Sending e-mail from localhost in PHP in Windows Environment

Have you ever been frustrating, why e-mail is not going from the localhost while using XAMPP or WAMP or any other PHP servers in windows environment? well in that situation i think i can help you.In this article i am going to tell you how to send e-mail from localhost in PHP.

1) Open the “php.ini“. You should know where it is located because it depends upon the particular server you’re running.

2) Search for the attribute called “SMTP” in the php.ini file.Generally you can find the line “SMTP=localhost“. change the localhost to the smtp server name of your ISP. And, there is another attribute called “smtp_port” which should be set to 25.I’ve set the following values in my php.ini file.

SMTP = smtp.wlink.com.np
smtp_port = 25

3) Restart the apache server so that PHP modules and attributes will be reloaded.

4) Now try to send the mail using the mail() function ,

mail(”you@yourdomain.com”,”test subject”,”test body”);

you might get the warning like this,

Warning: mail() [function.mail]: “sendmail_from” not set in php.ini or custom “From:” header missing in C:\Program Files\xampp\htdocs\testmail.php on line 1

5) Now specify the following headers and try to send the mail again,

$headers = ‘MIME-Version: 1.0′ . “\
”;
$headers .= ‘Content-type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1′ . “\
”;
$headers .= ‘From: sender@sender.com’ . “\
”;
mail(”you@yourdomain.com”,”test subject”,”test body”,$headers);

Well that’s all, the mail is sent to “you@yourdomain.com” from the localhost.

Note : Some smtp server verifies the email address of the sender so the email address which is in the place of “sender@sender.com” should be a valid and existing email address otherwise mail might not be sent to the “you@yourdomain.com”.

PHP Man

Clients and Web Designing.

It’s important to understand how people make decisions when you start to write proposals. There are three pieces of information that people use to help them make a decision. First piece of information is recognition. The second piece of information is whether or not the proposal answers all their questions and the third is whether not the proposal is compliant with the requirements put forth in the request for proposal. In addition to the different pieces of information that need to be addressed, You need to understand what’s important to the customer.

As far as recognition is concerned given two different companies the recognizable company will have a higher inferred value. Think of it this way, given a choice between an IBM ThinkPad and an unknown brand laptop which would you choose? You don’t actually recognize that as a better computer. You know IBM and you know what to expect from their products.

Recognition is built through repeated exposure. These are pre-proposal activities like advertising, branding, and repeated contacts with a customer. You should be advertising and branding your company on a regular basis. You should be talking to your customers through emails and phone calls to keep you fresh in their minds.

The second piece of information is whether not somebody answers all of their questions or responds to what they need. It’s important to thoroughly read through a request for proposal or an advertisement. A good way to keep track is to make a table of the needs that the customer presents. As you build your proposal check off the needs that you address as you address them. This makes it impossible for you to miss something that was included in the request.

The third piece of information is whether or not you were compliant with their requirements. Did you include all the items they wanted in the proposal? Did you answer all their questions? Did you follow the directions they stipulated in submitting a proposal?

After these first three pieces of information have been checked off in the client’s mind, they start to consider the proposal itself. Usually there’s one of three different ways to decide on a proposal. The first way is to look at past projects. They think about how they made their choice the last time and whether or not it worked. The second way is to develop a set of criteria by thinking back are over past situations where they had to make similar decisions. It’s important for you to get as close to figuring out how the client is going to make their decision and what criteria they’re going to use to make their decision before you submit their proposal.

Ask questions about how they’re going to make their decision or what they consider when they’re comparing vendors. Ask them about the last time they made this kind of that decision. What factors guided them in their decision? Ask them if it worked for them.

Next, you need to try to figure out what is their most important need. This criterion should be addressed first in your proposal. And then from that point on everything should be in a similar order of importance as the client has in their own mind. The idea is to organize the proposal in such a way that it highlights the criteria the customer thinks is important. This tells the client that you’re on the same page. You meet the customer’s expectations in the beginning and they don’t need to reach further into the documentation. Mentally the client checks off that you know what they want.

There are three things to remember:

* Make yourself recognizable
* Pay attention to what they need answered
* Follow their submit submission directions

Improving Business

2009 is here. The economy isn’t looking so hot. It’s time to kick it up a notch. To do that, you’ve really got to be paying attention to what you’re doing every day. Every activity needs to be focused on building your business. The best way to do that is pay attention to what you’re doing. Is every activity really building your business? Is it making you money?

Every task needs to be labeled as business building or money making. Sometimes I find myself doing things that don’t really build my business. Other times, I just don’t really realize how important some activities are to my business. It’s important to focus on what makes money and on what attracts new customers. You should be pinpointing them.

Money Making

This is the easy part. The obvious answer is any activity you are getting paid to do. Whenever you are on the clock for a customer, you’re making money. Another way to count an activity as a money maker is if you can sell it to someone else. A couple of good questions to determine if an activity is a money maker are:

*
Am I billing someone for my time?
*
Can I sell this to someone else?

The obvious answer to “Am I billing someone for my time?” is if you’re working for a client. Another good money making activity is when you’re signing on a new client. Obviously, you’ll be making money from a new client. As for “Can I sell this to someone else?” those activities can be things like designing layout templates and/or programming simple web applications. Hint: They are also good ways to hone your skills.

