Groundzero Webmaster Newsletter : Issue #4
Copyright (c) 2002 : http://www.ground-z.org
April 28 2002 : All Rights Reserved
Editor : Rik Tairea - webmaster@ground-z.org

This is a FREE monthly newsletter created for webmasters and website owners who are looking for resources, website tools, editorials, software, eBooks, promotion and design tips to help get the most out of a website. For in-depth webmaster resource reviews, website related articles, website awards and past newsletter issues then visit the Groundzero website located at http://www.ground-z.org.


- In This Issue -

1. Introduction
2. Recommended Resources
3. Top 10 Resources @ Groundzero
4. Editors Corner
5. Promotion Tip
6. Recommended eBook
7. Design Review
8. Recommended Software
9. Contact/Unsubscribe/Subscribe/Privacy
10. Final Thoughts
11. Newsletter Details


- 1.Introduction -

Welcome to Issue #4 of the Groundzero Webmaster Newsletter. This month in the "Editors Corner" I list some of the tools I use to create and maintain my websites. We also have the usual monthly recommended resources, software, promotion tip and a couple more little surprises.

Due to the lack of demand I've decide to get rid of a couple of sections and replace them with much more useful info and I've also made a couple of cosmetic changes. Missing from this and future issues are the "Webmaster Freebies" and"Subscriber Sites" sections. Instead of taking up precious space they have been replaced by two new features.

First of all I have created a section titled "Recommended eBook" which highlights an eBook that I think webmasters like yourself would find highly useful and informing. The other new section is called "Design Review". This is where I review a website design that stands out from your run of the mill webpage. I point out what's so good about it and use it to highlight excellent examples of design.

The month of April was special for the Groundzero website. My little project had it's first birthday this month and I admit it, I was proud (in a manly sort of a way of course). Hopefully I can keep Groundzero going for a whole lot longer and keep up with my long term goal of providing it's audience with quality content.

April also saw the Groundzero Design Award receive a 4.5 (upgraded from 4.0) award rating from the premier award rating site Award Sites. Those of you who know a little bit about the website award world are aware of the fact that it's not easy to receive a 4.5 rating so obviously, I'm really happy about it.

The Groundzero Design Award is open to all webmasters (as long as certain areas of the set out criteria are followed). Visit Groundzero for the award procedure and be aware of the fact that it's not easy to win (hey, I don't just give this baby away).

Enjoy this months issue!


- 2.Recommended Resources -

Dynamic Drive - http://www.dynamicdrive.com
Dynamic Drive provides free, original DHTML scripts and components to enhance your site. All scripts on this site take advantage of the latest in JavaScript and DHTML technology, with emphasis on practicality and backwards compatibility, to bring true power and interactivity to your site. Categories that range from Menus and Navigation Systems to Text Animations and DHTML Games. If you are new to the concept of DHTML then Dynamic Drive should be one of your first stops because all the information is presented in a straight forward and easy way.

Kresch Resources - http://kresch.com/resources
Kresch.com (which is also happens to be one of our partner site) is a directory for absolutely free high quality webmaster resources and tools to manage your web site. All utilities, programs, articles and sites are carefully selected and range from awards submission services and marketing resources to programming tools and web hosting.

EzineArticles - http://ezinearticles.com
EzineArticles is a free weekly eZine providing resources and connections to Internet writers and publishers. Instead of searching the Net for good articles to include in your eZine or website, they send you top articles by leading writers for free just by subscribing to the eZine. If you write articles then you can submit your work so that other webmasters may post your writing on their websites allowing for a larger audience to view your work and resource box or byline that features your details.


- 3.Top 10 Resources @ Groundzero -

Here are the top 10 rated webmaster resources reviewed at Groundzero - http://www.ground-z.org - Visit the resources section to read in-depth reviews on various website tools, affiliate networks, traffic generators and eZines.

1 : A Best Web
2 : Shareasale
3 : Vibrant Media
4 : Website Forums
5 : Trafficology
6 : Sitepoint Tribune
7 : Commission Junction
8 : Kickme.to
9 : Sphosting
10 : Hits4me

The top 10 list can update during the month.


- 4.Editors Corner -

"Tools of the trade"

If a carpenter or builder shows up to a job without the appropriate tools then what's the point? The same goes for us webmasters too. What's the use of expressing your vision or ideas if you don't have the right software for the job?

I don't know about you but when it comes to creating and maintaining my websites there are a few tools I cannot live without. Whether it be creating new designs or creating animated graphics, having the right tools of the trade can save huge amounts of time and effort.

Here are the two main tools I used to create Groundzero.

My webpage editor of choice is Dreamweaver, created by those masters over at http://www.macromedia.com When I first got my hands on this beautiful piece of software I was totally amazed at how I got this far without using it. Up till then I had been using 1stpage 2000 which wasn't too bad because it helped me to learn some HTML, but it didn't have the full functionalism of a WYSIWYG editor.

