[abcomputers] ABC ~ All 'Bout Computers,Vol. 23: Preparing to Publish Your Web Page, Internet Etiquette, and More
- From: "Linda F. Johnson" <linda@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: ABCfreelists <abcomputers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2003 18:35:46 -0400
______________________________________________________
ABC ~ All 'Bout Computers. The ezine YOU subscribed to. If you want to change
your subscription options or unsubscribe, see the bottom of this email for full
instructions. Thank you.
Linda
http://www.personal-computer-tutor.com/abc
______________________________________________________
ABC ~ All 'Bout Computers
Volume 23; April, 2003 - mailed to 3946 subscribers
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Please rate this Ezine at the Cumuli Ezine Finder
http://snurl.com/6si
ABC is also listed at FreeTechMail. Please visit their site
and rate it there too:
http://snurl.com/6sj
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If you would prefer to read the online Web-azine, which
includes pictures and screenshots and is, basically, more
user-friendly, follow either of these links:
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc
(frames)
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/vol23.htm
(no frames)
or, scroll down to the Contents where you can click on
over to any individual article
NOTE: Unsighted readers or anyone who uses a screen
reader shoud probably go online and read that version if
my separator lines are making too much "noise".
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For definitions of any terms you do not understand, visit
the GeekSpeak Translator:
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc/gs.htm
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You are receiving this newsletter because you (or
someone using your email address) subscribed to it
voluntarily. If you would like to remove yourself from
ABC, please see SUBSCRIPTION MANAGEMENT at the
bottom of this newsletter.
Using the "Reply" function will not unsubscribe you!
My subscriber list is NOT made available to other
companies or individuals. I value every subscriber and
respect your privacy.
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WATCH FOR LONG LINKS!
Most of these have been replaced with SnipURLs
http://www.snipurl.com
so you shouldn't have to copy/paste URLs anymore,
unless you have a reeeeaaallly tiny monitor ;-)
So...if the links are longer than a certain amount, I've
"snipped" them.
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To help prevent broken links, maximize your email
window to FULL screen.
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**************STATION BREAK*****************
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THIS MONTHS' FEATURED SPONSOR:
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SPAM INSPECTOR
@@@@@@@@@@
Here's another product I have added to my computer.
Because I own a website and my email address is readily
available to every spammer on the net, I get over 200
garbage spam mails a day! The subject lines in my inbox
would impress even sailors. I get advertisements,
pornography, and "business" proposals from all over the
world. I've tried filtering this out with my mail rules,
blocked senders lists, and even freeware programs like
Mail Washer and found that none of these methods were
as effective as I needed.
But, this one DEFINITELY works.
And, it's so easy to setup and monitor.
READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE AND DOWNLOAD A DEMO:
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/spami.htm
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Do you love ABC? Click here to donate any amount.
http://snurl.com/pks
All contributions are greatly appreciated!
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CONTENTS
(all links below these items take you to the non-frames
online versions)
(items with *** behind them include pictures and/or are
better if viewed online)
1. Important How-To Message for Reading This Ezine
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/vol23.htm#HowTo
2. Linda's Thought of the Month
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/vol23.htm#thought
(and animated GIF) ***
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/vol23.htm#gif
3. WHAT'S NEW AT LINDA'S COMPUTER STOP
~ Not Too Much, But Thinking of Changing ABC's Format
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/newabc23.htm
4. Subscribers' Exclusive Tips of the Month
~ PREVENT TEXT SELECTION ON YOUR WEB PAGE
(and another Lexmark tip)
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/newabc23.htm#tip
5. Linda's Office Tips
~ EXCEL/VBA SHORTCUTS YOU MAY NOT KNOW
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/ot23.htm
6. GeekSpeak Translation from the Cap'n
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc/gs.htm
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7. THIS MONTH'S FEATURE ~
Tina's FrontPage News
ALL ABOUT PUBLISHING YOUR WEBSITE WITH FP2002
Part I, Doing Your Homework First
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/tina23.htm
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8. Special Review by Vic Ferri
~ INTERNET REMOTE ACCESS METHODS ~ GoToMyPC
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/gtmpc.htm
9. Steve's Ravin' REVIEWS ***
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/steve23.htm
<>Weather Watcher - 5 geezers
<>iCarbon - 3 geezers
<>SpyBot Search & Destroy - 5 geezers
<>NewsDesk - 4 geezers
10. Vic's Registry RoundUp and DOS Den
~ ADDING SAFE MODE TO YOUR WINDOWS XP BOOT MENU
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/vic23.htm
11. Kathy's Practical PowerPoint Tips
~ POWERPOINT HELP ON-LINE AND OFF
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/kath23.htm
12. Mike's Safety Belt
~ HOW GOOD IS FREE?
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/mike23.htm
13. Charlene's Drawing Board
~ CREATING ARROWS IN FLASH
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/char23.htm
14. JOINING FORUMS AND FORUM ETIQUETTE
~ by guest author Frances McColl Stewart
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/fran23.htm
15. EMAIL ETIQUETTE
~ by guest author, Martha Bagwell
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/mac23.htm
16. 2 TIPS FOR SEARCHING FOR EBAY BARGAINS
~ by guest author, Jason Webb
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/jason23.htm
17. SELECTING & EVALUATING KEYPHRASES FOR
SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING
~ by guest author, Scott Buresh
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/scott23.htm
18. Subscription Management
19. Contact Information
*** means the article includes pictures in the online version
or is better viewed online
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ECLECTIC ACADEMY ~ A Better Choice in Distance Learning
DO YOU WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL WITHOUT LEAVING
THE HOUSE?
It's the latest rage and it's called Distance Learning.
Most colleges now offer Distance Learning classes
because they know some people work hard and just
can't fit a classroom into their busy lives. But,
sometimes you don't want to enroll in a full program;
you just want to take one class.
ECLECTIC ACADEMY IS YOUR ANSWER!
http://eclecticacademy.com
Eclectic Academy offers a large range of classes to suit
many needs. Go there now and check out their
curriculum and roster. Classes are only $20 for 6 weeks.
HOW CAN YOU BEAT THAT?
Here's a sampling of what they offer:
*Art Courses, both digital and traditional
*Business Courses, including all of the MS Office
Programs (many taught by none other than Linda
Johnson herself)
*Graphics Courses - Flash, PhotoShop, Paint Shop Pro
& more
*Website Development Courses - FrontPage,
Dreamweaver, ASP, DHTML, Website Promotion, and
on and on and on
*Eclectic Classes - Computer Maintenance, Writing
Workshops, Feng Shui, Eating Safely - just about
anything you can think of
Go to Eclectic Academy now and sign up to be notified
when classes are added or ENROLL NOW in the class of
your choice. Go there now to enroll in the next set of
classes.
ONLY $20 FOR A SIX-WEEK CLASS!
http://eclecticacademy.com
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FLASH!! NEXT CLASSES START SUNDAY, MAY 4TH.
DON'T DELAY -- SIGN UP NOW!!
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Also, don't forget that Eclectic Academy offers classes
on many different programs and techniques. As a matter
of fact, some of the EA staff have put together forums
on their areas of expertise that you might want to check
out here:
http://www.pixelparity.org/
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(1.) IMPORTANT HOW-TO MESSAGE
If you decide to go to the Online "Web-azine" version,
go here first for navigation instructions:
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/vol23.htm#HowTo
If you are reading this plain text issue, maximize your
email window for best viewing.
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**************STATION BREAK*****************
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Computer Help Central Presents...
A BRAND NEW RESOURCE:
Does your computer "scare you" at times?
Are you tired of not getting answers to your computer
questions?
Don't worry, Mad Mick can teach you
"How to Solve All Your Computer Problems...
Fast & Forever...Even if You're Brand New to Computers
And Think You'll Never Learn Them"
He'll Answer Every Single Computer Question You'll Ever
Have - BEFORE You Even Ask!
(And if he doesn't, you'll have a chance to personally
ASK HIM!)
Download Mad Mick's 200 Computer Questions & Answers
in pdf format
**includes 30 days of FREE email support**
http://hop.clickbank.net/?buntah/likeapro
**SUPPORT ABC BY ORDERING THIS PRODUCT**
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(2.) LINDA'S THOUGHT OF THE MONTH
This month, I'm going to forego the thought of the month,
out of respect for the soldiers and citizens whose lives are
in danger. The only thought I have is "End this mess as
soon as possible and bring some semblance of peace back
to this world." Love and good wishes to all families
affected by this horror.
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And go here for this month's animated gif
(just right click and choose "Save picture as"):
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/vol23.htm#gif
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(3.) WHAT'S NEW at Linda's Computer Stop
http://personal-computer-tutor.com
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This section is brief this month because I was on vacation
and also, I've developed an addiction to The Sims Online
(an online game) and have been relaxing a little more than
usual ... hope you will forgive me :-)
If you want to see my review of The Sims Online, you can
check it out at Techtrax:
http://snurl.com/13xl
If any of you play TSOL, please come to Alphaville and look
up Linda the Geek. I'd love to meet you there.
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This term's online classes at Eclectic Academy are coming
to an end this week. But, the next term starts on Sunday,
May 4th. I'd love to have you join me there. Here's the
info on what I teach:
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/services.htm
Also, don't forget that Eclectic Academy offers classes on
many different programs and techniques. As a matter of
fact, some of the EA staff have put together forums on
their areas of expertise that you might want to check
out here:
http://www.pixelparity.org/
And Eclectic Academy itself is located here:
http://www.eclecticacademy.com/
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I've also been really busy investigating software for review.
