Contain CSS floats

Eric Meyer's "Complex Spiral" site has a tip of containing floats and an explanation of why they seem to (but don't really) "go awry'.

Google Pages: free web site

Yes, it's true, that search giant Google now is in the beta (testing) phase of "Google Pages" -- free web sites. You need to sign up to get a free site and you'll get a Google "account", but I got my Google Pages account enabled within a week or so. Google Pages seems ideally suited for churches that want a web site that nearly anyone can create and maintain.

Here are some fast facts about Google Pages ...

• Google is currently granting up to 100MB of web site space on their server.
• You choose from several different page designs
  (you can upload your own if you really need or want to).
• Each design comes in a few different color schemes.
• The Web-base Google Page Creator editor isn't fancy, but it does the basics.
• You can upload files and images.
• Three heading levels (H1, H2, and H3 tags) are available by mouse click and are styled to produced a result that's pleasing with the selected design.
• The designs use CSS, not tables

If your church doesn't have a web and would like to start one that doesn't require a web developer or "techie", give Google Pages a try. Here's a sample page with comments about the service.

Reduce JPEG image file size

A large image file size can slow down your web page getting displayed. You want to get a small size while also retaining good image quality. For JPEG type images, here are some steps to take:

1. Add a bit of blur, which helps reduce noise
2. Decrease saturation a bit
3. Decrease contrast a bit
4. Optimize the image

Source: Expert Optimization: Five Tips for Optimizing JPEGs in Photoshop CS2

Free web site from Microsoft

As part of Microsoft Live, Microsoft is offering Microsoft Office Live Basics, which includes a free web site (with your own domain name, not a " microsoft.com" site) to anyone. You get 30MB of file space, 5 POP email accounts, and unlimited files (within the 30MB limit). You also get easy drag and drop web page templates plus reports.

Some down sides -- the current version gives you very little choices.

• You have to accept the Microsoft menu navigation scheme
• The color schemes are currently limited and seem to come in only two flavors -- poor contrast or gaudy colors.
• You can't really touch the HTML code, unlike Google, which at least lets you get at the code within the editable regions of the web page.

Of course, Microsoft obviously hopes you'll outgrow this Basic version and want to upgrade to one of the other fee-based versions.

If your church wants to get its feet wet and create a web presence, this is the time. No excuses. Sign up for Microsoft Office Live Basics -- the price is right!

Analyze church computers for security

You, like many web developers at churches, may well be one of the people (or the only one) who gets asked to help with "computers" -- you know ... recommending what to buy, installing them, installing software, helping with problems, educating users, ...

If so, you should download, install, and run on those computers the latest Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) -- version 2.0. MBSA not only checks security patch status, but also will look at several other aspects of system security and give you cautions and advice.

You may also want to check out the Puter Gnome blog, which often has security tips.

Improve photos with HDR

Sometimes you take (or are given) a few shots of the same image, but with different exposure values (EV), different speeds, etc.. This may have been accidental or done deliberately using an exposure bracket. In any case, you may end up with a better photo if you use a High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging technique. You always want the photos you post to the web to look their best.

You can get a free copy of Photomatrix Basic at MultiMedia Photo's HDR site. This software lets you merge two photos of the same scene. Their Pro version has more features.

Some Web technology blogs

Here are a few AOL-hosted blogs related to Webs:

• The CSS Weblog
• Web Design Reference Guide (articles)
• Writely - an online word processor recently bought by none other than Google. The basic version, which can edit and post to blogs, is free. But during this Google transition, you have to sign up on a waiting list. For more, see the Writely FAQ at their old site.
• The RSS Weblog
• The Social Software Weblog (news)

Basic CSS layout method

isitebuild.com has a decent page geared for people just starting out with CSS layout instead of tables: How to build a basic css layout .

The site also offers a page on the what and why of Cascading Style Sheets.

Online Microsoft HTML, CSS reference

The Microsoft Developers' Network (MSDN) Library contains a great HTML and CSS reference, including some obscure properties. The pages include code samples and a "Show me" button that opens a separate window that uses the code.

Most clueless about phishing, podcasting, RSS

A survey commissioned by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that the vast majority of people have no idea what Phishing , podcasting, or RSS are. Yet some web developers assume that people know what to do with the little RSS "chicklet" image or a little pretty orange "Feed" icon or associated link (the icon will probably become standard -- it's already used by Firefox and the upcoming IE 7).

Pew/Internet survey (PDF)

Get web page report

WebXACT is a free single-page test utility that reports on quality, accessibility, and privacy. Test one of your pages. The results can be an eye-opener.

They can also lead you to site-wide improvements. This from the Watchfire people who make Bobby, the accessibility checker.

Protect your Blogger blog from splog

Creating and using a blog via Blogger is fast and easy. So many have joined the rage. But it seems that sometime in the summer of 2005, spammers caught onto the "opportunities" that blogs presented. Thus started two types of unsolicited annoyances -- spamming of blogs ( splog) and creation of blogs solely to link to other blogs and web sites to try to drive traffic and search rankings to them. The other sites are notoriously worthless or worse.

