Time to gather the family around the iPod, computer, or wherever you may be listening to me at and find out what is going on inside and outside of the web hosting world we all know and love. Grandma grab the popcorn, Little Bucky, you go grab the drinks. The Web Hosting Show, is now on the air. Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 172! Running Time: 14 minutes | File Size: 6.18 MB Here are just a few topics from this week’s episode: My Favorite (and the BEST) FTP Client The Seven Dirty Web Hosting Words (and Phrases) Get Access to Photoshop Online for Free! Here are this week’s web hosting news headlines: GoDaddy Does Makeovers for Lucky Web Sites 1&1 Internet Moves into a Nuclear Facility Hosting.com Get More Free Money to Blow Away Come on, now how could you read a show description like that and not want to listen? Download and tune in to this very special edition of the Web Hosting Show. If you do, I promise to… well, do it again next week? Web Hosting Directory: Check out the new list of the best hosting resources! © Mitch Keeler 2008 | Check out my firefox help site and my tech blog too!   Less

Like an unlit firework on the 4th of July, the Web Hosting Show is back and ready to burst with excitement anytime now. All we need is for you to ignite the flame, tune in, and we will have a web hosting blast like the world has never seen. The Web Hosting Show is back on the air. Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 171! Running Time: 10 minutes | File Size: 4.26 MB Here are just a few topics from this week’s episode: Where is the Good in Clustered Web Hosting? An Online Tool to Clean up Your CSS! Problem Finding FFmpeg Web Hosts? Multi-column CSS Layouts with YAMAL Builder Here are this week’s web hosting news headlines: Global Internet Solutions accused of Hijacking Sites News Story on Global Internet Solutions - Video from Fox News Sorry I missed you last week, but I had a bit of a lingering cold, and didn’t think you’d be able to stand a show I was sniffling all the way through. I promise you this is a sniffle-free zone now! Web Hosting Directory: Check out the new list of the best hosting resources! © Mitch Keeler 2008 | Check out my firefox help site and my tech blog too!   Less

James Bond’s rival Goldfinger was obsessed with gold. I am a man obsessed with web hosting. So does that make me Hostfinger? I am sure of two things. Yes, there will be a web host by that name soon if there isn’t already and I think I’ll stick with the web hosting industry’s media rock star as my self-proclaimed title for now. Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 170! Running Time: 14 minutes | File Size: 5.82 MB Here are just a few topics from this week’s episode: Twitter for Web Hosting Support? Secret of Finding Unique Domains! Outsourced Hosting Support with CliffSupport.com 5 Ways to Get Free Hosting Here are this week’s web hosting news headlines: 100 Registrars To Offer .tel iNet Interactive Purchases Australian Competitor Kick back, relax and get caught up with some of the latest and greatest happenings inside of the web hosting world. We are going to have tons of fun this week, and the only way you can join in is to listen. What are you waiting for? Web Hosting Tip: How do you read bad hosting reviews? © Mitch Keeler 2008 | Check out my firefox help site and my tech blog too!   Less

What would I like to have today?  Lets see.  I will have a large data center mashup map, a side of hosting tools (just remember to hold the tomatoes), a HP performance-optimized datacenter and a definition on what domaining is all about?  For here or to go?  I think I am about ready to go - because the Web hosting Show is now on the air. Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 169! Running Time: 10 minutes | File Size: 4.39 MB Here are just a few topics from this week’s episode: Find Secret Data Center Locations! How Was That Web Site Made? HP Performance-Optimized Datacenter What is Domaining? Here are this week’s web hosting news headlines: Aplus.net Launches Community Forums GoDaddy Goes After Illegitimate Pharmacies The Planet Sends Notice About Security Breach Happy to have you back here with us on the web hosting industry’s number one podcast. Web Hosting Tip: How do you read bad hosting reviews? © Mitch Keeler 2008 | Check out my firefox help site and my tech blog too!   Less

I don’t know about you, but I love to share. From Laughing Squid: “A Shared Culture” is a new video that helps explain the idea behind Creative Commons. It was created by by Jesse Dylan, the director who made the extremely popular “Yes We Can” video for Barack Obama. ShareThis Less

