Archive | December, 2006

Hosting Hoopla is Back, Jack!

Dec/31 in Personal, Web Hosting

Well, never say never. I had a few free hours yesterday, and an idea in my head so I figured I might as well carry things out and see how they go. For those of you who thought that Hosting Hoopla was long and gone – think again. I have brought it back, but this time things are going to be a little different.

I want Hosting Hoopla to the like an appendix to the Web hosting industry. I don’t mean that organ that you don’t really mean, I mean an appendix like that thing you find in the back of the book. Instead of having dozens of hosting related Web sites bookmarked – just bookmark Hosting Hoopla and you will have them all in one place.

Drag and drop Hosting Hoopla into your favorites, and it will be the one bookmark you need to get you through your Web hosting related links. I like making things simpler for folks, and this one is brain dead easy. Of course, that is where you come into the picture. If you are going to be using it – I want to make sure you are getting the links that you need. If you have any suggestions to make, I have added a nice shinny button for you to click at the top of the Web page to submit your own favorite hosting links.

Hosting Hoopla is Back

Over time the Web site might become more segregated, once the links list gets too big for one Web page to hold. I am ready to take any and all suggestions on this project though, because it is not only for me to use – it is for you to use as well. Tell me what you want to see here and I will do my best to get it added on.

Hosting Hoopla is back, and I have a feeling it will be better than ever as 2007 is right at our doorstep.

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Changing Visual Styles in Windows XP

Dec/28 in Desktop Apps

A couple of times in the past I have posted about visual styles I have found on the Web that I like.

Every time that I do I get an E-mail from somebody or a comment asking how I can do it. By default, the Microsoft peeps usually don’t like for you to install “unsigned” themes. That is the reason why you have been either stuck in the Windows 2000 interface or the Fisher Price “Luna” theme.

Well, while doing some random surfing on the Web during my holiday break I happened to run across a nice guide on how to use visual styles that puts it in a way that I never could. Check it out – and then check out some of my visual style suggestions to get yourself started on making Windows XP look a little better.

+ Customize Windows XP With Your Own Downloaded Visual Styles!

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Comics for the Web Hosting Industry

Dec/27 in Personal, Web Hosting

When it came time for me to create the Web Hosting Show, I almost went in another direction. After I finished writing my first eBook on the Web hosting business, I wanted to do something else Web hosting related. So what did I almost jump into? I wanted to do an Online comic.

I was first inspired by the one that Matt Hartley used to be a part of a few years back (the name escapes me now), but it was just one of those projects I never got around to.

Web Hosting Comic #1Well, never got around to till this past weekend. I worked on a few sketches, scanned them in and if I get enough praise or kind words I will keep posting them.

Give me your feedback, comments and suggestions. Should I keep it up or stick with my day jobs? :)

Doing a cartoon is one of those childhood dreams that I just have not had the time to get around to yet. I figured though with a new year right around the corner – there is no time like the present. If I don’t at least get to try each one of my childhood dreams at least once, what kind of person would I be?

Also, have I made you feel guilty enough to say you love it yet? You know me, I can go on and on if I have to!

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Gerald Ford Uh Passes Away

Dec/27 in Personal

I just happened to be sitting here tonight, kind of half way listening to the news and heard about Gerald Ford’s death. Now I would hate to take away from any of this because it is a sad event, but this news anchor is about to drive me insane.

I won’t mention which cable news outlet he comes from but every other word he says is “umm” or “uhh”. This is a professional that is probably doing nothing other than reading a teleprompter, how hard could his job be? Maybe it is just me, but it is a personal pet peeve of mine to hear somebody keep saying “uh” between each and every word.

Uh it is just uh anoying because uh it uh makes it hard to uh concentrate on what he is talking uh about.

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FeedBurner Breeds Paranoia

Dec/26 in Personal

Yes, I said it – FeedBurner breeds paranoia. As some of you might have noticed I slowed down with the number of posts that I produce around the Web over the holiday weekend because I was a little burnt out and honestly had too many things on my plate.

The time off though did wonders, because now I am just itching to create more content. The problem comes in when I start checking out my FeedBurner subscription numbers. I like to check them out at least once a day, and when I do I am usually happy with they go up and a little depressed when they go down. With the lack of posts the last few days, they have been going down a lot – and not I am racking my brain on how to fix that.

This is something I do every time I notice a lowering in the numbers – it makes me a little paranoid. Did I say something wrong? Am I not as entertaining as I used to be? Well, maybe I can not blame FeedBurner for my entire problem, but it doesn’t help me any.

