How To Become A Web Developer

1. Think about HTML and CSS

Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) is not a programming language, it’s the language that each web page on the internet is composed of. It’s simple to learn and understand, and there’s a decent possibility that you may already know a bit about it. W3Schools.com has a range of tutorials on HTML to help you get started. Simple tools, such as Notepad++ and Windows Notepad can be used to code HTML. Your HTML code will create the structure for your website, while Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) allows you to control the look and style of a website in a simple way.

Teach yourself the different CSS properties and I’m certain that with enough practice, you’ll be able to style any HTML page. I recommend that you focus on web page layouts and positioning CSS elements since you’ll utilize that skill often in your profession.

2. Learn a web programming language e.g PHP and database language like MySQL

Although there are many web programming languages available, PHP is the language of the web. It is used by many sites such as Wikipedia, Flickr, and Facebook. Many programmers would recommend against PHP as your first language, yet I believe that it’s one of the easiest languages to teach yourself and setup. There are a lot of tutorials out there for any experience level. A prerequisite, however, is that you need to know HTML. If you’re not up for the challenge of teaching yourself, you can always look for online classes or pursue a computer science degree. There are plenty of online degree options out there today and they’re likely to be a fraction of the cost of a formal, in-classroom education.

Additionally setting up your development tools on your desktop PC is as simple as double-tapping an installer and making your documents available on the web server’s directory. Download and read the procedure for XAMPP installation if you’re utilizing Windows and MAMP if you’re on the Mac. Most PHP notes cover or give more instructional exercises to learning database language like MySQL. MySQL is useful for storing client data/input and to service that information.

3. Practice

It requires a lot of time, however, there’s no better method for teaching yourself how to program than to practice. Simply program a lot of websites – regardless of how little they are. Create a particular blog or create your online portfolio. If you still need additional help or resource, why not try a short course or certificate in programming? Online education providers such as Upskilled offer a range of courses and certificates in web programming that can help you take your career and expertise to the next level.

4. Never stop asking questions

Have a desire to grow your knowledge of programming. Comment on blogs and join forums. There are hundreds of sites out there filled with information on everything to do with web developing. You ought to utilize these sites and take advantage of them. Never stop learning and have the passion to be the best programmer you can be.

5. Be Organized

An organized expert is a champion. Regardless of which field or profession you are in, being organized is essential for each to be fruitful and successful. For web planning, it’s easy for your work to get messy which can lead to numerous issues. To stay organised, begin by organizing your videos, graphics, pictures, music and even documents in separate folders and mark them appropriately. Keeping up a schedule may also help keep you organized, allowing you to complete your job without any major hiccups.

Quick Buying Guide

It is crucial to know the different features that you might want to look for in a foosball table, such as:

Goalie

Some foosball tables have a single-man or three-man goalie configuration. Only a few models can be both. It will be wise to pick your preferred configuration because one is not always better than the other. You need to know that pros can use a one-man goalie because it requires more skills to score with it.

Table Levellers

It is important to check if the legs come with built-in table levellers to make sure that you have a playing surface at the right level. It may not appear to be a big deal, but not having levellers could result in a tilted table because of the uneven floor surface. You will just give the other player a huge advantage over you.

Playing Rods

Good foosball tables have steel rods. There are hollow and solid ones. These two are both good, but the hollow ones are better as the rods move along with your movements. When the rods move easier with you, it would mean faster shots. Hollow rods are ideal for people who are competitive.

Other Factors to Consider

Aside from the features mentioned above, you will also need to take a closer look at the following:

• Materials: You can make the most out of your money when you purchase a durable foosball table. Durable materials are thick wood and stainless steel. While foosball tables with one of these materials are more expensive, they tend to last longer than others.
• Budget: Small tables usually cost under $100, while the bigger ones are priced around a thousand or more.
• Warranty: Purchase a model that comes with a warranty to keep it in good shape for a long time.
• Dimensions: You need to know the size of your preferred foosball table. The sizes vary from model to model, but they are normally around 4ft L x 2ft W. Tables also usually have eight rows of men.

