by: Gary Gresham
The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 was supposed to eliminate spam email. This federal spam law that became effective January 1, 2004, was passed by Congress to get rid of junk email.
So why didn't the law eliminate spam and why is it so difficult to stop it? Still today, more than 40% of all e-mail is still unsolicited sent to you by spammers even though that law passed.
The truth is email spammers make so much money they can afford to outsmart The Federal Trade Commission with sophisticated technology.
It is almost impossible to enforce this law although a few do get caught and pay the huge price.
Spam is not likely to go away anytime soon, and it's difficult to eliminate spam email altogether. But there are some simple ways to significantly reduce spam from getting into your inbox.
Here are Four Fighting Spam Tips:
Protect Your Email Address
Don't display your email address in newsgroup postings, chat rooms or in an online service's membership directory. Sometimes email spammers use these sources to harvest email addresses.
Create Two Email Addresses
Another good tip is create two email addresses. Create one for personal messages and the other for public use, such as in newsgroups or chat rooms.
You can create an account with a disposable email address service. Have those emails forwarded to your permanent email address. If the disposable address begins to get spam, just shut if off and get another one.
Create A Unique Email Address
Create a unique email address because email spammers often use dictionary attacks to sort through possible name combinations at some Internet Service Providers. A common name, like johnsmith or thewilliams may get more spam than a unique name like 37xi6OWt8.
Use Email Tools
Most email accounts provide tools to filter out potential spam or ways to channel spam into a bulk email folder. When you're choosing which Internet Service Provider to use consider their email options.
Although these simple methods might seem obvious, most people do not utilize them. You may be surprised how much junk email you can get rid of just by using these simple tips.
If you decide to eliminate spam altogether all it takes is installing an anti spam filter. Most are reasonably priced between $25 and $40 depending on where you get it. A good anti spam filter will block 100% of unwanted spam and will eliminate spam forever.
Copyright © 2005 Spyware-Information.com. All Rights Reserved.
Gary Gresham
This article is provided by http://www.spyware-information.com where you will find free spyware cleaners, downloads, removal software, computer firewalls and valuable tips. For regularly updated articles about adware, spyware and protection from identity theft go to http://spyware-information.com/articles_1.html.
Monday, June 18, 2007
How To Avoid Online Scams
by: Gary Gresham
According to an FBI report from 2003 to 2004 online scams doubled with nearly ten million new victims. This crime cost those victims nearly $5 billion of money they could not afford to lose.
Sadly, people are continuing to fall for online scams where identity theft is the spammers goal. These con artists and hackers are just waiting to commit online fraud and steal your identity.
Here are a few of the most popular online scams to be aware of so you can avoid becoming a victim.
Phishing Scam
The phishing scam is when a spammer sends you an email claiming to be from a reputable bank. The email complete with authentic bank logos asks you to log in and verify your account information.
Then the spammer captures your account information and helps himself to your account. They sometimes will sell your information to other criminals and you can become a victim of identity theft.
Congratulations You've Won Scam
This email scam tells you have won a big prize like a big screen TV or even the lottery. To claim your prize you need to pay for the shipping and handling with your credit card.
In the case of winning the lottery they ask for advanced fees to cover costs. The only prize you get is discovering mysterious charges on your credit card.
Pharming Scam
Pharming is one of the latest online scams and rapidly growing threat that has been showing up a lot on the Internet. The pharming scam is similar to phishing scams but with a new twist.
The pharming scam works by redirecting your Internet browser. When you type in a website address into your web browser you are redirected without your knowledge to a bogus site that looks identical to the genuine site.
Once you log in with your login name and password, the information is immediately captured by the scammer. With the pharming scam you no longer have to click an email link for your personal information to be stolen.
The best thing to do when you or someone you know has become a victim of one of these online scams is to report it to the authorities. Otherwise these thieves get away without ever getting caught.
Report online scams to The Internet Fraud Complaint Center or (IFCC). They are a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C). Their web address is: http://www1.ifccfbi.gov
IFCC's mission is to address fraud and online scams committed over the Internet. For victims of online fraud, IFCC provides a convenient and easy-to-use reporting mechanism that alerts authorities of a suspected criminal or civil violation.
Be aware of these online scams and report them to the IFCC so you can avoid becoming a new victim. It makes the Internet a safer and more enjoyable place for all of us.
Copyright © 2005 Spyware-Information.com. All Rights Reserved.
Gary Gresham
This article is provided by http://www.spyware-information.com where you will find free spyware cleaners, downloads, removal software, computer firewalls and valuable tips. For regularly updated articles about adware, spyware and protection from identity theft go to http://spyware-information.com/articles_1.html.
According to an FBI report from 2003 to 2004 online scams doubled with nearly ten million new victims. This crime cost those victims nearly $5 billion of money they could not afford to lose.
Sadly, people are continuing to fall for online scams where identity theft is the spammers goal. These con artists and hackers are just waiting to commit online fraud and steal your identity.
Here are a few of the most popular online scams to be aware of so you can avoid becoming a victim.
Phishing Scam
The phishing scam is when a spammer sends you an email claiming to be from a reputable bank. The email complete with authentic bank logos asks you to log in and verify your account information.
Then the spammer captures your account information and helps himself to your account. They sometimes will sell your information to other criminals and you can become a victim of identity theft.
Congratulations You've Won Scam
This email scam tells you have won a big prize like a big screen TV or even the lottery. To claim your prize you need to pay for the shipping and handling with your credit card.
In the case of winning the lottery they ask for advanced fees to cover costs. The only prize you get is discovering mysterious charges on your credit card.
Pharming Scam
Pharming is one of the latest online scams and rapidly growing threat that has been showing up a lot on the Internet. The pharming scam is similar to phishing scams but with a new twist.
The pharming scam works by redirecting your Internet browser. When you type in a website address into your web browser you are redirected without your knowledge to a bogus site that looks identical to the genuine site.
Once you log in with your login name and password, the information is immediately captured by the scammer. With the pharming scam you no longer have to click an email link for your personal information to be stolen.
The best thing to do when you or someone you know has become a victim of one of these online scams is to report it to the authorities. Otherwise these thieves get away without ever getting caught.
Report online scams to The Internet Fraud Complaint Center or (IFCC). They are a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C). Their web address is: http://www1.ifccfbi.gov
IFCC's mission is to address fraud and online scams committed over the Internet. For victims of online fraud, IFCC provides a convenient and easy-to-use reporting mechanism that alerts authorities of a suspected criminal or civil violation.
Be aware of these online scams and report them to the IFCC so you can avoid becoming a new victim. It makes the Internet a safer and more enjoyable place for all of us.
Copyright © 2005 Spyware-Information.com. All Rights Reserved.
Gary Gresham
This article is provided by http://www.spyware-information.com where you will find free spyware cleaners, downloads, removal software, computer firewalls and valuable tips. For regularly updated articles about adware, spyware and protection from identity theft go to http://spyware-information.com/articles_1.html.
Microsoft Dynamics GP: Great Plains Recycling Business Automation
by: Andrew Karasev
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains could be considered as generic ERP platform to be tailored to fit specific industry and market niche. Being mature MRP system and so having a lot of third party modules, Great Plains could fit the unique industry requirements combining these third parties and custom coding. New version: Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains 9.0 will have more options for C#/VB.Net developer, including more exposure to .Net XML web services and Visual Studio. However the GP workstation client code is Microsoft Dexterity written application and we will be focusing on Great Plains Dexterity customization.
• Industry Specifics. Recycling containers are rented to customers and based on the balance customers might become vendors – we send customer or vendor invoice and receive or send payments. Clients typically pay for container rent and at the same time – we pay to the client for the recycled materials collected
• Service Module. We can use GP Service Advantage Suite or WennSoft Service module to account sending service crews onsite.
• Fixed Assets. We also could deploy Great Plains Fixed Assets module to account and depreciate leased and insured equipment. Fixed Assets serves as assets depreciation tool, so it might not be enough to track assets by projects
• Invoice/Credit Memo. Based on the net results for the month – we should issue invoice or credit memo to the customer and the challenge is – it should be all originated in one screen to automate the user interface. The best way is – Dexterity screen where you get Service Invoice/Order from WennSoft or Service Advantage Suite (in some cases you should send it first to Great plains SOP). In this screen you should be able to enter positive and negative quantities and net it to either invoice or credit memo.
• Customer/Vendor Consolidation. In Great Plains in order to return money to the client you should use customer/vendor consolidation and transfer credit memos to vendor invoices. Please note that Customer/Vendor consolidation module is available for Great Plains Professional (it is not available for Great Plains Standard)
• Payroll and Contractor Expenses. Great Plains Business Portal has employee self service and you can have your contractors and employees to enter their expenses, such as driver tolls and mileage. Another way is to use Great Plains Integration Manager to feed expenses into Payroll or Accounts Payables module
Please do not hesitate to call us: 1.866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, help@albaspectrum.com
Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer at Alba Spectrum Technologies ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ) - Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, Navision, Axapta MS CRM, Oracle Financials and IBM Lotus Domino Partner, serving corporate customers in the following industries: Aerospace & Defense, Medical & Healthcare, Distribution & Logistics, Hospitality, Banking & Finance, Wholesale & Retail, Chemicals, Oil & Gas, Placement & Recruiting, Advertising & Publishing, Textile, Pharmaceutical, Non-Profit, Beverages, Conglomerates, Apparels, Durables, Manufacturing and having locations in multiple states and internationally.
We are serving USA Nationwide: CA, IL, NY, FL, AZ, CO, TX, WI, WA, MI, MA, MO, LA, NM, MN, Europe: Germany, France, Belgium, Poland, Russia, Middle East (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, OAE, Bahrain), Asia: China, Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, South & Central America: Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Chili, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains could be considered as generic ERP platform to be tailored to fit specific industry and market niche. Being mature MRP system and so having a lot of third party modules, Great Plains could fit the unique industry requirements combining these third parties and custom coding. New version: Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains 9.0 will have more options for C#/VB.Net developer, including more exposure to .Net XML web services and Visual Studio. However the GP workstation client code is Microsoft Dexterity written application and we will be focusing on Great Plains Dexterity customization.
• Industry Specifics. Recycling containers are rented to customers and based on the balance customers might become vendors – we send customer or vendor invoice and receive or send payments. Clients typically pay for container rent and at the same time – we pay to the client for the recycled materials collected
• Service Module. We can use GP Service Advantage Suite or WennSoft Service module to account sending service crews onsite.
• Fixed Assets. We also could deploy Great Plains Fixed Assets module to account and depreciate leased and insured equipment. Fixed Assets serves as assets depreciation tool, so it might not be enough to track assets by projects
• Invoice/Credit Memo. Based on the net results for the month – we should issue invoice or credit memo to the customer and the challenge is – it should be all originated in one screen to automate the user interface. The best way is – Dexterity screen where you get Service Invoice/Order from WennSoft or Service Advantage Suite (in some cases you should send it first to Great plains SOP). In this screen you should be able to enter positive and negative quantities and net it to either invoice or credit memo.
• Customer/Vendor Consolidation. In Great Plains in order to return money to the client you should use customer/vendor consolidation and transfer credit memos to vendor invoices. Please note that Customer/Vendor consolidation module is available for Great Plains Professional (it is not available for Great Plains Standard)
• Payroll and Contractor Expenses. Great Plains Business Portal has employee self service and you can have your contractors and employees to enter their expenses, such as driver tolls and mileage. Another way is to use Great Plains Integration Manager to feed expenses into Payroll or Accounts Payables module
Please do not hesitate to call us: 1.866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, help@albaspectrum.com
Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer at Alba Spectrum Technologies ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ) - Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, Navision, Axapta MS CRM, Oracle Financials and IBM Lotus Domino Partner, serving corporate customers in the following industries: Aerospace & Defense, Medical & Healthcare, Distribution & Logistics, Hospitality, Banking & Finance, Wholesale & Retail, Chemicals, Oil & Gas, Placement & Recruiting, Advertising & Publishing, Textile, Pharmaceutical, Non-Profit, Beverages, Conglomerates, Apparels, Durables, Manufacturing and having locations in multiple states and internationally.
We are serving USA Nationwide: CA, IL, NY, FL, AZ, CO, TX, WI, WA, MI, MA, MO, LA, NM, MN, Europe: Germany, France, Belgium, Poland, Russia, Middle East (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, OAE, Bahrain), Asia: China, Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, South & Central America: Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Chili, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico
Future Relevancy or Page Rank?
by: Erich Sweaney
With all the talk about search engines and relevancy, I came up with some interesting thoughts that I wanted share about where I believe the search engines are heading concerning basic Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Trying to stay ahead of the search engines, which is nearly impossible, I've been trying to look to the future of SEO while creating web pages following the guidelines of the major search engines.
One of the largest problems the major search engines are dealing with is Search Engine Spam, Adsense Spam, and "Spammy Pages" such as keyword stuffing to gain higher rankings. In guidelines from Google, they mention write your pages for the users, not for the search engines. This statement alone, is a little prediction of the future of what is coming. And in order to stay ahead of the curve with some long term planning, I am suggesting we should take this to heart, and stop using the older SEO methods that eventually will hurt us.
Websites are being currently being penalized and dropped from years of top rankings for not adapting to the search engines guidelines and continuing to use SEO methods of years ago.
In thinking in terms of long-term success to maintain high rankings for each of the major search engines, through about as much research as you do online, I have came up with a few guidelines to the basic SEO ideas for the future.
One of the most important aspect for the search engines, and what I have seen and predict will have more importance is website copywriting. We'll this is nothing new, we all know website copywriting is important, may as high at 45% of our copywriting contributes to our page rank. This will always remain important, and I believe will become even more important to high as 85% of what our website says will contribute to our page ranking in the future, as a shift from the search engine giving higher ranking from a technical aspect to more of a informational or relevancy aspect.
Eliminating some of the currently used technical aspects may maintain higher ranking in the coming future. Let me explain some of the commonly abused technical SEO habits currently, that I believe is headed toward extinction.
a. Keyword Meta tags. This tag alone is open to elimination due to the common abuse methods such as keyword stuffing. Most major search engines generally ignore this tagline currently.
b. ALT tags are another tagline that is just in the beginning stages of being eliminated. Some search engines have been experimenting with ignoring ALT tags and have found out that pages indexed without ALT tags are returning higher relevancy results. Again like the Meta tags, ALT tags have been abused to such from as keyword stuff.
c. The two Meta tags that will gain in importance will be the Title tag and Description tag. A title and description taglines accurately representing a well written website copy write will enhance your page's relevancy.
I am not suggesting that today that we immediately stop using the successful technical SEO currently in place, but the gradual elimination of this technique as the search engines stop using each method. Personally, I no longer include the Keyword Meta taglines on my web pages, and will continue to remove useless html as that become irrelevant.
In summary, my opinion is that future SEO standards will be more focused on good copywriting and less on technical aspects such as Meta taglines, Alt taglines, Headings to gain a higher page rank, or should I say higher relevancy.
Erich Sweaney has been marketing online since 1999, and is the CEO for ES-Solution and affiliated sites.
Succeed Online with ES-Solution
http://www.es-solution.com
Free SEO Friendly Directory
http://directory.ezweb-tools.com
With all the talk about search engines and relevancy, I came up with some interesting thoughts that I wanted share about where I believe the search engines are heading concerning basic Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Trying to stay ahead of the search engines, which is nearly impossible, I've been trying to look to the future of SEO while creating web pages following the guidelines of the major search engines.
One of the largest problems the major search engines are dealing with is Search Engine Spam, Adsense Spam, and "Spammy Pages" such as keyword stuffing to gain higher rankings. In guidelines from Google, they mention write your pages for the users, not for the search engines. This statement alone, is a little prediction of the future of what is coming. And in order to stay ahead of the curve with some long term planning, I am suggesting we should take this to heart, and stop using the older SEO methods that eventually will hurt us.
Websites are being currently being penalized and dropped from years of top rankings for not adapting to the search engines guidelines and continuing to use SEO methods of years ago.
In thinking in terms of long-term success to maintain high rankings for each of the major search engines, through about as much research as you do online, I have came up with a few guidelines to the basic SEO ideas for the future.
One of the most important aspect for the search engines, and what I have seen and predict will have more importance is website copywriting. We'll this is nothing new, we all know website copywriting is important, may as high at 45% of our copywriting contributes to our page rank. This will always remain important, and I believe will become even more important to high as 85% of what our website says will contribute to our page ranking in the future, as a shift from the search engine giving higher ranking from a technical aspect to more of a informational or relevancy aspect.
Eliminating some of the currently used technical aspects may maintain higher ranking in the coming future. Let me explain some of the commonly abused technical SEO habits currently, that I believe is headed toward extinction.
a. Keyword Meta tags. This tag alone is open to elimination due to the common abuse methods such as keyword stuffing. Most major search engines generally ignore this tagline currently.
b. ALT tags are another tagline that is just in the beginning stages of being eliminated. Some search engines have been experimenting with ignoring ALT tags and have found out that pages indexed without ALT tags are returning higher relevancy results. Again like the Meta tags, ALT tags have been abused to such from as keyword stuff.
c. The two Meta tags that will gain in importance will be the Title tag and Description tag. A title and description taglines accurately representing a well written website copy write will enhance your page's relevancy.
I am not suggesting that today that we immediately stop using the successful technical SEO currently in place, but the gradual elimination of this technique as the search engines stop using each method. Personally, I no longer include the Keyword Meta taglines on my web pages, and will continue to remove useless html as that become irrelevant.
In summary, my opinion is that future SEO standards will be more focused on good copywriting and less on technical aspects such as Meta taglines, Alt taglines, Headings to gain a higher page rank, or should I say higher relevancy.
Erich Sweaney has been marketing online since 1999, and is the CEO for ES-Solution and affiliated sites.
Succeed Online with ES-Solution
http://www.es-solution.com
Free SEO Friendly Directory
http://directory.ezweb-tools.com
A Java Developer's Guide To Web Hosting
by: David Heffelfinger
You make a living writing enterprise java applications, and you would like to work on your own projects for fun or profit, you would like to create your own web site or you would like to have a place to host your open source project. You look around for hosting providers, and all you see is PHP and PERL support, with very few hosting companies supporting Java, what to do?
Although the number of hosting companies supporting Java is increasing, support varies from nearly non-existent to companies that are deeply committed to their Java support.
There are three types of hosting plans available:
Shared hosting
Virtual Private Server hosting
Dedicated Server hosting.
With a shared hosting plans, several web sites are hosted on the same server, sharing the server's resources and using the same IP address. Virtual Private Server (VPS) plans consist of a server that is split into multiple virtual servers, each virtual server has it's own IP address, some companies call these types of plans Virtual Dedicated Servers. Dedicated servers are the most expensive type of plan, each dedicated server customer gets their own physical server, nice to have, but prohibitively expensive for personal web sites and small operations.
At Ensode.net, we recommend that you find a hosting company that provides Virtual Private Server (VPS) support (some hosting companies call it Virtual Dedicated Server), since they provide a nice balance between price and control. A VPS server is like having your own server, usually with root access, which gives you the freedom to install any application you might need, including version control systems like Subversion or CVS, WebDAV, or anything else you might need. With a VPS plan you will most likely get your own IP address, and your server will be not only your web server, but also your mail and database server.
VPS hosting plans tend to be somewhat more expensive than shared hosting plans, but it is our belief that they are worth the extra cost since they provide much more control and flexibility. If you are a Java developer, chances are you are used to "getting your hands dirty", and working on a server using good old Unix commands. Shared hosting plans tend to have "user friendly" (dumbed down?) interfaces, which might simplify administration, but can also severely limit what you are able to do, for example, let's say a shared hosting company gives you 300 megabytes of disk space to host your web site, and an additional 300 megabytes for your email, if your web site takes 5 megabytes of space, but your email server is getting full, there is no way to allocate more space to store emails and reduce the allocation of web space. In addition to leaving you unable to reallocate resources as needed, you can also forget about installing any applications on your server. Another disadvantage of shared hosting plans is that an IP address is shared among several customers, which could have potential problems. For example, if one of the customers uses their mail server for bulk emailing, the IP address of that mail server may be banned from several systems, in a shared hosting plan environment, this would affect all the customers using the same server.
With few exceptions, shared hosting plans that support Java do so through a shared JVM, which means that you have no way of starting or stopping the JVM, and the same JVM is used to run the Java applications of all the hosting company's clients on the server. With a VPS plan, since you have access to your own (virtual) server, it is a given that you get full control over the JVM.
You can use your favorite search engine to find companies that offer VPS plans. Good luck and may your site become immensely popular.
David Heffelfinger is a Software Engineer with over 10 years of experience. He is the editor in chief of Ensode.net a technology website providing articles about Java, Linux and other technology topics. He can be reachd via email at dheffelfinger@ensode.net.
You make a living writing enterprise java applications, and you would like to work on your own projects for fun or profit, you would like to create your own web site or you would like to have a place to host your open source project. You look around for hosting providers, and all you see is PHP and PERL support, with very few hosting companies supporting Java, what to do?
