you should be able to ? Explain hypermedia vs. linear media ? Define HTML ? Describe the Basic Document Structure Identify the sub-elements of the header YOU HAVE NOW COMPLETED CHAPTER 1: Introduction To HTML In this chapter you will learn to create HTML pages with a standard text editor.

OBJECTIVES Upon completing this section, you should be able to 1. Choose a Text Editor.

2. Create a Basic Starting Document.

3. Understand and Set Document Properties.

View Your Results in a Browser.

Choosing a Text Editor There are many different programs that you can use to create web documents. Text editors are basic word processing programs without all of the "bells and whistles" of full-blown word processors. The advantage of using a text editor is that the files are created and saved with few if any invisible formatting codes, which could drastically effect your document when, saved as a web page and displayed in a browser. For this reason, text editors can be used quite effectively to create web documents.

HTML Editors enable users to create documents quickly and easily by pushing a few buttons.

Instead of entering all of the HTML codes by hand, these programs will generate the HTML `source code' for you. HTML Editors are excellent tools for experienced web developers; however, it is important that you learn and understand the HTML language so that you can edit code and fix `bugs' in your pages.

The current versions of both Microsoft Word and Corel WordPerfect also have the abilities to create web pages.

For this course, we will focus on using the standard Microsoft Windows text editor, NotePad.

You can apply the same concepts using any text editor on any platform.

Starting NotePad NotePad is the standard text editor that comes with both 16 and 32-bit versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system. To start NotePad in Windows 95 follow the steps below: 1. Click on the "Start" button located on your Windows task bar.

2. Click on "Programs" and then click on the directory menu labeled "Accessories".

3. Locate the shortcut called "NotePad" and click the shortcut once.

Creating a Basic Starting Document As stated in Chapter One, there are certain elements that are required in a web document's structure. The easiest way to create and develop a document is to type the required elements in as a starting point. This way you can add to your document by inserting elements and adding content between the starting and ending tags of existing elements and you won't have to try to remember if you have typed in the closing tag or not.

In NotePad you would start with: At this point your page has a HEAD and a BODY section inside the HTML tags. You also have a TITLE element, inside the HEAD element, which you should fill in. The text in the TITLE element is used by the surfer's browser and also by search engines.

The TITLE of your document appears in the very top line of the user's browser. If the user chooses to "Bookmark" your page or save as a "Favorite"; it is the TITLE that is added to the list.

The text in your TITLE should be as descriptive as possible because this is what many search engines, on the Internet, use for indexing your site.

The following is an example of a document title: TrainingTools.com: HTML, JavaScript, FrontPage Courses for Free Setting Document Properties Document properties are controlled by attributes of the BODY element. For example, there are color settings for the background color of the page, the document's text and different states of links.