HTML Writers Guild Newsletter
Volume 5, Number 7, 24 April 1999
http://www.hwg.org/
editor@hwg.org
Table of Contents
1. AWARE Center Bulletin: Human Communications Project
2. Come Try the New HWG Resource Pages!
3. Online Course Updates: Open Classes for May, June
4. Frank Boumphrey Named VP of Guild Special Events
5. HWG Offices Closed April 25 to May 2
6. Next Month's Town Hall Meeting Set For Thursday, May 27
7. HWG-News FAQ: Subscription Info, Sponsorship, and More
This issue of HWG-News is sponsored by:
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1. AWARE Center Bulletin: Human Communications Project
(Kynn Bartlett, AWARE Center Director, aware@hwg.org)
The HTML Writers Guild's Accessible Web Authoring Resources and
Education (AWARE) Center is pleased to announce a new international
collaborative project to focus on the use of assistive technology
on the web.
The HUMAN COMMUNICATIONS PROJECT (HCP) is the brainchild of Martin
Bayne, "Mr. Long-Term Care" and chairman of the National Long-Term
Care Policy Institute. The HCP will serve as a permanent Internet-
based resource for the integration of assistive computer technology for
the disabled and the elderly, two groups that have historically used
the Internet specifically for communication, as opposed to commerce
and other uses. These two groups also have unique limitations, which
often make the use of a computer more difficult than for the young
and/or able-bodied.
HCP will use an "open-development, dynamic, real-time" approach to
knowledge. An international team of web designers will document and
archive the entire assembly of the site, with the site's "scaffolding"
in full view of the Internet community at all times. This allows
future generations of web designers to examine every phase of decision
making and construction. The HCP will therefore stand as a living
example of accessible web authoring practices.
The HTML Writers Guild is taking an active interest in the Human
Communications Project, with AWARE Center Director Kynn Bartlett
serving as founding co-Chair of the project with Martin Bayne, and
HWG Governing Board member Fred Barnett providing leadership to the
web development team. The HCP is already attracting major interest
from corporate supporters and Kynn Bartlett will be meeting with
the President's Director of Disability Outreach at the White House
next week to present the proposal.
Members of the Guild who wish to participate in the HCP are invited
to do so. HWG members with disabilities are especially encouraged to
become involved as one goal of the project is to demonstrate that when
it comes to web development, a disability need not be disabling! If
you would like to participate, make sure you are familiar with the
principles of web accessibility -- the Guild's AWARE Center is the
net's premier resource for learning about accessible web authoring,
and is located at:
http://aware.hwg.org/
If you are interested in working with us on this, please contact
Martin Bayne at mkbayne@alum.mit.edu or (518) 383-5989; Fred Barnett
at fred@hwg.org; or Kynn Bartlett at aware@hwg.org or (714) 526-4963.
Further announcements will be forthcoming in HWG-News, HWG-Announce,
and on the AWARE Center website!
2. Come Try the New HWG Resource Pages!
(Jim Barchuk, Governing Board Member, jim@hwg.org)
The Guild is pleased to announce that we have recently updated the
Resources section of the Guild site. The HWG's web authoring resources
feature a wide variety of helpful links and references for our members,
including HTML specifications, design guides, and tutorials.
The new Resources pages are done under the Entropy web database system
from Terminus Systems Designs, Inc. Features of the hierarchical
reference database include a new search engine and regular checking
for dead/changed links. Updating the site with new information is
easily done by the HWG's team of volunteers
Please take a moment to explore the redesigned Resources section of
the site. The URL is:
http://www.hwg.org/resources/
If you have any additional resources to recommend, you are welcome to
submit your favorite references to resources@hwg.org.
3. Online Course Updates: Open Classes for May, June
(Ann Navarro, Director of Online Classes, classes@hwg.org)
The Guild's online classes program provides our members with convenient,
affordable instruction on a wide spectrum of web authoring subjects.
Instruction is done via a web-based interface and allows for interaction
with the instructor and other students at a time convenient for each
participant.
