14 Years of Designing Building and Marketing

There has been some discussion about whether a new site should be submitted using Google’s manual submission routine.

A good number feel that you should, but those of us in opposition are equally vocal in our conviction that it is not a good idea.
Let us look at a part of the process of ranking and the assigning of Page Rank, which can be a determining factor in deciding the position of a page in the SERPS (Search engine ranking position[s])
What is PageRank?
PageRank is a numeric value that represents how important a page is on the web. Google figures that when one page links to another page, it is effectively casting a vote for the other page. The more votes that are cast for a page, the more important the page must be. Also, the importance of the page that is casting the vote determines how important the vote itself is. Google calculates a page’s importance from the votes cast for it. How important each vote is is taken into account when a page’s PageRank is calculated.

PageRank is Google’s way of deciding a page’s importance. It matters because it is one of the factors that determines a page’s ranking in the search results. It isn’t the only factor that Google uses to rank pages, but it is an important one.
In the Wikipedia page on PR they include the following explanation:

If we look at what happens with a new site organically foundwe get a transference of PR.

If we look at a site submitted by using Google’s manual
submission form, we get no PR assigned to the new page:

Don’t give in to the darkside. Use organic linking when making a new site available.

Happy SEOing
Reg

An exercise in frustration.
One of my associates recently designed a new site to promote a product and once it was listed, (in the mid 300’s), changes to the site were not updated.

Welcome to Google’s much discussed and rightly feared “sandbox”.

The sandbox is reserved for (some), new, untrusted, websites.

Q: How does one get put in the sandbox?

A: Do something that makes Google think that you are “pulling a fast one’ or you are just not ready.
This includes doing “too much” SEO.

• Having “Under Construction” on your site. Nothing like telling the big G that you are not ready.
• Do NOT publish a link to your site until you have final content on at least the main page.
  
• If you have blank pages, temporarily redirect to a finished page or type a quick sentence or two and end with a target date for updates. Try to live up to the dates.  There is a lot of credibility to be built.
• Submitting to Google. While Google does have a manual submission page, using it to list a new site is one certain way to tell Google you are a newb.
  If your SEO was properly done, G would find the site through a well crafted anchor link on a reasonably high PR page.
• Being judged a “spammy” site. If they even think you are trying to influence their search engine they will sandbox you.Watch out for overuse of your keywords., and don’t depend on looking at your competition to see how many times THEY use them.  Google can and will apply what might be called a double standard.Their rules change all the time. You don’t want to be caught with an 8% keyword density when their rules change to 6%.. Especially if the density would have been better served for people at 1%.Just how many times do you need to repeat the same key phrase to make your reader understand?
• Don’t write the page for the search engine, Google KNOWS man. Google knows! There are a list of things that can be done to a site to tell people and search engines what you consider to be the important items on the site.

Traditional SEO formulaic elements  include putting the keyword phrase:
(Mostly), in order of importance;

1. In the domain name.
2. In the file name.
3. In the Title tag.
4. In the Meta description tag.
5. In the Meta keyword tag.
6. In an H1 (or any H) tag.
7. In a file name.
8. In the image alt attributes.
9. As the first words on the page.
10. In bold and/or italics or a different color.
11. Multiple times in the first paragraph or two or three times on the page.
12. In the copy in every single spot on the page where it possibly could be used.
13. In all the hyperlinks pointing to other pages on the site.
14. In bold and/or italics or a different color

Were you to do all this, I would not be surprised if it put up a bright red flag warning that tells Google “This site is OVER SEO’d”.

Be careful, be smart.
Write for people.
If you are sandboxed you have 2 choices.
Wait.
Start over with a new domain.

Much Success,

Reg

DotCom-Productions

A Techno Babble Article by Reg Charie

Multiple Monitors.

Ever feel constrained by limited desktop space?
Would it be nice to be able to have two, (or more), programs full screen at the same time?

It is cheaper and easier than you might think, and once you experience using an extended desktop, you will never go back.
Aside from offering more desktop space, your computer will be faster as you are no longer using “shared ram” which most computers with onboard video do, your graphics will load faster and be sharper due to the graphics processor in the card and the card’s video memory.

Starting at about $30 you can get a dual output video card which can be connected to two monitors.
A $30 card will give you a noticeable boost in speed but an amazing increase can be obtained by going high end as you get more processing power and video memory (RAM).
On my top machine I have two of the latest video cards running in parallel, or SLI, (Scalable Link Interface),  as it is known in techno babble, with each card having 768 megs of RAM. When I purchased them they were running at about $800 each. Prices are down to about $600 now.
A good card would be the 8500GT 256MB which runs around $130.

