The Boiler Room - Credits and Acknowledgements

From Nada to this in six weeks

Six weeks ago (as I write this; October 19, 2006), I knew absolutely nothing about building or maintaining a web site or how to code HTML. Some of the credit (or blame!) has to go to Dick Oliver and Michael Morrison, authors of Teach Yourself HTML and CSS in 24 Hours by Sams Publishing. A lot more of the credit (and no blame) has to go to the friendly folks at the HTML Center Forums, who were very patient and helpful with my newbie questions. Stop on by and pay them a visit sometime!

Created with Open Source Software

For the most part, this website has been created with open source software. My HTML editors are Nvu and its unofficial bug-fix update, KompoZer. Images have been edited and created in The GIMP. My web browser of choice is Firefox. Files are transferred and the site maintained with the FireFTP extension to Firefox and also with SmartFTP, which is not open source but is free for personal, educational and non-commercial use. Commercial software used includes Quattro Pro by Corel for timetable data entry.

The Texas Chief by Ralph Back. Click on the picture to see the original full size photograph at RailPictures.net.

About the site logo:

The train is the Texas Chief, under Amtrak stewardship, preparing to depart Houston's Union Station on February 3, 1973 as photographed by Ralph Back. This photograph is used with his kind permission. The watch is a Hamilton No. 992 which belonged to my grandfather, a conductor on the Missouri Pacific. The art deco typeface is Anastasia, obtained from SpecialtyFonts.com (No longer a working website, I'm afraid—they will be missed).