I did try Frontpage for about 10 minutes and found it to be a total piece of garbage (sorry to the Frontpage fans out there but I just don't like it, I'm not anti-microsoft).

Dreamweaver has amazing power and I especially find it handy for creating tables for layouts, webpage templates and changing over from a design view to a pure code view to make adjustments by hand. At first the learning curve for using this application was a bit steep but based on my experience and the testimony of other webmasters, once you get the hang of Dreamweaver you won't look back.

For a graphics package I tried Paintshop Pro at first but there was something about it I just didn't like. I then tried Fireworks and was instantly hooked, it also helped that it integrated really well with Dreamweaver (my webpage editor of choice) because it's also developed by Macromedia.

I mainly use Fireworks to :
- create image maps and slices
- create banners and buttons
- optimize graphics for quick download
- create color or transparent backgrounds
- output images to various formats
- resize image dimensions
- create bevels and shadows

That small list probably only represents about 5% of what Fireworks can do and are listed because that's what I mainly use this outstanding graphics package for. When I started using Fireworks I found it it quite easy to learn how to use it's tools as soon I learnt the functions of the toolboxes.

Of course I use a bit more software to maintain Groundzero.

E-mail Client : Kaufman Mail Warrior
FTP Client : Cute FTP
Administration : Microsoft Excel
Quick HTML editor : Notepad
Graphic Animator : Ulead Gif Animator
Flash : Macromedia Flash
Mailing List : Mail Them
Image Viewer : ACDSee
CSS Editor : Romisoft OneStyle
Organiser : Todo List

Internet Browsers :
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
Netscape Navigator 4.03
Opera 4.0

If you're sick of all the security problems that comes with using Microsoft Outlook or Express then a good alternative is Kaufman Mail Warrior. It has a lot of the same functions as Outlook but is not susceptible to it's majority of security flaws. I usually don't get infected attachments sent to my e-mail addresses but I remember Kaufman Mail Warrior refusing to download a 40kb attachment.

This turned out to be good because after a little research I found out that this particular little nasty, deletes files, infects your address book and sends itself out to your recipients. I had to manually delete it from the server before retrieving the rest of my messages. The only problem with Kaufman Mail Warrior is that it's not the best client for reading HTML messages.

All the software mentioned above is a mixture of Freeware, Shareware and stuff straight out of the box. Some of it has been recommended to me by friends where as the rest has been found at various download sites located around the Internet.

Try these sites to find what you're looking for :
http://www.macromedia.com
http://download.cnet.com
http://www.moochers.com
http://www.nonags.com

On a final note, just because "I" think a piece of software isn't good doesn't mean it's totally useless. A good example in this case Microsoft Frontpage (not the Express version) and Paintshop Pro. I am totally put off by Frontpage but I know people who swear by it and wouldn't use anything else.

I also know that Paintshop Pro is a good program and the millions of it's users and websites dedicated to it are testimony to that. I'll put money on the fact that a few of you out there use it too. Each program may not have the tools that I need but it might serve someone else very well.

To each their own.


- 5.Promotion Tip -

"Use a good signature line in forums"

If you're like me and frequent forums or message boards that relate to your websites or interests then you will notice some members place a little signature line at the end of every post with a small sentence advertising their own website. This can be a great way to get a little bit of free exposure for your website, if the right words are utilized to describe your site then the traffic gains can be good.

Let's say for example that you frequent a forum or message board that relates to "Widgets" and you also happen to have a "Widgets" related website. Of course, this is the perfect opportunity to advertise your website in your signature but make sure you use a good "tag line".

A good forum signature :
- shouldn't be more than three lines
- should be straight to the point
- shouldn't be all in UPPER CASE
- shouldn't describe your site as the best ever
- shouldn't contain offensive language
- shouldn't contain affiliate links

Here are a couple of examples that we could use.

Got Widgets? http://www.widgets-central.com

Widgets Central - http://www.widgets-central.com
Your guide to the product that no one can live without.

Visit Widgets Central
http://www.widgets-central.com
Info, polls, interviews, photos and much more.

You should notice that the URL of the website in the above examples are always clearly visible. This is because there may be people who are prepared to visit your site but might not do so straight after viewing your post and signature. If you have a URL that is easy to remember then maybe you will be able to get some traffic from forum members who will directly input your address into the URL bar.

It's up to you if you want to include your e-mail address (or other various contact details). The way I see it is that if you have your e-mail address on your website anyway then it will be vulnerable to a potential spammer regardless if it is placed on a message board or forum.

When using a signature be sure to read the forum rules to see if you are allowed to incorporate a signature into your posts and follow the set out guide lines. Some forums may let you insert an automatic signature line and some may have restrictions on size or inserting HTML code.


