More HTML for Dummies Book

Introduction

About This Book

How to Use This Book

A Few Assumptions

How This Book Is Organized

Part I: Advanced HTML Markup

Part II: Beyond HTML: Extending Your Web

Part III: Cool Web Applications

Part IV: Serving Up Your Web

Part V: Running a Successful Web Site

Part VI: Shortcuts and Tips Galore

Icons Used in This Book

Where to Go from Here

Part I: Advanced HTML

Chapter 1: Understanding How HTML Happens

The "Official" Channel: IETF

The "Unofficial" Channel: W3C

How a Proposal Becomes a Standard

Proposed standard

Draft standard

Standard

A Brief Review of HTML Standards to the Present

HTML 0.0

HTML 1.0

HTML 2.0

HTML+

HTML 3.0

HTML 3.2 (aka Wilbur)

Cougar

The never-ending HTML standards story . . .

Pressure from the Marketplace

Netscape extensions

Internet Explorer extensions

Finding, Understanding, and Using HTML DTDs

The nature of an SGML document

About DTDs . . .

What does a DTD contain?

Where the DTDs live

Deciding Which Flavor of HTML to Use

The advantages of using valid HTML

The disadvantages of using valid HTML

New HTML Worth Watching

Tables

Frames

Style sheets

Mathematics notation

Applets, scripts, forms, and more

Chapter 2: HTML Tables in Depth

Table Hindsight

Laying out tabular data for easy display

Multirow and multicolumn

Nesting

Tremendous Table Tags

The Awesome Attributes

<CAPTION> ... </CAPTION> Caption

<COL> ... </COL> Column (IE)

<COLGROUP> ... </COLGROUP> Column Group (IE)

<TABLE> ... </TABLE> Table

<TBODY> ... </TBODY> Table Body (IE)

<TD> ... </TD> Data Cell

<TFOOT> ... </TFOOT> Table Footer (IE)

<TH> ... </TH> Table Head

<THEAD> ... </THEAD> Table Header(IE)

<TR> ... </TR> Table Row

Attribute definitions

Some of the Good Stuff

Run for the borderline

Force the issue

A slick trick for the upper-left problem

Comment schmomment!

SPANning the gap

On Your Own

Chapter 3: HTML Frames in Full

Frame Hindsight

Fabulous Frame Tags

Introducing the attributes

<FRAME> Frame Definition

<FRAMESET> ... </FRAMESET> Frame Group

<NOFRAMES> ... </NOFRAMES> No Frames

<IFRAME> Inline Frame (IE)

Explaining frame attributes

<A>dditional Frame Markup

Complex Frame Creations

Some of the Good Stuff

Borderline, feels like I'm gonna lose my mind. . .

Request for comments!

Frame Scorn

Frame It Yourself

Chapter 4: Style Sheets in Detail

Understanding Style Sheets

Discovering the Syntax of Style Sheets

By the book: style rules

Properties

Color and background properties

Box properties

Classification properties

Font properties

Text properties

Units

Linking to External Style Sheets

Embedded and Inline Style Specifications

Using Tags to Define Style

Setting a Good Example: Sample Style Sheets

News.com

The Alertbox

The Richmond Review

Finding More Style Sheet Information

Chapter 5: Of Applets, Scripts, and Other Extensions

Caffeinating Your Pages: The <APPLET> and <PARM> Tags

Applet attributes

Adding parameters to applets

About <EMBED>

HTML <EMBED> Markup

<EMBED>'s default attributes

<EMBED>'s other attributes

<NOEMBED>

General examples of <EMBED> tag markup

Specific examples of <EMBED> tag markup

An <EMBED> Replacement?

<OBJECT> . . . </OBJECT> Non-HTTP object

Getting Underneath <EMBED>

Chapter 6: Encouraging Interaction with HTML Forms

It's Just Not Enough: The Limitations of Forms

We Shall Overcome: Cougar Forms Markup

Rendering text areas read-only

Checking values without the server

Two buttons are not enough

Clicking in the general vicinity: hot labels

Getting there faster: keyboard shortcuts

Selective data acceptance

Disabling form controls

Forms and Scripting

Part II: Beyond HTML: Extending Your Web

Chapter 7: Extending and Improving the Web Experience

If Your Browser Can't See It, Is It Really There?

Beyond HTML . . .

Assisting the browser: helper applications

Hooking up with plugins

What's in Store for Your Web Pages?

