Dwix's Blog

TUMPEK LANDEP, TAJAMKAN ''SENJATA KEHIDUPAN''

2009-08-15T10:53:00.000+08:00

Hari ini (15-08-2009), Saniscara Kliwon Wuku Landep, seperti biasa umat Hindu merayakan Tumpek Landep. Dalam konteks ritual, umumnya umat Hindu memohon ke hadapan Hyang Widi Wasa agar tiap peralatan teknologi dapat berfungsi tepat guna, memudahkan umat dalam beraktivitas.

Di balik itu, apa sesungguhnya makna Tumpek Landep? Plt. Rektor Institut Hindu Dharma (IHD) Negeri Denpasar Drs. I Gede Rudia Adiputra, M.Ag. mengatakan perayaan Tumpek Landep pada hakikatnya memohon kepada Tuhan agar umat diberikan ketajaman senjata kehidupan. ''Landep itu mengandung makna runcing atau tajam. Jadi yang ditajamkan adalah senjata kehidupan kita. Tumpek Landep dipakai momen untuk menajamkan senjata kehidupan,'' ujar Rudia Adiputra.

Senjata kehidupan itu, kata Rudia, tak lain adalah pikiran. Agar pikiran cerdas, perlu ditajamkan melalui penguasaan ilmu pengetahuan. Melalui pikiran yang tajamlah umat diharapkan mampu menghadapi berbagai musuh dalam diri. Musuh itu yakni persoalan-persoalan kehidupan, antara lain kemiskinan, kebodohan, kegelapan dan sebagainya. ''Berbagai musuh itulah yang mesti kita lawan dengan tajamnya pikiran dan hati nurani,'' ujarnya.

Kata Rudia, menajamkan pikiran itu melalui penguasaan ilmu pengetahuan. Melalui perayaan Hari Saraswati-lah umat Hindu bersyukur kepada Ida Sang Hyang Widi Wasa karena telah diturunkannya ilmu pengetahuan. Sementara, dalam Tumpek Landep umat ''mengevaluasi'' apakah tajamnya pikiran lewat penguasaan ilmu pengetahuan sudah mampu digunakan dengan baik.

Kata Rudia, salah besar jika ada anggapan bahwa Tumpek Landep dimaknai otonan kendaraan. Pada Tumpek Landep umat sejatinya memohon keselamatan agar senjata kehidupannya bisa bermanfaat demi kesejahteraan umat manusia. Pun kendaraan, senjata dan alat-alat teknologi tercipta dari olah pikir manusia. Dalam ritual Tumpek Landep, alat-alat itu diharapkan dapat berfungsi untuk memudahkan aktivitas manusia sekaligus bermakna bagi kehidupan bersama.

Makna bagi Seniman
Tumpek Landep pun memiliki makna tersendiri bagi para seniman. Rektor Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI) Negeri Denpasar Prof. Dr. Wayan Rai S, M.A. mengatakan Tumpek Landep sebagai momen penting untuk mempertajam kemampuan seni bagi seorang seniman.

Perayaan Tumpek Landep itu hendaknya dijadikan tonggak untuk memantapkan diri dalam berkesenian yakni menajamkan penciptaan, teknik garapan dan sebagainya. Untuk bisa membuat garapan yang betul-betul metaksu, perlu ada upaya dari dalam maupun luar diri seniman.

Kata Rai, Tumpek Landep erat sekali hubungannya dengan taksu. Secara umum, para seniman sudah melakukan pemujaan saat memulai berkesenian. Tetapi dalam perayaan Tumpek Landep, para seniman lebih memantapkan diri melakukan penajaman melalui persembahyangan agar metaksu. Dengan mengosongkan pikiran untuk memuja Tuhan, diharapkan muncul inspirasi dan spirit baru.

Sebagai bentuk ritual memuja Dewa Kesenian dalam Tumpek Landep, para seniman biasanya mengupacarai atribut tari seperti gelungan, keris, tombak dan lain-lain. ''Dengan melangsungkan ritual seperti itu para seniman berharap agar selalu diberikan ketajaman dalam berkesenian,'' katanya.

Penajaman itu tak hanya lewat keterampilan atau latihan, tetapi juga spiritual. Sehingga para seniman mampu tampil tajam atau metaksu. ''Untuk bisa metaksu, seorang seniman harus meraihnya melalui kedua aspek yakni fisik maupun mental,'' katanya.

Aspek fisik melalui latihan-latihan menabuh dan menari. Aspek mental melalui pendalaman-pendalaman keilmuan dan kaitannya dengan keyakinan terhadap Ida Sang Hyang Widi, sehingga mampu tajam atau metaksu dalam penampilan. * subrata

sumber: balipost.co.id

Pegawai Negeri Sipil atau Pegawai Negeri Santai

2009-07-06T18:27:00.001+08:00

dicopy full dari tulisan Shabrun

Judul diatas mengelitik benak saya untuk sekedar menuliskan sedikit tentang PNS. Pada dasarnya PNS begitu diminati dengan berbagai macam alasan, bahkan begitu banyak orang rela berlama-lama menjadi SPN (seperti pegawai negeri) alias tenaga honorer lengkap dengan baju yang mirip PNS. Sungguh sangat miris rasanya jika kita baca peran seorang Margareth Thatcher yang kita kenal sebagai 'wanita besi', yang begitu terkenal keras saat memerintah. Saking kerasnya beliau memangkas ribuan posisi dalam pemerintahan di Inggris ditahun 1976, setelah itu beliau teruskan lagi dengan rayenism dengan merekrut para ahli efiesiensi, dan akhirnya berbuah pelayanan publik yang cukup sempurna ... Inggris berbenah begitu jauh dalam sektor publik, seiring dengan pengembangan akuntansi sektor publik dalam bentuk tekhnologi

Menjadi PNS di Indonesia? hhhmm suatu hal yang begitu banyak diminati orang mendaftar berjubel, pakai protes segala jika tidak diterima, pakai sujud syukur jika berhasil diterima, sebegitu perlukah kita membuka keran pendaftaran PNS? atau hanya perwujudan dari janji-janji politik saat kampanye dalam penyediaan lapangan kerja. Begitu banyakkah pekerjaan yang ada dalam tubuh pemerintahan, sehingga setiap tahun membutuhkan tenaga pengganti bagi mereka yang pensiun? pertanyaan-pertanyaan diatas tidak sendiri muncul, melainkan akibat dari tidak terurusnya pelayanan sektor publik yang diberikan oleh rekan-rekan PNS. Bahkan sampai iklan rokokpun mengkritisi kinerja PNS yang tentunya ini tidak bisa digeneralisasi,namun cukup memberikan fenomena tersendiri untuk lebih mengkoreksi kinerja entity-entity terutama yang masuk dalam kategori pelayanan sektor publik.

Adalah penting untuk dimengerti bahwa TAX adalah revenue terbesar dalam memberikan sumbangsih kepada 'goverment expenditure', dengan bahasa yang lebih mudah pajak yang dipungut dari rakyat itulah yang mengcover biaya-biaya yang dikeluarkan oleh pemerintah termasuk dalam hal ini gaji PNS. Dengan pemahaman tersebut, masih adakah kesempatan untuk 'SANTAI' bagi seorang PNS. PNS harus lebih bekerja keras... harus lebih melayani masyarakat.... dengan demikian jadilah mereka Pegawai Negeri Sipil dan menjauhkan mereka dari kesan Pegawai Negeri Santai.....

PNS dan institusi tentunya tidak hanya diam tanpa berbenah, harus kita akui berubahnya sistem anggaran berimbang menjadi sistem anggaran kinerja adalah suatu pertanda bahwa PNS dan institusinya mengalami perubahan. Sejak awal tahun 2004 disetujuinya Standar Akuntansi Pemerintahan untuk diimplementasikan, adalah suatu kemajuan mengingat sejak merdeka kita tidak pernah punya Standar Akuntansi Pemerintahan. Pembenahan yang dilakukan didunia akademisi dalam hal ini PTN menjadi Badan Hukum Pendidikan, demikian juga dibidang medis dengan tidak mem-plot posisi direktur/rektor harus dari tenaga medis/akademisi, semakin membuka kacamata kita akan pentingnya pelayanan sektor publik yang selama ini kurang terurus.Mari kita terus memberikan dorongan pada para PNS untuk terus memberikan pelayanan public yang sempurna, setidaknya dengan memberi pemahaman pentingnya pelayanan public bagi mereka yang ingin menjadi PNS

Microsoft Windows Micro Xp Sp3 v0.82

2009-04-27T10:48:00.002+08:00

Description:
Lighest & Fastest XP ever made with Updates Upto Sep 2008 [SIZE 85MB Only]
In this Version, You can install and run just about all the programs and games
that you can run on a normal installation of XP.

Microsoft Windows Micro XP v 0.82 - eXPerience | ISO | 85MB

RAM Usage On First Installation ……….. 39 Mb
Handles …………………………….. 2229
Threads …………………………….. 157
Processes …………………………… 15

Entire Install Size ………………….. 205Mb

Documents and settings folder size …….. 3.19 Mb
Program Files folder size …………….. 2.79 Mb
WINDOWS folder size ………………….. 199 Mb

Files In System32 ……………………. 815

CHANGELOG

(MicroXP v0.82)

released: 2008

Following the release of MicroXP v0.82, this new version fixes an issue
with Wireless LAN where it was not able to automatically find networks
around you without knowing the SSID identification code of the network.

This problem only appeared with Service Pack 3. The fix was simple, just
replace three DLL files in this SP3 version with the older SP2 versions
of the files - problem is fixed and you can use wireless just the same
as you could in previous (SP2) releases of MicroXP.

All previous fixes in all previous versions
of MicroXP apply in this new version 0.82.

MicroXP v0.81 to MicroXP v0.82

[REPLACED FILES]

- Replaced SP3 version of “wzcdlg.dll” with SP2 version (saves 5Kb)

- Replaced SP3 version of “wzcsapi.dll” with SP2 version (saves 1Kb)

- Replaced SP3 version of “wzcsvc.dll” with SP2 version (saves 121Kb)

[REMOVED FILES]

- Removed all .XSD files.

- Removed “L2Schemas” folder from the WINDOWS folder.

- Removed “Provisioning” folder from the WINDOWS folder.

[Services Remaining In Windows]

Cryptographic Services
DCOM Server Process Launcher
DHCP Client
Event Log
Logical Disk Manager
Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service
Network Connections
Plug and Play
Print Spooler
Remote Access Auto Connection Manager
Remote Access Connection Manager
Remote Procedure Call
Server
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
Telephony
Windows Audio
Windows Image Acquisition (WIA)
Windows Installer
Wireless Zero Configuration
Workstation

All these services are enabled on installation,
so you can start using Windows straight away.

[WHAT YOU CAN DO]

- PROGRAMS -

You can still install and run just about all the programs and games
that you can run on a normal installation of XP. There is a text file
in the eXPerience folder on the desktop that has a list of programs
that work and includes some that don’t work (not many). Even Office
2007 installs on this version of Windows

- GAMES -

Up to now, there has not been one single report of any game not
working on MicroXP. Gaming is what this edition of Windows is all
about, it gives better benchmarks than any other version of
Windows I have ever tested.

- LAN NETWORKING -

At last - MicroXP now has the ability to browse your local network.
All you need to know is the computer name of the computer you want
to connect to and thats about it, just right click My Computer and
choose Map Network Drive. All computers can see each other even
if every computer in the network is running this MicroXP.

- CAMERAS AND SCANNERS

Now in MicroXP it is possible to use a digital camera (USB only,
no Firewire) or a scanner. Tested and working with a Fuji FinePix
6MP camera. The Photo Printing Wizard is not included, neither
is the wizard to download photos from the internet, but the rest
of the functionality for cameras and scanners is as complete as
in full Windows. My favourite saying: whats missing, you’re not
gonna miss! Print photos with Photoshop or maybe even Irfanview.
Ctrl+P to print works in every single program that supports it,
so its not like we ever needed the photo printing wizard, which
only ever made all images I fed through it A4, even small images,
so it actually did not even work, unless I skipped a button but
there really are no buttons to skip in that wizard, its useless.

- DIAL-UP CONNECTION -

You can still use a Dial-Up connection (Broadband or old 56k modem).
This is the one major flaw in other stripped out operating systems,
a lot of UK users still use a modem with broadband… in this
edition, RAS Dial-Up/PPPoE/DSL/ADSL connectivity is OK as well
as old 56k modems. Yes, try this install on a Pentium II or even
an old 486 might run it! They had 75Mhz processors and 8Mb RAM
with 4Mb graphics cards.

- WEB BROWSER -

This installation already includes a basic web browser called
Browzar that uses a few core files left from Internet
Explorer. No, Internet Explorer is not included, but select
files included in this installation that come from Internet
Explorer are vital to running Windows. Its also Internet Explorer
related files that allow you to open CHM files, which you can do
in this edition of Windows. This Browzar web browser is only here
so you can at least get online and download Firefox, Opera, Netscape
or whatever browser you want. This not only saves space on this CD,
but you get to choose what web browser you want to use and you get
the latest version not an old and possibly insecure version. Flash
v9.0.124.0 for Firefox and Opera is included, so Google Video and
YouTube work straight away in whichever browser you install.

- PASSES WGA CHECKS

If you go to download for example, Windows Media Player 11 from
Microsoft’s downloads section, you will need to validate windows
by running the GenuineCheck.exe file that Microsoft asks you to
download as part of the Windows Genuine Advantage checks. Its
fine to do this, don’t be scared of your key being blacklisted.

- FLASH -

If you install Opera or Firefox web browser(s) in this special
MicroXP edition of Windows, you can go visit YouTube or Google
Video without even having to install Flash Player. You can just
watch the videos right away.

Download

from http://www.fullandfree.info/software/microsoft-windows-micro-xp-sp3-v082/

Welcome to Bedugul - Bali

2008-02-23T14:43:00.003+08:00

Bedugul is a cool mountain area in Bali. Bedugul located about two hours drive from the Ngurah Rai International Airport. Bedugul has many beautiful tourism objects and facilities; even you will see beautiful sights along your journey to this location. The Eka Karya Botanical Garden (the only botanical garden in Bali) located inBedugul area, among Lake Beratan, Lake Tamblingan, Lake Buyan and natural forest in the west part. At the edge of Lake Beratan you will see the Ulun Danu Temple which is beautifully and harmoniously featured with the surrounding nature. Some water sports activities are provided in this lake e.g. fishing, skiing, diving and parasailing. Yes, clear air and environment with its beautiful surrounding make Bedugul area as one of the best and favorite holiday sites in Bali. Go and check it by yourself.

Have a nice travel

Web 2.0? Or Is It More Like Web 16.0?

2008-02-21T17:17:00.000+08:00

It has become difficult to keep up with the meanings of all the new phrases and terms generated by modern technology. One of the most commonly used phrases on the world wide web (www) today is "Web 2.0." It seems like every web solutions company is using this phrase to sell its stuff. So to the average Joe who's not a geek, what is "Web 2.0"?

Well according to Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia…

"[T]he phrase Web 2.0 can refer to a perceived second generation of web-based communities and hosted services — such as social-networking sites, wikis, and folksonomies [collaborative tagging schemes] — which aim to facilitate creativity, collaboration, and sharing between users. The term gained currency following the first O'Reilly Media Web 2.0 conference in 2004. Although the term suggests a new version of the World Wide Web, it does not refer to an update to any technical specifications, but to changes in the ways software developers and end-users use webs. According to Tim O'Reilly, 'Web 2.0 is the business revolution in the computer industry caused by the move to the Internet as platform, and an attempt to understand the rules for success on that new platform.' Some technology experts, notably Tim Berners-Lee, have questioned whether one can use the term in a meaningful way, since many of the technology components of 'Web 2.0' have existed since the early days of the W!
eb."

There is no doubt the www has advanced significantly since inception, but there really is no new version of the www. It is simply much more useful to the everyday person.

However, if we counted each major innovation as a whole number and each minor revision as a tenth, we would already be into double digits. So why are we calling it "Web 2.0"?

If you have seen the latest Die Hard movie, or ever bought software for your computer, you will understand why we are not in Web 2.0. Even if we call it Die Hard 4.0 or MS Office 2007, it's still basically the same movie or tool. So what we are really experiencing now is more like Web 16.0.

If you have an in-depth, honest conversation with your web designers, they will tell you that Web 2.0 is a myth. So to explain how we got to Web 16.0, here's a history of the most significant events on the www.

WEB 0.1 -- 1958 – SAGE – Radar systems are first networked
WEB 0.2 -- 1960 – Packet switching is first created

WEB 1.0 – EMAIL – "A New Way to Send Unsolicited Mail Is Born"

Although the exact history of Email is a tad murky, it is generally accepted that it appeared in 1965, and was created so that people accessing a mainframe could communicate with each other. This was the first step in the interconnection of people, facilitating almost instant communication at no cost to the user.

WEB 1.1 -- 1967 – Markup language is created
WEB 1.2 -- 1969 – ARPA – A link is established between computers
WEB 1.3 -- 1696 – ARPA Net – First packet-switched network created

WEB 2.0 – WYSIWYG – "What You See Is What You Get (sometimes)"

With the invention of WYSIWYG in 1970, users could now be presented with a basic display of what their finished product would look like, as they were working on it. This removed the need to memorize complex code.

