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Guide 8. What do I need for my website?

Developing and maintaining your website (screen 3 of 7)

You will need someone to create your HTML

To create a website you need to have someone who can create screens using HTML, the language underlying a Web screen. This was introduced in an earlier Guide(1).

While a plain text editor will let you create HTML, this task is easier with an HTML editor. These can be obtained from the Internet(2). Some are freeware or shareware.

HTML editors also are available from Sausage Software(3) and FileMaker(4).

Some software for website development almost lets you see the Web screen as you create it. Almost, since no HTML editor is really What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG, pronounced wizzy-wig). Yet!

While WYSIWIG HTML editors are not quite as easy to use as they sound, they do not require a specialised understanding of computer programming. Previous use of style sheets in other programs would help your conceptual understanding of how an HTML WYSIWIG editor works. Both Sausage and Home Page are examples of WYSIWIG HTML editors.

Many website developers will hand-code their HTML rather than use a WYSIWIG editor as they say they have greater control over the outcome that way.

You can also take Internet tutorials(5) to find out more about how to use HTML.

Site maintenance

The services and information you provide on your site, as well as any links to other sites, all require regular updating.

The content of your screens should be changed as often as possible, not only to ensure that the information is current, but also to keep your site interesting to users. It helps to get people to return to your site.

Links on your site which go to other sites need to be checked regularly to make sure they are still current.

While you could check these links yourself, if you have a lot of them on your site this can be time-consuming. Fortunately, software is available to automatically check your links at times you nominate and inform you of any that have changed.

You can also use a service like LinkAlarm(6).

You can update your site from your own computer, even if your site is run from an ISP's server. Simply upload the changed screens to the ISP's server.

 

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References

1. Guide 3, screen 3 http://culture.gov.au/resources/guides/g3/s3.htm
2. Webreference guide to HTML editors http://www.webdeveloper.com/html/html_editors.html
3. Sausage Software' s Hot Dog http://www.sausage.com.au/
4. FileMaker http://www.filemaker.com/
5. HTML tutorials http://webreference.com/html/tutorials/
6. LinkAlarm http://www.linkalarm.com/

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