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For 2023 (and 2024 ...) - we are now fully retired from IT training.
We have made many, many friends over 25 years of teaching about Python, Tcl, Perl, PHP, Lua, Java, C and C++ - and MySQL, Linux and Solaris/SunOS too. Our training notes are now very much out of date, but due to upward compatability most of our examples remain operational and even relevant ad you are welcome to make us if them "as seen" and at your own risk.

Lisa and I (Graham) now live in what was our training centre in Melksham - happy to meet with former delegates here - but do check ahead before coming round. We are far from inactive - rather, enjoying the times that we are retired but still healthy enough in mind and body to be active!

I am also active in many other area and still look after a lot of web sites - you can find an index ((here))
Astroturfing - the online definition

Have you noticed how a "real life" term can sometimes get used for an online application? I came across one today - astroturfing which I am told by someone who really knows about these things is now illegal in the UK.

Let's start in real life. Have you even stood at a market stall, as the guy on the stand sells a job lot of meat at five quid to the audience ... "and I have more the same" and they all go for a fiver. Great fun to watch, lovely way to do things - although perhaps more historic than present day. But how to get the price up? How about introducing a stooge in the audience who bids, or taking bids "off the wall" from a fictitious bidder? Not quite the right thing to do.

"Astroturfing" is the same thing on line - setting up another site that's a forum or a chat room, and seeding it with posts and recommendations about your own products. You'll help your search engine rankings, and you'll help to persuade people who reach your site that others (!) recommend you. Hmm - sounds like deceitful advertising and a con to me.
(written 2008-06-17, updated 2008-06-23)

 
Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles
G910 - Well House Consultants - Scams
  [78] Domain Registry of America - (2004-10-07)
  [178] Calling a spade a spade - (2005-01-15)
  [347] Frightening and from-friend viruses and spams - (2005-06-14)
  [860] Warning - false emails, said to be from Paypal - (2006-09-09)
  [1313] Tratum Technologies - (2007-08-21)
  [1342] Google, wwmdirectory, Freshwater, ATP - new scam? - (2007-09-09)
  [1772] Ken Palm, iTime, and Domain Name Tasting - (2008-08-25)
  [1795] What have iTime, honeytrapagency and domain listing center got in common? - (2008-09-12)
  [2373] Translation from Ghanaian to English - (2009-08-23)
  [2403] Hotel Booking Scam / Cost of calls to 070 numbers - (2009-09-12)
  [2524] An update on legal changes from the FSB? - (2009-12-03)
  [2690] The World Company Register - is it another scam? - (2010-03-23)
  [2895] Global Computer Maintenance Department - (2010-07-29)
  [2988] Not mugged in London! - (2010-10-08)
  [3222] Clickjacking - another way to get you to follow a malicious link - Facebook issue - (2011-03-29)
  [3291] Pay and refund scam - alive and kicking against Melksham businesses - (2011-05-16)
  [3480] Direct Message: Really horrible blog about you ... a clever phishing trip, said to be from an MP - (2011-10-14)
  [3859] Youve Been Selected for the 2012 Edition of the Global Registry - (2012-09-16)
  [4385] A booking that looks too good to be true? It probably is too good to be true! - (2015-01-05)
  [4651] Pressure selling in the fire safety business - (2016-02-19)


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Adding a button to a web page to print the page
Some other Articles
Two PHP include files to make easy web site indexing and navigation
Plenty of car parking at Well House Manor, Hotel, Melksham
Accounts in PHP - an OO demo
Adding a button to a web page to print the page
Astroturfing - the online definition
PHP - Sanitised application principles for security and useability
Software - changes and delays. But courses must run on time!
CSS training - Cascading Style Sheets (UK course)
A warm welcome for visitors from the USA
Comparing Objects in C++
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This is a page archived from The Horse's Mouth at http://www.wellho.net/horse/ - the diary and writings of Graham Ellis. Every attempt was made to provide current information at the time the page was written, but things do move forward in our business - new software releases, price changes, new techniques. Please check back via our main site for current courses, prices, versions, etc - any mention of a price in "The Horse's Mouth" cannot be taken as an offer to supply at that price.

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