N^o. 1 & 2 - Hello!

Just over 334 shopping days until the Millennium. Read what's new on the site.

E-mail Lists: Getting folks to your Web site may take some "push," and bulk e-mail could be the answer. Bob Weibel offers some cheap and easy ways to get started.

Get Animated! You see them all over the web, blinking and driving you nuts. And you say to yourself, "self, I want to do make stuff blink and drive other people nuts, too." Or something like that. Really, you just want to catch someone's attention and inform or entertain them. Click here and follow Gary Priester's great introductory tutorial, complete with the download of a great graphics program you can try for free.

Write Away! Shouldn't we ought to write better? Ahem, yes, we should, and Christopher Meeks, noted author, Hollywood screenwriter and teacher shows you how.

MakeOver #2 - Even the biggest makeover begins with one small step. In this case, the step was an "elephant's foot," the feet are "mouse sensitive" and the makeover is for "Purple Elephant." Intrigued? Come take a look.

You tell me - I value your opinion. Really. I do. Would I bother with stuff like this if I didn't? I don't think so. So now I have two more questions for you.

N^o. 3
New Year, New News

It does feel like time for a vacation, doesn't it? Well, this is the next best thing.

A revolutionary change of face: OK, so we agree that most of the web is text. And yet, until very recently, it was complex and difficult to have your site visitors see the font you wanted them to see. Now it's EASY, with TrueDoc, by Bitstream. You can use any font as body text, headlines, whatever, and anyone visiting your site with Netscape 4 or IE4 (or newer, of course) will see them, just as you do. What a great addition to NetObjects Fusion's already excellent "WYSIWYG" (what you see is what you get). Take a look at our sample pages, and you'll see how you can now easily, efficiently and safely use any font on your system and have your site visitors see it, too. Lots more control over how your site looks and feels. No more text-as-graphics. And eFuse readers get 25% off the price of the Bitstream WebFont Wizard and 200 fonts. Click now, or forever hold your peace.

Leadership Lessons: Sometimes, before you can make a better web site, you need to make a better "you." So joining eFuse.com this month is Peter Vedro, noted "human systems architect" who brings together his insights drawn from the fields of education, psychology, theater and business to help you be a more effective "you." Peter helped develop and launch the "Seven Habits Organizer" and leads seminars on Principle-centered leadership and The Seven Habits. His first column, "Managing @Internet Speed--Watch Out for Speed Traps!" helps you distinguish between "speed/action" and "destination/results." It's one of those special pieces that the editors themselves learned from!

More Better Writing, Part II--Ten steps to better writing:  You know that despite all the flashy graphics on the web, it's _words_ that are at the heart of communication on the web. So you've got to choose your words wisely. It's not hard. It's not painful. In fact, Chris Meeks, professional Hollywood writer and teacher, makes it fun with his ten steps to better writing. This can really help you. So read it, already.

Target your message: In real estate the phrase is "location, location, location." On the web there's no such thing as location. It's all about "marketing, marketing, marketing." So how do you get more people to your site? Web marketing expert Daniel Janal explains how to target your message so you're reaching the right people. He talks about mailing lists, e-zines, finding the right publications, the ever-popular ROI (return on investment) and timing your efforts. Valuable info.

Engage your Intranet: What if you built an intranet and nobody came? Well, JD Shipengrover tells you how to prevent that from happening, and gives you tips on creating an intranet that people will actually like as well as use.

Templates! Realtors, Accountants, Bookkeepers, And Office Managers Look Here: Yes, we understand how hard it can be to start from scratch—that blank screen staring back at you. Those strange messages you hear from the fillings in your teeth. But don't worry, we have solutions! Our first "vertical market template" was for Realtors (and it's still there, waiting to be downloaded by anyone using NetObjects Fusion). This month we have a solution for accountants, bookkeepers and other office-management types. The "banner" is a realistic pencil with your page title automatically etched on it by NetObjects Fusion. The buttons are folder tabs, and the background is ledger paper. It's better to see it than read about it, so take a look, then download the template and use it for your business. And if you want to see a template for your type of business, just email us.

You can do it! If you're still worried that the web is too hard, you have one less thing to worry about. We're here to tell you that you can do it. Really. You can. Honestly. No kidding. We mean it. This area is just starting, and will grow with more short, simple, graphic tutorials in the future. We'll also be adding animated audio/visual tutorials, too.

Confessions of a NetObjects Fusion convert: "Boyfriends, jobs and pets come and go, but I don't know where I would be without my NetObjects Fusion. As God is my witness, I will never code by hand again!" So says Jennifer Stokes who works on the Westminster College site in Salt Lake City, and also builds sites for others on the side. OK, so she didn't win the "Miss I.T. pageant," even so, you'll still want to read her amusing story of how NetObjects Fusion changed her life.

N^o. 4
Too good to be true?

Third time's a charm? Well, you decide.

