technical reference

The Internet is the primary source for technical information on the Internet. The aim of this page is to provide you with links to the key references and save you having to trawl through the search engines yourself.

If you're after something and its not here, e-mail webmaster@internet-etc.com and we'll add it.

Topics

• Web Page Design - technical specifications for people who already know HTML.
• Internet Programming - Java, ActiveX, Javascript, Cookies, CGI. We've got links to all the source reference material.
• XML - heavy-duty technical source for programmers on the cutting edge.
• Internet Systems - mainly for Systems Administrators. We've got links to aid in DNS registration and Site Certification.
• Associations - as the WWW takes off associations of practitioners will form. These are some of the first.
• Shareware - don't dig through search engines looking for software, we've got the central links here. These few sites are "central nodes" - from them you can get every product on the WWW.
• Software - everyone has their own set of essential software tools, these are ours.

Web Page Design

• IETF HTML Working Group - the top level of a massive pile of absurdly technical data! 
• HTML 2.0 Specifications - the W3C recommendation for the old (but still popular) standard. 
• HTML 3.2 Reference Specifications - probably the most universally supported standard, even today.
• HTML 4.01 Reference Specification - the current "standard" (if there is one).
• XHTML 1.0 - a reworking of HTML 4.01 to comply with XML 1.0.
• Netscape Tags - the definitive list, by the people who did it, organised by Navigator version.
• CSS 1.0 - Cascading Style Sheet specification from W3C. Some of it is even supported in the browsers!
• CSS 2.0 - great stuff, maybe one day we'll get decent browser support.
• Web Developer - an online magazine which we read.
• ReallyBig.Com - the ultimate web designer's resource listings - over 5,000 sites.

Internet Programming

• Java - Sun's Java Site
• Microsoft JScript Reference - includes details of ECMA compliances and departures.
• Netscape Javascript Reference - nicely organised, but there are undocumented features (of course).
• Netscape Developer - the top of Netscape's Developer Section.
• Safe Internet Programming - from Java to Javascript.
• The Common Gateway Interface - full documentation, from beginner to advanced, with some utilities.

XML

• W3C XML - top of W3C's XML documentation stack.
• XML - the core XML specification, but read the EBNF definition if you can.
• XLink - the XML linking mechanism - mega-powerful - HTML linking is for wimps!
• XML Base - a mechanism for providing base URI services to XLink.
• XML Schema - 3-part specification. The primer introduces, while Part 1 describes the structures, and Part 2 describes the datatypes.
• P3P - Platform for Privacy Preferences. If you haven't implemented it yet, you soon will...

Internet Systems

• W3C - top of their technical recommendations
• Internet RFC's - these Request for Comments contain every Internet technical specification there is.
• UK Mirror Sites - check out this link if the site you want is too busy.
• RSAC - the people behind the site ratings system supported by Internet Explorer.
• PICS - the Platform for Internet Content Selection, the scheme which underlies RASC.
• CyberNOT list checker - enter your URL or IP address to see if you've been banned by the biggest list around. You might be in for a surprise!

Associations

• Microsoft Developer Network - register here for the beta programs they don't issue to the general public. A good starting place for technical queries, too.
• Webstandards Project - are you a member ? If browser incompatibilities bug you - JOIN!
• UK Internet Services Providers Association - the association of the Internet Service Providers in the UK.
• Society of Internet Professionals - help these guys put some professionalism in our industry.

Shareware

• Download.com - c|net's portal site for finding and downloading shareware as well as other software.
• Tucows - Download freeware and shareware software from Tucows.

Software

• Textpad - a fantastically full-featured text editor and our number one tool for coding web pages and scripts. Features include customisable syntax highlighting and clip books for all major programming and markup languages.
• 3C - colour capture and converter. Great little app for converting between RGB and hex colour values. Features a colour picker that lets you sample colour from anywhere on your desktop.