To make an ASCII file, you need an ASCII editor. There are plenty of shareware and freeware editors around, and their quality compares favorably with most commercial wordprocessors. In fact, ASCII editors are usually smaller, faster, and easier to use, because they don't try to do everything a wordprocessor does (most of which goes unused anyway). You can make an ASCII file with a wordprocessor, but it requires some extra steps and is prone to error. Ordinary wordprocessor files are not ASCII files, as you can easily determine by examining one with an ASCII editor.
You already have BBEdit for Macintosh computers, but many of you are going to be in DOS (i.e, Windows, Intel, Wintel, IBM, PC, Compaq, Packard-Bell, Acer, Gateway, ...) environments when you get back. Today we will make a DOS disk for you to take with you, though we won't have any DOS machines to test it on, so you'll have to familiarize yourself with it. There are many DOS editors around; one perennial favorite is Qedit, for Quick editor. It has many features, but can be used out of the (virtual) box to do useful work; and it is very fast.
Qedit comes in "zipped" form. That is, it's compressed and needs to be uncompressed by software. The software you need to unzip it is PKZip. Both of these can be downloaded just by clicking on them. They should wind up saved to the hard disk.
Then you can make a DOS disk (Macintosh disks won't work on a DOS machine, but DOS disks can be used on a Macintosh) to put them on. So, first, put in your Mac floppy and copy over to the hard disk all the files you want to be available on DOS, including your home page file, your bookmarks file, and any other text files you've made with BBEdit. Don't bother with the BBEdit files, though, unless you want to read them on DOS. Don't copy BBEdit itself. It might be a good idea to make a new folder on the hard disk and put all your stuff in that, just to make it easy to find and select.
On your machine you should find a copy of
Run it, then put in a blank disk and follow the formatting directions to format it as a DOS/Windows disk. Then, still using Apple File Exchange, find the two files you downloaded
Follow the same procedure (locate the file in the hard disk window, click on it, then Transfer) to put your other files (homepage and bookmarks, etc.) onto the DOS floppy. When you're done, Quit Apple File Exchange, and your DOS disk will eject automatically. Label it right away so you don't get it confused with your Mac disk.