What Does That Error Message Really Mean?

Surf the 'Net for about 10 minutes and chances rate very
high that you'll encounter an error of one kind or
another.

Whether the error message pops up on your own computer or
on a website loaded in your browser, knowing what the
error means can help you solve the problem much faster
and avoid hours of frustration (especially in a situation
where nothing you do will solve the problem).

The following represent some of the more common error
messages you may encounter while surfing the Internet and
what (if anything) you can do to correct the situation.

Error: 404 File Not Found

This means the web server cannot find the file or web
page you tried to pull up in your web browser.

Almost nothing you can do will correct this situation.
Try hitting your web browser's "Refresh" button to see if
the page will load. If not, email the website operator to
let them know of the problem and then move on.


Error: 500 Internal Error

This error usually occurs when you fill in a form on a
web page (contact form, shopping cart, feedback form) and
click the submit button.

This means the server or the script handling the form on
the server has a major problem. Again, there's nothing
you can do so just email the website owner and move on.

By the way, resubmitting the form a dozen times, banging
your hand on the keyboard, and yelling at your monitor
won't fix the problem!


Error: 408 Request Timeout

This error usually occurs when you try to download a huge
file or large web page and, for whatever reason, the
connection times out.

Simply hit your browser's "Refresh" button and it should
pick up the download again where you left off.

If not, contact the website owner and inform them of the
problem or check back later.


Error: Host Unavailable

Grab a cup of coffee on this one and fall back to reading
the newspaper.

You can try hitting your "Refresh" button a couple of
times, but, for all intents and purposes, this means the
server has gone down.

Try again in a few minutes on the off-chance you tried to
access the website just as the owners were restarting the
server or temporarily disconnected it from the Web.

If this doesn't work, the phone rates your best course of
action to contact the website owner since it's a safe bet
their email won't work either.


Error: Unable to Locate Host

This message usually means one of three things: the web
server is down; your Internet connection is dead; you
typed in the web address incorrectly.

To correct the problem, first try retyping the web
address into your browser's address bar. If that doesn't
work, try surfing over to another website to make sure
your connection is live.

If you can't load any websites, contact your Internet
service provider (ISP) for technical assistance.

As a general rule, if you encounter an error while
surfing the web, try these steps in order to fix the
problem:

1. Click your Web browser's "Refresh" button.

2. Verify that you typed in the correct URL (web address)

3. Close down and restart your Web browser completely.

4. Contact the website owner to alert them to the problem
or request help.

5. Contact your ISP for help.

Read more »

Tiscali Broadband

What Is ?

The name for Tiscali Broadband comes from a village in Sardinia. Tiscali Broadband is part of Tiscali Spa. Their headquarters are located in Cagliari, Italy. Tiscali is a provider of broadband in most of Europe, but they have the most subscribers in the UK. Tiscali is currently fourth in the rank of largest ISPs in the UK.

Tiscali has broadband connections at 1Mbps, and 2Mbps. They also give you a free connection and modem. Another perk is that they will allow you to download as much content as you would like, as they have no limit cap like some other ISPs.

The reputation of Tiscali as an ISP is not very good. The customer service with Tiscali has suffered along with all the other ISPs who lower their package costs to attract customers. Tiscali's call center, which is located in India, is expensive, inefficient and downright frustrating to use. They offer little real advice, and emailing Tiscali does not seem to work, either. Tiscali sends automated responses that do not solve your problem. People who don't believe that there are problems with Tiscali customer support quickly find out that it is a major problem. The email accounts at Tiscali are so loaded down with spam that this creates downtime and connection speed issues.

With BT opening their Local Loop phone line network, other ISPs now have the option to use their own equipment instead of BT's. This has been good for the other ISPs, because they can provide ADSL service cheaper and have a faster connection than in the past. This is how Tiscali has been able to have such competitive prices. Tiscali has set up their own line at each telephone exchange. The problems arise when a number of local residents try to use this small line, which is split among all of them. BT and the other services that continue to use their equipment have the advantage of using larger lines that are connected to the BT network. Tiscali's choice to set up their own equipment has a result of subscribers finding their connection is slow and their download speeds are also very limited. The speed of the connection for Tiscali subscribers is directly related to how many other subscribers are using the local Tiscali network. Tiscali plans to address this issue in the future, but many customers have become frustrated with Tiscali and moved to other broadband providers.

Tiscali has a Pay As You Go and unlimited dialup access that runs at 56kbps. Their service for this is currently cheaper than BT's. There is also a package that includes a mid-band speed of either 150kbps or 256kbps. Tiscali offers email, web space, and exclusive downloads and video channels with all their accounts, whether they are dialup or broadband.

Tiscali offers good prices, which is why they are the fourth largest broadband provider in the UK. Their top three packages are very similar to BT's. They also manage to stay close to their competitors in terms of speed and price.

