What Every Web Site Owner Should KnowWho Owns That Domain???So, you have finally thought of that perfect domain name. You grab your credit card and zip over to www.godaddy.com, punch in the domain name only to find that somebody beat you to it... But who?!? It would be so perfect, you would be rich, if only you could have this domain name... Maybe it's for sale... Maybe it will expire! Maybe, just maybe you can get still get it. If you could only contact the owner... The domain is just parked and there is no contact information... Fortunately there is a way to find out who owns the domain, how long they have registered it for and when it will expire. Known as a Whois database.It is simple to use and you can find a Whois Lookup Tool that you can use free of charge online... Try http://www.whois.net/ for starters. Once you have a bit of information, the world is your oyster...
Unless of course they have a private domain... Good luck! |
Thursday, September 24, 2009
How to find out who owns a domain.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
An HTML Primer Part 02
What Every Web Site Owner Should KnowAn HTML Primer Part 02 So let’s take a more detailed look shall we? Now that you see just how simple HTML really is let’s take a look at a basic HTML page. So it should look like this:
Obviously, a little bit more than the above code makes up your average web page. The HTML tag at the beginning of the page is important because it helps the browser to understand what language the page is written in (HTML pages can have several other languages included as well). Usually, in a simple HTML page the head tag would follow the HTML tag. Inside of that head tag you will in most cases find a title tag. The title tag is the tag that controls the text that is at the very top of the browser when you open it. There may be some other code nested in the head tag, but we won’t be concerned with that now. Here is an example of the code:
See now, it’s easier than it looks, isn’t it? The above code will produce a blank web page titled my very first web page. I am guessing however, you already figured this out. Before I continue, I would like to reiterate; you do not have to remember all of this. This information is just to give you an understanding of what HTML is and how web pages work. Besides I have included the handy list of common HTML tags at the end of the book... Of course, now that you know how simple it is, you may want to experiment with it. You do not even have to buy anything. HTML can be written in any text editor. It simply has to be saved as either an .htm or an .html file. Let’s take a further look at this. The following code will render a very simple web page. As we continue to add different elements I will explain exactly what’s happening. First we will start with the code that we used above and add to it. To actually add content, we will need to add a body tag. The body tag will contain your content (no surprises here...). It tells the browser that the following content is to be displayed. Open Notepad (or any basic text editor) type the following:
Now, in your text editor (Notepad for example) click “File” and then “save as.” Next, Name your file: “first.HTM”. Make sure to include the quotation marks. Before you click “Save”, click the arrow next to the "Save as Type" field and select “All Files”. This is an important step, if you do not select “All Files” as the file type, your file will be named first.htm.txt. This is a problem because the computer uses the letters after the dot (known as the file extension) to determine which program to use to open the file. So if the computer sees a .txt at the end it knows your file is a text file and will use your default text editor to open it. However, if the file has .htm or .html as the file extension, the computer will use a browser to open it. In fact, the reason you should put the file name in quotations when you save is; just in case you forget to set the file type to “all”. If the filename is in quotes, then it will save it exactly as typed regardless. Congratulations, you have made a working web page. Conclusion: HTML is much simpler than you may have thought. It is something that you can probably learn to do quite well if you put your mind to it. Even though there are many expensive programs designed for professionals, all you need is a simple free text editor to get started. There are many tools on the web as well. You can find links to many at www.EverMoreTech.com. We will take a deeper look into HTML later on in the book and you can always stop my Website if you would like a more in depth hands on tutorial. |
Thursday, September 3, 2009
HTML Primer Part One
What Every Web Site Owner Should KnowOK, SO WHAT THE HECK IS HTML ANYWAY? The basic language of the web is something known as HTML. It is the format in which instructions are sent over the Internet. HTML provides us with a light, flexible language that allows us to transmit large amounts of information effectively and efficiently. It is due to HTML that different types of computers and operating systems can all read the same Web pages and communicate with each other effectively well actually, there is a lot more to it all then just plain HTML, but for the average Web site owner, you will not be expected to know about the nuts and bolts of Web development. For your purposes suffice to say; HTML allows any computer with an appropriate browser to surf the net. It is not imperative that you know HTML, but it can help you communicate with your Webmaster. For this purpose, you should probably read this chapter. However, if techno speak makes your hands sweat, or you already know HTML, then it is safe to skip this chapter... HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language. Although similar, HTML is not actually a programming language. It is much, much simpler. Comparing HTML to a programming language is like comparing a soap box racer to a Porsche... A fully fledged programming language is capable of doing much, much more than basic HTML. HTML is a set of tags that modifies text. In simpler terms, HTML is basically a set of instructions that tells browsers how to assemble the Web page. This is accomplished by enclosing HTML tags in angle brackets. This way the browser “knows” that anything enclosed in angle brackets is an HTML tag. For example <b> is the HTML tag that instructs the browser to bold the text that follows it. An angle bracket followed by a slash would signify the end of a tag. Therefore the text that is in between becomes a modified by that particular tag. Clear as mud? OK here’s an example:
There are tags that format text, others that allow you to add images, tables, lists and structural elements and still more that allow you to add more powerful scripting language and other elements to your website. Even so, it all boils down to using tags to markup text. So you see it’s really quite easy. Fortunately, you are a website owner and not a website developer. So you don’t have to know everything there is to know about the HTML, just the basics. In other words; you don’t have to know HTML, you just have to know about HTML. If you take the time to learn a little bitmore than you need to know, then you are really ahead of the game. This chapter will explore basic HTML and I will provide an appendix at the end of this book of basic HTML tags. Most of them are relatively self explanatory and you will know what they mean right when see them, but a good “Short List” of common HTML tags can really come in handy. Continued in Part Two... |
ALL HOSTS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL
What Every Web Site Owner Should KnowALL HOSTS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL Now that you know a little bit more about Web hosting, it is time to think about actually choosing a Web host. Services offered range from simple web hosting with no features, to comprehensive packages including templates, a marketing plan, search engine submission, and more. Sometimes this can be confusing for a prospective Website owner. Too many choices can lead to what may not be the best decision. Therefore, one of the most important things to consider is reliability. Regardless of what else is offered, or how great the deal is, if your Website is down half the time, it’s not worth it. After reliability, email is probably the next critical feature you should consider. Before you sign up with a hosting company, you can check to see if their mail servers appear on any black lists (Just visit my Website to find out how to do this.). Additionally, most Web hosts offer protection against spam. It will also allow you to add email addresses that you want to make certain you receive email from to a white list. |
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Do It Yourself Webhosting?!? Ye Be Warned
What Every Web Site Owner Should KnowDO IT YOURSELF WEB HOSTING? YE BE WARNED... |
Web Hosting Pt 03 Advanced Hosting Features
What Every Web Site Owner Should Know |
HEY LOOK, IT’S A CLUE!Beware of Inferior Webhosts...
These are just a few of the possible calamities that can happen.. After the blood, sweat, tears and money that you have gone through to get your site up, a smoothly running Web host will make all the difference. Hopefully, you will just pay the fees and never have to worry about the host. You will know you have a good Web hosting company if you never have to think about it after you make your decision |
Web Hosting Pt 02 Web Hosting Features Demystified
What Every Web Site Owner Should KnowWeb Hosting Features Demystified When you are searching for a Web host and comparing the different features offered, there are some terms used to describe the different features offered. Understanding what these terms mean and what your needs will likely be, can save you a considerable sum of money later on. I realize that a lot of this stuff is about as exciting as watching paint peel, but you will be glad you did later. Most average sites don’t require more than one or two Gigabytes of Web space (This will undoubtedly change in time). Buy the least expensive plan that offers the features you need. If you find that you need more, than it is usually a simple matter to request an upgrade to a better plan. Websites that offer high quality video, audio, photos, graphics, or have excessive traffic will use more resources than an average site. Sites that accept credit cards will need SSL to provide secure payment transactions. Corporate sites may need a dedicated server. Business may want to use co-location etc... In order to launch a successful Website you will need to keep your start up and operating costs to a minimum. Future considerations such as marketing, maintenance, and redesign can be costly. Assuming the hosting services you choose are adequate for your needs, the less money you spend on hosting the better. I mention this because there are many hosts that will charge top dollar for a level of service you do not need. Don’t get cheap, unreliable service, mind you, just be away that you don’t need to overpay. The more money you can save on hosting, the more you will have for other aspects of your site. Some basic web hosting features you need to be concerned about:
When you are searching for a Web host and comparing the different features offered, there are some terms used to describe the different features offered. Understanding what these terms mean and what your needs will likely be, can save you a considerable sum of money later on. I realize that a lot of this stuff is about as exciting as watching paint peel, but you will be glad you did later. Most average sites don’t require more than one or two Gigabytes of Web space (This will undoubtedly change in time). Buy the least expensive plan that offers the features you need. If you find that you need more, than it is usually a simple matter to request an upgrade to a better plan. Websites that offer high quality video, audio, photos, graphics, or have excessive traffic will use more resources than an average site. Sites that accept credit cards will need SSL to provide secure payment transactions. Corporate sites may need a dedicated server. Business may want to use co-location etc... In order to launch a successful Website you will need to keep your start up and operating costs to a minimum. Future considerations such as marketing, maintenance, and redesign can be costly. Assuming the hosting services you choose are adequate for your needs, the less money you spend on hosting the better. I mention this because there are many hosts that will charge top dollar for a level of service you do not need. Don’t get cheap, unreliable service, mind you, just be away that you don’t need to overpay. The more money you can save on hosting, the more you will have for other aspects of your site. |
Web Hosting Pt 01
What Every Web Site Owner Should Know
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WEB HOSTINGTuesday, September 1, 2009
Domain Registrars Pt 2 Choosing a domain name & Taking the plunge!
