Beginnings of a FAQ (fwd)
Carlos Cruz
ccruz at cks.ssd.k12.wa.us
Fri Jan 19 12:02:22 PST 1996
There were many questions about basic Web FAQs at last nights meeting and
I find this to be a good list if you don't mind the bandwidth. : ^)
Carlos
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 18 Jan 1996 22:47:50 EST
From: Garth C. Sainio <Garth.C.Sainio at DARTMOUTH.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list HTML-L <HTML-L at VM.EGE.EDU.TR>
Subject: Beginnings of a FAQ
Maybe this will help thing a little.
Garth
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~modred
The HTML (WWW) Assistance List FAQ version 0.1
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Last Revised 18 January 1996.
Created in an attempt to answer the questions that seem to take up 95%
of the list's posting. Any comments or suggestions please email me at
garth.sainio at dartmouth.edu
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Contents:
1. What is the HTML (WWW) Assistance List?
2. What should I use to create/edit web pages?
3. How do I add a counter to my page?
4. What are some sites which provide assistance with HTML and web
page design?
5. General List Topics
a. How do I subscribe?
b. How do I unsubscribe?
c. How do I send mail to the list?
d. How do I set the list to be sent to me as a digest?
e. How do I send mail to the list-owner?
f. Does the list have an archive?
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1. What is the HTML (WWW) Assistance List?
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The HTML (WWW) Assistance List is a list that is designed for helping
people in designing, creating, maintaining and tweaking the webs pages. As the
title suggests much of the mail will be about HTML code and syntax and the
function of various tags. This is and will most likely continue to be a high
volume list. So, if you can not deal with a large number of messages daily,
you have two options: receive the list in digest mode (see 5d) or unsubscribe
from the list (see 5b).
2. What should I use to create/edit web pages?
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There are two schools of thought on this issue. The first is that all
you need to create web pages is a basic text editor and a knowledge of HTML
tags and syntax. The advantages of this method are that a good knowledge of
HTML and, more often than naught, the writer of the page has more control over
what he places on his page for all to see; i.e. fewer unforeseen bugs and other
undesirable effects.
The other option is to use an HTML editor. These editors aid people who
do not wish learn HTML by sheltering them from most of the nitty-gritty of page
development. Editors range from being merely text editors that provide HTML
templates to being WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get editors). There are
also a large number of web page design aids like programs that let you select a
color from a color wheel and returns the RGB value in hexadecimal for you.
If you are just beginning to design pages then the best way to learn is
(as in any form of programming) by doing and by viewing source. To look at the
source for a page look around your browser for an option of either view source
or go to save as and see if "Save as Source" is an option.
Some editors I know of (by no means a complete list, as I compiling
this list from memory):
Macintosh:
Adobe Pagemill- commercial, demo available
Web Weaver- shareware (I think)
DOS/Windows:
HotMetal Pro
Hot Dog
UNIX/X windows:
None, that I know of. I guess emacs or vi will have to suffice.
Other platforms:
Let me know of any.
3. How do I add a counter to my page?
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Again there are two schools of thought on this one. The first is to use
of the counter services on the Web. This is handy if you do not have access to
the cgi-bin directory of your web server or if you do not know how to write a
script to do the counting for you. The second excuse is not a totally valid one
as there are many public domain counting scripts available with step by step
directions on how to adjust the script for your page and detailed directions on
how to install the script.
There are many services that provide counting, some of them for free,
the best thing to do is look for a service like this that is local to you (i.e.
in the same country or geographic region). One such company is Web Counter at
http://www.digits.com/web_counter/ , another is Internet Audit Bureau at
http://www.big-hits.com/computer/other.html. You can also visit Matt's script
archive at http://worldwidemart.com/scripts/ to obtain a script to implement a
counter. Also, take a look at yahoo at http://www.yahoo.com in the
Computers/WWW/CGI/ directory for more links about writing and using scripts.
4. What are some sites which provide assistance with HTML and web
page design?
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Here is a short list of sites to look at, as always if you can't find what you
are looking for in these sites check yahoo and ask on the list.
A Beginner's Guide to HTML
http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/General/Internet/WWW/HTMLPrimer.html
Composing Good HTML
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~tilt/cgh/
HTML Stuff
http://shani.net:80/~tls/html.html
The HTML Writers Guild Website
http://www.mindspring.com/guild/
HTML Quick Reference
http://kuhttp.cc.ukans.edu/lynx_help/HTML_quick.html
Bare Bones Guide to HTML (the most useful site I've found)
http://www.access.digex.net/~werbach/barebone.html
The Ten Commandments of HTML FAQ
http://www.visdesigns.com/design/commandments.html
5. General List Topics
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a. How do I subscribe?
You may subscribe to list at any time by sending a "subscribe HTML-L
your name" command to LISTSERV at VM.EGE.EDU.TR (or
LISTSERV at TREARN.BITNET).
b. How do I unsubscribe?
From the message you get when you sign up.
"You may leave the list at any time by sending a "SIGNOFF HTML-L"
command to LISTSERV at VM.EGE.EDU.TR (or LISTSERV at TREARN.BITNET)."
c. How do I send mail to the list?
From the message you get when you sign up.
"To send a message to all the people currently subscribed to the
list,
just send mail to HTML-L at VM.EGE.EDU.TR. This is called "sending
mail to the list", because you send mail to a single address and
LISTSERV makes copies for all the people who have subscribed.
This address (HTML-L at VM.EGE.EDU.TR) is also called the "list
address". You must never try to send any command to that address, as it
would be distributed to all the people who have subscribed. "
d. How do I set the list to be sent to me as a digest?
Send the command "html-l set digest" to
LISTSERV at VM.EGE.EDU.TR.
e. How do I send mail to the list-owner?
I'm not totally sure on this one, I've looked at the documentation but
do not see a specific address so if you really need to get in touch with
the list-owner try html-l-owner at VM.EGE.EDU.TR or send mail to
admin at VM.EGE.EDU.TR and ask them to help you contact the list owner.
f. Does the list have an archive?
From the message you get when you sign up.
"Contributions sent to this list are automatically archived. You can
get a list of the available archive files by sending an "INDEX HTML-L"
command to LISTSERV at VM.EGE.EDU.TR (or LISTSERV at TREARN.BITNET). You can then
order these files with a "GET HTML-L LOGxxxx" command, or using
LISTSERV's database search facilities. Send an "INFO DATABASE" command
for more
information on the latter."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * From the Listowner * * * * * * * * * * * *
. To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to:
majordomo at scn.org In the body of the message, type:
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