Webmaster Questionnaire

I saw this webmaster questionnaire on layercake, created by mouseling.net

1. Please introduce yourself.

I'm gg8473. Becky if we're mates.

2. How long have you been making websites?

Since 2023! I'm still fairly new.

3. And what got you into the hobby?

I wish I could remember why I even started considering websites. I think my friend Kaz made theirs? Or I wanted to have a portfolio site away from socmed... the sites I stumbled upon that inspired me were hellomei and scumsuck are huge influences on why I started webdev

4. What kind of website are you most interested in?

Personal ones! I like to see people's creativity and how they chose to fill their digital space. I'm a fan of portfolio/art based sites too.

5. What's your workflow? Do you plan your websites out thoroughly or do you come up with the design as you go along?

I do rough them! It's much easily to have the bones, and then I usually fiddle with the CSS for ages.

6. Please link to your biggest inspirations.

I mentioned two above, so here's some more: nomnomnami, derrek.org, fearoffun, bennizone

7. What's your favourite part about making websites?

How it's all yours! You get to decide what goes on it, you control how it looks, it's easy to remove/add features. It's really down to time and your imagination. I love being able to decorate and tag. Linking out to friends is fantastic! That's a feature I adore. I think it's missing in a lot of socmed, because it's so "me" focused.

8. And the thing you struggle with the most?

I'm a bit of a magpie, so when I see another site with a cool page or feature I immediately want to have it on mine. Then I realise... I don't like it that much LOL

9. Do you keep the same layout on all of your pages? Or do you use different ones?

I like to group similar pages. My main pages have the same layout, then my gallery is another group, comics/games are the same, etc etc. I'm between having templates for easier editing/uploading, and having separate css and themes for each page.... there's so much I want to do!

10. How confident are you with CSS?

I can Google anything so I'm confident!

11. Do you know how to correctly use <dl>?

I recently learnt about it, and I love it. No more <ul> for me.

12. What is your favourite HTML element?

The classic <p>. I have things to say.

13. If you're making a new web page from scratch, what is the first thing you do?

My meta tags...

14. Do you know JavaScript?

Not as much as I'd like. I can figure out how to edit others templates, but I struggle with piecing all the information together.

15. How about PHP?

That scares me. I don't want a database...

16. Does your website have a theme that you stick to?

I did want to stick with a old gallery you stumble on your holidays vibe, but I've pared it down a bit. I guess the theme is... me?

17. Are you more focused on content or design?

Content! Design is nice, but if it's all style and no substance I don't find myself revisiting.

18. Do you own a domain name? If not, would you ever want to?

Yes, that .com does feel as good as you think it does.

19. What do you think of nostalgia-focused or "retro" websites?

They're fun, but funny. No sites actually looked that way. But it is interesting to see how younger people construct their ideal of a past that never was. There's a lot to say about missing something you never had.

20. Is your HTML valid? Do you even check?

I hope it is... Eek!

21. What are your opinion on buttons and banners?

I love them! I want more buttons!

22. What do you think of button walls in particular?

I like them, I think it's a great way to highlight friends and inspirations across the web. They can get a bit circular and clique-y thought. But I'm sure that's just from when a group was most active on their webdev journey.

23. If you started over again, would you make something similar or completely different?

Hmmm. I think it would end up the same, even if I tried something different. Maybe I'd keep it simple from the start?

24. Are you envious of other people's websites?

No! I'm not a jealous person. I don't care if someone's work/site is "better" than mine. How? And, if I was to be jealous... I'd look at their code? Or maybe message them and say how much I like their site. I think envy is a silly emotion. It stops you from reaching out and making a new connection.

25. What text editor do you use?

VSCodeium. I used VS code before I switched to Linux.

26. Why do you use that one?

I used it for gamedev. I hated the other free options, they were too clunky. I like VS for all the editions and active community.

27. Do you host your image files on your web server, or on another host?

My own server. I think it's pointless to use another host. This leads me to my pet peeve; PEOPLE USING NEOCITIES/NEKOWEB AS IMAGE DUMPS RRRRRRRRREEEEEEE

28. This might not be relevant to you, but what's your opinion on the Neocities vs. Nekoweb debate?

It's stupid. There's pros and cons to using either, and there is a more of a... edgelord teen base for nekoweb but that's only if you're on the discord. They're just hosting tools at the end of the day.

29. How much server space would you estimate your main website takes up?

400 mb... I need to resize some images eek!!!

30. Do you keep local backups of your files?

Yes!!!!

31. Do you prefer simple or highly visual websites?

I used to like highly visual, but now I'm drawn to the simpler ones.

32. Do you stick to certain colours? Do you do that on purpose, or is it your subconscious?

I tend to go for oranges and pinks... they;re my favourite colors so.

