What is Fiber Optic Splice Closure?

Fiber optic splice closure is the equipment used to offer room to fuse splice optical fiber and also to provide protections for the fused fiber joint point and the fiber cables. Typical fiber optic splice closure and vertical type and horizontal type, there are various kinds of fiber splice closures suit for different applications, such as aerial, duct fiber cables and direct buried. Generally, fiber optic splice closures are used outdoors, some even used underwater.

:: Fiber Optic Splice Closure Types

For outside plant splice closure, there are two major types: horizontal splice closure and vertical splice closure.

1) Horizontal type

Horizontal types closure look like a flat or cylindrical case, they provide space and protection for fiber optic cable splicing and joint. They can be mounted aerial, buried, or for underground applications. Horizontal types are used more often than vertical type (dome type) closures.

Most horizontal fiber optic splice closure can fit hundreds of fiber connection. They are designed to be waterproof and dust proof. They can be used in temperature ranging from -40

Dungeon Master Basics: How to Keep Your Players Focused?

There’s a strange paradox to running a game: you want your friends to have fun, but you also need them to focus on the game at hand so as to immerse themselves in the story. A great DM knows when to let the players sit back and joke and laugh and goof off, and when to call their attention to the game and settle the players down. But how do you do this? What’s the right balance to strive for, and how can you get your player’s attention without seeming a bore or a tyrant?

The first thing you have to realize and always remember is that the DM sets the tone of the game. The players will take their cues from you, so that if you’re laughing and joking, they’ll understand that now is the time to laugh and joke as well, and that they need not worry about being ‘IC’ because the DM isn’t pushing the game. If you’re serious and focused they’ll realize the opposite; the game is getting started once more, and now is the time to buckle down and get to work.

Tone also is set by the nature of the game you’re running. A wacky super-heroes game where everything is comical and light hearted will naturally result in a sillier game; an intense horror game like Call of Cthulhu or Ravenloft will demand a completely different atmosphere, and how you approach running these games will determine much of the tone. Something as simple as turning down the lights can help settle people, or playing the right kind of music. Your language and descriptions will set the tone as well; speaking seriously, intensely, and putting some effort into describing how creepy the scenario is will signal to the players what approach they need to take.

Sometimes however your players will just get too riled up to focus, especially after a really good joke or if they haven’t seen each other in awhile. Often it’s a good idea for the DM to let players have a good half hour to settle in, to catch up, to exchange stories, grab their drinks and focus on the game. Rushing this half hour is usually futile, and will result in the players feeling harried. However, if this sort of breakdown happens midgame, you’re faced with two choices: call a break, get up and go into the kitchen, let everybody get the hilarity out of their systems, or sternly call for their attention by asking the loudest joker at the table what their character is doing.

It’s a hard call on the DM’s part to know when to push the game, and when to let the good times roll. You can’t focus exclusively on just one; a DM who insists everybody be serious all the time will create a strained atmosphere that will leak the fun out of the game, while a DM who is always joking and never imposes some discipline will run a loose and unfocused game that will ultimately fail to please anybody.

Now, if there’s a particularly disruptive player who won’t buckle down, who insists on always joking and distracting the others, taken them aside and have a word. Don’t confront them before everybody, because that will just put them on the defensive, but rather wait for a natural break in the game when people stand up and mill around, and take that person aside. Then simply tell them you feel the game’s gone a little off the rails, and you need their help in getting it back on track. Say you need them to help ground the other players by getting more IC, and see if this positive way of asking them to be more serious does the trick. If not, a second, harder conversation might be in order, and ultimately if this player simply won’t take the game seriously, you might need to speak to the group about whether that player needs to go.

Hopefully you’ll not need to resort to such dire recourses, and will instead learn how to ride the waves of hilarity and good times so that you can rein in your players when the time to get started appears, and let them laugh and enjoy themselves when they need an outlet for their amusement. Don’t be afraid of calling for breaks, and use your tone, the lighting and music to help set the mood. With these tools you should be set to run a focused game interspersed with moments of relaxation and hilarity!

Check out more DMing tips at my DMing Basics blog. Also, why not get away from the gaming table occasionally to get in shape? Slim in 6 is an excellent, easy to phase into exercise regimen that can help you lose weight in just 6 weeks. Compliment it with Shakeology, a delicious and nutritious meal replacement shake!

