Posts filed under 'IT'
Simple steps to improve your PC’s performance.
- Upgrade your memory - Use at least 256MB ram for Win2k/98 etc, and at least 512MB ram for XP/VISTA (1GB recommended).
- Reinstall your OS - if your are using a windows based OS, reinstall it at least once every few months (or you can mirror a clean installation and restore it easily) Windows tends to get slowed down after a few weeks of operation. (make sure you format the partition before you reinstall). Also, when you reinstall, install only the software you need.
- Turn off unnecessary startup/taskbar apps (run MSCONFIG or SYSEDIT)
- Turn off unnecessary windows services (XP and 2k). XP Unnecessary services list
More tips:
- Use a firewall software - zonelabs zonealarm is relatively OK but they tend to phone home which is disturbing.
- Use an antivirus - try AntiVir which is free for personal non commercial use.
- Have an OS and Data partition, where the OS partition contains the Operating System and software, and the data partition contains… er… data. Mirror the OS partition so you can restore it easily.
- Don’t visit dodgy sites (dOH)
- Don’t download suspicious software - if you are downloading anything, download it directly from the manufacturers site or a reputed site like download.com. Beware anything which has spyware/adware.
- Use firefox to surf (a bit safer than IE)
- Use a simple version of any software. I use Office 97 for wordprocessing as it does most of what I want (and doesnt require gigabytes of space and GHZ of processing power like newer Office/Open Office releases)
Have a tip not listed here? Please add it as a comment! Thanks
November 8th, 2006
You can now add lkHOT headlines to your blog or website. Please give it a try and let me know if it works.
Note: Code has been updated for xhtml compliance, see below
Background:
I was looking for a nice way to enable anyone to use the output of lkHOT. It already outputs RSS, but not everyone can easily add that to their site. So, I decided to write a script to parse the RSS output to JavaScript
The javascript basically prints out the links only, without any formatting(bracketed by LI’s). You can format it via your stylesheet, and hopefully it will automatically pick up the default formatting and nicely match up with your site.
Please help me by trying this out. Even if you don’t intend to use it on your site, just try it out, let me know if it works. I want to know if it works in different sites and browsers.
About:
This code gives six headlines, which link directly to the source websites (not lkhot) and a link to lkhot at the bottom, which the visitor can click for even more links.
The headlines automatically update as new links are added to lkHOT.
Example:
(See an example in this sidebar, under lkHOT)
Code:
<script type=”text/javascript” src=”http://www.lkhot.com/javafeeds/lkhot-all.php” mce_src=”http://www.lkhot.com/javafeeds/lkhot-all.php”>
</script>
Note: The UL here has a class lkHOT. You can format that by formatting UL’s (and/or) in your stylesheet.
Suggestions/bug reports?
Please post suggestions or bug reports as comments on this thread, or email to bugs - [at] - lkhot dot com
Note:
Links at lkHOT are SFW and checked by me so you can (generally) use them on your site safely. Are the links boring? You can fix this by submitting your own favorite links!
Tip:
The links have descriptions if you hover over them..
October 26th, 2006
Background
The idea behind this site is I want to be able to see a one page snapshot of what’s cool in Sri Lanka, at any time. It doesnt matter where the content originates from - it could be blog posts, GOSL, Sri Lankans drag racing on youtube, whatever.
What?
lkHOT allows you to view interesting local articles, based on user votes, or submit your own links
Think: A local version of digg.
Where?
http://www.lkhot.com
How to:
Go to http://www.lkhot.com/, and click away. (Send me bug reports please)
TIP: To submit your favorite articles, or vote, just register there (it’s free)
Adding lkHOT to your site.
You can add a “submit to lkHOT” link, on your site, as a mini button or a text link, this way visitors can submit your posts to lkHOT with a simple click!
TIP: The code automatically gets your URL in wordpress! See an example of the code in action, at the top of this site (lkHOT this!) and a button example below (the little lion picture below this post)
Get the code here: lkHOT code
Need your help
Calling all bloggers on Kottu and elsewhere. Guys, help me out with this - please register and submit some of your favorite articles - better yet, integrate the voting code to your site so visitors can add your posts to lkHOT with a click!