33. Have you ever thought about quitting? Why?

No! I see people say this a lot, but I assume they're younger or life's gotten in the way. It's mental how much pressure you can put on yourself sometimes.

34. Do you have many webmaster friends, or is it a solitary hobby?

Yeah I've webdev friends! but I like it so much it wouldn't matter if I did lol

35. Do people in your real life know about your website?

Yes. People are usually shocked that people still make websites, and I'm such a advocate of having your own digital space online lol I think everyone I know... knows.

36. Do you update your website very often? How often is "very often"?

Bi-weekly? I'm always messing with CSS.

37. And the overall design, do you change that much? Why or why not?

I do bitty things, like font or change the padding slightly... I'm picky.

38. Is your website more you-focused, hobby-focused, or outside world-focused?

Everything-focused?

39. Do you do web design professionally?

No. How do you people do it.

40. If not, would you like to? And if you're comfortable answering, what do you do for work?

No, I'm not too confident with doing design for another person.

41. Do you communicate with people by email very much?

I love getting emails! Please email me!!

42. Some people reject social media and use websites as a replacement. Do you keep social media outside of your website?

People should do whatever they want. In this day of every socmed site trying to steal your attention and drain your mood; it's a great path to take. I do think having your own website lets you recontextualise how you use the internet. You have something that's all yours, you don't have to worry about followers or views or if a post gets flagged or an account gets deleted... This is your space. Having a website for me, personally, lets me use socmedia as socmedia. There's a big distinction.

43. How about instant messengers? Do you use a mainstream one like Discord or Telegram? Or something like Matrix? Do you avoid them?

I use discord, I did use telegram when I was in an LDR. I have a matrix, but I don't know anyone else there so I don't use it as much. I'd love to get better at IRC, but I'm too used to our new tech ways...

44. Do you listen to music while you work on websites? If so, what kinds of artists?

Yes! Usually EDM or my pop divas...

45. Do you keep everything you make on one website, or do you have more than one?

When I figure out subdomains and NFS, I'll have more sites.

46. On a similar note, do you keep to one topic on your site, or many?

...Many LOL It does focus primarily on my art.

47. Do you present your real self, or at least try? Or do you construct a persona on purpose?

I'm as real as it gets.

48. Have you ever made a good friend thanks to your website?

Yes!

49. Are you happy with the way HTML and CSS currently work?

Yeah...? They do the job well enough.

50. What are practices that you think people should avoid?

Autoplay. Using neocities/nekoweb as filedumps. Not using webps/resizing images for a better user experience.

51. What about under-utilised practices, or things you think people should do more?

Mobile formatting! 60-70% of people use their phones to access the web. You are stopping people from enjoying your website. It's not too hard to add a css media element, or add <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> to the <head>. That will usually do the work for you, unless you've been using a ton of divs lol

52. Do you use a lot of semantic HTML? Or are you guilty of generic structure?

Semantic, I think?

53. Do you consider different browsers?

I check on firefox and safari, I hope that covers must bases!

54. Speaking of, what's your preferred browser? Convince your readers why they should use it.

I'm currently on Firefox but I need to more -_- all this ai shite is sooo annoying. I don't need help!

55. And what OS are you on?

Linux Mint! Very happily.

56. Do you have a strong opinion on that, or do you just happen to use it?

I moved for personal (and political) reasons. I'm sick of windows. I understand not everyone is tech-savvy, or needs a particular program to do their jobs. I have managed to convince my sister though!

57. Are your websites mobile-friendly?

90% of pages are, there's a few I need to fully optimize. It's important to me everyone can access my website.

58. What are your thoughts on autoplay?

I hate it.

59. What are your thoughts on webrings? Are you in any?

I love them! I think there should be more, they're so much fun. I run the yuri evn ring!

60. Do you have any web shrines? What do you like to see in that sort of page?

I have my hundred line fansite! When I figure out subdomains, I'll move it. I like to see passion! Why do you like the series? What are your thoughts? Ships! Episode guides! My fav fansite britrock, a fansite for Jem and the Holograms

61. Are your websites "cliche", in your opinion?

Maybe? I don't really care.

62. What is your ideal website? Are you striving for that, or for something else?

One that works on mobile and that you like. I think that's all there is to it.

63. Are you an artist? Do you draw or design your own assets?

Why, yes!

64. What are your favourite resource sites?

kingra's fanfic templates, petrapixel, foollovers and loveberry

65. Is there a habit you just can't get away from no matter how hard you try?

I NEED TO STOP MESSING WITH THE CSS EVERY WEEK. it's just too easy!!

66. What's your biggest advice for a new webmaster?

Take it slow! Have a look at a few templates and see what you notice about them, how they're laid out, mess with the CSS and see what changes.

