The Web Diner brings it's AOL Class Notes to the Web

The Web Diner teaches interactive live online HTML classes to AOL members in the Web Diner Forum (keyword: diner). The following is an edited version of the class notes from the Beginning HTML Class.

Welcome to the Beginning HTML Class sponsored by the Web Diner

We will cover enough HTML for you to be able to get a simple page written so you can upload it at the end of class.

All you need is a text editor or wordprocessor that can save ASCII text. So, go ahead and open the text editor now and I'll go ahead and start a brief intro.

HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language.

HTML has "standardized" tags which Web browsers interpret for displaying the Web page. Tonight we will cover about eight (8) of those tags.

All HTML tags start and end with the greater than and lesser than keys used as brackets, for example, <HTML>.

Most HTML tags use a beginning and ending tag, for example, <TITLE> This is the HTML Class </TITLE>

Okay, enough of that, let's learn by doing!

You will be told to enter certain text into your text editor. The tags will be presented in sections with a recap of why those tags are being used after each section.

At the top of the page enter:

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>
My Home Page
</TITLE>
</HEAD>

Here's what you just accomplished:
"<HTML>" identifies the page as an HTML document;
"<HEAD>" tells the browser that the header will be appearing;
"<TITLE>" tells the browser what to show in the title window of the browser;
"My Home Page" will appear in the top bar of the browser;
"</TITLE>" ends the title entry;
"</HEAD>" ends the header entry.

Okay, now enter:

<BODY>
<H1>
Welcome to My Home Page!
</H1>

Recap:
"<BODY>" tells the browser that the body of the page or document is next;
"<H1>" tells the browser that the headline size 1 is to be used. There are
six levels of headlines, 1 being the largest.
"Welcome to My Home Page!" will appear in large text;
"</H1>" ends the headline entry.

Enter:

<P>
My home page is in the beginning stages. In a short time, this will have information about my interests, business, or hobbies.

Recap:
"<P>" tells the browser there is a new paragraph and immediately enters the text following it;
"My home page is the .... " will continue as a single paragraph;

You can add some more text if you would like, just be sure to use the <P> to start the paragraph. If you would like to have other headlines, you can do those now too.

Okay, everyone enter:

</BODY>
</HTML>

"</BODY>" closes the body of the page;
"</HTML>" closes the the HTML.

Okay, save your file as index.htm or index.html and make sure it is in DOS or ASCII mode.

You may view a completed example.

Now, upload your file to your FTP area of your server. Check with your ISP for the appropriate area for your account.