After migrating from Media Temple DV 3.5 to Media Temple DV 4.0, I found my email box filling up with notices of cron errors. Sometimes, the error was “-: wget: command not found” or other times “-: php: command not found”. Commands worked perfectly fine if run in SSH but not through the Plesk Cron Tab (Scheduled Tasks).

Initially, calls to the normally superb Media Temple Support resulted in several unsatisfactory replies such as “crons should work just fine on Plesk 10″ or “we really don’t support crons”. I tried everything. Believe me, several weeks living without crons was not fun. Databases didn’t get backed up, emails didn’t go out, cleanup scripts didn’t run, etc. Then finally, a senior support engineer at Media Temple put me on the right track by mentioning that the user (i.e., the service) requires shell access to run crons in Plesk 10.

This is discussed, albeit somewhat cryptically, on Page 166 of the Plesk 10 Administrator Guide.

In previous versions of Plesk, the users who were granted the permission to schedule tasks with cron but were not allowed access to server shell, could still run scripts in the shell under which the cron was running. This allowed them to gain access to the data that could be potentially used to compromise the server. Starting from Parallels Plesk Panel 10.1, execution of cron tasks is automatically restricted to the chrooted shell environment.

If you trust your customers enough to allow execution of scripts in a non-chrooted environment, then you can select the required shell by issuing the following command in the console…

The Guide goes on to mention bin/sh. Therefore, I went back to Plesk 10 and changed the shell access for each domain running crons. See below.

Voilà! Crons started working immediately.

Tip: Use commands in starting with “php” rather than “/usr/bin/php”.

Examples:
php /var/www/vhosts/example.com/httpdocs/myfile.php >/dev/null 2>&1
wget -q http://example.com/myfile.php

This interesting graphic of Web Designer demographic data was published by Tech King. Click on the graphic to go to the original post which lists the data souces.

Infographic: All You Need To Know About Web Designers by Tech King

]]> http://www.rl-digital.com/2010/web-designer-demographics/feed/ 0 http://www.rl-digital.com/2010/how-to-make-domainkeys-using-plesk-8-60-with-external-dns-control/ http://www.rl-digital.com/2010/how-to-make-domainkeys-using-plesk-8-60-with-external-dns-control/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 02:35:20 +0000 Robert http://www.rl-digital.com/?p=351 Robert. Visit the original article at http://www.rl-digital.com/2010/how-to-make-domainkeys-using-plesk-8-60-with-external-dns-control/.

Server-generated emails on websites requiring registration or verification, often do get not through Hotmail and Yahoo Mail spam filters. Hotmail requires a valid SPF record which is easy to implement. And, Microsoft will whitelist your domain for Hotmail if you request it.

Yahoo filed a patent for the DomainKeys concept in 2003. They still use DomainKeys and require it especially for server-generated emails. Implementing it used to require running a Perl script to generate the key pair for the electronic signature. And, instructions for updating your server DNS are difficult to find.

Plesk 8.6.0 has DomainKeys built into the Plesk CPanel. However, there is one extra step that is critical if you control the DNS externally (for example, with Media Temple’s Account Center). Here’s how to do it:

In Plesk 8.6.0, go to the Server Panel click on the Mail icon and turn on DomainKeys globally. Then, you need to go the domain, click on the Mail icon, and turn on DomainKeys for that domain. Plesk 8.6.0 will then generate the key pair (public and private) and update your DNS records in Plesk.

However many Plesk users have disabled “named” to save resources and control their DNS from their Media Temple Account Center or other external service.

That means, you need to copy the 2 DNS entries for DomainKeys from the Plesk DNS settings to wherever you control the DNS. Make sure to copy the keys exactly.

Once that’s done, wait for the records to propagate. Then, you can test your DomainKeys by sending an email from the domain to: sa-test@sendmail.net which is a DomainKeys/DKIM reflector (autoresponder).

More background information is here.