MBM Destroyit 2240 Cross Cut Paper Shredder – DSH0040 Review

The MBM Destroyit 2240 Cross Cut Paper Shredder is a great option for home or small office use. With automatic features and a single multifunction button, this shredder is both convenient and easy to use. Equipped with a powerful, single phase motor and durable steel blades backed by a lifetime warranty, the 2240 is a dependent device. Here is a closer look.

Strengths:

* Standing almost 18 inches high, this compact shredder can easily sit beneath or next to your desk. But smallness doesn’t decrease performance. A photo cell controlled auto start and stop senses papers as they slide in and begins shredding on cue. A single, backlit switch controls three functions, including stand-by, stop (off) and reverse. Coupled together, these two make use of this machine uncomplicated and easy.

* The Safety Protection System on MBM Destroyits provides added security against accidental injury. An electronically controlled safety shield safeguards against fingers or other objects from entering the blades. A magnetic sensor on the cabinet door activates the automatic stop function when the door is left open, protecting hands from coming into contact with active blades. Finally, if something does get caught in the blades, whether too much paper or an improper shredding object, the emergency stop function cuts the power to the motor.

* The cross cutting mechanism dices full size documents into 1/8 inch by 1 inch pieces, small enough to earn a level 3 security rating. A lifetime warranty guarantees the cutting shafts and wheels, saving you from ever needing a replacement. Most other parts carry a one year warranty.

* The small shreds are deposited into a 5 gallon, impact resistant, plastic waste container. A handle easily removes the shredding unit for easy disposal. Once the bag is full or the head is removed, the automatic stop function removes power from the motor, helping to prevent accidental injury.

Weaknesses:

* The feed entry is limited to 8-3/4 inches wide and only handles 6 sheets at a time. This is average for a small desk side shredder and for home or small office use will be adequate. The 12 feet per minute that it shreds allows papers to go through at a good pace. However, for longer documents or higher shredding use, consider an upgrade to a faster model with a wider feed.

* This shredder only provides a level 3 security rating and does not shred credit cards. For most small office and administrative use, this is safe enough. But if your shredding needs include medium to high risk documents, you may want to invest in a more secure model, such as the Destroyit 2360 or 2403 cross cut models also by MBM.

Overall, the Destroyit 2240 is a reliable choice for a personal or desk side shredder. The Safety Protection System and other automatic features make use safe and simple. Cross cut shreds safeguard your personal information and a lifetime warranty on the blades guarantees a long life for your machine. The MBM Destroyit 2240 is an excellent option for your next desk side shredder.

If you are looking to purchase the Destroyit2240 Cross Cut Shredder check out MyBinding.com. They have a great price on this shredder and they carry the entire line of MBM Destroyit Paper Shredders. Plus, they offer free shipping on all orders over $75.

MBM Destroyit 2240 Strip Cut Paper Shredder – DSH0039 Review

One choice in an array of desk side shredders for home and small office use is the MBM Destroyit 2240 Strip Cut Paper Shredder. This small powerhouse is packed with functions that make it simple and easy to use. The durable steel blades are controlled by a single multifunction button as well as an automatic start and stop device. The whole unit is backed by a one year warranty with a 10 year warranty on the cutting shafts and wheels. Here are more details about the 2240.

Strengths:

* The compact design of this machine makes it ideal for personal or small office use. A photo cell controlled automatic start and stop function senses when items are slid into the machine and begins shredding immediately. A single, multifunction control switch with backlit icons offers options for stand-by, stop and reverse functions in one easily operated button.

* The paper entry measures just short of 9 inches and accepts 10-12 sheets at one time. Together with shredding rates at 12 feet per minute, this shredder offers excellent capacity for personal or small office use. Equipped with hardened steel cutting shafts, this machine easily digests stapled and paper clipped documents as well as credit cards, keeping your information safe. A safety shield at the feed entry keeps fingers and other object from accessing the blades, making it safe for use around children and pets.

* The motor is outfitted with double protection against overheating, saving you money on potential repairs. The gears are house in a dust-proof enclosure, keeping them free of paper molecules that could cause damage and negatively affect the machine’s performance.

