Techniques & HOWTOs for Webmasters and Web Page Authors.

Tutorials arising from building this site, including coping with Internet Explorer, are catalogued here, along with brief introductions to the subject matter of each.

This segment contains WebMaster / Web Authoring Tutorials, mostly derived from my own experiences learning CSS and (X)HTML. Everything presented here arose from issues faced composing this site and the solutions are used on this site. It may not be obvious from these tutorials but the largest issue was and is getting Internet Explorer 6 to work in some relationship to internationally accepted standards. IE6 is a a fine but very very frustrating piece of work. All the pages on this site work with IE6, IE7 RC1, Mozilla 1.7.13, Firefox 1.5.0.7 and Opera 9.02

HowTo Develop a Web Page using CSS Style Sheets:

Tutorial 1 [CSS-styled version]: Layout of Text for Accesibility & Readability

This Tutorial looks at HowTo lay out text to improve accessibility and readability before seriously considering styling the web page with CSS. If your text is intrinsically readable before high level styling, it will most likely stay that way. Some very important basic HTML subjects from the pre-CSS days are still very relevant to-day. The aspects covered are listed below:

  • Using a text editor
  • Crowded text is hard to read
  • Contrast makes blocks and points stand out
  • Make your page navigable both internally and externally
  • You should use a font that allows easy communication of information
  • Space lines so they don't sit on top of each other
  • How wide should the view area be?
  • Are there some good Webmaster tools out there that don't cost an arm and a leg?

HowTo Develop a Web Page using CSS Style Sheets:

Tutorial 1 [Text-only Version]: Layout of Text for Accesibility & Readability

This article has the same content as the CSS-styled version listed above. The difference is that this version, without CSS styling, is of course much harder to read and quite difficult to take in. Ths page is here principally to enable comparison between old HTML technology and new CSS+HTML technology.

HowTo Develop a Web Page using CSS Style Sheets:

Tutorial 2a: A Working One Column Layout

Summary: This Tutorial follows construction of a real, working web page, hopefully helping aspiring webmasters develop sufficient foundations in and familiarity with CSS to confidently use the w3cschools reference tutorials for every day production of their web pages. Many elements of CSS are used here. The more important ones, including traps laid for the unwary by the non-compliant Microsoft browser [Internet Explorer® 6] are:

  • Centering a web page
  • Assigning inherited styles with Cascading Style Sheets
  • Achieving the same widths in Internet Explorer and Firefox/Mozilla with valid CSS
  • Making small images fill large banners on web pages
  • Styling navigation links
  • Placing [horizontal] navigation bars [with rollover effects]
  • Using images in borders
  • Placing conventional images to render correctly in IE and Firefox/Mozilla/Opera
  • Making highlighter boxes
  • Adding HTML and CSS W3C "validator" links

HowTo Develop a Web Page using CSS Style Sheets:

Tutorial 2b: A Working Two Column Layout

Summary: This Tutorial [2b] continues construction of real, working web pages by building on the previous Tutorial 2a where all the ins and outs of a simple one-column page have been detailed. The focus of this Tutorial 2b is on creating a two-column page [building on earlier skills developed for the case of one-column].

Areas of Interest

This column gives a lead in and a link to each of the major topic ares on this site.

Web Authoring Tutorials

these are derived from experiences learning CSS and (X)HTML. Everything presented here arose from issues faced composing this site and the solutions are used on this site. The largest issue was and is getting Internet Explorer 6 to work in some relationship to internationally accepted standards. All pages on this site have been tested with IE5, IE6, IE7 RC1, Mozilla 1.7.13, Firefox 1.5.0.7 and Opera 9.02
MS Windows Tricks & Tips

Some HOWTOs for everyday people (not geeks like me) to save you money by doing little things to make Windows and its programs run well. For example keep your computer free of viruses and other malware FOR FREE with first class free programs. A bit of patience will save a lot of money!
The Linux Pages

These are detailed accounts of my personal voyages in the fascinating world of Linux. Ranging across installing/adjusting fonts, virtual computing, installations, multibooting, Samba networking with Windows & Linux and many more. I hope to reduce your puzzle and frustration by sharing my experiences with you.
Musings & Work

Like all green blooded geeks, Swerdna has to take a break from cyberland occasionally. Swerdna muses on a high cliff where contemplative works are born, or broods over a fire and issues potions and remedies, or just goes to the pub, the races, restaurants, casinos, parties, dinners, etc. Oh, I nearly forgot, Swerdna also has to work for money .