Frequently Asked Questions
Do you recommend any free software programs or utilites?
We have used these products with good results:
WSW does not take responsiblity for your download or use of these products
How do I enable ActiveX controls for Internet Explorer/Windows XP Service Pack 2?
In Internet Explorer:
- On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
- Select the Security tab
- Make sure that the Internet content zone is selected and click Custom Level.
- Set Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins to Enable.
- Set Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting to Enable.
- Click OK.
- Close all the instence of Internet Explorer and re-open it.
What do the extensions in domain names signify?
For a complete list of domain names, in addition to the commonly used .com, .org, and .net, click here
How can I submit my website to search engines?
Here are links to submission pages of three of the most common search engines. Google, Open Directory (dmoz), and
Yahoo. Their search technology is also used by many other popular search engines.
How many people are affected by issues of Web accessibility?
The percentage of people with disabilities in many populations is between 10% and 20%. Not all disabilities affect access to information technologies such as the Web (for instance, difficulty walking, or a heart condition, would not affect Web access) but many do.
Just as with other parts of the population, not all people with disabilities have access to the Web. But the number of people using the Web is steadily increasing, and for people with disabilities access to this technology is sometimes even more critical than for the general population which may have an easier time accessing traditional sources of information such as print media. Read more here.
Why do images look so bad in my browser.
If you are using America Online, you probably have AOL's "image compression" feature turned on; it is turned on by default. MSN has a similar feature called "MSN Accelerator" that reduces the quality of images to speed up page access. A low-cost ISP, "NetZero," may be using similar software. This accelerates your browsing experience, particularly if you are stuck behind a 56K modem, by converting all or most images on the web into a proprietary format known as an "ART" image (for AOL) or a lower-quality JPEG image (for MSN). The catch is that you can't get something for nothing in most cases -- quality will suffer.
What is cache or caching?
The action of storing Web files for later reuse so that they can be accessed more quickly by the end-user. When you're on the Web, the cache improves your Web browser's performance: It stores HTML page code, graphics, and multimedia elements so that when you return to that particular Web page (even if you just hit the back button), the information doesn't have to be downloaded all over again.
The cache is a form of high-speed memory that your computer sets aside to store frequently accessed data; once the data is stored, it can be retrieved directly from your hard drive rather than from a server. Accessing your hard drive is much faster than Internet access, so this speeds things up. Hard disk access, however, is slower than RAM, which is why your computer also has a disk cache, an area that stores information you might need from your hard disk. It's a good thing to clean out your cache every now and then (only because it helps your computer run faster), but keep in mind that recently accessed Web pages may have to be reloaded.
What makes a "bad" website?
See examples here and more.
How do I determine if data I am sending over the Internet is secure?
When sending confidential data over the Internet such as credit card number or password, it is important to verify that the information is sent securely. To verify this make sure you're able to see a small lock in the bottom right corner of portion of your browser window and/or that the URL contains HTTPS at the beginning. This lock should be in the lock position; if this lock is not seen or is in the unlock position, then data is not being transmitted securely.
When in the lock position all data you send to the server or being sent from the server to you is encrypted which helps anyone from understanding the data if it is intercepted while being sent. When no lock is visible or the lock is in the unlocked position all information is being sent as plaintext, which means if intercepted it could be easily read.
What is a Blog?
Blogs are online journals where ordinary people give opinions, information and links on topics that matter to them. These topics can be anything: from politics to needlepoint to corporate blogs to your local school's basketball team. Blogs give a real insight into what ordinary surfers believe and feel about a subject. It's an instant snapshot of our world in words and pictures - but mostly words.
