Equipment

The equipment needed for making a web page.

Factors in choosing your equipment

In the previous article (HTML/WWW background) we looked at the difference between web content creation and web serving. Unless your intended web site is pretty big, you'll be getting your web serving from someone else, probably your ISP, telecommunications company, school, or business. So, for now, we'll only look at what you need for web content creation.

How much and what kind of equipment you need will really depend on the nature of your site.

If you are creating a simple text-only personal web page, then it is possible to put it together with the built in text editor in any of the 1970s eight-bit computers!

If you are creating a professional web site with extensive interactive multimedia, then you will need a top of the line Macintosh system (of one or more computers).

This information is aimed at individuals who intend to build a high quality personal hemp or witchcraft web site. It will help if you use a Macintosh, but it is possible to do some web work with a recent Windows machine.

NOTE: You do not actually have to own your own computer. You can get a lot of work done by finding those who will let you use their computers. This entire web site (as well as the web serving) was done on other person’s computers.

Computer

It really pays to get the best Macintosh computer you can. Even if that means you have to scrounge around for time on somebody else's computer (this entire web site was done by scrounging up Macintosh computer time).

One of the myths about the Macintosh is that it is just for artists. While it is true that the Macintosh is ideal for artists (illustration, 2D and 3D animation, music, digital photography, video, etc.), it is also useful for just about any purpose for which a computer can be used.

More than 67% of all professional web designers and more than 80% of all web artists use the Macintosh as their primary or only computer.

A good low end choice is any of the Apple G3 Macintoshes. The high end choice is the Apple Macintosh 9600/350. A near high end computer good for those just getting started in professional web development or any of the content creation fields is the Apple Macintosh 8600.

Additional hardware

RAM (Random Access Memory): You want to get as much RAM as you can possibly afford. You will need at least 64 MB (MegaBytes) of RAM to do serious graphics work, at least 128 MB of RAM to do video, and you will probably want more than 256 MB of RAM.

Hard Drive: You will need at least 1 GB (GigaBytes) of hard drive space, and will probably want at least 4 GB. For video work, you will need to add RAIDs of 8, 16, or more GB.

Monitor: You want as big a monitor as you can afford. Picture quality is your first concern. Monitors with Sony Trinitron or Hitachi tubes are generally the best. 17" and 19" monitors have excellent picture quality and are great choices if you are on a budget. 21", 25", and larger monitors give you plenty of space for all your graphics tools as well as for full size zoomed in views of your artwork. If you can afford multiple monitors (the Macintosh has supported multiple monitors since 1989), then you will want one really high quality 17" or 19" monitor for viewing your artwork and the rest being 21", 25", or larger for lots of tools and open windows. The Macintosh will support multiple monitors of different sizes and different color depths.

Zip Drive: You will want a Zip drive because this has become the standard removeable media for the graphics industry. Zip cartridges come in 20 MB and 100 MB sizes. You only want to use the 100 MB cartridges. When formatted, they actually hold only 94 MB of data (the rest is used for file system tables). Zips should be treated like big floppies. They are not long term storage options. Keep them out extreme heat (like inside a parked car), extreme cold, moisture (whether rain or beverage spills), and away from any strong electro-magnetic fields (such as stereo speakers, vacuum cleaners, etc.).

Keyboard: Any ADB keyboard will do. The extra keys on the extended keyboards are really useful. Ergonomic split keyboards are really nice. A touchpad in the center of a split keyboard is easier to use than a trackball in the center.

Graphics Tablet: Attempting to draw with a mouse is like trying to draw with a bar of soap. It is possible, but it is a very clumsy method and there is no good reason to purposely handicap yourself. Trackballs and touchpads are not any better for doing artwork. You really need a graphics tablet. And once you srping for a graphics tablet, it makes sense to pay for pressure sensitivity. I recommend either the Wacom ArtZ II 6" by 8" (anything smaller won't be useful for artwork) or Wacom ArtZ II 12" x 12" graphics tablets. Larger graphics tablets are primarily useful for CAD (computer aided drawing), architecture, or tracing of large originals.

Scanner: Scanners will be discussed in the section on graphics.

Video: Video capture cards will be discussed in the section on video.

Software

Software recommendations will be discussed at the end of each section.

browsers

You will want as many different browsers as you can get your hands on. Every browser has different capabilities and even different ways of displaying the same tags. Unless you test your web page on at least Netscape Navigator/Communicator and Microsoft Internet Explorer, you will be in for some unpleasant surprises.

You will also want a variety of plug-ins, if only to view the sites out there and get an idea for the possibilities. Remember that not everyone who sees your web site will have the same plug-ins (some may have no plug-ings at all).

MacroMedia ShockWave: To get a copy of the MacroMedia ShockWave plug-in, click here (NOTE: MacroMedia’s site attempts to figure out which version of the plug in matches your computer, but if you want the full version you need to manually select “the works”).

Apple QuickTime: To get a copy of Apple QuickTime and the QuickTime plug-in, click here.

Adobe PDF: To get a copy of the Adobe PDF plug-in, click here.

RealAudio: To get a copy of the Real Player and RealAudio plug-in, click here (NOTE: This company has really poor customer support and their software fails on many machines).

Quark Immedia: To get a copy of the Quark Immedia plug-in, click here.


previous article	return to “Web”	next article

This site made on Macintosh computers.

Best viewed with Netscape Navigator on an Apple Macintosh .

No Microsoft products used in the preparation of this web site.

Return Button

Electric Emperor