No matter what your intentions are online, even if it's just to update a blog or check your email, you must keep it healthy. Knowing what symptoms to look for can give you the needed information to fix any potential problems, before they become major issues.

Keeping a healthy computer will prolong the life of your investment and ensure you don't experience any devastating losses.

Is your computer possessed ? Does it do things without your knowledge or permission? One of the main indications you have been hit by a hijacker is the feeling of losing control on your computer. There are several symptoms to watch out for:

• Your homepage changes without your knowledge or human interference.
• You have sudden and unknown toolbars in your Internet Explorer or strange desktop icons.
• You have new “shortcuts” in your Favorites menu or on your desktop.
• Your computer slows dramatically.
• You are ambushed by an onslaught of pop-up ads, pop-under ads and you can't stop them.
• You have anti-malware software, but it just opens and quickly closes without even scanning.
• Every time you attempt to use your favorite search engine, you're redirected to a strange, new engine.
• You have new programs on your Add/Remove list that you didn't install.
• You start receiving returned email from strangers when you didn't mail them.

Ironically, some hijackers deliver messages of doom broadcasting “You're infected!” on your computer screen.

Help Has Arrived!

Do you have these problems? There are many options if you do. You can purchase anti-malware programs or just perform a free online scan.

Online scans are diverse, some will only scan for adware or Spyware while others will do a complete malware scan and catch everything from viruses to Trojans.

Some effective scans are:

TrendMicro- Housecall (established company, however, may be time-consuming for slow connections. It's best to use at night or when your phone line is free for long periods of time)

http://housecall.trendmicro.com

Panda Active Scan- This program is smaller and may be better for slow connections.

http://www.pandasecurity.com

These are most effective if you scan around once weekly, but if you can, having your own software is much more efficient and far less time-consuming.

This is a list of extensions commonly found online and what they mean:

Documents:

• .doc = Word Document. This can only be opened with Microsoft's Word.
• .txt = Plain text file. This is commonly opened with “Notepad.”
• .rtf = Rich Text file. This can be opened with Wordpad or Word.
• .htm or . html = Hypertext Mark-Up Language. A web page that opens with any internet browser.
• .Pdf = Usually a file that can be “read only.” It is opened with Adobe's Acrobat Reader.
• .php = A computer language (or script) that is popular with online message boards and some guest books. Php is highly flexible and allows much information in a small amount of space. Due to its complexities, writing and working in-depth with Php should be left to those who have experience with it.
• .pub = Microsoft Publisher

Audio:

• .Mp3 or .Mp4 = Most often an audio file. Both can only be played with MP3 or MP4 compatible player.
• .wma = Windows Media File. This file opens with Windows Media Player
• .wav = Wave sound. This usually opens with the same program as a .wma file.
• .midi = A low-quality sound. This is still popular online because of its ease of use. People with slow connections can usually download midi files quickly and easily.

Visual/Other:

• .ppt = A power-point presentation. Many email forwards are now arriving as attached presentations instead of the standard.
• .zip = A file that has been zipped, or “compressed” to make downloading easier. Once downloaded, these files must be unzipped to use. Most new computers have unzipping utilities already installed. If not, there are many programs to choose from, including Winzip and Winrar.
• .ai = Adobe Illustrator
• .psp = Paint Shop Pro
• .qxd = Quark Express (Mac affiliate)

Image Extensions:

These extensions are found at the end of image names online.

• .jpeg = Also known as a JPEG file.
• .gif = CompuServe Graphics Interchange
• .png = Portable Network Graphic
• .bmp = Windows BitMap (i.e. Common Paint image)
• .tiff = Tagged Image File Format

Animations/Movie Programs:

• .fla = Flash
• .mov = Movie file.

That's right that tiny, basic, and unimpressive plain text program can actually double as an impressively flexible HTML editor! It can also work with CSS and many other languages. How do you do it? First, open a blank Notepad window and type this exactly as it appears:

<html>

<title>(Give your page a title here) </title>

</html>

Save this where it will be easy for you to find (i.e. My Documents). Also, you have to manually type the extension (“.html” or “.htm”) after the save page name.

Now, find the file where you saved it. Since you saved it as .htm or .html, it will automatically open with your internet browser. To view the page, either double-click the file normally, or right-click and hit "open with," choose your internet browser. To edit the page, right click the icon and hit “Open With,” and select: Notepad.

