HOW TO BUILD and PROMOTE YOUR WEB SITE


by Mary lou Seymour


[ HTMLTUTORIALS ] [URL CHECKERS,MECHANICS ] [ PROMOTION] [FREE ADD ONS: MessageBoards,Guestbooks][ JAVA ] [ GRAPHICS ] [INTERNETUTILITIES ] [SOFTWARE TIPS ][ CLASSES & CERTIFICATION

This web page is designed to help novice and intermediateweb spinners create, promote, and check their own web sites. Unless otherwisenoted, all resources are free. 

INFOand Tutorials on HTML

There are numerous HTML editors on the market (some are free.) For thesame reason you want kids to learn their multiplication tables before theyget their hands on a calculator, it's helpful to understand basic HTMLbefore relying on Web authoring software. That way, you know just whatyou can do, how you can do it, and how to resolve any problems you encounter.Here are my personal favorite HTML tutorials and info pages.

BASIC GUIDE TO HTML Step by step instructions for basic HTML, includes HTML Glossary.

The Home Page Home Page[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/2090]The "Home Page" HomePage After you've figured out what the World Wide Web is all about, you'llwant to start building your own home page. This is the place to go to learnHTML. From how to make your background blue, to adding forms and tables,everything you'll need to know is explained here.

TotallyFree Homepage Resource Center [http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/4124/]Theone stop shop for all the resources that you'll need to start creatingyour own web pages. Everything from HTML validators, to design tips!

How dothey do that with HTML [http://www.nashville.net/~carl/htmlguide/index.html]Basicsof HTML and Q&A for the novice & expert.

FindLaw is providing a EZ, free service for legal professionals andfirms to put up a basic web site on their site. It is very EZ, fill informs etc, and is a good way to get started. Try it at http://firms.findlaw.com/

Forms Tutorial[http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/4555]Learn how to createsimple forms.

Ten Easy Steps [http://www.ptla.org/teneasy.htm]HughCalkins (Pine Tree Legal Services) tips on producing a legal services webpage

Web Pages: Design to Distribution:  Comparisonof web pages to newsletters, prepared by Mary Lou Seymour for the SC LegalServices Internet Committee

Software: Download to Install: Step by Stepinstructions on downloading & installing software, prepared by Marylou Seymour for the SC Legal Services Internet Committee

Legal Services Webmaster List:

Several LS Webmasters have an email list for LS webmasters... for info,contact Hugh Calkins, Pine Tree LegalServices 


FREE WEB SPACE

Most ISPs (Internet Service Providers) provide a certain amount of freeweb space with your account. If your service provider does not, there aremany servers which will provide free non-commercial AND commercial space.Here are some of the best known:

GeoCities[http://www.geocities.com/] Non-commercial only, no CGI, no passwordprotected pages allowed. Online editor and FTP. Also POP3 email account.

Tripod [http://www.tripod.com/planet/membership/signup]Non-commercial and commercial, online editor and FTP. 2 MG. No CGI.

Angelfire [http://www.angelfire.com/]Non-commercialand commercial, online editor and FTP. Also web based email. 200 kilobytes.No CGI. 


URLCHECKERS, WEB SITE MECHANICS

Check your web pages for browser and monitor compatibility, dead links,HTML construction, design, and more with these free services!

Link Verifier [A HREF="http://www.enduser.co.uk/linkverify]Providedby End User Computing Unlimited. Just enter URL and e-mail address, linkson that page will be verified and results e-mailed to you. Dead links reallytake away from your page, check them often

Bobby [A HREF="http://www.cast.org/bobby/]Enteryour URL and it will check your page for compatibility with specific browsersand disability access. It shows your web page with errors and warningsmarked at the appropriate places and at the bottom of the page. Even ifyou don't care about browser compatibility run your URL through. It maygive you ideas on how to improve your design and point out HTML errors.It also gives the pages load time, total load time, and the load time foreach specific part of the page

Website Garage [http://www.websitegarage.com]dead link check, site popularity check, spelling check, html designcheck.

Monitor Tester [http://www.younis.com.au/window.html]Checkhow your page looks on different monitor sizes

Doctor HTML [http://www2.imagiware.com/RxHTML]- check for spelling, dead links, table structure and more, including downloadtime for your page

Net Mechanic [http://www.netmechanic.com/link_check.htm]- Let Net Mechanic verify your links. Enter your URL select single pageor check the whole site. The results are e-mailed to you in an easy toread format. They also check your HTML and your server's speed.


PROMOTE(PUBLICIZE) YOUR WEB PAGE

Web Promote [http://www.webpromote.com]Tipson web page promotion, nice newsletter. Archive[http://www.WebPromote.com/wpweekly]

Did-It Detective [http://www.did-it.com/detective.htm]checkthe search engines and directories to determine if your site has been indexed.Take advantage of a limited time offer and try the did-it.com detectivefor FREE. 


FREE ADDONS TO MAKE YOUR SITE INTERACTIVE

Add ons (threaded messageboards, guestbooks, password protection, trackers,counters, chat rooms) really add zip to your web site!

CGI: What's CGI?

