On Dec. 16th, 2008, I read an article that I found the front page of Yahoo that explained about a major security flaw that was discovered in all versions of Internet Explorer. The flaw is being widely exploited and is being used as a tool to collect the usernames and passwords of user accounts on more than 10,000 online gaming sites.

It is said that only Internet Explorer users run the risk of having their password stolen. Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari and Opera all come out clean.

Learning of this situation quickly made me think about bloggers. Could using Internet Explorer create a risk for bloggers to have their usernames and passwords stolen? I was also curious to discover the current standings in the Firefox vs Internet Explorer web browser war.

Doing a simple Google search for “most popular browser” returned a web page from w3school.com titled, Browser Statistics. It has been awhile since I investigated how well Firefox was overtaking the browser market and on this report I learned that Firefox is very close to reaching half of the web browser market. In November of 2008, according to their report, 26.6% of the market used Internet Explorer version 7, 20.0% used Internet Explorer version 6, and lastly 44.2% of the market used Firefox.

Amazingly, Google was able to capture 3% of the market almost over night with Google Chrome, and shockingly, I was surprised to see that 20% of the market still used IE6.

The second thing I wanted to learn about were the demographics of web browser users, specifically with Internet Explorer. Once again, doing a simple Google search for “Internet Explorer Demographics” returned a web page from comScore titled, Firefox vs Internet Explorer. My goal was to try to figure out what kind of people still use Internet Explorer. I suspect that older and inexperienced computer users use Internet Explorer. The report didn’t reveal too much but what it did reveal was that Firefox users are slightly more likely to be male, Firefox users more likely to have annual household incomes of at least $75,000, and Firefox users are significantly younger. That same report stated that Firefox users are early-adopters of Web 2.0 technologies.

Perhaps Firefox is a safer browser to use, but also you might want to consider the type of people who use Firefox compared to Internet Explorer. To me, it seems like most of the people who use Firefox are more aware and conscious of potential security risks. Which if that is the case, perhaps many situations could be avoided by these same people regardless of which web browser they use.

With that said, I still wouldn’t risk it. At a minimum, Internet Explorer is a target for hackers, not only for the known poor track record of getting hacked many times in the past but also for the known demographics of the type of people who use the web browser. My advice would be to play it safe and make the switch.

Switching from Internet Explorer to Firefox is pretty seamless. Most people I talk to in instant messenger and email commonly say that they haven’t made the switch because they have an extensive collection of favorites. Firefox includes a very handy import feature that allows Internet Explorer users to import their favorites, saved passwords and web history.

For me, I am officially a full time Google Chrome user. The browser is very fast and extremely safe and stable, it offers full import features, and one of the best features is that each tab is separate from another. Meaning if you are playing an online game in one tab and it crashes, the crash is isolated to just that tab and not the others. You can safely close the crashed tab while not having to shut down your entire web browser.

One additional thing to consider for bloggers who are making money online is the fact that you store many more usernames and passwords than other Internet users or bloggers. Bloggers who make money online have multiple accounts online that have very personal information. Imagine what would happen if a hacker got your username and password for your Google AdSense, PepperjamNETWORK, or ClickBank account.

What can you add to this discussion? Are you still using Internet Explorer? How long have you been using Firefox? If you are using Firefox, what made you finally make the switch?

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So far I have almost doubled that amount this month in December and I still have another week to go before the month ends.

In addition to having a great December in AdSense earnings, I have made quite a bit of money with Amazon.com. If you have been reading my blog for awhile, especially earlier this year in 2008, then you know that I was struggling to figure out a way to make money with Amazon. I think that I have finally figured out a great system for converting traffic I send to Amazon into sales.

How have your earnings been so far this month in December? How did things go for you in November? What kind of plans do you have for 2009? I can tell you that I am going to be one busy blogger in 2009. My goals for 2009 are to spend much less messing around and more time focusing on doing the things that make money. Those are my simple goals for 2009. What goals are you setting for yourself for 2009?