Choosing a card can be difficult due to the multitude of makes, models, and type of slot that the card will fit.
Slot types are AGP, (Usually found on older high end computers), PCI-E, (Found on newer mid to high end computers), and PCI, (Most older computers and most newer also).
If you are uncertain what kind you should look for, PM me with your computer’s make and model.
There are also a bewildering variety of video cards on the market with cryptic names, which are split up into two manufacturers.
There are actually more than 2 but the others tend to supply operation specific high end cards, which are out of the scope of this discussion.

The manufacturers are ATI which has its own set of drivers, and Nvidia based cards.
Basically the higher the number and price, the more you get for your money.
In the Nvidia line, which I favor, the 7800 is better than the 6800 and the 8800 is better than both.

Be warned though. You WILL have to open you computer to install it.
If this is a bit too scary, get one of the neighbor’s kids. “Johnny” from the 5th grade picks up spare cash doing this in our neighborhood.

Actually it is pretty straight forward for desktop computers.

• UNPLUG your computer’s power cord.

• Remove the left side of the case.

• Read the user manual that comes with the card.
  This is usually on a cd and a paper copy.

• Remove the slot blank opposite the slot where you are going to install the card.
  The position of this slot will vary depending on the type of video card you choose that will work in your computer.

• GENTLY slide the card down into the slot, locating the “Pointy Tab” in its slot in the case.
  It is usually easier to put the computer on its side to do this.

  <-Pointy Tab

• Secure the card to the case using a screw in the other end of the faceplate.
  Hole for screw ->

• Plug in the power plug for your card, if your card requires it.
  The more high power ones do.
  

• Plug in the various cables if you unplugged them, Plug your monitor into one of the new card’s slots, plug in the power and turn the computer on.

  This next step can be scary but if you read the options carefully, you will be ok.

• When the computer is booting you will want to enable the BIOS menu.
  Your boot screen will usually display a “Press Del key to enter setup” or similar message and press the indicated key, (Del = Delete).
  This will bring you into the bios, and as each are different I cannot be specific, but you are looking for a way to turn off the onboard video option.

• Once you find it, pressing F10 will bring up a screen asking if you want to make the changes..  Say yes and the computer will continue to boot.
  

• Once the card is installed, you will want to upgrade your drivers to the latest version.
  Nvidia users go to http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp and ATI to http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html
  

• After all this is done, go into your graphics control panel and select the resolution you wish to use.
  Higher is better, and if you find the text too small, that can be adjusted individually.
  

If you find this all too complex, Matrox makes a plug in adaptor that lets you use multiple monitors from a single video output.  http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/corpo/products/home.php

My old workstation.

My new workstation

Happy Computing.

When I first looked at LCD monitors, they were fairly expensive compared to the CRT versions they were replacing.
A 19″ CRT was about $250 and a LCD was more than double that.

Prices have dropped. A 19″ LCD can be had for around $250 and some even cheaper.

A good reason to switch is you get  more “bang” for your buck, and your eyes will thank you.

CRT monitors tend to get “fuzzy” over time. LCDs dont, so they will last longer.
LCDs are easier on the eyes, sharper, have more contrast, and offer a much smaller “footprint”.

Sizes keep going up and larger monitors are easier to use when multi tasking.

They are also “greener” than CRTs, using less power.

Features vary.
If you do a lot of work on spreadsheets or word documents, look for a model that allows you to swivel the screen into “Portrait” mode from the normal “Landscape” screen.

When considering a LCD look for the highest resolution and the lowest refresh rates.

If you have an improved video card, you will be able to connect the LCD monitor using the digital connection.
Depending on make/model you will also be able to connect the monitor through the unused VGA connection to a second computer.

As all my monitors are the Acer brand, I cannot comment on other makes.
When you are looking, try to find a store with active LCD monitors on display.
The shop where I got mine had a display with two Acer monitors, side by side.
One was the regular 19″ model and one with the “SuperBright” coating.
The SuperBright won, hands down even though it was about 20% more expensive.

LCD monitors continue to improve with higher contrasts, faster refresh rates, improved viewing angles, better backlighting, higher screen sizes and resolutions.

Upgrade. You won’t regret it.

—————

Are there any tech items you would like to have discussed?
Please post them here if you do.

—————

To leave you with a chuckle.

Reg

DotCom-Productions - Website design maintenance and marketing.

Zero Grief website hosting.

A Techno Babble Article by Reg Charie

Setting up a “Dual Boot” system. (XP on both boots)

Most of you will be saying, “Why would I want to setup a dual boot system?

There are several reasons for doing so.

• You want to try a different operating system. (Linux or even MS Vista).

• You want the security of having redundant systems so if something happens to your main system you have a backup.

• You, (or your kids), use the computer for gaming.

