 The Int'l Guild
of Masonic Webm@sters © 1997 |
|---|
| The Int'l Guild
of Masonic Webm@sters © 1997 |
|---|
The © Logo used by The Int'l Guild of Masonic Webm@sters, the Golden Square & Compasses with the blue "G" in the center,
was designed by Guild Founder Bro. Pieter Nootenboom to symbolize the Lightning Speed of communication on the Internet.
Webm@ster
Tips, Tricks & Shortcuts 
| Downloading Files Utility | |
|---|---|
| From time-to-time you will want to download program files from various sites on the Internet. The vast majority of these files are in a "ZIP" format (a special compacting format used to reduce transmission time as well as to save space on a hard disk). However, "Zipped" files are not executable. You must "unzip" them before they can be used. This link points to a web site where you can download and then install the popular WinZip program. (Choose the Beta version -- it's FREE.) | |
| Internet Search Engines | |
|---|---|
| None of us has all of the information instantly available that we need in order to build a great Masonic web site. One of the outstanding features of the Internet is the ability to "surf the Net" as we try to find information on a multitude of topics. However, to do that you will need to use a "Search Engine." That is, a program specifically designed to help you locate hundreds (sometimes, thousands) of web sites where you can find meaningful research information. This link contains information to help you understand what a Search Engine is all about, and to construct search strategies so you will not waste your time. | |
| Maps For Your Web Site | |
|---|---|
| Many Brethren are electing to include a map on their Masonic web sites showing exactly how to get to the Lodges. If you would investigate that possibility, go to this link to see if your city is included. If it is, all you have to do is save the map as either a GIF or JPG file and include it on your web site. There are currently over 100 countries represented with more being continually added. | |
| Guestbooks | |
|---|---|
| Many Brethren want to incorporate a Lodge Guestbook on their Masonic web sites in order to keep track of visitors. This link will enable you to incorporate one of the more popular Guestbooks. It is a very basic system, but it is FREE. | |
| Another popular Guestbook is offered by Paradise Systems. Although there is a one-time fee of $10.00 (US) to register the name, it does provide significantly better editing and security options. | |
| The Bible | |
|---|---|
| As much of Freemasonry's ritual and customs are based on the Holy Bible, many Masonic webm@sters like to incorporate particularly relevant scriptures into their work. This web site will allow to to "search" for any Biblical phrase or verse. You can do so in English, German, French, Spanish and Latin. How about that! | |
| Paint Shop Pro | |
|---|---|
| Many Brethren have expressed an interest in using "special effects" on their Masonic web sites, converting graphics files (pictures) from one format to another, and creating special buttons, etc. One excellent package that allows you to do this is a product called Paint Shop Pro. A shareware version of this product can be downloaded to your PC, and you can experiment with it there. To access the download page, use this link: | |
| HTML Editors Compared | |
|---|---|
| Overwhelmed by all of the HTML Editors that are now available? Well, you're not alone. There are easily half a dozen excellent packages -- and twice that many that are truly awful! Visit this web site to get a comparison of the positive and negative points of each of the major HTML Editors. | |
| On-Line Internet Reference Books | |
|---|---|
| This web site provides all of the late-night reading you could ever want. They have provided an excellent set of references for those topics that are near and dear to any Webm@sters heart. Their on-line reference books include: Official Netscape Navigator Book; HTML Programmer's Reference; Official Netscape Plug-ins Book; Walking The World Wide Web and a half dozen other handy reference guides. | |
| Foreign Language Dictionary | |
|---|---|
| We are truly an International Guild, and have Members in many different countries that speak many different languages. You may find it helpful to periodically refer to this All-In-One Dictionary to translate a word or phrase you are not familiar with in an e-mail, on the Guild's Forum or in your Lodge's Guestbook. This dictionary provides translations for the following languages: English, Spanish, German, Finnish, French, Portuguese, Italian, Russian, Hungarian and Catalan. To aid visitors to your web site, you may even want to include a direct link to this dictionary so that they, too, can translate what they read. | |
| Flags & Facts | |
|---|---|
| If you would like to add your country's flag to your web site, you can find it at this web site. | |
| Some Guild Members like to include facts about their countries. This web site includes information on a country's geography, people, climate and a wealth of other facts. | |
| If you prefer animated flags, you can probably find it at this web site. | |
| Need A Picture? | |
|---|---|
| If you need some graphics for your Masonic web site, you may want to try the special Internet search engine at this web site. It will help you locate photographs, graphics files, clipart and animation. | |
| Many Members have asked where they can find animal pictures. This web site is an excellent starting place, and it also has links to many other web sites with animal pictures. | |
| If you are looking for "museum quality" graphics for your web site, why not start with a museum? This web site links to many famous museum art collections from around the world. | |
| Fancy Fonts | |
|---|---|
| Doubtless, you have seen the "fancy fonts" that appear on many of the commercial web site -- and wondered how they did that. Well, tht remains the domain of professional art designers. However, you can access and use many of these fancy fonts on your own page. This web site contains several. | |
| More Free Stuff | |
|---|---|
| Webm@sters are a curious and eccentric lot. We quickly become fascinated by "bells and whistles" of all kinds as we ever strive to concoct the "perfect" web site. In order to help you fulfill your unfulfilled dreams, we offer this web site. You will be able to find FREE banners, counters, fonts, graphics, guestbooks, e-mail, forms and a host of other toys too numerous to mention. Enjoy, Brother, enjoy! | |
| Netscape Gold Rush Tool Chest | |
|---|---|
