| |
Newbie
Club Home Page
|
1. ----------- Ramblings.
Hi, I'm back. Full of beans (oops - excuse me) and back to normal after last weeks downer with the dreaded ISP email
filters.
Thank you so much if you wrote to me about that. Over 500 members wrote and it was impossible to thank everyone.
Okaaaay. I'm going to ask you something which could help both of
us.
Imagine if you can, that you had a magic wand, and you could
sprinkle sparkling cyber dust over your computer....
What piece of software, computer program, ebook or tutorial would you create with your magic wand to help you get more out of your
PC education?
Look, I'm deadly serious. Just think about it please.
How many times have you said to yourself "I wish I could click a
button and .... " Or ...
Why doesn't someone write an ebook about ...?" Or ...
"If only this program I'm using would ..."
Tell me about it. No matter how wild or stoopid you may think it
to be, I promise not to laugh. At least not out loud:-)
I know some really savvy programmers and writers. In fact I'm
having some programs written as we speak, which came about
through my own frustrations with software I was using on my
computer.
If it's a great idea and I have it created, you'll get the first
copy. So just let your imagination fly. Think back on all those
times you've wished you had something to solve a particular
problem when using your PC. And email support@newbieclub.com
with 'I Wish' in the subject line.
By the way, I had an email from a parent who was trying to find a
suitable site, or learning program, that would teach Windows and
entertain his 6 year old child. I don't mean games and stuff like
that, but a 'Kiddie-Speak' site or tutorial like The Newbie Club.
If you know of something, please let me know and I'll pass it on
to everyone in the newsletter.
And one more thing ...
Hitting REPLY to the text version of this newsletter, and sending a message only sends that message back
to the mail box of Otto - my newsletter robot. Otto lives in a black cyber hole, so the email doesn't get here. Then we get
flamed because we didn't answer the email! The black hole is peered into from time to time, and it's amazing how many unread
messages are in there. It's there to catch all the undelivered and bounced newsletters, and some junk emails sent by stoopid
robots.
So remember, that whenever you wish to send a message to the
editor of a newsletter you receive, look for the contact address
before sending. Because if it's a reasonably large list, you can
almost guarantee that it also has a black hole filled with unread
stuff - including yours?
OK, I'll shut up now and go for a coffee.
Keep smilin'.
Joe.
PS. If you haven't seen the amazing new software at my new
Website, you're missing out. It's at http://headlinewriter.com
______________________________________
-------- "Indecent Proposal"
Whenever I have tried a tutorial from another site, you can guarantee I end up getting stuck. But your PC and internet
Companion library of tutorials just left me gasping for more. It's TERRIFIC! So guys, I want to give you a great BIG hug!
Emma Hartnell (email with held for privacy)
PC & Internet Companion is at http://newbieclub.com/comp
______________________________________
============================================
2. Article: "Yet Another Scam By The Big Boys"
By Marcus Allen
===========================================
Would you be shocked to find out you've been secretly involved in a conspiracy to create the fastest growing sp*m
list ever seen?
If you're a Sp*m Arrest member, I might have some really bad news for you.
About 10 days ago, this sp*m-blocking service blasted a pitch
for their sp*m-reduction service. It was emailed to your friends, family, and colleagues. And the really bad news is
they got those private email addresses from your email inbox -- with your permission! And get this... some of your savvy
techie friends might figure out that you're the source of the junk!
This is very serious. It's so bad even your legitimate email might never reach you.
Here's the scoop:
Sp*m Arrest filters unsolicited emails before they reach your email software. There's no software to buy or updates
to worry about... everything is processed behind the scenes.
The idea is simple... even brilliant. Your email inbox is protected from sp*m*ers, and Sp*m Arrest gets paid
$34.95 a year 'til you say stop.
If S*am Arrest determines that an email comes from a new sender, it instantly sends a "challenge email only a human
is capable of answering". In simple speak, the sender must visit Sp*m Arrest's Web site and type a code that appears on
the screen that can't be seen by computers. When the challenge is answered, Sp*m Arrest instantly forwards the email to you
and permanently adds the sender to your "authorized sender list." From that point on, the senders' email is delivered to you
without delay.
But here's the hitch... your friend's email address is simultaneously added to S*am Arrest's prospecting database, too.
And get this... you agreed to this arrangement when you tested their service... here's the Web page with the fine print:
http://www.fetch123.com/spam_arrest_legal
Incredibly, Spa* Arrest justifies the practice. For their response, visit:
http://www.fetch123.com/spam_arrest_reply
Note: I've asked S*amArrest to confirm their stance. So far, I have not received any response. Some have reported an
apology on their Web site, but it's no longer displayed as of today. If there is a response, visit my archives for updates at:
http://www.fetch123.com/731270
What can you do?
