DISCLAIMER:  These posts contain hints, tips and ideas from
folks that have had some experiences dealing with this.  It is NOT meant
to be professional advice here - just related experiences. Please consult with 
a reputable professional if necessary. 

Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 00:39:10 -0700
To: equinerescue@MyList.net
From: Pat Calloway <epona@concentric.net>
Subject: EQ-ResQ: CLASS: Websites

A lot of what I'll say here is *my* opinion and experience as a pro - your
mileage may vary and what works for one person may not work for another and
not every pro will necessarily agree with me! 

There's a Personal Web Page Resource and Information Page on the Equine
Rescue Mailing List Home Page off the Lister's Home Page or you can go to
it directly at: 

http://pages.prodigy.com/equinerescue/webpage.htm

It has links to ZD University which offers GREAT classes on different sorts
of computer things.  Good classes on online communities, website design,
graphics, using various programs, etc.  There are also links to Equine
Graphics, free webspace on the 'net, webrings, database inclusion, etc. 

Now, some common things that drive folks (okay, not all folks, but
definitely me and a bunch of other people) nuts about webpages - some do's
and don't's if you will - like I say, take 'em or leave 'em, but at least
think about them!  I'm not writing about any particular page from any
lister, but just overall what I have seen on the 'net, so don't take it
personally since it's not meant to be a personal commentary on anyone's
website. 

First thing is to consider what you want your website to do.  In most cases
with rescue or other equine issues, I would think that conveying
information to your audience would be primary, yes?  You want them to find
out about your organization or read your information, right? 

Well, a lot of websites have every possible bell and whistle on them and it
(IMO) can really detract from the *message* that you are trying to put out.
 Remember that not everyone has a high speed modem and waiting and waiting
and waiting for a bunch of graphics, audio, frames, java, etc, etc to load
can make a person hit the STOP button and go on to something else.  Someday
maybe we'll all be faster than light, but right now, nope!  So, do you want
to communicate with folks or bedazzle them with all the current techy stuff? 

Graphics, photos, etc should be kept small and quick to load.  Probably not
more than 30k and limit the number of them that you have on a page.  You
can always make them clickable so that folks can click to see the larger
image.  

Music or audio - is it really necessary?  Does it add a lot to your page or
are folks going to get tired of hearing it everytime they access it?   How
about time for it to download, etc?  And will a lot of folks need to
download another accessory to hear it? 

IMO, most basic information pages should be very quick to load and it
should be super easy to find the information on them.  

Your initial page or Home Page is the gateway to other information on your
site and should be especially fast - see the Equine Rescue Mailing List
Home Page - 

http://pages.prodigy.com/equinerescue/home.htm 

and note that there are some blurbs about current stuff at the top - stolen
horses, the new disaster site and what the list and Newsletter are about.
After that is a table with links to the various areas.  Hopefully the
descriptions are good enough so that people can figure out what each area
covers - and face it, no matter how good your descriptions are, you'll
confuse some folks or they won't want to bother looking through stuff for
whatever they are seeking. 

Frames.  I HATE most framed sites.  They cause information to be jammed
into too small an area and are just plain irritating.  They are *maybe*
acceptable as a small frame down the left side of the screen, but for most
folks they are annoying.  Personal prejudice here. <g> 

Links.  Remember to recheck your links periodically.  It's frustrating when
you go to check links on a website and they are broken or not working or
the website has moved. There's a service that is free and will check them
for you automatically at: 

http://www.netmind.com/html/url-minder.html

Popup Screens.  Annoying.  I know Geocities, etc will do this
automatically, but I believe that there is a way to code your page so that
they get their credit & your viewers don't get the popup.

Design - view your site on the different browsers - Netscape, Internet
Explorer, Prodigy, AOL, etc.  See how it looks on the different sites and
adjust so that it looks good on all of 'em. 

So - a few things to think about.... 

 
Pat Calloway, Equine Rescue/Creatures Listowner
epona@concentric.net (AZ)
http://pages.prodigy.com/equinerescue/home.htm
http://pages.prodigy.com/equinerescue/creature.htm
============================================================
From: "vanbasti" <vanbasti@tcac.com>
To: <equinerescue@MyList.net>
Subject: EQ-ResQ: Re: Web pages
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 11:22:23 -0500
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal

I thought (if y'all don't mind :)) that I would give my opinion here, too.
As a professional web page designer, I try to spend a lot of time looking
around to see what's being done on web pages - especially things my clients
tell me they like. Here's a few suggestions from me..