So far I've got two and Vic Ferri contributed a new one for
this issue:
The two I've reviewed so far are:
Spam Inspector
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/spami.htm
and Email Saver XE
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/emlsver.htm
And, of course, Vic's contribution is GoToMyPC, which we
tested together while I was on vacation :-)
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/gtmpc.htm
If any of you have a program of your own that you would
like me to review, contact me for more info. Also, if any
of you know of a program you feel I should look at, let me
know that too.
NOTE: I do not review freeware or shareware. That's Steve
Mills' job and he does it very well. For a complete list of
what he's reviewed so far, go here:
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc/authors.htm#steve
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I'm also still working on my newest set of ebooks for Office
XP, along with my video guides. Hopefully, I will have
them available sometime this summer, but it sure is a
LOT of work.
(Guess I need to stay away from the Sims ... LOL)
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I'm also working on some changes for ABC. Since my Fleet
of writers seem to be running out of ideas in their areas
of interest, I'm thinking of making the format a bit more
freeform. I'm just gonna let them write about whatever
floats their boats. Also, PLEASE, if any of you want to
write about anything computer related, just drop me a
line. I'd love to add some new contributors.
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Of course, I've also added some new links to my favorite
links page, so go there and check out the revolving Ns:
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/internet.htm
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Well...that's about it for this month. Please come back
to my site often to see what else I've added and drop
me a line if you have any suggestions.
Linda
linda@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Linda Johnson is a college instructor of all of the
Microsoft Office Programs, as well as Adobe PhotoShop
and Windows. She also teaches online distance learning
classes in Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher, and
Word at Eclectic Academy.
http://www.eclecticacademy.com
She has worked helpdesk and teaches and lectures at
Many local businesses and tech schools in her area.
Support this newsletter by checking out Linda's website
http://www.personal-computer-tutor.com
and her ebook series, MS Word MAGIC!
Part I: Fonts, Fun & Formats
http://snurl.com/6sk
Part II: Table Wizardry
http://snurl.com/6sl
AND, How To Get Started As a Software Trainer:
http://snurl.com/6sd
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AND DON'T MISS LINDA'S NEWEST EBOOK SERIES:
If you have been interested in taking any of Linda's
Online Classes but don't want to wait six weeks to
complete all the lessons or don't have the desire to be
part of an online classroom, why not
SKIP THE CLASS & BUY THE BOOK INSTEAD?
Check out the eBook .exe versions of all of Linda's
classes here:
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/library.htm
Only $15 each!! Where else can you master a software
Program for that price?
Separate eBook tutorials on Access, Excel, Outlook,
PowerPoint, Publisher, and Word. Terrific value!!
OR BUY THEM ALL ON ONE CD Only $45.00!!
Order online or by regular mail
Details here:
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/cdtutorial.htm
Download the free Sample Version at CNET:
http://snurl.com/6sc
And PLEASE rate it there for me? Thanks!!
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**************STATION BREAK*****************
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DREAM JOBS TO GO
Check out OVER 80 INSTANT GUIDES to your DREAM JOB or
LIFESTYLE, by real world been-there, done-that authors.
Click here to get YOUR REAL LIFE moving NOW:
http://snurl.com/6sd
Including Linda Johnson's
"How to Get Started as a Software Trainer"
AND LOTS MORE!
********************
SPECIAL DEAL THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE,
AND PROBABLY WILL NOT BE REPEATED . . .
==================================
Buy 2, Get 3 Free
Buy any two Dream Jobs (or Lifestyles) To Go ebook from our list
of over 80 titles, and we will give you THREE (3) titles with our
compliments. Here's how it works:
STEP 1. The deal ends Friday, 5:00PM EDST, the 25th of April 2003.
STEP 2. Purchase any two books. Just two from our catalog of
over 80 titles will do!
STEP 3. Once you have received your books, send an email to
offer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and specify which three books you'd like
free. Write the book titles in the body of your email.
STEP 4. Our move. We'll mail you those books by return email.
Eazy-peezy.
OR
Okay, we're feeling frisky. Buy any three books and we'll give
you seven (7) freebies of your choice. Yup, that's right . . .
buy 3, get 7 for zilch!
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(4.) SUBSCRIBERS' EXCLUSIVE TIP OF THE MONTH:
Prevent Text Selection on Your Web Page
Are you getting as tired as I am of people copying tips
from your website and posting them in email groups or
in their newsletters without giving you credit? Or, are
you just tired of people copying any text from your
website and using it for their own needs without crediting
you? Well, here's a cool tip Vic Ferri taught me to
disable the ability to select text on a page.
And it's really simple.
Just replace your opening <BODY> tag with this line:
<BODY onselectstart="return false">
Then check out your page. You will see that you can't
drag across the text to highlight it. You can't even go to
the browser's Edit menu and choose Select All. Actually,
you can't even click your mouse in the page to get an
insertion point established. This is soooo cool!!
Here's a sample:
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/no.htm
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Also, reader G. K. Nevil replied to my tip last month
concerning my problems with my Lexmark Printer and
Windows XP. He offers some additional information
if you have problems. Thanks, G. K.!
"I thought I would maybe send you a little tip on the
Lexmark X-63 you may not know about, which I used
(and is a factory approved option, although not well
known), to fix more than one of the problems I
encountered with XP migration. To clear the machines
memory, and resets, just press and hold the "stop/clear"
button with one hand, then unplug the power for 15 to
20 seconds, plug back in (still holding down the
"stop/clear" button), then when it comes back online to
normal mode in the face window, release the button. If
done correctly you should see a "clearing printer memory"
or similar notice in the window. I would also suggest
making sure your computer is off, or at least unplug the
USB until done. So far this has fixed the X-63 problems
when 1.) the scanner acts like it's scanning, but the
output (even though file has actual size to it) is nothing
but white & blank and 2.) Sometimes the X-63 control
panel would freeze up or lose options/buttons, etc.
There are others too long to get into here, but suffice
it to say, if you think you have tried everything to fix an
annoying problem with it, it just might need a total
memory reset. Until I tried this trick, I tried everything
I and others could think of (except about it being a
memory issue, go figure .. lol), to no avail. But this DID
work but settings have to be set back to defaults
afterwards, then set prefs back again."
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If you want to see over 100 tips, tricks, methods, shortcuts
and more work right on your computer, check out the Video
Tutorials at http://showmewindows.com/indexlj.htm
Get your free sample video while you're there, and see if
this method of discovery doesn't rock your computing world.
Tom Glander is the creator of Show Me Windows for Windows
98 computers. He specializes in making information easy to
understand, writing and speaking primarily to those with little
computing experience.
SHOW ME WINDOWS
http://showmewindows.com/indexlj.htm
Imagine having a trusted friend sit down with you, guide
your hand, telling you where to click and showing you each
step to get the results you want.
There's No Easier Way To Gain Control Over Your PC
And Master Every Aspect Of Its Operation. Guaranteed!
Want proof that what I'm saying is true and totally honest?
Of course you do.
The best way is to Download my FREE sample video and
See for yourself.
Tom Glander
Show Me Windows
http://showmewindows.com/indexlj.htm
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(5.) LINDA'S OFFICE TIPS
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EXCEL/VBA SHORTCUTS YOU MAY NOT KNOW
You may already have seen my Office Keyboard Shortcuts
pages. If not, go here and check them out.
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/officeshortcuts.htm
But, now, along with these, I've found some additional
shortcuts for Excel and VBA, from Ozgrid.
Hope you like them.
~~ reprinted from Ozgrid's Excel Newsletter.
For more great Excel and VBA info, subscribe here:
http://www.ozgrid.com/ ~~
<> When copying and pasting formulas from email or
Web pages into Excel, copy the formula (Ctrl+C), select
a cell then click within the formula bar (or push F2) then
paste (Ctrl+V)
<> To get help on a specific formula push F1 and type the
formula name then push Enter.
<> To get a reminder of a functions syntax, type = then
the functions name, then push Ctrl+Shift+A
<> To default the Paste function (formula wizard) to a
specific function type = then the functions name, then
push Ctrl+A
<> To copy and paste any VBA code, open the Visual
Basic Editor (Alt+F11), go to Insert>Module and paste
in the code.
<> To run any code after copying and pasting it in, place
your mouse insertion point anywhere within the code and
go to Run>Run Sub/UserForm, or push F5
<> To easily access the Private module of the
"ThisWorkbook" Object, while in Excel, right click on the
Excel icon (top left next to File) and select "View Code".
<> To easily access the Private module of a Worksheet
Object, while in Excel, right click on the Worksheet name
tab and select "View Code".
<> If the VBA code is a Custom Function (i.e. begins with
the word Function) after you have pasted the code into a
Module, switch back to Excel (Alt+F11), go to
Insert>Function ... or push Shift+F3, scroll down to User
Defined (under Function category:) then select the
Function name from within the Function name: box.
<> To assign a shortcut key to any Macro go to Tools>
Macro>Macros..., or push Alt+F8 then select the Macro
name and click Options.
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(6.) Cap'n Patt's
GEEKSPEAK TRANSLATOR
Visit the Cap'n's Official GeekSpeak Database at
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc/gs.htm
If the word you need defined is not there, or the
definition is not clear, too geeky, or just plain confusing
to you, email the Cap'n. He would love to hear from
you at CapnPatt@xxxxxxx
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Are you into Video Computing?
VIDEOMAKER is the world's most popular monthly
consumer video production publication and covers the
use of digital video editing, camcorders, cameras, and
desktop video and audio production for novice and
expert enthusiasts alike. Its articles teach production
techniques, survey and review the latest equipment,
and explain the newest technological advances.
