My Castles on the Net..my WebSpace(s)
..I  keep adding rooms and rearranging
the furniture in this place.
The following
information is
HOW I KEEP IT ALL Together, 
with out
going crazy.

I maintain Currently "4 Domains"
far too much work goes into creating the sites
and all of the pages -
that, if I didn't use this "system"
faithfully - I would be a very "unhappy camper"!
 

Organizing and maintaining a web site can "appear"
to be a daunting task..
But if you would like to know ..some "easy" tips
on how I do it...Then continue reading OR why not print
out this page( wow! this thing is 8 pgs- long!)
and keep on file.  Some people just love
to bookmark everything..and think they will go back to
a page, later.

First a little bit about my GeoCities pages:
Link2Mary.com
I have, as of 11/2000,
70 html pages that are in my GeoCities directory.
I also have about 250 gifs, and jpg graphic files.

But maintaining all these files!!
How do I do IT!!
..actually once I got My System
up and running..it's been easy!
I work in a MedicalLibrary-
..So "organizing" and "maintaining" Information is
a career...for me.

What MY SYSTEM - Is About 
Is Maintaining and
Organizing all those pages..OFFLINE!!..keeping records of
all I do..having copies of everything..so if the
 Internet provider of your web space..file server or
your own computer CRASHES or any thing
is deleted..by mistake..all those pages and hard work..
will NOT BE LOST!!..or Difficult  to Re-create.

• A good computer, preferably with Windows95 or 98.
• These "ideas" should work equally as well for Mac owners. 
• Lots of disk space on your
  own computer 
• Free web space ~ My Favorite: Yahoo/Geocities!
• A good wordprocessor program
  the latest versions of MS Word and WordPerfect
  allow you to create & save pages as
  Webpages (HTML files)
  or a very good, easy to use HTML editor
  or web page design software program 
• *I have a page of  resources
  for "Creating Websites"
• *and a page with FREE Learning Opportunities
  for Learning HTML & more
• Either Netscape Communicator or Internet Explorer as a browser 
• Lots of floppy discs
  Even if you have a zip drive,
  and use those 100mg disks
  you still need the floppies
  (they are more "portable" too) 
•  One or Two 3 ring notebooks,
  a three ring puncher,
  lots of subject divider sheets,
  sheets with pockets, lined paper (the school kind) 
• a pen or pencil handy
  at all times 

• I create a single web page
  view it in both NetScape and IE,
  print it out graphics and all,
  look it over and note any changes
  I want to make, perhaps line up a graphic differently
  or change the wording. 
• I save the entire page..on a Single Floppy
  One floppy for EACH web page I create..yes,
  I have 70.  All graphics and other embedded items,
  (i.e. midi files) that I may want
  to use on the page are  on that disk. 
• Upload the file, graphics and all,
  GeoCities File Manager or FTP utility
  makes this process, easy. 
• When it is up, on the server
  I print out the page again
• I - 3 hole punch it, and file in the 3 ring notebook.
  The disk goes in a pocket sheet. 
• I print out..from GeoCities file manager
  periodically as I add or delete items,
  the full directories listing
  of all my HTM files,
  then a listing of my Gifs,
  and a list of my jpgs, then everything else
  Actually I make  copies
  and file ALL in a  master index,
  then, one for gifs, one for jpgs
  and one for htms
  one for others. 
• I use the lined papers
  to write notes,
  associated with each disk/web page. 
• The 3 ring note books
  are separated by subject dividers
  that are in alphabetical order
  by  webpage name
  Yes! I have filled 3 large notebooks
  Yes! 70 files/ floppies are 70 too many!
  But I know where everything is
  I know what Graphics are on each page and disk
  to add or change later
  I look at the print out and know if I want
  to cut and paste some text
  and put on another page
  and save re-typing..etc. etc. 
• I can create pages
  Online at Geocities
  and I have the gif..jpgs indexes
  to refer to and just insert
  graphics as I go along
  If I do create a New page Online,
  than it too is saved to a floppy
  graphics and all, and printed out to file. 

Geocities offers you 12meg of FREE space
Have any idea..how much ..that is -
Well  my Link2Mary.com pages & graphics- 
so far take up 20meg of space
I even opted for More...GeoCities will let you have 25meg for
4.95 a month and your site..won't have to display any ad
banners.

OK..you made your web page.
Print it out..graphics and all, (borders & backgrounds - do NOT
PRINT OUT..only graphic files..borders & backgrounds, are kinda
an unseen element for printers)
see how it looks up close & personal
how many pages did it take to print out..(One web page, one
web url with a single address)
such as - http://link2mary.com/Relax.htm
prints out on 5 page(s)..most of my others print out anywhere
from 2-15 pages.  For best viewing by the viewing public
limit to one or two.  You can always, use your page html
editors.......go in and cut out sections and create page 2, 3 etc.
If you are writing something...and your file name is..
"mystory.html", and your text etc. prints out to several pages,
that is how many pages the viewer has to scroll down to view/read.
So break it up..to  "mystory1.htm", mystory2.htm, etc.
all graphics associated with these pages..should be saved with
a name..similar to the file name.  Such as  storypic1, storybord,
storybr, storywelc (I use "bord" at the end of each BORDER
GRAPHIC FILE, "br" for background files, "welc" for Welcome banners)...
Use the printouts to mark where you want to break up the pages.
 
