they're not the best-looking templates ever, it's just basic HTML designed to get you interested in learning more about it. the Y2K template goes into more detail about CSS than the neocities one does.

Note: the slash before filename is, in fact, needed. A slash without a dot before it refers to the server root. So e.g. there's "logo.png" at server root and a "data/shrines/splatoon/index.html", from which you can src logo.png as ../../../logo.png (going up each folder), or simply /logo.png (refer to absolute server root). I even have a longread on these: https://auberylis.moe/webtut/dotslash/

(the reason it's used in the old template is because there's one "neocities.png" on the server, right at root, but the template will be the same when created in any kind of subfolder chain. and so each time it will successfully refer to the one and only default neocities.png from the server root. Same reason for /style.css in head - locate the same stylesheet at the server root from anywhere in its file structure)

wait... they got rid of the page template that taught me HTML???? WTF???? (THANK YOU FOR SAVING IT THOUGH!)

@aubery The pedantic way to do this of course is not to use /file.type on root at all and only use it when you need to (like what i do :P). a side effect of learning HTML on old-time MSIE

@jaiden The template was the most endearing bit of the whole host, unlike nekoweb where they just give you a totally blank document and say "here figure it out yourself, stupid". but just like how microsoft axed minesweeper and brought it back as a paid app, the way of today is to change everything for the worse -___-

you're like jesus to me

thank you for keeping this template available! i wonder what made them choose to change their template to a barebone one

@nathan idk, the commit summary was vague but it seemed pretty clear that kd was going to replace the old template with a new blank page. oh well, this is the man who wouldn't install anubis into his servers to protect everyone from ai scrapers, so take that how you will.

cos now, you've got to have a working knowledge of html in order to make anything. before, you had a template to change and build upon. now what do you get? nothing.

I actually found the new pages having code by default a bit annoying. But I agree, the change does suck for new users. Wish they kept the default page design, with the option to turn it off in the settings if you want blank documents.

i could upload a copy of the template to my site, and just leave it as a resource that others can copy/paste onto their sites!

hehe thanks for following back <3 I love your site!!

I didn't even realize there had been a call for boycott and here I was watching videos with not a care in the world - thank you for this post!!

@churchofmidnight Me, neither ... thanks Tina!