Business Building

These activities aren’t necessarily associated with a client paying you money or someone purchasing some product from you. They’re about showing off, promoting yourself and building your business/social network. These are the activities that will get your name known. So how do you tell if you’re building your business? Ask yourself these key questions:

*
Am I building my reputation?
*
Am I meeting new contacts?

These are tall questions, some with short answers and others that can be more complicated. The first question “Am I building my reputation?” really is about whether or not you’re doing something that focuses market/industry attention on you. My contributions to this blog and a .Net coding blog are examples of building my reputation. Other examples are things like sending out newsletters with tips to clients. You can also do this through providing good customer service, and building quality example projects.

The second question, “Am I meeting new contacts?” would include activities that force you to meet new people. Going to Chamber of Commerce meetings, giving business building speeches, and socializing with more people always count towards meeting new contacts. Of course, meeting people isn’t the be all and end all of the activity. It only works if you actually starting landing jobs. Keeping in contact with these new contacts would also count. Things like sending out emails, postcards etc. would count as business building activities.

Holidays and the Web.

I love the holidays. The nippy weather, smells of all that great food and the general merriment in the atmosphere as everyone celebrates in his or her own way. If you can look past the consumerism that’s saturated the season, then the holidays can really be a great time.

I also love the holidays because it’s a great opportunity to give back to the clients that helped pull me through the year. One thing that has always come up is “How can I keep it from getting stale?” No, I’m not talking about making sure the cookies are fresh; I’m saying how do I change it up? How do I keep from the client saying, Oh boy! Another batch of cookies?

First off, don’t give them cookies. If you must give candy, get something tailored to their profession. A great example of which can be found at The Chocolate Vault.

I might get some flack for this, but I would recommend not getting them something with your company’s name on it. Yes, I know that you want them to remember you, but there’s better ways to do that than to get them that coffee mug that has your logo emblazoned across it. That sort of thing gets put in the cubbard, along with the feeling that you are “all about the money”.

On that note, I’d also recommend against giving discounts to clients for more work around the holidays. First off, you might be too swamped to handle it, either through work or family stuff. Secondly, again, it just looks like you’re trying to get more work and it’s all you care about. Seems a bit hollow, to me. C’mon, folks! This is the time for celebration and being real with your giving. Put this on the same level as giving something to a long-time friend. You want it to be personal.

I would offer though, that you could give a client discounted work for the holidays if they’d really benefit from it. If they are just pouring work into you and have remained loyal for all these years, etc. Then cutting them some slack on pricing for the holidays might be just the gift they could use and really appreciate.

Be thoughtful. While planting a tree in their name or naming a star after them might be unique to an extent, are they really going to appreciate that? If they are an eco-green-type company, then probably. If they are a llama-wholesaler? Probably not.

Avoid the cliche gifts. Always get a card (and sign it by hand, please), but don’t get keychains, t-shirts, ball caps or coffee mugs. I liked the items listed at findgift.com Also, make sure that your gifts are useful as well as impressive. Do something that will really say to your client, “I appreciate you.”

Send your gift early. I’m already guilty of failing this one, but early November is probably the best time, because it will stand out from the crowd of meats and baked goods that they receive in between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Keep track of your responses. Were your gifts well-received or hardly noticed? Take note and shift things next year, if need be.

Don’t be stingy. Did you hear me, there? Do NOT be stingy. Don’t buy bulk keychains because you got a deal on them. Crack open that wallet and spend the money. If you do a good job, you’ll likely get a return on your investment. Additionally, you might opt to follow the practice of giving bigger gifts to clients who bring in bigger checks. I heard about someone who said if a client brings in $XXX.00, then they get an iPhone for Christmas. Gift cards could work, but get them a full meal at a restaurant, not $10.00 from Wal-Mart.

You might also consider going traditional. All your clients in your hometown? Send them something that represents the local football team. This lawyer talked about the amazing feedback he got from giving live wreaths. Plenty of other great gift-giving info in that post as well.

All in all, be sure to retain the idea that it needs to be personal, unique and would be the same as walking up to them, looking them right in the eye and telling them, “I really appreciate that you chose to do business with us. I hope this shows that.”

What are some successful or unsuccessful gifts you’ve given in the past? Let’s hear it in the comments.

How do you go about finding great designers?
Their portfolio should speak volumes. Also, drop them an email or give them a call. How they communicate will offer a great insight into their professionalism.

What are industry standards for communicating?
Face-to-face, telephone, email, Skype chats, snail mail — everything you’d expect. With many clients it’s not feasible to meet in person, due to geographical locations, and much of my client contact takes place through email. Whilst it’s always nice to shake hands when doing business, the value of email communication cannot be underestimated. When everything is recorded in writing, both parties should be 100% clear on what to expect.

Most quotes/timelines I get back from designers tend to be months out… yet the quote stipulates that it will only take 40-50hrs. How does a person get to the front of a designers line to get things done quickly?
Many times it’s simply not possible to shorten the timeframe. A designer should have enough respect for his current clients not to delay their projects any more than is absolutely necessary. With that said, a ‘rush fee’ can be implemented, whereby the designer will continue outwith their normal working hours for adequate compensation.

What type of parameters for setting up a budget are helpful to the designer?
Where logo design is concerned, the number of initial ideas requested makes a big difference to the project cost. Most clients will want a choice of at least two logos, which obviously requires more involvement than presenting just one design.

