There are certain tools and certain types of online accounts that you will need in order to complete the assignments in this course.
The good news is that the powerful software tools that we'll be using, that you will need to install on your computer, are all free. Don't take that the wrong way, though. These are powerful tools that are more feature-rich and more reliable than software that performs similar tasks, that certain major companys would like you to buy from then for hundreds of dollars (each).
For now, let's go down a list of the tools you will need. We'll provide a list of links to the websites where you can get the software. Feel free to start putting the programs on your computer.
- A notebook. Yes, a real, physical paper notebook. As you go through the list and start installing and signing up for the things you need, make a list and take notes with any questions that arise. If there is something that is causing undue difficulty, bring it up in class! Remember, this is an interactive course custom-tailered to the needs of you, the student.
Software you will need...
- Mozilla Thunderbird. We're going to be managing multiple email accounts, as well as something called RSS feeds and the usenet. Since the step-by-step training will be using screen-shots for all of this, it will be helpful if we're all using the same software.
- Mozilla Firefox. The web browser that is the sibling of Thunderbird. Again, we'll be using some specific features of this particular web browser, such as the built-in RSS support (aka live bookmarks) and the ability to remember unique digital signatures (which we'll be needing in order to establish secure connections with your website account).
- The Gimp. We'll be using this program to create and edit images for your website. Think of it as Adobe Photoshop without the strain on your budget. Here is a direct link to the Windows Installer page.
Accounts you will need...
- A Google GMail account. If you're using GMail, then you have one already. Please create a new Google account for this course. We will need more than one account for testing purposes. We'll be using it for a variety of different Google services, not just email. By the time you're done, you'll know about wonderful free goodies like Google Analytics and Google AdSense and AdWords. Click on the link and then click on the Sign up for GMail link in the bottom right corner. If you're signed into an existing account, you'll need to sign out of that one first.
- A GoDaddy account. We'll be using GoDaddy for domain name registration. This will cost you $9.95 per year, plus tax. While you only need to register one domain name in order to go through the web building tutorials, you will eventually want two domains when we get to the lessons that involve managing more than one website with the same web hosting account. Often GoDaddy will offer you a deal. For instance if the domain you're registering is http://example.com, they may offer you http://example.info for just an extra $1.99 per year. Take that deal, because we'll be making use of multiple domains as part of your marketing campaigns to get people to actually come visit your website.
- A Web Hosting account. If you're looking at learning how to build your website, there's a good chance that you already have an existing website. Or perhaps this will be your first website. Either situation is okay, though you will need to have a new account at HostGator in order to follow along with our lessons. We will be starting from scratch, learning techniques before thinking about what type of content you want on your site. So your hosting account needs to be empty. This will normally cost you anywhere from $12.95 to $14.95 per month. You will need to keep the account for at least four months as this is a 16-week course. After that time you may want to keep it as a website or cancel if you like. Here's the link...
A note on pricing... the hosting accounts come in three levels, Hatchling, Baby, and Business. We recommend you go with the business account if you're planning to use your website for any length of time, as it is the only one that offers unlimited bandwidth, a dedicated IP address, and free private SSL (secure connections).
The pricing can be a bit confusing. For example, the site shows $12.95 per month for the businness account. However, that price is only good if you pay for three years at once. The month-to-month price is $14.95.
Note however that if you already know that your website is going to be around for a while, going with one of the annual plans right now will save you a significant amount of money (around $90) because at the moment they're having a St. Patty's Day promosion... 20% off your initial order when you sign up before April 1st. So what are you waiting for, get going. {grin} Click the gator image above to get started.
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