October 19th, 2006
At last, personalized search (and free insults)
http://www.msdewey.com/
(Direct links to searches)
Censored1
Hollywood personality types
The elusive Ricardo
Censored2
Art
Best search answer I got so far?
“Ricardo, get the wood chipper. This guy’s too nosey”
Fun searches you can try:
“nintendo”
“How to fight a Ninja”
“George Bush”
“how to do the robot”
“linux/microsoft”
“Janina Gavankar” (Tip, that’s her!)
“arts”
Via: Digg
http://digg.com/design/MsDewey_com_New_Interactive_Flash_Search_Engine
Update: Originally posted on digg, this link got buried.
See the bottom of that thread
Wonder why msdewey does not show up in google, or digg - is this a site still in alpha that hasnt been officially launched or something? and why was it buried on digg?
TIP: Duggtrends have a list of stories that got buried on DIGG.
“If you have not noticed yet, but there are many “controversial” stories which make it to frontpage but then get buried. If you have missed them, this page tracks them up for you. ”
http://duggtrends.com/buried.aspx
October 14th, 2006
What?
Screamer is a free application which allows you to tune to free online FM radio stations, and, best of all, it can automatically record songs (with title and track name) as Mp3. (But shh, don’t tell the RIAA).
Why?
Because local radio sux ( Idiot DJ’s / boring commercials).
Many of the channels on Screamer are commercial/DJ free. Like.. wow, at last I can listen to, um, music.
How?
- Download Screamer from softpedia.
- Extract it to a folder on your hard disk.
- Run screamer.
- Select a radio station (try pop music channels which have the latest hits)
On those free MP3s..
I wonder what would happen if someone accidentally tuned to a channel like… say… Sky FM’s top music, and clicked RECORD, and forgot all about it for a day or two.. why.. their hard disk would fill up with 100’s of the latest MP3’s, neatly named and categorized.
Now that is a scary thought! If ever this happens to you, make sure you delete all the files - whatever you do, don’t burn them on a CD and toss it in your car’s MP3 player, that would be wrong!
Tip: try Sky FM’s Top Hits Music channel for all the latest hit’s in MP3 format.. also, browse thru the list of regional channels, for a great selection of foreign content..
October 4th, 2006
Photo by Roney, via Flickr
Introduction
This is a simple article, aimed at anyone who uses a PC. Whether you are a power user, or occational surfer, these simple tips can help protect your PC and the valueable data on it.
Tip: if you are in a hurry, read the summary at the end of this article.
Why look after your PC? why secure your data?
A PC is a valueable device. Aside from physical value, it contains files, data, and valueable information whose value cannot be quantified. While modern PC’s are vulnerable to a number of threats - there are many things you can do to reduce the threats.
What threats does your PC face?
I’ve devided them two categories: Physical and other (content / data related):
Physical threats:
These include:
- Power line problems.
- Shocks/vibrations.
- Static electricity.
- Heat, dust, moisture, and humidity.
Power line problems:
Line AC power tends to have many problems, ranging from electrical noise, surges, spikes, brownouts, etc.
Solution: A good quality UPS, from a reputable brand such as APC should protect your PC from most power problems. Alternatively, use a high quality power strip with surge protection built in, combined with a UPS.
TIP: If you use a laptop, lugging around a UPS is not necessary , but you are still vulnerable to power line/phone line problems: APC has a small plug in device called the surge arrest, which fits in line with your laptop power supply - as a bonus this device includes phone line protection. (It’s also available at Unity Plaza, check in at Asian Computer systems, 1st floor).
Shock/Vibration:
Computers and laptops are succeptible to vibration and shock. In particular, hard disks are easily damaged/rendered unreadble by vibrations during usage.
Solutions:
Some modern laptops include various forms of hard disk protection (ThinkPad’s ‘roll cage’ ads come to mind) however the simplest solution is careful use: Always ensure that your computer/laptop is on a level surface, in a way where it wont suffer shock or vibration (or be accidentally dropped). In the case of desktops, place the system unit (the main beige box) in a safe place where it wont be accidentally kicked, for example.
