Web Page Suggestions - Tricks & Tips
Let’s use some of the concepts and techniques discussed in the previous exercises to customize a Web page of your own. You are free to experiment with color and images on your own or you might try the suggestions below to help you along your way!
You already have a good start on a page with what you created in Step 5 of the previous exercises. Bring "step5.html" into your editor in preparation to making some changes to it. Remember to save your work often!
Let’s start right at the top and work our way down:
Suggestion 1: Change the title of your page.
The title should reflect what the page is about. It is also the ‘statement’ that ends up in the bookmark file so be descriptive ... but not long-winded!
Suggestion 2: Change the background and/or text color.
Use Netscape to view a site with color codes -- http://www.infi.net/wwwimages/colorindex.html
Suggestion 3: Change the image at the top of the page.
Go out onto the ‘net and find an interesting graphic or create a "self-portrait" with a QuickCam or scanned image!
Suggestion 4: Keep the rest of it simple for now.
Many tutorials will suggest three basic paragraphs of information; "Who am I?", "What am I?", and "My Hobbies and Interests". The actual title of each section can be something different but use header tags to make sure you set them apart from each other.
My suggestion is to add a bit humor if you can. I also recommend to sprinkling hyperlinks within your paragraphs. Point these to other documents or other places of interest on the Web.
Suggestion 5: Save your page as "index.html".
Most Web servers will look for the existence of a file called index.html and this is the filename usually applied to the primary home page of an individual or organization.
There are a number of ways to "cheat" a little when creating your own Web page and here are a few tricks to help you along.
Trick 1: Do you like the look of that page? Use Netscape’s source code viewing capability to see how it was done.
If, while browsing the Web, you come across a page that you really like and would like to know how it was done try this;
Click on the "View" menu in Netscape and choose "Document Source". This will show you the actual HTML coding used on that page. You can also use Netscape’s save feature to save the HTML code to your hard drive. From there you can cu t and paste sections of the code to use within your own page or pages!
Tip: Snatching HTML code is not the same as stealing someone else’s design. A Web page owner may or may not have copyright on te design of their Web page--consider it as though they do ... ALWAYS.
HTML code can be used by anybody but stick with your own design ideas!
Trick 2: Grabbing graphics off the ‘net.
Netscape makes it easy to grab a graphic from a Web page. Simply place the mouse pointer somewhere within the graphic, hold down the right mouse button until you see a pop-up menu, then choose "Save Image As..." and save it to your hard drive . It’s as easy as that!
Tip: Do not use copyrighted images or graphics on your Web pages. If you’re not sure whether an image is copyright then seek permission from the Web page owner to use it. If it is original art they will in all likelihood allow you to use it. Th ere are many sights on the Web that archive free images and graphics. You can’t go wrong with using something freely distributed!
Trick 3: Cut & paste for consistency.
If you are going to have multiple pages comprising your Web site I recommend employing consistency of design elements. Use cut & paste to your advantage. If all your pages are going to use the same footer element, copy the section of code from one page and paste it into the other. That way you can be assured it will look the same from page to page.
Tip: Keep in mind that there are literally millions of Web pages out there and it doesn’t take much to confuse your reader. Stay consistent with your design throughout your pages so that when a reader arrives at your site they know wheth er or not they are still at your sight after 5 or 6 clicks of the mouse button!