Q: What is P3P?
A: The full name for P3P is the Platform for Privacy Preferences Project. P3P 1.0 is an official "recommendation" of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) that was approved in April 2002. P3P provides a standard way for Web sites to encode their privacy policies in a computer-readable XML format. This allows P3P-enabled Web browsers and other P3P user agents to fetch P3P privacy policies automatically, parse them, and compare them with a user's privacy preferences. P3P user agents can use the information in a P3P policy to provide a summarized version of Web site privacy policies to users. For example, IE6 offers a Privacy Report option from the View menu, and Netscape 7 includes a Privacy Summary button on its Page Info screen. The AT&T Privacy Bird is a free Internet Explorer add-on that puts a bird icon in the corner of a user's browser window. The bird changes color to indicate whether or not a site's P3P policy matches the user's preferences. Users can also click on the bird to get a summary of a site's privacy policy.

Q: What are cookies and what are the riskes with them?
A: The WWW is built on a very simple, but powerful premise. All material on the Web is formatted in a general, uniform format called HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), and all information requests and responses conform to a similarly standard protocol. When someone accesses a server on the Web, such as the Library of Congress, the user's Web browser will send an information request to the Library of Congress' computer. This computer is called a Web server. The Web server will respond to the request by transmitting the desired information to the user's computer. There, the user's browser will display the received information on the user's screen. Cookies are pieces of information generated by a Web server and stored in the user's computer, ready for future access. Cookies are embedded in the HTML information flowing back and forth between the user's computer and the servers. Cookies were implemented to allow user-side customization of Web information. For example, cookies are used to personalize Web search engines, to allow users to participate in WWW-wide contests (but only once!), and to store shopping lists of items a user has selected while browsing through a virtual shopping mall. Essentially, cookies make use of user-specific information transmitted by the Web server onto the user's computer so that the information might be available for later access by itself or other servers. In most cases, not only does the storage of personal information into a cookie go unnoticed, so does access to it. Web servers automatically gain access to relevant cookies whenever the user establishes a connection to them, usually in the form of Web requests. Cookies are based on a two-stage process. First the cookie is stored in the user's computer without their consent or knowledge. For example, with customizable Web search engines like My Yahoo!, a user selects categories of interest from the Web page. The Web server then creates a specific cookie, which is essentially a tagged string of text containing the user's preferences, and it transmits this cookie to the user's computer. The user's Web browser, if cookie-savvy, receives the cookie and stores it in a special file called a cookie list. This happens without any notification or user consent. As a result, personal information (in this case the user's category preferences) is formatted by the Web server, transmitted, and saved by the user's computer. During the second stage, the cookie is clandestinely and automatically transferred from the user's machine to a Web server. Whenever a user directs her Web browser to display a certain Web page from the server, the browser will, without the user's knowledge, transmit the cookie containing personal information to the Web server.

Q: I have heard that people have lost money by shopping on fake websites. How can I tell if a website is legitimate?
A: With the ability to easily copy graphics widely available, a website can be created to look very similar to a legitimate site. It may also have a URL address very similar to the one it is trying to pass itself off as, but it can not exactly duplicate the URL. A helpful resource that allows you to specifically check a websites URL, http://www.internic.net/whois.html for US sites and http://www.nominet.net for .uk sites. Type in the site's address where it says "Get a Web Address or Search Our Database for Availability." If the address is in use, it will show who has registered it and the address. Additional information such as contact name, phone number and a company address may also be available. If you can proove to yourself that the company physically exists then it is highly likely that the website is genuine.

Q: What are keywords?
A: Keywords are terms used by people looking for web site via search engines. So if someone searching for a site enters the keyword phrase 'UK estate agents' the search engine will produce a list of sites which match these criteria.

