Maxwell Smart look out… the Finger Fone is here. Japanese telecom giant, NTT DoCoMo, has developed a real-life finger telephone they call “FingerWhisper”. Just stick your finger in your ear!
Due for release in 2005, the phone consists of just a wrist band – just like a watch. Instead of an audible ring tone, the band vibrates when you have a call. To answer incoming calls, you just tap together your index finger and thumb, and speak into the in-built microphone.
And here’s the best bit… To listen to the person on the other end, simply stick your finger in your ear! The wrist band unit send vibrations up your hand, and into the ear canal.
According to NTT DoCoMo, FingerWhisper “points the way to a world full of wearable interfaces”.
So, be careful scratching your ear… You never know who you might be dialling!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Writing Helpful Help – A Minimalism Checklist
User documentation is all too often written by programmers for programmers. It tends to focus on the product’s features, rather than the user’s tasks. Generally, programmers aren’t in the ideal position to be writing user documentation. They’re too close to the bits and bytes, and they’re too far from the user. To them, what the product can do tends to be far more important than what the user can do with the product.
It’s a subtle – but vital – distinction. Research shows that the key to effective user documentation is writing task oriented help. Even better, write your help according to the minimalist theory. In the documentation world, “minimalism” is a fancy word for a commonsense practice. In basic terms, it means write to your reader and keep it simple.
The theory itself has a lot of twists and turns. If you want to read a great – but slightly wordy – book on the subject, check out the book “Minimalism Beyond the Nurnberg Funnel”, 1998, edited by John Carroll.
In the meantime, if you can tick every item in the following checklist, you’ll be well on your way to usable online help that both your readers and your managers will thank you for.
Helpful Help Checklist
1. Base the help on real tasks (or realistic examples)
2. Structure the help based on task sequence – Chapter headings should be goals and topics should be tasks
3. Respect the reader's activity – this is generally more about what you don’t do than what you do. Don’t waste the reader’s time by diving off into tangents
4. Exploit prior knowledge and experience – Draw the reader’s attention to previous tasks, experiences, successes, and failures
5. Prevent mistakes - "Ensure you do x before doing y"
6. Detect and identify mistakes - "If this fails, you may have entered the path incorrectly"
7. Fix mistakes - "Re-enter the path"
8. Provide error info at end of tasks where necessary (rule of thumb, one error info note per three tasks is a good average)
9. Don't break up instructions with notes, cautions, warnings, and exceptional cases - Put these things at the end of the instruction, wherever possible
10. Be brief, don't spell everything out, especially things that can be taken for granted
11. Omit conceptual and note information where possible, or link to it. Perhaps provide expansion information at the end of the topic, plus maybe a note that there are other ways to perform the task/goal, but this is the easiest
12. Sections should look short and read short
13. Provide closure for sections (e.g., back to original screen/goal)
14. Provide an immediate opportunity to act and encourage exploration and innovation (use active invitations to act, such as, "See for yourself..." or "Try this..." rather than passive invitations such as, "You can...")
15. Get users started quickly
16. Allow for reading in any order - make each section modular, especially goals, but perhaps tasks (definitely if they can be performed in different order)
17. Highlight things that are not typical
18. Use active voice rather than passive voice
19. Try to account for the user's environment in your writing
20. Before writing anything, ask yourself “Will this help my reader?”
By building these practices into your documentation process, you’ll find that your online help becomes easier to write, shorter, and far more usable for your reader. What’s more, your boss will love you!
It’s a subtle – but vital – distinction. Research shows that the key to effective user documentation is writing task oriented help. Even better, write your help according to the minimalist theory. In the documentation world, “minimalism” is a fancy word for a commonsense practice. In basic terms, it means write to your reader and keep it simple.
The theory itself has a lot of twists and turns. If you want to read a great – but slightly wordy – book on the subject, check out the book “Minimalism Beyond the Nurnberg Funnel”, 1998, edited by John Carroll.
In the meantime, if you can tick every item in the following checklist, you’ll be well on your way to usable online help that both your readers and your managers will thank you for.
Helpful Help Checklist
1. Base the help on real tasks (or realistic examples)
2. Structure the help based on task sequence – Chapter headings should be goals and topics should be tasks
3. Respect the reader's activity – this is generally more about what you don’t do than what you do. Don’t waste the reader’s time by diving off into tangents
4. Exploit prior knowledge and experience – Draw the reader’s attention to previous tasks, experiences, successes, and failures
5. Prevent mistakes - "Ensure you do x before doing y"
6. Detect and identify mistakes - "If this fails, you may have entered the path incorrectly"
7. Fix mistakes - "Re-enter the path"
8. Provide error info at end of tasks where necessary (rule of thumb, one error info note per three tasks is a good average)
9. Don't break up instructions with notes, cautions, warnings, and exceptional cases - Put these things at the end of the instruction, wherever possible
10. Be brief, don't spell everything out, especially things that can be taken for granted
11. Omit conceptual and note information where possible, or link to it. Perhaps provide expansion information at the end of the topic, plus maybe a note that there are other ways to perform the task/goal, but this is the easiest
12. Sections should look short and read short
13. Provide closure for sections (e.g., back to original screen/goal)
14. Provide an immediate opportunity to act and encourage exploration and innovation (use active invitations to act, such as, "See for yourself..." or "Try this..." rather than passive invitations such as, "You can...")
15. Get users started quickly
16. Allow for reading in any order - make each section modular, especially goals, but perhaps tasks (definitely if they can be performed in different order)
17. Highlight things that are not typical
18. Use active voice rather than passive voice
19. Try to account for the user's environment in your writing
20. Before writing anything, ask yourself “Will this help my reader?”
By building these practices into your documentation process, you’ll find that your online help becomes easier to write, shorter, and far more usable for your reader. What’s more, your boss will love you!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Play Online Baccarat Game
Baccarat - the game of the rich and famous - the game of high-flyers, Hollywood stars and oil barons!
Until recently, only the highest class casinos offered baccarat, and only their richest clients could afford the table minimums. No wonder the name conjours up an image of glamour and expensive cigars, diamonds and vintage cognac!
The good news is that you no longer have to be a multi-millionaire to savor the excitement of baccarat - with online casinos you can play online baccarat game anytime, anywhere!
Baccarat has fascinated high-class gamblers for centuries. The game was said to have been invented in Italy by Felix Falguierein, a professional gambler, although some dispute this, saying that it is French in origin. In any case, baccarat was introduced to the French court in the 15th century, and soon became the game of the aristocracy. The name is taken from the Italian word "baccara", meaning zero, and refers to the game rule that all court cards have a value of zero. Baccarat was first played with tarot cards, and there is a legend linking it with the ancient Etruscan ritual of the Nine Gods.
Chemin de Fer, a variation of baccarat, also became popular in France. The original baccarat game evolved into what is now known as European Baccarat. The principles of play are the same in baccarat and chemin de fer, with just a slight difference in rules. In both games, the object is to score as close as possible to 9 by adding up the face values of the cards, and discarding the leftmost digit of the answer. In baccarat, the rules are more formal, and the game is always banked by the casino, although the deal passes from player to player. Players may choose to bet on the player, the banker or on a tie. Since a tie doesn't happen very often, ties win at much longer odds.
Although popular for centuries in Europe, baccarat only reached American casinos in the 1950's via South America. The American version is a combination of European baccarat and chemin de fer. Casino holders preserved its aristocratic image by setting the stakes high and housing the game in the plushest area of the casino. Since a lot of money changes hands in baccarat because of the high stakes, the fortunes of the casino often fluctuate directly according to the success or failure of its clients at the baccarat table!
Mini-baccarat was later introduced to bring the game within the reach of ordinary clients. With mini baccarat, the stakes are much lower, and the game is much faster. However, many people are still attracted by the glamour of the original game, with its luxurious surroundings and exclusive atmosphere.
Online baccarat is becoming increasingly popular, since the rules are simple, and the 'house edge' (the percentage by which any game favors the casino) is low. Find out for yourself why baccarat is the favorite game of the jet set - play online baccarat game, and feel like a movie star! All you need to play online baccarat game is a quick sign-up for free membership, and you are away.
And the moment you sign up for membership, you qualify for all kinds of exciting benefits. Play online baccarat game for real, and you qualify for a sign-up bonus immediately. And whether you gamble for free or for real, you instantly qualify for free weekly promotions, contest and sweepstakes. Play online baccarat game, and you could be an instant winner!
If you are a newcomer to baccarat, you can play online baccarat game for free while you learn the rules and learn to anticipate the cards. You will still qualify for the weekly sweepstakes and other benefits. And with a no-download casino, you are ready to play online baccarat game the moment you sign up - no bulky programs taking up space on your computer. And with a small download version, you can play online baccarat game from anywhere - you are not restricted to your own computer.
Why waste time and money going to a casino? Play online baccarat game in the comfort of your own home. No cover charge, no transport costs, no waiting for a table. Play online baccarat game for your own choice of stakes - no prohibitive table limits. Play online baccarat game anytime of day or night - whenever your instincts tell you that your luck is in!
Until recently, only the highest class casinos offered baccarat, and only their richest clients could afford the table minimums. No wonder the name conjours up an image of glamour and expensive cigars, diamonds and vintage cognac!
The good news is that you no longer have to be a multi-millionaire to savor the excitement of baccarat - with online casinos you can play online baccarat game anytime, anywhere!
