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07/02/2009 08:00 AM
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JavaScript Crawling
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According to SearchEngineNews javascript links are now being crawled and they are passing on PageRank and anchor text. Keep in mind you may still want to avoid using javascript for links because other search engines still do not crawl or follow javascript links.
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07/01/2009 08:00 AM
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Businesses Going Green
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A business that makes the decision to be environmentally-conscious will often promote goodwill among potential customers, while making the world a better place for future generations. Many businesses hesitate to adopt green practices because they fear it will hurt their bottom line and negatively impact profits. But many eco-conscious businesses discover that they can actually save money and bring in new customers who specifically patronize companies that actively make an effort to be environmentally friendly. Many customers may even be willing to pay a bit more for a product or service from a company that is green.
Businesses Going Green
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06/29/2009 08:00 AM
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Internet Issues Raised with Jackson Death
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The internet suffered a number of slowdowns as people the world over rushed to verify accounts of the death of Michael Jackson. Search giant Google confirmed to the BBC that when the news first broke it feared it was under attack.
Millions of people who searched for the stars name on Google News were greeted with an error page. It warned users your query looks similar to automated requests from a computer virus or spyware application.
complete article
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06/30/2009 08:00 AM
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Twitter Tips
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Here are my Twitter Tips:
#1. Choose an avatar that incorporates your personality, use an eye catching image that will draw positive attention.
#2. Understand the Twitter culture before you dive in.
#3. Tweet on a regular basis.
According to PC Mag these are the tips they provide for beginners:
Shrink Your URLs
RT = Retweet
Direct Messaging
Use the @ Sign
Search For Your Friends
Categorize Your Tweets for Added Exposure
Share Pictures
Tweet from Your Phone
Pick a Good Desktop Client
Download a Mobile Client
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06/29/2009 08:00 AM
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ABCs of RSS Feeds
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ABCs of RSS Feeds - Implementing RSS (Really Simple Syndication) can be aided by an understanding of the terms relating to RSS. Learn the ABCs of RSS....
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06/24/2009 08:00 AM
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Establish a New Look
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Find a Logo for your business. This website contains a variety of business logos for building brand.
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06/23/2009 08:00 AM
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Tips for Creating Powerful PowerPoint Presentations
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Presentations are an integral and important part of any business. Whether designed for training purposes, introducing new products, or discussing corporate hierarchy, PowerPoint presentations serve a valuable purpose in both the business world and in the educational fields. In order to maximize a presentation's impact, it needs to be polished and well executed. The following tips can aid you in taking your PowerPoint presentation to the next level.
Tips for Creating Powerful PowerPoint Presentations
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06/22/2009 08:00 AM
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Local Search Practices
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It is often important for small businesses to perform well in local sarch results. Check out this tutorial on Local Search Ranking Factors.
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06/22/2009 08:00 AM
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Men Less Security Savvy than Women
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When it comes to online security, men are less savvy than women, according to PC Tools.
Research by the security firm revealed that 47 percent of men use the same passwords when signing up to online banking and shopping facilities, compared to just 26 percent of women.
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06/18/2009 08:00 AM
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Tripping Up Wikipedia
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GrayWolf posted an interesting article about invalidating Wikipedia Results.
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06/10/2009 08:00 AM
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Time Management Tips
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Managing your time and using it wisely is a journey, and not something that can be easily mastered overnight. Implementing a plan will help, but it is not going to be a sure cure. Time management requires a significant amount of self-discipline.
Here are some tips to assist you with time management... Time Management Tips
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06/08/2009 08:00 AM
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Time Wasted?
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Spending more time on social networks and blogs? You are not alone, with the latest figures showing the number of minutes spent on social networking sites in the United States has almost doubled over the past year.
Nielsen Online, which measures web traffic, said the number of minutes on social networks in the United States rose 83 percent in April from the same month a year ago, but found users were quick to move on and sites could quickly fall from favor.
Nielsen Online spokesman Jon Gibs said a major trend had been the continuing popularity of Facebook, which has more than 200 million active members and has become so mainstream it now hosts Pope Benedict and a list of world leaders.
complete article
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06/09/2009 08:00 AM
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Website Review Webinar - 2
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Due to the overwhelming popularity and success of the previous Website Review Webinar there will be another. Subjects covered include the initial impression created by a website, structure, navigation, communication, SEO setup and more. The Web Critique Webinar will take place: Tuesday June 23rd at 12:00 EST. Sign-up Now!
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06/05/2009 08:00 AM
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Starting a New Business?
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Starting a new business?
Choosing a Domain Name and How to Select a Company or Product Name
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06/04/2009 08:00 AM
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Professional PowerPoint Templates
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Large collection of professional PowerPoint Templates for speakers, students and educators. Search for PowerPoint templates using keywords or navigate categories to find templates of interest.
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06/03/2009 08:00 AM
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Student Discount Available at Software Industry Conference
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Student Discount for Software Industry Conference in Boston MA July 16-18th. Only $50.00 with student ID normally $249.00! Educational sessions for software developers and marketers.
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06/02/2009 08:00 AM
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What Are Sound Effects?
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Learn the ins and outs of using a sound effect to polish your presentation or podcast.
What Is A Sound Effect?
A sound effect is a ready-made sound for podcasters or producers. Typically, podcasters need to only incorporate the sound into their production for instant success. This can be done with various editors running in a very short amount of time. Sound Effects make the creation of a podcast easier and professional. Sound effects are usually easy to edit and customize using any sound editor, occasionally more sophisticated sound require precise tuning.
Examples of sound effects can be found at Digital Sound Effects
What Are Sound Effects?
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05/28/2009 08:00 AM
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Tips for Public Speaking and Presenting
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Presentations can be a great way to attract new business, simply by making yourself more well-known. However, nerves can often get in the way of entrepreneurs who want to use speaking opportunities to develop their business. Follow these steps to overcome nerves and make a powerful presentation during your public speaking engagement...
Tips for Public Speaking and Presenting
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05/27/2009 08:00 AM
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How Do I Promote My Podcast?
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There are a variety of things you can do to promote your podcast and increase its popularity... How Do I Promote Podcasts?
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05/26/2009 08:00 AM
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Credit Cards and Small Businesses
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Common small-business wisdom holds that you should separate your personal credit-card expenses from your company credit-card expenses. But will that truly be in your best interest -- no pun intended -- when President Barack Obama signs into law today the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act?
complete article
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05/25/2009 08:00 AM
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Social Networking Future
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Yahoo Inc is looking to buy companies that will allow it to become a bigger player in social networking and revamp its family of products, Chief Technology Officer Ari Balogh said on Wednesday.
complete article
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05/18/2009 08:00 AM
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Free Business Advice
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Many free, online resources can help answer your business questions. While some sites are skewed towards single-person startups, you can still find a community to help an established, larger business.
The U.S. Small Business Administration is densely packed with information. You can learn basics about writing a business plan, establishing a trademark, and managing business operation. You will find ways to apply for government financial assistance, loans, and tips on applying for grants.
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05/14/2009 08:00 AM
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Software Peoples Choice Awards
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The SIAF People's Choice Awards were created so software users would have the opportunity to vote for their favorite software programs. The voting for these awards is hosted each year by some of the largest sites on the Internet. In past years, this has included popular sites like CNET, Simtel, Tucows, PC World, and others. Software authors are also allowed to point to the People's Choice Award voting site and encourage their users to vote!
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05/12/2009 08:00 AM
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Blog Promotion Tips
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There are a wide variety of things you can do in regard to blog promotion. Here are just a few...
Blog Promotion Tips
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05/11/2009 08:00 AM
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Audio File Optimization Tips
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Optimize your audio files to increase their popularity, just as you would optimize a website. Audio search engines are becoming more advanced as audio files become more commonplace on the Internet. Here are some tips to optimize your audio offerings...
Audio File Optimization Tips
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05/06/2009 08:00 AM
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Applications I Cannot Live Without
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Applications I Can not Live Without!
FeedForAll
Used daily for updating RSS feeds.
The Bat!
Used hourly for managing email.
FTP Voyager
Used for FTPing up new web design layouts and images.
Dreamweaver
Used for Web Design.
MS Office
Used for correspondents and administrative tasks.
PaintShop Pro
Used for graphic editing and image enhancement.
RecordForAll
Used occasionally for recording audio files for podcasts.
RSS Submit
Used weekly to submit RSS feeds to RSS directories and search engines.
FeedDemon
Used to manage reading of RSS feeds on a regular basis.
GroupMail
Used for sending email newsletters.
PDF995
Used regularly for converting documents to PDFs.
TNT Screen Capture
Used occasionally for capturing screen shots
TopStyle
Used occasionally for making changes to Cascading Style Sheets -CSS
SureThing CD Labler
Used occasionally for designing CD inserts and labels.
FireFox
Used hourly for navigating the web, also use plug-ins for search marketing research.
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05/05/2009 08:00 AM
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New Sound Effects Solutions
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Large collection of royalty free sound effects that can be used by marketers, webmasters, broadcasters or podcasters.
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04/29/2009 08:00 AM
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Find Royalty Free Sound Effects
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If you purchase a sound effect, be sure that you read the licensing agreement completely. Some agreements may restrict resale of the sound effects or music compilations, and you want to be aware of that.
Where to Find Royalty Free Sound Effects
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04/27/2009 08:00 AM
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7 Smart Security Practices For Small Businesses
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1. Protect your personal information. It's valuable.
2. Know who you are dealing with.
3. Use security software that updates automatically.
4. Keep your operating system and Web browser up-to-date and learn about their security features.
5. Keep your passwords safe, secure and strong.
6. Back up important files.
7. Learn what to do in an e–mergency.
7 Smart Security Practices For Small Businesses
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04/27/2009 08:00 AM
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Only 23 Percent Uses the Web
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Just 23 percent of the globes population currently uses the Internet, according to the United Nations International Telecommunications Union, with use much higher in developed nations.
By contrast, just five percent of Africans surf the web, it said in a report issued last month.
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04/24/2009 08:00 AM
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Creative Podcasting for Businesses
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Podcasting content comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Businesses are finding many different and creative ways of incorporating podcasts into their business strategies and marketing plans.
Here are just some of the various types of content that businesses are turning into podcasts...
Creative Podcasting for Businesses
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04/23/2009 08:00 AM
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Google Privacy Concerns
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Google Privacy Concerns on personal data addressed in Software Marketing Blog. The post discusses personal profiles on Google.
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04/21/2009 08:00 AM
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Survey Data
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Interesting survey results about webmasters and who is behind the websites.
Survey Data
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04/20/2009 08:00 AM
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Google Is the World Super Power
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Google CEO Eric Schmidt appeared at his alma mater, Princeton University, on Saturday to discuss the Internet and globalization, Google products that have recently made headlines, and how not to be evil.
complete article
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04/21/2009 08:00 AM
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Review of Websites
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The live website critique has for many years been a popular session at both the Software Industry Conference and the European Software Conference. Sharon Housley of NotePage, Inc. and Dave Collins of SharewarePromotions offer their many years of experience to dissect, criticise and sometimes rip apart a website's appearance and setup.
Subjects covered include the initial impression created by a website, structure, navigation, communication, SEO setup and more.
Sign Up to Participate in the Web Review Webinar on April 29 at 12:00 EST
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04/16/2009 08:00 AM
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The Face of Software Piracy
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What does a software pirate look like? Anyone. And that's the new message of the Business Software Alliance, which asked five convicted software pirates to tell their stories.
As part of the BSA new Faces campaign, the BSA asked five people who were convicted of software piracy to tell their stories via videos posted to YouTube. Four of them were found guilty of criminal software piracy, while the fifth, a grandmother from Georgia, was found guilty in a civil suit, said Jenny Blank, the BSA senior director of legal affairs, in an interview.
We wanted to put a human face on the issue of software piracy, said Dale Curtis, vice president of communications for the BSA.
complete article
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04/14/2009 08:00 AM
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Create RSS | Make RSS Feeds
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RSS is a standard for syndicating content on the Internet. RSS feeds are used in a variety of ways to distribute all types of content via the Internet. The benefits for individuals subscribing to RSS feeds have resulted in a rapid growth and adoption rate. Software and tools have made RSS feed creation and management easy, even for non-technical individuals, which has also fueled the growth of RSS feeds.
Create RSS | Make RSS Feeds
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04/13/2009 08:00 AM
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Check for Available user Names on Social Sites
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NameChk checks the availability of user names on social networks.
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04/10/2009 08:00 AM
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Webmaster Elements
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Web Elements is a premier collection of resources for webmaster, search engine marketers and others interested in online marketing.
Includes lists of do follow blogs, do follow forums and do follow search.
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04/06/2009 08:00 AM
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Professional PowerPoint Templates
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Large themed collection of professional PowerPoint templates great for professional presentations or educational presentations on any subject!
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03/31/2009 08:00 AM
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ABCs of Web 2.0
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Web 2.0 is a perceived transition of the Web to web-based applications. Web 2.0 is the next generation of technology solutions where interactive content is the norm.
There is no agreement on exactly what Web 2.0 means. Depending on who you are speaking with, you may receive different explanations. At its heart, Web 2.0 is about the maturity of the Web. While many refer to Web 2.0 as companies that employ powerful web technologies, the key components of Web 2.0 are said to include: the Web as a platform, collaboration, and syndication.
ABCs of Web 2.0
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03/30/2009 08:00 AM
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What Can Be Published Using RSS Feeds
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With all the vast amounts of information available on the web, it is becoming more and more difficult to sort through and find what you are looking for. RSS significantly lowers the signal-to-noise ratio. RSS has the unique ability to compile information and filter it, so you only see unique and relevant content.
What Can be Published Using RSS Feeds?
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03/30/2009 08:00 AM
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Twitoria
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How many friends are you really following? Twitoria finds your friends that have nott tweeted in a long time so you can give them the boot!
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03/28/2009 08:00 AM
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The Future of Traditional Newspapers Uncertain
|
The Christian Science Monitor prints its final edition on Friday, bringing a 100-year run as a daily newspaper to an end but beginning a new era as an online publication.
The Boston-based Monitor announced plans in October to eliminate its daily print edition and become the first national US newspaper to adopt a Web-based strategy.
Like other US dailies, the Monitor had been losing readership and print advertising revenue to online media for years and circulation was hovering around 50,000 by the time the decision was made to shut down the presses.
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03/27/2009 08:00 AM
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Corporate Twitter
|
Internet start-up Twitter is taking a much-anticipated first-step in its quest to parlay its popularity into revenue by offering certain customers an expanded range of services.
The company is preparing to offer commercial accounts in which corporations and other types of businesses pay a fee to receive an enhanced version of Twitter, a free service that allows people to send short, 140-character text messages to their network of friends.
We think there will be opportunities to provide services to commercial entities that help them get even more value out of Twitter. If these services are valuable to companies, we think they may want to pay for them, Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter, said in an e-mail sent to Reuters.
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03/26/2009 08:00 AM
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Only a Few Days Left to Get Discounted Pricing for Software Industry Conference
|
Until April 1st early conference registration is only $229, after that conference registration is only $249! The Software Industry Conference is scheduled July 16-18, 2009 and will be held in Boston, MA.
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03/25/2009 08:00 AM
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Survival of the Fittest
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Capitalism is all about survival of the fittest!
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03/24/2009 08:00 AM
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Getting Around Executive Compensation
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Capping executive compensation is unlikely to become a reality, but if it does Independent Contractors are going to pop up every where. Management will simply be sub-contracted out to privately held companies.
