Note: Add'l explanation or definitions in these tutorials are referenced in blue, as in the discussion at the top of this page. This additional information is listed at the bottom of each tutorial page. Clicking on an underlined, blue word will take you directly to the additional information.
Introduction
1. All browsers are NOT equal - a visual comparison of Netscape and Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), the two most popular.
2. Before you start, some hints on setting up your computer.
To begin this tutorial on a very basic web page, click Here
If you don't want to start from zero, here are the various lessons:
The first 19 lessons cover the HTML tags used in the <BODY> of the web page.
Instructions on how to FTP your web pages to any web host, such as Tripod.
If you have questions, comments, suggestions or corrections,
A web page
is your personal or business page on the Internet. You can have more than one web page on your web site.
HTML tags
are the "code" which allow a web page to be viewed by a browser. HTML is the short way of saying "Hyper Text Markup Language".
HTML Editors
, are software programs that, when used wisely, can be very helpful in writing HTML code. However, they teach you very little about the code itself, can really mess up some otherwise beautifully written code, and will throw up immediately if given something unusual, like code for a webring.
A link
in HTML terms, provides a way to immediately move from one place on a web page to another place on the same page, to another web page on a web site, or to a completely different web site somewhere else on the www.
FTP
, or File Transfer Protocol, is a method of copying or moving (uploading) your files to your web host for display on your web site. It also allows you to rename, download, delete files and to change a directory or make a directory for your web site.
Launched 10-1-98
NOTE: The underlined, blue words below are links to additional information about that word or subject. To return, click on the "Back" or "Up" link provided for that purpose.
If you follow these tutorials, you can develop a web page for yourself without resorting to an HTML Editor, or outside help. Even if you use an editor, it is helpful to know what the HTML tags are and how they are used.
HTML tags are the Internet code which tell a browser what to do. Each tutorial is designed to show how to use the most common of these tags, and what they do. You can click on the "Look" link at the end of each lesson, to see what it would actually look like on the www.
Each tutorial describes a portion of a web page, just as you might develop it. If you go from one to the next, by clicking on the "Next" link, you will progressively create a web page which can be used on the Internet.
These basic instructions take you through each phase of development of the web page. Once you understand each element, you can discard or change any of them to suit your own personal needs.
Since this is a beginning tutorial, only the most common HTML tags are discussed and used. For complete definitions of all HTML tags and their usage, check out these three links:
http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/b/s/bsb150/HTML-Notes/tblcnts.htm
or
http://www.htmlgoodies.com/
or
http://www.quadzilla.com
Lesson #1 - The basic HTML web page
Lesson #2 - More about the basics
Lesson #3 - <HEAD> and <BODY> tags
Lesson #4 - Break tag <BR> tags
Lesson #5 - Changing font size
Lesson #6 - Paragraph tag <P>
Lesson #7 - Center tag <CENTER>
Lesson #8 - Horizontal Rule tag <HR>
Lesson #9 - Type Font in Bold <B>
Lesson #10 - Type Font in color
Lesson #11 - Adding substance to your page
Lesson #12 - The <IMG SRC=" "> tag
Lesson #13 - The <A HREF=" "> tag
Lesson #14 - The BACKGROUND - colors/images
Lesson #15 - What are Attributes ?
Lesson #16 - The Comment tag
Lesson #17 - One Pixil Spacers
Lesson #18 - Table tags
Lesson #19 - Installing a "Border Set"
The next lesson will cover the HTML tags used in the <HEAD> of the page,
Lesson #20 - The "HEAD" tags
Lesson #30 - How to FTP your files
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A web site
is the place where you keep all your web pages.
A web host
is the company which provides you space on the www for your web site (for ex. Tripod.com).
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Since it has become standardized within the last 10 years, this language (or code) makes it relatively easy for any browser to view any web site on the Internet.
HTML tags provide the information to the browser about what to do with each item (or element) on your web page. Without this standardized language, the www would be chaotic.
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Internet
and the
www
are interchangeable terms which mean, collectively, all of the web pages on all of the web sites anywhere in the world which you can visit using your browser.
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browser
is not a person, but the software on your computer which allows you to "surf" the www. It translates the HTML code on each web page into something which you can see, read, and enjoy.
There are two major browsers: Netscape Navigator (the first comprehensive browser) and Microsoft's Internet Explorer (MSIE). It is important to note that each browser has its own interpretation of some of HTML code.
Special code, such as JavaScript for MSIE, may not even be recognized or acted upon by Netscape Navigator. It is therefore important that you develop your web site so that it can be "read" by any browser or you may lose half of the visitors to your web site!
For more on browsers, click HERE
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I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the help and suggestions of
Anne V. Sutherland, who unselfishly contributed her time to proofread and correct the pages of this tutorial. If you have learned anything by visiting this website, it is her contribution which made it so understandable.
Please click on the Rainbow to visit Anne's web site.
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