Baccarat has fascinated high-class gamblers for centuries. The game was said to have been invented in Italy by Felix Falguierein, a professional gambler, although some dispute this, saying that it is French in origin. In any case, baccarat was introduced to the French court in the 15th century, and soon became the game of the aristocracy. The name is taken from the Italian word "baccara", meaning zero, and refers to the game rule that all court cards have a value of zero. Baccarat was first played with tarot cards, and there is a legend linking it with the ancient Etruscan ritual of the Nine Gods.
Chemin de Fer, a variation of baccarat, also became popular in France. The original baccarat game evolved into what is now known as European Baccarat. The principles of play are the same in baccarat and chemin de fer, with just a slight difference in rules. In both games, the object is to score as close as possible to 9 by adding up the face values of the cards, and discarding the leftmost digit of the answer. In baccarat, the rules are more formal, and the game is always banked by the casino, although the deal passes from player to player. Players may choose to bet on the player, the banker or on a tie. Since a tie doesn't happen very often, ties win at much longer odds.
Although popular for centuries in Europe, baccarat only reached American casinos in the 1950's via South America. The American version is a combination of European baccarat and chemin de fer. Casino holders preserved its aristocratic image by setting the stakes high and housing the game in the plushest area of the casino. Since a lot of money changes hands in baccarat because of the high stakes, the fortunes of the casino often fluctuate directly according to the success or failure of its clients at the baccarat table!
Mini-baccarat was later introduced to bring the game within the reach of ordinary clients. With mini baccarat, the stakes are much lower, and the game is much faster. However, many people are still attracted by the glamour of the original game, with its luxurious surroundings and exclusive atmosphere.
Online baccarat is becoming increasingly popular, since the rules are simple, and the 'house edge' (the percentage by which any game favors the casino) is low. Find out for yourself why baccarat is the favorite game of the jet set - play online baccarat game, and feel like a movie star! All you need to play online baccarat game is a quick sign-up for free membership, and you are away.
And the moment you sign up for membership, you qualify for all kinds of exciting benefits. Play online baccarat game for real, and you qualify for a sign-up bonus immediately. And whether you gamble for free or for real, you instantly qualify for free weekly promotions, contest and sweepstakes. Play online baccarat game, and you could be an instant winner!
If you are a newcomer to baccarat, you can play online baccarat game for free while you learn the rules and learn to anticipate the cards. You will still qualify for the weekly sweepstakes and other benefits. And with a no-download casino, you are ready to play online baccarat game the moment you sign up - no bulky programs taking up space on your computer. And with a small download version, you can play online baccarat game from anywhere - you are not restricted to your own computer.
Why waste time and money going to a casino? Play online baccarat game in the comfort of your own home. No cover charge, no transport costs, no waiting for a table. Play online baccarat game for your own choice of stakes - no prohibitive table limits. Play online baccarat game anytime of day or night - whenever your instincts tell you that your luck is in!
Monday, July 23, 2007
10 Time Saving Keyboard Shortcuts
Time is money. And when you constantly have to divide your time between your mouse and your keyboard, your workflow rate really slows down.
That's particularly true when you're working on a laptop, where the pointing device is even slower.
The answer - short of growing another arm - is to learn a few "handy" keyboard shortcuts. Here are 10 of the best:
1. Make a quick exit:
ALT - F4 will terminate any program immediately.
2. Flick - don't click:
ALT - TAB to flick through open programs.
3. Make a quick selection:
CTRL - SHIFT and move cursor with left / right / up / down arrows to quickly select areas of text.
4. Cut, copy and paste to the chase:
CTRL - X / C / V to cut, copy and paste selected text.
5. Undo what you've done:
CTRL - Z will undo anything. (And to redo: CTRL - Y although this varies between programs.)
6. Page - don't scroll:
In MSIE use Page Up & Page Down to save time fiddling with the scroll bar.
7. E for explorer:
WINDOWS KEY - E to open windows explorer. Use up and down arrows to quickly navigate through folders.
8. Rapidly rename:
F2 - rename a file or folder in Windows Explorer
9. Find it fast:
CTRL - F to find text on a page (And CTRL - H replace it).
10. Fly through forms:
Use TAB to move forward through forms and SHIFT-TAB to move backwards
After a little practice, your fingers will be flying across the keyboard like a shortcut pro.
And you'll save a huge amount of time too.
That's particularly true when you're working on a laptop, where the pointing device is even slower.
The answer - short of growing another arm - is to learn a few "handy" keyboard shortcuts. Here are 10 of the best:
1. Make a quick exit:
ALT - F4 will terminate any program immediately.
2. Flick - don't click:
ALT - TAB to flick through open programs.
3. Make a quick selection:
CTRL - SHIFT and move cursor with left / right / up / down arrows to quickly select areas of text.
4. Cut, copy and paste to the chase:
CTRL - X / C / V to cut, copy and paste selected text.
5. Undo what you've done:
CTRL - Z will undo anything. (And to redo: CTRL - Y although this varies between programs.)
6. Page - don't scroll:
In MSIE use Page Up & Page Down to save time fiddling with the scroll bar.
7. E for explorer:
WINDOWS KEY - E to open windows explorer. Use up and down arrows to quickly navigate through folders.
8. Rapidly rename:
F2 - rename a file or folder in Windows Explorer
9. Find it fast:
CTRL - F to find text on a page (And CTRL - H replace it).
10. Fly through forms:
Use TAB to move forward through forms and SHIFT-TAB to move backwards
After a little practice, your fingers will be flying across the keyboard like a shortcut pro.
And you'll save a huge amount of time too.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
The Importance Of Email Backup
drive failures are only a few examples of what could destroy the data on a hard drive, including all documents, pictures, emails and other files!
Most home computer users don't need an expensive backup solution; as they only need to burn the folders with important documents and pictures to a CD-RW from time to time; this ensuring that in case of a disaster they can easily get them back.
Togeder with documents and pictures, it's a critical operation to save the emails, attachments, address book and other important data from within the email client; otherwise in case of a computer problem the user will find himself in the impossibility to get them back, and this can be a really unwanted situation especially for webmasters or people who rely on their emails. Unfortunately many people actually start to do backup copies only after they lose data.
This article will explain how one can create a Outlook Express Backup copy ( as Outlook Express lacks a backup function ) This email program is usually installed with the Windows operating system and is probably among the most commonly used email programs today. While using Outlook Express is fairly easy, finding and backing up the emails can be a little more complicated. Since there are a large number of files and folders on a computer running Windows, the first problem is to find the files containing the emails. Outlook Express stores emails in .dbx files and there might be several different dbx files depending on how many email folders you have created in Outlook Express. If you are using Windows 98, you can probably locate your emails somewhere in the Windows directory. In Windows 2000 and XP, emails are usually stored somewhere in the user data or application data folder.
The easiest way to find out exactly where your emails are stored is to start Outlook Express, go to the Tools menu, and open the Options dialog box. In the Options dialog box, select the Maintenance page and click the Store Folder button. Here you can find the path to the folder containing your emails. To open the folder, copy the path and paste in the address field of the Windows File Manager. You should see a number of .dbx files and possibly some other files, too.
After locating the email folder, you can simply select all the files and press Ctrl-C. Then open the folder where you want to keep the backup copies (on another hard disk, a DVD or a network drive, for example) in Windows Explorer, and press Ctrl-V.
To backup the Address Book, you can follow these steps:
* Select Tools | Address Book... from the menu in Outlook Express.
* Choose File | Export | Other Address Book... from the address book's menu.
* Select Text File (Comma Separated Values) as the export format.
* Click Export.
* Select the location you want to export your address book to using the Browse... button.
* Give your backup copy a meaningful name.
* Click Next.
* Select the fields you want to include in your backup.
* Finally, select Finish.
* Click OK.
* Click Close to end the process (successfully, I hope).
Additionally, there are several email backup utilities which can make the backup operation much easier. Outlook Express Backup Genie is one piece of software that can offer peace of mind by creating compact backup copies of emails, attachments, address book, signatures, blocked list, mail rules and settings periodically. The difference between using a automatic email backup utility and manual backups, is that the first can be scheduled to create backups quiet in the background at specified time intervals, and that it will include all email information ( signatures, blocked list, etc ) which otherwise would be more difficult to save. Also if ever the backup is needed, the application will ensure that the restore process is made smoothly. And, it works with top 9 popular email clients. The downside of using a automatic email backup utility is that it costs money, usually about 20-30 USD as one time payment, while the manual backups are ofcourse, free.
The conclusion is that either manual or automatic, backing up emails is a critical operation for every computer user that would regret losing them.
Most home computer users don't need an expensive backup solution; as they only need to burn the folders with important documents and pictures to a CD-RW from time to time; this ensuring that in case of a disaster they can easily get them back.
Togeder with documents and pictures, it's a critical operation to save the emails, attachments, address book and other important data from within the email client; otherwise in case of a computer problem the user will find himself in the impossibility to get them back, and this can be a really unwanted situation especially for webmasters or people who rely on their emails. Unfortunately many people actually start to do backup copies only after they lose data.
This article will explain how one can create a Outlook Express Backup copy ( as Outlook Express lacks a backup function ) This email program is usually installed with the Windows operating system and is probably among the most commonly used email programs today. While using Outlook Express is fairly easy, finding and backing up the emails can be a little more complicated. Since there are a large number of files and folders on a computer running Windows, the first problem is to find the files containing the emails. Outlook Express stores emails in .dbx files and there might be several different dbx files depending on how many email folders you have created in Outlook Express. If you are using Windows 98, you can probably locate your emails somewhere in the Windows directory. In Windows 2000 and XP, emails are usually stored somewhere in the user data or application data folder.