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03/11/2009 08:00 AM
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Tips To Choosing a Company Name
|
Great articles for naming your business:
How to Select a Company or Product Name -
The article has some good advice on how to research names, and what to becareful of.
Here are some tips on Selecting a Domain Name
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03/11/2009 08:00 AM
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Webmaster Toolbox
|
Here is a collection of what we consider must have tools for webmasters. These tools will benefit any webmaster, both novices and experts alike. Arm yourself with these tools in order to achieve a more professional online presence.
Webmaster Toolbox
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03/04/2009 08:00 AM
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Social Bookmarking Primer
|
Social media is the Internets version of viral messaging and marketing. Social media can be used to disseminate news or information, as well as to attract attention. There are a wide variety of social media channels and networks available.
Social Bookmarking Primer
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03/03/2009 08:00 AM
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What Exactly is Podcasting?
|
The meaning of podcasting has since expanded, and now refers to RSS feeds that contain all types of media, including audio and video, in the items enclosure field. For the non-technical folks, podcasting is simply a means of syndicating and distributing rich-media files via the Internet. The content contained in a podcast can vary significantly, from a song, to a educational lecture, to a political debate, to just about anything else. One great thing about podcasting is the wide variety of content formats it can contain. And unlike radio or television broadcasts, the recipient can listen or view at their leisure, choosing for themselves when and where they wish to listen or view a podcast.
What Exactly is Podcasting?
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02/24/2009 08:00 AM
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Reputation Management
|
Shareware Promotions posted on his Software Marketing blog about reputation management and provided a link to 180 resources to help with Reputation Management.
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02/23/2009 08:00 AM
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Reminder Abstract Deadline
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If you wish to present at this years Software Industry Conference in Boston Massachusetts July 16-18, 2009 please keep in mind that abstracts are due February 28, 2009! Submissions are being accepted on a variety of both technical topics, software marketing and Internet marketing. Details for Software Industry Conference Abstracts.
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02/19/2009 08:00 AM
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Facebook Owns You
|
Facebook made a few weeks ago to its TOS, the online contract users agree to in order to join community sites such as Facebook. In a February 16 blog post headlined, Facebook: All Your Stuff is Ours, Even if You Quit.
You are solely responsible for the User Content that you Post on or through the Facebook Service. You hereby grant Facebook an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to (a) use, copy, publish, stream, store, retain, publicly perform or display, transmit, scan, reformat, modify, edit, frame, translate, excerpt, adapt, create derivative works and distribute (through multiple tiers), any User Content you (i) Post on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof subject only to your privacy settings or (ii) enable a user to Post, including by offering a Share Link on your website and (b) to use your name, likeness and image for any purpose, including commercial or advertising, each of (a) and (b) on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof. You represent and warrant that you have all rights and permissions to grant the foregoing licenses.
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02/18/2009 08:00 AM
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Money for Transparency
|
Usually, business plans are hatched in secrecy. Internet billionaire Mark Cuban is taking a different tack: offering entrepreneurs funding in return for transparency.
In a blog post this week, Cuban asked startup and existing companies to post their business plans on his blog for anyone to see and comment on — in return for the possibility of an investment from him.
Cuban said in an e-mail that he thinks the faltering economy will rebound more quickly if people feel confident about starting their own businesses, and that providing a route for people to get funding and share ideas might encourage people to take a chance and go for it.
complete article
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02/16/2009 08:00 AM
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Registration is Open for the Software Industry Conference
|
If you work within the Software Industry now is the time to register for the Software Industry Conference July 16-18, 2009 in Boston Massachusetts. The conference attracts software developers, software marketers, SEO specialists and others involved in the software community. There are educational sessions and networking events for 3 solid days! Registration is very inexpensive, in fact this year they are offering a $ 50.00 student pass! The early bird pricing expires soon so register now!
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02/13/2009 08:00 AM
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Valentines Day Web Graphic CD - Logos, Templates and Stock Photos
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CD collection containing Valentine themed photos, logos, and web templates. The images can be used on websites and in promotional material.
Have a Happy Valentines Day!
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02/12/2009 08:00 AM
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Valentine Logos
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Large collection of Valentine logos to create holiday specials and promote discounts.
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02/12/2009 08:00 AM
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Valentines Web Templates
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Collection of Valentine website templates that make changing your theme for Valentines Day a snap!
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02/12/2009 08:00 AM
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WikiLeaks a Flood of Information
|
Wikileaks.org, the online clearinghouse for leaked documents, has published a complete database of Congressional Research Service reports, which are private research documents written for members of Congress and their staffers.
The 6,780 reports date back to 1990 and comprise all of the digitized reports accessible by congressional offices, said Wikileaks, which estimated their value at US$1 billion. They do not contain classified material, but they do cover politically sensitive topics such as social policy, defense and foreign affairs.
complete article
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02/10/2009 08:00 AM
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Unusual Things that May Impact Search Engine Ranking
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You may not realize the impact the following items have on your search engine ranking but they are worth considering when developing a plan for your website. While Google provides a whole host of great tools, their motivation may be more selfish than you believe. Google uses the information they gather in these tools to make determinations about websites. The information they gather may impact the ranking of your website in organic searches for important keyword phrases.
Unusual Things that May Impact Search Engine Ranking
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02/08/2009 03:04 PM
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A Do Follow FAQ
|
This is a great summary of do follow blogs and forums. It explains what do follow and no follow are and why you should care.
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02/05/2009 08:00 AM
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Brand Building is a Journey
|
Brand building is indeed a journey. Branding is all about how your product or service is perceived by customers and potential customers. A brand marketer attempts to manipulate brand awareness by associating traits they would like consumers to associate with the brand.
Building a brand has everything to do with capturing the hearts and minds of consumers. Building a brand is much more than just promoting an image. A brand incorporates and conveys the values and traits that a company wants associated with their product or service. It sounds like building a brand is a simple task, but the marketers must do more than just create a brand image. The magnitude of branding encompasses all aspects of a product. With this in mind, we've put together a guide for marketers on the journey of brand building...
Brand Building is a Journey
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02/05/2009 08:00 AM
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What is the Buzz
|
This is another website that allows companies to monitor the online buzz about their products or services. WhosTalkin allows you to enter your brand or products and will then return results on the blogosphere, social networks and news sites. I just wish you could get the results via RSS feed it would make it far more useful.
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02/03/2009 08:00 AM
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PowerPoint Resources
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Help with PowerPoint Presentations and resources to help PowerPoint users. A new PowerPoint Resource site.
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02/03/2009 08:00 AM
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Huge Podcasting List
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If you have ventured into Podcasting as a marketing tool. Consider checking out these podcasting tools out! This is a huge collection of Podcasting Tools to make podcasts easier.
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02/02/2009 08:00 AM
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Monitor RSS Feeds for Employment
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In addition to actually seeking a job, there are also other valid reasons to monitor the job market. Perhaps you are satisfied in your current position, but just want to keep an eye on new positions in a specific sector. Perhaps you are just curious to know what the wages are for similar positions. The job market can be monitored quite easily using RSS feeds. You can subscribe to RSS feeds in order to find specific company job openings, employment available within a specific region (i.e. by using a postal or zipcode), specific positions available, or to locate all jobs within a specific wage range.
RSS Feeds for Employment
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02/02/2009 08:00 AM
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SEMRush
|
SEMRush is a new SEO tool. SEMRush.com was designed by the developers of SeoDigger and SeoQuake to satisfy your needs in advanced SEM and keywords research. SEMRush uses the 25 million most popular and expensive keywords to analyze Google search results and we do this regularly. SEMRush can show you keywords for any domain that ranks high enough to be in the top 20 search or Adwords results.
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01/30/2009 08:00 AM
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Problem Reviews
|
Shareware Promotions has an interesting blog post in their Software Marketing section, the post discusses reviews.
All of us are most likely familiar with product reviews, as debatable as it is whether or not they are useful. However, most of us agree that we dislike reviews that rip our product to shreds, and like the ones which praise them.
Read the full Software Marketing post.
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01/29/2009 08:00 AM
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Twitters Value?
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The micro-blogging social media phenomenon called Twitter is raising cash via one or more venture capital firms that places the companys value at $250 million.
I just do not get it, Twitter does not make ANY money.... how can it be worth $250 million.
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01/27/2009 08:00 AM
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Resource for Webmasters
|
Check out this resource for online marketers. Webmaster Elements contains everything from: SEO Blog List to Do Follow Forum Lists and Webmaster Scripts. Lots of great resources in a single niche directory.
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01/26/2009 08:00 AM
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Blog Reviews
|
2 Create a Website will review blogs. Simply send an email request in order to be considered.
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01/20/2009 08:00 AM
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Huge List of RSS Tools
|
Check out this categorized list of RSS tools. This is a great collection of RSS tools.
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01/19/2009 08:00 AM
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Software Industry Conference Call for Speakers
|
The 2009 Call for Speakers for the Software Industry Conference scheduled for Boston, MA July 16-18, 2009 has been posted. The sessions cover a wide variety of marketing topics from AdWords avertising to Advanced Search Engine Optimization. If you are interested in speaking submit an abstract for the Software Industry Cofnerence.
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01/15/2009 08:00 AM
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Where Do You Find Content for Podcasts?
|
You should not have to look far to find content or new ideas for your podcast show. Look to your daily sources to find fodder and ideas for new podcasting segments.
Where do you find content for podcasts?
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01/14/2009 08:00 AM
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Press Release Submissions
|
In addition to sending out press releases to editors via email, they can also be posted to many free press release sites. We found this list of Press Submission Sites that had quite a few! Hopefully others will find it helpful.
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01/13/2009 08:00 AM
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Get Ready for Valentines Day
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In the winter cold are you looking for something to warm you up? Consider adding Valentine Logos or Valentines Web Template to your website for the approaching holiday!
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01/12/2009 08:00 AM
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Cool New Tool
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Exact Factor is a new Internet tool. Exact Factor will check your site position in search engines and compare the ranking to competitors.
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01/06/2009 08:00 AM
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2009 Marketing Resolutions
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I have a plan for marketing that I intend to take forward. If I become distracted I can always take a look back and refocus my efforts where they need to be.
2009 Marketing Resolutions
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01/06/2009 08:00 AM
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Update Copyrights and Prune Feeds
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New Years is a great time to update and refresh the copyright notices on your website. Additionally, take a few moments to clean up your RSS feeds by pruning them and trimming old items from the feeds.
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01/02/2009 08:00 AM
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Search Engine Optimization Resolutions
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Search engine optimization is a process, one that must always be revisited and adapted as search algorithms are changed by the search engines. Because SEO is a constant process, it is often pushed to the bottom of the to do list of marketers. Be that as it may, resolve not to ignore search engine optimization as it cycles its way through your task list. Give search engine optimization the attention that it deserves.
Search Engine Optimization Resolutions
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01/01/2009 03:36 PM
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Updated Article List
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For a number of years we have been publishing articles for small businesses, the articles are available for syndication and can be found in the Free Website Content section of our website. Hopefully the new format of the article list will load quicker and make articles easier to find.
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12/30/2008 08:00 AM
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What is Hot What is Not 2009
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Based on this years reflections, I have made some predictions for 2009.
Top 10 Winners for 2009
1. Personal Responsibility
2. Financial Diversification
3. Mobile Malware
4. Weight Loss
5. Going Green
6. Social
7. Cloud Computing
8. Virtual Collaboration
9. Video
10. RSS
Top 10 Losers for 2009
1. Global Economy
2. Republicans and Conservatives
3. Hollywood
4. China
5. Somali Pirates
6. Financial Services Industry
7. Corrupted Politicians
8. Security or Securities
9. Outsourcing
10. Gasoline
Details of 2009 What is Hot and What is Not
Or take a look back in time and compare the list to the last few years What is Hot and What is Not Lists
2008 What is Hot What is Not List
2007 What is Hot What is Not List
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12/29/2008 08:38 AM
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Reflections for 2008, Predictions for 2009
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2008 was a year filled with great triumphs and a year scarred by deep sorrow. What 2008 was not, was a peaceful year, and whether the world is a better place, for having endured is unclear.
Russia's invasion of Georgia has chilled Russia's relations with the West, a resurgence of the Cold War may be on the horizon. The Tibetan monk's protests being crushed in the streets demonstrate that freedom of speech, is not a God given right for all. The continued unrest in Middle East is no longer news, but simply part of daily life in the region.
Close calls with Hurricane Gustav in New Orleans and the water lapping at the edge of overburdened levies caused concern that the lessons of Katrina have still not yet been fully learned. The heartbreaking destruction of Hurricane Ike in Galveston and the Texas coast shows that while the US has made progress, she is still no match for mother nature. Nature's wrath still wields a heavy hand. As horrific as the despair in Galveston, it paled in comparison to the cyclone that hit Burma/Mynamar, taking the lives of more than 100,000 people in the region. China, widely thought to be a rising world power, was no match for the 8.0 earthquake that collapsed buildings like tinker toys.
Through leadership change, we often see policy change. Unfortunately Fidel Castro's retirement in 2008 did nothing to free Cuba from the constrains of dictatorship with Raul Castro stepping into the leadership role on the tiny island.
Reflections for 2008 and Predictions for 2009
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12/21/2008 08:00 AM
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Train Has Internet Access
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North Shore commuters are about to join their Worcester counterparts with free Internet access on Massachusetts trains.
Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray said all Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority trains will have at least two cars with Internet access by spring 2010, with the first serving areas north of Boston going online Monday.
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12/15/2008 08:00 AM
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Kinds of Podcasting Content
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Podcasting content comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Businesses are finding many different and creative ways of incorporating podcasts into their business strategies and marketing plans.
Here are just some of the various types of content that businesses are turning into podcasts...
Kinds of Podcasting Content
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12/10/2008 08:00 AM
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Offline Advertising
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Internet marketing has become so successful that many web marketers neglect other marketing opportunities. Offline channels can boost your online traffic and business. Used effectively, traditional advertising vehicles remind customers to visit your site. Even better, promoting your website offline can drive new clientele to your web business.
Offline Advertising Ideas
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12/08/2008 05:28 AM
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Unique RSS Tools for Businesses
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As the masses have adopted RSS as a more mainstream communication medium, Web 2.0 businesses and publishers have adopted unique and unusual tools to manipulate RSS content. Here are just some of the various RSS tools that are currently available...
Unique RSS Tools for Businesses
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12/01/2008 08:00 AM
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Cyber Monday Numbers
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Nearly 84 percent of online retailers plan to have a Cyber Monday promotion, according to a survey by online shopping site Shopzilla for Shop.org, the Internet division of the National Retail Federation. That was well above the 72 percent who planned to promote Cyber Monday deals last year.
Nearly a quarter of retailers plan to offer free shipping on all purchases in what they hope will be a further incentive to buy.
The Monday following the three-day holiday weekend has been dubbed Cyber Monday because many consumers return to work and use their high-speed Internet connections to search out deals not found at brick-and-mortar retailers.
Last year, Internet research firm comScore Inc said U.S. buyers spent $733 million on Cyber Monday, up 21 percent from the prior year.
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11/27/2008 08:00 AM
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Free Shipping is a Great Lure
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A business study the other day showed that more than 60% of shoppers are lured by offers of FREE Shipping. The cyber specials are all offering deep discounts and even software companies are offering free shipping. Both NotePage, Inc. and FeedForAll offer free shipping on all orders that include media!
NotePage offers SMS messaging software solutions and FeedForAll has RSS feed creation and editing software. Buy from either and get the media shipped FREE of charge.