Hey gang — after spending $40 a month for six months for an email blast service I wasn’t using, I’m giving ReverbNation a spin. Designed for independent musicians, the service seems very robust and flexible. Best of all, it’s free. If you’ve emailed me, like, ever, chances are you’re going to get an “opt-in” email from the ReverbNation folks. I’d appreciate it if you clicked through and signed up to receive email blasts from me in the future. If you’ve never emailed me — and don’t worry, I don’t take it personally … I’m a lurker myself — but want to sign up, feel free to use the form below. (RSS readers click here.) Thanks for your endless support, folks. I’m humbled to be in such awesome company. –J.C. ShareThis Less

From the first time I ever heard about Fantastico, I always thought about the traditional magician pulling rabbits from his hat.  Who would have a clue that a few years later on down the road I would have a chance to speak with one of the magicians behind the magic at Netenberg to find out more about this favorite cPanel addition. Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 168! Running Time: 8 minutes | File Size: 3.33 MB On today’s show, I got the chance to speak with Aric Pedersen, who works tech support for the Netenberg company.  If you have ever wondered how Fantastico got started, or how you could get your own scripts included in this legendary cPanel add-on, this podcast is for you.  We also cover other services Netenberg offers to the hosting industry, Fantastico 3, as well as what make Fantastico unique in comparison with some of the other “one-click” install scripts out there. For those of you who may not know, Fantastico is an add-on for cPanel put out by the fine people at Netenberg.com.  With more than 10,000 installations, it provides more than one million end users the ability to quickly install dozens of the leading open source content management systems into their web space. Now, some people may say, “Why not just install the scripts you need yourself?”.  While that may be an alternative for seasoned gurus like myself, or some of you out there, new people to the web hosting game sometimes need a helping hand. It integrates with your cPanel and gives you and your web-hosting customers the ability to install multiple instances of any of these scripts: in add-on domains in subdomains in top level directories How does Fantasico stand up to other third party script installers? Check out this handy comparison chart to find out more information about that.  I am all about making the world of web hosting and web mastering easier, and Fantastico has been helping in that effort for years. Free Download: Download Your Free Copy of My Best of the Web Hosting Show Guides eBook! © Mitch Keeler - like this? visit Mitchelaneous.com | FirefoxFacts.com | WebHostingShow.com   Less

We all need smarter tools to get us through the day, and one company has made a name in providing those smarter tools to each and every one of you.  What is their name?  SmarterTools Incorporated!  From webmail tools, to statistics, they offer many tools that are leaps and bounds above the competition. So if you want to know more about this company and the tools they provide, stay tuned - because this will be your kind of podcast. Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 167! Running Time: 9 minutes | File Size: 3.82 MB On today’s podcast I am lucky enough to have the Vice President of Business Operations of SmarterTools Inc, Jeff Hardy.  From going through their services to ask him why he thinks these tools would be helpful to your web hosting or small business, I promise to leave you at least knowing more about this excellent web services company. SmarterTools defines itself as an information technology management software company.  They build applications to simplify, automate, and really just make our lives easier.  Founded in 2003, the company is (in at least my opinion) one of the top web hosting script and service companies too. How can I say that?  Well, thankfully I don’t have to.  Their services do the talking for them.  Here are their main products. SmarterMail - SmarterMail Windows mail server is the cost-effective Microsoft Exchange alternative. SmarterMail provides antispam/antivirus out-of-the-box, reporting, events/notifications, throttling, email archiving, and more. SmarterTrack - SmarterTrack brings all the functionality of a Help Desk, a Ticket System, Live Chat, WhosOn, Cost Analysis, Data Mining, Reporting, and a Knowledge Base in one software application—delivered through one elegant Web interface. SmarterStats - SmarterStats log analytics delivers detailed website statistics for a single website or up to thirty thousand websites across a distributed network. To find out more about the company, what they do and how they can help you, check out SmarterTools.com. Free Download: Download Your Free Copy of My Best of the Web Hosting Show Guides eBook! © Mitch Keeler - like this? visit Mitchelaneous.com | FirefoxFacts.com | WebHostingShow.com   Less