The easiest way to find out exactly where your emails are stored is to start Outlook Express, go to the Tools menu, and open the Options dialog box. In the Options dialog box, select the Maintenance page and click the Store Folder button. Here you can find the path to the folder containing your emails. To open the folder, copy the path and paste in the address field of the Windows File Manager. You should see a number of .dbx files and possibly some other files, too.
After locating the email folder, you can simply select all the files and press Ctrl-C. Then open the folder where you want to keep the backup copies (on another hard disk, a DVD or a network drive, for example) in Windows Explorer, and press Ctrl-V.
To backup the Address Book, you can follow these steps:
* Select Tools | Address Book... from the menu in Outlook Express.
* Choose File | Export | Other Address Book... from the address book's menu.
* Select Text File (Comma Separated Values) as the export format.
* Click Export.
* Select the location you want to export your address book to using the Browse... button.
* Give your backup copy a meaningful name.
* Click Next.
* Select the fields you want to include in your backup.
* Finally, select Finish.
* Click OK.
* Click Close to end the process (successfully, I hope).
Additionally, there are several email backup utilities which can make the backup operation much easier. Outlook Express Backup Genie is one piece of software that can offer peace of mind by creating compact backup copies of emails, attachments, address book, signatures, blocked list, mail rules and settings periodically. The difference between using a automatic email backup utility and manual backups, is that the first can be scheduled to create backups quiet in the background at specified time intervals, and that it will include all email information ( signatures, blocked list, etc ) which otherwise would be more difficult to save. Also if ever the backup is needed, the application will ensure that the restore process is made smoothly. And, it works with top 9 popular email clients. The downside of using a automatic email backup utility is that it costs money, usually about 20-30 USD as one time payment, while the manual backups are ofcourse, free.
The conclusion is that either manual or automatic, backing up emails is a critical operation for every computer user that would regret losing them.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Working on the Internet: Role of Proofreading and Copy editing OnLine
When one is in a creative state, rarely can one also be in a detail state. Thus, mistakes in correct grammar, spelling and continuity of all details, may happen. Also, proofreading our own work can be very difficult, for all of us. This is because the same mental processes that went into composition are the ones we use to correct our work. Hence, so many websites are launched every year but so many of them fail to work perfectly as these sites have not been tested with a Proofreader's fresh eyes and impartial knowledge of English. Proofreading and Copyediting process involves reading the content for english grammar, spelling, story, flow and understandability. It also involves checking consistency in visual design, testing links, and ensuring accurate reading. Let us now discuss about some points for Proofreading and Editing Websites and Online Documents.
Tips for Editing Websites and Online Documents:
1) Create consistent text formatting:
Check whether the overall "look" of text on a page presents any obvious problems with various common fonts and type sizes. At this stage of the process, basic HTML skills are very valuable to the online editor in order to go into the HTML document and make minor changes directly , if required.
2) Check that colors are applied consistently throughout the work:
Watch out for arbitrary shifts in color. If link colors are specified in your HTML document, check that these colors are applied consistently throughout the work.
3) See whether links are working and going to the correct destinations:
Manually check all or most links to ensure that all links lead where they promise.
4) Ensure that text is readable:
Avoid "overabbreviation". Use only standard, easily read symbols etc
5) Check that identifying information is present and consistent
6) Correct errors in grammar and spelling:
Check for subject-verb agreement, Sentence fragments, Run-on sentences and other obvious grammatical errors. In case of checking spelling errors, read what is actually on the page, not what you think is there.
7) Check for punctuation:
Punctuation error is the most common mistake people tend to make. There are various books available on correct punctuation. If you are not confident in case of punctuation, get a book for your guidance.
8) Make sure names are spelled correctly:
The single most important mistake is the misspelling of names. Going to whatever length needed to see that names and titles are correct is important.
9) Look the content from the readers point of view:
Reading the story completely through the first time, without marking or changing anything. Thats the way the reader is going to read the story, and thats the way the copy editor should read it, too.
10) Look for answers:
When editing a story for the first time, looking for answers to the following questions is important:- Is this a complete story? Does it consist of important facts? Does it give all of the necessary information to the reader? Are the quotes interesting? Any information or necessary quotations are missing? Does the writer omit information on the assumption that the reader already knows it? Does the story read smoothly? Does the information flow from one paragraph to the next? Do the quotes add to and support the previous information? Are the facts and quotes in descending order of importance?
11) Make sure the text is optimized for search engine rankings:
Check whether META tags (for description and keywords), Title tag and Image Alt tag have been used appropriately for the website content. Your text should also contain the main and related keywords/ phrases for your site. This will make the audience find your site on the Internet.
The basic processes, are much the same for online documents and print media - checking for correctness (spelling, grammar, and punctuation), consistency of capitalization and other mechanics, accuracy of information, and completeness. Creating consistent text formatting, Checking consistency in visual design, Testing for proper working of website links, Knowledge of HTML and its application (when required) are the additional responsibilities for an online editor.
Tips for Editing Websites and Online Documents:
1) Create consistent text formatting:
Check whether the overall "look" of text on a page presents any obvious problems with various common fonts and type sizes. At this stage of the process, basic HTML skills are very valuable to the online editor in order to go into the HTML document and make minor changes directly , if required.
2) Check that colors are applied consistently throughout the work:
Watch out for arbitrary shifts in color. If link colors are specified in your HTML document, check that these colors are applied consistently throughout the work.
3) See whether links are working and going to the correct destinations:
Manually check all or most links to ensure that all links lead where they promise.
4) Ensure that text is readable:
Avoid "overabbreviation". Use only standard, easily read symbols etc
5) Check that identifying information is present and consistent
6) Correct errors in grammar and spelling:
Check for subject-verb agreement, Sentence fragments, Run-on sentences and other obvious grammatical errors. In case of checking spelling errors, read what is actually on the page, not what you think is there.
7) Check for punctuation:
Punctuation error is the most common mistake people tend to make. There are various books available on correct punctuation. If you are not confident in case of punctuation, get a book for your guidance.
8) Make sure names are spelled correctly:
The single most important mistake is the misspelling of names. Going to whatever length needed to see that names and titles are correct is important.
9) Look the content from the readers point of view:
Reading the story completely through the first time, without marking or changing anything. Thats the way the reader is going to read the story, and thats the way the copy editor should read it, too.
10) Look for answers:
When editing a story for the first time, looking for answers to the following questions is important:- Is this a complete story? Does it consist of important facts? Does it give all of the necessary information to the reader? Are the quotes interesting? Any information or necessary quotations are missing? Does the writer omit information on the assumption that the reader already knows it? Does the story read smoothly? Does the information flow from one paragraph to the next? Do the quotes add to and support the previous information? Are the facts and quotes in descending order of importance?
11) Make sure the text is optimized for search engine rankings:
Check whether META tags (for description and keywords), Title tag and Image Alt tag have been used appropriately for the website content. Your text should also contain the main and related keywords/ phrases for your site. This will make the audience find your site on the Internet.
The basic processes, are much the same for online documents and print media - checking for correctness (spelling, grammar, and punctuation), consistency of capitalization and other mechanics, accuracy of information, and completeness. Creating consistent text formatting, Checking consistency in visual design, Testing for proper working of website links, Knowledge of HTML and its application (when required) are the additional responsibilities for an online editor.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
The Value of Forums
There are literally thousands of online forums that cover a wide range of topics. Forums provide individuals, who share a common interest, with a meeting place for open discussion, and a great gathering spot for "water cooler" talk. When used properly forums can be an excellent business tool and resource. By providing well thought out, helpful responses posters can develop a reputation as an industry expert. Establishing a reputation within forums will eventually lead to solid business contacts and relationships.
Forums, online discussion groups, can be found on many websites. Companies, individuals or groups often have their own web-based forums, which are a good source of technical information or just general discussions. They can be closed for private use only or open to anyone to post messages, which are usually sorted within different categories, or topics. Posting to forums is obviously effective when an immediate answer is not required. Forum can be found by searching for topic or subject with the word 'forum' or 'forums'. Forums are a great way to participate in a community that is discussing a particular topic, or communicate with a group of people interested in the same topic.
Rules & Regulations
Before you post to a forum its important that you read the Charter or description of the forum and determine what is appropriate. It is probably not a bad idea to monitor a newsgroup for a few days prior to posting. Understanding what is accepted or not accepted in each newsgroup will go a long way in befriending the participants.
Forum Etiquette
Spam is generally frowned upon, if you require information on general forum etiquette I'd encourage you to read the article at: http://www.small-business-software.net/etiquette.htm . Rules and etiquette can vary from one group to another, so don't assume what is acceptable in one, is acceptable in another.
Some forums require that you register and provide contact information in order to post a message or respond to messages. The registration is typically simple and requires that you submit general information. An email confirmation is required in order to confirm the information; once the confirmation is responded to posting privileges are granted. Some forums do not require registration and you can post anonymously.
What to Look for In a Forum
Because time is valuable it is best to frequent forums that have a lot of traffic, this will ensure that any posts receive maximum exposure for little effort. The most recent posts should be have current dates and it should be clear that there is regular activity on the board.
Moderated Forums
Some forums are moderated, which means posts are approved prior to being made public. This means that if you post to a moderated forum, there will likely be a delay between the submission and the posts appearance in the forum. Moderated forums tend to have a lower 'noise' ratio and have less off-topic posts. The downside to moderated forums is that like moderated newsgroups they are usually less popular because of the lag time between posts.
