Before you begin creating your own web pages with HTML, you need a little background knowledge about what web pages are, how to view and edit them, and what you can expect to achieve with them. It might also help to have a basic understanding of how HTML
differs
from XHTML, and why there are two different languages designed to do the same thingcreate web pages. This hour provides a quick summary of HTML and XHTML basics, and gives some practical tips to make the most of your time as a web page author and publisher. It's not all theory, however; you do get to see a real web page and the HTML code behind it.
Here's a review of what you need to do before you're ready to use the rest of this book:
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1.
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Get a computer. I used a computer with Windows XP to test the sample web pages and capture the figures in this book, but you can use any Windows, Macintosh, or UNIX machine to create and view your web pages. The speed of the computer itself doesn't matter much for accessing web pages; the speed of the computer's modem or network interface card (NIC), however, should be at least 56Kbps, and faster is better. If you have access to broadband Internet access via a cable modem, DSL modem, or wireless access point, that's even better!
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2.
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Get a connection to the Internet. You can either dial up an Internet service provider (ISP) by using the modem in your computer or connect through the local network of your school or business. Most ISPs now offer dial-up Internet service for under $20 per month. If you don't mind spending a little more, a cable or DSL Internet service can dramatically improve the browsing experience, thanks to the speed and "always on" connection. The ISP, school, or business that provides your Internet connection can help you with the details of setting it up properly. Many public spaces such as airports, bookstores, and libraries also now offer free wireless Internet service that you can use if you have a laptop computer with Wi-Fi network support.
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Not sure how to find an ISP? The best way is to comparison-shop online (using a friend's computer that's already connected to the Internet). You'll find a comprehensive list of national and regional ISPs at http://thelist.internet.com/.
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3.
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Get web browser software. This is the software your computer needs in order to retrieve and display HTML web pages. The most popular browser programs are currently Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, and Safari (Macintosh only). It's not a bad idea to install several of these browsers so that you can experiment and make sure that your web pages look consistent across them all; you don't want to assume anything about the browsers other people are using. Web browsers are available at software retailers, or you can download them free over the Internet at www.microsoft.com/, browser.netscape.com/, www.getfirefox.com/, www.opera.com/, and www.apple.com/safari/.
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Although all web browsers process and handle information in the same general way, there are some specific differences among them that result in things not always looking the same in different browsers. Be sure to check your web pages in multiple browsers to make sure that they look reasonably consistent.
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4.
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Explore! Use a web browser to look around the Internet for web pages that are similar in content or appearance to those you'd like to create. Note what frustrates you about some pages, what attracts you and keeps you reading others, and what makes you come back to some pages over and over again. If there is a particular topic that interests you, consider searching for it using a popular search engine such as Google (www.google.com/).
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If you plan to put your HTML pages on the Internet (as opposed to publishing them on CD-ROM or a local intranet), you'll need to transfer them to a computer that is connected to the Internet 24 hours a day. The same company or school that provides you with Internet access may also let you put web pages on their computer; if not, you may need to pay another company to host your pages.
You can start learning HTML with this book right away and wait to find an Internet host for your pages when they're done. However, if you want to have a place on the Internet ready for your very first page as soon as it is finished, you may want to read Hour 4, "Publishing Your HTML Pages," before you continue.
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