How do you go about finding great designers?
There are lots of magazines or blogs that highlight designers. CSS galleries are also a good place to find great looking sites – for which you can also find out how designed it.

What are industry standards for communicating?
I think most people communicate through email. Although we use a web-based project management app that keeps key communication related to the project organized.

Most quotes/timelines I get back from designers tend to be months out… yet the quote stipulates that it will only take 40-50hrs. How does a person get to the front of a designers line to get things done quickly?
If they are hiring a single individual, chances are they could be really busy and simply don’t have the resources to complete projects that fast. If you hire a firm with a whole staff capable of handling your project, there is a good chance that someone is available to take on your project right away. I know that our typical start time on a project is 3-4 business days after the deposit is paid. Sometimes we get started next day.

What does a designer or developer want a client to know up front, what do they expect the client to provide?
The client is expected to pay a deposit up front to get the project started. Also, the designer needs all resources such as copy, photos, etc that might be applicable to the project. We cannot get started without it.

What type of parameters for setting up a budget are helpful to the designer?
Mostly the designer needs to know how long it will take to complete and if there are any other 3rd party products that need to be purchased such as fonts, stock imagery, software, etc. The client also needs to keep in mind printing costs if they’re getting a print job completed.

What types of ‘rules’ can be built into a project to protect the designer while still helping the client get what they need and come in under budget?
We always aim to get 50% of the estimate up front. And sometimes you can put a cap on revisions. If the client’s budget is low, limiting the number of revisions can help. This often forces the client to make better decisions with their feedback. And the designer should not release any source files until the final balance is paid. Also, hard deadlines are helpful because it forces the designer to budget their time accordingly and get a project out the door in a timely manner. If a client doesn’t have a deadline, oftentimes the project can drag on unintentionally because there is no rush. And chances are, the designers has other rush jobs that come in simultaneously that take priority over non-deadline driven jobs.

From talking with freelancers for years I’ve found that qualifying clients is one of the most difficult challenges they face, in fact, most freelancers just skip this part of the sales process because it’s too awkward and uncomfortable.

I am sure there are a few of your reading this right now thinking, “Yeah, I can’t stand doing that…” I used to be one of you – scared to really find out if meeting with a client was really worth MY time.

I did what many of you guys did (or are still doing): I didn’t qualify potential clients to see if they had the money to hire me. Instead I just hoped that when a client called me on the phone or emailed me, that she/he kind of knew how much I’d be charging and wouldn’t set up a live meeting unless they had some idea.

Bad plan guys, I wasted loads of time on potential clients that didn’t even have close to the money they needed to pay me. Many of these people were scrounging for bargains, and figured that since I DIDN’T qualify them on the phone that I’d be desperate to take on any project, no matter how cheap it was.

Perhaps many of you guys have done the same thing. Don’t beat yourself up over it, if you just couldn’t find the right words to say to a potential client to see if she/he is really serious about hiring you, I wanted to share this real-world back and forth between a freelancer and potential client that should help you out.

We’ll pick this up when the potential client has expressed that she/he wants to meet with you for a meeting.

YOU: Sounds great, I’d love to get together to learn more about what you’re doing with your business and how I can help. As I start looking at my schedule to see when I might be available let me ask you, do you have a budget you’d like me to stay within?

POTENTIAL CLIENT: No, not really.

YOU: Do you have a budget?

POTENTIAL CLIENT: No.

YOU: That’s okay, I have few clients that came to me without a budget, but it’s always a good idea to have one.

What I have found though is that a lot of clients have kind of an idea of how much they can spend or how much they think the project should run them…even though they’re not really sure how they came up with that cost figure? Do you have a number in your head?

POTENTIAL CLIENT: No, not really.

YOU: That’s okay too, not a problem. In working with clients for almost 5 years I’ve found that while some have worked with a designer before, most haven’t. The ones that haven’t typically have about $1000 in mind for the project, if you had a number in your head it might have been less than or more than that, right?

YOU: I’ve found that on the low end, you’ll be able to have one of these projects done for as little as $500 by a student or struggling designer. I have a few I can refer you to, but I honestly don’t feel you’re going to like the quality and service you’re going to receive. Clients have often told me the trouble with this route is that their focus on designing something that their design colleagues would be impressed with, not necessarily something that your customers would even understand or be attracted to – the result is your sales suffer and you end up feeling you wasted your time and money. Does that make sense?

POTENTIAL CLIENT: I suppose.

YOU: On the other end of the spectrum, you’ve got designers charging upwards of $3500 for the same project. Make no mistake these designers are talented, but I don’t know any small business that has $3500 to drop on something like this, do you?

I am priced right in the middle of these two extremes, at $1500 my clients have found they get an outstanding value by not having to pay an exorbitant price, and they always comment that they got a good return on their investment and their customers rave about what I’ve come up with.

If I was able to get you the same great results for your project and still keep the price between $1250 and $1750 is that something that would be comfortable for you.

POTENTIAL CLIENT: I suppose.
The Bottom Line

Clients aren’t typically forthright with their budget. Most people have no idea what something should cost, and even the ones that have an idea won’t tell you because they don’t trust you enough to come right out and tell you what their budget is. It’s your responsibility (through intuitive, non-threatening questions, like the ones above) to get the information you need to make a decision on whether this potential client is worth meeting or not.

