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Last Updated: April 2018

Web Marketing and Business Resources

What do I need to do to get a web page on the Internet?
and more info. This link takes you to a new page. (The short answer is hire me! But you can also build it yourself.)

Internet Access & Hosting
Free or cheap ISPs
DSL / cable modems
Free hosting
Domain registration
Free e-mail
Free fax / voicemail
Run a free email list
free polls & surveys

Need to donate books ?

Web Development
Running a web shop
general
graphics
font list

computer humor

Business
Business resources
Maryland businesses

Submit press releases for free

Have a file and need to convert it? Try the file extension converter.

Spam, Scams & Hoaxes
Fight spam
Fight scams
Hoax? Check it out.

Computer Help
Computer help
Recycle old computers

Security & Privacy
Web security

Be anonymous on the web (please use ethically)

About this page

Contact Wavian at 240-475-3693

Business Resources (back to top)

Recent articles:

How do I increase my search engine rankings?

Which search engines are important?

 
 

 

Best business books Best business software
coverThe Six Figure Consultant
by Bob Bly. One of the most lively and thorough books I've read on marketing, getting new customers (includes sample letters & other materials), publicity ideas, and customer service. One of the few books that's interesting enough to read from start to finish.

 

Contact management software that is the SIA 2000 award winner - Contact Plus
The Business Side of Creativity - the best book I've seen yet on the business aspects of graphic and/or web design.

 

 
  Maryland Business Tools (back to top)
 
  • The University of Maryland has a Small Business Development Center which offers free one-to-one counseling and workshops. For the Baltimore area, call 888-898-2073 or e-mail ibrown@mdsbdc.umd.edu. There's also a satellite office in Lanham on Forbes Blvd: 301-306-5682.
  • SCORE - Service Corps of Retired Executives. Offers workshops, e-mail counseling and a free business magazine published 2x a year called 'Emerging Business'. The Annapolis, MD number is 410-266-9553.
  • Women Entrepreneurs of Baltimore (part of the Women's Business Center) offers terrific resources and info for women business owners. The Maryland phone number is 410-727-4921 (located in Baltimore).

Classes & Training (including for the Maryland / DC metro area):

Note: make sure the school's accreditation is worthy - look for schools endorsed by the U.S. Dept. of Education or by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Computer
  Computer Help (back to top)
 
  • Hard drive crash? Data can sometimes still be recovered. Many services offer a free analysis to see whether or not the problem is fixable. Fees can be expensive - running $800-$1200. CBL Data Recovery Technologies will sometimes recover data for students & nonprofit groups in exchange for a T-shirt w/their logo on it. 800-551-3917. (no affiliation - I read this in a magazine).
  • Another data recovery service - for Compact Flash cards, SmartMedia, and hard drives.
  • IntelliRecovery Data Recovery is another company that provides Global data recovery services for hard disk & hard drive recovery for any operating system. Authorized by all major hard drive manufacturers, has a Class 100 Clean room.
  • Data Recovery Group - someone unaffiliated wrote me to say they used them & were very happy.
  • Online help. If it's happened to your computer, chances are it happened to someone else. Check out CNET's help page
  • Miss Information (like how to remove annoying << characters from emails):
  • Today's Windows updates
  • Bart's Boot Disks - boot disks for every occassion
  • Surf stealthily while at work or download sound effects so it sounds like you're madly typing
  • Looking for older versions of software?

Keep your computer in top shape. You should scan your disk once a week, and defrag once a month. Browser cache should only be 10% of your hard drive.

How to: Delete old files (including browser cache), empty trash and then restart your computer. Then click on 'start,' select 'Programs,' 'Accessories,' 'System Tools.' Then pick either 'scandisk' (to check your hard drive) or 'disk defragmenter' (to make your hard drive more efficient).

It's a good idea to do scandisk first. Both utilities may take several hours depending on when you last ran it and how large your hard drive is. Make sure no programs are running. I usually restart my computer at the end of the day, then run defrag and leave it on overnight. (Make sure you're not hooked up to the internet for such a long time unless you have a firewall.)

Internet Access & Hosting
  Free or Cheap ISP services (back to top)
 

What to look for in an ISP: tech support available by phone (not just e-mail). See if they have a wide range of hours where someone is available. Ask them if web hosting is included (if you want to put up a web site), and if you'll have shell access or just FTP access. Do they offer a trial time for free? Do they have a satisfaction guaranteed policy?