67. Do you keep all your styling in CSS? Or do you hard-code some?

I mainly keep it in CSS. It would annoy me too much to hard-code it all. I change it too frequently as well.

68. What do you think of frameset layouts?

That's very old-school, isn't it?

69. How about table-based layouts?

It's okay but look at mobile styling PLEASE!

70. Do you subscribe to the ideas of "one-column", "two-column" and "three-column" layouts? Do you use any of these?

I like a two-column, can you tell? Though I have been flirting with the idea of a three-column... so much extra space...

71. Do you spend longer on the HTML or the CSS?

CSS.

72. Have you ever made a page with no CSS? It's useful for your thoughts.

I will if I just need to get the content out first. I do like how simple and clean it is.

73. Do you ever find yourself making layouts with nothing to put on them? Or do you only make layouts when the need arises?

I only make layouts when the need comes up. I do love making them though.

74. Would you consider yourself a beginner? Or advanced? Somewhere in the middle?

Confident beginner.

75. Do you have a habit of looking at the source code of websites you visit?

Sorry, I'm nosey... I always wanna know if there's a better way to do something.

76. How did YOU learn how to make websites?

Trial and error, and looking at a lot of source code. My template for my main site is from foollovers, and it forced me to translate all the notes... so I had to read about what every part was for. That helped a lot!

77. Do you ever force elements to do things they're not supposed to?

YES... I think everyone does because they don't know any better. Once I find the correct way, I usually change my code.

78. Thoughts on floating elements?

I have...none...

79. When you're sizing stuff, what do you use first? Do you use px, em, %, or something else?

em! %s for mobile

80. Do you have a favourite font?

Honestly... I do love monospace and arial...

81. Would you run a website with another person? How would that work?

No.

82. Do you surf the Web to find new personal websites very often?

Yes, I love to go digging for new sites. There's so many!! People are so creative.

83. Do you bookmark other people's websites? How would you feel knowing someone else bookmarked yours?

Yesm if they don't have RSS I bookmark. I hope people bookmark mine if they wish.

84. What do you want people to be most impressed with when they see your website?

My art! I want people to enjoy my work above all else.

85. Are you interested in technology outside of websites? Do you collect?

No.

86. How often and for how long are you online?

: ) Hmm... let's not think about that. I do block sites while I'm working though, so maybe less then I think (coping)

87. When it comes to your website, who is your target audience?

People who like my art!

88. Have you ever been interested in XHTML?

No...

89. Do you program in general? Have you ever written a program for use with or on your website, not counting simple JavaScript?

I did a course on python, but coding is so far out of my wheelhouse... Could you count Ren'py here?

90. Speaking of programs that help you make websites, what do you think of static site generators (SSGs)? Have you ever used one?

I haven't yet, but I'd like to in future. More to have a better understanding of the process.

91. Do you keep a hitcounter? Why or why not?

I did have one briefly, but I didn't care for it and removed it. I'm very "I have to have this on my site" when I see something new, but then I'll have it for a bit and realise it's a feature I don't care for.

92. Do you frequent forums? Which ones?

Not much! I like melonland

93. Do you write your page content directly into the editor, or do you prepare it elsewhere, like a text document or a Word document?

Directly into the editor. It annoys me if I have to transfer.

94. Do you think you appear cool to others? A more accurate answer now: do other people ever say you're cool?

I'm not cool, I don't think there's anyone in the whole world who is. I have had friends tell me I'm cool, which is always lovely.

95. Are you embarrassed of your old work? Have you ever deleted everything out of shame?

Yes... I can't look at any recent work (comics, doodles, animation) because I'll pick it apart, I know what I could have done better, it has the prints of me all over it. I think it's still too fresh in my mind. I fair better with older works.

96. Would you close down your website if you couldn't update it, or would you leave an archive?

No, I'd leave it up. I find it sad when people delete their sites, especially ones hosted on nekweb or neocities. I feel strongly about this because I was that person who would delete their accounts when I was going through a rough patch, and it's a huge regret of mine.

97. Do you reveal a lot about yourself on your website? Or are you more secretive?

I'd like to think I'm a mysterious, sexy and sadistic webmistress... but I'm far too chatty here. I share a lot of my opinions.

98. Are you willing to reveal who your best online friend is, and/or if they have a website?

It's Molly. Check out their art!! Blow your mind!!

99. And do you optimise the images on your website?

Yes! Or, I try to when I remember. I do now make thumbnails for my gallery and that's helped a lot. I do need to remember to watermark my work more.

100. We're out of time! How do you feel after answering 100 questions? ....other than exhausted.

Zzzz... Zzzz... (goes back to drawing comics)

--xoxo becky