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Developing Educational Materials for the World Wide Web
Week 9 - Posting Your Web Page
Now that you have finished your web page, optimized your graphic images, and have checked all your links, you are ready to post your page on the Internet. But the question is, how is this done?
Posting a web page seems to be the most mysterious part of web page production. Many people think that simply because they can see their web page in action in a browser, it can now be accessed on the internet. But having your web page in working order is only the beginning.
Steps to Posting Your Web Page
1. FIND A WEBSITE HOST
A web server is a heavy-duty computer that is on all the time, and that uses domain name software to map an Internet address to the server where your files are located.
- ISP Web Hosting - An overlooked source of free website hosting, your Internet Service Provider may reserve 5 MB or so of space to each of its customers. You can look on your ISP's website to find out more. You may need to email or call your ISP to activate your account.
- Free Web Hosting - Free websites are available to those who don't mind pop-up ads, banners, and emails encouraging the purchase of a paid account.
- Teacher and Student Web Hosting - You can find sites for school and student sites, as well as organizations such as www.ellisisland.org. Often these include a template to help you build your site.
- Paid Web Hosting - From $6-$35 per month, you can reserve a domain name, 60-100 MB of ad-free space, and extras such as email addresses, site traffic, and site creation utilities. CGI scripting, Front Page extensions and databases (used in commercial as well as academic websites) may cost extra.
Some possible free and low-cost accounts are in the following list.
http://free.prohosting.com Free prohosting offers 50 MB of space and small banner ads.
2. ACTIVATE YOUR ACCOUNT
If a site is difficult to remember how to use it will not be used extensively or regularly because the user will constantly have to expend time learning how to use the site properly. The four main factors that go into the memorability are: simplicity of design and organization; redundancy of systems; the consistency of design, and reliable help. If a site is too complicated it will not be easily remembered. If a site uses too many different kinds of navigational systems and labeling systems, it will be difficult to remember. Users need simplicity, redundancy, and consistency, and if all else fails a help feature.
3. UPLOAD YOUR FILES
There are two ways to upload files onto a remote server: Using FTP (File Transfer Protocol) software, or using the web host's File Manager.
- FTP
- File Manager
FTP means File Transfer Protocol. This is a small piece of software that is used to transfer the files on one computer to the files on another computer, usually a remote server. You can type in the ftp address of your website host account, usually something like "ftp.bizland.com". Then type in the login and password of your website host account. The ftp software will access your remote server and show any files you have uploaded. You can create file folders and upload your web pages and graphic images. An example of a free FTP software, FTP Voyager, can be downloaded from http://www.rhinosoft.com/.
Most website hosts have websites you can log into using your account information (login and password.) Once you have accessed your own account, you can click on "File Manager", where you will see your folders and uploaded files. One benefit of using a file manager is that you can upload from a filtered site, such as a school. One disadvantage is that you can usually only upload a few files at a time.
Remember that as you add folders and pages, you will have to update earlier pages with links to the new pages. Otherwise they will be "orphan" pages that no one knows are there.
4. TYPE IN YOUR ADDRESS
Now you will type in the address of your website. This is usually a name you have chosen when you opened your website hosting account, or has been assigned to you. You may need to write this down so you can remember it. Hopefully your web page will come up the way it is supposed to! If it does, you can then:
5. CHECK YOUR LINKS & GRAPHICS
Click through all your links and pages to make sure your graphics come up and your links are working. If not, you'll have to redo the pages and then upload them until they are all working. If the graphics come up too slowly, you may have to go back to your image editor and save them at a smaller size so they will upload faster.
Assignment & Activity
For this activity, we will create folders at a remote site (provided by the instructor) and upload our web pages to see if they work. If they don't, we'll have to figure out what the problems are and correct them. Good luck!
Developing Educational Materials for the World Wide Web
EOU Malheur County Center (541) 889-7468 or (541) 889-6222
