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People often ask me things like "how did you
create your webpage"?
So I've created this page to include little computer
titbits.
Skype
Skype is a free piece of software that
allows you to use your computer to talk to others who have skype.
Skype turns your computer into a telephone. It's simple....just go
to the Skype website and download Skype for free. Install it then
add friends who also have Skype to your contacts. Want to add us?
Just click add then type "willnjen".
You can use Skype to do text chatting
similar to MSN Messenger and Yahoo. You can also talk using your
computer speaker and microphone. I suggest getting a
headset
or even a
USB telephone like we use.
Click here to download
Skype.
Webpage Creation Software
I use Microsoft FrontPage.
It's not cheap to buy but is REALLY easy to use. The tricky part of
creating a website is the whole linking of files and pictures. You
can use Microsoft Word or many other free or cheap softwares to create a
webpage. The tricky bit is when you put a photo on the page.
The HTML reference to that photo will be something like C:\My
Documents\Pictures\photo.jpg Problem is that when you copy the
webpage to the web server and someone like you looks at the webpage, the
photo won't appear because it's looking for the photo on your C drive and
can't find it because your C drive is not public.
Now this is easy enough to get
around by changing the place the webpage looks for the photo to the web
server and making sure a copy of the photo is on the server. As you
can imagine, you would need to keep track of where photo's are and need to
use a little bit of HTML.
That why I say, "use Microsoft
FrontPage". It takes care of all of this for you. You create a
page on your PC using FrontPage then hit the publish button. It then
makes sure all the correct files are copied to the server and that all the
links are OK. Sure there are other pieces of software that also do
this. The good thing about FrontPage is that has the same use and
feel as other Microsoft software you already know how to use such as Word.
Website
Hosting
I use
RegisterDirect for all my
domain registrations and website hosting.
I find them the most professional NZ based company with an easy to use
website and reasonable prices.
Obviously if you aren't a kiwi
then you wouldn't want to use RegisterDirect. In the UK I use
EasySpace who were also OK and
have both UK and USA branches.
Free Office Software
Microsoft Office is expensive.
If you want most of capability of Microsoft Office for free, yes free,
then visit OpenOffice.org
It's major backer is Sun Microsystems and it is designed to make basic
office software free for all. It has a text document editor similar
to MS Word, a spreadsheet program like Excel, a presentation program like
PowerPoint and a Webpage program like FrontPage (although see my comments
about cheap/free web software above). All modules can open and save
Microsoft files so you could use OpenOffice and trade files with friends
using Microsoft with no problem as long as the files are fairly basic.
Obviously an Excel file with complex macros in it will not work in
OpenOffice though in my opinion, if you want to use macros then buy
Microsoft stuff.
OpenOffice would be a great choice if
you wanted a cheap computer package. Buy a secondhand PC and
download OpenOffice. One thing to note is that it takes ages to
download as it's big, but free.
MSN Messenger
Now many of you
already know all about MSN Messenger. BUT, there are still some of
you who are not up with play when it comes to instant messaging. Not
only do we chat to friends all over the world using Messenger, we also
have voice conversations and the odd video conference. We don't have
broadband internet and neither do you for Messenger voice to work.
It's like getting a 20 minute phone call to the other side of the world
for free. You don't need a hotmail account either, just setup a
passport. download MSN Messenger
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