Be Prepared Before Buying Software

Be Prepared Before Buying Software
by: Christopher Curtis

Before you go to the store to buy software write down your computers specifications. You'll need the type and speed of the processor. How much ram your computer has. What kind of video card? How much disk space is available? Usually, these things are easy to find on your computer. On Windows you can navigate to "Programs >Accessories >System Tools." Then click on "System Information" and you should see a summary containing your computers operating system, processor, and memory information. Next click on the plus sign to expand the "Components" category. There under "Display" you will find your computers video card specifications. You may also need to know what kind of sound card is installed. Select "Sound Device" to see the name and manufacturer of this device. Under "Storage" you can select Drives to check how much available disk space you have. This will be labeled "free Space." Other information you may need, depending on the type of program, are network and modem specs. Once You have selected a piece of software make sure that it is compatible with your computer. Most software programs come on CDs now and will include their minimum requirements somewhere on the packaging. They may require that you have a special video card or adapter. It may require that you have a particular type of processor, so make sure that your computers processor is equal or better. Make sure you have enough ram to run the program. Usually, they will give a minimum and a recommended amount, but I have always found that it is best to go with the recommended amount.Another thing to take into account is pricing. Sometimes you can save a lot of money by purchasing an earlier version of a particular piece of software. Just make sure that it has all the features that you want and that it is compatible with your computer. The best place to look is on the Internet. You can compare pricing without having to run all over town. Go to your favorite search site, and search for the software that you are looking for. Sometimes you can buy online for less, but make sure you check the shipping costs.

About the author:Chris Curtis is the owner of C-Double Web Development and has been doing web design and development since 1997. He began offering affordable web hosting and design in 1999 when he started his own business. http://www.c-double.com/