The Hottest Plugins . . .

The Perils of Incompatibility

Designing for Extended Capability

Serving the Audience

Trends in Web Extension Technology

Chapter 8: Shocking Your Web Site

A Shockwave Overview

A few words from Macromedia Director

Doing the Lingo limbo

Shockwave's bright future

What you need to use Shockwave

Installing and Using Afterburner

Running Afterburner on a Macintosh

Installing Afterburner on a Macintosh

Running Afterburner for Windows

Installing Afterburner on Windows

Implementing Afterburner

Configuring a Web Server for Shockwave

Shockwave configuration for specific Web servers

Shockwave and MIME

Shockwave configuration for NSCA httpd

Shockwave configuration for tenants

Shockwave configuration for W3C httpd

Shockwave configuration for Quarterdeck's WebSTAR

Placing Shockwave Files on Your Server

Using Shockwave Materials

Do's and Don'ts for Designing Shockwave Materials

Do

Don't

The Top Shockwave Resources

Chapter 9: Virtual Worlds with VRML

VRML's Brilliant History

And the winner was . . .

VRML and HTML: What's the difference?

So, what's VRML good for?

VRML's characteristics

Nodes

Field types

Creating VRML Content

A virtual world in seven easy steps

Creation tools for your VRML world

Virtual Home Space Builder

Virtus Walkthrough Pro

Installing and Using VRML-Enabled Browsers

Stand-alone PC browsers

WorldView from InterVista

CosmoPlayer

Helper applications for standard HTML browsers

VRwave for Windows

Live3D

Configuring your browser for VRML

Configuring your Windows browser for VRML

Configuring a Macintosh browser for VRML

Configuring Your Web Server for VRML

Design Do's and Don'ts for VRML

Do

Don't

The Top VRML Resources

Chapter 10: Java Still Jams!

A Java Overview

What makes Java different?

About those terms . . .

Simple

Object-oriented

Distributed

Interpreted

Robust

Secure

Architecture-neutral and portable

High performance

Multithreaded

Dynamic

Java's history: from seedling to coffee bean

Java's learning curve

Java versus C++ -- the differences

Creating Java Content

About Java programming . . .

Say "Hello World": creating a Java program

Finding and Using Java-Enabled Browsers

Referencing Java Materials in Your Web Pages

Java Design Do's and Don'ts

Do

Don't

Top Java Resources

Java's Future

Chapter 11: Scripting Alternatives

The Mechanics of Scripting

Programming with JavaScript

Differences between Java and JavaScript

JavaScript syntax and semantics

JavaScript resources

Programming with VBScript

Dynamic HTML

The skinny on DH

Benefits of Dynamic HTML

The big boys

To Script, or Not to Script?

Part III: Cool Web Applications

Chapter 12: Using Your Own Search Engine

What Is a Search Engine?

What Makes 'Em Tick?

Two Ways to Use Search Engines

Internet-wide search capability

Site-specific search capabilities

The Search Contenders

Chapter 13: Cussin' and Discussin' on the Web

An Intro to Forums

One Lump or Two?

Stand-alone versus integrated servers

Database: custom or current?

With or without whipped cream?

For your eyes only?

Playing God

Additional genetic traits

The Contenders

Chapter 14: When Push Comes to Shove

Push 101

Pondering Push

Push Prerogatives

HTML or proprietary?

Hot list or real content?

Browser or helper application?

Push Principles

Push in the Private Sector

Push Particulars

A Plethora of Push Products

The cheap ones

Take out a loan

Part IV: Serving Up Your Web

Chapter 15: Inviting the World onto Your Web

It's Show Time!

Stay Focused on Your Purpose

Keep Your Site in Charge

Publish, or Perish the Thought

It's good for business . . .

. . . and it's good for pleasure

Back to the content

Dealing and Wheeling: Hooking Up with an Internet Service Provider

Where to draw the line?

What to work out with your provider

What else you need to find out

What ISPs are going to ask you

Webbing It Yourself: What Does That Mean?

Understand the tariffs

UNIX or no UNIX?

Try though you might, you can't escape maintenance

Are You Ready for Success?

The Answer to the Ultimate Question

Chapter 16: If You Build It, WIll They Come?

Announcing Your Web Site to the World

Write a semi-formal announcement

Where to direct your announcement

Trolling the Usenet newsgroups

Niche or industry publications

The old-fashioned kind of networking

Stay on the Safe Side of Acceptable Use Policies

Giving Value Means Getting Value

Making Sure Your Web Catches the Right Prey

Chapter 17: The More Things Change . . .