CGI ( Common Gateway Interface) is a UNIX programming language usedon web pages to add "interactive" features, such as forms, guestbooks,message boards etc. To use CGI scripts, you must own web space that allowsyou to use CGI scripts (Check with your host). If your server doesn't,or you don't know how to or don't want to take the time to write CGI scripts,there are several sites that "remotely host" CGI for you, and,provide scripts! To set-up CGI scripts on these servers to use on yourpage, you would just configure it (by filling out easy to use forms) andput the HTML tag in your web site where you want the CGI script to be.

Inside the Web [http://www.insidetheweb.com]Freethreaded messageboard for your site (remotely hosted).

CGI-FREE [http://www.cgi-free.com]FreeCGI hosting and scripts. CGI Free lets you, the users, access the scriptson CGI Free's server to return the results of the script that you accessed.CGI Free is reliable & easy, but only has a few scripts. Their mailer(form) is excellent, though.

XPOINT CGI [http://x-pointcgi.com]Remotelyhosted CGI scripts, Current scripts:Banner rotation, Sendmail, Redirection,(with pop-up menus, boxes)Password authentication script ,Guestbook, Randomlink generator, Free-for-all-link , X-Track - Tracks user information,WWWBoard,Browser Redirector ,Clock, Date, Poll Script ,Search Engine. XPoint isrun by Kevin Chiu, who is always eager to help, and there is a supportmessage board to receive help from other members.


INTERACTIVE FEATURES

All features are available free from the server which provides them(follow the links), and, are very easy to install on your web page.

Free Services for Web Publishersprogrammedand maintained by Philip Greenspun, featuring LUSENET, database-backed threaded discussions and Q&A forums. Fill outa simple form, decide how you want your forum presented, copy a line ofHTML onto your page and you're ready to go.

LegalServices Message Board [http://www.insidetheweb.com/messageboard/mbs.cgi/mb35605]Threaded message board provided by Inside the Web.

Legal Services ChatRoom [http://www.netside.com/~plslex/chat.htm] Java chat room providedby Para Chat.

SignMy Guestbook ViewMy Guestbook Guestbook by GuestWorld

 


FREE CGI SCRIPTS (not remotely hosted)

If your server does allow you to use CGI, check out

Matt's Script Archive [http://worldwidemart.com/scripts]thebest known and most comprehensive free CGI script archive on the Web.


JAVA

I don't use Java much anymore myself, simply cause it tends to chokefolks with older (non Netscape) browsers. However, if you're interestedin Java...

Infohiway JavaScript Archives [http://www.infohiway.com/javascript/indexf.htm] FreeCut & paste Java scripts.

JAVA CHAT

ParaChat [http://www.parachat.com]is the most reliable of the java web based chat rooms. Your users won'thave to download any software with web based chat! Add a chat room to yoursite free!


GRAPHICS

The Web is filled with hundreds of thousands of free graphics for youto download...there's no need to "take" any without asking! Hereare just a few sites that offer free graphics...

Barry's Clip Art Server [http://www.barrysclipart.com]Oneof the best collections on the Web. Barry continually is updating and addingto his extensive collection.


INTERNETUTILITIES & SOFTWARE

Slaughterhouse's[http://www.slaughterhouse.com/internet.html]extensive listing of utilities& software for the Net...from Browsers to URL Checkers

Internet Traffic Report[http://www.andovernews.com/trafficreport.html?sh000en_anda0065en]TheInternet Traffic Report measures the performance of major Internet routersaround the world once every hour. This performance data is then summarizedas a consolidated Traffic Index, with zero as the worst possible valueand 100 the best. The next time your Internet connection is slow, checkhere to see if the problem is local or global. 


Join the The HTML Writers GuildBasicMembership free. Newsletter, tips.


COMPUTER SOFTWARETIPS

ZD Tips [http://www.zdtips.com]ZDTips,a FREE service that delivers software tips right to your e-mail box. Simplyclick on the software product to subscribe to its tip service. (includesnumerous programs, including Netscape, Internet Explorer, Word Perfect,you name it)

WordPerfect tips [http://www.cobb.com/cw7]The Cobb Group's web site for WordPerfect users; In addition to providingthe free WordPerfect Tip, The Cobb Group publishes the monthly newsletterInside Corel WordPerfect Suite 7 For a free issue of Inside Corel WordPerfectSuite 7, simply fill out the form located at http://www.cobb.com/cw7/freevw79.htm


COMPUTERCLASSES, CERTIFICATION

Why physically attend classes when classes, training & certificationare available online?

ZD University [http://www.zdu.com]ZDNetUniversity is an online learning community that offers classes in computer-and Internet-related topics. For a monthly subscription of only $4.95 amonth (US), you get full access to the ZDU campus:Take as many classesas you want, whenever you want!Online classes starting right now in VisualBasic, C++, Java, Access, Web Building, Photoshop, & more!

MicrosoftCertification Training [http://www.microsoft.com/Train_Cert/mcp/certstep/support.htm]Costs vary depending on classes. 



Comments, suggestions, tips? Send them to Marylou Seymour [mls@netside.com]


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