If you're a S*am Arrest user, stop supporting spa**ers and cancel
their service.
By the way, be very careful... their terms of service reveals,
"Please note that for users of our services who do not become
Customers following the thirty (30) day f*ee trial period, we will continue to monitor and track email sent to such user unless
and until the user completes the "Termination of Service" form on the Site or S*am Arrest decides to cease monitoring and
tracking emails sent to such user."
Translation: Run, don't walk to their cancellation Web page at:
http://www.fetch123.com/spam_arrest_cancel
In the future, you might ignore confirmation requests from Sp*m Arrest, (unless you're looking to get even more junk mail).
Instead, contact your friend or colleague by phone or snail mail and let them know about this problem.
Source: Markus Allen's $10,000 Marketing Tip of the Day
http://tncinfo.com/markus.htm
==========================================
Joe's thoughts ....
Shocked? Read this other detailed report on this scam ...
http://www.toyz.org/SpamArrestSpams.html
===========================================
-------- "A Picture Paints a Thousand Words"
The single most effective action a Green Newbie can ever take is
to study 'Windows For Newbies'. Using the Newbie Club Easy-
Learning System, it's actually FUN to use. 52 Tutorials , over
200 pages, and 400 pictures cover all you need to start enjoying
your PC. Read about it here ... http://newbieclub.com/wfncopy
and end your frustrations at a stroke. It doesn't sing, it doesn't
dance. But it sure knows how to put a smile on your face.
=============================================
3. Geek-Speak Buster; "Application"
=============================================
Sometimes written as 'app'.
This is just another word for a program or software, A term for a program that performs specific tasks, such as word
processing, e-mail sending or retrieval, or Web browsing. Unlike *system* software, which runs the computer system
(such as the operating system), an app is an end-user program.
Trust the Techies to try and confuse us even more:-)
=============================================
"Can You Really Make a Living on the Net?" YES, and you can find
out how right here ... http://tncinfo.com/malo.htm
........ VERY Highly recommended.
=============================================
4. Guest Article Re-Run ... "How To Search Smarter"
by The Pencil Dude
==============================================
Sometimes trying to find information online can be an exercise
in frustration... Yep, that's how I feel sometimes too! This week we're going to take a look at a couple of ways to search
smarter and find what you're looking for.
The first method that we'll look at is going straight to where we want to go. Did you know that Yahoo, Hotmail and
Amazon, consistently rank in the top 10 searches on the Internet? These are actual words that people type into a
search engine's search box.
If you go to most search engines and type those words in, you
will indeed find the sites in question. However, you'll also get a bunch of listings for other sites that either have
something to do with those sites, are competitors of those sites or have references somewhere on their pages to those
sites.
Tip #1: The quickest way to get to these and other well known sites is to simply type in the name, (Yahoo, Hotmail,
BBC, MSN, Netscape...), into your browser's location or address bar.
OR, if you really want to make sure that you arrive to your destination, type in Hotmail.com, Yahoo.com, etc... (note:
naturally this supposes that the domain in question is registered as a .COM). In the case of UK domains you'll
usually have to use the extension, ".co.uk" e.g BBC.CO.UK
A side note on this method of searching. I just read an article that casts uncertainty about the future of this type of
searching. The company that provides this technology and sells the keywords that enable you to go directly to a
particular site by typing in a word in your browser; may be shutting it's doors very soon.
Tip #2: Avoid using common words in your searches, especially
the following: "the", "in", ".com", "www", "http". These words just won't help narrow down your search results.
Likewise, searching for "Hawaii" will bring up all sorts of results. Narrow it down to something like "Private Resorts
Hawaii". In this particular case I found that enclosing the phrase in quotation marks was a bad idea, as I didn't get any
results at Yahoo!, but I did get good search results by removing the quotation marks.
Tip #3: Be specific. If you're looking for Woodworking Plans For Toys, then type that in to the search box. Otherwise,
just searching for Woodworking Plans, may not be enough. And the keyword, "Woodworking", will be even less helpful.
Tip #4: Try using quotation marks to help narrow your search to only webpages that contain the particular phrase you're
looking for. As I noted earlier though, sometimes that may be too specific and not return enough or any results at all.
Tip #5: Go Regional. If it's Topographical Maps of Mexico that you're looking for, then specify Mexico in your search
otherwise you'll be looking at the whole globe. :o)
Tip #6: Get really regional. Yahoo!, Altavista, Google, Netscape Search, MSN Search, and all of the other large guys
aren't the only search engines and directories out on the web. Their sheer mass is also sometimes a hindrance. That's why
it's often a good idea to try out the smaller local and regional search engines. The big guys often have regional databases
too, but I find that a lot of them contain sites from countries other than the country that you're supposedly searching. For
instance, I'm finding all sorts of sites in Yahoo.ca that belong to companies in the USA. Those sites should be in the main
Yahoo! index instead.