Although the number of hosting companies supporting Java is increasing, support varies from nearly non-existent to companies that are deeply committed to their Java support.
There are three types of hosting plans available:
Shared hosting
Virtual Private Server hosting
Dedicated Server hosting.
With a shared hosting plans, several web sites are hosted on the same server, sharing the server's resources and using the same IP address. Virtual Private Server (VPS) plans consist of a server that is split into multiple virtual servers, each virtual server has it's own IP address, some companies call these types of plans Virtual Dedicated Servers. Dedicated servers are the most expensive type of plan, each dedicated server customer gets their own physical server, nice to have, but prohibitively expensive for personal web sites and small operations.
At Ensode.net, we recommend that you find a hosting company that provides Virtual Private Server (VPS) support (some hosting companies call it Virtual Dedicated Server), since they provide a nice balance between price and control. A VPS server is like having your own server, usually with root access, which gives you the freedom to install any application you might need, including version control systems like Subversion or CVS, WebDAV, or anything else you might need. With a VPS plan you will most likely get your own IP address, and your server will be not only your web server, but also your mail and database server.
VPS hosting plans tend to be somewhat more expensive than shared hosting plans, but it is our belief that they are worth the extra cost since they provide much more control and flexibility. If you are a Java developer, chances are you are used to "getting your hands dirty", and working on a server using good old Unix commands. Shared hosting plans tend to have "user friendly" (dumbed down?) interfaces, which might simplify administration, but can also severely limit what you are able to do, for example, let's say a shared hosting company gives you 300 megabytes of disk space to host your web site, and an additional 300 megabytes for your email, if your web site takes 5 megabytes of space, but your email server is getting full, there is no way to allocate more space to store emails and reduce the allocation of web space. In addition to leaving you unable to reallocate resources as needed, you can also forget about installing any applications on your server. Another disadvantage of shared hosting plans is that an IP address is shared among several customers, which could have potential problems. For example, if one of the customers uses their mail server for bulk emailing, the IP address of that mail server may be banned from several systems, in a shared hosting plan environment, this would affect all the customers using the same server.
With few exceptions, shared hosting plans that support Java do so through a shared JVM, which means that you have no way of starting or stopping the JVM, and the same JVM is used to run the Java applications of all the hosting company's clients on the server. With a VPS plan, since you have access to your own (virtual) server, it is a given that you get full control over the JVM.
You can use your favorite search engine to find companies that offer VPS plans. Good luck and may your site become immensely popular.
David Heffelfinger is a Software Engineer with over 10 years of experience. He is the editor in chief of Ensode.net a technology website providing articles about Java, Linux and other technology topics. He can be reachd via email at dheffelfinger@ensode.net.
Wedding Flowers – Decorations With Style!
by: Elsie Gilbert
When we think of wedding flowers we often think of the bride’s bouquet, but flowers can be wonderful accessories in almost any surroundings. Using wedding flowers as decorations is popular, particularly for a summer wedding. Wedding flowers also provide a wonderful fresh scent that will last throughout the day.
Wedding Flowers and The Ceremony
The main role for wedding flowers, during the ceremony, is as part of the bridal party bouquets. However, look a little further and you will see a whole host of opportunities for you wedding flowers.
Why not use a bow of material with one pretty flower in the center, on the back of every chair. Simple yet effective. Wedding flowers can also be used as part of the ceremony venue decorations. It may be possible, for example, to line the aisle with flowers or to ask a bridesmaid to scatter petals on the path, in front of the bride.
Wedding Flowers and the Reception
Wedding flowers are not traditionally part of the reception decorations. But, there is no reason why flowers cannot be a fundamental part of your decorative design. Flowers can be used as center pieces on the tables, they can even be used as a fun way of telling people at which table they should be sitting. For example, you could have a rose table, a lily table and a violet table.
Instead of favors, it could be a great idea to use wedding flowers such as a single rose as gift for every woman. Wedding flowers can also be used to decorate the venue itself, for example, as part of the room decorations - a fresh and vibrant alternative to balloons!
Wedding Flowers as Gifts
It is traditional to give gifts to those who have helped with the wedding arrangements, such as the mother of the bride, bridesmaids and mother of the groom. Why not combine any other gift you have chosen with some wedding flowers. As you will be ordering in bulk, the cost of a few bouquets will be much less than you originally thought, so ask your florist what they can do for you.
Wedding flowers are often thrown away at the end of the day; try to think ahead as to what you can do with all the displays that you have purchased, after the event. As most couples head straight off on honeymoon, they are unlikely to be able to make the most of the wedding flowers, so have some friends in mind that may appreciate the displays.
If you want to preserve your wedding flowers, why not get them dried or pressed flowers? Alternatively, you could consider planting the flowers or even having more long-living specimens such as decorative cacti.
When it comes to wedding flowers, there truly is no limit to your imagination!
Elsie Gilbert offers great insights to all different types of wedding ceremonies, wedding styles, wedding accessories. From traditional to the exotic she makes it easy for the bride and groom to review and choose. For more details on all types of wedding ideas visit this site now www.weddingceremonyhelp.com.
When we think of wedding flowers we often think of the bride’s bouquet, but flowers can be wonderful accessories in almost any surroundings. Using wedding flowers as decorations is popular, particularly for a summer wedding. Wedding flowers also provide a wonderful fresh scent that will last throughout the day.
Wedding Flowers and The Ceremony
The main role for wedding flowers, during the ceremony, is as part of the bridal party bouquets. However, look a little further and you will see a whole host of opportunities for you wedding flowers.
Why not use a bow of material with one pretty flower in the center, on the back of every chair. Simple yet effective. Wedding flowers can also be used as part of the ceremony venue decorations. It may be possible, for example, to line the aisle with flowers or to ask a bridesmaid to scatter petals on the path, in front of the bride.
Wedding Flowers and the Reception
Wedding flowers are not traditionally part of the reception decorations. But, there is no reason why flowers cannot be a fundamental part of your decorative design. Flowers can be used as center pieces on the tables, they can even be used as a fun way of telling people at which table they should be sitting. For example, you could have a rose table, a lily table and a violet table.
Instead of favors, it could be a great idea to use wedding flowers such as a single rose as gift for every woman. Wedding flowers can also be used to decorate the venue itself, for example, as part of the room decorations - a fresh and vibrant alternative to balloons!
Wedding Flowers as Gifts
It is traditional to give gifts to those who have helped with the wedding arrangements, such as the mother of the bride, bridesmaids and mother of the groom. Why not combine any other gift you have chosen with some wedding flowers. As you will be ordering in bulk, the cost of a few bouquets will be much less than you originally thought, so ask your florist what they can do for you.
Wedding flowers are often thrown away at the end of the day; try to think ahead as to what you can do with all the displays that you have purchased, after the event. As most couples head straight off on honeymoon, they are unlikely to be able to make the most of the wedding flowers, so have some friends in mind that may appreciate the displays.
If you want to preserve your wedding flowers, why not get them dried or pressed flowers? Alternatively, you could consider planting the flowers or even having more long-living specimens such as decorative cacti.
When it comes to wedding flowers, there truly is no limit to your imagination!
Elsie Gilbert offers great insights to all different types of wedding ceremonies, wedding styles, wedding accessories. From traditional to the exotic she makes it easy for the bride and groom to review and choose. For more details on all types of wedding ideas visit this site now www.weddingceremonyhelp.com.
iPodRaffles.com Gives Free iPods a Twist
by: Jon Keeler
Free iPods have come a long way from humble beginnings just over a year ago. Banking the hottest MP3 player around, websites began offering iPods for free as promotional items.
The most famous of these models offers a free iPod to anybody who complete some type of affiliate offer (signing up for a trial of something in most cases) and then referring 5 friends to do the same. Thousands upon thousands of iPods have been shipped by use of this method. But is there anything wrong with this system? How could it be improved?
Getting referrals becomes a rather tedious position. Imagine going to all of your friends and bugging them to enter their credit card infromation on random sites so you can get your free iPod (which they warn you a hundred times is a scam). This is no easy task.
iPodRaffles.com sets out to change the way free iPods are done. As seen in the title of the website, they actually run a number of raffles to give away these free items. Here's how it works. You (the user) completes an affiliate offer - but these offers are much different the traditional ones because instead of signing up for trial offers and the like, users simply fill out registrations or surveys. This is done to comply with federal standards on sweepstakes in the United States.
Once an offer is completed, the user is entered into a raffle. The odds of winning vary upon raffle, but are generally decent considering the amount of effort put into it.
What's the best part? No referrals! Telling your friends helps make the raffles occur faster, but none are required at all.
Our take: Worth a shot.
Jon Keeler is currently a student of journalism in the good ol' USA.
Free iPods have come a long way from humble beginnings just over a year ago. Banking the hottest MP3 player around, websites began offering iPods for free as promotional items.
The most famous of these models offers a free iPod to anybody who complete some type of affiliate offer (signing up for a trial of something in most cases) and then referring 5 friends to do the same. Thousands upon thousands of iPods have been shipped by use of this method. But is there anything wrong with this system? How could it be improved?
Getting referrals becomes a rather tedious position. Imagine going to all of your friends and bugging them to enter their credit card infromation on random sites so you can get your free iPod (which they warn you a hundred times is a scam). This is no easy task.
iPodRaffles.com sets out to change the way free iPods are done. As seen in the title of the website, they actually run a number of raffles to give away these free items. Here's how it works. You (the user) completes an affiliate offer - but these offers are much different the traditional ones because instead of signing up for trial offers and the like, users simply fill out registrations or surveys. This is done to comply with federal standards on sweepstakes in the United States.
Once an offer is completed, the user is entered into a raffle. The odds of winning vary upon raffle, but are generally decent considering the amount of effort put into it.
What's the best part? No referrals! Telling your friends helps make the raffles occur faster, but none are required at all.
Our take: Worth a shot.
Jon Keeler is currently a student of journalism in the good ol' USA.
Where are the Linux Workplaces?
by: David Heffelfinger
When I was in college, lower level CS course assignments were done in DOS PC's networked through Novell Netware. Once a student got to take higher level courses, he/she was given an account into one of the department's SunOS Unix servers. Most students from basic courses suffered from "Unix envy", the Sun boxes were perceived as being much more powerful than the humble PC's. As a I entered the workplace, I brought my college perception that Unix workstations are more powerful than PC's with me.
In my first couple of jobs after college I was given a Unix workstation to work with, first an HP UX workstation, then a SunOS box, and I couldn't have been happier about it. After I transferred to a new department in that same job, I was given my first Windows NT workstation ever, I was disappointed not to have my own Unix workstation anymore.
Ever since, I've had nothing but Windows workstations given to me in every Job I've had. And I've had quite a few, since I've been doing contract work for a few years now. Now don't get me wrong, I am not advocating that every company switch all of their employees to Linux, but I've wondered why IT departments have been so slow to adopt it. IT workers do minimal, if any, office work, therefore the lack of Microsoft Office availability is not a major concern, for whatever documents or spreadsheets an IT worker might have to create, OpenOffice.org is more than enough.
Most big companies have adopted Java as their official programming language, at least as far as server side development is concerned. In many cases, Java applications are deployed to Unix servers, however most developers are given Windows workstations to work with. Wouldn't it make sense to give the developers an environment as similar as possible as the production environment?
I earn my paycheck writing Java EE applications, and I'm lucky enough that my current client allows me to work using my Linux laptop, but many places don't allow just any device to be plugged into their network.
Besides the obvious savings in license fees, Linux offers other advantages like lack of viruses and worms, and better security overall. Linux does not lack media exposure, we've all seen the IBM commercials, and it is frequently mentioned in IT magazines. Why hasn't it been adopted more widely? I don't have the answer to that question, I'm going to have to speculate.
One reason could be the perception that Linux is difficult to use. This might have been the case a few years ago, but today, with a modern desktop environment like GNOME or KDE, Unix knowledge is not really needed to use a Linux workstation, operation is basically point and click, not much different from a Windows or OS X box.
Another reason might be a concern of Linux might not interoperate well with the rest of the company's (Microsoft based) IT infrastructure. With tools like Samba, OpenOffice.org and Evolution (with the Ximian connector), this shouldn't be a concern.
Another reason could be the perception that Linux does not support enough hardware. This is somewhat true, but if you are careful when selecting your hardware, you can easily get a fully functional Linux box. Most unsupported hardware have no place in the workplace anyway, I'm mainly talking here about USB devices like digital cameras and MP3 players.
Looks like most reasons Linux is not being adopted in the workplace are based on false assumptions and incorrect perceptions. How can we promote Linux adoption in the workplace? Seems to me the answer lies in educating and informing the "powers that be" in IT departments. Talking to managers in terms they understand, emphasizing reduced costs and increased productivity. Reduced cost because of the license savings, increased productivity because less time is spent applying service packs and patches, and the chances of catching a virus drop to near zero.
Convincing managers to give Linux a try is easier said than done, I know, but Rome wasn't built in a day.
David Heffelfinger is a Software Engineer with over 10 years of experience. He is the editor in chief of Ensode.net a technology website providing articles about Java, Linux and other technology topics. He can be reachd via email at dheffelfinger@ensode.net.
When I was in college, lower level CS course assignments were done in DOS PC's networked through Novell Netware. Once a student got to take higher level courses, he/she was given an account into one of the department's SunOS Unix servers. Most students from basic courses suffered from "Unix envy", the Sun boxes were perceived as being much more powerful than the humble PC's. As a I entered the workplace, I brought my college perception that Unix workstations are more powerful than PC's with me.
In my first couple of jobs after college I was given a Unix workstation to work with, first an HP UX workstation, then a SunOS box, and I couldn't have been happier about it. After I transferred to a new department in that same job, I was given my first Windows NT workstation ever, I was disappointed not to have my own Unix workstation anymore.
Ever since, I've had nothing but Windows workstations given to me in every Job I've had. And I've had quite a few, since I've been doing contract work for a few years now. Now don't get me wrong, I am not advocating that every company switch all of their employees to Linux, but I've wondered why IT departments have been so slow to adopt it. IT workers do minimal, if any, office work, therefore the lack of Microsoft Office availability is not a major concern, for whatever documents or spreadsheets an IT worker might have to create, OpenOffice.org is more than enough.
Most big companies have adopted Java as their official programming language, at least as far as server side development is concerned. In many cases, Java applications are deployed to Unix servers, however most developers are given Windows workstations to work with. Wouldn't it make sense to give the developers an environment as similar as possible as the production environment?
I earn my paycheck writing Java EE applications, and I'm lucky enough that my current client allows me to work using my Linux laptop, but many places don't allow just any device to be plugged into their network.
Besides the obvious savings in license fees, Linux offers other advantages like lack of viruses and worms, and better security overall. Linux does not lack media exposure, we've all seen the IBM commercials, and it is frequently mentioned in IT magazines. Why hasn't it been adopted more widely? I don't have the answer to that question, I'm going to have to speculate.
One reason could be the perception that Linux is difficult to use. This might have been the case a few years ago, but today, with a modern desktop environment like GNOME or KDE, Unix knowledge is not really needed to use a Linux workstation, operation is basically point and click, not much different from a Windows or OS X box.
Another reason might be a concern of Linux might not interoperate well with the rest of the company's (Microsoft based) IT infrastructure. With tools like Samba, OpenOffice.org and Evolution (with the Ximian connector), this shouldn't be a concern.
Another reason could be the perception that Linux does not support enough hardware. This is somewhat true, but if you are careful when selecting your hardware, you can easily get a fully functional Linux box. Most unsupported hardware have no place in the workplace anyway, I'm mainly talking here about USB devices like digital cameras and MP3 players.
Looks like most reasons Linux is not being adopted in the workplace are based on false assumptions and incorrect perceptions. How can we promote Linux adoption in the workplace? Seems to me the answer lies in educating and informing the "powers that be" in IT departments. Talking to managers in terms they understand, emphasizing reduced costs and increased productivity. Reduced cost because of the license savings, increased productivity because less time is spent applying service packs and patches, and the chances of catching a virus drop to near zero.
Convincing managers to give Linux a try is easier said than done, I know, but Rome wasn't built in a day.
David Heffelfinger is a Software Engineer with over 10 years of experience. He is the editor in chief of Ensode.net a technology website providing articles about Java, Linux and other technology topics. He can be reachd via email at dheffelfinger@ensode.net.
PowerPoint to Flash – A new trend in Business Presentation
by: Susan Zheng
Business presentation is a key part of commercial life. How to present your products or even yourself in the best shape to the promising purchasers or employers is absolutely an art. Today you can find some many tips and tricks on the Internet preparing you how to give a successful presentation, analyzing almost from every aspect possibly involved. I’m not going to repeat those tips, as a PowerPoint presentation Instructor, It’s the developmental trend of PowerPoint that I am concern about.
The new trend is Convert-PowerPoint-PowerPoint-to-Flash, many people may question about its novelty, after all, it’s not a new emerging idea but take off just in last two year. The way why it’s in fashion now is due to Flash incomparable unique streaming technology. We can summarize the reasons as follows:
1. Reduce Size and Email Ready
If you are using PowerPoint presentation frequently in your work, you must feel to be hindered by its bulky size every now and then, which holds you back from any distribution. Now with PowerPoint to Flash, that kind of problem will be eliminated automatically. The converted flash presentation is absolutely a better option for emailing due to its smaller size; it will not clog your partner inbox.
2. Greater and Easier Accessibility for Viewers
The converted Flash presentations can be easily viewed in any Internet Browsers. For most of Browsers have already had Flash Plug-ins installed, so you can email the convert Flash file to your friends directly without worrying whether they have PowerPoint Software installed on their computers. And thanks to its smaller, streaming media format you can just post it on websites or Intranets to share with other people.
3. Keep all original effects in PowerPoint presentation
Convert PowerPoint to Flash will keep all original effects in your PowerPoint presentation without any distortion. After converting your PowerPoint presentation to flash files, you will be surprised to find that the result is amazing; all the original effects are remain unchanged. With this knowledge in mind, you can just go ahead and enjoy it!
4. Secure
PowerPoint files are editable by anyone else who has PowerPoint installed on their machine. Not so for Flash files which allow you to maintain a higher degree of control on your content if you wish to.
5. Firewall Friendliness
Flash-based content has no problem going through firewalls as it behaves just like standard Web content.
There are two ways to convert PowerPoint to Flash, manually or automatically. Doing it manually could be a real toil and the quality can’t be guaranteed. There are some popular software on the markets can help you through the whole conversion procession easily
SameShow PowerPoint to Flash Converter
http://www.sameshow.com
Quickly converts your presentations to the Macromedia Flash format with two conversion modes: Standalone Mode and PowerPoint Plug-in Mode. This is one of the highest quality converters out there with most affordable price. The converted Flash file is smaller, secure, and in a streaming media format that's ideal for posting presentations to Web sites, intranets or self-running CD-ROMs.you can take that same converted presentation and embed it in emails and/or deliver it online through a Web conference.
More Info: http://www.sameshow.com/other/powerpoint-to-flash-good.html
Free Trial: http://www.download.com/SameShow/3000-2075_4-10432924.html
Price: USD $ 49.95 ( Personal License) $ 99.95 (Business License)
Articulate Presenter
http://www.ArticulateGlobal.com
Reduce time, complexity and cost of creating custom Flash presentations and e-learning courses. Articulate Presenter lets non-technical users create rich-media presentations by integrating narration and interactivity with a standard PowerPoint® file. With the press of the button, your presentation transforms into a compelling Flash experience. No need to rely on expensive Flash programmers. With Articulate Presenter, anyone can get professional-quality results in minutes.
http://www.articulateglobal.com/presenter.html
Free trial: http://www.articulateglobal.com/store/trial_form.html
Price: USD $ 499 (standard) and $699 (pro)
PointeCast Publisher (formerly Wanadu)
http://www.pointecast.com/
An increasingly popular and cost-effective alternative to Breeze, Wanadu is a Turns PowerPoint presentations into high quality and interactive Flash presentations. It works with PowerPoint 2000 and later versions. The software (depending on the edition) allows you to record narration, add background audio, edit audio, playback tools, view notes from the PowerPoint presentation, time tracking and various e-learning tools.
15-day Trial: http://tinyurl.com/cul5m
Price: USD $ 99 (lite), $299 (regular), and $499 (professional)
Susan Zheng writes, teaches, trains and consults on business and professional presentations and eCommerce related matters.
Business presentation is a key part of commercial life. How to present your products or even yourself in the best shape to the promising purchasers or employers is absolutely an art. Today you can find some many tips and tricks on the Internet preparing you how to give a successful presentation, analyzing almost from every aspect possibly involved. I’m not going to repeat those tips, as a PowerPoint presentation Instructor, It’s the developmental trend of PowerPoint that I am concern about.
