March 26, 2008
The cobbler’s kid has new sneakers. The landscaper’s yard has new flowers. A fresh new coat of paint anoints the painter’s house. AND…Clearbuilt has a new website!!
While we are not done with the vision we have for the site, at least it is improving. Check it out and let us know what you think. www.clearbuilt.com
I’m often shocked at the lengths people and their companies will go to make money. Network Solutions was caught earlier this quarter taking advantage of the trust users place in them. They were basically trapping customers into registering domains through them.
Below is a brief explanation of what they were doing. We’ve provided links for further reading if you are interested in the nitty gritty details. However, we’ve kept this article short in hopes that you will read it and understand why dealing with domains is getting more difficult.
Domain Worries Away
The following is a very real scenario.
- You start a new company called “Domain Worries Away”
- You want www.domainworriesaway.com for the website address
- You go to www.networksolutions.com to check if the domain is available
- You do a search and find that it is available
- Network Solutions wants $34.95/year to register it
- You find out you can get it for $8.95/year elsewhere
- You go to the cheap company and find out that the domain is no longer available
- Network Solutions “reserved” it (registered it to themselves) right after you did the search!
- Now you HAVE to register it through Network Solutions at the higher rate!
There’s more…they claim, with a straight face, that it was for YOUR protection. Huh?
My tweenager comes up with equally baffling excuses when he is caught doing something he is not supposed to be doing. I just wish I could take away Wii privileges for Network Solutions.
Companies that sell domains, like Network Solutions, are called registrars. Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) regulates registrars[1]. ICANN requires registrars to allow a customer to cancel a domain registration within 5 days if they change their mind or made a mistake. So in the above scenario, Network Solutions would actually only hold the domain for 4 days and turn it back in if you didn’t register it. But if you don’t register it, and the “reservation” expires, domain stalkers will often re-register it to themselves within moments of it expiring (they watch for expiring domains). If the domain is good, it’s lost to you unless you are willing to pay what amounts to a ransom.
The 5 day waiting period was the enabler for this issue and has lead to other troubling actions (for example: domain tasting and domain kiting). Luckily, we do not have to wait for ICANN to fix that policy. The uproar from customers forced Network Solutions to find other ways to “protect” us. That hasn’t stopped the lawsuits though (see this press release).
I do understand their motivation. The registrars have to pay for the domains as well. The .com domains, for example, cost the registrars $6.25 and competition is very high. Some registrars advertise domains to the public at $6.95. Operating costs quickly make that a losing transaction. The only way they can stay in business is to sell you other services, that often you don’t even need. We at Clearbuilt have grown so tired of the high pressure sales tactics that we have always bought our domains through a reputable registrar, even though the cost is significantly higher.
Conclusion
My tweenager will take one square of toilet paper and ever-so-gently glide it across the bathroom counter, call it clean, then expect his allowance. I have to put up with excuses, clean up the additional mess (the one square of toilet paper that didn’t make the trash can for instance), and try to find a way to not let it happen again. This is not unlike the painful process Clearbuilt goes through in cleaning up the mess other registrars make when trying to register or block domain transfers away from their service. Fortunately for you and your domains, there’s a simple solution. Let us handle all your domain needs from the start and you can wash your domain worries away (.com).
For further reading:
[1] ICANN controls what is known as generic top level domains (such as .com, .net, and .org). ICANN does not control the country code top level domains (such as .us, .fr, and .mx).
Category: ClearPoint
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December 28, 2007
Clearbuilt would like to wish you a Happy New Year and all the best in 2008. We are looking forward to attacking the new year with renewed enthusiasm. We love what we do for sure, but more importantly we love who we do it for. The relationships we’ve developed over the years have been a blessing we could not have predicted.
Okay…real quick about email, then off to more interesting things. Clearbuilt has recently added all our customers for which we handle some aspect of email to our anti-spam service called Clearbuilt MailFoundry. If you were not set up on it beforehand, then you should notice a dramatic decrease in spam. Please let us know if you have any questions. Now see…I can talk about email without griping about how the major ISPs are pushing the cost of fixing their inadequate spam handling systems down to companies like us.
Did you know there are two basic types of wireless Internet access for your laptop computer? If you ignore all the industry terms (EDVO, CMDA, Wifi, Hot Spots, etc.), then there are basically only two options. We’ll explain those two options in simple terms to help you understand if one or both of these options for wireless Internet connection will work for you.
Unplug Me Please
The importance of an Internet connection is growing every year. As a result, being connected when you are away from your office is necessary for a growing number of people. After all, when you are on the road and need to check your email before a sales call or login to the corporate website to check the latest figures, you may not have time to find a wired connection. This means more and more people are willing to sacrifice the faster wired connections for the flexibility that wireless offers.
The two most popular methods for connecting your laptop computer to the Internet wirelessly are 1) WiFi and 2) mobile broadband. WiFi access can be found in airports, hotels, coffee shops, fast food places and more. They require you to be within approximately 100ft of the network to gain access. Some of the places allow you to connect for free, while other places require a fee (could be by the hour, day, etc.)