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11/26/2008 09:29 AM
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Thanksgiving CD ROM
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Thanksgiving CD ROM for Web Designers. The CD includes: Thanksgiving Logos, Thanksgiving Stock Photos, Thanksgiving Web Templates.
FREE SHIPPING on CDs!!!
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11/25/2008 08:00 AM
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Good Things to Social Bookmark
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It can be tricky to predict what content will perform well on social bookmarking websites. The interests of our democratic populace are widespread and constantly changing. Webpages, podcasts, and images which are deemed more newsworthy, humorous, or intriguing often steal the spotlight. Knowing how to present content on social bookmarking websites can help internet marketers stand out.
Good Things to Social Bookmark
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11/25/2008 08:00 AM
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Thanksgiving Branding
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Add a Thanksgiving logo to your website to celebrate the impending holiday.
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11/24/2008 08:00 AM
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Great Explanation of Custom 404 Pages
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Encountering 404 errors is not new. Often, developers provide custom 404 pages to make the experience a little less frustrating. However, for a custom 404 page to be truly useful, it should not only provide relevant information to the user, but should also provide immediate feedback to the developer so that, when possible, the problem can be fixed.
Custom 404 Pages
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11/18/2008 08:00 AM
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Internet Start Ups Ripe
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Digg founder Kevin Rose on Friday shined light on a stormy economic landscape, saying the climate is right for launching Internet startups.
Difficulty getting financing means fewer competitors entering the market and that there will be more media attention focused on young technology firms, Rose told those gathered at a Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco.
complete article
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11/17/2008 08:00 AM
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Viral Conversations
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A new service, Viral Conversations is available. The idea behind Viral Conversations is putting business owners who have a product or service, in touch with bloggers who are interested in reviewing it. The difference between this website and other website review services is Viral Conversations only deals with real world tangible products.
It is an interesting way to drum up buzz about your products.
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11/06/2008 08:00 AM
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Effective Podcasting Tips
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The planning and work that takes place before and after a podcast is an important part for a professional show. Do not neglect preparation or post-show production tasks.
Effective Podcast Tips
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11/05/2008 08:00 AM
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Security Port
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Stay updated on important security issues with the Security Blog on Security Port.
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11/04/2008 08:00 AM
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Google Indexing Scanned PDFs
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Google has rarely included scanned documents in its search results because it had no way to determine the nature of the content, but that's about to change. The search engine giant says it will use optical character recognition software to make it possible for Web surfers to search any Web-hosted document stored in the PDF file format developed by Adobe Systems.
Google is using the technology to convert scanned documents into equivalent text files that can be searched, indexed and returned as responses to Google search queries.
complete article
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11/03/2008 08:00 AM
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Technology and the Influence on Politics
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It will be really interesting to see how much of an impact technology will have on the outcome of this years US Presidential Election. A number of articles have been written that discuss technology in politics. Any predictions?
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10/31/2008 09:00 AM
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Halloween Has Become a Business!
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Not only can you purchase Halloween costumes and decorations, you can brand your business for the holidays, you can spice up marketing materials with Halloween photos or you can put together a scarey PowerPoint Presentation with these Halloween PowerPoint Templates.
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10/30/2008 09:00 AM
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Halloween Web Elements - Put Your Business in the Holiday Mood!
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Halloween Web Elements - includes HTML Templates, logos, and royalty free stock photos all related to Halloween.
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10/30/2008 09:00 AM
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Industry Code of Ethics Online
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An Internet industry code of ethics intended to safeguard online freedom of speech around the world is to be adopted this week by technology titans including Google, Yahoo and Microsoft.
The code of ethics is a voluntary framework to help protect people who express opinions online in countries such as China, where talk of democracy or criticism of the Communist government is treated as criminal behavior.
Yahoo launched the talks with industry partners, academics, human rights groups and investors to promote a code of behavior for global technology and communication companies operating in challenging markets.
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10/29/2008 09:00 AM
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ABCs of Search Engine Optimization
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Use the alphabet to figure out Search Engine Optimization.
ABCs of Search Engine Optimization
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10/28/2008 08:00 AM
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Halloween Website for Small Businesses
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Change the look of your website for the holidays. Check out these Halloween Web Templates:
 
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10/27/2008 08:00 AM
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Halloween Logos
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Get into the holiday spirit with Halloween Logos check out the great collection on Logo Search!
    
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10/21/2008 08:00 AM
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Technology Keeps Families Close
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According to the BBC
Technology is helping families stay in touch like never before, says a report.
Instead of driving people apart, mobile phones and the net are helping them maintain social ties, says the Pew Internet report.
Families are also among the keenest users of technology, the survey of 2,252 Americans revealed.
It found that using the net was often a social activity within families, with 51% of parents saying they browsed the web with their children.
complete article
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10/16/2008 08:00 AM
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Financial Web Sites Traffic Booming
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The financial crisis has people flocking to the Internet for the latest money news along with tips on how to salvage investments and save on the routine costs of living.
Visits to websites such as the business-centric Wall Street Journal and economy-focused Yahoo Finance set new records as the US Congress grappled with its 700 billion dollar plan to stop credit markets from imploding.
Internet tracker comScore says visits to www.gasbuddy.com, which steers drivers to stations featuring low fuel prices, are up nearly 30 percent and it expects to report spikes in traffic to finance and bargain-hunter websites when September statistics are calculated later this week.
complete article
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10/15/2008 08:00 AM
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EU Trying To Increase Online Shopping
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The European Commission has unveiled proposals to give more rights to consumers shopping online across the borders of the 27-nation EU.
The proposals aim to boost online shopping in Europe to allow people to take advantage of cheaper prices during the economic crisis.
The commission is asking EU governments to give consumers a two-week cooling-off period to back out of a sale.
Consumers could also get the right to a refund for delayed deliveries.
EU Changes Rules for Online Shopping
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10/07/2008 08:00 AM
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Ebay Cutting Jobs While Performing Better than Expected
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EBay Inc plans to cut its workforce by 10 percent and expects to exceed its third-quarter earnings forecast, the online auction Web site said on Monday as its shares rose nearly 2 percent in pre-market trading.
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10/06/2008 08:00 AM
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When Requesting Links
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Link building is an important aspect of search engine optimization. Search engines view a link as a vote of confidence in a website or webpage. The more links from related sources the greater the webpages importance.
When requesting links, use an email template that can be easily customized for specific requests. To locate prospective link partners, search Google or Yahoo for related keywords or phrases.
When Requesting Links
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09/29/2008 08:00 AM
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Business CD Collections
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Web Design Elements CD ROMs include themed collections of HTML web templates, stock photographs and logos.
Themes available currently include:
Animals - Dogs, Horses, Pets, and Wildlife
Dating - Dating and Valentines
Education - Education
Flowers - Florists and Gardening
Financial- Financial
Health - Medical and Healthcare
Holiday - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentines
Nature - Nature, Sunrise and Sunsets
Nautical - Marine
Real Estate - Homes and Realty
Religious - Religion
Sports - Water Themed Sports
Toss together promotional marketing material or a website easily!
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09/15/2008 08:00 AM
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Logo Concepts
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A logo concept is more than just an affinity for a specific character. Logos represent a companys brand, and as a result, serious thought and consideration should be put into your logo. Before hand be sure to consider, how the logo will represent your organization and consider the thoughts that will be associated with specific images that you consider for your logo. Does the logo embody traits that can or should be associated with your business? If your company is global, will the image transcend borders or will some of your customers find the image offensive and distasteful?
Logo Concepts
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09/11/2008 08:00 AM
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September 11 - Never Forget
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09/09/2008 08:00 AM
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Interesting Channel for JetBlue
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JetBlue Airways Corp. is auctioning off more than 300 roundtrip flights and six vacation packages this week on eBay, with opening bids set between 5 and 10 cents.
The flights are to more than 20 destinations, including four mystery JetBlue Getaways Vacation packages to undisclosed locations.
complete article
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09/08/2008 08:00 AM
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Royalty Free Stock Photography Quiz
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Marketers who struggle finding photos for their promotional materials can no utilize the microstock photo websites for instant images.
There are a number of options available to webmasters and publishers in need of images for web content, marketing campaigns, or packaging. Regardless of the website selected, be sure to read the agreement and licensing terms carefully to ensure that you are adhering to the guidelines.
Royalty Free Stock Photography
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09/07/2008 08:00 AM
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Happy Birthday Google
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It is hard to believe that Google is 10, and did not exist a mere 11 years ago. In its short life Google has become a household word and brand. The infant quickly grew into a toddler and is a dominating adolescent. It makes you wonder what is in store for the next 10 years for Google. We all know how rebellious the teen years can be.
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08/26/2008 08:00 AM
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Best Search Marketing Blogs
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Attempting to stay current on the latest search engine algorithm changes or search optimization tactics can be overwhelming for webmasters attempting to juggle it all. With this in mind, we have put together a list of the industrys best Search Marketing blogs. These blogs are current and discuss important issues related to search engine optimization and search marketing.
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08/20/2008 08:00 AM
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Directory Submissions That Matter
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Links from different directories have different values. A webmasters time is limited, and most webmasters want to get the biggest bang for their bucks. So where should they start when it comes to directory submissions? Search engines assign value to links from the various directories differently, so how do you spend your time where it matters most?
Directory Submissions that Matter
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08/05/2008 08:00 AM
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Web Rules Changing for Big Business
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Federal guidelines for what type of information companies can provide on their official Web sites have not been updated since 2000. On Wednesday, the Securities and Exchange Commission voted unanimously to modernize its rules to fit in with an increasingly digital economy.
Under the revamped rules, which have not yet been released in their entirety, information posted on a company Web site does not necessarily have to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley rules relating to a companys disclosure controls and procedures.
The rules also provide clarity on how companies can: provide access to historical or archived data without it being considered reissued or republished every time it is accessed; link to third-party information or Web sites without having to adopt that content for liability purposes; and use summary information in the context of the securities laws antifraud provisions.
Meanwhile, Web sites no longer have to include a printer friendly version of all their documents so sites can include more interactive and dynamic features, the SEC said.
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08/04/2008 08:00 AM
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Four Kinds of Links
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Links are an important component in an online marketing campaign. Websites usually need a significant number of quality links to perform well in organic search rankings. Once upon a time, high-quality links were plentiful. But with the growth of the web, and an ever-increasing number of competing websites, garnering link love and attention is a time-consuming and tedious process.
Four Kinds of Links
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07/15/2008 08:00 AM
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Evaluating Your Competition
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Staying ahead of the competition can be an on-going struggle. While it is not healthy for a company to focus too much time and attention on the competition, it is important to stay abreast of what your competition is doing. When evaluating the competition, assess the industry giants and companies closest to your space. But be sure that you don't exclude the small companies in your assessments. Sometimes a small competitor can have innovative ideas or marketing concepts, but may lack the capital to really benefit from the concept. This may present you with an opportunity.
Evaluating Your Competition
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07/14/2008 08:00 AM
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Yahoo Opens Search
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Yahoo Inc will let customers, academics and even rivals build customized Web search services on top of its own technology, introducing a resale model into a major Internet market.
Additional Details
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07/09/2008 08:00 AM
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Small Business Logos
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Many small businesses struggle to develop an identity consider checking out logo sites for an inexpensive way to build a corporate identity.
Here are some to try -
Logo Search - http://www.logo-search.com
LogoMaid - http://www.logomaid.com
Web Design Elements - http://www.webdesign-elements.com
Here is a good summary of What to Look for in a Logo
This is a more in depth article -
What Makes a Good Logo
And Building an Image with a Logo
Bring Your Product to Life with Personality
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07/08/2008 08:00 AM
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Business Mistakes to Avoid
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Small businesses and entrepreneurs often repeat the same mistakes. If you are an entrepreneur, the following is a list of critical mistakes to avoid in your new venture:
1. Promising The World
Entrepreneurs will commonly make bold promises that are often impossible to actually deliver. It is important that you stay grounded in reality, and only agree to things that you know you can actually deliver.
2. Lack Of Discipline
Owning a business takes commitment and self-discipline. Since you are the boss you probably won't be disciplined for things like not showing up for work on time... but such things will have a negative impact on your business. It is important that entrepreneurs treat their business just like a real business, and not like a personal hobby. Act professional, charge for your services, and be accountable for the product or service provided. Self-discipline is critical to being self-employed.
Business Mistakes to Avoid
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07/07/2008 08:00 AM
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Expert PDF for Small Businesses
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Expert PDF 5 is an easy to use and reliable PDF application to create, modify and send PDFs as easily as Word documents. You can modify text, images, layout or comments quickly and easily. This version can also be used as a default viewer for all your PDF documents.
Expert PDF is discounted 40% for 24 hours only!
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07/01/2008 08:00 AM
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Deal of the Day Websites, Where to Find a Bargain?
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With the economy in a questionable state, everyone is looking for a good deal. Savvy business owners have jumped at the opportunity to carve out a niche for themselves in the struggling economy. Coupon and Deal-Of-The-Day websites have become extremely popular. Everyone is getting into the action, from large conglomerate websites to small specialty shops, and many now have some sort of Deal-Of-The-Day special where an item is offered at a significant discount for a specified and limited period of time. While the Deal-Of-The-Day websites were originally designed to capture impulse purchasers, many financially-conscious penny-pinching shoppers are now monitoring these sites regularly, in search of good deals on products they might need.
Everybody loves a bargain! Where should you look for a bargain?
PS
Be sure to check out Software Deal of the Day
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06/26/2008 08:00 AM
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Why Use Web Templates?
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Web templates offer webmasters a great opportunity to minimize development time and get new sites on the web sooner rather than later. The structure of web templates allow webmasters to focus on the proprietary content development, and optimizing the website for search engines, rather than struggling with layout and graphics.
Why Use Web Templates?
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06/25/2008 08:00 AM
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Software Industry Conference in Boston July 17-19th
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The Software Industry Conference is coming to Boston July 17th through 19th, 2008. This exciting event, now in its 18th year, will be held at the Boston Marriott Quincy in Quincy MA.
The Software Industry Conference features three days of informative sessions that cover a wide range of subjects of interest to software developers. There will be sessions on marketing, foreign markets, ecommerce, outsourcing development, copyrights and trademarks, and much more.
The Software Industry Conference provides lots of time to network with other attendees. Thursday evening there is a night of fun, excitement, food, and beverages sponsored by Digital River, always a highlight of the conference. Friday evening features an Exhibit Night with vendors in over 20 booths and food and beverages for all.
On Saturday there is an Awards banquet. The Software Industry Conference is the premier software marketing event of the year. So, if you are a small software developer or MicroISV, plan to attend!
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06/17/2008 08:00 AM
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Innovative Marketing Ideas
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Marketing is a three-syllable word that seems so simple, yet encompasses so much. Marketing is a multi-faceted approach to promoting a product or service. Both traditional and unconventional marketing methods have a place in the small business world. Marketing helps small businesses focus on building their brand and identity.
There are few limitations to marketing options, and the opportunities listed here are just a few that will generally result in a decent ROI (Return On Investment) for most small businesses. That said, do not be afraid to be creative -- no one knows or understands a small business like its owner, so think outside of the box and don't be afraid to experiment.
Ways to Market
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06/10/2008 08:00 AM
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Take Website Usability to the Next Level
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Website usability is more than just a good navigational structure. A large number of people have visual or hearing disabilities, so you should design your website in ways that allow those with either minor or significant impairments to view and navigate your web content. The following tips will help expand your website's usability so that all users, regardless of their sensory perception and abilities, are able to take advantage of your web content...