Here's a starting point for all sorts of Regional Specific Search Engines and Directories: (This URL may wrap or break
in your e-mail so just copy and paste BOTH LINES into your web
browser's location bar):
http://dir.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/World_
Wide_Web/Searching_the_Web/By_Country_and_Region/
Tip #7: Use the search engines advanced features. Many search engines have features that you can use to really go to
work on your searches. Try these advanced search pages:
http://www.altavista.com/sites/search/webadv
http://www.google.ca/advanced_search
http://www.google.com/advanced_search
http://search.lycos.com/main/adv.asp
http://search.yahoo.com/search/options
Tip #8: Don't despair, you'll find what you're looking for eventually. :o) It may take a few searches before you find
what you're looking for. You may need to try a different query, you may need to try a different search engine; they
don't all have the same sites and data, nor do they display the same data in the same way. Just play around with your
search queries, try a different engine, and you'll find what you're looking for.
__________________
The Pencil Dude, aka Robin Forbes, is the proud publisher of
Pencil Dude's Picks. Check out his chock-o-block full ezine at:
http://www.pencildude.com/
It's about YOU getting the most
out of your computing & Internet experience!
=====================================
---------- "The PC Kiss Of Life"
Computer slowing down? Things not as smooth as they used
to be? Programs freezing up or acting funny? You have your
car serviced regularly so why not do the same for your hard
worked PC? Registry for Newbies will get your PC up to the
very peak of condition, and will really boost your knowledge
of your PC - and its performance. Give it a medical and just
watch that machine rev-up! http://newbieclub.com/rfncopy/
=============================================
5. Tutorial: "Changing Your Icons"
===============================================
3 requests this week and 2 last week asked how to change the
icons on their desktop. In case you're not sure what icons are,
they're the miniature graphic 'buttons' scattered all over.
Whether you create your own icons, or download a bundle of them from the Net, you can change them, or install new ones
pretty easily. Here's how...
Select an icon on your desktop. Those that won't let you change them won't have the function for change. You'll see
what I mean in a second.
Right click an icon and select 'Properties' from the context menu that appears after right clicking. If the icon can be
changed easily, you'll see a 'Change Icon' button. If not, you won't see that button.
Click the 'Change Icon' button. The 'Change Icon' dialog box pops up, showing you the present icon, and any others
that might included. (Some programs pack a number of different icons along with them.) Click the 'Browse' button,
navigate to the folder you saved your homemade icon in, and select it. Click 'Open' and then OK, and OK again. Your new
icon should be installed where the old one was located.
===========================================
--------- "Frustrated by Your Digital Camera?"
Don't leave it in the box. Don't let the Techie stuff discourage
you. Let DigiCam MAGIC show you how to create the stunning photos the salespeople promise you. DigiCam MAGIC! will show you step by
easy step, how to use your camera's amazing technology to create photos you'll be truly proud of. It's another winning publication
by The Newbie Club, and is Guaranteed to get the results you want - or your money back. Seems like a good deal to me!
http://newbieclub.com/digicam
==============================================
6. Fun Tutorial ------ "Paint Your Own Icons"
==============================================
You know, your computer has a bunch of icons scattered hither and yon that make life easier for you. You look at them
every day, clicking them to start this or that program. Do you ever get tired of looking at the same icons? Every want to
change them? Want to try your hand at something just a touch more creative, letting the artistic side of your brain
express itself?
No problem. You can create new icons! You can create new desktop wallpaper. You can customize your computer any way
you want - and with the graphics tool that comes with Windows. It's called 'Paint'. So here's the way to go if you
have some spare time and want to develop your Techie side just a wee bit more.
We'll use Paint for our icon redecorating project. You'll find it under the Accessories menu (Start, Programs, Accessories).
Once it's open, you'll need to set the size to 32 by 32 pixels. That's the size of icons you find on your desktop.
To set the size, click 'Image' on the menu line, and select 'Attributes'. Set the width and the height to 32, and click the
'pixels' radio button. Click OK, and you've now got a little 32 by 32 pixel square to work with. Too little? Just click View,
Zoom, Large Size, or press the Ctrl and Page Down keys together. (Ctrl+Page Down) The space increases enough to
work in. Now grab a tool and start drawing!
Once you're satisfied with your drawing, save it. Put it in a folder named "My Icons" that you create on your C: drive. Or
on a Zip disk. Or wherever the heck it is you save your stuff. One tricky thing to observe...
When you go to save your file, give it the .ico file extension. You won't see that option listed in the file types drop down
box, but no problem. Just give it the .ico extension and click Save.
