For those of you who are using AutoResponse Plus (ARP) to keep in touch with your customers and subscribers, Neil Morgan is about to schedule the release of ARP 4.
He has asked for suggestions on features you’d like to see included and promises to give every one of them careful consideration. Here’s your chance to suggest the features that you want or suggest some rough spots that may need attention.
If you have any suggestions you’d like me to forward to Neil, please send me an email and I’ll send them on.
For any of you who aren’t using AutoResponse Plus to build your list and stay in contact with them, you can get more information on ARP here. I use it on several of my websites.
ARP allows you to run multiple customizable mailing lists off of any website, can set up unlimited autoresponders and has broadcast capability.
What if your Internet broadband connection could be faster and more secure? That’s the promise of OpenDNS, and according to the New York Times and it’s Technology Guru David Pogue, OpenDNS delivers.
What brought my attention to OpenDNS was an article on security in the online edition of today’s NY Times. It seems there’s a flaw in the Internet Domain Name System that could cause you to be unknowingly routed to a phishing site. This could occur if the phishers hijack the domain of your bank or a trusted website to gain access to your personal information.
There are no reports of phishing crews exploiting this problem as yet and Internet service providers are rushing to plug the potential leaks. But it could take some of them months to correct the problem.
Later in the article, the author mentions that using OpenDNS as your domain name server can eliminate the problem. OpenDNS is free and there are easy instructions on how to install it on your computer or home/small office (SOHO) network.
I installed it on our network this morning and it took less than ten minutes. Not much of a time investment for peace of mind.
That OpenDNS logo at the top of the page is active. If you install OpenDNS and come back to this page, it will tell you that you are using OpenDNS. Same if your provider or workplace has OpenDNS installed. If the button says “Use OpenDNS - Get Started,” click the button and get started! (or just click here)
While researching OpenDNS, I discovered that it is also useful for speeding up your broadband connection. On my network, I have noticed no change in speed the first time I loaded a website after installing OpenDNS. But subsequent loadings seemed to complete 25% to 50% faster. Cool!
Because OpenDNS requires a change in your local settings on your network, I cannot install it for you remotely. But it isn’t difficult. Increased security and a faster connection – now there’s a combo that’s hard to beat!
New emailing rules go into effect at the end of this month. Don’t get caught with your pants down on this one or you might have a problem. The changes aren’t earth-shaking but you will need to know and comply with them if you email any kind of commercial message to a list of virtually any kind.
The Federal Trade Commission has now issued four new rules that amend the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003. The amendments go into effect at the end of this month - June, 2008.
The amendments affect all senders of any commercial email with a list of any size from 2, on up.
Here are the rules:
#1 The receiver of the email cannot be required to pay a fee, provide information other than his or her email address and opt-out preferences, and must be able to opt-out of the mailing list using a SINGLE ACTION.
This may be by replying to the email - or by clicking ONE link to go to a SINGLE web page.
#2 The use of the word “person” is defined in regard to whether the CAN-SPAM Act applies. “Person” is now defined to include non-companies. In other words, any and everyone can be liable for sending commercial email - breathing person, company, organization, etc.
#3 You may use a post office box or private mailbox (PMB) - rather than the address of an actual private building - as the physical address in your commercial mailings to satisfy the CAN-SPAM Act.
#4 For any mailing containing advertisements from 3rd party advertisers, either the party who the email is “from” must have an advertisement in the email - or - all of the advertisers with ads in the mailing are responsible for opt-out requests.
This is known as the “Designated Sender” rule. When the party listed in the “From” field has an ad in the mailing, that party becomes responsible for processing opt-out requests.
In my opinion, these new amendments cover the places where people most often run afoul of the CAN-SPAM Act. The most common error is not having a “single option opt-out.” And since the term “persons” now includes non-companies (individuals, in other words), it is easy to be in non-compliance even if you are sending emails to a group from your AOL or Gmail accounts or even from your desktop if your email contains any type of commercial solicitation.
Please be aware that complying with the Act and the new amendments is YOUR responsibility as a mailer. If you’d like to read the entire 109 memorandum on these amendments, you can get it here.
New emailing rules go into effect at the end of this month. Don’t get caught with your pants down on this one or you might have a problem. The changes aren’t earth-shaking but you will need to know and comply with them if you email any kind of commercial message to a list of virtually any kind.