If you find the client gets defensive or belligerent when talking about her/his budget, or you get a strong sense that they aren’t telling the truth, you may consider passing on the meeting and suggesting they work with someone else. Make sure you’re looking after yourself

What is creativity.
image

I have recently spoken to a friend of mine about the working processes and at one point he said to me:

The friend: “We let creative guys do the design work”

What do you mean by that?

The friend: “Well, you know, web designers and other.. creative people”

You think the only creative people in your company are designers? Don’t you think that developers can also be creative?

The friend: ”Well, yes for the first question and no for the second one”

Uh, you’re so wrong, man

Creativity NOT equals art

According to Wikipedia, “Creativity is a mental and social process involving the generation of new ideas orconcepts, or new associations of the creative mind between existing ideas or concepts. Creativity is fueled by the process of either conscious or unconscious insight. An alternative conception of creativeness is that it is simply the act of making something new.”

So, creativity is not reserved for web designers (and artists, or art, in general). Anyone can be creative. It can be seen outside the design or art. Take cooking for example. Can cook be creative? Could food be prepared or arranged on a plate in a creative way? Yes, I think!
Anyone can be creative

I would rather say that creativity is a state of mind, or simply – a mood. That means that anyone can feel creative sometimes and do something creative. Some of us could be more often in such a mood and some ocould be just a few times. Noone is creative all the time.

So, back to my conversation with a friend – anyone can be creative: designers, managers, cooks, developers, you name it. Can code be written in a creative way? Just because there are rules, patterns and syntaxes that doesn’t means that problem can’t be resolved in a creative way. So yes, developers also can be creative!!!
What about you?

Although I told you my opinion, I’m more than interested in yours. How would you describe creativity? Do you think anyone can be creative and have you ever felt creative?

The Pro team.

When I worked in advertising, I had several accounts and each account presented it’s own unique challenges and client objectives. It’s the same in sports. The only real difference is that you are selling a team. Even if your client, for example a bank, has a great service team, it’s not the same as designing for a sports team with dedicated fans worldwide. You just don’t see people tailgating in the parking lot hours before the bank opens no matter how much they like the branch manager.

This brings me to my first point…
1. Instant Classic.

I never saw an annual report of mine for sale on ebay, but I’ve seen the tickets, posters and game programs I’ve designed. It might sound corny, but you are creating items that will be collected by fans and handed down by parents. You are responsible for a visual moment in the life of that franchise and it is not to be taken lightly. If you can’t match the passion the fans have for their team this career is not right for you.
2. You’ve Just Been Traded.

Since the product you are selling is made up of people, marketing plans can change the instant someone gets hurt, traded or signed. The business of team sports is to put the best team on the field, even if that blows-up your precious season-long campaign. Learn to role with the punches and adapt quickly, because they don’t stop playing games to wait for you.
3. It’s Not All Fun and Games.

Just because it’s sports, it doesn’t make it easy. There are no simple answers, you’ll need to listen and weigh all options before you proceed. Questions like who should be featured on the season tickets can quickly become complex and answers will be based on many factors out of your control. Who’s under contract, who’s holding-out, player trades, free agency acquisitions, new draft picks and even player retirements are among the things that can stall a project before it even gets started.
4. Look Who It Is! Look Who It Is!

Speaking of players, you will see and meet your fair share of famous personalities working for a sports team. You have to remember that they are there to do their job – as are you. Work is not the place to become a super fan and a photo-shoot is not the place to get an autographed ball for your uncle. So, if you are easily star-struck this might not be a good fit for you.
5. The Off-Season.

People assume that because your season is over you must not be busy. Plain and simple the “off-season” does not exist. Actually the off-season is the busiest time of year. So while coaches and players are not in the building – you will be. This is the time to plan, design and execute as much as possible, because when the coaches and players get back there will be more to do. Did I mention there is no “off-season?” Ok good, ‘cause there isn’t.
6. This Helmet Doesn’t Fit.

Being willing to wear different hats is important. It not only shows you are a team player, but it can broaden your knowledge base. If you come into a team environment without being open-minded and willing to jump in and help out in other areas, a league like the NFL could stand for “Not For Long” in re-guards to your career.
7. Working 9-5

Ever watch football on Thanksgiving? While you are on your couch eating turkey leftovers, someone is working hard to bring you your sports fix. Remember the no “off-season” thing? Well guess what, it kinda applies to weekends and holidays too.

I hope I didn’t scare anyone off, because some of this list can easily apply to any design career. Although it can be hard to get your foot in the door, having the drive and determination that it may take to land a job in sports will serve you well once your there. Good luck!

3. Standard Web site Packages only. The content of the web pages will be supplied by the Client and executed as specified by the Client in the "Web Site Planning Worksheet" dated _______________. This web site includes up to ___________ web pages. In case the Client desires additional standard web pages beyond the original number of pages specified above, the Client agrees to pay Developer an additional $_______ for each additional web page. Graphics or photos beyond the allowed average of 1.3 per web page shall be billed at an additional $____ each. Where custom graphic work (beyond the scope of the "Custom Graphics Package" detailed above) is requested, it will be billed at the hourly rate specified below. The store size and additional services, and prices of each are detailed on the attached estimate.