Published monthly, and is available on select newsstands
and to subscribers. In addition, you receive a password
giving you full access to Club VId, Videomaker's vast
online resource of information about making video.
And the best part is, it's CHEAP! Only $14.97 for 13 issues!
http://snurl.com/6t1
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*****THIS MONTH'S FEATURE*****
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(7.) TINA'S FRONTPAGE NEWS
~~Tina Clarke, AccessFP - FrontPage Resource Centre
ALL ABOUT PUBLISHING WITH FRONTPAGE 2002
Part 1, Doing Your Homework First
You have crafted your first site and you're ready to
publish it to the big wide world ... but are you? It?s best
to do some preparation before you take that next step.
First prepare your site for search engine optimisation.
This was covered in the article, ?Optimizing Your
FrontPage Site for Search Engines?
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc2/v16/tina16.htm
MAKING A CHECKLIST
Let?s make a checklist. This will be handy for future
publishing and help keep everything in tiptop shape.
<> Check for broken hyperlinks
<> Review the status of your files in Reports view
<> Verify that the pages look the way you want them to
<> Preview the web site in a Web browser and navigate
through the site
<> Recalculate hyperlinks
I have covered how to accomplish these items in much
greater detail in the article ?Site Cleanup? at:
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc1/v7/tina7.htm
The last item is something you SHOULD do before every
publish. Simply go to ?Tools? on the FrontPage menu bar
and press ?Recalculate Hyperlinks?.
NOTE: Make sure you have all pages closed.
The following message may appear:
***
The Recalculate Hyperlinks command does the following:
- Repairs all hyperlinks in your web
- Updates information for all FrontPage-based
components, including shared borders and link bar
- Synchronizes web data, database information,
and categories
This process may take several minutes. Do you wish to
continue?
***
Press ?Yes? and the web will update hyperlinks and text
indices and note this in the FrontPage status bar.
MAKING A BACKUP
Now that your web is prepared, we have one more step,
which is making a backup, this can be done in a variety of
ways. I covered how to accomplish this in an article
named ?Backing Up FrontPage Webs?
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc2/v10/tina10.htm
Your website is now prepared and backed up ... are we
ready to publish yet? Not quite. First you need to establish
your requirements and obtain a domain name and hosting.
If you just want to practice or don?t have the money yet for
that (though it can be quite cheap) the best thing to use is
a free host. For a listing of FREE Hosts/ISPs that maintain
FrontPage Server Extensions see:
http://accessfp.net/freefp.htm
OBTAINING YOUR DOMAIN NAME
First, you should never buy your domain name from your
host or accept a ?Free? domain name from them. If your
hosting experience turns out to be a nightmare despite all
your preparation, you want to be able to point your name
servers at your new host and not have to fight to free your
domain from the clutches of your host. Or, in the case of
being given a free one, look at their terms of acceptance:
if you decide to move hosts, is the domain even yours?
Do you then have to shell out money for the domain at
THEIR prices?
The best thing to do is to buy your domain from a domain
seller, such as http://namecheap.com Their price for .com
TLDs etc is $8.88 a year. The support is good and when
I asked around I could not find anyone that had had a
problem with them. If you live in the UK I can personally
recommend http://123-reg.co.uk for .co.uk domains as
being the cheapest and the support is 100% spot on.
When choosing the name for your domain it?s best to try
and insert your main keyword that reoccurs in your content
(usually the subject your site is about). Use Nameboy. It
will generate domain names based on the keywords you
enter. http://www.nameboy.com/
When I chose my own domain name you were not allowed
to use frontpage in the domain name and the .com was
gone because I waited to obtain it, even though I had
been using the name for more than a year on a free host.
.com is the most popular TLD and you're best getting a
.com if you can. If not, get a .net.
If you know the name you want, buy it immediately even
if you're not ready to launch your site. I now like the fact
that my domain name is a .net though and AccessFP.net
is a name that is familiar now on most main FrontPage
resource sites and I would not want to change the name.
Also because it starts with a ?A? it usually comes at the
top of most A-Z listings like the one at Microsoft.
http://microsoft.com/frontpage/community/related.htm
I thought the name up because I had read somewhere
about this and it?s paid off quite a bit for those kind of
listings. Try to avoid hyphens and abbreviations which
make a domain name difficult to remember and keep it
as short as you can.
DOMAIN SHOPPING LIST
<> Insert your main keyword into the name if possible.
<> If possible start the name with an ?A?.
<> Try to obtain a .com if possible.
<> Avoid using hyphens and abbreviations. Domains
cannot end or begin with a hyphen and only letters/
numbers/hyphens should be used.
<> Short is sweet when it comes to a domain name,
as your visitors will have to remember it and type it.
The minimum length allowed is three characters.
DOMAIN NAMES THAT WILL NOT WORK
under conventional circumstances:
www.access.fp.com
- You cannot use periods inside a "www" domain name.
www.-accessfp-.com
- You cannot begin or end a domain name with a hyphen.
www.tina'swebsite.com
- This will not work because it contains an apostrophe
--an invalid character.
www.access fp.com
- Spaces are not allowed in domain names.
www.frontpage$$$.com
- "$" is an invalid character.
www.tiña.com
- Extended ASCII is not supported for domain registration.
Characters must be chosen from the English alphabet.
Make sure you register the domain in your name and
that you ask for a reminder to be sent when the renewal
date arrives, but make a note on your calendar too,
since you don?t want to lose your domain after all your
hard work.
NOTE: .co.uk domains are by law required to be sold for
a minimum of two years.
ESTABLISHING YOUR REQUIREMENTS
How have you developed your web? Do you require
server-side scripting languages such as:
PHP - http://www.php.net/
ASP - http://snurl.com/15dq
PERL - http://www.perl.com/
JSP - http://java.sun.com/products/jsp/
PYTHON - http://www.python.org/
TCL - http://www.neosoft.com/tcl/
Determining which environment best suits your needs
can be bewildering and Webmonkey comes to the rescue
with an excellent tutorial called ?Server-side scripting
shootout?.
http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/99/46/index1a.html
Have you made a database?
MS Access
http://www.microsoft.com/office/access/default.asp
SQL
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/
MySQL
http://www.mysql.com/
Learn just enough SQL, VBScript, ActiveX Data Objects
(ADO), and ASP stuff to scrape by and take a crash
course with Webmonkey in their four easy lessons
entitled, 'Your First Database'
http://snurl.com/15dr
NOTE: To display database information in your web site,
your site must be hosted on a web server that supports
Active Server Pages (ASP) and ActiveX Data Objects (ADO).
Will you be requiring a Shopping Cart? Does the host have
one as part of the package even if you have to pay extra for
it and what needs does a third party shopping cart require?
Free
http://mals-e.com/ (free - $6 a month pro)
http://ltmod.com/amartdemo / (free)
Works directly with FrontPage
http://www.pdgsoft.com/products.htm
http://www.storefront.net/
http://www.addsoft.net/StoreBot/Default.asp
http://www.salescart.com/product.htm
http://www.richmediatech.com/justaddcommerce/index.asp
http://www.cartit.com/
Other Stores
http://www.smartwin.com.au/cybershop.htm
http://store.yahoo.com/
http://www.bcentral.com/products/cm/default.asp
http://www.netstores.com/
More Resources
http://www.kelieresources.com/ecommerce.htm
http://www.tamingthebeast.net/
http://www.codecharge.com/frontpage/
http://ecommerce.internet.com/
Merchant Accounts
http://www.electronic-payments.co.uk/index.jsp (UK)
http://www.merchant-accounts.com/
http://www.gotmerchant.com/
Do you have a merchant account and require a SSL
(Secure Sockets Layer) certificate?
SSL uses https in the URL and a little gold lock is present
in the web browser status bar to denote the page is secure.
The main Certificate Authorities are:
http://www.thawte.com/
and http://www.verisign.com/
Still, keep an eye out for spoofing. The Security Education
Centre has some good beginner guides on what to watch
out for. http://www.articsoft.com/security%20education.htm
Is this website going to be using the components that
require FrontPage Server Extensions?
For a list of components that require FrontPage Server
Extensions see:
http://snurl.com/15ds
When a web host says, "We support FrontPage?, remember
that you need FrontPage Server extension support also.
They should state "We support FrontPage Server Extensions".
If they don't, query it till they give you a written statement
that they do support them and ask them to state that on
their site. Go elsewhere if they don't know this basic fact,
because chances are that they don't know too much about
extensions either. When a host says "We support
FrontPage", they merely mean you can use FrontPage the
same as any other web editor with ftp capability. If you
want to use FrontPage with web bots then you need the
FrontPage Server Extensions.
Two other facts to keep in mind: Do they support subwebs
and what version of FrontPage Server Extensions do you
support? It's no good getting the latest FrontPage 2002
(Well the 2003 beta is out now but you know what I
mean) to use SharePoint only to find that you?re on a
host with FrontPage 2000 server extensions. Not every
host (most in fact) supplies the Server extensions for
SharePoint without you having to pay extra. Establish
they do in fact have this facility and how much extra it
will cost you.
SHOPPING FOR A HOST
You might think I would recommend hosting review sites
to check over what is good and bad, but in my opinion, a
better policy is to ask people you know for feedback on
their own hosts, or post to a web forum or email group.
These review sites are usually setup to provide themselves
with monetary gains and have no significance in the real
world. Word of mouth is your best bet. However, you can
still fall foul of hosting companies trying to offer you a
special deal when they see your post, so be sure to say
that you only want to hear from current or former customers
and that current customers should include the URL of a
website hosted with the company.
