Web Observatory

wo concerns for privacy is present, one is the Big Brother effect (Government Intrusions) and one against online marketers, the webs version of the loathed telemarketers, using our personal information for commercial purposes.

September 11 was used by the Government to Lobby for ways for them to get their hands on our personal information and data to allegedly protect us from the terrorists. However, I feel the next law to pass congress is for consumer protection & rights against online marketers. Several Corporations are already targeted for the misuse of their gathered information.

It’s been hard for consumers to claim damages from the loss of private information because of the need to show losses on monetary aspects. The CFAA (Computer Fraud & Abuse Act) already have successes in protecting plaintiffs, but on most privacy cases, this is difficult to show.

A solution that comes to mind is through initiatives done by the web industry. Privacy Rules & Standards should be formulated by Trade Associations. However bleak the prospects for privacy protection online, some already exploits this privacy. It goes both ways, but thats a whole different story.

t is a known fact that webmasters, coders, developers and designers often forget the first rule of thumb for doing anything. The KISS principle (Keep it Simple Stupid). To get you on the way, you need to learn by observation and reading a lot. When time comes, your knowledge and experience will help you succeed.

I have gathered some Links to Articles on my Couple-friends site Liam and Megan, and selected those important things you should know, so instead of repeating it, I’ll just link to these well-written articles and give my opinions.

What are the Differences Between the Internet and the World Wide Web?
Do you know the difference? Many already use the words to describe a singular connotation, “the net”, “the web”. Here in this article you’ll know the difference and perhaps use the words differently now.

7 Simple Rules for Formatting Text on the Web
Everybody knows how important design is for your websites, but remember the phrase “Content is King”? Then don’t forget why it is important to (more…)

ost people nowadays own a digital camera or digicam for short. Fast development of materials and components for making these cameras are becoming cheaper by the minute, manufacturing costs are lower thus digicams become much affordable.

Consumer models of these digital cameras already delve into the semi-professional range, although still being labeled as a generic point-and-shoot.

Here are some primer (basic introductions) to effectively choose and use a digital camera.

TIP 1. Buy the Right Camera

Don’t just settle for the “Auto” mode, it can’t be the end-all solution to taking better pictures. Most modern digicams have more than a point-and-shoot function. It now comes standard for these cameras to have numerous shooting modes and manual options. These shooting modes take into consideration all the situations you might find yourself in when taking pictures.

TIP 2. Long Zooms don’t mean Squat

Not unless your digicam has a carl-zeiss lens or lens attachment option, don’t be swayed by the built-in long zooms of some of these digital cameras. It does look cool to have longer zooms, but their main boon is that these long zoom cameras often (more…)

o many hosting providers today offer site-building tools and ready to install e-commerce softwares. An added arsenal for you is to heed the following tips when delving in the world of e-commerce.

Preparation

1. Compare Costs. Monthly hosting fees and Annual Domain fees are just the tip of the iceberg. You might also need a Merchant Account if you intend to process credit cards and receive payments online. This would add another monthly fee, or most merchants add a percentage commission or processing fee to purchases or a fixed per-transaction fee. Most merchant accounts also withholds a reserve against charge-backs (disputed or reversed transactions).

2. Do the Paper Work. Once securing a domain name, setup your merchant account. Even if your business has a retail location, you may need a different one to accept card-not-present transactions. Consider a consultation with your accountant and attorney to find out if expanding your sales to new regions will have a tax or legal implications.

The Design

3. Planning. Know your niche. Learn as much as you can about your customers, develop a clear vision of how your site will meet their needs.

Put together some mock-ups even on paper, and decide on your sites needed pages and sections before actually getting too excited designing (more…)

rgarylee.com an internet marketing website is offering a free iphone as a form of marketing campaign for his blog. Instructions are posted on his site, included are linking to a Golf Equipment Site and to a Free Online Coupons site. Fairly straight forward, I’ll inform you if people actually win these SEO contests. Now show me some proof by letting me win Mr.Gary Lee…