ASP Mail Form Script for Sending Form-mail on Network Solutions Since Web.com acquired Network Solutions this company has left web developers to fend for themselves. Below is a script that is very easy to implement and also allows you to set a confirmation page after the users click submit. FORM ACTION PART:  (You can name the file anything you want. For these purposes we are calling it aspmailform.asp) FORM SENDING SCRIPT:  Below is a screen shot. If you want to cut and paste the script visit my website then open NOTE PAD and paste the script to strip out all the HTML junk. If the script works for you please drop me a thank you note on my Blog here.

Mail form script in classic ASP to send form mail through Go Daddy Windows hosting

Mail form script in classic ASP to send form mail through Go Daddy Windows hosting 

Nothing can be more frustrating than waiting for a form email using the Go Daddy internal form processing system. Sometimes it's fast and sometimes it's slow. Below is a ASP mail-form script that works like a charm.

NOTE: If you plan on cutting and pasting the script please go here:
http://visionefx.net/articles/asp-mail-form-script-go-daddy.htm

If this form-mail script works for you please drop me a thank you note here in my Blog. It is much appreciated.

BELOW ARE COMMENT NOTES ABOUT THE FIELDS IN THE SCRIPT - PLEASE READ THESE.

Audio Connection Delay, Droid DNA, Jawbone ERA, Bluetooth

This is a problem for the 3 to 5 second delay when connecting to an incoming call using Bluetooth ear pieces or headsets.

I resolved this problem on my HTC DNA phone using Jawbone ERA ear piece.

1) Go to Settings

2) Click Bluetooth (this should show your paired devices)

3) On the right side choose settings for this device (on my phone, this is on the right side and shows 3 slider icons)

4) This should bring up 'Profiles'
a. Phone Audio
b. Media Audio < unselect media audio

Then that's it. Now my incoming calls connect right away.

I do not use my Bluetooth for entertainment... so having the Media Audio selection disabled is no big deal.

Still trying to figure out how to get my ear piece to have audio for the ringer.

 

Google Navigator App Disappeared from my Phone

What Happened to the Google Navigator Icon?

Here are instructions for getting it back for Andriod users. Not sure about Blackberry or Tree hugging, save the whales iPhone users; but feel free to post your findings here!
To get your navigation and local icons/apps back:
1) On your phone go to 'manage apps' under the menu icon on the lower left of your phone (or system settings, then apps.
2) Then on the top horizontal bar, scroll to the far right to all apps.
3) Then find the 'maps' app, touch it once to open the apps info screen.
4) Then find a button that reads uninstall updates, then click that button.
5) It will uninstall the updates that removed 'Navigator' and 'G-Local' app icons/functions.
6) Then return to your home screen, click apps button and find the restored Navigator and G-Local icons

7) MOST IMPORTANT !!! - GO BACK AND TURN OFF FORCE UPDATES!!! OR GOOGLE WILL STICK IT TO YOU AGAIN!!!

p.s.: I own an iPad so yes to do recycle.

Shout out and thank you to TanteWaileka Jul 13, 2013 9:38 AM (in response to Renegade1) original posting in the Verizon forum.

IE10, Internet Explorer 10 is a Piece of Garbage

Internet Explorer is so full of bugs and glitches that web developers are charging extra fees for insuring that a website or database will work correctly.

Just the other day we had 5 clients contact us with a variety of IE 10 problems; links that stopped working, thumbnails that disappeared, forms that would not open, data that would not display and the list goes on and on.

Microsoft is Just Plain Lazy
Microsoft has a bad habit of releasing their problems and then let the public sort out the problems. I did a search over Google "Problems with IE 10" and found over 2,500,000 million references.

Do yourself a favor and uninstall IE 10. Or better yet, just don't use it and download Chrome and Fire Fox as a back-up browser.

Problems with IE10, Internet Explorer 10 causing problems

Internet Explorer 10 and every version of Internet Explorer since IE 7.0 is a piece of bloatware garbage.

I started writing about all the problems surrounding IE when Microsoft released IE 7.0 (See: http://www.visionefx.net/articles/problems-with-ie7.htm ). And the hits just keep on coming from Microsoft  headquarters at Redmond Washington.