When you have built up a list of recommendations from
friends, family, lists and forums you frequent, visit the
host?s site?s to check out that what you have been told to
be sure the hosts do actually meet your own requirements.
THE ESSENTIAL CRITERIA
All hosts must meet these basic requirements, otherwise
they are not worth your time.
<> 30-day money-back satisfaction guarantee for both
the monthly fee and installation fee (if included) or 90-day
if quarterly paid. Terms by the month, not yearly, once
guarantee period ended.
<> Monthly or quarterly at the very least, payment
options. NOTE: NEVER sign up with a host that requires
you to pay for the entire year in advance.
<> Virtual hosting of an existing domain name.
NOTE: Don?t buy your domain from your host, see
Obtaining your domain name above for further details.
<> Free 24/7 reliable tech support, with telephone,
either Toll-free or Local.
<> Payment options should give the choice of cheque,
credit card, money order and Paypal.
NOTE: If you're paying a host in America but live in the
UK the cheapest option is Paypal as regards the exchange
rate charge, depending on your credit card or cheque
options with your bank.
<> POP3 E-Mail Accounts
<> Email Forwarding
<> Password Protection
What else should you look for in a host?
<> If the host has had their websites less than a year,
cross them off your list, you can do a whois lookup at
http://whois.net/ and check the date the record was
created.
<> Hardware considerations should be in the realm of
Pentium IIS, 400mhz or better on multiple T3 or OC3.
<> Speed comparisons (How fast the page loads) should
be done at the same time of day, one after the other,
remember to empty your cache first. What is their distance
to the Backbone?
<> How many customers do they serve and what is their
uptime percentage?
<> Make sure the host does not accept adult/hate/
racially abusive sites.
<> Reseller/affiliate program
Personal Choices
<> If you require FrontPage Server Extensions then you
must check they have the version you need.
<> Do you want a UNIX or Windows server?
**Windows servers support ASP/ActiveX/MS Access/
MS SQL/VBA/FrontPage Server Extensions
**Unix servers support Perl/PHP/MySQL/SSH/
<> How much bandwidth do you require? See this
excellent article on ?How To Reduce Web Hosting Bandwidth?
http://www.activepro.com/articles/0619.html
Unmetered bandwidth is best. I?ve had to move from one
host and pay a charge because I?d underestimated the
increase in visitors.
<> How much Disk space? ? You can calculate the size
of your web in Reports Summary View. It will give you the
total file size in kb (kilobytes). 20 pages are equal to
about 3mb (megabytes) so only pay for what you need,
usually the minimum amount is 10mb and this will be
more than enough in most cases.
<> Keep in mind the growth of the site. Will you require
more services? Can you upgrade if so? I need to upgrade
my hosting package for AccessFP but my host does not
cover what I want, I?ll have to look elsewhere. I knew
this when I obtained hosting with them, but I had to
move in a hurry because of the aforementioned bandwidth
problem. I had to move from that host because of
problems before that, if you want to read about my sorry
saga see
http://accessfp.net/accessfpjournal/ Issue 3.
Then start some searches on http://www.deja.com/
NOTE: Check on different arrangements of a host's name
for example. OneStopHosting, you should search on both
OneStopHosting and OneStop Hosting (as one word and
as two words) to give you a wider range of messages.
If you want the full Monty on choosing a web host this book
(available in electronic format) from Poor Richard?s Web Site:
http://topfloor.com/pr/website2/index.htm
entitled ?Geek-Free, Commonsense Advice On Building A
Low-Cost Web Site?, Second Edition, by Peter Kent is a
good resource. In the UK you can request books from your
local library. It may take a while if they don?t have it
available, but they will get it for you.
When you have narrowed your list still further it?s time to
write to your shortlist and test them on their response
time in getting back to you. Start at the beginning of the
business day and you should get a reply (not an
autoresponder) back within the hour. If the host is of
that breed called the part time hobbyist who resells to
make a little extra money, chances are they have left for
work and you won?t get a response till they come home ...
stir clear of this type. You want to be asking for your
personal requirements and mention those basic needs
above.
Now you have done all this hard work and you?ve narrowed
it down. If you can?t choose between them, go for the
cheaper price structure. Perhaps you think I should have
been discussing price first? Not really. If your website is
going to be your new online business you should be
prepared to pay for what you need. There are ceilings
though to what a host offers in general around the net
and, on the other hand, you don?t want to be paying an
exorbitant price unnecessarily. Good hosts realise this
and will maintain a good solid price and not try to
overcharge you.
If, despite all your hard work, things don?t work out,
you?re going to be ok because you did your homework.
You have a researched backup host at hand. You have
your domain hosted with your domain seller and it?s just
a matter of inserting the new name servers. Lastly, you
only paid for a month or a quarter at most and you have
a 30- or 90-day money back guarantee.
PUBLISHING A WEBSITE
If your Internet service provider (ISP) has the Microsoft
FrontPage Server Extensions or SharePoint Team Services
from Microsoft installed, you can publish to the Web
server using HTTP. Otherwise, you can use Microsoft
FrontPage to publish your web site to an FTP server.
NOTE: If you publish to a location on your local
computer, your web site will not have the full FrontPage
functionality unless your computer is a server that has
the server extensions or SharePoint Team Services
installed.
Choose one of the following:
<> Publish to a Web server (HTTP)
<> Publish to an FTP server
<> Publish to a location on your hard drive
Locations/addresses to publish to:
<> Your hard drive:
c:\my webs\new web
<> A network drive:
\\myserver\path\new web
<> A Web server on the Internet:
http://www.mydomainname.com
<> A Web server on your company's network:
http://webserver/myweb
NOTE: Check the welcome emails or FAQs at your new
host. They will have their own idea, of what the
homepage should be called, most commonly they
are either:
<> index.htm
<> index.html
<> default.htm
<> default.html
You must change your homepage file name to what the
host requires. Click on the homepage file in ?Folders View?
right click and choose ?rename?, type in the new file name
with the correct extension. FrontPage will produce a dialog
box that asks you if you are sure you want to rename
?index.html?, the homepage of your website because you
are renaming the home page for your web site. This could
cause broken links, broken link bars and errors when
publishing. Press Yes. It will then ask you: ?If you change
the file name extension, the file may become unusable
are you sure you want to change it?? Say yes again.
Next month, I will complete this series with Part 2,
I've Done My Homework, Can I Publish Now?
********************************************
Tina Clarke is the Webmaster of AccessFP - FrontPage
Resource Centre at http://accessfp.net and an editor of
"AnyFrontPage Bytes Ezine". Subscribe to the FrontPage
ezine and get FREE FrontPage E-Books upon joining.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AnyFrontPageBytes
<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>
^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-
**************STATION BREAK*****************
^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-
<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>
Do you want to know the latest on FrontPage? Do you
want Tips, news, articles, links and ebooks on
FrontPage? Well the AnyFrontPage Bytes Ezine is the
best place for your FrontPage and web crafting needs,
join up at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AnyFrontPageBytes
Are you looking for resources for FrontPage? Want to
know where all the best FP links are? The hosts, the lists,
the forums?
Use AccessFP - FrontPage Resources Centre as the
start site for your FrontPage Information facts.
http://accessfp.net
<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>
(8.) Special Review by Vic Ferri
INTERNET REMOTE ACCESS METHODS
~ GoToMyPC
*********************************************
EDITOR'S NOTE: The online version of this article
includes links to definitions of all terms. If you don't
know what something means, read the online version here:
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/gtmpc.htm
*********************************************
Recently Linda and I got a second chance to evaluate
GoToMyPc which is a service I promote that allows you
to access your computer from anywhere in the world where
there is an internet connection. In our case the
connection was between my computer here in Canada
and Linda's computer in the USA (my computer accessing
Linda's computer)
The first time we tested, it was with a dialup connection
accessing Linda's computer and we were greatly impressed
with what we were able to do even though the connecting
was rather slow. Cable improved the connection speed
but in no way could it be considered fast. But this applies
to all remote access programs?they can never give you
the PC speed you are accustomed to.. The convenience of
the service, however, makes up for the lack of speed.
It's great if you travel or are out of town on business and
need access to files on your computer back at the office
or at home. Even within your own city or town, it can be
useful - a common use is accessing your computer at
home from your work computer (or vice versa)
It should be noted that GoToMyPC is unlike any other
remote access system currently available. PC Magazine
calls this type of connectivity "revolutionary" and The
New York Times calls it "ingenious" since this is a
completely new way to remotely access your computer
from almost anywhere. It is different from conventional
remote access programs and VPN connections, not only
in method, but in ease of use. There is no need to have
any knowledge of networking to set up GoToMyPC.
Anyone, without any network experience, can set up a
GoToMyPc connection in just a few minutes. There is no
need to mess with port or network settings?in fact, you
don't even have to know your IP address - or install and
configure any hardware or software. And it also works with
firewalls. It's this user friendliness that makes GoToMyPc
so popular.
Setting Up GoToMyPc
Setup is easy and takes only minutes. First you register
which requires a credit card but is free for the first 60
minutes or 15 days.
You can cancel anytime before that and will not be
charged at all. This gives you a chance to test it for
yourself free of charge which you should do in order to
see how it works for you without cost (do not skip the
free trial and opt for the full plan immediately) You then
download a small setup program, which installs
automatically in seconds, and select a user name and
password. You will be given an access code and that's
about it! You are now ready to use it.
