GreenBucks

GreenBucks went to the WordCamp Philippines last September 6, 2008.

The lectures that I have attended were the following: Blogging 102 which is basically about how to advertise and have contests (plus where to get the prizes to be given away) to increase the blog’s juice on readership and traffic.

Then I attended the Building a Blogging Community. This is very timing since my friends and I just launched a new group writing blog, the FilipinoMomBlog.

I also attended the lecture on plug ins and SEO.

Then Mr WordPress himself Matt Mullenweg, presented the new developments for WordPress including the WordPress 2.7 which will be available in November.

I had fun learning new things except for one major mishap. My (Sandisk) SD card decided to go nuts so I lost all photos of the lectures that I took. I just took several photos again but the new WordPress 2.7 photos were in those that were probably lost

Incidentally, some of my photos were recovered last night. Woohoo! (insert Plurk banana dance here) Thanks hubby!

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Web hosting.

What is web hosting? How does one have an online account, a blog, a corporate website? How much does not need to put up for these services? What are the best web hosting services being offered in the market today? Is the web hosting provider secure? What about data recovery? What about the other technical aspects of web hosting?

These are just some of the questions that would-be bloggers and corporate/business owners would want to know details about when they get interested in setting up online sites. Blogging and putting up corporate sites is not just about writing and putting up photos. One should learn at least basic technical aspects of putting up such sites.

If one wants to have his own domain and be hosted by web hosting services, then one should be able to understand the basic ins and outs of this endeavor.

One of the best ways to learn about web hosting is to read articles and web hosting tutorials. Sure, it is good to listen to the advices of friends who know about these things but reading makes one understanding these things better. Web hosting rating should be scrutinized too, to know the leaders in the market.

Also, one of the concerns would be the cost of the web hosting package. For would-be bloggers, they can opt to start with a starter package. They can probably get a different package once posts have been made and traffic to the site has been increasingly going up.

For corporate sites, they can opt to get the packages for exactly what they need to accommodate everything they may want to put up in their site.

If its any consolation and also for added credibility, better check web hosting awards to also know which companies have been given due recognition in the field of web hosting services.

Check out this web hosting site to view the packages being offered.

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To be a victim of phishing is not a pleasant experience for anyone involved with any online transaction.

To be a victim of online identity thefts is definitely not pleasant.

There have been stories of people, bloggers and non bloggers whose online earnings or savings accounts have been violated and their monies victims of theft.

So how should one protect his online accounts?

• When suspicious emails arrive and there are links to open, check first if the links are legit. Put your cursor over the link and see what is being seen in the browser. If these are not matched, then it is suspicious and might be fraud.

• Now, why would you open a mail that asks you to confirm about an item that you ordered when you know you didn’t order anything? That is suspicious too.

• Change your passwords every now and then, every two weeks if need be. Go for passwords not associated to you and use letters and numbers and characters in the password. Do NOT store these passwords in your computer.

• There are identity thieves that use keystroke-logging software to know the usernames and passwords through emails, freeware and yes, instant messaging.

• Be careful when downloading anything from unknown sources for these files may contain malicious software programs that might be accompanied by spyware.

• Do not respond to emails requesting for your personal information.

I remember this episode from Psych, one my favorite (very funny) detective tv series. They were in a speed dating club and had to sit with other people and get to know them by asking questions. Shawn noticed that one woman’s questions were different. She was asking about these things:

• hometown where the guy grew up
• mother’s maiden name
• favorite color

So naturally, Shawn’s interest perked up. They finally got this woman and her husband who was also working in the dating club for identity theft.

These are just some of the things one has to look out for in order to protect online accounts. I am very sure there are a lot more different ways these thieves have that will enable them to do their illegal activities.

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I did not write these things because I assume I know everything. I wrote these things as a reminder that I too, need to beef up what I need to do to protect myself from identity theft.

If financial institutions and government offices have been victimized, we can be too. I hope not me, of course.

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When I was new to anything about the internet, I often wondered what the numbers meant in the emails I have been getting. Later on, when I was blogging, these numbers come with the comments to my posts that I receive.

One time I got a very annoying comment, well, not annoying really but rather rude. I was going to pass that one up but it was my homeschooling blog that the comment was given to so I was affected. My husband suggested that we look up the IP address of the person who sent that message just to know where it was sent.

We used the IP2Location to look for the IP address of this person who sent the annoying message.

We got what we were looking for but of course, we could not do anything about it but to block that IP Address.

So what can one expect to find when knowing about IP addresses?

IP2Location’s DB15-DB18 packages can show IDD code, weather station name, area code and other stuff. It also has a demo page here which can be accessed within the site.

It is good to know the locations of those who visit my blogs as it gives me satisfaction to know that my posts are being read. Even if it means spam comments are coming, I have a catcher to take care of these.

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I am a blogger. Blogging is my way of expressing in writing different topics that I find interesting.

I write about topics that interest me.

I write about my thoughts and my opinions.

I write about the things happening to me and my immediate environment.

I write about events I have been to. Be these blog-related events or not.

I write about products I use. I write about products and services that make me earn something when these are approved, whether I believe in these or not.

I also write, when I have the chance, about current events, whether or not I was in the actual event or not.

So, am I a citizen journalist then?

Maybe I am. Or I would like to think that I am. A citizen journalist.

Citizen journalists are supposed to be responsible. Am I responsible? I supposed I am. I think I am.

This responsibility does not just confine itself to myself for if I am not responsible enough then I am creating the road to self-destruction. And of course, I would not want that.

This responsibility goes beyond the need to write about my thoughts and opinions and the products and services that give me monetary compensation, however meager these are.

I have written/commented to other bloggers that the way they write, whether these reflect their true feelings or not, is their own choice. It is their blog anyway and if ever I find what they have written as offensive, I may choose to read these or not. Its their “home” and they may do whatever they want, write in any way they want to and it will be up to the readers if they would still want to visit those blogs. They may choose to write cuss words and send to eternal damnation people they don’t care about. Its up to them.

But writing about controversial topics that cause stir, panic, confusion and doubts about its reliability is another story. This should be given some reins but who would do it? Its the writer himself.

Click here why bloggers have to be should be must be responsible.

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Knoppix. I do not really know how to define this. All I remember was when our PC had some problems a few years back, I used a Knoppix program to be able to write reports. This program runs on CD which was downloaded by my husband. Hubby has written a post about Knoppix here.

Click here and here to read about Knoppix.

Ubuntu on the other hand is like Knoppix, a free Linux-based OS for your computers. There are several applications included: web browser, document and spreadsheet software, instant messaging, and a lot of other features.

This can be downloaded here.

My children love the edubuntu software that we have.

Edubuntu can be downloaded here.

Why did I write a short post about this? One time I heard my husband and then 6yo son Julian talking about these things. And also because these are great resources.

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