ftp. Macintosh users use a program called Fetch.
If you are really serious about doing webpages, you might want to consider using a program called Microsoft Frontpage. Our server supports Microsoft Frontpage Server Extensions. Frontpage does everything any other HTML editor does plus has a lot of bells and whistles. You can add counters and forms to your webpages without contacting us. Tables, forms, and frames are a breeze to create and manipulate using Microsoft Frontpage. Here is the catch, if you don’t have Microsoft Frontpage, the program costs around $150 to $200 to purchase.
Microsoft Frontpage doesn’t allow you to use a FTP program either, it does it by itself. With any other HTML editor or HTML code, you are creating the webpage on your computer then sending it to ours. With Frontpage, you are working on our server. When you hit save, anybody can view your work if they know your page exists. If you are interested in using Frontpage, please call us at 895-9911 and we will setup your account for Frontpage. Once your account has been setup, here is how you get into it with Microsoft Frontpage 2000:
FTP allows us to take our webpages and graphics off our local computer and place them on the Internet Server. Here are the following settings you will need:
| Host Name: | altelco.net |
| Host Type: | automatic detect |
| User ID: | username |
| Password: | |
| Local PC Initial Directory: | c: |
| Remote Host Initial Directory: | /public_html |
Your local hard drive is shown in the left window. Your reserved space on the web server is shown in the right window.
To get a file from your pc to the web server, select the file in the left window, then click on the right arrow.
To get a file from the web server to your pc, select the file in the right window, then click on the left arrow.
To download and install ws_ftp:
Hold down the shift key and click here to download ws_ftp.
To install ws_ftp, you will need an uncompression program like WinZip. If you do not have that program, hold down the shift key and click here to download winzip
To install Fetch (FTP):
Put disk into computer.
Double click on untitled (floppy disk) icon, which will appear on the desktop after you have inserted the disk.
Double click on FTP Installer.
Click on Continue.
Click on Install.
Click on Install.
Note: If you have an older machine and it can’t read the floppy disk, go to http://support.teleport.com/mac/ and download the fetch program off the Internet.
To make alias of Fetch (placing an icon on the desktop):
Double click on Hard Drive.
Double click on Fetch 3.0.2 Folder.
Single click on Fetch 3.0.2.
Click on File (from the menu).
Click on Make Alias (from the drop down menu).
Drag Fetch Alias onto desktop.
To run Fetch (FTP):
Double click on Fetch.
Put following information in:
Host:
altelco.net
User ID:
username
Password:
password
Directory:
/public_html
Click on OK.
To place files from your computer to Internet Server:
Click on Put File.
Select file to be moved, click on Open.
Enter name for the file to be placed on server, click on OK.
To place files from Internet Server to your
computer:
Select file in window.
Click on Get File.
Click on Save.