To access your computer from another computer anywhere
in the world, just log in to the site, enter your password
and access code, and select your PC which you will see
listed. This will initiate the connection. Within a minute
or so you will be fully connected and the desktop of your
home PC will appear in the viewer Window. You can now
access your computer as needed.
When Linda and I first tried this, we were both impressed -
it was my monitor, but we were looking at her desktop. We
could open and view files on her computer, check her email,
open programs, and anything else. We could even copy
files from her computer and paste them into mine. In
effect, we were sitting in front of her computer in the USA
with complete control of her system. She could work on
her computer from here and show me files and images,
just as if she had brought her actual computer to Canada.
The process went much smoother with a cable connection
but as I stated earlier it cannot be described as fast. It
would usually take a few seconds wait before a file or folder
would open.
Secure Connections
According to PC Magazine who tested it as well...
"All remote connections pass through secure communication
servers, which facilitate the communications using standard
TCP connections and eliminate the need to know host IP
addresses or use nonstandard ports. This makes
GoToMyPC firewall friendly. On our tests, we never had to
touch router or port configurations. GoToMyPC handles
security using end-to-end 128-bit encryption, along with
multiple challenge/response password authentication."
GoToMyPC is simple, flexible and has received rave reviews.
Most recently (April 1, 2003) it was reviewed by Laptop
magazine who gave it an Editors Choice rating
(see reprint at
http://www.angelfire.com/on3/vxdoin2/gotmypcLaptop.htm )
Complete setup took us less than 5 minutes with no
configuring necessary. This technology is truly a novel way
to gain remote access of your PC from anywhere in the world.
As far as I know, there is no other remote access system
like it. It's my pleasure to promote something in which I
truly believe, like this service, with others. I know if you
try it, you will have as much fun with it as Linda and I did.
http://www.angelfire.com/on3/vxdoin2/gotomypc.html
<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>
(9.) STEVE'S RAVIN' REVIEWS
~~ Steve Mills
What a whirlwind. The wife and I just got back from
Dallas where we attended the wedding of our youngest
son. He was the first to get married and it looks like
they are an excellent match.
It makes a father proud to stand in front of a large group
and hear a young man say "Dad, remember how you felt
about your father? That's exactly how I feel about you.
I love you Dad." He's a fine young man and I just hope
I've given him the proper mix of compassion and trust,
while watching out for the evil doers - the MBAs, CPAs,
CEOs etc. that are destroying us more surely than Bin
Laden's planes.
Sorry, didn't aim to get on that, but my unemployment
and unsuccessful job search have left me more bitter than
I thought possible. Sometimes you feel that only the bad
guys win. I know I do.
Anyway, enjoy the selection this month. Pretty good batch.
Your suggestions are welcome and encouraged.
Take Care?..
Steve
steve@xxxxxxxx
***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>
THIS MONTH'S REVIEWS
<>Weather Watcher - 5 geezers
<>iCarbon - 3 geezers
<>SpyBot Search & Destroy - 5 geezers
<>NewsDesk - 4 geezers
<screen captures of the software interfaces online>
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v23/steve23.htm
***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>
Weather Watcher
Version: 5.0.22f
Author: Mike Singer
Web Site: www.singerscreations.com
Freeware
Rating: 5 Geezers
In a previous column, I mentioned my growing displeasure
with Weatherbug and its march toward commercialism
and nag/spy-ware. One of our readers brought this fine
program to our attention and I thank him.
While not as feature rich as Weatherbug, it is more than
adequate for my needs and probably yours. It sits quietly
in the system tray and is ready with weather conditions
and forecasts for your city with a quick clip. No ads, no
nags, just doing what it is supposed to do. I've yet to
find a glitch.
I've given it 5 Geezers, as I think it will get better with
additional features. It has become my weather program
of choice. Get it!
***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>
iCarbon
Version: 2.1.3
Author: Frederik Schaller
Web Site: www.idev.ch
Freeware
Rating: 3 Geezers
The first thing I read when I get PCWorld is Steve Bass's
column. I've been a fan since he gave one of my programs
a good review MANY moons ago. I have always found his
choice of software well considered and practical. Obviously,
he's someone that uses the stuff. Steve recommended this
program and I gave it a try.
I've been somewhat unhappy with every program that
attempts to turn a scanner into a copier. It probably makes
sense to get one of those all in one machines since they
are so cheap now, but I'm tight on space and money (see
opening remarks for why). This one isn't bad and I've found
that different programs perform differently on varying
combinations of computer / OS / Scanner / Printer. The
author, also, seems to be actively improving the program,
so even if it doesn't do what you need today, it may RSN
(real soon now). I particularly like the ability to save a
configuration and recall it with a simple click, since most
of my copying is in black and white, but once in a while I
need one in color.
iCarbon offers these features:
<> Clean user interface
<> Easy to use
<> Fast
<> Copy in Black/White, Gray scale and Color
<> Choose your scan quality
<> Set up the contrast for each copy
<> Store different copier settings
<> Activate invert printing for black and white images
if you have printing problems
<> Last setting will be saved and loaded at the next
application start
***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>
SpyBot Search & Destroy
Version: 1.2
Author: Patrick M. Kolla
Web Site: http://security.kolla.de
Freeware
Rating: 5 Geezers
Fearless leader pointed out that I had expressed a
preference for Spybot Search and Destroy to remove
spyware, but never gave it a full review. Yesterday, I
was infected with Xupiter. This thing is as close to
getting maggots in your system as any program could
possibly be. Out came S & D and in a half an hour and
one reboot it was eradicated. I resent these marketing
types from invading my privacy and stealing my time, but,
at least, I recovered.
S & D keeps a backup of the crap it removes. Other
programs, such as Ad-Aware, see the stuff and flag it as
spyware. S&D warns you about this at startup. It's not a
problem - similar to a false positive from your virus
detection program. Spyware steals your system resources
and opens you to SPAM, pop-ups and other privacy invading
garbage. Get rid if it!!
I still recommend running more than one program.
Personally, I use this and Ad-Aware.
The feature list is huge. Both the Easy mode and Advanced
mode are available in the single free version. It's just a
way to keep the interface from being too confusing for
new users:
(see the online version of this review to see which features
are available in which mode)
Features:
Removal of adware and spyware
Removal of dialers
Removal of keyloggers
Removal of trojans and other baddies
Removal of usage tracks
User-extendable database
Save removal of threats by shredding them
Backups of every removed problem
Exclude option to ignore specific problems
Permanent blocking of threatening ActiveX downloads
Permanent blocking of known tracking cookies for IE
Permanent blocking of threatening downloads in IE
Command line parameters to automate tasks
Detailed information about problems found
Strict criteria to define targets
Integrated update function
Weekly updates
Free email & forum support
Settings to automate scan, removal and update
System reports to locate even unknown threats
Skins to adjust interface to the users liking
***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>
NewsDesk
Version: 1.0
Author: David Peckham
Web Site: http://www.wildgrape.net
Freeware
Rating: 4 Geezers
NewsDesk is a reader for RSS news feeds. Something
that I believe will become increasingly important over the
next couple of years.
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site
Summary (depending on who you're talking to). Either
way it's an XML standard for syndicating content via the
Internet. Content is offered in XML so that programs
other than web browsers can import and format it.
NewsDesk is the first reliable reader for Windows that
I've found to capture these feeds for easy reading. You
choose the sites or blogs you want to regularly read and
the headlines, in most cases, are regularly downloaded.
You can then choose to read the full article if you wish.
Some feeds, like mine, offer both the headline and full
feed. The one pictured below is my headline feed within
the NewsDesk interface.
You'll find documentation lame in this whole area, as
we are at the beginning.
Something for the adventurous.
NewsDesk offers:
<> Get the latest headlines from around the web,
delivered automatically to your desktop
<> Read web pages without leaving NewsDesk Search
for headlines using lightning-fast keyword and age filters
<> Browse headlines immediately using our NewsMenu
system tray icon
<> Hide headlines you've read
<> Send headlines using email
<> Drag and Drop RSS links from any web browser
<>Automatically subscribe to channels when you use
the "Subscribe to this feed" link found on many web pages
***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>***<>
Final Thought:
The trouble with most self-made men
is that they worship their creator.
**********************************************
Steve Mills has been reviewing software in different capacities
for many years. He has recently left his job with a search
engine consulting firm and is looking for a new adventure.
<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>
^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-
**************STATION BREAK*****************
^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-.,.-^-
<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>
LOCK&HIDE
from Vic Ferri
High level desktop folder security for
Windows 95/98/Me
Keep your personal and most valuable files locked
and hidden from prying eyes, viruses, and other users
of your computer. Easy to use and extremely secure.
Lock&Hide is an extremely easy to use program that
allows you to lock and hide any folder on your desktop.
Folders secured with Lock&Hide cannot be seen, found,
or accessed. Your folders remain totally invisible and
highly secured, yet can be accessed quckly and easily
at any time!
More Info here:
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/lh/lockhide.htm
Screenshots and instructions here:
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/lh/scrnshots.htm
Or download the free demo here
(the demo does not include the "Restore All" feature
or the password protection utility.)
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/lh/demoinf.htm
<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>
(10.) VIC'S REGISTRY ROUNDUP & DOS DEN
~~ Vic Ferri, WinTips&Tricks
ADDING SAFE MODE TO YOUR WINDOWS XP BOOT MENU
*********************************************
Editor's Note: To see Vic's previous article on adding XP's
Recovery Console to your boot menu, go here:
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc3/v22/vic22.htm
*********************************************
Normally, you need to press F8 at boot up to get into Safe
Mode in XP. If you find yourself using Safe Mode a lot or
just like the idea of having the choice to enter Safe Mode
in front of you at every startup, you can add the Safe Mode
option to your boot menu. This way you will never have to
repeatedly tap the F8 key again to gain access to it.
