Explanation of links:

Writing for the web isn't like writing, say, a term paper.  The main difference is that the web is interactive.  You, the reader, don't just sit and read, you participate.  What do I mean by that?  Here's what: look at your right hand.   What's it holding?  That's right, a mouse.  Your index finger is just itching to click on a link, right?  So good web writing gives you that opportunity.

So when I mention a topic that has a deeper explanation, I turn it into a link.  A link can be text that is underlined.  Or it can be a picture or button.  You can tell something is a link by passing the mouse over it.  If the mouse pointer turns into a hand, it's a link.  Some links take you to other places in this web site.  Others take you to totally new places on the internet.  Before you click, you can find out where it'll take you by looking at the status bar (usually the very bottom of your screen) while the mouse pointer is a hand.  (Practice right now by moving the mouse over some links (underlined text or buttons) on this page -- you'll see what I mean.  After you follow a link, if you want to come back (and I hope you do) then you can press the browser's Back button, and you'll resume where you left off.  Or, you can add this page to your "bookmarks" (if you're using Netscape) or your "favorites" (if you're using Internet Explorer), and then use the bookmark (or favorites) button to come back at a later time.

When writing for the web it's important to link to the type of page the reader would expect when he reads the underlined words.  For example, if the words McRae Family History are underlined, it would be a surprise to the reader if they took him to, say, a dictionary.   While that advice seems simple, there are often many levels of meaning of even a single word.  So as a reader, you're bound to misunderstand the intention of one or more links.  Just use your Back button when that happens.

Another important thing web authors need to keep in mind to avoid unduely confusing the reader is to either limit or clearly identify the links that take the reader off the web site.  Also, the pages of the web site should have a common appearance, or "theme".  As a web author, I may not always be successful in keeping you from accidentally following a link off this site.  So how do you know when you've left my site?  You should have a field near the top of the screen called Location or Address (depending on which browser you're using).   Look right now.  It should say http://mcraeclan.com/ExplanationOfLinks.htm.   (If you don't see it, click View, and click any hidden (or un-checked) toolbars -- one of the toolbars will have what you need.)  The words "mcraeclan.com" are the domain name of the web site you're lookin' at.  If you follow a link that leads you off this web site, you'll know it, because the Location (or Address) will show you a new domain name.  You understand, I'm sure, that I can't be responsible for anything you see on another web site.  To get back here, just press the Back button -- maybe more than once if you've followed a series of links.