The guide is designed to give you the basics in getting you up and running.
If you want to make it more complex, then you will require html and graphic manipulation skills.

All the graphic originals are in PSD format, which is from Adobe Photoshop. However this file will open in most other graphic editing suites. The layers are named and all you need to do is with the type tool, change "Website title here" to what ever name you want. Put in a new image and you are away! This is fully explained in the Photoshop section.

Contents:

   HTML basics

  Working with graphics in Photoshop

Uploading your website via FTP on Windows platform

 Uploading your website via FTP on MacIntosh platform

  Uploading Your Content Using Microsoft Frontpage

HTML Basics

I also recommend not touching the shell of the site. If you want to... go ahead, Starstream will not replace it for you, so KEEP a COPY before starting. You can always replace it by over-writing it with the original and starting again.

WYSIWYG

What is it you say? WYSIWYG stands for What you see is what you get.
This is applied to all html editors where you can build your website and not have to go near the code behind. These are used in very much the same way as Microsoft WORD.

* You will need to read the indivdual software manuals on how to operate them

Font Tips

The two main font types used are Arial and Verdana. Both are nice and both have their merits.
Arial is narrower and looks like this in font size=1 and like this in font size=2.
Verdana was designed as a web based font and looks like this in font size=1 and like this in font size=2. (It renders smaller better)

BE WARNED! There are a few other fonts available that will work on ALL machines (Comic Sans, Courier New) as they are standard fonts that come with all computers. If you try to use a fancy font you have on your machine and others do not, it will render as default type which is Times New Roman.

Spacing: Keep paragraphs short and to the point. It is easier to read.

Colors

Today just about all machines can render all color selections, so keeping strictly to the 256 color pallette is not necessary.
Remember that on EVERY machine your website will look a little different, depending on the personal settings of the individual user. Otherwise follow your own heart and choose what colors you like! It is yours after all!
All html editors come with built in color pickers. Once you have chosen your colors be sure to save them so you can go back again.

Images

This I will explain in the photoshop section in more detail.
Save all photos as a .jpg file. They generally look best and are a smaller file size.
Save all text files or line drawings as a .gif file. They look best and have the best file size.

Working with graphics in photoshop:

In this section I will explain the contents of the Working Files folder.
If you have Photoshop 6 or 7 this will be quite easy.
As .PSD (photoshop format files) will open in many other programs designed as graphic editing suites, and you have a working knowledge of those, then it will still be quite straigh forward.

For this exercise I am using template 1.

1) Start Adobe Photoshop

2) Select FILE > OPEN from the menu and go to the working_files folder.
Open template1_top.psd

3) You will see in the Layers palette 3 layers and a blue line marking where the file gets cut to make the two top images that make up the header.
4) Click on the text tool and swipe the "Website Title Here" copy. Now change that to your own name.
* You can use ANY FONT you wish! As when saved to web it becomes an image and the font style is preserved. So have some fun with it!

5) Now turn off for the moment the two top layers so you can see the background.
Select the eyedropper tool and click on the color square in the Tools palette. Select a new forground color then click OK.
Next go EDIT/FILL/Forground Color. This will change the color to your new desired color.
* You can get creative and make it a gradient if you wish, or drag an image onto it and make it textured etc..

6) Now you need a new photo for the top.
Go FILE/OPEN and bring in the photo you want for the top left.
* If it is a jpg image all you then need to do is with the select tool, DRAG it onto the psd file. It becomes Layer 1.

7) You can then resize your image or just postion it where you want it.
To resize go EDIT/TRANSFORM/SCALE

10) Click SAVE Now your new header is ready to be optimized for web.
* Photoshop has a built in editor to do this automatically called IMAGE READY.

11) At the bottom of the TOOLS palette click on Jump to ImageReady, this will open a new program and the file will automatically transfer to there.
*Do not close photoshop! They work together and keep everything in memory in the .psd file!!!!

12) Welcome to ImageReady. Everything has already been pre-set. Select the slice tool (as seen to the left in the Tools palette) and click on the left side. At the bottom you see it is named top_pic and set as a .jpg in the slice box. Now click on the right and you will see it is named top_title and set as a .gif.

13) Now click the tab to Optimized and you are set to save it

14) Go FILE/Save Optimized As

15) In the save as type, change this from HTML and images to just Images Only.
* Depending on what was selected it will show .gif or .jpg. Take no notice it will save them in the desired format for each image.

Now Click SAVE
* It will ask you if you want to replace the old files. Yes you do. Now when you click refresh in your browser the new images will automatically be in place!