The new trend is Convert-PowerPoint-PowerPoint-to-Flash, many people may question about its novelty, after all, it’s not a new emerging idea but take off just in last two year. The way why it’s in fashion now is due to Flash incomparable unique streaming technology. We can summarize the reasons as follows:
1. Reduce Size and Email Ready
If you are using PowerPoint presentation frequently in your work, you must feel to be hindered by its bulky size every now and then, which holds you back from any distribution. Now with PowerPoint to Flash, that kind of problem will be eliminated automatically. The converted flash presentation is absolutely a better option for emailing due to its smaller size; it will not clog your partner inbox.
2. Greater and Easier Accessibility for Viewers
The converted Flash presentations can be easily viewed in any Internet Browsers. For most of Browsers have already had Flash Plug-ins installed, so you can email the convert Flash file to your friends directly without worrying whether they have PowerPoint Software installed on their computers. And thanks to its smaller, streaming media format you can just post it on websites or Intranets to share with other people.
3. Keep all original effects in PowerPoint presentation
Convert PowerPoint to Flash will keep all original effects in your PowerPoint presentation without any distortion. After converting your PowerPoint presentation to flash files, you will be surprised to find that the result is amazing; all the original effects are remain unchanged. With this knowledge in mind, you can just go ahead and enjoy it!
4. Secure
PowerPoint files are editable by anyone else who has PowerPoint installed on their machine. Not so for Flash files which allow you to maintain a higher degree of control on your content if you wish to.
5. Firewall Friendliness
Flash-based content has no problem going through firewalls as it behaves just like standard Web content.
There are two ways to convert PowerPoint to Flash, manually or automatically. Doing it manually could be a real toil and the quality can’t be guaranteed. There are some popular software on the markets can help you through the whole conversion procession easily
SameShow PowerPoint to Flash Converter
http://www.sameshow.com
Quickly converts your presentations to the Macromedia Flash format with two conversion modes: Standalone Mode and PowerPoint Plug-in Mode. This is one of the highest quality converters out there with most affordable price. The converted Flash file is smaller, secure, and in a streaming media format that's ideal for posting presentations to Web sites, intranets or self-running CD-ROMs.you can take that same converted presentation and embed it in emails and/or deliver it online through a Web conference.
More Info: http://www.sameshow.com/other/powerpoint-to-flash-good.html
Free Trial: http://www.download.com/SameShow/3000-2075_4-10432924.html
Price: USD $ 49.95 ( Personal License) $ 99.95 (Business License)
Articulate Presenter
http://www.ArticulateGlobal.com
Reduce time, complexity and cost of creating custom Flash presentations and e-learning courses. Articulate Presenter lets non-technical users create rich-media presentations by integrating narration and interactivity with a standard PowerPoint® file. With the press of the button, your presentation transforms into a compelling Flash experience. No need to rely on expensive Flash programmers. With Articulate Presenter, anyone can get professional-quality results in minutes.
http://www.articulateglobal.com/presenter.html
Free trial: http://www.articulateglobal.com/store/trial_form.html
Price: USD $ 499 (standard) and $699 (pro)
PointeCast Publisher (formerly Wanadu)
http://www.pointecast.com/
An increasingly popular and cost-effective alternative to Breeze, Wanadu is a Turns PowerPoint presentations into high quality and interactive Flash presentations. It works with PowerPoint 2000 and later versions. The software (depending on the edition) allows you to record narration, add background audio, edit audio, playback tools, view notes from the PowerPoint presentation, time tracking and various e-learning tools.
15-day Trial: http://tinyurl.com/cul5m
Price: USD $ 99 (lite), $299 (regular), and $499 (professional)
Susan Zheng writes, teaches, trains and consults on business and professional presentations and eCommerce related matters.
Are We A Paper Society?
by: Sharon Ralbect
Is a paperless society achievable? Looking at the success of the paper industry, one has to wonder. The advent of electronic communications and ebooks have helped reduce the need of paper. This saves on tree consumption and preserves the environment.
Look around your home and workplace. You might be surprise at the amount of paper in use. The postal service still delivers mail to you. You can reduce some of that mail. Request your bills and bank statements to be delivered electronically. You can also pay your bills electronically too.
Paper will always exist. Some people prefer paper the feel of paper. Others doubt the legitimacy of electronic documents. Some remain uncomfortable using a computer, while others are apprehensive about the security of personal information online. Technology and security continues to progress and improve, more companies will use the internet to reduce paper cost.
It seems however, that as much as we hated the time consumption and filing problems of the paper days, we are dealing with an ever-growing workload. Years back and still today, we are sifting through the mail we receive from the post office to discard junk mail. That doesn't even come close when compared to spam, viruses, and pop-ups that litter our workplace. Now we not only deal with junk mail at home, but we are dealing with it constantly at work as well. Going from paper to Internet seems to have opened the floodgate for companies that continue to bombard us with useless information. Companies or individuals can send junk mail out to millions of us with one click of the mouse and endure no or very minimal cost to do so.
Paper mail creates a natural barrier protecting children from seeing adult content. With the cost of sending mail gone, unscrupulous people don't care who receives their email messages. Parents must protect their child's ebox and internet cruising.
Shifting to a society the uses less paper will take some adjusting, especially in dealing with the problems it brings. But an electronic message can never replace the warm feeling of receiving a stamped, hand written card or letter.
Sharon Ralbect is the developer and designer for FE Label Co. the best place on the web for resources on paper. For more information, go to: http://www.fepaper.com.
Is a paperless society achievable? Looking at the success of the paper industry, one has to wonder. The advent of electronic communications and ebooks have helped reduce the need of paper. This saves on tree consumption and preserves the environment.
Look around your home and workplace. You might be surprise at the amount of paper in use. The postal service still delivers mail to you. You can reduce some of that mail. Request your bills and bank statements to be delivered electronically. You can also pay your bills electronically too.
Paper will always exist. Some people prefer paper the feel of paper. Others doubt the legitimacy of electronic documents. Some remain uncomfortable using a computer, while others are apprehensive about the security of personal information online. Technology and security continues to progress and improve, more companies will use the internet to reduce paper cost.
It seems however, that as much as we hated the time consumption and filing problems of the paper days, we are dealing with an ever-growing workload. Years back and still today, we are sifting through the mail we receive from the post office to discard junk mail. That doesn't even come close when compared to spam, viruses, and pop-ups that litter our workplace. Now we not only deal with junk mail at home, but we are dealing with it constantly at work as well. Going from paper to Internet seems to have opened the floodgate for companies that continue to bombard us with useless information. Companies or individuals can send junk mail out to millions of us with one click of the mouse and endure no or very minimal cost to do so.
Paper mail creates a natural barrier protecting children from seeing adult content. With the cost of sending mail gone, unscrupulous people don't care who receives their email messages. Parents must protect their child's ebox and internet cruising.
Shifting to a society the uses less paper will take some adjusting, especially in dealing with the problems it brings. But an electronic message can never replace the warm feeling of receiving a stamped, hand written card or letter.
Sharon Ralbect is the developer and designer for FE Label Co. the best place on the web for resources on paper. For more information, go to: http://www.fepaper.com.
Protecting Yourself Against Spyware
by: David Heffelfinger
Spyware is a category of malicious software that secretly obtains information about a computer user's and sends it to a third party without the user's consent. For example, a piece of spyware running on an infected computer can obtain the user's bank account number when online banking, user's username and password when online trading or the user's credit card number when shopping online.
No computer user is 100% safe from spyware, however it is primarily a concern for users of Microsoft Windows operating systems. The safest bet to avoid being a victim of spyware is to use an alternative operating system like Linux or Mac OS X, however if you are unable or unwilling to leave Windows, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself.
Ditch Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer contains a technology called ActiveX that allows malicious web sites to install software on the browser's computer without the user's consent, this ability has been a boon for spyware writers and distributors. Alternative browsers include Firefox and Opera.
Ditch Outlook Express
Outlook express contains several security vulnerabilities spyware distributors use to infect computers. Instead of Outlook express you can use an online email system like GMail or Yahoo mail, or install an alternate email client like Thunderbird.
Install Anti-Spyware Software
There are some tools that will scan your computer and detect and remove spyware. Some of the most popular ones include Spybot-Search and Destroy and Ad-Aware.
Install a Firewall
Hardware firewalls can be obtained for a reasonable price these days, most routers (both wired and wireless) provide firewalls in addition to their primary purpose of allowing multiple computers to share broadband internet connection. Software firewalls can be installed on Windows computers as well.
Conclusion
While nobody is completely safe from spyware, by taking these simple measures the risk of getting infected are greatly reduced.
David Heffelfinger is a software engineer with over 10 years of experience developing enterprise software applications. He is editor in chief of Ensode.net, a technology web site providing information about Java, Linux and other technology topics. He can be contacted via email at dheffelfinger@ensode.net.
Spyware is a category of malicious software that secretly obtains information about a computer user's and sends it to a third party without the user's consent. For example, a piece of spyware running on an infected computer can obtain the user's bank account number when online banking, user's username and password when online trading or the user's credit card number when shopping online.
No computer user is 100% safe from spyware, however it is primarily a concern for users of Microsoft Windows operating systems. The safest bet to avoid being a victim of spyware is to use an alternative operating system like Linux or Mac OS X, however if you are unable or unwilling to leave Windows, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself.
Ditch Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer contains a technology called ActiveX that allows malicious web sites to install software on the browser's computer without the user's consent, this ability has been a boon for spyware writers and distributors. Alternative browsers include Firefox and Opera.
Ditch Outlook Express
Outlook express contains several security vulnerabilities spyware distributors use to infect computers. Instead of Outlook express you can use an online email system like GMail or Yahoo mail, or install an alternate email client like Thunderbird.
Install Anti-Spyware Software
There are some tools that will scan your computer and detect and remove spyware. Some of the most popular ones include Spybot-Search and Destroy and Ad-Aware.
Install a Firewall
Hardware firewalls can be obtained for a reasonable price these days, most routers (both wired and wireless) provide firewalls in addition to their primary purpose of allowing multiple computers to share broadband internet connection. Software firewalls can be installed on Windows computers as well.
Conclusion
While nobody is completely safe from spyware, by taking these simple measures the risk of getting infected are greatly reduced.
David Heffelfinger is a software engineer with over 10 years of experience developing enterprise software applications. He is editor in chief of Ensode.net, a technology web site providing information about Java, Linux and other technology topics. He can be contacted via email at dheffelfinger@ensode.net.
Cold Cathode Light - The Bright Light for Your Computer
by: Greg Wirth
Cold Cathode Lights are vacuum tubes or gas filled tubes. Unlike other heater operated cathode tubes, there is no cathode heater in cold cathode tubes. There are many types of cold cathode tubes, some have beta radiation source to start the ionization process in the gas-filled tube. Others cathodes may have rare earth materials coating for enhanced electronic emission.
The neon lamp, nixie tubes, neon signage etc. are a good example of cold cathode tubes. Thryton tubes, krytron tubes, spytron tubes and ignitron tubes are also examples of Cold cathode tubes.Read more about cold cathode light. The cold cathode kits made exclusively for computers carry the cold cathode tubes. They are very reliable and have a long life of almost twenty years. You can find the cathode tubes in handy kits or on their own. The tube kit has an inverter box, as the cathode tubes need the power inverter to change the current to your your computer in a usable form. You connect the cathode plug to the box and plug the inverter box into a four-pin PC Molex connector. After this, you can stick the cathode with the adhesive backed Velcro pads or a two-sided tape.
In the forties and fifties, the mature vacuum tube or the thermionic technology was used while in the fifties and early sixties transistors caught everyone’s fancy and were actively developed. Transistors were the in things but came with a constraint, as they were costly.
Endless Options
You have many options available to mod your computer. Some lighting options are exclusively for computers while some are for automobiles, some are good and some are not so good. The beginners started with the neon kits of the automobiles. These kits were adapted for use in computer cases. Soon everyone realized that the amount of heat emission was more than light. We all know that heat is not at all good for the computer. Here the idea of cold cathode tubes struck to an imaginative soul. As fluorescent light does not emit too much of heat but gives enough light, these lights where the inspiration to make small fluorescent light to be used in the computers.
Gassy
Cold cathode tubes or lighting is the safest lighting option for the computer case. Actually fluorescent light is colored. The two electrodes at the tube ends excite the gas by passing current. The electrons of the gas move to the different electrical states and in the process emit light. The process of light emission is quite efficient and provides lesser amounts of light than other methods. The light generated in the process is nice and bright. Cold cathode tubes are very durable, vibration and shock resistant. The bulbs are made of glass and are thin; they have polycarbonate or acrylic tubing. The tubes are very durable and can be used as accent as well as under car lighting. The life span of the cathode tubes is roughly twenty thousand hours. Cold cathode tubes come in different shapes, sizes and colors. They are brighter than neon tubes but with tubes the light can not be as directional. You can even sound activate most of the lights with an additional kit or many come with sound activation. You can switch it on and off, mount wherever you want. These tubes can really activate your creative mind when it comes to case modding.
===\\\===\\\===\\\===\\\===\\\===\\\===
Greg S. Wirth writes articles on computer cases, case design, power supplies and case modding. A certified IT specialist, author and inventor he builds & mods his own PCs as well as others and is webmaster of http://www.cool-computer-case.com.
Cold Cathode Lights are vacuum tubes or gas filled tubes. Unlike other heater operated cathode tubes, there is no cathode heater in cold cathode tubes. There are many types of cold cathode tubes, some have beta radiation source to start the ionization process in the gas-filled tube. Others cathodes may have rare earth materials coating for enhanced electronic emission.
The neon lamp, nixie tubes, neon signage etc. are a good example of cold cathode tubes. Thryton tubes, krytron tubes, spytron tubes and ignitron tubes are also examples of Cold cathode tubes.Read more about cold cathode light. The cold cathode kits made exclusively for computers carry the cold cathode tubes. They are very reliable and have a long life of almost twenty years. You can find the cathode tubes in handy kits or on their own. The tube kit has an inverter box, as the cathode tubes need the power inverter to change the current to your your computer in a usable form. You connect the cathode plug to the box and plug the inverter box into a four-pin PC Molex connector. After this, you can stick the cathode with the adhesive backed Velcro pads or a two-sided tape.
In the forties and fifties, the mature vacuum tube or the thermionic technology was used while in the fifties and early sixties transistors caught everyone’s fancy and were actively developed. Transistors were the in things but came with a constraint, as they were costly.
Endless Options
You have many options available to mod your computer. Some lighting options are exclusively for computers while some are for automobiles, some are good and some are not so good. The beginners started with the neon kits of the automobiles. These kits were adapted for use in computer cases. Soon everyone realized that the amount of heat emission was more than light. We all know that heat is not at all good for the computer. Here the idea of cold cathode tubes struck to an imaginative soul. As fluorescent light does not emit too much of heat but gives enough light, these lights where the inspiration to make small fluorescent light to be used in the computers.
Gassy
Cold cathode tubes or lighting is the safest lighting option for the computer case. Actually fluorescent light is colored. The two electrodes at the tube ends excite the gas by passing current. The electrons of the gas move to the different electrical states and in the process emit light. The process of light emission is quite efficient and provides lesser amounts of light than other methods. The light generated in the process is nice and bright. Cold cathode tubes are very durable, vibration and shock resistant. The bulbs are made of glass and are thin; they have polycarbonate or acrylic tubing. The tubes are very durable and can be used as accent as well as under car lighting. The life span of the cathode tubes is roughly twenty thousand hours. Cold cathode tubes come in different shapes, sizes and colors. They are brighter than neon tubes but with tubes the light can not be as directional. You can even sound activate most of the lights with an additional kit or many come with sound activation. You can switch it on and off, mount wherever you want. These tubes can really activate your creative mind when it comes to case modding.
===\\\===\\\===\\\===\\\===\\\===\\\===
Greg S. Wirth writes articles on computer cases, case design, power supplies and case modding. A certified IT specialist, author and inventor he builds & mods his own PCs as well as others and is webmaster of http://www.cool-computer-case.com.
7 Fisherman's Tips to Avoid Losing Money on Your Web Site Design
by: Ian McAllister
--------------------------
Web site design to hook a customer is very like fishing. Try these seven tips to make money.
--------------------------
Step 1. Research.
----------------------
What - you don't think a fisherman starts with research? How does he know not to fish in the bathtub? How does he know not to fish for dorado in USA? How does he know that his favorite lemon meringue pie on a sardine hook won't catch sharks?
Imagine you've invented a 100% cure for Paraguayan piques. You pay a graphic designer to make your web site design. After a year you still haven't been able to make money. Your host tells you that the few visitors that you had only stayed for ten seconds.
Research would have told you that
*Your prospects speak Guaranà not English
*Most of them can't read GuaranÃ
*Even fewer speak English
*Most of them don't have computers
A little research at Overture would have told you that only 3791 people looked for pique in a month, but most of them were interested in polo, not in an insect. Does your potion kill Jiggers? 1432 people searched on that word, and they were mostly North Americans. Perhaps you could make money from them?
If your web site design could inspire 10% of these searchers to visit your sales page and 10% of these bought from you that would give you 14 clients per month. Would that make money enough to pay for your web site design? You've been fishing in your bathtub!
-----------------------
Step 2 Preparation
-----------------------
As a fisherman you've discovered what fish are in your area, what will attract them to where you are, and found a spot where you won't get your line tangled up with other fisherman's lines.
My research for this article showed that 'web site' had half a million searches but people could be totally uninterested in web site design. 'Web site design' had only a third of a million searches, but readers were more targeted. There were 239 advertisers on Overture, which shows that it is popular, and there are only 24 million competitors.
'Build a website' had less than 50 thousand searchers, but 337 million competitors. Ouch! I think my lines would get tangled!
So the rule is: find what people want then design your web site with pages filled with the information that they want. If nobody is interested in your subject, advertise offline or find another subject for your web site design.
-----------------------
Step 3 Get crowds
-----------------------
You sprinkle oatmeal soaked in your secret ingredient on the water, and soon fish are following the scent back to where you are.
Your first task is to make your web site design attractive to visitors.
Tuna fishermen throw un-baited hooks into the mass of fish and pull them out in a sort of rhythm. The hook, which has no barb, snags a fish which falls off into the hold, and the hook is thrown out again, with the whole process taking a few seconds.
Google Adsense is excellent to make money from this kind of web site design.
--------------------
Step 4 Research
--------------------
But that was in step 1 you object? Your research should never end. Talk to the other fishermen. Visit fishermen's forums. Search Google for information. Your oatmeal has attracted fish, but when you put it on the hook it washes off.
You must find what bait will stay on the hook long enough for hungry fish to bite. This will vary from season to season. Experiment and record your results.
Research for your web site design should never stop. Try different ideas to make money and record your results.
-----------------
Step 5 Pre-sell
-----------------
OK. Your fish are crowding round you. Your bait has some colorful feathers disguising the hook. You want to persuade the fish that your bait is more attractive than the scraps of oatmeal.
Your web site design should start to describe your experience with whatever it is that you are selling to make money. You should try to communicate in all your web site design just how interesting you find what you are offering.
---------------------------------
Step 6 Arouse Enthusiasm
---------------------------------
Keep pulling your bait through the water so that fish will think
*I'd better act while the food is there!
*It's heading towards the other fish. I'd better be quick!
*I may get a better offer, but what if I don't?
If your web site design is aimed at affiliate income, don't try to sell yet. You strike only after the bait is in the fish's mouth. Let the vendor handle the last step.
-----------------------
Step 7 Hook Them
-----------------------
Once the fish has the bait in it's mouth you strike to drive the barbs home, then the fish can't leave go. Then you pull the fish in, and eat it.
Oops! I'm not advocating cannibalism! Once your web site design has hooked a customer the same rules no longer apply.
------------
Bonus Tip
------------
To succeed, your web site design must have ways to keep your customers so happy that they will keep coming back again and again.
Your web site design must obviously have a contact page. You should have a frequently asked questions page. You should offer further sales of related products to make money for you. If you eat your client you won't have her returning again and again.
Ian McAllister learned fancy web design techniques from the local university, but you shouldn't use them! Instead design your web site to make money! Get a free step by step report on the profitable way to create a website.
--------------------------
Web site design to hook a customer is very like fishing. Try these seven tips to make money.
--------------------------
Step 1. Research.
----------------------
What - you don't think a fisherman starts with research? How does he know not to fish in the bathtub? How does he know not to fish for dorado in USA? How does he know that his favorite lemon meringue pie on a sardine hook won't catch sharks?
Imagine you've invented a 100% cure for Paraguayan piques. You pay a graphic designer to make your web site design. After a year you still haven't been able to make money. Your host tells you that the few visitors that you had only stayed for ten seconds.
Research would have told you that
*Your prospects speak Guaranà not English
*Most of them can't read GuaranÃ
*Even fewer speak English
*Most of them don't have computers
A little research at Overture would have told you that only 3791 people looked for pique in a month, but most of them were interested in polo, not in an insect. Does your potion kill Jiggers? 1432 people searched on that word, and they were mostly North Americans. Perhaps you could make money from them?
