B.14 Some Final Thoughts

Consider how your page will be used. If people have to read a lot, they don't want attention-getting elements distracting them. Finally, here are a few general tips to keep in mind:

• The current standard for HTML tags is lowercase.

• Container is the jazzy new word for any HTML element ( <P>, <TD> ).

• With the advent of style sheets, <DIV> is the hip new tag. Its main use is as a container to identify style elements you've created and named yourself versus the standard type shown in the style example. It's one of those complex tags with parts . Check out online tutorials from HTML Goodies or WebMonkey to learn more about this.

• If you are going to create a table, draw it first. Write the necessary code in those fields that will need special tabs, and use the annotated sketch as a reference for coding.

• Visible e-mail addresses can attract spam (junk e-mail); CGI forms offer more control.

• Check Web sites devoted to HTML to learn of the latest developments (see "Some Sites that Help You with HTML" on page 599).

• Examine the source code on pages you like to help you develop your own pages.

About the Author of This Tutorial

I work for the Navy in Monterey, California. In 1996 my employer, Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center, which supplies weather data for the Navy's ships and planes, was preparing to launch a Web site for its users. No adequate software package was available, but the job had to be done. As part of a "train the trainer" endeavor, I took a class on the Internet and the information superhighway at the nearby Naval Postgraduate School. One project, building a Web page using HTML, led me to create and teach a class in HTML basics that helped provide talented co-workers with the knowledge to launch our first Internet pages. Even though we now use more sophisticated Web-building tools, I've taught that basic class many times.

” Joan Murray