Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

The Polyglottal Internet

http://www.everymail.com/The Internet started off as a purely American phenomenon and seemed to perpetuate the fast-emerging dominance of the English language. A negligible minority of web sites were in other languages. Software applications were chauvinistically ill-prepared (and still are) to deal with anything but English. And the vast majority of net users were residents of the two North-Am. . .

The Seamless Web

http://www.enfish.com/The hype over ubiquitous (or pervasive) computing (computers everywhere) has masked a potentially more momentous development. It is the convergence of computing devices interfaces with web (or other) content. Years ago - after Bill Gates overcame his misplaced scepticism - Microsoft introduced their "internet-ready" applications. Its word processing software ("Word"), othe. . .

Service Level Agreement (SLA) Boot Camp

Service Level Agreements, or "SLA's" are tricky but useful mechanisms for managing the risk of an on-going relationship with IT service providers. Unfortunately, most SLA's that show up in service contracts as worthless, cosmetic paper additions. SLA's can be extremely powerful tools to help you and your service provider get the most out of a relationship. What is an SLA?A service level agreeme. . .

Top 5 Qualities to Look for in a Search Engine Optimizati...

Top 5 Qualities to Look for in a Search Engine Optimization ProgramThese days with millions of websites out there, you need a way to get noticed. When your company website is ranked highly in the major search engines, customers from all over the world can find your front door. suddenly, your virtual storefront becomes prime business property and you are making sales 24/7. What can a web site ow. . .

Negotiating Technology Contracts

Have you ever tried to negotiate a deal for software, computer equipment, or consulting services with a technology company? The task can be daunting. Unfortunately, the sales forces of most IT companies are armed to the hilt with techniques to get the best deal for them, and not necessarily the best deal for you. And even worse, most of us computer folk (like myself) have never been traine. . .

Spam Spasms & Spamocidal Mania

Below is a letter I wrote to the following organizations:S.H.U. (Spam-Haters Unanimous)N.A.A.P.W.H.S. (National Association for the Advancement of People Who Hate Spam)P.W.H.P.W.D.H.S. (People Who Hate People Who Don't Hate Spam) P.F.W.S.H.I.A.L.C. (People for Whom Spam-Hating is a Lifestyle Choice) S.A.P.W.R.R.R.H.S. (Society for the Advancement of People Who Really Really Really Hate Spam) P.. . .

Finally - New Spam Prevention Product That Works!

Businesses and consumers are drowning in a never-ending deluge of Spam (junk mail) - according to reports just released by Quris, Inc. Spam has increased 450% from June of 2001 to now. Furthermore, 70% of respondents indicated they are receiving so much e-mail in the form of Spam that it's negating their acceptance and responsiveness to legitimate opt-in e-mail messages (permission based). The . . .

Free eBook: Business Domain Names

Since every website needs a name, Dr. Steve Baba has written a free ebook that will help you obtain a brandable, memorable domain name at a reasonable cost, which will contribute to your brand equity and profits. The ebook, downloadable from Seemly.com, explains how to select and buy an elite domain name. You will be able to obtain a better name than your competitors have. There are at least . . .

Submitting Your Website With Web Promotion Services

Once you have built and uploaded your home business website the next step is to start promoting it both offline and online. Offline methods include putting your web address on your business cards, stationary, brochures, flyers, pamplets, home sign, automobile or whatever literature you can. Online methods generally start with submitting your home business website to search engines and directori. . .

Clickbank Security Using PHP

Here's a way to protect the products you sell with Clickbank, using their built-in protection and by implementing a 30-day expiration, all without having to worry about managing databases or customer lists.THE FIRST STEPFirst of all, Clickbank protection is decent as it is. If you want to keep your customers from passing the thank you page URL around to friends, there are a couple of things yo. . .

One click from answer ?

This article briefly describes most popular places on the net where help, advise and answers on required questions can be found. Overview of Search engines, meta search engines, forums, online help boards and more.1. Search enginesGoogle.com, yahoo.com they represents one of best known search engines. SEs holds huge databases, for example google currently have more than 3 milliards records, to . . .

Play Online Slot Machine Game

Coin in - spin - hold your breath......Watch those symbols.....Will it or won't it? Heart racing ..... the dials slow down and IT'S A WINNER!!!! Three bells in a row! But wait - there's more to come - The screen is flashing, bells are ringing, and yes, it finally happened - YOU WON THE JACKPOT!! To play slots, you click the "coin" icon to specify the value of credits you want to play with. The . . .