Best Foosball Tables

You should know by now that a foosball table should be durable and have the right features that you need. Below are the seven best foosball tables that you can consider to help you narrow down your options:

Chicago Gaming Signature Foosball Table

This stunning table is made of solid hardwoods with intricate details carved on it, as well as beautiful accents that will surely enhance any room. It comes with a six-month warranty, and a size of 4’x2’x20”. What’s great about this table is that you can use it as a coffee or gaming table. With such versatility, you will find this model a good option to complement your room.

Furthermore, this combination table comes with a bottom shelf for storage, and a durable glass top. The small men are controlled by telescopic rods, while there is a manual scoring board that features an automatic ball return.

Hathaway Playoff Soccer Table

The Hathaway Playoff foosball table comes with a 90-day warranty, and is a good option for home use. Its 4ft x 2ft size can fit almost any room. The table has tough molded small players, an auto ball return on every side, and a manual scoreboard.

What’s good about this model is its lightweight body that is made of medium-density fibreboard. The legs are reinforced to keep it stable as you play, and for easy assembly. The height, however, is only fit for kids. This means adults will not be able to play with it.

Carrom 530.00 Signature Table

This table is made of high-quality vinyl, hardwoods, and steel materials that will make it last for a long time. The vinyl legs, levellers, and steel rods are all chrome-plated. The rods are affixed with hardwood handles for precision. In addition, this table gives you the option to use one or three goalies. It is also easy to assembly, and can be used by kids and adults. Best of all, this model comes with a one-year warranty.

EastPoint Sports Newcastle Foosball Table

This 54-inch table has large levellers, and features a classy wooden finish. The unit is big enough for adults, but may not be durable enough for hard-hitting players. It is covered by a 90-day warranty, and has a weight of 83 pounds. The table is lightweight, so it tends to get shaky during heavy gameplay.

Atomic Gladiator Foosball Table

The Atomic Gladiator table features solid steel rods, and a playing surface made of MDF material. The playing surface is one-inch thick, while the whole unit weighs 170 pounds and measures 56”x31.25”x34.75”. It also comes with a 90-day warranty, and can be played by players of all ages.

The rods and handles are both durable, and the table has enough weight to keep it stable. The rods have nylon bushings to allow for fast gameplay. It also has four cup holders for those who want to sip their drinks while playing.

Tornado Sport Foosball Table

The Tornado Sport is a durable foosball table that has aesthetic features that will complement your gaming room. Its playing rods are made of hollow steel, while the surface is made of one-inch thick MDF board. The unit weighs 200 pounds to allow for stability, while it measures 56”x30”x36”. What’s great about this model is that it comes with a one-year warranty.

Warrior Table Soccer 8-Man Foosball Table

This table has a variable LED lighting system that makes it attractive for players of all ages. The unit is easy to transport as it can be split in half, perfect for people looking for portable foosball tables. The rods are well-protected, as well, for safe game plays. The table can support up to four teams on each side for more challenge.

Additional Reading:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_football

http://www.tornadofoosball.com/

Here’s how to ensure your business is fundable:

1. As an entrepreneur, you need to establish your credibility.

Whatever your product or service, investors will be more willing to consider it if you have earned their trust.  Build a resume that displays your skills and qualifications to persuade investors that you are capable of running the business well.  Showcase your achievements and use your past experiences and the projects you were involved in to highlight your proficiency.

2. The more unique your product is the better.

If your chosen product or service stands out from others in the market in some way, you are more likely to catch the interest of investors and consumers.  You may also offer a product that is already established in the industry but you will need to capitalize on what your edge is over other similar offerings.

3. Your business model should show a valid return of investment.

The product or service must generate for the investors a return of investment appropriate to the amount they invested.  It’s essential that you take into account any influencing factors so you can correctly calculate the return of investment and how long it will take.  The length of time is vital since a large ROI won’t be very attractive if it takes many years.

4. Show how you can stand out from your competitors.

No matter how unique your product is, never assume that you don’t have any competition.  Know what kind of competition you’re up against as well as predict any possible or future competitors.  Prepare your strategies for staying at par if not on top of your rivals including how you plan to market your product.