The only thing that is considered reliable about Tiscali is that they are one of the cheapest options for broadband service. However, subscribers must put up with the poor reputation they have earned with their bad customer service and speed problems.

Read more »

Tips to Build Your Email Address Database

WHY BUILD YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS DATABASE?
Gaining your customers' email addresses will:

• Provide an additional channel for reaching your customers
• Increase the ROI of your marketing investments
• Significantly reduce your customer acquisition and marketing costs
• Allow you to easily measure the impact of your marketing campaigns
• Increase your customer participation and retention rates

With ongoing postal and telemarketing pressures impacting marketing budgets for many organizations this year, email marketing could become the "silver lining " for many marketers.   But how do you create a successful email marketing campaign if you do not have a substantial email database?  That question may be one of the largest Internet related challenges facing companies this year.
Research shows that the majority of organizations have email addresses for less than 10% of their postal files.  So how do you level the playing field and start to add quality permission - based email addresses to your database?
Here are some tips that you can use to cost effectively build your email address database and increase your customer participation and retention rates: 

START TO ASK FOR IT!  
Every communication or touch point with a customer should start or end with a request for an email address.   By utilizing the four points below, you should be able to add email addresses for 5% to 10% of your postal file over the course of one year.
1.  Direct Mail Collection
Think about how much time and money you spent for copy and design on your last new direct mail piece.  Most companies have started to ask their customers for their email address information within these mailings.  This is a great step forward. However, companies need to look at one major improvement if they want to increase their email address collection rates. 
To date, most requests for email address information have been pushed, shoved or jammed into whatever white space remains.  It should be no surprise that the success rate has been less than stellar.
To improve on these efforts, you need to provide your members with a reason to release their email addresses to you.  E-newsletters, purchase confirmations, petitions, and special discounts and offers are but a few of the benefits that will encourage your members to come on board.
2.  Web Page Collection
Many companies have an email address collection function in place via the web.  To improve your sign-up rates, add text below the email request box that informs your visitors of the special email benefits that they will receive (i.e. e-newsletters, purchase confirmations, delivery updates, etc.) upon registering.  You can also utilize a pop-up link to inform users of these special benefits.
Finally, your email address request function should be available on your home page. Don't make your users go and look for it.  Every click away from your home page reduces the chances of your users taking an action and providing you with their email address information.
3.  Existing Email Database Collection
Don't forget to ask the members of your existing customer base for email addresses of their friends, family and associates.  Viral marketing is a powerful tool to use and is extremely cost effective!  You could ask them either to provide you with additional addresses or simply to pass on your newsletter, email specific offers, or other information to others they feel have similar interests.
4.  Telemarketing Collection
Don't assume that your telemarketing agents are asking for email addresses from potential customers.  Ensure that your agents have an updated script, which outlines the previously described benefits to potential customers of providing their email addresses.
The suggestions above are a great start!  Yet they really should be viewed as a secondary plan for building your email database.  To exponentially and expeditiously grow your email database, please read on!

EMAIL APPENDING  
Utilizing an email appending service enables you to add email addresses for up to 25% of your postal file, all within 3-4 weeks.
Email Appending - is the process of adding an individual's email address to that individual's postal record in side your existing database.  This is accomplished by matching the postal database against a third party, permission based database of postal and email address information.
Best Practices - Email Appending is not a prospecting tool. The DMA (Direct Marketing Association) and its interactive arm AIM (Association of Interactive Marketing) have guidelines in place that dictate that email appending only be used to append email addresses to your existing opt-in postal record house file.
The Process - Your opt-in postal file is securely transferred to an email appending provider, who will do an initial gross email address match of your file against its opt-in database of postal and email address records.  Your appending provider will then send these matches a permission-based message prepared by you.  All bounces and opt-out requests will be removed from the list.  At that point a valid permission-based email address file of your customers will be delivered back to you. 
Cost - Less than the price of a postal stamp!

IN SUMMARY
The first step of any successful email marketing effort is to build a permission-based email address list of your customers.  The simplest, quickest and most cost-effective way to do this is through email appending, which will enable you to add email addresses for up to 25% of your postal file.  Secondary efforts of email address collection via focused direct mail, web, viral and telemarketing practices are also important and will enable you to add email addresses for an additional 5% to 10% of your base on an annual basis.
Best of luck in building your email address database.  As many companies have already learned, the ROI and cost savings to be achieved will far exceed your expectations.

Read more »

The Linux File System

Permission is granted for the below article to forward,
reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website,
offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as long
as no changes are made and the byline, copyright, and the
resource box below is included.
-----------------------------------------------------------
The Linux File System

By Stephen Bucaro

Linux uses a whole different file system philosophy than
Windows. Windows automatically assigns a drive letter to
every partition and drive it finds. But Linux makes every
partition and drive a subdirectory of the root (/)
partition. If you are a Windows user, you may get confused
when you try to use Linux.