Google's SEO Advice For Your Website: Content

Google's SEO Advice For Your Website: Content
by: Joel Walsh

The web pages actually at the top of Google have only one thing clearly in common: good writing. Don't get so caught up in the usual SEO sacred cows and bugbears, such as PageRank, frames, and JavaScript, that you forget your site's content.I was recently struck by the fact that the top-ranking web pages on Google are consistently much better written than the vast majority of what one reads on the web.Of course, that shouldn't be a surprise, considering how often officials at Google proclaim the importance of good content. Yet traditional SEO wisdom has little to say about good writing.Does Google, the world's wealthiest media company, really ignore traditional standards of quality in the publishing world? Does Google, like so many website owners, really get so caught up in the process of the algorithm that it misses the whole point?Apparently not.Most Common On-the-Page Website Content Success FeaturesWhatever the technical mechanism, Google is doing a pretty good job of identifying websites with good content and rewarding them with high rankings.I looked at Google's top five pages for the five most searched-on keywords, as identified by WordTracker on June 27, 2005. Typically, the top five pages receive an overwhelming majority of the traffic delivered by Google.The web pages that contained written content (a small but significant portion were image galleries) all shared the following features:* Updating: frequent updating of content, at least once every few weeks, and more often, once a week or more.* Spelling and grammar: few or no errors. No page had more than three misspelled words or four grammatical errors. Note: spelling and grammar errors were identified by using Microsoft Word's check feature, and then ruling out words marked as misspellings that are either proper names or new words that are simply not in the dictionary. Does Google use SpellCheck? I can already hear the scoffing on the other side of this computer screen. Before you dismiss the idea completely, keep in mind that no one really does know what the 100 factors in Google's algorithm are. But whether the mechanism is SpellCheck or a better shot at link popularity thanks to great credibility, or something else entirely, the results remain the same.* Paragraphs: primarily brief (1-4 sentences). Few or no long blocks of text.* Lists: both bulleted and numbered, form a large part of the text.* Sentence length: mostly brief (10 words or fewer). Medium-length and long sentences are sprinkled throughout the text rather than clumped together.* Contextual relevance: text contains numerous terms related to the keyword, as well as stem variations of the keyword.SEO Bugbears and Sacred CowsA hard look at the results shows that, practically speaking, a number of SEO bugbears and sacred cows may matter less to ranking than good content.* PageRank. The median PageRank was 4. One page had a PageRank of 0. Of course, this might simply be yet another demonstration that the little PageRank number you get in your browser window is not what Google's algo is using. But if you're one of those people who attaches an overriding value to that little number, this is food for thought.* Frames. The top two web pages listed for the most searched-on keyword employ frames. Frames may still be a bad web design idea from a usability standpoint, and they may ruin your search engine rankings if your site's linking system depends on them. But there are worse ways you could shoot yourself in the foot.* JavaScript-formatted internal links. Most of the websites use JavaScript for their internal page links. Again, that's not the best web design practice, but there are worse things you could do.* Links: Most of the web pages contained ten or more links; many contain over 30, in defiance of the SEO bugbears about "link popularity bleeding." Moreover, nearly all the pages contained a significant number of non-relevant links. On many pages, non-relevant links outnumbered relevant ones. Of course, it's not clear what benefit the website owners hope to get from placing irrelevant links on pages. It has been a proven way of lowering conversion rates and losing visitors. But Google doesn't seem to care if your website makes money.* Originality: a significant number of pages contained content copied from other websites. In all cases, the content was professionally written content apparently distributed on a free-reprint basis. Note: the reprint content did not consist of content feeds. However, no website consisted solely of free-reprint content. There was always at least a significant portion of original content, usually the majority of the page.Recommendations* Make sure a professional writer, or at least someone who can tell good writing from bad, is creating your site's content, particularly in the case of a search-engine optimization campaign. If you are an SEO, make sure you get a pro to do the content. A shocking number of SEOs write incredibly badly. I've even had clients whose websites got fewer conversions or page views after their SEOs got through with them, even when they got a sharp uptick in unique visitors. Most visitors simply hit the "back" button when confronted with the unpalatable text, so the increased traffic is just wasted bandwidth.* If you write your own content, make sure that it passes through the hands of a skilled copyeditor or writer before going online.* Update your content often. It's important both to add new pages and update existing pages. If you can't afford original content, use free-reprint content.* Distribute your content to other websites on a free-reprint basis. This will help your website get links in exchange for the right to publish the content. It will also help spread your message and enhance your visibility. Fears of a "duplicate content penalty" for free-reprint content (as opposed to duplication of content within a single website) are unjustified.In short, if you have a mature website that is already indexed and getting traffic, you should consider making sure the bulk of your investment in your website is devoted to its content, rather than graphic design, old-school search-engine optimization, or linking campaigns.

About the author:[Formatting: for web, please use "website content provider" as the link's anchor text (visible link text)] Joel Walsh's archive of web business articles is at the website of his business, UpMarket Content, a website content provider: http://upmarketcontent.com/

