If you Google™ the words "make a website" you will be astonished by the number of companies that will help you build a site, host it and give you a webpage - and some for free! But, don't be confused about this - free only goes so far. There are conditions in most cases, and there is almost never a truly free website. But, before you get started, it is a good idea to know what is involved, and plan a little for the creation of your very own web site and for owning your own domain name.

Before a web-page becomes a web page, it is put together just like a regular document, EXCEPT that it has certain codes embedded in it that tell the document how it is going to look when it's online.

These codes, or tags, are enclosed in the carrot-shaped angled brackets, (carrot-marks) that you can see on your keyboard that look like < and >, usually the upper case characters on your comma and period keys.

Writing HTML can be fun. For example, if you are about to write some text that you want to appear online as bold, you would type in the tag that looks like this: <bold> . and from that point on, the text will appear bold when it's online. At the point where you want the bold formatting to end, you would simply type </bold> . inserting a slash in the tag.

In this way you can create an entire web page, using graphics, different colors and sizes of font, hyperlinks, and even animation. Of course there are lots of tags to learn, and a range of colors and tools to choose from. If this interests you, take an online course in HTML, and learn how easy it is to create your own web pages - when you know how.

If you own a copy of software such as Microsoft's "Frontpage™," you can easily create professional, custom webpages with lots of help and instruction at your fingertips. However, it is still quite helpful to know HTML when using these packages.

Tip: If you want to see what a web page

looks like in its raw HTML form, go to your VIEW

menu and click on "SOURCE." This option lets you

see everything that went into making that

web page. It's fascinating - try it!

You will be taken to a screen that allows you to try out your domain name to see if it has already been claimed. Since there are millions of websites now on the Internet, you may need to be very creative to find one that is original and not already spoken for!

Be prepared to pay a fee for the use of your domain name, and also be prepared to pay each year to maintain it. Some cost less than others. Also, be aware that you cannot violate copyright laws with your domain name. An example is - you cannot use domain names like www.proctor&gamblegames.com, or colsanderskentuckyfriedblues.com, or any other domain name that would infringe on someone else's copyright or trademark. Nor can you use a double set of golden arches as your logo - you get the idea!

It is better not to use extras in your domain name, such as a hyphen, if you can avoid it. Websites with URLs such as www.rubber-duck-place.comare a little more difficult for people to remember and type in, than www.rubberducky.com. However, if you are forced to use a hyphen, don't panic. Your site will still be searchable on the web. Keep thinking and trying out domain names until you come up with one that is most suited to your needs or products.

Remember that a website is made up of web pages, so technically, what you are creating is web pages that each have a specific purposes and are linked to one another by hyperlinks.

What kind of site do you want? Remember that if your website is going to be a place to purchase a product of any kind, you must choose a .com domain name. If you want to set up an organization to place stray kittens or share gardening tips, you might want to consider an .org or .net site.

When planning your website, consider the following components before you start:

When you use another person's words, you must always provide the name of the owner of the material and where you got the information. If you do not do this, you will be considered to have plagiarized the work, and will be in violation of copyright laws, whether the copyright has been registered by the creator or not. In the world of writing, there are different formats for doing this.

When you use an image or term that has been created by someone else, you may be infringing on trademark rights. Maybe you do not believe these rules apply to you, especially if you are just a regular person trying to set up a modest website. However, think twice about this. You can be sued for infringing on others' rights, not to mention the fact that you can be forced to remove the offending material.

There are certain texts, images and music that are considered to be in the "public domain," meaning that, due to age, familiarity or other circumstances, they simply belong to everyone.

The following information, borrowed from http://cyfair.lonestar.edu, will provides you with a basic reference to consult while you are setting up a website and will help prevent you from breaking rules as you create your masterpiece:

Read the above boxes carefully, as all of these rules pertain to all of us - no one is exempt.

It's not that the Internet itself is not a free forum, but our government sees using the copyrighted property of others as a crime. Until that changes, don't do it.

Now, other music download sites have opened up that have made legal arrangements with music companies to pay royalties. You can now download music for a small fee - which eliminates infringement on the rights of the musicians and artists.

Remember, these laws were made to protect all of us. If you had a brilliant idea and turned it into reality, you would not want to have it stolen and used by others.

*Glossary:

In certain cases, national governments have imposed certain restrictions on the content of the Internet for cultural and political purposes, but generally speaking, it is a free network where freedom of speech and expression reigns supreme.

There are many established organizations that play a role in maintaining the integrity of the Internet, both in terms of technology and the guidelines and operating principles.

InterNIC is the head honcho when it comes to filing complaints about domain name or trademark theft, viruses or other problems. Of course, these kinds of complaints should first be made to your ISP, but ultimately, InterNIC is the governing body for Internet problems.

Again, this is not an agency that profits from or governs the Internet, but one that voluntarily oversees the general standards of how the Internet is used. Groups that determine and advise on standards for the Internet's infrastructure are members of this society.

*Vocabulary