No matter how many partitions, hard drives, or floppy
drives your computer has, the Linux File Manager displays
everything in a single directory tree under the root
directory indicated by a slash (/). Every partition or
drive is "mounted" onto the directory tree, and appears in
File Manager as a subdirectory.

Linux needs at least three partitions to work, the root
partition, the /boot partition, and the swap partition.
The root partition is mounted at startup. The root
directory itself doesn't contain any files, just
subdirectories. The /boot partition contains files used to
boot the system. The swap partition is used as "virtual
memory".

When the operating system needs more memory than there is
available in the system's RAM, it can use disk space to
emulate memory. As the system operates, data is swapped
back and forth between RAM and the swap partition. The
swap partition doesn't have a mount point because it's a
system file and is never accessed directly by the user.

Note: Linux, the Internet, and the rest of the computing
world use forward slashes to form directory paths. Only
Windows uses back-slashes to form directory paths. The
back-slash also represents an ASCII escape character,
resulting in all kinds of bugs in Windows programs.

In Windows you just insert a floppy disk into the drive and
it's accessible. With Linux, before you can access devices
such as a CD ROM or a floppy drive, you have to "mount"
the drive. For example, to mount the floppy drive, insert
the disk into the drive and then select Main Menu |
Programs | System | Disk Manager. The "User Mount Tool"
utility will appear. In the "User Mount Tool" click on the
"Mount" button to the right of /dev/fd0.

Note: Linux abstracts every device attached your computer,
including the hard drive and floppy drive as a file. Files
in the /dev/ folder are equivalent to device driver files
in Windows. Linux provides device files for most common
devices, but if you install an uncommon device, you may
need a special device file.

After mounting the drive, you can access the floppy disk.
Before removing the disk, you have to "unmount" the drive.
If you find yourself frequently mounting and unmounting
drives, you can right-click on "Disk Manager" in the menu
and select "Add this launcher to panel".

When you installed Linux, information about devices on
computer was stored in the file /etc/fstab. If the device
that you want to mount was not configured during
installation, use the LinuxConf utility to configure the
device before you mount it.

For example, if you wanted to configure a floppy drive to
access DOS floppy disks, insert a DOS floppy disk into the
drive, then log in as root and open LinuxConf - Main Menu
| Programs | System | LinuxConf. In the LinuxConf window
Config tab, click on "+" next to "File systems" to open
that branch. Under "File systems" click on "Access local
drive". The "Local volume" windows appears.

In the "Local volume" window, click on the Add button. The
"Volume specification" window appears. In the "Partition"
text box type /dev/fd0. Then click on the drop down button
for the "Type" text box and select msdos. In the "Mount
point" text box type /mnt/floppy. Click on the "Accept"
button. Then click on the "Mount" button.

Note: To mount a partition or drive you have to use an
existing subdirectory as the mount point. By convention,
drives use the /mnt/ subdirectory as the mount point.

To copy files to and from the mounted floppy disk, drag
and drop them to and from the directory /mnt/dosfloppy
just as you would any other directory.

Read more »

Making Sense of ISP Provider Choices

Choosing an ISP provider can be an overwhelming and confusing task. How do you make sense of all the thousands of plans that are available to ensure that you make the right choice for you and your family? What do you need to look for in an ISP provider that will guarantee that you get the maximum value for your money and a smooth connection?

When choosing an ISP provider you need to look for one that has a long track record with customers and provides software upgrades periodically. This will show you that they are concerned with increasing the ease and quickness of your connection and internet surfing. The long track record will give you that feeling of stability and consistency of using an established ISP provider that you can trust, rather than some cheap fly-by-night provider that will only offer you disconnections or no connection when you need it.

You also need to read the fine print of the contract. Can you stay online for periods of time or will it automatically cut you off of the internet after a specific time period? How many email addresses are allowed for each account? If there are not enough for everyone in your family that needs to have one, then this may not be the plan for you. Do you have to stay with this ISP provider for a specific period of time or can you terminate the provider at any time without a penalty?

Customer service can be a very important tool for you if you have any internet problems. Is their customer service line toll-free? Is it open 24/7? Check on their quality and response by calling to ask questions about their internet service.

You need to check access numbers if it is a dial-up service to ensure that there is a local number you can use for your service. If you travel, you want to make sure there is a wide variety of area codes available or, even better, a toll free number for you to use when traveling.