If your web site design could inspire 10% of these searchers to visit your sales page and 10% of these bought from you that would give you 14 clients per month. Would that make money enough to pay for your web site design? You've been fishing in your bathtub!
-----------------------
Step 2 Preparation
-----------------------
As a fisherman you've discovered what fish are in your area, what will attract them to where you are, and found a spot where you won't get your line tangled up with other fisherman's lines.
My research for this article showed that 'web site' had half a million searches but people could be totally uninterested in web site design. 'Web site design' had only a third of a million searches, but readers were more targeted. There were 239 advertisers on Overture, which shows that it is popular, and there are only 24 million competitors.
'Build a website' had less than 50 thousand searchers, but 337 million competitors. Ouch! I think my lines would get tangled!
So the rule is: find what people want then design your web site with pages filled with the information that they want. If nobody is interested in your subject, advertise offline or find another subject for your web site design.
-----------------------
Step 3 Get crowds
-----------------------
You sprinkle oatmeal soaked in your secret ingredient on the water, and soon fish are following the scent back to where you are.
Your first task is to make your web site design attractive to visitors.
Tuna fishermen throw un-baited hooks into the mass of fish and pull them out in a sort of rhythm. The hook, which has no barb, snags a fish which falls off into the hold, and the hook is thrown out again, with the whole process taking a few seconds.
Google Adsense is excellent to make money from this kind of web site design.
--------------------
Step 4 Research
--------------------
But that was in step 1 you object? Your research should never end. Talk to the other fishermen. Visit fishermen's forums. Search Google for information. Your oatmeal has attracted fish, but when you put it on the hook it washes off.
You must find what bait will stay on the hook long enough for hungry fish to bite. This will vary from season to season. Experiment and record your results.
Research for your web site design should never stop. Try different ideas to make money and record your results.
-----------------
Step 5 Pre-sell
-----------------
OK. Your fish are crowding round you. Your bait has some colorful feathers disguising the hook. You want to persuade the fish that your bait is more attractive than the scraps of oatmeal.
Your web site design should start to describe your experience with whatever it is that you are selling to make money. You should try to communicate in all your web site design just how interesting you find what you are offering.
---------------------------------
Step 6 Arouse Enthusiasm
---------------------------------
Keep pulling your bait through the water so that fish will think
*I'd better act while the food is there!
*It's heading towards the other fish. I'd better be quick!
*I may get a better offer, but what if I don't?
If your web site design is aimed at affiliate income, don't try to sell yet. You strike only after the bait is in the fish's mouth. Let the vendor handle the last step.
-----------------------
Step 7 Hook Them
-----------------------
Once the fish has the bait in it's mouth you strike to drive the barbs home, then the fish can't leave go. Then you pull the fish in, and eat it.
Oops! I'm not advocating cannibalism! Once your web site design has hooked a customer the same rules no longer apply.
------------
Bonus Tip
------------
To succeed, your web site design must have ways to keep your customers so happy that they will keep coming back again and again.
Your web site design must obviously have a contact page. You should have a frequently asked questions page. You should offer further sales of related products to make money for you. If you eat your client you won't have her returning again and again.
Ian McAllister learned fancy web design techniques from the local university, but you shouldn't use them! Instead design your web site to make money! Get a free step by step report on the profitable way to create a website.
Writing for People and for Search Engines
by: Jennifer Ryan
So you've decided to get a website that's optimized for search engines. You're no dummy. You want your website to show up any time a search is conducted in your area of expertise. Who can blame you? But wait. Be prepared for twists and turns ahead.
The Bible says, "My people perish from lack of knowledge." This is also true in the technical world of search engine marketing. Your lack of understanding of how search engines find websites can be detrimental to your success. In effect, you could lose your website investment, and lose again by not being at the top of the engines later. If your website is built and written correctly, you will experience a positive return on your website investment that pays dividends for years to come.
Before you start correcting the website content created for you by The Marketing Shop, or any webmaster experienced in SEO, make sure you have a firm grasp of search engine optimization. If you have a question about something that looks peculiar, ask your designer before you spend too much time fretting. Chances are--if it's on your website--it's there for a purpose.
Writing a website is a delicate balance between pleasing people and computers. Strike the right balance and you'll find your website at the top of the search engines, converting your website traffic into loyal clients. Miss the mark and your site will be in no man's land without a word to say.
Here's a few things to know about search engine optimization before reading your website content for the first time:
Keywords are Paramount. If your website does not have the keyword content that people are using for search, it will not show up in search results, period. This is not quantum physics. Computers are machines. They can only pick up text. It's crucial that we analyze what people are typing into the search engines and build your website content accordingly.
Keyword Research is Necessary. The Marketing Shop, a Dallas web design company performs extensive keyword research for all our web marketing clients. We want to know exactly what people are typing in what into the search engines to find products and services like yours. Based upon our expertise in search engine optimization, we determine the best keywords and phrases to optimize on your site. We have many different calculations that we use to determine which keywords to optimize for and rest assured we've done our homework on the best keywords for the current development phase of your website.
Headings Must Be Search Engine Optimized. The headings of your website impact your website search engine optimization. It is important that they read in a precise way in order for you to "score points" with the search engines and rank higher in search results. There are at least three levels of headings (h1, h2 and h3). If you're keywords aren't here, your page won't be optimized.
We try to maintain a balance by writing headings that are search engine optimized, and compelling for the reader. A headline sets up the structure of the page and entices people to read further. We try to do both wherever possible.
Your Page Layout Must Be Search Engine Optimized. Everything about your website must be optimized for search or you may loose valuable opportunities to gain new customers. Our websites have generally the same layout because our research has shown the layout to be most effective for SEO. While there are probably many better ways to layout your website, we prefer the way that the search engines prefer in effort to attract website traffic.
Your Navigation Will Make or Break Your Search Rankings. The navigation on your website is integral to your website for a variety of reasons. First, it contains links that help the search engine spiders get to where they need to go on your site. Second, it contains keywords that help your website get indexed for search queries.
We strive to create intuitive and easy to use navigation systems that are search engine optimized. Much thought goes into the creation of your navigation. Though it may see strange, your navigation is built for search engines and people. Whenever possible, we will add keywords and key phrases to each and every link of your navigation. Here's some bizarre things you may encounter on your SEO navigation:
Repetition Keywords: It's important to put keywords everywhere, including the navigation system. Not only do the keywords score points for being there, but the link itself scores double points for linking to the page it's linking to.
Re-Phrasing of Terminology: Sometimes we will need to breakdown the way you phrase something in order to make it match with what people are searching for in the search engines. If our research shows that people are not searching for a given term, we will change it to suit the search queries of the customers you want to win.
Localization is A Sticky Situation. Many of The Marketing Shop website clients are those seeking web marketing in a local vicinity. We do our best to bring you customers only from the area you request. However, there are times when our keyword research concludes that people are just not searching for your local area and we have to optimize more broadly. If this is the case, rest assured that targeting the broader area will still render results in your local area due to our expertise in local web marketing.
Each Page is Only Optimized for One or Two Phrases. The most successful web pages for search engines are optimized for only one or two keyword phrases. That means the title is about one thing and the page contains the same keywords sprinkled throughout with plenty of links reflecting the same keywords too.
Images are Invisible to Search Engines. If you were expecting a website to be a lead-generator that has more visual appeal and aesthetic stimulation, please reconsider. Images are invisible to search engines. Studies also show that people want information when they come on the web as opposed to a colorful "website brochure."
Content is King. Content is king for a variety of reasons including for search engine optimization, for website conversion enhancement and for inclusion into Google.
Search Engines: Search engines can read only text. It makes sense to keep fresh, relevant content on your site for search engine crawlers.
Website Conversion Enhancement: People are on the web to get information, not to read brochures. The more information you provide for them, the "stickier" your website becomes and the more people will bookmark your site and rely on it for pertinent information. (See article on web content.)
Also, people who get free and valuable information from your website are more likely to rely and depend upon you when they're ready to purchase goods and services. It's a "give before you get" mentality that really works. Offer information and your website visitors will reward you with loyalty.
Another way good web content affects your website's conversion capabilities is by showing your clients how you operate. Your web content is very telling as to the goods and services you provide. If you skimp on your content and your competitor does not, your competitor will win the business. Your prospects may wonder why you're not offering adequate information. Do you not know what you're doing? Do you have something to hide? Will you skimp later? It's best to just ante up the info immediately.
Google has strict requirements for it's top search result contenders, including inclusion in the DMOZ. The DMOZ is a human edited directory that requires unique and informative content as a barrier to entry. We're in the Information Age, time to step it up and provide useful information.
The World is Changing and Your Customer is Well Informed. Why bother creating websites that are valuable to our website visitors? Because your customer is different today than ever before. Information is readily available to everyone. The person who gives out information most efficiently is the one people will rely on to do business with in the future. Customers are well informed, savvy and able to get information at the click of a mouse. We need to step out of the box and cater to the new consumer.
SEO Sites Can be Tacky. There are websites out there that try to capitalize on knowledge of search engine optimization by adding keywords flagrantly and abusing the system. The Marketing Shop will never do that as we rely only on ethical search engine optimization techniques. We care more about people than we do about search engine rankings. The only time we'll put machines over people is when it's very important to the overall SEO success of your website. Other times, we try to appeal human visitors most of all.
Conclusion
Before you get started, make sure you understand what it takes to get to the top of the search engines. Good foundational knowledge in SEO will help your site be more successful, and save your web designer and SEO professional a ton of headaches in trying to get you to understand what's what. Please understand that The Marketing Shop will do nothing to your website without having a good reason for doing so. Please ask questions before you get frustrated.
Jennifer Ryan of The Marketing Shop is a web promotions and sales expert. Having earned numerous awards, recognition and financial success in sales, Jennifer now sells Dallas Web Design on line for businesses worldwide. Visit http://www.the-marketing-shop.com today to sign up for her monthly newsletter (generous with free tips and advice!).
So you've decided to get a website that's optimized for search engines. You're no dummy. You want your website to show up any time a search is conducted in your area of expertise. Who can blame you? But wait. Be prepared for twists and turns ahead.
The Bible says, "My people perish from lack of knowledge." This is also true in the technical world of search engine marketing. Your lack of understanding of how search engines find websites can be detrimental to your success. In effect, you could lose your website investment, and lose again by not being at the top of the engines later. If your website is built and written correctly, you will experience a positive return on your website investment that pays dividends for years to come.
Before you start correcting the website content created for you by The Marketing Shop, or any webmaster experienced in SEO, make sure you have a firm grasp of search engine optimization. If you have a question about something that looks peculiar, ask your designer before you spend too much time fretting. Chances are--if it's on your website--it's there for a purpose.
Writing a website is a delicate balance between pleasing people and computers. Strike the right balance and you'll find your website at the top of the search engines, converting your website traffic into loyal clients. Miss the mark and your site will be in no man's land without a word to say.
Here's a few things to know about search engine optimization before reading your website content for the first time:
Keywords are Paramount. If your website does not have the keyword content that people are using for search, it will not show up in search results, period. This is not quantum physics. Computers are machines. They can only pick up text. It's crucial that we analyze what people are typing into the search engines and build your website content accordingly.
Keyword Research is Necessary. The Marketing Shop, a Dallas web design company performs extensive keyword research for all our web marketing clients. We want to know exactly what people are typing in what into the search engines to find products and services like yours. Based upon our expertise in search engine optimization, we determine the best keywords and phrases to optimize on your site. We have many different calculations that we use to determine which keywords to optimize for and rest assured we've done our homework on the best keywords for the current development phase of your website.
Headings Must Be Search Engine Optimized. The headings of your website impact your website search engine optimization. It is important that they read in a precise way in order for you to "score points" with the search engines and rank higher in search results. There are at least three levels of headings (h1, h2 and h3). If you're keywords aren't here, your page won't be optimized.
We try to maintain a balance by writing headings that are search engine optimized, and compelling for the reader. A headline sets up the structure of the page and entices people to read further. We try to do both wherever possible.
Your Page Layout Must Be Search Engine Optimized. Everything about your website must be optimized for search or you may loose valuable opportunities to gain new customers. Our websites have generally the same layout because our research has shown the layout to be most effective for SEO. While there are probably many better ways to layout your website, we prefer the way that the search engines prefer in effort to attract website traffic.
Your Navigation Will Make or Break Your Search Rankings. The navigation on your website is integral to your website for a variety of reasons. First, it contains links that help the search engine spiders get to where they need to go on your site. Second, it contains keywords that help your website get indexed for search queries.
We strive to create intuitive and easy to use navigation systems that are search engine optimized. Much thought goes into the creation of your navigation. Though it may see strange, your navigation is built for search engines and people. Whenever possible, we will add keywords and key phrases to each and every link of your navigation. Here's some bizarre things you may encounter on your SEO navigation:
Repetition Keywords: It's important to put keywords everywhere, including the navigation system. Not only do the keywords score points for being there, but the link itself scores double points for linking to the page it's linking to.
Re-Phrasing of Terminology: Sometimes we will need to breakdown the way you phrase something in order to make it match with what people are searching for in the search engines. If our research shows that people are not searching for a given term, we will change it to suit the search queries of the customers you want to win.
Localization is A Sticky Situation. Many of The Marketing Shop website clients are those seeking web marketing in a local vicinity. We do our best to bring you customers only from the area you request. However, there are times when our keyword research concludes that people are just not searching for your local area and we have to optimize more broadly. If this is the case, rest assured that targeting the broader area will still render results in your local area due to our expertise in local web marketing.
Each Page is Only Optimized for One or Two Phrases. The most successful web pages for search engines are optimized for only one or two keyword phrases. That means the title is about one thing and the page contains the same keywords sprinkled throughout with plenty of links reflecting the same keywords too.
Images are Invisible to Search Engines. If you were expecting a website to be a lead-generator that has more visual appeal and aesthetic stimulation, please reconsider. Images are invisible to search engines. Studies also show that people want information when they come on the web as opposed to a colorful "website brochure."
Content is King. Content is king for a variety of reasons including for search engine optimization, for website conversion enhancement and for inclusion into Google.
Search Engines: Search engines can read only text. It makes sense to keep fresh, relevant content on your site for search engine crawlers.
Website Conversion Enhancement: People are on the web to get information, not to read brochures. The more information you provide for them, the "stickier" your website becomes and the more people will bookmark your site and rely on it for pertinent information. (See article on web content.)
Also, people who get free and valuable information from your website are more likely to rely and depend upon you when they're ready to purchase goods and services. It's a "give before you get" mentality that really works. Offer information and your website visitors will reward you with loyalty.
Another way good web content affects your website's conversion capabilities is by showing your clients how you operate. Your web content is very telling as to the goods and services you provide. If you skimp on your content and your competitor does not, your competitor will win the business. Your prospects may wonder why you're not offering adequate information. Do you not know what you're doing? Do you have something to hide? Will you skimp later? It's best to just ante up the info immediately.
Google has strict requirements for it's top search result contenders, including inclusion in the DMOZ. The DMOZ is a human edited directory that requires unique and informative content as a barrier to entry. We're in the Information Age, time to step it up and provide useful information.
The World is Changing and Your Customer is Well Informed. Why bother creating websites that are valuable to our website visitors? Because your customer is different today than ever before. Information is readily available to everyone. The person who gives out information most efficiently is the one people will rely on to do business with in the future. Customers are well informed, savvy and able to get information at the click of a mouse. We need to step out of the box and cater to the new consumer.
SEO Sites Can be Tacky. There are websites out there that try to capitalize on knowledge of search engine optimization by adding keywords flagrantly and abusing the system. The Marketing Shop will never do that as we rely only on ethical search engine optimization techniques. We care more about people than we do about search engine rankings. The only time we'll put machines over people is when it's very important to the overall SEO success of your website. Other times, we try to appeal human visitors most of all.
Conclusion
Before you get started, make sure you understand what it takes to get to the top of the search engines. Good foundational knowledge in SEO will help your site be more successful, and save your web designer and SEO professional a ton of headaches in trying to get you to understand what's what. Please understand that The Marketing Shop will do nothing to your website without having a good reason for doing so. Please ask questions before you get frustrated.
Jennifer Ryan of The Marketing Shop is a web promotions and sales expert. Having earned numerous awards, recognition and financial success in sales, Jennifer now sells Dallas Web Design on line for businesses worldwide. Visit http://www.the-marketing-shop.com today to sign up for her monthly newsletter (generous with free tips and advice!).
Gaming Laptops - The Five Essential Features To Consider When Buying A Gaming Laptop
by: Laura Alter
Gone are the days when you would have been laughed at if you walked into an all-night LAN party carrying your trusty laptop and expecting to hang with the giant computer towers standing at everyone’s feet. The gaming laptop computers of today sport huge, crisp LCD screens, cutting-edge video cards and full-size keyboards. Not only can these gaming laptop computers hang with the standard clunky computer tower, but they can also be ordered fully custom to meet the exact specifications of any gamer.
Since there are so many customizable components in these laptops, a standard practice has been to create what some call a “system builder.” This is the page where you get to add and subtract components through drop-down menus in order to create the best gaming laptop computer for your needs and your budget. This type of page can be overwhelming to someone just starting the gaming laptop shopping process, but it is very manageable if you take it just one component at a time.
The Gaming Laptop GPU
This is the heart of a gaming laptop computer. The GPU – graphics processing unit – is a component that will make or break your gaming experience. If your GPU isn’t up to snuff, your games won’t play.
Without getting into specific models since they change all the time, the key is that the graphics card not share resources with the computer. A gaming laptop video card must have its own memory on board. Generally speaking, standard off-the-shelf laptops will not have this feature. The two current makers of laptop video cards are nVIDIA and ATI.
Without the Screen, You Don’t Have Much
What good is a gaming laptop without a screen that can actually render your games? Now certainly, you can connect an external monitor, but if you can’t actually play on your gaming laptop without that external monitor, then your laptop isn’t all that mobile.
While the technology and terminology for LCDs (liquid crystal displays) could take up an entire article in itself, there are a few key points to keep in mind when choosing from available LCD options for your new gaming laptop computer: native resolution, aspect ratio, rise and fall time, contrast, viewing angle, and size.
Native Resolution. The native resolution is simply the setting at which your screen will render the clearest images. Since games are constantly in motion, slightly soft edges may not bother most gamers, but keep in mind that while this is your gaming laptop, you will likely also use it for other things like surfing the Internet. If the resolution isn’t comfortable, you aren’t going to enjoy using it.
Aspect Ratio. As you probably know, a movie theater screen and a TV screen have different proportions. Likewise, there are widescreen format gaming laptops and there are laptops that have a standard aspect ratio – like that of a TV. A widescreen format gaming laptop has advantages and disadvantages. Many games today do not have a widescreen mode. This means that the game may stretch across the screen and become distorted or you may run it with black bars that fill in the sides. There are ways to get around this, but if you want an out of the box perfect experience, the widescreen format may not be for you.
That said, a widescreen LCD does offer plenty of screen real estate for web surfing and other type of computer activities, and a game played in a wide format setting offers an expansive field of view. For this reason, there are some very loyal widescreen-loving gamers out there.
Do your best to find a balance between current and future technology and what your computer habits are beyond gaming. Even with its limitations, the widescreen format is found on most of the best gaming laptop computers.
Rise and Fall. The phrase ‘rise and fall time’ is used to describe how fast the LCD can respond to changes. In the past, LCDs have been plagued with the inability to render images as fast as computer games can spit them out. This presents a major problem for laptop gamers because if they can’t see the images properly, they can’t play the game properly. This lag can mean the difference between playing to win and barely playing.
Fortunately, gaming laptop LCDs have come a long way and they are only getting better. While once it was impossible to game on a laptop screen, the gaming laptop LCDs of today offer 25 milliseconds or less rise and fall time while generally off-the-shelf laptops have 40 milliseconds or less rise and fall time.
Contrast. If a gaming laptop LCD has poor contrast, that means that the black areas aren’t quite as black as they should be and the white areas aren’t quite as white. This is important to a laptop gamer because you have to see the game properly – as it was intended to be seen – in order to compete effectively. Look for a contrast ratio of 400:1 or higher in a custom gaming laptop computer.
Viewing Angle. This is an often-overlooked LCD feature, but it must be considered if you are building a gaming laptop computer. Many high quality LCDs on the market are difficult to see clearly at any angle other than straight on and at the right height. This can be a big drawback to gaming on a LCD screen because a screen with poor viewing angles won’t allow others to watch the screen as you play and also hurts your view when doing something as simple as adjusting your seating, which can require you to then adjust to position of your laptop screen to see it properly again.
But gaming on a laptop does not mean that you are doomed to have poor viewing angles. There are LCDs on the market that have amazing viewing angles – up to 120 degrees. These screens not only allow gaming onlookers, but they also allow you to use that giant, crisp screen to do things like play movies and even make presentations.