What Every Web Site Owner Should KnowChoosing A Domain Name & Taking The Plunge! Now, if you are ready to take the plunge, it is time to visit a Domain Registrar and pick out a domain name. There is no time like the present and your domain isn’t going to register itself. The sooner you get started the better. The competition for domain names is a lot like the land rush in the early days of this country. There are still many good domain names to choose from, but every day that goes by, hundreds of thousands of new domain names are registered. The sooner you start the better chance you will have of getting a domain name you are happy with. Not to mention; the longer a Website has been in existence (and the length of time it is registered for) is a factor that determines how high Google will rank your pages. Just visit www.EverMoreTech.com/DomainName (URL Coming Soon) for a list of registrars, user’s experiences & ratings of their services, prices and links. Of course, I encourage you to leave your own opinions. You will also find a tool on my site that will allow you to see if your desired domain name is available or not (most registrars will have similar tools). One last thing before you go rushing off to buy your first domain name; take a few moments to think about it. Chances are, if you are in a popular field, there may not be much to choose from, but if you are clever, you should be able to come up with something that you are happy with. When you are choosing a domain name here are a few things to keep in mind;
Of course, realistically, there are countless sites and about a bijillion names have been registered. You may be in a very competitive industry and there may only be slim pickin's so get what you can. You have to feel it... Once you have the domain name that is right for you; GRAB IT! More than once I have waited to buy a domain name only to find it was taken by the time I made up my mind. With that said; be careful checking out.Some Registrars attempt to sell you everything from so-called traffic boosters to the kitchen sink on your way to the credit processing page. JUST GET THE DOMAIN NAME! I do not recommend purchasing the add-ons particularly the $1.99 hosting package … I will talk more about Web hosting in upcoming posts. |
$ $ $ $ $ DOMAIN REGISTRAR SCAM ALERT! $ $ $ $ $
What Every Web Site Owner Should Know$ $ $ $ $ SCAM ALERT! $ $ $ $ $ Many unscrupulous domain registrars exist. It is a common practice of these registrars to send official looking letters in the mail informing you that your domain is about to expire. They will include a form to send along with a check to “renew” your domain name. Though it may not say outright in the letter, they will typically have the appearance of being from either your current registrar (they assume you don’t know who that actually is), or even from the Government or some other official office. |
Domain Registrars Part One
What Every Web Site Owner Should KnowDOMAIN REGISTRARS Domain Names are the first step to launching a Website. Once you have made the decision to launch a Website, the obvious first step is to pick out and secure a good domain name. This is done by visiting a Domain Registrar. Most registrars have a tool on their Website that lets you check to see if a domain name is available or not. If you find one that you like, then it is a relatively easy process to purchase it. A Registrar will provide Name Servers that will enable your Website to be available online. I am not referring to being “found” by a person using a search engine, which is a subject we will get into later. I am referring to having your domain physically available online. Name Servers and what they do seem to cause a lot of confusion amongst many Website Owners, particularly when changing Web hosts, Registrars or Webmasters. Frequently, the owner does not know the password/user combination, or even worse, the name of the actual registrar. This can cause quite a bit of extra work and delay your project. Therefore, make certain to keep this information safe. In most cases your Web host will send you an email containing all the information that you will need. Be sure to print out a copy and keep in your records. If your Webmaster sets up your hosting account, be sure to have him forward you a copy of the login information I mentioned above. *A decent Webmaster should be able to find the name of the registrar easily, but if you have changed email addresses then it can be unpleasant. Even though in most cases you will be able to access it once you prove that you are the actual owner, it is a hassle that is easily avoided. Congratulations! Once you have set up a domain name, you are officially a Website Owner (see, that wasn’t so hard, was it?). However, at this point, that may not mean much; due to the fact that your Website probably just points to a “parking page”. This page is automatically put in place by your domain registrar. It may have a few ads on it, or perhaps nothing at all. Regardless, it is your Website and nobody else can use that domain name while you own it. Each domain name is completely unique. There can only be one. However, keep in mind the fact that there are several different Top Level Domains or TLDs (.com, .org, .biz, etc ...). Each TLD is independent of the other any domain name may be registered by separate companies or individuals, regardless of the desires of the other Website owner’s wishes. This means that if you own widgets.com, someone else can come along and register widgets.org and still another person or company can be the owner of widgets.net and so on. There have been many unfortunate cases where a Website owner has registered a domain name and subsequent registration of the same domain name with a different TLD has been purchased by a competitor or worse. If an “opposing domain name is either fraudulent, or a competitors domain, your marketing efforts may be sending your clients to their Website. How would it reflect on you or your business if the .net, .biz, .org etc... version of your domain name belonged to a competitor that did poor work, or just had a poorly built Website up ... What if it was a rip-off scheme, or porn? For this reason, it may be important for you to register all of the major TLDs for your domain name. This depends on whether you believe that there may be competition for your domain name. If your competition buys the .org and the .net version of your domain name places a competing Website there, it could be problematic for you. |