The most important thing is to research different companies and compare them side by side to see which company is right for you and your family. The cheapest provider will not necessarily give you the best internet experience. Don't base your choice solely on price or you may experience more internet disruptions and disconnections than smooth service. Whether you choose AOL, Juno, Earthlink, or one of the other thousands of ISP providers available, make the best choice for your intended internet experience to get the best deal for you money!

Read more »

Help Keep the Computers on Earth Clean and Healthy

“Aaaaaahhhhhh! I’ve been invaded by a virus!” Getting a virus means getting sick and no one in their right mind wants to be ill. Well, now that computers have become our close friends, it’s a shock to learn that foreign bodies too can invade them with malicious intent. No, your computer doesn’t get a runny nose or diarrhea. This is a sickness that stops your friend from functioning properly, sick in bed, incapacitated.

Well in Nature viruses occur from a power outside of our control. But, with computers it’s different, humans, mean or ignorant humans are creating these viruses. Why? Usually these are disgruntled people who want to wreak some havoc on others or companies that they feel have done wrong to them. In any case we have to be in the know and prepared to deal with these debilitating scourges.

There are many ways to approach the protection of your computer. First of all there’s the step of awareness. Be aware of how viruses are transmitted. You can catch them from a disc but in most cases it is through your email system. Check your email carefully. Be very wary of anything that has an attachment. Check whom it’s from and look at the title of the mail, is it something you were expecting? Even if it’s from someone you know, be careful as their computer could be infected and the virus being transmitted without their knowledge.

Next, read the cover message, you can’t catch the disease without actually opening the message. Look at the name of the attachment; remember viruses are written to entice you. Beware of free offers and generally anything from people you don’t know, as well as messages that sound irrelevant to your contact’s usual style. Delete them straight away. Delete, delete, delete. This will ensure you of a lower risk of infection. You can even send the message back to the sender without opening it to make sure it is valid.

Now for the heavy protection: Virus scanning and virus protection software, and rescue discs are all readily available and easily utilized. Some are free, and others are obtained for a very small charge. Most software manufacturers offer subscriptions for updating services, which automatically download protection to the latest viruses.

There are two main types of virus scanning software: one searches through your entire computer files looking for recognizable viral signatures, the other scans your incoming and outgoing emails. Alerts will show you when a file needs to be erased or repaired. If you do receive a virus that none of the software can repair you can send a copy of it to a company like Symantec who will be happy to develop a cure for it.

The main message here is not to get too worried about your good friend Mrs. PC getting ill or sick. The humans are on top of the case and they seem much better adapted at fixing their technology than they are at beating the viruses that attack our physical bodies. If only we could cure human virus and illness as easily as we solve the problem of computer sickness.

Read more »

The Trouble With Spam Is....

Each day we all face the same challenge. Spam. It doesn't matter if you're a home computer user or the head of IT for a multinational limiting or totally preventing the distribution of junk email to your computer(s) is now a daily chore.

The sheer frustration that spam causes combined with the number of lost man hours adds up to junk email being a very real problem for all involved. You have to filter through all the junk to find your own personal or work email. This on its own is annoying enough. When you consider the security risks from spyware, trojans, diallers and attempted identity theft spam becomes much more than just an annoyance - it becomes a minefield for any computer user.

So what can you do to block spam? The first step each user should take is to simply limit the number of people who know your personal email address. If you have a work email address then just use it for work. For home users only distribute your email address to people you know and trust. This simple move can cut your spam problems by 50%.

But what about all those online forms I need to fill in? No problem. Use a free email service like Hotmail or Gmail for this purpose. Treat it as a throwaway account that you can use as a buffer between your true personal email address and the rest of the world. Let it fill up with junk email and then just login once a week and delete everything you see.

Your password. It's amazing how many people set the password for their email account to abc123 or something similar. These passwords are incredibly easy for spammers to guess and would give them easy access to your mail account. The password for your email account should follow corporate standards of being 6 - 8 characters long and be alphanumeric (a mixture of numbers and letters). Make it longer if you can. Using a weak password is just asking for trouble.

If you're already receiving a ton of spam then you'll need to invest in a spam blocker. There are free spam blockers you can download and also also their paid equivalents. A great spam blocker can cost you as little as $30 and you'll see an immediate reduction in the amount of spam you're receiving.

Over and above installing software on your computer (especially for Mac users as your choices are limited) you could sign up for one of the web based challenge response spam blockers like Mailblocks or SpamArrest. Both of these services are ideal for somebody who's on the move a lot. Also because they're web based there's no software to install so they're perfect for Mac or PocketPC/Palm users.

Taking a pro-active anti spam stance is the next step. If you get junk email from people then check the mail headers and report any offensive email to the hosting company or ISP involved. Never, ever reply to spam directly. This simply confirms to the spammer that your email address is active. Also never click on any hyperlinks in any junk email - this again confirms your existence and can lead to a virus being downloaded directly onto your PC. Filter the spam, report the abusers, delete the remaining junk email.