Hard Drive Selection

Perhaps the biggest mistake people make when building their computer(s) is to underestimate the importance of the hard disk drive (HDD). In our modern society, bigger is synonymous with better, so when you go to buy a hard drive you look at how "big" it is, its data capacity. But is that all you should be considering when buying your hard drive?Like every other component of your computer, the. . .

HTACCESS Wrappers with PHP

HTACCESS is a remarkable tool you can use for password protection, error handling (like custom 404 pages), or HTTP redirects. It can also be used to transform whole folders in seconds: adding headers to all your HTML documents, watermarking all your images, and more.A wrapper is like a middleman. Using htaccess you can tell your web server to "forward" certain files to PHP scripts of yours. . . .

What To Do When Windows Won't Boot

When Windows fails to boot it is normally caused by you installing a program or device and it has caused a conflict with one or more other programs. This will no doubt give you plenty of heartaches if you're not certain which program caused Windows to not boot up. If you recently installed a program or application and know where it was installed,you may be in much better shape as for as correct. . .

Create Your Own Business Cards, Part 1

In this lesson, we will create a business card, using Microsoft Word. I created a new template for my business card. It can be viewed at: http://janes-place.com/bus_card.htm Choose the information you want to place on your card before beginning. Here's how I did it: Go to 'start' --'Microsoft Word' -- 'file menu' -- 'page setup'. Choose the 'Margins Tab'. Type in 1.25 for the Left and Right mar. . .

Create Your Own Business Cards, Part 2

This is the second part of creating your own business card. If you missed the first one, let me know: mailto:webmistress@janes-place.com Click in the box, where you want your text to appear.Type in your text. Make sure the text is where you want it. For example, in my card the bottom text wasn't under my logo. To put it under the logo, I highlighted the text I wanted under the logo and clicke. . .

PHP in the Command Line

There's a single line you can add to your web host's control panel that will automatically archive your content.LISTEN CLOSELY AND YOU'LL HEAR THE OCEANEver run commands in DOS? You've used a shell. A "shell" in the computer world is a place where you enter commands and run files by name rather than clicking around different windows.Most web hosts let you operate a shell remotely. This means. . .

Don't Get Ripped Off Getting A Merchant Account

Far too many people get ripped off when setting up a merchant account for their online business. The biggest reason is that they don't understand their options and are intimidated by the whole process. Now, armed with the proper knowledge, you don't need to become a victim of this process. You may be like me when I first decided my online business had grown big enough to justify a merchan. . .

Computer Traumas

It has happened! Computer games have started to control my life on and off the screen. No complicated games like Age of Empires, just the simple one of Tetris. You know the one, where different shaped and colored bricks fall out of the sky and you have to arrange them in nice lines at the bottom? Hopefully with the end result of all colors matching in straight lines so that they can be removed . . .

The Merchant Navy and the Internet

A web site dedicated to the writings of the sea, ships and all those that sail on them? It sounds strange as who knows what the Merchant Navy is or what those at sea actually do all day, those who work in the Industry that is. Isn’t the Merchant Navy something to do with fishing or fighting? What is interesting about that? “Get a real job”, some would say and others would ask “and so why haven’. . .

Password Nightmares

Good Morning Mr. Sampson. Please type in you Personal Identification NumberXXXXXXSorry, Mr. Forgetful Idiot! That is not the correct password. Please slap yourself three times around your head and then apply for a new card and number – we are keeping this one.Don’t you just hate them? Passwords give you access to almost every walk of life. They are now the keys to doors that would otherwise vio. . .

Why Budding NetPreneurs Fail

NetPreneurs fail all too often because they wrongly assume that marketing on the Net is a no cost business when, in reality it is simply a low cost or targeted cost business.The most successful NetPreneurs invest either targeted advertising dollars AND/OR targeted "sweat equity" in order to generate a steady flow of traffic to their websites. Without traffic, NO product ever sells.Many would be. . .

Why Businesses Need to Start Nurturing Collective Wisdom

COLLECTIVE WISDOM CAN BE AN effective tool for solving the problem of knowledge deficit, or the underutilization of organizational knowledge. If you are a small, medium or large business, and you don’t have a method in place for harnessing and managing your organization’s collective knowledge, you may be losing opportunities for significant revenue enhancement. According to a study by the Delp. . .

The Perfect Book and Where to Find It!

If I was asked to describe the perfect book, one that’s in high demand, moves off the shelves quickly, costs little or nothing to produce, involves the least amount of work possible, and offers multi-income streams, I’d say it included one, preferably more of the following features:It Must Be Quick To ProduceTime is money and the sooner your book is ready to sell, the sooner youR. . .