Signature Line
Most newsgroups allow for posters to include a signature on any posts. This is your opportunity to mention your products and services. Use this as an opportunity to tell other forum visitors what you want them to know. Be sure to provide an url to your website, as the link will not only refer potential clients but it will help search engine ranking.
Finding Forums
Forums can contain generic information or be very topic specific. Try the following resources to find forums that meet your needs.
Forums, online discussion groups, can be found on many websites. Companies, individuals or groups often have their own web-based forums, which are a good source of technical information or just general discussions. They can be closed for private use only or open to anyone to post messages, which are usually sorted within different categories, or topics. Posting to forums is obviously effective when an immediate answer is not required. Forum can be found by searching for topic or subject with the word 'forum' or 'forums'. Forums are a great way to participate in a community that is discussing a particular topic, or communicate with a group of people interested in the same topic.
Rules & Regulations
Before you post to a forum its important that you read the Charter or description of the forum and determine what is appropriate. It is probably not a bad idea to monitor a newsgroup for a few days prior to posting. Understanding what is accepted or not accepted in each newsgroup will go a long way in befriending the participants.
Forum Etiquette
Spam is generally frowned upon, if you require information on general forum etiquette I'd encourage you to read the article at: http://www.small-business-software.net/etiquette.htm . Rules and etiquette can vary from one group to another, so don't assume what is acceptable in one, is acceptable in another.
Some forums require that you register and provide contact information in order to post a message or respond to messages. The registration is typically simple and requires that you submit general information. An email confirmation is required in order to confirm the information; once the confirmation is responded to posting privileges are granted. Some forums do not require registration and you can post anonymously.
What to Look for In a Forum
Because time is valuable it is best to frequent forums that have a lot of traffic, this will ensure that any posts receive maximum exposure for little effort. The most recent posts should be have current dates and it should be clear that there is regular activity on the board.
Moderated Forums
Some forums are moderated, which means posts are approved prior to being made public. This means that if you post to a moderated forum, there will likely be a delay between the submission and the posts appearance in the forum. Moderated forums tend to have a lower 'noise' ratio and have less off-topic posts. The downside to moderated forums is that like moderated newsgroups they are usually less popular because of the lag time between posts.
Signature Line
Most newsgroups allow for posters to include a signature on any posts. This is your opportunity to mention your products and services. Use this as an opportunity to tell other forum visitors what you want them to know. Be sure to provide an url to your website, as the link will not only refer potential clients but it will help search engine ranking.
Finding Forums
Forums can contain generic information or be very topic specific. Try the following resources to find forums that meet your needs.
Friday, July 13, 2007
The Future of Submarine Games
In the last six months, the demise of sims has been pronounced in abundance. Print mags and sim webzines have been telling you sims are being cancelled left and right Jane's A-10: Cancelled. Wolfpack II: Cancelled. Silent Steel II: MIA. M1Tank Platoon 3: Cancelled. Fighting Steel Deluxe: Cancelled. Jane's Attack Squadron: MIA. Thunder Over Europe: MIA. The list goes on.
We all know that this is a down cycle for sims and we believe there is hope that in a couple of years, things will turn around and sims will be hot stuff again. Hey, I remember in 1973 when the EPA and OPEC throttled the life out of the muscle car scene. I had a 1970 Cobra Torino that had 450 hp and ran the quarter in the high 13s. In less than three years every car out of Detroit was a smog controlled, gas economizing slug. They even started making them as ugly as they were slow! It was heartbreaking.
But over time, things change. Now you can get a high performance machine that handles and has luxuries like front/rear AC. My '99 Riviera has a supercharged V-6 that would make my old Torino proud.
So, keep the faith. Things will improve, even if no one knows when. Silent Hunter II and Destroyer Command are showing signs of life. Harpoon 4 is still under development. There are stirrings from the Sonalysts camp.
When a new subsim does hit the shore, try to remember, the developers and game producers are our friends. They make the kind of games we like because they like them too. Why would they labor over armor thickness tables, ship model physics, and torpedo trajectories for a niche market? I know a few developers and they all love the genre.
Try to keep your criticism balanced. Should you blast a sim you had trouble with or didn't enjoy with all the invective and animosity you would normally reserve for someone who stole your car or used your toothbrush? I was told by one producer that high-level executives frequently ask him about hard-core negative postings on newsgroups and forums. The industry sees us as demanding, unappreciative, and impossible to satisfy. It's much easier and more lucrative to crank out Deer Hunter and Barbie games and their users rarely flame the game company to a crisp.
I work with a CPA accountant who likes computer games and is pretty good at them. He can play a mean Age of Empires warrior. I tried to interest him in learning Jane's 688(I) for some multiplay. He took one look at the hefty manual and waved it off. He assumed he would need to learn all the material to play competitive. The blessing and the curse of a good sim is its complexity. You want to command a battle fleet or do TMA on a Los Angeles class submarine? You need to learn skills and study. And this restricts the popularity of the sim. Mass market games generally do not carry the steep learning curve a sim does. So while we hard core sim players are delighting in the minutia of seven different stations and all their controls, casual gamers are passing up the sim at a 20 to 1 ratio. Sims truly are a niche market.
Niche market games have limited budgets. This mean a small number of programmers and artists must concentrate on the basics. Don't expect to see everything you want and imagine in a sim. Oh yeah, I'm with you--I wish a subsim could have full motion crews and other fun stuff. But as one producer told me, "We don't have the money to design and integrate these features into the product. I wish we could, too."
We should be finding out the status of Silent Hunter II soon. Either Mattel Interactive is going to sign someone to complete it or it will be canned. I went through the "we are planning to do this" stage with the fabled Jane's Ice Pack add-on for 688(I), Crusader Studios' Akula: Red Hunter, Silent Steel 2, and the interoperability between Jane's Fleet Command and 688(I). I'm not passing judgment here, just stating that when the momentum dies, so does the objective. For whatever reasons, the product champions behind those sims were unable to secure the financing to start work. To get a better feel for the whole process, read my friend John Sponauer's analysis of the life and death of a sim, M1 Tank Platoon 2, from its early development as an upgrade all the way through its last couple of weeks.
Despite my previous experiences with other sim companies, I am optimistic that Carl Norman and Rick Martinez mean what they say and SSI will continue to raise the banner of the Digital Combat Series while the Jane's, NovaLogics, and Microproses around them fall like unfortunate tin soldiers. This is not to say SH2 is a done deal--that moment will come when you hold the box in your hand. We look to the next rumored subsim as our best hope for advanced underwater warfare. All we can do is stay positive, supportive, and if it's decent, buy four copies when it comes out.
We all know that this is a down cycle for sims and we believe there is hope that in a couple of years, things will turn around and sims will be hot stuff again. Hey, I remember in 1973 when the EPA and OPEC throttled the life out of the muscle car scene. I had a 1970 Cobra Torino that had 450 hp and ran the quarter in the high 13s. In less than three years every car out of Detroit was a smog controlled, gas economizing slug. They even started making them as ugly as they were slow! It was heartbreaking.
But over time, things change. Now you can get a high performance machine that handles and has luxuries like front/rear AC. My '99 Riviera has a supercharged V-6 that would make my old Torino proud.
So, keep the faith. Things will improve, even if no one knows when. Silent Hunter II and Destroyer Command are showing signs of life. Harpoon 4 is still under development. There are stirrings from the Sonalysts camp.
When a new subsim does hit the shore, try to remember, the developers and game producers are our friends. They make the kind of games we like because they like them too. Why would they labor over armor thickness tables, ship model physics, and torpedo trajectories for a niche market? I know a few developers and they all love the genre.
Try to keep your criticism balanced. Should you blast a sim you had trouble with or didn't enjoy with all the invective and animosity you would normally reserve for someone who stole your car or used your toothbrush? I was told by one producer that high-level executives frequently ask him about hard-core negative postings on newsgroups and forums. The industry sees us as demanding, unappreciative, and impossible to satisfy. It's much easier and more lucrative to crank out Deer Hunter and Barbie games and their users rarely flame the game company to a crisp.
I work with a CPA accountant who likes computer games and is pretty good at them. He can play a mean Age of Empires warrior. I tried to interest him in learning Jane's 688(I) for some multiplay. He took one look at the hefty manual and waved it off. He assumed he would need to learn all the material to play competitive. The blessing and the curse of a good sim is its complexity. You want to command a battle fleet or do TMA on a Los Angeles class submarine? You need to learn skills and study. And this restricts the popularity of the sim. Mass market games generally do not carry the steep learning curve a sim does. So while we hard core sim players are delighting in the minutia of seven different stations and all their controls, casual gamers are passing up the sim at a 20 to 1 ratio. Sims truly are a niche market.
Niche market games have limited budgets. This mean a small number of programmers and artists must concentrate on the basics. Don't expect to see everything you want and imagine in a sim. Oh yeah, I'm with you--I wish a subsim could have full motion crews and other fun stuff. But as one producer told me, "We don't have the money to design and integrate these features into the product. I wish we could, too."
We should be finding out the status of Silent Hunter II soon. Either Mattel Interactive is going to sign someone to complete it or it will be canned. I went through the "we are planning to do this" stage with the fabled Jane's Ice Pack add-on for 688(I), Crusader Studios' Akula: Red Hunter, Silent Steel 2, and the interoperability between Jane's Fleet Command and 688(I). I'm not passing judgment here, just stating that when the momentum dies, so does the objective. For whatever reasons, the product champions behind those sims were unable to secure the financing to start work. To get a better feel for the whole process, read my friend John Sponauer's analysis of the life and death of a sim, M1 Tank Platoon 2, from its early development as an upgrade all the way through its last couple of weeks.