The Two-Dimensional Text Trap

Who Says This Stuff Is Stale?

Check in on your pages regularly, Doctor Web

Keep your content current

Do your links point to nowhere?

Is your HTML passé?

If You Ask Them, They'll Tell You

Keeping Up with Changes

Maintenance Is an Attitude, and a Way of Life

When Things Change, They Also Break

Part V: Running a Successful Web Site

Chapter 18: What's Really in Your Web Site?

Know Your Web Server Administrator

Web Server Computer Platforms

UNIX

Macintosh

Windows NT

Web Server Software

Apache, NCSA, and the rest

Windows NT

WebSTAR and MacHTTPD

How Your Web Site Fits into the Whole Internet

Inventory Web Server Resources

Take Stock of Your Web Site

Lotsa docs (it's not a medical convention)

Graphics galore

The supporting cast of applications . . .

Marvelous miscellany

"Organized Web Site" Is Not an Oxymoron

Where does your site live?

Picture your directory/file structure as a tree

You can't tell the territory without a map

Understanding all the pieces and parts

Using remote hyperlinks

What's the code situation like?

Any image maps in the picture?

Strategic Planning for Your Web Site

Chapter 19: Web Server Administration -- the Easy Way

Web Server Hosting Options

Web server hosting services

Your friendly neighborhood ISP

Your organization's LAN

You!?

How the Web Server Fits into the Internet

The hardware: computer and telephone equipment

Web server software and (briefly) how it works

The Savvy Webmaster's Management Techniques

Laying out your Web space

Designing and handling the file system

Working with log files

Administration and monitoring tools

For More about Your Web Options . . .

Weighing Costs Against Other Considerations

What's your bottom line?

Home-grown versus store-bought Web sites

Chapter 20: Managing the Web Publication Process

What Should Be Hanging in Your Web?

Planning for Now and the Future

Planning for Regular Updates

Designing Documents for Multiple Uses

Working with Creation and Production Staff

Enlisting staff support and assistance

Integrating the Web into the overall process

Conversion Is a Real Time-Saver

Doing conversion manually

The power (and limitations) of automated conversion

Seeking tools

Cyberleaf

HTML Transit

Web Publisher

WebWorks

What should you remember about HTML converters?

Dejà Vu -- Elements of Page and Site Design

Give all pages a title

Make the most of text and hypertext links

Use graphics for maximum effect

Think in 24-D

Stringing pages together, the book way

Hierarchies are natural

Multiple tracks for multiple audiences

Extending your Web, a comment at a time

Chapter 21: Web Site Management Tools and Techniques

Managing Multitudes of Documents

How big is your Web?

Organize to untangle your Web

Document management systems

Examining the Alternatives

Web site managers

SITEMAN

LivePAGE

SiteMill

FrontPage

Let someone else manage your Web

Cool Management Tools

Doctor HTML

Weblint

The WebTechs HTML Validation Service

Acquiring the Perfect Tool Set

Web site usage tools and services

Log file analysis tools

Your Web Management Routine

The principles of Web site maintenance

Creating your Web management plan

The virtues of regular attention

Web administration is a part/full-time job

Chapter 22: Making Your Content Accessible

Of Spiders, Robots, Worms, and Other Agents

The past and future of Web agents

Agents in search engines and other WWW environments

Building search boundaries

What works globally also sometimes works locally

The Best of 'bots

Robot exclusion

They're baaaack!!

Just the Facts Ma'am: Meta-Information

Here I Am: Registering with Search Engines

Secret Agent Man

Part VI: Shortcuts and Tips Galore

Chapter 23: Maintenance Tips and Tricks

Routine Is Everything

Remembering the content

Keeping track of dates

Updating your HTML

The Beauty of a Test Web

Overcoming Inertia Takes Constant Vigilance

Chapter 24: Advanced HTML Tips and Shortcuts

Don't Forget the Other Guys

Multiple Means of Delivery

Let the Users Choose

<TABLE> Alternatives

<FRAME> Alternatives

Knowing When to Split

Managing Miscellany

Adding Value for Value

Chapter 25: Extenuating Extensions

Warning! Plug In Now!

Shelling into Shockwave

Visualizing the Virtual with VRML

Jumping into Java

Effective Augmentation

Glossary

Index

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