I have been using Google Chrome full time for about a month now. The web browser is super fast and very stable. One of the things that I enjoy most about Google Chrome is the enhanced tab features. For one, the security and stability of tabbed browsing is amazing. With Firefox, if you run into trouble with an open tab, you have to shut your entire web browser down and restart it. With Google Chrome, if you have something crash in a tab, each tab is isolated from the others. To correct a crashed tab, or program running in the tab, simply close the tab while preserving the remaining tabs opened up.

The other thing I like about Google Chrome’s tabbed browsing is that you drag a tab out and it will become its own current window. In other words, dragging a tab out of its current window it then becomes its own window. Also, you can drag the entire window back into an existing window and it will then become a tab. Below is a quick video demonstration:

Google Chrome Tabbed Browsing

With Google Chrome being super fast and amazingly versatile I am able to overlook some of the things that still bother me. One of those items is the fact that Google Chrome does not auto discover RSS Feeds. This is a huge disadvantage, especially if you are a blogger. Blogs and other sites that syndicate their RSS feed using FeedBurner.com doesn’t pose a problem, but that is only if the Browser Friendly options have been set.

The good news is that Google Chrome will soon auto discover RSS feeds much like how the current version of Firefox does. When you download Google Chrome, by default you install the Beta version rather then the Dev version. Google says that the Beta version involves less updates and more stability. However, if you use the Dev version of Google Chrome, you’ll have to update more often, but you get new features long before the folks using Beta.

If you would like to get speedy updates, I would suggest using the Dev version of Google Chrome. It is easy to switch between the two version. In order to install the Dev version of Google Chrome you need to install the Chrome Channel Switcher and follow the simply installation steps. Here is a screen shot.

Google Chrome Channel Switcher

I really look forward to when Google Chrome does auto discover RSS feeds. That will make my web browsing experience a lot more enjoyable. Also, it would be great to have my good old PageRank meter back as well. The PageRank meter is included with the Google Toolbar which is available for Firefox and Internet Explorer.

Have you tried or switched to Google Chrome yet? If not, then what are your concerns? What are some of the things that you enjoy about Google Chrome? What are some things that you don’t?

The Bloggers Bible is a complete step-by-step guide to building a highly popular and profitable blog from scratch! It is structured as a step-by-step course, broken down into lessons to teach you how to make money blogging. The basic content is first and shows you how to plan and setup your blog then I discuss the basics of SEO, content creation, monetization, traffic and link building. The most important part is that Caroline Middlebrook wrote it.

I think it is slightly on the expensive side; however, it is still worth the money if you got it. You can download a copy of the The Bloggers Bible for $79 dollars or you can read more about it on her blog. Caroline gave me a complimentary copy to look over, I haven’t read it from cover to cover yet, but from what I have read, it looks to be a great book.

What do you think about reading eBook tutorials? Have they helped you learn a new skill? Are they hard to follow? Share your feedback about eBooks and also be sure to offer your opinion about Caroline’s brand new Blogger’s Bible.

With AdSense for domains, users can find relevant information rather than see empty pages or “page not found” errors. Today we present ads, links, and search results on the pages, and may add other useful information in the future. To ensure positive user experience and the quality of our network, these sites are monitored for policy compliance and prohibited from using text and images designed to confuse users.

- Source: Inside AdSense

The problem I see is that it can be fairly cumbersome to set up. In order to get the service to work you have to invest time into getting your domain name ready to accept the ads. The process can be fairly complicated for novice domain owners.

If you are interested in making better use of your parked domain names a better solution would be to use The Niche Doctor Park Page. This product comes both in a free standing version as well as a WordPress Plugin version. Using this product offers many benefits that Adsense For Domains does not.

The Niche Doctor Park Page is NOT a product to be used with Google AdSense; however, in using the product you pave the road for building a very profitable site that CAN use AdSense. If you are interested in learning more, there is a discussion going on at BloggingQuestions.com where community members are talking about the differences between AdSense for Domains and The Niche Doctor Park Page.

Here is a video presentation of The Niche Doctor Park Page WordPress Plugin:

Purchase The Niche Doctor Park Page WordPress Plugin:

Click the button below to purchase and download The Niche Doctor Park Page WordPress Plugin. If you have questions, please feel free to drop us a comment below.

