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3 Better Ways To Search Online

2008-04-05T08:58:00.002+07:00

Nothing creates a more frustrating online experience than
pulling up your favorite search engine to find something
simple and coming away empty handed after an hour of
searching.

Search engines - those sites that allegedly help you find
what you want online - can cause no end of grief if you
don't know some simple tricks that will vastly improve your
search results.

Suppose you wanted to find information regarding 1954 Ford
truck parts. Most people would search this subject by going
to their favorite search engine and typing in 1954 Ford
truck parts. The search engine would hopefully return
results for sites that matched those keywords.

However, search engines usually also return results
including sites containing only some of the words in your
search. So in this example you would also get sites not
only about 1954 Ford truck parts, but on 1954 Fords, Ford
trucks, truck parts, and trucks.

Virtually everyone knows the frustration of typing keywords
(the topic of your search) into a search engine, clicking
the search button, and then facing the prospect of sorting
through a million pages (literally) to find what you want.

For everyone experiencing search engine frustration, these
suggestions should quickly improve your results.

Tip 1 - To aid you in searching more efficiently, most
search engines allow surfers to perform "Boolean" searches.

This feature narrows the results to only those websites
containing all the words specified, but not necessarily in
the exact order.

Those searching for 1954 Ford truck parts would enter 1954
AND Ford AND truck AND parts into the search box to find
sites containing all of those words.

Tip 2 - Using quotation marks around keyword sets yields
even more specific results.

"1954 Ford truck parts" should produce only those websites
containing this exact phrase somewhere in the website.

Tip 3 - The more specific you get right up front, the
better.

If you want to look for antique car parts for your 1954
Ford truck, start your search with "1954 Ford truck parts"
and work from there.

Don't start with "1954 Ford" because you'll probably just
waste time sorting through everything from cars to
magazines to collector clubs.

It would also help if you searched by the model and any
other specific information.

If refining your searches doesn't get you where you want to
go, several programs exist to help you search more quickly
and effectively.

Copernic (www.copernic.com) examines multiple search
engines then compares each engine's results against the
rest to determine the best sites.

The program then ranks the resulting sites and displays
them for the user. Copernic's free version allows users
unlimited searches for websites.

Web Ferret (www.ferretsoft.com) also offers a free program
that queries multiple search engines and displays the
ranked results in the user's web browser for easy surfing.

With the addition of millions of web pages every week,
continuously honing your search skills represents one of
the smartest investments of time and energy any serious web
surfer can make.

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5 Steps to Remove Spyware for Free

2008-04-03T15:19:00.002+07:00

Have you ever tried to remove Spyware off your PC only to
find out it never left or it came back? Tired of all those
annoying Popups, Viruses, and Ads on your system day in and
day out? Well, listen closely because the day has come to
remove Spyware programs and Viruses - forever!

I will give you some very useful tricks and tips to remove
Spyware and Viruses for good! Follow closely:

Steps to Remove Spyware, Viruses, and Adware

1. There are many types of software available today that
claim to remove spyware off our system, but which one REALLY
does the job? What you need is software that not only will
remove spyware, but TOTALLY removes it for good and keeps it
off. After searching for the best of the best, here is THE
BEST: Panda Online Scan. Why? It does not constantly run
on your system, slowing it down and using bunches of memory!
In other words, it runs from Panda on the web, then searches
your whole system, will remove spyware and other bugs, then
gives detailed info on the bug and tells you how to keep it
off your system! Here is the address to get started:
http://www.stopspywareforfree.com/scan.html

It only installs a few plug-ins to run on your system, and

no full installation!

2. Check your system services and systray items! The
biggest mistake people make is never checking what programs
are running in the background or memory of the system. A key
step to remove spyware from your system is knowing this.
Without knowing these things, you probably have bugs running
on your system, and never know it! Why? They like to hide!
Download and install a program called HIJACK THIS. It tells
you exactly what is running and what is not running so you
know exactly what might be hiding behind closed doors! Here
is the address for this:

http://www.stopspywareforfree.com/hijackthis.html

3. Shutdown the SYSTEM RESTORE! (Windows XP)

Spyware and Viruses attach themselves to your system's
restore files. This is an easy way for them to hide, even
after you reinstall Windows! Right click on 'MY COMPUTER',
then click on 'Properties'. Look for a tab on top called
'System Restore', and click there. Check the box that says
'Turn off system restore on all drives'. Click 'APPLY',
then 'OK'. That's it!

