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The Novice Webmaster
Chances are pretty good that you
access the Internet using a browser program. Chances are also
pretty good that you use some version of Netscape, Internet
Explorer, or something very similar to those two biggies.
The gigantic, feature laden browser programs most commonly
used today are just one type of program that you can use to
surf the net. Granted, they provide the most visually appealing
view of the Internet, and they are the most fun and entertaining
to use with their image and sound capabilities. They are,
in fact, largely responsible for turning the Internet into
a place where people from all walks of life around the world
now go to play, work, shop and learn.
Browsers are not the only programs
you can use to access the Internet, they are certainly not
the first, and, depending on what your needs and tasks may
be, they are not always the best program to use either. After
all…your email program is great for email. But it isn't
necessarily the best tool to use if you want to write a book.
Your browser is great for viewing the Internet, but it is
not always the best tool to use for managing a website. For
that, you will want something simple, fast, and basic that
will let you upload, download, and access files on your site
quickly, easily and with a minimum of fuss and frills. SSH
and FTP are the two tools that fulfill these needs best.
SSH/TELNET
Some accounts come with telnet access
to the server. However, to connect to the server, the user
must use an SSH program. SSH (Secure Shell) is functionally
a secure version of telnet which encrypts the session so that
others cannot eavesdrop. SSH provides greater security than
allowing a Telnet connection to the server.
SSH is a program that emulates a
computer terminal, allowing you to view information on site
rather than downloading it to your personal computer for viewing.
This is extremely useful if you need to view large amounts
of information, such as all the files and folders on a web
site, or a library catalog for example. Imagine how long it
would take for you to download a web page containing the entire
catalog of book titles from just a city library! With SSH,
you are able to actually view the information on the library
site, eliminating the download time.
SSH is not graphics capable, does
not play sound files and is not one tiny bit entertaining.
But it is the best tool to use for certain tasks. You will
have a connection much like the old DOS screen. And, again
like DOS, you will need to type in your commands.
You can pick up a free SSH client called "putty"
from the cybertools page here.
FTP
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol.
Like the name implies, its main purpose is to make transferring
files from one computer to another as fast and easy as possible.
Unlike SSH, FTP is not a program. It is instead a "protocol",
just as HTTP is a protocol. Your browser program uses the
HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) for viewing, reading,
and translating HTML into the bright and colorful interactive
web pages you see on your computer screen. In order to use
FTP, you will need an FTP program.
Visually, you will not see either
the imagery of a browser; Instead, you may see two panels,
each with folders (also called directories) and files displayed.
One panel will contain the folders and files on your computer.
The other panel will contain the folders and files on the
site you are logged into.
POP and SMTP
POP and SMTP are both protocols used
for email. POP (Post Office Protocol) is used for incoming
mail, while SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is used to
send outgoing mail. You will need to use an email client in
order to receive or send email from your account.
Linux and Unix
An OS, or "operating system" is the
program you use to operate and run your computer. By far the
three most universally used and recognized by the average
surfer are Windows in any version from 3.x to Win 2000, NT,
and Macintosh. Linux and Unix are both operating systems as
well. They don't have, or support, all of the bells and whistles
of the more popular operating systems, but that's not what
they are meant for. These two operating systems are for serious
stuff…for fast and dynamic data transfer…for allowing
one computer to talk to others quickly and smoothly. Not for
personal entertainment. This is why server computers and many
other types of businesses use UNIX and/or Linux operating
systems. They aren't pretty, but they are smart, they are
stable, and they are fast.
Note:
Unlike Windows and Macintosh, UNIX and Linux are case sensitive.
"Index.html" is not the same as "index.html".
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