Below are some excerpts from Windows users after installing Internet Explorer 10 on their Windows 7 machines.

1) We have many SQL .Net database driven websites for online event registrations. ( .Net is a Windows based framework) However these websites work great in Chrome and FireFox but fail to work in IE 10. Go figure.
2) “Installed IE 10 yesterday, if I leave the computer on now and not use it for 2-3 hours Windows 7 does not respond anymore, it won't even shut down.”

3) “After the installation, I can't change the proxy settings anymore. More precisely, I *can* change them and conform the changes. Except the changes I made don't apply.”

4) “IE 10 is a hot mess on Windows 7. On some websites... can't get buttons to work and the cursor disappears.”

5) “In my opinion, IE 10 is Microsoft trash that they washed their hands of, and set out for us to rummage through.”

Uninstall IE 10

Click on the “Start” button (because you do have one unlike Windows 8 users!) and type “Programs and Features” in the search box. Click on the “View installed updates” in the left pane of the menu.

Go over to the “Uninstall an update” screen and scroll down to the “Microsoft Windows” section. Simply select Internet Explorer 10 and click “Uninstall.”

It usually takes a while until the process comes to an end, so you’re strongly recommended to avoid stopping or cancelling it. A reboot is necessary to complete the removal and restore IE9.

Related links:
http://news.softpedia.com/news/IE10-on-Windows-7-No-Thanks-Many-Users-Are-Saying-338753.shtml
http://news.softpedia.com/news/How-to-Remove-IE10-and-Get-Back-to-IE9-on-Windows-7-308998.shtml

Back Linking on Off Topic Blogs does not help your Website Ranking

Back Linking on Off Topic Blogs does not help your Website Ranking.

It will not help your marketing.
It will not help your sales.
It will not help you get clicks.
It will not help your positioning.
It will not help your SEO.

So stop wasting your valuable time.
 
I have been looking through my comments and finding off-topic and faux on-topic comments. And in most cases they end with a text link such as Tennis Shoes, Cheap Vacations, Viagra and so on and so on. Dropping text and links in this way is laughable. It is bad business. While I have left my commenting open and believe in free speech... it is frustrating to see some much spamming.

If you were to drop 100,000 links in so many websites, blogs and directories using this method it makes more sense to approach a webmaster or business owner with open honesty and ask for a link on a resource page.

Follow this equation:
One good 'on topic', 'relevant link' on a 'relevant website' will mean more to your SEO marketing efforts than having 100, 000 off-topic spammy links. ( like the ones you will find in some of my comment sections ).

Home Remodeling and Additions Virginia Beach | Custom Remodeling & Additions

Home Remodeling and Additions Virginia Beach | Custom Remodeling & Additions

Newly redesigned website launched today! Please click the link mentioned here and see the great craftsmanship and beautiful design.

True Spin! Fed Ex and Social Media Commercial

I just saw a GREAT commercial where a business owner announces to his staff that he has hired his son and  throng of friends to help generate more business for his 'valve company'. How? They plan on generating more 'likes'.

One of the employees asks; 'wouldn't it be easier if we used Fed Ex to expand our business into new markets?'

You got to love these types of commercials that demonstrate the idiocy of using social media to generate leads and business.  Farce book is good for sex, religion, death, politics and hobby heads. But as a business generator? Not so much. Least we not forget... Farce book and the other usual suspects are 'social media' web apps. Social means to socialize. You don't talk about  your roofing company, law practice, consulting business at the annual Christmas party.

Here's a good rule of thumb to follow; If you have a subject, service or product that evokes love, hate and all the emotions in-between then by all means... share this on Farce Book.

But if you are looking for feedback, shares or likes for face lifts, hydro-static values, home remodeling, engineering, dentistry, roof replacement and so on...FORGET IT.

But maybe you are a GYN-OB practice and want to post new born photos and photo journal all the kids who grow up in your practice? Then yes. Farce book is a great place to do this. ( Are we starting to get the picture now? )

Good job. FED EX. I get 'one' like from me!     

