I get frustrated editing HTML code that some one else has created. I am an expert by no means, so my tech advisor let me know how to comment out a line of HTML code.

< !–”code”–>

“code”  is the HTML text you want to comment out.

Example to use this code:

I want to see which image file is not showing up on my webpage. I go to that line of code “href=image.pdf ” and comment it out. Then I preview the page. If it is not the right image I can remove the referenced  statement< !–”code”–> and move on. It is easier than deleting a line or cutting then pasting back.

do it NOW!!

Okay I will admit that I have this same problem. I do not consistently back up my system. I do have a nifty memory stick that has become my new “BFF”. However I almost thought I lost 3 weeks worth of work because of a computer malfunction (fate was smiling on me) because I didn’t. But..

it was a wake up call. Just imagine if you lost everything on your computer- client work, personal photos, documents, NOT pretty !!

My virtual assistants group recommended www.Carbonite.com. I’m sure there are others out there but it looks like a good deal. The cost is $49.95/Year. It only works for MS XP and Vista. They are launching a MAC version soon. I’ll be signing up this week and let you know how it goes.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you ! 

Unless you use a web host provider that has a search function widget, it can be a challenge for the novice to create a search box.  There is a free tool that can be used to add a search function to a website. It is at www.Atomz.com . A friend of mine recommended it. The only problem is that it places ads on your site.

Bottom line: A quick tool if you need a temporary fix or have a personal site. 

jalbum.net is a cool tool that can be used to display personal photos. You can also use it to create a album and post it on any website. This is a perfect tool for artists, photographers and any artistic types to post photos to their website or create one on jalbum. They have “free album software, free hosting and a creative community.”

Take a tour of some of jalbums members to get a creative jump on your next project.  

I belong to a trade organization and the members swear by www.freeconferencepro.com. I have not used it myself but there are no fees, 24/7 secure access and you can even record conference calls. If you try it out let me know how it goes.

Well today was one of those days, when I had many things to accomplish..and ended up spending WAY too much time on the with my “old” DNS provider (Valueweb). I signed up with them because it was a cheap one time deal ($8/yr) .  They raised it to $35 the next year for alot of nothing. I decided I needed to switch providers. Of course, Valueweb made me jump through hoops (can we say lots of time on hold !!) and wait 60 days.

Anyway the lesson learned:

Cheap deals can be a great boon to starting a business. They get you up and running with little investment. They allow you to experiment and see what you really need in the future. The problems are that many times you are on automatic renewal and keep paying for services you don’t need or are inferior.

Don’t get me wrong- there are a lot of great free tools out there (just go to Download.com) - I won’t buy anything until I surf the web for freebies. But read the fine print when you sign up for services. Keep an eye on the renewal dates to minimize problems and fees in the future.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been frustrated trying to match fonts for clients when designing marketing materials. My friend, Karen (a design artist extraordinaire!) suggested www.Identifont.com . Give it a shot. It will save you alot of time and frustration.

I was looking for a FTP editor. Usually I just use MS Notepad and drag & drop my files in the ftp site.  I was talking to my friend Tim (A professional, heavy hitting web designer- ( www.windycitysites.com ) and he said that will not work all the time. In steps my “favorite” cousin Kristin with a link for Filezilla – www.filezilla-project.org .

I haven’t used it yet but it looks very user friendly. I’ll be trying it later this week and I’ll let you know how it goes !

If you don’t have a tool already for creating pdf’s-there is a great shareware one. It’s called primopdf-http://primopdf.com . You install the software and it becomes a print option. So if you want to create a pdf from a word document do these steps (after installing primo):

1. Open document in Word
2. Select Print
3. From drop down menu select primopdf option
4. Create a name and location for the new pdf file
5. PDF is created

Well I set up my first blog today.  My “favorite” cousin named Kristin hooked me up with WordPress. Seems pretty cool.

I am a modern day entrepreneur who combines many jobs to make ends meet and have a place to keep my brain in high gear !

The modern part is I’m a virtual assistant- Backoffice Manager is the name of my company. I heavily use computers and create marketing materials both print and electronic.

The traditional part is I sell used books -mostly non-fiction but whatever catches my fancy. Someone once told me books would go away to be replaced by electronic versions. I say- NO WAY!! Anyone who loves books- the tactile feel of them, the joy of taking them with you- feeling the weight- that can not be replaced by the digital equivalent.

I have a notebook where I keep all the tips I’ve learned from friends, business groups and research. I’ll be posting them here to help fellow small business owners make their lives easier !