Precautions:

Before attempting to create a multiple-boot system, be sure to back up your current system and all data files.

Each operating system must be installed on a separate volume. (Drive).

How to do it.

Setting up a dual boot system is quite straight forward.

• Insert your operating system CD.

• Reboot your computer from the CD

• When the process asks where you wish to do the install, specify the new drive (EG F:Windows)

• Let the install complete.

Once this is done your computer will present you with a new “Boot Screen” each time it is restarted.

When you fist see the screen you will see 2 identical boot choices, but you can modify this.
If you use Windows Explorer and look at the files in C: drive you will see one named “boot.ini”
This is the file that controls the boot screen.

This is my boot.ini file, my comments in blue:

————-
[boot loader]
timeout=30 <-This tells the computer how long to display the boot choices before it loads the default.
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS <-This tells the computer which of the choices is the default.
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)WINDOWS=”Play” /noexecute=optin /fastdetect <-This is my “Play” boot
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)WINDOWS=”Work” /noexecute=optin /fastdetect <- This is my “Work” boot and is the default.

The text in quotes (” “) after WINDOWS=”Play” is the part you change to reflect your own system.
————

Tip:

If you are installing the same program on booth boots, you can install both into the same folder to save space.
Don’t forget as these are totally separate operating systems you will need to install all the programs again and this includes your antivirus software.

Happy booting.

Reg

http://DotCom-Productions.com

A couple of weeks ago it came to my attention that CRELoaded (Chain Reaction) had drastically altered their marketing stance for the open source program CRELoaded.

With the release of version 6.3, pricing has changed from the normal OS progression of free/pay for more features/pay for even more features, to an annual license, even for the previously free version.

The annual plans are for about $100/Year, for the standard version, (Free 30 day trial), and $295/Year for the Pro., which, if memory serves, used to be $75/one time payment.
There IS an extra $150 module added to it.

Response on their boards has not been favorable, and some downright rude.
Management has Gerald Scott as community liaison and one of his methods of dealing with dissention is to delete threads and posts.
This is also not going over well.

It seems that more than just the price has been changed however.
The new stance is designed to bring developers and designers under the “wing” of CRELance, their developer job board.

In theory this is a good idea.
In practice, not so much.

Jobs so far seem slanted towards custom modifications and add ons. Not my market.
I target small business owners that want a fast, complete, store front with an admin that allows them to add to content and configure.

When I started developing with PHP/MySQL programs it was with osCommerce, and one of the things I did not like was the “No Commercial Links” in their forums.
When I discovered the CRELoaded ‘fork’, I was pleased to find that commercial links were welcomed on their forums.
This coupled with the CRE system that had over 50 modules installed enticed me to switch to developing in CRELoaded, and I have done 59 sites in it so far.

Now the rules have changed.
No longer are commercial links allowed but the signature files with them have been disallowed retroactively.
None of the previous 250+ posts I made have my signature file showing.
This seems like a breach of contract.
I made those posts over 3 years, spent my time helping others, in return for having my business link on my posts.

The only link I am allowed to have now is to my CRELance page, http://www.getcre.com/crelance/vendors.php?id=689 which is not much and costs $5 a month.

Another concern is a privacy issue.
With the 6.3 upgrade comes a site tracking script installed in the source code by CRE.
According to them this is to see how many copies “are in the wild”, but is actually to monitor use with a view to disabling the admin for reasons of non payment of annual fees.
The code used is a Google tracker and seems to be against Google’s TOS which says code must be on website under account’s control, and they aren’t.
The code will track every page the user goes to in the admin.

With the new annual licensing structure they must have some means of stopping sites from running (properly) should they not pay their renewal fee.
Their choice is to disable the admin while leaving the site running.
As the program is released under an open source license, and the first freedom of said license is to allow access to the source code, this is technically a loophole.
They would not be stopping access to the source code, but cutting off access to the admin. One could go into the source code and remove the registration requirements, defeating their system.

Chain Reaction seems to think that it must control the market and freeze out developers that will not come under their umbrella.
Due to their actions there is an exodus of the top contributors, some of which who are working on their own forks.

I have an idea on how this could be turned around, but would like to hear from readers before presenting it.

What do you think of the new pricing and marketing model that Chain Reaction has presented?

SEO all begins here with your thought, your concept.
Define what you want to do by listing the keywords that apply to the product or service.

Once you have your list, do some research at WordTracker and order it in relation to most used.

When this is done, take two of the most popular and see if you can combine them for a domain name.

Register the domain for 5 years.

For those wanting more info now, see my SEO 101 series

If you are looking for help building a website, this is where to find it.

I will be doing regular blogs on a variety of subjects, SEO, using Open Source, building sites, hardware, software, networking, and everything in between.