Damn them for providing me such quality statistical information!

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Writing Slowdown

Dec/21 in Personal

Now running out of things to do, just running out of the energy to do them with.

I am not sure if it is because of the holidays, end of the year rush or just being a little burnt out. No matter what the reason might be, I just have not been up to writing as much as I usually do this week.

I have been taking it a little lighter in hopes that once the new year (or after Christmas rush) rolls by I will be back to my old content creating self. So if you notice a slowdown in any of my normal stomping ground – don’t be worried! I am just feeling the end of the year blues like the rest of you.

This might be a good time for me to reorganize my own way of doing things. I really need to go through my documents and find a better way of saving old articles and keeping payment records. Perhaps I should just backup and burn my docs to a DVD and start fresh on January 1st?

For any content creators in the house, how to you cope with this lack of energy to create something new? I would love to hear any suggestions from any and all who have them.

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Customer Is Not Always Right?

Dec/20 in Hot Web Topics

So the customer is not always right? Damn, I have been in the hosting business for a few years now and I have been doing things backwards! The CEO of Homestead has stuck his foot in his mouth and now it seems like everybody and their grandmother are taking their shots at him.

Personally, after I actually read what he wrote (Maybe you should fire that customer?), I did not think it was all that bad. It has been blown out of proportion. Sure, I might not agree with his comments but he has the right to have them. Maybe you should take those customers that are a pain in the rear and kick them out the door. Wouldn’t it be better though to take that enemy and make him or her your friend?

I have seen my fair share of jerk customers working customer support over the years. I have never told them to “hit the bricks” or “don’t let the door hit you on the way out!” yet. Why? Your role as a service provider is to make the customer happy, it is just that simple. No matter if they are the nicest person in the world or the worst, you should be bending over backwards to make them happy.

Why? The most powerful weapon you have when it comes to getting more customers is word of mouth advertising. If you can not win that war, you will not have much of a future. If you provide any service to any group of people out there, you should always want to make them happy. So maybe the customer is not always right – but the customer should always be made happy.

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Go Digg the Web Hosting Show

Dec/19 in Online Apps, Personal

I really love the new Digg layout that got launched yesterday. It is so much better than the last one that was released. After the last one, digg left it’s place for me as my start page – and I just started to subscribe to updates via the RSS feed.

Now though, I think I will find myself coming back more and more.

There is just so much goodness to check out right now, almost too much to talk about. Of course, being one of those prolific podcasters, I have to talk about the new podcast feature. Want to give me an early Christmas present?

New Digg.com

Go Digg the Web Hosting Show Podcast!

Sure, when you look at the list of podcasts that are on top there are no big surprises right now. It is the same top list that every other podcast catcher or ranker shows. I doubt I would ever even break past ten diggs at the most. This feature does show that Digg has a future in finding new media and bringing it the attention it deserves.

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Need a Free Layout or Design Done?

Dec/18 in Web Hosting

A good friend of mine, Kooshin needs a few more Web site designs to add to his portfolio – so I told him I would toss him a free plug. He is looking to design a few Web sites (for free) and right now just needs some inspiration. So if your Web site looks a little drab and you think it could use a good kick in the pants, he is the man to contact.

I have met a lot of people both inside and outside of the industry, but I have to say Kooshin is one of the coolest thus far. Always willing to hit me up with an instant message just to say hi, I am more than willing to hopefully point a few of you in his direction.

If you want to check out some of his work – you can do so via his Web site KooshinDesigns.com. Just this afternoon he was showing me one layout that had a lot of promise here, and I know he has a few more good designs just itching for some inspiration.

The only stipulation that he told me about was that he would like for you to keep a link back up on your Web site to him for the design credit. I will leave you and him to work out the rest of the small details.

So shoot him over an E-mail at sales@kooshindesigns.com if your interested and if you take him up on the offer let me know how it works out!

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Google Does Domains

Dec/18 in Web Hosting

Oh no, the sky is falling and it is all Google’s fault! There has been a lot of talk the past few days about Google stepping into the domain name business.

Now is it as big of a deal as everybody is making it out to be? I say no – and I’ll let you know why on today’s show. Also I have found a great new Online DNS tool that would be handy for both Web hosts and Web hosting clients to have. All that, and your usually Web hosting goodness is now on the air.

+ Download and Listen to The Web Hosting Show, Podcast 89!

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