What You Need to Start Building a Web Site - Part I

• Sound card(optional): If you want to include music onto your Web site, you would probably need a sound card. Today, most computer systems are equipped with a sound card.

3. Software

• Web Page Editors:  Depending on the nature and the complexity of your Web site, you may need a simple Web page editor, like Windows 95's or Windows 98's Notepad, or a more sophisticated and expensive one, like Microsoft Frontpage 98 or Microsoft Frontpage 2000. The Internet also offers a wealth of free Web page editors. Many of the tools you need to create Web pages can be downloaded for free or you'll pay reasonable prices for them.

• Web Browsers: You will probably need a browser to view the look of your Web pages before publishing them online. Today, two most popular Web browsers are Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape  Communicator. Try to use both browsers to view your Web pages first, if possible, to ensure that they load and display in the anticipated way. You can download them for free now.

• Image Editors: You may need this editor if you're going to edit your photos or images. One of the most popular image editors is Adobe Photoshop. This powerful software will allow you to do any kinds of image processing. You can purchase the newest version of Adobe Photoshop or download and use it for a limited period before deciding to buy it.

• Animation Editor(optional): If you're going to add a bit of animation to your Web site and make it looks more dynamically, then you would probably need an animation editor. Surf the Internet to see if you can get any free animation editors.

• Video Editor(optional)
• Libraries of clip art(optional)
• Other tools for creating and editing sound files(optional)

The choices ranges from a price of free to expensive intergrated products that include Web design capabilitites.

4. Internet Connection
You would need Internet connection either from an online service, like America Online, or from an Internet Service Provider (ISP).

5. Publishing Your Web Pages

• When you're creating and updating Web page contents, the best method is to work from your hard drive. This will bypass any corruption that could ocrr if you're suddendly disconnected from the Internet. Create a folder in your hard drive and store all the Web site contents.

• Use your Web browsers, like Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Communicator to view your Web pages from your computer hard drive's folder first to see if they look like the way you expect them to be.

• After you finished Web pages, you have to decide where you're going to store your Web pages. Often your online service or your Internet Service Provider(ISP) will offer Web page storage together with the connection package. Check your Internet connection provider to see how you can access the Web page storage and upload your Web site contents.

6. Uploading Your Web Site Contents

• Once you're satisfied with your new or updated Web pages, it's time to upload them to the Web server(the computer where your Web pages reside). Depending on the nature of your server, the method for uploading your Web pages may be different from one server to another. You should check with the administrator of the Web server for the method of uploading your Web pages.

• The most popular method for uploading Web pages to the server is using FTP (File Transfer Protocol) program. For instruction on using FTP, please check the link: Using FTP to upload your Web pages