Hosting Accounts

Do you have more than one hosting account? I guess I have 3 difference accounts + various blog accounts (MSN, Yahoo, Google).

I have accounts at HostGator, NetFirms and PlusNet. Each has it's strengths and each it's weaknesses. For instance - HostGator will not allow me to use ASP, NetFirms has an awkward implementation of MySQL, and PlusNet (whilst free) has very awkward implementations of PHP, MySQL and FrontPage extensions (I don't use it - full stop).

I tried to get rid of the NetFirms account and then discovered that I still had 10 months to run on the account. Oh well. Perhaps I can find some use for the space.

I refuse to use the likes of GeoCities and GoDaddy free spaces - I hate anything that might have advertising on it. I'll stick to paying for it - after all - space is cheap these days.

I wonder what other people do... perhaps the difficulties of producing good sites does mean that people opt for free space and just chuck on the site the best that they can do... which esthetically is often absolutely awful. But then I try to produce my websites with as few graphics as I can...

Anyway - perhaps other people will comment and help me with my decisions for the future - who knows.

Valid and Top Ranked?

I'm beginning to believe the blurb out there on search engines and now I'm worried.

Blurb #1 says that all my code has to be 100% perfect (even Google's own website recommendation say this) before my site can be top ranked.

Blurb #2 says exactly the opposite - be as slapdash as you like - and you can be on a winner.
Just look at the pages that the search engines produce - many of them have horrendous errors in their HTML code.

Do I follow Google's recommendations:

• Only valid HTML allowed
• No covert keyword areas
• No link farms
• No duplication of pages
• No overloading of key phrases
• Every page to be indexed must have a clear link to it
• Use google meta tags to help promote the correct navigation
• Include a Robot.txt file

If I do this - will I get a good ranking? Unlikely - but it could well be an easy site to maintain!

I really must get a good book on search engine optimization. Trouble is - the big three have completely different ideas about what makes a good page - and then they keep on moving the goal posts.

I guess I will keep on trying to do my best and see what happens!

Website Development

I spend hours trying develop sites that work - and nothing happens. Trouble is, my clients don't have the money to spend on their web sites - and to pay for back links and advertising - no way!

Yes, I know about keyword strategies and good content, and finding links from good sites.
So what do I do?

• I build the site well.I try to run as many HTML and XHTML validation tests so that no errors, warnings and comments are found
• I use CSS for all my formatting - mainly to ensure consistency - and only use the attributes that a cross-browser.
  This can be a real pain - but in the end getting the DOCTYPE right and using consistent CSS does mean that the site is easy to maintain - and can easily be changed if the client has second thoughts about his/her design.
• I try to make the site fast loading.All graphics (where used) are optimized to load quickly. I do not use graphical menus or tables unless I really have to. All in all, the sites load fast. I also place them with a host that will do the site justice - and seems to be reliable.
• I eschew things like Javascript
  Some people dont allow it - and others use versions of Java that we just don't want to think about! If I do any scripting I tend to do it in PHP. This still leaves me with some problems (like a Back button - but sometimes we just have to let the user use the Browser back button).
• I create site maps
  This will be an HTML site map as well as a google site map.
• I promote the domain and submit the google site map to google.

So there you have it. And people say that anyone can do it… Well they can - but have you seen some of the websites out there? And I have to say - it's galling to find that they have got a better ranking than I have.

Vista for Breakfast?

I wonder how many people are now using Vista?
I spend my life using computers and some of them have fairly old versions of operating systems. Nearly up to date now - but some will never become Vista solutions!
Yes - I have taken the plunge - and the main development computer is now running both Vista and Office 2007. Nothing really radical - since I had been using the release candidate installed in a seperate partition so there was no problems with hardware compatibility. However XP and Office 2003 were getting flaky - updates were not always installing properly and I did not want to go for a complete rebuild.
So there we are - upgrade worked successfully - and I did not have retype all my passwords etc again!
Do I like the interface? Yes, I do. But then I like the latest and the best. And I’m different from my neighbours - so I can crow for a little while! Does it make my computer work better?Not really - I think it is a much bigger operating system now - and even needs a DVD to do the install and as such there is quite a lot of “bloat”.

So there you are….

About Me (and what I do!)

My name is Paul Newlin and I am 50+ years old. I have two main interests in life - my Christian faith and computers.
It is the knowledge of the gospel of Christ that keeps me going!
I love playing keyboards in our local church and help with the worship there. It is my desire to pursue this more.
I have been working on the NewlinsNet project for some time now. This has developed into offering internet hosting to colleagues and friends (just about paying enough to cover the costs) and designing websites for them. Need to spread my wings a bit more yet so that I can earn a crust or two.
If you are interested in my CV pop along to Newlins.Org to view my details online.
If you just want to view my personal website then please do - lots of thought provoking stuff, some poetry, music and jokes!
The project with the FEBC has opened my eyes to the wider world of evangelism and discipleship. My main work with them is to develop a database system to analyze and manage the radio broadcasts made by Christian Broadcasters (but especially the FEBC). The scope of the work can best be described in the broadcast queries found on the World By Radio web site: http://www.wbradio.net/ - go visit and see our partners reaching the far corners of the world to spread the good news of Jesus Christ.

Why Come and View My Blog?

Why come here?

Perhaps you did not mean to! There are now so many “newlins” pages perhaps you meant to go to another? Just in case:

• Newlins Hosting (newlins.org.uk) for a good deal on internet hosting
• Gateway / Portfolio site (newlins.org)
• Personal Pages (newlins.com)
• Newlin Design Inc (newlindesign.com) - not mine but my brother’s design site!

Otherwise - perhaps you mean to be here.

On this site I aim to discuss the problems that I have had designing and developing sites. I will try and be helpful, sometimes even cheerful! All of which is designed to inform. And perhaps others can share their experiences? If you don’t feel able to contribute directly - contact me through this site or one of the others and perhaps I can post the article for you…

Enjoy your stay here…