Producing Your Own Webpage
After viewing a few dozen, hundred, or thousand websites, odds are you're at least a little curious as to the process behind creating websites.
While the entire process can be a long-winded and murky business for large and complex sites, it can also be surprisingly simple.
I'll plump for that second scenario here, and try to show that website ownership, and coding, need not be beyond the ken of Joe and Jane internet user.
To be sure, first attempts may look plain to the point
of Amish-ness, but then you wouldn't expect to speak
fluently a new language the first day.
If you're considering a website, you should have already answered the important but often-overlooked question 'what is it for'?
Your answer may range from the personal ( as an electronic newsletter for friends and family, as a showcase for your talents, as a forum for a favourite subject ) to the political, to the commercial ( as an always-available advertising brochure, as an online catalogue, as a direct order system for customers, as a commercial service ).
If the site falls into the latter category, you may want to consider approaching a web design firm, because it will likely call for specialized knowledge and a high standard of design to be successful.
Otherwise, designing and coding the site yourself
need be an investment of nothing but time.
The first thing you need to know is that webpages are coded, or marked up, using a language called HTML ( HyperText Markup Language ). You can see an example of HTML by visiting any website and choosing View --> Source in Internet Explorer, or View --> Page Source in Netscape browsers.
While the result may look like frightening gibberish at first glance, it becomes less so when you realize that HTML consists of a series of tags which contain the text, images, and objects on a page.
For example, <a> represents the "anchor" tag, or a
link, and might appear in code like so;
<a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/">Home</a>This will render on a webpage as a text link using the
word "Home" to The New Zealand Herald
website. Notice that
the tag is closed ( "</a>") after its content ( "Home" ).
There are many good, basic, and free HTML tutorials on the internet, which you'll find by typing "html tutorial" into Google. An interactive tutorial, BasicHTML, and Teach Yourself HTML in 24 hours are also good starting points.
Learning HTML really isn't as difficult as first glance, and knowing it will be a huge advantage if you continue coding websites, but it is not strictly necessary.
You can use a point-and-click editor. Windows' Word will also do the trick ) or you can code by hand using a good text editor. Among that list, CuteHTML and coffeeCup HTML Editor are good, as is HTML Kit.
You'll also need a programme to produce or edit graphics for your website, and Tucows gives a selection. Adobe's Photoshop, and Jasc's Paint Shop Pro, are top editors, but Microsoft's native Photo Editor or even Paint may suffice for very basic work.
Rather than produce your own images and code, you can also search Google for "free html templates", or use a template from a site such as Blogger.
Now your page is complete, you'll need somewhere to "host"
it so that other people can view it. The first three links
I tried from a Google search for "free web hosting" offered
exactly that, with advertising banners. Your Internet
Service Provider may also offer free hosting.
Lastly, you will probably need a FTP file transfer programme to send your files to that host. From the listings at Windows FTP programmes, CuteFTP, WS-FTP LE, and SmartFTP are good candidates.
All that's left now is to show us your site!
May 17, 2004
site by Urban Legend Designs