How to Create a Home Page
on your Lincoln UNIX
Account

If you have a LINCOLN UNIX account, you can create your own World Wide Web presentation. You may include text, links to your favorite sites, pictures, sound, and even video. You may "advertise" your URL (Uniform Resource Locator) so that others can visit your site, or you may simply tell your browser to make your customized home page its starting point for Web exploration.

Are You Ready?

Your creation of a Web presentation will run more smoothly if you meet the following criteria.
  • You've explored the Internet using a Web browser
  • You know how to transfer files from your computer to your LINCOLN account.
  • You know how to use one of LINCOLN's UNIX text editors, such as pico.
  • You've gathered the files and URLs that you'd like to include in your homepage.
  • You're willing to invest some time in independent study.
  • You're familiar with basic UNIX file management commands.

Basic Steps

After receiving your LINCOLN account, there are six basic steps to creating a home page:
  • Create a personal http directory on your LINCOLN account using the setup command.
  • Transfer files from your computer or the Internet (e.g. images) to your http directory.
  • Create a home page using HTML and the files in your http directory.
  • Save your document.
  • Adjust your http permissions with the setup command.
  • View your document with a browser, and then make corrections.

1. Create a Personal http Directory on Your LINCOLN Account

To build a home page on the WWW, you must first create a personal http directory in your home directory on LINCOLN's UNIX system. Your http directory will store HTML files and support files, such as photographs, images and sounss. (http -- HyperText Trasfer Protocol -- was created specifically for distributing HTML documents over the Web.)

In order to create your http directory, you must complete the following steps:

  1. Use Term Term or another telnet client to telnet to: ln1.lincolnnet.net
  2. Log in using your LINCOLN login name and password.
  3. At the lincoln% prompt, type setup and hit enter.
  4. Select "Create my WWW http directory or adjust the permissions"
  5. When you are finished, type q
You now have a directory named "http" on your UNIX account, and LINCOLN's WWW server can distribute HTML documents from your UNIX account.

Note: All the HTML documents and supporting files that you create for your home page must reside in your UNIX http directory or subdirectories. This includes text, graphics, sound files, etc.

Use a file transfer client such as WS_FTP to transfer text, images, photographs, etc., into your http directory.

2. Create Your Home Page Using HTML

At the lincoln% prompt, type:

cd http

This places you in your http directory /home/your username/http. Now you may choose an editor (such as emacs, joe, pico, vi, or wptext), and use the file name home.html. For example, at the lincoln% prompt, type:

pico home.html

You are now ready to compose your HTML document. Here's where your knowledge of HTML and your experience on the Web comes into play.

HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
HTML, the markup language used by the Web, is a method for marking text in such a way that it appears the way you want it to when viewed by a web browser (e.g. Netscape, Mosaic, Internet Explorer, etc). The marking codes may look confusing at first, but once you get the hang of it, you'll have the confidence to move on to more sophisticated document construction.

To familiarize yourself with HTML, in addition to using your bookstore and local library as resources, you can visit the following website:

3. Save your Document

Save your HTML document in your http directory. (When using the pico editor you can save your document by holding down the control key and typing the letter X).

Because your file's name is "home.html", the URL (or Internet address) will be:

http://www.LincolnNet.net/users/your username/home.html

4. Adjust Your http Permissions

Now that you have a new document, you must adjust your http permissions so that Internet surfers can view your site on the Web. Remember, every time you place a new file in your http directory (e.g., "essay.html"), you must run setup in order to "adjust the permissions" (This step is not necessary when you make changes or additions to an existing HTML document).

To adjust your permissions, repeat the bulleted portion of step #1.

5. View Your Document with Netscape... Then Make Corrections

You can now view your saved HTML document with Netscape in order to determine whether or not the document has translated into a satisfactory presentation. In Netscape, select "Open Location" from the "File" menu and type in the URL for your home page.

If your find that you must edit your HTML UNIX file (e.g. home.html), return to your text editor and make the changes. Then return to Netscape and click the "Reload" button on the toolbar at the top of the page. The changes will be reflected in the on-screen display.

You will probably find yourself shifting back and forth from the UNIX editor to the browser, making adjustments... viewing the changes... making more adjustments, etc., until you have a final product that you are proud of.