HTML Writers Guild Newsletter
Volume 6 Number 15, 7 August 2000
http://www.hwg.org/
mailto:editor@hwg.org
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Our Newsletter Sponsors: Atomz.com
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Table of Contents
1. Member-Submitted Tips: Speeding up download time
(Next Issue's Topic: Design tips for handheld devices )
2. Spotlight Class: Intermediate JavaScript
3. August Town Hall: Thursday, August 31st
4. Upcoming Online Classes: Take an online class!
5. HWG Events in Your Future: STC Pan-Pacific Conference
6. Why Did I Get This Email? And Other HWG-News FAQs
(How to change your email address, how to unsubscribe, and more.)
1. Member-Submitted Tips: Speeding up download time
(Marshall Jansen, HWG-News Editor, hwg-news-tips@hwg.org)
The Guild's foundation is members helping members, sharing our expertise
and knowledge to improve our skills in the craft of web design. Everyone
has something to teach, and something to learn!
In keeping with that spirit, the HWG-News Newsletter HWG-News features
member-submitted "tips" in each issue, in the space between articles and
announcements. What happens if your tip is selected? Each issue, the
first-place winner will receive a free HWG t-shirt. Runner-up tips will
be also listed in the HWG-News newsletter as space permits, and
submissions will be posted on the HWG web site.
The topic for this issue, as announced last issue, is:
Speeding up download time
In today's web market, you have to not only have compelling content
but also fast download time... otherwise, surfers won't stick around
to see your content! What ways do you tighten up your code to shorten
download time, and what tricks do you have to speed it up any more?
An archive of old tips may be found at:
http://www.hwg.org/opcenter/newsletter/tips/
Complete rules and information (including size limits) are also listed
at the URL above -- please read it!
This issue's winner was sent in by Ed Edwards.
[HWG-News Tip: Speeding up download time --------------------------]
The biggest foot-draggers in site loading are graphic files. There
are two principal ways to counter those delays. The first is to reduce
palette size. The second, and perhaps more significant, is to create
a uniform site palette. Designers tend to look at an 800kb photo and
blame the sloth of the entire page on that single source. Unfair and
untrue. Through most graphic programs a surprisingly thin palette can
be created for all of the type, line-art, ect. images that will
comprise the rest of the "art" on a page. That palette can then be
further reduced for individual images by prunning the extraneous
colors and forcing the "close" ones to conform. The browser will not
have to create an individual palette for each item and all subsequent
images will be quicker. All of this can be done without loss to the
aesthetics of the page or the individual pieces. What little tedium
is involved will be justified by a lean, agressively loading, cleaner
product.
[---------------- Submitted by Ed Edwards ]
If you have suggestions for upcoming HWG News Tip topics, you can
send those to hwg-news-tips@hwg.org as well. The category for
the next newsletter is:
Design tips for handheld devices
Now that webphones, Palm Pilots, and other handheld devices
are accessing the web, how do you code your pages so that
these users can access your site?
Send in your 5-8 line tips to hwg-news-tips@hwg.org.
2. Spotlight Class: Intermediate JavaScript
(Ann Navarro, Online Education Director, classes@hwg.org)
You Asked For It; HWG Delivers!
For those of you who completed our Intro to JavaScript class and wanted
more, now's your chance! Instructor Marshall Jansen has developed a
followup class, that is focused on the aspects that students wanted most!
This class will continue to go over the JavaScript language and syntax,
building understanding of the language, and it will also take the class
step-by-step through the creation of an online order form, involving
multiple items, special package deals, automatic shipping and handling
totals, tax calculations, and other steps.
Please note: Introduction to JavaScript is a prerequisite for this class,
and this class will not detail creating a fully functional e-commerce
site from scratch.
The first session is available for immediate sign-up!
Dates: August 14 - September 22, 2000(6 weeks)
Tuition: $80 Full members, $110 Trial members
Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/p152.1.html
Class size is limited to just 80 students; your paid enrollment holds your
seat in class so sign up now!
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3. August Town Hall: Thursday, August 31st
(Frank Boumphrey, VP of Special Events, vp-events@hwg.org)
Town Halls are informal affairs, where you can talk to the governing
board, ask questions, and generally let you opinions be known in a more
public forum than email. We hope to see you there!