5. Explain the risk involved and how to minimize or counter it.

Be upfront with your investors on what kind of risks you and they will be facing, what the chances are of those risks materializing and how much of a threat they will be.  Then illustrate how you’re going to manage those risks and your backup plans for any possible adversities.

6. Build a strong management team.

Be selective in choosing the people who will lead your staff and help manage your business.  Any excellent ideas will not work if the people involved are not skilled.  They need to have expertise or at least experience in the industry.  If not, they should have talents and accomplishments that will be useful to your new business.

Follow these tips and you’ll fare better when you face your investors.  These strategies will help you prepare your business plan so you can satisfactorily answer all of your investor’s questions and entice them to join you.

If you want to protect your anonymity online check out these VPNs for Mac:

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN offers high speed servers in 78 different countries. 256 SSL encryption (Open VPN) gives you industry standard levels of protection. They also have a zero-log policy to keep you safe and a 30 day money back guarantee in case you don’t actually like their service.

2. IPVanish

IPVanish offers some of the world’s fastest servers in over 60 different countries. Their privacy policy is fantastic and you can even pay with bitcoin to preserve your anonymity. Last but certainly not least, IPVanish is known for their stellar 24/7 customer service.

3. Buffered

Based out of Hungary, Buffered is a VPN loaded with extra features including DNS leak protection and open port detection. Their servers are some of the fastest in the world and they are incredibly easy to use. You can also connect 5 different systems to their VPNs, whereas most VPNs will lonely let you connect one or two devices.

4. Nord VPN

Nord VPN isn’t as fast as the others on this list but it comes with several other benefits, including access to servers in 47 countries. It also features P2P support, dedicated streaming services and a no-log policy. You can also take advantage of their 30 day money back guarantee if you’re not a huge fan of their service.

5. SaferVPN

SaferVPN offers excellent connection speeds to servers in 24 countries. P2P support is offered on the NL server. There are no usage logs but there is some connection logging for internal use. SaferVPN also comes with a 30 day money back guarantee.

6. TotalVPN

TotalVPN actually offers a free version to provide limited privacy and anonymity. It isn’t as fast as most of the other VPNs on this list but TotalVPN does have an incredibly easy-to-use interface and an excellent geographical spread of servers.

7. SpotFlux

SpotFlux is a VPN which goes above and beyond the standard call of VPNs, providing ad block and limited malware protection(this is no reason to skip your antivirus software payments). It’s also good at filtering out phishing sites. The servers are not specialized but connection is always quick.

8. AnchorFree HotSpot Shield Elite

AnchorFree doesn’t have as many servers as most of the other VPNs on this list but it is incredibly simple to use and connection is almost always quick. They offer a variety of payment plans and there is even a free version you can test before deciding whether or not the premium version is for you.

Protecting yourself with a VPN is one of the smartest things you can do, especially if you conduct a lot of financial transactions online. Just remember to stick with one of these VPN services so you can get the best protection out there.

Sources:

• vpnsrus.com
• lifehacker.com
• pcworld.com

The truth is you can never 100% guarantee that a piece of content will go viral, but there are several things you can do to increase the odds, starting with choosing the right type of content. Infographics combine interesting data with visual cues that make them more memorable and shareable, so they are more likely to go viral than many other types of content.

Importantly, if you can get some initial attention on your infographic it can set you up for short term and long term traffic. Typically, the short term traffic will come from social media shares and then as the infographic picks up momentum, you will often find it gathers natural links which then helps it to rank high in Google for ongoing traffic. There is a nice example of this under point 4 below.

Still, deciding you’re going to share your information in an infographic isn’t enough to make it go viral. You also have to follow some proven steps to success, which we’ll take a look at now:

1. Clearly map out the story

You want different pieces of information to be in clearly defined areas of the infographic so people can easily follow along. You also want to make sure that your infographic is actually telling a story rather than just sharing a handful of interesting facts.

2. Minimize the text

Infographic blurbs should be as short as Tweets(or even shorter). Focus primarily on filling the space with appealing visuals to increase the odds of people sharing your infographic.