Size. In a gaming laptop computer, size is everything. Most gaming laptops are large, robust pieces of electronics. Having a machine of this stature means you also get to have a large screen. The best gaming laptop computer LCD screens out there are at least 15 inches. A crowd favorite is a 17 inch widescreen (even with the challenges that widescreens present). Largr 19 inch laptop screens are just starting to be talked about with consumers expecting to see 19 inch or even large models on the market in the near future.
The best way to really get a feel for what laptop LCDs are all about is to take a trip to a local box store and play with the LCDs on the display laptops while keeping in mind what you have read here. While these laptops are not custom gaming laptops, you can see what the sizes really look like, what different resolutions look like, and what the viewing angles truly are so you can start to develop your own preferences.
The RAM – What Type and How Much?
The RAM (random access memory) found in laptops is called SODIMM (small outline dual inline memory module). The RAM is responsible for your processing power. If you are shopping for a custom gaming laptop, you will generally be offered DDR2 RAM with the choice of how much you want in your computer. Most high-end games being released today need 1GB of RAM for optimum, lag-free game play. Some people are going with 2GB to ensure that they can run multiple applications along with the game and not experience any slow down in response time. This is a large investment and you want to be able to use this gaming laptop for some time in the future. Most custom laptops are user upgradeable, but this should be left up to professionals.
The CPU – Not Just Mobile Technology
The CPUs (central processing units) found in many custom gaming laptops are identical to those found in desktops. These chips require a great deal of cooling power, which in turn can make your laptop louder than light weight, lower power ultra portables when the fans kick on and it can become somewhat warm to the touch. Don’t be alarmed by this – it is normal. And with these desktop processors comes screaming power! Don’t waste your money on the latest CPU release that likely has an inflated price tag (and that price will likely come down before long). Stick with a current CPU speed that is offered by a reputable custom gaming laptop reseller, and you really can’t go wrong.
The Gaming Laptop Hard Drive
This is the final component to consider when building a gaming laptop. Laptop hard drives come in a variety of speeds and capacities ranging from 4200 to 7200 RPMs and 40 to over 100 GBs. For the most part, this is user preference. Whenever possible, go for a 7200 RPM hard drive, but if you need a capacity not offered in this speed, it’s okay to go for the 5400 RPM drive. Take a look at your current computer, and buy your capacity based on this. Also keep in mind that with many custom gaming laptop manufacturers, you have the ability to upgrade or add another hard drive at a later date.
At the end of the day, gaming laptop computers are all about power. Don’t expect a twelve-pound notebook with a desktop processor, numerous fans, a giant heatsink, and independent video card to last on battery power all that long. But do make sure to enjoy the jawdrops that you’ll get as you walk into your regular LAN party location with your new, screaming-fast gaming laptop computer. Crack that puppy open, fire it up, and stand clear of the drool as you take on your favorite game with fellow gamers gathered around to take in the action. Gaming is not just for desktops anymore!
Laura Alter
PC Torque Ltd is a leading authority on laptop gaming news and technology. For more information on how to to build the best gaming laptop, or to check out the latest offerings in the custom gaming laptop industry, visit http://www.pctorque.com.
Gone are the days when you would have been laughed at if you walked into an all-night LAN party carrying your trusty laptop and expecting to hang with the giant computer towers standing at everyone’s feet. The gaming laptop computers of today sport huge, crisp LCD screens, cutting-edge video cards and full-size keyboards. Not only can these gaming laptop computers hang with the standard clunky computer tower, but they can also be ordered fully custom to meet the exact specifications of any gamer.
Since there are so many customizable components in these laptops, a standard practice has been to create what some call a “system builder.” This is the page where you get to add and subtract components through drop-down menus in order to create the best gaming laptop computer for your needs and your budget. This type of page can be overwhelming to someone just starting the gaming laptop shopping process, but it is very manageable if you take it just one component at a time.
The Gaming Laptop GPU
This is the heart of a gaming laptop computer. The GPU – graphics processing unit – is a component that will make or break your gaming experience. If your GPU isn’t up to snuff, your games won’t play.
Without getting into specific models since they change all the time, the key is that the graphics card not share resources with the computer. A gaming laptop video card must have its own memory on board. Generally speaking, standard off-the-shelf laptops will not have this feature. The two current makers of laptop video cards are nVIDIA and ATI.
Without the Screen, You Don’t Have Much
What good is a gaming laptop without a screen that can actually render your games? Now certainly, you can connect an external monitor, but if you can’t actually play on your gaming laptop without that external monitor, then your laptop isn’t all that mobile.
While the technology and terminology for LCDs (liquid crystal displays) could take up an entire article in itself, there are a few key points to keep in mind when choosing from available LCD options for your new gaming laptop computer: native resolution, aspect ratio, rise and fall time, contrast, viewing angle, and size.
Native Resolution. The native resolution is simply the setting at which your screen will render the clearest images. Since games are constantly in motion, slightly soft edges may not bother most gamers, but keep in mind that while this is your gaming laptop, you will likely also use it for other things like surfing the Internet. If the resolution isn’t comfortable, you aren’t going to enjoy using it.
Aspect Ratio. As you probably know, a movie theater screen and a TV screen have different proportions. Likewise, there are widescreen format gaming laptops and there are laptops that have a standard aspect ratio – like that of a TV. A widescreen format gaming laptop has advantages and disadvantages. Many games today do not have a widescreen mode. This means that the game may stretch across the screen and become distorted or you may run it with black bars that fill in the sides. There are ways to get around this, but if you want an out of the box perfect experience, the widescreen format may not be for you.
That said, a widescreen LCD does offer plenty of screen real estate for web surfing and other type of computer activities, and a game played in a wide format setting offers an expansive field of view. For this reason, there are some very loyal widescreen-loving gamers out there.
Do your best to find a balance between current and future technology and what your computer habits are beyond gaming. Even with its limitations, the widescreen format is found on most of the best gaming laptop computers.
Rise and Fall. The phrase ‘rise and fall time’ is used to describe how fast the LCD can respond to changes. In the past, LCDs have been plagued with the inability to render images as fast as computer games can spit them out. This presents a major problem for laptop gamers because if they can’t see the images properly, they can’t play the game properly. This lag can mean the difference between playing to win and barely playing.
Fortunately, gaming laptop LCDs have come a long way and they are only getting better. While once it was impossible to game on a laptop screen, the gaming laptop LCDs of today offer 25 milliseconds or less rise and fall time while generally off-the-shelf laptops have 40 milliseconds or less rise and fall time.
Contrast. If a gaming laptop LCD has poor contrast, that means that the black areas aren’t quite as black as they should be and the white areas aren’t quite as white. This is important to a laptop gamer because you have to see the game properly – as it was intended to be seen – in order to compete effectively. Look for a contrast ratio of 400:1 or higher in a custom gaming laptop computer.
Viewing Angle. This is an often-overlooked LCD feature, but it must be considered if you are building a gaming laptop computer. Many high quality LCDs on the market are difficult to see clearly at any angle other than straight on and at the right height. This can be a big drawback to gaming on a LCD screen because a screen with poor viewing angles won’t allow others to watch the screen as you play and also hurts your view when doing something as simple as adjusting your seating, which can require you to then adjust to position of your laptop screen to see it properly again.
But gaming on a laptop does not mean that you are doomed to have poor viewing angles. There are LCDs on the market that have amazing viewing angles – up to 120 degrees. These screens not only allow gaming onlookers, but they also allow you to use that giant, crisp screen to do things like play movies and even make presentations.
Size. In a gaming laptop computer, size is everything. Most gaming laptops are large, robust pieces of electronics. Having a machine of this stature means you also get to have a large screen. The best gaming laptop computer LCD screens out there are at least 15 inches. A crowd favorite is a 17 inch widescreen (even with the challenges that widescreens present). Largr 19 inch laptop screens are just starting to be talked about with consumers expecting to see 19 inch or even large models on the market in the near future.
The best way to really get a feel for what laptop LCDs are all about is to take a trip to a local box store and play with the LCDs on the display laptops while keeping in mind what you have read here. While these laptops are not custom gaming laptops, you can see what the sizes really look like, what different resolutions look like, and what the viewing angles truly are so you can start to develop your own preferences.
The RAM – What Type and How Much?
The RAM (random access memory) found in laptops is called SODIMM (small outline dual inline memory module). The RAM is responsible for your processing power. If you are shopping for a custom gaming laptop, you will generally be offered DDR2 RAM with the choice of how much you want in your computer. Most high-end games being released today need 1GB of RAM for optimum, lag-free game play. Some people are going with 2GB to ensure that they can run multiple applications along with the game and not experience any slow down in response time. This is a large investment and you want to be able to use this gaming laptop for some time in the future. Most custom laptops are user upgradeable, but this should be left up to professionals.
The CPU – Not Just Mobile Technology
The CPUs (central processing units) found in many custom gaming laptops are identical to those found in desktops. These chips require a great deal of cooling power, which in turn can make your laptop louder than light weight, lower power ultra portables when the fans kick on and it can become somewhat warm to the touch. Don’t be alarmed by this – it is normal. And with these desktop processors comes screaming power! Don’t waste your money on the latest CPU release that likely has an inflated price tag (and that price will likely come down before long). Stick with a current CPU speed that is offered by a reputable custom gaming laptop reseller, and you really can’t go wrong.
The Gaming Laptop Hard Drive
This is the final component to consider when building a gaming laptop. Laptop hard drives come in a variety of speeds and capacities ranging from 4200 to 7200 RPMs and 40 to over 100 GBs. For the most part, this is user preference. Whenever possible, go for a 7200 RPM hard drive, but if you need a capacity not offered in this speed, it’s okay to go for the 5400 RPM drive. Take a look at your current computer, and buy your capacity based on this. Also keep in mind that with many custom gaming laptop manufacturers, you have the ability to upgrade or add another hard drive at a later date.
At the end of the day, gaming laptop computers are all about power. Don’t expect a twelve-pound notebook with a desktop processor, numerous fans, a giant heatsink, and independent video card to last on battery power all that long. But do make sure to enjoy the jawdrops that you’ll get as you walk into your regular LAN party location with your new, screaming-fast gaming laptop computer. Crack that puppy open, fire it up, and stand clear of the drool as you take on your favorite game with fellow gamers gathered around to take in the action. Gaming is not just for desktops anymore!
Laura Alter
PC Torque Ltd is a leading authority on laptop gaming news and technology. For more information on how to to build the best gaming laptop, or to check out the latest offerings in the custom gaming laptop industry, visit http://www.pctorque.com.
UK Broadband Provider
by: Neil Shevlin
Ways To Find the best broadband provider for you.
A little effort goes a long way towards finding the best provider. Most things in life take some amount of work. To find the best product at the optimum price takes some research. This is true for everything, including finding the best broadband provider. The first step is being familiar with your needs from a broadband provider. Anyone can say how well a service works for them, but if it is too much or not enough for your needs, it is simply a waste of time. Time and money are two valuable resources that should never be wasted.
It is necessary to get a good idea of what your really need from a provider to get the best broadband provider for you. Make a list of your needs. Decide if you only need Internet service or if you would do better with bundled phone and Internet service. So many great deals exist for bundled type services from companies such as BT broadband, Wanadoo Broadband, and Homecall Broadband. Each of these companies is well established in the UK market. They are eager for their share of the broadband market and each is notable for their services and prices.
Going back to your needs-perhaps you are the owner of a home business? Decide if the service is for a company that you own, or do you have personal home business needs? The answers to these questions will help direct your research efforts to find that perfect broadband provider. And once you have finished with this personal research, you will have a very well formed idea of what kind of broadband package you need. You will not be swayed into purchasing something you don't need by a fast-talking salesperson. The fact that you have done your research will provide you with a blueprint of what you are looking for in a broadband provider.
Now comes the opportunity to discuss pricing options with the companies that are trying to get your business. Get a list of prices. Then go talk to people who are actually using the broadband services you are thinking about. Avoid the canned information available on the company website. Ask around, talk to your neighbors, friends, and colleagues about the advantages and things they don't like about the various broadband providers. This is an invaluable way to weed out the providers who have great deals but don't follow up with the best service.
For people who spend a lot of time on their computers, finding the best broadband service is key for making it a pleasant experience. It could even save you money on things like your phone bill, too. It is always interesting to see people who stop using dial-up for the very first time and try broadband service. Even if it is a smaller bandwidth type of service, the difference in amazing to them. It is very possible that dial-up could go the way of the Dodo bird and become extinct because of the ever-growing success of broadband services. This is becoming more apparent now with the excellent broadband deals available and the affordability of broadband for the average consumer. So it is even more important to stress that finding the right broadband service for you is the most important key to having a great Internet experience.
Neil Shevlin is the owner of E-UK Broadband which is a great place to find broadband links, resources and articles. For more information go to: http://www.eukbroadband.com http://www.eukbroadband.com © Copyright 2005
Ways To Find the best broadband provider for you.
A little effort goes a long way towards finding the best provider. Most things in life take some amount of work. To find the best product at the optimum price takes some research. This is true for everything, including finding the best broadband provider. The first step is being familiar with your needs from a broadband provider. Anyone can say how well a service works for them, but if it is too much or not enough for your needs, it is simply a waste of time. Time and money are two valuable resources that should never be wasted.
It is necessary to get a good idea of what your really need from a provider to get the best broadband provider for you. Make a list of your needs. Decide if you only need Internet service or if you would do better with bundled phone and Internet service. So many great deals exist for bundled type services from companies such as BT broadband, Wanadoo Broadband, and Homecall Broadband. Each of these companies is well established in the UK market. They are eager for their share of the broadband market and each is notable for their services and prices.
Going back to your needs-perhaps you are the owner of a home business? Decide if the service is for a company that you own, or do you have personal home business needs? The answers to these questions will help direct your research efforts to find that perfect broadband provider. And once you have finished with this personal research, you will have a very well formed idea of what kind of broadband package you need. You will not be swayed into purchasing something you don't need by a fast-talking salesperson. The fact that you have done your research will provide you with a blueprint of what you are looking for in a broadband provider.
Now comes the opportunity to discuss pricing options with the companies that are trying to get your business. Get a list of prices. Then go talk to people who are actually using the broadband services you are thinking about. Avoid the canned information available on the company website. Ask around, talk to your neighbors, friends, and colleagues about the advantages and things they don't like about the various broadband providers. This is an invaluable way to weed out the providers who have great deals but don't follow up with the best service.
For people who spend a lot of time on their computers, finding the best broadband service is key for making it a pleasant experience. It could even save you money on things like your phone bill, too. It is always interesting to see people who stop using dial-up for the very first time and try broadband service. Even if it is a smaller bandwidth type of service, the difference in amazing to them. It is very possible that dial-up could go the way of the Dodo bird and become extinct because of the ever-growing success of broadband services. This is becoming more apparent now with the excellent broadband deals available and the affordability of broadband for the average consumer. So it is even more important to stress that finding the right broadband service for you is the most important key to having a great Internet experience.
Neil Shevlin is the owner of E-UK Broadband which is a great place to find broadband links, resources and articles. For more information go to: http://www.eukbroadband.com http://www.eukbroadband.com © Copyright 2005
Choosing a CMS (Content Management System)
by: Rob Sullivan
Content Management Systems (or CMS) have been in use on the web for some time now, however up until recently very few systems were considered search engine friendly.
The foundation of most CMS systems is simple: First one creates a template which will be used to display your pages. In general, one template is all that is needed for an entire site. From there one uses the provided software to add content to the site. This usually means entering the content in some form of dashboard. When completed the data is written into a database. When a site visitor requests a page, it is usually created “on the fly” by pulling the appropriate data from the database and displaying it in the template.
With that description of a CMS system in mind, one must consider what the CMS can do for them. Therefore some questions needs to be answered by the CMS provider:
Questions To Ask:
How search engine friendly is the CMS system?
There are a few CMS which are designed with search engines in mind. By search engine friendly one must know if it support unique meta tags for each page and are these tags easily modified? Can the CMS display static pages or does it require session variables and other dynamic variables to work properly? Can one apply a customizable file structure to the system or is it set to a default? In other words, can the system organize files in the top 2 or 3 folders, or does it bury content in some long obscure path like:
http://www.somesite.com/folder1/folder2/folder3/yet-another-folder/why-not-one-more-folder/filename.htm?
If the answer no to any of the above questions is “no”, then other options should be considered. Here is why:
Search engines consider the folder depth when assigning values such as link popularity and inheritance. And while you can minimize link popularity loss through effective navigation, ultimately the folder depth will impact your performance.
This goes back to the “old days” of the web, when many sites were hand coded and file and folder structure were managed by the webmaster.
Generally, less important content, or content which changed infrequently, was placed deeper in the site. Search engines soon figured this out, so appropriately assigned value to those pages. As such they continue to use this logic today when assigning values to pages.
Does the system support unique meta tags?
A site need unique meta tags because pages perform better on search engines if they are all unique – that not only means unique text content but unique meta tags that match the text content. The CMS should also have the ability to easily go in and modify the meta tags and content to help improve search engine rankings, and ultimately traffic (and hopefully sales).
Does the system support static pages?
One wants the pages to appear static to the search engines and be able to display without any types of session variable, or other identifiers needed to help build the pages. For example, the page called:
http://www.somesite.com/page.htm&sessionid=1&page=3&content=4
will not perform as well as a page called
http://www.somesite.com/content4/page3.htm
Not only will search engine spiders tend to leave a site when they see “seesionid” (because session ids tend to catch them in a never ending loop on the site) but the static pages tend to perform better in search results than dynamic pages. Even more so in highly or even moderately competitive search markets.
How flexible is the folder structure?
One should have the ability to organize the files the way they see fit. Ideally, it would be best if all the pages could reside in the root folder, or at the very least one should have the ability to organize them in subfolders off the root. It is generally accepted that all the site’s pages be no more than 3 folders deep. This is because the deeper the pages reside, the lower their relevancy is considered to be by the search engines.
What platform does the CMS need to run on?
Some CMS are built to run on a Linux or UNIX server while others are designed for a Microsoft IIS platform. Therefore the decision one makes on the CMS depends on what hosting has already been arranged (if any). If hosting hasn’t already been arranged, then there is more flexibility in the choice of system
What kind of customer service does the CMS company offer?
In other words, can the CMS provider build custom modules, or is the system limited to only what they sell? In many cases people will think they had purchased the perfect CMS only to find later that they needed features which were not available to them. In these cases, one may have to hire an independent programmer to build the custom application, which can get expensive.
As one can see, there should be many more questions asked when considering any kind of content management system. From the point of view of the search engine, these questions need to be answered first before getting into things like platforms, customer service and so on. After all, what is the point of building this great looking; customer friendly website which is packed full of useful content only to find out that it is virtually invisible to the rest of the web?
Rob Sullivan - SEO Specialist and Internet Marketing Consultant. Any reproduction of this article needs to have an html link pointing to http://www.textlinkbrokers.com.
Content Management Systems (or CMS) have been in use on the web for some time now, however up until recently very few systems were considered search engine friendly.
The foundation of most CMS systems is simple: First one creates a template which will be used to display your pages. In general, one template is all that is needed for an entire site. From there one uses the provided software to add content to the site. This usually means entering the content in some form of dashboard. When completed the data is written into a database. When a site visitor requests a page, it is usually created “on the fly” by pulling the appropriate data from the database and displaying it in the template.
With that description of a CMS system in mind, one must consider what the CMS can do for them. Therefore some questions needs to be answered by the CMS provider:
Questions To Ask:
How search engine friendly is the CMS system?
There are a few CMS which are designed with search engines in mind. By search engine friendly one must know if it support unique meta tags for each page and are these tags easily modified? Can the CMS display static pages or does it require session variables and other dynamic variables to work properly? Can one apply a customizable file structure to the system or is it set to a default? In other words, can the system organize files in the top 2 or 3 folders, or does it bury content in some long obscure path like:
http://www.somesite.com/folder1/folder2/folder3/yet-another-folder/why-not-one-more-folder/filename.htm?
If the answer no to any of the above questions is “no”, then other options should be considered. Here is why:
Search engines consider the folder depth when assigning values such as link popularity and inheritance. And while you can minimize link popularity loss through effective navigation, ultimately the folder depth will impact your performance.
This goes back to the “old days” of the web, when many sites were hand coded and file and folder structure were managed by the webmaster.
Generally, less important content, or content which changed infrequently, was placed deeper in the site. Search engines soon figured this out, so appropriately assigned value to those pages. As such they continue to use this logic today when assigning values to pages.
Does the system support unique meta tags?
A site need unique meta tags because pages perform better on search engines if they are all unique – that not only means unique text content but unique meta tags that match the text content. The CMS should also have the ability to easily go in and modify the meta tags and content to help improve search engine rankings, and ultimately traffic (and hopefully sales).
Does the system support static pages?
One wants the pages to appear static to the search engines and be able to display without any types of session variable, or other identifiers needed to help build the pages. For example, the page called:
http://www.somesite.com/page.htm&sessionid=1&page=3&content=4
will not perform as well as a page called
http://www.somesite.com/content4/page3.htm
Not only will search engine spiders tend to leave a site when they see “seesionid” (because session ids tend to catch them in a never ending loop on the site) but the static pages tend to perform better in search results than dynamic pages. Even more so in highly or even moderately competitive search markets.