Mobile broadband networks act a lot like cell phone networks. They are served from towers and are in fact offered by the major cellphone companies. If you need a connection on a job site or even while headed down the road (while SOMEBODY ELSE is driving), then a mobile broadband connection will be more appealing to you. You will pay a monthly fee for the privilege.
Here’s a look at the benefits and features of each.
WiFi - local area connection
- most new laptops have WiFi built-in
- older laptops need only buy a PC Card or USB device
- can also be used to extend your cable/DSL wired broadband connection wirelessly throughout your office or house
- you have to be within 100ft or so from the network
- you can get free access in certain places (coffee shops, fast food, some airports, hotel lobbies)
- can pay for temporary access in certain places (some airports, hotel rooms, hotel conference rooms)
- terms: 802.11, 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11g, 802.11n, Wifi, Hot Spots
- distance: approximately 100ft from the network
- speeds: 11Mb/s (802.11b) - 200Mb/s (802.11n) -> these are theoretical speeds. You should expect probably around 1/2 this speed and perhaps less the farther you are from the signal and the more objects that are in the way (walls, etc)
Mobile Broadband - wide area connection
- not built in to your laptop, you have to purchase a USB or PC Card
- requires a monthly plan, most likely from Sprint, Verizon, or AT&T
- access depends on which provider you use, but is generally very good in the major markets and hit and miss outside the major markets
- as long as you can get a signal, there are no fees beyond your monthly plan
- terms: 3G, GSM, 3GSM, UMTS, HSDPA, GPRS, EDGE, CDMA, EVDO, Rev. A
- distance: you must be within coverage, just like cell phones (approx 18 mi from tower)
- speed: roughly between .2Mb/s - 3Mb/s download speed
So if you don’t mind hunting for a public WiFi network (”hot spots”) and perhaps paying a per use fee, then a WiFi Internet connect is perfect for you. On the other hand, if you must have an Internet connection outside of the office without being tied to a hot spot, then you need a mobile broadband connection. You will have to purchase a USB or PC Card device (available for cheap with a contract) and absorb another monthly fee, but the flexibility is awesome.
Conclusion
To talk on the telephone once required wires. Then cell phones allowed you to talk throughout the United States without wires, but your phone wouldn’t work in Europe, for example. Now, our cell phones work globally. This is the path of voice. Wireless Internet connections are taking this path as well. You will one day be able to access the Internet globally using one device and one provider. For now, just unplug me please!
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September 28, 2007
We have survived the summer heatwave in Atlanta. On behalf of our hard working web and emails servers, I’d like to personally thank Willis Haviland Carrier for inventing modern air conditioning. I can always jump in the pool or lake, but the computers demand A/C.
We’ve had several questions lately from our clients about receiving bounced emails that they appear to have sent, but didn’t. In this quarter’s ClearPoint, we will describe what is happening and why. Instead of teasing you with a solution that will be found later in this news broadcast, I’ll give it up now. Nope, there’s really not much you can do to fix it. But you already knew that didn’t you?
Enjoy this quarter’s article knowing that it has been painstakingly certified to be 100% free from Michael Vick references.
Bounced Email Spam
Does this sound familiar?
You are sitting down with your coffee for your morning spam deleting ritual when you notice a bunch of bounced email messages. The messages appear to have been sent by you, but you don’t know that many people’s email addresses and certainly wouldn’t be pushing male organ drugs on them if you did.
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 Bounced Email
When you send an email to an email address that doesn’t exist, you get a return email notification letting you know your message was not delivered. It is kind of like the recording you get when dialing a phone number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service. That return notification is referred to as a “bounced email” message.
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Mixed in with the bounced emails, which could number in the hundreds and possibly thousands, you get hateful messages from upset users and disconnection warnings from your Internet provider. You didn’t send any of the emails that bounced and can’t believe that you, the most conscientious of netizens, are being falsely accused.
So why is this happening to you? And don’t give up reading now because if this hasn’t happened to you yet, stay tuned, it probably will. You are, or will soon be, a victim of email spammers.
Why Do Spammers Do That?
You may be wondering why in the world a spammer would send out email as if it came from you. What could they possibly gain? If the spammed user replies to the email, it would go to you and not the spammer.
Well, the spammer is trying to get the recipient to click on the website link found somewhere in the email. Using your email address allows them to keep their identity hidden. It is true that sometimes there are no links in the email, but those are most likely mistakes or spamming software gone out of control.
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How Can They Send Email As Me?
I Don’t See That Option In Outlook!
The spammers do not use Outlook. Many email programs, including the one I use, allow you to put anything you want as the “From:” address. Much like you can put anything you want for the return address on an envelope.
I know what you are thinking, the envelope will have a postmark on it identifying the city of origin. What about the spam emails?
While it is true that we could narrow down the origin of spam according to the electronic equivalent of a postmark, the spammers have found a way around that. They send spam from hijacked computers. That gives them tremendous combined computing power, hi-speed Internet connections, and anonymity…for FREE!
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 Ever Thought Of This?
I wonder if a spammer’s email address has ever been used as the from address for a spam sent by a different spammer. That would be true justice for a spammer to get kicked off their network for a spam they didn’t commit.
