This is a pretty straightword process. Have one of the leaders of your organization send an email to Web-Updates (web-updates@wooster.edu) requesting space on Wooster's Web server. Keep two things in mind when requesting Web space.

First, who would you like to have access to the Web space? You can assign access rights to any number of people you wish. Each individual person will have access to the Web space using their Novell password (i.e. your email password), so there is no worry about a shared password.

Second, what would you like your Web address, or URL, to be? For example, SGA has a Web address of http://www.wooster.edu/sga/ . Your URL will begin with http://www.wooster.edu/ , but you can select the name of the Web folder that will house your organization's Web files. It is better to pick a shorter name, if possible, as it will make it easier for people to remember and simpler to type onto printed materials.

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How do I access my Web space once I get it?

This is the area where users will need to make note of changes when the switch to the new Web server is made.

There are two ways you can access the new Web server:

Using Novell
Using FTPS (Note: FTPS is different from FTP. This will be further explained below, but it is recommended that users who were using FTP on the old Web server use FTPS on the new Web server, if possible.)

1) Using Novell:

For those who mounted Novell on their computers as the way to access the Web server, very little changes with the new Web server. All that changes is the location in the Novell tree of the Web server. Follow the directions below. (Note: You CANNOT access the new Web server using Native File Access. If you do not have Novell on your computer, you will need to use FTPS, which will be explained below).

Make sure you have Novell installed on your machine and you know your password.
Log-in to Novell
Browse the Novell tree (open WOONET, then Wooster)
Search until you find "WEBSERV2_VOL1"
You will then need to open a folder called "Apache2", then another folder called "htdocs"
Once inside "htdocs" you should see the folder(s) that you have access to

On a Windows machine, follow these steps to access your Web folder(s):

Double-click the "My Network Places" icon on the desktop.
Double-click the "Novell Connections" icon.
Double-click the "Webserv2" icon.
Double-click the "VOL1" icon.
Double-click the "Apache2" folder.
Double-click the "htdocs" folder.

You should now see the folders for which you have access.

To upload your files to the server, just drag your files from your computer into your Web folder on the server. It is the same as if you were to drag your files from one computer to another, or from one folder to another on your own computer. If you upload a file with the same name that already exists on the Web server, you will be asked if you want to replace it. If so, then say yes.

2) Using FTPS

The new Web server enables users to use FTPS (FTP over SSL, or “Secure FTP”) to upload their Web files. This addition is for security purposes. Currently, your password is not encrypted when it is used in an FTP program. This is a potential security problem, particularly since your password is used for multiple purposes (email, personal space, etc.) An FTPS client will encrypt your password, preventing any security breaches.

However, since there is no freeware FTPS program available for Mac users running a version of OS lower than 10.3, FTP will continue to be available. In other words, those who were using FTP before will still be able to use FTP again on the new server. It is recommended, however, that those users who are running an operating system that supports an FTPS client (all Windows users and Mac users running OS 10.3.9 or higher) run one of the clients recommended below:

There are two FTPS options available Wooster users:

For Mac users, a free SFTP client called Cyberduck is available
For PC users, a free SFTP client called Filezilla is available

More information on these two clients can be found towards the bottom of this page.

FTP can be used from off-campus, but only by utilizing the Wooster VPN. See the IT Documentation Web site for more information on VPN.

Users of Standard FTP

If you are using an FTP program, here is all the information that you need to enter:

Host: webftp.wooster.edu
Username: Novell username.Novell context (i.e. jdoe.publications) (students: jdoe.2005.students)
Password: Novell password

(If you are trying to access your personal page, use "ftphome.wooster.edu" as your host)

Users of Macromedia Dreamweaver

If you use Macromedia Dreamweaver and you wish to use the built-in ability of the program to upload your Web files, you can continue to do so. See the following documentation on how you can use both FTP and Local Area Network (LAN) or Local/Remote access through Dreamweaver

» Using FTP in Dreamweaver
» Using LAN or Local/Remote access in Dreamweaver

The SFTP button found in Dreamweaver MX 2004 WILL NOT work with the new Web server.

Cyberduck - Mac Users

If you are running Mac OS version 10.3.9 or later, Cyberduck if your SFTP option. You can download the software for free from the following site:

» http://cyberduck.ch/

or directly from our site:

» Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later

The SFTP function of Cyberduck only works if you have Mac OS 10.3.9 or later. If you have an earlier version of Mac OS, you should use just the FTP option in Cyberduck.