How flexible is the folder structure?
One should have the ability to organize the files the way they see fit. Ideally, it would be best if all the pages could reside in the root folder, or at the very least one should have the ability to organize them in subfolders off the root. It is generally accepted that all the site’s pages be no more than 3 folders deep. This is because the deeper the pages reside, the lower their relevancy is considered to be by the search engines.
What platform does the CMS need to run on?
Some CMS are built to run on a Linux or UNIX server while others are designed for a Microsoft IIS platform. Therefore the decision one makes on the CMS depends on what hosting has already been arranged (if any). If hosting hasn’t already been arranged, then there is more flexibility in the choice of system
What kind of customer service does the CMS company offer?
In other words, can the CMS provider build custom modules, or is the system limited to only what they sell? In many cases people will think they had purchased the perfect CMS only to find later that they needed features which were not available to them. In these cases, one may have to hire an independent programmer to build the custom application, which can get expensive.
As one can see, there should be many more questions asked when considering any kind of content management system. From the point of view of the search engine, these questions need to be answered first before getting into things like platforms, customer service and so on. After all, what is the point of building this great looking; customer friendly website which is packed full of useful content only to find out that it is virtually invisible to the rest of the web?
Rob Sullivan - SEO Specialist and Internet Marketing Consultant. Any reproduction of this article needs to have an html link pointing to http://www.textlinkbrokers.com.
The Future Of Computer Certification Exams
by: Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933
The format and difficulty of computer certification exams is constantly changing. When I took my first certification exam (Novell NetWare 3.1x CNA, January 1997), there was no such thing as a simulator question, and my practical skills really were not tested. The exams then were much heavier on memorization.
One factor that helped make up for that was that the Novell exams were adaptive. If you missed a question on a particular topic, you would continue to be asked questions about that topic until you got it right. You couldn't afford to be weak in any topic, because the exam would most likely find that out and keep hitting you with questions on that topic until you failed.
Adding to the stress, after a certain number of questions your exam could end at any time. You had no idea how many questions you would get, just that you would get at least 15. Every time you hit the "next" button after question 15, you didn't know if you'd get another question or if the exam would suddenly end and give you a pass or fail response.
Times have changed. Cisco has led the way in introducing simulator questions to their exams, where the candidate is presented with a simulation of a router or network and asked to perform tasks that someone who is ready to earn that certification should be able to perform. This is a much better test of competency than the exams were eight years ago.
What will be the next "big jump" in computer certification exams? To earn the world's most difficult technical certification, the CCIE, the candidate must first pass a rigorous 100-question qualification exam, and must then pass a practical lab exam. The candidate is presented with an exacting set of network requirements and must build that network on a pod of Cisco routers and switches in less than eight hours.
This is just personal opinion and not "insider information", but I believe the day will come when the CCNA, CCNP, and other Cisco certifications will require some kind of hands-on practical lab to earn the certification. What better way to test competency than to have to perform tasks on real Cisco equipment? There would be more overhead for Cisco with this kind of testing, since lab equipment and lab proctors would be needed, but the already-prized CCNA and CCNP would become that much more valuable in the workplace if employers knew that to earn that certification, the job candidate had to pass a hands-on exam.
This would benefit the candidates as well, since it would do an even better job in protecting their investment in time and money. This could also be the next step in ferretting out candidates who try to get past the CCNA and CCNP exams via braindumps. As I always tell my students and customers, when you're standing in front of that router or switch, there is no multiple choice ... you either know it or you don't!
Chris Bryant
CCIE #12933
Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage (www.thebryantadvantage.com), the home of the world's clearest, most concise, most comprehensive CCNA and CCNP Study Guides available today. He offers free CCNA, CCNP, and Home Lab Setup Tutorials on the website, as well as online boot camps, Video courses and training, and binary/subnetting help.
Visit www.thebryantadvantage.com today!
The format and difficulty of computer certification exams is constantly changing. When I took my first certification exam (Novell NetWare 3.1x CNA, January 1997), there was no such thing as a simulator question, and my practical skills really were not tested. The exams then were much heavier on memorization.
One factor that helped make up for that was that the Novell exams were adaptive. If you missed a question on a particular topic, you would continue to be asked questions about that topic until you got it right. You couldn't afford to be weak in any topic, because the exam would most likely find that out and keep hitting you with questions on that topic until you failed.
Adding to the stress, after a certain number of questions your exam could end at any time. You had no idea how many questions you would get, just that you would get at least 15. Every time you hit the "next" button after question 15, you didn't know if you'd get another question or if the exam would suddenly end and give you a pass or fail response.
Times have changed. Cisco has led the way in introducing simulator questions to their exams, where the candidate is presented with a simulation of a router or network and asked to perform tasks that someone who is ready to earn that certification should be able to perform. This is a much better test of competency than the exams were eight years ago.
What will be the next "big jump" in computer certification exams? To earn the world's most difficult technical certification, the CCIE, the candidate must first pass a rigorous 100-question qualification exam, and must then pass a practical lab exam. The candidate is presented with an exacting set of network requirements and must build that network on a pod of Cisco routers and switches in less than eight hours.
This is just personal opinion and not "insider information", but I believe the day will come when the CCNA, CCNP, and other Cisco certifications will require some kind of hands-on practical lab to earn the certification. What better way to test competency than to have to perform tasks on real Cisco equipment? There would be more overhead for Cisco with this kind of testing, since lab equipment and lab proctors would be needed, but the already-prized CCNA and CCNP would become that much more valuable in the workplace if employers knew that to earn that certification, the job candidate had to pass a hands-on exam.
This would benefit the candidates as well, since it would do an even better job in protecting their investment in time and money. This could also be the next step in ferretting out candidates who try to get past the CCNA and CCNP exams via braindumps. As I always tell my students and customers, when you're standing in front of that router or switch, there is no multiple choice ... you either know it or you don't!
Chris Bryant
CCIE #12933
Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage (www.thebryantadvantage.com), the home of the world's clearest, most concise, most comprehensive CCNA and CCNP Study Guides available today. He offers free CCNA, CCNP, and Home Lab Setup Tutorials on the website, as well as online boot camps, Video courses and training, and binary/subnetting help.
Visit www.thebryantadvantage.com today!
Online Law Degree – Beware of Scholarship Scams
by: Dassana Jayalath
Beware of Scholarship Scams about Online Law Degrees
Don't get carried away by reading tall claims on a website about scholarship for an online law degree. Get enough information about the online law degree scholarship before taking the plunge. Students and parents are advised to review and reconsider the claims made on the websites.
Lets have a look at typical claims these sites can make:
Scam 1 - Money Back Guarantee for an Online Law Degree
Who can guarantee a scholarship? Know for a fact that they just want your credit card details. Never reveal your credit card information to such crooks. They say 'This scholarship will cost you some money'. Raise your eyebrows and ask 'Why'?
Scam 2 – Privileged Information about an Online Law Degree Scholarship
Crooks will claim - 'You can't get this information elsewhere.' That is not true. Thanks to online libraries and career service centers you can get plenty of information about an online law degree scholarship.
Scam 3 – Instant Online Law Degree Scholarship
'We will do all the work' they claim - why should they do this favor for you so that you can get an online law degree? 'Get your online law degree in weeks' – why would the rest of us spend years for an online law degree if we could all instantly get a valid online law degree in weeks?
Scam 4 - Finalist for an Online Law Degree Scholarship
Often you will get a flash message on your browser 'You are a finalist' or 'You have been selected for an online law degree scholarship.' That's news! If you didn't participate in a contest, how come you are a finalist for an online law degree scholarship? Sounds interesting, doesn't it?
Research an Online Law Degree Scholarship
Don't feel on top of the world when you are offered a scholarship for an online law degree. Do some basic research to assess the authenticity of the foundation or program which 'guarantees' a scholarship for an online law degree.
FinAid recommends that students be cautious of the financial aid seminars that guarantee success and eventually take you for a ride.
It pays to keep your eyes wide open before taking the plunge for an online law degree. Don't become a statistic by being defrauded by a scholarship scam in pursuit of an online law degree.
Dassana Jayalath is the author of WebSuperTips newsletter. For complete turn-key internet home business, visit http://www.OnlineSuccessKit.com, start making money immediately
Beware of Scholarship Scams about Online Law Degrees
Don't get carried away by reading tall claims on a website about scholarship for an online law degree. Get enough information about the online law degree scholarship before taking the plunge. Students and parents are advised to review and reconsider the claims made on the websites.
Lets have a look at typical claims these sites can make:
Scam 1 - Money Back Guarantee for an Online Law Degree
Who can guarantee a scholarship? Know for a fact that they just want your credit card details. Never reveal your credit card information to such crooks. They say 'This scholarship will cost you some money'. Raise your eyebrows and ask 'Why'?
Scam 2 – Privileged Information about an Online Law Degree Scholarship
Crooks will claim - 'You can't get this information elsewhere.' That is not true. Thanks to online libraries and career service centers you can get plenty of information about an online law degree scholarship.
Scam 3 – Instant Online Law Degree Scholarship
'We will do all the work' they claim - why should they do this favor for you so that you can get an online law degree? 'Get your online law degree in weeks' – why would the rest of us spend years for an online law degree if we could all instantly get a valid online law degree in weeks?
Scam 4 - Finalist for an Online Law Degree Scholarship
Often you will get a flash message on your browser 'You are a finalist' or 'You have been selected for an online law degree scholarship.' That's news! If you didn't participate in a contest, how come you are a finalist for an online law degree scholarship? Sounds interesting, doesn't it?
Research an Online Law Degree Scholarship
Don't feel on top of the world when you are offered a scholarship for an online law degree. Do some basic research to assess the authenticity of the foundation or program which 'guarantees' a scholarship for an online law degree.
FinAid recommends that students be cautious of the financial aid seminars that guarantee success and eventually take you for a ride.
It pays to keep your eyes wide open before taking the plunge for an online law degree. Don't become a statistic by being defrauded by a scholarship scam in pursuit of an online law degree.
Dassana Jayalath is the author of WebSuperTips newsletter. For complete turn-key internet home business, visit http://www.OnlineSuccessKit.com, start making money immediately
Adware: Why is it Different?
by: Andrew Wroblewski
Advertising supported software, which has come to be more commonly referred to as adware, is a computer program and/or package of software under which advertisements or other marketing material are included or are just loaded automatically and played back to you over and over again after they install themselves. The main way that users are made aware that they have adware on their systems is through banner ads that appear in pop-up windows or a bar that might just appear on your computer screen.
The main reason that adware became as rampant as it did was that in the beginning it helped some developers recover the costs incurred during program development. Often times this was done with a disclaimer stating that if you use the reduced price option for this program, then you will receive periodic pop-up ads from sponsors. Another avenue for adware is under the category of shareware, which is where the user may download and operate an unregistered copy of a program for use completely free and receive pop-ups, or the user can choose to pay a fee and receive the full version free of any pop-ups. This is method is kind of like a status program, meaning the higher up you are the more benefits you receive.
There are some forms of adware that have been accused of including some sort of tracking code that monitors and reports a users habits online, thus making it a variable form of spyware. Other than these spyware types of programs, adware programs do not invisibly and unknown to you collect your data for reporting purposes.
This is where spyware and adware differ and that is the fact that adware does not purposely harm your system of confidence, where spyware while you have no idea it may be on your machine can gather personal and sensitive information about your identity and send it to third party sources.
While it may not be as harmful as spyware and Trojan programs, adware might be the most annoying of the three. There is nothing like surfing the Internet and have to close six pop-ups just because you wanted to check your email.
There are many programs available for free that will scan your system and help repair and remove any form of adware you have on your system. While most adware programs are merely a nuisance, there are those rare varieties that my still do harm to your system so proper maintenance is the key to a healthy system.
Andrew Wroblewski
When not on his soapbox, Andrew Wroblewski is doing battle with the thousands of spyware programs that can affect you via his ant-spyware and spyware removal website: http://spyware.pcwash.com where you can get a free spyware scan of your computer system.
Advertising supported software, which has come to be more commonly referred to as adware, is a computer program and/or package of software under which advertisements or other marketing material are included or are just loaded automatically and played back to you over and over again after they install themselves. The main way that users are made aware that they have adware on their systems is through banner ads that appear in pop-up windows or a bar that might just appear on your computer screen.
The main reason that adware became as rampant as it did was that in the beginning it helped some developers recover the costs incurred during program development. Often times this was done with a disclaimer stating that if you use the reduced price option for this program, then you will receive periodic pop-up ads from sponsors. Another avenue for adware is under the category of shareware, which is where the user may download and operate an unregistered copy of a program for use completely free and receive pop-ups, or the user can choose to pay a fee and receive the full version free of any pop-ups. This is method is kind of like a status program, meaning the higher up you are the more benefits you receive.
There are some forms of adware that have been accused of including some sort of tracking code that monitors and reports a users habits online, thus making it a variable form of spyware. Other than these spyware types of programs, adware programs do not invisibly and unknown to you collect your data for reporting purposes.
This is where spyware and adware differ and that is the fact that adware does not purposely harm your system of confidence, where spyware while you have no idea it may be on your machine can gather personal and sensitive information about your identity and send it to third party sources.
While it may not be as harmful as spyware and Trojan programs, adware might be the most annoying of the three. There is nothing like surfing the Internet and have to close six pop-ups just because you wanted to check your email.
There are many programs available for free that will scan your system and help repair and remove any form of adware you have on your system. While most adware programs are merely a nuisance, there are those rare varieties that my still do harm to your system so proper maintenance is the key to a healthy system.
Andrew Wroblewski
When not on his soapbox, Andrew Wroblewski is doing battle with the thousands of spyware programs that can affect you via his ant-spyware and spyware removal website: http://spyware.pcwash.com where you can get a free spyware scan of your computer system.
Identifying and Removing Spyware Bots on your Hardrive
by: Mitch Johnson
Simply put, spyware is programs installed in computers without the user’s knowledge to track internet usage and submit advertisements based on the information gathered.
Spyware is commonly picked up by downloading and using one of the many freeware or shareware programs. Some forms of spyware get in just by visiting a web site, although this form is usually a small, tracker cookie that can easily be removed by cleaning out all cookies.
To counter the threats of spyware users should get a spyware removal program such as SpyCop. SpyCop works by scanning your computer system, searching for spyware and adware from the known definitions of the threats. Once a list of detected infected files is compiled you can select to fix or remove the spyware.
SpyCop also give the option of creating back ups of the deleted files in case a good program was accidentally removed and needs restoring. Keep up with the monthly updates and run the scan regularly so you computer will be fully protected.
Mitch Johnson is a successful freelance author that writes regularly for http://www.1st-in-remove-spyware.com/, a site that focuses primarily on spyware detection software, as well as tips on how to avoid spyware from popping up on your computer. His articles have also been featured on related spyware sites such as, http://www.best-in-spyware-detection.com/ as well as http://www.best-sypware-removal-reviews.com/.
Simply put, spyware is programs installed in computers without the user’s knowledge to track internet usage and submit advertisements based on the information gathered.
Spyware is commonly picked up by downloading and using one of the many freeware or shareware programs. Some forms of spyware get in just by visiting a web site, although this form is usually a small, tracker cookie that can easily be removed by cleaning out all cookies.
To counter the threats of spyware users should get a spyware removal program such as SpyCop. SpyCop works by scanning your computer system, searching for spyware and adware from the known definitions of the threats. Once a list of detected infected files is compiled you can select to fix or remove the spyware.
SpyCop also give the option of creating back ups of the deleted files in case a good program was accidentally removed and needs restoring. Keep up with the monthly updates and run the scan regularly so you computer will be fully protected.
Mitch Johnson is a successful freelance author that writes regularly for http://www.1st-in-remove-spyware.com/, a site that focuses primarily on spyware detection software, as well as tips on how to avoid spyware from popping up on your computer. His articles have also been featured on related spyware sites such as, http://www.best-in-spyware-detection.com/ as well as http://www.best-sypware-removal-reviews.com/.
Ten Things I Learned the Hard Way: A Guide to Building Software
by: Kara Brook
Somewhere in the mid 90’s, my company, Brook Group, underwent rapid growth as it converted from being an advertising and design firm to a web services firm. We were running 3 shifts at the time and we only had one manager: me. Coming from a design background, I had a lot of (sometimes very difficult) lessons to learn about technology projects and managing folks who make technology products.
I imagined a way for me to post tasks for each employee without knowing HTML, to make managing the late night folks easier. My programmer created it and the lightbulb went on. Wouldn’t it be great if we could create a series of these types of widgets to allow any user to post content to the web without knowing HTML? And that is when Tacklebox, my enterprise content management system, was born.
I have survived building 4 versions of Tacklebox, the latest of which was actually launched. I learned these lessons the hard way and I want to share them with anyone tackling that sort of project. Think of this as a fundamental, practical, elementary guide to building a software product.
1. Patience is a Virtue. If you are starting from scratch and you are not well-funded, and you plan on bootstrapping the development effort, realize that patience is a virtue.
2. Know thyself. This means know your limitations. If you don't know how to do software product development and you are bootstrapping and starting from scratch, get people involved who do know how to do software development, product development, project management, product pricing, product marketing... You be the entrepreneur, idea person, but don't try to head everything up yourself; you will fail out of the gate.
3. Make Something. Don't go to Venture Capital folks or potential partners with a flip chart and a pitch that sounds something like, "This is going to be really cool"... VCs want to see a working product. And do not go to VCs too early; you might lose your chance to get funded because you haven't done your homework.
4. Plan. Plan. Plan. Start the project with a plan. It can have basic elements like what this product is going to fix, what is the business problem, who is the audience, and on several levels, why it will be better than the competition? And yes, you do have competition.
5. Get the Right People involved. Whether you're hiring or looking for a partner, two guys in a garage are not the best choice for building a software product. Sometimes those two guys in a garage dress up good. Maybe they move into an office space and start a company like real grownups. You had better make sure you can identify the difference between a real company and two guys in a garage that just graduated. Ask them if they have business insurance, errors and omissions insurance; ask them for Service Level Agreements. Talk to them about CMM levels.
6. Don't use proprietary anything to build your software. You'll be tied to that proprietary code forever, or it will cost you a small fortune to have it removed from your source code.
7. Independents are independent. They will hold you hostage one day. Don't hire independents to build your product. If you hire a team to build your product, focus on hiring "company people."
8. 95% of your success will come from hiring the right and best people, 5% by training people. Don't hire to train, unless you have the best and brightest around to do the training, and a multi-year commitment from those who are getting trained that they will stick around!
9. A caution about partnering. You don't want your intellectual capital sitting in the brain of a contractor. Make sure that whatever you do, you own your source code outright. You need to hire the right people and make sure that their knowledge -- your capital -- stays at home.
10. Always learn from your mistakes. Sometimes we joke about when we are going to stop learning lessons the hard way. Probably never, but make sure you learn each mistake, so you don't repeat it. And just when you think it’s safe, new ones will be right around the corner.
Kara Brook is the President and CEO of Brook Group, a Web site development firm near Washington, DC. Recognizing the need for user-friendly Web site management, she conceived Tacklebox, one of the industry’s most exciting new content management systems. More articles by this author can be found at http://www.brookgroup.com and http://www.usabilityandbranding.com.
Somewhere in the mid 90’s, my company, Brook Group, underwent rapid growth as it converted from being an advertising and design firm to a web services firm. We were running 3 shifts at the time and we only had one manager: me. Coming from a design background, I had a lot of (sometimes very difficult) lessons to learn about technology projects and managing folks who make technology products.
I imagined a way for me to post tasks for each employee without knowing HTML, to make managing the late night folks easier. My programmer created it and the lightbulb went on. Wouldn’t it be great if we could create a series of these types of widgets to allow any user to post content to the web without knowing HTML? And that is when Tacklebox, my enterprise content management system, was born.
I have survived building 4 versions of Tacklebox, the latest of which was actually launched. I learned these lessons the hard way and I want to share them with anyone tackling that sort of project. Think of this as a fundamental, practical, elementary guide to building a software product.
1. Patience is a Virtue. If you are starting from scratch and you are not well-funded, and you plan on bootstrapping the development effort, realize that patience is a virtue.
2. Know thyself. This means know your limitations. If you don't know how to do software product development and you are bootstrapping and starting from scratch, get people involved who do know how to do software development, product development, project management, product pricing, product marketing... You be the entrepreneur, idea person, but don't try to head everything up yourself; you will fail out of the gate.
3. Make Something. Don't go to Venture Capital folks or potential partners with a flip chart and a pitch that sounds something like, "This is going to be really cool"... VCs want to see a working product. And do not go to VCs too early; you might lose your chance to get funded because you haven't done your homework.
4. Plan. Plan. Plan. Start the project with a plan. It can have basic elements like what this product is going to fix, what is the business problem, who is the audience, and on several levels, why it will be better than the competition? And yes, you do have competition.
