Friday, May 27, 2005

Ask Girl Geek: How Can I Check To See If My Domain Name is Available?

Hi Annette,

I went to www.registerfly.com and found that www.myname.com is taken. I had registered that some time ago and allowed the registration to expire. Could that be the problem? What are my options here? Finding the documentation for my earlier registration could be a challenge.

R

Hi R,
Yes, that's the problem. You can either call the company you originally registered it with and pay a penalty fee to get it back or you can wait 30-90 days to buy it after it's freed up. Usually, if you register your personal name, no one else is likely to register it. Also, if you register a business name that includes an "LLC" in the domain name, that one is not likely to be purchased by anyone else either.

To check to see if your domain has expired, go to www.whois.com. I just looked at your personal name has not expired.

Thanks for asking,
Annette

Sunday, May 22, 2005

Ask Girl Geek: Adding Streaming Audio to a Website

Hi All,

I had to ask Julie, my Geek expert from TheDesignShoppe.com, this one.

"How do you add Streaming Audio to a website?"
Irene

Here's Julie's answer:
Hi Annette.
Here's some good info on how to do it:
May 29, 2005 UPDATE: I just tried Julie's recommendations and when I tried to save the audio file in the FREE verstion of Real Producer, I found that it wouldn't do it and I'd have to upgrade to the $199.99 version. I'll bet it used to be free and functional and now it's not. Happens alot.

Adding streaming RealAudio/RealVideo site content

All sites can support RealMedia (RealAudio and RealVideo) files via HTTP streaming. Also known as "pseudo-streaming," HTTP streaming provides virtually unlimited streaming of RealAudio and RealVideo files over HTTP. Follow these simple instructions to add streaming RealMedia content to your web page:

Step 1: Create/convert sounds using RealEncoder

Create a .rm file using RealProducer. RealProducer can be obtained (free) from the RealAudio web site - www.real.com :

Use the RealProducer wizard to record or convert existing content into RealMedia (.rm) format.

Step 2: Create a text file

Use a standard text editor such as Notepad, and create a .ram file. The file should contain the following (case-sensitive) HTML line:

http://www.yourdomain.com/yourfile.rm

Note: The URL above must include the "http://" characters. For example: http://www.yourdomain.com/ourfile.rm would be appropriate, whereas pnm://www.yourdomain.com/ourfile.rm would not be.

Upload the .rm and .ram files to your account. Assuming you named the .rm file "yourfile.rm", the .ram file should be named "yourfile.ram", and should be located in the same directory. Make sure to upload the .rm file in binary mode and the .ram file in ASCII mode.

Step 3: Link

Link the .ram file to any image or text you specify on your page. When a visitor clicks on this link, the RealPlayer program starts. Upon spawning the player, the RealPlayer program reads the location of the RealAudio/RealVideo .rm file from the .ram file. The player then accesses and plays the file as it is being downloaded, in real time.

For more information, please visit the RealAudio site www.real.com

Putting Sound on your Web Site

There are a number of different type of sound files that can be put on web pages. Three of the more common sound files are .wav, .mid or(.midi), and au. files. One advantage to using a midi file is that midi files are much smaller and therefore it takes less time to download them. Midi files can only contain background (instrumental) music. Both au. files and .wav can contain any type of sounds (eg.,
vocal, background). However, .au and .wav files are much larger than midi files so it typically takes longer to download these files.

Hope this helps!
Annette

Saturday, May 21, 2005

Updates on Blogging

To learn the latest Blog-cabulary, Read this article
http://www.juiceenewsdaily.com/0505/news/blog_terms.html
Excerpt: Blogfeed - "syndication" of your blog for furthur distribution on the web
Ping - a system that notifies blog owners when someone posts a comment to their blog.
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Blog-tistic - according to InfoZine, 32 Million Americans read blogs
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Blog-istory http://www.juiceenewsdaily.com/0505/news/history_blogs.html
Excerpt: Since 2003 weblogs gained increasing notice for their role in breaking, shaping or spinning news stories
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Business Blogging is on the Rise according to Inc magazine
http://www.inc.com/criticalnews/articles/200504/blogs.html
Excerpt: --Business blogging consultants agree that it is yet to be proven that blogs are a good direct-response marketing tool, but they can be an excellent tool to build relationships and create brand equity as more Internet users see them as viable sources of information.
"Blogs can help in networking and creating industry contacts and business partners. They can also be excellent selling tools, particularly with affiliates," suggested Campbell.
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How to use blogging as a marketing tool http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/business/11474621.htm
Excerpt:
But for companies, blogs are an opportunity to tell clients and potential clients about your industry, products and services. And it doesn't matter how large or small your business is.
Blogs are a way to build an open relationship with customers, and make your company a resource on a particular subject. They're also good for spin.

Search engines love new content, and just putting a blog on your Web site could push your company to the top of someone's search results.

Friday, May 20, 2005

Ask Girl Geek: Domain Names

Hi
I have a couple questions, 1. how much do you charge to find out if a domain name is available? And how much is domain name registration on an annual basis? 2. The website I have now if I decide to keep the domain name how does that work with the business that is currently hosting the site? Do they own it do I own it? How can I get it moved from them to you? I guess is the question and what is the cost for that. I looked at your fee structure and did not see this issue addressed there. Sorry if I missed it.
K

Hi K,

Thanks for asking! You can check yourself at www.whois.com to see if a domain is available. Domain registration is $12 a year with the company I use. If you want to transfer your current domain to another hosting company, it's just a matter of changing the DNS numbers. Or you can host the new site at the same hosting company if it is compatible with the software I use and has all the features needed for the new site.

Hope this helps!
Annette