I have always been annoyed to see other Bloggers who think they have the right to "Copy" and "Paste" full articles and then write a little sentence about what they think. It would be more ethical to simply leave your comment on the blog or article rather then STEAL the work of a writer and think it's all fine to use it as long as the writers byline and publication details are included.
Any REAL writer would never do anything like that knowing it is the cheaters way of adding content to their page or blog. But, as much as we try to advise our fellow bloggers of the errors of their way they seem to think they can do as they please.
It's been a little difficult to actually make it clear what is okay and what is not given that the Internet has made any ordinary person a writer (at least in their own minds anyway).
When I started writing on the Internet I was well educated on what Plagiarism was or was not and found it rather irritating to see Word Thieves all over thinking they could Slap the whole content of someone else's work up and link it to the original site and call things Good!
I would advise that anyone with a Blog who has been in the practice of pasting the whole work of someone else on their site take a quick look through their sites and fix up all their stolen words and try to think of some Original Way to add the work of someone else to your site instead of living in La-La Land going around using your Copy and Paste buttons. Writers are starting to get a little irritated about your habits of stealing our work.
Not to mention the fact that doing this kind of thing will not help your ranks with Google as Google doesn't like duplicated content and will push you down if you run around posting blog after blog filled with full text that was already published by someone else. Nasty little habit to get into.
There have not been any Clear cut guidelines in all these years. A few years ago on the Writers Digest site the standard rule was to take as little as possible and be sure to link well back to the REAL WRITER... even then the question was, "What is--as little as possible?"
Thank Goodness the Associated Press has decided to rumble a little about the content thieves among us! I would personally love to see them sue everyone who believes they can take their work and make it their own. I am looking forward to hearing what they decide "Fair Use" will actually be and will be on the front line reporting any and all infringements I personally see by any other blogger.
I hate to sound mean about it but, in all honesty it really ticks me off to work so hard to write original words and then witness all this copy and paste junk people seem to think qualifies them to claim they have actually written something of value. When I go looking around at Blogs I really am not interested in reading the same Associated Press article copied on 2,000 different Blogs. Doesn't anyone get the fact that once those words are written they don't really need to be republished on every single blog that likes what someone else Wrote?
It is NOT Blogging or Writing to reprint an article from any other website. Personally I would call that Scrap-booking or Collecting of some sort but certainly not writing an original piece of work.
I hope that all the fellow writers and journalistic businesses get serious and make it clear that Plagiarism is no little thing and won't be tolerated by housewives with computers who think they have added any value to the Internet by publishing the work of someone else with their own little comments below.
I think it's high time we just put an end to this habit of everyone with the ability to log-in and click a few keys calling themselves anything other then word thieves and criminals. This kind of stuff just didn't get ignored when the writing was left in the hands of writers and publications.
If you are a blogger who has been under the impression that it's all fine to do this sort of thing--please think again and go over your blog to be sure you are acting like the professional you want everyone to think you are. The fact of the matter is that we don't NEED you to duplicate anything that we can find written on the Internet. If you cannot write something on your own than perhaps you might consider taking up another hobby that is as equally simple--maybe coin collecting or playing Golf would be more fitting for you to spend time learning because it really isn't talent to Blog the words of someone else and leave your comment on your blog as if it really means a thing to anyone who can read it where it was originally published... Maybe grow a garden or learn to sew or better yet take some pictures and post them so everyone else can see you know how to do more then steal words from those of us who try to say something unique and new.
Oh and for those who have stolen my words please remember that letter I have sent telling you to fix your blog and give my words back because I might just be the second one in line when it comes to suing since I can afford an attorney and don't have much better to do when I am on a rampage!
Oh this is one way you might refer to another writers work:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/16/business/media/16ap.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
The Associated Press to Set Guidelines for Using Its Articles in Blogs One of the largest news organizations, plans to define clear standards about how much of one of their articles or broadcasts bloggers and Web sites can excerpt without infringing on their copyright. Read More Here
June 16, 2008
June 09, 2008
Most Important Steps to Avoid Google Penalties
Unless you are interested in keeping a private blog for your own personal purposes or an online journal most Blog writers would like to think someone is interested in reading what they have to share. It can be discouraging to put the effort into creating a wonderful blog only to find that no one is even visiting.