Samsung Poking Fun at Apple iPhone People Standing in Line

You gotta love the latest commercial that pokes fun at the left-leaning, tree hugging, Prius driving, left leaning Apple loving fans waiting in long lines for the Apple store to open up to buy the latest iPhone or new Apple gizmo.

Kudos and high-fives to the ad agency that came up with this concept. It is truly genius.
The ad had a great 3 pronged approach:

1) The pointed out all the short comings of the newest iPhone
2) The pointed out all the advantages of the new Samsung phone ( hardware and software)
3) The poked fun at loyal Apple fans.

If you have seen this commercial, drop me a comment and let me know what you think.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WABOZ-C2A0

Why the NBC Network Ratings are Heading South

The Liberal bias exhibited on MSNBC and the constant mention of Face Book is dragging the NBC Network like a  sea anchor. Though I love the talent seen on many MSNBC programs, NBC executives fail to realize that American viewers are essentially a fair minded lot.

They know the difference between bull and bullshit. And this is why NBC is loosing market share. American's can easily tolerate a little bull, but no one is going to tolerate bullshit; especially liberal bullshit. 

So here are 2 important points.

First, MSNBC has tied their most profitable, revenue generating vehicle 'BROADCAST NEWS' to a cart of fire-brand liberal commentators. 

Secondly and least important, MSNBC is heavily invested in another financial sea anchor called Face book.
$18.00 a share as of Sept. 1, 2012.

May I suggest that it would be best for NBC executives to unhitch the cart and cut the sea anchor loose?

No bullshit.

Mayflower Moving Company : A Very Creepy Commercial

Is is just me or am I being too critical about the Mayflower moving commercial? It opens with a bunch of Mayflower moving guys manipulating a giant wooden puppet of a young woman.

What is Mayflower trying to convey?

1) Their customers are puppets on strings, for their easy manipulation?
2) Their customers are dumb as wooden puppets?
3) Their customers look creepy?
4) Their moving guys like looking up the skirt of a giant wooden puppet as they walk it down the street.

What does a gigantic wooden puppet have to do with moving your personal belongings?
If the advertising company dreamed this one up, then they get a big fat F.
If the Mayflower advertising team pushed this concept, then they need to be transferred to accounting so they can see what little effect this commercial has on the Mayflower bottom line.

This is a really creepy, poorly conceived commercial that has absolutely nothing to do with Mayflowers core services. This one needs to go back to the drawing board.

Tone Death Music Producers in Advertising

Nothing chafs my ass more than a broadcast commercial that airs with a music bed and then ends with a music tag (a.k.a - music sting) that is in completely different key. I am a musician, so this really bugs me in a big way.

To illustrate this... think of the Taco Bell 'bong'. The bong is actually a harmonic sound containing multiple tones; but at least one primary tone key such as (C), but has some faint under pins of F or G. But the advertising agency idiots who shoot, edit and produce the commercials will produce a music bed and a completely opposing diatonic key such as F#.

These folks need a good ear cleaning.

Another company using a similar horrible tonal miss match is Nissan. At the end of every Nissan commercial there is an animation of the Nissan logo with a music sting.

These advertising folks also need a good ear cleaning.

Watch Out for the Big Box Website Builders like Web.com

There are many companies such as Web.com and One & One Hosting who advertise heavily on cable for their website building programs. And at the end of the day you are going to get exactly what you paid for. If you pay a little then you get a little.

I keep the boob tube running in my office and get a good laugh every time I see a commercial for these web site builders. And it would seem that if you let them build your website, then the world will beat a path to your door.

If you are thinking about doing this, then do your homework. Go to Google and search 'Web.com complaints'. YIKES - As of Aug 2012 there are 244,000,000 references found for this search term. Now do the same for One and One. Search 'One and One complaints'. YIKES... there are 178,000,000 references found as of Aug 2012.

Now it would be unfair for me to be critical of these companies if I had not experience the services of these companies first hand. Well it just so happens that I have.

Buyer beware!