Google bought Blogger and offered free blogs. But soon the splog activity was overwhelming them and seriously aggravating actively blogging Blogger bloggers (I couldn't resist). Problogger.net slammed Blogger and asked if it was a haven for sploggers. It even suggested that blog search sites might have to start excluding blogspot.com blogs. Google responded to these threats to the blogosphere:

• They added a word verification option for adding comments to a blog posting. If you an Admin of a blog, you should turn this feature on in self defense.
  
• They added a "Flag" button in the blogger navbar. Clicking it alerts Blogger that someone finds the blog offenseive or against the terms of service. Unfortunately, some sploggers have found a way to leave the navbar displayed but hide or delete the Flag icon.
• Supposedly, Google now reviews blogs that are included in their "Next Blog" (using the navbar), but it's not totally effective. Some still slip through. Actually, it's not just "some". One check of 50 "Next Blog" clicks revealed about 20% were splogs.

Other reading about splogs:
Splog Reporter, Started 8/20/2005 in response to spamming of blogs. It equates sploggers with terrorists.
How to fight surging splogs. Wired Mag offers tips and a bit of background.
Splog Reporter adds Firefox extension
Splog Spot lets you search for splogs! Really! It bills itself as the world's largest splog database.
Fight Splog! reports 442 servers splogging.
Blogging industry infected with splog flu

Church Newsletters by email?

There are both pluses and minuses to sending the church newsletter by email. An article at UMC.org deals with E-newsletters.

Among the pluses:

• Fast! It arrives oh so much sooner than the USPS mail (not so affectionately called "snail mail" by some)
• Convenient. You can read it electronically or print it out and read the "hard copy".
• Reduces mailing costs.
  -- This is maybe an advantage -- your church may need to mail a minimum number of newsletters to get a price break from USPS.

Some minuses:

• Some people don't have computers (the percentage is declining, but not zero).
• Some people even with computers just prefer to get their "normal" hard copy mailed to them. So even if you email most, you should offer a printed copy to any members that want it.
• If your church does not already maintain a list of members' email addresses, you'd need to dedicate a bit of time to doing just that.

Create Google-friendly web pages

Google has some tips that will help Google find, index, and rank your web page better. Google offers both design and technical tips for accomplishing this. A top-listed general guideline ... "Make pages for users, not for search engines". In general:

• Avoid "tricks" -- don't try to be sneaky.


• Use keywords that directly relate to the current page, for example.


• Don't stuff tons of the same generic keywords into the KEYWORDS meta tag on every page of your site.


• Use key words in the text your web page. The nearer the top, the better.


• The first 25 text words in the HTML doc may get used as the "Description"

How to create a Google-friendly web page

Learn to float using CSS!

Max Design has a nice series of pages listing steps and showing results for a variety of uses for the "float" attribute. So he calls these the "Floatutorial".

This is also the site for Listamatic and Listamatic2 -- how to use CSS to create menus from lists. Access them from the Max Design home page (above).

Free web site search

I came across FreeFind Search recently. It offers a free search capability, but with a banner ad. It also automatically makes a Site Index. Google offers free search for non-profits, but you don't get a site map out of the deal.

Other features of FreeFind Search:

• Track visitor searches (get ideas for better key words)
• View an automatic "What's new" list (newly edited pages)
• Offer visitors content monitoring -- an alert when a specific page has changed
• Schedule periodic reindexing of your site

If a non-profit wants to pay a small fee (starting at $5 per month), you get the results without the banner.

As always, check the site's policies, including their privacy policy, before using the service.

Google has Sitemaps

Google keeps adding nice features. The latest one I discovered is "Sitemaps" -- you add a file (no content) to your web site "root" and then verify it via Google Sitemaps. After that, you can view statistics on top search queries, top search query actual clicks, and errors.

Google says that signing up for these (free) reports also helps them improve the results of their search "crawl".

Google Sitemaps
Google Sitemaps FAQ

Churches, maximize your emails!

Many churches have at least email accounts, though sometimes it's a pastor's personal email account. But is your church making maximum use of email? Below are some ways for churches to use email. If you're not using these, consider how you might adopt one or more. Got more ideas? -- Add a comment to this posting.

• Alert church members of a change in an event.
• Remind members of an important upcoming event.
• Meet. Committee chairpeople: Hold "meetings" by emailing everyone in a committee or work group. Let members respond to all and share ideas. This can be a great way to set the stage for a regular in-person meeting. It's also a superb way to get members involved even when work schedules make it hard for everyone to attend a "normal" meeting.
• Pitch a project or campaign. Did you email everyone about subscribing to the Wesleyan Christian Advocate in February (complete with links to the Advocate subscription page)?
• Survey members about some issue.
• Send Sunday School teasers: Early in the week, email all in your Sunday School class about the upcoming lesson. Perhaps give a couple pieces of background information, add a couple of thought-provoking questions to be discussed Sunday, and (if you have time) maybe a link or two to a web page related to the lesson.
• Distribute the church Sunday Worship bulletin to staff that need it (Assistant Pastors, Accompanist, Lay Readers, etc.)
• Distribute the church newsletter to those who request it (Opt-in).
• Alert members to religion-related information on the web.
• Alert members to religion-related items coming up on TV or on the radio.