Terry's Computer Tips - Newsletter
December 25, 2005

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Volume 1, Number 28 -- Sunday, December 25, 2005
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

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7.  My Recommended Web Design Resources

I am often asked which resources (books, etc.) that I recommend for people who want to create web sites.

Many web hosts, such as Powweb provide basic templates for easy creation of a web site. These can be your base for your very first web site, or can function as a quick way to set up your personal blog, a photo gallery or even a forum.

Once you have your first site created by some type of script or template, you will want to play around with it and change it. Whether you create a site using FrontPage, DreamWeaver, a web host's templates, or code it by hand, you will probably find that you want to do things that can not be done by the standard package. That's where coding and tweaking the site by hand come in.

These are the web design resources — ebooks, books and programs — that I use and recommend:

HTML for the World Wide Web with XHTML and CSS: Visual QuickStart Guide, Fifth Edition (Paperback)
-- excellent structure, very readable and very understandable. Bite-size chunks of information and examples.
Open Source Web Development with LAMP Using Linux, Apache, MySQL, Perl and PHP (the LAMP book will be hard to find).
My reviews of these two books.

Actually, all of the books at this link. I have but haven't used the JavaScript one. The others are good. Start from the top, with Don't Make Me Think. Get one or the other versions (paperback / hardack) of the HTML for the world wide web, even if you have another HTML book. www.terryscomputertips.com/computers/web-design-books.php The CSS and PHP anthologies are not learning tools, but more reference / script libraries. The "Build your own database-driven website" book is a good example for getting going with PHP.

The Adsense Secrets" ebook by Joel Comm. Joel is "Dr. Adsense" -- one of the first people to make over $10,000 per month from Google's Adsense pay-per-click ads on his web sites. I found this book a BIG help in understanding how to create and display Adsense "pay per click" ads on my sites.
Get Adsense Secrets"

Vsibone.com's "The Browser Book" is a 16-page quick-reference booklet that I use almost every day. It covers HTML, CSS, colors, fonts, special characters, JavaScript, DOM and Regular Expresions.
www.visibone.com

Notepad++ color-coded syntax programmers editor (free). Mostly, I use the EditPad Pro ($40, www.jgsoft.com). I reviewed Notepad++ in my November 28th issue of Terry's Computer Tips.

Adsense Gold (Adsense Tracker script + 2 web-based PPC price lists + ebook). I waited and waited, convincing myself I didn't need it. I finally bought it last week. It brings a whole new level of understanding web site stats and information on which pages get visited and which adsense ad formats -- and ads -- get clicked, without having to mess with Google's limited "channels."
Get Adsense Gold

The Super Affiliates Handbook about selling other people's products. Rosalind Gardner, formerly an air traffic controller, made over $478,000 in one year as an affiliate selling other people's products on the web.

Finally, one software package that I'm still considering -- probably like my unwise delay in buying Adsense Gold -- it is SEO Elite. This package is all about fine-tuning your web site(s) to get high rankings in Google, MSN, Yahoo and similar search engines — because high rankings means more traffic! And more traffic means more earnings, whether you are selling stuff or have content with advertising. SEO Elite helps you get targeted traffic — traffic interested in your site's subject.

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8.  Web Hosting Companies

I've been watching for a cheaper web host that I could recommend. But, I keep ending up in the same price range. I use and recommend Powweb ($7.77/month, prepaid annually). Another good choice the similarly priced iPowerweb.

Another web host I have recently found, again in the same price range, has received good reviews: StartLogic. They have two specials right now: for new web sites, $1 for the first 3 months; and for transfers of existing web sites, $30 for one year. StartLogic offers both FreeBSD-based hosting and Windows-based hosting, as well as offering virtual servers and dedicated servers.

Powweb offers an extremely affordable web hosting package.    Powweb's standard price a great deal at only $93.24 per year (average $7.77 / month).  The price even includes a free domain name for the 1 or 2 year hosting period that you purchase. Powweb's control panel includes automatic installation of blog software, forum software, content management software, photo gallery software, an online shopping cart and more. Powweb offers FreeBSD-based hosting.
Read more about Powweb.

• During December 2005, you can take another $5 off your Powweb purchase with the coupon code "dec05".