You can easily work with this program by leaving both your browser and the Notepad file open. When you make changes in the Notepad file (mywebpage.html).

Save your changes. Open the browser screen and right click anywhere on the page. Click “refresh,” and it will display all changes you saved to the Notepad file. You must save in Notepad first in order for the page to update visually.

Is this it? Not at all. Add this to the Notepad file:

<html>

<title>(Give your page a title here) </title>

<body>

<font color="blue">I like writing</font>

</body>

</html>

Now, you're building your own web page from scratch! You aren't depending on auto-generated technology or an HTML editor. You are writing it by hand.

If you want to be more elaborate, here's another section:

<html>

<title>(Give your page a title here) </title>

<body>

<font color="blue">I like writing</font>

<P>

<font color="green">I Like Surfing the Web! </font>

</body>

</html>

At this point, you're probably wanting to learn more and that is natural. It is very exciting to see you can “do-it-yourself,” even without the aid of an HTML editor. Try these variations:

<html>

<title>(Give your page a title here) </title>

<body><body bgcolor=”000000”>

<font color="blue">I like writing</font>

<P>

<font color="green">I Like Surfing the Web! </font>

</body>

</html>

Now, you're getting somewhere. Take it another step further:

<html>

<title>Give your page a title here </title>

<body><h1><font color="blue">I like writing</font></h1>

<P>

<h3><font color="green">I Like Surfing the Web! </font></h3>

</body>

</html>

There's no limit to the changes you can make. Even:

<html>

<title>Give your page a title here </title>

<body><h1><font color="blue" face="arial">I like writing</font></h1>

<P>

<h3><font color="green" face="courier">I Like Surfing the Web! </font></h3></font>

</body>

</html>

Now that you can use this program for experimentation, feel free to attempt all the tips and tricks you can find! You should be very proud. Many people are online for years and never learn how to make pages by hand.

Professional HTML editors are convenient, they do make the process of writing code quick and effortless. But, HTML editors do make mistakes, just as standard "spell/grammar check," on your word processor. By knowing what your editor is doing, you will have the power to override bugs and correct the issues on your own.

Your web browser is what you view web pages in and surf the web on. There are many varieties, the most common being Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Other common web programs for internet browsing include: Mozilla, Opera, Firefox, Lynx, and Netscape Navigator.

It is recommended that webmasters utilize several of these (all are available free) in order to perfect their web site. However, this is unnecessary at this point. You may opt to download multiple browsers once your site is established. Our main focus will be getting your pages designed and your words “live.”

Find out More Here:

• Internet Explorer- www.microsoft.com
• Mozilla- http://www.mozilla.com
• Mozilla Firefox- http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/
• Netscape Navigator- http://browser.netscape.com/
• Opera- http://www.opera.com/

The definition is obvious, but the meaning is often forgotten. Accessibility is the simple ability for internet traffic to access your site. If your site is inaccessible, you will lose a great deal of traffic and exposure.

I like to highlight accessibility as it is imperative for a webmaster. It tells the search engines you have "covered the bases," already and have the ability to welcome computers as well as people. An accessible web site will agree with most browsers, surfing devices (cell phones, etc.), connections and servers. Remember this equation:

Accessibility = Traffic = Promotion

Accessibility is lost when you start incorporating extensive Java, Flash, or massive graphics when it simply isn't needed. Many of the web sites even today contain far too many graphics than are necessary. The last estimate stated that only 20% of Fortune 500 companies actually have accessible web sites. This astronomical figure is most often due to corporate hiring practices.

The web is a world unto itself. It continues to grow and there is no known boundaries. When students are formally trained in web design, they have to cover an unbelievable amount of information to earn a degree. They are taught the latest state-of-the-art technology because everything is essentially "obsolete" tomorrow. This academic triathlon is no easy feat and many students simply aren't given the necessary attention to providing a compliant web site. This is not to blame anyone, it isn't the colleges' fault, nor the professors', it is just a fact. In order to "keep up" it creates a situation where the student is so much farther ahead than the actual consumer. They can build complete movies with Flash, but aren't aware that the majority of the world can't access that movie.

Sadly, there are more Americans with a slow connection than most realize. It isn't limited to extremely rural areas. Even today, in many places with their own Starbucks or Macy's franchises, residents are limited to dial-up. The last estimate for internet connectivity stated that 20% of America remained limited to dial-up connections. Factor that in with America's population and that's over 44 million consumers. That's no small figure!

