HTML Writers Guild Newsletter Volume 6 Number 5, 4 March 2000 http://www.hwg.org/ mailto:editor@hwg.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Newsletter Sponsors: Allaire Corporation, eLance, SpeedyWeb --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table of Contents 1. Member-Submitted Tips: Site Maintenance Strategies (Next Issue's Topic: Finding Web Design Clients) 2. March Conferences: Meet the Guild at WinWriters, SHARE, and CSUN! 3. HWG Online Education: Broaden Your Web Design Repertoire - B101: Business Writing Basics - P171: Implementing Java Applets in your Web Pages - DB221: Developing Dynamic Web Sites with ColdFusion 4 - P101: Beginning Programming with Perl - ...and more! 4. Guild Town Hall Meeting -- Thursday, 23 February 2000 5. The HWG-News Newsletter FAQ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- This issue of HWG-News is sponsored by: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- HomeSite Allaire Corporation http://www.allaire.com/allaire.cfm?web_ID=1097 Gain total control over your HTML while increasing your productivity by reducing key strokes. Developed by Web developers for Web developers, HomeSite is the industry's #1 HTML editing tool. Download your FREE evaluation copy today! Just click the link above. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Member-Submitted Tips: Site Maintenance Strategies (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 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: 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? 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 Bill Gentry: [HWG-News Tip: Site Management Strategies----------------------------] "Plan ahead and use an external cascading style sheet (or more than one if needed) to define most if not all of your page attributes, such as text styles, backgrounds, colors, etc. By using an external cascading style sheet, giving a web site a nearly complete make-over is a snap, by simply changing the style sheet." [----------------Submitted by Bill Gentry ] Other site management tips were submitted by Ken Weatherford, Mark Bramwell, Howard Merrill, Chris Snyder, Isis Heart, Anne McKay, Betsy A. Riley, Rick Floyd, Peter Papadopoulos, Glennette Yelverton, Jim Duber, Ed Edwards, and Liz Rainey. Tips on other topics were received from Bill Wiegert, Lady Star, and Art Dieli. 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: Finding Web Design Clients Many members of the Guild are freelancers or run web design shops. One of the biggest challenges is acquiring new clients. What ways have you found that will attract new business? How do you get the best clients? What is the value of networking and how do you do it? Send in your 5-8 line tips on finding clients to hwg-news-tips@hwg.org before next Saturday, the 11th of March! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- This issue of HWG-News is sponsored by: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- eLance.com http://www.eLance.com/hwg ATTENTION HWG members: There are currently over 250 PROJECTS in web development, banner design, software programming, and IT consulting waiting for you in the eLance.com marketplace. Click here (http://www.eLance.com/hwg) to join the eLance community for FREE, and SELL YOUR SERVICES to buyers from around the world! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. March Conferences: Meet the Guild at WinWriters, SHARE, and CSUN! (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/ * 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! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- This issue of HWG-News is sponsored by: --------------------------------------------------------------------------- SpeedyWeb http://www.speedyweb.com/hwg.htm SPECIAL LIMITED TIME OFFER! Are you overpaying for your Web Hosting? SpeedyWeb's current special is a massive 450 Megs with FREE Real Audio/Video and FREE Referral logs for only $19.95/month! 99.9% Guaranteed Uptime, Toll Free Customer Support. Sign up today and get 2 FREE ROUND TRIP AIRLINE TICKETS with each site ordered! Call 1-888-416-4678 or...... http://www.speedyweb.com/hwg.htm --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. HWG Online Education: Broaden Your Web Design Repertoire (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: 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! Implementing Java Applets in your Web Pages Dates: March 6, 2000 - April 2, 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 go to get applets for 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, 200 - 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! Dates: March 6, 2000 - April 16, 2000 (6 weeks) Tuition: $25 Full members, $50 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. Beginning Programming with Perl Dates: March 13, 2000 - April 30, 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 30, 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. Introduction to XML Dates: March 20, 2000 - April 30, 2000 (6 weeks) Tuition: $40 Full members, $70 Trial members Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/x101.6.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. Introduction to HTML 4.0 Dates: March , 27 2000 - May 7, 2000 (6 weeks) Tuition: $40 Full members, $70 Trial members Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/h101.13.html Leave your WYSIWYG editor behind and explore the nuts and bolts that make web pages function! Practical Web Management: Creating an Effective Web Site Dates: March 27 , 2000 - May 7 , 2000 (6 weeks) Tuition: $25 Full members, $50 Trial members Details: http://www.hwg.org/services/classes/w201.4.html Covering everything from personalization to usability studies, this course is a perfect fit if you're struggling with how to manage your new or growing website! 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: Site Management Strategies----------------------------] "Logical organization of information provided through the site is very important and should be studied before even starting designing a site for the first time. This can eliminate organizational problems when a site is to be changed or more pages added. Logical organization has nothing to do with the Internet, but is a result of clear thinking and understanding of the site owner's internal structure and ways of operation." [----------------Submitted by Peter J. Papadopoulous ] 4. Guild Town Hall Meeting -- Thursday, 23 February 2000 (Fred Barnett, HWG Assistant Secretary, fred@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 on March's town hall meeting are: 23 March Town Hall Meeting Date: Thursday, 23 March 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. [HWG-News Tip: Site Management Strategies----------------------------] "When putting together a site, I create a separate directory and page (for my own or the client's use) containing just the links and where they occur. Every couple of weeks I go to that page and check that the links are active and up-to-date. If a link no longer exists I can delete it, or if it has been referred to a new address I can easily make the change in the appropriate place." [-------------------Submitted by Ed Edwards ] 5. The HWG-News Newsletter FAQ (HWG-News Newsletter Editor, editor@hwg.org) This newsletter was edited by Kynn Bartlett . It's been my pleasure to create and edit this newsletter since March 1998 -- over 35 issues. This will be my last issue as HWG-News Editor, and I'd like to thank my wife Liz Bartlett for her support and copy-editing that made this newsletter possible! Also, special thanks to Leanne Phillips, Marshall Jansen, Shelly Ross, and other dedicated HWG volunteers who have contributed to the production of the newsletter. 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.