Google Webmaster Guidelines offer several tips for having your blog show up on searches and be noticed by readers who just might find your blog interesting!
The important advice Google has to offer is that if a Blogger chooses to skip all the other recommendations the most important thing to consider are the Google Quality Guidelines. It's important for Blog writers to understand some of the illicit practices that may lead Google to remove a site or blog from their Index entirely or in some other way face a Google penalty. Google makes it clear that if a site or Blog is penalized, it may no longer show up in results on Google.com or on any of Google's partner sites.
Google Quality guidelines
Google is clear about the fact their Quality Guidelines detail the most common deceptive and manipulative practices but, Google also makes it clear they can respond negatively to other misleading behaviors not listed. It's important to remember that just because a certain deceptive technique is not addressed in their guidelines doesn't mean that Google approves of it.
Google values webmasters and bloggers who invest their time and energies upholding the spirit of the basic principles in order to help provide better user experience by rewarding those sites and blogs with better rankings than those who work hard looking for any loopholes they may find to exploit.
Google's Quality guidelines - basic principles
Google Quality guidelines - specific guidelines
It's all pretty simple and clear Google wants Honest Webmasters and bloggers who offer Original Content with their readers and visitors in mind. The effort and attention should be made to present your visitor with a blog or site that offers what they expect by it's title, tags and search engine listing.
These should be the goals of any honest writer and especially a blog or website owner. While there will always be people who break the rules and cause problems Google wants to rank quality sites that offer what they say they do and uses original content highest while pushing the junk and spam off the search engine.
Google Webmaster Guidelines offer several tips for having your blog show up on searches and be noticed by readers who just might find your blog interesting!
The important advice Google has to offer is that if a Blogger chooses to skip all the other recommendations the most important thing to consider are the Google Quality Guidelines. It's important for Blog writers to understand some of the illicit practices that may lead Google to remove a site or blog from their Index entirely or in some other way face a Google penalty. Google makes it clear that if a site or Blog is penalized, it may no longer show up in results on Google.com or on any of Google's partner sites.
Google Quality guidelines
Google is clear about the fact their Quality Guidelines detail the most common deceptive and manipulative practices but, Google also makes it clear they can respond negatively to other misleading behaviors not listed. It's important to remember that just because a certain deceptive technique is not addressed in their guidelines doesn't mean that Google approves of it.
Google values webmasters and bloggers who invest their time and energies upholding the spirit of the basic principles in order to help provide better user experience by rewarding those sites and blogs with better rankings than those who work hard looking for any loopholes they may find to exploit.
Google's Quality guidelines - basic principles
- Build websites and blogs for your readers and users rather than for search engines.
- "Cloaking" is the deceptive practice of presenting your reader or users with different different content then offered to search engines.
- Avoid tricks designed to improve search engine rankings. The best way to decide if you are using a trick is to ask yourself, "Does this actually help my readers or users and would I do this if search engines didn't exist?"
- Don't participate in link schemes designed with the intent to only increase your site or blog ranking or PageRank.
- It's very important to avoid linking to web spammers or as Google calls them "bad neighborhoods" on the web. Linking to these sites may affect your site or blog adversely.
- The use of unauthorized computer programs often designed to submit pages, check rankings, etc. consume computing resources and violate the Google Terms of Service. For example: Google does not recommend the use of products such as WebPosition Gold™ that send automatic or programmatic queries to Google.
Google Quality guidelines - specific guidelines
- Avoid hidden text or hidden links.
- Don't use cloaking or sneaky redirects.
- Don't send automated queries to Google.
- Don't load pages with irrelevant keywords.
- Don't create multiple pages, subdomains, or domains with substantially duplicate content.
- Don't create pages with malicious behavior, such as phishing or installing viruses, trojans, or other badware.
- Avoid "doorway" pages created just for search engines, or other "cookie cutter" approaches such as affiliate programs with little or no original content.
- If your site participates in an affiliate program, make sure that your site adds value. Provide unique and relevant content that gives users a reason to visit your site first.
It's all pretty simple and clear Google wants Honest Webmasters and bloggers who offer Original Content with their readers and visitors in mind. The effort and attention should be made to present your visitor with a blog or site that offers what they expect by it's title, tags and search engine listing.
