Departments Creating Web Pages at FIU

1. time to learn
2. an html editor
3. a unix account to store the finished page

Despite all the hoopla, creating web pages does require some work on your part. You will need to become a little familiar with HTML (HyperText Markup Language), and a little bit of unix.

For beginners, it is recommended that you use an HTML editor and then upload the files to the appropriate account and directory.

In a nutshell, the basic beginner steps are

1. Get a unix account if you don't have one.
2. get an HTML editor for you PC or macintosh
3. surf the net and look at other web pages similar to your subject area.
4. review the FIU WWW policies
5. create the page(s) on your PC or Mac.
6. log into your new unix account and run the program websetup.
7. upload via ftp or kermit the pages you created.

Getting a unix account:

Computer accounts are managed by Accounts and User Support, 348-2284. If you are creating a page for a department, you should get a departmental account to store the pages in, rather than using your own personal account.

Getting an HTML Editor:

Most of the following are either freeware or shareware, so you get pretty much what you pay for. There are other applications for sale such as Adobe PageMill, which can run over $100.

Windows HTML Editors
Mactinosh HTML Editors
More Mactinosh HTML Editors
A large list of editors

Web page recommendations:

1. Don't try to do everything at once. The WWW is almost by definition a dynamic medium and pages "under construction" are acceptable. People who are browsing not only come back to graphically interesting pages, but also to pages that give timely and pertinent information.
2. Remember that not everyone has the same monitor or connection as you, which means they may download your pages slower or w ith less resolution that you. A page that looks great on a Macintosh using Netscape won't look the same to someone using Mosaic on a PC, or someone with a text-only connection through a 2400 baud modem.
3. Keep in mind your audience. Your pages will not just be viewed(hopefully) by people associated with FIU, but also from ot her states and countries. List not only email addresses, but also phone numbers (with area code) and postal addresses.
4. Please review the FIU WWW Style Guide
5. Remember that graphics look nice, but it's content people are looking for. Try avoid being one of the Nine Types of Web Page Creators

Learning HTML:

Most browsers allow you to view the source code of any page you are viewing. This is very helpful because it allows you to see how somebody else used some feature you'd like to employ in your pages. Within Netscape, from the menu select View, then Source. Within Internet Explorer, choose View, then Source. Under lynx, press the backslash (\) key. The following is a list of guides and tutorials on using HTML. In addition, there is a large number of books available. In addition, the Faculty/Staff Computer Training Center offer HTML courses for Faculty and Staff.

Starting to use HTML (www.fiu.edu/htmlexample.html)
A Beginner's Guide to HTML (www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/General/Internet/WWW/HTMLPrimer.html)
Guides to Writing HTML Documents (union.ncsa.uiuc.edu/HyperNews/get/www/html/guides.html)
Guide to Web Style

Once you have created your pages on your PC or Macintosh, you need to upload them to your unix account. Before you do that though, a directory must exist in your unix account. There is a program on solix and serss1 that you can run to setup your account for web pages. Log into either solix or serss1 and type:

websetup

This program will create a www directory for you, and offer to make a VERY simple homepage for you. Also, it will set the permissions correctly, because in order for your WWW pages to be seen by other people, the file permissions must be set to World Readable, and your home and www directories must be world executable.

If you create additional files online, you will need to make sure the permissions are correct for those files. You can rerun the websetup program, or type the command chmod a+r ~/www/* which will make all the files in your www directory world-readable.

In addition, there is an online unix guide which provides information about the unix operating system.

How can I run Netscape from home?

To run Netscape from home over a modem requires a specific type of connection to your Internet Services Provider (FIU in this case). This connection is called PPP. At this time, FIU only offers PPP access to Faculty and Staff. It is anticipated in the near future that PPP will be available for the entire FIU computing community. Faculty and Staff can contact SERDAC Accounting regarding PPP accounts.

No. Netscape is just one of many browsers available for "surfing the web". If you only have kermit or some other text-only connection, you can use the program lynx to surf.

Once you have uploaded your pages and made sure the permissions are correct, your pages are accessible to anyone on the Internet. If you would like to be included in the list of personal pages at FIU, you will need to fill out the FIU Link Request form.

WWW addresses at FIU are in the format of:
http://www.fiu.edu/~username

No. Once a department has created an uploaded their pages, the creator may send an email message to webmaster@fiu.edu requesting a second address be created. This address will be in the format of:
http://www.fiu.edu/orgs/deptname

Look at the list of WWW Error Messages.

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