Lessons Learned from a Broken Computer and a Hotlinker

So lately I’m sure you are aware News Notion has been down for a bit. At first, I thought that I had just used all my bandwidth because I don’t normally pay attention to how much I suck up daily/weekly. But, after increasing it I noticed something was wrong, and it turned out someone was hotlinking one of my images. That story will come with my next post.

As well as being hotlinked, my computer unexpectedly crashed and had to be taken in for a few days. I was so worried because I do not have anything backed up on a disc or device, and I had no idea if they would be able to recover the data. Fortunately, they patched it all up.

These two incidences in the past week have taught me some pretty valuable lessons about blogging, running websites, and even life.

1. Fast action is important.

If you know something is wrong, it’s best to get on it right away. Do everything you can to fix the problem. The longer your site or blog is down, the more potential it has to losing readers and visitors.

2. If something seems amiss, investigate further.

If you notice something fishy, don’t just shrug it off. I did this first and thought I could just extend my bandwidth and it was over. It didn’t turn out that way though.

3. Always pay close attention and monitor your site’s statistics.

I never really look at how much bandwidth I regularly use, my access logs, and even traffic sources are under looked. Running a site is a lot more than just updating it and making money. If you want to maximize potential, and avoid harmful situations, make sure you are watching every aspect of your site.

4. When confused or concerned, ask for help.

Finding the solution to a problem is always possible. You’re on the internet for crying out loud! There is information everywhere and all you have to do is search for it. If you have a friend that could help you with the problem, then ask them. It’s a lot easier then trying to handle it all on your own, trust me.

5. Good contacts and relationships are a must.

I don’t think I would have been able to survive the past week without the help of Bush Mackel. In the early days of News Notion, he stumbled upon my site and commented regularly. From there, we kept in touch through e-mail and I knew he could help me out with my computer problems. It’s easy to develop a strong blogger relationship, and it’s really beneficial too.

6. Always have a backup plan.

It’s really important to have a backup plan for almost everything. For computers, download important files onto a disc or even a backup storage unit. For a website, have your site files stored on your computer, not just on the server. And even for the internet, you can’t take your computer everywhere with you. Use your laptop (or get one) and save your bookmarks on there too!