The details on the June town hall meeting are:
31 August Town Hall Meeting
Date: Thursday, 31 August 2000
Time: 6:30 p.m. PST, 9:30 p.m. EST
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.
4. Upcoming Online Classes: Take an online class!
(Ann Navarro, Online Education Director, classes@hwg.org)
Through a web-based interface, we offer a broad series of online
classes designed to teach you the skills you need, in a way that fits
your busy schedule. Our instructors are your fellow Guild members,
chosen for their expertise in their field and their willingness to
pass along their experience to you.
Upcoming courses you can take include:
Introduction to HTML 4.0
Dates: August 7, 2000 - September 17, 2000 (6 weeks)
Tuition: $40 Full members, $70 Trial members
Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/h101.18.html
Leave your WYSIWYG editor behind and explore the nuts and bolts that
make web pages function!
Introduction to JavaScript
Dates: August 7, 2000 - September 24, 2000 (7 weeks)
Tuition: $40 Full members, $70 Trial members
Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/p151.10.html
The JavaScript language allows you to add interactivity to your web
pages -- this course will teach you the basics of programming in
JavaScript for multiple browser types.
Intermediate JavaScript
Dates: August 14, 2000 - September 24, 2000 (6 weeks)
Tuition: $80 Full members, $110 Trial members
Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/p152.1.html
Increase your JavaScript knowledge! In-depth instruction
on form manipulation and syntax, plus weekly tips on
creating your own interactive on-line order form!
Introduction to XML
Dates: August 14, 2000 - September 24, 2000 (6 weeks)
Tuition: $40 Full members, $70 Trial members
Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/x101.8.html
Come find out what the buzz is all about! XML, the Extensible
Markup Language, is driving the future of data storage and
exchange. Get hands on development experience using freely available tools.
Sites that Sizzle: Web Animation with Macromedia Flash 4
Dates: August 28, 2000 - October 8, 2000 (6 weeks)
Tuition: $60 Full members, $90 Trial members
Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/a221.6.html
This course covers the exciting world of Flash 4. You will learn
to draw, create, import and manipulate vector objects, making them
come to life in frame-by-frame animations and on multiple layers.
Using Macromedia Dreamweaver - Part I
Dates: August 28, 2000 - September 24, 2000 (4 weeks)
Tuition: $25 Full members, $50 Trial members
Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/a131.7.html
Designed for the student who wishes to evaluate the Macromedia
Dreamweaver 3.0 web design tool. The publicly available 30 day trial
version will be available for students to use for this 4 week intensive
course. Topics will include: layout and visual design, tools for creating
tables, frames, and forms, implementing style sheets, and adding
javascript or behaviors. New features in version 3.0 not mentioned in
the current text as they pertain to these topics will also be covered.
COURSE FEES
Course fees are based on membership level; Full members receive a
discounted tuition price, while Trial members pay the standard price.
Full membership is only $40 per year, so 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. A
certificate can be requested after class is completed for $10.
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/
5. HWG Events in Your Future: STC Pan-Pacific Conference
(Frank Boumphrey, VP of Special Events, vp-events@hwg.org)
As part of our ongoing Speakers Bureau program, we are pleased to
present this list of upcoming industry events at which the Guild will
be participating. More information can be found at our events page:
http://www.hwg.org/opcenter/events/
* STC Pan-Pacific Conference
Honolulu,Hawaii
October 18-21, 2000
http://www.pan-pacific.org/
Ann Navarro and Chris Higgs will be giving talks on XML.
If you are attending either of these events, please stop by and introduce
yourself to our HWG representatives, we'd love to meet you!
6. Why Did I Get This Email? And Other HWG-News FAQs
(HWG-News Newsletter Editor, editor@hwg.org)
This newsletter was edited by Marshall Jansen .
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 more?
A. The newsletter is the Guild's administrative bulletin to the
membership; beyond the HWG News Tips, we don't include specific
information on web creation. 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:
mailto:lost-password@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 password support team
for help.
Q: How do I change my email address for Guild mailings?
A: Full members can update their membership profile at any time by going
to this page: http://www.hwg.org/member/profile.html. If you don't
know your password, contact the password support team
for help. Trial members can send email to
to change their email address.
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 (334) 928-4542. Discounts are available
to Guild Business and Corporate members, as well as for multiple
placements. The Guild's newsletter reaches over 117,000 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.
Copyright 2000, HTML Writers Guild, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Published twice monthly via email and WWW.