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This is the second of two different columns about starting to create a web page from the Macintosh Permian User Group Eminent Domains II OK, so you want to be a "webmaster." by Eric Siegmund Last [month/quarter/whatever] we kicked off a periodic series called "So You Wanna Be A Webmaster?" Since then, I've been flooded with inquiries (well, one...but who's counting) about just what it is that makes me think I'm qualified to dispense advice on this topic. So, I've decided to devote this column to my favorite subject: me. (Be still, my beating heart.) If you'll now quit that gagging motion and read on, you'll find that this is less narcissistic [my spellchecker just gagged on that] than it first appears. You see, once you understand from whence I cometh, you'll realize that you've got a pretty darned good shot at becoming a webmaster yourself...regardless of what you think your qualifications are at this point. First, let me say that I have two sites to my credit (or discredit; you be the judge). I maintain a personal website at www.marshill.com/fbc/. I also maintain the website for Midland's First Baptist Church, which I invite you to peruse at www.fbc-midland.org. The first site is only infrequently updated; most of my attention is devoted to the church's site, with updates occurring several times a week, and sometimes, more than once a day. Web authoring is not my job; it's a hobby. I'm not a programmer by profession, nor do I work in the information systems field. (If you must know, I'm an accountant by degree and I now work in the Business Development group of a local oil and gas company.) What I do claim is a fascination with using computer-generated mass communication, whether it be via the World Wide Web or hard-copy newsletter. I also volunteer my time to a couple of non-profit organizations in town by creating newsletters via QuarkXpress. I got the idea for a website for the church the same way as most good ideas are developed: I copied it. I noticed early on that a few churches were doing a very good job of presenting their messages via the Web and thought to myself, why not us? Well, for one thing, nobody seemed to know anything about building such a site, much less being willing to devote the time and energy to doing it. I committed myself to assuming this role. I "pitched" the idea to the church, and while it worked itself through the formidable bureaucracy that we Baptists pride ourselves in, I set about figuring out just how to do what I told them I could do. With my usual acuity, I decided that the first step was probably to learn something about HTML, whatever that was. Turns out that HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is probably the world's easiest computer language; if you can type, you can turn out a passable HTML document in approximately 12 minutes from the time you first touch your keyboard. It's not a programming language, it's a "formatting" language. It uses simple little symbols, called "tags," to tell your web browser how to display text and images on your monitor. One tag centers the text, another makes it bold face or colored, yet another issues a line break command...and so on. I bought a book (at Barnes & Noble, where else?) and read up on the subject. I then downloaded a simple shareware program called WebWeaver (you can find it on the Web at http://www.miracleinc.com/) which completely takes what little pain there is to HTML. Of course, there are a number of full-featured page layout programs now available, depending on your budget and inclination. My advice will always remain this, however: learn the rudiments of HTML first, before allowing the software to buffer you completely. You don't have to know how the internal combustion engine works to drive the car, but it sure helps to know how to check the oil and air up the tires, if you know what I mean. Next, I started creating HTML pages. This is a cool thing that you might not know...you can create an entire website right on your hard drive, and browse it with Navigator or Explorer or the other browser of your choice, without ever having to upload byte one. It's great for practicing and getting all the bugs worked out. Most HTML apps let you toggle back and forth between your browser and the HTML source text, so you can immediately see what the page will look like on-line...and just as quickly correct anything that looks odd or just doesn't work. In summary, all you need to begin your odyssey in web authoring is a text editor and a web browser. Add a few tools like WebWeaver and a paint program, and you'll be limited only by your own creativity (and ability to go without sleep). Next time, we'll get back on track in the pursuit of webmasterhood. Eric Siegmund esiegmu@marshill.com at http://www.fbc-midland.org/ . . | . . Part I.

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