www.inthewoodshop.org: About This Site
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This Site Is...
- written by a recreational woodworker
- produced with standard HTML
- written to work with any browser
- optimized for 800 by 600 pixels
- cookie free
- popup free
- non commercial
- bandwidth friendly
- quick loading
- searchable
- full of information, not links
And that's no bull! Well... actually it is - in the photo anyway.
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Copy
I am the author of all copy unless otherwise indicated. This is not a public forum, it's my page. However, from time to time someone will send me a comment or picture that I think will enhance the quality of the site so I include it - with permission of course. The rest is all from my pea-sized brain. My experiences, my opinion. Your mileage may vary.
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Coding
I handcode all my pages and write my CGI scripts with good old Notepad (which comes free with Windows) or NoteTab Light. NoteTab is a souped up version of NotePad with enhanced HTML capabilities, improved search and replace, and the ability to keep several documents open at once. An excellent piece of software; I highly recommend it. All page code is written with standard HTML tags - no browser specific tags - and tested on a number of browsers (and that ain't easy - especially with all the little nitpicking differences between MSIE and Netscape).
I should add that I learned how to code by reading HTML: The Definitive Guide by Chuck Musciano and Bill Kennedy. It is published by O'Reilly computer books and is, hands down, the most comprehensive book on writing HTML you can find. Just start reading right from the beginning and Chuck and Bill will guide you through everything with their easily understood, logical approach. It is one of the best books I have ever read because its comprehensible style relates everything you want to know - without having to buy a pile of different books.
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Photography
The oldest pictures were done with my old manual Yashica SLR, but the three year old got hold of it and that was that. Since then we have been taking pictures with either an Olympus D-340R digital camera or an Olympus Stylus Epic point and click camera, which is also now kaput. We just bought a Nikon Coolpix 5400 and I am testing it right now. Looks like it will be a fine camera.
The SLR pictures and all diagrams are scanned using a Hewlett Packard ScanJet 5-P. All photos are manipulated using Microsoft Image Composer or ArcSoft PhotoStudio. That's right, no high priced software here. |
Graphics
Unless otherwise indicated, all graphics are original creations using original artwork, and sometimes public domain photographs, clipart images and backgrounds as add-ins or image editing templates. All work is done using Microsoft Image Composer, which was provided with my copy of FrontPage 98. I am not sure if it is still given out but it is a great little program to get started with. My goal is to learn Adobe Illustrator, but I'll have to get over forking out the price they want for it first. |
Web Hosting
Our home on the net is provided by SaskNow Technologies. We have a Corporate One hosting package which gives us Perl support and our own cgi-bin. The benefit of this smaller hosting company is that I can call the people who run it on the phone and talk to them directly.
We used to be hosted by Feature Price but we were caught up in their soap opera of an existance and nearly went offline for good. Last I heard, they were out of business but their web site is up and running so they may be trying to make a comeback. If they do, and you comtemplate trying them, please read this first and reconsider!
One other word of caution - do not use or believe what you see on those hosting review type web sites; they are ad scams! Like any other important decision, get at least three quotes with references and make an informed decision.
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Seach Capabilities
Our site is now fully searchable. The Library section has been for some time. That script was written by me and is separate from our new SiteSearch page. Our SiteSearch has been provided by Boutell.com. The code is available for free download provided you give them credit. It is an ingenious little search script but if you use it, I hope you know some Perl. It has to be customized to suit your situation. Hats off to Boutell.com! |