4. Online stores only. The text and graphic content of the web pages will be supplied by the Client and executed as specified by the Client in the “Web Page Planning Worksheet" and / or the Store Planning Worksheet. It is understood that total prices calculated are likely to vary from the final amount due to different quantities of products, categories, photos, regular pages, etc. in the final store. An

Estimate is listed in Appendix A and governs the prices for this contract. Notwithstanding any prices listed in literature or on web pages, the Client and Developer agree that the services described above in this section shall be completed for the amount indicated in Appendix A and / or Appendix B and upon this amount the first payment shall be determined. The final payment shall reflect and include all elements actually completed at the prices attached.

We include e-mail/phone consultation of up to 2 hours total general Internet orientation education, marketing strategy, Web design consultation, and helping Clients learn to use the store software. Telephone long distance charges are in addition to package rates quoted. (Additional education and consultation is at our hourly rate.)

Product web pages, products, or photos added after the store is ready for advertising to the Web search engines will be calculated for actual time spent at the hourly rate specified below.



5. Available Services :

This agreement includes all the aforementioned services plus:

Page Redirection / Plug-in Technology. JavaScript programming page redirection based on the presence or absence of a viewer's browser, plug-in, screen resolution and platform. Note however, that if additional pages are necessary to accommodate specific browsers, plug-in technology, screen resolutions, or platforms additional charges may apply.

Graphic Creation / Banner Advertisements. This custom package contemplates that the “Developer” will create, capture or receive from the Client all the graphic elements necessary to complete the Client’s web site. This includes creation / redesign of Corporate Identity (logo), ancillary images, animated graphics, photography and banner advertisements.



Java Applets.This custom package contemplates the use of Java Applets specified in Appendix A. Clients are encouraged to not use Java Applets as many viewers on America Online will be served an error when trying to view the page. Java Applets may also 'crash' older computers on download and download times for some viewers can be excessive.



Macromedia Flash Macromedia Flash is always an option and the specific understanding of our arrangement will be listed in Appendix A. Although Flash work is charged by the hour, the Developer warrants to protect the client by specifying a maximum charge in advance which will be listed in Appendix A. The Developer warrants to work earnestly to come in under the maximum charge.



DHTML This custom package contemplates using DHTML technology. The rate to program each DHTML page will be specified in Appendix A. The Author understands that DHTML technology may not work in older browsers and some DHTML technology is not cross-browser specific.

Real Audio/Video. This custom package contemplates using Real Audio or Real Video on the Client's site. If chosen, however, the charges for such will be listed in Appendix A.



QuickTime / QuickTime VR This custom package contemplates using QuickTime or QuickTime VR technology on the Client's web site.



E-commerce. This custom package contemplates the possibility of an e-commerce enabled site. If a shopping cart is required for the Client’s site, the charges for the shopping cart will be listed in Appendix A.



Secure Certificate If the Client selects an e-commerce enabled site, the Client is encouraged to obtain a secure certificate for online transactions. The Client understands that if they do not obtain their own secure

9. Web Hosting. The Client agrees to select a web hosting service that allows OneWay Advertising full access to the web site and a cgi-bin directory via FTP and telnet. The Client further understands that if the web hosting service's operating system is not a Unix system, standard CGI software may not work, and providing a substitute may incur additional charges.

10. Search Engine Registration. The Developer will optimize the Clients web site with appropriate titles, keywords, descriptions and text and thereafter submit the Client's web site to each of the major search engines and directories. The Developer also offers advanced search engine optimization and site promotion services. If advanced search engine optimization and site promotion services are desired the agreement for said services will be listed in Appendix B.

The Developer encourages all commercial Clients to obtain advanced Search Engine Optimization and Site Promotion services.

11. Work Schedule and Completion Date. Developer to submit a First Mockup Draft of web site no later than twenty (20) days after Developer receives signed agreement, along with down payment and initial direction from the Client. Client to provide Developer with all the data needed to complete web site, including text, company logo, and photos. Upon completion of this stage, the Client will be asked to confirm acceptance for the basic site design via e-mail or by signing a printed copy of the design and faxing to Developer. Once this acceptance is received from the Client, the work necessary to complete the project will continue.

Upon completion of the web site, an e-mail or letter and invoice will be sent to the Client advising the Client that the work has been completed. Client will supply written approval by printing, initialing and faxing back each page in web site. After contract has been paid in full, site will then be uploaded to Client’s hosting company.

The Developer will burn one copy of the Client's web site onto a CD, at the Client's request, upon completion of the site and upon receipt of final balance. Additional copies of the CD are available for $25.00 each.

12. Maintenance Grace Period. This agreement includes minor web page maintenance to regular web pages (not store product pages) over a one-month period, including updating links and making minor changes to a sentence or paragraph. It does not including removing nearly all the text from a page and replacing it with new text. If the Client or an agent other than Developer attempts updating the Client’s pages, time to repair web pages will be assessed at the hourly rate, and is not included as part of the updating time. The one-month maintenance period commences upon the date the Client signs this contract.

Changes requested by the Client beyond those limits will be billed at the hourly rate [Appendix A]. This rate shall also apply toward additional work authorized beyond the maximums specified above for such services as: general Internet orientation education, marketing consulting, web page design, editing, modifying product pages and databases in an online store, and art, photo, graphics services, and helping Clients learn how to use their own web page editor. CGI programming charges (if any) are not included in this rate.

13. Extended Maintenance Contracts. Terms for Maintenance Contracts will be listed in Appendix B, using one of two methods.