Keep It Simple, Stupid: Three Steps To Success - No, I'm not calling you, of all people, stupid. You're obviously WAY above average to have had the foresight to subscribe to the FuseLetter. But enough about you, let's talk about me... OK, enough about me, let's talk about Roger Parker. Roger's sold more books about design than anyone I know of, including myself. So I figured, if I couldn't fight him, I'd join him, and now he's sharing his vast cornucopia of knowledge with all of us. This month he's written an extremely practical piece that should be of interest to everyone, from complete beginners to advanced designers. Roger's a big fan of the "KISS" method of design. KISS stands for (among other things), "Keep it Simple, Stupid," and it's the mantra many good designers use to create their most successful designs. This article gives you five goals to follow: efficiency, branding, simplicity, easy navigation, and speed. Then it provides three steps to success. He gives you a blueprint you can follow to easily create a simple, elegant, effective web site.

Eight Ways To Style - Why is it that some books have you eagerly turning the pages after your bedtime and other books work like sleeping pills? Partly, it's style. Why is William Faulkner revered by many English majors and Mad magazine by other people? Style. What rhymes with Lyle and is as important as the Nile? Style. In the third of Christopher Meek's very popular column, Write Away, he gives you eight simple ways to give your writing more style, so it's more interesting, more fun to read, and more persuasive.

Finding North - Everyone who has ever had to work with anyone other then just themselves (which means all of us!) knows that everyone has a different way of doing things. Peter Vedro, who I think of as a "humanist" because he's so good at working with humans (who are notoriously hard to work with—much harder than with computers!) has come up with some group exercises that help everyone realize that "everybody's 'north' is different." It's a fun, interesting, informative, and truly useful exercise that I experienced with a group he lead, and asked him to share with you. So read this column, and try it the next time you get your group together, whatever that group is. You'll have a great time, and learn a lot, too.

Home, home on the intranet, where the CEO's and the antelope play... That headline has nothing whatsoever to do with this article, but I found it amusing (and sometimes you have to amuse yourself first), and I thought it might attract your attention. JD's latest piece explains how your intranet site better be easy to navigate if you expect anyone to actually use it. She says, "You could have the meaning of life and the cure for cancer on your site, but what good would it do if no one could figure out how to get there?" Exactly.

N^o. 5
Ode to human error

Spring into Action—it's a Gary fest with 3 of the 4 articles presented by 2 Gary's. And you thought 1 was the loneliest number. (High 5 if you did.)

Raise the Bar - The State Bar of Texas, Computer Section wants advice. They appeal to Gary. He argues the finer points of design in this case. The verdict is at hand. Does Gary raise the bar? You be the judge.

Creating a Simple Animated Banner with CorelXara - Yes, while animations can be annoying, you have to admit they're eye-catching. If you haven't tried the first, simpler tutorial, you should start with that—we don't want your head exploding—that gets so messy). But if you have done that, or know the basics, follow along as Gary goes gaga (in a nice way, of course), giving you a step-by-step tutorial for creating an animated advertising banner.

Out of Bounds - At one time or another, we all wish we could just sail away from it all. See all those exotic beaches with clear water and swaying palm-trees. Believe it or not, some people actually manage to do this—and some of them, like Jeff Johnson of "Out of Bounds" even manage to keep the rest of the world up to date on his travels using the web. Jeff shares his experiences of the trip,and the task of getting it on the web. It's a fascinating story, and the gorgeous exotic photos don't hurt, either :) Sorry, no topless natives of either sex. If you're still interested, click here to read more...

Getting Your Photos Web Ready - A picture's worth 1000 words, right? Well, for Gary David Bouton they're worth at least 3,000. But don't let that alarm you. Here he tells you the least you need to know to get the most out of photos on the web. First tip—always save in JPG format. It can instantly make the difference between a picture taking 40 seconds, or just six. Don't wait that long, "click" here and say cheese...

N^o. 6 - Selling out

Personally, I've always liked Star Wars (though I didn't much care for Yoda because he sounded too much like Miss Piggy to me). As great as the technology is in those films, the important part, the part you feel and remember is the story—the "content."

The Force is Content (not technology)

Web Background Basics - A web site background can be one of the simplest and most "economical" ways to make your site stand out. Yet the way backgrounds work mystify a lot of people. Toni Will-Harris explains background graphics with such rare clarity that you will understand it, or your money cheerfully refunded.

Affiliate Sales: How do you legally sell something that wasn't yours in the first place and make money off it! The web's win-win answer.

Writing and the web - How is the Internet affecting the English language? And how can the way you use English effect you? Click here to read more...

You needed it yesterday. So, the boss decided the department needed an intranet—and then decided you were just the right person to create one. Problem being, you don't really know what to put on an intranet, let alone how to create one from scratch. It's OK, you are not alone.

What's bugging you? Now's your chance to flame, without getting Smokey the Bear all upset. And, as thanks for taking the time to speak your mind, you get a free font. Are there things on the web that make steam come out of your ears (or at least drive you a little nuts)? Tell us what they are.
 