Another factor is many American webmasters tend to forgot how much international traffic is online. To return to a familiar figure, only around 20% of internet traffic is from America. When you consider international traffic (25% of France is stuck with dial-up, 52% of Russia, etc.), it's easy to see why web site problems are far more common than most believe. There are still countries in the world where telephone service is new and any high speed connectivity will not arrive for a long time.

The Truth About Connections

Also, don't let the term "high speed" fool you. Some computer users on overtaxed broadband lines are plagued with sluggish connection speeds. Some broadband providers place far too many clients on a single cable. The end result is a slow connection even with "broadband." Slow internet connections create problems worldwide.

Do not feel negatively if you are on dial-up. I had to use dial-up for nearly 10 years. I was able to run three domains with that limited ability. There were no extra lines or special equipment, just a standard phone line. Dial-up does not mean you are “limited” or a web presence is out of reach. You simply need flexibility and the knowledge of how to work around relevant problems.

The process of web space ownership is relatively simple and I hope to have you moved in to your ideal online “home,” by the end of this course. I do not want you to feel as if you're alone. I will answer any question you have as quickly as possible. If you have technical questions or problems with your computer during this course, please email me. I don't have all the answers, but I will do my best to point you in the right direction to find answers.

Laura Wright was featured in a segment of "Daytime Tri-Cities" on WJHL in Johnson City, Tennessee, on December 3, 2009. For more information, or to watch the program, click here.

Many authors have a backwards concept of copyrighting their manuscript. As soon as they complete a final draft, many start looking into copyrighting, even before they locate a publisher. This can obliterate you chances for publication at all.

Many authors don’t realize the finality of a registered copyright. Once this is obtained, any prospective publisher won’t even be able to edit your work without an overdrawn process of obtaining “legal permission.” This will automatically make you a liability before you’re even accepted.

Here are some excellent pointers from legendary, late author Kurt Vonnegut on writing short stories. These are also just as applicable to fiction!

Many writers suffer from this phobia on a daily basis. Palms sweat, hearts race, and the respective author will gain a distinct look of panic around their eyes. Editors seem like intimidating figures to many writers. They're cold, merciless, and someone you don't want to cross. But, are they really as bad as all that?

Editors are enigmatic figures for a reason. Editors work as "screens" for publishers and periodicals. They filter the incoming material and sort out the good from the best. They can't be emotionally involved with any work or writer that doesn't belong with their company. Do they receive material they like, but can't accept? Sure. That's when you receive personalized rejection letters that tell you why they can't take your book.

Every author should remember that agents and editors have senior professionals they who will hold them accountable for mistakes. It might be bosses, business accountants, managers or any of a myriad of professionals. They have to be positively confident that your work will not only fit in with their company, but that it will bring profit to the company.

Many editors find ten, twenty, fifty, or more manuscripts on their desks every day. All of the authors want to create a good impression and want the best for their book. They are all hoping to grab the editor's attention and hold onto it for two or three hundred pages. How long does it take you to read a single book?

Despite the image they are often given, many don't have any greater job security than the next person. If they choose a work that isn't what it should be, they can't afford to take it. If they made half the money authors often think, they wouldn't be working at all. They certainly wouldn't spend their days wading through manuscripts and being the messenger who informs so many writers that aren't accepted.

Consider the costs of publication at the middle and larger sized houses. The publication costs for a single title can run $15,000 – $30,000 dollars. Can you imagine what your boss would do if you cost your employer that amount of money for one mistake? Not only does a poor selling book cost in terms of publication, it can also cost in terms of money advanced to the author. You can figure in an extra $500 - $10, 000 dollars for the average author.

Many writers don't realize how important editors are. A good editor can help you more, by being critical and firm, than you can learn on your own in years. They can readily spot your most troublesome areas and offer advice on how to fix it, or how to hide it. They can keep you grounded and focused on the more technical aspects of your writing.

A Word on Bad Apples:

There are a tiny fraction of editors who are impossible. They are demanding, far too critical, and have apparent personal issues that bleed over into their professional attitude. Don't let these few prevent you from healthy, professional relationships with editors who aren't "scary" and who are consummate, considerate professionals.