3. Think mobile

People are spending more time accessing the internet through their smartphones and tablets than ever before. In many parts of the world people actually use mobile internet more often than they use their home internet. If you aren’t designing infographics that are easy to digest on a smartphone you’re missing out on a huge chunk of your potential audience.

4. Tie your infographic into a popular or trending topic

This isn’t necessary if you have an excellent infographic and a good marketing strategy but it definitely helps, especially when you’re trying to garner that first bit of attention. A stellar, recent example is this infographic by LocalDigital.com.au that placed an online marketing angle on the Australian political race to come up with a timely and effective infographic that has generated dozens of fantastic links and plenty of attention.

Take a look at the link acquisition for the infographic in just a few short weeks!

5. Submit your infographic to blogs and directories

Several directory sites host large collections of infographics. Some are curated and focus on a specific theme but others allow you to post infographics on any topic directly to the site. We’ve covered a list of popular options here.

It’s important to know that some sites allow for free submissions, but will generally have a lengthy queue before publishing. Many of these submission sites offer an express publish option where you can pay a small fee and get published quickly and this is a key tactic for getting initial eyeballs and links to your infographic. Five great low-cost infographic submission sites that publish quickly are the ones below:

• RateMyInfographic.com
• AddInfographic.com
• Best-Infographics.com
• InfographicDatabase.com
• InfographicBee.com

You can also send your infographic to bloggers and other influencers in your niche. These people are always looking for relevant information presented in an exciting way.

Summing Up

There is no guarantee that your infographic will go viral but if you take the time to carefully follow all of these steps your infographic is much more likely to get shared and become a fantastic source of traffic for your website.

For this reason, I like to evaluate my news sources every so often. I jettison some that feel stale or have started to get a little boring, going on the hunt for fresh places and faces to feed my technology addiction.

I decided to share some of the blogs whose writers I feel are worth following this year. They represent possibly some new faces you haven’t seen previously, but all have solid takes on technology, covering all sorts of topics from blogging and online income to computers and gadgets. I’d encourage you to check each of them out, take a look at some of their content, and see how it might fit in with your regular technology news intake.

One word of caution…I can’t take responsibility for the great ideas you might gain from these bloggers, nor the endless amount of technology “stuff” you’re likely going to be putting on the wish list. Enjoy!

Top 15 Tech Bloggers to Follow in 2016

Brian Loebig – TheInkBlog.net

Brian is a small business coach on the East Coast. He focuses his writing on tools and tips for small businesses, sole proprietors and entrepreneurs. But even if you don’t fall in one of those categories, you will still appreciate his take on tech and find something useful. I particularly like his How To… category.

Seth Godin – Sethgodin.Typepad.com

Seth Godin is a popular blogger, best selling author and forward technology thinker. Most people have heard of him and likely read one of his books. His blog is a great source of out-of-the-box thinking about technology related topics. Definitely worth a regular read. Pull up the latest post on the home page and just start reading.

Amit Shaw – ITechCode.com

Covers all sorts of topics of interest to techno geeks (and normal people too!). Amit has a unique take on gadgets, apps, Internet marketing, SEO, laptops and other technology. Start with his random posts.

Louis Gray – LouisGray.com

Louis Gray lives and breathes technology from one of the world’s hotbeds for technology companies and startups, the Silicon Valley. Louis discusses trends, technology he’s found useful, next generation tech, and technology flashpoints. The Ideas and Innovation section on his Top Stories page is an interesting place to start.

Raju PP – TechPP.com

Raju writes at TechPP.com with a focus on personal and consumer technology including web tools and gadgets. He aims to help readers incorporate technology into their lives in interesting and effective ways. The Tiny Tip section alone has plenty to keep you busy reading for hours.

Nitin Maheta – MakingDifferent.com

Nitin Maheta covers all sorts of topics on his blog, all with a technology tie of some sort. I found his topics fresh compared to the typical blogs we’re all used to reading. He covers online entrepreneurship, health, automotive, blogging, and of course computers and gadgets. I like the mix of gadget roundups and tips on using popular sites and software.

