NEW COMPUTER

QUESTION:
Our school will be getting new teacher laptops next year so I have to clean my laptop off. I want to make sure I have everything I need on my flash drive in order to work with and update our website from the new laptop next year. I saved the website files. Is there something else that I should look for to save as far as the website goes? Will I just have to download a new FileZilla next year?

ANSWER:
There are several steps you should take to minimize the problems as you shift to a new computer. It sounds like you have already taken care of the first one!

1. Save all your website files in a container. Remember, the name of this folder is for your convenience and has nothing to do with the way your website is posted. Saving it on a flash drive is fine; you could also save it on your school's fileserver. When you get your new computer, just copy the container to My Web Sites in My Documents. Suggestion: Create two main folders in this container, one (named your school) containing everything you have posted and the other (named Not Posted) containing everything you are not ready to post, like the images you MIGHT use some day and the files that are now outdated but could serve as a template for the same event next year). Do not ever use the web server to store files that should not be seen by anybody and everybody who can use a search engine; if it's on the web server, it's out there for the world to see--outdated, experimental, whatever.
2. You will need to install FrontPage on your new computer. Now's the time to locate your CD and the CD key.
3. You will need to install FileZilla on your new computer. You can always find the download link on http://mulligan.mcsdga.net/website/website_info.htm, along with the handouts on configuring your account on the MCSD server.