Many people ask "What is CSS? And why does my site need this?"

First, CSS are Cascading Style Sheets. CSS is a style sheet language used to describe the presentation (that is, the look and formatting) of a document written in a markup language. Its most common application is to style web pages written in HTML and XHTML, but the language can be applied to any kind of XML document, including SVG and XUL.

Any why use them?

1. Styles Solve a Common Problem

HTML tags were originally designed to define the content of a document. They were supposed to say "This is a header", "This is a paragraph", "This is a table", by using tags like h1, p, table, and so on. The layout of the document was supposed to be taken care of by the browser, without using any formatting tags.

As the (then) two major browsers - Netscape and Internet Explorer - continued to add new HTML tags and attributes (like the font tag and the color attribute) to the original HTML specification, it became more and more difficult to create websites where the content of HTML documents was clearly separated from the document's presentation layout.

To solve this problem, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) - the non profit, standard setting consortium, responsible for standardizing HTML - created STYLES in addition to HTML 4.0.

All major browsers support Cascading Style Sheets.

2. Style Sheets Can Save a Lot of Work

Styles sheets define HOW HTML elements are to be displayed, just like the font tag and the color attribute in HTML 3.2. Styles are normally saved in external .css files. External style sheets enable you to change the appearance and layout of all the pages in your web, just by editing one single CSS document!

CSS is a breakthrough in Web design because it allows developers to control the style and layout of multiple Web pages all at once. As a Web developer you can define a style for each HTML element and apply it to as many web pages as you want. To make a global change, simply change the style, and all elements in the web are updated automatically.


Now you know! And now you can decide if your website needs to have a quick remodel to include CSS.

Give us a call at 773-665-2552 to discuss how to add CSS to your site
or feel free to read more online:
www.w3schools.com
wikipedia.org

Better Business Bureau grades Your Plan B Company an A+

As you may know the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois is introducing a new Rating System (a letter grade from A+ to F) for all Accredited Businesses and non-accredited companies that are in the BBB database. This new ratings system replaces the previous "satisfactory" or "unsatisfactory" rating. The changeover was mandated by the Council of Better Business Bureaus (the parent BBB organization). The new ratings will be used by all BBBs across the United States and Canada.

Your Plan B Company received an "A+".

These letter grades are calculated by computer using a proprietary ratings formula that takes into account 17 weighed factors. The largest single factor in determining a letter grade is a company's overall complaint history with the BBB.

Your Plan B Company has enjoyed being a member of the BBB for many years now.
Thank you BBB for our high grade and for the work that you do!

Is that file too big for email?

Most email servers won't allow attachments over approx. 4MB
In today's world of 10 Megapixel cameras, file size has become an increasing problem.

If you can't email it, and you don't want to take the time and cost of burning a CD/DVD/flash drive and running down to the post Office to send 1 file, what can you do?

Enter your new friend - Dropbox - Secure online backup, sync and sharing made easy. Many file sharing tools and resources are very expensive, slow, and very often only for Windows - not DropBox. This valuable new tool allows you to have a free account, where you can store and even share folders full of files with other DropBox members.

It is easy to install on Mac and PC and Linux.

Just something to help get things done!

Online Security and YOU!

I am sure you have heard the news by now, the U.S. Army servers were hacked recently.
"The hackers used simple SQL Server injection techniques to gain access." Everyone and anyone can be hacked. Sometimes it is something simple and you don't even notice on your site or computer. Other times, like this one, a big the graphics change so everyone notices!

We thought it might be a good time to remind everyone about online security and some simple things you can do to avoid being hacked, have your computer get a virus or suffer identity theft:

- do not open email attachments from people you do not know
- do not use your birthday as your password
- do not use the same password for everything online
- try and use a combo of letters and numbers in your passwords
- keep an eye on your website, change the content regularly
- keep your software updated (both on your computer and your website CMS)
- be aware of 'free public Wi-Fi' connections
- back up your computer to avoid loosing anything IF you have problems

Remember to change your passwords a couple times a year. We suggest writing them in pencil in an address book. That way you can find the username/passwords easily and change them often. And if you see anything odd happening, contact your hosting provider right away!

If you are shopping, remember to look for the security lock or Verisign.
Always keep an eye on the credit card you use online. If you see something that shouldn't be there, contact your bank immediately!

Some other resources:
http://googleonlinesecurity.blogspot.com
http://security.yahoo.com
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/resource-center/cyber-insecurity/cyber-insecurity-hub.htm
http://www.staysafeonline.info
http://www.ftc.gov/infosecurity
http://www.geeksquad.com