16) Close out of ImageReady and you will be back in Photoshop. Save the .psd file there and close out.
The other file included which uses ImageReady is the navbar_curve.psd file. Just repeat the steps above for that file.

These two files need not go to ImageReady as they have no slices and can be saved to web directly through Photoshop.
Here's how:

1) Once you have altered the text and/or the colors then go FILE/Save for Web

2) Up pops a new window with a review panel for optimization. As these files have been pre-set, you won't have to touch the settings. Just Click SAVE and put them back in the folder where they came from, and when prompted to Replace, say Yes.

Uploading your website via FTP on Windows platform:

Now that you've signed up for your MyHome account, its time to upload your content. For uploading to your FTP site, Starstream recommends using WS-FTP LITE client software (example shown below). There are many freeware and shareware products that you can find. Starstream recommends going to Tucows.com for all your software needs.

 
Each FTP client works in a similar manner, so the example below will give you an insight for ALL others. FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol.

1) Start WS-FTP Client
2) Click the NEW button.
3) Type In A PROFILE NAME that you would like to use (i.e myftp.starstream.net)
4) Under HOST NAME Address, type "myftp.starstream.net"
5) Set the HOST TYPE to Automatically Detect
6) For USER ID, type in your username provided.
7) For PASSWORD: type in your password provided.
8) Click the OK button.

9) A Directory Listing Will Appear. The contents in the left pane are documents on your local hard drive. The contents in the right pane are the contents of the server.
10) Double click on your username folder.
11) In the left pane, highlight the files that you would like to upload. Using the arrows located in the middle of the panes, use them to either upload or download content into your server directory.
12) Remember, all main pages (home page) must be named default.htm or index.html

Uploading your website via FTP on MacIntosh platform:

Now that you've signed up for your MyHome account, its time to upload your content. For uploading to your FTP site, Starstream recommends using FETCH FTP client software (example shown below). There are many freeware and shareware products that you can find. Starstream recommends going to Tucows.com for all your software needs.

Each FTP client works in a similar manner, so the example below will give you an insight for ALL others. FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol.

1) Start FETCH-FTP Client
2) In the Host: field, type "myftp.starstream.net"
3) In the User ID: field, type in your Starstream username.
4) In the Password: field, type in your FTP password.
5) Click the OK button.
6) You will now connect to the FTP server.

7) Your user directory will be listed on the left side of the screen.
8) Use the GET FILE button to highlight and save documents to your machine.

9) Use the PUT FILE button to upload files to your site. By clicking the PUT FILE button, you will be prompted with a dialog box with the contents of files on your local hard drive. Select the files you would like to upload, and choose OPEN. (shown below)

10) You will be prompted to name the file you want to upload. You may choose a name to name the file, or simply click the OK button to keep the existing name. (shown below)

11) Click the OK button. You will now have uploaded your document to your FTP server space. Continue steps 9 & 10 for uploading more files.
12) To delete files from your web space, highlight the file in your directory, and hit the DELETE key located on your keyboard.
13) You have now successfully connected to your Starstream FTP account.

Uploading Your Content Using Microsoft Frontpage:

1) Start Microsoft Frontpage

2) Select FILE > OPEN WEB from the menu.

3) A dialog box appears prompting you to enter your web folder address. Type your Starstream Frontpage Web location as shown above. *Depending on your version, this will differ slightly, and may also ask for your password.
4) Once connected, begin uploading your content.

*For instructions on creating/editing content using Microsoft Frontpage,
consult the documentation provided with your software.

5) To Upload Content to your website, first open the main folder, then select FILE > IMPORT

6) This opens the import box. Choose Add File and from your local hard drive go to where you have your website stored, select the file (s) and click OPEN.
Repeat this for each page, then select the ADD FOLDER option and add the IMAGES folder only. There is no need to have the working files on the server.

8) Then click OK. This will transfer the files onto the server.
9) Now you are ready to go!

10) To work on a page, select the one you want, RIGHT CLICK and select OPEN

Now you can work on it. Once done click SAVE !!!!!!. Otherwise all your work will be wasted.

How to insert an image

To insert the image into your website, RIGHT click on the image you want to change and click
Picture Properties.

10) Go to the GENERAL tab and you will see the name of the image. Click Browse and open the images folder, select your new image and click OPEN The click OK, and the new image will appear. Then click SAVE.

Note: Your new image will only show if it is uploaded to the server. The most common fault made is to try and insert it from file and go to your local machine. While you work it will show, but when you view it in the browser, it can no longer reference it from there.

*For positioning etc. you will need to consult Microsofts documentation provided with the software.