What is a blog?
Jun 26, 2007 Getting Started
A blog, or weblog, is an online journal or updates published by a person or group of people.
Blogs have typically been used by individuals or peer groups, but now are being adopted more by companies and organizations as well.
Blogs often contain public as well as private content. Depending on the functionality of the CMS (Content Management Software) software that is used, some authors may restrict access — through the use of accounts or passwords — to content that is too personal to be published publicly.
What is RSS?
Jun 25, 2007 Getting Started
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary. RSS is a standard for publishing regular updates to web-based content. Using this standard, web publishers provide updates, such as the latest news headlines or weblog postings. Meanwhile, consumers use RSS reader applications to collect and monitor their favorite feeds in one place. RSS content from a publisher, viewed in one of these readers, is often called a feed. A feed is just a summary of Web content that is updated on a regular basis.
RSS is based on XML, a language similar to HTML. RSS feeds come in different standards (0.92, 1.0, 2.0). Another well-known choice similar to RSS is Atom. All formats have certain advantages, but RSS 2.0 seems to becoming more popular with most readers. eBay uses RSS 2.0 feeds at the bottom of many search pages, announcement, and discussion boards.
Consumer Bottom Line: RSS makes reviewing a large number of sites in a very short time possible.
Publisher Bottom Line: RSS permits instant distribution of content updates to consumers.
How do I read RSS Feeds?
There are two primary categories of feed reading applications: installable desktop programs and online services.
There are many desktop applications for Windows and Mac OS system users (Feedreader.com and RSSReader.com are two popular desktop readers).
If you would prefer to use an online service to track and manage your feeds, you have the advantage of being able to access your feed updates anywhere you use a web browser (and in some cases, on mobile devices). Also, any upgrades or new features are added automatically. (Bloglines.com, My Yahoo, My MSN, and Google Reader are popular online services.)
How can I publish my own RSS Feed?
If you have a website or weblog, you can add RSS syndication as a publishing option, in some cases automatically. If you are using a hosted publishing tool like TypePad, WordPress, or Blogger, you probably publish a feed automatically. If your web host does not offer automatic RSS syndication, you may need to program the feed yourself.
Where is RSS headed?
RSS is almost a mainstream technology; the popular press is all over it and consumer services are rapidly moving to integrate it into existing products. And that’s just for bringing you the latest headlines, personal publications, and other textual content. RSS is moving beyond just publish text:
Entertainment: Podcasting, a word derived from Apple’s “iPod” and “broadcasting”, is a method of publishing files to the Internet, allowing users to subscribe to a feed and receive new files automatically by subscription, usually at no cost.
Commerce: Apple’s iTunes Feed Generator informs you of updates to their growing music library across genres you specify. By have a feed of your products, you can be easily listed in services like Froogle.
Images: Flickr’s photo sharing tools provide all sorts of RSS feeds. Host your images on Flickr and see them syndicated anywhere on the web, usually in blogs.
Bottom Line…
RSS is an important way of publishing information about a website and Search Engines pick up feeds very quickly in search results. Blogs are a way of promoting a website by providing links and information regarding products and services offered on the website. Even Google has its own blog to give sights into product and technology news. ( http://googleblog.blogspot.com/ )
Prosperity - Understanding The True Meaning Of It
Jun 24, 2007 Happyness, Prosperity
Prosperity is something that everyone wishes to achieve in life. However, there are very few people who really understand the true meaning of prosperity. Unless you know prosperity in its real sense all your efforts to achieve it will go in vain. For many people prosperity just means accumulation of wealth. Although, you need wealth to prosper yet there are many other things also without which you cannot attain true prosperity.
Important Factors For Prosperity Other Than Wealth
Good health and happiness are the two main factors other than the wealth that you have to take into account when thinking of prosperity. In the absence of any of these three you cannot climb the ladder of success. Good health refers to the fitness of body. If you are not fit, it will not be possible for you to derive pleasure from your wealth. That is why you should give utmost importance to physical fitness. For this purpose you should develop a health life style.
What Does Happiness Mean?
Happiness has so many facets. It includes good relations with not only spouse and family but also with neighbors, friends, coworkers and associates. Your career also affects the happiness in your life to a great extent. To be happy you should be well satisfied with your job. How can you achieve prosperity if you feel frustrated at your work place? You might value suitable material possessions but these alone cannot keep you happy. You need a positive environment where you can grow both mentally and emotionally.
Process Begins In Your Mind
It is only in your mind where true prosperity begins. Your dreams, ideas, wishes and thoughts play a major role in the process of attaining prosperity. You have the power of converting any ideas, wishes or thoughts into reality by concentrating on them. So, whatever shape you want to give your life in future is completely in your hands. Nevertheless, you have to realize and experience this ability within your self. Once you do so you can get amazing results and success in all your endeavors.
