The  Compass

-- Michael Raymond

You've decided it's time to upgrade or update your website, so you spend 3 or 4 days calling around to all the local web design firms you can find. The first guy or gal gives you a price with 5 numbers to the left of the decimal point. If you paid only a few hundred dollars for your website the last time you had it done, that new, hefty price tag is probably enough to make you choke on your "thanks, but no thanks."

You move on to the next number on your list. This conversation is much more pleasant than the first one, and this designer sounds like someone you could work with. The price is fair, the timeframe is acceptable and the overall process sounds easy. Just to be sure, you call one more web designer.

Price is about the same, timeframe is about the same, but the conversation is not the same as with the previous designer. You call the other firm back and arrange a sit down with their web team.

Potential hazards lurk here. Beware.

If this is a redesign, you do not have to transfer or renew your registration or change your hosting company. The only reason to renew your domain is if the name is coming up on its current expiration date. You can check that for free the Compass domain name site. Just put in your domain name and you'll get a ton of useful information. You can even renew your domain or register a new one there if you choose too.

As for your hosting company, if you've been with them for awhile, and you've been happy with them, most times there is no need to change. In the web hosting world, the lowest price is not necessarily a good reason to change.

-- Michael Raymond

How secure are your passwords? You do use more than one don't you? By the way, "12345" and p@ssw0rd are not passwords. They are invitations to have whatever you're using them on compromised. Email, FTP access to your site, your bank records.

The more frequently a password is used, the less secure it becomes. More so if that same password is used to guard multiple access points. For instance, if I learn that your email password is "sanity"— or virtually any other word in the dictionary&8212;, what do you think I'm going to try as a password if I know where you bank?

Password don'ts:

• DON'T use all numbers


• DON'T use a word as it appears in a dictionary or names


• DON'T just tack a 1 (one) onto the end of a dictionary word


• DON'T use "password" or "changeme" in ANY form
  

• Most experts suggest 8-14 characters for passwords.


• Use a combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and symbols from the top row above the numbers on your keyboard.


• Change them frequently