WEB 2.1 -- 1970 – ASP – First Application Service Provider (SAAS)
WEB 2.2 -- 1970 – Style sheets are created
WEB 2.3 -- 1971 – @ is created to separate hosts and users
WEB 2.4 -- 1973 – TCP/IP is created to simplify networking
WEB 2.5 -- 1973 – First connection to another country established
WEB 2.6 -- 1974 – The term "Internet" is adopted
WEB 2.7 -- 1976 – X.25 – The first network standard is approved
WEB 2.8 -- 1978 – International packet switching service created

WEB 3.0 – USENET– "The Black Market of the Internet"

Usenet was established in 1980 to offer mail and file transfers as well as give personal users access to news. Usenet is in fact a large network of servers all in communication with each other; a user posts something to the local server and that item is passed along to the other servers. Usenet was a major turning point because users could finally have an open conversation with anyone on the net, without needing to specifically know the user (unlike Email). The downside is that with a sometimes un-policed net capable of file transfers, the Usenet of today is a haven for piracy of all types, where anything you can imagine is accessible.

WEB 3.1 -- 1979 – Email is made available to personal computer users, millions of Nigerian Princes suddenly need public help

WEB 4.0 – REAL TIME CHAT – Going Outside Deemed "Obsolete"

Real-Time Chat was created in 1980 following users' frustrations with Usenet articles sometimes taking 24 hours to be updated. This signaled a turning point: online conversations became instant, albeit isolated into segregated groups.

WEB 4.1 -- 1980 – First ISPs created providing dialup internet
WEB 4.2 -- 1981 – TCP/IP becomes a standard
WEB 4.3 -- 1981 – US/Europe/Canada/Hong-Kong/Australia connect
WEB 4.4 -- 1983 – TCP/IP becomes the only standard
WEB 4.5 -- 1983 – First wide area network using TCP/IP operational
WEB 4.6 -- 1985 – FTP – The File Transfer Protocol is created
WEB 4.7 -- 1988 – IRC – Internet Relay Chat is created
WEB 4.8 -- 1988 – Bulletin Board Systems and Forums created

WEB 5.0 – HTML/HTTP/Web Pages – "It Has Begun…"

Around 1980, many researchers were using the internet, but they had no single way to create/display "documents" (web pages). Physicist Tim Berners-Lee and his colleagues needed a simple system for creating/displaying documents, but found that existing systems were too commercial, platform-specific or complicated for the average user. So they created their own relatively simple system, consisting of browsing software called "WorldWideWeb," a protocol for transmitting the information (HTTP) and a document annotation convention called "Hyper Text Markup Language" (HTML). This meant anyone could now create web pages using their simple language.

WEB 5.1 -- 1989 – Images can now be animated, oh the horror!
WEB 5.2 -- 1990 – The network now covers the entire world (publicly)

WEB 6.0 – Search – "Did You Mean: Google?"

Before 1990, there was no way to find a page; you had to know the specific location. Around 1991, search engines began indexing (storing) the content they found, giving users the ability to search for a page even if they didn't know the page's location.

WEB 6.1 -- 1991 – DNS – Dynamic Naming System is created
WEB 6.2 -- 1991 – The first text-based browser is created

WEB 7.0 – DHTML – "Because Non-Scrolling Text Is Boring"

The web was static until Dynamic HTML (DHTML) was created. DHTML introduced client-side scripting, allowing authors to include code in their web pages that performed an action upon being downloaded onto a user's computer. DHTML introduced rollover buttons and drop-down menus on web pages. It goes a long way to making the web more personalized.

WEB 7.1 -- 1993 – The first graphics based browsers are created
WEB 7.2 -- 1993 – Screen casts are first created
WEB 7.3 -- 1994 – Wikis are created; Britannica begins holding its breath
WEB 7.4 -- 1994 – The World Wide Web Consortium is formed
WEB 7.5 -- 1994 – CSS – Cascading Style Sheets created

WEB 8.0 – ONLINE DIARIES – "Teens Reportedly Misunderstood"

Online diaries were first created in 1994 as a means for people to store their diaries online for personal or public reading. Writers could now reach almost anyone worldwide at practically no cost, and everyone could create editorials on whatever subjects they liked, without fear of censorship.

WEB 8.1 -- 1996 – The first social bookmarking site created

WEB 9.0 – RANKED RESULTS – "The Online Popularity Contest"

Search engine results helped find things, but many of the results were useless or had nothing to do with the keywords used. As of 1996, search results started to be ranked based on a multitude of things, like how popular a page is. This made searching faster and easier, and significantly less painful.

WEB 9.1 -- 1996 – Flash is created, whole websites can now be animated
WEB 9.2 -- 1997 – The term "Blog" is adopted

WEB 10.0 – HIRED BLOGGERS – "Wow Isn't Product X Great!"

As of 1997, personal diaries began to evolve to what became known as "blogs." Many corporate websites and personal homepages had (and still do have) news sections, these were traditionally updated manually in a back-end system. With the advent of blogs, the commercial sector jumped in, seeing a new marketing medium.

WEB 10.1 -- 1998 – The first audio news site is created
WEB 10.2 -- 1999 – The first web-based operating system is created

WEB 11.0 – RSS – "Newspapers Deemed Obsolete"

Really Simple Syndication (RSS) was created due to the lack of a universal feed format. The creation of RSS means that users could now "subscribe" to feeds containing video, audio, text, or graphics. Users no longer had to trawl the web for new information, they could "subscribe" to a feed and have it sent to them directly.

WEB 12.0 – REMOTE SCRIPTING – "Waiting For 4 Seconds Now History!"

Remote scripting allows scripts running inside a browser to exchange information with a server, so that scripts could be triggered locally, processed remotely and have information returned directly to the browser. This made the web faster and easier to use, and removed the need to refresh the page for simple tasks like sorting.

WEB 12.1 -- 2001 – Blogs evolve from online diaries

WEB 13.0 – PODCASTING – "Now Everyone Can Avoid Listening To You By Choice Rather Than Circumstance!"

Podcasting originated as a portmanteau of the iPod® and broadcasting, although "portable on demand broadcasting" has now become the widely-accepted definition. Originally Podcasting was created to allow individuals to distribute their own radio shows, but it has become popular for a wide variety of things, from educational materials to the latest gaming news. Podcasting opens up distribution of audio content to anyone with a server, with users "subscribing" to the RSS feeds that appeal to them.

WEB 13.1 -- 2002 – Folksonomy is created, giving rise to "tags"

WEB 14.0 – VIDEO PODCASTING – "Web-Based One-Sided Conversations"

Shortly after Podcasting became popular, video Podcasting was created as a means to send the equivalent of TV episodes to users. Though similar to podcasting, the content was not limited to just "TV episodes". Video Podcasting opens up the video medium so that making a TV show is possible for anyone.

WEB 15.0 – VOIP – "High Tech, Dodgy Sounding Free Calls"

With the Voice Over Internet Protocol, telephone audio is sent over the internet, rather than a traditional phone line. This removes almost all cost involved, and also removes the need to have a physical phone line. What this means for consumers is calling becomes much simpler, easier and significantly cheaper.

WEB 16.0 – SAAS – "The Industry Makes a SaaS of Itself."

Software as a Service (SaaS) is just a new term for a concept that has been around since the dawn of the internet (ASP from 1970). SaaS refers to using a piece of software run/provided through the internet, and instead of paying a large one-off purchase price, you "rent" the software for as long as needed. So while SaaS is the buzzword of the day, the concept is decades old.

..The CONCLUSION?

So if you follow the basic rule that each total upgrade is a new ".0" then we are nowhere near Web 2.0. The story is really one of falling price, increasing reliability and bandwidth, coupled with ubiquitous access.

Simply put, "Web 2.0" is just shorthand for the development process outlined above. Bottom line, the web really becoming what the web really always should have been.

Common Mistakes In Business Plans

2008-01-30T17:06:00.000+08:00

Your business plan is typically the first impression potential lenders of investors get about your business idea. Even with a great product, team, and customers, and you are unable to convey to properly convey your image, it could be the last impression if your plan has some of the following, common mistakes.

Lenders and investors review hundreds of business plan every year and with every plan, lenders and investors become more cynical because the same mistakes pop up with regular frequency. With so much competition for a limited amount of capital, it is imperative to not make these mistakes.

1. Financials

Unrealistic Financial Projections - Simply saying that you are going to do $100,000 in sales is not enough nor can you simply say there is no way of knowing. Everyone knows there is no way to accurately come up with financial projections over the next three years, especially in a start-up. But, what is required in your plan is that reasonable assumptions are made and supported with research. By incorporating a detailed list of assumptions and how you arrived at your numbers, the lender/investor can judge your analysis and decision making process. If you are projecting to generate high sales outside of industry norms, explaining how you arrived at this conclusion is a must. Lenders and investors have seen many, many plans that claim sales are going through the roof once funded and as a result are very jaded at statements like this. Financial data that is inconsistent with industry averages and overly aggressive sales figures will raise flags. Explain every number.

Confusing Cash with Profits - Revenues do not always equal cash. For example, suppose you make a sale this month for $100 that cost $50 to produce. Assuming your buyer doesn’t pay for 30-60 and even 90 days if dealing with state or federal sources (and assuming they all pay), the effect on your cash flow is significant. Suppliers and employees still have to be paid for their work while you are waiting on payment from the buyer.

While you may not have a significant portion of sales coming from receivables, the timing of cash flows is critical for developing a financial strategy as cash flow is much more important than profits. Profits are an accounting concept while cash is money in the bank. If you don’t believe me try paying your bills with profits.

No Adjustment for Seasonality - All businesses are seasonal to some extent, some more significant than others. Seasonality refers to the percentage of sales that are made in a month. For example, most retailers have huge November and December sales and lousy January and February sales. Did you make enough cash during the good months to cover the slow months to cover salaries, rents and lights?

If You Build It They Will Come - Be careful in assuming once your doors open people will be streaming in to buy. You have a new, relatively unheard of business. This is a time when your business is particularly vulnerable as most of new owner’s cash reserves have typically been used to open the store. If sales projections are off during the first couple of months and you don’t have enough working capital to keep the lights on, you may be quickly going out of business.

Insufficient financial projections - Basic financial projections consist of four elements: Income Statements, Profit & Loss, Balance Sheets, and Cash Flow Statements.

For most businesses a three-year projection is sufficient, but if yours is a capital intensive one and will take longer to show profitability then use five. Actual figures are a must if you can get them and any number in the projections needs to be in the business plan narrative. If you are purchasing an existing business use the historical financials to show support for your sales figures.

No Quotes - Any significant expenses should have a quote accompanied in the appendix, especially for construction or remodeling as this is an area where most entrepreneurs slip as they do it themselves and greatly underestimate the costs.

2. Marketing

Failing to relieve the customer’s pain - Businesses are rewarded to make consumer’s pain go away. Pain can include; my car stopped working, my doggie is sick or my tax returns are too hard to prepare.

If your business plan can’t show how you are relieving the customer’s pain, then the chances for success in the marketplace is extremely limited.

Remember pain equals market opportunity. The greater the pain, the greater number of customer’s with this pain and the better you can relieve the pain equals greater market potential.

One Billion Customers Served - Claiming everyone needs your product/service will send a strong message to the reviewer that you don’t know your market and remove any credibility to your plan. In the good old days the shotgun approach to marketing could work as there were limited channels for advertisement. Today with unlimited outlets and more narrowly defined markets, this approach does not fly.

While it’s true everyone eats, not everyone will eat at your restaurant, nor could you effectively advertise to everyone. By researching the segments that are most likely to use your product/service and showing how your message will get to them will ultimately make your endeavor more successful. Having clearly defined target markets will show you have done your homework and be the cornerstone of a marketing strategy that can succeed.

We have no competition - Use this statement if your want your plan rejected. Every business has competition. While there may not be a direct competitor, meaning one that offers the same or similar product, there is always an indirect competitor.

Saying there is no competition tells the reviewer that you have either not done any market research or there is not a market for your product.

3. Organization

Writing For The Wrong Audience - A plan for a lender should be written differently than one for an investor. Banks are interested in seeing the likelihood that debts be repaid and investors are interested in the upside profit potential. Be sure to write your plan to your audience. For both, keep to the facts, keep it clear and keep it simple. If you don’t feel you have the writing abilities to make your plan shine, then get help.

Poor spelling and grammar - Leaving spelling and grammatical errors in your plan only tells the reviewer that you are not paying attention to details and may not pay enough attention to the business. Use spelling and grammar checkers and let others review your plan to make sure there are no errors.

Too repetitive - Many times, plans will cover the same points over and over. A well-written plan should cover key points only twice: once in the executive summary then again in greater detail in the narrative of the plan.

Remove the Jargon - Using simple language is imperative to getting a technical business funded. Don’t think that by using complex terms that lenders/investors will be so impressed with your knowledge that they will whip open the checkbook. Businesses that can’t be understood don’t get funded. If you can’t explain your business to a sixth grader your chances of funding are in jeopardy.

Investors are really only interested in your technology if it solves a problem that people will pay for, is better than the competition, can be protected through patents and can reasonably go to market without spending a lot of money.

Keep the technical details out of the business plan and in the white papers.

Appearance matters - Make sure your plan looks professional. Use professional printing, binding, keeping fonts consistent and easy to read. The more money being requested means investing more time in making sure your plan will stand out from the crowd. Be careful that you don’t go overboard and give the impression that the plan is all style and no substance.

Length - A long business plan does not make a better business plan. All of the industry and marketing research won’t save a flawed plan. Too many plans have been immediately rejected because they are too long. Lenders and investors favor entrepreneurs who can efficiently demonstrate the ability to efficiently get to the point.

An executive summary should be no more than 1-3 pages. Ideally it should only be one page but some complex plans require more. An ideal business plan is 20-30 pages, including financials. Remember less is more!

Use operating plans, white papers and marketing plans for the in-depth details.

Fluffing - Using phrases like "unmatched in the industry;" "narrow window of opportunity;" or "ground floor" are empty phrases filled with hype. If anything, the cynical reviewer will be turned off by the hype and trash your plan. Stick with laying out the facts – what is the problem, how will you solve the problem, how big is the market, how will consumers buy it and what is your competitive advantage. If the opportunity is there the lender/investor will be able to make the decision for themselves.

Overvaluing the business idea - What gives a business value is not the idea but the execution of the idea. A great idea is a start, but almost everyone has had a great idea at some point in their lives. How you will execute this idea is what sets apart a real business from the dreamers.

4. Execution Mistakes

Waiting too long - Funding a business takes a long time. Expect three months at a minimum after finishing your business plan to get funding. Unless you have sufficient capital, other sources of income and can be funded in-house at a bank, this number may be reduced. Bank financing for business with less than two years of operating history are typically funded through an SBA guarantee, which requires additional time, patience and paperwork. Financing through investors is usually an even longer process as they have a lot of people competing for their money and they tend to do significant due diligence to secure their investment. Waiting until you need the money is a sure way to keep your business from launching.

Unreasonable time lines - Many business owners underestimate the timelines for completing milestones. Its human nature to think we can do things faster than is possible. When getting a business started there will be several tasks you could not have anticipated and the some tasks you think will be easy which will end up taking much longer. It is best to overestimate and finish early, rather than scramble and execute your opening poorly.

Failing to seek outside review - When preparing your plan, be sure that you have at least a few people review it before sending it out. Preferably look for people in your industry or who have a specialization in sales, distribution, etc that could lend a fresh set of eyes and find any flaws in the plan. Being so close to the action can keep you from being objective and this additional scrutiny may save you countless headaches and money down the road.

Perfecting - It can be easy to spend countless hours perfecting your plan and ultimately never launching. Remember, your plan will never be perfect and in practice should be continually updated as you learn more about the business, market and customers. Don’t make your plan an academic practice, finish it and get in front of investors and lenders. Use this feedback to see if your plan really needs the additional perfection.

Fundamentals Of Design Professional Malpractice

2008-01-27T17:04:00.000+08:00

In today’s litigious society, no profession can escape the cost and aggravation of legal claims and suits. Design Professionals, architects and engineers, are no exception. One important and distinct type of claim or suit is the professional liability or malpractice claim.

A variety of other types of claims and suits may be made against the design professional, such as claims for ordinary negligence, such as automobile liability cases, or slip and falls on the company’s property. There are suits for wrongful employment practices such as discrimination, sexual harassment, or wrongful discharge. Finally, there are suits for commercial disputes over contracts, trade secrets, and patents.

Professional liability claims are unique and distinct from other types of claims because they are made against the professional in relation to the performance of professional services and the specific duties owed by professionals which are not applicable to the public at large. As a result special rules and standards apply to these claims that do not apply to other types of negligence actions.

A claimant may file a claim or suit asserting professional negligence, as a tort, such as negligence or misrepresentation, or may assert the claim as a breach of contract claim or that the design professional was negligent in the performance of its contractual duties.

ELEMENTS OF A CAUSE OF ACTION FOR PROFESSIONAL MALPRACTICE

In the absence of a specific contractual undertaking, the architect or engineer design professional owes legal duties to perform their work in accordance with the standard of practice of their profession.