Any web host will tell you the hardest part about the web hosting business is finding a team of support people that care about your clients as much as you do. You want to make sure they are in good hands. One company that promotes themselves as those good hands to trust is Bobcares. They specialize in support for small, medium and large hosting companies. Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 166! Running Time: 10 minutes | File Size: 4.44 MB On today’s show I am luck enough to get to talk with the co-founder and Director of Bobcares, Sangeetha Naik. Want to know what they are all about, who they get the most business from, and how they feel about their type of services versus freelance contractors, this is the podcast for you. Bobcares promotes itself as somebody who works on your business as much as you do.  With services ranging from phone support, to help desk and server administration - they have left no stone unturned when it comes to a variety of different support options they provide. What Services Can They Provide to Me? Just looking over their help desk service options, they provide support for WHM/cPanel, Parallels, Helm, H-Sphere, Ensim, Webmin, Alabanza, WinPanel, DirectAdmin, Cobalt RAQ, and DonHost. With phone support, they offer 12 to 24 hour support, and the ever-important overnight option, so you can catch some sleep while they keep thing under control.  Server management varies from hourly services to monthly, with everything covered in between.  They also specialize in Virtual Private Server (VPS) support too. Another secret jewel of theirs I found was the blog, you can check out the Bobcares blog here: http://bobcares.com/index.php/blog/ Want to give them a shot? Try out their FREE, no obligations 7 day trial and see what Bobcares can do for you.  Also be sure to let them know that the Web Hosting Show sent you there. Free Download: Download Your Free Copy of My Best of the Web Hosting Show Guides eBook! © Mitch Keeler - like this? visit Mitchelaneous.com | FirefoxFacts.com | WebHostingShow.com   Less

Summer 2009 will see the major release of J.C. Hutchins’ new supernatural thriller, Personal Effects: Dark Art. Produced by entertainment company Smith & Tinker and published by St. Martin’s Press, Dark Art combines the narrative experience of a traditional prose novel with an Alternate Reality Game. Clues in the novel — and items that come with the novel, such as ID and business cards, faxes and photos — will propel readers into an online experience where they become a “protagonist by proxy” and learn more about the novel’s story/universe. Readers will also discover plot points online that the book’s protagonists may never see. This new book series is the brain-child of Jordan Weisman, one of the fathers of the Alternate Reality Game storytelling genre. In 2001, Jordan worked with Steven Spielberg to promote his film A.I. using this viral storytelling technique, and has since created many ARGs such as “I Love Bees” for the release of Halo 2, and more recently contributed to 42 Entertainment’s (the company that he founded in 2003) ARGs for Nine Inch Nails’ Year Zero and The Dark Knight film. Weisman is a living legend in the gaming community. Some brilliant filmmakers and novelists have read the book, and have said some great things about it. Expect to hear more from them — and read more about Personal Effects — in the months ahead. J.C. recently chatted with reporter Scott Roche about the novel. Here’s an excerpt from that interview. SR: Your next book, Personal Effects: Dark Art, is another instance where you’re pushing boundaries and mixing things up. What can you tell me about that? JCH: It’s a story that combines the hard-nosed, rationally-based sensibilities of a TV program like CSI with the supernatural and conspiratorial elements seen in such shows as The X-Files. Set in a mental institution for hopeless dead-enders, Dark Art chronicles the life of Zach Taylor, a young and optimistic art therapist. Gifted at his job, he uses his patients’ personal effects — the personal items that were cataloged during their admission to the hospital — to help decipher the secrets of their mental problems. But Zach gets far more than he bargained for when a new patient is admitted to the facility: a man who is a suspected serial killer. While the novel’s plot is intriguing and scary, the presentation of this tale is positively game-changing. The universe of Personal Effects is the creation of Jordan Weisman, a brilliant game designer famous for creating the role-playing game company FASA in the 1980s, and the genius “HeroClix” collectible tabletop game in the ’90s. However, he’s best-known for being instrumental in the creation of “transmedia” storytelling experiences, commonly called Alternate Reality Games. ARGs are immersive stories, told mostly online through various websites and services, that blur the lines between fiction and reality. People experiencing these stories become active participants, and in a way, protagonists: they solve riddles, they “hack” email accounts to obtain critical information to further propel the story, they IM chat with characters mentioned in the tale… they can even receive phone calls and faxes from these characters. The words “ambitious” and “jaw-droppingly cool” don’t even begin to describe this style of storytelling, which Jordan helped create. When you purchase a copy of Dark Art next summer, you won’t just receive a book. You’ll receive an envelope of real, tangible “personal effects” — the same patient personal effects that are mentioned in the book. Think business cards, documents, etc. These items serve more than just interesting trinkets or props, however: based on clues found in the text of the novel — and in these items themselves — readers can unearth an entire storyline on the Web that enhances the novel in ways the reader — and even the characters in the book — may never suspect. We’ve taken great care to create an experience that stands on its own within the pages of the book, but have included some incredible plot twists that can only be experienced beyond the book. Like the ARGs Jordan is known for creating, Personal Effects is intended to make the reader an active participant in the story. It’s pretty frickin’ cool. My involvement in Dark Art and the Personal Effects series has not only been creatively rewarding, but it’s made me a true believer in the notion that a story need not be bound to one medium. Done right, a unified, satisfying narrative experience can transcend the pages of a book, or the screen of a television, or the audio of a podcast. Like the innovative multi-media experience currently seen in OBSIDIAN , I think this kind of storytelling is the future, and I can’t wait to further experiment with it in the months and years ahead. –J.C. ShareThis Less