Spam can be stopped. Not by some corporate giant or genius programmer. It can be stopped by each of you individually. Spammers rely on the widespread availability of email addresses and for people to reply to these emails or click on the links within the emails. The sooner people stop reacting emotionally to spam and simply filter, report and delete the offensive mail itself the sooner the lucrative market of bulk email will dry up for the spammers.

Read more »

How To Increase Your Auction’s Visibility On Ebay.

Once you’ve optimised your titles for search terms and your items have short durations to get them near the top of the results, there’s really only one sure-fire way to make your auction stand out from the crowd. Unfortunately, it involves paying eBay more money – but it can really pay off, especially for higher-priced items.

In this email, I’ll take you through the various ‘listing upgrades’ eBay offer, how much they cost, and whether they’re any good. Remember that if you want any of these, you can just tick their box while you’re going through the process of listing your item. The charges will be added to the other fees you’re charged for the listing.

Gallery. The most basic of upgrades, this will show your photo on the search results page as well as inside on the item’s description page. This is always worth having. Cost: 35c.

Subtitle. If you add a subtitle, you get a little more space to fit in any extra information that you couldn’t squeeze into the title. Use this if you’re selling a relatively technical item that just has too many good features to fit into that 55-letter title space. Cost: 50c.

Bold. This will put your auction’s title in bold on search results pages. Not especially noticeable, but might make your auction stand out a little. Cost: $1.

Border. Choose this option to put your listing inside a coloured box on results pages, making it look a bit special. Cost: $3.

Highlight. You can get your listing highlighted in purple on results pages. Cost: $5.

Featured Plus. This upgrade will show your item at the top of the page in the search results, with the ‘featured items’, for the duration of your listing. It will also be shown in the featured items list seen by people who browse by category. This is easily the best upgrade you can buy, and will easily pay for itself twice over with an item that’s worth more than about $100 and getting a decent number of bids. Cost: $19.95.

Gallery Featured. This will show your item first when someone chooses to view items using the ‘Picture Gallery’ view. Few people ever use this view, but it might be useful for some kinds of items. Cost: $19.95.

Home Page Featured. This is the ultimate in listing upgrades, but its value is questionable, especially given the small space featured items are actually given on the home page. If you think you could pull a lot of buyers into your auction with nothing but the first four or five words of your title, go for it. Really, you have to get yourself on the home page at least once in your eBay life, don’t you? Cost: $39.95.

Instead of going to expense to get new buyers through the listings, perhaps you should talk to your existing ones and create some new sales opportunities that way? If you’d like to know how, be sure to read the next email.

Read more »

Niche Software Steals Microsoft's Thunder

When you think of software and personal computers (PCs), you think Microsoft.

The global software giant dominates the PC market in both penetration and pocketbook.

It seems you can't go a single day without seeing at least one news story and several advertisements for Microsoft or a Microsoft product.

But that doesn't mean Microsoft dominates in every corner of the market; in fact, as the software behemoth gets bigger, numerous niche software offerings spring up to fill in the gaps left in Microsoft's wake.

As you'll see, a couple of these niche software programs have managed to either beat Microsoft to the punch, or even steal market share away from the seemingly invincible company.


** FeedDemon **

FeedDemon software ($29.95) enables you to subscribe to and read RSS Feeds (Real Simple Syndication).

RSS has emerged as the preferred way to share news and other content with subscribers across the Internet without the use of email.

The advantage to subscribers: as news, blogs, or other content updates somewhere online, subscribers receive virtually instant notification just by opening up their reader.

This represents a huge time savings since subscribers can receive updates without surfing individual sites to chase down stories or wading through piles of spam to find the content they actually want.

The advantage to publishers: no worrying about whether email notifications, news releases, or blog updates made it past the spam filters or unreliable mail servers.

Though many free RSS reader software packages exist (just do a search on Google.com for "free rss reader"), FeedDemon offers an unmatched suite of tools that enable serious RSS subscribers the power and flexibility to mix and match feeds, including the new "POD Casting" craze where content providers syndicate audio content (MP3) over the web.

Available from www.bradsoft.com/feeddemon/, FeedDemon sets the standard for RSS readers in a market that Microsoft has yet to even address with any of its software products.

I'll make a daring prediction here: watch for Microsoft or another large player to purchase FeedDemon rather than try to reinvent the wheel and build a product brand themselves.


** FireFox Web Browser **

Security problems always seem to plague the Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) Web browser.

In fact, last year the problem got so bad, it forced Microsoft to release one of the largest free software upgrades (Service Pack 2) in the history of computing.

According to both OneStat.com and Webside Story, two of the Web's leading Web analytics companies, Microsoft's IE market share has dipped below 90%.

