There are all kinds of options for a web ring, those is creating one and even in joining one. This FAQ attempts to explain some of these.
what are the options for hosting my ring?
The answer for this depends on whether you mean what ring server to use for managing the ring or where to host the actual pages you create for maintaining your ring.
There are a few options for serving your ring, the most popular used to be WebRing, which had some advantage due to its popularity. Then there is RingSurf, a service that took a lot of the WebRing dissenters. Another option is to install your own ring script (I highly recommend Ringlink) and run it your self. You can find several by visiting any cgi script directory. Or you can join an existing Ringlink system (like mine).
For actual hosting of the pages, any web site host will do. I recommend checking with you internet service provider and finding out whether you get any web space with your dial up account.
For more discussion on this topic, see "history" and "create."
what link options can I add to the ring fragment?
The typical web ring links are "join" or "home" "site owner's e-mail" "next" "next 5" "list" "previous" "previous 5" and "random" "site owner's url"
You need to use the special links that call the script. I highly suggest you use the script link for the "join" and/or "home" link, this way your ring members will not have to update the ring fragment if you move the ring's home page for some reason (voice of experience here). At any rate, the links that can be called from a Ringlink System are usually in the form of:
| Ring's Home: | http://www.systemsdomain.com/cgi-bin/ringlink/home.pl?ringid=$::ringid;siteid=$::siteid |
| Join Ring: | http://www.systemsdomain.com/cgi-bin/ringlink/newsite.pl |
| List of Sites: | http://www.systemsdomain.com/cgi-bin/ringlink/list.pl?ringid=$::ringid;siteid=$::siteid |
| Random Site: | http://www.systemsdomain.com/cgi-bin/ringlink/rand.pl?ringid=$::ringid;siteid=$::siteid |
| Next Site: | http://www.systemsdomain.com/cgi-bin/ringlink/next.pl?ringid=$::ringid;siteid=$::siteid |
| Previous Site: | http://www.systemsdomain.com/cgi-bin/ringlink/prev.pl?ringid=$::ringid;siteid=$::siteid |
| Previous 5: | http://www.systemsdomain.com/cgi-bin/ringlink/prev5.pl?ringid=$::ringid;siteid=$::siteid |
| Next 5: | http://www.systemsdomain.com/cgi-bin/ringlink/next5.pl?ringid=$::ringid;siteid=$::siteid |
| Ring's Home: | http://www.ringsurf.com/netring?ring=***RING ID***;action=home |
| Join Ring: | http://www.ringsurf.com/netring?ring=***RING ID***;action=addform |
| List of Sites: | http://www.ringsurf.com/netring?ring=***RING ID***;action=list |
| Index: | http://www.ringsurf.com/netring?ring=***RING ID***;action=index |
| Random Site: | http://www.ringsurf.com/netring?ring=***RING ID***;action=rand |
| Next Site: | http://www.ringsurf.com/netring?ring=***RING ID***;id=***SITE ID***;action=next |
| Next 5 Sites: | http://www.ringsurf.com/netring?ring=***RING ID***;id=***SITE ID***;action=next5 |
| Previous Site: | http://www.ringsurf.com/netring?ring=***RING ID***;id=***SITE ID***;action=prev |
| Previous 5 Sites: | http://www.ringsurf.com/netring?ring=***RING ID***;id=***SITE ID***;action=prev5 |
| Ring Statistics: | http://www.ringsurf.com/netring?ring=***RING ID***;action=stats |
Keep in mind that the "join" link is an add form on the web ring's system and not your ring's home page. You can avoid this page by making the "join" link in the fragment point to the ring home instead. Also, the "search" link is on the web ring system and has a default color scheme (black).
what are some ring fragment options?
The following are some examples of ring fragements. They all use Ringlink System variables. Feel free to copy these codes and alter them to suit your needs. And if you do, consider linking to this site! Here's a handy little linking button (and code). : )
<p><center><a href="http://ringlink.canonical.net/cgi-bin/home.pl?ringid=faqring;siteid=ringhome" target="_blank">
<img src="FAQlogo.gif" width="142" height="42" alt="the Web Ring FAQ" border="0"></a></center>
This is a very traditional ring fragment. When web rings were first becoming popular, typically you saw them looking like this one.
 |
This $::ringtitle is owned by $::wmname |
 |
| [ List ] [ Next ] [ Next 5 ] [ Prev ] [ Prev 5 ] [ Random ] | ||
Now for the code that makes this work: Click Here!
This is a smaller example of the same fragment, it eliminates the "next site" graphic:
| ||||
Now for the code that makes this work: Click Here!
Next, let's look at a text only fragment. These are becoming more and more popular.
| The Sample Ring | |||
| List - | Next - | Back - | Random |
Now for the code that makes this work: Click Here!
Another variation on the text only fragment:
| << ! the Sample Ring ? >> |
Now for the code that makes this work: Click Here!
Another popular ring fragment uses an image map. Image maps are great because they ensure uniformity in the ring. I won't put an example here because you need a specific image to make it work. Also, they are fairly complicated for those new to html given that you need the coordinates and every thing. . . I use an image mapper to make my maps and then I tweak the code in notepad when it's done. I recommend Coffee Cup's Image Mapper.