Computing Services Editorial Guidelines

Following are guidelines for content pages on the Peter Kiewit Computing Services Web site.

If you would like to include the name, photo, or directory information about a current student on your Web page, please contact Bethanne Tillotson to verify that the information can be published.

• Creating Pages
• Naming Files
• Specific Types of Pages
• Page Content
• General Usage/Editorial Guidelines
• Formatting
• Image Guidelines
• Preparing Java to Run on Windows XP
• Abbreviations and Acronyms
• RSS Items
• Dartmouth Search Engine Tips

Additions to this document are ongoing; your suggestions are welcome.

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For more information related to this topic, see:

• Office of Publications: Dartmouth Editorial Style Guide

Creating Pages

• Do not duplicate content. It's worth taking a few minutes to look around in other areas to make sure you are not duplicating information. Create a page in the appropriate subdirectory, then link to it from multiple places.
• Groups of pages belong in a subdirectory.
• Web pages should be no longer than two screens of content. If your pages are longer than this, we recommend breaking up the content into separate pages. If necessary, create a new directory for the pages to reside in.
• Each subdirectory must have a section path file (create first) and an index.html file. When the section path is created, you will need to check it out and publish it.
• If you find it necessary to edit the section path after it's created, do not delete any special characters that may appear in the file. They are necessary for the section path to appear appropriately.
• Link to a directory, not an index file. In other words, don't include index.html at the end of a path reference (for example, /comp/, not /comp/index.html).

Naming Files

• Use short descriptive file names (perhaps relevant to the page title).
• File names should be all lower-case, with only alphanumeric characters and hyphens. Don't use an underscore in the file name; it will not be visible in a link. Also, don't use a period (.) in the file name except when it immediately precedes html (for example, create-file.html).
• File names should be no longer than 8-12 characters before the .html.
• File names must not include spaces.
• File names must end with .html (not .htm).
• E-mail addresses should be all lower-case (marie.stebbins@dartmouth.edu).

Specific Types of Pages

Use common formatting whenever possible to bring consistency to similarly structured information. For example:

Computer Security for the Campus Community

• Overview - What Is Safe Computing?
• Threats - Am I In Danger?
• Defenses - How Do I Protect Myself?
• Assistance - Who Can Help Me?
• Timeline - When Can I Start?
• Initiatives - What is Dartmouth Doing?

Page Content

• Titles should be "Title Cased" (initial caps).
• Headline 2 should be used sparingly on a long page with many subsections. Initial cap every word.
• Headline 3 is the primary subheader. Initial cap every word.
• Links: Use relative links for peer pages and below; use absolute links for anything above peer pages.
• Placement of the Submit and Reset form buttons: The Submit button should be placed to the left and the Reset button to the right.
• Related Information: If you want to reference Web pages related to the topic of the page you are on that are outside of the current directory, use the following format:
  
  For more information related to this topic, see:
  
  Support: Using PKI Secure Certificates at Dartmouth
  Support: Web Authentication
  
  This format will help teach users that those related topics are found in a new area of the Web site, It also helps teach where information can be found. Computing has four categories: Resources, Services, Support, and About.
  
  When a Related Topic goes to another Web site on campus, for example, the Dean of the Faculty, use the format:
  
  Dean of the Faculty: Organization of the Faculty.
  
  When a link doesn't fall in the "related information" category, use Go to: for links that are elsewhere in the site structure, and See also: for links that are off site.
• Document History: The document history should be entered in the format MM/DD/YY (for example, 06/28/05). Do not include your initials.

