Getting Started with WebSpinner
What is WebSpinner?
WebSpinner is a tool designed for information
owners on webhosting create and maintain their own web sites. You interface with
WebSpinner through a graphical World Wide Web (WWW) browser. Using WebSpinner
you have complete control over all aspects of your web pages.
What is WebHosting?
The WebHosting services provides a way for a campus unit to establish and maintain
a full function web site while minimizing technical support requirements and
at a very reasonable cost. Sites using webhosting have their own domain name
such as www.XXX.umd.edu (XXX is usually the unit name, such as www.union.umd.edu,
www.busoff.umd.edu, www.arhu.umd.edu, www.oit.umd.edu).
What You Can Do With WebSpinner
With WebSpinner you can...
- Add new text and HTML files
- Add new directories
- Upload graphics
- Upload sound, video or programs
- Delete files and directories
- Copy and/or move files and directories
- Edit your text or HTML files online
In short, you have control over all aspects of your web pages through WebSpinner.
About The WebHosting WebSpinner Tutorial
The Tutorial was created using several different computer platforms, including
a Power Macintosh and a Pentium, so there are a variety of screen shots. Users
can expect the sample WebSpinner pages presented in the Tutorial to look similiar
to theirs, but not exactly the same. There will be differences in files listed
and other minor details, since each WebSpinner user will have different a set
of files to maintain.
If you find any bugs or errors in the WebSpinner Tutorial, or in WebSpinner
itself, please send email to webhostingadmin@umd.edu.
A few final notes about the WebSpinner Tutorial:
- Anything that appears in bold type is either really important or
is referring to a specific button in WebSpinner (e.g. the New Button),
so be sure to pay attention to these references.
- Wherever you see the computer monitor icon, displayed below, there is a
WebSpinner screen shot available. Simply click on the icon to see what a sample
WebSpinner screen would like. There will be minor variations in what the screen
shot displays and what you see on your computer due to the various ways different
operating systems display WebSpinner.
- Any reference to "we" (as in "We recommend...") refers to the OIT staff.
- If for some reason you don't find the answer you are looking for or have
additional questions or just want to make a comment, you can send an email
to webhostingadmin@umd.edu or call 301-405-4715.
Where To Find WebSpinner
The URL for WebSpinner is http://www.yourdomain.umd.edu/cgi-bin/WebSpinner/
Examples:
http://www.oit.umd.edu/cgi-bin/WebSpinner,
http://www.phi.umd.edu/cgi-bin/WebSpinner
http://www.claricesmithcenter.umd.edu/cgi-bin/WebSpinner
http://www.intleducenter.umd.edu/cgi-bin/WebSpinner
Some things you should know
Before using WebSpinner, or the WebSpinner Tutorial, there are a few things that
you should know. While it is not essential to be an expert, you should at least
be familiar with each.
- You should have some experience with the internet and the World Wide
Web (WWW), particularly in using email and a web browser.
- You should read Tips
on Organizing Your Web Site.
- You should know, or at least have an elementary understanding of the workings
of Hypertext Markup Language or HTML. This is the code in which
all World Wide Web pages are written. If you are unfamiliar or need
help with HTML, there are web based resources and on campus
training to help you..
- You should know what a URL, or Uniform Resource Locator,
is. A URL is simply a WWW address (Example: http://www.webhosting.umd.edu/howto/wsthost
is the URL for the WebHosting WebSpinner Tutorial).
- You should be familiar with FTP, or File Transfer Protocol,
specifically on how to use FTP on your machine. You will need FTP to upload files and graphics you create to your WebSpinner directory. To find more information
about FTP, you can refer to the Helpdesk information on Transferring files with FTP.
- If you have more questions about the internet in general (excluding
WebSpinner), a good place to find answers is the University of Maryland
Consulting Services Help Desk
(301-405-1500 or helpdesk@umail.umd.edu).
System Requirements
In order to run WebSpinner on your computer, you need the following:
- Macintosh or 386/486/Pentium
- Graphical Web Browser (Netscape, Microsoft Internet Exploxer, NCSA Mosaic
(newer that 2a7), MacWeb, etc.)
- WebSpinner access (given to you by the primary WebSpinner contact for your
site (see the login screen for yourdomain).
Now what?
Assuming you have read and understood all of the above information, you are now
ready to proceed. Be sure you have read Tips
on Organizing Your Web Site.
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