-Frames - I don't like pages that are divided into more than one frame. If
you page can't benefit from being in a frame, don't use them. My main page
(http://www.equinedesigns.com/home.htm) is in a frame. It has a bottum
frame for a table of contents. On any page that uses frames, you should
offer people the ability to view your site without frames. (In my table of
contents, there is an option for 'no frames').

-Pat was very correct about videos, audio, and graphics. If you are going
to have a page with a lot of pictures, you might want to consider a note
reading 'Warning: This page contains many graphics and may load slowly.' or
something at the top of the page. This should load while the graphics are
loading - and it'll let the viewer know the page will be slow. I will often
wait to view a page if I am TOLD it will take along time - I just don't
like waiting on pages with no warning. 

-Animations: One or two animated graphics on a site can really make it look
nice - but more can really slow down the page and clutter it.

-Blinking words: This is one I really hate - it hurts my eyes and makes
things harder to read. Bolding, underline, or italics has a much nicer
effect, I think.

-Backgrounds/Text color, shape, and size/header graphics: Try to pick one
theme and keep it consitant throughout your pages. I get annoyed when every
page has a different background and/or different color text. Also, make
sure your text can be read easily.. some people use backgrounds that make
their text hard to read. Consider that you have a lot of people out there
with poor eyesight using the WWW. If you put a text that's slightly
difficult for you to read, it is going to be really hard for them to read.
If I have to strain my eyes to read a site, I'm gone.

 Annnyway.. If any of you have questions or need help, let me know. I would
be thrilled to answer questions for any web sites for rescues and possibly
help out some. 

Jennifer Williams
============================================================


Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 12:33:48 -0700
From: Fairwind <fairwind@bright.net>
To: equinerescue@MyList.net, Pat Calloway <epona@concentric.net>
Subject: Re: EQ-ResQ: CLASS: Websites

Pat Wrote:

> IMO, most basic information pages should be very quick to load and it
> should be super easy to find the information on them.
>

Hi Guys
I have designed website, webpages and graphics for many sites that deal with
animal abuse. For 501(c) 3 Organizations, or for those who's cause I believe in,
it is No charge.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/2887/
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/3123/
http://www.ohahs.org/
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Woods/5034/
http://www.utahnannyregistry.com/
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Bluffs/5256/
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Flats/6016/
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/3594/

Are some of the sites where I have either built the whole site, for a fee, or
donated the work. I would be glad to work with anyone needing a page. It would
be either at no cost,, or EXTREMELY Cheap, but I do OK work I think.

One point, if your in a hurry, you will have to learn to be patient, I do have a
Rescue to run! My for fee sites usually are complete in less than a month.

I also know how to get you listed on the search engines, and do web hosting,
extremely inexpensive for rescues,   and very reasonable for paid for sites. Can
design personal farm pages too. Complete with optimized graphics for rapid
upload.

Also have resources to get you able to take Credit card donations over net..
Any other needs you folks have? Send in Private email,, will help you or do it
for you and show you how to service it.

--

Beverly Whittington
President OHAHS
and
Fairwind WebPages

============================================================
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 11:22:19 -0700
To: equinerescue@MyList.net
From: Pat Calloway <epona@concentric.net>
Subject: Re: EQ-ResQ: Re: Web pages

At 11:22 AM 9/13/98 -0500, vanbasti wrote:

>-Backgrounds/Text color, shape, and size/header graphics: Try to pick one
>theme and keep it consitant throughout your pages. I get annoyed when every
>page has a different background and/or different color text. Also, make
>sure your text can be read easily.. some people use backgrounds that make
>their text hard to read. Consider that you have a lot of people out there
>with poor eyesight using the WWW. If you put a text that's slightly
>difficult for you to read, it is going to be really hard for them to read.
>If I have to strain my eyes to read a site, I'm gone.


Yes, there are some HORRENDOUS backgrounds out there! <g>  A lot of the
websites designed by the younger set (under 14 or so) have backgrounds that
make it almost impossible to read the words on the page.  My "theory" is
that their eyes are much younger and can adjust to it while my eyes are
older and can't. ;-> 

Very busy or wildly colored backgrounds *usually* are distracting (I say
usually because there's always an exception out there, but 99+ times out of
100, it's not). Like Jennifer says, don't change backgrounds on every page
- it's distracting and it doesn't make your site flow very well. 