Generally speaking, in order to prevail on a professional malpractice or professional negligence cause of action, the Plaintiff must assert and establish:

a. what the standard of practice is for the design professional under the circumstances;

b. that the design professional violated the standard of practice, and the way in which the standard of care was violated; and

c. that the Plaintiff suffered damages as a proximate result of the violation of the standard of practice.

STANDARD OF PRACTICE

What does it mean for there to be a standard of practice or a violation of the standard of practice? The standard of practice is the exercise of ordinary skill and care common to the professional under the circumstances. It is not the average performance of all professionals or the best performance of professionals. The standard of practice can relate to any aspect of a design professional’s work, from design to construction administration.

Just because a majority of professionals would do a task a certain way or that the claimant’s expert would do it differently does not mean that the way that the design professional performed the task is wrong or was a violation of the standard of practice.

Professional negligence must be contrasted with ordinary negligence. Professionals, like any other person, can be sued for ordinary negligence for matters not relating to their professional duties and practice. For example, if a person slips and falls on ice on their property of the professional, in the course of driving to or from a construction site, negligently causes a motor vehicle accident, those claims would be ordinary negligence claims where the standard of practice would not be applicable.

The design professional does not guaranty success (unless the design professional contractually or expressly makes a guaranty or warranty), and a bad result does not necessarily constitute a violation of the standard of practice.

Ordinarily, a claimant must present expert testimony to support a claim of professional negligence. There is an exception where the alleged professional negligence is a matter of common knowledge, or if the defendant professional establishes by his/her own testimony the standard of practice and breach.

PROXIMATELY CAUSED DAMAGES

Proximate cause is a legal term that involves elements of forseeability and a close relationship between the conduct alleged to impose liability and the damages.

In the context of claims against design professionals for malpractice, it is often alleged that the design professional should have designed the building or system differently, specified different equipment, or omitted something of significance from the design or specifications.

However, where the alleged damages involve things that should have been provided, but were omitted, or where betterments or improvements should have been specified or designed into the building or system, those may not be proximately caused damages. If the additional work or additional equipment, such as more expensive or sophisticated features or controls, would have been required had the design professional acted properly, then those costs would ordinarily have been incurred by the owner at the time of construction if the professional had not been negligent, and are not proximately caused damages. If the alleged damages involve improvements that make the building or system better or more valuable to the owner, then those betterments may not be proximately caused damages as the owner would benefit from those improvements and would have paid for those betterments.

On the other hand, if the cost of providing those improvements including the cost of the additional equipment or system, or the cost of installation of that additional system or equipment is more than it would have been had the design professional properly designed the system or properly prepared the specifications at the outset of the project, then those additional costs may be recoverable as proximately caused damages. For example, if the price of purchasing the additional HVAC equipment has gone up since the original contract and bidding process, or if it would cost more to install the equipment after the fact because other equipment would have to be remove and reinstalled, then those would be recoverable costs and/or expenses.

BREACH OF CONTRACT VERSUS NEGLIGENCE

Completely apart from the issue of professional malpractice for violating the standard of practice, a design professional may be liable for breach of a specific contractual promise or a specific guaranty or warranty.

However, in the absence of such a contractual undertaking or warranty, to what extent is a design professional liable to a third party under principles of contract or tort?

Historically, Defendants and design professionals were not liable to third parties for property damage or bodily injury, or to other contractors for their economic losses, in the absence of privity of contract, i.e., a direct contractual relationship with the party making the claim.

The principles of privity of contract were eroded over the years both in ordinary negligence cases and in professional liability cases and claims have been allowed in most states against professionals by third parties in spite of the lack of contractual privity.

However, at least in Michigan, recently there has been a movement in the opposite direction limiting the liability of contractors and design professionals to third parties.

The court in Matrix relied upon a Michigan Supreme Court decision in Fultz v Union-Commerce Associates, 470 Mich 460-463 (2004) which held that a third party cannot sue a contractor without having a contractual relationship with the contractor in the absence of proving some duty owed to the claimant independent of the duties undertaken by the contractor under the contract with the owner.

Other states still allow suits by third parties against design professionals in the absence of privity of contract.

Third party Plaintiffs which are not in contractual privity with the design professional may also assert that they are third party beneficiaries of the contract between the design professional and the owner and thus entitled to sue. This approach often does not succeed because a third party beneficiary must establish that the parties to the original contract with the owner intended to benefit the third party.

FRAUD AND MISREPRESENTATION

Claims against design professionals for fraud or misrepresentation are generally considered distinct from ordinary malpractice claims involving breach of the standard of practice. They do not require proof of the standard of practice and violation of the standard of practice, but rather have their own independent elements as follows:

a. a misrepresentation or omission of an important fact;

b. the misrepresentation or omission was made negligently, innocently, or intentionally;

c. the claimant reasonably relied upon the misrepresentation or omission; and

d.the claimant suffered damages as a proximate result of the misrepresentation or omission.

Frequently claimants will assert misrepresentation or omission allegations against design professionals relating to errors or omissions in specifications, or in statements made to the contractors in the course of the bidding process or construction or administration of the contract. In such cases, the third party may not be able to establish the necessary element of reasonable reliance where the design professional’s duty is owed to the owner, not the third party.

Claims for misrepresentation often require a higher level of proof, i.e., proof by clear and convincing evidence.

Misrepresentation claims by third parties may be allowed even where professional liability claims based on breach of contract are not, because they are considered to be a distinct type of claim.

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS/STATUTE OF REPOSE

One of the different rules applicable to professional liability claims is the time period during which a claimant can sue, or the statute of limitations or in some instances a statute of repose. A statute of limitations usually limits a claimants right to sue after a certain number of years after the claim accrues. The accrual date can be the date of the alleged wrongful act, the completion date of a project, the date of the injury or damage, or in some instances, the last day that the professional performed services for its client.

A statute of repose limits the time after which suit can be performed to a certain number of years after a date, often the completion or occupancy of a project or building, without regard to when the injury or damage occurred or could have been discovered. Thus a statute of repose could preclude a suit even though the damages had not occurred or became manifest or discoverable before the deadline.

COMMON CAUSES OF MALPRACTICE CLAIMS

Malpractice claims can arise out of a variety of situations and causes too numerous to relate. However, some of the more common ones are addressed here.

Many malpractice claims arise out of disputes over the scope of work and claims relating to oral agreements or representations. As a result, it is very important for the design professional to document its scope of work and all agreements or understandings, even for small projects and for clients where there is a long term ongoing relationship.

Too often, after an initial proposal or professional services contract for an initial project, and after an ongoing relationship settles in, informalities arise, where formal documentation of the project and scope of work can go by the wayside. If a major loss or claim arises, that prior close or long term relationship may not prevent disagreements over scope of work and duty issues or prevent one party from asserting revisionist history to support their claim. Good documentation is an important measure to prevent malpractice claims and help defeat them when they arise.

Similarly, informal or oral decisions or changes made in the field without the necessary investigation, communication, and documentation can lead to malpractice claims based on ambiguous decisions or change orders, lack of owner consent, or insufficient information.

Failure to address complaints or issues raised by the owner, or contractors, in a timely fashion and respectfully can cause anger and blow out of proportion a manageable issue that could have been solved early at little expense. Complaints over billings or charges that are ignored or blown off can sometimes lead to other claims of poor work or services and snowball into a malpractice suit.

Where delays are caused by unexpected circumstances or conditions, bad weather or supplier issues, claims may be made against the owner for delay damages and extra expenses or result in litigation against the contractor for delayed or uncompleted work, missed deadlines, and poor workmanship. These claims often result in the design professional being brought into the fray and litigation. It is best to identify and address these issues clearly and directly with the owner and contractor and resolve them before the amount of money and time involved becomes critical to either side making litigation more likely.

You Can Reduce Your Contracting Risks

2008-01-24T17:03:00.000+08:00

One frustration all risk managers experience is being brought into the contract process when it is too late to reduce the risk. Only yesterday, I was asked to review a contract for the acquisition of health equipment. When I sent my recommendations back to our contract negotiator I was told “But it’s too late – we already told the supplier that the draft they approved was the final version.”

The best time to negotiate contract terms and conditions is before the contract is signed!

Contract law is complicated, involving numerous federal, state and municipal laws (not to mention internal policies, procedures and protocols!) that apply different conditions depending upon the type and cost of the item under consideration.

Terms in the tender document or request for proposal are the starting point for most acquisition processes. The language of the tender or RFP is critical to successfully achieving a satisfactory relationship with the supplier of goods or services. The terms of the tender document, with the terms of the successful bidder’s response, are substantially the terms that will be included in the final contract. Procurement officers need to know the extent of negotiating ability they have upon receipt of bids or proposals. The variety in responses possible from bidders can often lead to very good reasons for going off in a new direction. But, straying too far from the tender specifications can quickly lead to multiple claims from unsuccessful bidders.

Purchasing and Risk Management Departments must work closely with other corporate colleagues to review or create business contracts that limit the organization’s liability exposure. Well-drafted, the indemnification and insurance clauses ensure that if something goes wrong it is clear who will bear financial responsibility.

The Risk Manager’s Role

The importance of risk transfer requires Involving risk management early in the process. The risk manager can help examine the purpose of the contract from an ‘outsider’s perspective. Specifically - what could go wrong with the work (or product/service)? If something were to go wrong – what are the implications of that problem? “Implications” can be financial cost, a delay in using the end result (e.g. a building), negative publicity or any combination of these three outcomes.

Risk manager can provide advice and consultation in structuring tender or RFP, assist colleagues in properly drafting contracts consistent with corporate policies and minimize financial risk by identifying and dealing with possible contingencies. They do this because they know that poorly prepared contracts can lead to nasty surprises. You want to enter into contracts with some assurance that the end result will satisfactorily meet your expectations.

The classic risk management process is helpful in conducting a review of any proposed transaction. To avoid surprises, you need to identify risks by considering what potential downsides can arise from the project. Once this step is complete, assess the risk by determining how likely it is that something will go wrong and if it does, how expensive the problem is likely to be.

The contribution of the risk manager to the contract language is central to successfully achieving risk transfer. Clearly define the circumstances under which the contractor will hold harmless and indemnify the municipality for losses arising from the supply of goods or services. If a serious loss occurs, these clauses can be analyzed word-by-word. Any ambiguity is likely to be held against you. Review and revise both the hold harmless and indemnify clauses until it is absolutely clear to you and to your procurement officer.

The term “Contractual Risk Transfer” is used by risk managers to avoid saying ‘passing the buck’. The goal is to always make the party who has control over the products or services accept financial responsibility.

Usually insurance does not cover problems arising from poorly-drafted contracts, negligence in the procurement process or poor performance of the work described by a contract. For example, there is usually no coverage for situations where unauthorized employees engage in work under an unapproved contract or for breach of contract claims. Poor business judgments and financial mistakes are also the responsibility of the organization. Claims arising from these errors typically must be paid by the municipality as those costs are rarely transferable to insurers or anyone else. The municipality is likely to incur all of their own costs arising from problems, plus any award to the claimant.

Always use written contracts and state terms and conditions clearly. In many situations verbal agreements are legally permissible. Properly drafted written contracts, however, reduce the chance of misunderstandings in the future. Documented business transactions protect the rights of all parties to the contract. The written contract provides an audit trail and authorizes the use of funds when paying invoices. Further, if the subject of the contract becomes an adversarial issue due to a lawsuit, the contract can show the intent of both parties at the outset of the work.

Written agreements ensure both parties have an opportunity to clear up at the negotiation stage any confusion or differing interpretations. The main purpose of written contracts is to prevent conflicts or litigation caused by inadequate documentation of crucial points. It is time-consuming and expensive to take issues to court for interpretation. Judges may interpret the contract differently than either party intended. The courts do not usually consider very great weight to verbal evidence as verbal statements are considered unreliable once a dispute has arisen. When contracts are vague or indefinite, or the intended performance cannot be determined, the court may rule the contract unenforceable - to the disappointment of both parties.

Power does not always prevail – when one party is larger than the other it may make them feel that they can dictate contract terms and conditions. Remember that you want a contract that is enforceable. When unfair bargaining strength is used, it can become contentious later if other problems arise. It is in all parties’ best interest to avoid ambiguous language and unreasonable or unlawful conditions. Always be prepared to be flexible and to take the time required for a good result!

Remember, it is important to note that any language showing a clear intention to negotiate cannot defeat an inherent duty of fairness with which the municipality must conduct themselves at all times. The trade-off is clear: the more extensive the negotiations, the more stress it puts on the municipality’s duty to be fair to all bidders.

To ensure changes are binding make them in writing and have the amendments signed by duly authorized representatives of both parties. This documents the change, provides clarity and binds both parties should problems arise later.

Three clauses complement and support the risk management process. They are hold harmless, indemnification and insurance. I recommend that these clauses be written separately.

In most vendor-provided contract documents, the Indemnification/Hold Harmless provision is far broader than what your organization would want to accept. Many vendor-provided indemnification and hold harmless clauses are limitless. If you accept these clauses you may be accepting responsibilities that your organization never wanted nor intended to assume and may not be able to insure. Usually you want to only sign contracts where the language limits your liability to acts over which the municipality has control and to the extent that it exercises that control. Assuming liability for independent contractors and consultants who are not under the municipality’s control is unwise.

The intention of the hold harmless clause is to describe exactly what type of circumstances the supplier accepts responsibility for. In particular, they specify who will pay for loss or damage arising out of the performance of the work contemplated by the contract. Most corporations will only enter into contracts in which the indemnification language limits their liability to acts over which they have control and to the extent that they exercise control. The hold harmless clause however, is only one clause of the trio needed to adequately protect the parties.

The second clause used is an ‘indemnity clause’. It will state that if something does occur leading to a loss, of a type that I/we have held you harmless for – then we will pay on your behalf (or reimburse you) any costs arising from our negligence. In other words, ‘the buck stops here’.

The final clause of the trio is the insurance clause. The insurance clause promises that the party performing the work (e.g. builder, supplier, etc.) will obtain and maintain the type and amount of insurance that you have stipulated to pay for any claims, losses and related expenses that may arise out of their negligence in performing the work planned in the contract. The intention is to ensure that the contractor has sufficient financial resources to support the indemnification provision in the contract.

With these three clauses, you have obtained a promise from your supplier or contractor to:
1. accept responsibility for their own errors or negligence,
2. pay any costs arising from those errors or negligence, and
3. carry insurance evidencing sufficient resources to keep their promises.

Often, I find that contract document presented by contractors have been written by lawyers or other ‘non-insurance’ professionals. In these cases, the language used may be out-of-date or simply not reflective of terminology used by insurance professionals. When this occurs, it is prudent to revise or replace those clauses with descriptions and phrases commonly used in the insurance industry today. This reduces the chance of ambiguity and difficulty in obtaining evidence of the type of insurance you want the contractor to carry. The most common example I see is the phrase “Additional Insured’ VS ‘Additional Named Insured’.

It is important that this phrase be limited to ‘Additional Insured’. Additional Named Insureds have at least two disadvantages: only Named Insureds are responsible for paying premiums and some policy exclusions apply only to Named Insureds. Benefits to your municipality of being an additional insured are:

 Coverage remains in force for Additional Insureds if a Named Insured breaches a policy condition,
 Reinforces risk transfer agreements in the contract,
 The Additional Insured has a right to claim defense from the insurer, and
 It usually prevents the insurer from subrogating from the Additional Insured.

Certificates of Insurance:

There is much debate amongst the risk management and insurance community about the value of obtaining and maintaining evidence of insurance on contracts. Certificates of Insurance verify the type of insurance that the Named Insured on the policy has purchased and specifies the coverage levels under that policy at the point in time that the certificate is issued. I firmly believe that certificates are of limited value – but they are the best and only evidence available at this time providing some level of comfort that contractors have a source of funds for defined claims situations.

There are two broad categories of certificates, those that you receive coming in and those that your send out to other parties. Municipalities usually receive certificates and infrequently send them to others.

Incoming certificates of Insurance are commonly issued by the contractor’s insurer or insurance broker. To be valid, I want to see the ‘live’ signature of a person authorized by the insurer to issue the certificate. Before issuing a certificate, the insurer wants some information describing reason for the certificate, the length of the subject of the certificate (e.g. a multi-year contract) and specific details of the name of the contact person/mailing address of their and at your organization.

Upon receipt of a certificate in your office, you will want to see at least the following information:

• name and address of the organization to whom the Certificate is being issued,
• brief description of planned activities/work,
• name and address of the Named Insured, (who must match the name on the contract)
• amount and type of insurance in force,
• effective dates of coverage, and
• a statement that your municipality is included as an ‘additional insured’.

When you are asked to issue certificates of insurance you should review the contract to be sure that you provide evidence of the proper type and amount of coverage required. Under no circumstances should you issue a certificate on behalf of any party or other organizations independent of your municipality, no matter how close a working relationship you may have with it.

When reviewing tender or RFP documents and the contracts that arise from them you can effectively use the risk management process to review the proposal and draft appropriate language. Manage exposure in any contract situation by ensuring conformity with generally accepted ‘due diligence’ practices from the very beginning. Be sure that appropriate risk transfer provisions are included at the tender or RFP stage. Finally, once the contract draft is agreed upon, ensure that evidence of insurance (and bonding, if required) is obtained and maintained throughout the life of the contract. As a risk management professional, remember that your training and experience makes YOU an expert who can protect your municipality.

