new to the game?

This is a web page. Pages on the World Wide Web are composed in HTML. HTML stands for HyperText MarkUp Language - simple formatting and linking codes inserted into plain text files.

Since HTML files are nothing more than plain text files, you can use any text editor to work on them. On a Unix machine, that could be emacs or vi, on a Windows machine, that could be edit, or notepad, and on a Macintosh, try TeachText or SimpleText. Often large word processor packages will allow you to save files as plain text. Just be sure you aren't saving them in word processor format. All HTML files end with .html (unless on a DOS machine, in which case .htm must suffice).

The codes, or tags, start with < and end with > and inbetween is commands to your browser. Most tags modify text, either formatting it to look different, or making the text a link elsewhere on the net. These tags start with < code >, and they finish with < / code > (slash code).

obsoive:

In a line of text, <b>this line will be bold</b>

I have a formatting tutorial

To make text link webward involves nothing more than to take the address of the net.resource to which you wish to link, and add it like so:

I want to <a href="http://www.links.net/">link to the underground</a>!

I have a links and graphics tutorial

My Story

I first started on a Mac, using MacHTTP and pouring over two resources. First, NCSA's HTML Primer - a very thorough introduction, and beyond. Be careful on the link, because it is over 37k. A much quicker and to the point learning experience is available from the HTML Quick Reference short, sweet, on the money.

Since I started, back in January of '94, things have gotten easier. Now, there are tools for page publishers including editors, link checkers, etc. Why, someday, you probably won't even need to learn about HyperText Mark-up Language or the World Wide Web (available online is a recording of Mosaic whiz-kid Marc Andressen's wisdom on the subject).

Strategy:

Pick a weekend. Git yerself to a computer with a WWW browser and a simple text editor. Get the source code of a page you find online (most browsers will allow you to download the hypertext version of the pages you are looking at - try the "View Source" option). Stare at the source code and then stare at the page. Observe how one translates to the other.

Then, dig in and build your own page locally. Edit the text file on your hard drive, and use your browser to check it out as you tinker with it. When you've got it up to snuff, get yourself a server, or use one if your university or business has it, and put your files online! If you can't find a place to cut your HTML teeth, I have a resource for you.

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