General Usage/Editorial Guidelines

• Abbreviations and Acronyms:
  • Acronyms: Spell out the first reference with the acronym in parentheses. All additional references, use the acronym.
  • Plurals: Do not use an apostrophe to form the plural (IBMs).
• Ampersand: Do not use unless it is part of the property. For example, FO&M.
• And/or: "Or" will fill most needs.
• Bulleted lists: If you have a bulleted list, all sub-lists under that list are also bulleted lists (not numbered lists).
• Centuries: Spell out, in lower-case (seventeenth century). But 1600s is an acceptable alternative.
• College: Capitalize it when referring to Dartmouth.
• Comma:
  • Required when setting off a word or phrase that is added in a parenthetical way.
  • In a series, use a comma before the conjunction (name, address, and phone number).
  • With suffixes, do not use a comma before Jr., Sr., II, III.
  • With reference to a person's class, no comma is necessary (Sue Smith '81).
• Commands: Commands and menu options are shown in bold type.
• Dates:
  • Avoid abbreviations: Use February 3 (not Feb. 3, February 3rd, or February third).
  • Specifying a period of time, use a dash. If from is used, to is used instead of the dash; likewise, between takes and.
• Decades: Use twenties, sixties, eighties, or use 1960s (without an apostrophe). Avoid using '60s.
• Department names: They do not need to be capitalized, unless it refers to the formal name of a department.
• Examples:
  • System output is in roman type.
  • User input is in bold type.
• Help Desk: When referring someone to help, always use the following standard blurb: If you have questions, please contact the Computing Help Desk at 646-2999 and select from the options provided, send electronic mail to help@dartmouth.edu, or contact your department's computing support office.
• Hyphens and dashes:
  • Compound words frequently take a hyphen.
  • Use a hyphen (-) to form a modifier with two or more words (six-figure salary).
  • Em-dash or en-dash are currently not valid code; use a dash.
• Italicize titles of books, periodicals, works of art, software, etc. Use quotation marks for articles and short works, such as songs and television programs.
• Its vs. It's: "Its" is the possessive of the neuter pronoun. "It's" is the contraction for "It is."
• Keyboard keys: Keys are indicated in bold type enclosed in brackets. Combination keystrokes (that is, keys that you press simultaneously) are shown as [Command-X]; do not type the hyphen in between the keystrokes.
• Names:
  • Use the name the person is called conversationally, unless asked to do otherwise.
  • When using birth names, use parentheses around birth names [Jane (Smith) Brown].
  • Use the title on the first reference (Professor James Garner). For subsequent references, use the last name only (Garner).
• Numbers:
  • Spell out numbers from one through nine; use numerals from 10 up. Be consistent within a series or a list.
  • When referencing a time of day, in general, use a colon and zeros to indicate a whole-hour (9:00 a.m.). If space is limited, the hour can be noted as 9 a.m.
  • Do not use an apostrophe in dates (for example, life in the 1990s, not 1990's).
  • Use commas between every group of three digits in numbers of 1,000 or more (1,200). Do not use a comma between dates referenced simply as month and year (February 2004).
• Numbered lists: If you have a numbered list, all sub-lists under that list are also numbered lists (not bulleted lists).
• Phone numbers: Set off the area code with parentheses. For example, (603) 646-1110.
• Plurals: Do not form a plural with an apostrophe. Use "s" or "es." An exception is for single letters, for clarity (Mary earned straight A's).
• Possessives: Use the apostrophe and "s" in all singular possessives and only the apostrophe in plurals.
• Program titles and documents: Program titles and documents are in italic type.
• Punctuation:
  • Treat an ellipsis (the omission of words) as a three-letter word with a character space on both sides.
  • Quotation marks should be outside of a comma or period, and inside other punctuation marks, unless the punctuation mark is part of the material being quoted.
• Seasons: Should be lower-case, except when in a title (Winter Carnival).
• Software: When referring to a specific version or range of versions for software, use "or higher" (e.g., Mac OS X 10.4 or higher).
• Symbols: Avoid using them except in scientific usage or tabular matter.
• Titles: Do not capitalize a title unless it immediately precedes the person's name.
• Word usage: Use the following standards for word usage: online, pop-up, dial-up, disk (not disc), desktop, e-mail (not email), AntiVirus, College (when referring to Dartmouth), Web, Web site (two word; capitalize the "W" in Web), information (not info), home page (two words), Web-based, Mac OS X, Internet, user name (two words), Carson Hall (not just Carson), Computer Sales and Service (not Computer Store or Sales and Service).

Formatting

• College extensions: 646-2999 (not 6-2999).
• Handouts/manuals: When referencing the title of a handout or manual, put the title in italics (Getting Started with BlitzMail). When referencing the title as a link, do not put in italics.
• Macintosh operating systems: Use Mac OS X (not Macintosh OS X).
• Note: When including a note, put Note: in bold type.
• Peter Kiewit Computing Services: When referencing Peter Kiewit Computing Services for the first time on a page, use the complete name; in all future references, use Computing Services.
• < Previous | Next >: To create < Previous | Next > on a page, select the .prev-next style in OmniUpdate and enter < Previous | Next > at the top of the body of the page. Create the appropriate links for Previous and Next, then copy and paste < Previous | Next > at the bottom of the body of the page. Once the page is saved, test the links to be sure they are working as you want them to.
  
  Do not include < Previous | Next>  on the index.html page. The next page will only have the Next > link; all subsequent pages will have a < Previous | Next> page except the last page, which will only have a < Previous link.
• Control Panels, windows, dialog boxes: These should be in Roman type.
• Software products: Italicize.
• Spell check everything before publication.
• Student Computing Help Desk/Computing Help Desk: When referencing the Computing Help Desk for students, use "Student" in the title; otherwise, omit Student.
• Select, type, click, or press something: Bold anything you select, type, click, or press (Select Find from the Edit menu.).
• URLs: Use the complete URL as a clickable link; if including a URL in an e-mail message, put the complete URL inside brackets (<http://www.dartmouth.edu/ >).
• Links: When creating links to a Web page, use the following format:
  
  "For more information on setting up Windows 2000/XP Professional for the Dartmouth network, see Setting Up Windows XP/Vista for the Dartmouth Network."
  