* An impact resistant, plastic shred bin holds up to 5 gallons of paper waste. A convenient handle lifts the shredding unit from the container, allowing the bin to be easily emptied. When the shredder is removed from the container the machine automatically shuts off.

Weaknesses:

* The Destroyit 2240 only provides a level 2 security. Even so, the 3/16 inch strips are enough protection for most home offices and many small businesses. If you are looking for a higher security machine, MBM makes cross cut models comparable to this one.

* The throat width is a limited 8-3/4 inches. For average personal and small office usage, this is completely adequate and won’t be a problem. However, larger items won’t easily fit through. Businesses with many longer documents may wish to upgrade to a larger model.

* This model only accepts up to 12 sheets at once at a rate of 12 feet per minute. Again, this is suitable for most home and small business use. Medium to large offices will most likely want consider a higher model with more capacity.

The Destroyit has an abundance of features making it ideal for a small, deskside shredder. A single control switch as well as a photo cell controlled on/off offers convenient and uncomplicated use. With the ability to handle staples, paper clips and credit cards, the steel blades efficiently accommodate the shredding needs of any home or small office. The 2240 is an excellent option for your next deskside shredder.

If you are looking to purchase the Destroyit 2240 Strip Cut Shredder check out MyBinding.com. They have a great price on this shredder and they carry the entire line of MBM Destroyit Paper Shredders. Plus, they offer free shipping on all orders over $75.

Swingline ClassicCut Pro 18″ Guillotine Paper Trimmer Review

The ClassicCut Pro 18″ from Swingline is a paper trimmer with a lot of features for the price. Here are a few what we see as this machine’s features and limitations.

Strengths and Features:

1. The ClassicCut Pro 18″ has a sheet cutting capacity of 15 pages of 20lb paper per pass. This is a pretty impressive number for a low to medium volume trimmer, and it appears to be able to reach it without much trouble. It should be noted however, that, as with any paper trimmer on the market, you are generally going to get better results (as in cleaner, more precise cuts) if you do most of your work below a given machine’s stated capacity. Not that any manufacturers would grossly overstate a machine’s capabilities or anything, it just seems to be an industry-wide stance to state the number of pages a trimmer can grind through, not necessarily cut cleanly and precisely.

2. The overall construction of the ClassicCut Pro 18″ is pretty good for a machine in its class as well. The cutting surface is made of wood (though it is a particulate rather than a solid chunk), and the cutting arm is made of metal, where you will find plastic on all too many of the other trimmers in its class. There are also rugged rubber feet included that do a good job of keeping the machine from slipping during use.

3. The long blade of the ClassicCut Pro 18″ makes it a great fit for users who work with all sorts of paper sizes. It can handle the most common, such as letter and legal (and smaller) with ease, but it can also work with larger paper sizes as well, and it’s always a good thing to have that extra flexibility in your favor.

4. The cutting surface of the ClassicCut Pro 18″ has a handy grid that helps you align your pages for more accurate cutting. There’s a ruler as well that has measurements in both the imperial and metric systems.

5. The blade of the ClassicCut Pro 18″ is stainless steel, and is self sharpening. In the life of a blade, however, there will always eventually be a few dings and divots that self sharpening can’t correct, so you’ll be happy to know that it can be removed for sharpening or replaced entirely.

6. With guillotine paper cutters, safety is always something you want to pay attention to. The ClassicCut Pro 18″ has three safety features worth mentioning: a latch that locks the blade down when the machine is not in use; a guard rail to keep fingers out of the way of the blade; and a spring and washer system that holds the blade in any position, and keeps it from falling unexpectedly.

Weaknesses and Limitations:

1. As stated above, for the cleanest cuts, you may want to stay below the stated sheet capacity of 15. Another reason for that is that there is no paper clamp or backstop mechanism to hold the paper as you do your cutting.

2. Even with the safety features, guillotine paper trimmers are not machines that should be used in a school setting or by children in general, unless they are being closely supervised.

If you are interested in more information about Swingline 12×12 Ingento Paper Cutter, visit MyBinding.com. They offer a great price and Free Shipping on orders over $75.00. Plus, they carry a full line of Guillotine Cutters, of all types and capabilities.