Q: What Are The Chances of Catching a Virus From a Cookie?
A: A normal text based cookie cannot be of any danger to your computer or spread any viruses. Whether or not other cookies can be dangerous or spread viruses has to do with whether or not a file is "executable," meaning if it's a program rather than data. UNIX files, for instance, have some combination of the properties "readable," "writable" and "executable." The executable property is necessary to enable a program in a file to do something. If a cookie is not stored in an executable format for that platform, it cannot do something hostile. Most cookies are not executable, and we have not come across one. In general Cookies are stored as text files and cannot be of danger or pass on viruses. Even if a cookie is executable it cannot automatically spread on a virus unless you execute it. But of course with bugs in earlier verions of Internet Explorer, it will let a site run a application. In theory, if a executable cookie was set with malicious contents, then it is possible that IE3.0 could execute it, then it could affect your computer with a virus. The maximum contents of a cookie is 4Kb, and the line to delete the contents of a hard-disk is only 18 bytes long, so obviously the virus could do some damage even though it could not be a complete Trojan horse. Please note this is only a theory and we have never heard of a a cookie that was able to spread a virus, this would be virtually impossible, and would take a great deal of work. This theory is trivial compared to some other very real loopholes in the net. A loophole in ActiveX was demonstrated, and was able to access the underlying file system. There has also been some security problems uncovered in Java. Basically cookies cannot harm your computer. The general controversy is not what cookies can do to your computer, but what information they can store, and what they can pass on to servers, there is currently a new proposal to limit the features of the cookie protocol, which would give people a greater control over what cookies they can accept and from where.

Q: I have heard that cookies are a real risk. So If cookies are so much of a nuisance why were they developed in the first place?
A: The first batch of cookies were originally cooked up as simple mechanism to help make it easier for users to access their favorite Web sites without having to go through a lengthy process of identifying themselves every time they visit. For instance, upon your first visit to a given site, you may be asked to reveal your name and perhaps even some personal or financial information required to gain access to that site in the future. The site will then place a cookie containing this information on your system and when you return it will request information based on the cookie to determine who you are and whether you have authorization to access the site. Unfortunately, the original intent of the cookie has been subverted by some unscrupulous entities who have found a way to use this process to actually track your movements across the Web. They do this by surreptitiously planting their cookies and then retrieving them in such a way that allows them to build detailed profiles of your interests, spending habits, and lifestyle. On the surface, this practice may seem harmless and hardly worth fretting over since the worst thing most imagine is that corporate concerns will use this information to devise annoying, yet relatively innocuous advertising campaigns, targeted towards specific groups or individuals. However, it is rather scary to contemplate how such an intimate knowledge of our personal preferences and private activities might eventually be used to brand each of us as members of a particular group. But remember a site only knows what information you have entered. Not all cookies are bad, they can also provide useful functions on the web.

Q: What is the domain name system - DNS for short?
A: The Domain Name System (DNS) helps users to find their way around the Internet. Every computer on the Internet has a unique address - just like a telephone number - which is a rather complicated string of numbers. It is called its "IP address" (IP stands for "Internet Protocol"). IP Addresses are hard to remember. The DNS makes using the Internet easier by allowing a familiar string of letters (the "domain name") to be used instead of the arcane IP address. So instead of typing 207.151.159.3, you can type www.internic.net. It is a "mnemonic" device that makes addresses easier to remember.

Q: What does it mean to "register" a domain name and how do I register a domain name?
A: When you register a domain name, you are inserting an entry into a directory of all the domain names and their corresponding computers on the Internet. Domain names ending with .biz, .com, .info, .name, .net or .org can be registered through many different companies (known as "registrars") that compete with one another. The registrar you choose will ask you to provide various contact and technical information that makes up the registration. The registrar will then keep records of the contact information and submit the technical information to a central directory known as the "registry." This registry provides other computers on the Internet the information necessary to send you e-mail or to find your web site. You will also be required to enter a registration contract with the registrar, which sets forth the terms under which your registration is accepted and will be maintained.

