===========================================
LexiConn – March 2005 Newsletter
===========================================

In this month’s issue:
* Blogging now available for any account
* A message regarding our domain registration services
* Use JavaScript to validate forms

—
Blogging now available for any account…

We have recently added a one click install of a popular blog software package called WordPress that can be installed in any hosting account from the Account Manager. Blog software (or blogging as it is called) allows users to publish information on their site in a log or diary format. WordPress has many advanced features such as:

- Flexible templates
- Full publishing system including managing non-blog content
- Allow comments from visitors
- Password protected posts
- Web based administration and full web page / content editor
- PHP/mysql based software

Blogs have become quite popular on the Internet, with many prominent business owners and upper-level management using them as a way of providing information and insight into decisions their companies have made.

You can install a blog for your site from the Account Manager under:
Applications –> Miscellaneous

More info on WordPress can be found on their website at:

http://wordpress.org/

—
A message regarding our domain registration services…

As many of you are already aware, LexiConn offers domain registration services. We currently handle registrations for domains ending in .com, .net, .org, .biz, .info, or .us. The cost for registering a domain name is $25 per year, and is reduced to $20 per year when registering for a period of five or more years. This fee represents nearly a 30% savings over Network Solutions and Register.com. LexiConn also offers a superior management system for your domain, as well as our unmatchable level of customer service.

Customer service is our top selling point, as we offer both phone and email support. Furthermore, we make every possible effort to make sure your domain registration never lapses. If you are interested in registering or transferring a domain name to our registry, please visit:

http://domains.lexiconn.com

If you have any questions about our domain registration service, please visit our knowledgebase entries regarding the subject, found at:

http://support.lexiconn.com/kb/index.php?ToDo=browse&catId=46

—
Use JavaScript to validate forms…

If your site uses forms, you may want to make use of JavaScript to validate your form submissions, before the data is passed to the server. The JavaScript will validate the user’s entries as opposed to just checking if required fields are filled in. For example, JavaScript can make sure that every email address contains an @ sign. It can also be used to check the validity of credit card numbers, the validity of a zip code, etc. Essentially, JavaScript can make sure that a form is filled out properly before it is submitted, as it will force the user to make corrections before proceeding.

When used properly in conjunction with formmail, JavaScript will eliminate the chance that a user will get an error page after submitting a form. This is particularly useful in the event that the browser’s back button erases all of the fields that were filled in on the previous page. Simple validation will save the user from having to do rework, and it will also ensure that all of your submissions contain data which conforms to your specifications.

There are plenty of free scripts out there regarding form validation using JavaScript. Here are links to a few such sites offering free use of a form validation script:

http://javascript.internet.com/forms/val-cookie.html#source

http://developer.apple.com/internet/webcontent/examples/validate_source.html

http://www.yxscripts.com/fg/form.html

http://jsval.fantastic-bits.de/

—
Remember, to be kept up to date on the latest happenings at
LexiConn, register on our News Forum at:
http://support.lexiconn.com/news/profile.php?mode=register

- The LexiConn Team