Buying Your First Home - A Guide for the Beginner

2008-01-21T17:02:00.000+08:00

Becoming a first-time home buyer is a tremendous step in life. The sense of personal accomplishment, pride, satisfaction, and joy is irreplaceable. It is not without it's challenges, though. Because of the huge number of options available to you as a potential buyer, you need to take the time to become familiar with an overview of the buying process, the terminology used, and how to best approach buying your first home.

My strong suggestion to you as a first-time home buyer would be to seek competent, professional financial guidance. It is relatively inexpensive, and could save you from making a costly mistake. Buying a home is not right for everyone. Even if it is a good choice for your financial future, you may need to take the time to save money for a down payment, or to fix any issues with your credit. Be patient, and make your preparations carefully...

Below is a list outlining the buying process. Review it to become familiar with the steps involved. Oh, and one last, very important bit of information before you get started...Everything, and I do mean everything, in real estate is negotiable. Repeat that over and over to yourself and never forget, everything is negotiable...

Pre-Qualification

After making the commitment to buy a home and getting your finances in order, it is time to speak with a professional in the mortgage business. Ask your friends and family for referrals. Take the time to ask questions and get familiar with the basic terminology used, plus to discover any pitfalls. The terms of your mortgage will have a lasting affect on your financial well-being, so make sure you fully understand what you are being offered. Ultimately, you want to become pre-qualified for a reasonable, affordable amount of money with which you can purchase a home.

I personally recommend speaking to at least three mortgage brokers or banks to get your best deal. Also, I would avoid having your credit run during this process until you are ready for the next step. Most good mortgage brokers should be able to estimate your buying power from a short interview.

Pre-Approval

Prior to beginning an in-depth search for a home, I would suggest going beyond pre-qualification and getting fully pre-approved. In this step, the mortgage lender will take a detailed look at your credit, finances, income, and other factors to solidify the amount of money available to you for a home. The primary difference between pre-qualification and pre-approval is you are shopping for a mortgage lender and getting educated about the loan products available during pre-qualification, but you have decided to commit to a lender and submit to the complete application process during pre-approval.

List of Needs & Wants

Make 2 lists. The first should include items you must have (i.e., the number of bedrooms you need for the size of your family, a one-story house if accessibility is a factor, etc.). The second list is your wishes, things you would like to have (pool, den, etc.) but that are not absolutely necessary. Realistically for first-time buyers, you probably will not get everything on your wish list, but it will keep you on track for what you are looking for.

Representation by a Professional

It is very important that you can communicate clearly, honestly, and openly with any person who will directly affect your decision-making process. I know it is better to work with a real estate professional because of personal experience, plus feedback I constantly receive from clients and customers, so I highly recommend carefully choosing a representative to help you complete this important transaction.

A quick word about buyer representation. In a great majority of situations (95%+), a buyer's agent is compensated out of the seller's equity. In plain English, this means unless your agent requires a small administration fee for services, you will not be responsible for compensating your agent at all for their services. It is very important you fully discuss this with your Realtor®, as there are simple contracts available that will put this information in writing and help protect your interests should a dispute arise.

Also, just to anticipate and answer a question you may have on this topic, these costs are not passed back to the buyer through the sales price of the home. The reason for this is because the market, combined with a ready, willing, and able buyer sets the price for the home. The seller decides on an asking price, and may have a bottom line price, but you as the buyer ultimately decide what the home is worth. So, get a good Realtor®, study the market thoroughly, and make a fair offer based upon the comparable homes in the market. If the seller decides to accept your offer, you will have purchased the home at a fair price, and not one inflated to pay for the seller's costs or Realtor® fees.

Meeting with your Real Estate Agent

Come to the first meeting with your agent with an open mind and lots of questions. You should be doing a majority of the talking and your agent listening to gather all of the information necessary to help you find your ideal home. Make sure you share your list of wants and needs, plus the information you learned from the mortgage broker. Your agent should be taking notes and reiterating accurately whatever is discussed.

I want to talk briefly about the importance of effective communication with your real estate agent. Buying a home should ultimately be a fun, rewarding, educational, exciting experience. It will not be free from challenge, though. You will at times find yourself frustrated, discouraged, and confused. This is completely normal, especially considering the magnitude of the transaction. Your Realtor® needs to know this information, both good and bad. Without knowledge of your feelings and concerns, the usefulness of your agent can be nullified. Make sure you are comfortable enough with your Realtor® to tell them 'no', or to be completely honest with your needs and wants. Make sure your communication is effective by listening to what your agent says and ensuring it is what you are expressing.

Focus & Organization

In a convenient location, keep handy the items that will assist you in maximizing your home search efforts. Such items may include:

1. One or more detailed maps with your areas of interest highlighted.

2. A file of the properties that your agent has shown to you, along with ads you have cut out from the newspaper.

3. Paper and pen, for taking notes as you search.

4. A camera to help refresh your memory on individual properties, especially if you are attending a series of showings.

5. Location: It can be beneficial to look at a potential property as if you are the seller. Would a prospective buyer find it attractive based on school district, crime rate, proximity to positive (shopping, parks, freeway access) and negative (abandoned properties, garbage dump, source of noise) features of the area?

Visualize the House Empty & With Your Decor

Are the rooms laid out to fit your needs? Is there enough light? Will the home require any updating? Are the mechanicals in good shape? What about the roof? Try to keep accurate notes on both your feelings regarding the home, plus objective features that may or may not be positive. Keep in mind that it is always an option to ask the seller to gives allowances for updates or changes as part of the negotiation process, or to make the changes yourself for the right home.

Be Objective

Instead of thinking with your heart when you find a home, think with your head. Does this home really meet your needs? There are many houses on the market, so don't make a hurried decision that you may regret later.

It is important to know your personal strengths and weakness in the home buying process. Some people love the thrill of the hunt and seeing lots of homes looking for a positive feeling, while others are just interested in the facts and objective features the home offers. Some people are a combination of the two. Whatever your style or technique happens to be when searching for your new home, you must be honest with yourself and emphasize your strengths while seeking help with your weaknesses.

I recommend in the initial phases of the home buying process that you try to keep your time in any home you view short and focused on finding positive first impressions. There really is a difference between finding a house and discovering your new home and I believe emotion and feeling plays a role in the process, but don't let emotions cloud your judgment. Be relaxed and aware of your emotions in this initial phase.

Once you have narrowed your choices and become comfortable with the buying process, it is time to schedule second showings and to put on your objective hat. Now you are looking at the details from an investment standpoint, a functionality perspective, and determining whether or not there are any faults that would negate the viability of the home. It is here your Realtor® can be invaluable. Use your Realtor®'s experience and knowledge to help you step back and look at the home through the eyes of an investor. You may be surprised at what you find!

Make an Offer

Once all of the research is complete and you are certain you have found your new home, it is time to put together an offer. Again, the competent guidance of your Realtor® is critical at this point. Together, you must determine a fair amount of money to offer for the home, plus you must complete an accurate, comprehensive, legally-binding Sales and Purchase Agreement. Any mistake, error, or omission at this stage can become very costly in both dollars and emotions later. If you are at all uncertain or uncomfortable, seek professional legal advice before you sign any agreement.

A word about market perceptions. Today, we hear constant talk about it being a "buyer's market". What does that mean to you on the buyer's side of the transaction? I wish it meant that you could offer 15-20% below the asking price of the home and the seller would gladly accept, but that is rarely the case. Very simply, we find ourselves in a buyer's market due to an over-supply of homes and a lack of qualified, motivated buyers. It will affect prices in most areas, but the adjustment will be more in the neighborhood of 1-3%, if anything.

That being the case, what are the advantages of being in a buyer's market? Let me just name a few and you should be able to see many others. Besides the possibility of a reasonable savings on price, sellers are more willing to provide allowances for closing costs, updates, or other incentives to get you to purchase their home. In addition, you have a tremendous variety of homes from which to choose. Plus, fierce competition for the best homes is reduced, thus allowing you a greater chance of not paying an inflated price for the home of your dreams. When you hear talk that we are in a buyer's market, just imagine yourself in the seller's shoes...Most people are not going to give away their home for less than a fair market price, so look to negotiate other benefits from the deal.

Be Thorough

A few extra dollars well spent now may save you big expenses in the long run. Your real estate agent should competently guide you through this phase, but you should be aware that after you have an accepted offer, you still need to perform due diligence to ensure you are making a sound investment. Don't forget such essentials as:

1. Having the property inspected by a professional inspector.

2. Requesting a second walk-through to take place within 24 hours of closing to ensure the home has been left in the agreed upon condition.

Congratulations on your decision to educate yourself thoroughly regarding one of the largest financial transactions you will ever undertake! While the process may seem daunting and a tad overwhelming at first, with the help of a competent Realtor®, plus other industry professionals, you should be well on your way to a satisfying, positive, purchase of your new home. Good luck, and remember... This is supposed to be fun!

Release Yourself From The Burden Of Debt

2008-01-18T17:01:00.000+08:00

Do you feel like you are in debt prison? Are you in financial turmoil wondering how you can continue to keep everything from imploding on you? Did you know that there were actually debtor prisons in America before the Revolutionary War? Robert Morris, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was imprisoned in the 1700's for failure to pay debts. The bible also warns against borrowing more than we can afford to pay. Proverbs 22:26-27 says do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.

Credit card use has continued to grow in leaps and bounds. From 1996 to 2005, the total number of bank credit cards almost doubled. In 2004 alone, credit card companies generated $43 billion in fee income from late payment, over-limit, and balance transfer fees. The Federal Reserve reports that the total US consumer revolving debt reached 2.46 trillion in 2007. This large increase in card usage has created a "fee feeding frenzy," among credit card issuers. The whole credit card industry has really evolved for the benefit of creditors in recent years, with the industry imposing fees and increasing interest rates if a single payment is late. Penalty interest rates usually are as much as 30-39%, while late fees now often are $39 a month and over-limit fees are as much as $35. If you consider how that can add up over just one year, it could be very expensive. Consider this: late and over-limit fees alone can easily rack up $900, and a 30 percent interest rate on a $3,000 balance can add another $1,000.

The bottom line is, credit card companies want to issue as much credit as possible to as many people as possible and hope you barely make the minimum payment. It’s the exact same way these cash advance companies all over town work. They couldn't care less if you ever pay it off. In fact, they do not want you to pay it off. While most card issuers claim this is the cost of doing business, consumers should not be charged excessively for small errors. Ultimately we are responsible for our own financial choices and credit purchase decisions. However its clear to see that credit card companies will continue to entice and market low teaser rate introductory offers (the bate) and make it easy for us to use the cards. This is attractive to the consumer because they can avoid waiting and have the items or purchases they want now. But what price will we actually pay for these items?

That said, roughly $355 billion in mortgage loans are set to adjust during 2008, to significantly higher interest rates. This means many borrowers may face additional difficulties. Hopefully the Bush administrations plan for a rate freeze for adjusting arms and foreclosure prevention will help many consumers avoid catastrophe. The combination of mortgage woes and credit card debt pileup has made many people feel as though they just walked out on a pirate ship plank with nowhere to turn.

So, what is the best way to find the road to financial prosperity?

First and most importantly, if you are in an adjustable rate arm loan, check the date that it is set to adjust in your paperwork from your title closing. If you closed two or three years ago and took one of these teaser loans it will adjust 24-36 months from the original closing date. This is very important because when it adjusts it can increase by two or three interest points. Your lender should notify you 30 days prior to your reset date and you may get reminders from lenders vying for your business. Don’t get yourself caught in this self destruction.

Mortgage interest rates are anticipated to remain steady or dip slightly in 2008; this may be a good opportunity to refinance into a 30-year fixed-rate. The FHA modernization act will make refinancing a good option for damaged credit borrowers to qualify for up to 95% of their homes value at competitive single digit interest rates and avoid incurring prepay penalties. The teaser arms sold over the past 2-3 years are under extreme scrutiny due to the explosive foreclosure epidemic and its effect on the overall economy. The FHA Secure is also a great option for those who need help to avoid foreclosure, allowing them to roll in the arrearage. The future of sub-prime lending appears to be bleak at best. Many borrowers had little options other than 2 or 3 year fixed rate sub prime arms over the last few years because of credit issues, and aggressive lenders pushing these loans on poor credit borrowers. Unfortunately, these same borrowers are now in trouble and imploding due to a cocktail of housing value depreciation, adjusting rates and maxed out credit cards. The bottom line to most of these issues is proper guidance and good decision making. Additionally, it is prudent that you choose an advisor that will educate you about any loans that are different than the norm, like arm loans, negative amortization loans and loans that do not collect escrows. Now, if that is not upsetting enough, federal regulators pressured credit card issuers to double the minimum payment requirements on credit card balances. This can be both good news and bad news for many Americans burdened by debt. While it may force you to pay the balance down, it can mean disaster for many who cannot afford the extra out-of-pocket expense each month.

Should you use a mortgage refinance as an Option to Debt Consolidation? If you are a homeowner with verifiable income, who pays their bills on time for the most part, but who would sincerely like to be debt-free and financially secure while still young enough to enjoy it, maybe even become wealthy. Whether you've had some credit problems and have a blemished credit report, whether you're struggling now and need immediate help to avoid foreclosure, or are doing okay but wish there was a strategy to get out of debt and build some net worth. Then this could be a possible option.

When you really analyze your financial situation, are you using too much of your income just servicing debt making the minimum payments? You absolutely can not build wealth overusing your credit cards you have to make a conscious decision not to make purchases with credit cards unless you can payoff the balance. While home equity has been reduced dramatically in some declining markets, many people may still be able to benefit from restructuring the way they pay their bills and by using their home's equity as the means of accomplishing this.

Do you have two loans with one of them adjustable? Consider consolidating your 1st and 2nd mortgage loans. Do you have high balance credit card in which you are being charged late fees, over limit fees and excessive interest? Consider paying off obligations such as auto or high rate credit cards, overdue property taxes or insurance premiums.

This will wrap up your existing obligations into one tax-deductible payment and puts you back in control of your debt with one manageable payment. Consult your accountant or tax advisor on this as it could equate to a 20-30% savings in interest and your overall Net Effective Rate. If you can eliminate your credit card payments, late fees and penalties and start enjoying increased monthly disposable cash flow, you may actually be able to make financial choices that will help you build a positive net worth. Another way you can reduce mortgage interest further is by signing up for a biweekly repayment plan that splits your mortgage into two monthly payments, this forces you to pay down your mortgage interest much faster. I know, I know your friend said just make one additional payment per year to accomplish this, seriously! Who does this? I say forced biweekly, kind of like forced property taxes through escrows, you get the idea! Then take the savings, say for example $200 a month, and purchase an equity indexed life insurance policy that will protect your family if you die to cover the mortgage balance. More importantly, if you live, the account your premiums go into is tied to an investment account so that it will accumulate a cash value that could be drawn on at retirement, and essentially you could pay off your mortgage tax free. Imagine the benefits of having fewer bills to deal with every month and simplifying your financial life!

Here are a few things to consider to decide if you could benefit from a refinance consolidation:

Do you have equity based on a current appraised value?

Do you have a home equity line of credit that’s increasing out of control?

Do you have a loan that does not collect escrows for taxes and insurance and have difficulty paying them at the time they are due?

Do you have too many credit cards that are near or above the credit limit?

Do you have an Adjustable Rate Mortgage on the brink of spiking Up?

Do you make minimum payments on credit cards and are unable to make a dent in the balance?

Are you saving and investing less than 15% of your income?

Would you like to take advantage of the FHA Modernization and qualify for a great rate?

Would you like to get out of that high interest rate sub-prime loan and qualify for a single digit 30 year fixed rate loan without a prepay penalty?

Are there tax-deductible savings opportunities like pension plans, IRA, Keogh, Medical Savings Accounts, etc. that you are missing out on because you don't have enough money after paying bills to participate in them?

Would you like to take a really nice vacation or make some improvements to your home this year without going into debt to do it?

Would you like to eliminate years off of your mortgage balance?

Do you have a mortgage protection insurance plan to protect your home and family should you die or become disabled?

If any of these questions apply to you, consider the following:

The average personal savings of a retiree amounts to about $6,500. The average benefit check is about $968.00 according to the Social Security Administration. Baby boomers are expected to enter retirement starting in 2010 and considering people are living longer, it is expected that these funds will be exhausted by the year 2040 and will create a deficit in the trust, only providing 72% of what is needed.

The key thing to consider with proper debt management is to make a conscious effort to avoid using credit cards for unnecessary purchases. If you cannot afford it, do not buy it! More simply said than done, I know. Look for ways to curtail extra activities such as eating out everyday, soft drinks, anything you can do without. Use the extra savings to pay off your high interest cards first. Contact a credible mortgage advisor to see if you qualify for a debt consolidation loan at a competitive interest rate. Transfer non tax deductible interest from other debts to a tax deductible loan. If the loan will not create a tangible benefit to your financial picture do not do it.

Poor Credit Loan: Monetary Assistance Without Any Hurdles

2008-01-12T17:00:00.000+08:00

You avail loans which in turns provide finances to fructify your needs. But repaying the loans availed is quite a different entity. If somehow you fail to repay the debts, they you are tagged with poor credit. This tag creates a lot of obstacles which makes your life a bit difficult. Now, with the introduction of poor credit loan, you can emerge unscathed in spite of the hurdles.