4. Use an Anonymous IP address when surfing the web!

This is a huge step in keeping bugs off your system forever!
Bugs get onto your system and retrieve info about you by
capturing your IP address. Your IP address tells everyone
who you are, where you're located, your system info, what
kind of Windows you use, your browser, etc. An anonymous IP
hides your IP by using an Anonymous address and makes you
invisible to everyone, including Spyware and Ads! Here is an
address to a good proxy list:

http://www.stopspywareforfree.com/proxylist.html

Please follow these instructions carefully for Microsoft
Internet Explorer:

a) Scroll down on the page from the above link. On the
list, look at the numbers listed under IP:Port Host name.
Make sure the uptime on the right is at least 97 to 99 %.

b) Go to the Control Panel in Windows.

c) Open up ' Internet Options'.

d) Click on the 'Connections' tab on top.

e) Click on 'LAN Settings'.

f) Put a check-mark where it says PROXY SERVER.

g) In the Address box, copy and paste the IP address listed
on the proxy list (for example: 148.244.150.58 - These are
the numbers shown BEFORE the ':' (semi-colon).

h) Copy and paste the port number into the PORT box (for
example: '80' - the number immediately after the
semi-colon).

i) Click OK, and OK again to close, and close everything.

j) Go ahead and open up your browser and try surfing the
internet to test.

Thats it! You are now surfing invisibly!

For the Firefox browser:

a) Open up the browser and go to 'TOOLS' then 'OPTIONS'.

b) Go to 'GENERAL' on the left, then click the 'Connection
Settings' button below.

c) Choose 'Manual' proxy config from the choices.

d) Check the 'use the same proxy' checkbox.

e) In the 'HTTP Proxy' box, copy and paste the anonymous IP,
and the PORT number in the PORT box (remove the zero first).

f) Click OK, then OK again to close.

g) Now test your browser by surfing the web.

You are now invisible.

**note - if your browsing gets super slow or has a problem,
look for another IP and Port number on the list and try
again. Most of the time the proxies from Mexico work best.
Happy surfing! The free proxy list can be found here:

http://www.stopspywareforfree.com/proxylist.html

5. Download and install the new FIREFOX browser!

Please get rid of Microsoft Internet Explorer on your
system! It is like a pipe that feeds Spyware, Ads and
Viruses onto your system. There are just too many holes
there letting everything in. Mozilla is a fairly new company
that introduced a new breed of browser that blocks popups,
and tries hard to keep these bugs off your system. It has
very few or even NO holes or pipes to let the bugs in! Many
people use it for this very reason, and it has a great look,
better speed, and lets you change the theme of it! Awesome!
Here is the address:

http://www.stopspywareforfree.com/firefox.html

Well that about sums up how to remove spyware in 5 steps.
Follow them CLOSELY and you will see how great it is to surf
virus free Forever! Guaranteed!

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10 Tips For Web Success

2008-04-01T13:39:00.002+07:00

The webmaster's biggest job is to get their traffic up and keep customers/visitors coming back. Building the site is one thing, but simply building and posting a website does not guarantee traffic. In fact, a website could be beautiful and an example of all the latest technology and still not attract a single visitor if not promoted correctly. Here are 10 tips to guide you to success with your website.

(1) The internet is a new medium.
At least compared to print, it is. A website is a waste if it simply re-hashes something which could easily be put into print. Don't have the site be just an online brochure. Put up features which take advantage of the internet as a medium of communication. Filter information for them. Provide search capability. Provide interactivity with features like forums, quizzes and tools. Web visitors like to interact.

(2) Treat the Customer's Time as Valuable.
When a person visits your website, you have their attention for that point in time. You either need to use it or you will lose it - fast. Most visitors have short attention spans, what you need to design your site homepage so that it grabs their attention and provides what they are looking for right away. Its like walking into a restaurant. If you walk in and just stand there and nobody comes to greet you, you might wonder what is happening. But, if the hostess comes and greets you right away and walks you to a table, then you will be there for awhile and eat. The same analogy goes for websites. Don't overcomplicate your website homepage. Best results will be obtained if you make it very clear where to click to find what they need.

(3) Design the site for customers, not the company.
Your site needs to satisfy the needs of customers, not the company. So, don't post content which is not really useful to the site's customer. And avoid over-flattering marketing hype about the company. It inflates the ego of the company more than it helps your customer.

(4) Involve the Visitor.
Keep the visitor involved and make them feel like a valuable contributor. Actively ask for the feedback and suggestions. Ask for communication from your visitors and answer that communication swiftly. When getting that communication, capture their email address. This will allow you to communicate with them long after they have moved on and forgotten about you.

