HTML Writers Guild Newsletter
Volume 6 Number 4, 19 February 2000
http://www.hwg.org/
mailto:editor@hwg.org
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Our Newsletter Sponsors: Searchbutton.Com, Allaire, eLance.com
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Table of Contents
1. This Thursday: Annual HWG Online Membership Meeting
2. Member-Submitted Tips: Secrets of Effective Forms
(Next Issue's Topic: Site Maintenance Strategies)
3. Upcoming Online Classes: HTML, ASP, Java Applets
4. HWG Events in Your Future: Intranets 2000 and More
5. Why Did I Get This Email? And Other HWG-News FAQs
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1. This Thursday: Annual HWG Online Membership Meeting
(Leanne Phillips, HWG Secretary, secretary@hwg.org)
Each year, the HTML Writers Guild holds our official online meeting
to which all members are invited. This year's meeting will be held
in place of the February Town Hall meeting. The details for this
meeting are:
Year 2000 Annual HWG Membership Meeting
Date: Thursday, 24 February 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: #meeting
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.
The agenda for the 2000 membership meeting consists of:
1. Welcome and Introduction of GB Members
2. State of the Guild Summary
3. Membership Numbers and Growth
4. Financial Overview and Treasurer's Report
5. News on Specific Guild Activities:
a. Online Education Program
b. Accessible Web Authoring Resources and Education Center
c. The Mailing List Program
d. HWG Participation in the W3C
e. Project Gutenberg and XML Activities
f. Conference Attendance and Speaker's Bureau
6. Future Goals of the HWG
7. Appreciation and Thanks to the 1999-2000 Board
8. Official Adjournment
9. Question and Answer Session (informal)
We hope to see you all there -- remember, all members of the Guild
are welcome!
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This issue of HWG-News is sponsored by:
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2. Member-Submitted Tips: Secrets of Effective Forms
(Kynn Bartlett, 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:
Creating Effective Forms
Input fields, checkboxes, textareas, radio buttons -- these
are the building blocks of HTML forms. How can you use them
to greatest effect? When should you use each type of input
element? Can you validate your users' input? How do you
process a form once it has been submitted?
We got many good responses! A full list of all tips submitted
can be found online 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
[HWG-News Tip: Creating Effective Forms------------------------------]
"Most people, when filling out forms, hate to do a lot of typing.
A good way to create an effective form is use as many presets as
possible, set TABINDEX attributes to increase ease of use, and
limit your questions to necessities. Eliminate text input tags and
replace them with check boxes, radio buttons and drop-down menus
whenever you can."
[--------------------------Submitted by Ben Cross ]
Other form tips were submitted by Robin Lauren, Dawne Holz, Kim
Straight, Parag Kapashi, and Dan Romanchik. Tips on other topics
were received from Jim Peden, Lewis Overton, Mel Carrie, Stan Furlong,
Roxanne Reid-Bennett, Rick Welin, and Todd L'Herrou. Phil Jansen
submitted an excellent tip on Javascript form validation that was
too long to run here, but you can read it at:
http://www.hwg.org/opcenter/newsletters/tips/feb00b_pjansen.html
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:
Site Maintenance Strategies
Building a site is often just the beginning of the process;
maintaining the site can be as much work, or more! How do you
keep a site fresh? When do you update it, and why? How often
is a complete redesign necessary? Are there unexpected costs
associated with site upkeep?
Send in your 5-8 line tips on site maintenance to hwg-news-tips@hwg.org
before next Saturday, the 26th of February!
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This issue of HWG-News is sponsored by:
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3. Upcoming Online Classes: HTML, ASP, Java Applets
(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: February 28, 2000 - April 7, 2000 (6 weeks)
Tuition: $40 Full members, $70 Trial members
Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/h101.12.html
Leave your WYSIWYG editor behind and explore the nuts and bolts that
make web pages function!
Programming with Active Server Pages
** NEW COURSE **
Dates: March 6, 2000 - April 16, 2000 (6 weeks)
Tuition: $40 Full members, $70 Trial members
Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/ms102.1.html
Part 2 of our exciting series on ASP programming! A continuation of
Active Server Pages for Non-programmers (HWG online course MS101),
students will take their existing scripting and ASP skills and begin
to build more complex applications.
Incorporating Java Applets into your Web Sites
Dates: March 6, 2000 - April 4, 2000 (4 weeks)
Tuition: $25 Full members, $50 Trial members
Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/h171.2.html
Designed for the beginning student with some knowledge of creating
HTML files by hand or with a WYSIWYG editing tool. This class will
show you where to find applets to use on your pages, and how to
customize them using parameters. This is NOT a programming class!
Applets will range from simple 'ticker style' text applets, to
animations, and to Java games.