A poor credit loans is a specialized financial help meant for those borrowers who cannot avail any financial help due to credit problems. Every major bank, financial institutions, lending companies is offering this loan. Along with it, lenders based in the online market are also offering these loans at competitive terms and conditions. With the assistance of these loans, you can easily fulfill the needs like home renovation, purchasing a car, education, wedding or business at relative ease.

Just like other conventional loan, there are two ways of availing it, either in secured or unsecured form. Secured form of the loan can be availed by pledging any property such as home, real estate, etc against the borrowed amount. The amount approved is based on the equity value of collateral and is in the range of £5000-£75000 which can be repaid in a period of 5-25 years.

Unsecured form of the loan is designed to get approved without any collateral. The amount approved under this loan is in the range of £1000-£2500 for repayment period that stretches for 6 months -10 years. Tenants, non homeowners, students are the major beneficiaries of this loan option.

Interest rate for the loan is slightly higher compare to other loans available in the financial market. This is done to cover the risk factor involved. However a thorough research of the market may yield lenders offering competitive rates on the loan.

Poor credit loan helps serves two purposes which is very much essential. It provides you ample finances which enable you to overcome financial hurdles. And secondly by repaying the loan amount you can improve the tattered credit score. However, before availing the loan it is necessary to understand your repayment capability. By doing so, it will help you to avail the required amount and repay it easily without any question of further debts.

Bad Credit Loans: Make Your Fund Raising Easy

2008-01-09T16:58:00.000+08:00

Your credit is your asset – the asset worth with you can secure further financial support. If your credit rating is well enough to the expected, lenders do not bother offering you with the finance required. Or if you are just falling short of the anticipated, your chance of loan securing goes dim. CCJs, IVA, defaults, bad debts, arrears, bankrupts etc., come in the category of poor credit. Through the financial vagueness, bad credit loans have shown a glittering borrowing hope for individuals having bad credit.

A research is essential to finding a company that would not rip you off. Above that, it is important to use a little bit of your common sense. If at any point in your dealing with these loan companies, you feel like something is fishy, and then discontinue the transaction. These folks should be asking for a good bit of information, but there are certain things that each legitimate company needs. If they are not asking for your financial capacity, previous employment record or your current employment status, then there is a chance you might be getting scammed. So, you need to be cautious.

For all of your money provisions, you have options of secured and unsecured. Secured form of borrowing wholly depends upon your worth placing of asset. This pledging placing procedure is almost absent when you apply for unsecured form of loan accessing. You have different range of accessing opportunities. You can apply for these loans through online and offline, though processing online is preferred.

Provisioning such loans get a little costlier to other forms of borrowings. Since you have an adverse credit, finding a lender of your choice happens to be very difficult. Nevertheless, there is a great flood of lenders out there in the money market. These lenders are going in for competing one another fiercely for their lending businesses. You can access these lenders through online too. Online processing is simple and convenient. You do not have to leave cozy comfort of your home in order to get into financial zone.

Instant Tenant Loans: Gain Quick Finances To Meet Demands

2008-01-06T16:56:00.000+08:00

If the loan market is observed, you will come to know that lenders have different approaches while dealing with borrowers belonging with various back grounds. Among the borrowers, tenants are the one who do not have access to financial assistance as they do not have any asset of their own. This is one of the chief reasons why lenders do not approve finances to these borrowers. Without any finances, it becomes a bit tough to arrange the finances to meet their needs. This trend has come to an end now with the introduction of instant tenant loans.

Instant tenant loans are meant fore those specific individuals who cannot offer any collateral to avail loans. These loans as the name refers are fast and do not ask for any collateral to get approved. Because of its collateral free nature, the task of assessing the equity value does not take place which then results in its quick approval. Besides, these loans are mostly offered by lenders based in the online market. To avail the amount under these loans, borrower has to fill an online application form. After verification lenders do not waste any time to approve the amount.

Based on the loan applicant’s financial standing his income and repayment capability, lenders approves the amounts. Some lenders may also ask for documents like bank statements, income proof etc before approving the loans.

Under the provision of the loans a limited amount in the range of £1000-£25000 is approved towards the borrower. The amount availed needs to be repaid within a specified period of 6 months-10 years. Interest rates for the loans are slightly higher due to its collateral free nature. But with a proper research of the market, borrower can find suitable rates on the loans.

Tenants who are having a history of bad credit such as CCJs, arrears, defaults etc can also apply for the loans. But for that he must be able to convince the lender with his repayment capability.

Although instant tenant loans can be sourced from lenders based in physical market, it is the online lenders who offer these loans at cheap interest rates within a short period of time.

With instant tenant loans, borrowers can easily fulfill their various needs without worrying about the finances.

Unsecured Loans: Asset-Free Money Available To Borrowers

2008-01-03T16:54:00.000+08:00

It comes in as a great surprise to borrowers who do not have any money to pledge with the lenders that an opportunity comes their way through which money can be borrowed without any collateral. This opportunity is called unsecured loans and makes money available to borrowers very easily.

The borrowers who need money and are tenants and non-homeowners find it difficult if they look for a loan deal to get money as they do not have any asset to pledge. Instead, they can go for these loans which do not require any collateral to be pledged with the lenders. These loans are available to those borrowers as well who have assets but are not willing to pledge them with the lender.

The money is available to them for any personal needs to be fulfilled like debt consolidation, wedding expenses, educational funding, and car purchase, travel expenses, etc. The amount allowed for fulfilling the needs of the borrowers lies in the range of £1000-£25000. It is based on the repayment ability of the borrowers as to how much amount is approved for them.

With borrowers not able to pledge collateral with the lenders, they are charged a slightly higher rate of interest so as to cover the risk that the loan is associated with. The borrowers can research well to get loan deals which are charged at a lower rate.

The research for these loans is the best when conducted through the online mode. The borrowers can compare the loan deals that are offered to them and then choose which ever deal is the most affordable for them. Those borrowers who have a bad credit history can also take up money through these loans. The rates of interest charged are slightly higher but can be lowered with the help of online research.

Unsecured loans give a great offer to the borrowers who do not have assets and need money for their needs. they do not face any troubles with borrowing money now.

Bad Credit Personal Loans: Easy Bucks For Personal Needs

2008-01-02T16:10:00.000+08:00

When there is a huge population suffering with poor financial rating, there should be certain measures that rivet remedies for it. Well, there are. Now you can easily grab some monetary assistance those allow you to take cash whenever you are in need, in need of some bucks, even if you are with poor rating. The talk is of bad credit personal loans.

These are the finances for the personal needs. Here the available cash allows you to get the bucks for a number of requirements. Apart form the regular needs like business needs, home improvement, car buying or holiday trips; you can also get the money for debt consolidation. Here you can mush up all your debts through a single loan paid to be with single interest rates.

Anyway, the funding is for all here, for everyone. You may have the collateral or not, the money is for you. You can go for both the secured as well as unsecured options. Security pledged in secured options allows you to have the bucks at much cheap rates because of assurance of the return of the money associated with it. And, the unsecured options let you have the money without pledging any collateral or in simpler terms, there is no risk or headache involved here in these options. Only, in case of the unsecured loans, the interest rate charged will be slightly higher than the normal rates.

There is, again, the online processing available for the bad credit personal loans and this is preferable. Online is the best way to apply simply because you can apply through an easy and small application form and applying is totally free of cost here. Also, there is no paper work or faxing involved online. And, the service is available round the clock. Loans are only clicks away here. Everything has been put in these loans only to make easy the move of bad credit holders.

7 Easy Business Optimization Solutions for Your Web Site

2007-12-31T12:04:00.000+08:00

7 Easy Business Optimization Solutions You Can Apply to Your Web Site Today

Finding affordable business optimization solutions for your Web site can some time be a challenge. Many of the Web site owners I talk to on a daily bases are small business owners that have a limited budget when it comes to advertising and even smaller when they talk about their Web site. One general consensus is that they all know they need to beef up their Internet presence but they all believe the only way to do that is by hiring a company who specialized in Internet Marketing or Search Engine Optimization. What many don’t realize is that with a little time and effort they can apply some basic optimization solutions to their site themselves and usually for free if they are dedicated to making their Web site succeed.

Being a small business owner myself I know how hard it is to juggle advertising dollars and get the most advertising for my money is important. I am going to share with you a few tips on how you can have a sucsesful on-line presence by just putting a little time and effort into your site.

#1 - For Your Visitor

Lets start by taking a good look at your Web site. We all look at our site so many times often we overlook the obvious. Pick up the phone or drop an email to some of your most loyal customers and ask them what they would want to see on your site to help them be better informed about your product or services. Ask them their thoughts and comments on your site. Ask them to give you their honest opinion. Do they see anything that they could suggest to make it better for potential customers? Is there any specific information they fell would benefit a new visitor? It is amazing how getting the prospective of your customer will often open some windows you may have never thought of before and the greatest thing is it does not cost a dime.

Another great way to see how your visitors are using your site you may want to apply some click tracking software to your Web site so you can see how people are navigating through your site. It may be a real eye opener to how you have your pages set up. It will tell you just where and what your visitors are clicking on. Visit http://www.Crazyegg.com and apply a small piece of code to your Web site and start tracking your visitor’s clicks you’ll be surprised at what you discover.

#2 – For Your Visitor

While you are taking a look at your Web site have you given your customers easy access to your contact information on each and every page? Many Web site owners overlook this important aspect. You need to make it easy for potential customers to contact you. You want them to be able to find a way to contact you on each and every page and not just on a contact page. You’re working with split seconds every time someone lands on your page. Make it easy for them tell them exactly what you want them to do. Rather then just saying Call Now! Give them specific instructions.

For Example:

Go pick up your phone and call us now to hear more about this special rate. Time is limited so call now at 800-555-1234

Buy today to take advantage of free shipping ... delivered right to your front door in 48 hours!

Little things that you may not think are important usually are the things that result in making a sale or not. One important factor in advertising is trying to find ways to make what you say different then everyone else. Those that stand out in a crowd are usually the ones that are making the sale.

What can you do to make your information different? Think of your competitors and what they are doing then you do the complete opposite.

These are just a couple of Web design and layout tips to help with your business optimization solutions that will mostly benefit your visitor. Now lets concentrate on a few that the search engines will favor

#3 – For Your Visitor & Search Engines

You only have 3 seconds to capture someone’s attention so start your business optimization solutions right at your title tag. Go to your home page and make a mental note of your title tag (look in the upper left hand corner of your browser the words listed there are what it says in your title tag.) Now go do a search using your most relevant keyword phrase (what you want your visitors to find you on when doing a search) and look at the results that come up.

Look at the title of each result on the first couple pages. How compelling are they? Do they intrigue you to click on them by reading what is listed there? People are looking for instant gratification and they will read the results and normally will click on those that compel them to do so. For example let’s take a look at these results for coffeehouse:

Out of the following results which would you be more inclined to click on?

• Depot Coffee House
• Discover a Cup of Europe at Eurotazza® Coffeehouse
• DJ’s Coffeehouse
• Coffeehouse – Savor the Flavor of Brazilian Coffee

By addressing the instant reaction of your potential visitor you’re compelling them to click on your ad by writing a good title but you’re also creating a keyword rich
title tag that the search engines will favor.

The first impression most Internet users get of your company is the way you describe your site so use your title tag as the most part of your Web site.

#4 – For the Search Engines

Is your Web site compliant? A quick check of your HTML code will reveal if your site is complying with the W3C. I would recommend running your site through http://validator.w3.org/ to test your website for compliance issues with W3C.

Here is a short definition of what W3C compliance is;
The W3C is the World Wide Web Consortium and basically, since 1994 the W3C has provided the guidelines by which websites and web pages should be structured and created.
• Compliance help insure accessibility
• Compliance helps insure that your website is accessible from a number of different devices; from different browsers to the growing number of surfers using PDA?s and cellular phones.
• Compliance will also help insure that regardless of the browser, resolution, device, etc. that your website will look and function in the same or at least a very similar fashion.

Being compliant doesn’t necessary benefit you in terms of SEO at this point, however many of the processes you go through to get compliant code will automatically improve your “on page” factors and it will rule out a lot of crawling/indexing issues.

#5 – For Your Visitor

Pre-qualification of your visitors is one of the biggest problems many companies make when developing a Web site. Say your Web site is about “cell phones” and you’ve set up your site only for the keyword phrase “cell phones.” Do you know the competing pages for the terms “cell phones” is over 246 million?

Even as a Professional SEO I know it’s going to be pretty hard to compete with those kinds of numbers. Let’s say we break the keyword phrase “cell phones” down to the lowest and most detailed search giving your visitors exactly what they are looking for.

If I was working on this site I would be working on pages that are more concentrated around detailed keyword phrases.

• cell phone – competing pages – 246,000,000
• cell phone ring tones - competing pages 494,000
• custom cell phone ring tones – competing pages 225,000
• make custom cell phone ring tones – competing pages 177,000
• make free ring tones – competing pages – 31,700
• star trek ring tones – competing pages – 5,110
• family guy ring tones – competing pages - 1,950
• like to make my own ring tones – competing pages – 3

By spending just a little research time I was able to find some valuable keyword phrases that could be used to open additional windows into a cell phone site. The key is opening as many windows into your site as possible. Once you have given your visitor exactly what they’re looking for you have already earned their creditability and they most likely will spend additional time on your site looking at what else you have to offer.

Take a look at your site. Do you have a separate page for each of your products or services? Are you breaking it down in the smallest lowest detailed search?

Think of it this way …the search engines goals are to return the most relevant results to its users so break down your keyword phrases into the most detailed result and you are bringing very happy visitor to your site.

#6 – For Web Site Exposure

No one knows more about your product or service than you do so take your knowledge and put it down in writing. Nothing will give you more creditability then having a visitor reading something you have written about your industry. Still the power of the written word is priceless.

There are a number of Web sites on the Internet you can submit your articles to along with posting them on your own Web site. Most Web site owners think their Web site is just a place just to list services and company info. What some forget is most Internet surfers do much research before deciding to hire someone for a service or buying a product. Normally when someone is searching for they are gathering as much information they can about the product first. If they’re coming to your Web site reading valuable information about your industry and products they are immediately going to feel you are an expert in your field.

We are in a world laden with advertising so when writing about a particular product or service by-past the industry hype and stick to the facts. If your readers think you’re writing sales pitches they will instantly hit the back button. Give them detailed information or how to properly use your products something that will be of value to them.

Here is my top list of article marketing Web sites that you can submit your articles and remember the most important place for them is on your own site.

• www.BusinessKnowHow.com
• www.ArticleDashboard.com
• www.Buzzle.com
• www.ArticleBiz.com
• www.EzineArticles.com
• www.ArticleCity.com
• www.ArticleAlley.com

I found a great resource to get your content indexed on Google within 24 hours. Check out http://www.scribd.com. Be sure to read the terms of service Scribd does not like anything that resembles advertising.

#7 For YOU!

Learn learn and learn some more!

One of the best things you can do for your site is to learn as much about search engine optimization and internet marketing as you can. There are a number of free and affordable resources you can use to learn exactly what it takes to perform better in the search engines.

To start with here is a list of Blogs you can subscribe to so you can keep up to date with the latest changes on the Internet:

• http://www.searchengineacademysc.com/blog
• http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/
• http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/
• http://www.keiobservationdeck.com/
• http://www.sew-wrc.com/idea-motivator/

A couple Internet Marketing Newsletters to subscribe to:

• http://www.internetmarketingsecrets.com/
• http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/

Affordable On-line Training:

• http://www.onlinewebtraining.com/
• http://www.sew-wrc.com/

For a qualified SEO Training Center near you try:

• http://www.searchengineacademysc.com

Sign up to receive FREE SEO Tips at:

• http://www.searchengineacademysc.com/seo-tip.htm

There’s no substitute for a little hard work and learning some small business optimization solutions starts right at your computer!

Websites: Start to Finish

2007-12-28T12:03:00.000+08:00

Wanna Website? Better yet, wanna website within your time frame and budget? Choosing the right designer for the job is critical for success. But before you hire, or even interview designers, you need do some “goal-searching”. Defining your scope and educating yourself will help keep delays and disappointments to a minimum.

Every company needs a website which should include their logo, marketing message, location, phone number, and products or services. Your ultimate site may include information collection, product sales, or integration with internal systems. Once you determine what you expect from your website and what functionality you need, you can begin searching for a web designer. Bear in mind the best design professionals act as consultants – understanding your scope, and proposing solutions.

Step 1: Build a “Wish List”

Whether you're creating a website from scratch or updating an existing one, the first thing to do is to identify your goals and objectives. It’s not good enough just to have a website; you should expect tangible results from the investment and setting goals will help you measure your results. Here are some common website objectives. Do you want to:

• Provide information? Many businesses just need services offered, contact information, directions, and hours. This type of website is the least expensive and works for doctors, dentists, restaurants, vets, local stores, pet service providers, and other small businesses.

• Sell your products online? An Ecommerce solution is more expensive, but can yield big profits for companies that offer unique products and can ship them.

• Provide customer support or customer service? Many companies have reduced staff just by including FAQs, Email capability, complaint forum, policies, instructions, troubleshooting tips, use and care info and more on their website. Some solutions include Real-Time chat with a customer service representative.