Web developers use dummy text as placeholders when building websites. Dummy text is required when the final text is not yet available from the client. It is used to demonstrate the appearance of different typefaces and layouts. Usually, the dummy text is nonsensical or unreadable my most people as not to distract from it’s purpose.

Lorum Ipsum can be traced back to ‘De finibus bonorum et malorum’ (On the extremes of Good and Evil) by Cicero in 45 BC. The original passage began: Neque porro quisquam est qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit (Translation: “Neither is there anyone who loves grief itself since it is grief and thus wants to obtain it”). It is not known exactly when the text acquired its current standard form; it may have been as late as the 1960s. The passage was discovered by Richard McClintock, a Latin scholar who is the publications director at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, by searching for citings of the rarely used Latin word “consectetur” in classical literature. source Wikipedia

Where can you find dummy text? Of course, you can copy and paste from online editions of ‘De finibus bonorum et malorum’. Better yet, use on the free online dummy text generators. Here are (2) of my favorites:

Both generators have options to use other obscure languages as well as a variety of fonts. Have fun!

If the email address is: joe@mydomain.com, most websites use:

<a href="mailto:joe@mydomain.com">joe@mydomain.com</a>

That line of basic HTML is easily harvested by spambots. Within a few weeks, the spam will start trickling in. After a few months, there will be a flood of annoying spam emails.

What can you do? Start with a fresh email address and use this small JavaScript:

<script type="text/javascript"><!--
var name = "joe";
var domain = "mydomain.com";
document.write('<a href=\"mailto:' + name + '@' + domain + '\">');
document.write(name + '@' + domain + '</a>');
// --></script>

Simply replace the email address segments in lines 2 and 3. Then, paste the JavaScript into the HTML code for the page (replacing the mailto code). You are done!

WidgetBucks has introduced pre-designed and custom ad skins for their well-known WidgetBucks widgets. Publishers have two choices – choose from a gallery of over 125 pre-designed skins to apply to new and existing ad widgets or use the DIY (Do-It-Yourself) tools to add their own unique look-and-feel to ad widgets

The gallery of off-the-shelf skins map closely to WidgetBucks’ product categories, including entertainment (Batman, celebrities), tech and electronics (iPhone, GPS devices, XM Radio), fashion (handbags, flip flips), sports and outdoors (basketball, baseball), video games (Halo), and more. They are can be applied to six IAB standard sizes. The new skins only show up on WidgetBucks’ CPC widgets. CPM display ads will run without the new designs.

DIY design tools include two basic applications — MS Paint and Notepad, both standard on PCs (one Mac Paint equivalent is open-source software Seashore). These tools give publishers powerful customization ability to enable very integrated look-and-feel delivery of their WidgetBucks ad units on their sites.

Shown above is a 160×300 WidgetBucks ad widget as it appears on TechCrunch.

Sign-up and Earn $$ with WidgetBucks.

WidgetBucks has just announced that is expanding its CPC (cost-per-click) network for Western European traffic. Starting July 15th, when publishers serve WidgetBucks ad widgets on their sites, visitors based in the UK will see a short-duration CPM display ad followed by a CPC shopping widget featuring UK-based merchants and products listed in British pounds.

The CPM/CPC hybrid ad gives publishers two revenue streams from the same ad widget instance. Before today, only CPM (cost-per-thousand impressions) ads were served to visitors outside the U.S. and Canada. Additional Western European countries, including Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden will come online over the next two weeks.

Changes to publishers reports will be seamless. In addition to current CPM impressions, additional impressions will automatically be added into CPC roll-up and daily totals, as well as resulting revenue. At this time, WidgetBucks is not breaking out CPC impressions and earnings by country. You’ll have to track that via the site URL.

Shown above is a 160×300 WidgetBucks ad widget as it will appear in the UK.

Sign-up and Earn $$ with WidgetBucks.

Update July 30th: Today WidgetBucks added Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Sweden and Denmark to the UK. This means that site visitors from those countries will now see the double-revenue ad widgets.

