My 2¢ Worth

 had a reader ask me recently about CHMOD. CHMOD is a computer term which stands for "Coat hangers make odd dangles." Well not really. It's irrelevant anyway.

HMOD let's you change or modify the permissions that a file has. Why has a file got a permission in the first place, and why do you need to change it?

ach file on the internet and your computer has 'permissions' set with it. Some files are 'read only' some files have permission to change other files. You don't want to let a file on your website change or delete other files unless you control the files they are changing or deleting.

s default all the files have a CHMOD of 644 letting anybody read the file. If you change a script to CHMOD 755, this will give permission to the script to run on your server and change other files.

lear a mud, eh? Well, unless you are working with perl or php scripts, you don't have to worry about it. If, however, you are working with scripts to add more interactivity to your Web site, just do a google search on "CHMOD" and you find tons of tutorials to help you understand what it's all about.

Feature Article

Setting Up Downloadable Files On Your Site

by: Mark E. Mayfield

Setting up files that are downloadable from your website is a very simple process. However, there are a couple of issues you will need to consider before choosing to do so.

Security File size

Since security is obviously the most important of these two issues, we will be discussing it first.

Before we get into how to secure the files on your server, I would like to say, if it is a file you intend on selling, you should seriously consider using one of the many paid file delivery services out there. The main reason for using a service like this is they can ensure the security of your file via encryption methods you can't duplicate on your server.

If you choose to house your own downloads. There are a few techniques you can utilize to ensure the security of your downloadable files, on your server.

Create a new directory under your home or public HTML directory. Then upload your downloadable files to the directory you created. Also upload a blank HTML page to the directory you created and name it index.html. Using this technique will not interfere with your download. However, it will stop unauthorized people, ie, hackers, from viewing or copying the contents of your download directory.

Password protect your downloadable file. This technique would require the use of an auto responder to deliver the password for the file upon an event taking place at your website, ie, signing up for your mailing list or the purchase of a product. This technique offers more security then the first one I mentioned. Even if someone did manage to steal your file, it would be of no use to them because they wouldn't have the password to open it.

Download protection software. There are many software programs on the market you can purchase and run on your server to protect your downloads. But using one of the file delivery services I mentioned earlier is much cheaper and easier on you as the site owner. If you choose to use a download protection script you will need to install it on your server and maintain it yourself.

After you have chosen the method of security that best suits your needs, the next thing you will need to consider is the size of the file you want to make available to your users.

If it is a single file it really isn't that big of a problem. However, if you're selling or giving away an e-book with resale rights, the file would likely include a sales page, order page, thank you page and an images file that would take up a lot of space on your server.

You can compress your files to make them smaller, using file compression software like Win zip. Win zip compresses your files and puts them into a self extracting file. When your user clicks on the file, it will extract itself to whatever directory your user chooses on their PC.

It is also a very good idea to scan your files for viruses, before making them available to your users. Don't risk spreading a virus to your customers through one of your downloads.

Now that you have prepared you downloadable files you are ready to upload them to your server. You can accomplish this task by using an FTP program or by using the file upload function in your web hosting control panel.

If the file is small, then the file upload function of your web hosting control panel should work fine. But if your file is very large or you're uploading multiple files, you should use an FTP program to get the job done faster.

Now that you have prepared and uploaded your files, you are ready to make them available to your users, Place links to the downloadable files on the appropriate Pages, ie. Thank you or Download. If you are giving away a free gift as an incentive to sign up for your newsletter, include your download link on your "thank you for signing up page." If your downloadable file is a product you're selling, include the download link on a download page your payment processor redirects your customer to, upon completion of the transaction.

Example Of What The Links Should Look Like
http:// your web site/download directory you created/file name

Once your customer clicks on the link, the download process will begin automatically. Your customer's browser will open a "save as window," which will allow your customer to save your file onto their computer.

The last thing you will need to do is test your link to ensure it is working properly. If you click on the link and nothing happens, verify you have written your link properly. Also check to ensure you have placed the files in the proper directory. Sometimes spelling can also be a problem, so check to ensure you have spelled everything properly. If after checking everything it is as it should be, contact your web hosting company for support.

**************

Mark Is The Author Of Numerous Articles On Topics Of Great Importance To Beginners In The Online Marketing Field. His Company E-InfoPublishing Sells Resale Rights Products And E Books Mark Has Authored.

Always use proper file naming conventions

One of the most common mistakes web design newbies make is to use improper file naming conventions on their images. Then when their images won't display, they wonder why. The problem is that not all Web servers and browsers display the same way. The trick is to use HTML and file naming conventions that are common to all systems and browsers.