• Gather data for sales or marketing purposes? Like email messages, newsletters, testing products and services. These features can be added to static and Ecommerce websites.

Once you know the goals, you can address more specific questions:

• Do you need a URL (domain name) purchased?

• Do you need a hosting service for your website?

• What pages do you need to include in your website to meet the goals listed above? (About, Location, Rates, Menu, Services, Products, Customer service, Press Releases, Articles, Sign Up pages, Photo Gallery, Events Calendar, Archives)

• Do you need interactive features? (database connection, order tracking, log-in, calculator, or any feature where visitors would interact with your site)

• Do you have a content writer or do you need to have that service provided?

• Do you need to have photos taken or stock photos purchased?

Your website can be as simple or complex as your imagination and budget. Having your “wish list” will help the designer develop an accurate quote, schedule and resource list.

Step 2: Gain an Understanding

Understanding how a website is created is important. If you’re not educated in the basics, you leave yourself vulnerable, risking a poor vendor choice and unexpected problems.

Website design and development is a two-fold process that involves three parts. It consists of design (front end), what your website looks like (including images and text). Graphic designers concentrate on the front end, choosing appropriate images, fonts, and layout. A good designer has an understanding of what works visually on screen, how a visitor scans a page, and what technical limitations exist for web development. Your designer will rely on you to provide the content – written and visual, or help you find a writer and secure photos as well.

The second part of the process is web development (back end), programming needed to make your site functional. A good web developer will know several programming languages, most importantly HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). This code allows browsers to display images and text. Other code terms you may hear are:

• Javascript – for simple client side interactivity, pop ups, and some animation.

• DHTML – for interactive menu navigation

• ASP and PHP – for customization and interactivity (database connectivity, account information).

• CSS – control the look from a central file.

• Flash – creates interactive menus, tools and animated messages.

The third part to consider is future growth and updates. Most websites should be updated at least three or four times a year. Retail stores may want to change featured items weekly, and Ecommerce sites may need daily updates.

There are three ways to handle ongoing maintenance:

• Your design team makes updates. Typically you’d pay a set monthly fee, or by the hour.

• You make updates. Upgrading to include a content management system would allow edits of text and some images without programming skills. Cost depends on complexity.

• Your staff makes updates. If you have the staff in place or have the budget for an additional person, this option may be cost effective and give you more control.

You may find a combination of these solutions fits your needs. For example, your Ecommerce website allows you to add, change and edit products, but other parts of your site need the attention of a designer.

Step 3: Compare Options

Some firms can provide all the services needed to fulfill your wish list. These types of companies may have a staff of designers, developers, and technical support, or they may outsource portions of the job to another company, or to freelancers. Having your website designed under one roof provides these advantages:

• One point of contact and project management

• Better communication and integration of job elements and phases

• Big picture performance rather than simply completing daily tasks

Many larger companies offer other marketing services, such as email campaigns, search engine marketing, and other programs to help drive visitors to your website. Be sure to ask what additional services are available, whether you think you may need them or not.

Narrow down your choices for design companies – you need to select a group that will complete your project on time and within budget. Start by looking at the designer’s portfolio. Established design companies have a comprehensive portfolio of work on their website. Thoroughly review the portfolio for samples that have the same features you’re interested in (design style is important, but a good designer should be able to create a variety of looks). Features are super important because a company that designs a gorgeous static website may not have the programming capabilities to create a database driven Ecommerce site for you.

Here are 10 Clues that point to a successfully completed design project:

Clue #1: If you’re looking to hire a designer and they don’t have a website… RUN! These days there is NO excuse not to have an online presence for your advertising and marketing company.

Clue #2: If all or most of the samples on a web designers site say “Coming Soon” or “Page not found”… RUN! Obviously they’re probably a company that doesn’t finish projects.

Clue #3: If their portfolio has many samples, but they’re all for the same campaign or company (and one you’ve never heard of)… RUN!! Most likely these are samples done for design school, not real world business.

Clue #4: If their website or work samples have typos, broken links and outdated information… RUN! If they’ve done it before, they’ll do it again.

Clue #5: If you’re interviewing a designer and they don’t ask the three key questions… RUN! Your designer has to have these questions answered: what does the client do, what does the client want done, and what is the project deadline.

Clue #6: If you have trouble getting the design company on the phone, or they’re not answering your emails in a timely and efficient manner… RUN! This is just a foreshadowing of what’s to come when the real work begins.

Clue #7: If you don’t get a price quote (and or printing estimate) in writing… RUN! Verbal estimates are amateur, indicating that that designer is as well.

Clue #8: If the price sounds too good to be true… RUN! It probably is too good to be true. You’ll either never get the final project completed, or you’ll get what you pay for. Get several quotes to see what the ballpark figures should be if you’re new at this. And don’t rely on internet companies as many are in foreign countries making communication impossible, and again… you’ll get what you pay for.

Clue #9: If you aren’t asked to sign a contract… RUN! Do you know what the payment terms are, who owns the copyright, are there royalties or usage limits, and so on. Don’t hire any contractor without some agreement in writing.

Clue #10: If you aren’t asked for money up front… RUN! Think of it as a retainer, and typically, an assurance that your job is taken as a serious priority. If you’ve gotten to this point with your research, a deposit of 30 or 50% shouldn’t scare you.

After looking at samples, check references. Get a minimum of three and ask these questions:

• Were deadlines met?
• Was the company flexible?
• Did they make suggestions?
• What were their strengths?
• What were their weaknesses?
• Would you hire them again?

There are tons of reputable, talented, and yes, affordable creative service companies around. The care you take at the beginning should pay big when you receive a finished project that’s what you expected (or better), that’s within budget, that’s on time, and most importantly, that’s effective at meeting your marketing goals.

Step 4: Getting Started

Your selected website design team will interview you to understand your business, your goals for the site and your budget. They should prepare a project plan with pricing which lays out each step of the project, who is responsible for what, deadlines, included features, pricing, and extras with their costs. A contract is a must! Make sure your contract lists who owns what, the terms, the deadlines, and the method of approving additional charges.

Armed with good information, a well-thought out plan and scope, and answers to some questions up front, your website development should be smooth and painless from start-to-finish.

What is Fantastico?

2007-12-25T12:01:00.000+08:00

Fantastico is a program that comes with most hosting packages, integrated with the popular online control panel- Cpanel to offer web hosting useres the ability to install popular programs and scripts. The installation of these programs and scripts are significantly simplified, all with the ease of a click of a button. Web-hosting users are able to install multiple instances of popular open source programs for their web design needs. For users who intend to get their sites up and running in minimal time, Fantastico is the perfect solution.

Also referred to as Fantastico Deluxe, the popularity of this program seems to just keep on growing, and with good reasons. An interesting feature of Fantastico is that it is updated on a regular basis to ensure that users will always get the latest software patches and upgrades. Users will have that peace of mind of knowing that their scripts are kept up-to-date with security updates and functionality improvements.

It is important to note that Fantastico is available for Linux / PHP web hosting only. Having said that, this is not to be mistaken with its compatibility with the user’s operating system. Linux / PHP web hosting works perfectly fine for users using Windows as their operating system. In fact, most of the web hosting services on the web are running on Linux system.

Fantastico Deluxe also normally comes with Templates Express, which is a series of static templates for website building. This reduces the hassle of having to build websites from scratch, especially for beginners. Webmasters can expect to easily set up a fully functioning dynamic website and has many features such as polls, calendar, weblinks, message comments etc. Other features include multiple polls, templates, unlimited options, IP logging, IP locking, cookie support, comment feature, vote expire feature, random poll plus more. Fantastico includes easily over 40 scripts for you to choose from. For the more experienced users, you would notice that Fantastico is an amazing cPanel/PHP based Web application. It automatically installs preconfigured PHP/MySQL scripts and databases into a Cpanel-managed virtual host.

In short, Fantastico is ideal for any web designer or developer, ranging from someone with no knowledge of building websites to an expert web designer. It provides streamlined development and management process of your website, thus ensuring a hassle-free and a greatly reduce human error in web designing activities. The best part is that Fantastico would normally come as default and for free with every cPanel hosting plans and WHM Reseller accounts. So, needless to say that the next time you go on search for your web hosting solution, having Fantastico is a definite must.

What is FrontPage Hosting?

2007-12-22T12:00:00.000+08:00

FrontPage hosting is a niche market offering in terms of support for a web authoring software product. It is run on a Windows operating system. The FrontPage software itself refers to a complete package for web site creation, flexible web site management, and the ability to edit and format HTML. All these can be done through an interface that is user-friendly and easy to use especially for those already familiar with Microsoft Office. FrontPage hosting is designed for users who use a lot of dynamic functions for their websites and require FrontPage specific features like photo gallery, active web pages or if they are running FrontPage bots. It is a great platform for users who want to host their small or large e-commerce sites.

FrontPage Hosting is comparable with the normal hosting services but is differentiated by its ability to support for various FrontPage extensions. In fact, FrontPage can only work in perfection if the hosting provider has FrontPage Server Extensions installed. In terms of price, the normal cost for a FrontPage hosting is comparable to the normal Windows or UNIX hosting.

In view to extend the functionality and capabilities of the FrontPage hosting, FrontPage version 2003 was developed. It offers additional useful features such as a new photo gallery, usage analysis reports and instant team web sites. The features such as easy-to-use dropdown menus, check boxes and radio buttons enables easy website development and ensures pleasant experience for beginners in web development. There are also dynamic web templates for quick site modification. Remote sites can be connected to easily using the web import dialog can Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). It also provides a great advantage for data-driven websites where people can be connected in various methods through Extensible Markup Language (XML), using a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor.

In conclusion, FrontPage hosting is a very feature-rich solution especially for beginners in web development who are already familiar with the Microsoft Office environment. The FrontPage web development software works perfectly with FrontPage hosting, which is designed to support the FrontPage extensions. This is the right solution if you are looking for a web hosting and web development environment that is easy and quick to learn through a Graphical User Interface (GUI).

What is Managed Hosting?

2007-12-20T11:59:00.000+08:00

Managed hosting is a hosting solution whereby the hosting provider takes care of all the running and administrative tasks of your dedicated server. It is the perfect solution for customers who are looking for a full turnkey service of managing a web server, encompassing hardware, software, space, network and all related requirements. It is commonly subscribed by companies who are looking for a dedicated support to provide 100% service uptime while maintaining a level of control on their servers. The infrastructure, technical support and responsiveness of support provided by the hosting provider are definitely greater than other hosting services.

Managed hosting breaks the traditional method of having to spend capital expenditure up front in purchasing and setting up hardware and software for a server, into an operating expenditure-based model of paying monthly fee for a fully managed service. From a company’s point of view, it is very similar to outsourcing the IT and technical aspects of their online business.

This hosting service is ideal for large online businesses that prefer to focus their effort on their core business rather than having to spend extra resources and time of managing their dedicated servers. Managed hosting greatly alleviates the issues security and performance normally associated to an unmanaged or shared hosting environment. While looking expensive on the outset, managed hosting is actually the cost-effective solution due to the fact that technical expertise, uptime, responsiveness and reliable infrastructure will be guaranteed at a fixed cost.

The service included in a managed hosting extends to products such as private networks, database administration and security products. There are also hosting providers that include managed SQL server hosting services. In terms of server administration, customers can expect services such as load balancing, managed storage, database hosting, connectivity, reporting and monitoring of their servers. Physical maintenance such as equipment servicing would also be covered by the hosting providers. For an additional fee, hosting providers also normally offer software-related services. Definitely this is a solution for webmasters and companies who require fully managed services while maintaining control over the server.

In summary, managed hosting is an environment tailor-made for online businesses to focus on their core functions while at the same time have their web servers run and maintained at peak efficiency by the experts. Furthermore, all these can be enjoyed without having to spend up-front expenditure related to a web server. With an uptime of virtually 100%, businesses can be assured that the servers would function seamlessly with optimum performance.

What is PHP Hosting?

2007-12-17T11:30:00.000+08:00

PHP hosting is a server-side scripting environment that is used to create dynamic web pages. PHP is an abbreviation for Hypertext Preprocessor, an open source language widely used by programmers and web developers. The fact that it is open source gives it a lot of advantages over proprietary programming languages. Due to this reason, PHP has been the most famous server-side scripting language and almost all hosting providers offer PHP hosting services nowadays.

PHP is an object oriented language. The way PHP hosting works is that the web server would filter a request document using PHP and generates the output from PHP to the web browser. These documents are usually in HTML format with PHP tags inside. The tags can be run on both Windows and UNIX servers. In terms of output text, PHP is capable to generate any format such as XHTML and XML.

With PHP, web developers would be able to perform any CGI tasks, such as generate dynamic contents or send and receive cookies. PHP is also capable of outputting PDF files, Flash videos and images on the fly at high speed. This is possible due to its ability to save the required files in its file system and forming a server-side cache.

There are a host of advantages of using a PHP hosting. For beginners, it is a relatively easy language to learn and work on. While for seasoned developers, there are a lot of advanced applications and features that comes with PHP hosting. In terms of cost, it is one of the cheapest hosting solutions as it is an open-source technology. There are also programming tools that come free with PHP hosting, contributed by programmers worldwide.

PHP is especially strong in relational databases, which are used for dynamic contents, product catalogs and e-commerce applications. The relational database application that comes with PHP is called MySQL, which is also open-source. It is known for its high reliability, precision and flexibility. These advantages have made it the more preferred alternative compared to proprietary databases systems.

Overall, PHP hosting is one of the most complete hosting packages available in the industry. It is perfect both for beginners who require easy-to-use hosting services and for advanced users who require powerful web applications. The value that it offers is even more significant due to its inexpensive pricing, especially compared to proprietary hosting services.

What is Reseller Hosting?

2007-12-13T17:51:00.000+08:00

Reseller hosting is a type of web hosting package where we can split up the allocated bandwidth and disk space of a hosting account, and then resell to other individual users as separate hosting accounts. It effectively means that we can buy hosting space from providers in bulk and then subdivide it to be resold to other customers. It is a method for people to start making money of their own with web hosting. Interestingly, reseller hosting requires very little knowledge on how to get started. Hence, practically everyone who is comfortable with the internet can start their own reseller hosting business.

The reseller hosting concept is a rapidly growing industry. This is due to the simple fact that it is an inexpensive way for hosting entrepreneurs to start doing business in this field. This type of hosting is normally used by companies or individuals who want to start a small web hosting company, and also chosen by developers, designers or internet consultants. From the cost point of view, it is a cost-efficient method for webmasters who want to manage and host multiple number of sites with separate control panels. It definitely has the potential to be a very profitable business if the costs and margins are well-managed. Resellers are able to offer custom-made hosting packages for specific customers that perhaps not offered by any of the current hosting providers. This added by the fact that resellers can better control the quality of service since they can pick their servers of choice.

In most cases, the resellers will be given freedom by the hosting provider to create their own packages and offers. Alternatively, most hosting providers would offer predefined packages for resellers to directly sell to customers. Some hosting providers even provide ready sites for resellers to use as a platform to promote their products. To manage the hosting accounts, resellers will be given an interface called the Web Hosting Manager. From there, they can get access to features which typically include payment systems, forms, applications and others. From here, resellers can manage their tasks such as adding domains and setting up DNS entries.

Overall, reseller hosting is great for small businesses or even individuals who intend to generate online profit through the web hosting business. Fortunately, the amount of effort required for resellers to set up this business has been greatly reduced by the ready-made hosting packages and website templates offered by hosting providers. This enables resellers to immediately launch their business without too much start-up hassle and effort. Considering that the market for web hosting is huge, there will be no shortage of demand and there are always opportunities for you in this business.

What is UNIX Hosting?

2007-12-09T17:48:00.000+08:00

UNIX hosting is the most common web hosting platform today. The term UNIX refers to a computer operating system which provides the base operating system architecture for many open source companies including Solaris (Sun), Linux (GNU) and others. UNIX has been around for years and is the choice language for mid-frame computer users. UNIX hosting solutions is considered more available due to open source distribution of its operating system. LINUX hosting is a version of UNIX that has gained popularity because of its stability as an operating system. You will find these two terms being used interchangeably, which effectively refers to the same type of hosting solution.

When it comes to choosing between UNIX and Windows hosting, the main thing to look for is what functions and programming languages that will be required by your website. Primarily, it is a choice between PHP and ASP, in which the former comes with UNIX hosting while the latter comes with Windows hosting. In addition, for plain and ordinary web sites which uses HTML pages with no or little database or dynamic pages, in most cases UNIX hosting would be the best option. UNIX should also be the option should your web site requirements include the use of PERL, PHP or Python.

UNIX hosting is associated with reliability, security and high-performance. UNIX hosting is an open system, which means that its source code is publicly available for free from various web sites. In addition, UNIX hosting providers usually provide free tools and applications that have been written primarily for the UNIX community. These companies are also more technically oriented and most of the systems on offer are custom designed. In terms of complexity, UNIX hosting is a very cost-effective choice, due to its efficient use of hardware. This enables an increased web sites per server ratio, resulting in a decrease of cost of hosting. Naturally for this reason, UNIX hosting is normally cheaper than Windows hosting.

For those concerned on e-Commerce solutions, most UNIX website hosting plans come with features such as free shopping carts. Websites hosted in UNIX web hosting services normally have very high up-time in the order of 99%. Therefore, UNIX website hosting for e-commerce is the logical choice and has become a trend in the market.