| Netscape's Navigator is the world's most popular network browser. In order to maintain its lead over second-place MS Internet Explorer, Netscape is making available a number of tools to its users. This web site will provide the Netscape user with a variety of backgrounds, clipart and graphics, copyright information, and web site design tips. If you are using Netscape, be sure to visit this web site. | |
| Software Drivers | |
|---|---|
| O.K. -- so you download that great new software package that's supposed to run under Windows 95 only to find that it will not work because you are missing a required software driver -- and you have no idea where to find it. Right? This web site has many of the more popular software drivers, and is an excellent place to begin your search for the missing driver. It also has application package updates for many popular software packages. | |
| Beyond Description | |
|---|---|
| This is one of those wonderful web sites that defies description. It has tons of information about web site authoring, HTML, animation, multimedia and on and on. You just have to see it to believe it! | |
| Daily Newsletters | |
|---|---|
| Regardless of which network browser you use, which version of Windows you use or whether like Microsoft software or dislike it, this web site is an excellent source of information and helpful tips. You can choose from over 30 different categories of FREE daily newsletters that will be e-mailed to you that cover a wide variety of topics. It makes no difference if you are an Internet Newbie or a Guru, you can find great information here! | |
| If you are searching for a particular type of Internet newsletter, this web site can help you find it. It allows you to search a number of categories and identify newsletters for that specific topic. | |
| While the name is a bit insulting, this newletter offers some great advice on a number of different subjects, including the Internet. | |
| Shareware Newsletter | |
|---|---|
| There are literally hundreds of new software packages being introduced every week, and it is all but impossible for any Webm@ster to try to stay informed about these new tools. Fortunately, there are FREE services that will automatically send you this type of important information via e-mail. Once such service is Galt Shareware. They provide subscribers with an update on what's new and, in most cases, have the programs that you can download and try before you buy. In certain cases, these programs are even FREE as they are beta (pre-release) versions of commercial software packages. | |
| Software Piracy | |
|---|---|
| Software piracy is a problem that plagues the computer software industry. These companies lose literally millions every year by the unauthorized copying and use of software. To learn more about this problem, and to be sure you are not violating any copyright and piracy laws, you may want to visit this web site. | |
| Virus Information | |
|---|---|
| Viruses -- the scourge of the Internet! For those that do not know, a virus is a program written by someone with malicious intent toward "wiping out" the programs and/or data files on your computer. These "viruses" most often appear when you download programs from the Internet or use a diskette to load programs and data files on your computer. Most often, they are "hidden." That is, they are written to embed themselves into other "harmless" programs and will be executed without you ever knowing it -- until it is too late and they have done their damage to your computer! Fortunately, there are commercial software packages designed to detect most of these viruses. Repeat -- MOST -- but not all. Every Webm@ster should periodically familiarize himself with the new "strains" that have evolved, not only to protect his computer and web site, but to pass this information along to others so that they, too, will not become infected. The links shown below are execellent sources for information on new viruses that have been unleashed on an unsuspecting public. | |
| The National Security Computer Association provides excellent information for additional sources of current viruses. | |
| There are currently a number of virus "hoaxes" floating around the Internet. This web site does a very good job on tracking and debunking these myths and hoaxes. It will enable you to learn what is real versus fiction. | |
| The U.S. Department of Energy publishes an on-line bulletin that tracks and explains viruses that are active at any point in time. It is an excellent source for information. | |
| Internet Fraud Alert | |
|---|---|
| Sadly, the Internet is quickly becoming a haven for "rip-off artists" of all kinds. They have a single objective -- to get their hands on your money! In order to protect yourself, your Brethren, and your loved ones, we strongly encourage you to become informed about the crooked schemes being inflicted on innocent victims every day of the week. This web site provides up-to-date information and pointers to other web sites you can use to protect yourself against Internet fraud. | |
| What Time Is It? | |
|---|---|
| So your want to talk with your newly found Brother on the other side of the world, but you are not quite sure what time it is over ther? Or you want to join a Chatroom that's posted for 3:00 p.m., but 3:00 p.m. here or over there? End your confusion by using GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) -- also referred to as Zulu Time in military circles. | |
| Want to make sure your computer's clock is absolutely 100% correct? Then go to this web site and test your computer against the U.S. Naval Observatory's Atomic Clock. | |
| E-Mail Information | |
|---|---|
| E-mail has a great many more uses than just sending messages. This web site does an excellent job explaining the many uses of e-mail as well as providing ideas for effective utilization of this important Internet resource. | |
| Internet Junk E-Mail (Spam) |
|---|
| Internet junk e-mail (also known as "Spam") is probably the most frequently mentioned annoyance by users of the Internet. Basically, it is unsolicited advertisements for products and/or services that you would quite probably never need, want or use. However, that does not deter the "spammers" (mailers of junk e-mail). To make matters worse, they often hide their real return e-mail address so you cannot respond to ask them to remove your name from their mailing lists. These e-mail advertisements are generally a waste of time, use up your valuable disk space, and may even cost you lots of money to download them -- only to discover that they are pure junk. What can you do to stop spam? To be quite candid -- not much |