Message From jl

Hi Everyone!

WELCOME to all of our new subscribers, this week! We truly appreciate you! "Trade Journal Subscribers are THE BEST!"

I seem to be in an unimaginable cycle right now. I feel like an old sock with half a dozen bull dogs pulling it in different directions, all at the same time.

I have a number of (by my perception) important things to do - both work and home related. And, every time I start on one, other things jump in my face needing to be done first!

In fact, ET (my pet cockatiel) is up in my face right now as I try to write this. He's had a difficult moult where it hurt him to be touched in the feather areas. Now, it's over and all he wants is to be snuggled all the time. And, in his own inimitable fashion, he's a bit dictatorial about it.

Here's another example: I had several things to discuss in today's issue - all things I think you'll be interested in reading. In fact, I was already worried my list was getting too long ...

But, instead, I feel like I have to stop and deal with bloody Goggle.

Because, Here Comes Google’s Sidewiki!

Sidewiki was suddenly all over Twitter. (Twitter does – without a doubt – keep you up on things in the online world.) Seems Sidewiki had most folks up in arms.

Didn’t take me long to join them – at least temporarily! Then, I got to work and did what I could to handle the situation, rather than giving in to my first knee-jerk reaction. (If you can believe THAT.)

Google has developed a program, as part of their toolbar, which allows users to open a window on the left side of YOUR website. There, they can post and read comments regarding YOUR site!

You, as the site owner have NO way to stop anyone using the Google tool bar from writing whatever they please on YOUR website. You, as the site owner, have NO capability to edit or remove these comments. Only Google can do that.

Why? Because the actual graffiti is sitting on Google's servers, not yours!

My first comment on it was that Google is high-jacking our websites. How is it they can put ANYTHING on my sites without MY permission?

Although we only “rent” our domain names, we do pay our web hosting companies. It’s our real estate! We design the site and determine what we show the world. We own the copy.

That website belongs to us, and no one has the right to add, or delete, anything from it unless it’s illegal, i.e. copyright violations, etc.

In fact, when Sidewiki opens, it completely destroys the design of two of my sites! At least iCop escaped THAT little problem. (The damn thing takes up almost a THIRD of the width!)

(The problem it caused came from me having used a percentage, rather than a specific pixel size, on the width of the main table.)

Remember when we fought the battle of folks using predatory advertising? Predatory advertising being any method that creates or changes links or banners on web sites without the expressed permission of that web site owner.

The active word in that last sentence is "creates." With Sidewiki, visitors CAN put THEIR links in their comments. On YOUR page! Even Google’s “What’s This?” link will take YOUR visitors right away from YOUR website!

You may recall, at the time, we called predatory advertising, “Scumware.” It was unethical and a low-life thing to do.

Well, Google apparently thinks differently. Now, these geniuses have created yet another way for the lunatics in today’s society to spread their vitriol.

Have you SEEN the crap on the blogs, today? I’m talking about the comments. Just the language makes mine look like it comes from a Sunday School teacher!

Blog comments go off topic and discuss whatever they wish. The rage and insanity blooming all over the Web is already spreading like wildfire.

But, the blogs weren’t enough! Let’s do it on every freakin’ website on the Web. The entire idea is lunacy in itself!

I Can NOT Imagine What Google's "Powers That Be" are Thinking!

Sure, it would be nice to provide a way for every website to collect nice comments. It would even be helpful for scam websites to show comments from those they scammed.

But, WHO is to decide what's a scam and what isn't? Who decides the truth-tellers from the lunatics? Even a rave could just as easily come from a friend - so what good is it?

I'm sure I've pissed off enough people in 10 years to get some mighty nasty comments. Of course, most of you know, MY way is simply to respond - and not pull any punches. But I'd prefer to keep that crap in the newsletter where it belongs - not on the iCop home page.

How about you? Made any enemies since being in business? Surely, I couldn't be the ONLY one!

For me, that isn't really the point. I can take care of idiot management. What I object to is having my property usurped - and having to suck it up unless I want to live without Google.