Avoiding the Spam Trap: Get Your Message Delivered!

Your message is not being deliveredIf you send emails to your customers, I have some bad news for you. Not all of your emails are making it to your intended recipients. Between ISP spam filters, spam-blocking email servers, spam-killing email software, and email content filtering everywhere in between, the chances are high that your messages just aren't making it past all of these roadblocks.. . .

Introduction to Dedicated Servers

A dedicated server is a single computer on a web-hosting network that is leased or rented, and dedicated to just one customer. A service provider monitors the computer’s hardware, network connectivity, and routing equipment, while the customer generally controls and maintains the server software. Dedicated servers are most often used by those who’ve outgrown typical hosting accounts and now req. . .

Learn How To Diagnose Power Supply Problems

The Power Supply convert's your regular household current into low DC voltage used by the computer. When this component fails,there is simply no activity going on wih your computer.Remember to do the easy troubleshooting first.Inspect the Power Supply for any damage.Double-Check all connections. Learning how to check your power supply and how to replace it when needed can be a life saver if you. . .

ExactSeek Explained (Part 1)

This article takes an in-depth look at some of the innovations introduced at ExactSeek.com (http://www.exactseek.com), including, most recently, the implementation of a unique ranking algorithm that factors in Alexa traffic data.Search engines basically cater to two audiences - webmasters and web searchers. Although there is an obvious overlap between the two groups, the latter dominates in num. . .

Why Stick With Email Clients Like Outlook?

Trying to figure out a stream in banning one email client or another is no easy job. As soon as somebody rises up saying Outlook is bad, somebody else comes saying it's good and the other one is bad. And the story goes on and on.On one hand, email clients like Outlook Express and (even more) MS Outlook do a really good job when it comes to user friendliness. What email client allows you to use . . .

The Fearful, Ignorant Guy Has Got A Blog On The Internet....

Of all people in the world I was easily one of the most pessimistic about computers, the Internet and now that I even know they exist-blogs. I think blogs are pretty cool but I never thought I could have one. I thought the processes of getting a site; domain name and the actual building of the blog would just be out of my league. I’m a complete novice when it comes to technology, but I do like . . .

Who Needs T.V. News, Newspapers and Radio News? “Not I!” ...

T.V. and radio News got you down? On-line current events and News blogs make being informed a much more enjoyable experience. For many the News on television has become a trying time of the day. Focused mainly on negative events, you may have to wait through the whole program just to hear the one story you were waiting for. If you miss the 6:00 p.m. show, waiting until the late night segment ca. . .

Maria’s New Lifestyle: Short Story About The Benefits Sho...

I’ve got this strange friend; her name is Maria. Maria’s always been a little weird but now things have gotten unworldly altogether. You see, Maria’s an artist; she’s into sculpture in particular, of which she specializes in the manipulation of Perspex with a blowtorch. Lately I haven’t seen too much of her as she’s hooked up the Internet. Actually not many people at all have seen her recently;. . .

Computers and Web Cams are Taking Communication to Levels...

One of the most incredible inventions I’ve ever come across is the web cam and its process of video conferencing. This is just so futuristic I can’t believe they really exist and are readily available to anyone with the Internet, speakers, and the right software. I’m not absolutely sure but doesn’t this spell the end of telephones? Now we can have conversations with peop. . .

Health and Medical Advice on the Internet: Use it Wisely ...

I’ve got a bit of a problem with depression and anxiety. I’ve been tackling these problems for several years without the use of modern medicine. Tai Chi, meditation, martial arts (exercise), and positive interaction with other people seem to keep a lid on my illnesses most of the time. I don’t like the idea of medication’s side effects, and I don’t believe the answ. . .

Review: Mirror Image Design

Designing creative artworks can be disastrous if proper tools and techniques are not properly employed. Advanced planning and allocating proper devices as well as materials to use is tantamount to producing a desirable output. A step-by-step outline will help you maximize your results. Project. Plan ahead what type of artwork you will be doing. Making a layout of your intended work will minimiz. . .

Downloading MP3's Made Easy

The MP3 movement started out with a huge audience of music enthusiasts on the internet. The MP3 digital music format has had, and will continue to have, a huge impart on how people, gather, listen to and share music.The MP3 format is a compression system for digital music that helps reduce the size of a digitized song without disturbing the sound quality. Digital music is converted to MP3 for. . .

Inkjet Printers: How Much Do They Really Cost?

