Why would anyone want to learn HTML? The fact that you're here and you're reading this is reason that you want to venture beyond the mundane. The truth is, HTML is not just a passing fancy. You can go out and buy all sorts of HTML editors and utilities that can create a great web page for you, but to know HTML is to use those same tools to produce incredibly, powerfully spectacular web pages. Since HTML language is constantly evolving, you can take advantage of the new features immediately. You won't have to wait for the next upgrade of your favorite HTML editor.

HTML is your chance to make a difference and place your mark on the web! Be brave, but beware... HTML is not always easy and the more you learn the more you realize you don't know. It's addicting, it's fun, it's profitable. Many businesses are making the move to the web and they need permanent in-house web masters or contractors to get them going. This could be you. Your only limitation is your creativity.

This course is designed so that you can learn HTML with the following tools:

• Windows Notepad
• A Web Browser (preferrably more than one)
• A little patience

ASCII

American Standard Code for Information Interchange
A standardized method of exchanging data between different computer systems. The plain-text files created by text editor software.

DTD

Document Type Definition
The formal specification of a markup language

HTML

HyperText Markup Language
A collection of platform independant styles that define the various components of a World Wide Web document

SGML

Standard Generalized Markup Language
A standard for describing markup languages

URL

Uniform Resource Locator
Specifies the location of a file on the Internet

Web

World Wide Web

WWW

World Wide Web

WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get
Any software package that displays the document on the screen in a fully formatted view so that it will look exactly like the finished document

HTML documents are plain-text (ASCII) files that can be created using any text editor, such as Windows Notepad. You can also use a word processor if you remember to save your document as text only with line breaks.

There are many WYSIWYG HTML editors available and you may wish to try one of them. It is recommended that you know the basics of HTML tagging first. This will give you a basis for evaluating these editors to determine which will best suit your needs. Also, all of the editor will have some features that will give results other than what you might expect and it will frequently be necessary to manually edit your document.