In addition to the web accessibility course (see previous news item),
other classes currently open for enrollment include:
H101: INTRODUCTION TO HTML 4.0
Dates: May 3, 1999 - June 11, 1999 (6 weeks)
HTML is the foundation of the web! Learn the basics of HTML
4.0 and the joy of a well-crafted web page.
A131: USING MACROMEDIA DREAMWEAVER - Part 1
Dates: May 3, 1999 - May 28, 1999 (4 weeks)
Learn how to craft pages using Macromedia's popular Dreamweaver
software -- this course is designed to take advantage of the
FREE four week trial version of Dreamweaver!
P101: BEGINNING PROGRAMMING WITH PERL
Dates: May 10, 1999 - June 18, 1999 (6 weeks)
Perl is one of the most useful programming languages in the
webmaster's toolbox -- learn it now!
MS101: ACTIVE SERVER PAGES FOR NON-PROGRAMMERS
Dates: May 17, 1999 - June 25, 1999 (6 weeks)
*** New Course! Create dynamic server-side programming in this
new course that will teach you the fundamentals of ASP! No
programming experience is necessary, only a willingness to learn!
H151: INTRODUCTION TO CASCADING STYLE SHEETS
Dates: May 24, 1999 - July 2, 1999 (6 weeks)
Learn how to use CSS to create vibrant, accessible pages with
detailed control over placement, presentation, and appearance.
B101: BUSINESS WRITING BASICS
Dates: May 24, 1999 - July 16, 1999 (8 weeks)
There's more to authoring a business web site than simply writing
HTML tags; learn what all web authors need to know about business
writing and content creation!
H301: WORKING WITH DYNAMIC HTML
Dates: June 7, 1999 - July 17, 1999 (6 weeks)
This course will allow you to blend your current talents in HTML,
Scripting, and CSS into what's commonly known as Dynamic HTML.
Go beyond the mouseover into engaging effects that can be viewed
by most of today's most popular browsers.
[Pre-requisites: HTML, Javascript, and CSS experience, such as HWG
Online Courses H101, P151, and H151.]
G201: CREATING WEB GRAPHICS WITH PAINT SHOP PRO
Dates: June 7, 1999 - July 16, 1999 (6 weeks)
*** New Course! Learn to create your own graphics for use on the
web! Explore color manipulation, filters, masks, textures and more.
COURSE FEES
For all courses, Full and Discounted members may register for $25,
Trial members for $50. Upgrade your membership before registering,
and save money! Payments may be made online via secure transaction;
all figures are in U.S. funds.
A certificate of completion is available for an additional $5;
the request needs to be made at the time of registration. Textbooks
(when required) are separate and may be purchased through the Guild's
online bookstore, The Bookmark. Books should be purchased before the
first week of class! In addition, students should have regular access
to the web and the ability to post completed assignments on a
public (non-Intranet) web server.
Sign up today through our online enrollment forms or get more
information at:
http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/
Make the most of your HWG membership -- enroll in an online course
today!
4. Frank Boumphrey Named VP of Guild Special Events
(Leanne Phillips, HWG Secretary, secretary@hwg.org)
The Governing Board has appointed GB member Frank Boumphrey to the
new position of Vice President of Guild Special Events. This officer
position on the Executive Committee is responsible for Guild-sponsored
events, including planning a proposed 2001 HWG Conference.
If you would like to give your input on HWG participation in trade
shows and conferences, please fill out our online survey at:
http://www.hwg.org/opcenter/events/showsurvey.html
Frank's "role address" as Vice President is vp-events@hwg.org.
5. HWG Offices Closed April 25 to May 2
(Ann Navarro, VP of Finance & Personnel, vp-finance@hwg.org)
The Guild's offices in Florida and California will be closed the week
of Monday April 26 through Friday April 30. We will re-open for normal
business hours on Monday, May 3. During this time, queries by email
will be answered as soon as possible, within the Guild's standard 2
business-day response time.