Despite my previous experiences with other sim companies, I am optimistic that Carl Norman and Rick Martinez mean what they say and SSI will continue to raise the banner of the Digital Combat Series while the Jane's, NovaLogics, and Microproses around them fall like unfortunate tin soldiers. This is not to say SH2 is a done deal--that moment will come when you hold the box in your hand. We look to the next rumored subsim as our best hope for advanced underwater warfare. All we can do is stay positive, supportive, and if it's decent, buy four copies when it comes out.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Is the "IronPort" Whitelist Actually An Extortion Tactic ?
It appears that Mr. Gates' prophetic prediction that charging marketers to send email across the Microsoft email networks (MSN and Hotmail) to cut down on Sp*m is about to come true.
According to CIO Today, Microsoft is now employing "IronPort Anti-Spam Technology."
"IronPort" is a paid "white-list" for people who send "mass email" (including newsletter publishers, ezine publishers, affiliate managers, mini-course operators, and basically anyone who has a list of opt-in emails).
If you send any type of email where you do a broadcast to everyone on your list, this applies to you.
If you want your email broadcasts to get through their filters, you must pay a hefty fee and post a "bond."
Here are some facts about this developing story:
1. They charge by how much email you send a month, but the minimum charge is a:
$375 Application Fee, plus
$500 Annual License Fee, plus
$500 "Bond" fee.
That's $1,375.00 just to get in the game.
If you want to see the complete breakdown, go here https://www.bondedsender.com/fees.jsp
2. If you go over the "complaint" threshold of 1 complaint per month, then they will debit $20 from your bond fee for each complaint to "fine" you for being naughty.
Now that sounds good on the surface, but here's a scenario to try on for size:
Your competitor / enemy / Net "psycho" signs up for 50 fr~e email accounts at HotMail and complains about you every month when you send your newsletter.
49 complaints (50 - 1 allowed complaint) times $20 a complaint comes out to $980 in fines.
Now, can you dispute the fines? Sure, absolutely!
But how much will you lose in time, energy and effort disputing the allegations? (My guess is, a whole lot more than that.)
You can check out all the "rules" here https://www.bondedsender.com/fees.jsp
Here are the details of the program straight from the horse's mouth... https://www.bondedsender.com
Here's my take on this whole thing (which dropped on me out of the blue today):
First, don't get me wrong... I hate sp~m with a passion!
I spend at least an hour a day fighting it (down from 3 hours a day just a few weeks ago before I shut down about 2 dozen email addresses that got harvested by spambots over the last few years).
With that said, this whole "IronPort" thing sounds and smells to me like "white list" extortion.
Why?
Here's the basic premise: "Pay to get your email through our filters, or else you run the very likely risk of not getting your email through at all."
In fact, here's a *direct quote* from their website https://www.bondedsender.com/faqs/sender.jsp:
"What happens if I don't bond my email? You're rolling the dice and taking your chances with spam filters, black lists and bulk folders. Some days all of your email may be delivered; other days 30-50% could be blocked."
Kind of reminds you of a cheesy mafia movie on late night TV:
Me: "Hey Bugsy, what happens if I don't pay my 'protection' money this month? What if I stand up to you and refuse to pay?"
Bugsy: "Well, maybe nothin' will happen to you because the Boss ain't payin' attention when I tell him you decided not to pay. On the other hand, maybe I'll just smack you around a little bit... or maybe-- I'll BREAK YOUR LEG with this baseball bat! Go ahead and not pay us... then we'll see what happens!"
Now, back to my question: "Why should I have to pay a huge fee to send email to people who have opted in to my lists?"
The argument from Microsoft (and soon to be other ISP's) is that the uncontrolled sp~m on the web is costing them a lot of money to deliver email nobody wants to read.
Well, if that's the case, aren't email users shelling out cash or credit to pay their ISPs for email services (mine charges me $40 a month for cable), or paying for free services like HotMail or Yahoo Mail through viewing advertising on every page?
I was under the impression we were already paying to receive email... and last time I checked, there was no place to put a stamp!
Okay, even if we make it past that and we accept the argument that legitimate emailers should have to pay a fee in order to get on that big "whitelist in the sky" somewhere... there are still two very important considerations here:
1. First, what about the little guy who starts doing really well?
You know, the small newsletter publisher who puts out a great ezine or fr-e report or whatever, and gets a lot of subscribers and then wants to broadcast email to them on a regular basis?
Let's say they start making $20,000.00 a year from their ezine... are they now supposed to shell out 6-10% of their earnings in order to get their messages through? (And that's if they never get a fine!)
Do they have to be penalized for being successful?
Apparently so if this system gains widespread acceptance by all the big ISP's and email service providers!
2. Second, what about the high potential for abuse at the hands of unethical competitors and just plain jerks that populate the Internet!
I know it might seem hard to believe, but there are psychos out there who will sign up for a bunch of free email accounts just so they can make trouble.
(This is not paranoia! I had a user who signed up, definitely opted-in from my website, had the emails routed through a SpamCop address so I got blacklisted by SpamCop until I could get it straightened out. Oh, and guess who owns SpamCop... IronPort, that's who!)
Now, some idiot making waves with 100 email accounts won't put a dent in the pockets of most big players in the email arena... for them it'll just be a business expense.
But for the case of the "little" guy, fighting that potential abuse and those fees could seriously cripple and even kill a fledgling enterprise... and that, in my opinion, is a serious problem.
In my opinion, all this is going to do is cut out the little guy and make it easier for big companies to email the hell out of the rest of us.
A small newsletter publisher will find it cost-prohibitive to pay for the service, and some giant company will just keep pumping the email out because they have the staff and resources to fight the inevitable complaints.
And let's face it, if a big company is paying a $10,000.00 a year licensing fee plus posting a $4,000.00 bond, how aggressive do you think the IronTrust people will really be to get rid of them?
In my opinion, not very.
In conclusion: Despite my ranting, I actually think this is a step in the right direction (albeit a wobbly, drunken, and inconvenient step).
Something has to be done to fight spam.
However, at this point, this whole system has (in my opinion) too many unanswered questions, especially for us little guys.
Namely:
* Do I really need to do this if I'm a little guy operating and growing a newsletter?
* What happens if I get unfounded spam complaints?
* At what level does it make financial sense for me to do this?
* What if my newsletter isn't a big profit generator... am I supposed to give up the revenue I do create just to get my emails through?
To their apparent credit, Yahoo! is also trying to pioneer a solution, but this one doesn't appear (at this point) like it will cost publishers or subscribers any money (and I like the sound of that). http://antispam.yahoo.com/domainkeys
But with so much at stake (on both sides), this issue is a far cry from any satisfactory resolution.
Stay tuned for further updates as events warrant...
According to CIO Today, Microsoft is now employing "IronPort Anti-Spam Technology."
"IronPort" is a paid "white-list" for people who send "mass email" (including newsletter publishers, ezine publishers, affiliate managers, mini-course operators, and basically anyone who has a list of opt-in emails).
If you send any type of email where you do a broadcast to everyone on your list, this applies to you.
If you want your email broadcasts to get through their filters, you must pay a hefty fee and post a "bond."
Here are some facts about this developing story:
1. They charge by how much email you send a month, but the minimum charge is a:
$375 Application Fee, plus
$500 Annual License Fee, plus
$500 "Bond" fee.
That's $1,375.00 just to get in the game.
If you want to see the complete breakdown, go here https://www.bondedsender.com/fees.jsp
2. If you go over the "complaint" threshold of 1 complaint per month, then they will debit $20 from your bond fee for each complaint to "fine" you for being naughty.
Now that sounds good on the surface, but here's a scenario to try on for size:
Your competitor / enemy / Net "psycho" signs up for 50 fr~e email accounts at HotMail and complains about you every month when you send your newsletter.
49 complaints (50 - 1 allowed complaint) times $20 a complaint comes out to $980 in fines.
Now, can you dispute the fines? Sure, absolutely!
But how much will you lose in time, energy and effort disputing the allegations? (My guess is, a whole lot more than that.)
You can check out all the "rules" here https://www.bondedsender.com/fees.jsp
Here are the details of the program straight from the horse's mouth... https://www.bondedsender.com
Here's my take on this whole thing (which dropped on me out of the blue today):
First, don't get me wrong... I hate sp~m with a passion!
I spend at least an hour a day fighting it (down from 3 hours a day just a few weeks ago before I shut down about 2 dozen email addresses that got harvested by spambots over the last few years).
With that said, this whole "IronPort" thing sounds and smells to me like "white list" extortion.
Why?
Here's the basic premise: "Pay to get your email through our filters, or else you run the very likely risk of not getting your email through at all."
In fact, here's a *direct quote* from their website https://www.bondedsender.com/faqs/sender.jsp:
"What happens if I don't bond my email? You're rolling the dice and taking your chances with spam filters, black lists and bulk folders. Some days all of your email may be delivered; other days 30-50% could be blocked."
Kind of reminds you of a cheesy mafia movie on late night TV:
Me: "Hey Bugsy, what happens if I don't pay my 'protection' money this month? What if I stand up to you and refuse to pay?"
Bugsy: "Well, maybe nothin' will happen to you because the Boss ain't payin' attention when I tell him you decided not to pay. On the other hand, maybe I'll just smack you around a little bit... or maybe-- I'll BREAK YOUR LEG with this baseball bat! Go ahead and not pay us... then we'll see what happens!"
Now, back to my question: "Why should I have to pay a huge fee to send email to people who have opted in to my lists?"
