Developing a web page
I constructed my first HTML by simple means in text editors following basic references and guides or reading the code in other places and experimenting alone. I used some simple tag editors but have preferred to develop my own style and templates which I can easily modify with what I know off-hand or have ready reference to such as colour charts and pasting code in pre-prepared formats from my own work. Button arrays that operate as links on a page are one common form of automating code generation by this means. Modifying a list is another template task that can be simple to do. Spelling is the major consideration using these means. Pre-prepared text in blocks can easily be pasted into HTML, leaving the code to be proof read in the main. There seems no substitute for testing both off-line and on.
Most of my work was done at home on a PC with a browser and other software to produce the separate components of the pages and refine the colour schemes, style and layout. I test the pages on Microsoft and Netscape web browsers at this stage. Once completed the entire directory of files, HTML, graphic, sound and whatever else is needed gets transferred to Unix in the appropriate directory. I currently save these to 1.44Mb floppy discs and copy them to the available computer at Monash that is networked.
One alternative would be to work on a network computer at Monash or have a modem connected to the home PC, achieving the same effective result and allow direct transfer without floppy discs. Once copied to Unix it must have the correct directory attributes to allow access to the public without allowing them the ability to modify the pages, thus the different types of access (r-w-x, etc) and a password for the account user of Unix who creates the site and files. In essence people can view the site but not alter it unless specifically desired.
The final stage of development is to navigate the site and assess if all images appear and as they should, colours and alignment appear correct, and all links operate properly. Final proof reading of text and content may be made here. Some changes were required in this process that mostly related to the use of lower case in Unix, that can cause some conflict when files and text generated in windows is used, since it is not case sensitive in the same manner. Thus testing on a PC is by no means a reliable guide to how the site will in fact operate in reality. The final issue of browser types and compatibility is a bit involved and specific to certain features, but requires considerable testing and consideration to allow reasonable user appearance.
The pages and site I have developed was constructed using a range of software, mostly graphical in nature. For photo albums, standard emulsion film was developed to obtain typical images. These entered the digital process by being scanned at the Computer Centre at Monash and edited at home using Paint Shop Pro to crop edges and adjust any imperfections, spots or scratches and other blemishes. Some images were adjusted for contrast and colour and then joined to create larger collages.
The completed images in *.jpg format were also duplicated in *.gif format but with reduced size and colours to reduce their file size and time to appear when down-loaded. Links to the full picture are found beside the smaller preview on my album pages.
I read various sources and studied other sites and pages for ideas. Some of the basic Java-script came from texts on web design and were modified to produce the calculator, and time information. In all some hundreds of hours of research, practice and experimentation has gone into the design of my web site. For the present additional pages and links can be added within minutes or hours as a result of the previous groundwork I have done.
In order to create a new site I would require several hours to develop a multi page site that can be tested and modified or transferred to a web site for final use. Simple pages could be created and previewed in minutes depending upon the complexity and graphic content.
I currently avoid using software for HTML design in most instances except for specific jobs. Graphics is clearly one of these but the required programs are primarily a basic image editor and an animation tool for such images. Adding extra pages, alignment of paragraphs and alterations in colour, inserting links and images are simple tasks that can be done in real time with the resultant changes observed within several seconds.
To do this requires the following three (3) programs to be operating.
(These will run on the Monash network on most IBM terminals):
My primary considerations in producing web pages are that they be relatively simple and reliable across platforms and user-specific settings, user-friendly, pleasant to use and look at, consistent, easy to maintain, modify or add to, and include alternatives and captions for images.
Apart from patience and my own PC configuration, a digital scanner and standard photographic images were needed to complete the specified tasks above.
http://www-mugc.cc.monash.edu.au/~mcken1
* Thanks to MUCG Computer Centre for advice, assistance and inspiration from Sahar in learning HTML and especially Jemahl (Hey!), (Comp/Eng. Stud.) for his initially teaching me what he knew about computing when I brought mine home from the shop as a novice.
I am a mature age (nee 1968) student who had no contemporary knowledge of computing until returning to study. My last experience was using the Prime network at CIT Caulfield in 1986, year 12. The capacity of this system was very primitive by today's standards, being limited to text and numerical functions, and programming codes like basic and Pascal. While access to a university network today has allowed me to learn word processing and basic web browsing it was essential to purchase a computer myself to learn about current software and have time to experiment. The www has been useful as a reference source for information on broad topics, web design and for general software and utilities. Even so knowledge of file compression and other tasks was necessary to transfer this information to home without using a modem and later make use of the contents.
When I began as a student here at Churchill (1996) I had come from a background of rural work and life, using solar power at home and growing fruit organically. My most sophisticated electronic possessions were a car, 12 volt portable television, answering machine, electric fence energiser and a 140W inverter that charged the cordless drill I used to build my shed and home.
I did not have an opportunity to own or make use of many 'modern' appliances until the advent of university studies that obviously led to my purchasing a computer. I shopped around but sought a new model that was to last some time, a Pentium 100 which had 16 meg ram and 1.2 gig hard-drive. This allowed me to try all the current applications and systems without trouble, windows 95, Office and even the latest games and graphics, or multimedia. I added a sound card to use multimedia more effectively soon after the original purpose. I soon purchased my first music CD.
With Jemahl's help I learned how to operate a computer and how to modify settings and repair problems. I can solve most problems alone from experience and do some work on the hardware, replacing a CD ROM or drive, adding ram modules and cards to the main board, replace or tidy wiring and add ports or devices.
I now have a HP 600 DeskJet printer that does colour with a cartridge swap, a microphone and added 32 meg of ram, replaced the CD ROM with a newer one. The original purchase included a 15'' monitor that still operates very well without straining the user. I added an extra 1 meg ram to the video card for a small sum to expand the maximum colour's resolution from 800x600 to 1024x756 as my first improvement. This gives you more desktop space if you work with two or more windows and projects. I could upgrade the processor, being the most basic by today's measures, but am not limited by anything yet except the MX technology, and could potentially upgrade the processor to current specs as is or using another mother-board with present hardware.