These should be the goals of any honest writer and especially a blog or website owner. While there will always be people who break the rules and cause problems Google wants to rank quality sites that offer what they say they do and uses original content highest while pushing the junk and spam off the search engine.
You really do need to Get a Blog!
Many of us have tinkered with a blog here or there, over the years. I know I have had several blogs scattered around in different places. Most of the standard "member" and "forum" websites have offered different blogging services and because I am a sucker for leaving my words scattered all over the Internet I know I have started several blogs along the way.
Several months ago, when I began learning about some of the New ways the Internet will be delivering content I realized that things are really going to change. I have always been one of those kinds of people who learn how to do things, and jump right in. I honestly couldn't explain How or What I have learned to anyone by using the techno-babble I have needed to read along the way.
I never have learned all the technical words for most of the things I have learned to do--so any of my Blogs on this blog will use Standard--Middle Aged--Blond housewife English Translation. Otherwise I just can't share what I am learning if you want me to get all Geeky. That is the dude I married--and in the area of Blogging and Social Networking I know more then he does.
The most important thing I can tell anyone who really wants to enjoy the future of surfing the web and catching the Big Waves is "YOU REALLY DO NEED TO GET A BLOG" One main blog that is all your own.
I like the Blogger.com For so many reasons! First, it is part of the Google Account which means that when I log into my Blog I am also logged into my Gmail account, have access to my Webmaster tools and can look at any Adsense account information all with just a few clicks...
I also like the Blogger.com Blogspot blogs because in many cases while I surf I can add things right to my Blog with just a few clicks. I find that it is pretty simple to make a basic blog and that learning to add new things is easy and requires the skills of Copy -- Paste and clicking "Save" with perhaps the added talent of Drag and Drop to put things where you want them. It can hardly be more simple!
Blogspot users can be added and write on each other's blogs! And it's easy because once a blogger is added to the blogspot they will see the blog in their own dashboard and not need to sign in and out of anything except their own account in order to add a blog.
The important thing is that anyone who wanting to join social networking really needs to have a central blog If You don't then be sure to take the time to start one now!
Several months ago, when I began learning about some of the New ways the Internet will be delivering content I realized that things are really going to change. I have always been one of those kinds of people who learn how to do things, and jump right in. I honestly couldn't explain How or What I have learned to anyone by using the techno-babble I have needed to read along the way.
I never have learned all the technical words for most of the things I have learned to do--so any of my Blogs on this blog will use Standard--Middle Aged--Blond housewife English Translation. Otherwise I just can't share what I am learning if you want me to get all Geeky. That is the dude I married--and in the area of Blogging and Social Networking I know more then he does.
The most important thing I can tell anyone who really wants to enjoy the future of surfing the web and catching the Big Waves is "YOU REALLY DO NEED TO GET A BLOG" One main blog that is all your own.
I like the Blogger.com For so many reasons! First, it is part of the Google Account which means that when I log into my Blog I am also logged into my Gmail account, have access to my Webmaster tools and can look at any Adsense account information all with just a few clicks...
I also like the Blogger.com Blogspot blogs because in many cases while I surf I can add things right to my Blog with just a few clicks. I find that it is pretty simple to make a basic blog and that learning to add new things is easy and requires the skills of Copy -- Paste and clicking "Save" with perhaps the added talent of Drag and Drop to put things where you want them. It can hardly be more simple!
Blogspot users can be added and write on each other's blogs! And it's easy because once a blogger is added to the blogspot they will see the blog in their own dashboard and not need to sign in and out of anything except their own account in order to add a blog.
The important thing is that anyone who wanting to join social networking really needs to have a central blog If You don't then be sure to take the time to start one now!
June 07, 2008
Widgets Buttons and Banners: Newbie Mistakes
Blogging has come a long way since I started my first personal blog, in fact the world of blogging has advanced leaps and bounds since I took my first Internet writing blog writing job with Families.com.
When I started my blog it was very basic and simple and even making the best use of all the tricks and tools offered it was still a basic blog. Anything special that required any technical skill stood out among the other bloggers and was respected.
Today, the advancements we see in tools for Blog writers to use is amazing! There was a time when blog writers actually needed some skill to make their blog stand out in the sea of blogs all over the Internet. One huge change has been the simplicity of collecting the widgets, buttons and banners.
