[FM] Re:websites followup

[BRIAN CLAUSS]

I agree.. guess I forgot to stress that when talking about new info and updates. A good design minimizes the # of pages that need to change in an update, and how much an updated page changes. I have a "NEWS" page that is always totally replaced, pictures and text, but in the same format.. and the link is still the same (file is still "BB.htm"). So I don't change any main menu links. That and the archive menu really are all the pages that change, and occasionally the main menu. Which means minimal upload times!

In that subject I also forgot that e mnescessary skill to learn is making graphics in to small files that load fast. I use corel, but any will work..Scan at 75dpi, unless you want to magnify! Then you crop, simplify colors when you can, use a .gif when you can ("Photopaint"/pixel editor stage), then ("Draw"/object editor stage) you use file>export to internet> and this allows you to resize a photo to the smallest size that works, you can also reformat colors then. Practice getting photos to closer to 25KB than 200KB

and finally.. you know, I might go download that software.. I just write the html code in notepad, its really very simple.. with a design like mine, where new pages or updates are essentially just replacing text and pictures w/ new text and pictures in a copy of my basic template, its quick and easy, then I drag and drop from file explorer into the browser window open to my ftp directory in my server.. hmm, I use netscape for this step, cause IE wouldn't originally do drag and drop ftp.. maybe it does now. I don't have to upload the entire website, just new newspage overwriting the old newspage, with any new graphics and new pages.

And even if you don't want to bother w/notepad html, browsers and even Word will display webpages and let you edit them, saving to html. 

but.. to do a global change to an extensive website (and they usually grow)like update to new standards, or check old links off my site to see if they are still functional, or do a global rebuild, a good possibility occasionally... well some website management software might be just what I could use.. in fact, I was going to look for one and lo and behold!

peace

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[Alan sez: Another good tool to use for global website management is SSI (Server Side Include) where bits of code can be injected into pages on the fly thru indirect references. I do a couple of sites where the graphic identity and menuing systems are maintained globally in this way. For info on this and more tips, you can visit my web site at http://www.alanrowoth.com/Web201.html   

Hope this helps,
Alan]