Not just any podcast, the Web Hosting Show is back this week for episode 165. What is lined up for this week’s broadcast across the web hosting world? Well we have a little scam brewing with one domain name register, and we also have a lot of handy FeedBurner tools I bet you didn’t know existed. All that and a bucket of chicken on this week’s edition of the Web Hosting Show. Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 165! Running Time: 13 minutes | File Size: 5.66 MB Here are just a few topics from this week’s episode: How to Read Bad Hosting Reviews Domain Hijacking, Not for Gangsters Best FeedBurner Analysis Tools Free Performance, Availability and Traffic Monitoring Here are this week’s web hosting news headlines: Google to Build Data Centers that Float? EstDomains.com Involved in Hundreds of Online Scams? Hostway Gives Away More Apple iPhones GoDaddy Races Sing This Song, Doo-dah! doo-dah! Web hosting world, you had better get ready cause we got yet another great podcast from pillar to post to share with all of you. Give a download, listen to it, and let me know what you think! Free Download: Download Your Free Copy of My Best of the Web Hosting Show Guides eBook! © Mitch Keeler - like this? visit Mitchelaneous.com | FirefoxFacts.com | WebHostingShow.com   Less

Inspired by a recent tweet by Evo Terra, I whipped up this little ditty. Sigler fans, enjoy. (Original Sesame Street video is here; Scott Sigler’s Infected trailer is here.) –J.C. ShareThis Less

…and God help us all, as his recent appearance on the awesome Revision3 show will likely inflate his (already swelled) ego to Godzilla-sized proportions. In all seriousness, Scott’s work is excellent, and he’s a trailblazer in the podcasting and publishing spaces. The Internet Superstar interview with Martin Sargent is an excellent one — Martin asks all the right questions about the podiobook phenomenon, building a community, and how those critical phenoms helped Scott him a major book deal with Crown Publishing. It’s another shining example of an author (and interviewer) who “gets it,” and is using the Internet to rock the socks off the traditional publishing model. A must-watch. –J.C. ShareThis Less

