How to Get Started

First, create a subdirectory of your home directory named www like so:

       mkdir ~/www
       chmod ugo+rx ~/www

Then, send a request to helpmath.psu.edu requesting that your web page be activated.

After your web page has been activated, any document that you place in the directory ~/www will be available via the URL:

        http://www.math/psu.edu/USERNAME/

where USERNAME is your username. For example, if you create the file ~/www/foo.html, then you can access it via a browser using the URL:

        http://www.math.psu.edu/USERNAME/foo.html

As a special case, if your URL refers to a directory, then the file in that directory named index.html is displayed if it exists. If it does not exist, then a list of files in the directory is displayed if the directory is world readable. If no index file exists in the directory and the directory is not world readable then an error page will be displayed.

Writing Web Pages

To get started writing web pages, take a look at the local Web Authoring Reference.

Problems

The most common problem that people run into when making a page available via the Mathnet web server is inappropriate permissions. In order for a page to be accessible via the Mathnet web server, the following must be true:

• the file must be world readable
• the directory containing the file and all directories above that directory in the directory hierarchy must have the execute bit set for the world.

CGI Programs

The ability to run CGI scripts is reserved for system and administrative purposes. Users are not allowed to run their own CGI programs.

Security and PSU Policy

Please do not make accessible documents containing social security numbers, student ids, parts of social security numbers, or parts of student ids. This is a violation of PSU policy and can lead to identity theft.

Users that post online content are responsible for compliance with all relevant PA and US laws and PSU policies.

Privacy and Legal Statements Validate HTML Validate CSS