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Share
Your Creativity Via the Web
May 11, 2004
As our Web-savvy world becomes increasingly digitized, more
and more people are putting their creative efforts (photos,
art and writing) online to share with classmates, friends and
family.
If you want to access class files online or collaborate on
a paper with your fellow Aggies, use the MySpace file storage
tool within MyUCDavis. It provides 100 MB of storage, allows
you to create public and private folders, and then add and grant
other MyUCDavis users as little or as much access as you want.
To find MySpace, log into MyUCDavis,
click the MyTools tab and then MySpace. The Help link provides
specific instructions.
And if you want to showcase your non-academic stuff (vacation
pictures, hobby info, etc.), consider a personal Web site. But
remember, making even a simple site requires an investment of
time and (often) money. Here are some easy steps:
Step One: Register a Domain Name
When selecting a name for your personal Web site, be creative,
but avoid trademark conflicts. Register your domain name through
an ICANN-accredited domain name registrar such as Register.com
or Dotster.com. You can
create a site using a free hosting service without registering
a domain name, but free Web hosting sites are often riddled
with pop-up ads and do not appear on search engine results very
often.
Step Two: Find a Web Host
A Web host supplies server space to house the files for your
site. They also provide bandwidth (the amount of data transferred
when a viewer visits your site). Hosting services range from
free accounts with minimal server space and bandwidth to more
expensive accounts that provide tons of space and bandwidth.
For the average personal Web site, many free or minimum cost
accounts provide adequate space and bandwidth, and when your
site becomes mega-popular, you can upgrade your plan. Here are
a few hosting resources to get you started:
Step Three: Build Your Web Site
So you’ve found a host. Now you need to build your site.
Most Web sites are written in a code language called HTML. If
you know HTML, you can write the code yourself (Webmonkey.com
and Htmlgoodies.com provide cheat sheets and tutorials), or
you can buy a program that writes the code for you, such as:
- Microsoft Frontpage -- PC compatible; available at the
UC Davis Bookstore Computer Shop for about $100.
- Dreamweaver -- PC and Mac compatible; also about $100 (with
a student discount) at Macromedia.com, or visit the Meyer
Media Lab at Meyer Hall, which has computers equipped with
Dreamweaver.
Step Four: Upload Your Files
After you’ve got your HTML files ready to go, you just
upload them to the Web host’s server (they’ll provide
directions when you sign up). Once they are on the server, you
should be good to go. Visit your site, make sure everything
looks right, and then let your friends, family and future employers
know that you are a Web-savvy superstar.
Mention of Web sites and software packages does not constitute
endorsement by Information & Educational Technology or the
University of California.
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