How To Set Up Your Own Website

Written by Michael LaRocca


Continued from page 1

Diagnostic Tools

Here's a closely related subject. Running a "diagnostic" on your site (after upload) will tell you how long it takes to run at various modem speeds, how compatible it is with older browsers, how to improverepparttar problem areas, identify busted links, etc.

Link Alarm - Website that emails you reports http://www.linkalarm.com/

Link Sleuth - Software you download and run http://home.snafu.de ilman/xenulink.html

Web Site Garage http://www.websitegarage.com

Scripts

Okay, you're finding you want to do things that HTML just doesn't handle. In a nutshell, ifrepparttar 134535 website sends it torepparttar 134536 user, that's HTML. Ifrepparttar 134537 user sends it torepparttar 134538 website, that's CGI.

But do you really want to learn yet another new language? Of course not. It's already been done thousands of times. You want to go pick up some free code, perhaps learn just enough to plug it in and make it work. Here's what you need to know about scripts, then.

http://www.merrymonk.com/cgi-shl/s.pl?index-419

This book will tell you everything you need to know about how to install a CGI script, modify it, or even write your own if you feel like it. It's loaded with many free samples, and it tells you allrepparttar 134539 places to get thousands more. It's a resource you'll refer to over and over again, and it'll pay for itselfrepparttar 134540 first time you use it.

Before you actually go out and BUY it, though, downloadrepparttar 134541 free sample I'm giving away. Then you'll know what CGI is and if you can use it. If you can use it, and I believe you can, this isrepparttar 134542 best book I've read onrepparttar 134543 subject. Easy to read and understand, loaded with useful stuff.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/michaellarocca/files is where you can get that free sample. It's called sample.pdf.

Software and Graphics

Okay, I have no doubt that you want pictures and buttons and all those bells and whistles. I won't even try to keeprepparttar 134544 list up to date onrepparttar 134545 free artwork. Just pop into any search engine and type "free clipart" or "free backgrounds" or "free wallpaper" and prepare to be hammered.

Byrepparttar 134546 way, if you're on a website somewhere and you see an uncopyrighted graphic you like, you can always right-click it and "Save Target As" and take it home with you.

But remember, every graphic takes time to load onrepparttar 134547 user's end. Try to keeprepparttar 134548 file sizes as small as you can manage. This is where "optimization" comes in handy. Or perhaps you want to do a little graphics creation of your own. For these particular tasks, I recommendrepparttar 134549 links below.

DeWitt Industries Interactive Web Site http://www.dewittindustries.com

EarthStation1 Shareware and Freeware http://earthstation1.simplenet.com/software.html

Graphics Optimization http://www.xat.com

Mediabuilder http://www.mediabuilder.com

My Imager http://www.myimager.com/

Scream Design http://www.screamdesign.com



Michael LaRocca is the author of four published novels and an EPPIE 2002 Award finalist. He's been working as a full-time author and editor since December 1999. For a complete list of his articles, all available via autoresponder, send a blank email to michaellarocca@sendfree.com


How to Prepare Images for Your Web Site – Part 1

Written by Herman Drost


Continued from page 1

Types of GIFs Animated GIF (89A) This 89a version of GIF allows storage and playback of a sequence of still images to createrepparttar illusion of animation. Animated GIF files consist of sequential frames that reload from a browser's cache and replay in an infinite or predetermined loop to simulate motion.

Transparent GIF An advantage that a GIF has over a JPEG image is thatrepparttar 134534 designer can designate a color ofrepparttar 134535 GIF image to be transparent. For example, you can create a circular logo in a square image by makingrepparttar 134536 background color transparent. The image appears circular, when, in fact, it is square with information to appear transparent.

Interlaced GIF Graphic interlacing (the progressive rendering of images) is unique to GIFS and isrepparttar 134537 preferred method for display of large graphic files. Many people findrepparttar 134538 "fuzzy-to-sharp" animated effect of interlacing visually appealing, butrepparttar 134539 most important benefit of interlacing is that it givesrepparttar 134540 reader a preview ofrepparttar 134541 full area ofrepparttar 134542 picture, whilerepparttar 134543 picture downloads intorepparttar 134544 browser.

When to use a GIF Buttons, bullets and navigational tools that accent your Web pages. Interlacing is best for larger GIF images such as illustrations and photographs.

Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) Graphics inrepparttar 134545 JPEG format are capable of much greater color depth than GIFs, but usually require more time to download. JPEG can contain up to 24 bits of color information (16.7 million colors). Remember though, that most users are only capable of displaying 8-bit color.

When to use a JPEG JPEG enables you to use brilliant colors and provides support for complex images and digitized photographs but it is not designed for use with simple images.

JPEG compression is not as effective as GIF compression and may distort images with few colors or large areas ofrepparttar 134546 same color. JPEG compression is therefore not designed for low-resolution images.

Portable Network Graphics (PNG) The PNG file format is emerging asrepparttar 134547 new format for Web graphics. PNG files are lossless and support transparency like GIFs, yet also support compression and high bit depth like JPEGs. In addition, PNG bit depth can be adjusted, unlike GIFs or JPEGs, which must be 8-bit and 24-bit depth.

When to use a PNG PNGs behave similarly to GIFs and work best with flat-color, sharp-edged art. PNGs compress both horizontally and vertically, so solid blocks of color generally compress best. They also support better interlacing than interlaced GIFs.

Knowing what types of graphics to use and when to use them for your web site will help you avoidrepparttar 134548 many pitfalls of bad web design.

Part 2 of this article will discuss how to optimize graphics for your web site and factors that affect optimization.

Herman Drost is a Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW) owner and author of iSiteBuild.com Low Cost Hosting and Site Design (http://www.isitebuild.com/sitehosting.htm)


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