The Monthly “Flat Rate” Maintenance Contract, payable each month, allowing up to 2 hours of changes per month, including new pages and store product changes. The “Flat Rate” Agreement is payable each month, whether the time is used or not. Changes requested, which go beyond the 2 hour limit, are chargeable at the rate disclosed in Appendix B.

The “As Needed” Maintenance Contract is a monthly chargeable agreement, higher than the “Flat Rate”, but offering cost savings on sites with little to no changes. Charges incur when Client requests a change - 1 hour minimum charge. Details are listed in Appendix B.

21. Notices. Any notice required by this Agreement or given in connection with it, shall be in writing and shall be given to the appropriate party by personal delivery or by certified mail, postage prepaid, or recognized overnight delivery services.

22. Laws Affecting Electronic Commerce. From time to time governments enact laws and levy taxes and tariffs affecting Internet electronic commerce. The Client agrees that the Client is solely responsible for complying with such laws, taxes, and tariffs, and will hold harmless, protect, and defend Developer and its subcontractors from any claim, suit, penalty, tax, or tariff arising from the Client’s exercise of Internet electronic commerce.

23. Ownership to Web Pages and Graphics. Copyright to the finished assembled work of web pages and graphics produced by the Developer shall be vested with the Client upon final payment for the project. This ownership is to include, design, photos, graphics, source code, work-up files, text, and any program(s) specifically designed or purchased on behalf of the Client for completion of this project.

Rights to photos, graphics, computer programs are specifically not transferred to the Client, and remain the property of their respective owners. Developer and its subcontractors retain the right to display all designs as examples of their work in their respective portfolios.

24. Litigation. Any disputes arising form this contract will be litigated or arbitrated in Flathead County, Montana. This agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Montana, USA.

Undersigned hereby agree to the terms, conditions and stipulations of this agreement on behalf of his or her organization or business. This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding of both parties. Any changes or modification thereto must be in writing and signed by both parties.

25. Payment of Fees. A minimum deposit of fifty percent (50%) is required to commence work.

Fees to Developer are due and payable on the following schedule: 50% upon signing of contract, 25% after first stage of site is completed and approved and the balance upon page completion, but prior to delivery / uploading. If the total amount of this contract is less than $700, the total amount shall be paid upon signing of contract and any additional costs incurred during development will be invoiced at the completion of the web site.

Advertising the pages to Web Search Engines and updating occur only after the final payment is made. All payments will be made in US funds.

Developer reserves the right to remove web pages from viewing on the Internet until final payment is made. If a payment delay is anticipated, please contact the Developer immediately for an alternative arrangement. In case collection proves necessary, the Client agrees to pay all fees incurred by that process. This agreement becomes effective only when signed by Developer. Regardless of the place of signing of this agreement, the Client agrees that for purposes of venue, this contract was entered into in Flathead County, Montana, and any dispute will be litigated or arbitrated in Flathead County, Montana

26. Sole Agreement. The agreement contained in this "Web Site Design Contract" constitutes the sole agreement between Developer and the Client regarding this web site. Any additional work not specified in this contract, Appendix A or Appendix B must be authorized by a written change order. All prices specified will be honored for 30 days after both parties sign this contract. Continued services after that time will require a new agreement.

This agreement constitutes the entire understanding of the Developer and Client. This agreement terminates and supersedes all prior understanding or agreements on the subject matter hereof. Any changes or modification thereto must be in writing and signed by both parties

What is a domain name?

Domain name is an Internet address. For example, the Domain name of this website is Smallbusiness.com. A Domain name has two parts (sometimes preceded by www). For example, in the Domain name Smallbusiness.com, the first part of the domain, "Smallbusiness," is a unique word that represents the website. The second part, com, is called an extension. There are several extensions like com (which stands for commercial). In the U.S., the most common extensions used by small businesses are:

* .com - commercial
* .net - network
* .biz - business
* .info - information
* .us - United States
* .org - non-profit organizations

However, think carefully before choosing a Domain name with an extension other than .com for a small business website. The reason is that many people trying to find your site from memory or perhaps from your brand name or company name, will automatically use .com. You could end up sending traffic to a competitor site.
Who oversees domain names?

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is the internationally organized, non-profit corporation that has responsibility for overseeing top-level domain name system management, and root server system management functions. These services were originally performed under U.S. Government contract by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) and other entities. ICANN now performs the IANA function.
Tips for choosing a domain name

On the Internet, your Domain name is a symbol -- a front-door sign -- of your business. It needs to express who you and your business are, what you do, and what products or services you offer. Your Domain name should reflect your business name or the topic your site will cover. Here are other tips for selecting a domain name:

* Look for a name that is unique and concise and that is easy to say, remember, and spell.
* Spaces and symbols are not allowed; only use letters, numbers, and hyphens.
* If your first choice isn't available, try rearranging the word order, adding hyphens, or using abbreviations or locations to come up with a unique alternative.

How to see if a Domain name is available for registration or purchase

To see if your choice of domain names is available, use a "whois" service (see the list below). If your "perfect" domain name has been registered, you can still contact the owner of the name and offer to buy it. Often domains have been registered with the hopes that someone may come along later to purchase it for a higher amount. Often, such domain names are "listed" with re-sellers or brokers who maintain long lists of domain names for sell or auction (see the list below).
Whois domain search engines

To see if a Domain name is available for registration or to see who has registered a Domain name, use a search engine called a "whois" service. A list of such services can be found here.
Domain name registration services

Domain name are obtained through services called domain name registrars that are "accredited" by ICANN, the non-profit organization that oversees "top-level" domain name system management. You can find a current list of registrars accredited by ICANN at the following website:

* ICANN-accredited domain registrars

Email Marketing Software For Bulk Mailings - Maximizing Your Email Marketing Potential.

