An HTML Primer Part 02

What Every Web Site Owner Should Know An HTML Primer Part 02 (Part One Here) So let’s take a more detailed look shall we? Now that you see just how simple HTML really is let’s take a look at a basic HTML page. As you’ve just learned an HTML page is nothing more than simple text modified by various tags set in angle brackets. Although it is not always necessary, it is good form to begin any HTML page with the HTML tag and end the page with the closing HTML tag. So it should look like this: <html> This would be the entire content of your page. </html> Obviously, a little bit more than the above code makes up your average web page. The HTML tag at the beginning of the page is important because it helps the browser to understand what language the page is written in (HTML pages can have several other languages included as well). Usually, in a simple HTML page the head tag would follow the HTML tag. Inside of that head tag you will in most cases find a title tag. The title tag is the tag that controls the text that is at the very top of the browser when you open it. There may be some other code nested in the head tag, but we won’t be concerned with that now. Here is an example of the code: <html> <head> <title> my very first web page</title> </head> </html> See now, it’s easier than it looks, isn’t it? The above code will produce a blank web page titled my very first web page. I am guessing however, you already figured this out. Before I continue, I would like to reiterate; you do not have to remember all of this. This information is just to give you an understanding of what HTML is and how web pages work. Besides I have included the handy list of common HTML tags at the end of the book... Of course, now that you know how simple it is, you may want to experiment with it. You do not even have to buy anything. HTML can be written in any text editor. It simply has to be saved as either an .htm or an .html file. Let’s take a further look at this. The following code will render a very simple web page. As we continue to add different elements I will explain exactly what’s happening. First we will start with the code that we used above and add to it. To actually add content, we will need to add a body tag. The body tag will contain your content (no surprises here...). It tells the browser that the following content is to be displayed. Open Notepad (or any basic text editor) type the following: <html> <head> <title> my very first web page </title> </head> <body> This is my first web page. <p> <b>This text is bold.</b> </body> </html> Now, in your text editor (Notepad for example) click “File” and then “save as.” Next, Name your file: “first.HTM”. Make sure to include the quotation marks. Before you click “Save”, click the arrow next to the "Save as Type" field and select “All Files”. This is an important step, if you do not select “All Files” as the file type, your file will be named first.htm.txt. This is a problem because the computer uses the letters after the dot (known as the file extension) to determine which program to use to open the file. So if the computer sees a .txt at the end it knows your file is a text file and will use your default text editor to open it. However, if the file has .htm or .html as the file extension, the computer will use a browser to open it. In fact, the reason you should put the file name in quotations when you save is; just in case you forget to set the file type to “all”. If the filename is in quotes, then it will save it exactly as typed regardless. Congratulations, you have made a working web page. Conclusion: HTML is much simpler than you may have thought. It is something that you can probably learn to do quite well if you put your mind to it. Even though there are many expensive programs designed for professionals, all you need is a simple free text editor to get started. There are many tools on the web as well. You can find links to many at www.EverMoreTech.com. We will take a deeper look into HTML later on in the book and you can always stop my Website if you would like a more in depth hands on tutorial.

HTML Primer Part One

What Every Web Site Owner Should Know OK, SO WHAT THE HECK IS HTML ANYWAY? The basic language of the web is something known as HTML. It is the format in which instructions are sent over the Internet. HTML provides us with a light, flexible language that allows us to transmit large amounts of information effectively and efficiently. It is due to HTML that different types of computers and operating systems can all read the same Web pages and communicate with each other effectively well actually, there is a lot more to it all then just plain HTML, but for the average Web site owner, you will not be expected to know about the nuts and bolts of Web development. For your purposes suffice to say; HTML allows any computer with an appropriate browser to surf the net. It is not imperative that you know HTML, but it can help you communicate with your Webmaster. For this purpose, you should probably read this chapter. However, if techno speak makes your hands sweat, or you already know HTML, then it is safe to skip this chapter... HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language. Although similar, HTML is not actually a programming language. It is much, much simpler. Comparing HTML to a programming language is like comparing a soap box racer to a Porsche... A fully fledged programming language is capable of doing much, much more than basic HTML. HTML is a set of tags that modifies text. In simpler terms, HTML is basically a set of instructions that tells browsers how to assemble the Web page. An HTML file is simply a plain text file that is saved with an .htm or .html file extension. In addition to the plain text, the .htm file contains the HTML tags I mentioned earlier. When your browser receives the .htm page it interprets the tags and formats the text accordingly. This is accomplished by enclosing HTML tags in angle brackets. This way the browser “knows” that anything enclosed in angle brackets is an HTML tag. For example <b> is the HTML tag that instructs the browser to bold the text that follows it. An angle bracket followed by a slash would signify the end of a tag. Therefore the text that is in between becomes a modified by that particular tag. Clear as mud? OK here’s an example: You see this: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. If this text were displayed formatted as it is above in a browser, the source code would look like this: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. Easy right? There are tags that format text, others that allow you to add images, tables, lists and structural elements and still more that allow you to add more powerful scripting language and other elements to your website. Even so, it all boils down to using tags to markup text. So you see it’s really quite easy. Fortunately, you are a website owner and not a website developer. So you don’t have to know everything there is to know about the HTML, just the basics. In other words; you don’t have to know HTML, you just have to know about HTML. If you take the time to learn a little bitmore than you need to know, then you are really ahead of the game. This chapter will explore basic HTML and I will provide an appendix at the end of this book of basic HTML tags. Most of them are relatively self explanatory and you will know what they mean right when see them, but a good “Short List” of common HTML tags can really come in handy. Continued in Part Two...

