Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?

Subject: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 05:21 PM

Type slowly please.

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Bill D
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 05:28 PM


<a href=the URL you want folks to see>the name you want to give the link</a>

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 05:29 PM

From the FAQ:

If you want to direct somebody to an interesting site on the Web (or to information that's at another location at the Mudcat Cafe), the best way to do it is by posting a clickable link. We have a Make a link ("blue clicky") tool at the bottom of message boxes that will make links for you. Click here to try it. You have to highlight and copy the text that results, and paste it into the proper place in your message.

Even if you use the link maker, it's a good idea to know how to make clickable links. Here's how:

<a href="http://www.mudcat.org">Click here</a>

<a href="mailto:[e-mail]">Click to e-mail</a>

If you're posting links at Mudcat, the quotation marks are optional. I prefer not to use them, because they complicate the task of making links. Simple is better, I think. Fewer misteaks.
I find it's best to open a new browser window [CTRL-N] and navigate your way to the site you want to link to. Highlight and copy [CTRL-C] the URL (address) of the site, and then go back to your Mudcat message and paste [CTRL-V] the URL into your link. Be sure to include the http:// in that URL. The quotation marks are standard procedure, but most links and HTML tags work just fine without quotation marks.

---

I'd like ask our "regulars" to take the time to learn how to do within-Mudcat clickable links (internal links). When you make a link, leave out the http://XXX.mudcat.org (XXX being the name of the server). That way, the link keeps the reader in the server he/she was using. Our regulars post a lot of internal links, and I've had to spend a lot of time changing them. If you linked to ragtime or dharma or shorty or loki (all now dead), or even www - there are times that those servers aren't working, and your link then leads people to a dead end. The link maker tool handles this correctly - but it doesn't hurt to know how to do it yourself.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Bill D
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 05:32 PM

always leave that space between a and href

make sure the little brackets point the right way....you need one pointing IN at each end of the text you use.

you MUST use the backslash in front of the 2nd a..like this /a

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: John O'L
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 05:41 PM

Copy & paste Bill's blue line to Notepad or somewhere and keep it. Then you can copy & paste it to any message you want to post, at which time you should do the following:

Replace "the URL you want folks to see" with the URL you want folks to see, and "the name you want to give the link" with the name you want to give the link.

Check the "Preview" box and you'll be able to test it before submitting.

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: My guru always said
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 06:08 PM

Hey Joe, thanks for pointing out the 'internal link' thing above. I didn't know 'bout that & have been merrily doing internal links with the http etc. without realising that it was causing you guys extra work.   I'll try to remember (but I bet I'll forget....)

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 06:10 PM

Right. Thanks. I'm outa here!

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: GUEST, Topsie
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 06:46 PM

And there was me, thinking the way to do it was to click on 'Make a link ("blue clicky")', and just follow the instructions.
But then, I'm a simple soul.

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Scrump
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 05:38 AM

You mean this one?

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Bill D
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 11:58 AM

...and for those who want to expand even more, there is FASS Post Generator, which will automate even font style, size, color, etc...etc...

Not everyone will need a thing like this, but playing with it can help you see what the structure of HTML posts looks like, and maybe let you do the simple stuff by yourself.

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 01:29 PM

Thank You Bill D:
                Now that was helpful.
Thanks to all. I'm done here.
Jim

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Mo the caller
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 03:38 PM

Can you do it in emails as well?
Microsoft Outlook turns my web and email addresses blue, but I don't know how I'd put the different text in.

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Cluin
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 06:30 PM

It works with anything that can read HTML coding.

NB* Don't forget the quotation marks around the URL you want to link to. Won't work without those.

And the angle brackets should point AWAY (the points of them) from the HTML coding, not IN.

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 06:40 PM

Mo, there are ways, but you'll probably have a hard time using HTML coding in most e-mail programs (HTML-hypertext markup language- is the language used on Web pages). Many are set to automatically change URLs (Internet addresses) into clickable links.
If you want to use HTML in an e-mail message, check your e-mail instructions - search under HTML.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 07:03 PM

There are many who despise HTML emails, as they are MUCH larger and take longer for us poor sods on dialup, as well as chew more disk space than plain text emails.