The procdure is very simple - you don't need to be a geek
to do this one. It's just a matter of adding a line to your
boot.ini file which you will find in your root drive - ie:
C:\ - or you can access it by right clicking My Computer,
going to Properties , clicking the Advanced tab and then
the Settings tab. Under the Startup and Recovery section,
click the Edit button which will open up your boot.ini in
Notepad. Examine it and you will see your Windows XP
system listed there - it will look something like this:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
Select and copy the entire line and paste it as a new
separate line under it, so you have two lines the same, ie:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
Now edit, the line you pasted by changing the words
"Microsoft Windows XP Professional" to something like
"XP Safe Mode"
(the words can actually be anything you want - this will
be the text you see on your boot menu)
Next add this line to the END of the line you pasted:
/safeboot:minimal /sos /bootlog
Save your changes and that's it. The two lines, using the
above the example, should now look like this:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft
Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="XP Safe
Mode" /fastdetect /safeboot:minimal /sos /bootlog
Tip - to make sure you didn't make any errors:
1. Click Start>Run and type MSCONFIG
2. Click the Boot.ini tab.
3. Click Scan
If there's an error, you will be told, and you should then
go over the steps to try to identify where you erred.
*********************************************
Another Editor's Note: to see Vic's tip on adding a
shortcut to Safe Mode in Windows 9X, read this:
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc2/v14/newabc14.htm#tip
********************************************
Vic Ferri owns the very popular WinTips and Tricks
email group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WinTips-Tricks
He is also in charge of the Printing Tips page at
Linda's Computer Stop.
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/printing.htm
and also the Registry Tips page.
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc1/v4/vic4.htm
Vic has also created a program which allows you to
Lock & Hide desktop folders in Windows 9X/ME.
Read more and get the free demo here.
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/lh/lockhide.htm
And, he now offers a service to convert PowerPoint
presentations to .exe files which can be viewed on
computers which do not have PowerPoint installed.
http://www.angelfire.com/va3/vic3/index.html
Also, check out his Expert-Guides on Video topics:
http://www.angelfire.com/va3/expert_guides/
<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>
(11.) KATHY'S PRACTICAL POWERPOINT TIPS
~~Kathryn Jacobs, PowerPointAnswers
POWERPOINT HELP ON-LINE AND OFF
Looking for answers to your PowerPoint questions?
Here are ten places to start looking.
1. The PowerPoint Newsgroup
This on-line group can be accessed through your local
news reader, or through the web interface on Google
Groups. It is a great place for getting answers to all
things PowerPoint. The experts there will do their best
to provide answers in a timely manner, with humor and
food conversations on the side. Traffic on the group tends
to be about 100-200 posts a day, but don't let that scare
you off. Just read the ones that are of interest to you and
leave the rest for future reference.
2. The PowerPoint FAQ
~ http://www.pptfaq.com
Part of Steve Rindsberg's great PowerPoint site, this set
of pages contains the compiled PowerPoint wisdom of the
newsgroup through the years. If questions come up multiple
times, Steve adds the question and answers to the page.
Start with the "Don't use PowerPoint for anything serious
until you've done this" section, then use the rest as a
searchable resource.
3. Microsoft's Knowledge Base
~ http://tinyurl.com/v1r
Official stands on problems that have been reported and
resolved. Contains information, answers, patches, and
clarifications on a wide variety of PowerPoint issues.
4. Microsoft's PowerPoint page
~ http://www.microsoft.com/office/powerpoint/default.asp
The official site. Location of many new templates, ideas
and training.
5. MSO - Linda's great Microsoft Office Help list
~ //www.freelists.org/webpage/mso
You probably already belong to this one. This is Linda's
excellent question and answer group for all questions and
issues related to Office. Hosted by Freelist.org, this list is
a wonderful resource for both the new and experienced user
6. PowerPoint Yahoo Group
~ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/powerpoint
Yahoo group dedicated to answering PowerPoint questions
of all kinds. Not as active as either the MSO list or the
newsgroup, but quite the resource, nonetheless. (Do not
confuse this with the MicrosoftPowerPoint Yahoo group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/microsoftpowerpoint
The microsoftpowerpoint group is virtually dead, and
generates quite a bit of spam.
7. Keen.com
~ http://www.keen.com
Immediate advice available by phone or email. Yes, I
will admit that I am one of the experts, but there are
others as well. While you will pay for the calls, the
advice is generally very good (if I do say so myself), and
the prices are very reasonable.
8. The PowerPoint Search Association
A group of the best websites about PowerPoint available
today on the web. The ten sites on here are run by ten
of the most active newsgroup contributors. Check out
the page on the FAQ, or the search box on the top of
every page of
http://www.PowerPointAnswers.com
9. The help button within PowerPoint
Why do I put this one so far down on the list? Because
while the help in PowerPoint has gotten steadily better
with each version of the tool, it still leaves much to be
desired. There are tips and techniques, answers to
questions, and misc. information in the help pages.
However, you will most likely end up using one of the
other resources on this list to help you understand some
of what the help is saying.
10. Just the Tips, by Nerdy Books
A daily Office tip available by email, from their site
http://www.nerdybooks.com
on my site
http://www.PowerPointAnswers.com
or on several other sites across the web
(Note from Editor: including my site:
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/nerdytip.htm )
At least one of each week's tips are on PowerPoint.
Check them out as you get time.
And there you have it ? 10 great places to go for
PowerPoint help!
**********************************************
Kathryn Jacobs, BrainBench MVP, MS PowerPoint
Get PowerPoint answers at
http://www.powerpointanswers.com
Cook anything outdoors with
http://www.outdoorcook.com
Hardware, software, and history:
http://www.oldcpu.com
Kathy is a trainer, writer, Girl Scout, parent, and whatever
else there is time for.
I believe life is meant to be lived. But, if we live without
making a difference, it makes no difference that we lived.
<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>
(12.) MIKE'S SAFETY BELT
~~ Mike Baynes, MikesWhatsNews
HOW GOOD IS FREE?
One of the most frequently asked questions is,
"How good are the free security programs".
Internet Security is made up of a combination of 3
components.
<> A secure Email program
<> A recently updated Anti-Virus program
<> A Firewall correctly configured.
EMAIL
Microsoft Windows ships with an Email program called
Outlook Express. It is a reasonably good program,
provided you keep it updated, as it is constantly being
attacked by virus and hackers. I recommend you use
plain text and do not open attachments unless you have
been notified ahead of time by the sender. I have used
Calypso free email program for the past 2 years and
recommend it.
http://www.rosecitysoftware.com/calypso/
I have also used the Email program which comes with
Mozilla, which has been bundled with the browser.
www.mozilla.org
Eudora is another Email program which has a free 'Lite'
version available for free;
http://www.eudora.com/download/
See my ABC article on Email Security and Attachments here;
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc2/v14/mike14.htm
ANTI-VIRUS
AVG is very popular and has frequent updates. I see
numerous good reports of its effectiveness on the
different help groups I subscribe to;
http://www.grisoft.com/html/us_index.htm
AntiVir Personal Edition is another good AV program
which has performed very well in the Hackfix.org
testing;
http://www.free-av.com/
ANIT-TROJAN
TrojanCheck - free for personal use;
http://www.wilders.org/downloads.htm
PestPatrol -evaluation version has no expiry date but
does not allow you to remove pests;
http://www.safersite.com/PestPatrol/PestPatrol.asp
AdAware6 will find and remove a lot of Trojan-like
programs and Spyware. It is my favorite Spyware
removal tool;
http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/
Spybot - Search & Destroy is a similar program to
AdAware and has been well received in the various
help groups;
http://spybot.eon.net.au/
See my ABC Spyware article here;
http://personal-computer-tutor.com/abc2/v18/mike18.htm
FIREWALLS
From my own personal experience I can vouch for the
Zone Alarm free firewall;
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/home.jsp
(Look on the right hand side for the text "Also Available.
ZoneAlarm® free download. Click here for details" ~ this
is a link.) I have used since it was first mentioned on
Steve Gibsons security page;
http://grc.com/default.htm
I have also read frequent good reports on Sygate
free firewall;
http://soho.sygate.com/default.htm
Outpost is another well reviewed firewall;
http://www.agnitum.com/download/outpostfree.html
For instructions on how to configure most popular
Anti-Virus and Firewall programs see the Hackfix
Configuration guides;
http://www.hackfix.org/software/configure/
No matter how many programs you have on your computer
none of them can work effectively if you do not have them
enabled and keep them updated.
**********************************************
Mike Baynes is the editor of MikesWhatsNews.
To subscribe, send a blank email to
mikeswhatsnews-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
"subscribe" in the subject line (without the quotes)
See Mike's Anti-Virus pages ~ http://virusinfo.hackfix.org
To subscribe, send a blank email to:
virusinfo-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with subscribe in the subject.
<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>
(13.) CHARLENE'S DRAWING BOARD
~~Charlene Russ, Corndancer Design Graphics
CREATING ARROWS IN FLASH
Drawing Phase
I recommend that you read and/or print out this entire
tutorial prior to animation.
LAYER 1:
Step 1) Open a new file in Flash and then click the line
tool.