Take Website Usability to the Next Level
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05/28/2008 08:00 AM
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Google Increases Search Share
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Extending its dominance in the search market, Google grew its share of queries in April at the expense of rivals Yahoo, Microsoft, AOL and Ask.com.
Google U.S. search query share in April grew to 61.6 percent, up from 59.8 percent in March, comScore announced last Thursday. Google accomplished this although the number of search queries dropped 2 percent overall in April to 10.58 billion, compared with March, comScore said.
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05/27/2008 08:00 AM
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Online Reviews a Source of Business
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Picking up on a trend started by the travel industry, business-listing sites by Google, Yahoo, and others including Yelp and Citysearch let customers rave about their favorites, or complain about poor service. That helps consumers get real-life opinions about local businesses and services. For businesses attempting to reach consumers, the feedback spreads the word in a way ads can not. But perhaps more important, the reviews can dramatically raise a websites visibility in search engines.
Online Reviews
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05/27/2008 08:00 AM
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Online Sales Tax Problems for eBay
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The outcome of the case could have far reaching implications for taxes on online sales:
The city of Chicago is suing eBay and its subsidiary StubHub for failing to collect city amusement taxes on concert and sporting event tickets sold through the Web sites.
Chicagos amusement tax ordinance includes Internet sites that resell tickets, but eBay, which bought StubHub last year, says the 8 percent tax does not apply to it.
It is not clear how much money is at stake, but when the city first floated the idea of going after taxes for online sales in 2006, Alderman Edward Burke estimated the city could be losing $16 million a year in taxes on Internet-based sales by ticket resellers.
complete article
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05/19/2008 07:00 AM
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CBS Buys CNet
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Television company CBS has agreed to buy technology news and entertainment website CNET for about $1.75bn. CBS said that the purchase of CNET, which owns sites such as ZDNet and Gamespot, would help to boost its online presence.
complete article
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05/13/2008 08:00 AM
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A Perfect Link
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Webmasters are given the advice that they must attract links, but the key is not just to attract links... they need to attract good links. But what is the perfect link? The search for the perfect link need not be a quest in vain. Consider the following when attempting to attract links...
A Perfect Link
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05/12/2008 08:00 AM
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Attention Data Makes Break Through
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Sounds like social network sites have finally figured out Attention Data:
Social networking site MySpace said Thursday it will soon enable users to quickly share profile data with Web sites operated by Yahoo Inc., eBay Inc. and others.
complete article
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05/06/2008 08:00 AM
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Amazon Challenges Sales Tax Ruling
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This could really change things for affiliate programs and online entrepeneurs.
Amazon.com is suing New York over a new law that requires out-of-state online companies to collect sales tax from shoppers in New York.
Officials estimated the state would gain about $50 million by requiring Internet giants such as Amazon.com to collect state sales tax. New Yorkers, like residents of many states, are currently on an honor system to report their online spending when they file state tax returns.
The law applies to companies that do not have a brick-and-mortar presence in New York but have at least one person in the state who works as an online agent — basically someone who links to a Web site and receives commissions for related sales.
complete article
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05/05/2008 08:00 AM
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The Web is Still a Baby
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The World Wide Web is still only in its infancy, its British inventor said Wednesday, on the 15th anniversary of the webs effective launch.
Tim Berners-Lee told the BBC that the web, which started life in the CERN physics laboratory on the Franco-Swiss border in the early 1990s, could develop in unimaginable directions but above all should be a force for good.
complete article
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05/05/2008 08:00 AM
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Yahoo Patent Application
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Axandra posted this in their weekly search engine news. Very interesting to consider all the factors that can effect ranking!
Yahoos patent applications provides a list of 51 web page elements that can be analyzed to determine the clutter of a web page:
Total number of links
Total number of words
Total number of images (non-ad images)
Image area above the fold (non-ad images)
Dimensions of page
Page area (total)
Page length
Total number of tables
Maximum table columns (per table)
Maximum table rows (per table)
Total rows
Total columns
Total cells
Average cell padding (per table)
Average cell spacing (per table)
Dimensions of fold
Fold area
Location of center of fold relative to center of page
Total number of font sizes used for links
Total number of font sizes used for headings
Total number of font sizes used for body text
Total number of font sizes
Presence of “tiny” text
Total number of colors (excluding ads)
Alignment of page elements
Average page luminosity
Fixed vs. relative page width
Page weight (proxy for load time)
Total number of ads
Total ad area
Area of individual ads
Area of largest ad above the fold
Largest ad area
Total area of ads above the fold
Page space allocated to ads
Total number of external ads above the fold
Total number of external ads below the fold
Total number of external ads
Total number of internal ads above the fold
Total number of internal ads below the fold
Total number of internal ads
Number of sponsored link ads above the fold
Number of sponsored link ads below the fold
Total number of sponsored link ads
Number of image ads above the fold
Number of image ads below the fold
Total number of image ads
Number of text ads above the fold
Number of text ads below the fold
Total number of text ads
Position of ads on page
According to the patent application, Yahoo might also consider the presence of animated and flashing ads and the average ad luminosity.
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04/28/2008 08:00 AM
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How To Avoid Google Filters
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Avoiding Googles sandbox can be a challenge for even the most experienced webmasters. Considering the volume of traffic and number of searches conducted each day in the search giant, appearing in the top search results for critical keywords and phrases can make or break an online business. Take care to avoid Googles sandbox, so your business can benefit from Googles traffic.
How to Avoid Googles Filters
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04/24/2008 08:00 AM
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Sponsor Events an Interesting Opportunity
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Sponsoring events is an interesting advertising opportunity for small businesses struggling to get attention. Inc recently did a piece that highlights the benefits small businesses encounter from sponsoring events. read Blessed Events
Sponsorship opportunities cover the gamut, everything from Golf Fund Raisers or Software Conferences.
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04/21/2008 08:00 AM
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Choose A Domain
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Choosing a domain is one of the first steps in establishing an online presence. Changing a domain after-the-fact can be time consuming, and can be harmful to search engine ranking, so it is best to get it right the first time around. Follow these simple steps to select a domain name that will represent your online brand...
Choose a Domain
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04/15/2008 08:00 AM
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There is No Such Thing as Free Software
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This is an interesting article entitled There is No Such Thing as Free Software:
Software is always acquired at some cost, even if you don’t pay a penny to the people that write it. In fact, for most downloadable software available to a general audience, the license fee is only a small part of the price you pay for using the software.
First, there’s the time you spend getting the product to run and learning how to use it.
Here is another one When Something Is Free:
There is value to free just be sure that you know what it is. Next time something is offered for free, evaluate the quid pro quo and determine what you are giving in return, because very little is ever really free.
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04/14/2008 08:00 AM
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Value Ad - Made for AdSense Websites
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Who wants to make money from AdSense? Or a better question: who does not want to make money from AdSense?
Value Ad - Made for AdSense Websites
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04/08/2008 08:00 AM
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Blog Posts that Get Attention
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Blogs are now a dime a dozen, and bloggers need to make their blog posts stand out. Developing a blog following is not as easy as it once was. Learn how to write blog posts that attract readers and retain their attention. Follow these guidelines to cultivate readers...
Blog Posts that Get Attention
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04/05/2008 09:00 AM
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Google Scholar
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Google Scholar is a new beta search tool from Google that provides a search of scholarly literature across many disciplines and sources, including theses, books, abstracts and articles.
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04/04/2008 09:00 AM
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Perform Better Web Searches
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Performing and perfecting search engine results can save web surfers lots of time and energy. Understanding the nuances of searching allows researchers to immediately drill down and locate the information they are seeking, without having to wade through a myriad of irrelevant search results in the process. The increasing complexity of search engines has made understanding search engines a necessity for those who spend any amount of time online. The following search tips are standards that will work in most of the major search engines.
How To Find What You Are Looking For?
As the popularity of the Internet grows, more and more results are returned for even the most obscure search phrases. In order to save time, web surfers need to increase their search relevancy. It is advisable to use multiple search terms to produce better search results. Searchers should use specific words and phrases to find what they are are looking for, while filtering out irrelevant and unwanted results.
Performing Better Web Searches
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04/03/2008 09:00 AM
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Avoid Duplicate Content Penalties
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Representatives from the major search engines have all made it clear that they prefer search engines that contain unique content. Webmasters who want to avoid any current or future bans will do well to follow these simple guidelines in order to avoid duplicate content penalties:
Avoid Duplicate Content Penalties
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04/02/2008 09:00 AM
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Google Data Sharing
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Shareware Promotions has posted a very important and revealing post about Google and how they want to use Google Analytics data and Adwords! Anyone with half a brain should have seen this coming.
In fact I wrote a piece about this awhile back, here is an excerpt:
Google Analytics is free, no one can beat the price, but what is the real cost? The cost is your data. While not terribly important when analyzed alone, when aggregated with other information Google has access to, it could be damaging. Data mining has made the collection of data meaningful. It has become easier to find patterns and trends in large volumes of data.
While any of that information independent of other data, might be non-threatening or irrelevant to someone doing analysis, when combined with other data Google has access to, it can paint a very clear picture of how, not only individual companies are performing, but the aggregate data could possibly paint a picture of how entire business sectors or industries are performing.
If you are using Analytics consider yourself warned yet again!
Full Shareware Promotions Blog Post
Full Article Google As Big Brother
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04/01/2008 09:00 AM
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Sample Business Letters
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Here are a selection of sample business letters (ie. letter templates) that cover a variety of issues.
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03/26/2008 09:00 AM
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New Language API from Google
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Google has introduced tools for translating blocks of text in Web pages into multiple languages.
The language application programming interface can also identify a particular language before translation. The API makes use of the Web 2.0 technology Ajax and covers 13 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. The API also supports 29 translation pairs.
complete article
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03/25/2008 09:00 AM
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How is Your Business Different?
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Creating a marketing and business plan for a small business can at times seem like an overwhelming task for a new business owner. Yet, it need not be. A business plan is simply a formal statement that contains a set of business goals; and a marketing plan outlines the necessary actions which the business needs to take in order to achieve its marketing objectives.
How is Your Business Different?
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03/24/2008 09:00 AM
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10 Podcasting Tips
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What defines a good podcast? Make no mistake -- there is a difference between a good podcast and a not-so-good podcast. A high-caliber podcast is much more than just decent content. The sound quality, and the way a podcast is recorded, will impact the value of the podcast as well. Podcast structure and pre-planning are also important; do not skimp on the production, as it too can make or break a podcast.
10 Podcasting Tips
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03/13/2008 09:00 AM
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Tips for Creating a Real Estate Video Podcast
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The use of technology can define the success or failure of a business. This is no more evident than in the real estate industry. Realtors who flocked to the latest technologies, adopted them, and applied them in order to enhance and sell property, are still prospering.
Tips for Creating Real Estate Video Podcasts
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03/12/2008 09:00 AM
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Virtual Customer Loyalty
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German company wants to bring customer loyalty cards to the Internet while also making it easier for people to log in into multiple Web sites.
Loyalty card programs offer customers incentives based on repeat purchases in a network of merchants. For example, a customer may earn bonus points for purchases and those points can be used at other retailers participating in the loyalty card program. This drives business to noncompeting retailers within the network.
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03/11/2008 09:00 AM
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12 Tips To Protect Personal Info During Tax Season
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With tax season nearing its height and millions of Americans filing taxes electronically, security software vendor Identity Finder offers some basic tips on how taxpayers can protect their personal information.
Identity Finders products scour computers for personal information and provide users with options to protect that information. Although the companies tips may seem obvious, identity theft is a growing problem.
12 Tips To Protect Personal Info During Tax Season
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03/10/2008 09:00 AM
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How to Avoid Dumb Tax Filing Mistakes
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When it comes to filing your income tax return, it is usually the little things that trip you up. Unfortunately, stupid mistakes pretty much guarantee your return will be put on the fast track for an audit.
How to Avoid Dumb Mistakes on Tax Returns
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03/03/2008 08:00 AM
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Software Industry Conference
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Sign up now for the Software Industry Conference. The Software Industry Conference will be held July 17-19, 2008 in Boston Massachusetts. The conference will feature discussions geared to software marketers and developers. The 3-day conference includes exhibits and an awards ceremony as well as 3 days filled with topical panel sessions. There is an early bird discount available until April 1st for attendees who register early.
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02/26/2008 08:00 AM
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Sites That Will Make Your Day
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Over the last few years the microISV industry has started seeing a new way to sell their software - deal of the day sites. These sites work basically the same: entice impulse shoppers with a hefty discount on one or two products a day.
But do these sites work? Are customers okay with one day sales? And should you as a microISV associate with a software discounter?
Judging by the first-hand reports posted by microISV founders at the Business of Software forum, the answers are yes, yes and yes!
More on Sites That Will Make Your Day
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02/25/2008 08:00 AM
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What is Your Websites Sale Purpose
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When designing a website, it is important that webmasters ask some general questions before they begin the design process...
Website Sales Purpose
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02/21/2008 08:00 AM
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Web Design Elements
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Web Design Elements is designed specifically for small businesses, each CD contains a themed collection of web templates, layouts, images, logos, and photographs all related to a central theme. CDs are perfect for small businesses, needing to create a website, or promotional materials. CD collections include:
Flower Themes for florists, gardeners or landscapers.
Equestrian Themes for riding stables, horse shows, and barns.
Dating Themes for online dating or other matchmaking services.
Nature Collection for nature lovers, or scenic personal websites.
Nautical Theme for fishing companies, charter services or marinas.
Sunrise and Sunset Themes for travel companies.
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02/20/2008 08:00 AM
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Web Log Analysis
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Everyone who understands Internet Marketing will tell you to analyze your web logs... but what does that really mean? What particular things should you pay attention to when analyzing your web logs?
Web Log Analysis
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02/13/2008 08:00 AM
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Economic News Hits Computer Hardware but Not Software
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With fears of a U.S. recession bearing down on technology companies, the sectors safest bets appear to be in business software, while makers of computers and consumer gadgets look vulnerable.
complete article
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02/12/2008 08:00 AM
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Order Flowers and Get Software for Free!
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Here is an interesting business marketing idea. Send flowers from FTD and get a full, free license to your preferred software.
Order Flowers and Get Software for Free
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02/11/2008 08:00 AM
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Avoid These Common Web Mistakes
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Webmasters need to avoid making these common web design mistakes. Website visitors who have a pleasant experience on a website are more likely to trust the website, and as such they are more likely to purchase products from that website. Use the following guide to avoid some of the more common web design mistakes...
Avoid These Common Web Mistakes
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02/07/2008 08:00 AM
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Increase Productivity
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Direct Access is a powerful speed typing software to create global text templates, available in any application, and define your abbreviation list only once. You just type the abbreviation and Direct Access automatically expands it into the full phrase for you. With Direct Access, any piece of information is always available just by typing a few keystrokes.
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02/06/2008 08:00 AM
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ROMM - The Basics of Search Engine Optimization
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The formula for webmasters looking for success with the search engines is ROMM (Research, Optimize, Monitor, and Maintain). Here are some helpful tips and details about each portion of the ROMM concept...
ROMM - The Basics of SEO
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02/04/2008 08:00 AM
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Automation Software
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Macro Scheduler Software discounted 45% for only 24 hours.
Create scripts and record macros to automate and control your Windows applications, automate software processes and assign tasks to schedules, desktop shortcuts or hotkeys. Perform complex tasks with a single mouse click, or schedule your computer to perform tasks while you are away.