I just completed a 60 minute video that shows you from start to finish on how I build niche blogs. Most importantly, the video shows you how to build one of my most profitable types of niche blogs: The Deal Blog.

This video walks you through finding and registering a domain name, installing WordPress, building a niche WordPress theme, performing all my SEO tricks, and writing powerful content geared specifically for pulling rank in the search engines.

To make a long story short, this 60 minute video pretty much reveals all my secrets and all my skills. This video was done in full screen, total size is close to 200 megs. The picture quality is beautiful. You can see exactly how I code WordPress themes and you can see all the tweaks. Nothing is a secret anymore in this video.

With that said, here I am… I am hesitant to release the video. Granted, I am going to charge money for this download, but that isn’t the concern. The concern is revealing everything in this video and showing you everything I do. Everyone has trade secrets, but should these secrets be sold?

If I release this video, it will dramatically change the lives of many people. It will change your thoughts on the process behind making money online using a blog. I guess for the time being, I will ponder on whether I release this video and make it available for purchase. Your comments on this are totally welcome.

1. I just completed a 60 minute video that shows you from start to finish on how I build niche blogs.
2. This 60 minute video pretty much reveals all my secrets and all my skills.
3. I am hesitant to release the video. Granted, I am going to charge money for this download, but that isn’t the concern.
4. The concern is revealing everything in this video and showing you everything I do.
5. I will ponder on whether I release this video.

What You Said…

1. I really think you should give it free.
2. A free 30 min version with a paid full 60 min version.
3. It would be great if you would give it for free.
4. Something free with meat and potatoes, would be nice for a change.
5. If you do it for free I would be particularly happy.
6. Most of us might be a tad disappointed to pay a fee.
7. Maybe release the video for free for your readers.
8. Release a smaller [screen size] version of your video for free.
9. Gary delivers frequently and usually for free.
10. You have so much to offer, I think releasing it free.
11. As much as I’d love to get it for free.
12. Give it away for free.
13. I’d like you to give it away for free.
14. The free information you provide have been very useful to me.
15. This video will be a great Christmas gift.
16. Give the video away for FREE.

Maybe We Have A Problem With Communications…

1. When your toilet breaks and fills up with crap and you call the plumber… do you expect him to fix it for free?
2. When your roof is leaking from rain and you call for roof repair… do you expect this service to be done for free?
3. When your mortgage payment is due at the end of the month… do you expect your bank to pay it for you and let you live in your house for free?
4. When you car doesn’t run well anymore and you need to have service done… do you expect the mechanic to perform his work for free?
5. When you want to get a new Macbook Pro and you go to the Apple Store… do you expect them to give you one for free?

Maybe I Should Speak A Little Clearer…

1. Why should I help you, if you don’t want to help me?
2. Why should I provide a service to you if you don’t feel like you should pay me in return?
3. Why should I teach a skill that rewards me very well to people who don’t want to show me gratitude?
4. Why do you expect me to provide you something for free when equivalent things in life cost tons of money?
5. Why should I continue to help you, knowing that you wouldn’t do the same thing for me if the tables were turned?

Maybe You Can Teach Me Somthing For a Change…

First off, I am not angry, I simply want to dig into your brain and learn your thought process and logic. I mean really, if I can learn this mindset that you have, then I seriously think that I will empower new skills that will allow me to never have to pay for groceries, car payments, mortgage payments, house repair servies, gasoline, or college for my kids…

Drop me a comment, I serioulsy look forward to engaging into a discussion with you.

Ian Fernando is an Internet marketer who I have been keeping track of for close to a year now. I originally found him on 45n5.com and got more interested in him when he become a contestant on an Internet reality show hosted by Thor Schrock called, Top Affiliate Challenge. He is a pretty cool guy, very laid back and very skilled in Internet marketing.

During that time when the show was on the air, Ian created a really cool product called OptIn Comments. This is a WordPress plugin that offers you a very easy way to increase your email subscribers. What happens is when you install and configure this plugin, when someone visits your blog and leaves a comment for the first time, they will automatically be subscribed into your email mailing list.

You might say to yourself that this is spam or unethical; however, that is not the case, because with Aweber and GetResponse, the person subscribed still has to validate their subscription.