TIP: Powerful subwoofers, as well as ground vibrations can be a threat: One simple solution is to rest the system unit on the styrofoam packing it came with (take care not to block any air vents though)
Static electricity:
Due to the extreme humidity here, static electricity is relatively rare, however if you are in a low humidity environment, its best to earth yourself before touching your PC.
Heat, Dust, and Moisture/Humidity
Humidity can be a serious problem. I once took apart a laptop (it was experiencing intermittent rebooting) and was shocked to find most of the inner connections were green with rust!
Some solutions:
- Use your PC in an airconditioned environment where possible - air conditioners reduce both heat, dust, and humidity - severe threats to a PC’s life.
- Ensure all fans work: modern PC’s (Pentium III and above) usually have fan/temperature monitors via software which will allow you to monitor their status.
Content / data threats:
The number one problem facing most PC’s is user error. Other than this, spyware, malware, virus and other factors can put your data at risk..
These include:
- User error/accidental deletions.
- Spyware/Malware/Keyloggers/Hacking/Phishing
- Virus
User Error - It’s easy to loose content due to accidental deletion. Sadly, the only way to prevent this is via regular backups.
I would suggest dividing content (for backup) into three types:
- Valueable files: things like password lists, current work files, these are usually small documents and should be backed up daily.
- General content: downloaded stuff, and so on - this type of content should be backed up, as often as you consider necessary.
- Large files, e.g. media files, open source software you download.
Backup TIPS:
- Use a pen drive for valueable files - this is a small USB drive which can be purchased in capacity up to a few GB’s, usually for a few dollars. Also, you can have a separate folder on the same PC to back up your files to - this wont be useful in the event of a hard disk crash, but it can help in the event of accidental deletion. Due to the low cost of pen drives, you can buy more than one easily.
- For general content / large files, you can back up to another PC on your network, to provide redundance (in case your hard drive fails).
- Mirror a running installaiton of your OS: there are a number of softwares which enable you to mirror a drive/partition - set up your preferred OS and all software you need, and mirror the partition, that way if your OS is corrupted you can restore it. (I’ll be writing a detailed article on this topic soon).
- Back up any configuration files: files such as your favorite links, etc, also IE login/passwords for example. Configuration files tend to be small and change regularly so you can use your pen drive for this task also.
Spyware/Malware/Keyloggers/Hacking/Phishing:
When you connect your PC to a network, you are immediately vulnerable to a range of problems.
Spyware refers to applications which ’spy’ on you - for example, applications which monitor sites you visit, and send information about you, via the internet, to other people (without your permission). Legitimate sites do this, Google for example, logs all your searches, but somehow nobody seems to really mind this, but I digress…
Malware refers to software which contains harmful bugs, and / or perform unauthorised operations on your pc, Spyware refers to programs which access your data, and / or transmit it without your permission.
Keyloggers are secret applications which monitor which keys you press - they can be used to steal username/passwords, as well as spy on you.
Hacking - when you connect to the internet (or any network), hackers can try to gain access to your files. One simple effective way to prevent or at least reduce this is to use a software firewall.
On an ironic note, most external attacks (spyware, hacking, etc) tend to target popular operating systems (e.g. Microsoft Windows), and applications (e.g. Internet Explorer).
Securing your PC against Malware/Spyware/Hackers
- Use a software firewall: A software firewall (such as ZoneLabs ZoneAlarm) can be used to control which applications on your PC can access the network/internet. So, for example, if you have spyware/keyloggers on your PC, a firewall will alert you when they attempt to transmit data. This can alert you, and also prevent the malware from transmitting your data. As a bonus, a software firewall will protect your PC from hackers on the internet, as well as those on your network (for example, a windows PC’s internal passwords/shares can be hacked by people on your network, usually within seconds, if you don’t have a good firewall.