Ben Thompson – Stratechery.com

A former employee of both Apple and Microsoft, Ben has a unique perspective on technology happenings and the overall landscape. His articles are a little more in depth and thought provoking, so be prepared to dig in mentally. This is something I find myself drawn more and more to as they stretch my thinking.

Dustin Curtis – dcurt.is

Dustin’s blog is similar in vein to Ben Thompson’s. He causes me to think about technology and perspectives I hadn’t otherwise considered. What’s interesting about his blog is ideas tend to pop into my head as a result of reading his posts. This is the kind of content I want to be consuming on a regular basis.

Sujith Kumar – Techlineinfo.com

Sujith Kumar tends to write more on software and website/online related topics. He has some great practical tip articles and sprinkles in enough gadget related articles to scratch the physical device itch. Check out the Random Posts column on his site for a taste of the varied things he writes about.

Sanjay Kumar Negi – TechGreet.com

Sanjay covers a number of technology topics on TechGreet.com. I found his Ideas/Concepts and Rumors categories very interesting, and end up visiting those categories first when I rotate through to his site. Start with those two sections, then move on to others that interest you. He has some timeless information sprinkled throughout, so don’t be afraid to read back a year or two.

Chris Pirillo – Chris.Pirillo.com

Chris specializes in growing online communities and translating “geek” into terms everyone can understand. His site has a nice mixture of typical technology topics and random stuff that becomes a daily dose of technology entertainment. Start with the I Recommend category.

Harsh Agrawal – ShoutMeLoud.com

Harsh Agrawal is a successful online entrepreneur and writes about his journey providing tips, tricks and how to’s. His content is definitely geared more towards bloggers and others working to find success with online ventures, but covers topics that all will find useful and engaging.

Tim Dickinson – TechFruit.com

Tim started writing TechFruit.com to provide another voice on technology, gadgets, startup news and technology gossip. He covers practical technology topics like computers and gadgets, as well as technology science, law and music. Start with the articles under the Focus section on his site for a taste of his content style.

Eric D. Brown – EricBrown.com

A technology and marketing consultant, Eric uses his interest in technology and real-world data solutions to fuel his technology coverage on EricBrown.com. His articles are varied and engaging. I found his Projects section very interesting and would encourage you to start there.

Imran Uddin – AllTechBuzz.net

Imran spends his time building online businesses that net millions of visitors on a monthly basis. As the founder of AllTechBuzz.net, he covers the latest in tech news, gadget reviews and how to tips. Imran has 3 posts anchored at the top of his home page. Those are not only interesting but provide a good flavor of his style.

There you have it, 15 tech bloggers to follow right away. Take a moment now to check out their sites and connect with them on social media to stay up to date!

Is there a tech blogger that you follow regularly? Let us know in the comments below!

There are many different places where you can post your infographics for the world to see and admire. Some are generic image-sharing websites, others are devoted entirely to collecting and sharing infographics. You might even be able to get some of the blogs you love to share your infographic if it’s relevant to their audience.

Try submitting your infographics to these sites:

1. Visual.ly

This website allows you to create, submit and even sell infographics and other marketing materials. It also features a variety of analytical tools that will help you understand the reach of each new image.

2. Fast Company

One of the most trusted web news sources, Fast Company has an Infographic of the Day section you can submit to. They do receive dozens of submissions every day so there’s no guarantee your infographics will be featured, but if it is your content will reach hundreds of thousands of people from around the world.

3. InfographixDirectory.com

InfographixDirectory.com offers both a free and paid submission service. The submission requirements ask for a 200 word description to go along with your infographic and if you do take the time to submit a well-written description of your infographic, you’ll most likely get published.

4. Love Infographics

Love Infographics prides themselves on collecting the most beautiful infographics around. The site is specifically designed for business owners to publish and share their infographics.

5. Infographaholic

One of the most popular infographic sites out there, Infographaholic features infographics on a wide range of topics and allows you to filter what you see based on those topics. They only publish infographics that are 500px wide.