The powerful Macro Recorder makes it easy to create macros even if you have no programming experience. If you can do it, Macro Scheduler can automate it.
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02/04/2008 08:00 AM
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Web Design Questions and Answers
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How much do you know about web design? Take this web design quiz to find out how much you know about web design...
Web Design Questions and Answers
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01/31/2008 08:00 AM
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Small Business Logos
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Great collection of small business logos. Select industry specific or generic business logos for global or local commerce. Reasonably priced (only $9.95)
 
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01/30/2008 08:00 AM
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Women Owned Businesses
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Women start their own business at twice the rate of men. It shows initiative, creativity, courage and intelligence for these women venturing out on their own away from corporate America. One very startling statistic about women business owners - 3% of all women-owned firms have revenues of $1 million or more compared with 6% of men-owned firms according to the Center for Womens Business Research that means that women are starting their own business at twice the rate of men yet twice as many men owned business’ reach a million dollars in revenue.
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01/29/2008 08:00 AM
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37 Small Business Ideas
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If you are stuck trying to think of a small business to start, first start by thinking about what you love to do. Here you’ll find a list of 37 small business ideasthat work around things that you love to do!
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01/28/2008 08:00 AM
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RSS Feed Guidelines
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The arguments continue to rage over the ambiguities in the RSS specifications. But the fact is: RSS is here to stay, and the current defined RSS 2.0 specification is likely going to be as good as it is going to get.
RSS Feed Guidelines
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01/24/2008 08:00 AM
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Some Small Businesses Are Thriving
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Despite Weak U.S. Dollar, Skyrocketing Oil Prices, Ballooning Inflation, and Looming Recession, U.S. Companies Not Only Survive
As the U.S. economy continues to tumble amidst a variable cyclone of negativity ranging from a weak U.S. dollar, high oil prices, rising inflation, a plummeting stock market, housing market fiascos and political uncertainty -- many small businesses and larger corporations are finding financial relief in automation software. By implementing Windows automation tools such as MJT Nets Macro Scheduler , many U.S. companies have been able to combat rising costs and falling sales by increasing efficiency while substantially boosting productivity and becoming more competitive. Racing to adopt new technology, many U.S. companies are saving both time and money -- enabling them to not only survive -- but thrive.
complete details!
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01/23/2008 08:00 AM
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Delicious Bookmarks In Yahoo
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Interesting post about Yahoo, possibly using Delicious (social bookmarks) in their search results.
I just got word that Yahoo is testing the integration of Delicious user generated bookmarks into Yahoo search results pages (Yahoo acquired Delicious in late 2005). Some users will see the Delicious icon as part of their normal search results, which tells them how many people have bookmarked those pages, as well as the tags people have supplied for those pages.
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01/21/2008 08:00 AM
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Software Deal of the Day
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Discounted software every day! Each day a popular application is significantly discounted for only 24 hours. The new Software Deal of the Day website also has a number of 2nd chance discount offers that are available to website visitors who miss the deal of the day. Second chance offers are still discounted but not as steeply. Subscribe to the Software Deal of the Day RSS feed and be instantly aware of what applications are available, or syndicate the daily specials on your website, free of charge!
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01/14/2008 08:00 AM
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HTML Web Templates
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HTML Web Templates
HTML website templates can significantly ease the burden of designing and creating websites by providing webmasters with a ready-made web layout, structure, basic graphics, and color scheme. Templates can generally be edited and customized with any HTML editor. The biggest advantage for webmasters using ready-made templates is the amount of time that can be saved. There are a number of websites that provide ready-made HTML templates. We have compiled a list of some popular sites to make the search process easier.
Webmaster Templates
Webmaster Templates contains themed web templates. Each template includes an HTML layout, CSS file, and graphic images. Individual templates can be purchased, or webmasters can subscribe to the website and download an unlimited number of templates for a specified period of time. The themed and industry web templates are categorized by topic, or can be located using a keyword search feature. New web templates are added on a regular basis, so check back often.
HTML Web Templates
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01/07/2008 08:00 AM
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What is Hot and What is Not in Technology for 2008
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After looking into my crystal ball, I have made a cluster of predictions about what will be hot, and what will be not so hot in technology for 2008.
Top 10 Winners Predicted for 2008
1. Video
YouTube has not shown any signs of slowing down. With the increasing popularity of portability and the increase of video-viewing technology, the growth of video is unlikely to slow down.
2. Healthy
Healthy is in. It is not only fashionable, but now cool to be healthy. Maybe this will help counter the rise in obesity in the US. Even those who give in to their cravings and indulge agree that it is cool to be healthy. Organic foods are at an all time high with an increase of roughly 20% per year in the US! This may also be a top New Year Resolution.
3. Long Tail
The Long Tail is still hot. Small businesses and big business are all attempting to capture the famed long tail.
What is Hot and What is Not in Technology for 2008
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01/02/2008 08:00 AM
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Internet Marketing Resolutions
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Internet Marketing Resolutions for the New Year
Starting a New Year is all about self-reflecting. Most individuals celebrate the incoming year by looking back, determining what goals were met and what goals fell short. Most who have made past resolutions then look forward and resolve to do better in the coming year.
Like any Internet marketer, I have a long laundry list of things that I intend to get to... invariably each year the list grows longer, and rarely do I make any significant headway on new projects, ideas, or marketing techniques. I resolve for that to change in 2008! I have compiled a list of Internet Marketing resolutions for the coming year. If your list is already too long, consider saving time and using the list below.
1. Track and Measure
Before launching any advertising campaigns, be sure to determine how the campaign will be tracked. I will determine exactly how much money we need to make from the campaign in order for it to be effective and worth the effort.
2. Investigate Pay Per Review
I resolve to take a closer look at pay per review websites like PayPerReview, ReviewMe, and PayPerPost and to discern whether the model will be effective for marketing software.
3. Make Video Tutorials
It is time! Being a tad on the shy side, this item keeps finding its way to the bottom of my marketing list. However, it is time to utilize videos and use them as marketing tools, websites like YouTube can help raise awareness of products and help instruct our users.
4. Leverage Web 2.0
It is time to explore some of those unusual mediums, and discern the marketing viability of Web 2.0. While RSS and syndication are now a marketing staple, Web 2.0 has more to offer and is worth a closer look in the coming year.
Complete List of Small Business Internet Marketing Resolutions
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01/01/2008 08:00 AM
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2007 Reflections, 2008 Predictions
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The lens through which viewers receive their news has changed. The images of struggle are no longer frozen in time; technology has helped preserve and personalize these conflicts by producing moving tributes to the conflicts of humankind.
The strife and internal conflicts that marred the globe in 2006 continued into 2007: Mynamar (Burma), Palestine and Lebanon all continue to struggle with internal conflicts in their borders. The differences between 2006 and 2007 are not obvious; however, under close examination, it is evident that several external struggles have been transformed into internal conflicts. In 2006, many countries attempted to influence their neighbors. This was evident with Iran attempting to influence the turmoil in Iraq, and Syria attempting to control Lebanon. Both struggles have evolved into internal personal conflicts in 2007.
While video is not a new technology, the spread of video-viewing technology in devices like the iPod has brought the faces of terror into the homes of the western world. Advances in technology have also encouraged the West to open both their hearts and wallets, with many sponsoring children like Youseff, a child with a horribly scarred face. The same technology that brought Youssef's story to millions of homes, also helped bring tragedies like the Virginia Tech massacres.
2007 Reflections, 2008 Predictions
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12/31/2007 08:00 AM
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Top 10 Winners and Losers for 2008
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Top 10 Winners Predicted for 2008
1. Video
2. Healthy
3. Long Tail
4. Buy USA
5. Rich Internet / Interactive Web / Semantic Web / Web Services
6. Aggregate and Attention Data
7. Power of the People
8. Going Green
9. Biometrics and Big Brother
10. Prosthetics / Bionic
Top 10 Losers Predicted for 2008
1. Lead
2. Squat Toilets
3. DRM
4. China
5. Skinny is Out
6. Blockbuster / Netflix
7. Orbo
8. MySpace fell to Facebook
9. Privacy
10. Piracy
More on 2007 Predictions - http://www.small-business-software.net/whats-hot-whats-not-2008.htm
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12/17/2007 08:00 AM
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Google Takes on Wikipedia
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According to InfoWorld:
Google is developing an online publishing platform where people can write entries on subjects they know, an idea that's close to Wikipedia's user-contributed encyclopedia but with key differences.
The project, which is in an invitation-only beta stage, lets users create clean-looking Web pages with their photo and write entries on, for example, insomnia. Those entries are called knols for "unit of knowledge," Google said. Google wants the knols to develop into a deep repository of knowledge, covering topics such as geography, history, and entertainment.
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12/12/2007 08:00 AM
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Reputation Management
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The Internet is a bit like the old wild west, and sadly, people often post material about an individual, product, company, or service that is inaccurate or simply nasty. Businesses and individuals alike are struggling with how to best deal with online inaccuracy and defamation. The normal steps for dealing with defamation typically involve litigation, but this is not always realistic for Internet-based situations since the Internet is global, and not managed or governed by any single set of laws.
If you have the good fortune of being located in the same legal jurisdiction as the offending poster and their website hosting company, you might be able to successfully prosecute them; or at the very least, you might be able to get the webpage with the offending material taken down by the website host. Keep in mind that most defamation court cases require that you show that actual harm was done by the offending material, which can often be difficult.
Reputation Management
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12/11/2007 08:00 AM
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Internet More Popular with Kids than TV
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Young Europeans prefer the Internet over television, and nearly half say they watch less TV because of surfing the web, a poll of 10 European countries showed Wednesday.
complete article
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12/10/2007 08:00 AM
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Stream Lined Sales Tax
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Two national retail advocacy groups are at odds with each other over whether Internet sellers should collect sales tax from their buyers.
The National Retail Federation and the Electronic Retailers Association issued dueling statements on Thursday asking Congress to consider with extreme caution any legislation that would make it easier to require Internet merchants, mail-order houses and other remote sellers to collect sales tax across state lines. The debate is based around U.S. Representative William Delahunt's, D-Mass., bill that would allow states that have implemented the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement to require out-of-state sellers to collect sales tax on merchandise sold their residents. The legislation is different than the Internet Tax Freedom Act Amendment Acts of 2007, which President Bush signed into law on October 31, in that the SSUTA permits states implementing the Streamlined Sales Tax Project to collect sales and use taxes on catalog and Internet purchases.
complete article
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11/28/2007 08:00 AM
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Shared IP Addresses
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According to Google on the subject of shared IP addresses:
Lots of sites are hosted on shared IPs. If this had a negative effect on ranking, it would harm most of the sites on the web--and that's not good for small webmasters or for our users. So, understandably, sharing an IP should not have an effect your ability to rank.
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11/26/2007 08:00 AM
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Create Professional RSS Feeds
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More and more companies are using RSS as a means to communicate, so having an RSS feed that is professional and well polished will help differentiate your company from your competition. What makes an RSS feed professional? Follow these simple steps to polish your RSS feed and take it to the next level...
Create Professional RSS Feeds
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11/26/2007 08:00 AM
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Rumors About Google and Skype
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TechWeb is reporting rumors that Google is talking to Skype about an acquisition.
The rumor that Google might acquire Skype was started Monday in a blog on the U.K.s respected Guardian and since then, the report has taken on a life of its own at investment firms.
Like many Google rumors there is no solid basis for any such speculation (remember the Google phone?). But it persists because there are some logical reasons for the two companies to establish a deeper relationship.
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11/16/2007 08:00 AM
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StupidFilter
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Software tackles stupid forum postings.
The software will sit on the server side of a website and examine new postings for signs that the contributor is not making sense. These might include repeat letters (ex. amazinggggg) and text-speak such as LOL (for 'laughs out loud').
complete article
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11/15/2007 08:00 AM
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Price Irregularities May Lead to Website Closures
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Over half of Europes airlines including Ryanair could be forced to close their Web sites next year if they fail to remedy problems shown by the EU consumer affairs watchdog in a probe carried out in September.
The results of the investigation to be published on Wednesday and obtained by Reuters says over 50 percent of all Web sites showed irregularities, in particular relating to price indications, contract terms and clarity of proposed conditions.
complete article
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11/14/2007 08:00 AM
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Free Web Marketing Tips
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Not all web marketing needs to cost money. Aside from website submissions, there are a number of things that web marketers can do that are free, though they may be rather time-consuming. Other marketing tactics are relatively inexpensive, and are often well worth the investment.
Follow these basic steps to market your website and business.
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11/08/2007 08:00 AM
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Ramp Up Content Overtime
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1. Adding gradual content over time is best. One article per week is ideal.
2. Syndicate your content using the author resource box for links back.
3. Place your articles in an RSS feed on your site with a link back to the full article in the Description field. If someone syndicates the feed and doesn't automatically link back to the full content, the link is still included. Don't include the full article in the feed, just teaser copy.
4. Re-submit the feed to RSS/search engines and directories after you syndicate your article.
5. You can manually post articles to a handful of key sites that aren't automated. You can email out using GroupMail to the common article listservs. You can also submit your article to a group of ezine editors that write for your market. Do this once a week.
6. When an author reprints and lets me know, I visit the site to ensure that the links are live in the author resource box. I then email the author, thanking them and telling them about additional articles they might find interesting. Sharon uses a macro set up TypePilot for her responses.
7. Your best articles are timeless or explain how to do things. Controversial topics are hit or miss.
8. Titles are critical. You must use keywords and capture the attention of editors and publishers.
Ramping Up Content Overtime
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11/06/2007 08:00 AM
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RSS Helps Information Overload
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As employees struggle to read an increasing amount of work-related material, some companies have turned to RSS technology to improve productivity.
With RSS servers and readers designed for workplaces, IT departments set up internal information feeds that employees can subscribe to, a delivery mechanism that, for some information, can be more precise and effective than e-mail.
complete article
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11/06/2007 08:00 AM
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Microsoft and Piracy
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Microsoft took another incremental step in its long-standing anti-piracy program this week when it filed lawsuits against 20 vendors in 13 states for allegedly selling pirated copies of its software.
The company also launched a new educational site, HowToTell.com to help teach buyers tell the difference between legitimate and counterfeit or pirated software.
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11/02/2007 09:00 AM
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Business Card Tips
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Networking is an invaluable opportunity, and one that should not be wasted. In order to maximize networking, it is strongly suggested that all business professionals carry business cards. The business cards can be exchanged during introductions, both as a convenience and as a memory aid. In other words, business cards allow networkers to further the relationship through future contact.
Business cards may include one or more aspects of striking visual design, but should also contain important contact information.
Business Card Tips
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10/26/2007 08:00 AM
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Politics and the Internet
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Can, and will, the next generation of politicians exploit the communication mediums available to them? Will the new communication mediums have the power to influence public opinion? Will politicians be the victims of technology, or will they use it to their benefit? Will one party benefit from the use of the technology more than another? All reasonable questions, considering the role technology plays in todays society.
The Internet and Politics
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10/25/2007 08:00 AM
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Land that Job
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Looking to hire? Looking for a new job? Check out this series Land that Job -
If you have decided that working in a call center is the right career path for you, you should realize that you are not alone. The U.S. Department of Labor reported in 2006 that more than 385,000 workers across America find employment in call centers. How can you stand out from the crowd and secure the job of your choosing?
