Frames Tutorial

Now to explain forms and how they work is going to be a difficult task, but let me start by explaining what forms are. When you visit a web site and they ask you to, fill out a form, for a purchase, or a guestbook, or any number of other functions, that is what forms are all about.

How do they work? Well, the form uses a thing called Common Gateway Interface, cgi for short. Now the best way to explain this is as follows. You upload something to your server's cgi bin, a program, usually written in perl or c++ language. When someone enters information in a form and clicks send, the data is sent to the program that you stored in your servers cgi bin, it processes the information and will send it along to the webmasters email account. This is how the data is transferred from the web page to the webmaster.

The problem with explaining forms is the fact that you have to have access to a cgi bin. AOL for example, doesn't allow you access to a cgi-bin, but they have some pre-written programs that you can use, such as an email one, where the information is sent to you in an email. Now this is fine, but you are limited to that. Most of the free webspace providers do not have cgi-bins to offer their users. So once again forms run into a problem. Now, as I was planning this lesson out, I had to ask myself, do I explain all the tags, etc, of forms, when most people will be unable to use it? Or do I show them a simple way to include forms hassle free? Well, I chose the hassle free way. You see, there are companies that offer free cgi hosting. Which means, they have all these program choices, etc, that they offer. One includes a very simple form section. All you do is fill out a template as to what form you want, and you cut and paste it to your web page. Now the only thing that the company that offers these cgi hosted scripts get in return for this wonderful time saving service is this, a small advertisement, so small that you wouldn't even notice it, so it's really a good deal. Some are better than others, so just trieal and error will tell you the ones that you like the best. Now some webmasters may scoff at my approach to handling this lesson of forms, but since I'm writing it, I decide what I think is best for my readers. So, here are a few url's that have things like, guestbooks, forms, polls, etc that would be of interest to you. Use them, don't worry about writing the code to forms. If I do get a great deal of emails complaining about my forms lesson, then I will come back and write something a little larger, but if no one really minds, I'll leave it like this for now.

Links to hosted CGI scripts.

• Response-O-Matic:Easy email forms that can be added to your site. Someone fills out the form and an email is sent to you with the results, very cool!
  
  
• EZPolls:
  Adds a poll to your site, very easy, only takes a few minutes.
  
  
• GuestBook.com:
  Add a guestbook to your site, an autoresponder, filter, very easy to set up!
  
  
• Alex's Guestbook Service:
  A free guest book for personal sites.
  
  
• Anexa:
  Provides your webpage with a live chatroom, discussion board, and guestbook.
  
  
• BraveNet:
  Free guestbooks, counters, message boards, and search engine for your site.
  
  
• Chatmaster:
  A free chatroom you can add to your site, not a java one.
  
  
• CoolBoard:
  Customizable message boards.
  
  
• DigiChat:
  Java based chat, also supports IRC. Designed for corporate or educational webpages.
  
  
• Free Services: Great site that offers many services including, guest books, an FFA page, ClickTracker, Counter, PrivatePage, etc.

• Form Generator:
  This is a good service, only trouble is this, once the form is submitted you are taken to a page loaded with ads, now it wouldn't be a bad service if they put a banner on a page you designate, but they don't have a back button and the person may drift off your site. Just an observation.
  
  
• Guestbook.NU
  A guestbook for your site, and if someon signs up with guestbook.nu through your site, they will put a link of your site in that person's guestbook.
  
  
• GuestWorld:
  Free guestbook provider
  
  
• InsideTheWeb:
  Free message board.
  
  
• Internexis Discussion Forums:
  Free message boards for you site.
  
• InstaPoll:
  Add a free poll to your site.
  
  
• Mister Poll:
  Easily add a poll to your site or a place to leave feedback.
  
  
• NetMind:
  You can add a form that will notify your visitor when the site changes.
  
  
• NetVotes:
  Add a live webpoll to your site.
  
  
• Recommend-it:
  Allows your visitors to easily send a message to their friends recommending your site.
  
  
• Sendfree:
  Get an autoresponder for you web site. They only put a small add in the body of the email.
  
  
• SurveyLab:
  A quick and easy survey can be added to your website.
  
  
• TenZero:
  This site has a bunch of things to offer, including, guestbooks, counters, url submission, and a url redirect service.
  
  
• VantageNet:
  Add a free webpoll and message board to your webpage.