- 6.Recommended eBook -

Name : 50 eZine Publishers Interviewed
Size : 767KB
Price : Free
Operating System : Windows

If you already distribute an e-mail newsletter(s) or you are contemplating starting one then this eBook is a must read. This eBook contains interviews with some famous and some not so famous eZine or Newsletter Publishers. All featured publishers have at least 1000 subscribers and they reveal how they sign up new subscribers and maintain their list.

I read every interview in this eBook and it serves as a great learning tool for those who are about to, or are starting out in producing e-mail newsletters. It highlights the experiences of people who run successful newsletters and the methods they use to increase readership and produce a quality publication.

Another good thing about this eBook is that it serves as a real good motivation tool for people starting out in the eZine game. This is because you get the feeling from these experienced publishers that "hey, if they can do it then I can do it too". This is one of the best eBooks I have read so far and I highly recommended it.


- 7.Design Review -

Site Name : Portfolio of Jim Conte
URL : http://www.jimconte.com
Type : web design and art portfolio

I viewed this website using Internet Explorer 5.0 with Java, JavaScript and Flash enabled with a 56k modem and an 800 x 600 screen resolution.

JimConte.com features the web design, development and art work of it's creator Jim Conte. His portfolio showcases his excellent web, flash, print, logo and digital designs along with his amazing drawings and paintings (which contains highlights of his work dating back to 1992). The Portfolio of Jim Conte is also a previous winner of the Groundzero Design Award (March 8th 2002).

The design of this website is amazing but that shouldn't be an issue because Jim Conte is a graphic design professional. One thing that struck me about this site is the use of an original green color scheme that boasts the use of around 3-5 varying shades of that color which is pulled off well.

Jim's use of tables and borders is used to a great effect because it results in a professional and clean layout that fits in a ton of information without looking like everything is crammed in together. Even the banners and buttons located at the bottom of the pages look like they fit in.

JimConte.com is a good place to visit to see what a good professional design looks like. Pay attention to the excellent layout, original graphics and color scheme. Be sure to have a good look at the "awards" and "what's new in design" sections for examples of a superb layout.


- 8.Recommended Software -

Name : RomiSoft OneStyle
Size : 217KB
Price : Free
Operating System : Windows
Minimum Requirements : 16MB RAM, Windows 95

OneStyle is a Cascading Style Sheet editor that makes integrating CSS into a webpage dead easy (as long as you know HTML first). OneStyle enables you to choose all the objects/properties you want to utilize on a webpage. For example, if you wanted to change the default cursor of a visitor to your site to a cross hair then you would choose the cursor property then let OneStyle to output the necessary CSS tag.

The great thing about OneStyle is the fact that you can choose multiple objects from the directory tree and then output all the necessary CSS tags in one go. For example, I could select the default body/table font, hover color and mouse cursor and output all the necessary CSS tags needed with one press of a button.


- 9. Contact/Unsubscribe/Subscribe/Privacy -

If you have any questions regarding this newsletter then please feel free to contact me by e-mail. You can also send in any feedback about the Groundzero Webmaster Newsletter. I love receiving e-mail so feel free to send in a message to just say hello or if you need any help (website wise) then send in a question that I might be able to help you with.

contact : webmaster@ground-z.org
unsubscribe : unsubscribe@ground-z.org
subscribe : subscribe@ground-z.org

I absolutely despise SPAM and I will respect your privacy. I will not share or sell your e-mail address with anyone, I will not send you any unsolicited mail or collect any demographic information about you. Your e-mail address will only be used to receive the Groundzero Webmaster Newsletter and any correspondence with me will remain confidential.


- 10.Final Thoughts -

I hope you enjoyed the Issue #4 of the Groundzero Webmaster Newsletter. Remember you can always read past issues of this newsletter on the website and the next issue will be sent out May 28th 2002. Please feel free to send any feedback or comments you may have about this newsletter (especially about the two new sections).

If you want to say hello then go for it! I love receiving e-mail.

If you think you know someone who might be interested in reading this newsletter then do them (and me) a favor and forward them this entire e-mail or point them to the Groundzero website located @ http://www.ground-z.org

Just remember to inform them that "you" are recommending them the copy because I don't want to be perceived as a"spammer". If you want to help out some more and you think that this newsletter is useful then feel free to put a link on your website pointing to http://www.ground-z.org

Thanks for your time and stay safe.
Your humble editor : Rik Tairea


- 11. Newsletter Details -

You are receiving the Groundzero Webmaster Newsletter because you submitted your e-mail address by way of a sign-up form located at Groundzero or at one of our partner sites. You may have also subscribed by e-mail. If you do not wish to receive this publication anymore then please follow the unsubscription mail link posted in section 9.

No part of this newsletter may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission. You may forward this newsletter by e-mail as long as you forward it in its entirety. It is forbidden to post this newsletter on any website or republish it in print or other media without prior written consent from Groundzero Limited.