Getting yourself an HTML Editor without first learning the basics of the Hypertext Markup Language is probably not a good idea. You can save yourself some time by doing it the right way. In this section you'll find a few good places to start, another way to find out what you want to know and where you can go to see if you've done things right. If it's all just too much for you, you'll find links to places on the web where all you have to do is type in information under various headings and they'll generate a home page for you. I've also listed some good sites that also offer HTML help. Any sites designated with a "New" tag were added in July/97.

HTML Help

TheBare Bones Guide to HTML - To view this page, you need a browser that supports tables. It provides a "cheat sheet" for HTML tags. Besides including virtually all HTML 2.0 tags, it also includes popular Netscape extensions and several HTML 3.0 tags.

ABeginner's Guide to HTML - A very good primer for producing documents in HTML. It's either worth a bookmark or keep it handy by printing the pages.

Beyond the Bones of HTML - A good place to visit.

Composing Good HTML -Discusses good practices to follow as well as how your document is organized. This prints out at about 25 pages but it's nice to have around.

HTMLZine - This site offers basic help, beyond basics, FAQ's, Tip of the Week, web utilities and links to newsgroups.

The Hypertext Madness of Laurence Simon- A slightly different take on web page design. Good information to be found here and well laid out.

Lifting the Veil - When you do your web pages, make them accessible for the visually impaired.

Web Page Starter - If you use a Netscape browser, this link can be found in the Help menu. You'll find all sorts of good things here to help you start on your own page.

WWWiz Magazine - The on-line version of WWWiz Magazine offers a vast array of information. Check out the latest edition; look through back-issues; read the Departments section (especially Cye Waldman's column.) There are very good sections for an HTML book list and Web Tools. One of the top sights on the Web.

How Did They Do That?

You've read about HTML but when it's time to set up your own page, you're still not sure how to do things like centering, lists, tables, or having things on the right-hand side of your page. You could always take hours trying all different ways of making things work or you can do this:

If you're using a Netscape browser, find a web site that has something like what you want to do on your own page. Go to the "View" menu and click on "document source." This will take you into the HTML document for that page and you can see how that particular section was created.

If you don't want to write it all down while spending time on-line, go back to the regular view of the page and click on the "File" menu in Netscape. Click on "save as" and you can save that page as an HTML file.

All you have to do now is open that file in your HTML editor and you'll have the source code. Just be careful not to violate any copyright laws.

Adding Midi Music to Your Pages

I get a lot of email asking how to put music on your pages. The following is the code that you'd use so that Netscape and Internet Explorer users can hear your fine choice of tunes.

<embed src="http://your URL here/name of tune here.mid" WIDTH=140 HEIGHT=55 autostart=true loop=true> <noembed><bgsound src="http://your URL here/name of tune here.mid" WIDTH=140 HEIGHT=55 autostart=true loop=true></noembed>

This type of setup will show the music player on your page so that people can turn the music off if they don't care for it. If you don't want the music player to show, set the width and height to this: width=2 height=1. It's important to put the height at 1 instead of 0 because otherwise, you're page will "jump" each time you visit the page and it's fairly annoying. This setup also has your music start automatically and loop indefinitely instead of stopping after one run-through. Place the HTML code near the top of your page so the music is one of the first things to start loading. Otherwise, people will be off your page before it starts playing.

If you have any trouble setting up your music, just email me and I'll see if I can help you out. Send me your URL too if you've tried to add it and it doesn't work so I can see what's happening.

Adding Music - Method Two

If your server isn't MIME compliant you won't hear the music on your site and neither will your visitors. Here's a way around that problem. You'll also need the Crescendo Plug-in for your browser. Here's the coding that you'll need to place on your HTML pages:

<EMBED TYPE="music/crescendo" SONG="yourmusicnamehere.mid" PLUGINSPAGE="http://www.liveupdate.com/dl.html" WIDTH=16 HEIGHT=16 autostart=true loop=true> <BGSOUND SRC="yourmusicnamehere.mid" autostart=true loop=true>

This set-up will put a small musical note on your page and if someone is using the Netscape browser, all they have to do is right-click their mouse on the note to either stop the tune or adjust the volume. What the heck? There's always the "mute" button. :-)

Is My Home Page Done Right?

Now that you think you have everything done correctly on your page, do you want to know for sure? You'll have to temporarily FTP your pages onto your server but it'll be worth it to know if you've done things right. You'll have to check with your own service provider first to see what you have to do to get your pages on the Web. After your page is on your server, go to either of these two sites:

Doctor HTML-This site will check your page for: spelling, document structure, analysis of images, image command syntax, verify your hyperlinks and show command hierarchy.

Doctor HTML will check any or all of these things but verifying hyperlinks really slows things up. You may just want to do this yourself while your pages are on your server. After a bit of a wait, a report is generated. You'll even find a section called "Ask Doctor HTML" just in case you did mess up.

WebTechs-HTML Validation Service- A very good place to go and have your pages checked. An easy to understand report is returned and while you're there, scoop the WebTechs icon to place on your page when it passes the validation test.

I Still Don't Understand How to Do HTML and I Give Up!

If you think this is all going to take just too much of your time and you want to see a page on the "Net" in a hurry, try these links that will let you type in a bit of information and they'll generate a page for you. What could be easier?

Build Your Own Personal Home Page- again, fill in the blanks, submit it and there you have it.

Planet Tripod- Have fun.....it's cool and the membership is free. Lots of advice for home pages too.

Links to Other Homepage Design Tips

Baudboy's Home Page

Bruce's Web Page Help-Great site with lots of information.

Craig's "1" Stop for HTML-Good pages with extensive links too.

The Cybergrrl Webstation

Gandalf's Guide to Homepages - Good info with examples of HTML. A site with a sense of humor too.

Jeffrey M. Glover's Do's & Don'ts of Web Site Design

Great Website Design Tips

How Do They Do That With HTML?

HTML Help

The HTML Helper

Huxley's HTML Help (Joe's Garage) - A great resource for home page design.

Pug's Guide to Creating a Successful Home Page

Putting your Art on the World Wide Web- A brand new book coming soon with easy to understand information on how to add graphics to your web pages.

D.J. Quad's Ultimate HTML Site - And it is! Everything you need to know but were afraid to ask.

Web Mastery - A great place with links to quality sites for your web page needs.

Web Page Design: Resources, Tools & Tips

Webmasters Toolbox - If you need it, you'll find out how to get it here. A great place with great resources.

Web Templates - Download .zip files that offer home page templates, forms templates and splash screen templates. A great place if you want a page on the Internet fast and don't know any HTML yet.

WWWrite Web Page Design - A great place for the Newbie Webmaster! Information on Java, sound, frames, animation and more. A must see site!

I'm a Friend of the Camel's!
HTML Oassis & WWWeb Camel's Watering Hole
HTML & Java Developers Shareware Site.

If you've gotten this far, you should have a fairly good idea of what you want to do. If you think you'd like to try your hand at making your own page, carry on and get yourself an HTML Editor.

Updated on July 1, 1997.