I can always recognize a blog writer who is New to the whole scene because they tend to load up every little button and widget that looks nice and pile the side columns with some little symbol of something. Personally, I feel it is best to be selective when placing the widgets, buttons and banners on a blog.
Even I have experienced the rush of putting pretty buttons and pictures on my Blog or Website because all I need to do is "copy" and "paste" some code--or even better over the last few months many of the widgets and buttons don't even require a copy and paste, in some cases all the blogger needs to do is click a button that says, "Add it to my Blog" and walla it is placed automatically with on the blog with no need to even think twice about it.
The fact that a blogger can surf around the Internet and collect widgets and buttons with such ease has often resulted in that blogger feeling a bit big for their pants! In all of an hour or so a Blog can be decked out with pretty looking items could be a huge mistake for a new blogger to make.
There are three primary things I consider when I investigate adding a widget or button to my blogs:
We all start one day if we decide to create a blog or website and most Newbies make the same mistakes. My fist website looked like it was created by a 5 year old because I learned how to use "clip art" and make cool little buttons. I did get carried away and by the time I was finished my pages looked like something I should call my Mommy and ask her to save in my Special Memories box.... It was so Cute and cluttered with blinking little links and pictures that it was a true Masterpiece any kindergartner would be proud to say they had created.
I myself have fallen victim to the temptation of a free widget, tool, service or pretty button given to me free--or under the condition that I permit Pop Ad's. It's an easy thing to do when the discovery is made about how simple it really is to make a blog Rock and Roll...
Over time a newbie will learn to be more selective in the widgets and tools they put on their blogs or websites. Some Widgets, banners and buttons are Awesome and do what they should with no real string attached. Those little gadgets will ordinarily be offered from the Top line Internet businesses we all know and recognize. Google, Yahoo and their associated services and tools generally offer straightforward little things to make your blog HOT.... People are not suspicious when they see a Blog download or track their visit when it is a Product they recognize and respect. It's when something Fishy starts to happen that readers Run the other way...
My Next Blog will discuss the whole Goggle Page Rank issue and those providers who give away the cute little widgets that tell a reader how your page is ranked.
When I started my blog it was very basic and simple and even making the best use of all the tricks and tools offered it was still a basic blog. Anything special that required any technical skill stood out among the other bloggers and was respected.
Today, the advancements we see in tools for Blog writers to use is amazing! There was a time when blog writers actually needed some skill to make their blog stand out in the sea of blogs all over the Internet. One huge change has been the simplicity of collecting the widgets, buttons and banners.
I can always recognize a blog writer who is New to the whole scene because they tend to load up every little button and widget that looks nice and pile the side columns with some little symbol of something. Personally, I feel it is best to be selective when placing the widgets, buttons and banners on a blog.
Even I have experienced the rush of putting pretty buttons and pictures on my Blog or Website because all I need to do is "copy" and "paste" some code--or even better over the last few months many of the widgets and buttons don't even require a copy and paste, in some cases all the blogger needs to do is click a button that says, "Add it to my Blog" and walla it is placed automatically with on the blog with no need to even think twice about it.
The fact that a blogger can surf around the Internet and collect widgets and buttons with such ease has often resulted in that blogger feeling a bit big for their pants! In all of an hour or so a Blog can be decked out with pretty looking items could be a huge mistake for a new blogger to make.
There are three primary things I consider when I investigate adding a widget or button to my blogs:
- Who is supporting the widget or button? I personally, think that it is nice when people connect with other websites or social networks but it is FUNNY when a blogger is ranked number one on a site of social network No One heard of--or is so new that the first 10 people to get involved each earn some prize which is usually just another widget or button to put on your blog to drive traffic to the site that bestowed the prize.
In the blog world there is a huge difference between adding a widget and actually creating a nice blog. I personally, check out the websites and social networks before I associate myself with them by using their cool widget or the neat button they offer. I would find it embarrassing to be the Winning Blog for a website that started last month and has only 8 people slightly involved.
I might still sign up with the websites or social network groups that look like they may become something different, new or directly relate to my website or interests--but, I am not in the habit of cluttering up my sidebar with one little blinkie after another saying I am "all that".
