Hi Carol,
To preface all my answers:
JavaScript is only an issue if you include JavaScript code in the source code of your web pages. If you don't deliberately include JavaScript code (that is, scripting) to one extent or another in your source code, then it doesn't matter whether users have JavaScript turned on or off.
How do I know if JavaScript is turned on?Presumably, you mean, on your computer. The problem for web designers is that we don't know if JavaScript is turned on or off on users' computers.
In Firefox on the PC, under Tools => Options => Content
http://greatchurchwebsites.org/art/FORUM/firefox_js.jpg
For Internet Explorer:
From http://kb.iu.edu/data/ahqx.html are these instructions:
To enable or disable JavaScript, follow these steps:
From the Tools menu, choose Internet Options... .
Click the Security tab.
Click Custom Level... .
Scroll to the "Scripting" section of the list. Click Disable or Enable.
Close and restart your browser.
http://greatchurchwebsites.org/art/FORUM/ie_js.jpg
Note that "JavaScript" is not explicitly mentioned in this panel of settings. I wonder how many PC users even know how to turn off JavaScript, as a result.
I found 7 files on my computer but don't know what they mean or what to do with them.Sorry, but that's a different issue from JavaScript. Unless you can provide their file names, or a screenshot, I can't help you there.
How do you make pages for people who have JavaScript turned on as well as those who have it turned off?I can think of at least two options:
* Minimize the amount of JavaScript you use in your code, or don't use any.
* Use JavaScript, but provide alternates (alternate methods of accomplishing something) for people who have JavaScript turned off.
Again, JavaScript is only an issue if you choose to include JavaScript code in your pages. A lot of what formerly required JavaScript to be implemented, such as rollover navigational buttons, can be done easier, faster, and better through CSS alone now.
How are links made without the underline?
If you use an "inline" style:
<a href = "filename.html" style = "text-decoration: none;">
Note the semicolon before the closing quote mark.
For an external style sheet, use this instead:
a { text-decoration: none; }
(yes, the "a" is part of the code)
The latter, however, will turn off underlines for all links on a page, which is probably not what you want. So, surround your menu in a DIV with an appropriate class or ID, for example,
<div id = "menu">
code here
</div>
or
<div class = "menu">
code here
</div>
then use this code:
#menu a { text-decoration: none; }
or
.menu a { text-decoration: none; }
in the external CSS style sheet.
The pound sign and the dot above are significant.
Use the # sign if you use
id = "menu"
Use the dot if you use
class = "menu"
(You don't have to use the word "menu" -- use anything you want, as long as it's one word.)
If I make a text menu and links, of course are text or images or whatever, can people with JavaScript turned off read them?Again, that depends upon whether you use JavaScript code with the links or not. You don't have to.
In about a week, I'll launch the School for Church Webmasters website
http://www.school-for-church-webmasters.org/
(Just the promotional or descriptive site about about the school -- no courses yet. Presently it's just a graphical flowchart, but I'm adding 15,000 words and 80 pages to the site.)
It features a cool rollover horizontal menu done entirely with CSS -- no JavaScript.
Can a [screen] "reader" read them?Don't know. Screen readers read text, so I don't think they read JavaScript code. Use of JavaScript may very well interfere with a blind user's use of a screen reader, however.
Did anyone find a website where we can check colors to make certain that people with various kinds of color-blindness can see our sites?Try this site:
http://wellstyled.com/tools/colorscheme2/index-en.html
But I encourage you to first read about color blindness by searching the internet for articles about this subject.
Does anyone know whether using "gradient" coloring is "out-of-style"?If you're talking about backgrounds and banners, then subtle gradients are fine -- no rainbow colors, however.
Does anyone know what things specifically are considered "in-style" right now?That's a broad question. You may need to narrow down what it is you're talking about.
However, regarding backgrounds specifically, plain (white or color) backgrounds are used a lot, as well as subtle repeated patterns. Don't use the garish repeated patterns that characterized web design in the '90s.
If you want to be trendy, use a filigree (vine like) in your background. But again, subtle is the goal. If the vine pattern calls attention to itself, then that's not good.
Hope this is helpful.