N^o. 7
May the source be with you

Copyrights and wrongs: Mary Carter gives you an easy-to-understand guide that can keep you out of hot water—and protects your own "intellectual rights" (see, you're an intellectual already!)

Tewtorials: Want to learn how to use some of NetObjects Fusion's finer features by one of the web's finer teachers? You don't need a black belt in Fusion to learn from martial arts master Rick Tew. He gives you simple, clear, step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow. Included are Fusion template files--and animated screen tutorials! Tewtorial #1 shows you how to make text appear when you move the mouse over a particular object. Tewtorial #2 teaches you how to make different graphics appear in the same place when your site visitor passes their mouse over different text.

Health Care template: Gary Priester's clean, uncluttered design is also soft, rounded and personable. The background is subtle, with large "sign-like" international icons. The buttons are "mouse- sensitive" which means that when your mouse goes over them, they change--automatically, no programming involved. The template includes Bitstream's Handel Gothic, a distinctive modern typeface used on buttons and banners.

E-mail for fun and profit! How do you mass-email to get results? Phil Philcox tells how to "harvest" e-mail addresses of people who might be interested in his services. It works—he got the job to write this article by emailing eFuse!

N^o . 8 - Put on a happy face!

Want to double your business overnight? Who doesn't? But maybe it's time to get real. If you're not realistic, you're not going to be happy, even if you're doing well. Even good ideas can get you nowhere if they aren't well executed. So Dan Janal gives you some important lessons to learn when it comes to marketing.

Audio Basics: Want your Web message to be heard loud and clear? Bob Weibel introduces you to audio on the web. He explains the basics of audio file formats, and shows you the easiest way to add sound to your site, Come hear what you've been missing.

How do you like them chimichangas? Take "Two hot tamales" (aka world class chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger), one happening restaurant (The Border Grill), a very smart manager and add a dash of NOF and you end up with one hot web site. Learn how Peter Barnett created a tasty and tasteful web site for one of LA's hottest restaurants.

Seven steps to your second draft - "Writing about writing is like talking about sex" (or so columnist Chris Meeks pondered as he looked at his gorgeous blue screen). Doing it better is no easy feat—but here are seven steps you can take to help (your writing).

Tewtorials: Learn NetObjects Fusion in a flash. Yes, Grasshopper, you too can learn to create dramatic interactive pages (like our new home page) in NetObjects Fusion. Martial arts master Rick Tew gives you simple, clear, step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow. Also included are Fusion template files you can download and use, and even even animated screen tutorials!

What do you think of our new home page? Take a minute to let us know in this very short survey. Thanks!
 

N^o. 9 - Oh, behave!

Leadership Lessons - Paying attention to mother (nature) : Anyone who has ever worked with a group of people has come to realize that organizations are not unlike the human body. We hope there's a "brain" in the group, but we know it's inevitable there will be an... no, I won't say it, but you know what I mean. Yet sometimes organizations can be so dysfunctional that the right hand doesn't know what the left hand doing, (and what's more, sometimes we _don't want_ to know :) Peter Vedro explains how we can use the human body as a model as a prescription for effectiveness. As Mother Nature demonstrates, "interdependence" is the only answer!

Image Retouching : No, this article is not going to teach you how to make your grandmother look like Cindy Crawford (though for all you know she might _have_ looked like her at one time—when's the last time you sat down with her and asked her about all the wild things she did when she was younger? Huh? But I digress). But Gary David Bouton IS going to tell you how to make your images look better on the web by learning the basics of contrast, brightness and the so very exciting sounding "gamma!" (Of course, you could confuse "gamma" with "gramma" but that's another story. I'm afraid this says more about me than about you, but again, I digress).

Sticky Sites : Somehow this issue has degenerated into the strange nether regions of who knows where, so let's try, just for a moment, to ignore some of the implications of the title of this article and get to the heart of the matter. A successful site usually involves attracting people not just once, but over and over again (hence, visitors "stick" to the site, don't ask me, I didn't come up with this term). Marcos Sanchez, smart guy and snappy dresser, explains how to make your site more like the web surfer equivalent of a roach motel—site visitors come in, but they don't come out. No, that's not right... what has gotten into me today. Marcos will explain how to get repeat visitors on your site. That's what I meant to say. Where is gramma when you need her?

Put on a happy face: If you were around two weeks ago (well, you must have been around two weeks ago otherwise you'd be too young to type, so let me rephrase that to, "If you visited two weeks ago," there, that's better), then you saw the unveiling of the new eFuse home page. If you're interested in the "why" and "how" behind the page, you are surely breathless with anticipation about getting the chance to read my article that explains (in perhaps a tad too much detail) about why I did what I did, and how I did what I did, and how you can do it, too. (Once again I must apologize if you read that sentence and took it the wrong way, any misunderstanding was only vaguely intentional).
 

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