It's best to know who is giving you the widget and what website or group you are connecting to before publishing it on the pages of your blog. The experienced blogger will see the inexperience with those bloggers I like to call "Widget Collectors." The experienced blogger will visit a blog filled with BLING and think---oh great another one of these blogs filled up with pretty pictures that can be collected by anyone. - Hidden tracking and other connections to sites and services are also often connected with the free Widgets or buttons bloggers collect. In many cases your site visitors will be aware that going to your blog includes the delay was all the tracking widgets connect and do their things... A blog page may take an extra long time to load on your visitors site--and the savvy Internet surfer will be aware of what is happening when they click on a blog filled with every widget on the Internet.
Logic should tell the average person that FEW things in life are really free! To think that all these websites and blog groups have spent their time and resources to create a free toy or tool for you to use on your blog is about as funny as going to the grocery store and being given full sized packages for free instead of the little sample designed to make you want to pay for the full size.
Especially a widget or banner that is Hosted by their site--using up their bandwidth or taking space on their server. Why would anyone create some of these cool tools, go to the effort to make them look pretty, and then give them to US hosted and managed by them and their servers?
The fact is, they DO NOT give these cool tools to bloggers as a free--no strings attached--gift. Within their code, or on their server or for advertising reasons the vast majority of the spiffy buttons and widgets offer far more to the site or group handing them out for us to use for free!
Some of the readers you may have gained may "click-off" your site just the moment they see the navigation bar downloading whatever some free thing you have placed in your blog code has triggered some outside website to download anytime someone comes to see your blog. - The single most HORRIBEL mistake that a Newbie Blogger might make is to actually place some kind of widget or banner on their site which also triggers a Pop-Up ad. When I visit a blog that has some kind of neat tool and my computer is spammed with Pop-Up ad's I not only Click away from the site as fast as I can--but, I make every effort to NEVER click on that Blog again!
Pop-up ads are horrible they cause many people to experience technical difficulties. At a minimum they require your readers to "click" on something just to make it go away! And in many cases the Pop-Up ad you agreed to let happen because you used the widget or button may display ad's you wouldn't want to be associated with such as those famous Casino Ad's or the ones for male enhancement medication or tools.
The only thing worse then seeing a blogger use a Free Tool that puts a Pop-Up or a Pop-Under on their blog is to see one that offers all the recognizable icky spam kinds of things we are all so sick and tired of. I personally have a policy of Never adding a Pop-Ad to any of my pages. While my blog and websites are For Profit I take pride in only displaying reputable advertising and Never the kind of advertising that pops, tracks or in anyway messes with my readers computer use, causes a delay or displays ads from the well known spam type things.
We all start one day if we decide to create a blog or website and most Newbies make the same mistakes. My fist website looked like it was created by a 5 year old because I learned how to use "clip art" and make cool little buttons. I did get carried away and by the time I was finished my pages looked like something I should call my Mommy and ask her to save in my Special Memories box.... It was so Cute and cluttered with blinking little links and pictures that it was a true Masterpiece any kindergartner would be proud to say they had created.
I myself have fallen victim to the temptation of a free widget, tool, service or pretty button given to me free--or under the condition that I permit Pop Ad's. It's an easy thing to do when the discovery is made about how simple it really is to make a blog Rock and Roll...
Over time a newbie will learn to be more selective in the widgets and tools they put on their blogs or websites. Some Widgets, banners and buttons are Awesome and do what they should with no real string attached. Those little gadgets will ordinarily be offered from the Top line Internet businesses we all know and recognize. Google, Yahoo and their associated services and tools generally offer straightforward little things to make your blog HOT.... People are not suspicious when they see a Blog download or track their visit when it is a Product they recognize and respect. It's when something Fishy starts to happen that readers Run the other way...
My Next Blog will discuss the whole Goggle Page Rank issue and those providers who give away the cute little widgets that tell a reader how your page is ranked.
June 06, 2008
I'm HappyMomAnna Who are You?
This Blog is really only about what I have learned, and what I know how to use or do... It's about the way I am plugging into Social Networking and is by no means a complete outline of all the things that can be done on the Internet with social networking.