ALL HOSTS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL

What Every Web Site Owner Should Know ALL HOSTS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL Now that you know a little bit more about Web hosting, it is time to think about actually choosing a Web host. Services offered range from simple web hosting with no features, to comprehensive packages including templates, a marketing plan, search engine submission, and more. Sometimes this can be confusing for a prospective Website owner. Too many choices can lead to what may not be the best decision. Therefore, one of the most important things to consider is reliability. Regardless of what else is offered, or how great the deal is, if your Website is down half the time, it’s not worth it. After reliability, email is probably the next critical feature you should consider. Before you sign up with a hosting company, you can check to see if their mail servers appear on any black lists (Just visit my Website to find out how to do this.). Additionally, most Web hosts offer protection against spam. It will also allow you to add email addresses that you want to make certain you receive email from to a white list. Spam filtering is a balancing act. The higher the security, the less spam will get through, but the greater the probability that legitimate email is filtered along with the junk mail. Depending upon how important you consider your email, will determine your “comfort level” regarding spam filtering. Personally, I prefer a Web host to allow all non-virus email through. I can configure my own spam filter.

Web Hosting Pt 02 Web Hosting Features Demystified

What Every Web Site Owner Should Know Web Hosting Features Demystified When you are searching for a Web host and comparing the different features offered, there are some terms used to describe the different features offered. Understanding what these terms mean and what your needs will likely be, can save you a considerable sum of money later on. I realize that a lot of this stuff is about as exciting as watching paint peel, but you will be glad you did later. Most average sites don’t require more than one or two Gigabytes of Web space (This will undoubtedly change in time). Buy the least expensive plan that offers the features you need. If you find that you need more, than it is usually a simple matter to request an upgrade to a better plan. Websites that offer high quality video, audio, photos, graphics, or have excessive traffic will use more resources than an average site. Sites that accept credit cards will need SSL to provide secure payment transactions. Corporate sites may need a dedicated server. Business may want to use co-location etc... In order to launch a successful Website you will need to keep your start up and operating costs to a minimum. Future considerations such as marketing, maintenance, and redesign can be costly. Assuming the hosting services you choose are adequate for your needs, the less money you spend on hosting the better. I mention this because there are many hosts that will charge top dollar for a level of service you do not need. Don’t get cheap, unreliable service, mind you, just be away that you don’t need to overpay. The more money you can save on hosting, the more you will have for other aspects of your site. Some basic web hosting features you need to be concerned about: Web space –This determines how much content you will be able to store on your site. Bandwidth –This is a measure of the data you can send over your site per day/week/month. Server performance –Faster machines mean better performance... Backups –Are the servers (and your Website) backed up daily? Access –Do you have the access you need? In most cases a simple control panel and FTP access should do the trick Support – Is there a toll free number? Is the support 24/7? Streaming videos, podcasts, webinars, or other media –Support for streaming media may be an additional add-on, or included in a premium package. SSL –Security Certificate necessary for ecommerce sites. Physical Security –does the facility have 24/7 security? When you are searching for a Web host and comparing the different features offered, there are some terms used to describe the different features offered. Understanding what these terms mean and what your needs will likely be, can save you a considerable sum of money later on. I realize that a lot of this stuff is about as exciting as watching paint peel, but you will be glad you did later. Most average sites don’t require more than one or two Gigabytes of Web space (This will undoubtedly change in time). Buy the least expensive plan that offers the features you need. If you find that you need more, than it is usually a simple matter to request an upgrade to a better plan. Websites that offer high quality video, audio, photos, graphics, or have excessive traffic will use more resources than an average site. Sites that accept credit cards will need SSL to provide secure payment transactions. Corporate sites may need a dedicated server. Business may want to use co-location etc... In order to launch a successful Website you will need to keep your start up and operating costs to a minimum. Future considerations such as marketing, maintenance, and redesign can be costly. Assuming the hosting services you choose are adequate for your needs, the less money you spend on hosting the better. I mention this because there are many hosts that will charge top dollar for a level of service you do not need. Don’t get cheap, unreliable service, mind you, just be away that you don’t need to overpay. The more money you can save on hosting, the more you will have for other aspects of your site.