Web.com, Intuit Websites and Go Daddy website builders

I just saw another commercial on Web.com. The commercial does not promise that the world will beat a path to your door once they build your website. However these commercial indirectly mislead customers by saying they will 'promote' your website on Google, Amazon, Bing, Yahoo and so on. So they are inferring that you will get automatically seen for searches online. Well maybe, maybe not. It all depends, but that's another subject.

There are tons of these companies getting into the website design business. A few of them include Yola, Intuit Website, Go Daddy, Wix and many others. There is nothing wrong with these website template systems and for the most part with a little patience and some skill you can get a decent website up and running. Just keep in mind you do not own the website. You are leasing it. You are a web tenant. Also keep in mind they got your credit card number. So be careful and read the fine print. Ask questions. And if it is too good to be true then it usually is.

Footnote: These commercials also remind me of the get-n-shape machine commercials:
Rocket Ads in Just 10 minutes a Day
Jakes' Total Body Work Out
The Super Belly Cruncher.

Buy Now!, Buy Now! 

GEICO Commercials are just BAD advertising

GEICO sells auto insurance and does a pretty good job of taking advantage of seniors along the way. They also use some middle age and younger people, but the commercials that are shown the most feature seniors.

I am referring to the Insurance Taste Test Campaign. A fake taste test stand has been set up and people are asked if they prefer one cup of juice (or insurance) over the other. I have no idea what a high-price insurance tastes like, but I DO KNOW a commercial that is done in poor taste.

If a huge corporation like GEICO should not poke fun and take advantage of seniors. This is the lowest form of advertising. 

An Excerpt from Google Engineer Matt Cutts

Google posted Ten recent algorithm changes on 11/14/11 | 8:30:00 AM
Since I have been screaming CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT these past 10 years I am glad to see that Google is making some head way for ranking the value of page content.

Here is the excerpt:

Snippets with more page content and less header/menu content: This change helps us choose more relevant text to use in snippets. As we improve our understanding of web page structure, we are now more likely to pick text from the actual page content, and less likely to use text that is part of a header or menu.

Better page titles in search results by de-duplicating boilerplate anchors: We look at a number of signals when generating a page’s title. One signal is the anchor text in links pointing to the page. We found that boilerplate links with duplicated anchor text are not as relevant, so we are putting less emphasis on these. The result is more relevant titles that are specific to the page’s content.

Google Baby

Webmaster skills, like brain surgery, architecture, or any other profession, is taught at the university level. Business owners who approach their websites like a play toy are taking a big risk, because their competitors are most likely taking their websites seriously.

How Google Could Ultimately Squash Facebook

Google needs to provide social users in all demographics an untapped wealth of information that is literally right under their feet!
Here's how.
1) Leverage Google Street View assets by shooting memorial parks; head stone, crypts, markers and so on. ( Many parks have client software so this could be used as well for data integration.

2) Leverage Google Goggles to read the text on same and auto tag.

3) Make this new app. searchable; any ONLY accessible over Google Plus.

4) Let people tag these images as well.

5) Give is a cool name like 'Google Generations'.

6) Let people use this to make connections like Ancestery.com ( but better ).

7) Now Google can have ( Google Ancestor Circles ). Users can use this feature to do some quasi - genealogy.

8) On an off-note or more playful use... maybe allow users to create a virtual head stone with their name and epitaph over top any image they want (Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Route 66...) Maybe even create a message linked to this that does not reveal itself until a future date set by the user; e.g.- www.timekapsule.com.


Dear Google, If you do decide to use MY idea... please dont' be evil. Call me stupid, but this could be a real-deal Facebook killer.
Rick Vidallon ~ posted July 1, 2011 ~ Concept also shared with Harsha Patil June 2009.
rick@visionefx.net
757-619-6456

Official Google Blog: Supporting choice, ensuring economic opportunity

Official Google Blog: Supporting choice, ensuring economic opportunity

I have followed the principles outline by Amit Singhal and Matt Cutts since 2000. Today my business website shows up 99% of the time on page one of Google for search queries relating to 'Web design, web designers, web company, website company, web development Virginia!

There are NO SHORT CUTS. It takes hard work and patience to build interesting and informative website content.

Also see: http://www.visionefx.net/articles/why-they-call-a-web-page-a-web-page.htm