- Be careful when downloading/installating software: If you are downloading software or applications, always download from reputable sources (such as sourceforge/download.com) also use an up to date antivirus, and try not to enable internet access via firewall for a software, unless absolutely necessary.
- Beware of browser plugins, activex applications, java applications or other gizmo’s you find on the Internet, at best most of them are spyware, at worst, many are malicious.
Phishing - fake web sites/emails combined with social engineering - used to obtain your login details (username/password) for various services such as email/online banking
Phishing is accomplished in many ways - for example an email with a forged email address, which opens up a page telling you to log into your bank account/email.
How to protect yourself from phishing attacks:
- Use a secure email service: google’s gmail is usually safe from most javascript based phishing emails. of course, email can contain links, and if you open links, you are at the mercy of that site.
- Always doublecheck official emails: If you receive an email from an official source such as HSBC or eBay, you should log onto their site directly, and read the message in your inbox there. When logging into sites, always enter the address in your browser yourself (don’t click email links!)
- When logging into a website: check for the following
- Secure login - the address should begin with https:// (NOT http:/)
- a padlock in bottom right of your browser window (indicating a secure connection).
- Check the url carefully, to make sure it is https://www.thedomain.com/… and so on, be wary of any login links which consist of numerical addresses (http:/123.456… or appear to be email addresses (http://something@somedomain/…)
When in doubt, visit the web site directly, by typing the address in the browser.
- If you are using online banking, choose a bank who offers a physical security token (these generate random numbers and are used together with your password to login).
- Don’t download/install junk software/visit dodgy sites, This is somewhat obvious, also, cancel any popups that try to install something on your PC.
VIRUS - Viruses (or virii?) are malicious programs which spread/replicate to your PC - They are capable of deleting files, corrupting data, and, in extreme cases, wiping your hard disk clean.
Computer viruses usually spread via email/downloads from the internet.
Solutions:
- Use a free antivirus: AVG Antivirus provides a free version for personal use (see http://www.grisoft.com/).
- Surf/download responsibly: don’t download junk/unknown software, always download from reputed sites (as a bonus, this can protect you from malware). In my case, I’ve never experienced a virus in the last few years, by following this regime.
- Update your antivirus regularly: usually, your antivirus has an option to auto update via the Internet.
Summary
Hardware protection
- Use a UPS: Use a good UPS from a reputed manufacturer, which includes surge supression, as well as phone line and network protection, where possible. If you use a laptop, consider an APC Notebook SurgeArrest (or similar device), which includes surge and line protection
- Protect your PC from heat, humidity and dust: Air conditioning provides a simple all in one solution.
- Vibrations/shocks are harmful to your PC, they can kill your hard disk, for example.
Content / data protection:
- Back up content regularly: back up valueable daily work files to a pen drive, and other content to a networked storage/writeable media (CD/DVD). Also remember to back up configuration files.
- Use separate partitions (drives) for OS and Data: one for your OS (operating system), and any software, and another for data other files, this way, if your OS partiton is corrupted, you can reformat or restore this partition without loosing your data.
- Use good passwords: Good passwords are alpha numeric, and don’t use common terms/easily guessable content (e.g. anything to do with your name/age).
- Use a software firewall: to help secure your data, and prevent malware/spyware from stealing and transmitting your data.
- Use an antivirus: there are a number of free antivirus products out there: e.g. Panda Antivirus.
Please post any questions/corrections below
October 3rd, 2006
[si]??????????!
??? ??????? WordPress ????? ???????? ???? ??[/si]
[en]Ayubowan!
This message is written in English, via WordPress[/en]
The above is written in both ????? and English. To view the different versions, click the links at the top of this post: The Union Jack (British Flag) corresponds to English, clicking ‘Sinhala’ will show you the Sinhala version (note: JavaScript must be enabled).
If the Sinhala message does not display correctly (you see boxes or something else), please download the font located here: Kandy Unicode and copy it to your fonts folder.
HELP: Please let me know the following:
- Does the text display correctly in Sinhala or not?
- What web browser are you using (name/version)
- What operating system are you using (name/verson)
If you are interested in blogging in Sinhala using WordPress, please await my detailed guide on how to do this.
