If you use a Macintosh or Windows computer which is on the network, you can create and publish your Web pages using a Web page editor such as Netscape Gold. In using such an editor, you avoid the necessity of learning the HTML language and using ftp. However, with these editors what you see is what you get, and not necessarily what you want.
Members of educational institutions can download a free copy of Netscape from:
http://www.netscape.com/download.
After selecting the desired version of Netscape from the download page, you should be provided with a link to a page requesting information on your personal computer system. After answering those questions, you can automatically download and register your copy of Netscape.
The Gold Edition of Netscape includes a Web page editor; instructions for using this editor are given below.
In order to publish Web pages, you must first have an account on one of the math department computers. If you do not have an account, you can get one by filling out the account request form and submitting it to a systems administrator (currently Heidi Burgiel or Marc Culler.)
There are two types of math department accounts. If you have an account in SEO 200, you are able to log on to the machines in SEO 200, and your web pages will be accessed through the machine www.math.uic.edu. If you have an account on neumann, you are able to log on to the machines in 736 SEO and your web pages will be accessible through the address math.uic.edu. We recommend using www.math.uic.edu if you have a choice.
Start Netscape Gold. Explore some other peoples' Web pages and decide what you'd like for yourself. When you find a page you like, you can use Netscape's Edit option to download it to your computer and make alterations. (Copyright law forbids duplication of pictures, text, or fancy layout without the permission of the author. Use the downloaded page as a guideline only.)
We have also prepared a simple template which you may use as you wish.
After you have saved the page on your computer, Netscape will start up an HTML word processor. Use this to design your Web page, keeping in mind that some users have slow connections and so can't download big pictures, and that colored backgrounds may make your page impossible to read on a black and white monitor.
Once you have completed your page, save it as <filename>.html and "Browse" it to be sure it works the way you expect it to. When you are satisfied with it, use the Publish option to send it to your computer account for the rest of the world to see. If you have an account on babe, you should publish to the address:
ftp://<username>@www.math.uic.edu/Users/Faculty/<username>/public_html.
To publish to math.uic.edu, replace /Users/Faculty with /home/a, or whatever is appropriate. You can save this address permanently in your Options/Editor Preferences.
To access your Web page once it is published, use the URL:
http://www.math.uic.edu/~<username>/<filename>.html.