6. Daily Infographic

As the name suggests, this website publishes a different infographic every day. They aren’t as old as some of the other sites on this list but they have amassed a large following and every infographic gets at least a couple thousand views. Like Fast Company, they do receive dozens of submissions every day, so your submission doesn’t guarantee anything, but if you can get on their site it will be a massive boost to your business.

7. Cool Infographics

Cool Infographics shares infographics that tell a story about an interesting topic. The wider appeal the topic has, the more likely it is that your infographic will be featured, allowing you to reach their 7,000 daily visitors.

8. Infographic Database

Infographic Database is an infographic submission site that offers  low-cost infographic submission and promotes your submission via their extensive social media profiles. This is a high-quality submission site and one to certainly place on your must-post list.

9. RateMyInfographic.com

An infographic submission site with a unique twist – visitors can rate the infographics they come across. RateMyInfographic.com offers low-cost submissions and are a perfect way to boost your SEO and online awareness efforts.

By sharing your infographics on these websites you can put them in front of thousands or even millions of new people eager to learn about you and your business. If you’ve worked hard to create something awesome, don’t be afraid to submit it!

Thanks to rebate programs it is. Rebate programs give you cash back on all your purchases. Most of these programs give a small percentage back but some allow you to make as much as 70% of your purchases back. Yes, 70%.

One might argue that you’re saving money rather than making money, but the truth is either way you end up with more money than you would if you went shopping the ordinary way. Add to that the ability to combine this form of of money saving/earning with the ability to do paid surveys for cash, you can earn hundreds of dollars per month right from your computer.

Check out these rebate programs and start making money while you shop today:

1. Swagbucks

Swagbucks might be known as a paid survey site but frankly its other money making opportunities are more exciting. You can earn “Swagbucks” by using Swagbucks links every time you go shopping. These points can eventually be exchanged for cash. At most sites you’ll earn one SB for every dollar spent, but other sites offer a flat rate such as 4% at Amazon or 8% at Expedia.

There are a few other cool things about Swagbucks: you can download the “Swagbutton” an extension which reminds you to claim your rewards every time you’re on a partner retailer’s site and you can use the site to make money by watching videos, using their search bar or even signing up for free offers.

2. BeFrugal

BeFrugal is partnered with over 4,000 different retailers and provides up to 30% cash back depending on where you shop. They make payments to Paypal once you’ve accumulated at least $25 worth of cash back. Even better, if you make a purchase through one of BeFrugal’s partners and find another partner that offers a higher percentage of cash back, they will apply the higher rate to your purchase plus an extra 25% to your account.

You can also find coupons for over 40,000 stores available for printing on BeFrugal, allowing you to save an average of $27.

3. TopCashBack

Unlike most rebate sites TopCashBack gives members the FULL cash back rebate offered by stores and they don’t even charge members a fee to do it. They also offer a generous commission for referrals, so sign up and don’t forget to tell all your friends about it.

4. Ebates

Ebates gives you a $5 sign up bonus and allows you to earn up to 25% on purchases at over 1,200 online retailers. Most sites offer a discount around 5% for Ebates users. You can also earn a bonus whenever anyone signs up using one of your referral links, so make sure to spread the word!

5. FatWallet

At FatWallet you can earn up to 25% off, with some retailers choosing to pay a flat rate instead. The pay threshold is a refreshingly low $10 and payments are made via Paypal.

You can also find coupon codes for over 1,600 different online retailers and a community forum where you can chat with other people about various money saving strategies.

6. Ibotta

Ibotta allows you to save money in a few different ways:

• Download the App – The Ibotta App allows you to unlock cash back rewards by scanning your receipts at participating retailers.
• Link a Loyalty Card – Many loyalty cards can connected to the Ibotta app so you can earn cash back rewards on grocery and gas purchases.
• Shop Through Ibotta.com Links – Ibotta.com has designated links you can use to unlock cash back rewards at various online retailers such as Macy’s.

By using a combination of these sites you can ensure that you rarely have to pay full price for anything ever again. Just remember not to go overboard with the shopping or you’ll end up losing money anyway.