Fonts - try something that's simple and easy to read - nothing too fancy or
elaborate. If it's a strain to read, most folks are off to the next site
unless they're related to you. <g> 

Here's a website (it's commercial, but arrow down) with some good pointers
on meta tags, search engine submission & site promotion: 

http://www.alaska.net/~jlmurphy/firsttutor.html

What are meta tags?  They're what search engines use to find and categorize
you.  Here's an excerpt from a post that I made during the Research class
that defines what they are: 

The searches in most cases are based on what are called Meta Tags.  To find
an example of a meta tag, click on this link: 

http://pages.prodigy.com/equinerescue/home.htm

Once you get that page loaded, in Netscape, click on View (upper left hand
corner of your screen) and then click on document source.  (In Internet
Explorer, do the same thing, then click on source - all browsers are pretty
similar this way.)  What you'll see is the coding for the webpage.  Notice
the 4th line from the top that starts with meta name.  That's the meta tag
to help search engines find hits: 

<meta name="keywords" content="horse, racing, equine, rescue,pony, mules,
adoption,
 placement, retirement, thoroughbreds, standardbreds, quarterhorses,
donkey, equine
 rescue, mailing list, stolen"> 

As you can see, I've tried to be reflective of what we discuss on the list
and what is contained in the Equine Rescue Mailing List Home Page.  You may
want to check this out on other webpages as well (be warned, I've found a
few that use some rather risque terms on pages that have NOTHING whatsoever
to do with those terms - it appears that they are just there to get hits). 

There are services that you can pay to submit your site to the search
engines, but generally it's just a matter of going to yahoo, alta vista,
etc and filling out their form.  They generally want your url and your key
words. 

Here is Netscape's link to how to submit your site to a search engine: 

http://home.netscape.com/escapes/search/faq.html#add?cp=ntserch

and this site will help you move your site "up" in the search list: 

http://searchenginewatch.internet.com/webmasters/tips.html

Another way to get your site viewed is to contact similar sites (horses,
rescue, etc) and ask to be added as a link.  Generally it is a courtesy to
provide a reciprocal link to the one where you are asking to be added.
(They link to you, you link to them.) 

Grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc.  Even if this is your strong suit, get
someone to proofread your pages for you.  It's really, really easy to make
a typo (and I'm sure that most pages out there have 'em) or leave out a
comma and change the whole meaning of a sentence.  Remember - this is the
image that you are putting out on the 'net of your rescue or your
particular cause and if there are many errors, it won't help.  Try to look
at your site through someone else's eyes and see what "they" think about it. 


Pat Calloway, Equine Rescue/Creatures Listowner
epona@concentric.net (AZ)
http://pages.prodigy.com/equinerescue/home.htm
http://pages.prodigy.com/equinerescue/creature.htm
============================================================

Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 14:14:16 -0700
To: equinerescue@MyList.net
From: Pat Calloway <epona@concentric.net>
Subject: EQ-ResQ: CLASS: Websites

Another point on creating or maintaining a website for your rescue or cause
or whatever....  copyrights.  There are a lot of websites out there that
gleefully take other sites backgrounds, graphics, photos, etc without
getting permission.  

Some websites do explicitly state that you can use their graphics,
backgrounds, etc in return for a reciprocal link or a credit or whatever.
If it doesn't so state on there, the right thing to do is to ASK permission
and if they say "NO!" or don't respond, then move on and don't use it.
Most websites include a link to email the webmaster and/or owner.  Some
basic graphics are included in graphic packages as being free to use
wherever (I forget the exact technical term and don't think it's public
domain, but ... could be - same general sort of principal.).

You also are violating copyright if you scan a photo that you like from
Blood-Horse or Horse Illustrated or another magazine or newspaper and use
it on your website.  The odds are probably against you getting served with
legal papers since most websites are pretty small potatoes, but it's always
possible and it might make folks question the ethics of an organization
that steals (for example) the front cover of this week's Blood-Horse.  If
you get permission from the copyright holder, that's a whole 'nother story
and it should be noted on your website as something like: 

"Photo by So-and-so, used with permission.  <C>1998 by So-and-so."  I'd
include a link to so-and-so's email or website if they had one just as a
courtesy in this case. 