Swingline Ingento 12″ x 12″ Maple Guillotine Cutter Review

The Ingento 12″ x 12″ is a well-constructed guillotine paper trimmer with some features worth noting. Here are a few of this machine’s strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths and Features:

1. The biggest strength of the Ingento 12″ x 12″ might have to be the Ingento name itself. Long considered the industry standard in guillotine paper trimmers, these machines are in use by the hundreds of thousands (if not millions) in schools, churches, print and copy shops, and businesses all over the world. The Ingento name is one that has earned the trust of these organizations, and the Ingento 12″ x 12″ looks to be deserving of the name.

2. The chief reason that Ingento trimmers have such a great reputation is their high quality and heavy duty construction, and the Ingento 12″ x 12″ is no exception. This machine features a heavy duty wood base of 100% pure maple, and a cutting arm of die cast metal. This is clearly a machine that is built with durability and longevity in mind.

3. The cutting capacity of the Ingento 12″ x 12″ is nice at 15 sheets of 20lb paper stock per pass. As with any paper cutter, you might want to cut fewer sheets than that for the very best cut, but the Ingento 12″ x 12″ operates as cleanly at its stated capacity as any guillotine trimmer on the market.

4. Safety is always something that you’ll want to keep in mind when you are looking at guillotine trimmers, and the Ingento 12″ x 12″ has a few safety features worth noting. First, there is a latch to keep the blade securely locked down when the machine is not in use. The blade itself is outfitted with a steel tension spring system that keeps in firmly in place no matter what position it is left in, meaning that you won’t have to worry about the blade accidentally falling at the wrong time. There is also a guard rail that keeps hands away from the blade during the cutting process.

5. The blade is high-quality stainless steel, is self sharpening, and not only cuts paper, but does a nice job with heavier stocks such as construction paper, photos, presentation materials, and laminated papers as well. Though the blade is self sharpening, there will inevitably be divots and dings that occur over the years from use and abuse. You’ll be glad to note, then, that the blade can be removed for either professional sharpening, or that it can be replaced entirely.

6. On the base of the Ingento 12″ x 12″ you will find a handy alignment guide that aids you in making sure that your pages are properly lined up for cutting. There is also a ruler at the top that measures in both the metric and imperial systems.

7. While this appears to be a machine that is meant to last a good long time, it is nice that Swingline seems to have confidence in it too, as they offer a 10 year warranty on the Ingento 12″ x 12″.

Weaknesses:

1. While the 12″ x 12″ size will easily handle most common paper sizes, of you are going to be working on bigger projects, you might want to take a look at a larger machine. Ingento has these units in sizes up to 30″ x 30″.

If you are interested in more information about Swingline 12×12 Ingento Paper Cutter, visit MyBinding.com. They offer a great price and Free Shipping on orders over $75.00. Plus, they carry a full line of Guillotine Cutters, of all types and capabilities.

10 Unique Features of Online Fax

When any new technology wins favor with the general public, it is usually offering features which the public wants and can’t get elsewhere. Online fax is a perfect example, it offers new technology which give users many helpful features and benefits which they can’t get from conventional methods of faxing. These unique features have made online fax very popular.

So in case you want to discover more about Internet Fax, here are 10 unique features which make it extremely useful to have:

1. Mobility

Online fax is completely portable since it uses the Internet and your email system to send and receive all your faxes. Once you have signed up to an online fax provider, all you need for faxing is any PC or mobile device which is connected to the web. This means you have a virtual fax machine at your fingertips just about anywhere on the planet – giving you location independence.

2. Email Powered

Actually, online fax is closely related to email since your faxes are sent as email attachments in a variety of formats. It connects all your faxing with one of the most useful communication tools that changed everything – email. And just like using email, sending an online fax is just as easy. This simplicity is one feature which has made email faxing so popular.

3. Equipment Free

The great thing about online fax, you don’t need to buy any new equipment or supplies. Since everything is done through your computer and the web, you don’t need a fax machine or any papers, toners and inks. Plus, you don’t need to install and maintain a dedicated fax phone line in order to use this new way of faxing.