Filmed in 1992 in a basement with no script, no budget and a borrowed videocamera, two teenagers made a Star Trek fan film. Nearly 10 years later, the footage was edited with music and sound effects, creating this result… Those two teenagers were Louisville, Ky., residents Adam Fisher and Chris Hutchins — that “Hutchins kid” now known on the World Wide Everywhere as me, J.C.  We recorded the footage for what became Star Trek: USS Proxima in about five hours, spread over two days. I was 16 or 17 at the time. Adam was a year younger. The locale in which you’ll see this fine 16-year-old cinematic masterpiece (or farce, depending on your sense of humor) take place is the basement of my childhood home. For a handful of years, Adam, me and other neighborhood boys would “play Bridge” — meaning, play in this subterranean Star Trek bridge — for hours, day after day. We built the set out of scavenged wood, milk crates, old chairs, and broken computer and audio equipment. Our wall-mounted readout screens were chalkboards. We even rigged “red alert” lights and other fixtures to make our bridge as believable as possible. I have a very clear memory of being electrocuted in the Proxima bridge, while connecting a strobe light to an overtaxed electrical outlet. That knocked me on my ass, and blew a fuse, to boot. By 1992, Adam and I were the only kids on the block playing Bridge. The fun had died for the others — understandable, as we were growing up, after all. But Adam and I got a wild idea for one last hurrah: a movie. Neither of our families could afford video cameras, so I borrowed one from Blockbuster Video, where I worked. We shot the footage, and as wise filmmakers, even filmed “special effects” — i.e., we pointed the vidcam at Star Trek movies playing on a television. Spaceships! Since there were only two of us, but numerous roles to fill, you might notice that many of the Proxima crew are very similar in appearance. Run with it. We ad-libbed the story and dialogue as we went, shamelessly stealing the plot of our favorite Trek movie near the end. (We were tired.) It was all so wonderfully, desperately cheesy and bad, but we had a blast. Our plans to take our footage — and Trek movie videocassettes for our “special effects” — to a local video editing company died on the vine. As the years went on, I lost contact with Adam, as well. I don’t recall ever playing Bridge with Adam after we made this movie. When I moved to Florida for my first post-college pro gig, I bought an iMac and used iMovie to create the version of USS Proxima that Adam and I envisioned. I added music, sound effects and those all-important “special effects” shots we’d pined for back in the day. What you see here is the first half of the movie; I’ll soon post the second half — and a “deleted footage” reel in which you’ll bear witness to some classic flubs — in the days ahead. Watching this movie takes me back, man. I’ll likely blog about how Star Trek, playing Bridge, and that tiny basement room made a big impact on my life. But that comes later. For now, just dim the lights, hit play … and watch the biggest little movie two teenagers could make, 16 years ago. –J.C. Embed code for sharing: <embed src=”http://blip.tv/play/AcytMIuSQQ” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” width=”320″ height=”270″ allowscriptaccess=”always” allowfullscreen=”true”></embed> ShareThis Less

On today’s edition of the podcast I am going to teach you how to get your dollar’s worth in many different ways.  Do you really need to spend extra cash to add JSP to your hosting account?  Get four money free ways to search the file hosts out there.  All that and so much more on this penny pinching edition of the Web Hosting Show. Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 164! Running Time: 11 minutes | File Size: 5.20 MB Here are just a few topics from this week’s episode: Ever heard of JSP? What is it?  What Can it Do for Me? 4 More Ways to Search Rapidshare, Megaupload and More! Fundraising to Get Cash for Your Next Web Project Web Site Monitoring with Site24×7.com Here are this week’s web hosting news headlines: Limelight Networks Does Work for the Wii UK Web Host Replacing Old Machines VeriSign Takes the Role of “Captain Obvious” and Says the Web is Growing Can you name the man used in this week’s podcast graphic? Free Download: Download Your Free Copy of My Best of the Web Hosting Show Guides eBook! © Mitch Keeler - like this? visit Mitchelaneous.com | FirefoxFacts.com | WebHostingShow.com   Less

