Spices Tips

Spice's Tips and Resources

Firstly, this page is designed to help you. It has no fancy graphics, so it loads quickly
(in around 8 seconds) and keeps your mind on learning not looking!!

I have included the most requested information, but will add updates when time allows
or I find some really HOT STUFF!!

Tips and Resources

1. Design your images so they load quickly. A visitor to your site does
     not want to wait ages for everything to appear. If you live in the USA, remember that other
     Internet users in Europe/Rest of the World, DO NOT GET FREE Telephone calls to the Internet.
     They pay by the minute to view your page. Use programs that reduce the size of graphics.
     Do not PLASTER loads of advertising on your page. Set up a links page to accomodate this.

2. Expensive programs are not necessary. Mum's sites have been designed mainly
     using Paint Shop Pro. versions 4.0 and 5.0. It is very good value for money at around
     100US$/80 ESP. Earlier versions can be found as free downloads if you search around.
     Filters, that are designed for Adobe Photoshop, will often work with PSP. e.g. Blade Pro.
     Money no object? Then Adobe Photoshop is a must, together with Kai Power Tools,
     and Alien Skin's "Eye Candy" which will also work with PSP.
     She also uses Microsoft Image Composer, which comes FREE with Microsoft Front Page.
     So a combination of all these programs produces my most popular web sites, together with
     free filters available at sites like Ultimate Photoshop Filters

3. New to designing web pages, and are not yet proficient in graphics?
     Visit The Graphics Ring. They have over 600 members, a request board
     and Search Engine, so you can find what you require, for any subject.
     Art Today has loads of fonts and images.

4. Tutorials - We could place pages of tutorials here, but would not do them as well as the following
     two sites - Paint Shop Pro - Mardiweb and Adobe Photoshop - Andy's Art Attack.
     My Mum has visited both, lots of times, and is forever grateful to these two talented teachers.
     I have a few simple tutorials HERE though.

5. Try and make your index page interesting and eye catching. This is the first
page visitors see. You want them to stay or your other pages will not be viewed.

6. FREE web space/email - My favourite free source is Geocities because their upload
       facilites are so easy to use, and you don't have to rely on FTP file transfer .They also have lots of
       neighbourhoods, a great community spirit, plus other information useful to newbies of the Internet.
       Free tools such as a Guestbook and counters are included.
       Initial web space at geo is 11meg, but you can have 25meg for a very small fee which also gives you
       your own user name and access to lots more tools.
       Browse the neighbourhoods!! This will give you lots of ideas.
       Geo offers free email registration with the space, or you can visit hotmail / yahoo
       Yahoo also offer an autoresponder and pager service.
       There are others, but I have recommended those above as I know for sure you get excellent value and service.

7. Downloads - Programs galore to download at http://www.download.com and http://www.shareware.com

  8. MIDI FILES - If you add music, in the form of midi files to your site, make sure visitors can turn off sound.
       They may not have the same taste in music as you!! Midi files to download at FAIR DISCO

9. PROMOTION - When you have a few pages, and you are satisifed, and only then, join Link Exchange,
        the most popular banner exchange service, and submit your site via them, or directly, to as many search
        engines as possible, eg. Yahoo, Alta Vista, Excite. This will not be a successful exercise if your site is
        not finished, e.g. you have lots of "Under Construction" signs. Visitors will not be impressed and so may
        never return. Good sites are always under construction. Just don't advertise the page until it is completed.

10. FONTS - My Mum's specialised site The FONTain, has free fonts and lots of links to her favourite resources,
                    including a Win to Mac Font Converter. You will also find fonts she has designed her self, and then
                    you can visit "Calligrafixs" - graphics and PSP Tubes all designed using fonts.She is also an expert
                    using the program font creating program,"FONTOGRAPHER"

12. WEB TV Users - Visit HERE for all the information you need regarding building a web site

14. My Mum's own sites are as follows -

Jumbles Animal Gallery, Jungle Graphics , Forest Graphics, and The FONTain

Updates to my tips/resources will be added regularly. If you find any broken links, please email.

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