Ok - i am so new at this (web site creating business) it is pathetic and I don't understand how to do the most basic things. I created the websites using a program (now pretty much obsolete) called Webeasy by IXLA and then copied it into Word to add a few scripts for counters etc (which didn't work)
I'm not quite sure how to do any of this yet - I'm just "winging" it. Hell, I don't even know what "frames" are! But I would LOVE to learn - and also would be happy to add a link to the site but once again, am not sure how. The link part I'm sure I can figure out but the rest is still Greek to me.

I think I need to start from square one - the GID site seems to be for people who already have an idea what they are doing..... any suggestions on where to start?

I would greatly appreciate any input you have. Thank you.
Kim

p.s. - this was regarding the two websites I submitted to Topsites (www.mediateinfo.com and www.esharlach.com)

Hi Kimberly, my first observation of your 2 sites were that they were inside very strangely created frames.

Using frames by itself is NOT the problem, but most search engines cannot see past these frames (to the rest of your pages) unless you do certain tweaks.

This way you lose all the opportunities to get EACH web page off your site 'spidered' or 'crawled' by the major search engines.

I don't know if you know but the search engines that are important to you these days are Google and MSN just to name 2 (out of many more).

The short-term solution is that you manually add some links (to the rest of your web pages) to the <noframes></noframes> section of your frameset page.

Look for this part of the HTML code in your frameset page

now add all your web pages like in the example below

Remember, this is a temporary solution, and your websites are simple enough to stand on their own; i.e. without the use of FRAMES.

I must say your graphics work is FINE!

__________________
J de Silva
Learning Journal | GIDForums™ | GIDNetwork™ | GIDWebhosts™ | GIDSearch™

Thank you SO MUCH for your response....I will give your advice a shot later this evening! and thank you for the compliment on the design - this is the part I love - but the technical stuff has me a little boggled. I truly appreciate your help!
Thanks!
Kimberly

There are problems with frames other than just the trouble it causes spidering engines. For one, most people who do use them don't do so in a proper manner. You have to keep in mind that well used frames will enhance a good site layout while using frames just to say "Look I can use frames" will generally destroy the layout of your site. The best use of frames is a site where your users will have to jump around alot with alot of going back and forth to the main page, use frames to avoid by putting a menu in a SMALL frame off to one side or on the top or bottom of your site. Most other uses of frames are simply annoying. Also make sure that if you have links to sites outside of yours that you use target=_new in your link tag so the outside site will load in a new window and therefore NOT inside of YOUR frames...You could also use target=_top but this will load the new site in the same browser and the user will leave your site, imho _new is better than _top because it keeps the user on your site and this is what you want!

Elmseeker,
Thank you so much for your response to my question. 1st, your suggestion on the "opening links in a new window" instead of IN my site was a GREAT suggestion.... I don't know why I didn't think of that but I am sure glad that YOU did! I will change that immediately.

2nd, however, and here I feel REALLY stupid, but since I originally created these sites in a web site creation program (Webeasy) and THEN converted them to word...I had no idea that I was creating "frames" and now I have no idea how to get rid of them without changing the appearance of the site ( which I kinda like!)

Where did you learn to create websites? I think I need to go to a class or something...I'm feeling helpless here..

Thanks in advance!
Kimberly

No problem, it's my pleasure to help out.
Looking at your sites I would say that getting rid of frames won't affect the layout at all...on the clevland west site simply delete index.htm and rename cleveland_west_web_site_001.htm to index.htm on harlach site remove index.htm and replace it with harlach_estate_sales_001.htm renamed to index.htm and bam! done...you CAN also take out all of the TARGET=_self in your anchor tags but you don't have to, it won't affect anything either way just maybe make things easier to see when you look at your code later...

As far as where I learned web sites you probably REALLY don't want to know...but...I learned HTML when there were only 4 tags and there closing tags lol, so it was pretty easy then...it really has blossomed since then...Anyone else here remember WAIS and Gopher?!
rofl
Enjoy!

Hello and welcome,

I'm short for time right now I just wanted to let you know about a site that used to get started and I still use sometimes now, Webmonkey

Later

__________________
If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization.

Yes, the monkey rocks, always has, always will!

Speaking of Monkey's check out http://www.jumpingmonkeys.com/
Megan RULES!

Hi Kimberley I know of 2 much easier html editors that are FREE. 1) html-helper from www.html-helper.com I used at the beginning and has all the very basics to help you out. When you become more confident use html-kit http://www.chami.com/html-kit/ which is an absolute beauty and you can download plugins to make it even simpler for you. It has a neat little plugin installed by default called html tidy and when you press the button it checks your page for problems recommending alterations. Hope this helps.
jrobbio

Wow! I can't believe all the help I'm getting! and here I was so worried to post a question for fear of looking really stupid -thanks all! This forum is great.
Elmseeker - I'll try your ideas today thank you and also "thank you" for giving me the "step-by-step" help (I am still working in baby steps and appreciate the help)
pcxgamer - I'll check out webmonkey too! thanks
jrrobbio- ditto -thanks!