The argument from Microsoft (and soon to be other ISP's) is that the uncontrolled sp~m on the web is costing them a lot of money to deliver email nobody wants to read.
Well, if that's the case, aren't email users shelling out cash or credit to pay their ISPs for email services (mine charges me $40 a month for cable), or paying for free services like HotMail or Yahoo Mail through viewing advertising on every page?
I was under the impression we were already paying to receive email... and last time I checked, there was no place to put a stamp!
Okay, even if we make it past that and we accept the argument that legitimate emailers should have to pay a fee in order to get on that big "whitelist in the sky" somewhere... there are still two very important considerations here:
1. First, what about the little guy who starts doing really well?
You know, the small newsletter publisher who puts out a great ezine or fr-e report or whatever, and gets a lot of subscribers and then wants to broadcast email to them on a regular basis?
Let's say they start making $20,000.00 a year from their ezine... are they now supposed to shell out 6-10% of their earnings in order to get their messages through? (And that's if they never get a fine!)
Do they have to be penalized for being successful?
Apparently so if this system gains widespread acceptance by all the big ISP's and email service providers!
2. Second, what about the high potential for abuse at the hands of unethical competitors and just plain jerks that populate the Internet!
I know it might seem hard to believe, but there are psychos out there who will sign up for a bunch of free email accounts just so they can make trouble.
(This is not paranoia! I had a user who signed up, definitely opted-in from my website, had the emails routed through a SpamCop address so I got blacklisted by SpamCop until I could get it straightened out. Oh, and guess who owns SpamCop... IronPort, that's who!)
Now, some idiot making waves with 100 email accounts won't put a dent in the pockets of most big players in the email arena... for them it'll just be a business expense.
But for the case of the "little" guy, fighting that potential abuse and those fees could seriously cripple and even kill a fledgling enterprise... and that, in my opinion, is a serious problem.
In my opinion, all this is going to do is cut out the little guy and make it easier for big companies to email the hell out of the rest of us.
A small newsletter publisher will find it cost-prohibitive to pay for the service, and some giant company will just keep pumping the email out because they have the staff and resources to fight the inevitable complaints.
And let's face it, if a big company is paying a $10,000.00 a year licensing fee plus posting a $4,000.00 bond, how aggressive do you think the IronTrust people will really be to get rid of them?
In my opinion, not very.
In conclusion: Despite my ranting, I actually think this is a step in the right direction (albeit a wobbly, drunken, and inconvenient step).
Something has to be done to fight spam.
However, at this point, this whole system has (in my opinion) too many unanswered questions, especially for us little guys.
Namely:
* Do I really need to do this if I'm a little guy operating and growing a newsletter?
* What happens if I get unfounded spam complaints?
* At what level does it make financial sense for me to do this?
* What if my newsletter isn't a big profit generator... am I supposed to give up the revenue I do create just to get my emails through?
To their apparent credit, Yahoo! is also trying to pioneer a solution, but this one doesn't appear (at this point) like it will cost publishers or subscribers any money (and I like the sound of that). http://antispam.yahoo.com/domainkeys
But with so much at stake (on both sides), this issue is a far cry from any satisfactory resolution.
Stay tuned for further updates as events warrant...
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Would You Like An Extended Warranty With That?
Should you buy an extended warranty with your laptop? You may not want to think about it now, but sooner or later, something is going to break down on your laptop. When it happens, the big question will be who gets stuck with the bill, you or the manufacturer.
The standard (standard in this case meaning free) warranty on a new laptop typically runs anywhere from 90 days to a year. That probably doesn’t seem like much when you consider how long you expect to own your laptop. What happens when your laptop poops out on the 91st day?
First of all, even if your laptop only includes a 90-day warranty (and assuming you’ve purchased a reputable brand- name system), the chances of your laptop dying on the 91st day are very, very slim.
Manufacturers don’t offer a 90-day warranty with the expectation that their product will malfunction shortly thereafter. A shorter warranty is likely, at least in part, to be a marketing ploy to push you toward an extended warranty.
All major laptop manufacturers offer a long menu of extended warranty options, each menu item with its own price tag. The two biggest components that factor into the cost of an extended warranty are duration and location.
Through extended warranty, you typically have the option to extend the duration of the standard warranty from one to three years. The first extra year is always the most expensive, with each subsequent year costing significantly less. The longer the extended warranty, the better the deal.
As for location, the least expensive extended warranties require you to ship your laptop (at your expense) to a remote repair facility. With the most deluxe extended warranty packages, a service technician will meet you at your own front door to attempt the repairs. This type of coverage tends to be on the expensive side.
At this point, you might decide to research manufacturer websites to determine their standard warranty policies. Don’t bother, because most laptop manufacturers don’t have standard warranty polices. Warranties vary from line to line and product to product. Even with a particular model in mind, it’s still going to take some digging.
So how do you decide whether an extended warranty is right for you? Your best bet is to consider your anticipated usage:
If you’re buying a laptop as a second computer for occasional use when you need to travel, you can probably pass on the extended warranty and still feel relatively safe.
At the other extreme, if you use your laptop day in and day out as your primary system, with half your life spent in airport terminals, you should consider adding as much extended warranty as you possibly can. Fortunately, unlike automobile warranties, laptop warranties don’t put any restriction on mileage.
The standard (standard in this case meaning free) warranty on a new laptop typically runs anywhere from 90 days to a year. That probably doesn’t seem like much when you consider how long you expect to own your laptop. What happens when your laptop poops out on the 91st day?
First of all, even if your laptop only includes a 90-day warranty (and assuming you’ve purchased a reputable brand- name system), the chances of your laptop dying on the 91st day are very, very slim.
Manufacturers don’t offer a 90-day warranty with the expectation that their product will malfunction shortly thereafter. A shorter warranty is likely, at least in part, to be a marketing ploy to push you toward an extended warranty.
All major laptop manufacturers offer a long menu of extended warranty options, each menu item with its own price tag. The two biggest components that factor into the cost of an extended warranty are duration and location.
Through extended warranty, you typically have the option to extend the duration of the standard warranty from one to three years. The first extra year is always the most expensive, with each subsequent year costing significantly less. The longer the extended warranty, the better the deal.
As for location, the least expensive extended warranties require you to ship your laptop (at your expense) to a remote repair facility. With the most deluxe extended warranty packages, a service technician will meet you at your own front door to attempt the repairs. This type of coverage tends to be on the expensive side.
At this point, you might decide to research manufacturer websites to determine their standard warranty policies. Don’t bother, because most laptop manufacturers don’t have standard warranty polices. Warranties vary from line to line and product to product. Even with a particular model in mind, it’s still going to take some digging.
So how do you decide whether an extended warranty is right for you? Your best bet is to consider your anticipated usage:
If you’re buying a laptop as a second computer for occasional use when you need to travel, you can probably pass on the extended warranty and still feel relatively safe.
At the other extreme, if you use your laptop day in and day out as your primary system, with half your life spent in airport terminals, you should consider adding as much extended warranty as you possibly can. Fortunately, unlike automobile warranties, laptop warranties don’t put any restriction on mileage.
Friday, July 6, 2007
DataRecoveryNet.com Enters Medical Industry
Palm Beach Gardens FL- Florida based data recovery service, DataRecoveryNet.com, launched a new service directed toward the medical community aimed at curtailing the loss of private and vital patient data as well as securing patient health information.
DataRecoveryNet.com recovers data from malfunctioning, damaged, or failed hard drives and other media. This offering is sure to assist the medical industry with new HIPPA requirements. "The medical community is in need of specialty services like our data recovery service due to the new requirements of HIPAA" says Chuck Roover, President of DataRecoveryNet.com Hospitals and other health care service companies store patient health information in hard drives that eventually fail.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted in 1996. The law required the US Dept. of Human Services to develop standards and requirements for the maintenance and transmission of health information.
This law refers to security, confidentiality, and non-disclosure of patient health information. These regulations went into effect on April 14, 2004.
About DataRecoveryNet.com: Based in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. DataRecoveryNet.com is committed to delivering the most cost effective solutions for expert data recovery services. DataRecoveryNet.com has been using their advanced technology and expertise to recover data for corporations and individuals alike for over 10 years. This company utilizes multiple world wide networks to source parts if needed. Delivering retrieved data in a timely manner, fanatical customer support, and confidentiality of client data is what keeps their clients' coming back.
DataRecoveryNet.com recovers data from malfunctioning, damaged, or failed hard drives and other media. This offering is sure to assist the medical industry with new HIPPA requirements. "The medical community is in need of specialty services like our data recovery service due to the new requirements of HIPAA" says Chuck Roover, President of DataRecoveryNet.com Hospitals and other health care service companies store patient health information in hard drives that eventually fail.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted in 1996. The law required the US Dept. of Human Services to develop standards and requirements for the maintenance and transmission of health information.
This law refers to security, confidentiality, and non-disclosure of patient health information. These regulations went into effect on April 14, 2004.
About DataRecoveryNet.com: Based in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. DataRecoveryNet.com is committed to delivering the most cost effective solutions for expert data recovery services. DataRecoveryNet.com has been using their advanced technology and expertise to recover data for corporations and individuals alike for over 10 years. This company utilizes multiple world wide networks to source parts if needed. Delivering retrieved data in a timely manner, fanatical customer support, and confidentiality of client data is what keeps their clients' coming back.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Be Prepared in the Event Computer Disaster Strikes
Be Prepared in the Event Computer Disaster Strikes
by: Sharon Housley
Computers
Businesses and individuals alike have all grown to rely on computers. The reliance is never more apparent than when something happens to the horrid little box that makes our lives easier. We expect computers to react a certain way, in certain situations. It nearly always comes as a surprise when the beloved little box, know as a computer, refuses to boot up. Probably even more shocking, is the dawning that we've neglected to backup or prepare for the unforeseen disaster that has just been thrust upon us.