Q: What is ICANN?
A: ICANN is the new non-profit corporation that is assuming responsibility from the U.S. Government for coordinating certain Internet technical functions, including the management of Internet domain name system. More information about ICANN can be found at http://www.icann.org.

Q: What are the rules for registration of .biz, .com, .info, .name, .net and .org names?
A: The .com, .info, .name, .net, and .org TLDs are open and unrestricted. Traditionally, however, names in .net have been used by organizations involved in Internet infrastructure activities and .org is frequently used by noncommercial organizations. .biz is reserved for use by businesses. For more information on .biz restrictions, please contact your registrar or visit the .biz registry operator at . .name is dedicated exclusively to individuals' personal names.

Q: What is an FFA site?
A: FFA stands for Free For All links. Basically, you go to an FFA site, type in some basic information, and a link to your website will be placed on that FFA site for a limited amount of time. When someone else goes to that same FFA site, your site will be visible to that person. Eventually when more people enter in their links, your link will get bumped out.

Q: Is it a good idea to use frames?
A: Be very careful when using frames. Some indexing agents will ignore your frameset and go straight to any text that has been placed outside the frameset. It is important to ensure that relevent text and links are placed here. These will need to be maintained and updated in tandem with the visible content on a site. Remember, even if you do manage to get your pages indexed, visitors to your site are likely to be referred to an orphaned frame lacking the navigational structure carefully constructed for it. Taking a broader view, expert opinion on Web design is broadly of the opinion that frames are a bad idea, in most circumstances.

Q: Is it OK to use Flash or JavaScript in your website?
A: Text contained in a Flash presentation will not be indexed by search engines. Flash should not be used for pages that you want to appear in search engines. Also, avoid excessive use of JavaScript. It makes a page harder to maintain and harder for search engines to decipher. Put any JavaScript functions in a separate file and link it from the page header By making your page source cleaner, it may also be marginally preferable to use a cascading style sheet instead of font tags to determine the way your text looks (see Effective Use of Style Sheets). It will probably make a significant difference to site maintenance, too.

Q: What determines the position of a site in the search engines?
A: Each search engine employs different algorithms for determining page position and these algorithms are subject to change over time. However, there are two broad generalizations that can be made about search engine positioning: One: word frequency in a page is important, particularly in the page title and near the top of the page. Two: the number of links to a page is important, particularly from sites that are in some way recognised as being authoritative and relevant. Of course, the question of what it is that makes a site authoritative or relevant, from the point of view of a search engine, is an interesting one. different search engines address this issue in different ways. Other criteria that may be significant, include: Text used in DESCRIPTION and KEYWORDS meta-tags; Text used in links that point to a page; The proximity of words in the text, for searches on phrases of two words or more; The size (and colour) of font used for text; The use of H1-H6 tags; Whether a page is the root page of a domain

Q: What is a Domain Name?
A: A domain name is a way to identify and locate computers and resources connected to the Internet. No two organisations can have the same domain name. Every company or organisation that wants to be on the Internet will register a domain name for use as their online identity or name that clients (customers, all Internet users) will use to access online services such as the organisation's website or email system. For example, the BBC registered the domain name bbc.co.uk, so users on the Internet can access their website (and order services, etc) at www.bbc.co.uk and send email to BBC employees at username@bbc.co.uk. Much like a company's name, logo, or telephone number, a domain name has marketing value when customers can easily remember and associate it with the organisation. Since over 11 million domain names have already been registered world-wide, it can be difficult to find a good domain name. We can help you find domain names by looking at combination of names and will help you through the processes of registering a domain and setting up a website for your business or organisation.

