Web Page Software

[Jerry Bricker]

on 3/23/00 3:49 PM, Diana Horton at diana-horton at UIOWA.EDU wrote:

> I would like to purchase software to set up a web site.  Does anyone have
> experience with a program that is *easy* (at least reasonably so), not too
> time-consuming to get up and running, and produces a classy-looking web site?
>
> Thanks!

If you are using a Macintosh (68k or PPC) you have two options: Quid Pro Quo
2.1 (it's free and available at http://www.socialeng.com/) or Webstar (a
$500 package).  We run Webstar on our science department web server and it
has performed flawlessly for about 4 years.  Quid Pro Quo will work as well
as Webstar and I've used it when setting up website projects for clients
that want to see what their pages will look like before committing to a
contract with an ISP.

This is what you'll need to do.

1. Obtain a Macintosh PPC.  If you have the budget you can go with an iMac
and buy the lower end model for about $1000.

2. Establish a link to the internet.  You'll need a static IP number from
your computer services division.  That way your web server will have the
same physical address on the internet everytime it starts up.  You will also
want to register a domain name (e.g., www.horton.org) at some point although
that isn't required at first.

3. Download and install Quid Pro Quo 2.1.  If you do have the money to buy
Webstar that would be the desirable way to go.

4. Follow the directions included with the software package on where to
place your webpage files (that is where "classy looking" will come in) and
how to configure your server.

5. If this is your first time doing this kind of thing it will take about an
hour from taking an iMac out of the box, setting it up, installing the
software, to having the web server fully running.

For about $1500 any academic department or nonprofit can set up a web server
that will handle even heavy traffic to their site.  If you have a few extra
machines (old 68k Macs) setting around you can do it for free.  I imagine
other Taxacom members can advise you on how to do the same using a PC and
the Windows operating system.  The upshot is that it is easy and can be done
by anyone.

Cheers!

JB