Creating Web Pages on Your Mac
Many Mac users don't know that their home computer can easily be used
as a web server. And you can still use your computer for all the
other stuff you do... at the same time!
(Note: The instructions below
are for Macs with OSX. If your Mac is running System 9,
click here)
Why create a Web Pages?
To share things like: photos,
information, music, video and links to other websites.
What do I need to get started making Web Pages?
Any Macintosh with OSx or System 9 connected to the internet
via Cable Modem or DSL.
Your computer will need to stay "ON"
all the time if you want people to be able to access your home page.
Getting Started: Setting
up your Mac as a Web Server
- Turn on Personal Web Sharing: (
--> System
Preferences --> Sharing)
- Look up your computer's IP#: (
--> System Preferences --> Network)
- Write down your IP#: _____.______._____._____
(example: 24.76.96.144)
- Look up your short
User Name: ( --> System
Preferences --> Accounts)
- Write down your (short) User Name from step #4 above:
___________ (example: tom)
Create your first Web Page
You can use lots of different programs
to create web pages. I use the following
programs to create web pages:
As you become more experienced in making web pages, you might want to
explore the following program:
- Comic Life - allows you to do
creative page layout and add dialog balloons, just like in comic books.
If you are using OSX, this program may already be on your
computer. If not, you can purchase it for $25.
Where will your Web Pages be stored?
- Remember, if you want other people to be able to view your web
page, it must be saved to
the "Sites" folder in OSX:
("Go" menu --> Home --> Sites)
- So, say you create a web page called "holidays.html" and you store it in
the
folder of your
computer.
- Then, the URL (address)
for this web page (using the example above) would be: http://24.76.96.144/~tom/holidays.html
- This URL tells your web browser: "Find the computer with IP # 24.76.96.144
and look for the user Tom, then
find the document "holidays.html"
- Notice the ~ symbol in the URL? That is the "tilde" symbol and must preceed the short User Name.
- Try it. Type the
URL into the address line of your web browser. Does this URL lead
to a real web page?
Setting Permissions
It's a good idea to make sure that your web page folder has the
"Permissions" set to allow others to view your web page.
Click here to learn how to set
permissions.
