mhc.comp.questions
Frequently Asked Questions

The World Wide Web

Browsing

Which browser should I use?

Netscape and Internet Explorer are the two big graphical browsers, but there are also others such as Opera and the open-source Mozilla. Which of these to use is the subject of browser wars and not the purpose of this FAQ. They all have advantages and disadvantages. In the end, it comes down to personal preference.

In contrast, lynx is a text-only browser. To start it, type lynx at the prompt. You will, by default, be taken to MHC's index page. Hit ? for help, q to quit.

For more information, see http://www.mtholyoke.edu/help/creating-pages/FAQ/browser.shtml. Also see lynx.

How do I get a browser?

All of the graphical browsers listed above can be downloaded for free. In addition, Netscape Communicator can be copied from \\ambr\distribution.

Creating

To get started, enter homepage at the prompt. Information about writing pages for the MHC website is at http://www.mtholyoke.edu/help/creating-pages/.

What editor should I use?

You basically have two options: WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) or a text editor. A WYSIWYG editor acts more or less like a word processor for a web page; with a text editor, you write the code yourself. Common WYSIWYG editors include Netscape Composer, Microsoft Frontpage, Adobe PageMill (no longer available), and Dreamweaver. Common text editors are Notepad, NoteTab, and HTML-Kit.

Both types have advantages. Many people feel more comfortable with dealing with the way a WYSIWYG editor looks; on the other hand, hand-coding gives a lot more control over the code (though not over the final output by the browser - it will render the code the way it wants to). And the price is a big difference, too; Dreamweaver, widely considered a very good HTML editor, costs $300, whereas all the text editors I mentioned are free.

CSIT has periodic training workshops on various aspects of web development, and all handouts are on their webpage.

Is hand-coding difficult?

Absolutely not. If you're thinking about hand-coding (or even if you're not), take a look at this Understanding HTML, which is an explanation of what HTML is and isn't.

Beyond that, there are lots of tutorials on the web:

Australasian Web Publishers' Association's Introduction to HTML
HTMLgoodies.com
The World Wide Web Consortium's Introduction (assumes knowledge of html, meta, head, and body tags)
Webmonkey

There are also lots of books out there. One of the best is O'Reilly's HTML & XHTML: the Definitive Guide, but you probably don't need that much; there's really enough on the web already.