See actual stats from WebSide Story Here:
http://www.websidestory.com/services-solutions/datainsights/spotlight.html

In response to serious security threats to Internet Explorer, an upstart browser named FireFox from Mozilla.org took off like a rocket ship in late 2004.

Available free from www.Mozilla.org, FireFox offers not only a full-featured Web browser without the security problems, but also a number of features not available on Internet Explorer.

Probably the most popular feature Firefox offers over IE is "Tabbed Browsing," which enables you to open multiple Web pages without opening multiple windows.

Firefox also limits harmful Active-X controls and pop-up windows.

Firefox tends towards a less forgiving attitude on HTML coding and may display some Web pages awkwardly, where IE displays most pages as the designer intended.

Despite this, Firefox makes an excellent browser and Microsoft should take heed that market dominance doesn't last forever once consumers see a viable alternative.

And the lesson in all of this for all you would-be entrepreneurs out there with the next great idea?

It doesn't matter how big or small your organization, it always comes back to a simple formula: Meet the needs and solve the problems of a specific niche audience better than the next guy and you'll be the winner!

Read more »

A guide to VoIP

What is VoIP? Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is the ability to transmit voice over the Internet to either a receiving computer, telephone or even a mobile phone. VoIP phone is becoming the popular worldwide telephone service for both consumer and the business communities. VoIP works by using a network technology known as Packet Switching Network whereas landline telephones use the Circuit Switching Network. This is referred to as the Public Switched Telephone Network.

What's the difference between VoIP normal phones?

The main difference between Packet Switching and Circuit Switching, is that Packet Switching uses (data) or Packets and sends them over the Internet while Circuit Switching is accomplished by using electrical circuits to make a telephone connection. Circuit Switching is like the old switchboard operators, frantically trying to connect the right caller with the receiver. Packet Switching is used to transfer data all across the Internet including E-mail. Packet Switching converts audio formats into data packets and transmits them over the Internet, then reassembles them on the other person’s phone or computer in real time. By using a Broadband Internet Connection, microphone and speakers a conversation can take place similar to traditional telephone.

VoIP phones have been round for sometime, but increases in technology it is becoming increasingly popular. Several years ago many applications were available offering some form of free VoIP phone service. Majority of these have gone or now charge a fee for the use of their service as VoIP phone provider. Moreover, VoIP is developing higher standards of quality every day, and it has proved that it is a viable force for telecommunication for the future.

Who is providing VoIP phone service?

Telephone and Internet service provider companies are expanding to allow for monthly VoIP phone services. Companies such as AOL, Verizon and Sprint have VoIP phone offerings. Recently eBay has joined the ranks of VoIP phone service providers by purchasing skype VoIP software, with its vast membership base the VoIP message will soon reach the man on the street.

What's special about VoIP?

Instant messaging programs such as MSN massager have been using VoIP technology for years. Now, most of these messaging programs come with voice enabled features which allow you to call a member of your buddy list. By using a microphone and speakers, you will be able to converse anywhere in the world, by VoIP and your Instant Messaging program.

With instant messaging VoIP incorporates different areas into one program. With your voice enabled programs, you can hook up a digital camera,web cam and use video, while you are speaking on your microphone and listening to on your speakers, and you can type back and forth with your chat program. You could even write an email at the same time. The potential for VoIP phones use is nearly limitless.

VoIP has this unique ability to integrate many forms of telecommunication applications into one package can handle data, audio, video, E-Mail, and web based applications simultaneously. This makes VoIP an incredible boost to business world and provides a cost effective choice of telephone service.

VoIP phone service providers are increasing in popularity with many people discovering all of the benefits available to them by switching from using their land line telephones to VoIP service. First, VoIP phone services costs significantly less than standard phone service, and this is a great attraction for bringing in new customers. Many VoIP phone plans will let you make unlimited long distance calls or provide you with a plan for very inexpensive rates. Many of the features that are often included for a fee with traditional phone service are often included for free with VoIP services. Features such as Call Waiting, Call Block, Call Forwarding, Conference Calling, Voice Mail are usually charged as extras by the traditional phone companies but these are usually free with the VoIP phone packages.Another benefit to VoIP services is that you can usually keep your existing phone number, or allow you to select a new area code. The means if you select an area where most of your friends and family live, a call to you will be treated as local call. For a remote business VoIP service can give the perception of having multiple office locations.

What's the future for VoIP

Make no mistake about it VoIP phone services is a the emerging contender in the telecommunication world.It is a proven technology, can seamlessly integrate into many existing applications, does not require special equipment anyone with a PC with a microphone and speakers can use the service and it is very cost effective. Talk will be cheap!

Read more »

Is desktop search deserving?