5. Get the Right People involved. Whether you're hiring or looking for a partner, two guys in a garage are not the best choice for building a software product. Sometimes those two guys in a garage dress up good. Maybe they move into an office space and start a company like real grownups. You had better make sure you can identify the difference between a real company and two guys in a garage that just graduated. Ask them if they have business insurance, errors and omissions insurance; ask them for Service Level Agreements. Talk to them about CMM levels.
6. Don't use proprietary anything to build your software. You'll be tied to that proprietary code forever, or it will cost you a small fortune to have it removed from your source code.
7. Independents are independent. They will hold you hostage one day. Don't hire independents to build your product. If you hire a team to build your product, focus on hiring "company people."
8. 95% of your success will come from hiring the right and best people, 5% by training people. Don't hire to train, unless you have the best and brightest around to do the training, and a multi-year commitment from those who are getting trained that they will stick around!
9. A caution about partnering. You don't want your intellectual capital sitting in the brain of a contractor. Make sure that whatever you do, you own your source code outright. You need to hire the right people and make sure that their knowledge -- your capital -- stays at home.
10. Always learn from your mistakes. Sometimes we joke about when we are going to stop learning lessons the hard way. Probably never, but make sure you learn each mistake, so you don't repeat it. And just when you think it’s safe, new ones will be right around the corner.
Kara Brook is the President and CEO of Brook Group, a Web site development firm near Washington, DC. Recognizing the need for user-friendly Web site management, she conceived Tacklebox, one of the industry’s most exciting new content management systems. More articles by this author can be found at http://www.brookgroup.com and http://www.usabilityandbranding.com.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM, GP, NAV, AX: Project Green – preliminary review
by: Andrew Karasev
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, Navision, Axapta, Solomon and CRM are strategically renamed into Microsoft Dynamics GP. NAV, AX, SL, CRM respectively. We had huge number of calls from current and potential customers who needed to know the answers on a set of very obvious and logical questions. In this small article we’ll try to communicate our opinion and what we know from Microsoft channel. As an example we will be focusing on Microsoft Dynamics GP and CRM.
• Versioning. You should not expect version nullification (or coming back to version 1.0). All the products will be released with their expected versions: Great Plains 9.0, Microsoft CRM 3.0, etc. So – you should not expect revolution – it will be evolution as it should be.
• Pricing. This is more delicate questions, and we need to wait a bit with Microsoft to confirm the price schema for the Microsoft Dynamics products. As we know Microsoft SQL Server Standard and Enterprise price list will increase in average 25% in December with the release of MS SQL Server 2005. So if you plan to optimize the cost – you should purchase MS SQL 2000 or if you have it – be sure that you have (or purchase) software insurance – in this case you will have upgrade to MS SQL 2005 and you should do it before December.
• Customization. The paradigm shift is toward Microsoft Business Portal, especially for Great Plains and Solomon, where you will see employee self service functionality, plus Fixed Assets (GP). Also BP is Microsoft Sharepoint application and so it is ready for your developers (compare to IBM Lotus Notes Domono – now you can go ahead with Workflow and document approval cycle design). Also applications will be exposed to XML web services – GP through eConnect or Object Integration manager
• Upgrade. Great Plains is strong in its upgrade path. You should expect Microsoft Great Plains Utilities to do upgrade – we will confirm the versions path in the future releases. Microsoft CRM 1.2 will have direct upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0
Pease do not hesitate to call us: 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, help@albaspectrum.com
Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer at Alba Spectrum Technologies ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ) - Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, Navision, Axapta MS CRM, Oracle Financials and IBM Lotus Domino Partner, serving corporate customers in the following industries: Aerospace & Defense, Medical & Healthcare, Distribution & Logistics, Hospitality, Banking & Finance, Wholesale & Retail, Chemicals, Oil & Gas, Placement & Recruiting, Advertising & Publishing, Textile, Pharmaceutical, Non-Profit, Beverages, Conglomerates, Apparels, Durables, Manufacturing and having locations in multiple states and internationally.
We are serving USA Nationwide: CA, IL, NY, FL, AZ, CO, TX, WI, WA, MI, MA, MO, LA, NM, MN, Europe: Germany, France, Belgium, Poland, Russia, Middle East (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, OAE, Bahrain), Asia: China, Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, South & Central America: Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Chili, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, Navision, Axapta, Solomon and CRM are strategically renamed into Microsoft Dynamics GP. NAV, AX, SL, CRM respectively. We had huge number of calls from current and potential customers who needed to know the answers on a set of very obvious and logical questions. In this small article we’ll try to communicate our opinion and what we know from Microsoft channel. As an example we will be focusing on Microsoft Dynamics GP and CRM.
• Versioning. You should not expect version nullification (or coming back to version 1.0). All the products will be released with their expected versions: Great Plains 9.0, Microsoft CRM 3.0, etc. So – you should not expect revolution – it will be evolution as it should be.
• Pricing. This is more delicate questions, and we need to wait a bit with Microsoft to confirm the price schema for the Microsoft Dynamics products. As we know Microsoft SQL Server Standard and Enterprise price list will increase in average 25% in December with the release of MS SQL Server 2005. So if you plan to optimize the cost – you should purchase MS SQL 2000 or if you have it – be sure that you have (or purchase) software insurance – in this case you will have upgrade to MS SQL 2005 and you should do it before December.
• Customization. The paradigm shift is toward Microsoft Business Portal, especially for Great Plains and Solomon, where you will see employee self service functionality, plus Fixed Assets (GP). Also BP is Microsoft Sharepoint application and so it is ready for your developers (compare to IBM Lotus Notes Domono – now you can go ahead with Workflow and document approval cycle design). Also applications will be exposed to XML web services – GP through eConnect or Object Integration manager
• Upgrade. Great Plains is strong in its upgrade path. You should expect Microsoft Great Plains Utilities to do upgrade – we will confirm the versions path in the future releases. Microsoft CRM 1.2 will have direct upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0
Pease do not hesitate to call us: 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, help@albaspectrum.com
Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer at Alba Spectrum Technologies ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ) - Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, Navision, Axapta MS CRM, Oracle Financials and IBM Lotus Domino Partner, serving corporate customers in the following industries: Aerospace & Defense, Medical & Healthcare, Distribution & Logistics, Hospitality, Banking & Finance, Wholesale & Retail, Chemicals, Oil & Gas, Placement & Recruiting, Advertising & Publishing, Textile, Pharmaceutical, Non-Profit, Beverages, Conglomerates, Apparels, Durables, Manufacturing and having locations in multiple states and internationally.
We are serving USA Nationwide: CA, IL, NY, FL, AZ, CO, TX, WI, WA, MI, MA, MO, LA, NM, MN, Europe: Germany, France, Belgium, Poland, Russia, Middle East (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, OAE, Bahrain), Asia: China, Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, South & Central America: Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Chili, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico
Small Business Network Security 101
by: Ilana Nijnik
Introduction
With broadband usage quickly becoming a standard in the business world and network security hazards on the rise, small businesses without a dedicated IT team are faced with the great challenge of protecting their networks from threats. However, in order to meet this challenge, small businesses must first face a greater challenge: understanding and acknowledging the threats.
The purpose of this document is to provide small business owners and network administrators with a better understanding of security needs and to outline the actions that can be taken to ensure the safety of networks and their data.
Why Are Small Businesses Vulnerable?
Perhaps the greatest threat to small business networks is the owners’ false sense of security and their lack of proficiency in protecting their networks. Very often, small business owners push network security issues down the priority list in favor of more pressing matters, and in many cases, network security is not a concern at all.
To better understand the severity of this phenomenon, consider the following research results:
· According a survey conveyed by the National Cyber Security Alliance, “More than 30% of those polled by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) think they’ll take a bolt of lightning through the chest before they see their computers violated in an Internet attack.”
· The SANS/Internet Storm Center publishes a statistic reporting the average time a “clean” (un-patched and undefended) system can be connected to the Internet before being attacked or scanned. Recent data indicated an average of 20-30 minutes.
New threats continue to emerge every day, and “lightning” can strike, whether in the form of lowered productivity due to spam, or priceless information such as customer credit card numbers that end up in the wrong hands.
Many small business owners wave off network security concerns, claiming that the size of the company and its insignificance in the market will deter hackers from targeting the network. This is a very misguided approach. Strict regulations such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act require enterprises to invest more in information security. Enterprises are aware of various security threats and often employ in-house specialists to defend their networks from various threats. Companies with large networks own complex firewall and intrusion prevention systems that are regularly updated and maintained. Small businesses cannot be expected to have manpower, money, or time to invest in maintaining an enterprise-scale network security system. However, this does not mean they should ignore security threats.
A good example of the vulnerability of small networks in comparison to enterprises is the effect of the My.Doom worm (released in January 2004). According to the Internet Security Alliance data, one out of three small businesses was affected, while only one out of six enterprises was affected.
It is not always personal. As you will learn later, most attacks and security threats are aimed at the general public and not directed at any specific company or network. A hacker can run a software program that scans networks and IP ranges, looking for potential weaknesses. When such weaknesses are found, the hacker can take over the machines or infect them, in order to use them as a “zombie army” in larger scale attacks.
What Happens If I Do Get Hacked?
According to a Gartner study , 40% of small businesses that use the Internet for more than email will be successfully attacked by the end of 2005. More than half of the businesses attacked will not even know it. Could you be one of those businesses? Are you aware of the damage a severe attack could inflict on your business?
Think of what would happen if a computer containing important business data was physically stolen, and the data was not backed up.
· How much would a new machine cost?
· How much irreplaceable data would be lost?
· How much would this data loss cost your company?
· Can you afford the financial costs, downtime, and hassle?
Each business is different in both vulnerability and risk. The questions above can assist you in beginning to assess the potential damage of an attack on your network. However, there are other threats beyond hacker attacks and loss of information. Know them, and protect yourself.
What Are the Threats?
Like any technology, Internet security threats are changing and evolving at all times. Hackers adjust their methods and develop them to take advantage of both technological vulnerabilities and psychological weaknesses of employees. Some current threats are:
· Security Holes or Vulnerabilities. These are “bugs” in operating systems and software that can be exploited by hackers. When a vulnerability is discovered, the race begins: hackers hurry to develop exploits, which are pieces of code that use the vulnerability to penetrate or disable a program or a whole network, before the software developer releases a patch to close the hole.
· Direct Attack. Though less common in the small business world, direct attacks do exist. A disgruntled worker, a very unhappy customer, or a competitor with network knowledge can try to hack into the network with different intentions. From simple curiosity to data theft, many reasons can cause a hacker to come knocking on your office network door.
· Viruses. Though less common nowadays and often confused with worms, viruses are pieces of executable code that can do damage to a computer system. Viruses often spread over email and recently over instant messaging networks, by disguising themselves as legitimate attachments. The user activates the code unknowingly, thus infecting their system with the virus. Viruses often use the victim’s address book to email themselves to other mailboxes. Viruses can range from merely annoying to dangerously destructive.
· Worms. Similar to viruses and much more common are computer worms. Unlike viruses, which infect programs and files, worms do not attach themselves to any other software and are self-sustained. Worms often propagate themselves using an infected system’s file transmission capabilities, and may increase network traffic dramatically in the process. Other possible effects of a worm include deletion of files, emailing of files from the infected computer, and so on. More recently, hackers have designed worms to be multi-headed, so that their payload includes other executables. The most infamous worm is My.Doom, which, along with its variants, caused several billion dollars worth of damage to businesses, ISPs, and home users.
· Trojan Horses. These are software programs that capture passwords and other personal information, and which can also allow an unauthorized remote user to gain access to the system where the Trojan is installed. To protect against damage by Trojan horses, it is necessary to use a firewall with strict control for outgoing traffic.
· DoS (Denial of Service) Attacks. This particular threat is valid if you run a Web server with a promotional or Web commerce site. The attack attempts to disable the server by flooding it with fake requests that overload the server. Very often, unable to mount this attack with a limited number of computers and bandwidth, the attacker will create an army of “zombie” machines, by infecting various networks with worms that allow the hacker to exploit the machines and their bandwidth for the attack. This is called a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service). DoS has become a popular online criminal activity with hacker groups demanding protection money to keep them from ruining businesses. Companies that depend on online commerce are particularly vulnerable to this type of attack.
· Spam. Though not officially defined as a security threat, spam can seriously damage productivity and represents a potential risk, due to the current rise of malicious software delivered by spam messages, as well as “phishing”. Phishing is a method used to acquire personal information such as passwords, bank account and credit card numbers, and more, through sophisticated email messages that claim to have come from a specific provider (eBay for example) and appear quite authentic to the unsuspecting recipient.
· Spyware. Spyware is malicious code sometimes found in various freeware or shareware software, as well as in file sharing clients. It takes a toll on system performance and sends user data to the spyware creators.
· Inappropriate or Illegal Content. Though not considered a security threat, inappropriate content can seriously damage employee productivity. Web sites with illegal content often contain files with viruses, worms, and Trojans horses embedded in the available downloads.
How Can I Protect Myself?
If you have read this far, you have passed the toughest challenge for small business network owners. You should now have a pretty clear picture of what the possible threats are and how they can harm your network. The next step is to evaluate the risks and allocate the resources:
· Assess your needs and invest correctly. Consider the harm that could be caused if a competitor retrieved customer information. Think of the damage to your business that can be done by Web site downtime.
· Don’t go overboard, investing valuable time and money in resources you do not need. For example, a home-based business of three employees does not necessarily require content filtering to avoid questionable content online.
· Outsource whenever possible. Many ISPs offer security services for small as well as large networks. Check what security management options then can provide. Network security consultants as well as companies dedicated to network security service provisioning can be very helpful if you do not have an IT staff.
Ten Steps to a Secure Small Business Network
Not Just the Technology – Before you go out and shop for firewalls, antiviruses, and network security service providers, be sure to set the goal. Asses your needs, examine your current resources, and estimate the potential benefits of having a secure network.
1. Awareness. Perhaps one of the most important ingredients of a secure network is awareness. Familiarize yourself with various security threats. Be sure to check the availability of security updates and software patches. Increase awareness among your workers. Have them read this document, if necessary. Make sure they do not bring unprotected mobile devices into the network, that they do not open unexpected email attachments, and so on.
2. Security Policy. Technology is but a tool in the enforcement of certain rules that are meant to keep your data safe and your business running smoothly. A security policy should consist of various rules and behaviors, such as a password policy requiring users to have passwords that cannot be easily guessed or broken and firewall rules permitting specific traffic in and out of the network. It is highly recommended to consult with a network security specialist when compiling a security policy for an office with more than ten users. It is necessary to enforce the policy once it has been created, to ensure its effectiveness.
The Basics
The following three resources are a must for any single computer or network connected to the Internet.
3. Firewall . A firewall acts as the security guard between your network and the Internet. Software firewalls that are installed directly on the computer are required in cases where the machine leaves the office, or where it is the only computer in the business. Hardware firewalls installed on firewall-dedicated machines are required in networks comprised of a number of computers.
Firewalls differ from one another: some provide in-depth firewall protection and additional security services, while others simply provide Internet connection sharing with NAT translation, allowing only very basic protection. The main purpose of a firewall is to keep out unwanted traffic, such as a computer worm attempting to infect computers with a specific vulnerability. Note that some firewalls can also be used to block specified outgoing traffic, such as file sharing programs, and to block specified incoming traffic, such as instant messengers or any other service the firewall administrator chooses to block.
Many hardware firewalls offer additional services such as email antivirus and antispam filtering, content filtering, and secure wireless access point (AP) options. When selecting a firewall, define the requirements of your business. Many firewall vendors provide customizable firewalls with pricing depending on the range of services you select. If you can, get technical assistance from a local network security service provider.
4. Antivirus. Antivirus (AV) software is used to scan files on the computer on which it is installed, files that are downloaded to the computer, and of course email. In addition to implementing AV solutions on each machine, it is important to have an AV gateway: a local or remote machine where email messages are scanned for viruses while they are being downloaded to the client computer. It is crucial to keep the antivirus software updated at all times, as new viruses are found almost every day.
Do not forget that simply having the software is not enough. Schedule an automatic scan if possible. If not, then set a reminder to ensure that you and other office employees run the scan on their computers periodically.
5. Patches and Updates. Microsoft and other software vendors provide updates that are meant to fix bugs and patch potential security holes in their software. Make sure you regularly check for updates. You can even decide on a specific day (once in two weeks is usually enough) on which to remind yourself and your employees to run the software updates or check the software manufacturer Web site for any updates that may be available.
Disaster Recovery
Be prepared if something goes wrong. Beyond network security issues, there are many more things that can disable your network or leave it vulnerable.
6. Backup. Always backup information. The more important the information is, the more copies of it you should have available. Make sure not to leave it lying around or misplace it. Create a backup policy to back the data up regularly. If possible, encrypt sensitive information and always keep a non-rewritable copy (CD-ROM) of the files in a safe location. It is also recommended to back up firewall, email, and Internet configuration settings to enable quick access to these settings in case of a failure.
7. ISP and/or Gateway Failover. For businesses that are dependant on Internet connectivity, it is crucial to have a backup Internet connection and a backup firewall/gateway to preserve connectivity and production in the event that your primary Internet connection goes offline or the main firewall/gateway malfunctions. Several firewall gateways offer smooth and automated failover and ISP backup options. If temporary connectivity loss means potential profit loss, be sure to have failover options.
Annoyances
Spam and spyware are not only annoying, but they can be quite dangerous to your network security and, of course, productivity. Another threat to productivity is sites with questionable content, as well as file sharing software.
8. Antispam and Antispyware. Spam filtering can be implemented on the mail server, on the firewall/gateway, or on the machine receiving the messages. Most antispam software uses various filters and blacklists to attempt to eliminate spam without deleting legitimate emails. In small networks with few mailboxes, you may consider locally set antispam software, but in larger networks with more users, you may want to use spam scanning on the firewall/gateway.
Spyware can be removed by using antispyware software on the local machine. You may want to include this in your weekly or bi-weekly routine of updates and scans, and scan your network computers for spyware, as well as viruses and worms.
9. Blocking Specific Sites, IM Clients, and File Sharing Programs. The best way to deal with questionable sites online, IM conversations during work hours, and bandwidth-wasting file sharing is to enforce their exclusion on the gateway. Some firewalls allow you to select specific services to which access should be blocked and to filter Web sites by address and/or by category.
Improving Productivity Safely
Access your office network whenever you need it, wherever you need it – safely.
10. Remote Access VPN and Site-to-Site VPN. Virtual private network (VPN) technology allows you to connect two or more networks in a private connection, creating a tunnel of encrypted data between the two points. This technology was adopted to replace expensive private networks (such as frame relay) with increasing popular and available broadband Internet connections. VPNs provide privacy and encryption for the data as it is transferred over the Internet. This is especially useful if you have two or more branches in your business or would like to access your office network remotely. For example, your sales representative does not have to carry confidential information on his laptop when visiting abroad. All he has to do is connect to the Internet and access the data in the office through a secure connection.
Numerous security appliances offer VPN server and endpoint capabilities. If accessing your office network increases productivity, or if you have been accessing your office network without using a secure VPN, you should select a gateway appliance that offers this feature.
Check Point® Safe@Office® Small Business Security and Remote Access Solution
The Safe@Office appliance delivers a modular small business security solution that can be tailored to any small business network and its requirements. By combining enterprise-level Stateful Inspection firewall protection and IPSec VPN capabilities with customization options and ease of use, Safe@Office delivers a cost-effective solution for offices with three to seventy-five users.
No security expert is required for appliance installation and configuration, as wizard-driven setup options allow simple and quick customization of the firewall and VPN settings to match the company security policy.
Safe@Office Internet Security Appliance Features
Safe@Office network and remote access security appliances are high-performance, hardware-based platforms that provide advanced firewall protection and support a wide variety of security services from Email Antivirus to Dynamic DNS. All Safe@Office appliances include the following features:
· Stateful Packet Inspection Firewall. Safe@Office appliances are equipped with best-of–breed, patented firewall technology from Check Point Software Technologies, the same technology used by 97% of the Fortune 500. The firewall protects your network from DoS attacks, IP spoofing, and TCP/IP-based attacks, without any need for configuration. The moment you connect your network to the Internet using the Safe@Office appliance, your network is protected: no setup is required on the LAN computers, and no expert is needed to configure the firewall settings.
· Internet Connection Sharing and IP Address Management. All Safe@Office appliances include built-in NAT (Network Address Translation) and DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) features to allow seamless integration with an existing network and connection sharing between multiple stations.
· Easy Management and Simple Configuration. Safe@Office appliances provide you with a wide range of management options, both local and remote, to provide all users with the configurability they require. Locally, the Safe@Office can be managed via a Web-based interface that incorporates easy-to-understand wizards and options. For extended configuration options, advanced users can configure the appliance directly via the command line, using SSH. Remotely, the Safe@Office appliance can be configured via HTTPS or secure SSH, when these remote access options are enabled. For increased security, you can configure the Safe@Office appliance to allow administrator access only from specified IP addresses, over VPN, or from local machines. Safe@Office appliances can be centrally managed by the SofaWare Security Management Portal (SMP) to receive customized security policies, additional services, and advanced logging options.
