If there is one question that I get asked more than any other, it is how do you become better known or more popular Online? Well, I am far from being an A-List blogger, but I think I have an audience by now. Here are just a few quick tips from my mind to your social patterns.

1. Don’t be afraid to E-mail somebody, and make a new friend. Now you shouldn’t be looking for people that will make you successful, but dropping a line to somebody to get an opinion or to find out more about something is a good way to build your popularity base. You could be doing something really cool, that nobody knows about. Let somebody in on the secret and see what develops. Don’t let Internet stars turn you into a rambling mess. I used to be afraid of making a fool out of myself. I have sense come to peace with the fact that I will probably make a fool out of myself (at least) six times daily, and that is OK.

2. Find a niche and stick with it. If you want to be the most popular guy in Web hosting, then don’t go start talking about midget wrestling. Most of the successful blogs or Web sites are based around one or two areas of interest.

3. You need to be passionate about what you are doing. Don’t fall into an Online career of doing something that you hate. Nobody should hate what they do, Offline or Online. Make sure you are related with things that interest you and you are sure to become more passionate about what that thing is.

4. Come to peace with the fact that no matter where you fall on the popularity ladder, that there will always be a few more steps in front of you. If you loose that idea that you have to keep getting bigger and better, than you will soon loose your passion and fall down that ladder of popularity.

Well, that is enough “self help guru” for me today. Hopefully though, somebody out there can learn from my mistakes and do something worth talking about.

Man, it is times like this that I am happy I serve a niche audience of Web hosting folks. There is no way I’d get myself tangled into PodShow, from the sound of the contract. Just in case Mr. Curry reads this:

1. I still belive you ruined Headbanger’s Ball on MTV.

2. On behalf of my entire Web Hosting Show crew (with that being myself) I’d have to turn down a PodShow contract.

Update: I think Eric Rice has the best commentary on this whole PodShow issue.

The last few weeks, I have really been getting back into the groove of writing again. I want to create again. For a while there, I was feeling a little burnt out. I didn’t really feel like doing much. I didn’t feel like I had much to say.

Now that both HostingHoopla.com and FirefoxFacts.com are launched and running, I feel a little more like expressing myself in one way or another. Toss this Web site and MitchKeeler.com into the mix, and I should have enough work to keep me busy for a while.

We can’t forget about WebHostingShow.com podcast though, it might get a new look pretty soon. Then there is the pro wrestling Web site I am running for my friend, SB1Online.com.

Last but not least is my contributor status at Lockergnome.com. Right now that is the only place I work where I don’t have to worry about running everything else. You know what is funny though? I still find time in the day to think I need something else to do.

Do people know what your Web site is about? Sure, it might sound like a funny question but I often go to Web sites in which I have no clue what the main focus is suppose to be. From blogs to e-commerce Web sites, everybody needs to make sure they are getting a point across to the Web site viewer.

Read the Rest on Lockergnome.com!

There is a war that is about to start, but who will win this epic battle? Once Internet Explorer 7 finally gets out of development, there is no doubt that it will be a threat to Firefox usage. To give Internet Explorer 7 some credit, they are doing a lot of good things. Things that should have been done many years ago. So, will Internet Explorer 7 kill Firefox?

In my own opinion, Internet Explorer 7 isn’t giving me anything yet that I really want. Right now they are playing a game of catch up with the other browsers in the market today. I see nothing in Internet Explorer 7 that I can’t do already in Firefox.

Now sure, Microsoft might get a few people to switch back. They are the 500 pound gorilla out there in the browsing market today. If the launch of Internet Explorer 7 goes off perfectly, and there are no problems at all, then a lot of people might switch. That is a worst case scenario though. If that is the case, then I will soon be watching for pigs with wings coming from my rectum.

Traveling back to the world of reality, I think no matter what Firefox will always have an audience. They have worked hard to build a loyal following, and I don’t see it dying out too soon. Some people will always fear Microsoft, so Firefox is an obvious choice for them. The other Firefox users are folks who like to have a little more control with features. Extensions play a large roll in Firefox’s success and I just can’t see Microsoft being as open with things as Firefox has been in that department.

So we go back to the first question, will Internet Explorer 7 kill Firefox? Unless the folks at Mozilla do something really stupid, I don’t think Firefox will be going away anytime soon.

There has been a lot of talk about the new Firefox Facts eBook and FirefoxFacts.com in the last few days. I was just looking through a few trackbacks and links in, and I saw that USAToday.com’s Tech_Space has talked about it as well. Tickle me excited!

Using Firefox? (Good for you; that’s my preferred browser too.) Know all the nifty tips and tricks for making it even better? Mitch Keeler and the gang over at Lockergnome have put together an eBook and Web site, both called Firefox Facts, that’ll help you get the most out of your wonderful browser. And they’re both free. The eBook is a downloadable PDF file, too, so if you get the urge to print it out and keep it by the desk, it’ll even look pretty good, just like Firefox itself.

Technorati also has a lot of links talking about the new eBook as well. Have you downloaded your copy yet? Visit FirefoxFacts.com for daily Firefox tips and tricks.

[Download the Firefox Facts PDF]

Yesterday afternoon I finally got some time to play with AOL’s new In2TV service. Right now it is a selection of old Warner Bros owned TV shows that you can stream or download. Being able to watch Brisco County Jr again brings a tear to my eye, but there are both good and bad sides to it.

The Cons:

1. Even though they ask you to install an extension for it, using it on Firefox just feels a little flaky.

2. Not the easiest interface to understand.

The Pros:

1. I like the ability to “subscribe” to different shows via the Hi-Q service.

2. It offers at least some free competition to the TV and movie pirates out there. If somebody was able to make something like this easier than working with BitTorrent, then you have Internet gold.

It isn’t perfect, but it shows a lot of promise.

Yeah, for my afternoon project today I updated the Web page style for my Mitchelaneous Web site. If anything, the layout looks much cleaner. Go check it out and let me know what you think. Also, due to all the projects I have been picking up left and right, I think you will probably see a little more posting and a little less plugging here as well.

I’ve had a lot of random headaches the last few weeks. I don’t know if it is caused by stress, nature, grinding my teeth or all of the above. In my searches for finding a solution to my problem, I ran across this page filled with headache causes and remedies.

Last night I tried the spoon full of honey, and I have to say it worked. A hot shower does wonders as well. So if you feel a little stressed, and need a headache fix, here is your list.

Well, another side project of mine is getting to see the light of day. This time around, it isn’t about Web hosting, it is about Firefox. To prove to the world I’m not a one trick guru, Firefox Facts will be the place to get quick Firefox tips, tricks and reviews.

As they say on the infomercials, that’s not all! With the release of FirefoxFacts.com, you also get Firefox Facts, the eBook. The free Firefox Facts eBook has over a hundred tips and tricks to get the most out of the world’s favorite alternative browser. Just think of the Web site and the eBook as a yin and yang sort of thing.

So check out both the eBook and the Web site, subscribe to the RSS feed and let me know what you think.