ASE Adnet is a new CPC ad network that is a direct competitor to TTZ Media. What’s the same? The ads look remarkably similar to TTZ Media Ads. What’s different? ASE Adnet is using a percentage based system rather than the tiered EPC structure offered by TTZ Media. The ASE Adnet system opens the door for higher (and lower) earnings per click.

Here are the key features:

• Reports Updated Hourly
• Simple and Advanced Ad Code Generators
• Select Products via Keywords or PIDs
• Multiple Campaign Tracking
• US$25 minimum payout via PayPal
• Fast Support

ASE Adnet has another big advantage over TTZ Media – a completely customizable ad layout via an Advanced Ad Code Generator. You can make ads of any size, using any colors, and placing different parts of the ad – like the product price, image, and store – in different places within the ad box. All you need is a little bit of CSS knowledge. If you don’t know CSS, you can always use the Simple Ad Code Generator.

Also, ASE Adnet gives you the ability to pick which product(s) you want showing in your ad. A product or products can be selected by keywords or by PID number. Multiple products can be rotated or show together.

Rather than geo-targeting or geo-filtering, ASE Adnet filters by browser language. This allows wider visibility for ads. However, they only pay for USA clicks. All clicks are audited before payouts are made.

How much can you make per click for ASE Adnet? I don’t yet. However, TTZ Media pays only a flat $0.15/click until you rack up 1,000 clicks. After that, TTZ Media pays $0.18/click maxing out at $0.25/click for heavy traffic sites. Aron Schatz, the owner of ASE Adnet, thinks smaller publishers can achieve $0.25/click.

ASE Adnet payouts are through Paypal with a minimum payment of only US$25.

Sign-up for ASE Adnet.

You can see the ASE Adnet ads running here and here at the end of the posts.

Media Whiz has just announced that they have merged AuctionAds and ShoppingAds into one network located at http://ShoppingAds.com.

ShoppingAds is a hybrid network that serves both CPA (cost per action) ads provided by eBay and CPC (cost per click) ads from shopping comparison engine partners. However, only Premium Publishers qualify for CPC ads. How do you become a Premium Publisher? ShoppingAds analyzes your site traffic. If the traffic quality is good and most of it USA-based, they will promote you to premium status.

The CPA ads still use AuctionAds innovative algorithm that sends international visitors to their local country eBay site with a pre-loaded search. In the USA, the ads display ‘Best Price’ in US dollars while outside the USA the price line displays ‘Current Bid’ in local currency. In the example above, the price is shown in Singapore dollars.

As a publisher, revenue per click will vary – so far I have found them to be similar to AdSense. For CPA ads, you get credited at the highest commission tier though AuctionAds (now ShoppingAds) eBay program.

Sign-up for ShoppingAds and start making money.

Run a small business like I do? If so, your tax accountant will insist that you use accounting software for record keeping. Last month, Intuit announced that QuickBooks Basic has been replaced by Quickbooks Simple Start 2008.

QuickBooks Simple Start is available free via download or as a Start Plus Pack with a training CD for about $90. You will get everything you need including tutorials with the downloaded version, so I recommend saving your money and using it to upgrade to the Pro version later on.

Are you using Excel spreadsheets to track your sales and expenses? QuickBooks Simple Start allows you to import your existing data from Excel saving time and avoiding the hassle of manually entering your data.

• Replaces QuickBooks Basic
• Simple to learn and use
• Not a trial – no expiration date – no restrictons
• Be ready at tax time
• Grows with your business
• Available internationally
• One-month email support
• Upgradeable to QuickBooks Pro and Premier Editions

QuickBooks Simple Start 2008 also works with QuickBooks Payroll (Basic, Standard, Enhanced, Enhanced for Accountants, Assisted)¹.

Any negatives? There’s no way to deal with multiple currencies in any of the QuickBooks 2008 versions. For some reason, Intuit removed this capability after QuickBooks 2006. There are no easy workarounds. You can set-up a different company for another currency. However, you cannot easily track bank accounts with different currencies within the same company.

Other versions
QuickBooks Pro 2008
Quickbooks Pro 2008 3 User
Quickbooks Premier Edition 2008