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Home::Web Design
CGI - A secret to build an Internet Empire. What does "CGI" stand for, anyway?
Author : Andre Foisy
A CGI program is any program designed to accept and return data that conforms to the CGI specification. CGI programs are written in a variety of programming languages such as, C, Perl, Java or Visual Basic. The most common language for CGI programming is PERL.
CGI Programs are the most common way for Web servers to interact dynamically with users. Many HTML pages which contain forms, for example, use a CGI program to process the form's data once it's submitted.
The most common CGI scripts implementation we see is a simple feedback or contact form. What it does simply is, taking the information provided in the form, format it as a legible email and sends it through your mail server to a specified email address.
The use of CGI script forms will also prevent spammers from harvesting your email address, sometimes posted on web pages, and send you much annoying unsolicited emails, or worse, selling it around so you get an infinite number of not really wanted or desirable emails.
After the information is processed you may have the choice of sending a "thank you" note emailed back to the sender (autoresponse) or not, then you may redirect the user to a "Thank You" web page, or any other web page you wish.
There's no reason for you to pay for a form processing script. You can find plenty of variations of such scripts for free on Internet.
You can find a great deal of choice at several CGI resource sites. Order forms and survey forms are some other common examples of simple (or sometimes complex) implementation of email forms.
Some of the best sources to find suitable scripts are:
http://cgi-resources.com/
http://www.scriptarchive.com/
http://www.hotscripts.com/CGI_and_Perl/
http://www.bignosebird.com/cgi.shtml (excellent place to start)
and you can find many scripts than can be immediately downloaded and use at absolutely no cost at all. We call them Open Source scripts.
Of course, to take advantage of these scripts you'll need a server which lets you run CGI scripts, which should not be very hard to find nowadays.
All cPanel's alike web hosting solutions will let you run CGI scripts. Most of the time it'll be through a "/cgi-bin/" directory, commonly used for them.
Most of the Free Web Space providers won't let you run CGI scripts on their servers nor they will let you run business either, anyway.
Furthermore, at the price that domain names and basic entry level hosting solutions go out today, if you're serious in business you really can't afford not to choose this avenue. Not to mention the almost instant credibility you get.
Indeed, if you really wish to start doing serious business online right now, I recommend no less than your own domain name and your own hosting account.
This is the only way you really get full control over your e-business, and where you'll really start to be taken seriously and get noticed when you promote your site to Search Engines and other channels.
I'll tell you a little secret here!
Learning to install and run CGI scripts on a Web Server is not much more difficult than learning to install and run software in your actual PC. And much less difficult than learning to use word processing or spreadsheet applications.
Moreover, you need CGI scripts in order to automate tasks as much as you can if you whish to build an Internet Empire! ;-)
How Would You Like to...
- Build your own Affiliates Network who sell your products/services everywhere online?
- Start your own Banner Exchange Network?
- Build your own Virtual Shopping SuperMall?
- Automatically promote your Web site trough multiple channels, 24/7, without even lifting a finger?
- Start your own Match Making personals program?
- Increase your Opt-in mailing list subscribers database by 837% almost overnight?
- Own a Super Chat Center "Ã la" AOL?
- Build a Free For All Links Network "Ã la" LinkOmatic with multi-level power?
- Start your own Search Engines submission service?
- Operate your own members only secret/private WEB site with paid subscriptions?
- Build a Super Auction site "Ã la" eBay?
And All That Without Having To Mortgage Your Life?
Well, it's all possible with CGI scripts!
Want to start to learn more about CGI programming?
Here's a very interesting source to start with:
http://www.cgi101.com/learn/
There's quite important learning curve, however if you're passionate it could be a lot of fun for a challenge.
On the other hand, if you just want to take advantage of CGI power for your business without having to worry too much with programming, you can still learn to install and use them very easily.
There's a bunch of step-by-step, take-you-by-the-hand,
eye-over-shoulder and very well done video tutorials, with which you can learn to install yourself, on your hosting account, all the hot CGI scripts you can find at the sources I mentioned earlier.
These videos are available for immediate download right here at this URL: http://TheTrafficSoftware.com/InstallCGIvideos
Not that it is extremely complicated to install CGI PERL scripts, however one must know what he's doing and these clever little videos just deliver the goods.
This is very welcome from Internet newbies, as it is like being right over the shoulder of an experimented scripts installer, looking while he trains you. And if you don't get it at first, well, you won't be shy to ask, you'll just replay the video.
You can save a bunch of money while you don't have to pay someone else to install a necessary script for you. And who knows, maybe you can start installing scripts for others yourself for a fee.
Internet professionals use CGI to expand their web presence with innovative CGI solutions. Now you have the knowledge to start doing the same.
While searching for CGI scripts, the available solutions will simply strike your imagination and open your mind to totally new ideas and ways to market your products, automate your tasks, and drive huge traffic to your Web site.
Start today and discover how CGI scripts will bring fresh new solutions to help you succeed in any Internet Venture. Discover how easy it can be to just do it all by yourself, and keep your starting and operating costs very low.
Check for the videos which are available for immediate download right here at this URL: http://TheTrafficSoftware.com/InstallCGIvideos
The most important thing ever is to enjoy what you're doing! :-)
Later
Andre
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com
Andre Foisy has been dealing with Information Technologies for 15 years now, more specifically with Internet Technologies in the last seven years. For me it's just a lot of fun and easy to master, so I can certainly be of much help for you for whatever your Internet Business needs might be.
I've also learned to successfully apply Internet Technologies to Internet Business so make sure you discover the "secrets" with me Living Online Training
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