Since you have been a CS student in the past, I'll give you the brief overview of web development that has been around and available since the early 1990s.
Because you asked some basic questions about how to create HTML and get it on the web, I'm assume you would like a good overview of the process. Please be understanding if you know some of this stuff. It seemed like such a basic question to ask about getting files onto a server.
---------BASIC TECHNOLOGY---------
Many people in the past created content directly on the computer that acted as the webserver in the past. Today, most webservers are dedicated machines housed offsite.
The webserver is an application that runs on a machine and listens on the network for requests on a specific port (think of a port like a telephone line or CB radio channel). Once it receives a request, and it is a logical request for a file it has in its local directory of HTML files it sents it out to the requestor.
The requestor receives the file and the browser interprets the result as a displayed webpage.
---------HOW TO CREATE WEB CONTENT---------
First create your content on a local machine. If you get some books on HTML and review the suggested links you'll be on your way. Here are a few sites I like for learning new techniques in web development.
<a href="http://www.alistapart.com/" target="_blank">http://www.alistapart.com/</a> <a href="http://www.webmonkey.com/" target="_blank">http://www.webmonkey.com/</a> <a href="http://builder.com.com/" target="_blank">http://builder.com.com/</a> <a href="http://www.webdeveloper.com/" target="_blank">http://www.webdeveloper.com/</a>
After creating the HTML and images and content (could be PHP scripts and javascript included in 'content') you'll want to get the pages up to the server.
---------HOW TO GET YOUR CONTENT ON THE WEB---------
Most primary methods for getting these files to the web is via FTP (file transfer protocol). This is another method for communicating on the internet and was developed before the advent of HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol or the web).
FTP has been considered a less 'secure' method of transferring files to and from locations, because it does not encrypt the information along the way. HTTP doesn't encrypt either, but no one complains about that. Basically, any information you want to place on the web should be considered available to anyone as if you put it on the front page of the NY Times. FTP is a sufficient way to get files onto the server and security really isn't the issue. There are methods of creating secure FTP connections and HTTP connections and are often used in the online stores and purchasing of things on the web.
The process of moving files from a local computer to another is called UPLOADING. To upload the files you will want to download an FTP client (software to do the upload). You can find many different software packages available for DOWNLOAD at: <a href="http://www.versiontracker.com/" target="_blank">http://www.versiontracker.com/</a> and do a search for 'FTP client'.
DOWNLOADING is the other side of the coin; a process of transferring a file from a remote computer to your local machine. You can do this with FTP or HTTP. Think of your browser as an HTTP browser. Each page you view is really being 'downloaded' to your machine and being viewed. The files are stored in a temporarly location while you view and deleted periodically by the web browser.
---------THE UPLOADING PROCESS---------
Open your FTP client. Use any instructions that came with the software to describe how to make a new connection.
Enter the information provided by your 'web content host' for uploading files. They like will give you an FTP address to connect. Your Internet Service Provider or 3rd party web host like Mac.com or others can be considered your 'web content host.'
You should have a login and password for validating the connection.
Then use the software (reading their directions, some apps do it differently than others) to copy your files from your local computer to the server. Make sure you put the files into the directory that is for your content, and ask your provider if you have any questions.
Voila! If you then open a browser and enter your address it should display your content!
<small>[ 06-21-2002, 09:27 AM: Message edited by: bluedog ]</small>
I guess what i'm looking for is help to point me in the right direction. I don't mind learning things on my own. I'm a CS major so i'm used to coding but I haven't really touched on HTML much and would like to. I'm also interested in hosting my own site through Apache. I want to do the whole thing. Anyone got advice, tips, good websites to get me started, recommend any books, software to use? Any help would be appreciated. I'm not looking at using a lot of Flash or anything fancy for now. Just looking at getting a basic site with text and pictures. Thanks!
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