When you save an image in an image editor like Adobe Photoshop, you can name it whatever you want. However, there are several characters you should never use in a filename:

It's often convenient to use a long descriptive name like "My dog Rex.jpg" but when the Web server sees this it will stop reading the file name once it gets to the space. It will then look for a file called "My". The solution for this is to use underscores ("_") instead of spaces People also often include dates in their filenames, such as "WifePix-6/20/00.jpg". In this case, the Web server will think that the slashes actually indicate directories. It will assume you mean that there is a file called "00.jpg " which is inside a directory called "20" which is itself inside a directory called "WifePix-6" The solution here is to use some other syntax for dates. A common way to express dates on the Web is to indicate the year, month, and date in that order without punctuation. For example, the filename indicated above could be written as: " WifePix-20000620.jpg". Another common mistake is to use apostrophes as in: "My_dog's_pic.jpg". In this case, the Web server will think the apostrophe is a quote and will look for a file called "My_dog". Never use apostrophes or quotation marks within a filename.

Nearly all other punctuation marks can also cause problems. In general, it's safest to use only lower-case letters, numbers, and underscores.

* Get these syndicated tip feeds for your web site, free. *

Second Article

Starting a small business - What is right for you?

by: Marcio Hesteine FBW Business, Inc

The first step in starting a successful business venture is to have several ideas and to choose one from amongst them. While being successful is not guaranteed, a new business does take a lot of determination, dedication and hard work to make it a viable venture. While the first step is to have several ideas, what it also requires is a series of small steps that answer pertinent questions for the business to be successful.

The several ideas that you have need to be mapped against your skills both physical as well as mental. The idea to work has to be closely related to your skills, abilities and your interests. You will be able to make a success of your new business idea if it matches your personality in terms of unique qualities and skills. For a person who hates the outdoors, a new business venture such as a landscaping or gardening service would probably not be appropriate.

However, for a person who loves children and likes to be with them, starting a tutoring or a baby-sitting service might be ideal. Therefore, it all depends upon your interest, desires, and what pleases and motivates you. If you choose a business that is closely aligned with things you enjoy, then you are much more likely to remain dedicated and maintain interest - a good recipe for making a new small business successful.

Just your interest and skill is not adequate unless there is a market demand for the service in your area. Market forces would dictate the business you choose to select from amongst the many ideas. You will need to assess the small and large businesses that may already be in the area as competitors. It is rare nowadays for you to be the only one providing that particular service in the area. Another criterion to consider, when evaluating business ideas, is its potential to generate repeat business and customers. A business with repeat customers is always superior to one in which the customer requires the service just once. If it is the latter, you would have to constantly look for new customers which can be tough, especially if there is competition.

Lastly, you need to try to make your small business ideas unique. Have some special something you provide in addition to a typical service, something others may not offer. You need to be able to provide a quality service to your customers from day one! If you cannot, then the small business ideas you have will be of no use, as your venture will not succeed. No one wants to use services again that are not totally professional.

**************

Marcio Hesteine is the director and coordinator of FBW Business, Inc - which is a premier resource for business information. More detailed information is available on this site: www.fbwbusiness.com

Comments?

If you'd like to comment on any aspect of this publication, send an E-mail to
comments@ paradigmwebdesign.net

---

If you enjoyed The Web Sm@rts Newsletter, forward it to your friends, family and associates. They'll thank you for it!

---

Do you know someone who might be interested in receiving
Web Sm@rts?
Recommend us!

---

NOTE: You have received this message because you or one of your friends added your name to our list of those who may wish to receive this newsletter.

If you do not wish to receive this newsletter, please point your browser to http://paradigmwebdesign.net/unsubscribe.html

FYI: Web Sm@rts will never share your E-mail address or personal information with any other party for any reason what-so-ever.

---

This newsletter is never sent unsolicited.
To unsubscribe, point your browser to http://paradigmwebdesign.net/unsubscribe.html

Tell them Web Sm@rts referred you!

Recommended Reading

I highly recommend the following E-zines.

ThePortalToSuccessE-Zine

Interactive Marketing Ezine

Looking for free newsletters? Just visit the EzineXchange, Select the ones of interest and subscribe. It's free!
ezinexchange.com

Find other great e-mail newsletters and Ezines at the Cumuli Ezine Finder: www.cumuli.com/ezines/

Web Site and E-zine Promotion for Idiots
Get your copy from PWD and get lots of traffic to your Web Site or E- zine instantly.

Use Link Crafter to drive more traffic to your site. Free download from PWD.
lc.exe

Text Tally from
Harmony Hollow software
is a handy text counting utility. Download it free from PWD
Download now

E-Zine Advertising WORKS!
Place your ad in 100s of e-zines like this one. The E-Zine AdSource Directory is the place to find discount e-zine ad space. Come see!
ezineadsource.com

Tutorials

Elated Webdesign Tips
Javagoodies JavaScript Repository
Website Abstraction Westciv: CSS Resources