On today’s edition of the podcast I am going to teach you how to get your dollar’s worth in many different ways.  Do you really need to spend extra cash to add JSP to your hosting account?  Get four money free ways to search the file hosts out there.  All that and so much more on this penny pinching edition of the Web Hosting Show. Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 164! Running Time: 11 minutes | File Size: 5.20 MB Here are just a few topics from this week’s episode: Ever heard of JSP? What is it?  What Can it Do for Me? 4 More Ways to Search Rapidshare, Megaupload and More! Fundraising to Get Cash for Your Next Web Project Web Site Monitoring with Site24×7.com Here are this week’s web hosting news headlines: Limelight Networks Does Work for the Wii UK Web Host Replacing Old Machines VeriSign Takes the Role of “Captain Obvious” and Says the Web is Growing Can you name the man used in this week’s podcast graphic? Free Download: Download Your Free Copy of My Best of the Web Hosting Show Guides eBook! © Mitch Keeler - like this? visit Mitchelaneous.com | FirefoxFacts.com | WebHostingShow.com   Less

From head to toe, from pillar to post this podcast yet again delivers a little something for everybody. From dissecting ICANN to help with turning Gmail into your default e-mail client for all of your e-mail addresses, this week’s hosting podcast promises to deliver the goods*. Format might have changed a little but one thing will never change, I’m hyped, excited and ready to deliver you the best hosting podcast you’ve heard in a long time. Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 163! Running Time: 11 minutes | File Size: 5.02 MB Here are just a few topics from this week’s episode: What is ICANN and What Can It Do For ME? Get IP Based Info with Firefox Import POP3 Accounts into Gmail Trademark vs Copyright for Webmasters Here are this week’s web hosting news headlines: School Spreads 1.5m Spam Emails Web Host HostGator 21st in Inc 5000 List WebHostingBuzz.com Wins Award for Best Web Hosting Support Changing things up a ‘bit this week. A little change never hurt anybody, right? Also tune in this week to check out the new Web Hosting Show theme, which I must say does rock.  What else would you expect coming from the web hosting industry’s media rock star? * - actual promises of delivering may vary.  This citation was just an excuse to plug the re-written about page on webhostingshow.com.  Go check it out to learn more about me and this podcast. Free Download: Download Your Free Copy of My Best of the Web Hosting Show Guides eBook! © Mitch Keeler - like this? visit Mitchelaneous.com | FirefoxFacts.com | WebHostingShow.com   Less

That is the question a lot of people are asking about coming out of this year’s most recent HostingCon.  Paul Hirsch of the AIHSP stopped by to answer a few common questions we all have about this new association of internet and hosting service providers. Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 162! Running Time: 8 minutes | File Size: 3.03 MB Here is how the Association of Internet and Hosting Service Providers is described from the official web site’s front page: We represent an innovative collaboration of industry providers, from small Web hosting proprietors to major software vendors and consultants. We aim to instill a spirit of cooperation within hosting and related industries and achieve meaningful representation for our shared interests in the public sphere. After listening, if you are interested in learning more, check these links out: AIHSP Membership Section AIHSP Community Forums AIHSP - 14 Long-term Goals Personally, I am fully behind any organization that promotes the success of the hosting industry as a whole.  The AIHSP looks to be on the right track. Free Download: Download Your Free Copy of My Best of the Web Hosting Show Guides eBook! © Mitch Keeler - like this? visit Mitchelaneous.com | FirefoxFacts.com | WebHostingShow.com   Less

Bringing the hosting world together in an all you can eat buffet of excitement, we have Ben Welch-Bolen on today’s show to share a little more information about the Hosting Industry Organization. That isn’t all though, but this intro is running a little long.  Only other thing I am telling you right now is the Web Hosting Show is on the air. Download the Web Hosting Show, Episode 161! Running Time: 9 minutes | File Size: 4.07 MB Here are just a few topics from this week’s episode of the Web Hosting Show. Deeper Look at the Hosting Industry Organization Media Temple does Cloud Spam Filtering .Pro Domain Registrations Running Wild Why You Need to Launch a “Today’s Special” Deal Verio Hands out Hosting to the Needy Been doing a lot of socializing talk the past few weeks on the podcast, and today we’ll talk a little more about the LinkedIn group everybody is talking about.  We got that, plus a ton of hosting headlines and, well let me stop pitching the show and let’s start doing the show. Free Download: Download Your Free Copy of My Best of the Web Hosting Show Guides eBook! © Mitch Keeler - like this? visit Mitchelaneous.com | FirefoxFacts.com | WebHostingShow.com   Less