Note: The above message should probably say ‘This post..’ but it says ‘This message..’ That’s because I could not find a ????? equivalent for ‘Post’. AFAIK, ??????? is the closest word (lit: message). Also, special thanks to my good friend Yo [link coming soon] for suggesting this topic.
Disclaimer: My knowledge of Sinhala is rudimentary at best, also, I apologise for not giving a Tamil translation, as, I don’t know any Tamil whatsoever.
September 28th, 2006
Installing wordpress is reasonably simple, but requires some basic web related knowledge. This detailed article covers the whole installation process (downloading WP / uploading / installing / setting up a mysql database), on a FREE web host.
Tip: If you are not interested in all of this and just want a wordpress blog preinstalled or free, see the end of this article.
Installing WP: Technical knowledge required
You should know how to…
- Sign up for a web host.
- Use FTP to upload files and directories.
- Edit a file using notepad.
Step 1: Download Wordpress:
- Go to the WordPress download page, and download the latest version (zip file).
- UnZip that zip file to your desktop. (In Windows XP, just doubleclick the file you downloaded, and click Extract All Files). You will now have a folder called WordPress.
Step 2: Pre install checklist: Before installing WP, Make sure you have the following:
- Host who supports PHP and MySql: Your host will need to support PHP and offer MySql databases. For this example, I will signup for a free account at Tripod UK.
- FTP Login info to your hosting account: this consists of a host, username, and password. See uploading content via FTP for more information. Test the FTP Login and make sure it works, and you are able to upload files.
- MySql database information: This information includes:
a. MySql username.
b. MySql database name.
c. MySql password.
d. MySql host (depending on where you host, this may be something.db or localhost)
- An FTP Client: I recommend FileZilla which is easy to use and free/open source. See my guide on uploading content via FTP for instructions on downloading/using FileZilla.
After signing up at tripod UK, I got the following Information:
FTP Info:
FTP Username: nsharp28
FTP Password: ######
FTP Host: ftp://ftp.members.lycos.co.uk/
MySql Info:
DB Name: nsharp28_uk_db
Username: nsharp28
Password: (none reqd*)
Host: localhost
*Tripod does not require a MySql password, but your host usually will. Please have that password ready. Note - the MySql password is not the FTP password.
STEP 3: Configure WordPress
Before you upload WordPress, you should edit the WP Config file in your WP folder on your desktop. You can edit the file as follows:
- Open the WordPress folder on your desktop.
- Find a file called wp-config-sample.php.
- Rename that file to wp-config.php.
- Open that file using Windows Notepad (Or any text editor)
- At the top of the file, you will see something like this:
define(’DB_NAME’, ‘wordpress’); // The name of the database
define(’DB_USER’, ‘username’); // Your MySQL username
define(’DB_PASSWORD’, ‘password’); // …and password
define(’DB_HOST’, ‘localhost’); // 99% chance you…
- Carefully edit the second item in quotes, for each sentence. For example, the DB name is listed as ‘wordpress’ - change that to your db name - be careful not to delete the quotation marks. In my case, the configuration looks like this:
define(’DB_NAME’, ‘nsharp28_uk_db’);
define(’DB_USER’, ‘nsharp28′);
define(’DB_PASSWORD’, ”);
define(’DB_HOST’, ‘localhost’);
Note: my password is blank, but you need to put the MySql password there.
- Save the file, and exit notepad.
OK, You are now ready to upload WordPress
Step 4: Upload Wordpress
- Connect to your site via FTP: Using FileZilla, log into the web site.
- Navigate to the WordPress folder in the LOCAL window in FileZilla.
- Select all the files in the WP folder (Click a file, and press Ctrl+a)
- Right click, and click add to Queue
- In the menu click Queue->Process Queue.
- FileZilla will start uploading files.
Cool! You are now almost there! Uploading files may take a while. Depending on your connection speed, you can now step out and have a cup of Coffee.