And there are so many incompatible variants of 'rich text emails' - many of them come out as unreadable gibberish on plain text email progs.

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Nick
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 07:47 PM

Idiots click here

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Bill D
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 09:29 PM

Cluin!?!?..." Don't forget the quotation marks around the URL you want to link to. Won't work without those."

No, No, No! In 10 years of doing this, I have never, never, never used quotation marks around the URL

from this page

"In links, the quotation marks around the URL are optional, but they must be a matched set: Either a double quote ("), single quote ('), or no quote at all directly before and again after the URL."

To make that link, I did NOT use quotation marks! Adding them expands your chances of making an error by NOT having a matched set, and it works perfectly well without.

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Scrump
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 05:13 AM

I'd be careful about posting email addresses. I never post mine 'in clear', to deter spammers. I get far more spam than I want, already, so I would always write it like "blah at blah dot com" or something like that (putting [e-mail] is easier for other people but much easier for spammers. Apologies if [e-mail] is the email address of any mudcatter!)

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Alba
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 05:17 AM

Maybe it's time for a colour change.
Can't we have rainbow coloured clicky things, the clicky things seem to have been blue for long enough so it might be nice to cheer them up...*smile*
Jude

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 05:37 AM

The are certain cases where you will need the quote marks in the href link. I seem to remember that in the early versions of HTML they were necessary. Should your link have a space in it... it may break...

I just prefer to ALWAYS use it - seem to remember that if you have either a " or ' INSIDE the url, then you must use the other outside... just easier to remmber to type
the 4 brackets
backspace 1 and type the slash a
then back space and type the
a href"" then backspace and paste in the url.... :-)
autopilot now... :-)

Robin

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 05:43 AM

Alba

you can make the links on your PC any colour you want - you just fiddle with your browser settings in most browsers - sorta paralyses you then if you use another PC though...

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: JennyO
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 05:44 AM

You could always make them yourself!

Here's our friendly neighbourhood comet!

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Mo the caller
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 06:15 AM

Ah, your all so much cleverer than me.
I got this machine 2 years ago 'before I'm too old to learn to use it', but I was already.

Still I've sussed out that if I do what your link maker says and copy and paste the giberish into my post it still looks like giberish but makes a link when I preview it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 06:30 AM

Now you've got the idea!

it's just that some of us can read and speak gibberish through much practice...

no wait on... that's not quite what I meant...


Some people can manage gibberish without much effort...

Nah, not quite it either...

hmmm...

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Scrump
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 06:31 AM

I hope people aren't going to start using unnecessary HTML tags for its own sake. Please keep it to simple text unless you have a good reason to use tags (I tend to use bold or italics for emphasis when I need to, but I can't think of any good reason to use marquees, etc. - but I realise that's just my view, and others will disagree!)

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: JennyO
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 06:51 AM

Of course not, Scrump. I only did it to annoy you to show off to symbolize the comet being a fleeting thing that we have to chase before it's gone. Yes, that's it.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it ;-)

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Scrump
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 07:22 AM

No problem, JennyO. I don't mind people using these HTML features, but I had visions of idiots using them all the time for the sake of it, just because they can (like a lot of these crap websites you see, who think that because a feature exists, they have to use it!)

It would drive me nuts!

:-)

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 07:44 AM

Me too!

fortunately - most of you won't get this...

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Nick
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 10:18 AM

Blink is frowned upon...

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Mo the caller
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 11:21 AM

What didn't I get?

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: JennyO
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 11:29 AM

Maybe he means that some people's browsers don't display blinking text. Mine did.

If he means anything else, then I don't get it either.

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Scrump
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 11:47 AM

I tried to do a 'blink' in my posting, but it didn't work in my browser so I did the marquee instead.