However, have faith if you have yet not realized your true potential. This is where individuals with spiritual belief are at advantage over other people.
All you have to do is set your goal and plan your day in such a way that the goal you have set for your life become the vital point of your emotions.
Wealth Building - Knowing The Secrets
Jun 8, 2007 Wealth
Everybody today is most eager to know the secret of wealth building. Can you believe that this is one secret that every person on this earth already has? You do not have to do any hard work for building wealth. All you need to do is to develop the skill of recognizing that what you are looking for is already in your possession. The secret of wealth building is discovering the ways to tap all that you already have in abundance.
Your Mind Is The Biggest Source
Majority of people make the mistake of trying to find out ways of wealth building from outside. They are unable to experience the source of true wealth in their minds. For the people living in this materialistic world today this fact may seem somewhat unworldly but the reality is that you just get connected to wealth. You are wrong if you feel that you have to get it from any outside resource.
Here is a very good and simple example to explain this fact better. When we turn on the radio what does it do? Its job is to simply put together the already existing radio waves into the atmosphere. It never pulls the waves from a transmitter because the waves are always there. Same is the case with the process of wealth building. Wealth is available all over the world in the form of money along with other resources. You have to develop the ability to turn the switch on and tune to it so that you can also begin the journey in the direction of wealth building.
Similarly, many modern inventions also teach us a lesson. Let us take the electricity for example. Existence of electricity was always there even much before the formal discovery by its Edison. Although, it was there all the time yet we were unable to enjoy it because we didn’t know about it.
Money Works As A Measure Of Exchange
Another necessity for building wealth is the understanding of fact that money is a gauge of value exchange. You have to discover the ways to add value to life. The more you add value to your life, the more money will start coming toward you. Analyze your personality and try to find out the unique aspects within your self. Focus on this issue and refine any talent that you possess. This can be the area where you will be at advantage over others. This way, you will not only serve others but also succeed in building wealth for yourself.
Getting Started
Jun 1, 2007 Getting Started
How do you get started? Why would you get started? The second may be the better of the questions so lets start there.
Why would you want to get a presents on the Internet? In the new Internet (what most are calling Web 2.0) it is easy and obvious as to why you would want to get on to it. Money! More and more people are getting on the Internet all the time, and more and more are using the Internet to find local services. Guess what! That is what you have. So if people are looking for services, and you have services to give, you need to get on the Internet to get people to notice you and want your services.
Lets talk about Web 2.0 a little bit. For a complete description you can go to this site at O’Reilly.com What Is Web 2.0 Design Patterns and Business Models for the Next Generation of Software by Tim O’Reilly. In my simplistic way of saying things I would describe it as this.
Content created by the Collective Intelligence. Users, people, you, me, we should all be involved in what the proper content should be. Sometimes it is opinion, sometimes it is fact, and sometimes it is a thought or idea. Collecting all these, and sorting them out into what the collective intelligence of all the users decide is the correct answer, develops a thorough and user generated content. On a philosophical note it works the same as history does. Who writes the history? The winners of the battle, not necessary the right people. As a collection we have in history got most things right, with a few mistakes along the way, but it has worked out pretty well so far. Using everyone’s opinion to decide what is the write content is the answer in Web 2.0
Content, or information is the next big part of Web 2.0. Those that have good content, good data, and good information are the ones who get the most views on their website, and in our case of being professionals we make the most money. Lets face it, that is why we are here we are trying to make more money. As a professional in your field you have the data and the information that people are looking for. It is up to you to deliver it. Besides that is why they want to hire you, you have the information that they are looking for. Now deliver. Deliver the right content in the right amount at the right time and you will dominate the internet.
Finally it is an interactive experience. If you have a site that is just a few pages and only lets the users click through and read what is on it, you don’t have an interactive site. You give no reason for people to come back to you. But with Web 2.0 the focus is on interactivity. You have the information, you rely on others to help increase that with the collective intelligence of others, now you need to have to make you site interactive. This is of course is not as easy as just saying that my site is interactive. You need to offer something for people to do. You offer other site, discussions, and a place for people to pos their own experiences and give their own information. There of course is a lot more that we will get into along the way. Lets get you started first.
The easiest way to get started is to produce a simple blog. This is a site where you post informative articles on a regular basis for free. Through this blog you will offer links to other sites (a way to increase your popularity), you will offer special tutorials, you will review products relative to your business and site, and you will give your current and future customers a place to get information.
The easiest way to get started is get very familiar with WordPress a program that sits on the internet and runs your blog for you. Becoming an expert in WordPress will give you a huge advantage over your competitors. And guess what, you don’t even have to be a programmer. You can do this if you know how to read, and how to type. That is it.
Ok that will get you started. Look soon for our special tutorial guide where we will map it out as simple as we can for you.
Best of luck
Professor Moolah
