Category: Geeks r Us
I want to put up my own website on the web, but I know nothing about HTML computer language, scripting, JAVA, making links to other sites or placeing ones I all ready have on a site, or even just taking my idea and turning it into a readable site. I am blind and using JAWS version 9.0 and Windows-XP. I don't know if this means anything, but I do have Windows Media-Player 11 and Real-Player 11 gold on this computer. I don't have skipe or any of that new audio communication stuff, so if you want, you can contact me directly at
chastitymorse@msn.com
I would appreciate any help and yes I did try Google, but its web creator tools are pretty much all visual. Someone suggested word-press, but I'm completely lost!
Check out W3c's tutorials on HTML. They will get ya up and running in no time. Google W3c HTML tutorial,and it should pop up.
What do you want your site to do?
Whilst its probably best to learn html like mm91 suggested, you may find that what you want your site to do is inpossible using html alone in which case, in your situation, your probably going to be best off paying someone else to do it for you.
Not necessarily, if you learn html, xhtml or any variant there are some web space providers that provide scripts for free install. However, the question is a good one. That would help guide you to some sources that would be pertinant to your needs.
Okay, thanks for the help and here's what I've got. I know nothing about HTML programming or scripts or what they're for. I don't want graphics as those things just interfere with screen readers as do flash content.
The first part might be pretty basic. Since I'm getting published, I want to set up a site where I can tell people about me, my book, and list some resources for publishing or editing and list an email link where people can contact me with questions. It would have basic links to text pages like about me, about the book, work in progress, and stuff like that. Then, there could be a link for publishing tips, editing tips, using screen readers while writing, and that kind of stuff.
I'd like the first to link to the second with some kind of link for resources and that will take you to the next part, but maybe they need to be two different sites?
I I'd like the second part to be where Ican post links under different categories for people that are blind, low vision, and so on. I want the category name as a link within a heading so people with first letter navigation can just push the letter H until they find the category they want, hit enter, and it will list the links for that category. For example and no means is this what I'm going to call the heading:
heading 2: link: web groups/chat sites for the visually impaired
under that I could put
link: zonebbs.com
And, I'd like a brief one sentence description under the link to basically explain what the link is about.
Does this make sense to anyone?
This type of site was suggested to me since I seem to be the one to find links for all my friends, both sighted and nosighted, in the mid-minnesota area, and I help parents of blind kids and kids whose parents are losing their sight.
I have all the links saved on my computer in separate folders according to what they are and there under my favorites section.
I'd also like a link for people to suggest links that aren't on the site, ask questions or report broken links.
For both, I'd like to be able to edit the sites and move things around like add links or delete them.
Is anything like this possible?
Do I really need to do the whole HTML courses?
I seem to be able to do almost anything with a computer except figure out this website thing.
Is there anyone out there that is visually impaired or totally blind that has been able to use their screen readers to build a fairly large website?
Someone said use microsoft's fron page, but they look like they can be edited by anyone on the web.
Yes, I will check out the w3c stuff and see if that helps, but anymore advice will be greatly appreciated.
Paying someone could get very expensive, especially if they are the ones who have to do the changing because I plan for these to be ongoing.
thanks:
Chas
Well, I guess if you want to start out, you could get a 50webs account, make something to start with, then buy a domain, and I'm sure that they will give you something to upload your HTML documents too. I know 50webs does anyway. They give you an FTP account that you can log into, and upload your HTML documents too.
You could try nearlyfreespeech.net, but you do have to pay a bit for that one, unless you get the trial which only lasts a few days.
I'm completely blind and use Jaws and have been successful in creating and maintaining Web sites. HTML can be written in anything from Notepad to Word (though I don't recommend the latter). To my knowledge documents in Frontpage can not be edited by others. I don't use Frontpage, I use Notepad, but then again I use HTML (Or more correctly XHTML). Yes, what you want to do is possible, and I think it sounds like a great idea. However, if you don't want to learn XHTML you'd could use a site builder, and I'm not sure how accessible any of those are...I might be able to check around about that, but it could be a few days before I can get back to you on it. Graphics do not interfeer with screen readers as long as the person puts the correct information in the document. I like a site with graphics because they can be used to find your place on the page and I believe in making everything possible accessible and visually appealing. Though I don't believe in overdoing graphics either. The problem I find with going to some blind developer's sites is that very attitude. Most blind people don't seem to believe in graphics or color schemes. I don't have vision, but I will not refer my husband or family to a site that isn't written with both sides in mind. Often I won't even revisit the site if both aspects aren't included because I personally don't like sighted Web designers discriminating against me, so, why should I like or want blind developers to discriminate against others. LOL, sorry about that, I'll get off my soap box now... LOL. Anyways, if you would like help with either learning HTML/XHTML (either are fairly easy) or anything else let me know. I'm always glad to help. :)
I would appreciate any help. Someone else told me I could write everything in notepad and save as a web page and it would convert into HTML codes for the web, but I need to figure out how to make heading titles for each category. I'm trying to follow the stuff on the W3C website, but it can be a bit confusing, but am working on it. No, I don't mind using graphics as long as they're properly labeled or colors or text sizing either.
Thanks
Chastity
The first part is perfectly possible in html; for the second part you would be looking at some form of script but you should be able to do it all for free if you wanted.
I'm using HTML, but have to do something with my settings which I can't remember before people can type in my IP address and see my site. Once I've found it, I'll put my address up and people can have a look. There's not much on there at the minute, but still ... Anyway, in answer to the question, you can definitely do it, but you need to get a balance between what looks good visually and what is accessible to a visually impaired person. I'm using some fancy fonts and colors and frames on mine, but not loads of graphics. Does anyone know how to insert a sound file on my home page?
Harmony, why not get a dyndns account? that way people don't have to know your IP.
What does the dynts account do? Is it one of those that puts a load of crap adverts on the site?
No, it makes it so instead of knowing you IP people type in an address. Hers mine.
If I didn't have a dyndns people would type
http://xx.xxx.xxx.xx:8000
to access my stream. With a dyndns account they would type
http://blindndangerous.homeftp.net:8000
So, you make the first part of the URL, then choose from a combobox what you would like the second half to be.
if you're too impatient to actually learn what you're doing and would rather just learn as you go on, you might consider trying to get hold of a copy of dream weaver? You can pretty much just choose from the menu what you want to do and it will just fill it in for you.
I heard that and frontpage were crap for accessibility
Or, go to:
w3schools.com
They offer all kinds of tutorials on html, css, SQL, php, xhtml, and more. At the end of each lesson; they offer a quiz to see how well you learned the course, and if you're really ambitious, you can take the exam and actually get fully certified with a certificate and everything.
I've finally figured out the main xhtml code for the basic stuff, but the css is a bit more confusing and am now working on that. I still don't get the meta-data though.
I should really go to them, and do some more work on my HTML 4.01 transitional. I've got the skeleton and some basic stuff, but I wanna try and go deeper. .CSS and .PHP are two others that I'd like to give a shot.
It's a good site. I got it from one of the site leaders on here and everything is free except for the actual exams for the real certificates. There are links for examples and links to try using the codes yourself right on the site just to see what happens.
I haven't used dreamweaver for a couple of years, but I found it easy enough to use at the time. That website sounds really good. I think I will have to have a look at it.
i used dreamweaver fine with zoomtext but wheni had to start relying on jaws it didn't seem to work as well.