Land that Job Part 1
With 385,000 American workers in the call center industry, competition is intense for the most desirable positions. If you are fortunate enough to be called in for an interview for one of these posts, how can you prepare yourself so that you stand out from the crowd?
Land that Job Part II
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10/24/2007 08:00 AM
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Security Blog
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Check out the latest Security Blog to stay up to date on the latest security news and information.
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10/23/2007 08:00 AM
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How to Price
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While these articles are focuses on pricing software the principles can be applied to other goods as well. Small Businesses tend to undervalue their products and services.
How to Price
The Pricing Game
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10/22/2007 08:00 AM
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Adobe Contemplating Move to Software as a Service
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Adobe plans to shift its business away from selling boxed software to a web-based distribution model.
Chief executive Bruce Chizen told the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco that money could be charged for subscriptions or raised by selling advertising, a model that has recently been revisited by Microsoft.
Could this change the way software is sold?
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10/18/2007 08:00 AM
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Create RSS Feeds
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In need of software to create rss feeds? This software is very easy to use it has a Windows and Mac version and a number of PHP scripts are available that assist with displaying and managing RSS feeds.
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10/17/2007 08:00 AM
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RSS Feeds and the Impact on Industries
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RSS Feeds are becoming critical to struggling businesses, in their attempt to survive. This article lays out how Real Estate Offices are using RSS to survive.
RSS feeds are becoming an essential tool for realtors, who are struggling in a declining market. Real estate offices that adopt technology as a marketing tool will remain one step ahead of their competition.
Real Estate and RSS Feeds
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10/16/2007 08:00 AM
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How to Select a Company or Product Name?
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This is a great no-nonsense guide to selecting a company or product name.
When building a business there is little more important than selecting an appropriate company or product name. Names can be distinctive, unique or descriptive.
How to Select a Company or Product Name?
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10/15/2007 08:00 AM
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Small Business Grants
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About.com has compiled agencies by state that may give you a government grant loan. This site has a wealth of information for funding your business wherever you are located. http://usgovinfo.about.com
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10/04/2007 08:00 AM
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Webmaster Templates
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Huge selection of webmaster templates. Easy to edit and customize HTML web templates. Subscribe and download an unlimited number of web templates for the specified period of time. Downloads include HTML layouts, CSS files, and graphics.
Webmaster Templates
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10/03/2007 08:00 AM
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Basic Color Theory
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It is important to understand how the color has been used in a political and historical context as well as how it has been used in past and current trends. Religious and mythical implications can also effect the use of a color. Even linguistic usage (i.e. phrases like “in the red,” and “moody blues”) will affect how people view a color.
Basic Color Theory
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09/24/2007 08:00 AM
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Social Bookmarking Quiz
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Test your knowledge of social bookmarking, social networks and the collective voice. Take the social bookmarking quiz!
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09/20/2007 08:00 AM
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Technology and Politics
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Americans have always had a say in their government, at least in theory. Since the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, the United States of America has been the “land of opportunity,” where even a lowly log-splitter, exercising sufficient brains and dedication, can raise himself to the highest executive office. The U.S. Constitution safeguards the right to vote for every citizen over eighteen years of age, with few exceptions, ensuring a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Nevertheless, only about half of eligible voters historically vote for their president. Those who do make it to the polls are more educated than unschooled, more white than black, more men than women, more wealthy than poor, and more old than young.
Technology and Politics
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09/17/2007 08:00 AM
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What Makes a Good Logo
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A logo is a design, graphical representation, image or symbol that represents a business or organization. Logos were initially used to distinguish and differentiate products, the logos assisted purchasers in finding the product they prefer or have come to trust (or not trust).
What Makes a Good Logo
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09/11/2007 08:00 AM
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Luxury eBay Challenges
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LOreal, the worlds largest cosmetics group, has launched legal action against eBay, alleging the online auctioneer does not do enough to combat the sale of counterfeits, the company said on Monday.
The action by LOreal follows similar action taken against eBay by luxury groups Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Tiffanys. EBay argues it clamps down on all cases of counterfeiting notified to it by the firms concerned.
LOreal has been facing an increasing volume of illicit trade in fake fragrances and fake cosmetic products on some online auction sites, LOreal said in an emailed statement, confirming earlier French media reports. Consequently, LOreal has decided to take legal action to protect the consumers, preserve the quality of its selective luxury distribution network and defend the reputation of its trademarks.
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09/11/2007 08:00 AM
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Take a Moment to Remember
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We will never forget September 11th.
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08/29/2007 08:00 AM
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Listen to Your Customers
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Mastering the art of managing customer complaints can seem like a thankless job, but keep in mind that for every customer that shares their worries, concerns or complaints, there are likely more that did not express their dissatisfaction, and instead simply moved on to a competitor. Customer complaints can, and should be treated as opportunities.
Listen to Your Customers
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08/28/2007 08:00 AM
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Top 10 Small Business Resources
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The following are the Top 10 Small Business Resources:
1. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Free services to US small businesses funded by the US government.
2. SCORE
Small Business Plan Preparation And Free Business Advice Services From Score Offering Startup Help And A Free Nonprofit Business Plan Consulting Advice And Startup Help Services Ask SCORE Find SCORE
3. Inc. Com
Small business resources for the entrepreneur, home based business, advice and ideas for starting a business, writing a business plan, management, and related small business information.
4. Small Business Software
Articles for small businesses, business letter samples and business tips.
5. Entrepeneur.com
Articles, advice and resources
6. AllBusiness
AllBusiness.com provides practical advice and resources to help small and medium-size businesses succeed.
7. Business Week
Advice and resources.
8. Business.gov (US Centric)
Business.gov guides you through the maze of government rules and regulations and provides access to services and resources to help you start, grow, and succeed in business.
9. Women Owned Businesses
WomanOwned was formed in 1998, and since then we have provided the information, tools, networking opportunities and advice that have helped hundreds of thousands of women.
10. Business Know How
Small business and home business ideas and resources from Business Know-How. Small business marketing, management, internet marketing, business loan and finance information.
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08/28/2007 08:00 AM
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Interview Questions and Answers
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Behind every interview question there is a concern or another question. Your job is to process the question thinking about what the interviewer’s concern might be. In other words, why is the interviewer asking you this question?
10 Killer Job Interview Questions and Answers
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08/28/2007 08:00 AM
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According to Search Engine Strategies Conference
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15% to 16% of all searches are for images. If you haven't been looking seriously at image search, you really should think about this again. Particularly with the advent of universal search, as image results will have an increasing role in the web search results.
Wow! That is a pretty impressive percentage. I wonder what this will mean for the stock photography and image websites like Photo Wizard.
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08/27/2007 08:00 AM
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Can PPC Links Help Organic Ranking?
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Often the question is asked Do PPC listings affect your organic rankings? The simple answer is no. Despite this, one of the best ways to increase your organic traffic is to start an aggressive PPC campaign.
A PPC Campaign can help with organic ranking and optimization though - read how.
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08/26/2007 07:25 AM
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Microsoft is Changing their Policy on Trademarks
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On September 10, 2007, Microsoft will update the management of the adCenter trademark policy. Here are some key points that outline these changes.
Microsoft adCenter will support trademark owners in their efforts to protect their intellectual property. Intellectual property is a complicated topic, and Microsoft adCenter relies on trademark owners to help us understand their intellectual property.
complete changes
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08/20/2007 08:00 AM
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Google Faces Yet Another Trademark Lawsuit
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American Airlines is suing Google Inc. over the Internet companies sale of keywords ads for rivals triggered by its own trademarks. American filed a lawsuit Thursday in U.S. District Court in Fort Worth seeking unspecified damages.
A Google visitor who enters certain words or phrases that American trademarked — for example, Aadvantage, the name of its frequent-flier program — will get links to American's Web site but also its rivals under sponsored links — targeted ads that appear alongside the regular search results.
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08/20/2007 08:00 AM
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Google Tackles Click Fraud
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Google has unveiled a Web site resource center focused on the thorny issue of click fraud, which many consider a potential threat to the Googles main source of revenue: Pay-per-click advertising.
Google developed the new Ad Traffic Quality Resource Center primarily to give its advertisers a single place to find Google information about click fraud, said Shuman Ghosemajumder, business product manager for trust and safety at Google, on Friday.
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08/17/2007 08:00 AM
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Blog Tips for SEO
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Blogs are the current rage, and many webmasters have blogs but fail to use their blog to its full potential. Blogs provide a steady stream of fresh content, and if this content is written and managed properly, blogs have the ability to increase a website ranking in the search engines.
Blog Tips for SEO
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08/15/2007 08:00 AM
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Land that Job
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If you have decided that working in a call center is the right career path for you, you should realize that you are not alone. The U.S. Department of Labor reported in 2006 that more than 385,000 workers across America find employment in call centers. How can you stand out from the crowd and secure the job of your choosing?
The first step of landing your dream job is to build a great customer service resume. A well-written resume is a golden ticket to an interview. It forms a favorable impression of you in the minds of your future employers before you ever meet face-to-face. Resume writing is not rocket science, but surprisingly few spend the time or energy to make their resumes stand out. Sadly, many otherwise young and bright individuals fall into traps that lead straight to the rejection pile. The following pointers will guide you around these pitfalls and into the employers office.
Land that Job
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08/07/2007 08:00 AM
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Copyright Violation - Err Piracy Lands this Jailbird
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An Illinois man was sentenced to two years in prison for violating copyright law through the unauthorized sale of video games on his Web site, the U.S. Department of Justice announced late Thursday.
Hall pleaded guilty May 8 to one count of criminal copyright infringement for his unlawful distribution of hundreds of thousands of copyright works on his Web site, Morbidbackups.net.
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08/06/2007 08:00 AM
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Simple Steps to Kill Search Engine Ranking
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Many will say that there are no rules to search engine optimization, they might be right, but the fact remains that webmasters can influence their search engine ranking through the tips above. Attempting to trick or fool the search engines is a sure fire way to become banned. Search engines have the ability to provide a consistent and steady stream of traffic to websites, that stream can become a trickle if you attempt to deceive.
Simple Steps to Kill Search Engine Ranking
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08/03/2007 08:00 AM
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New Corporate Logo
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In need of a new look for your company? Consider a new company logo. Looking to develop a brand or create a new corporate identity? Take a look at the logos on logo search! Individual logos are really inexpensive. Webmasters can purchase a subscription to the website.
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08/01/2007 08:00 AM
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Tips to Press Coverage
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Press exposure can significantly impact a small businesses success. Press releases are not just for big businesses; many small businesses find press releases to be an inexpensive way to gain exposure and attention. It is not uncommon for reporters from magazines, newspapers or blogs to scan press releases as a means to locate content.
Tips to Press Coverage
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08/02/2007 08:00 AM
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Google Stop on the Race for the US Presidency
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Internet giant Google is becoming a prime stop on the 2008 presidential campaign as candidates seek to burnish themselves with net-wise credentials while fielding questions from some of the tech industrys most influential workers.
Five White House hopefuls from both Republican and Democratic parties have stopped by Google's Silicon Valley campus in recent months to face questions and endear themselves with voters in the countrys most populous state.
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08/01/2007 08:00 AM
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Buy It Now Court Case
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Small Businesses everywhere are likely releived over the following court decision over Buy It Now.
A federal judge Friday denied a request from a small Virginia company to stop the online auction powerhouse eBay Inc. from using a feature that allows shoppers to purchase items at a fixed price.
U.S. District Court Judge Jerome B. Friedman denied a motion by MercExchange LLC for a permanent injunction against San Jose, Calif.-based eBay over the Buy It Now feature.
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07/26/2007 08:00 AM
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Multifunction Messaging Gateway for Big or Small Businesses
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PageGate is a complete wireless messaging solution that incorporates a wide variety of messaging protocols for sending messages to mobile phones, wireless devices, fax machines and pagers.
Wireless messaging communication is important in todays fast paced environment. PageGate allows critical alerts to be sent instantly to wireless devices regardless of the recipient locations. PageGate supports group messaging and preprogrammed alerts, so that with the press of a single button notification can be sent to defined groups of individuals.
Download an Evaluation Version
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07/25/2007 08:00 AM
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Finance Companies Embrace RSS Feeds
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Financial institutions are reaching out to clients using RSS feeds. While banks and financial institutions are usually slow to adopt new technology, that is not the case with RSS adoption. More and more professionals are using RSS in innovative ways, to stay ahead of their competition.
Finance Companies Embrace RSS Feeds
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07/24/2007 08:00 AM
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Microsoft and Yahoo Take a Step to Protect Piracy
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Hopping on the privacy-protection bandwagon, Microsoft Corp. and Yahoo Inc. are limiting how long their Internet search engines retain potentially sensitive data about their users.
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07/23/2007 08:00 AM
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Keep Your Website Search Friendly
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So you have a fantastic website but no one ever visits. You may ask? Why? Your website should be designed with search engines in mind. Too many web designers are graphic artists that excel at image manipulation, but lack a basic understanding of search engine optimization. Web design and search engine optimization (SEO) should not be mutually exclusive. Webmasters should have a clear understanding of both design techniques and how the search engines work.
Keep Your Website Search Friendly
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07/21/2007 08:00 AM
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Software Industry Conference Overview
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This overview will not be as detailed as in the past but I did want to touch on a few conference highlights. The conference had a high percentage of new attendees.
FastSpring
FastSpring is a new ecommerce service run by Dan Engel (developer of Piccassa, and Morpheus), Ken White (former RegSoft owner and current owner of NextUp) and Ryan Dewell (former coder at RegNow).
Digital River
Digital River changed their name to Global Direct. They also launched a software marketing resource for software developers and marketers at DR Developer Resource. The site contains lots of "how to" articles and some great statistical information.
Tucows
Tucows launched a new website, that uses Ajax and is more interactive. No longer do customers have to select a file mirror, the website does it for them.
Globell
HC Topp Systems was renamed Globell and they launched a new website.
Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann has just broken into software ecommerce and could potentially challenge Digital River with their size.
W3i
W3i is a content network with a huge subscriber base, they are looking for software. They suggest action based on the users past behavior, similar to Amazon.
TrialPay
TrialPay is obviously thriving, after their introduction last year they already have a competitor on the block, LiftMedia uses a similar model.
47 Hats
Bob Walsh has launched 47 Hats.
SIC will be in Boston in 2008 July 17-19th mark your calenders!
Software Industry Conference Photos
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07/20/2007 08:00 AM
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Shareware Industry Award Winners Announced
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The WINNERS for the 2007 Shareware Industry Awards have been announced! Take a look at the best software for 2007 in each category! Most have evaluation versions available for download.
Best Overall Utility
FolderMatch by Salty Brine Software
TuneUp Utilities 2007 by TuneUp Software GmbH - WINNER
WinRar by win.rar GmbH
WinZip by WinZip International LLC.
Best Application
ClipMate by Thornsoft Development - WINNER
CSE HTML Validator by AI Internet Solutions
Open Office by Sun Microsystems
Best Graphics Program or Utility
Easy Imager by Fookes Software
IrfanView by Irfan Skiljan
PaintShop Pro by Corel Corporation - WINNER
Best Desktop Enhancement
Microangelo Toolset by Eclipsit Corporation - WINNER
MBSS Fireworks by Patrick D. Grengs II
Window Blinds by Stardock Corporation
Best Photo Program or Utility
ACDSee Pro Photo Manager by ACD Systems
ALSee by ESTsoft
Life Poster Maker by Lincoln Beach Software - WINNER
Best Sound Program or Utility
ALSong by ESTsoft
D'Accord iChords by D'Accord Music Software
RecordForAll by NotePage, Inc. - WINNER
Winamp Pro by NullSoft
Best Vertical Market Program or Utility
Guitar and Drum Trainer by Renegade Minds
Help & Manual by EC Software GmbH
Vmware Workstation by VMware Inc. - WINNER
Best Business Application or Utility
Microsoft Office 2007 by Microsoft Corporation - WINNER
PayWindow 2007 by ZPAY Payroll Systems
Time & Chaos by Chaos Software
Best Educational Program or Game
AceReader Pro by StepWare Inc.