$ $ $ $ $ DOMAIN REGISTRAR SCAM ALERT! $ $ $ $ $

What Every Web Site Owner Should Know $ $ $ $ $ SCAM ALERT! $ $ $ $ $ Many unscrupulous domain registrars exist. It is a common practice of these registrars to send official looking letters in the mail informing you that your domain is about to expire. They will include a form to send along with a check to “renew” your domain name. Though it may not say outright in the letter, they will typically have the appearance of being from either your current registrar (they assume you don’t know who that actually is), or even from the Government or some other official office. Actually, they have nothing to do with neither the government, nor your registrar. They are simply looking for people that don’t know how this all works If the form and check are sent in, then the unscrupulous registrar will transfer your domain name from your current registrar to their company. Sometimes this will have little or no impact on your services, while other occasions, the “new” registrar may have inferior equipment, or be located in part of the world that has poor infrastructure. If this is the case, then your Website may load slowly, erratically, or not at all. Depending upon the company, it may be very hard to transfer control away from them and back to a more reputable registrar. Remember, some registrars charge big bucks for registrations. They (even some reputable companies) are not in a hurry to lose your revenue.

Domain Registrars Part One

What Every Web Site Owner Should Know DOMAIN REGISTRARS Domain Names are the first step to launching a Website. Once you have made the decision to launch a Website, the obvious first step is to pick out and secure a good domain name. This is done by visiting a Domain Registrar. Most registrars have a tool on their Website that lets you check to see if a domain name is available or not. If you find one that you like, then it is a relatively easy process to purchase it. A Registrar will provide Name Servers that will enable your Website to be available online. I am not referring to being “found” by a person using a search engine, which is a subject we will get into later. I am referring to having your domain physically available online. Name Servers and what they do seem to cause a lot of confusion amongst many Website Owners, particularly when changing Web hosts, Registrars or Webmasters. Frequently, the owner does not know the password/user combination, or even worse, the name of the actual registrar. This can cause quite a bit of extra work and delay your project. Therefore, make certain to keep this information safe. In most cases your Web host will send you an email containing all the information that you will need. Be sure to print out a copy and keep in your records. If your Webmaster sets up your hosting account, be sure to have him forward you a copy of the login information I mentioned above. *A decent Webmaster should be able to find the name of the registrar easily, but if you have changed email addresses then it can be unpleasant. Even though in most cases you will be able to access it once you prove that you are the actual owner, it is a hassle that is easily avoided. Congratulations! Once you have set up a domain name, you are officially a Website Owner (see, that wasn’t so hard, was it?). However, at this point, that may not mean much; due to the fact that your Website probably just points to a “parking page”. This page is automatically put in place by your domain registrar. It may have a few ads on it, or perhaps nothing at all. Regardless, it is your Website and nobody else can use that domain name while you own it. Each domain name is completely unique. There can only be one. However, keep in mind the fact that there are several different Top Level Domains or TLDs (.com, .org, .biz, etc ...). Each TLD is independent of the other any domain name may be registered by separate companies or individuals, regardless of the desires of the other Website owner’s wishes. This means that if you own widgets.com, someone else can come along and register widgets.org and still another person or company can be the owner of widgets.net and so on. There have been many unfortunate cases where a Website owner has registered a domain name and subsequent registration of the same domain name with a different TLD has been purchased by a competitor or worse. If an “opposing domain name is either fraudulent, or a competitors domain, your marketing efforts may be sending your clients to their Website. How would it reflect on you or your business if the .net, .biz, .org etc... version of your domain name belonged to a competitor that did poor work, or just had a poorly built Website up ... What if it was a rip-off scheme, or porn? For this reason, it may be important for you to register all of the major TLDs for your domain name. This depends on whether you believe that there may be competition for your domain name. If your competition buys the .org and the .net version of your domain name places a competing Website there, it could be problematic for you.

Know Where and How To Get Info...

What Every Web Site Owner Should Know KNOW WHERE & HOW TO GET INFORMATION So, you have decided; for whatever reason you need to have a presence on the Internet. Obviously, this means getting a website. If you are like the majority of people on this planet, you probably have little or no idea where to start. Considering the cost of building a website, you may be facing a significant investment. To make matters worse; unless you are fortunate enough to have an I.T. department, you are probably at square one with nowhere to go for reliable advice... Well there is no need to worry, you have already started. Between the information contained in this book and the information which you can find on my website http://www.evermoretech.com/ you are well on your way to having all the tools and information you will need right at your fingertips. Just being prepared will help your odds of success significantly. Whether you intend to build your website yourself, or if you are planning to have a professional build it for you; having a good foundation of knowledge is extremely important when you start out. With the basics that are covered in this book you will have a good fundamental understanding of how Websites work, the tools needed to create them and how to launch, maintain and market them. This can mean the difference between success and failure. Congratulations, you have taken the first step toward owning a successful Website. Additionally, you now know that you are not alone. You now know the first thing that every website owner should know: Where to start, where to get information, and how to use it. Even better, the rest of the book is pretty easy too. So sit down make yourself comfortable and let’s get to the meat and potatoes. You might want to grab a pen, or pencil because I’ve included several blank pages and many places that you can take notes directly in this book that will help you organize your thoughts and store information that you will need to keep handy throughout the entire process.