· Security Updates and Additional Services. Internet hazards, security standards, and technology are constantly developing. The Safe@Office solution can be customized for your office network and updated automatically with the latest security updates and new features.
Safe@Office Solution for Any Office
Safe@Office appliances are available in a variety of feature sets and user numbers to suit your business. All Safe@Office appliances can be subscribed to advanced security and productivity services such as Email Antivirus, Antispam, Web Filtering, Dynamic DNS, managed VPN and security policy, and advanced security logging.
· Safe@Office 100/200 Series
Safe@Office 100/200 series appliances protect your computers and data from hackers and reduce network downtime, so you can focus on running your business.
Designed specifically for the needs of the small to medium business, Safe@Office 100/200 series appliances provide easy-to-use, Stateful Inspection firewall protection, while supporting Remote Access and Site-to-Site VPNs. Safe@Office 100/200 offers exceptional firewall and VPN throughput, allowing employees in remote locations to securely and easily access resources that reside on the company network (such as email), enhancing both efficiency and comfort.
· Safe@Office 400W Series
The Safe@Office 400W series wireless security appliance is an advanced, fully integrated wireless access point, delivering top performance and comprehensive wireless security in a single plug-and-play solution.
Specifically designed to meet the needs of the small business, Safe@Office 400W is simple to install and manage, allowing your business to become fully secured and wireless in minutes.
Safe@Office 400W keeps your information secret from unauthorized intruders by using mature IPSec technology to encrypt all wireless transmissions. Your network will also be fully protected against external Internet attacks by the world-class Check Point firewall.
For increased productivity, Safe@Office 400W also supports secure remote access and the creation of VPN networks, enabling remote branches and on-the-road employees to remain securely connected to office resources at all times.
For more information on Safe@Office solutions please visit the Safe@Office homepage at http://www.safeatoffice.com, and use the automatic product selector to choose the right solution for your business. If you have any questions, please feel free to use our live chat service to speak with a Safe@Office security expert. If you are interested in posting this document on your Web page or any other media, please contact marketing@sofaware.com.
COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARKS
Copyright © 2005 SofaWare, All Rights Reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced in any form or by any means without written permission from SofaWare. Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on part of SofaWare Technologies Ltd. SofaWare, the SofaWare logo and Safe@Office are service marks or registered trademarks of SofaWare Technologies Ltd. Check Point and the Check Point logo are service marks, or registered trademarks of Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. or its affiliates. All other product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The products described in this document are protected by U.S. Patent No. 5,606,668 and 5,835,726 and may be protected by other U.S. Patents, foreign patents, or pending applications.
Ilana Nijnik
SofaWare Technologies, a Check Point Company founded in 1999 (Nasdaq: CHKP), delivers innovative, industry leading Internet security solutions tailored to address the precise security needs of small businesses and branch offices with broadband connection as well as Service providers seeking to deliver managed security services.
Incorporating Check Point’s VPN-1®/FireWall-1® technology, SofaWare’s solutions offer market leading security in an easy to use yet highly flexible and feature-rich package. Comprised of appliances and customizable service packages the Safe@Office™ solutions provide businesses with expert level security without the need for in-house expertise.
sofaware.com
marketing@sofaware.com
Introduction
With broadband usage quickly becoming a standard in the business world and network security hazards on the rise, small businesses without a dedicated IT team are faced with the great challenge of protecting their networks from threats. However, in order to meet this challenge, small businesses must first face a greater challenge: understanding and acknowledging the threats.
The purpose of this document is to provide small business owners and network administrators with a better understanding of security needs and to outline the actions that can be taken to ensure the safety of networks and their data.
Why Are Small Businesses Vulnerable?
Perhaps the greatest threat to small business networks is the owners’ false sense of security and their lack of proficiency in protecting their networks. Very often, small business owners push network security issues down the priority list in favor of more pressing matters, and in many cases, network security is not a concern at all.
To better understand the severity of this phenomenon, consider the following research results:
· According a survey conveyed by the National Cyber Security Alliance, “More than 30% of those polled by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) think they’ll take a bolt of lightning through the chest before they see their computers violated in an Internet attack.”
· The SANS/Internet Storm Center publishes a statistic reporting the average time a “clean” (un-patched and undefended) system can be connected to the Internet before being attacked or scanned. Recent data indicated an average of 20-30 minutes.
New threats continue to emerge every day, and “lightning” can strike, whether in the form of lowered productivity due to spam, or priceless information such as customer credit card numbers that end up in the wrong hands.
Many small business owners wave off network security concerns, claiming that the size of the company and its insignificance in the market will deter hackers from targeting the network. This is a very misguided approach. Strict regulations such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act require enterprises to invest more in information security. Enterprises are aware of various security threats and often employ in-house specialists to defend their networks from various threats. Companies with large networks own complex firewall and intrusion prevention systems that are regularly updated and maintained. Small businesses cannot be expected to have manpower, money, or time to invest in maintaining an enterprise-scale network security system. However, this does not mean they should ignore security threats.
A good example of the vulnerability of small networks in comparison to enterprises is the effect of the My.Doom worm (released in January 2004). According to the Internet Security Alliance data, one out of three small businesses was affected, while only one out of six enterprises was affected.
It is not always personal. As you will learn later, most attacks and security threats are aimed at the general public and not directed at any specific company or network. A hacker can run a software program that scans networks and IP ranges, looking for potential weaknesses. When such weaknesses are found, the hacker can take over the machines or infect them, in order to use them as a “zombie army” in larger scale attacks.
What Happens If I Do Get Hacked?
According to a Gartner study , 40% of small businesses that use the Internet for more than email will be successfully attacked by the end of 2005. More than half of the businesses attacked will not even know it. Could you be one of those businesses? Are you aware of the damage a severe attack could inflict on your business?
Think of what would happen if a computer containing important business data was physically stolen, and the data was not backed up.
· How much would a new machine cost?
· How much irreplaceable data would be lost?
· How much would this data loss cost your company?
· Can you afford the financial costs, downtime, and hassle?
Each business is different in both vulnerability and risk. The questions above can assist you in beginning to assess the potential damage of an attack on your network. However, there are other threats beyond hacker attacks and loss of information. Know them, and protect yourself.
What Are the Threats?
Like any technology, Internet security threats are changing and evolving at all times. Hackers adjust their methods and develop them to take advantage of both technological vulnerabilities and psychological weaknesses of employees. Some current threats are:
· Security Holes or Vulnerabilities. These are “bugs” in operating systems and software that can be exploited by hackers. When a vulnerability is discovered, the race begins: hackers hurry to develop exploits, which are pieces of code that use the vulnerability to penetrate or disable a program or a whole network, before the software developer releases a patch to close the hole.
· Direct Attack. Though less common in the small business world, direct attacks do exist. A disgruntled worker, a very unhappy customer, or a competitor with network knowledge can try to hack into the network with different intentions. From simple curiosity to data theft, many reasons can cause a hacker to come knocking on your office network door.
· Viruses. Though less common nowadays and often confused with worms, viruses are pieces of executable code that can do damage to a computer system. Viruses often spread over email and recently over instant messaging networks, by disguising themselves as legitimate attachments. The user activates the code unknowingly, thus infecting their system with the virus. Viruses often use the victim’s address book to email themselves to other mailboxes. Viruses can range from merely annoying to dangerously destructive.
· Worms. Similar to viruses and much more common are computer worms. Unlike viruses, which infect programs and files, worms do not attach themselves to any other software and are self-sustained. Worms often propagate themselves using an infected system’s file transmission capabilities, and may increase network traffic dramatically in the process. Other possible effects of a worm include deletion of files, emailing of files from the infected computer, and so on. More recently, hackers have designed worms to be multi-headed, so that their payload includes other executables. The most infamous worm is My.Doom, which, along with its variants, caused several billion dollars worth of damage to businesses, ISPs, and home users.
· Trojan Horses. These are software programs that capture passwords and other personal information, and which can also allow an unauthorized remote user to gain access to the system where the Trojan is installed. To protect against damage by Trojan horses, it is necessary to use a firewall with strict control for outgoing traffic.
· DoS (Denial of Service) Attacks. This particular threat is valid if you run a Web server with a promotional or Web commerce site. The attack attempts to disable the server by flooding it with fake requests that overload the server. Very often, unable to mount this attack with a limited number of computers and bandwidth, the attacker will create an army of “zombie” machines, by infecting various networks with worms that allow the hacker to exploit the machines and their bandwidth for the attack. This is called a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service). DoS has become a popular online criminal activity with hacker groups demanding protection money to keep them from ruining businesses. Companies that depend on online commerce are particularly vulnerable to this type of attack.
· Spam. Though not officially defined as a security threat, spam can seriously damage productivity and represents a potential risk, due to the current rise of malicious software delivered by spam messages, as well as “phishing”. Phishing is a method used to acquire personal information such as passwords, bank account and credit card numbers, and more, through sophisticated email messages that claim to have come from a specific provider (eBay for example) and appear quite authentic to the unsuspecting recipient.
· Spyware. Spyware is malicious code sometimes found in various freeware or shareware software, as well as in file sharing clients. It takes a toll on system performance and sends user data to the spyware creators.
· Inappropriate or Illegal Content. Though not considered a security threat, inappropriate content can seriously damage employee productivity. Web sites with illegal content often contain files with viruses, worms, and Trojans horses embedded in the available downloads.
How Can I Protect Myself?
If you have read this far, you have passed the toughest challenge for small business network owners. You should now have a pretty clear picture of what the possible threats are and how they can harm your network. The next step is to evaluate the risks and allocate the resources:
· Assess your needs and invest correctly. Consider the harm that could be caused if a competitor retrieved customer information. Think of the damage to your business that can be done by Web site downtime.
· Don’t go overboard, investing valuable time and money in resources you do not need. For example, a home-based business of three employees does not necessarily require content filtering to avoid questionable content online.
· Outsource whenever possible. Many ISPs offer security services for small as well as large networks. Check what security management options then can provide. Network security consultants as well as companies dedicated to network security service provisioning can be very helpful if you do not have an IT staff.
Ten Steps to a Secure Small Business Network
Not Just the Technology – Before you go out and shop for firewalls, antiviruses, and network security service providers, be sure to set the goal. Asses your needs, examine your current resources, and estimate the potential benefits of having a secure network.
1. Awareness. Perhaps one of the most important ingredients of a secure network is awareness. Familiarize yourself with various security threats. Be sure to check the availability of security updates and software patches. Increase awareness among your workers. Have them read this document, if necessary. Make sure they do not bring unprotected mobile devices into the network, that they do not open unexpected email attachments, and so on.
2. Security Policy. Technology is but a tool in the enforcement of certain rules that are meant to keep your data safe and your business running smoothly. A security policy should consist of various rules and behaviors, such as a password policy requiring users to have passwords that cannot be easily guessed or broken and firewall rules permitting specific traffic in and out of the network. It is highly recommended to consult with a network security specialist when compiling a security policy for an office with more than ten users. It is necessary to enforce the policy once it has been created, to ensure its effectiveness.
The Basics
The following three resources are a must for any single computer or network connected to the Internet.
3. Firewall . A firewall acts as the security guard between your network and the Internet. Software firewalls that are installed directly on the computer are required in cases where the machine leaves the office, or where it is the only computer in the business. Hardware firewalls installed on firewall-dedicated machines are required in networks comprised of a number of computers.
Firewalls differ from one another: some provide in-depth firewall protection and additional security services, while others simply provide Internet connection sharing with NAT translation, allowing only very basic protection. The main purpose of a firewall is to keep out unwanted traffic, such as a computer worm attempting to infect computers with a specific vulnerability. Note that some firewalls can also be used to block specified outgoing traffic, such as file sharing programs, and to block specified incoming traffic, such as instant messengers or any other service the firewall administrator chooses to block.
Many hardware firewalls offer additional services such as email antivirus and antispam filtering, content filtering, and secure wireless access point (AP) options. When selecting a firewall, define the requirements of your business. Many firewall vendors provide customizable firewalls with pricing depending on the range of services you select. If you can, get technical assistance from a local network security service provider.
4. Antivirus. Antivirus (AV) software is used to scan files on the computer on which it is installed, files that are downloaded to the computer, and of course email. In addition to implementing AV solutions on each machine, it is important to have an AV gateway: a local or remote machine where email messages are scanned for viruses while they are being downloaded to the client computer. It is crucial to keep the antivirus software updated at all times, as new viruses are found almost every day.
Do not forget that simply having the software is not enough. Schedule an automatic scan if possible. If not, then set a reminder to ensure that you and other office employees run the scan on their computers periodically.
5. Patches and Updates. Microsoft and other software vendors provide updates that are meant to fix bugs and patch potential security holes in their software. Make sure you regularly check for updates. You can even decide on a specific day (once in two weeks is usually enough) on which to remind yourself and your employees to run the software updates or check the software manufacturer Web site for any updates that may be available.
Disaster Recovery
Be prepared if something goes wrong. Beyond network security issues, there are many more things that can disable your network or leave it vulnerable.
6. Backup. Always backup information. The more important the information is, the more copies of it you should have available. Make sure not to leave it lying around or misplace it. Create a backup policy to back the data up regularly. If possible, encrypt sensitive information and always keep a non-rewritable copy (CD-ROM) of the files in a safe location. It is also recommended to back up firewall, email, and Internet configuration settings to enable quick access to these settings in case of a failure.
7. ISP and/or Gateway Failover. For businesses that are dependant on Internet connectivity, it is crucial to have a backup Internet connection and a backup firewall/gateway to preserve connectivity and production in the event that your primary Internet connection goes offline or the main firewall/gateway malfunctions. Several firewall gateways offer smooth and automated failover and ISP backup options. If temporary connectivity loss means potential profit loss, be sure to have failover options.
Annoyances
Spam and spyware are not only annoying, but they can be quite dangerous to your network security and, of course, productivity. Another threat to productivity is sites with questionable content, as well as file sharing software.
8. Antispam and Antispyware. Spam filtering can be implemented on the mail server, on the firewall/gateway, or on the machine receiving the messages. Most antispam software uses various filters and blacklists to attempt to eliminate spam without deleting legitimate emails. In small networks with few mailboxes, you may consider locally set antispam software, but in larger networks with more users, you may want to use spam scanning on the firewall/gateway.
Spyware can be removed by using antispyware software on the local machine. You may want to include this in your weekly or bi-weekly routine of updates and scans, and scan your network computers for spyware, as well as viruses and worms.
9. Blocking Specific Sites, IM Clients, and File Sharing Programs. The best way to deal with questionable sites online, IM conversations during work hours, and bandwidth-wasting file sharing is to enforce their exclusion on the gateway. Some firewalls allow you to select specific services to which access should be blocked and to filter Web sites by address and/or by category.
Improving Productivity Safely
Access your office network whenever you need it, wherever you need it – safely.
10. Remote Access VPN and Site-to-Site VPN. Virtual private network (VPN) technology allows you to connect two or more networks in a private connection, creating a tunnel of encrypted data between the two points. This technology was adopted to replace expensive private networks (such as frame relay) with increasing popular and available broadband Internet connections. VPNs provide privacy and encryption for the data as it is transferred over the Internet. This is especially useful if you have two or more branches in your business or would like to access your office network remotely. For example, your sales representative does not have to carry confidential information on his laptop when visiting abroad. All he has to do is connect to the Internet and access the data in the office through a secure connection.
Numerous security appliances offer VPN server and endpoint capabilities. If accessing your office network increases productivity, or if you have been accessing your office network without using a secure VPN, you should select a gateway appliance that offers this feature.
Check Point® Safe@Office® Small Business Security and Remote Access Solution
The Safe@Office appliance delivers a modular small business security solution that can be tailored to any small business network and its requirements. By combining enterprise-level Stateful Inspection firewall protection and IPSec VPN capabilities with customization options and ease of use, Safe@Office delivers a cost-effective solution for offices with three to seventy-five users.
No security expert is required for appliance installation and configuration, as wizard-driven setup options allow simple and quick customization of the firewall and VPN settings to match the company security policy.
Safe@Office Internet Security Appliance Features
Safe@Office network and remote access security appliances are high-performance, hardware-based platforms that provide advanced firewall protection and support a wide variety of security services from Email Antivirus to Dynamic DNS. All Safe@Office appliances include the following features:
· Stateful Packet Inspection Firewall. Safe@Office appliances are equipped with best-of–breed, patented firewall technology from Check Point Software Technologies, the same technology used by 97% of the Fortune 500. The firewall protects your network from DoS attacks, IP spoofing, and TCP/IP-based attacks, without any need for configuration. The moment you connect your network to the Internet using the Safe@Office appliance, your network is protected: no setup is required on the LAN computers, and no expert is needed to configure the firewall settings.
· Internet Connection Sharing and IP Address Management. All Safe@Office appliances include built-in NAT (Network Address Translation) and DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) features to allow seamless integration with an existing network and connection sharing between multiple stations.
· Easy Management and Simple Configuration. Safe@Office appliances provide you with a wide range of management options, both local and remote, to provide all users with the configurability they require. Locally, the Safe@Office can be managed via a Web-based interface that incorporates easy-to-understand wizards and options. For extended configuration options, advanced users can configure the appliance directly via the command line, using SSH. Remotely, the Safe@Office appliance can be configured via HTTPS or secure SSH, when these remote access options are enabled. For increased security, you can configure the Safe@Office appliance to allow administrator access only from specified IP addresses, over VPN, or from local machines. Safe@Office appliances can be centrally managed by the SofaWare Security Management Portal (SMP) to receive customized security policies, additional services, and advanced logging options.
· Security Updates and Additional Services. Internet hazards, security standards, and technology are constantly developing. The Safe@Office solution can be customized for your office network and updated automatically with the latest security updates and new features.
Safe@Office Solution for Any Office
Safe@Office appliances are available in a variety of feature sets and user numbers to suit your business. All Safe@Office appliances can be subscribed to advanced security and productivity services such as Email Antivirus, Antispam, Web Filtering, Dynamic DNS, managed VPN and security policy, and advanced security logging.
· Safe@Office 100/200 Series
Safe@Office 100/200 series appliances protect your computers and data from hackers and reduce network downtime, so you can focus on running your business.
Designed specifically for the needs of the small to medium business, Safe@Office 100/200 series appliances provide easy-to-use, Stateful Inspection firewall protection, while supporting Remote Access and Site-to-Site VPNs. Safe@Office 100/200 offers exceptional firewall and VPN throughput, allowing employees in remote locations to securely and easily access resources that reside on the company network (such as email), enhancing both efficiency and comfort.
· Safe@Office 400W Series
The Safe@Office 400W series wireless security appliance is an advanced, fully integrated wireless access point, delivering top performance and comprehensive wireless security in a single plug-and-play solution.
Specifically designed to meet the needs of the small business, Safe@Office 400W is simple to install and manage, allowing your business to become fully secured and wireless in minutes.
Safe@Office 400W keeps your information secret from unauthorized intruders by using mature IPSec technology to encrypt all wireless transmissions. Your network will also be fully protected against external Internet attacks by the world-class Check Point firewall.
For increased productivity, Safe@Office 400W also supports secure remote access and the creation of VPN networks, enabling remote branches and on-the-road employees to remain securely connected to office resources at all times.
For more information on Safe@Office solutions please visit the Safe@Office homepage at http://www.safeatoffice.com, and use the automatic product selector to choose the right solution for your business. If you have any questions, please feel free to use our live chat service to speak with a Safe@Office security expert. If you are interested in posting this document on your Web page or any other media, please contact marketing@sofaware.com.
COPYRIGHT & TRADEMARKS
Copyright © 2005 SofaWare, All Rights Reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced in any form or by any means without written permission from SofaWare. Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on part of SofaWare Technologies Ltd. SofaWare, the SofaWare logo and Safe@Office are service marks or registered trademarks of SofaWare Technologies Ltd. Check Point and the Check Point logo are service marks, or registered trademarks of Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. or its affiliates. All other product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The products described in this document are protected by U.S. Patent No. 5,606,668 and 5,835,726 and may be protected by other U.S. Patents, foreign patents, or pending applications.
Ilana Nijnik
SofaWare Technologies, a Check Point Company founded in 1999 (Nasdaq: CHKP), delivers innovative, industry leading Internet security solutions tailored to address the precise security needs of small businesses and branch offices with broadband connection as well as Service providers seeking to deliver managed security services.
Incorporating Check Point’s VPN-1®/FireWall-1® technology, SofaWare’s solutions offer market leading security in an easy to use yet highly flexible and feature-rich package. Comprised of appliances and customizable service packages the Safe@Office™ solutions provide businesses with expert level security without the need for in-house expertise.
sofaware.com
marketing@sofaware.com
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