There are inkjet printers for every budget. At the low end, you can pay less than $50. At the high-end, you can pay several hundred dollars. However, the purchase price of an inkjet printer is not the best way to determine how good of a bargain you are getting.The truth of the matter is, printer ink is not cheap. An inkjet cartridge for your $50 printer can cost you $30. That means that the cos. . .

What SMS Users Are Telling Telcos

The recent rollout of 3G-ready mobile devices has caused a lot of excitement in the Telco industry, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. This article will highlight the message that current customers are sending through their SMS messaging habits. Many consumers have been used to sending SMS for at least 2 years. Even with its humble typing of tiny keypads and source of simple news channel, S. . .

Razzle Dazzle Them

Once upon a time not so long ago, there was a little boy who went to the market to try to sell his wares. He wasn’t having any luck. “Who will buy my sweet red roses? Two blooms for a penny,” he sang out hauntingly. A young man came along, full of soft-spoken enthusiasm. “I can give you a great tool that will help you sell your roses. I can design this fabulous new application to help . . .

Information/Human Age: Bringing Family and Friends Closer...

Have you ever felt like the distances from your loved ones and cherished connections are just too big? You then stop communicating as much, and soon your relationships are no longer what they used to be. In this day and age it needn’t turn out this way. The Internet is a medium that can be used for love and friendship as well as business and information. It’s not expensive to set up email and w. . .

Spam: The Tasteless Internet Meat of Criminals

Spam. You’ve all heard of the crazy pink meat in a can, but what’s it got to do with the Internet? Well, it’s also the namesake for a major problem in the World Wide Web-unsolicited junk email. Problem! We’re talking serious pain in the butt both as a waster of time, space, and money. It is estimated that around half of all email received on the Internet is this sneaky illegal attempt at sellin. . .

Refurbished Computers on the Internet

What is a Refurbished Computer?Refurbished Computers. Remanufactured Computers. Reconditioned Computers. Essentially, all of these terms refer to the same thing. But what does refurbished really mean? A refurbished computer is one that is sent back to the manufacturer for a variety of reasons, refitted with different parts as necessary, and then tested and approved for resale by the manufacture. . .

Is This A “DMOZ Killer” In The Making?

Is building a Human-Edited Fully “Democratic” Search Directory Possible?The independent creators of the non-profit “BuildtheHive” (www.BuildtheHive.com) think so, and I think they’re on to something. Here’s why:As a webmaster, I’ve long been frustrated by a certain human-edited directory (and you know who I mean) that has inexplicably refused entry of some of my clients, while accepting others . . .

Keep Your Software Simple! A Review of EditPlus

I like my software simple. If it's too complex or difficult to figure out, I don't use it.For example, I have tried a lot of different programs for creating my web pages. These include: Namo Webeditor Microsoft Frontpage Dreamweaver NetObjects Fusion Hotdog Pro CoffeeCup HTML Editorand a variety of other commercial, shareware and freeware editors. Each time I tried one of these, I found it too . . .

Unlimited Wealth Creation through Reseller Hosting

Web hosting can be an exciting business start up for aspiring entrepreneurs. All you have to do to set up your business is become a hosting reseller, i.e., provide hosting facilities to website owners. Here as a business owner, you are buying space from a big hosting company, and redistributing the hosting space to other website owners. Resellers are nothing but entrepreneurs acting as middleme. . .

Will VoIP be a Mass Market Product?

A common thinking among "Marketing people " is that for every product that enters the market there must be a path, a target, a need ( real or created) that decides how the product must enter the consumer's life, which part of the population is more likely to go for it, which niche it is going to fill and, most important "...certain things being stated, something other than what is stated follow. . .

Part Time Internet Marketing with A Full Time Approach

The deluge of people wanting to make money on the internet has exploded in the past few years. It's getting to the point where anyone that has a computer has heard of or has been tempted by such income. From affiliate marketing to playing around on e-bay, "wanna-be" Internet marketers and online business entrepreneurs are abundant.This explosion has in part, been fueled by entrepreneurs that ha. . .

Tips for Buying a PC

Buying Your PCBuying a PC that’s right for you and your family is not all that simple task. More so if you’re going to buy an unbranded or an assembled one. But branded or not, you have to get you facts right before you shell out your money. First, why do you want to buy a PC? Is it because almost every one has one these days, or that you have the money to spare. If these are the reasons are th. . .

The Hard Disk

The Hard Disk Guide ;From throwing our unnecessary files, to defragmenting, from partitions to formats-learn how to keep your hard disk in top shapeThe hard disk is the place where all your programs and data are stored. If the hard disk Stops working you could end up losing all your data. What we’ll do here is take you on. A quick tour of the different things you need to know about it, so you c. . .