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What Can We Do?
Spam filters normally just delete (or quarantine) emails that are identified as spam. Some spam filters allow you to send a bounced email message to any email identified as spam instead. They claim that you can “stick it to the spammers” by overloading them with bounced email messages.
You should now realize that this won’t work. The spammers are not dumb enough to use their own email address. Thus, the bounces will only fill up the victim’s email account with bounced messages. This clearly adds to the spam problem by creating a vicious circle.
One saving grace is that spammers typically only use your email address for a few hours and then move on to another. This minimizes the chances that someone will be angered into action and try to hunt them down. Sometimes I will get 1000-2000 bounced email spams in half of a day, then it stops. Those are the days I have to take some finger stretching breaks when reading/deleting email.
The best protection from the Internet requires wire snips and a hammer. Cut your wired Internet connection with the wire snips and smash your wireless cards and routers with the hammer. Short of that, and yes I’m going to repeat myself from a previous article, make sure your computer is not infected and being used by spammers. Chances are if you or your company has all the protection goodies like firewalls and virus protection programs, you are fine.
Conclusion
Spam continues to get worse. Bounced emails from spams are proof of that. Spammers are even starting to send out emails that look like bounced email notifications in hopes that some might open them and click on a link. At least now you know what is going on. Oh and even though I am from Atlanta receiving minute-by-minute updates on Vick…I can refrain.
Category: ClearPoint
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June 13, 2007
Greetings,
Things are going very well at Clearbuilt. We continue our efforts to upgrade some existing client websites as well as starting several new ecommerce websites. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions about any aspect of the web and how we may help.
Firefox is a great browser. You know we like it. Most web developers do. However, even the average web user is starting to switch from Internet Explorer to Firefox. Here’s why.
Teaser Alert: A little known feature in Firefox that increases productivity and thus adds time to your day is found at the end of this broadcast…I mean article. Please stay tuned!
Neal
Firefox Continues To Climb
Firefox - Still Gaining on IE
The Microsoft Internet Explorer web browser continues to lose market share to Firefox. Since my first newsletter on Firefox, Internet Explorer has slipped from a 90%-93% market share to around 79%. Firefox has climbed from around 5% to 15%. (some sources: hitslink.com, arstechnica.com)
There are three reasons for the decline, in my opinion.
- People are realizing that even though Internet Explorer comes pre-installed on most personal computers, they have an option to switch.
- They are hearing through word of mouth and the media about Firefox.
- They try Firefox and find that it actually is a better browser.
Next we will look at perhaps the number one reason that Firefox is a better browser.
Extensions
Extensions are like the options on a car and give Firefox unmatched functionality. Except that instead of air conditioning, GPS, and a moon roof, you can enhance Firefox with extensions to:
And now for some great news…unlike car options, these extensions are free! In the interest of fairness, IE also has extensions (or plugins) and some of them are free, and some of them do similar things. But overall the quality and diversity of the Firefox plugins is a major advantage of Firefox.
Many authors have posted great articles on the web to cover what they feel are the best, most essential, and coolest extensions. A quick search on your favorite search engine should reveal plenty of articles. However, you might as well start your search with Firefox’s website.
The “But it only works in IE” killer
One of the biggest issues with Firefox from hardcore Internet Explorer users is the fact that due to lazy coding by web developers, some sites do not look good in Firefox. Until about two months ago, I had a banking site that only worked in IE. It’s frustrating, because Firefox adheres to web standards more closely than IE, but some people still insist on using IE-specific features and not even testing in Firefox. That banking site has since fixed their problems, but until they did I used a fantastic extension called IE Tab. IE Tab lets you tell Firefox “Whenever you open a web page on THIS site, use IE to render the site inside a new Firefox tab”. That’s right, an IE display embedded right inside Firefox.
A Powerful, Yet Little Known Firefox Feature
Here is a lesser known efficiency feature built into Firefox.
Let’s say you frequently search Amazon.com for various products to order and you are now looking for the “Firefox for Dummies” book. Instead of going to Amazon.com, loading up their homepage, hunting down the search box, then typing in “Firefox for Dummies”, you can do it in 1 step. To set it up,
- open Firefox (get Firefox here if you don’t have it already)
- go to http://www.amazon.com/
- right-click your mouse inside of the main search box
- select “Add a Keyword for this Search…”
- an “Add Bookmark” dialog box appears, enter the following:
Name: Amazon Quick Search
Keyword: amazon
Create in: (put anywhere…it doesn’t matter, but you may want a Quick Search folder)
- click “OK”
- now type something like “amazon Firefox for Dummies” right into the web address line (tip, CTRL-L)
- you will be taken directly to the search results on amazon.com for “firefox dummies”
You can do that for other search boxes on almost any web site you regularly use. For example, I setup a shortcut for dictionary.com. Now when I want to look up what “GPS” is, all I have to do is type “dict GPS” into the address line (”dict” is my chosen keyword from Step 5) in Firefox and I’m presented with the results.
Conclusion
If you haven’t tried Firefox, then you should. (www.getfirefox.com)
Category: ClearPoint
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