[Qcwa] HTML 101

[Bob N0UF]

There have been several questions about basic web stuff,
so I though I would try to clear the air.

1. What is HTML and why is it HTM sometime?

     HTML stands for Hyper Text Mark-up Language.  It
     is the basic language used to create all web pages.
     and is understood and displayed by web browsers.

     Internet servers are computers on the web.  The ones
     that are DOS based use a three character file
     suffix, hence htm not html.  UNIX operating systems
     and others have a flexible length file suffix and use html.

2. What's the deal with case sensitive systems?

     UNIX is case sensitive ( .HTML and .html are different).
     DOS isn't case sensitive (.HTM and .htm are the same).
     You'll just have to experiment to see what's needed.
     Most webmasters use lower case just to keep things
     simple and easy.

3. Why do some URLs end with index.htm and some don't?

     index.htm(l) is the default file a browser looks for.   You can
     use it in the web address or not.  If a site directory doesn't
     have an index.htm file and a file name isn't added to the
     URL you'll either get a list of the files at the site or an
     error message that you don't have permission.

4.  What is and how does a link work?

     (These describe default link syntax and operation.)
     A link allows access to another web page/site with the
     click of a mouse button.

     A link is underlined on a web site or has a border if a
     picture and your mouse pointer changes shape when
     moved over a link.  A single left mouse click will active
     a link.

     Links use three colors to show  their status.  One to
    show a link on a page that you haven't viewed yet, one
    to show a link you have viewed and one to show the
    last link viewed.

    All of these can be changed by the HTML program
    or by your browser or mouse settings.

I know there are lots of other things to be said and different ways to
say them but,
this is for the new folks and I don't want to turn their brain to mush.

cu in Dallas.

73
Bob N0UF
QCWA Webmaster