Pat Calloway, Equine Rescue/Creatures Listowner
epona@concentric.net (AZ)
http://pages.prodigy.com/equinerescue/home.htm
http://pages.prodigy.com/equinerescue/creature.htm
============================================================

Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 21:43:56 -0400
To: equinerescue@MyList.net
From: Cindy Smith <kantu@1bigred.com>
Subject: EQ-ResQ: Re:CLASS- Web pages

Music - While music can lend a mood to the page, I have found that even
with my semi fast computer and modem, it REALLY slows down the loading and
scrolling.  I am not the most patient person in the world and when the
music loads first and then the rest of the page, it takes FOREVER, so long
that I have usually gone on before the page loads.  I have noticed that
some pages load first and then the music last.  This seems much better as I
can view text, graphics, etc while the music is loading.  Also some pages
have a control where you can turn music up, down or off!  This is great!!!!  

I have noticed with my own pages that I can load them much faster than
others.  I can only assume it is because my trusty computer has cached some
of this info.  When you are making a web page and testing load time, empty
your cache and start fresh.  

Does anyone know of any tests of how long the majority of people will wait
for a page to load?  It would be an interesting study.  I know on my slide
shows 8 seconds seems like an eternity between pictures.

I love spending time looking at web sites although lately I have not had
time for leisurely surfing.  It has been more check on something and run...
at those times, quick loading pages are great!

Cindy

Cindy Smith  ICQ# 2668845
From the "desert" Partlow, VA
Kantu Cavaliers
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/1725
============================================================

Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 22:20:03 -0700
From: Fairwind <fairwind@bright.net>
To: equinerescue@MyList.net, Cindy Smith <kantu@1bigred.com>
Subject: Re: EQ-ResQ: Re:CLASS- Web pages
Cindy Smith wrote:

> Does anyone know of any tests of how long the majority of people will wait
> for a page to load?


Studies have shown that most people will wait 20 seconds for a page to load,
then you loose 10% of your audience every 10 seconds there after.
Pages which have all graphics with height and width parameters will load the
text and "mark" the site for the graphics, allowing the surfer to browse the
text as the page loads completely.

Frames. To prevent your site being Framed by another site, and to break surfers
loose from other peoples frames, you can insert JAVA code in the body of you
site, Just below the </HEAD>
This script will break surfers loose from frames, and reloads your site. Use
your URL in place of http://www.ohahs.org

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">

<!-- Begin
setTimeout ("changePage()", 3000);
function changePage() {
if (self.parent.frames.length != 0)
self.parent.location="http://www.ohahs.org";
}
// End -->
</SCRIPT>

Meta Tags have to be coded for each search engine, use of Mirror sites and
Gateways
( Small pages that load fast to enter site) can improve Search engine
placement. BUT the search engine battle is ongoing, you have to service and
upload your site on aa specified routine or you will loose placement in the
search engines.

Improper Meta Tag use won't get you too far, most search engines DO read the
pages to some extent,, improper coding of the Meta Tags is considered Spamming
and will get you booted off the search engine.

You also don't need to confuse Search engines with Directories,, Yahoo is a
directory,, People LOOK at and Index the site and decide which will be
included. Alta Vista is a search engine, and a "spider" ( computer "robot" )
visits the site to index it. Alta Vista for example,, ignores Meta tags
completely, will only index by the verbiage on the site,, SOOO if you have only
a list of links and some graphics,, odds aren't very good you will get listed
high!

Link pages,, I Upload my sites to 892 link and search engines. Survey's show
that about 50% of your traffic comes from each,, so if you don't upload to the
link pages your missing half of the traffic!

Geeze this is getting lengthy, basically you need to understand, that coding a
page for high placement in the search engines is complex,, but use all the
tools you have, make sure you can READ and have Meta tags that describe the
sites content!
--

Beverly Whittington
President OHAHS
URL  http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/2887
NEW URL  http://www.ohahs.com
============================================================
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 21:19:19 -0700
To: equinerescue@MyList.net
From: Pat Calloway <epona@concentric.net>
Subject: EQ-ResQ: CLASS: Websites

Just found this site: 

http://www.htmlgoodies.com/index.html

Has tutorials on using html, freebie images, a BB where you can ask
questions, etc.  Looks pretty useful - I'll add it to the Equine Rescue
Page on doing websites. 