Developing Dynamic Web Sites with ColdFusion 4
Dates: March 6, 2000 - April 16, 2000 (6 weeks)
Tuition: $80 Full members, $110 Trial members
Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/db221.2.html
Add dynamically generated content to your Web Site! Allaire's popular
ColdFusion lets you incorporate database-backed Web sites into your
design arsenal. With your knowledge of HTML, a basic knowledge of
databases such as Microsoft Access, and your own Web server, you're
on your way!
Business Writing Basics
Dates: March 6, 2000 - April 30, 2000 (8 weeks)
Tuition: $25 Full members, $50 Trial members
Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/b101.6.html
You may be good at HTML tags, but that's just half the equation!
Learn how to make your content sizzle in our writing course!
Introduction to Programming Concepts
Dates: March 6,2000 - April 16, 2000 (6 weeks)
Tuition: $40 Full members, $70 Trial members
Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/p010.2.html
Want to take one of our programming courses, but feel you're not
yet ready for the "intro" courses? Here's the class for you! Learn
the programming concepts central to all programming languages, and
you'll be prepared to master your next (or first!) choice of
scripting or programming languages with ease.
Introduction to JavaScript
Dates: March 13, 2000 - April 28, 2000 (7 weeks)
Tuition: $40 Full members, $70 Trial members
Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/p151.7.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.
Beginning Programming with Perl
Dates: March 13, 2000 - April 28, 2000 (7 weeks)
Tuition: $40 Full members, $70 Trial members
Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/p101.6.html
Learn the basics of the Perl programming language, system
administration, and a variety of other tasks. The course will cover
the fundamentals of the language, preparing you for a variety of
scripting projects. (Please note that this is not a CGI course.)
Creating Web Graphics with Paint Shop Pro
Dates: March 20, 2000 - April 28, 2000 (6 weeks)
Tuition: $40 Full members, $70 Trial members
Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/g201.5.html
Release your inner artist! This graphics course will teach
you to create your own stunning images for use on your website,
using the Paint Shop Pro program.
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. 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/
[HWG-News Tip: Creating Effective Forms------------------------------]
"Be sure to specify format requirements for fields such as phone
number, Social Security Number (SSN), date of birth, etc. Tell
the user whether or not to include dashes in the SSN: 123-45-6789
or 123456789. Tell the user to enter their date of birth in the
format you want, such as MM/DD/YYYY. Nothing is more frustrating
than filling out a form, only to be told that it was done
incorrectly and you must start over. If you want people to supply
information, make it easy for them to do so."
[---------------Submitted by Kim Straight ]
4. HWG Events in Your Future: Intranets 2000 and More
(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/
* Intranets 2000
San Jose, CA
February 27 - March 1, 2000
http://www.intranets2000.com/
We will be presenting two workshops at this conference, on "Basic
XML" and "Advanced HTML Authoring."
* WinWriters Online Help Conference
San Diego, CA
March 5 - March 9, 2000
http://www.winwriters.com/ohc.htm
We will be having a booth at this conference and we will be presenting
a workshop on "Using XHTML for Universal Display and Accessibility".
* SHARE: Practical Information for IT Professionals
Anaheim, CA
March 5 - March 10, 2000
http://www.share.org/anaheim
HWG President and AWARE Center director Kynn Bartlett will be
presenting "Meeting the Accessibility Challenge: Can Everyone Use
Your Web Site?" on March 6.
* CSUN's International Conference on Technology and People with
Disabilities
Los Angeles, CA
March 20 - March 25, 2000
http://www.csun.edu/cod/
The Guild will be sponsoring a booth at this event, which focuses on
the use of technology to overcome disability barriers! Learn more
about the web as assistive technology at http://aware.hwg.org/
* WWW9 -- The Ninth World Wide Web Conference
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
May 15 - May 19, 2000
http://www.www9.org/
We will be presenting a workshop at this conference entitled "Crafting
and Reforming HTML Pages as XHTML."
If you are attending any of these events, please stop by and introduce
yourself to our HWG representatives, we'd love to meet you!
[HWG-News Tip: Creating Effective Forms------------------------------]
"For an initial inquiry form on a website be sure to keep it short.
Having too many fields to fill in and asking for a lot of details
from the visitor may seem 'invasive' to most of them and will only
discourage them from submitting a query. The only essential fields
are name, email address and a text area for query details. Once
they submit this information, you know someone is interested in
your product/services and you can always contact them via email
with specific questions."
[-----------------------Submitted by Parag Kapashi ]
5. Why Did I Get This Email? And Other HWG-News FAQs
(HWG-News Newsletter Editor, editor@hwg.org)
This newsletter was edited by Kynn Bartlett .
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: 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 107,000 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.