Step 5: Installing Wordpress
Using your browser, navigate to the front page of your web site, In my case, that is:
http://members.lycos.co.uk/nsharp28/index.php
(Warning, lycos has popups)
If everything was OK so far, you will get a message saying the following:
It doesn’t look like you’ve installed WP yet. Try running install.php.
Tip: If you DON’T get above message, see the error checklist below, otherwise click install, and follow the simple process to install WordPress. Note down your username and password somewhere safe.
Next, click install.php, follow the procedure. WP will generate an Admin Username and password. Save these both for future use.
That’s It! Check out the sample site
http://members.lycos.co.uk/nsharp28/
Error Checklist
- I still see the default page of the website: Try deleting any page called index.htm or index.html in your ftp window. Don’t delete index.php as that is WP’s index page.
- I get an error message “Can’t connect to DB: open the config file again and make sure the settings are correct. If you find any problems, fix and upload again.
- I get an error message “Missing file”: Make sure you have uploaded all files.
Not interested in learning WP, just want a blog?
If you are not interested in learning how to install WordPress, and just want a WordPress blog, you have two options:
- Get a free WP blog at http://www.wordpress.com/ (it will have an address like: http://something.wordpress.com/)
- Paid (preinstalled) Blog: see WordPress web hosting for a list of companies who offer hosted wordpress blogs with domain names, set up for you - most offer wordpress as a free addon if you buy a hosting account and domain.
Tip: GoDaddy offers WordPress installed domains with hosting for about $10/$4 per month.
Got any questions? Ask me! (post them as comments below)
PS: I bet a friend 10 bucks that nobody would bother to read this article or try setting up a wordpress site. Prove me wrong 
September 26th, 2006
Earlier, I showed you how to sign up for a web host. Now I want to show you how to upload content, via FTP (File Transfer Protocol) to your web site.
You need the following information first: (Usually this information will be in the email your web host sends you when you sign up)
- ftp host name (usually ftp.something.com/), sometimes it might be just something.com)
In my earlier example, ProHosting gave me the following FTP address: ftp://nsharp.odin.prohosting.com/. (you can drop the ftp:// bit)
- Your username - (in my case, nsharp)
- Your password.
STEP 1: Testing your FTP login.
Before uploading files, you might want to test if FTP is working. If you got a new domain, it might take a while for FTP to work on that domain. If it does not work, wait about 24 hours and try again. Anyway, lets try out that login.
- In windows XP, click START, then RUN, and type the following:
ftp domain.com
(replace domain with your domain name, and change the extension as necessary) and click OK.
(In my case, I will type “ftp nsharp.odin.prohosting.com”)
- A new black colored DOS window will open up, showing a message
similar to the following:
Connected to rproxy.free.prohosting.com.
220 server ready - login please
User (rproxy.free.prohosting.com:(none)): _
- The cursor will be blinking right after none. Type your username there and press enter.
- Next, you will be asked for your password. Type that also and press enter - as you type your password, you might not see anything on the screen (as the password is hidden). After you type your password, just press enter.
- If you are logged in successfully, you will see a message similar to the following:
Connected to rproxy.free.prohosting.com.
220 server ready - login please
User (rproxy.free.prohosting.com:(none)): nsharp
331 password required
Password:
230 login accepted
ftp>_
Well done! your ftp login works fine. If you like, you can type dir and press enter, this will list any files present. Usually, depending on the host, you may see some files such as index.htm. To EXIT ftp and close the window, type bye and press enter.
If your ftp login does not work, check with your web hosting company. Note that if it is a new domain, it may take up to 48 hours for ftp logins to work.
Assuming your FTP login worked, you can now continue to step 2…
STEP 2: DOWNLOAD AN FTP CLIENT.
Windows includes basic FTP support, however it is useful to have your own ftp client (software), to help you upload and manage content on your new site. I will now show you how to use a free software called filezilla (Why filezilla? Because it’s free and open source)
- Go to http://sourceforge.net/projects/filezilla/
- Click download.
- Select windows 32bit version.
- Select a mirror, and click download.
TIP: Download Filezilla installer to your desktop…
STEP 3: Installing the FTP Client (FileZilla)
- Double click the file you downloaded to open it.
