Instant HTML Programmers Reference

HTML is the thing that holds the World Wide Web together. It is the language behind every page on the net.

If you want to produce your own page you have a couple of options - get hold of a web page design package or learn the language. Web page design packages such as Webspinner and Homepage Penguin are fine if you want to produce a basic HTML document quickly and easily. The problem comes when you want to use some of the more advanced (or newer) features which are not supported by the program.

Pages produced with such packages also have a tendancy to look similar - they are not really original. If you want to make your page stand out then you really need to understand the code.

Thankfully HTML isnt a very complicated language to learn - everything is done via the use of tags which give the text different properties. Images are also easily added.

In order to get a good grip on the language you really need to get hold of a good book. Most publications that are currently available have a heavy PC bias - they assume you are using either Netscape or Internet Explorer. This can cause problems as these packages have tags which are included in addition to the standard HTML ones.

Instant HTML is written with PC users in mind, but thankfully in this case it doesn't matter. References to non-standard commands are kept separate from the main text and therefore it is unlikely that you will get confused.

The book is runs to nearly 300 pages and covers the language in great detail. It is fairly easy to find out which command you are looking for. One thing to note about Instant HTML is that it isn't really aimed at beginners - it assumes that you have some basic knowledge of the language and doesn't have any 'tutorials'. It is really a reference book.

Instant HTML covers HTML 3.2. This is the most advanced form of the language, and hasn't been fully implemented. Changes from HTML versions are mentioned where appropriate and therefore if you want to produce very compatible pages then you wont have a problem. There is also a small section on Javascript and VBScript but at the moment these are of very little use to Atari users.

If you need an easy to use reference book which covers all the advanced features in an understandable way then I recommend this. If you are just starting out in HTML however it may be a good idea to try one of the more basic books which are aimed at beginners.