  Do not use this format:
  
  "For more information on setting up Windows 2000/XP Professional for the Dartmouth network, go to http://www.dartmouth.edu/comp/support/library/connect-on/win/setup-win2000-xp/."
• Word usage: See General Usage/Editorial Guidelines.
• Bulleted items: The first character of every word should be capitalized.
• Document downloads: When creating document downloads (PDF, Word, Excel, etc.), use the following format. Be sure to italicize (xxKB PDF).
  • Some Document (xxKB PDF document)
  • Another Document (xxKB Word document)
  • A Third Document (xxKB Excel document)

Image Guidelines

Images

To create images for the Web, we recommend using Snapz Pro (Macintosh) and HiJaak Pro (Windows). There are other applications available that may work as well as the ones mentioned here.

When capturing images for the Web, make sure the original image is of high quality (2000-3000 pixels on a side). Capture only the top-most window or dialog box. Save it as a GIF or JPG, umcompressed on your hard drive.

Compressing Images

For intermediate users who don't need the complete version of Adobe Photoshop, we recommend using Adobe Photoshop Elements. It provides many of the same tools as Photoshop at a much lower cost.

• Open the saved image in Photoshop Elements.
• From the File menu, select Save for Web. A Save for Web window will appear.
• To the right of the Save for Web window is a variety of options that can be selected. Make sure GIF and Adaptive are selected from the drop-down menus that appear. Click on the check box next to Transparency. In the Colors field, select the lowest number of colors that retains the high quality of the image. This may take some trial-and-error.
• If the image size needs to be reduced, click on the Image Size tab. Enter a number in the Percent field. We recommend 75 percent; you want the image to be as small as possible, yet readable and clear to the user. Click Apply.
• Once all the image preferences are set, click the Save button on the top right-hand corner of the window. A Save Optimized As window will appear. Enter a short descriptive file name (based on the words that appear in the image title bar or dialog box) in the Save As field and select where you want to save the image. At the bottom of the window, the Format should be set to Images Only, Settings set to Default Settings, and Slices set to All Slices. Click Save.
• The Save Optimized As window will close.
• Close the original Photoshop image. When it asks if you want to save your changes, click Don't Save. This will leave the original image intact. If you ever want to create a new version of the file, you will have the original captured image.

Preparing Java to Run on Windows XP

If you run into a problem with OmniUpdate while trying to use the Page Editor, here are some generic guidelines to help you set up your Windows PC to work correctly with OmniUpdate. If you don't have administrative access to your PC, contact your department's desktop support consultant.

• If your Windows firewall has been turned on by a system upgrade, you must turn it off before doing anything.
  • To do this, select Control Panel from the Start menu. Then click the Security Center link, then Windows Firewall.
  • In the Windows Firewall window under the General tab, click the Off radio button, then click OK.
• Now update your Windows software. To do this, select Windows Update from the Start menu. Under Keep your computer up to date, click the Express button.
• Next, make sure your PC has the newest version of Java installed. To do this:
  • Start your browser and enter the URL http://www.java.com. Click on Java Software Download in the upper-right corner of the browser window.
  • In the resulting window, click the Download Now button, then the Begin Download button.
  • In the resulting window, click Verify Installation.
  • You may see an Information Bar; if so, select Install Active X Control.
  • If the Sygate Security Agent asks for permission to install, click Yes.
  • The configuration will be checked. If everything stops at this point, you may have an error window behind the front-most window. Move the front-most window to the side so you can see the Error window.
  • If a Cannot Install Due to Internet Proxy Settings dialog box appears, click Retry. It should now work.
  • You may get the J2SE Runtime Environment License Agreement. If so, click Accept.
  • When the installation is complete, click Finish. In the dialog box that appears, click Restart Yes.

If you turned the firewall off, go back and turn it back on using the steps above, except click the On radio button, then click OK. Close the Windows Security Center window.

Abbreviations and Acronyms

RSS Items

The capability of creating an RSS item through OmniUpdate is now available. The audience for the RSS feeds is for the general staff and general public.

• Guidelines for RSS Items
• Creating an RSS Item
• Editing and Removing RSS Items
• Viewing RSS Feeds in a Web Browser
• For Administrative Users Only

Dartmouth Search Engine Tips

• If there are sections of your site that you don't want included in the search engine, send a message to Webmaster with the URL for the directory to remove.
• Interested in finding out who is linking to your site from off campus? Enter the following search using Google: link:www.dartmouth.edu/~[your account here].
• You can find links to specific pages by including a complete URL after "link:". This is handy when looking for orphaned pages within your site. Enter the exact location of the page you are testing (for example, link:www.dartmouth.edu/~youraccount/staff/smith.html).