Regardless of the number of times you have experienced the dread of being unable to access the information trapped in the god-awful computerized contraption, we are always invariably unprepared.
The reality of it is that computers, not only contain moving parts, but they like other machines, they are prone to failure at some point in their lives. Not only can hardware failures occur, but viruses can also corrupt data making it impossible to retrieve. Regardless of the litany of words used to bully the box into behaving, the truth is that the only offence is a good defense.
So how do you prepare for a computer tragedy?
Prepare for the Worst
In structuring an offense it's important to realize the power of reinforcements: backups are invaluable and will save countless hours of shameless degradation. Be sure that you backup data and files on a regular basis, there are a number of tools that will automate the process.
It is critical that you check the backup log to ensure that a backup was completed properly. I cannot begin to describe the devastation felt when it is realized that though there was a backup process in place, the backup never actually occurred. Realizing this during a restore is likely to push any computer lover over the edge. It is a good idea to store a weekly back up off site. This is especially helpful, if an unforeseen fire or a natural disaster strikes.
Protection is critical!
Build A Wall
If the computer has Internet access, either a hardware or software firewall (or combination there of) must be used. The firewall creates a barrier between a computer and the world. Without a firewall, Internet worms are capable of exploiting security holes and are able to create what are referred to as 'back doors'. These back doors can then be used to gain access to personal information stored on the computer, including password files, and financial information.
Trust No One
If you are an avid Internet surfer or downloader be sure to scan any downloads prior to opening or installing. Up to date anti-virus software should be used to ensure, that computers do not become infected with malicious viruses that will ruin your life. Scan any email attachments prior to opening regardless of whom they are from. Files that end with .scr, .pif and .exe can contain viruses that will wreak havoc with your data and emotional well being.
Preparedness goes a long way, and a little foresight will ensure that, while a computer might be an inconvenience, you will not be defeated.
Preparation Resources
Anti-virus Software -http://www.military-software.com/anti-virus-software.htm
Firewalls - http://www.monitoring-software.net/intrusion-detection-software.htm
About The Author
Sharon Housley manages marketing for NotePage, Inc. http://www.notepage.net a company specializing in alphanumeric paging, SMS and wireless messaging software solutions. Other sites and additional articles can be found at http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com , and http://www.small-business-software.net
This article was posted on May 18, 2004
Read More Articles from the "Computers and Internet" Category:
The End of Spyware?
by Grant Rogers
Computer Consulting Proving Ground Projects Are a Good First Test
by Joshua Feinberg
Windows XP Tips for Computer Security
by Chris Kaminski
Is a DVD VCR Recorder Right For You?
by Kenny Hemphill
A History Into Microsoft Products
by Mehmet Onatli
Networking on MySpace
by Aldwin Pet
The Idea of Reference
by Sam Vaknin, Ph.D.
Computer Consulting Business Tools for Getting Good Customers
by Joshua Feinberg
Hard Disk Data Recovery Expert: Choosing Yours
by David A. Williams
Systems Using Google Mini Search Appliance May Be At Risk
by Askme Blax
<< Back to "Computers And Internet" Index
by: Sharon Housley
Computers
Businesses and individuals alike have all grown to rely on computers. The reliance is never more apparent than when something happens to the horrid little box that makes our lives easier. We expect computers to react a certain way, in certain situations. It nearly always comes as a surprise when the beloved little box, know as a computer, refuses to boot up. Probably even more shocking, is the dawning that we've neglected to backup or prepare for the unforeseen disaster that has just been thrust upon us.
Regardless of the number of times you have experienced the dread of being unable to access the information trapped in the god-awful computerized contraption, we are always invariably unprepared.
The reality of it is that computers, not only contain moving parts, but they like other machines, they are prone to failure at some point in their lives. Not only can hardware failures occur, but viruses can also corrupt data making it impossible to retrieve. Regardless of the litany of words used to bully the box into behaving, the truth is that the only offence is a good defense.
So how do you prepare for a computer tragedy?
Prepare for the Worst
In structuring an offense it's important to realize the power of reinforcements: backups are invaluable and will save countless hours of shameless degradation. Be sure that you backup data and files on a regular basis, there are a number of tools that will automate the process.
It is critical that you check the backup log to ensure that a backup was completed properly. I cannot begin to describe the devastation felt when it is realized that though there was a backup process in place, the backup never actually occurred. Realizing this during a restore is likely to push any computer lover over the edge. It is a good idea to store a weekly back up off site. This is especially helpful, if an unforeseen fire or a natural disaster strikes.
Protection is critical!
Build A Wall
If the computer has Internet access, either a hardware or software firewall (or combination there of) must be used. The firewall creates a barrier between a computer and the world. Without a firewall, Internet worms are capable of exploiting security holes and are able to create what are referred to as 'back doors'. These back doors can then be used to gain access to personal information stored on the computer, including password files, and financial information.
Trust No One
If you are an avid Internet surfer or downloader be sure to scan any downloads prior to opening or installing. Up to date anti-virus software should be used to ensure, that computers do not become infected with malicious viruses that will ruin your life. Scan any email attachments prior to opening regardless of whom they are from. Files that end with .scr, .pif and .exe can contain viruses that will wreak havoc with your data and emotional well being.
Preparedness goes a long way, and a little foresight will ensure that, while a computer might be an inconvenience, you will not be defeated.
Preparation Resources
Anti-virus Software -http://www.military-software.com/anti-virus-software.htm
Firewalls - http://www.monitoring-software.net/intrusion-detection-software.htm
About The Author
Sharon Housley manages marketing for NotePage, Inc. http://www.notepage.net a company specializing in alphanumeric paging, SMS and wireless messaging software solutions. Other sites and additional articles can be found at http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com , and http://www.small-business-software.net
This article was posted on May 18, 2004
Read More Articles from the "Computers and Internet" Category:
The End of Spyware?
by Grant Rogers
Computer Consulting Proving Ground Projects Are a Good First Test
by Joshua Feinberg
Windows XP Tips for Computer Security
by Chris Kaminski
Is a DVD VCR Recorder Right For You?
by Kenny Hemphill
A History Into Microsoft Products
by Mehmet Onatli
Networking on MySpace
by Aldwin Pet
The Idea of Reference
by Sam Vaknin, Ph.D.
Computer Consulting Business Tools for Getting Good Customers
by Joshua Feinberg
Hard Disk Data Recovery Expert: Choosing Yours
by David A. Williams
Systems Using Google Mini Search Appliance May Be At Risk
by Askme Blax
<< Back to "Computers And Internet" Index
Sunday, July 1, 2007
SSI: Why and How to Use Server Side Includes
If you are a webmaster or a website owner and have not yet used server side includes (SSI), I am about to make your life soooo much easier. SSI can save you a lot of time updating your site. Set them up right at the beginning and you will be forever grateful that somebody thought up SSI.
In this article we will look at what SSI is, why it makes life so easy, and exactly how to set up SSI on your website...and then I'll share two little bonus tricks I've discovered.
What is SSI?
SSI actually covers a number of features to improve your website. I am going to speak here of just one critical improvement, referred to as an "include" file.
Essentially, an "include" file is a separate file that your web page can include as if it was part of the page file. Let's take a real-life example. My site at http://www.vitamin-supplements-store.net uses SSI in a number of places.
If you are used to using FrontPage or have recently learned HTML, you probably assume that every web page is a single html file. The example above is actually five files. There is the main HTML file for the page. There is a style sheet (CSS) and there are three SSI "include" files -- one for the left navigation menu and two for the two navigation menus across the bottom. I could have, perhaps even should have, used more "include" files, but you can be the judge when you've finished reading this article.
Why use SSI?
SSI makes it easy to bring changes to your website. There are some changes you will need to make to every page or to every page in a specific section. Your website might start out with just 10 pages, and you might figure that it is no big deal to cut-and-paste a change to the navigation menu 10 times.
But each time you add a page, you have to update that menu. And with each new page added, you have to paste one more time. When you reach 50 pages (Never thought your website would grow that big? You're not alone.) it becomes very tedious to update.
For instance, when I wanted to add the website monitoring logo and the link to the navigation menu at http://www.thehappyguy.com, I had to change just one file, and -- presto! -- the change appeared on every page of the site bearing that navigation menu. It was so very much easier than past updates before I began using SSI.
There are two other benefits to SSI "include" files. Because a single line of code replaces what might have been several dozen in each HTML file, your files are much smaller, taking less space on your server. And, because the "include" file has already been loaded with the first page a visitor sees, the next page is much quicker for visitors to load.
How to set up SSI?
You need three things to set up SSI.
1. Configure your server for SSI
2. Set up your "include" file
3. Call up your "include" file into your web page HTML file
First, you need your server configured for SSI. Ask your web host if this has already been done. Also ask if it has been set up to parse .html extensions to read SSI.
If your server has been set up for SSI, you are one step closer. If it has also been set up to parse .html extensions to read SSI, you are two steps closer.
Not all hosts support SSI, but most do. If yours does, but it has not been set up for your account, look for the .htaccess file in your root directory (where your index.html or home page file is stored). In my experience, this is not usually viewable using an FTP process; you have to find it through your control panel.