Now, you've read the Class notes so far, and you think - hummmm..... I'd
like to do my own website, but won't it be too hard?  Well, it ain't rocket
science and although it may be slow at first, it really is worth the
effort, imo.  A lot of the services offer templates to set up your page(s)
and even if you really aren't thrilled and delighted with your first effort
or ten, there's *always* revision.  I don't think most websites are *ever*
completed as there's always updating, tweaking, adding and deleting to be
done.  

There is also HTML software that is WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get).
 Basically IT will do the coding for you - you just do the design.  Perhaps
some of the folks that are on this list that use or have used some program
that they like can make recommendations.  I hand code mine and just find
that easier, but again, your mileage may vary. 

Now, you've decided to take the step and design a website.  GOOD!  First
thing is to think about your goals with the site.  Let's say that you are
promoting a local rescue.  Okay, what information is *most* important to
get across to the websurfing public?   Here are my guesses with comments
for a basic starter page - and please feel free to throw in your comments
and suggestions as well. 

Basic Rescue Page 

Name of the rescue.  General location.  I don't think you would want to
give out an actual physical address in most cases just for safety's sake. 

Way to get in contact with the rescue.  A mailing address (PO Box) and
phone number.  Definitely an email address if they are online.  You can get
email via a lot of the freebie mail services (yahoo, hotmail, juno, etc) if
they don't have an account.  AOL offers 5 different names/addresses under
the primary account.  It's nice to have the email address "personalized" a
bit & easy to remember.  For example, ROAN is roanetwork@aol.com (someone
had taken roan@aol.com already). 

If there's an email box, they'll probably want to have some form letters on
file since a lot of the requests are the same and you may get a lot of
them.   

Information about the basic goals of the rescue.  Do they place horses or
are they a home for retired horses?   Or do they fund medical necessities
or ??

I'd say that the above would be the basics.  A nice graphic for the rescue
that can readily identify them is good - if they have business cards or
stationary with a logo that they own, this would be nice to use on the
website as well.  Makes a good tie-in and isn't too expensive these days.
Perhaps we even have some artistic folks on the list or the rescue knows
someone that can design one for them to use. 

Some things that would be nice.... 

Printable fliers for the rescue.  To either promote Joe's Horse Rescue
(there is no Joe's Horse Rescue to my knowledge - so I'm going to use him
as a generic rescue in these examples) and/or available horses.  With the
use of the 'net and a lot of folks having color printers, it's my opinion
that this can save rescues and other folks $$ in paper, ink and postage.
For samples of fliers - and these are for stolen horses, which might well
be something that Joe is trying to help with - see: 

http://pages.prodigy.com/equinerescue/idaho.htm

Basically you can fiddle until you come up with something that will print
out on an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper and look decent hanging on a bulletin
board. <g> 

Horses Available.  If Joe has regular access to his website or a webmaster
that does, then a listing of horses available with photos would be nice.
If note, he can always either maintain a mailing list or address book of
interested parties and send out regular mailings on horses available and/or
suggest they join the Equine Rescue Mailing List and/or Newsletter where he
posts his horses available regularly. <g> 

Application to adopt or volunteer, etc.  Printable.  And my suggestion
would be that they need to send it to Joe's snail mail PO Box unless Joe
wants to deal with applications online (do most of you guys with
applications online accept them online or do you require snail mail?). 

Links to other rescues, pages of interest to prospective horse adoptors, etc. 

Anything else? 



Pat Calloway, Equine Rescue/Creatures Listowner
epona@concentric.net (AZ)
http://pages.prodigy.com/equinerescue/home.htm
http://pages.prodigy.com/equinerescue/creature.htm
============================================================
From: "C. Atkinson" <catkinson@jvlnet.com>
To: <equinerescue@MyList.net>
Subject: EQ-ResQ: Re: web page design
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 06:46:11 -0500

>Another point on creating or maintaining a website for your rescue or cause
or whatever....  copyrights.  There are a lot of websites out there that
gleefully take other sites backgrounds, graphics, photos, etc without
getting permission.  <

And, I might add, there is absolutely no need for this since thousands of
people have put web sites up full of backgrounds, icons, graphics, etc. that
are there for you to use and enjoy as a web designer.  Some of those people
request a link back from your page - many don't request anything.  Just do a
web search for "backgrounds" and you'll find tons of stuff.  One of my
favorite archives is at http://www.bellsnwhistles.com.  Everything you can
imagine is there plus information on how to use it.

Cathy
============================================================