Individuals mailing or faxing payments for memberships and online
education courses to the Florida office will receive acknowlegement of
your payment on Monday, May 3. Any messages left on our voice-mail
system will be returned on that date as well.
We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.
6. Next Month's Town Hall Meeting Set For Thursday, May 27
(Leanne Phillips, Vice President of Member Education, vp-edu@hwg.org)
Each month, the Guild provides an opportunity for real-time discussion
and chatting via HWG Interactive. These monthly meetings are hosted by
members of the Governing Board (with most of them in attendance),
and give our members the chance to voice your views about the HWG.
The details for April's meeting are:
27 May Town Hall Meeting
Date: Thursday, 27 May 1999
Time: 6:30 p.m. PDT, 9:30 p.m. EDT, 01:30 (28 May) GMT
Server: HWG Interactive, http://interact.hwg.org/
IRC: irc.hwg.org, port 6667
Channel: #townhall
To connect, either go to the URL above and use the Java-based client
available via the web, or use your favorite IRC client and join channel
#townhall.
We look forward to meeting you there!
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7. HWG-News FAQ: Subscription Info, Sponsorship, and More
(HWG-News Newsletter Editor, editor@hwg.org)
Some questions you may be asking:
Q: Why did I get this mail?
A: You received this newsletter because you are a member of the
HTML Writers Guild. This message came from hwg-news, the Guild's
mandatory mailing list for all members. If you need more information
about hwg-news, please see the List Charter at:
http://www.hwg.org/lists/hwg-news/index.html
Q. Why doesn't this newsletter talk about web design or HTML?
A. The newsletter is the Guild's administrative bulletin to the
membership. If you are interested in the topics of Web design
and HTML, then you might want to subscribe to some of our
discussion lists devoted to those topics. More information on
the Guild's offering of discussion lists can be found at:
http://www.hwg.org/lists/mailinglists.html
Q. How can I find out more about Guild activities?
A. The Guild has set up a one-way announcement list, HWG-Announce,
that carries bulletins of day-to-day Guild business. For details
on how to subscribe, please see:
http://www.hwg.org/lists/hwg-announce/
Q: How do I unsubscribe from hwg-news?
A: Since this is a required list in order to maintain your
Guild membership, unsubscribing is the same as resigning from
the HTML Writers Guild.
If you have your Member ID and password, to resign your membership
in the Guild and to unsubscribe to hwg-news, visit:
http://www.hwg.org/member/resign.html
Fill in the pertinent information, and submit it.
If you don't have a Member ID, or have forgotten your password, send
mail to:
newapps@hwg.org
with a Subject of: Resign membership
In the body of the message, provide the following information:
* Your email address(es)
* Your member ID if you have one.
* The list of discussion lists you are on.
Please remember that unsubscribing to hwg-news automatically resigns
you from the Guild. If you have problems with unsubscribing,
please contact the Database Manager for help.
Q: Can my company advertise in the Guild's newsletter?
A: Yes; the Guild is offering sponsorship opportunities in HWG-News
on a limited basis. If you are interested in advertising your
web related product or service here, please send email to
advertising@hwg.org or call (714) 526-4963. Discounts are available
to Guild Business and Corporate members, as well as for multiple
placements. The Guild's newsletter reaches over 95,000 web authors
worldwide each month.
(Note: The Guild does not make our member database available for
third party use. We have a strong privacy policy and will not
release our members' personal information; our mailing list is
not for sale. Any questions regarding the Guild's advertising or
privacy policies can be directed to advertising@hwg.org.)
Q: What if I want to comment on this newsletter?
A: The HWG-News Mailing List is a "Read-Only" list -- please do not try
to reply to this message directly.
If you wish to contact the editor of this newsletter, you may do
so by sending email to editor@hwg.org. Each article begins with
the contact information for the author as well.
This issue was edited by Kynn Bartlett.
Copyright 1999, HTML Writers Guild, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Published monthly via email and WWW.