If you own your own business you know how important it is to attract, retain and service customers old and new alike. Customers are the foundation for any online business. One of the best ways to contact customers is via email. There are many email marketing software programs available that facilitate this process. Many business owners prefer bulk email marketing because it is cost efficient and a proven method to communicate with current and prospective clients. Bulk email marketing software products offer a variety of features that can stimulate an existing business in multiple ways.

Most bulk email marketing software programs enable you to track your campaign and improve the number of emails delivered to customers. You can use email marketing software programs like this to expand your current opt-in mailing list and improve sales and your existing client base.

A variety of different businesses use email-marketing solutions including small and medium sized businesses and even non-profit businesses. A comprehensive email marketing solution will allow you to customize and personalize your email marketing messages and newsletters so you can create effective and measurable tools to entice and retain loyal customers.

You should keep in mind when shopping for an email marketing software program you will probably need some technical support at one time or another, thus be sure you look for a software solution that will provide you with free technical support if possible. This will maximize your cost efficiency and ensure you have the support and help you need when installing and running your program for the first time

emailer

How to get started blogging

* Domain Name

If you are an established business then you may already have a domain name. If not, you should choose a name and register it using a domain registration service. The cost runs about $6 to $8 per year. You should purchase it for at least two years, and can consider as long as ten years. While not a requirement for having a weblog, having your own web address is a good strategy for linking your blog's brand with you company's brand.

* Logo

If you have been in business for any length of time, you probably already have a logo for your letterhead and business cards. This logo can be transferred to your blog.

* Photos and illustrations

Using photos and illustration will make your blog more attractive and professional looking (if done properly). There are many places to obtain stock photography that can be used for commercial purposes for a small fee (or even free). Here are a few places to look:

*
o Creative Commons
o Comstock.com
o Getty Images
o Hemera
o Photos.com
o Clipart.com
* Adding content to your weblog

Keeping your weblog up to date with fresh content is important. You or your employees should add new "posts" as often as possible. Weblog software (see below) makes adding new content easy to do. In some instances, a freelance writer can be engaged to help maintain fresh content on your weblog. If you plan on hiring freelance help, there are a few places where you can put a request for bids to have the content created: craigslist.com, Elance.com, and Rent-A-Coder.com.

Another great source of free content are the thousands of Article Directories that you can find online. Article Directories are places where authors and content creators can post their articles. Bloggers and webmasters can then use those articles to continually add fresh content to their sites.
Selecting a weblog platform

Managing a weblog requires a specialized software program. There are many choices today then ever - and not all are created equal. The first big question is whether you should use a *hosted solution* or a solution that runs on a server you maintain.
Hosted solution

A hosted blog solution refers to the many available providers that allow anyone to build a blog online - and they host it on their servers, using their domain name (although many of these services offer options that will allow you to use your own URL or domain name). Some of the most popular providers of hosted web solutions include:

* Blogger.com
* Typepad
* Wordpress.com

Each of these service is similar in basic features and many are free for the basic service with upgrades available for a fee.

* Advantages of a hosted solution:
o Speed: You can be up and running in about ten minutes. A
o Technical support: Very little maintenance required since the provider maintains the site.
o Ease of use: The popular blog-hosting services have easy-to-understand content-management features.
* Disadvantages of a hosted solution:
o Domain name: While you can redirect a URL to a hosted weblog, it still will have a domain name that includes the name of hosting service: yourblog.hostingservice.com For a premium price, some hosted services offer a "domain mapping" feature that will solve this problem. Some technical skills will be required to set up this feature.
o Analytics: Many of the free platforms don't give you useful data about your visitors, for instance where they are coming from and if they are visiting your main website and becoming a lead or customer of your business.
o Limited eCommerce Options: Very few, if any, of the hosted solutions will allow you to add products, Google Adsense code or other eCommerce options to your blog.
o Design Limitations: You have less control over the appearance of your blog.
o Functional Limitations: You may be limited to only using the plugins that the host supports.

Beware- Paid links Google.

There was a panicked discussion thread at Google Webmaster Help forums recently. The person who initiated the discussion wrote:

"Today I found that my entire site has dropped out of site in search results. I have a site that received over 2,000 search visits per day and today that has stopped."

Apparently, he had a bunch of affiliate links on his site. These are links to other sites that he would make money on if someone clicked on the link and bought something on the affiliate site.

Google employee JohnMu jumped into the conversation:

"I browsed your site's reviews a bit and most of the links are either affiliate links or links to the companies without nofollow. This doesn't seem to match your reply regarding the use of nofollow. Perhaps it would be good to double-check and submit a reconsideration request should you find something that could be improved."

With this in mind, it's a good time to refresh your memories on the Google Paid Links policy.

Buying or selling links that pass PageRank violates Google's Webmaster guidelines and can negatively impact a site's ranking in search results.

It appears that the person in this discussion post got in trouble for not adding nofollow attributes to these, what are essentially, paid links.