For Cyberduck help, visit the Cyberduck Help Section, or contact the Help Desk IT-Request@wooster.edu.

In Cyberduck, be sure to use the following:

FTP over SSL
Server: webserv2.wooster.edu

Filezilla

For PC users, Filezilla if your SFTP option. You can download the software for free from the following site:

» http://sourceforge.net/projects/filezilla/

or directly from our site:

» Windows 95 or later

After installing the software, follow these initial steps to set up your account:

Go to File and select Site Manager
In this window, select the button New Site
After giving the site a name (call it what you wish, i.e. Wooster), enter the following information under Site Details:

Host: webftp.wooster.edu
Servertype: FTP over SSL (explicit encryption)
Logontype: Normal
User: Novell username.Novell context (i.e. jdoe.publications) (students: jdoe.2005.students)
Password: Novell password

Then select the connect button, and you should be connected.

(Note: These instructions will not work until the switch has been made to the new Web server. If you wish to test Filezilla to see how it works, substitute "pages.wooster.edu" as your host and follow the rest of the instructions. If you are connected to the new Web server, you have successfully followed the instructions.)

(If you are trying to access your personal page, use "ftphome.wooster.edu" as your host and follow the rest of the instructions.)

For help with Filezilla, visit this Filezilla Help Web Site, or contact the Help Desk IT-Request@wooster.edu.

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What program should I use to create my Web pages?

What program you use to create your Web site is ultimately up to you, but it is the recommendation of Web Services that you use either Macromedia Dreamweaver or Mozilla Composter as your program. Both programs are relatively simple to use. Conventional wisdom is that Dreamweaver has more capabilities, but might be a little more difficult to use, particularly if you are a beginner. Dreamweaver is offered by Information Technology as a free key-served download, while Mozilla Composer comes with the Mozilla Web browser, which is also a free program. Find links to the software below:

» Download Dreamweaver

» Dreamweaver Tutorials (lists links to several sites with Dreamweaver Tutorials)

» Download Mozilla Web Browser (which includes Composer)

» Review & Tips on Mozilla Composer

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Is there anyone that can create my Web site?

Web Services does not create Web sites for student organizations. If there is a technical question about a Web site, Web Services will try to lend assistance, but for the most part, student organizations need to find other resources to update their site. Our recommendation is to try and identify someone within your organization to take on this task. Even if this person has no Web design experience, just a willingness to learn and give it a try will likely be good enough to get a Web presence. If your organization has the financial resources to hire a student on campus that has Web skills, that may be an option as well. Advertising this on Wooster Headline News would be the best way to promote this option.

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What should my site look like?

Your Web site can look any way you like, but not all Web designs are created equal. The one point that needs to be stressed when deciding what your site is going to look like is that eventually the person(s) creating the site are going to graduate, and someone else (hopefully) will have to continue the site. The more complex you make your design, the more difficult it will be for someone else to pick up where you left off. So unless you are skilled enough to create a relatively fancy site, Web services recommends that you try to keep the design relatively simple. In this case, there are two directions you can go:

Use the design that the "official" Wooster Web pages use. If you wish to go this route, contact Web-Updates web-updates@wooster.edu. The First Responders is a good example of a student organization that effectively uses the Wooster template design.
Choose from a selection of free templates that are offered to work with Dreamweaver. The following Web sites have a selection of basic Web designs that can be used in Dreamweaver:
http://www.dreamweaver-templates.org/dreamweaver-templates-free.html
http://www.smartwebby.com/web_site_design/default.asp

Regardless of what direction you choose, getting a graphic of your logo on the site will help give your site a unique identity.

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Basic Web tips

At the end of the day, the content of your site is much more important than what it looks like (unless your sites looks really bad, then the look may overshadow the content). Here are some general tips to keep in mind when building a Web site:

Keep the content relatively brief. Break up large amounts of content into different categories if possible. Use headers and bullets to bring out key points
Keep the first page people see relatively simple. Maybe provide a quick overview of what your organization is, then provide links to more content
If nothing else, your site should contain information about who you are, a calendar of events if applicable, and contact information
Try to keep your site updated as often as possible. Even if no information has changed on your site in a couple of months, indicate that you are still keeping and eye on it by placing a "last updated" date on your site and change it periodically.