The main disadvantage of using UNIX hosting is that your provider may only allow access to your account via Telnet or SSH. Also, when considering the UNIX operating system and UNIX hosting, users need to consider their own technical abilities. A strong working knowledge of UNIX commands is an advantage in order to do customizations beyond the basic needs. There’ll be some minimal time required on learning the basics before you can fully utilize the advantages of UNIX hosting.

In conclusion, the UNIX hosting solution should be your choice if you are using PHP scripting for your website, and also if your website is pretty basic with mainly HTML language. It is also a more affordable option compared to Windows hosting due to its open-source concept. On top of all, it is widely regarded as more stable, secure and scalable.

What is VPS Hosting?

2007-12-05T17:47:00.000+08:00

Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting is the hosting of separate entities for different customers in a single server. This technology allows the hosting provider to partition and create multiple virtual servers from one physical server. Customers would share the server which includes the hardware itself and the connection. However, they would enjoy the benefits almost similar to dedicated hosting such as their private operating system and file system, allowing freedom of accessibility and security. Hence, VPS hosting can be considered as a hosting environment in between a shared and a dedicated hosting. Ultimately, an advanced performance and privacy can be achieved at a lesser cost than for a dedicated hosting.

In terms of control, customers would be able to access administrative tasks such as changing server configurations, installing software, hosting multiple sites and rebooting the server. Thus it is imperative that customers who require greater accessibility and security of their server to opt for this type of account. If you are planning to move from a shared to a dedicated hosting environment without having to incur significant rise of costs, the logical step is to move to VPS hosting server first. With the price dropping to as low as $10 per month for some hosting providers, VPS hosting is definitely a worthy proposition for a lot of users. Since the operating system and file system are separate for each customer, users can expect a guaranteed share of the server in terms of CPU, disk input/output and network.

For those intending to do reseller hosting, you will be able to have more control on the services that you can offer, therefore having the edge over other resellers in the market. For web developers who plan to set up a social networking website or function-rich blogs, VPS hosting would be a suitable option. It is also a good choice for webmasters who are already comfortable with managing a shared hosting and intend to upgrade their skills on server management, without being exposed to the risks of running a fully dedicated server. Webmasters would be able to install custom applications or change modules for the server. They would also be able to enjoy guaranteed security over the websites that they manage since every VPS environment has its own software to run its hosting and is allocated its own portion of resources, hence reducing possibilities of intrusion.

In summary, VPS hosting is the perfect hosting solution for customers who want the control and flexibility of dedicated hosting at a cost similar to shared hosting. With this technology that enables webmasters to enjoy the best of both worlds, it is indeed a great value proposition.

What is ASP Hosting?

2007-12-02T17:44:00.000+08:00

ASP hosting is a server-side scripting environment that uses the Active Server Pages (ASP) technology. It is designed for dynamic web pages and applications, offering a vast array of functionalities for web developers. ASP hosting is normally hosted on a Windows server, typically an NT server, and can be fully integrated into an Internet Information Server (IIS) or PWS. The concept of ASP is the same as scripts such as Java Server Pages (JSP) and CGI that enables web pages to work with databases and programs in the web server. An ASP web page is easily identifiable with the .asp extension on the URL.

ASP hosting works in similar way as other server-side scripting technologies. When your web browser sends its request to the web server, the web server will call ASP which would process the requested file. It would run any script commands and in turn sends the requested web page back to the web browser. Hence, it is the server who runs all the requests and sends the requested HTML pages back to the browser.

ASP hosting provides a platform for web developers to explore their own creativity and design customized web solutions. Web developers would be able to tap on Microsoft’s programming technologies and design web pages with powerful features. ASP hosting is also considered as an attractive hosting solution with the availability of free training videos on the Microsoft web site. This is extremely useful especially for beginners as they can learn the basic skills of working with ASP technologies.

It is also possible for ASP hosting to be run on non-windows operating systems such as UNIX. Some hosting providers do offer this kind of service, for example making use of ChiliASP on a UNIX server. However, there could be some compatibility issues that may come with it and users would not be able to enjoy the full features of ASP.

In summary, ASP hosting is ideal for web developers who intend to create websites that utilizes the Microsoft programming technologies especially ASP. There is a huge list of applications and features offered by an ASP hosting environment. There is plenty of room for creativity with all these available functionalities, which definitely suits those who plans to develop powerful, multi-feature websites.

Web Accessibility a Universal Goal!

2007-11-30T17:40:00.000+08:00

Introduction:

Over the last decay, an increase number of research were conducted to determine ways Information Technology can assist in meeting special needs to ensure universal accessibility. Findings to date suggest that by being more knowledgeable about accessibility issues, Web designers and developers are able to accommodate end users with special needs.

As we enter the knowledge age, it is no longer acceptable that people with limited or no vision are on their own when it comes to accessing the web, nor those with mobility problems are on their own when it comes to use a hardware. To ignore

website accessibility raises moral, business, and legal issues. It is morally wrong to discriminate

against disabled people on the web simply through lack of thought, consideration, or awareness. Many business web sites designed without considering accessibility issues result in loss of revenue. Some countries, such as the US, UK, and Australia has introduced legislation that requires organizations to adhere to accessibility issues.

In June 1999, the Disability Discrimination Act (1999) has been used to fight for access rights in

Australia. The 2000 Olympic Site Games, jointly developed by Sydney Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (SOCOG) and IBM was found inaccessible to the blind users, and SOCOG was fined A$ 20,000 [1].

The purpose of this paper is raising awareness among web designers and developers, to achieve universal web accessibility goal. The paper looks at the disability issues and the existing assistive technologies or methods used by disabled users to assist them in accessing the web.

Afterwards, the paper reviews guidelines for good web site design, and provides analysis for designing an accessible website. Furthermore, the paper highlights on the challenges and gaps in the web accessibility area.

Literature Review:

Two years ago, a Conference was held in ‘London’ and attended by representatives of commerce, industry, government, and the IT Sector aiming to raise awareness of the potential benefits of assistive technology to disabled users. The outstanding number of speakers highlighted through number of cases how technology can transfer lives. ‘Sue Bassoon’ a Business Development Manager at IBM said: “IBM’s goal is to have a speech recognition system as good as the human ear by 2010” [2].

The objectives of this literature is two folds: (1) explain how a particular disability (e.g.

visual impairment, mobility restriction, hearing impairment) can impede the use of the web, and what can be done to accommodate special needs; and (2) show how web designers and developers can construct accessible web sites to end users with disabilities, such as visual or hearing impairment.

(1) Disability Issues

The section begins with a descriptive part concerning disabled user functional limitation

and dependence on assistive technologies.

A- Vision Issues:

A web user who has no sight (totally blind) is likely to use the screen reader technology to reads a load the content of the web page. Other web users, with partial or poor sight need to be able to enlarge the text on web page using a screen magnifier.

B- Mobility Issues:

A web user may have mobility problems as a result of an accident or disease such as:(loss of limb, Injury, or aging process). The technologies used by users with mobility problems are:

- Sticky Keys: For users with one finger typing.

- Filter Keys: Ignores repeated strokes for people with hand tremors.

- Mouse Keys: Permits moving pointer with numeric keypad.

- Serial Key: Permits access to alternatives for mouse and keyboard functions such as Foot Mouse.

- Eye gaze: A video camera that racks eye movement as the user look at an on screen keyboard. It is customizable as how long a key must be looked at to be recorded. When system has identified the key looked at the symbol appears and the user look at next key.

C- Hearing Issues:

A web user may be deaf or experiencing problems with hearing due to the natural aging process. To assist those users the audio or video need to be translated to the ASL (American Sign Language) language of the deaf, in which certain signs represent words.

(2) Design for Accessibility

In the above section, the paper provided readers with a general knowledge about disability issues, disabled users, and the existing assistive technologies. This section is intended for web designers and developers, because it provides them with tips and guidelines on ways to design a good and accessible website. There are two main aspects

to take into account:

I- Look and Feel

Web designers need to present a user friendly interface that addresses specific ability needs. The designer should be able to describe ways disabled users interact with a website, and how they move through the pages and how they achieve their goals. Below, are helpful tips that designers need to consider when designing an accessible website.

- Web Designers & Developers; should follow the four principles of visual organization in the process of designing a website which are: Proximity, Alignment, Consistency, and Contrast.

- Web Designers & Developers; must avoid using HTML tables to control the layout, instead use style sheets.

- Web Designers & Developers; should use legible fonts, and font size to allow disabled users to easily change them from the browser interface.

- Avoid poor color contrast in your design, and do not use color for meaningful description.

- Avoid the use of animation, and flash which may affect users with photosensitive epilepsy.

- Avoid using Frames because it can pose problems for technology used by some disabled users.

- Try not to use graphics for menu and button forms.

- Avoid hiding menu items (using DHTML or applets)

II- Content

Web designers should organize content in a way that can provide ease of use and simplicity. Below, are helpful tips that designers need to consider when designing an accessible website:

- Use a clear language, and write short sentences.

For example, a web page should provide blind users with a short summary of what they can find. A Search Functionality is important because a blind person can’t scan the page, and will generally trust first result he/she receives.

- Add Accessible tags and attributes by using rich set of tags to enhance accessibility. For instance, an ALT tag is used to provide a text equivalent for images within a website. The

ALT text description is what the screen reader or talking browser will read to the blind users .

- Use clear link descriptions, and include links that a user can click to skip repetitive regions of the page.

- Ensure the pages are usable when scripts, applets, or style sheets are turned off or not

supported.

- All audio and video content should contain captions, transcription, and descriptive information.

Analysis:

It is estimated that 20% of the population has some kind of disability. The internet opens

a new window of opportunity and independence to disabled users from reading news to banking to conducting business. For example, by using the screen reader technology a blind user can listen to the latest newspaper published electronically. Similarly, a user with mobility problem who can not go out shopping to buy a newspaper, nor use a

keyboard or mouse independently, can rather use the eye tracking software that allow people to use a computer with nothing more than eye movement.

Nowadays, organizations are asking designers to make their web sites accessible and for

good reasons. First of all, the more people who can use a site, the more potential it can

generate. Online stores, in particular have a great deal to gain, since many people with

functional limitation problems, find it much easier to shop online. Most Web designers

are not personally opposed to the concept of making web sites accessible to people with

disabilities. In fact most accessibility errors on web sites are the result of ignorance. A large proportion of web designers and developers have simply never thought about accessibility issues. A small proportion of web designers (4%) do not understand the needs of users with disabilities; another (46%) understand some of the needs of users with disabilities. While only (26%) of designers understand most of the needs of users

with disabilities and can accommodate them [3].

The Challenges and Gaps of Web Accessibility:

In this section, we highlight the challenges and the requirements posed by user needs, to

access the web. We argue the need for a new approach to address accessibility issues, and

include it in each and every web project life cycle.We recognize that the vast majority of disabled users face challenges when accessing the web. Why is this? Is it the lack of technical solutions to meet their needs – absolutely not! You will hear today that there are new technological solutions to address even most extreme form of disability. Is it cost?

Again it is not! Some technical solutions, cost nothing at all, and already exist in software. So, What then? Is it that web applications are being developed that present challenges to accessible design? Is it lack of knowledge and skills to meet their needs?

There does seem a general lack of awareness of web accessibility issues. Web Designers and Developers, need to have a better approach to tackle the problem in each phase of the web development process. For example, during the requirement analysis phase a web developer must define the target audience of the site, and should take into account people with a combination of disabilities. In addition to this, during prototyping phase a web designer must have the knowledge to accommodate end users with special needs, and also the skills to meet their expectations.

Moreover, testing the web site using different

technologies is critical for a successful web site, to ensure it meets the accessibility

standards and user requirements [4].

Therefore, in each phase of the web development process, accessibility plays an important role. Accessibility and Usability should be completely embedded in web design and development cycles from beginning to end.

The future looks bright for web accessibility. It promises to educate web designers and developers about accessibility issues, through training courses offered at universities.

Conclusion:

The Internet offers independence and freedom. But, this independence and freedom is limited to certain users. Many websites are not created with accessibility issues in mind.

Whether it is the Web Designer lack of knowledge or ignorance, they exclude a segment of users that in many ways benefit from the internet [5].

In short, designing accessible websites does not require an enormous effort or time. It simply, requires commitment, and accountability, to achieve a universal goal.

Reference:

[1] Duckworth D. (2003).Web Accessibility in Australia. Retrieved June 18, 2005, from

http://www.tonneten.net/mt/blog/archieves/000024.htm

[2] Conference (2003). IT – The Universal Enabler, London. Retrieved May 28, 2005

from http://www.stcsig.org

[3]Web Accessibility Survey (2003). Retrieved June 24, 2005 from

http://cita.rehab.uiuc.eduu/survey/2002-2003-web-practices.html

[4] Volpon A. (2002). The Life cycle ofWeb Accessibility. Retrieved June 24, 2005 from

http://www.evolt.org/article/The_Lifecycle_of_Web_Accessibility/20/50376/

[5] Bohman P. (2003). Introduction to Web Accessibility. Retrieved June 24, 2005 from

http://www.webaim.org/intro

[6]Mertz D. (2000). Tips: Design for accessible Web sites. Retrieved June 22, 2005 from

http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/web/library/w-mertz.htm

The Benefits Of CRM Software

2007-11-25T17:38:00.000+08:00

CRM software, often called customer relationship management software, is becoming much more popular today than it was in years past. One reason for this is that more people understand what the software is and are deciding to use it. Another reason is that the software is getting better and easier to use. It has more features and benefits than it did in the past, and it is also becoming more user-friendly, which is very important. More people today are using the Internet for their businesses. As this trend continues to grow, there will be a larger need for CRM software, but only if it is found to be useful and compatible with the needs that a business owner or manager has.

There are a lot of benefits to CRM software, as well. Managers can use this software to keep track of their customers and vendors and organize them in many different ways. It is unfortunate that so many people only think of CRM software as being a datebook or contact-recording type of software. It does handle these functions, but it does a great deal more than that, which is something that many business people fail to realize today when they are presented with CRM software. This CRM software can be used to record names and dates. However, it also keeps track of sales, returns, important dates such as birthdays and anniversaries. In addition, it can help to remind salespeople of their prior commitments. This keeps them from missing deadlines, meetings, the returning of phone calls, or anything else that will affect the perception of them that their clients have.

Naturally, not missing deadlines is vital to a good business relationship. In addition, the CRM software can help a client feel as though he or she matters to a business. When a client feels important and valued, repeat business is much more likely than it would otherwise be. This is great for the business, but it is also good for the clients, because everyone in the relationship benefits from the efficiency that CRM software helps to create. Without CRM software, there is a good chance that there will be more problems in the interactions that are needed between clients and businesspeople. This is not to say that CRM software eliminates all chance of problems, but it does reduce them.

Those who use CRM software can also be more organized, because it is easier for them to find what they need when it comes to their customers, their vendors, and anything else that they need to keep close track of. It allows them to return calls more promptly, send out birthday cards, and keep customer information stored in a database where it can easily be retrieved by anyone who has authorized access to it. The main benefit to customers is that almost anyone in the company can help them, at least to some degree, because they can get to their information. This benefit of CRM software is the most important one because of the ability to let customers know that they are important to the company.

Using Crm Software To Gain And Keep Clients

2007-11-22T17:36:00.000+08:00

Not all companies use CRM software, and companies that do use it often find that surprising. They know the benefits of the CRM software and how much it can do for their companies. They find that they can get more clients – and keep the ones they have – when they use it, as well. Naturally, keeping clients is vital. However, getting new ones is also something that needs to be done. By using CRM software, clients can be reassured. They are treated well, and they feel as though their opinion matters. Because of this, they often tell others of their experiences with a particular company. In doing so, word of mouth advertising spreads quickly. Those who hear about the quality of the company may then try it, and more clients will be gained.

The way that CRM keeps customers feeling secure, and the way that it brings in new ones through word of mouth work together to allow for a lot of help for companies. It is remarkable how many companies are now moving toward using this software. Generally, it is larger companies. However, this is not because CRM software is not good for smaller companies. Instead, it is because larger companies simply have more difficulty keeping track of their clients. They usually have a larger client base, and they also have more people who may need access to that information. For smaller companies, however, getting and using CRM software can be very beneficial. It enables them to be ready when they grow and their client base expands.

This is highly important for companies that feel as though they must continue to build the number of clients that they have. These companies want to be ready for whatever comes next, and this is a good idea, especially for smaller companies. Larger ones can also benefit , though, because they still want to gain new clients. Just because someone has a good client base, he or she usually still wants more. Clients come and go, and getting a steady flow of new ones will not only help the client base grow, but will also help to replace clients who may leave for various reasons. Even a good company will lose clients. This is often through no fault of their own. Clients may relocate. Some may pass away. Still others may find a better deal, a company closer to home, or something that they feel better about.

CRM software can be used for many different things. Most commonly it is used to store names and dates. However, there are many other things it can do. Companies use it to keep track of their client’s purchases and returns. It is also often used to remind salespeople of important appointments and to ensure that they do not forget their clients. This can mean sending out anniversary and birthday cards, returning phone calls more promptly, and handling many other areas of life that are important to business interactions. Overall, using CRM software is one of the best choices that a company can make.