How To Create Photorealistic Post-It Pop-Up

How To Create Photorealistic Post-It Pop-Up

by: Iszuddin Ismail

Have you seen one of those post-it pop-up? The one that looks so realistic, with awesome shadow effect. If you don't know what I am talking about, try opening the following website: http://myhobbybooks.com/wowpop They look awesome don't they? And something like this is always good for your web marketing campaign. One reason, it never gets blocked by pop-up blockers. And another, it really grabs the attention of your web visitors. This is good when you want to increase subscription rate to your ezine, or promote an affiliate program, or even increase sales.But you wonder, how do they do it? You thought that you can achieve similar result, and you try, and try, and try... you tried GIF image, JPG image, none of those can get the job done.But there's one thing that you just don't know. Many pro web programmers know this, but not the normal web designers ... maybe even most web designers don't know how to do this.The secret is in PNG image format. PNG image format is the little-known image format that you can use on the web. PNG image format is unique because you can do the Alpha effect with it. The Alpha effect is where you set transparency factor on certain areas on the PNG image. That is what makes the shadow looks so real.With the Alpha effect, you can set transparency factor from 0% to 100%. So it can be 30% transparent, 50% or even 79%. Have a look at the pop-up again, and take a close look at the shadow - Now you know how it's done.But there is just one problem - Internet Explorer don't really support PNG image format. While you can still call PNG image format using the IMG tag, Internet Explorer ignores Alpha factor. In Internet Explorer, PNG image just don't appear properly. So how do we solve this ... Luckily you can still call PNG image in Internet Explorer and have the Alpha reflected using a special CSS command. It's the AlphaImageLoader().But this will lead to another problem. Before you can call the PNG image, you first need to identify the browser your web visitor is using. If the visitor is using Firefox, Opera, Netscape or any others, you can call the PNG using the IMG tag. But if it's Internet Explorer, you need to use the AlphaImageLoader().And of course, this can always be solved with a bit of Javascripting. And with a little more Javascript and CSS, you can have the PNG image floating over your web content. You can even make the pop-up disappear using the OnClick event trigger.If you'd like a complete code and PNG image to your own photorealistic post-it pop-up, try visiting WOW Pop-Up. Below is the URL address for WOW Pop-Up where you can get a free set of the code and the PNG graphic.

About the author:Iszuddin Ismail published the WOW Pop-Up and is giving away free code and PNG graphics to your own photorealistic post-it pop-up. Get a set of four PNG pop-up graphics for free. http://wowpopup.com/

Build websites easier with premade templates

Build websites easier with premade templates
by: Alexandru Marias

To most people the process of building a web site remains somewhat of a mystery. This confusion probably stems from the fact that there is a cornucopia of web sites on the Internet. Even with wide variety of sites, every single one can be divided into two sections: front-end and back-end.The front-end is the first thing that it is designed. It encompasses the look and feel of a web site. This is probably the most established part of the web site production process. Design has been around since Guttenberg printed his first bible. Much of what has been used in print media (especially art magazines) has transferred to the web.Most well thought out web sites start off with sketches on paper. We like using the big huge box of crayons, the one with the crayon sharpener built in. Most of the colors in the "big box" are pleasing to the eye and are web friendly. If you use begin paying attention to sites you'll notice that only a few colors are actually used, 256 to be exact. Only about 100 of those won't give you a headache when you look at them. On request we will give these early designs to a client that wants to control the look and feel of their site. The site, of course, never ends up looking like the early designs. The same idea and concept is there but because of restrictions colors and whole images are lost.This brings us to the next part of the front-end, the actual site creation. This is what many people view as the most important, which is what separates a professional looking site from an amateur one.The images are created using products from across the board. Mainly, designers stick to industry standards like Photoshop and Illustrator. After getting the basic image in terms of proportions and size the designer should create the static HTML page.This is the basic page you would see if you viewed the page source. This is one of the most rewarding, most hated and most tedious part of the web design process. Each browser displays a page differently. Since most users either use Internet Explorer 4+ or Netscape 4.5 we cater to those two. Sometimes we build a different site for each, trying to maintain the same layout.That concludes the front-end section. Personal sites and some small business sites stop here. While this maybe acceptable today, tomorrow any web site hoping to attract and keep visitors is going to have a strong back-end.There are many sites and website designers that offer premade templates, these have the entire graphical layout that a page needs. For those with little or no experience with website design software, templates have quickly become a practical solution to professional website design. Most of the top end sites offer a huge selection of very impressive, easy-to-edit website templates. All you have to do is check your email containing the link to download the .zip file. The html in these templates is compatible with Adobe GoLive, Macromedia Dreamweaver and Microsoft Frontpage. The major advantage is the price, they run anywhere from $20 to $70. Another great advantage is you don't have to hire a web designer, who usually takes 1 to 2 weeks to produce a page of such high quality. Webmasters, either novice or expert, can easily save thousands of dollars on design fees by using website templates. There are also some exception sites, such as http://www.web-site-templates.orgthat provide packages of templates at one price, instead of providing a different price for each template.