Google, in their march to stay ahead of the pack of competition, has

released Google Desktop Search. With Microsoft's MSN in the lead position

and nipping at Google's heels, and Google's new shareholders to please,

Google has more incentive than ever to deploy technology both better than

the other guy's, and sooner. After all, the first to get loaded to the

desktop is more likely to build and retain user loyalty.

Google Desktop Search allows you to search within various types of files

on your computer. It's still in beta, but is available for download by

anyone. It requires Windows XP or Windows 2000 with at least Service Pack

3. It runs as a memory-resident application, with a system tray icon, so

that it can index new documents as they are created.

For example, if you know a certain word or phrase was in a Word document,

but you don't remember which one, you can easily locate all documents on

your computer that contain that word. Desktop Search can search through

email, text, and HTML files, your cached web pages, and MS Office

Documents (Word, Excel, and Powerpoint only).

By way of comparison, there is a competing application, also free, from

Copernic, not surprisingly called Copernic Desktop Search. At the moment,

it is perhaps more advanced than Google's. For example, Copernic's

software scans the same type of files as does Google's, but also scans

music and video files and PDF documents, while Google does not. Both

products can only scan Outlook or Outlook Express email at present.

But don't count Google out. Webmasters know it's never wise to do that!

After all, they're still in beta with Desktop Search, and they are as

surely aware of Copernic's product as they are of MSN. Google has both

the resources and motivation to not only keep but expand their market

leadership.

Read more »

Will The Real Spammer Please Stand Up!

If you have been using opt-in email marketing for sometime, I'm
sure you might have got accused of spam at some point, even
after doing everything right.

Yes, I'm talking about people who actually agreed to receive
your email, blaming you for sending unsolicited mail.

According to me it's not their fault, as nowadays it's very easy
to mistake an 'email marketer' for an 'email bomber'.

The web has grown so wide and huge in the last couple of years
that it has become hard to differentiate between a spammer and a
legal email marketer.

Spammers just didn't disturb a regular
email users life but also wrecked havoc in the Internet
marketing community.

Day after day it's becoming devastatingly difficult for
permission based email marketers to use email legally and not
get slammed for illegal mailing.

Even after making sure your email looks, sounds, smells and
tastes 'Legal', you run a high risk of either getting blocked or
being labeled as a spammer.

On the other hand, if luck favors you and your mail does make it
to your subscribers' inbox safe and sound, what's the guarantee
that it'll get opened and read?

It's a nightmare every marketer would love to avoid.

Well, you can stop worrying now and have a sigh of relief. It's
about time all the hardcore spammers out there had their last
laugh.

The Internet marketing world is abuzz with a brand new
technology, which could finally send spamming back to the dark
ages, big time.

If you still don't have a clue of what I'm talking about, it's
called RSS and it's turning heads all over the web.

RSS, which stands for 'Really Simple Syndication' is a new
technology, which enables anyone to syndicate his or her content
online.

A lot has been written on what is RSS and how it works. So I
would like to keep it short and sweet, as I'm sure you too
wouldn't really want to get into the unnecessary technical stuff.

In simple words, RSS is a way to publish and receive content
electronically. RSS files are XML based and are popularly known
as RSS feeds.

What's revolutionary about RSS is, it can help you distribute
your content directly to your subscribers, without any spam
filters interfering.

To subscribe and read your RSS feeds, all your subscribers need
to have is an RSS reader, also known as an aggregator.

What's more, they don't even have to worry about giving out any
of their personal details to subscribe to your feed.

And with a screaming bunch of RSS readers available on the web
right now (most of them being free), it wouldn't be very hard to
convince your subscribers to get there hands on one.

RSS readers are available in both versions, desktop and
web-based, of which the latter seems to be the most popular.

Once your subscriber adds your RSS feed to their favorite RSS
reader, you go 'live' and instantly establish a direct
connection with your subscriber.

Whenever you have something
new to publish, all you have to do is update your already
published RSS feed with your fresh content.

As soon you load your feed with new content, walla! Your feed
automatically gets updated everywhere it's subscribed.

No mess, no fuss. Just content that works.

Pretty neat huh?

That's the beauty of RSS. No wonder it's currently being
employed by web honchos like Yahoo! and MSN to deliver content
to their users.

They even allow their members to add any RSS feeds of their
choice to their members' area, making them perfect examples of
web-based aggregators.

Syndicating your content can mean a lot to you and your
business. By publishing your own RSS feeds, you could eventually
end up with more leads, more subscribers and not to forget, more
money in the bank.

Read more »

Does Your PC Have Worms?

Worms aren't just for dogs anymore. Find out how to inoculate your computer against these nasty parasites.

What Are Worms?

Worms are descended from viruses and are even nastier. Just as ever stronger doses of pesticide breed ever more resilient locusts, better and better anti-spyware software bred ever more devious viruses.