Step 2) With the line tool selected, expand or open the
properties box. Select the width of your line. (i.e. 2.75
pixels)
Step 3) Begin drawing your arrow bar line segment on the
stage, and watch the timeline. (The empty circle on the
timeline will become opaque indicating that there is now
something in that keyframe.) Keep the line short for now.
Step 4) After you've drawn your line, right click on the
timeline about 5 key frames away from where you created
your first line. You should be right clicking on keyframe
#5. Select Add keyframe.
Step 5) Draw an extension onto the first line segment or
use the scale tool to expand the width or height,
depending upon which direction you've drawn your line.
Repeat Step 4 and 5 until your line is complete.
(Please note: This tutorial is geared toward 'shape'
tweening, so keep the distance between new keyframes
short, otherwise your line may become distorted.)
LAYER 2:
Step 1) Right click the layer portion of the timeline
and select 'add new layer'. (This new layer should
stack atop the previous layer.)
Step 2) The new layer should have an equal number of
keyframes as layer 1 for purposes of synchronization.
Right click on the time line and create a new keyframe
at the very end of layer 2. (The last keyframe on layer
2 should be directly parallel to layer 1.)
Step 3) With the layer 2 keyframe selected, draw your
arrow pointer using the line tool. This should be placed
at the very end of your line shape drawn in the
corresponding keyframe on Layer 1.
Step 4) Right click about 5 keyframes prior to the last
keyframe on Layer 2, and 'add a new keyframe'. Place a
small white dot using the paintbrush tool, in the same
area as your arrow pointer on the last keyframe of Layer 2.
(For this exercise I am assuming that your movie
background color is set to the default 'white'.)
Okay! The hard part is done, now you can add in your
shape tweens! For layer 1, shape tweens are added to
the first keyframe and continued throughout to the end
of the time line. For layer 2, you only need one shape
tween, which will be added to the keyframe where you
have placed your tiny white dot. Click the frame window
on the timeline, highlight the properties window and
open the tween drop down box. Change 'none' to 'shape'.
********************************************
Charlene Russ is an instructor with Eclectic Academy, and
is currently teaching Introduction to 3D Studio Max. She
teaches novice students the basics of 3D design and
modeling techniques. She is also an adjunct instructor
with a Florida community college in the Digital Arts dept.
To enroll in one of her on-line courses you need to access
the Eclectic Academy website at
http://www.eclecticacademy.com and click 'enter'.
Charlene's personal site is Corndancer Design Graphics,
which features a wide gamut of useful design related
information.
http://corndancer.hypermart.net/
<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>
(14.) JOINING FORUMS AND FORUM ETIQUETTE
~ by Frances McColl Stewart
When researching a problem, search engines frequently
will list forums as a resource. Take a good look at these
forums, not only for answers to your current, and possibly
future questions, but as networking opportunities. Where
else will we get to meet our peers on the ?net?
Joining a Forum is easy. Unless you have been a past
abuser of the Forum, it is simply a matter of registering
and signing-up.
Familiarize yourself with the forum before doing any
posting. Read the rules - and abide by them. Good
Manners are Good Business.
The major purpose of a forum is sharing knowledge. Do
not provide answers to posted questions privately
(by email to a poster). Do not reply by email to someone
who has given an answer that brings up other questions.
This denies the answer, and perhaps more importantly, the
development of the answer to other members. It can also
be rude to link to other forums in your answer or in your
signature as it confuses people as to where they have
posted their questions. The information is easily posted
to the forum, rather than directing others to a completely
different website to read one post.
Many forums have a range of emoticons or Avatars for
the use of their members. This eliminates the need for
capitalization to make a point. A message that is
delivered in capitals is considered "shouting" or "flaming"
on the internet and is considered rude.
While your post to the forum is available to the group as
a whole, you should generally use the name of the person
to whose comment you are responding for two reasons.
1) It makes a better impression. You are trying to
expand your network as well as perfect your skills.
2) It focuses you on the fact that there is a real person
on the other end of your message. Too often, we feel an
anonymity on the internet and respond in ways that we
would not respond person to person. If anything, we need
to be kinder on the Internet. It is fast paced. We tend to
forget that once it is written - it is always there.
Do not clog the forum with repetition, subjects that are
not pertinent, long personal anecdotes, or inappropriate
language.
Many forums call for critiques from members on a
particular project. This is a wonderful learning tool if
handled properly. Remember, this is a learning process.
If criticism is too harsh, someone may be dissuaded from
presenting his or her project for criticism. If criticism is
not honest, no one will learn. Both extremes defeat the
purpose of the forum.
If you are being critiqued: Do not take criticism personally.
Evaluate it and decide if you can use it. If you can't, then
put it totally out of your mind.
If you are critiquing, unless you can offer an improvement
or substitution that you feel would benefit the project,
do not comment. (Others will.) Never comment on a
subject outside of the forum. (example: if the forum
deals with website coding, do not comment on the
content or the graphics of a website.)
Do not, at any time, post something on a forum that
would be embarrassing or personal in nature.
?Give back? to your new community and practice making
it look easy.
Forums generally have a constant influx of "newbie"
participants. If you have done well in responding to a
particular problem - explained the answer clearly and
simply - keep the answer, it will be needed again. Better
yet, if your Forum has archives - keep a note of the
location of your answer and respond with a direction to
that archived material.
As it is difficult to know your internet audience in a
forum - and in the interest of appearing professional -
this is one place where humor is best avoided or 'gentled'.
Most of all, enjoy meeting new people on the net who
have the same interests that you do. After all, they will
love meeting you ? you are SO polite!! (Smile)
Below are some Typical Forum Rules and Guidelines
(from www.n-etiquette.com ):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Typical Forum Rules and Guidelines
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All Rules are open to different interpretations. The
moderators of a Forum should have the final decision as
to what constitutes an infringement of the rules as well
as the responsibility to remove, edit, move or close those
posts that they see as being harmful to a forum.
All members of a forum should have the right to contact
the moderators privately if there is a need to further
explain a position or a post.
ADVERTISING
The purpose of a Forum is a free and open exchange of
ideas. It is understood that there are times when the idea
itself requires that a product be mentioned, critiqued or
evaluated.
There are also times when the recommendation of a
product is the answer to a posted problem.
Blatant advertising on a Forum, however, is rude. Such
postings should be removed.
The definition of 'Blatant Advertising' is generally at the
discretion of the moderators of a Forum.
APPROPRIATE TOPICS
Cross-posting (i.e. post the same message in more than
one forum board) is rude. Choose the forum topic that is
closest to your post, and place it there only. If you should
create a post in one forum, and later realize it would be
more appropriate in another forum, please delete the
original before posting it again.
FLAMING & ABUSE
Please, no messages that harass, insult, belittle, or
threaten another member.
LANGUAGE
Offensive words and / or graphics should not be tolerated.
WRITING TO MODERATORS
Please do not write to moderators or admin with questions
by email - a forum is for the benefit of all who may have
the same or similar question. Questions and responses
should be posted on the forum for all to benefit from.
Special Notes:
Sig (signature) lines should be subject to all the rules
and guidelines that a post is - including links
**********************************************
Frances McColl Stewart is the Webmaster of
http://www.N-etiquette.com and
http://www.Dynamite-iT.com
and an editor of AnyFrontPage Bytes Ezine. Subscribe to the
ezine and get FREE FrontPage E-Books upon joining.
http://www.AnyFrontPage.com
<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>
(15.) EMAIL ETIQUETTE
~ by guest author, Martha Bagwell
Almost everyone with a computer uses email and why not?
It's a great way to communicate with co-workers, family
and friends. Since you already are paying for Internet
access, it saves you time and money too. Need to let
someone know about an upcoming event? Just send an
email. Want to send a friend in another country a photo
of the new baby? No problem, insert the photo into an
email and send. The photo arrives in less time than it
would take to make a trip to the post office.
Since email is so easy to use, folks soon start using email
to send all sorts of stuff. The next thing you know you
are getting a 'lot' (too many) of forwarded messages.
These messages can be jokes, inspirational, so called virus
warnings and 'send this to everyone you know'. The next
thing you know you are getting so much SPAM in your
inbox you hate to open it. At least half of the forwarded
messages have been forwarded so many times you have
to scroll through about six or seven forwards before you
get to the message. Each one of those forwards can have
as many as twenty or more email addresses listed and
sometimes more. Starting to get the picture? I don't want
someone to mine my email address from one of those
forwarded messages. I'm not saying this is the only way
spammers get your email address, but it sure could be
one way they get it.
One of my pet peeves about forwarded messages is all of
those >>>>. Sometimes there are so many of them it is
difficult to read the actual message. There is an easy way
to eliminate them if you must forward (or think you must).
Just cut & paste the message into Notepad. From the Edit
menu, click Select all. Next, click Replace in the Edit menu.
In the Find What: put >. In the Replace with: (Leave it
blank) and enter. All of the annoying >>>> are gone. If
this seems like too much trouble, you can also use free
programs like Email Stripper at
http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm or go to this
web site,
http://www.geocities.com/cj1alt/stripper.html & strip
out the offending >>>. While you are at it, delete all
of those forwarded email addresses. Then copy the
message & paste it into a brand new email. When you
forward it, use the BCC instead of To in the address
field and the recipient will get no one's email address
but yours.
Now what should you do about all that forwarding? Do
all your friends really want all this stuff? Have you asked
them? Some people don't have the time to read all of the
stuff they get in their inbox. As for me, I really don't want
to read about Microsoft sending out a virus alert and 'send
this to everyone you know'. The hoaxes arrive by the dozen.
