A variety of approaches are available for candidates to join the Web world, from hiring a consultant to doing it yourself with either tools on your own computer or "hosted" tools.

DOES YOUR GRADE-SCHOOL child have a Web site, but you're still fiddling with e-mail and your Web browser? Do you feel you or your political career has been left behind by the Internet revolution?

A variety of approaches are available for candidates to join the Web world, from hiring a consultant to do it all for you to doing it yourself with either tools on your own computer or "hosted" tools.

Bear in mind that if you're one of the Web homeless, you're not alone. Many small campaigns still do not yet have an Internet presence.

Despite the current turmoil in the dot-corn world, with many Web-based businesses going under, the advantages of having a Web site remain, particularly in aiding the campaigning effort. This is why, even though the overall economy is precarious, organizations that already have Web sites are planning to invest more in them this year, according to a survey of businesses, educational institutions and government agencies by Interactive Week magazine.

The easiest way to throw your hat into the Web ring is to farm the work out to someone who's done it many times before. You'll spare yourself the arcana of Dynamic HTML, CSS, XML, Pen, Java, JavaScript, ActiveX and other Internet technologies used by sophisticated Web sites.