 

DO A SAVE AS..and SAVE EACH PAGE/HTM File
you create..on its own individual floppy disk..
..I label each disk carefully, noting the name of the
web page, and the date I created it. Right click on any
graphics, even borders and backgrounds and do a "save image as
or save backround as"..keep the name you originally named it,
remember..all files should have a common name...But if you
have a file graphic(s) that runs through all your web pages,
you will recognize it, (the name of it on all your pages).
  Each time I update, change, work on..a page, the
disk for that webpage..goes into the "A" drive first.
Now when I do a "SAVE AS", the program asks me..DO You
want to replace "that file you already named" and of course
you SAY YES!!..cause you just changed it..but you want it
to still have the same file name.., if you change the name
on the web page..you will have to change all the files/pages
that link to that page to update the link url to that page.

If you updated and added :
any new page elements or graphics..right click on those and
do a save as..to add to the floppy.  Don't start removing
graphics or elements off the A floppy ....ya never know,
when you may want to use that gif or whatever again on
that page...You might have a Holiday border..for each
holiday or occasion, and it makes it easy to update each
page..with all files on each disk. If the graphics are not
new..in your updates..then there is no need to "re-save
them"..Only the content or formatting that was changed
needs to be saved. *** Just keep in mind-
If you uploaded all the stuff/ files
from the A floppy..and that is the file you are viewing and
saving..back to the same A drive floppy
..then just SAY YES to Replace the one that
is already there on the A drive.
 

Keeping Track of New Stuff I want to add:
When you are surfing the net..and perhaps looking for
graphics to add..or come across stuff unexpectedly..
Insert a floppy disc, or have a file/directory on your
hard drive..Called.."newfinds" and do "the right click"
thing and do a "save as"..If  I find something for..
my LibMary pages..I name it "lmnew15" or whatever
number I am up too. (it is helpful..having Windows95 and
not be limited to the 8 character file name..please note-
you can only upload files with names that have NO spaces,
and they must have a "html", htm or "gif" or some type of file
extension)

If I come across, a web page that I would like to
include as a Link on one of my pages..then I highlight
the URL and do a "copy" from the "edit" menu of
my browser.  Then I minimize my web browser, open
my word processor..and SAVE FIRST..name the
doc.."finds62598.doc"..the numbers are the date
of the day I found the stuff.  I type..a description
of the URL..say I found a great "TEA LINK"
for my Tea Links page
I write..Mandys TeaRoom, then hit the "paste" button
and the URL for Mandys page is there.  I minimize
my word processor..go back to Surfing. If I come
across graphics or links..I continue to "save as" or
"copy and paste".

Now I  - Just finished surfing and enjoying the web..
I disconnect from the net..Go back into the
document..that I have still open on my
word processor..I have the listing of the links
that I pasted...but what about those graphics,
that I found...I do a "insert graphic" image,
and insert each "image/graphic" I saved that
day..and I write/type the NAME of each file
right next to it.with its extension such as:
lmnew15.gif or lmnew16.jpg
Here..we go again...PRINT! THIS PAGE OUT.
and FILE
You now have a record of the URLs and
can view each graphic and its name.  Perhaps
that graphic isn't so great..afterall..X it out, on
your paper and then remove from the screen if
you choose to..I do a SAVE AS..for this document
and save to my separate  floppy "NEWFINDS.docs"

At a later time you can always..work with
your computer hard disk files..and copy, move,
any/all of these individual files around, you
can rename any graphic file..to go with each
web page..that it will end up on...Write on the
printout next to the graphic..what the new name
will be.

Take your printout..3 hole punch..put in notebook
under subject..NewFinds..file by date
Write notes..about these files, on the back or
on separate sheets of paper filed in this section,
right near the printout the notes are associated
with.  Then when you go to update the pages..
refer to the notes and see what URL's you wanted
to add and or graphic files..to your web pages.
(Any new graphics for the page..should have been moved
to the web page floppy that it will go on..re-named if
necessary.)
 

OK..everything is done, saved, now you can upload, from
the "A" drive floppy..your updates..Again, GeoCities,
has made all of this SOOO easy..there in..file manager
is a e-z upload application..I don't have to bother with
FTP'ing any more!!!..I upload from the floppy the html
file..I only updated the one already on the GeoCities server,
so it just overrides the previous one..and I upload any
NEW Graphics or elements (embedded songs/music). If
I didn't change any graphics..then I do not upload the same
files again.
Some people get nervous..over riding previous work, If you
don't trust..your updated look..don't upload UNTIL you do!
Print out the UPDATED PAGE, look at it and
go in and make changes, till it is
just the way you like it.

Really that's..all you have to remember..Create,View, Save AS,
Print Out and FILE..Change, update,view
Save As...Print Out and FILE..(that's all the verses
to this chorus)

There you have it!!..All your pages, How they Display, Notes,
a Floppy with all Your work, nicely saved!..
All in a notebook, Easy to Read
and Organize, and Maintain.  You'll never fear losing work
or trying to find a graphic or url or one of your pages
..that you might
want to cut and paste from..to save yourself..lots of re-typing.

But..you say..this sounds like an awful lot of work..
Well, do it anyway that is easy for you, and see if
you can control..your web creations better and easier than
I do...write a page, like I have here and post it for all to see
Then send me the URL for that page..and I will make a
page of helpful links..that others can see, and perhaps
use a different method. I will call the page
"A Better WAY"

Mail those  Better Way urls to-
Mary
mary@link2mary.com
 

My way..once, you start doing it faithfully..is not very
difficult..and putting together & maintaining 70 pages..
turns out to be a very simple task, indeed.  I feel I
have control..I can see what I make..what I made..
compare old to new.

As I said in the beginning print out this page(s)..and
keep as your notebook instruction guide.

Helpful Resources on Webpage creating

Thank you for Linking by..

Link2Mary
http://link2mary.com/system.htm

~My Domains~
I am the WebDiva of:

• http://link2mary.com
• http://librarysupportstaff.com
• http://sippingtea.com
• http://keepitorganized.com