How do I get my Web site linked from the Wooster Web site?

If you are working on an existing student organization Web site, it is likely already linked from the Student Organizations page (http://www.wooster.edu/student_organizations/). If you are creating a new Web site for an organization, just send an email to web-updates@wooster.edu when the site is complete, and it will be linked from this page as well. You may want to alert the campus community to your new Web site by submitting a short announcement to Wooster Headline News announcing its completion.

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Creating e-mail Web forms

The mail program that is currently supported by our Web server is FormMail.pl. It is a very common mail program and relatively easy to use. It allows you to create a Web page where you can have different fields in which the user fills in information. When the information is submitted, it will then be sent to someone (it can be more than one person) as an email. This function is useful if you want to have a guestbook, conduct a short survey, etc.

For complete documentation on FormMail.pl, print out the following PDF file:

» FormMail.pl Documentation

or visit: http://www.scriptarchive.com/readme/formmail.html

There are two things that must be in place in order for your FormMail.pl to work.

Your form path must be: <FORM ACTION="http://scripts.wooster.edu/cgi-bin/formmail.pl" METHOD="post">. This will work on all your forms, regardless of where you place them in your folder (you may also use FormMail.pl on your personal pages).
You must specify an email address in the form. For example: <INPUT TYPE="hidden" NAME="recipient" value="webmaster@wooster.edu">. More information can be found in the FormMail.pl Documentation.

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Using PDF files

If you have a newsletter, or wish to publish on the Web a document that contains graphics or needs to be printed to hold formatting (like a survey or a form that requires a signature), creating a PDF file is the best way to go. If you use Mac OSX, then you already have the ability to create PDF files. If you use a Windows machine, send an email to IT-Request@wooster.edu to see if they have a PDF creator program available for your use.

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Conduct a Student Poll

If you wish to create a poll like the one that appears on the Wooster Students page, you can. Our poll software allows multiple polls to run in different locations on the Web server at different times. E-mail web-updates@wooster.edu if you wish to run a poll on your site.

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Creating a LISTSERV

This function is supported by Information Techonology, not Web Services, but certainly has a function with Web sites. LISTSERVs are a good way to communicate with members of your organization via email. In addition, you can advertise on your Web site that you have LISTSERV, and offer the opportunity for other members of campus, or even off-campus people for that matter, to sign up and be a part of the LISTSERV.

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Using photos and graphics

A Web site is always enhanced by the use of photos and graphics, but the key is to use them properly. Most importantly, they need to be a reasonable size, or they will take too long to download on slower connections. Try to have some quality control when it comes to photos. Not every picture that you take has to go on the Web site. If you have a bunch of pictures, put them on their own separate page. Zeta Phi Gamma does a good job of breaking up their photos.

If you do not own a photo-editing program, there are two computers in Taylor 205 that have both Photoshop and scanners to scan prints of photos. If you are putting a photo on the Web, you need to convert your picture into JPG format. If you placing a logo or graphic on your Web page, convert your image into GIF format.

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Blogs

Web Services has little experience with Blogs, but believes a Blog would be a unique and useful asset to a student organization. Currently, the Library has an active Blog, and SGA was utilizing one in the spring of 2005. Check out these free sites to see if a Blog would make sense for your organization. Again, this tool is only effective if updated regularly.

http://www.blogger.com/start

http://www.livejournal.com/

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Personal Pages

The current Web server is a part of the campus Novell system, which allows every student, faculty or staff member with a Novell account to have their own personal Web space. In order to use this space, you need to create a folder called "my_web" inside your personal Web space. YOU DO NOT CREATE THIS FOLDER INSIDE THE HTDOCS FOLDER. THIS FOLDER ALSO DOES NOT COME AUTOMATICALLY WITH YOUR PERSONAL WEB SPACE. YOU MUST CREATE THE FOLDER YOURSELF.

Once you create this folder, you can place all of your Web files inside there. Your personal page URL, as long as you call your home page or root file "index.html", is: http://pages.wooster.edu/~novell username (i.e. http://pages.wooster.edu/~jdoe/)

If you would like your personal page listed on the Wooster personal pages Web site (http://pages.wooster.edu/), please email web-updates@wooster.edu.

You can use FTP to access your personal page. Follow the instructions above for using FTP, but in the host field, type "pages.wooster.edu".

You are prohibited from using PHP on personal pages.