4. Digitized Freedom

With online faxing, all your faxes are in digitized form, which means they can be easily stored, sorted and/or deleted with one click of the button. This offers great convenience since we all have probably searched through mounds of papers or files to find that one fax which we needed. But with Internet fax you can easily search and find the fax you need since everything is conveniently stored in your online account or on your computer. Another area which concerns many is receiving junk faxes; in the old system this can eat up valuable resources and tie up your fax machine, but with online fax you can just delete your junk faxes and you can even place a block on the phone numbers so that you won’t receive any future junk faxes from that source.

5. Simultaneous Faxing

Another great feature of email faxing, you can send or receive countless faxes at once. There are no more missed faxes because of paper jams or busy signals because the fax line was engaged. If your company depends heavily upon faxing to communicate with clients or for bringing in sales, then one can easily see why this feature is very important to have.

6. Fax Broadcasting

Internet faxing lets you send a single fax to multiple recipients at once. This is excellent if you want to send out a fax very quickly, no need to manually feed the fax or type in the fax numbers. It can all be done with one click of the button.

7. Corporate Scalability

Most Internet fax service providers offer custom plans and services to companies which lets them tailor their fax services to match their fax needs. Since everything is handled online and equipment free, any company can scale up or scale down their faxing requirements as the economy or business dictates. This can be a real time and money saver for any growing company or business.

8. Secure Faxing

Another advancement, online fax is much more secure than conventional faxing, since it uses SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption when sending your faxes. This ensures any fax which you send will not be seen or revealed to hackers or anyone wishing to do us harm. This increased security is a major reason many companies have switched over to online faxing, it does offer peace of mind.

9. Auto Confirmation & Auto Alert

Many fax providers will automatically send you a confirmation if your fax has reached its destination. The receiver can even acknowledge that he has received your fax. This offers great convenience especially if it is a time-sensitive fax which has to be dealt with very quickly. Likewise, you can also set up Fax Alerts so that your provider will send you an email alert when you receive a fax. This way you never have to miss another fax again.

10. Auto Resend

Most fax providers will also automatically resend your fax if it is not received the first time. This will increase your chances that the fax will actually reach its destination.

As you can plainly see, online fax does have some special unique features which make it very useful and beneficial for users. And we haven’t even mentioned the cheaper costs or the fact that since its paperless, online fax is usually considered a “Greener” way to fax. Taking all these useful features into consideration, it is no wonder online fax has become so popular.

For more information on Internet Fax Services use this handy online Comparison Guide: online fax. Or if you want more detailed information on Internet Faxing try here: internet fax. Titus Hoskins Copyright. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

Blogging For Profit: 4 Ideas For Making a Profit From Your Blog

Let’s face it, it takes time and effort to keep a blog going. Sure, the initial enthusiasm will get it off the ground but you need to keep a blog alive with fresh content. Keeping your enthusiasm is usually easier when there’s a reward for your hard work. Which makes the idea of blogging for profit an attractive one. So what can you do to turn a profit from your blog?

1. Put up adverts

It’s what everyone else does – television stations, radio shows, newspapers, magazines, and so on. Adverts are everywhere you look. Whilst there was a short time on the internet when adverts were thought to be a bit offensive to users, nowadays near enough every site has them from Google and CNN downwards. So why not get your share of the revenue that’s available from adverts. The quickest way is to join a network such as Google Adsense and you can start showing targeted adverts that your blog users will be happy to click on within a few minutes.

2. Get stuff to review

If you’re seen as an authority in your field, this may be as simple as asking for a review copy. If not, start by reviewing things you already own and use. Either way, write up your experience and weave in a few links that will pay you a commission when people click them to investigate the product further. Networks such as Commission Junction will help you to do this or you can sign up as an “associate” with Amazon and tap into their vast range of products.

3. Syndicate your content

This used to be something you couldn’t do from day one as you needed to establish yourself as an authority in your field. But nowadays you can do it even if you’re unknown! All blogs have a syndication option – known as a feed – that allows other sites to republish your content. How does that make you money you may ask? Well, the syndication normally comes with links back to your site. In turn, these help to boost your site’s rankings in the searches and as you become more popular, you attract more visitors to your site and earn money from them as with the other points.

4. Create and sell your own product

Now this one sounds scary. But actually it’s nowhere near as bad as it sounds. You don’t need anything more than your current computer and maybe a video camera (the one on your mobile phone is probably fine).