The primary way to solve this problem is by making these links nofollow. There's a lot of confusion about what this means and how to apply it to your own links. So, let's look closer at the nofollow attribute so we're all clear on the topic.

Nofollow is an HTML code you insert into a link that lets the search engines know that you don't want them to crawl through this link or give it any credit that you were linking to it.

A normal hyperlink looks something like this:

<a href="http://www.example.com/">Anchor Text</a>

That is a standard link and tells the search engines to crawl that link, find the content and, in the case of Google, share some of the PageRank from your page with this new page.

Because Google's algorithm depends on linking, this kind of link has become quite a precious gift. If you link to a site with this kind of standard link, you're telling the search engines, "Here is a page I want to tell you about that is really great. I'm getting nothing from this other than the warm fuzzies that I'm sharing with you and the world a great Web page."

If you link to a page because there is some quid pro quo, then you probably should think about adding nofollow.

It's easy enough. Your hyperlinks would look something like this:

<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.example.com/">Anchor Text</a>

You probably should link to the page with the nofollow tag if you're getting money, a gift, or to test a product or service.

This also would apply to content that you can't vouch for. Say, for example, you have a blog and you allow commenters to post links in their comments. If you don't know what that content is, you probably should nofollow it (most blog comments are automatically nofollowed, but double-check to be sure).

If you're concerned about losing your Google ranking, take a moment and think about whether you have any links off of your site that you're either getting paid to have or could get paid if a certain action occurs on that site.

Remember, we're talking about linking out to sites that would pay you for the link. We aren't talking about you getting links to your site that you paid someone to give you.

It's interesting that the Google Policy says, "Buying or selling links that pass PageRank." Many people have often thought that they wouldn't get in trouble if they paid for the links pointing to their site. Google's only concern was if someone paid to post a link on your site.

However, if Google could devise a way to determine that a site is intentionally buying links to increase its search engine ranking, they would ding that site. The problem: in Google's policy, they go on to say, "Buying and selling links is a normal part of the economy of the Web when done for advertising purposes."

So, it's a little harder for them to determine if you're just buying advertisement or if you're trying to inflate your search engine rankings. However, if you are buying links to increase your rank, look at your strategy to see if there's any way Google could determine that you're ultimately trying to buy PageRank.

Buyer and seller beware.

Java

What is JavaScript?

Javascript is an easy-to-use programming language that can be embedded in the header of your web pages. It can enhance the dynamics and interactive features of your page by allowing you to perform calculations, check forms, write interactive games, add special effects, customize graphics selections, create security passwords and more.

What's the difference between JavaScript and Java?

Actually, the 2 languages have almost nothing in common except for the name. Although Java is technically an interpreted programming language, it is coded in a similar fashion to C++, with separate header and class files, compiled together prior to execution. It is powerful enough to write major applications and insert them in a web page as a special object called an "applet." Java has been generating a lot of excitment because of its unique ability to run the same program on IBM, Mac, and Unix computers. Java is not considered an easy-to-use language for non-programmers.

Javascript is much simpler to use than Java. With Javascript, if I want check a form for errors, I just type an if-then statement at the top of my page. No compiling, no applets, just a simple sequence.

What is Object Oriented Programming?

Everyone that wants to program JavaScript should at least try reading the following section. If you have trouble understanding it, don't worry. The best way to learn JavaScript is from the examples presented in this tutorial. After you have been through the lessons, come back to this page and read it again.

OOP is a programming technique (note: not a language structure - you don't even need an object-oriented language to program in an object-oriented fashion) designed to simplify complicated programming concepts. In essence, object-oriented programming revolves around the idea of user- and system-defined chunks of data, and controlled means of accessing and modifying those chunks.

Object-oriented programming consists of Objects, Methods and Properties. An object is basically a black box which stores some information. It may have a way for you to read that information and a way for you to write to, or change, that information. It may also have other less obvious ways of interacting with the information.

Some of the information in the object may actually be directly accessible; other information may require you to use a method to access it - perhaps because the way the information is stored internally is of no use to you, or because only certain things can be written into that information space and the object needs to check that you're not going outside those limits.

The directly accessible bits of information in the object are its properties. The difference between data accessed via properties and data accessed via methods is that with properties, you see exactly what you're doing to the object; with methods, unless you created the object yourself, you just see the effects of what you're doing.

Other Javascript pages you read will probably refer frequently to objects, events, methods, and properties. This tutorial will teach by example, without focusing too heavily on OOP vocabulary. However, you will need a basic understanding of these terms to use other JavaScript references.

Objects and Properties

Your web page document is an object. Any table, form, button, image, or link on your page is also an object. Each object has certain properties (information about the object). For example, the background color of your document is written document.bgcolor. You would change the color of your page to red by writing the line: document.bgcolor="red"

The contents (or value) of a textbox named "password" in a form named "entryform" is document.entryform.password.value.

Methods

Most objects have a certain collection of things that they can do. Different objects can do different things, just as a door can open and close, while a light can turn on and off. A new document is opened with the method document.open() You can write "Hello World" into a document by typing document.write("Hello World") . open() and write() are both methods of the object: document.

Events
Events are how we trigger our functions to run. The easiest example is a button, whose definition includes the words onClick="run_my_function()". The onClick event, as its name implies, will run the function when the user clicks on the button. Other events include OnMouseOver, OnMouseOut, OnFocus, OnBlur, OnLoad, and OnUnload.