The plugin really just helps you bypass the first step of capturing the lead, which in most cases is the most difficult step to achieve. Once the lead is captured, you can do what I do and utilize the amazing tools found in Aweber to secure the subscription.

In my case, when I capture the email lead, I then encourage people to validate their subscription by offering them two free eBooks that can be downloaded immediately after their account has been confirmed. Using Ian Fernando’s OptIn Comments coupled with Aweber is an amazing and very effective combination towards building and increasing your email OptIn list.

Here is a video review I created about OptIn Comments

As you can see OptIn Comments Works! Click Here To Order.

I made a cool plugin for wordpress that enables you to take plr articles and import them to wordpress with past dates or future dates where wordpress will autoblog for you.

Here’s the link: http://www.plrtowordpress.com/

Plr = Private label Rights. Generally these are articles people buy that they have the rights to do whatever they want with them. However most people usually buy them and they sit on their hard drive (that’s why I made the plugin.)

For a half off coupon check this link out for the coupon code.

I am a guy who has found a really cool way to make money online. As I have mentioned many times in the past, there are multiple ways to profit from the Internet. The methods I use, might not be right for you.

With that said, I am usually eager to share what I have learned with people. I think that is just in my nature. Doing so at times causes frustration, because I commonly expect to get a different reaction than I usually do. Over time, I am trying to learn how to accept that. Sometimes that is hard to accept.

At home, surrounded by family and friends, people tell me that doing what I do and the knowledge I have is invaluable. I share my thoughts, provide advice and even from time to time provide professional services for friends of friends. For that, I am compensated very well. Trying to do the same on the Internet though is a different story.

There is something about the Internet and something about this blog, where people feel and at times expect everything to be free. Also, writing on my blog has at times become almost predictable with the reaction I receive. If I write something that involves my readers spending money, I get little to no reaction. If I write something that offers something of value for free, I get a good reaction, but the reaction is one that gives off the feeling as if I were EXPECTED to write what I wrote.

The problem though is that I don’t really want to be expected to help people anymore for free. I don’t mind it when someone sends me an instant message and asks me for some form of advice. I think helping people is great. But, I guess what I mean to say is that I think many people who read my blog, some how over time have started to EXPECT me to hold their hand and give them the answers for free.

There is a difference between expecting help and appreciating help that you never expected to receive. Sometimes I get some really cool emails. I have the most fun when someone gets the nerve to send me an email asking for help. I can tell in their email they are a little nervous emailing me, but they want so badly to figure something out.

When I reply and provide them with the information that they need, they are just dumbfounded that I took the time to not only reply to their email, but also provide them with the information they needed and then some. Needless to say, they appreciate my help very much and never in a million years expected to receive the email response. Experiencing this is just amazing for me. I feel appreciated. I know of only one other feeling that feels better than being appreciated and sometimes the two go hand in hand.

I think it may be time for me to change things up a little bit, maybe stir the pot. The problem is that I don’t know quite how to do that. Late last month, I had talked about wanting to help new bloggers with blogging tips. Since then a reader of mine talked with me offline and suggested that I keep that topic for BloggingQuestions.com and not to do it on GarryConn.com. I think that was good advice and I decided to keep that topic separate from this blog.

With that said, I’ll admit, I am struggling to figure out what I should do. I enjoy the business I have created for myself very much. I enjoy talking about it and sharing that information a lot. But then I get torn after doing it when I don’t get the reaction I expected to receive.

Strangely, the word expectation continues to come up. I as the owner of this blog expect one thing, while you as the reader expect another. I don’t know, perhaps just writing this post in itself has allowed me to learn even one more thing.

Perhaps, I should get off my high horse and deliver what is expected. I remember last year when Wendy Piersall shared a story about a blog she owned. Long story short is that she had created a blog with one intention, but as the blog got more popular the readers expected something else. Her choices were to either deliver what the public wanted, or basically shut the blog down. She chose not to shut the blog down.

I’d like to be able to provide you with great posts. I’d like to be able to share information with you while not feeling regretful or angry for doing it. I think I have a new way I can do that. I think I have a new way I can share information with you and feel good about doing it. So with that said, I guess stick around for a little bit and let’s see what I can do.