How Browsers Work
What Every Web Site Owner Should KnowHOW BROWSERS WORK So, what exactly is a browser anyway? While that may seem like a stupid question, obviously it is what you use to get on the Internet, but, have you ever really thought about it? Of course, you know what it is basically, but what about a little more in-depth? How do they work and why? When you open your browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari etc ...) and visit a Website, this is what happens:
Now, here’s where the fun begins; the web page that you see is not what was sent over the Internet. Actually, a simple text file containing HTML source code was sent. This source code is the equivalent of an architect’s blueprint. Your browser acts similarly to a house-builder and interprets these “blueprints” and assembles the Web page accordingly. Any images, graphics or other files that may be needed are then downloaded. Currently, the most popular browser is Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (there are several versions in parentheses). A rival browser, Firefox, is gaining market share quickly. This is significant because; the browser builds the Website based on the blueprints provided by the web server and there may be significant differences in the results. When you are deciding on a Webmaster, be sure to consider this and make sure that cross browser compliance is included!
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Know The Basics
What Every Web Site Owner Should KnowKNOW THE BASICS! It is a good idea to have a basic knowledge of how the Internet works. I don’t mean the in depth nuts and bolts, but rather a basic overview. This will help you understand the different processes that are at work and how you can use them to your benefit. If you look at it from the correct perspective, it is surprisingly easy. The Internet is simply a large network of computers. Anyone can connect to it with the right equipment and it is available virtually anywhere on the planet. It is just a system of millions of computers communicating with each other. Each computer or device on the Internet (or almost any network for that matter) has its own unique address (Just just your house). This is known as an IP (Internet Protocol) address. IP addresses are what are used to route data. When you type something.com into your browser the domain name is translated into an IP address. The US Postal Service is a great analogy to use to describe how the Internet works: Mildred’s address is unique. She lives at 123 Main St. Any town, WI 98127. The postal system decodes her address and then routes the letter to the post office nearest Mildred. From there it is sorted further and is placed on a mail truck and eventually it is delivered to her door. Since there is only one address, the mail ends up where it is supposed to be, you can see where there would be a huge problem if there were identical addresses. All of the information flowing across the Internet has been broken down into little packets and each packet has the destination address and return address in the header. A simple email message can be broken down into millions of packets and each packet finds its way to the destination computer where it is rebuilt into its original format. This all happens at the speed of light. In simplest terms TCP/IP is the addressing system every computer on the Internet uses. The Internet “postal system” is known as DNS (Domain Name Service). The DNS system is made up of millions of servers all over the world. There only job is to resolve domain names to IP addresses. While it doesn’t sound like a big job, Billions and Billions of requests are made every hour. TCP/IP and DNS are the backbone of the Internet. The genius of the system is that it is distributed across the globe. In fact, if you so desired, you could run a DNS server yourself. Fortunately, you don’t have to. I know this is a lot to throw at you early on in the book and that it is relatively complicated. You don’t need to commit this to memory however. It is a concept that will need to be familiar with. Later on, we will look into this a bit further. It will all make more sense when we start looking into purchasing your domain name (i.e. whatever.com). For now, just let it percolate in your mind. |
Don't Over-Think It
What Every Web Site Owner Should KnowDON’T OVER-THINK IT Keep it simple. You’ve probably heard it said a thousand times before, about a thousand different topics, but it really applies here. A common misconception many people make is to assume that publishing a Website is some kind of mystical process, in which only ultra-geeks with super human intellect can do ... While I would love to consider myself to have any superhuman attributes whatsoever, sadly, I don’t. There is a lot to learn and it can get confusing. However, if you take your time and you are patient, you can do it. It is a simply a matter of taking it one step at a time and making sure you understand what you are learning as you go. There are two separate aspects to technology that will need to be concerned with:
Don’t worry about knowing everything. Just play heads up ball. Technology changes, but the concepts don’t. Fortunately, your job is not to be an expert at technology; you just need to manage it to get the results that you want ... Easy as pie. In fact; your job is a manager, or overseer. You are in charge and your Webmaster is trying to make you happy. Do both of you a favor and make it easier for him. All you need an overall basic understanding and a clear fundamental vision of what you want to accomplish with the site and a general idea of how you think it should look. If you don’t know exactly what you want, then spend a couple of hours surfing the Web. Take notes regarding what you like and what you dislike. The amount of technical expertise that you need to be a successful Website owner is actually quite minimal. As with any aspect of business; it is of course, a trade-off; money vs. knowledge & time. The more you know and the more time you are willing to spend on it, the less it will ultimately cost. Even so, if you want to be truly successful, a number of those things are absolutely essential to know. This is where many Website owners fail. Many assume that once the site is launched the teaming masses will clamor to visit and the money will just start rolling in. Many owners will completely neglect marketing altogether. Sometimes lightning strikes and every now and then a Website is an overnight success right off the bat. Don’t depend on it; most likely, it will take time, money, a bit of “know how” and a little effort. Now, for the good news: just by the simple act of reading this book you are ahead of the game. Many Website owners are completely in the dark regarding the whole process. The lack of knowledge necessary to launch and maintain a successful Website leaves a site owner completely dependent on their Webmaster. While there are some good Webmasters out there, it is perhaps not the strongest position to be in. By educating yourself you have placed yourself at the front of the class and improved your chances of success substantially... Many of my less-technically-inclined people have made the mistake of believing that the whole process of launching a Website was too difficult. They believe that they have to be a computer guru, or that it is harder than it is. Often, this apprehension gets the better of them and never start or they abandon a Website that they paid good money to get online. I have seen some very nice (and expensive) Websites immediately get abandoned as soon as the Webmaster completes his work; in fact, often it never even gets completed. In some cases, all that was required of the owner would be a few paragraphs about their business, or perhaps a photo or two. The frustrated Webmaster contacts them several times requesting the info, but never receives it. Eventually he stops trying, and finishes the site to the best of his ability without the desired information. Of course, the site ends up being less than it could be. If the owner of the failed site simply had kept an open mind, the Webmaster would have been happy to work through the rough spots step by step. Ultimately the owner would have spent a few short hours scribbling a handful of paragraphs. In many cases, the owner simply needs to take twenty minutes to look over a site and give some suggestions. It makes a lot of difference. These people were no less intelligent than others I have worked with and I have taught people with all sorts of different skill sets. You don’t need to be a tech-wizard to do this. Regardless, they convinced themselves that it was harder than it really is and paid the price. The bottom line is this, if you are not willing to invest even the barest minimum of time and effort, your site will suffer for it. Therefore, I recommend that you approach technology with an open mind and don’t assume anything. Consider, regarding technology; kids generally “catch on” the quickest. While there are many reasons for this, I believe this is largely due to the fact that they simply approach computing with an open mind. Furthermore, it is apparent to me, that one secret to children’s success with technology is due to the fact that they accept it for what it is, rather then what they expect it to be. They are able to simply learn by trial and error, as opposed to dealing with preconceived notions. If you want to improve your general computer skills quickly, then I recommend finding a game, or application that you enjoy and have fun with it. Once you can do that, the rest will come intuitively. |
Know Where and How To Get Info...
What Every Web Site Owner Should KnowKNOW WHERE & HOW TO GET INFORMATION So, you have decided; for whatever reason you need to have a presence on the Internet. Obviously, this means getting a website. If you are like the majority of people on this planet, you probably have little or no idea where to start. Considering the cost of building a website, you may be facing a significant investment. To make matters worse; unless you are fortunate enough to have an I.T. department, you are probably at square one with nowhere to go for reliable advice... Well there is no need to worry, you have already started. Between the information contained in this book and the information which you can find on my website http://www.evermoretech.com/ you are well on your way to having all the tools and information you will need right at your fingertips. Just being prepared will help your odds of success significantly. |
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