WinFlash Educator by Open Window Software
WISCO Word Power by Wisco Computing - WINNER
Best Hobby or Personal Interest
Auction Sentry Deluxe by Auction-Sentry.com
Google Earth by Google Inc. - WINNER
MyLife Organized by My Life Organized
Best Internet Enhancement
Cute FTP Professional by GlobalSCAPE
FlashGot by InformAction
FTP Voyager by Rhino Software, Inc. - WINNER
WS_FTP Professional by Ipswitch, Inc.
Best Internet Communication
Miranda by Miranda IM
Pidgin by Softare Freedom Law Center
Skype by Skype Limited - WINNER
Trillian by Cerulean Studios
Best Web Enhancement
Mozilla Firefox by Mozilla Foundation - WINNER
Mozilla Thunderbird by Mozilla Foundation
RoboForm by Siber Systems
SPAMFighter by SPAMFighter
Best Non-Action Game
Ant War 1 by Anarchy Enterprises
Pocket War by MetalShard, Inc.
Pretty Good MahJongg by Goodsol Development, Inc. - WINNER
Best New Game
Addictive Football by Addictive 247 Games - WINNER
Golf King by NHN USA
Titan Attacks by Demand Entertainment
Best Program for PDA's
Journal Bar by Omega One
Resco Explorer by Resco, sro.
Spb Mobile Shell by Spb Software House - WINNER
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07/19/2007 08:00 AM
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New Software Developer and Marketer Resource
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Digital River, Global Direct has just launched a resource for software developers. The DR Developer Resource contains how to articles for software marketers and developers as well as some very interesting statistical information about software sales.
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07/18/2007 08:00 AM
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Interesting New Meta Tag
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Google has announced an interesting new Meta Tag. The tag is unavailable_after and will allow you to tell Google when Google should no longer crawl that page. The tag is particularly helpful if you have a limited time offer promotional page, and on this page, the promotion will expire on a specific date. By using the unavailable_after tag, you can tell Google that they should not crawl this page, after the promotion expires.
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07/10/2007 08:00 AM
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Tips of Royalty Free Stock Photography for Website
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Stock photography websites contain thousands of existing photographs that can be licensed for specific uses. A customer who uses stock photography instead of hiring a photographer can save time, effort and money. Typically publishers can either purchase exclusive rights to a single image or they can purchase a subscription of sorts. The subscriptions allow publishers to download a limited number of photos over a specified period of time.
Stock photo websites allow webmasters, marketers and publishers to locate pictures for their marketing and promotional materials without the hassle of organizing a photo shoot. With copyright laws businesses must be very careful in using unlicensed photos.
Royalty Free Stock Photography for Websites
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07/09/2007 08:00 AM
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eBay Takes on Craigs List
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EBay has launched a free classified advertising site in the United States, an experiment the online auction company says could lead to new sources of revenue. The site Kijiji means village in Swahili.
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07/09/2007 08:00 AM
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Google Buys Web Voice Mail
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The search engine giant on July 2nd announced that it had acquired GrandCentral Communications, a service that consolidates phone numbers and voice mailboxes into one, web-based account. GrandCentral users combine their home, work and cell phone numbers into one phone number that they can program to ring to one or all of their phones. Voicemails are also consolidated and can be accessed online or via the phone.
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07/06/2007 08:00 AM
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Best Educational Software
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Every year the Educational Software Cooperative presents the People's Choice Award for Best Educational Shareware. This award is selected by online voting.
This is your opportunity to support the software that has added a little something to your life. Vote at http://www.edu-soft.org/education-awards.php
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07/03/2007 08:00 AM
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Web Logos
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In need of a new logo? This website contains a variety of logos at very reasonable prices. Check out Logo Search!
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07/03/2007 08:00 AM
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AdSense With Rounded Corners
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Google have added the option to display adsense ads with rounded corners, and according to their blog you may also soon be able to change the font.
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07/02/2007 08:00 AM
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RSS Feed Use in the Legal Field
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Lawyers have begun using RSS to stay ahead and adapt to the needs of their clients. Members of the legal profession are using RSS in very specific ways. RSS is more than simply a communication medium to lawyers, it is helping them filter information that is relevant to their practice and case load. Through RSS they are able to gain access to relevant information in a timely fashion.
RSS Feed Use in the Legal Field
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07/02/2007 08:00 AM
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Net Neutrality Fuss
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The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday urged policy makers to proceed cautiously on any regulation of high-speed Internet traffic.
The agency issued a report addressing the controversial subject of network neutrality, which is the notion that all online traffic should be treated equally by Internet service providers.
The issue pits consumer groups and content providers such as Google Inc. against large telecommunications companies, such as AT&T Inc. and Comcast Corp. The latter group wants the option of charging customers more for transmitting certain content, including live video, faster or more reliably than other data.
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06/18/2007 08:00 AM
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One Million Complaints
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The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) says that it received its 1 millionth complaint earlier this week.
Launched seven years ago as a clearing house for reports of online fraud, the IC3 is jointly run by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center. It passes on information to law enforcement agencies, and keeps track of trends in cybercrime.
To date, it has referred nearly a half-million complaints representing almost $650 million in losses to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
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06/12/2007 08:00 AM
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Trademarks and Copyrights
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Copyright is a type of intellectual property. A copyright is a set of exclusive rights granted by the government for a limited time to protect the particular form, way or manner in which an idea or information is expressed. Copyright is the legal protection given to artists or producers of creative work which protects them against unauthorized copying of their work.
All copyrighted material must be produced in a tangible medium (photo, paper, CD, or video). Concepts, processes and ideas can not be copy protected in the United States. If a statement is made yet not recorded or published it is not protected under the US copyright laws. In other words things must be recorded in a physical form in order to be protected under the copyright laws in the United States.
Trademarks and Copyrights
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06/12/2007 08:00 AM
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Google Threatens Microsoft
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US search engine titan Google has complained to antitrust authorities that Microsoft's Windows Vista operating-system software puts rivals at an unfair disadvantage, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday.
Google Inc. sent a roughly 50-page white paper to the US Justice Department and state attorneys general in April, alleging that Microsoft Corps latest version of its market-dominating operating system violates Microsoft's antitrust settlement, the Journal reported, citing lawyers close to the matter.
Google Files Suit Microsoft
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06/07/2007 08:00 AM
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Competitive Edge Gives the Competitive Advantage!
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This aptly named newsletter Competitive Edge is one of my favorites. In the April issue two Google AdSense experts answer questions from advertisers. The newsletter has in depth explanations that detail the ins and outs of the AdSense system.
The May issue exams three successful companies that discuss their journey to software success.
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06/04/2007 08:00 AM
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How Unique is Your Business
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All business owners like to believe that their business is in someway unique or unlike any other business. At its core though, how different are small businesses really? Nearly all small businesses struggle with relatively similar issues. Most owners wear multiple hats and have had to become jack of all trades in order to succeed and survive in the business world. While it is important to recognize the differences between various small businesses it is equally important to recognize the similarities.
How Unique is Your Business
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05/31/2007 08:00 AM
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RSS and Academics
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Academia has embraced RSS as a means to educate, but scrutinizing how educational institutions are using RSS feeds in their daily routines show RSS is utilized can vary across different industries.
RSS and Academics
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05/30/2007 08:00 AM
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Users Frustrated with Google
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The Google Analytics Web site monitoring service suffered an outage that affected some users for more than 24 hours this week, prompting many to vent on blogs and forums their frustration with the situation and with what they perceived as unresponsiveness on Googles part.
Most affected users reported problems on Tuesday and Wednesday, although some still experienced problems on Friday. In seemingly all cases, users could access their accounts but found that the Analytics dashboard reported significantly reduced or even zero traffic to their sites.
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05/29/2007 08:00 AM
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Google Adwords - All the Answers
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The Competitive Edge Newsletter really does a great job digging into the issue of Google Adwords. Shareware Promotions invited Adword users to send in their questions then two Adwords qualified specialists responded with their answers.
Google Adwords Questions and Answers
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05/29/2007 08:00 AM
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Common Search Misspellings from Yahoo
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Everyone has certain words they struggle to spell correctly. When it comes to spelling, we are not perfect—you can count on us to occasionally botch recieve (sic), accomodations (sic), and relavant (sic). With the Scripps National Spelling Bee on the horizon Yahoo posted the most commonly misspelled words in search.
Wallmart (Wal-Mart)
Rachel Ray (Rachael Ray)
Amtrack (Amtrak)
Hillary Duff (Hilary Duff)
Katherine McPhee (Katharine McPhee)
Britany Spears (Britney Spears)
Geneology (Genealogy)
Jaime Pressley (Jaime Pressly)
Volkswagon (Volkswagen)
Wikepedia (Wikipedia)
William Sonoma (Williams-Sonoma)
Tatoo (Tattoo)
Travelosity (Travelocity)
Elliot Yamin (Elliott Yamin)
Kiera Knightley (Keira Knightley)
Kelly Pickler (Kellie Pickler)
Brittney Spears (Britney Spears)
Avril Lavinge (Avril Lavigne)
Rianna (Rihanna)
Jordan Sparks (Jordin Sparks)
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05/22/2007 08:00 AM
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Why Musicians Should Podcast
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Independent artists have long struggled to gain recognition and attract an audience. Without the backing of a major label it can be very difficult for independent artists to obtain radio play time, that is, until now. Podcasting a revolutionary new medium, has opened new distribution channels for independent artists. Podcasting is the process of distributing audio files using the RSS format and has become very popular with the younger generations.
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05/19/2007 08:00 AM
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The Best Software
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Voting is open for software users to vote for their favorite applications! The Peoples Choice Awards voting is open until May 31, 2007!
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05/18/2007 08:00 AM
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Software Industry Conference
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The Software Industry Conference is a three day event, July 12-14, 2007, that culminates with the Shareware Industry Awards ceremony. There are also dozens of informative, educational breakout sessions covering a wide variety of topics. And if that is not enough there's three nights jam packed with plenty of time to mingle with other attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors including an Exhibit Night featuring the best software development products and services.
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05/17/2007 08:00 AM
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Auction Taxes a Future Possibility
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Changes are contained in the President's 2008 budget proposal. Instead of targeting only Internet auction sites, the current proposal actually expands the definition of a "broker" to include middlemen that don't actually function as the customer's agent in a transaction—like eBay, for instance. Brokers currently need to file a form with the IRS that gives the name, address, and gross proceeds of each customer they work for; under the new proposal, many more companies would need to do the reporting.
Internet auction sites will only be required to report customer revenue information if the customer does more than 100 separate transactions in a fiscal year and generates more than $5,000 in gross proceeds.
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05/15/2007 08:00 AM
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Podcasting and Education
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Schools all over the country have flocked to podcasting as a new medium to assist the teaching profession. Professors are using podcasts to instruct students and get their messages out. Podcasting is not restricted to one educational sector, professors at prestigest colleges from Bentley to Purdue have flocked to this medium.
A growing number of professors are recording their lectures, the term coursecasting has been adopted in academia. Podcast lectures are used as study tools, and are available for students who might have missed class. Some podcasts are password restricted to students who are enrolled in that specific class. While other institution's publicly post their podcasts and offer non-enrolled students insight into the class material.
Why has podcasting been embraced by the educational field? The adoption of RSS is likely in part due to the demographic higher-education attraction. Most college students are young and well educated. Because of their age the students have embraced technology, they have always had technology as a component to their life. This demographic have grown up with computers their entire lives, technology has always been an integral tool in their education.
Bentley initially adopted podcasting in the course IT 101, to introduce students to the concepts
Podcasting and Education
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05/15/2007 08:00 AM
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What is the Role of the SBA?
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The SBA (Small Business Administration) provides access to capital through a variety of programs. The SBA marshals resources and explains regulations, SBA Procurement Center representatives and other staff counsel small firms on penetrating the bureaucracy. The SBA establishes size standards for small companies.
Learn More about the Role of the SBA
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05/14/2007 08:00 AM
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The Best of the Best - Software Nominations are In
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The nominations for the 2007 Shareware Industry Awards have been announced! Take a look at the best of the best!
Best Overall Utility
FolderMatch by Salty Brine Software
TuneUp Utilities 2007 by TuneUp Software GmbH
WinRar by win.rar GmbH
WinZip by WinZip International LLC.
Best Application
ClipMate by Thornsoft Development
CSE HTML Validator by AI Internet Solutions
Open Office by Sun Microsystems
Best Graphics Program or Utility
Easy Imager by Fookes Software
IrfanView by Irfan Skiljan
PaintShop Pro by Corel Corporation
Best Desktop Enhancement
Microangelo Toolset by Eclipsit Corporation
MBSS Fireworks by Patrick D. Grengs II
Window Blinds by Stardock Corporation
Best Photo Program or Utility
ACDSee Pro Photo Manager by ACD Systems
ALSee by ESTsoft
Life Poster Maker by Lincoln Beach Software
Best Sound Program or Utility
ALSong by ESTsoft
D'Accord iChords by D'Accord Music Software
RecordForAll by NotePage, Inc.
Winamp Pro by NullSoft
Best Vertical Market Program or Utility
Guitar and Drum Trainer by Renegade Minds
Help & Manual by EC Software GmbH
Vmware Workstation by VMware Inc.
Best Business Application or Utility
Microsoft Office 2007 by Microsoft Corporation
PayWindow 2007 by ZPAY Payroll Systems
Time & Chaos by Chaos Software
Best Educational Program or Game
AceReader Pro by StepWare Inc.
WinFlash Educator by Open Window Software
WISCO Word Power by Wisco Computing
Best Hobby or Personal Interest
Auction Sentry Deluxe by Auction-Sentry.com
Google Earth by Google Inc.
MyLife Organized by My Life Organized
Best Internet Enhancement
Cute FTP Professional by GlobalSCAPE
FlashGot by InformAction
FTP Voyager by Rhino Software, Inc.
WS_FTP Professional by Ipswitch, Inc.
Best Internet Communication
Miranda by Miranda IM
Pidgin by Softare Freedom Law Center
Skype by Skype Limited
Trillian by Cerulean Studios
Best Web Enhancement
Mozilla Firefox by Mozilla Foundation
Mozilla Thunderbird by Mozilla Foundation
RoboForm by Siber Systems
SPAMFighter by SPAMFighter
Best Non-Action Game
Ant War 1 by Anarchy Enterprises
Pocket War by MetalShard, Inc.
Pretty Good MahJongg by Goodsol Development, Inc.
Best New Game
Addictive Football by Addictive 247 Games
Golf King by NHN USA
Titan Attacks by Demand Entertainment
Best Program for PDA's
Journal Bar by Omega One
Resco Explorer by Resco, sro.
Spb Mobile Shell by Spb Software House
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05/14/2007 08:00 AM
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Google Lawsuit Ready to Go
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A judge on Friday set a November date to pick jurors for a US civil trial focused on whether Google violates other companies' trademarks with its hugely lucrative online advertising platform.