(5) Keep it Current.
You need to have content on your website which is timely and relevant to the customer's life. Posting month-old news is not interesting. Posting dry product information which never changes is not interesting. Yes, you need to have product information and other information on your site that won't change much, but you can also post more timely content. You can, for example, post content about how your products can be used in certain situations in life. Provide tips and techniques - things which are immediately applicable and solve a problem.

(6) Pay Attention to Form/Design.
Some sites simply over-do it on the eye-candy. Big graphics just for the sake of graphics often impress the site's designer more than the visitor. Do not use graphics that are large and purposeless. Remember, some visitors may still be accessing your website via dial-up. Your site needs to load up quickly for all users. A slow website will cause your users to leave quickly. Also, pay attention to graphic and design size. Many web designers operate on fairly large screen resolutions and sometimes forget that even though a graphic looks great to you, it will appear enormous to somebody on a smaller resolution. On the flip side, don't go too light on graphics. A site which is poorly designed and using the default font and no color is not very aesthetically pleasing. Any web visitor, whether they admit it or not, judges your company by your website unless they have something else to go on. A well-designed site communicates professionalism. A poor design makes the site seem like an afterthought.

(7) Promote.
When a visitor communicates to you via email, it is best to use a web form. not only will this keep your email address from being picked up by spammers, it will also allow you to ask your customers for their email address and then store that address for later use. Employ the "push/pull" marketing strategy. A visitor coming to your website is the pull, but later you want to push content back to them in the form of a newsletter or other promotional material. Start a mailing list and use it. Invite visitors to sign up. Promotion makes or breaks a business, and as long as you respect the ethical considerations of your mailing list, you should use it.

(8) Don't Operate in a Cocoon.
The internet is a medium which is shared by millions. When you set up your website, don't operate as if you are a self-contained island. Get out there and keep in tune with what is happening on other websites related to your own. Participate in forums. Post links to other websites and ask for a link in return. Form partnerships with other sites if it is appropriate. When it comes to communication, people like personal contacts. Hiding behind general email address like "sales" and "info" is OK as long as there is a way to also email you directly. A company site which allows email direct to the management is good. Just remember how much you hate calling a company and getting stuck in their phone system. Sometimes you just want to talk to somebody. Give your visitors that ability.

(9) Have a Plan to Attract Repeat Traffic.
Use newsletters, out-going email, contests, forums, clubs, auctions - anything that will cause people to return to your website. When posting links to other websites, don't just send your visitors somewhere else. They may never return. Provide them an exit page. Give them a pop-up when they try to leave your site. Or at the very least make external links open in a new window.

(10) Track Your Visitors
Pay attention to your site's statistics and react accordingly. What are people reading? How are they finding you? Do they just come and leave right from your homepage? How long as they are on your website? Do they return? This data is immensely valuable in fine-tuning your website based on customer needs and wants. Remember, the biggest mistake of any webmaster is designing the site for what THEY want. A successful website is designed for the target audience, not to impress the site's owner.

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Top 10 Ways To Protect Yourself From Computer Viruses

2008-03-30T11:25:00.007+07:00

As more and more people are becoming comfortable using their computers at school, home or in the office it’s only a matter of time before they encounter a computer virus. Here are our top 10 steps to protect you from computer viruses.

Use a high quality anti-virus program. There are many different anti-virus computers programs on the market some of them are better than others. Look to reputable computer magazines or websites for ratings to help you find the one that matches your needs.

Always use your anti-virus software. Make sure your anti-virus software is always turned on and scanning, incoming and outgoing email messages, and any software programs you run.

Keep your antivirus programs up to date. Most programs come with a yearly subscription make sure you take advantage of the updates. More advanced programs allow you to schedule updates or full system scans for “off hours” like 2AM when you aren’t likely to be using your computer.

Keep your computer up to date. From time to time operating systems fall victim to security holes or issue updates. Make sure you check periodically to make sure you are running stable up to date versions of your software.

Backup your data regularly. Most windows computer users keep their documents in the “My documents” folder. This makes it easy to back up all of your important documents. Make weekly or monthly copies to CD or USB drives.

If you use floppy disks or USB drives on public computers like your school computer lab, Kinko’s, or even digital photo printing store make sure you scan them for viruses. Public computers are notorious for not being up to date and properly protected.

Be wary of email attachments. Treat any email attachment as potentially dangerous. Never open attachments from people you weren’t expecting. Also be careful of attachments from people you know but weren’t expecting. Many computer viruses replicate themselves by reading the contacts from an infected computer.

Use text email if possible. While HTML email is prettier and allows you more control over formatting it also can carry computer viruses. If you use text based email the only way to get a virus is by opening an attachment.

Use downloaded freeware and shareware files or software with caution. Try to download them from popular reputable sources that scan the programs before they are uploaded. To make sure you are safe scan the program before you install it on your computer.