Finally, some virus designers stopped having their creations infect and take over files the way real viruses infect and take over cells. Instead, they created programs that could stand on their own and cause plenty of trouble without the help of any other software applications. Just worms are independent organisms that can infect a host directly, so do computer worms infect computers directly.

What Do Worms Do?

Worm designers are often even more sinister than virus designers, since worm designers are not just vandals. Worm designers often use their creations to achieve specific goals:

• Backdoor creation. Worms often try to set up another kind of malware, a backdoor. A backdoor is a hidden opening in your network connection that lets the worm send data out and take data in. Practically speaking, the data it's sending out are often spam emails, and the data it takes in are instructions on spam emails to send.

• Denial of service attack. Some worm designers really are vandals rather than profit-hungry con artists sending spam. But their vandalism can be more targeted. They use worms to send out numerous requests to remote computers, such as web servers, in order to overwhelm them and therefore shut them down. This is called a denial of service attack.

• Spyware, Trojan, adware, and virus installation. Worms are often used simply to unleash other forms of malware on a computer that might otherwise block them.

• Information theft and fraud.Worms can multitask in order to set up spyware that gathers sensitive information--often financial information--and then set up backdoors, Trojans, viruses, or dialers to disseminate the stolen data.

How Do Worms End Up on a PC?

Worms enter PCs just as viruses, spyware and other malware do: any way they can! Some favorite points of entry for worms:

• Websites can actually download software to your computer without you realizing it. This software includes not only worms, but also spyware, adware, viruses, and other malware. These malware programs find their way into websites either by the deliberate design of the site owner or because hackers have installed the software on the website's server.

• Peer-to-peer file-sharing networkscontain many nice-enough-looking files that are really worms. One of the sneakiest disguises is a filename that indicates the spyware is really a video of a beautiful actress.

• Email, the favored route of viruses, can still be exploited by Spyware. But since new email programs usually block the automatic opening of file attachments, this is less of a problem than it used to be.

• Any internet connection inevitably lets data flow both in and out, and so is vulnerable to attacks by worms.

How Do You Get Rid of Worms?

There's really only one good way to make sure your computer is rid of worms: scan it with multiple antivirus and anti-spyware programs using a full-system scan. Worms are tricky, so anything less than a full-system scan might let them escape. Worse, with new worms coming out all the time, some antivirus and anti-spyware packages may not even know about a new worm until after its wreaking havoc on your machine. That's why you should try using more than one antivirus program and more than one anti-spyware program to increase your odds of successfully detecting the malware.

Don't have more than one anti-spyware and antivirus software? You'd better start downloading. After all, worms won't take excuses.

Read more »

How To Get Links From Auction Sites

Internet auctions have emerged as one dynamic and effective economic force where millions of buyers and sellers are entering regularly. Online auctions provide a comfortable source of income to various webmasters. And for the customers, the auctions provide the platform to identify with the specific and discounted merchandise.

Having your link in the auction sites proves to be an extremely beneficial deal in terms of traffic building and link popularity. If you want to go deep into how links from auction sites can help you build link popularity, read on the article further.

First things first, when it comes to target traffic, auction sites prove to be amongst the best available options for your products. With all types of buyers and sellers conglomerating on the auction sites, the link popularity of your website also gains the propitious levels.

Now the most important question pops up: How to Get Links from Auction Sites?

To get your links on the auction site, you would have to first register with that site. The registration process is simple. You are required to fill in some mandatory details. These details include your name, your email address, your website address, and your phone number. After this an email would be sent in your account. It would require you to fill the details of the preferred payment method, product details and company details. Then with the final affirmation of the auction sites you would receive a confirmation of an official member of the website.

After you have successfully registered with the website, you can start placing the products for auction. This would include a link to your website with the product. You can go for multiple links to your websites for even a single product.

Getting a link with auction sites proves to be highly beneficial for you in two prominent ways.

The first and the foremost benefit that you would get after getting linked to an auction site is the link popularity. The auction sites provide you with a temporary web space where you can provide multiple links to your product, its description and additional features. As you provide more links to the website, people would click frequently on the link, and it would gain higher ranking in the search engines. As more and more people would click on your link, the sales would definitely boost up.

The second thing from which you would benefit is the traffic. As more and more visitors would click on your links to get the details of the products, their features and even their photos, the traffic would definitely increase. When the visitors would get to know fully about the products, they would prefer to buy them. This would again benefit you.

As your website gets more popular, visitors would insist on directly coming to your website instead via the links. By doing these they would explore various new products and if they match their requirements, they can purchase them too. This would again benefit you as a website owner.

Creating your link at an auction sites also gives you another benefit. You won’t have to ask for permission or a link back-up. You just have to pay a fee and you are free to proceed with your products posting.

Read more »