American Blind Wallpaper Factory Inc. accuses Google of infringing on its trademarks by including them among Internet search terms that trigger displays of ads from competitors.
The reality is that companies large and small are hurt when Google uses a company's trademark, without permission, for the benefit of the companies competitors and Google, said attorney David Rammelt of Kelley Drye Warren, which is representing ABWF.
complete article
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05/09/2007 08:00 AM
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Filter RSS Feeds
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Use a PHP script to filter RSS feeds.
RSSFilter is a PHP script that filters the contents of an RSS feed. The filters can be defined by the publisher so that the resulting RSS feed contains only the information they want. RSSFilter uses rules to filter the items that are included from a feed in the resulting feed.
RSSFilter is designed to be able to be used in conjunction with other RSS Scripts to provide additional RSS solutions. For example RSSFilter can be used with RSSmesh, so that mulitple feeds can be filtered and then merged into a single RSS feed.
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05/08/2007 08:00 AM
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Tips for Conducting an Effective Podcast Interview
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1. Prepare Questions in Advance
Prepare a list of questions prior to the interview, contemplate possible follow-up questions based on the expected responses. Create a list of notes along with the questions that are accessible during the interview and will help you direct the conversation.
2. Research Interview Subject
Do your homework about the individual or individuals you are interviewing. A little due diligence will go a long way. Search newsgroups and Google for the interviewees name, product, or company, and build a background. The research will help predict the interviewees responses to your questions. Listen to previous interviews in which the interviewee participated, read their blog and articles to get a feel for the interviewees position on issues.
more Tips for Interviewing
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05/08/2007 08:00 AM
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Fascinating Technology Study
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A broad survey about the technology people have, how they use it, and what they think about it shatters assumptions and reveals where companies might be able to expand their audiences.
The Pew Internet and American Life Project found that adult Americans are broadly divided into three groups: 31 percent are elite technology users, 20 percent are moderate users and the remainder have little or no usage of the Internet or cell phones.
Fascinating Technology Study
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05/07/2007 08:00 AM
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Stock Photos for Web Design
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Professional photographs in a website give the website a professional look. Many webmasters do not realize that photographs are copy written and in many cases illegal to use a photograph or image that you find on the web without properly licensing it.
Most webmasters do not have time to go out and photograph all of the subjects they wish to include in a website. Webmasters are best off using royalty free photographs. Royalty free photographs are generally purchased and there is no recurring fee for the use of the photograph. The purchaser may use the image(s) as often as required within the license terms and conditions without paying for the use of the image each time the image is used. Fortunately there are a number of stock photography websites where webmasters can purchase a single photograph for a fixed fee, or they can purchase a stock photo subscription, that allows for the subscriber to download multiple photographs.
Stock Photos for Web Design
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05/01/2007 08:00 AM
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Royalty Free Stock Photos
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A royalty free stock photography website, Photo-Wizard.net has launched. Photo-Wizard.net contains high resolution royalty free photographs at bargain basement prices. Interested individuals can purchase the rights to use a single photographs for only $ .99 or they can purchase a time limited subscription. The subscription options allows for publishers to access an unlimited number of photographers during their subscription period.
The photo wizard website contains thousands of fantastic, high-quality photographs, in more than 30 categories. Photos can be used on websites, in promotional materials or educational materials. The photo wizard stock photo directory is packed with eye-catching photos that will meet the needs of graphic designers and webmasters looking for exceptional quality images at reasonable prices. The site is filled with inexpensive, professional quality royalty free photographs. There is no longer a need to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a single photograph.
The photo-wizard.com photography library contains images in a variety of categories from spectacular sunrises and sunsets to wild animals. The photographs on the photo wizard website can be located using keywords and keyword phrase searches. New photos and images are added to the photo-wizard.net on a regular basis giving subscribers access to a growing collection of high quality images.
The Photo Wizard stock photo directory contains more than 3,000 images and each image is categorized and searchable using keywords. Subscribers can purchase a 1 month subscription for $ 49.95, a 3 month subscription for $ 79.95 or an annual subscription for $179.95. A subscription allows users to download and use the photographs without incurring additional or ongoing fees for use. Photo Wizard uses RSS feeds to notify users that new images have been added.
Royalty Free Stock Photos
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04/24/2007 05:48 PM
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Top 10 in 10 Categories
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Take a look at the top 10 search terms in 10 different categories.
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04/26/2007 08:00 AM
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Top Business Cities
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A look at the cities that top the 2007 list of Inc.'s Best Cities for Doing Business.
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04/24/2007 08:00 AM
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The Importance of Customer Service
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The phrase, "the customer is always right," is an age old adage. When you work with others all day that concept can be a bit frustrating. Customers come with a host of concerns, questions, and expectations. They often also come with bad attitudes, frustrations and complaints, which the customer service representative gets to work out. Because people call when they need something or do not like something rather than when they want to compliment and praise, the process of helping them can be difficult. Feelings of frustration after a string of difficult people are common and understandable. On the other hand it is the customer service representative who is responsible for diffusing problems and answering questions with a smile (yes you can smile on the phone and it will make a difference). Because the customer service representative is the only, or one of the few contacts that an individual may have with a company, it is important that that person has a positive experience. A positive experience will keep them happy and coming back. By identifying challenges for the customer service representative, solutions are given to help them increase skills in helping others, which will increase customer satisfaction.
The Importance of Customer Service
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04/16/2007 08:00 AM
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How to Locate Podsafe Music
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Fortunately the popularity of podcasting has spawned an industry of "podsafe" music. All podcasters need is an Internet connection, and they can have access to a variety of songs and musical clips that are deemed podsafe and available for use in podcasts.
How to Locate Podsafe Music
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04/12/2007 08:00 AM
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Buy Google Ads on AOL
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AOL on Monday launched a program that lets companies use Google's advertising system to buy ads targeted to AOL sites. The program stems from AOL's 2005 agreement with Google, in which the search leader expanded its partnership with AOL and agreed to invest in the company. It's the first time Google is offering the ability to target search ads on specific sites.
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04/10/2007 08:00 AM
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Business Logos
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A unique new web logo directory has launched. The Logo Search directory, found at http://www.logo-search.com , is designed for businesses struggling to establish an online presence, a brand, or an identity. Logo Search uses a unique new model that allows companies or individuals to purchase a subscription for 1 year for only $99.00. With the full subscription, subscribers have unlimited access to all the logos in the directory or single logos can be purchased for a fixed fee of $19.95.
There are currently more than 1500 logo images in more than 45 categories, available on Logo Search, and new logo images are added on a regular basis. Subscribers are granted access to download zip files containing the selected logo in a variety of formats including (.bmp, .gif, .png, .jpg and .tif).
Search features are available for individuals who do not have the time to browse the categories. The keyword search retrieves all the logos related to the searched topic, and each graphic provides alternative keyword searches that are related to the original search term. This allows webmasters to preview all related logos prior to making a decision.
Logo Search is a perfect solution for webmasters struggling to create a brand and identity for a new website or business.
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04/09/2007 08:00 AM
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Call Center Location Disclosure
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"Hello, my name is John, and I'm speaking to you from Bangalore, India, today. How can I help you?" That's a phrase that we may start hearing when we make calls to customer service centers, if a recently-proposed bill by House Representative Jason Altmire (D-PA) goes into effect. The bill, HR 1776, is titled "Call Center Consumers Right to Know Act" and would require call center employees to state their physical location when a customer calls in.
As the title indicates, the bill is designed to make customers aware of the widespread nature of call-center outsourcing. Once discovering that a large majority of their calls are being redirected overseas, customers would theoretically be more willing to take action and let companies know how they feel about the hot issue of call center outsourcing that is often blamed for a portion of lost jobs in the US.
complete article
Another reason for the disclosure is privacy. The fact is the US government does not control how records in foreign companies are kept. Issues surrounding privacy are a big factor when call centers are outsourced to non-US companies.
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04/09/2007 08:00 AM
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Building an Image with a Logo
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Website design can be elusive to even creative individuals. Sadly some webmasters do not realize their incompetence and they post websites that have grainy graphics and turgid colors. If you are one of these webmasters and have seen the error of your ways, consider this. Your website is a sales tool. A professional layout and design can significantly increase sales and conversion rates, gaining you customers. Businesses can greatly benefit from a professional and unforgettable logo that sets them apart from their competition. Logos are not just fancy graphics that adorn websites or letterhead, logos are a representation of a businesses' philosophy. Logos are a critical component of brand development.
Building an Image with a Logo
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04/01/2007 09:34 AM
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.XXX Is Voted Down
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The overseer of the Internet's addressing system rejected for the second time the creation of a .xxx top-level domain, supported by some as a way to isolate adult content on the Internet.
Nine board members for the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) voted against the proposal on Friday at ICANN's 28th International Public Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal.
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03/28/2007 09:00 AM
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Is Your Business Growing?
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You set out to build a successful company...and you've done it! Now, it's time to make sure the world knows about it. Apply for the Inc Top 5,000.
All 5,000 companies will be profiled on the Inc.com website. As always, the top 500 companies will be profiled in the magazine's Inc. 500 issue in September.
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03/27/2007 09:00 AM
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Making Your Podcast Standout
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Podcasts are relatively inexpensive to create, as a result, and the quality in published podcasts is extremely diverse. Corporate podcasts can be very polished audio productions while hobbyist experimenting with podcasts may have dogs barking and children's screaming in the background.
Making Your Podcast Standout
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03/26/2007 09:00 AM
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Domain Names for Profit Back Lash
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Neiman Marcus Group Inc. is suing a pair of domain name companies, accusing them of improperly registering more than 40 Internet addresses that resemble the department store chain's trademarks.
The lawsuit accuses the companies of domain name tasting, or taking advantage of a five-day refund period to sample which of the addresses might generate traffic — and thus potential ad revenues, before committing to buying them.
Name.com LLC and Spot Domains LLC, two Denver-based companies that share offices and employees, were named as defendants. The companies told The Associated Press on Friday they do not comment on pending litigation.
The complaint, filed last week in U.S. District Court in Denver, seeks injunctions and damages of at least $100,000 per name.
The lawsuit comes weeks after Neiman Marcus settled a similar lawsuit against Dotster Inc., in which Neiman Marcus accused the registration company of tasting hundreds of names meant to lure Internet users who mistype Web addresses. At one point, the lawsuit said, the misspelled NeimuMarcus.com featured ads for Target, Nordstrom and other rivals.
complete article
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03/26/2007 09:00 AM
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Microsoft Attempting to Spurn Vista Adoption
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Microsoft is attempting to spurn the adoption of Microsoft Vista Operating System. Many businesses are taking a wait and see approach, and Microsoft is acting to rectify the flat sales numbers.
This past week the company announced the Windows Vista Additional License program, which provides discounts to customers who have already purchased either a retail or an OEM edition of Windows Vista.
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03/22/2007 09:00 AM
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Google Pay Per Action
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New Google Pay Per Action Options. Google has launched a new model adwords model. They advertise it as:
Increase your advertising reach while paying only for actions that you define. First, you'll create an ad and define the action that you want a user to perform when they visit your site, such as signing up for your newsletter or purchasing a product. Then you'll set the amount that you're willing to pay when this action is completed. Finally, you'll install conversion tracking code on your website so that we can verify when an action has been completed.
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03/20/2007 09:00 AM
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Profiting from Podcasts
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Making Money for Podcasts
Podcasts started out as fun ways for ambitious garage DJs, independent musicians and talk show hosts, who had not ventured into radio broadcasting as a way to show their stuff and make a name for themselves. What started as a hobby for many, has turned into a lucrative profession for some.
Not surprisingly, podcasters, just like radio stations, have looked for ways to profit from their on-air dialogue.
Profiting from Podcasts
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03/12/2007 09:00 AM
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Do's and Don'ts of Podcasting
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Consider following these simple podcasting tips to get the most from your podcast and make it stand out from other podcasts in the crowd.
DO
1. Make it Professional
Regardless of whether you are podcasting from your garage or a corporate boardroom there is no reason that your podcast cannot have a professional sound and feel. Use software to edit the audio file and filter background noise. Listeners will not tolerate poor audio quality. With the wide range of relatively inexpensive software and hardware available there is no reason you can not provide good quality audio podcast.
Do's and Don'ts of Podcasting
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03/10/2007 08:00 AM
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China Censorship
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Wikipedia has been banned in China, prompting the online encyclopedia's cofounder, Jimmy Wales, to respond on Thursday by criticizing Yahoo, Google and other Internet firms for allegedly helping China's censorship efforts. "This is something I would never do. I think access to information is a fundamental human right," Wales said.
complete article
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03/05/2007 08:00 AM
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Image Sharing Crack Down
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The Bush administration has accelerated its Internet surveillance push by proposing that Web sites must keep records of who uploads photographs or videos in case police determine the content is illegal and choose to investigate.
Image Crack Down
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03/01/2007 08:00 AM
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Podcast Recording Tips
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Before you begin podcasting develop a plan and a format for your show. Determine the focus of your podcast and what types of guests you would like to interview. Time spent planning your show will contribute to it's success.
Location, Location, Location
When you are producing a podcast on a regular basis it is important that you select an appropriate location for the recording to take place. The location should be free of external distractions and relatively quiet. It is easiest if you use the same location each time, that way the equipment can remain in place and will not require moving or setup each time you produce a show.
The room should have a carpet or furniture that will absorb echoes and dampen the sound. The room should also have a door, so that you will not have unexpected interruptions. Reduce extraneous noise by turning off fans or any equipment. Consider hanging a note on the door, so that you will not be disturbed while recording.
Podcast Recording Tips
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02/27/2007 08:00 AM
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Audio Recording Software
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Great new audio recording software. With RecordForAll, podcasters have the ability to record new audio files from scratch, or edit and enhance existing audio files.
Podcasts have evolved into a popular means for individuals and companies to expand their reach and improve communications by creating portable on-demand broadcasts.
RecordForAll was designed from the ground up, with ease of use in mind. RecordForAll has an intuitive look, and built in tutorials to walk users through the process of recording and editing their first audio file.
One click audio recording easily records voices, music and other sounds. RecordForAll has reduced the learning curve, making audio recording easy even for beginners. RecordForAll allows podcasters to layer, synchronize and transition multiple audio tracks. Podcasters can now easily create transitional effects between show segments or insert advertisements into their podcasts. Existing audio files can also be imported into RecordForAll for editing. RecordForAll even has built-in filtering that helps eliminate extraneous background noises and distortions.
Simply put, RecordForAll is an all-in-one recording studio that assists users in recording, editing and mixing their podcasts, resulting in a professional podcast, even for beginners.
RecordForAll can be used in conjunction with FeedForAll, an easy to use RSS feed creation software, to publish all kinds of podcasts, including podcasts that are compatible with the iTunes Music Store.
Download a trial version of RecordForAll.
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02/26/2007 08:00 AM
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Small Business Tax Deductions
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With tax season just around the corner it is never too early to start thinking about available tax deductions. Small business tax deductions are important to ensuring that you are getting all the return that is possible. Some tax deductions for small businesses are:
* Office furniture
* Office equipment and supplies
* Software and other subscriptions
* Insurance premiums
* Retirement contributions
Small Business Tax Deductions
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02/20/2007 08:00 AM
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Find Niche RSS Feeds
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Just as the second generation of search engines and directories evolved into niche topic specific portals we are seeing the same occur in the area of RSS feed directories and search engines. While some directories are admittedly more niche than others the trend is obvious.
Where to find Niche RSS Feeds
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index.php
aaablog.com