If you have a graphical file viewer installed, you can double click the file you just created and look at it. The viewer I use
is Irfanview. It's an amazing tool and you can get a fr*e copy at
http://www.irfanview.com/ Need a download refresher? Go here:
http://newbieclub.com/download/
===============================
7. Pause For Thought. "Winning"
===============================
"Far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs,
even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those
poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because
they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory, nor
defeat."
............... Theodore Roosevelt
=============================================
8. FREE Exclusive Newbie Club Courses and eBooks
_______________________________________________
Backing up your stuff: backup@fastresponder.com
mailto:backup@fastresponder.com
Organize your files: organize@fastresponder.com
mailto:organize@fastresponder.com
Finding files: findfiles@fastresponder.com
mailto:findfiles@fastresponder.com
Take the load off your PC: msconfig@fastresponder.com
mailto:msconfig@fastresponder.com
See how easy it is to get info to people? Get your own FR*E
Newbie Club autoresponders at http://fastresponder.com
"Guide To The Internet - An Overview" features the combined
advice of 18 of the Internet's most successful marketers.
"Scientific Advertising On The Internet" contains the world
famous Claude C. Hopkins' Classic, plus observations and Copywriting Tutorials by Newbie Club owner Joe Robson, who is
also co-author of the blockbuster "Make Your Words Sell" Details
at ... http://words.sitesell.com/myws/
Get both Newbie Club books FR*E from The Newbie Club Academy at http://newbieclub.com/academy/
And don't forget, you can get your own Fully Customizable Guestbook for your site absolutely FR*E. This Newbie Club
creation is packed with too many features to list here. And it's an absolute dream to install!
http://newbieclub.com/gbook
=================================
Of the dozens of books I have bought online, this one taught me more about Internet Marketing - real in the trenches stuff -
than any other book I own - Period.
Joe Robson http://tncinfo.com/truth.htm
--------------
See the staggering new Copywriting software at Joe Robson's new site. It creates Professional Headlines, Sub Heads, Ezine Ads,
Pay-Per-Click Teasers, eBay Ads, Ebook Titles, Article Titles,
Classifieds ... with just one mouse click. Absolutely awesome!
This will blow your cynicism apart ... http://headlinewriter.com
--------------
Domain names at $13.95 at http://newbieclub.com/domains
==========================================
Some Recommended FREE Business Building Stuff
==========================================
Want to know how Super Affiliates become 'Super'? The answer may surprise you ...
http://newbieclub.com/tncdir
'Search Engine Primer' by Chuck McCullough has more valuable info
than many $30 ebooks. But this costs nothing!
http://tncinfo.com/dl/seprimer.exe
'The Email Marketing Power Guide - 100% Spam Free Email Marketing Strategies That Work!" by John Vorwerk ,and it's one of my prize
No-Cost finds ... http://tncinfo.com/email.htm
UnZip Wizard is the only Unzipper recommended by the Newbie Club.
It's so Newbie Friendly we've negotiated a $5 discount for Newbie
Club Members. Get your 30 Day No-Cost Trial here ...
http://newbieclub.com/wizard/
It's a no-brainer!
==========================================
Some Great Complimentary email courses from Ken Evoy
==========================================
o InfoProducts Masters Course
How to brainstorm, create, produce, and sell
your very own infoproduct online
mailto:wordstims@sitesell.net
o Netwriting Masters Course
Want to sell more? Write better
mailto:wordstwms@sitesell.net
o Affiliate Masters Course
Shows how to become a high-earning affiliate champion.
mailto:wordstams@sitesell.net
o Net Auction Masters Course
Start and grow a profitable Net auction business.
mailto:wordstnams@sitesell.net
How can you learn to write Powerful Sales-Generating Web Sales
Copy? Visit Joe Robson's Copywriting tutorials site at
http://adcopywriting.com and subscribe to his newsletter. It's
top-notch and no wonder. Joe is the co-author of Blockbuster MYWS at http://words.sitesell.com/myws
================================
9. Subscription Management;
================================
Write to us at support@newbieclub.com
You can modify/cancel your membership here ... http://newbieclub.com/membership.php
To make changes to your membership details, such as updating your name or email address, or canceling (huh?), visit your membership
management headquarters at http://newbieclub.com/membership.php
Ensure you use the email address that your newsletter notification was
sent to.
If this Newsletter was sent to you by a friend you can get your
own copy when you become a Newbie Club Member at
http://newbieclub.com .... Membership costs Nothing!.
The Newbie Club INSIDER is a publication of The Newbie Club,
which is owned by Roglan International Ltd.
(C) 2003 The Newbie Club(TM) All Rights Reserved
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
|
|