Introducing $7.95 Hosting, Free Setup and $75 Marketing Rebate at iPowerWeb. iPowerWeb is another a popular, low-priced web host, who offers an excellent hosting package at an affordable price. iPowerWeb offers your choice of Linux-based hosting or Windows Server 2003 hosting (which you need if you are wanting to run web scripts based on Microsoft's .ASP and .NET).
Read more about iPowerweb.

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9.  My Recommendations for Computer Security Software

Antivirus:
For many years, I used and recommended Norton Anti-virus. My current choice for my personal machines is an obscure program called NOD32. For less geeky users, I recommend anti-virus software from Trend Micro or Panda Software. Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 2006 offers antivirus, antispam, and firewall for your PC and PDA. TrendMicro provides an easy-to-use product that is from one of the big names in the anti-virus world. Alternatively, Panda Software's Platinum 2006 Internet Security offers antivirus, antispam, firewall and more. Read more about anti-virus programs on my web site.

Firewall:
If you get either of the above, you are covered from a firewall point of view. Just don't count on the Windows firewall to provide your needs -- it's better than nothing, but you need better than that. If you don't get either of the above, the ZoneAlarm free firewall or ZoneAlarm Pro may be a good choice for you. Read more in The Internet Versus You.

Anti-Spyware:
CounterSpy, from Sunbelt Software, is getting the kudos from the computer press this year for its always-running and periodic full system scans. I use CounterSpy on my notebook, my wife's computer and my son's computer.

Panda Software's Platinum 2006 Internet Security also includes anti-spyware. Anti-spyware is one situation where more than one scanner actually _is_ better. No one anti-spyware program catches everything. Also, different companies differ in their criteria for classifying programs as adware and/or spyware.

Anti-spam:
In today's Internet world, the question is not "if" you will get spam, but when and how much. I recommend Mailwasher Pro, or the free version of Mailwasher (www.mailwasher.net) to handle spam before it ever gets into your computer's Inbox. Mailwasher Pro uses online Realtime Black Lists mail servers sending spam recently, "training" by you of what you think is spam, and your own "friends" and "blacklist" lists. Mailwasher Pro can even bounce spam messages, as if your email address was not valid, although the usefulness and appropriateness of this is questionable. The free version can do many of the same things; however, Mailwasher Pro also has "learning filters," can handle multiple email accounts, can access the Realtime Black Lists, has technical support, accesses the "FirstAlert! global spam database," and can access IMAP, Hotmail, MSN and AOL email accounts.

Cable/DSL Router:
If you have a cable modem or a DSL modem, you need to have another layer of inexpensive protection between you and the Internet. A cable/DSL router isolates your computer from direct connection to the Internet. Your computer can easily request your email, web pages, etc. through the router. The responses come back to the router and are smoothly routed to your computer. But, someone on the Internet side of the router can not initiate a connection to your computer -- they can only respond to your request. This will prevent you from falling prey to many worms that try to attack security holes in Windows itself. My pick is the Linksys WRT54G 802.11g wireless router, available from Amazon.com for $39.99 after rebate, and it is eligible for free "SuperSaver" shipping, too. If you don't want wireless now, or at any time, the function is easily turned off in the router's menu. You may be able to find a wired (that is, non-wireless) Linksys router on sale. Either way, based on my experience, I recommend Linksys routers. Read more on my Wireless Security web page.

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10.  Recommend my Terry's Computer Tips Newsletter to Your Friends

If you like my  Terry's Computer Tips email newsletter or the online edition, you can help me increase the number of subscribers to my free emailed newsletter.  Recommend it to a friend.

Don't forget — the email newsletter has special Just For Subscribers articles that are available only in the email version. I also send occasional Special Edition Newsletters, too.

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The current issue and the newletter archives are available online at http://www.terryscomputertips.com/archives/, and, of course, via a link from the navigation bar on each Terry's Computer Tips web page.

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11.  Send me some email!

I always have time to read emails from you -- the readers of Terry's Computer Tips.  I can not promise a personalized response, but I reply to many of the questions, tips, comments and feedback emails.  I also may use your email in my newsletter!

Send me your comments, send me your tips, send me your questions, and send me your feedback!

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Back to Part 1   Part 2

Volume 1, Number 28 -- Sunday, December 25, 2005
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Copyright © 2005 Terry A. Stockdale.  All rights reserved.