The .htaccess file is a text file. If you do not already have an .htaccess file on your server, you can create one in NotePad or even in Word (just save it with a .txt extension), but whatever you do, make sure not to write over a .htaccess file already on your server. If it is already there, just add the following lines to the file, being careful not to erase anything that is already there:
AddType text/html .shtml
AddHandler server-parsed .shtml
Options Indexes FollowSymLinks Includes
So far, so good. But this will recognize only .shtml files for includes, and you probably don't want to change the .html extensions to .shtml on all your pages, if for no other reason because it will mess up all your inbound links to those pages.
So add this line. In theory, it should be the second line, but careless me has gotten it to work at the end, too:
AddHandler server-parsed .html
Save the edited .htaccess file to the root directory of your server.
As an aside, there are several ways to configure your server for SSI. This one has worked for me across several hosts.
So much for the techie stuff, now you need the second element: the "include" file itself. Suppose your "include" file is the navigation menu. You don't need "head" and "title" and "body" tags. Just type in your text and code just the way it would appear in your webpage. It's that simple. Save it as an HTML file, and load it to your route directory or to its own directory.
All you need now, is to call up your navigation menu in each file you want it to appear in. To do this, a simple line suffices where a whole column of code and text once stood.
Here is the line to place in your code:
This assumes that nav1.html is the name of the "include" file and that it is in the same directory as the page it is being inserted into. If you place the file into a directory called "nav", you would have to include code like this in your web page file:
That's all you really need to know. But here are a couple bonus tricks that will make SSI "includes" work even better for you.
Bonus Tip #1
You don't need to stuff everything into a single SSI file. What if some elements you want on some pages and others not? Let me offer two examples of situations that call for splitting the SSI "include" file in two.
The first is on my vitamin site. Return to http://www.vitamin-supplements-store.net and look at the links across the bottom. The first row is typical website stuff: contact, privacy, etc., which one wants access to from every page of the site. The second is the links directory, which a webmaster does not typically want linked from every page. For example, see the bottom of my humor article at http://www.vitamin-supplements-store.net/articles/eggs.html. The row of links directory is not there.
The second example is this article on search engine tips: http://www.thehappyguy.com/SEO-tips.html. Notice again that there are two different navigation consoles. The first is generic to the site, the second is specific to that section of the site. So a second SSI "include" file, using just one additional line of code, can provide interlinking for the section, without affecting other sections of the website. This is very handy for large sites.
Bonus Tip #2
You can also use an SSI "include" file to hide some of your source code. I will show you a ridiculously simple way to do this.
There are at least two legitimate reasons why somebody might want to hide parts of their code. The most obvious would be if you are running a proprietary script. The second is if you are running a script that displays content, but shows up as a script in the source code. This was my challenge.
At the bottom of the navigation menu at http://www.thehappyguy.com/self-actualization-articles.html, there is a "Happiness Quote of the Day". In fact, it is a random quote that reloads when the page reloads. I had included the random-text script in the SSI "include" file, but the search engines were seeing the script in the source code, not the text that human visitors were seeing. So I placed the script in its own "include" file, which I inserted like this into the main "include" file:
Now the search engines see the same things as humans see. Why would I care? Search engines visit more frequently pages that change more frequently. That does not mean the site will rank higher, unless frequent change is part of the search engine's ranking algorithm, but it does mean that other changes will be indexed faster.
To sum up, SSI "includes" can save you time and headaches when changes need to be made to your site, plus they reduce the file size and increase the loading time of your pages. Once you've set up the server to read SSI, all you need to do is create an "include" file and call it up in your web page using one line of code.
I can hardly believe I wasted so much time cutting and pasting before I learned about SSI. You won't believe it either!
In this article we will look at what SSI is, why it makes life so easy, and exactly how to set up SSI on your website...and then I'll share two little bonus tricks I've discovered.
What is SSI?
SSI actually covers a number of features to improve your website. I am going to speak here of just one critical improvement, referred to as an "include" file.
Essentially, an "include" file is a separate file that your web page can include as if it was part of the page file. Let's take a real-life example. My site at http://www.vitamin-supplements-store.net uses SSI in a number of places.
If you are used to using FrontPage or have recently learned HTML, you probably assume that every web page is a single html file. The example above is actually five files. There is the main HTML file for the page. There is a style sheet (CSS) and there are three SSI "include" files -- one for the left navigation menu and two for the two navigation menus across the bottom. I could have, perhaps even should have, used more "include" files, but you can be the judge when you've finished reading this article.
Why use SSI?
SSI makes it easy to bring changes to your website. There are some changes you will need to make to every page or to every page in a specific section. Your website might start out with just 10 pages, and you might figure that it is no big deal to cut-and-paste a change to the navigation menu 10 times.
But each time you add a page, you have to update that menu. And with each new page added, you have to paste one more time. When you reach 50 pages (Never thought your website would grow that big? You're not alone.) it becomes very tedious to update.
For instance, when I wanted to add the website monitoring logo and the link to the navigation menu at http://www.thehappyguy.com, I had to change just one file, and -- presto! -- the change appeared on every page of the site bearing that navigation menu. It was so very much easier than past updates before I began using SSI.
There are two other benefits to SSI "include" files. Because a single line of code replaces what might have been several dozen in each HTML file, your files are much smaller, taking less space on your server. And, because the "include" file has already been loaded with the first page a visitor sees, the next page is much quicker for visitors to load.
How to set up SSI?
You need three things to set up SSI.
1. Configure your server for SSI
2. Set up your "include" file
3. Call up your "include" file into your web page HTML file
First, you need your server configured for SSI. Ask your web host if this has already been done. Also ask if it has been set up to parse .html extensions to read SSI.
If your server has been set up for SSI, you are one step closer. If it has also been set up to parse .html extensions to read SSI, you are two steps closer.
Not all hosts support SSI, but most do. If yours does, but it has not been set up for your account, look for the .htaccess file in your root directory (where your index.html or home page file is stored). In my experience, this is not usually viewable using an FTP process; you have to find it through your control panel.
The .htaccess file is a text file. If you do not already have an .htaccess file on your server, you can create one in NotePad or even in Word (just save it with a .txt extension), but whatever you do, make sure not to write over a .htaccess file already on your server. If it is already there, just add the following lines to the file, being careful not to erase anything that is already there:
AddType text/html .shtml
AddHandler server-parsed .shtml
Options Indexes FollowSymLinks Includes
So far, so good. But this will recognize only .shtml files for includes, and you probably don't want to change the .html extensions to .shtml on all your pages, if for no other reason because it will mess up all your inbound links to those pages.
So add this line. In theory, it should be the second line, but careless me has gotten it to work at the end, too:
AddHandler server-parsed .html
Save the edited .htaccess file to the root directory of your server.
As an aside, there are several ways to configure your server for SSI. This one has worked for me across several hosts.
So much for the techie stuff, now you need the second element: the "include" file itself. Suppose your "include" file is the navigation menu. You don't need "head" and "title" and "body" tags. Just type in your text and code just the way it would appear in your webpage. It's that simple. Save it as an HTML file, and load it to your route directory or to its own directory.
All you need now, is to call up your navigation menu in each file you want it to appear in. To do this, a simple line suffices where a whole column of code and text once stood.
Here is the line to place in your code:
This assumes that nav1.html is the name of the "include" file and that it is in the same directory as the page it is being inserted into. If you place the file into a directory called "nav", you would have to include code like this in your web page file:
That's all you really need to know. But here are a couple bonus tricks that will make SSI "includes" work even better for you.
Bonus Tip #1
You don't need to stuff everything into a single SSI file. What if some elements you want on some pages and others not? Let me offer two examples of situations that call for splitting the SSI "include" file in two.
The first is on my vitamin site. Return to http://www.vitamin-supplements-store.net and look at the links across the bottom. The first row is typical website stuff: contact, privacy, etc., which one wants access to from every page of the site. The second is the links directory, which a webmaster does not typically want linked from every page. For example, see the bottom of my humor article at http://www.vitamin-supplements-store.net/articles/eggs.html. The row of links directory is not there.
The second example is this article on search engine tips: http://www.thehappyguy.com/SEO-tips.html. Notice again that there are two different navigation consoles. The first is generic to the site, the second is specific to that section of the site. So a second SSI "include" file, using just one additional line of code, can provide interlinking for the section, without affecting other sections of the website. This is very handy for large sites.
Bonus Tip #2
You can also use an SSI "include" file to hide some of your source code. I will show you a ridiculously simple way to do this.
There are at least two legitimate reasons why somebody might want to hide parts of their code. The most obvious would be if you are running a proprietary script. The second is if you are running a script that displays content, but shows up as a script in the source code. This was my challenge.
At the bottom of the navigation menu at http://www.thehappyguy.com/self-actualization-articles.html, there is a "Happiness Quote of the Day". In fact, it is a random quote that reloads when the page reloads. I had included the random-text script in the SSI "include" file, but the search engines were seeing the script in the source code, not the text that human visitors were seeing. So I placed the script in its own "include" file, which I inserted like this into the main "include" file:
Now the search engines see the same things as humans see. Why would I care? Search engines visit more frequently pages that change more frequently. That does not mean the site will rank higher, unless frequent change is part of the search engine's ranking algorithm, but it does mean that other changes will be indexed faster.
To sum up, SSI "includes" can save you time and headaches when changes need to be made to your site, plus they reduce the file size and increase the loading time of your pages. Once you've set up the server to read SSI, all you need to do is create an "include" file and call it up in your web page using one line of code.
I can hardly believe I wasted so much time cutting and pasting before I learned about SSI. You won't believe it either!
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