Q: What is a Website?
A: A website is an electronic 'piece of information' that is hosted on a computer that is permanently connected to the Internet, allowing 'browsers' to view it. A website provides information to the viewer. Produced in full colour, it can have animation on it, pictures, products, you can even buy items directly from it. There is virtually no limit to what can be displayed on a website but it is often at the expense of 'download time' (ie the more a website displays, the longer it will take to appear on a viewers screen). From a business point of view, it provides a very strong marketing tool at a relatively low price. For example, if you run a Bed and Breakfast establishment, how do you normally attract customers? Spend money on advertising, then spend money on producing colour brochures, spend money on posting that information and so it goes on. An alternative is to have a website built. It can show the bedrooms, dining room, lounge, views, the local area, prices, directions etc. You can change the information the same day (ie seasonal price changes), you can take credit card bookings via the site and build a database on e-mails from interested parties for future marketing. All at a fraction of the price you used to pay. The website offers you a low cost way of marketing your business, keeping that marketing material up to date and marketing to a larger potential audience.

Q: What is 'cybersquatting'?
A: Cybersquatting is the practice of registering and using a domain name that is not related to you, your company or its products. It can also refer to the practice of registering domain names purely for selling them on at a higher price. If someone is cybersquatting on a domain name that you wish to use, you have a good chance of obtaining it by bringing up a domain name dispute. This procedure varies between ISPs so you need to check the procedure for each.

Q: Who Created The Internet?
A: The origins of the World Wide Web did begin in the cold-war paranoia of the 1960's. A number of American organisations, worried about the threat of nuclear war started to design a network of computers that could survive in the event the unthinkable happened. This network was designed to be 'unreliable' from the outset, no single failure would mean that communications within the network failed. As this grew, more and more information was loaded onto the system and academics soon kidnapped the 'internet' for their own nefarious purposes (well sending each other papers is very sinister) and before long campus computer centres across the world were the hotbed of technical development (and lots of game playing). The Internet as we know it really became a commercial entity in its own right in the late 80's early 90's when a number of Bulletin Boards began hooking themselves to the Internet. It was only a few steps from this to the time when the first true ISPs appeared and the whole thing took off. Not bad for a bit of American cold war paranoia.

Q: What are computer viruses, Trojans and worms?
A: Simply stated, a virus, Trojan or worm is a small program written to cause harm to one or more computers or networks. A Virus, Worm or Trojan can also be designed to retrieve information from your computer to be delivered to an attacker for future use. For example credit card information, passwords, and security access codes. More specifically, a virus is a parasitic program designed to enter a person?s computer clandestinely. The virus attaches itself to files or boot sectors and is self-replicating. A Trojan (or Trojan horse) is a malicious program that pretends to be a benign application. It is designed to cause your computer to do something that is unexpected. Since it does not spread (not self-replicating) it is not really a virus. A worm is a parasitic program designed to replicate itself on your computer and then spread to other computers via email (through your address book) or an IRC (chat program). Worms are designed by coders for advertising agencies to gain lists of legitimate email addresses for use in marketing. They can also be designed to slow down networks, thus giving other competitors an edge in their fields. Though this is not always the case, mostly they are just designed to create TCP/IP & SMTP chaos.

Q: What does the directory structure of a multilingual site look like?
A: On a typical multi-level site which branches out from one home page, we duplicate the entire site for each language and place that language's files in a subdirectory named for the language. The directory structure, file names and relative links for each target language are exactly the same as for the source language, except that the target language root directory is a sub-directory of the site's root directory. In this manner the links created by most relative addressing schemes do not need to be touched. Your home page needs to be slightly modified to show the links to other languages. Some popular solutions are to use text-based jumps, national flags or a drop-down text box.

Q: How long will it take for my domain name to show up on the internet when we transfer or host with you?
A: It will take between 24-48 hours for DNS propagation. DNS Propagation is the process by which the computers on the Internet update their records (DNS tables) to reflect new domain names & site name(s). When your domain name has propagated throughout the Internet, your domain name can be accessed and recognized on the Internet. Please note: It may take approximately 24-48 hours for a domain name transfer, or registration. During this time their may be a loss of web site and email service.