Be wary of links in IM or instant messaging software. Don’t accept invitations from people you don’t know and never click a link from someone you don’t trust, they can easily redirect you to another website that will try to install a virus on your computer system.

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3 Summer Computer Tips

2008-03-29T16:11:00.003+07:00

#1 – Summer Computer Travel
Holiday travelers should be on alert when arriving home from long weekends, such as the Fourth of July, a popular time for computer viruses to spread.

Most computer users have a tendency to turn off their computers when away on trips, which means you’re not getting newly-released anti-virus patches or anti-spyware updates; the two most common areas that cause computers problems. We recommend you update anti-virus and anti-spyware scans before opening e-mail or going online after an extended absence.

We consistently see an increase in calls for virus related problems immediately following long weekends. Avoid the problems altogether by updating your security software before using your computer. For a free listing of viruses, spyware threats and trends, visit: www.VisitingGeeks.com/downloads.htm

#2 -- Should You Leave Your Computer Running?
One question we hear frequently is, "Should I leave my desktop computer on or turn it off?"

There are 2 schools of thought…
Turning it on and off numerous times during the day subjects the microcircuits to flexing and fatigue due to change in temperatures. Over time this could lead to a break in the circuitry and result in system failure.

Leaving the computer on all the time puts excess wear on the mechanical components (the hard drive spindle motor and cooling fans).

Best compromise. First user in the morning turns it on; last user turns it off.

We leave our desktops on all the time allowing for scheduled utility tasks to run during overnight hours. We also restart the systems (to flush the RAM and reset the operating system) on a regular basis and routinely remove the case covers to clean out any dust that may have accumulated, especially around the fans and screens.

#3 -- Stop Popups!
Never click inside the window of a popup. Instead, close it by clicking on the X in the upper right corner. Many people are fooled into installing spyware applications by popups that promise to clean their system. If you receive a message saying it can help, assume it’s spyware and don’t click!

6 Tips For Your Writing Journey

2008-03-29T14:12:00.008+07:00

So, you'd like to be a writer? Congrats! Writing not only is a great way to express yourself, but can provide an income. Keep in mind not all writers make a fortune, some still cant quit their day job. Below are some tips to start your writing journey.

1. Start Writing

Okay, so this tip is obvious. For some, it's a question of what to write about, for others how to write. Write how and what you want. What kind of books do you like to read? Fiction, Mystery, science fiction, how to books? How about articles, reports, maybe you're interested in journalism. Whatever the case may be, to get your creative juices flowing, start writing! Don't worry about how it sounds, grammar or other mistakes, you can go back to fix these......

2. Join online and offline groups/message boards and chats

If you already know what you want to write about, consider joining writer groups at your local library, or online groups, along with message boards and chats. It's a great way to network with other writers and published authors. It's also a good place to share your work and receive feedback. Many places online are free to join, some require a membership which usually consist of a user name, e-mail address and password for your user name. Some request more information such as a name, address and sometimes phone number.

3. The Library

You've probably heard about some books that writers refer to, this could be writer markets, e-book publishing, self publishing and generally how to improve your writing. Bu what do you do when you can't afford to buy these books from your local bookstore or online? A trip to your library is the key. Many libraries carry writer resource books, which if you have a library card, are free. If you're living out of the area, the library may require a fee for membership. The book you're looking for may not always be at your local library, however libraries borrow from other libraries in and out of state. The method of receiving outside books is called Inter-Library Loan. Later on, if you find the book to be a great resource, you may be able to purchase a used copy online.

4. Researching

The Internet is also another good resource for information. Keep in mind that not every resource you find online is going to be an honest good resource. It will take time to sort out which websites are useful. Most information is free, so you can sit back and research in the comfort of your home. If you don't have a computer with Internet access, check your local library and see if you can use one of theirs.

5. Workshops

Workshops taught by experts is a great way to learn from the professionals, but only if you can afford it! Make sure the topic of the workshop is based around your interest. For instance, if you love fiction..it wouldn't be a good idea to go to a workshop based only on non-fiction. It's a good idea to register early to ensure a spot at the event. Bring a new legal pad, plus a few writing tools to take notes.

6. Contents

After writing a while, you may want to enter contents. Some require an entry fee. I suggest staying away from the entry fee contents until you've entered some other free ones. That way you can get a feel for how contests work. Spend some time writing and re-writing your entries. If you've written your entry in 5 or so minutes, th judges will notice it immediately. You wouldn't want a reputation for sloppy work.

There you are, 6 tips to get you started on your journey to writing. Good Luck!