Web Pages

Web pages are the most commonly linked resource, and for good reason: You can bet that anybody viewing your Web page can view any other Web page, so links to Web pages are a reliable way to provide information. Linking to Web pages also allows your visitors to apply a consistent set of navigation techniques.

URLs pointing to Web pages always begin with the protocol designator http:// . The protocol is followed by the Web server hostname, the directory path to the page file, and the actual HTML file of the page:

http://hostname/pathname/file.HTM

In some cases, you can omit the filename. Some Web servers have default files they display automatically whenever someone accesses the server or a directory without specifying a filename. For example,

http://www.mcp.com/

accesses the default page for the server www.mcp.com , and

http://www.mcp.com/ sams /

accesses the default page for the directory sams on the server www.mcp.com .

Note that the preceding directory examples end in a slash. You should always use a slash to end an HTTP URL that does not end with a filename; the slash instructs the server to access the default file (usually INDEX.HTML ). Some servers can still access the default file if you leave off the slash, but some don't. In a link, use the slash, for safety's sake.

Finally, always be careful to follow the exact capitalization of the URL as it would appear in the Navigator Location box when you view the page. Many Web servers are case sensitive and don't recognize the directory or filename if it is not properly capitalized.