Here's a list of regular ISPs. Search by state. Who knows? You might find a good deal with someone local to you.

  Broadband: DSL or Cable modems (back to top)
 
  Free Web Hosting (NOT dialup -- this is only for hosting your web pages) (back to top)
 

Web hosting (not free, but rated well and priced fairly):

  • Homestead (charges $30 a year)
  • Crosswinds. The basic package is free, but the premium with no ads is $5/month, with a $10 setup fee. It includes FTP access though.
  • Pair. Accounts are 50 MB for $6/month, and it includes domain registration and FTP access.
  • Ready Hosting. $99 a year for 500 MB, including domain registration.
  Free E-Commerce Hosting (back to top)
 
  • Free Merchant (has a feature where companies with a catalog database who want to export data to QuickBooks)
  • Big Step (Yahoo gave them an 'A' rating in the Nov. 2000 issue of Yahoo! Internet Life magazine)
  • Homestead - limited to 16 MB but is very easy to use! (Yahoo rated B+ in the same issue)
Domain registration (back to top)
Please BE AWARE of scams from companies that will take your money to secure a domain name extension before it's been officially approved! Check with ICANN - the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. They are the ruling authority on this.
Free Fax and/or Voicemail (back to top)
 
  Free E-mail (back to top)
 
  Run an E-mail list for free (back to top)
 
Free Polls & Surveys (back to top)
 
Need to Donate Books?
Need to Donate Books? (back to top)

Do you have excess books you need to get rid of? Here's how you can donate them and put them to good use for others:

  • Your public library can always use books. Often they sell them to raise money for the library.
  • Thrift shops like Goodwill and the Salvation Army often need used books. Many thrift shops can use them, and often you can get a tax break when you donate. But consider asking the thrift shop what they do with books they don't need. If they are a good thrift shop, they will often donate unneeded books to good causes.
  • Friends of Libraries
  • Books for Soldiers
  • Prison Book Program
  • Surplus for Charity
  • Book Crossing: a unique way to spread books around.
Fight Fraud & Misuse
Fight Spam! (back to top)

Note: if you need to use a nonexistent e-mail address, use 'anyword'@example.com, .net or .org (substitute anything for 'anyword' - ie: heron@example.net). It's not a real address, so you don't have to worry that you are setting anyone else up for spam.

Fight Scams - don't be fleeced! (back to top)
Security & Privacy
  Web Security (back to top)
 
Best security books Software Firewalls




Secrets & Lies: Digital Security in a Networked World
by Bruce Schneier.

Hacking Exposed
by Joel Scambray

Norton Antivirus

Black Ice Defender

and
Tiny Personal Firewall - I found out about this particular one on Usenet - it had great reviews and it's only around $40 because it's shareware.
Recycle Old Computers
  Recycle old computers (back to top)
Webmaster Resources
  Running a web design business (back to top)

General (back to top)

Best web development books


Philip and Alex's Guide to Web Publishing by Philip Greenspun


Teach Yourself Visually Dreamweaver MX


Dreamweaver MX Bible


Teach Yourself Visually Flash

Best web design software:


Dreamweaver/Fireworks Studio


LINUX in a Nutshell, by O'Reilly & Associates

 

UNIX System Administration Handbook by Evi Nemeth, et al.

 

Graphics (back to top)

Sell your photos to be stock photos to Shutterstock.com, istockphoto.com, canstockphoto.com, bigstockphoto.com.

Best graphic design books Best graphic design software


Teach Yourself Visually Photoshop CSby Mike Woolridge


Photoshop 5 and 5.5 Artistry

If you have an older version of Photoshop


Teach Yourself Visually Fireworks 4 by Sue Plumley


Photoshop CS


or (cheaper)
Jasc's Paint Shop Pro
About this page (back to top)
This page grew from my favorite bookmarks file. If you find a broken link or have a suggestion, please contact us. I'm sorry to say that we don't take links from sites looking to increase link popularity, links are included on a quality basis only.

Wavian Web Design
Phone: 240-475-3693

Fax: 207-470-3693
wavian@wavian.com

Response time is generally within 24 hours.

Contact Wavian at 240-475-3693
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How do I increase search engine rankings?
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