Web Design Extreme Makeover

Web Design Extreme Makeover
by Scott Lindsay

The development of a web design must be intentional and with purpose. I know this runs counter to any idea of freeform and learning as you go, but there is a solid reason for making sure you know where you're going before you try to get there.
Because Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies can take so long to have a pronounced effect on your website, and subsequently your traffic, it becomes important to make sure your website matches your objectives by at least 85% before you launch it.
If you need to take time to learn as you go then try doing so through an affiliate revenue program and a site designed for that purpose. Using web builder technology you can build a site at little expense while exploring the possibilities in design and function.
What you learn from this exercise can assist you in bridging the gap between experiment and experience. This will be important as you consider diving into ecommerce.
Some of the standard pitfalls for most web designs are that the pages have already been established and you know what you want to put into each page, but you don't actually finish the content before you launch. What you end up with is an opening page that gives the consumer high expectations and subsequent pages that are either blank or have the dreaded words, "Coming Soon" or "Under Construction".
This can be a death wish for your website. Complete it before you release it online. Call in help from freelancers if you need to, utilize free article directories when appropriate, ask advice from someone you trust who has been through web designs and make sure every page is functional and informative.
You wouldn't start a brick and mortar business without the racks, merchandise and essential items to make your business wholly presentable to customers. Imagine, if you will, a business that placed two 55 gallon steel drums on the floor of their showroom and them placed a couple of 2x12 wooden planks on top to display their latest high dollar jewelry while a couple of mismatched chairs sit in the corner for customer convenience.
This would never instill trust in the product or the personality behind the business and the same is true of a half finished website designed for the consumer.
When you present a fully optimized website that is developed with both the consumer as well as the search engines in mind you stand a much better chance at reaching both of them successfully.
Unlike a brick and mortar store you do not have to live with the sign, "Pardon our mess". You can develop a new website offline and upgrade the entire system when you need to.
This article is really for both existing businesses as well as businesses planning to launch. If you have an existing business online, but your website is not what it needs to be block out some time right now to begin web design on an entirely new site. You can redirect your domain when you're ready, but web-building technology can help you achieve that next level in site design that will make the important marketing connections you need to really get noticed online.

About the Author
Online Website Design with HighPowerSites.com or Easy Website Design at BuildAGreatSite.com. Get ebooks to sell at BooksWealth.com.