What CRM Software Can Do For Your Business

2007-11-19T17:34:00.000+08:00

CRM software can do a lot for the business that a person owns or runs and the salespeople who work in it. However, a lot of people do not realize the importance of CRM software so they do not use it. Individuals also often think that CRM software is very complicated, and so they avoid using it because they feel they will not be able to figure out how it works. If it is too hard to use, people will avoid it, and they will find other ways of keeping track of customers. These may or may not work well. Still other individuals may be concerned that CRM software is too costly for them, so they decide it is not cost-effective for their business. CRM software is the right choice for most businesses, though, because it does so much in keeping track of the clients and any issues that pertain to them.

The most important thing that CRM software can do for a business is to keep it organized. Clients and their information is a vital part of business life. Even a small business must make sure that these clients are kept organized. They must not be ignored or neglected because they were somehow lost in the shuffle of people and paperwork that takes place every day. With CRM software, though, there is much less worry about the clients and their information. This software can also help to keep client information safer and more protected. By doing this, the company is better protected from future problems. In addition, the clients often feel better about doing business with the company. Any sensitive information that is provided to the company will not be lost or compromised.

CRM software is a great tool for salespeople as well. It helps to keep them prepared every day for what they must do. Those who work in sales often spend a lot of time each day trying to make sure that they are ready for the next day. They are also concerned about forgetting clients or forgetting appointments. With CRM software, there is a much lower chance of these problems. Everything that the salesperson needs to know about the client and everything that has to be remembered can be easily stored. The only disadvantage to this method is that a salesperson may not take the time to use the system. This, however, would be the fault of the salesperson, not the fault of the software.

For most companies, CRM software is a great way to build business. Not all companies will use this software, but those that do find that their business has been improved. The interaction that salespeople have with their clients is better, and the individuals who need to be reassured that they are important to the company can get that feeling. When they get that, they want to come back. They are interested in doing business with the company, and they feel that their ideas and opinions, as well as their business, are valued.

What CRM Software Really Is

2007-11-15T17:33:00.000+08:00

CRM software is generally mentioned in a lot of specific business circles, and a lot of people are familiar with the CRM term. They do not, however, necessarily know what CRM software actually is or what it can do for a person�s business. For a person to know what the software is capable of, it is important for that person to understand what the software is. There is a common misunderstanding that CRM software is nothing more than a way to store customers� names and numbers, and that any interest in what the software can or should do does not go beyond that. This is, though, a very inaccurate assumption. CRM software provides much more than simply a way to store contacts and remember people�s names and numbers.

Names, phone and fax numbers, email addresses, and physical addressed can all be stored in the CRM software. In addition, however, birthdays, anniversaries, and other important dates can be saved. Returns, purchases, buying information, and how long extended warranties are good for, as well as information on extended coverage plans, are also all addressed by CRM software. These kinds of information are very important to the efficient running of a business, but many small business owners do not feel that having this software is really necessary. This could be accurate with a business for only one or two people. However, even a very small business can have a lot of clients, and those clients can be remembered with CRM software so that there are no problems with their future orders or correspondence.

Especially if people use a company frequently and do a lot of repeat business there, they want to feel like they matter to that company. These people appreciate it when their birthday is remembered, when they are asked to take a survey and give their opinion, or when they are reminded that their warranty is about to expire. People enjoy thinking that the company that they work with and give their money to wants to let them know that they are appreciated. CRM software is very helpful in allowing business people to �remember� their clients with the click of a button. Because the conversations and telephone calls can be easily recorded, people who talk with a customer in the future will be able to see what has been done in the past. This is especially helpful for individuals who may have problems with equipment or services from a certain business.

The CRM software is basically designed to take care of everything all at once, so that all of a client�s information can be easily stored. Of course, it can also be used for vendors and other individuals, because they are also very important to a business. A business can remain on the cutting edge of their industry an keep their clients happy by using CRM software to keep track of both clients and vendors.

Fun Games to Play With the Family

2007-11-12T17:32:00.000+08:00

Many families today do not spend that much time together. Life seems to get in the way, and they end up going their separate ways and doing their own things. However, there are ways to bring the family closer, and one way is through the playing of games. With that in mind, however, it is important to find games that everyone can play, so that they can all have fun and enjoy what they are doing. Without the entire family being able to play, the people that are left out will be resentful and the goal of getting the entire family involved will be lost. Fortunately, there are many fun games available.

Some of the easiest ones to play are backyard games like horseshoes and beanbag toss. These are games that do not require a lot of set-up and preparation. In addition, they have simple rules and they are games that almost anyone of any age can play. Because of this, the entire family from very young children through to the elderly grandparents and even great-grandparents can play them. When games are available for such a large group of individuals, they can really help to keep families together. Sometimes, though, the weather is bad and games cannot be played outside. It may be too hot for everyone to enjoy it, or it may be raining or cold.

When outside games cannot be played, there are family games to play inside. Most people think of video and computer games, and those can be very enjoyable, but there are other games. Many people still like board games, and putting together a puzzle can be a fun family activity, as can doing an art project, making a scrapbook, or looking at family photos. For those that want a different kind of indoor game, though, there are many options that people used to play such as hide-and-seek or sardines. Searching the Internet for these kinds of games can provide parents with a list of many fun activities that the entire family can enjoy.

The 7 Most Common Mistakes Using Packet-Sniffers

2007-11-09T17:30:00.000+08:00

This article is also covered in a "The Sniffer Guy" podcast--available at http://www.interpathtech.com --and--through iTunes.

1) Believing the “Intelligence” of the Software without understanding how it makes determinations.

Software default settings are very seldom correct for YOU. For example, a device may say that a SQL server should respond in 50ms. But, if that device is across a WAN with a 200ms ping time--that is highly unlikely. This causes false SLOW SQL messages. This is only an example, but there are many such alerts and messages based on default "thresholds" within this type of software tool's configuration.

Particulars of your environment may create false alerts or other messages. The definitions of what is an “excessive” delay--latency--broadcasts, etc, are up to you--not the tool.

It's important for you to know the default settings driving alerts and messages. Then, ignore or alter those alerts that are not set best--for your enterprise. Altering them to make the appropriate settings for your enterprise is the best strategy. Too many false flags or alerts numb you into ignoring important ones or--cause you to make serious errors and incorrect decisions that can be Very Very expensive.

Properly used, those features can save enormous amounts of time and show things your own eye would likely miss.

2) Not understanding the Protocols used, such as TCP, HTTP, etc.

What good is a tool that tells you information about how a protocol is behaving if you do not understand the underlying technology? By this I mean the RFC's for the protocols that are relevent to your concerns.

---What is the impact of various protocols working differently for the same application doing the same transaction--in different locations?

---What is expected according to specs--and how is your trace file showing different--or less optimal behavior?

---Why would there be 2 TCP connections from one location and 10 from another--for the same application doing the same transaction?

This short article cannot answer all these questions--but it can show you the types of information that you will need to understand in order to make sense out of the data a trace file will show you. Know the protocols well. Deep understanding of TCP is the basic price of admission. While you may consider this a matter of skill sets, my point is that attempting to troubleshooting a problem with a packet-sniffer while not understanding the protocols is a mistake--and a common one. If you add this point to the first one listed--about not believing all the standard settings on tools--you find that the tool cannot answer anything for you by itself. You need to know what you are looking at. You are the analyst--the tool is just an aid.

3) Not understanding the layer 1 and layer 2 aspects of the topology you are sniffing.

Ethernet and all other topologies have many different specifications, which are altered or outright ignored by many switch or other network device manufactures. You must know the specs and how the hardware you are working with applies those specs--or doesn’t apply them. A classic example is Spanning Tree. There are IEEE specifications for Spanning-Tree but those specifications are just a model...not a law. Each manufacturer has tweaked it in order to create some proprietary advancement to give them a competitive advantage. Sometimes, those advances become the new spec. However, you need to know what is standard and how your equipment varies on that theme. What good is seeing the BPDU's in a trace file if you don't understand what they contain or how it relates to the problem at hand? Again, this may be looked at as a skill set issue but--expecting to solve critical problems with a packet-sniffer while not knowing this about your network is a mistake.

4) Uni-directional SPANs or Port Mirroring & Single-sided trace files.

Often the switch port used by a server you need to monitor is incapable of providing a bi-directional SPAN (Port Mirror). If so, you cannot get answers from such a trace as it will miss critical information. It can be an oversight by the Engineer doing the trace but sometimes it is simply not understood to be such a critical concern--and ignored. Either way, when you have a situation like this you need to bite the bullet and put in a Change Order to get it moved to a fully bi-directionally mirror-able port before any serious analysis can be done.

Here is a good example of why this is so. Picture a Client and a Server. The Server wants to end a specific TCP connection and keeps sending FIN's. Yet, we never see the Client send back a FIN ACK. We do see other traffic between them and know that there is connectivity. So, here are the questions:

--Are the FINs not arriving at the Client--or--is the Client receiving them and appropriately sending back the FIN ACK--which are not getting back successfully?

----If so, then it is most likely a network issue.

--Are the FINs arriving successfully--but being ignored by the Client?

---If so, then it is mostly likely a Server or OS or Data Center issue.

These questions can not be answered with a trace file that only sees one side of the conversation. Two traces, sychronized, are needed to determine the answer to these questions.

5) Incorrect filters--either Capture or Display

An important concept here is that filters add nothing--they only remove--they only filter out. When you say that you are "filtering for" what you mean is that you are "filtering out" everything else. This isn't just semantics as understanding this perspective is critical to success.

Capture Filters:

Capture Filters are irreversible. If you filtered out something that you need to see--you just aren't going to see it. There is no second chance without running the test again.

Capture Filters determine what is allowed in the Capture Buffer. If the data is there to see--great. If you filtered what you need out--you can't change the filter after the fact. A very experienced Protocol Analyst may notice the problem by seeing anomalies that amount to the shadow of the missing data--but most will not be able to tell. And, of course, even if you can tell--you still have to re-test.

This might lead you to think that you should not use Capture Filters--and that is half true. If you don't really need them--don't use them. However, if you are drinking your packets out of the Fire Hydrant--you have no choice. Under those conditions the data will fill up your Capture Buffer is less than a single second.

Another point is that they should be consistent within a Test Design. If they vary too much, they will create false differences that can easily lead the Network and Application Performance Analyst or Protocol Analyst astray.

Monitor Filters:

Monitor Filters are forgiving. They work the same way--in that they filter out, not in. However, you can change your mind. The data is in the can (trace file) and it is only a matter of changing the filter to see what was filtered out the last time. Many times I am stumped and then have an idea--go back and change my Capture Filters--and bam! There is the answer. The point is--incorrect Monitor Filters will just as easily lead you astray--but you still have the opportunity to find your way back since the data is still there.

Again, this might leave you thinking to avoid Monitor Filters. Don't even consider it. Removing irrelevant packets is required to properly measure distinct conversations and search for anomalies. In fact, understanding proper filtering is what using the packet-sniffer software is all about.

6) Lack of understanding the Packet-Sniffer’s CURRENT settings

Monday, you created a Capture Filter and left it as the default. Friday you need to capture a trace file and click on Capture. Various people perform their roles in the test and you save the trace file. Everyone goes home, back to their main job function or to bed. Then you look at it and discover that you didn't realize that the old Capture Filter was still in effect! Why? You altered the Default Capture File instead of creating a new one. Your Trace File is useless.

Always remember to review ALL settings before beginning a test. Additionally, run a practice test to make sure all filters and setting are as they should be.

Sometimes the error you discover is that you were given an incorrect IP address and that you never would find what you are looking for from the IP address from which you are capturing packets. That is a GOOD finding. It means someone's diagram is incorrect. It also means you prevented a useless round of testing.

7) Lack of test controls.

Like any proper experiment, a performance or application test requires a control group and controlled data for all groups. If it was a pharmaceutical test you might have a group with a placebo. In our field we need to create a "BESTline" first. A "Bestline" is not a baseline.

Here is an example.

You have a Client in Singapore and a Server in New York City. The client is Singapore takes 40 milliseconds to execute a transaction and European clients only need 30 milliseconds. Singapore, although farther away, has a faster connection and is expected to get it done in the same time as Europe. What now? Take a BESTline. Use a client in New York City running the same transaction in the same way on similar equipment on the same server as the other two tests. You may discover that it still takes 25 milliseconds! This may due to various issues in the Data Center, Server or PC itself, 25 milliseconds is the fastest it goes!

This means that the first 25 milliseconds have nothing to do with the transport distance or speed. It DOESN'T mean that you have to accept those 25 milliseconds. There is a great deal that can be done about it. However, it is not the network and you now know you have to focus on the Server, PC, Data Center and other components.

Such controls are easy to do--yet seldom done. That common error results in many false leads and false errors as well as lost time and money.

There are many more common mistakes......but they are the topic of different articles on http://www.InterpathTech.com.

Internet Advertising: The Greatness Of Banners

2007-11-05T17:28:00.000+08:00

Banners are probably the most common form of advertising on the Internet today. The reason behind this has to do with their randomness and prevalence throughout the cyber highway. Banners are not intended for target audiences; instead, these flashing, animated, sound-generating eye-catchers are intended to simply throw the message out there in an endless array of locations for everyone—professionals and public—to see. In this way, the company that is advertising becomes known instantaneously, which is the purpose.

The banner may very well be the prelude to sucessfully target networking. When the banners provide a vast acknowledgement of a business’ existence, networking becomes easier and more successful because a wider variety of other business owners will have become more familiar with those who have previously launched the banner. The banner, then, is a form of dynamic introduction for new business ventures and a constant affirmation of already existing ones. All types of businesses use banners due to their “in-your-face” nature and the company recognition they provide during short-term and over long-term periods.

Banners are initiated through particular HTML or PHP hyperlink coding. The more elaborate ones, however, are launched through specialized software like Flash® and Java®, both of which are designed for extreme animation, video and audio presentations, some of which are unrestricted by Windows® framing, such as the Adobe™ logo which is activated everytime a PDF file opens. Some banners feature only color stills with lettering, while others include motion and sound. That’s the great thing about banners: they can be constructed to show anything, and they are growing more and more sophicated all the time.

Among the more popular banners circulating the Internet, many represent the more well-known companies that have been around for a while. This suggests that the larger businesses tend to employ such technical and dynamic means of advertising. Cost isn’t low, and it continues to rise. This includes: software, design and development, and sponsorship with other businesses who offer space on their sites to feature the banners. Pricing varies, but it is usually beyond the budget range of the typical small business. Therefore, the banner not only advertises the company and its particular marketing pitch, it also boasts its success.

There is also the constancy of the banner. Unlike, say, television commercials, this mode of advertising can run on and on, non-stop, day and night. Because of this, in conjunction with their prevalence throughout the Internet, business owners need not ever fear that their banner ads will be going unnoticed. Ongoing advertising is sure to incessantly increase traffic, keep the inflow steady, and promote current development in the businesses the banners represent.

In the end, banners are, due to their countless advantages, the best form of advertising for online business. As a matter of fact, their impact in their effects and efforts make their employment just short of a necessity to ensure success. New online business owners who aren’t sure how to introduce their ventures would be served best to use banners, which are flexibly ideal, despite their potentially high costs.

6 Tips On Choosing Online File Storage Systems

2007-11-01T16:20:00.000+08:00

Storage systems have been in use from ancient times. People have used boxes, trunks, filing cabinets, safety deposit boxes, computer serves, floppy disks, external drives and so on to store important personal and business data.

Safe storage now has new avatar online storage facilities that will securely store important information and protect the data from natural, physical, or mechanical disasters. Since the information in online storage systems is stored away from the home or business premises the security is multifold.

Online storage systems are both practical and cost effective ways of storing data. The files are stored after SSL encryption and this ensure protection of privacy. Files stored online can only be retrieved using a password and log in. Reputed storage is offered by Acpana, NovaStar Online Backup Service, connected Data Protector and Data Deposit Box.

When selecting an online storage system consider:

1. How much space you need and the frequency with which you will be accessing the stored information.

2. Find out what system the online storage facility uses. Check reliability of the system.

3. Find out whether they charge a fixed amount for storage or charge depending on the amount of space you actually use. Fixed costs are ideal for large storage but if your storage needs are 500MB or less then a pay per storage plan is more feasible.

4. Always comparison shop for an online storage solution. Compare prices as well as features.

5. Read through the terms and conditions carefully and always conduct a reliability check.

6. In case the online storage offers free storage for a limited period take up the offer as this will help you understand the system as well as its pros and cons.

All computer systems big or small should have a data protection plan in action. Ensure regular local back ups and a second back up in the form of an online storage facility. Log on to the World Wide Web and read unbiased reviews as well as expert tips on online storage facilities and its pros and cons. Always be an informed user of any system.

According to IT experts online storage solutions are superior to traditional back ups. The main advantage of an online back up system is that files can be accessed from anywhere. However to be effective the online back up system has to be understood and implemented properly. Whether or not online back up is cost effective for every individual depends on the amount of space needed. An important concern is of course security of the data files and whether the encryption process if efficient.

Before selecting an online storage system ask about: encryption methods and frequency; security measures and guarantees; whether only files that have been changed will be stored in back up or all files; how will data transfer take place and its regularity.

Choose an online storage facility that is most suited to your needs and cost effective.