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Cluin
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 12:44 PM

While it's true HTML no longer requires the quotes around the URL, XHTML and SGML require quotes around the attributes, so it's best to keep in the habit.

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 01:11 AM

The scrolling marque works in some but not all browsers.

The blinking marque works in some but not all browsers.

Neither works in all browsers.

There is some, but not much, overlap - i.e. a few browsers that can see both.

Most HTML engines are fairly tolerant, and simply ignore anything they can't interpret. Thus some websites will post both a scrolling and a blinking marque on the assumption that all browsers will see one or the other. I'm not sure how that gets interpreted in a browser that attempts to see both.

If one wishes to see truly GROSS and UGLY misuse of all that can be done, a quick browse through MySpace should be sufficient. "Helper" websites stuffed with ugly gimmicks abound, and apparently are very widely used, especially by those who have nothing to say/show. I found one young lady (always questionable?) attempting to embed 11 audios and 7 videos in her single profile page - all of which attempted to load before the page would display. Flashing backgrounds, often in black with purple (invisible) text are very common. (Peach text on pink backgrounds are also popular.)

It at least makes clear who the "uninteresting" personalities are, without even attempting to read anything.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: JennyO
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 06:34 AM

Scrolling and blinking work in my browser - Firefox (for Linux). I seem to remember that when I had IE, the scrolling worked but the blinking didn't.

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 09:26 AM

I note that there is a whole series of 'For Idiots' books available - mostly on computer related topics. Is it just me, or do others find that these books are no easier to understand than books without 'For Idiots' in the title? This thread sort of reminded me of those books ...

OK, OK, it's just me!!

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: catspaw49
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 09:33 AM

What you need Shimrod is a copy of my latest publication, "Understanding Idiot Books for Idiots."

It should be in bookstores soon follwing on the heels of my previous book, "Book Stores for Idiots." Both are available anytime from Jagov Press, 369 Stroker Avenue, in Pittsburgh.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Scrump
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 10:27 AM

The reason you don't understand the books is because you are not an idiot.

You need a book from the "...for Intelligent People" series, which will be available from all good book stores just as soon as I can write them.

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 19 Jan 07 - 09:11 AM

http://www.mudcat.org/blickifier.cfm

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 30 Jan 08 - 03:24 PM

All you have to do is remember to put http:// before the www. and it works

it's simple

sal

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 30 Jan 08 - 11:13 PM

Below you will see what resulted when I followed the directions on the Make a link page. It didn't make a link. It never has.

However, if you want to see pictures of an interesting part of the world to which I will be traveling soon, copy the URL and look at the web page. I hope to see mountain bluebirds in red hills soon.

Red Hills

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: MaineDog
Date: 31 Jan 08 - 12:00 AM

what's a url?

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 31 Jan 08 - 03:19 AM

URL= if you look at top of your screen, you'll see a box with some gobbledygook letters & numbers in it, starting with http.

The URL for this page is http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=98078&messages=42#1941507

Subject: RE: Tech: Blue clicky thing for idiots?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 31 Jan 08 - 03:22 AM

Jim, let Wikipedia be your friend ...


"Uniform Resource Locator (URL), formerly known as Universal Resource Locator, is a technical, Web-related term used in two distinct meanings:

In popular usage and many technical documents, it is a synonym for Uniform Resource Identifier (URI);
Strictly, the idea of a uniform syntax for global identifiers of network-retrievable documents was the core idea of the World Wide Web. In the early times, these identifiers were variously called "document names", "Web addresses" and "Uniform Resource Locators". These names were misleading, however, because not all identifiers were locators, and even for those that were, this was not their defining characteristic. Nevertheless, by the time the RFC 1630 formally defined the term "URI" as a generic term best suited to the concept, the term "URL" had gained widespread popularity, which has continued to this day"

Spaw, I am fascinated by your two books. I have looked for them in some of Scotland's most prestigious bookstores but without any luck.
Do you think they would also be of use to non-idiots ?