The information below applies to personal sites stored on the Humboldt web server at users.humboldt.edu. Note that over the next year or two, these sites will be migrated to Google Sites. No new sites are being created on this server.

File Names & Locations

All sites stored on the user web server have a top-level URL of users.humboldt.edu. Each site shows up as a folder (link) inside your personal directory on that server, and the files for your sites are stored in the site folder under public_html, for example /home/abc123/sitename/public_html.

You should always name your home page index.html, as this is the name web browsers look for by default when a user or a link points to your site.

File Permissions and Access

Files in your public_html folder are visible to anyone on the Internet. If you want or need to keep some files private, you should change the access permission levels for those files. Conversely, if you experience problems viewing your page - such as receiving a "Forbidden" message - you will also need to change the permission settings on your directories and files.

These resources provide useful information on setting file permissions
http://www.networksolutions.com/support/how-to-change-file-or-directory-permissions-via-ftp/
http://www.elated.com/articles/understanding-permissions/
http://support.hostgator.com/articles/cpanel/how-to-change-permissions-chmod-of-a-file

NOTE: It is especially important that you NEVER make any file containing a password to a database, such as a configuration file, universally readable. You should also never give "Other" or "Everyone" permission to write to a file or folder unless you have a specific reason to do so and you understand what the implications of this can be.

Setting permissions can be a complex task. If you're confused or experience problems, contact the Technology Help Desk at (707) 826-HELP (4357), send an email, or stop by Library 208.