I do enjoy a good joke, but I don't want to have to open
six or seven forwarded envelopes to get to it. I would
appreciate it if the sender would just copy & paste the joke
into a new email.
Before you send junk like this, it is polite to ask your
recipients if they want to receive it. If they don't respond
'Yes', don't send it! Chances are they have just been
deleting it from their inbox or have it filtered to the
Delete box.
DON'T SHOUT! When you receive a message all in capital
letters, do you feel affronted? I do. If it is very long, I
may not read it. There are other ways to get my attention.
Just tell me it is important and I will read it.
Group Email
Reading and posting to group email (Yahoo Groups,
FreeLists, etc.) guidelines
Please put in the subject line what the problem is,
not HELP!
When replying to a post make sure all details of the
problem are still there and the irrelevant stuff is removed.
There are a lot of folks wanting help, so please be patient.
Sometimes the person who can help you is not on line at
the time you post your question. Remember, this is FREE
help.
The people on the lists who will help you can't read your
mind, so include in your post your version of Windows
and any service patches you have installed. If you are
using a program that is causing the problem, include the
name and version of the program. What you were doing
at the time the problem occurred can be helpful too. A
detailed description of the problem will get an answer
much faster than a vague 'I can't read my email'.
Subscribing & unsubscribing to lists
Everyone that has belonged to a group list has seen this
at least once, 'Quit sending me all this email!'. Just
remember this, YOU signed up for it and YOU can
unsubscribe. There is usually information on how to
unsubscribe with the welcome message you received
when you joined the list. Keep those messages in a
special folder or file so when you decide you no longer
want to receive those emails you will know how to be
removed from the list.
It does take a little more time to practice good email
etiquette, but if you take that time, everyone who
receives your electronic missives will greatly appreciate
it.
**********************************************
Martha Bagwell is the Web Master for
http://www.keyboardpower.com
aka surfinmac or Mac
<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>=====<>
(16.) 2 TIPS FOR SEARCHING FOR EBAY BARGAINS
~ by Jason Webb, "How To Be an Ebay Star Buyer"
At any time on eBay there could be hundreds or even
thousands of buyers searching for the same item as you.
In order to get a bargain you have to think of ways to
find items that the buyers don't know about. Listed
below are just some of the ways to find that 'sleeper'.
1. Search for International Auctions
You don't just have to buy items from sellers in your
own country. Many sellers are prepared to ship
internationally so it's always good to look at international
auctions. You may find that items which are quite
expensive in your own country are actually available
pretty cheaply somewhere else in the World.
Just make sure that the seller is prepared to ship to
your country and that you can agree on suitable
international payment method before you bid. When
looking at the price you should also make an allowance
for the overseas shipping charge.
2. Capitalise on Spelling Mistakes
Quite often a seller will misspell a critical word in their
auction ad. This can work to your advantage as it means
that buyers searching with the correctly spelled word may
not find these ads.
I've seen examples when searching for boxing
memorabilia where 'Muhammad Ali' has been spelled
in numerous ways such as 'Mohammed', 'Muhamed' or
'Muhamad'.
Think of possible incorrect spellings of the item you're
looking for and do searches on those. You may be
pleasantly surprised to find an item that not many other
buyers know about.
Always be on the lookout for new ways of searching for
those elusive bargains. Sooner or later most buyers will
learn the same search methods as you so it's important
to come up with new ways to stay one step ahead of
the pack.
**********************************************
Jason Webb is a member of MENSA and an eBay buyer and seller
for several years. For the last 9 years he has been a director of
his own company in the United Kingdom, a company which he set
up when he was just 22 years of age. "How to be an eBay star
buyer" is one of many e-books written by Jason. It applies
businesslike principles and strategies to the process of buying on
eBay. "How to be an eBay star buyer" is a must-read for any
serious eBay buyer.
http://quickpaypro.com/x/qpp.cgi?adminid=2156&tid=4120
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(17.) SELECTING & EVALUATING KEYPHRASES
FOR SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING
~~ by Scott Buresh, Medium Blue Internet Marketing
Many businesses recognize that search engines can bring
volumes of highly targeted prospects to their website,
typically at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing.
Unfortunately, these same companies often overlook
the most important part of their search engine marketing
campaigns, which is keyphrase selection and evaluation.
Keyphrases (those phrases that potential customers are
using to find products or services on search engines)
are the building block of any search engine marketing
strategy. It is essential that they are chosen carefully,
or else the remainder of the campaign, no matter how
effective the implementation, will likely be in vain.
What follows is a three-step process that goes over
the process of compiling, selecting, and evaluating the
ongoing performance of keyphrases for search engines.
1. Compiling a keyphrase list:
Usually, companies are sure that they already know their
ideal keyphrases. Often, they are wrong. This is typically
because it is very hard to separate oneself from a
business and look at it from the perspective of a
potential customer (rather than an insider). Compiling a
keyphrase list should not be, despite common practice,
a strictly internal process. Rather, it is best to ask
everyone outside of your company for their input,
especially your customers. People are often very
surprised at the keyphrase suggestions they get- and
sometimes dismayed to realize that an average customer
doesn't speak the same language that they do. Only after
you have put together a list of likely phrases from external
sources do you add your own. As a last step, try to add
variations, plurals, and derivatives of the phrases on your
list.
2. Evaluating keyphrases:
Once you have compiled a master keyphrase list, it is
time to evaluate each phrase to hone your list down to
those most likely to bring you the highest amount of
quality traffic. Although many individuals will base their
assessment of keyphrase value based only on popularity
figures, there are really three vitally important aspects of
each phrase to consider.
Popularity
By far the easiest of the three to judge is popularity,
since it is not subjective. Software like WordTracker gives
popularity figures of search phrases based upon actual
search engine activity (it also gives additional keyphrase
suggestions and variations). Such software allows you to
assign a concrete popularity number to each phrase to use
when comparing them. Obviously, the higher the number,
the more traffic that can be expected (assuming you are
able to obtain good search engine positions). However,
this number alone is not good enough reason to pursue
any particular keyphrase, although too often keyphrase
analysis stops here.
Specificity
This is more abstract than the sheer popularity number,
but equally important. For example, let's assume that
you were able to obtain great rankings for the keyphrase
"insurance companies" (a daunting prospect). Let's also
assume that you only deal with auto insurance. Although
"insurance companies" might have a much higher
popularity figure than "auto insurance companies", the
first keyphrase would also be comprised of people looking
for life insurance, health insurance, and home insurance.
It is very likely that someone searching for a particular
type of insurance will refine their search after seeing the
disparate results returned from thephrase "insurance
companies". In the second, longer keyphrase, you can
be reasonably sure that a much higher percentage of
visitors will be looking for what you offer- and the
addition of the word "auto" will make it much easier
to attain higher rankings, since the longer term will
be less competitive.
Motivation of User
This factor, even more abstract than specificity, calls for
an attempt to understand the motivation of a search
engine user by simply analyzing his or her search phrase.
Assume, for example, that you were a real estate agent
in Atlanta. Two of the keyphrases you are evaluating are
"Atlanta real estate listings" and "Atlanta real estate
agents". Both phrases have very similar popularity
numbers. They are also each fairly specific, and your
services are very relevant to each. So which phrase is
better? If you look into the likely motivation of the user,
you will probably conclude that the second is superior.
While both phrases target people looking for real estate
in Atlanta, you can infer from the second phrase that the
searcher has moved beyond the point where they are
browsing local homes or checking out prices in their
neighborhood- they are looking for an agent, which
implies that they are ready to act. Often, subtle
distinctions between terms can make a large difference
on the quality of the traffic they attract.
3. Evaluating Keyphrase Performance:
Until recently, judging the performance of individual
keyphrases was a dicey proposition. Although it is
possible to tell from your log traffic analysis how many
visitors are getting to your site from each keyphrase
(valuable information, but unfortunately not enough to
do much with), it was very hard to decipher which phrases
were bringing you the most quality traffic. Recently,
however, some sophisticated but affordable tools have
been developed that allow you to judge the performance
of each individual keyphrase based upon visitor behavior.
This new software makes it possible to periodically
analyze which keyphrases are bringing your site the most
valuable visitors- those who buy your products, fill out
your contact form, download your demo, etc. This type
of data, rather than the sheer number of visitors from
each search phrase alone, is invaluable when you are
refining your search engine marketing campaigns, since
you can discard and replace non-performing keyphrases
and put increased effort toward the phrases that are
delivering visitors that become customers. This kind of
ongoing analysis is the final piece of the keyphrase
puzzle, and allows you to continually target the most
important phrases for your industry, even if they change
over time.
Conclusion:
Keyphrase compilation, evaluation, and performance
are all vitally important to any search engine marketing
campaign. While high rankings in search engines are an
admirable goal, high rankings for poor keyphrases will
consistently deliver poor results. Integration of this
keyphrase process into your overall search engine
marketing strategy can dramatically improve your
website performance (and thus your bottom line).
**********************************************
Scott Buresh is co-founder and principal of Medium
Blue Internet Marketing ( www.mediumblue.com ).
For monthly tips on how to get the most out of your
internet presence, sign up for the Medium Blue
Internet Marketing Newsletter at
www.mediumblue.com/newsletters.
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Well, gang.....that's about it for this edition of
ABC ~ All 'Bout Computers. I sure hope you enjoyed it!
If any of it was over your head and you need some
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Linda Johnson
http://personal-computer-tutor.com
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Other related posts:
- » [abcomputers] ABC ~ All 'Bout Computers,Vol. 23: Preparing to Publish Your Web Page, Internet Etiquette, and More