Hire Offshore Website Developers

Hire Offshore Website Developers
by Rakhi

When quality and timeline could not be compromised, IT professionals chose to move towards more reliable, interactive and qualitative business solutions. You cannot question on the engagement delivery models when the analysis and research from the scratch is based on through research and analysis, testing, choosing the best business model and consultancy. Offshore Outsourcing is oscillating the IT market to and fro with higher momentum but in the near future this may tend to return to a position where scarcity of resources in comparison to demand is predicated to happen. Resources will be insufficient and Indian currency value will increase with improved infrastructure and education system. Offshore IT Outsourcing continue to soar high in the international market and share major part of revenue generated.
Value oriented significant presence of India in the upsurging IT market cannot be denied. When hiring in-house skilled professionals in the developed nations got costlier then the big players started peeping out and really the gem was in hand!! Harvest the fruits of offshore outsourcing. India, the land of rich resources and cheap labor was the target and gradually absorbed by the top companies. India is the hallmark of offshore IT outsourcing and the most preferred destination because of the broad spectrum of resources that it offers to its clients. The game was not one sided, offshore outsourcing proved to be the roadmap for Indian entrepreneur to global market. India also captures the road vehemently. Rise is marked with bigger name of Indian market, growth of number of international hubs in India, set up of number of offshore development and management segments to India, increase in Indian currency value and improved infrastructure.
Offshore and outsource both the terms are used interchangeably, and are often confusing so let me brief out these two. Offshore means beyond the boundaries i.e. moving and relocating to another country, Outsourcing is transfer of business processes to some third party for its management; it generally involves non-core activities that are moved from an internal to an external entity. Dedicated and expert professionals are involved in offshore outsourcing business models and are solely responsible for business processes and their qualitative and timely delivery of projects. Giant enterprises are hiring IT and software professionals at higher rate and looking for more offshore developers at a reasonable cost to enhance their productivity and quality of production.
I have been repeating in almost all my article that India is the most preferred destination for offshore IT outsourcing because of the broad spectrum of resources that it offers to the giant IT players at very low cost. It is not a specific factor that lead brand players invest in India but myriad factors are accountable for this. The geographic location i.e. India can be easily reached from different parts of the world, sufficient low-cost-effective-quality resources. Custom website design, web site design of all types, dynamic or static, interactive and user friendly websites; India is offering holistic and comprehensive list of services to fulfill all the web designing needs of your company. Dedicated designers inculcate a lot from the websphere, resources available online and then use the most useful of them in best possible way to deliver the best deigning results. Designs are reflexive, spontaneous, creative and unique. Some of the most using designing tools and software available are Macromedia Dreamweaver, Flash, CorelDraw & PhotoShop. They also redefine websites to make them more user friendly and search engine crawlable. Skilled designers are always trained about the latest design tools and technologies, how to use these in practical life and deliver business solutions. These skilled professionals are also involved in workshops, training program. A separate team works dedicatedly to innovate new designs, explore and show their creativity. Team of graphics designers, Web editor, flash designers, flex designers all work together in coordination to provide best design solutions. Core capabilities are well defined and properly taught to make industry aspirations. The offshore design and development solutions promise quality that work smoothly in all environment, are browser compatible and are platform independent. The business development solutions are process driven and minimize the risk and increase the efficiency of operations involved. These solutions can help make your own brand name, advertise your services and products, on-line advertising is made easy, business gets automated. Our offshore website developers are adept in using all kind of tools that will impart liveliness to your website.

About the Author
Rakhi is a SEO copywriter at Icreon Communications Pvt. Ltd., offers staff augmentation services and Full Time Equivalents, IT staffing, offshore

5 Common (And Fatal) Mistakes That Webmasters Make In Web Design

5 Common (And Fatal) Mistakes That Webmasters Make In Web Design
by Fabian Tan

Designing websites is not all about designing skills and technological knowhow. Knowing what appeals or irks the visitor is also crucial to a websites success. In this article, we look at 5 of the most common mistakes that webmasters make on their websites, and why it can kill your business.
1) Having too many graphics
Internet users are generally impatient these days, so it's a good idea to have a quick loading site. Having too many graphics will cause a site to load too slowly. Have your website load cleanly and quickly. 2) Going with the wrong colors
The colors of your website should match the theme of your site. For example, you wouldn't want too much pink on your website if it is targeting rock musicians. Your colors should also be easy on the eye. Avoid using too many colors as it is distracting.
3) Using Flash
Sites that solely use Flash on their welcome page are passé these days. Visitors who are short on time will often click away from a website that has a Flash welcome page. Remember, users on the Internet are looking for content more than anything else, and they want it fast!
4) Website does not function as it should on other browsers
Always check that your site functions the same on the different browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera and Netscape. A page can look horribly wrong on one browser, yet look perfectly fine on another browser. In fact, if possible go a step further by seeing how your site works on both a PC and a Mac.
5) Poor navigation design
Navigation design is important; it allows your visitors to move seamlessly around your website if the design is competent. Always make it easy for your visitors to use. You can survey your website visitors on how to make it easier for them to navigate around your site.
Those are 5 most common mistakes that webmasters make. Now that you've a clearer picture of what doesn't work, you can start implementing changes today.
About the Author
Fabian Tan is the author of the free 51-Page Report:
"Murder Your Job: How To Build Cash Sucking Autopilot Businesses In 30 Days Or Less!"
Head over to http://www.MurderYourJob.com to get your free copy now before it's gone!