Maybe I could live without Google. But, at this point - I'm not sure!

I don't know where Google falls on the chart of big business, but I'm sure it's up there. Since the rest of big business creates murder (and, do not doubt, this could kill your business) and mayhem in this country, why shouldn't Google?

Here Are a Few of the Things We Don’t Know

Will the comments affect our site indexing? Don’t know.

How long will comments remain on the pages? Don’t know.

How will we monitor every page of our websites for comments? Will we be notified? Don’t know.

Google says they will remove inappropriate remarks. Who decides what’s inappropriate? They do.

Do we have recourse? Don’t know.

How long will it take for removal? Don’t know.

Someone wrote, “Presumably Google is now responsible for inaccuracies written with Sidewiki.” Don’t know.

I doubt it. I’m sure Google’s butt is covered. It isn’t as if they don’t have plenty of legal advice. It may be tested in the courts, of course, but that will take years.

Currently, they have given us no opt-out. Will they remedy that? Don’t know.

They may yet provide an opt-out, (God forbid they provide opt-IN) but it could be a bit of extortion. If you opt-out, you may find yourself out of their index. Remains to be seen.

So, What Do We Do, Now?

As bad as this irked me, I “claimed” my web sites. My OWN blasted websites! I followed the directions in this article:

tinyurl.com/y9altsu

In short, it tells you how to write your OWN comments at the top of your page as the owner of the website. It was very simple and only stole about half a day of my time to do the home pages, and a couple of others, of three websites.

Google will always leave the site owner's comments on top. But, remember, folks can comment on ANY PAGE THEY WISH! How many total pages do you have on your websites?

It takes about four or five short paragraphs to fill the space down to the “fold” of the page. If anyone writes trash on your site, at least it will require scrolling to be seen. And, if someone writes something lovely, you can always bring it up by shortening your own.

You can see an example by looking at iCop’s home page. You’ll need the Google tool bar with the Sidewiki application on it. Just click over to iCop, then, click the Sidewiki icon in the tool bar.

(Sorry, this newsletter is one of the sites it screws up and I haven't fixed it yet. That, in itself, is going to be a giant PITA!)

www.i-Cop.org

If you don’t have the Google tool bar, I strongly suggest you get it. It only works in IE6+ and Firefox2+, but, there’s no other way to monitor this! And, the huge majority of people DO use one of those browsers - so they CAN use it. All they need is the Google tool bar.

www.toolbar.google.com

You can read Google's policies on writing comments at the URL below. But, they’re a JOKE!

tinyurl.com/yg8ytbe

AND, you can see how it's already being abused by certain gurus here (Scroll down):

www.quickly-make-money-online.com/blog/

Now, I know some will ask if I'm going to start a war over this. The answer is ... I'm not inclined to do that, at this point.

I also know many of you remember how I fought "pay to send" commercial email - tooth and nail - and lost. It was inevitable, and I had to roll over for it. Sidewiki may also turn out to be simply another sign of the times.

I suggest - if it really does have staying power, we use our collective marketing sense and figure out to use it to our benefit.

Any ideas? jlscott@i-cop.org

The Whole Lousy Situation DOES Have its Funny Side

Since BIG business runs the USA, it's possible they'll make Sidewiki go away pretty quickly. Just think of the implications for the pharmaceutical, insurance, health and legal industries' websites!

But, for now, Google has, indeed, high-jacked the Web.

Have a fabulous week and ... keep on keepin' on!

  jl

P.S. Do YOU have the iCop seal on ALL your web sites? Scammers abound in a depressed economy. You will need the credibility of your iCop membership NOW, more than ever!

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Thank You For Reading!  Have a Terrific Week!

Online Business Trade Journal™ is published solely by dr. jl scott, Director of the International Council of Online Professionals (iCop) and may not reflect the opinion of all iCop members.

Material in the "Leaving You With a Smile" column may be copyrighted by unknown persons.

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Copyright © 2009 jl scott, ph.d., Director
International Council of Online Professionals (iCop™)
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