To be honest, there might even be information in this blog may not always be the most accurate since what I know how to do I have learned on my own, by myself and it's all from my own understanding--so I might not always know much about anything, or I might think it works a certain way only to find out later I was wrong... Or that what I thought would be a great idea ends up being a waste of time. The fact is that this is sort of like the Wild West so we are all just learning what the future is.
From what I am learning and see happening on the Internet with Social Networking is that the first and most important step someone needs to take before they jump in is to decide WHO you want to be on the social network.
It is important to find and use the Same User name and the same First and Last name with any website, or service you decide to plug yourself into. Social Networking starts with becoming an "Identity."
For me it was simple since I have always had consistency with my User Name HappyMomAnna and I have always used my Internet Pen Name Anna Glendenning as my first and last name for forums, groups, and other community websites that asked me to choose a user name and create a profile. These names are my Internet Identity this is Who I am when I am surfing the net!
I was lucky or lazy when I started all this website playing and then website building because I just picked a name and tried to stick with it. I really didn't want to have to remember different log in names, or information so I picked a name and use it everyplace.
If you do not have the User Name you want to be known as on the social network the first thing you need to do is Find Yourself and once you believe you have the Best Identity that you can think of, sign up for a Gmail Account with that user name!
So, to recap: Pick who you want to be and go to Google and get a Gmail Account. Once you have done that you will be ready for the future blogs here! In Fact, if you have or create your Gmail account and want to follow along with this Blog be sure to Subscribe By Email and use your Gmail address... This way you will also start building your network based email account and have this blog delivered right to your email address!
In Fact, you can sign up to get this blog delivered to your email account below! And if you don't have a Gmail account you can use any email to get this Blog delivered right to any email you would like!
You might also want to consider changing your email address in your Adoptive Parents Network membership profile this way you will keep all of Your APN information going to the same place and keep your personal email account free from too many updates and networking email and for those things that are about your family or business.
Be sure to read my next Blog here as I walk you down the path of the best ways to plug into the Adoptive Parents Network and the future of the Internet and Social Networking!
Now Go take care of finding yourself and getting your email issues taken care of. It won't take that much time or effort and these steps will be done and you won't need to do them again or later!
Related Links:
To be honest, there might even be information in this blog may not always be the most accurate since what I know how to do I have learned on my own, by myself and it's all from my own understanding--so I might not always know much about anything, or I might think it works a certain way only to find out later I was wrong... Or that what I thought would be a great idea ends up being a waste of time. The fact is that this is sort of like the Wild West so we are all just learning what the future is.
From what I am learning and see happening on the Internet with Social Networking is that the first and most important step someone needs to take before they jump in is to decide WHO you want to be on the social network.
It is important to find and use the Same User name and the same First and Last name with any website, or service you decide to plug yourself into. Social Networking starts with becoming an "Identity."
For me it was simple since I have always had consistency with my User Name HappyMomAnna and I have always used my Internet Pen Name Anna Glendenning as my first and last name for forums, groups, and other community websites that asked me to choose a user name and create a profile. These names are my Internet Identity this is Who I am when I am surfing the net!
I was lucky or lazy when I started all this website playing and then website building because I just picked a name and tried to stick with it. I really didn't want to have to remember different log in names, or information so I picked a name and use it everyplace.
If you do not have the User Name you want to be known as on the social network the first thing you need to do is Find Yourself and once you believe you have the Best Identity that you can think of, sign up for a Gmail Account with that user name!
So, to recap: Pick who you want to be and go to Google and get a Gmail Account. Once you have done that you will be ready for the future blogs here! In Fact, if you have or create your Gmail account and want to follow along with this Blog be sure to Subscribe By Email and use your Gmail address... This way you will also start building your network based email account and have this blog delivered right to your email address!
In Fact, you can sign up to get this blog delivered to your email account below! And if you don't have a Gmail account you can use any email to get this Blog delivered right to any email you would like!
You might also want to consider changing your email address in your Adoptive Parents Network membership profile this way you will keep all of Your APN information going to the same place and keep your personal email account free from too many updates and networking email and for those things that are about your family or business.
Be sure to read my next Blog here as I walk you down the path of the best ways to plug into the Adoptive Parents Network and the future of the Internet and Social Networking!
Now Go take care of finding yourself and getting your email issues taken care of. It won't take that much time or effort and these steps will be done and you won't need to do them again or later!
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