- Select language (English)
- Click I Agree for the licence.
- Select the type of install (Standard is OK).
- Select the destination folder (You can use the suggested default)
- Choose start menu folder (or accept default)
- Set mode and settings option (default is OK)
- An installation window will show, wait for it to finish and press close.
STEP 4: Using FTP Client (FileZilla)
- Find the link to FileZilla in your start menu, and click it to load FileZilla. You will get a screen which shows a view of your computer on the left, and remote site on the right. Remote site will be blank, as you have not connected to any site yet.
- In the address bar, enter your ftp address (nsharp.odin.prohosting.com, in my example)
- Enter your username/login in the User box.
- Enter your password in the password box.
- Click connect.
Now, the remote site window on your right will show a list of files on your web server.
Congrats! You are now ready to upload to your web server!
STEP 5: Uploading content to your webserver
First, you must make a file to upload. For this, we can use Notepad.
- Open Notepad (Under Programs/accessories)
- Visit this page: (and copy the html code for the file Hi.html)
- Save that code in a file to your desktop, as test.htm
- In FileZilla, browse to find the file you made (on the left Local Site window)
- Select the file with your mouse, and drag it to the right side (Remote site) window. At the bottom of FileZilla, you will see a message as the file is transferred.
- If all worked out, you can now access the file you uploaded, on your web site: In my case, I called the file test.htm, and I uploaded it to my sample website http://nsharp.odin.prohosting.com/, so my file should be: http://nsharp.odin.prohosting.com/test.htm.
That’s all for now! In my next article, I will tackle the tricky subject of installing WordPress!
September 25th, 2006
In my previous post, I discussed starting your own blog/site (registering a domain, and getting hosting).
In this article, I want to show you how to sign up for a web hosting account (From a FREE web host)
Preface:
A web host is a company who gives you space to host your content on their web servers (computers which are always connected to the internet).
Aside from hosting your content, some webhosts offer domain name registration. They also connect domains to hosting accounts (such that yourdomain.com points to the web hosting space you purchased).
OK, Let’s get started…
Step 1: Signing up for a hosting account
Regardless of which web host you choose, you usually have to sign up. This involves visiting their web site, and following a sign up procedure and paying something. You will need an international credit card, and an email address (where they can send you login information.
For this example, I will demonstrate how to sign up for a FREE web host (ProHosting).
So let’s take a look at prohosting’s sign up procedure:
- Visit the web site (http://free.prohosting.com/): ProHosting has a convenient sign up button on the top left. Click that [a]
Next, you will see a page that shows their various packages. Select the FREE package [b].
- ProHosting will ask you to enter domain name: Select “free vanity name” - this will give us a chance to get an address like http://something.prohosting.com/. For this example, I will enter “nsharp” as the name (so my site will be http://nsharp.prohosting.com/).
- Next, prohosting will ask you which ‘package’ you want: This is a question specific to prohosting (they offer web builder packages at an added cost. We DONT want this, since we intend to use FTP. At this point, please select NONE
- Personal information: you will then be asked to fill a form with your personal detains. Please make sure you fill in all the required details (in red) correctly, in particular, pay attention to the account login, password, and your email address - when you have finished filling the form, click get an account
- Confirmation: If all went OK, you will see a page that lists all your details. In my case, I get the following info:
Web Site Address: http://nsharp.odin.prohosting.com/.
Account User Name: nsharp
Account Password: ********
Account Control Panel: http://freeadmin.prohosting.com/
- FTP INFO: Scroll down a bit further, to find the FTP Information. This is what we need to log in. In particular, you are looking for the FTP url, which, in my case, is ftp://nsharp.odin.prohosting.com/.
- Summary: note down the basic information you need for FTP. This information includes: [a] The FTP server name. In this case, as shown above, it is ftp://nsharp.odin.prohosting.com/ [b] The login (nsharp) and [c] the password.
That concludes the first step of setting up the hosting account. In my next article, I will show you how to upload content using FTP
As always, if you have any questions, please post them here as comments..
September 25th, 2006
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