Show people how to do whatever it is your chosen niche needs to know. Make it really clear – something even your granny could understand. Then put up a teaser video on your blog and get people to send you money with Paypal if they want the complete set. You could easily have your own product in less than a day and be starting to profit from it soon after that when you put some well-placed links on your website.

Find out more about starting a successful blog and check out these free blogging videos.

What is the Best Blogging Software to Use For Your Blog?

When it comes to choosing the best blogging software, there is so much choice available that it’s difficult to know where to start. Before you can pick the best option for you, you’ll need to decide whether you want to use a free blogging platform or not. Check below to find out more.

Free blogging software – not hosted by you

A lot of people start their blogging career this way. There’s no cost of the hosting and there’s not cost for the domain name as you’ll be piggybacking on one of the big blog hosts. Which means you won’t have any choice over your domain name. Instead it will be something like YourBlogName.blogspot.com or Squidoo.com/your-title, which isn’t as snappy as having your own domain name but in the end it’s your choice.

The biggest advantages of using free blogging sottware are:

* Cost – by defintion, it’s free. You may even be given a revenue share on the adverts that appear on your blog or be able to control them completely.

* Quick to set up – there’s no hosting to organize, no software to upload, it’s pretty much sign up and start blogging.

* No technical skills needed – the text editors are usually like a cut down version of Word, so if you can type in to a box on a compuer screen, you’re able to start blogging. To keep support down to the bare minimum, everything is intuitive and easy to use.

* Regularly spidered domains, which increases your chance of getting indexed quickly in the search engines.

The biggest disadvantages of using free blogging software are:

* You’re not in control. If your free host decides you’ve done something that breaks their rules or takes exception to your blog they can suspend you in the blink of an eye. This is serious if you’re aiming to earn money from your blog,

* You don’t own the domain name. You’re just hitching a ride and if the owner asks you to leave, that’s what you have to do.

* Less flexibility. If something isn’t provided by the domain owner, that’s usually it. Sometimes you can pay extra for certain features – the free WordPress hosted blog service offers things like nicer themes as optional extras.

Free blogging software – hosted by you

Without a doubt, the most popular blogging software is WordPress, which is free. You can host your blog on their domain as in the options above or you can get a lot more control by using your own hosting.

For this, you’ll need a web host and a domain name. Buy these from two separate places as that gives you more control and flexibility.

Then, with most hosts, it’s just a matter of clicking a couple of buttons to install WordPress. Future upgrades are taken care of from the blog control panel.

Once you’re done that, you can blog away to your heart’s content, safe in the knowledge that unless you break any major rules (hosting copyrighted files for others to download, that kind of thing) then your blog is safe and completely under your control.

If you are likely to depend on your blog for any income at all, this is without doubt the best route to follow.

The biggest advantages of hosting your own blog are:

* Control. You can decide exactly what goes on in your blog and can add in new themes and extra plug ins to completely customize your blog.

* No policy change worries. Free web hosting sites can and do change their policies. Hosting your own blog puts you in complete control so you don’t care whether Squidoo, Blogger, WordPress or whoever don’t like your content any more.

* It’s yours – if you want to sell your blog and the domain associated with it, you can. Just like you can any other domain. This puts more value on your efforts.

Check out how you can earn money blogging with these free blogging videos.

How to Set Up a Blog Quickly and Easily

Setting up a blog is easy nowadays so long as you have a good website host – most of them are pretty good at this kind of thing, so there’s an excellent chance that your current web host will offer what I describe below. So, how to set up a blog so that it’s up and running in the shortest possible time?

Start by going into your web host’s control panel. It’s a good chance that this will have a button marked “Fantastico” (some hosts use a service called “Softaculous”, that does much the same thing). Choose that and then follow the instructions to install WordPress. A few clicks later, you’ll have a basic version of WordPress installed. In the unlikely event that this doesn’t work, you’ll need to download a copy of WordPress and then FTP it to your site.

The standard installation of WordPress needs some tweaking before it’s useful:

1. Delete the “Hello World” post

There’s an initial post called “Hello World” which is included whenever you put up a new WordPress blog. Delete this before Google gets a chance to index it. Replace it with your first post as soon as possible.

2. Amend the “About” page

This is standard text again. You should amend it to say something about you, even if it’s only a sentence or two until you get going.

3. Amend or delete the Blogroll

There’s a list of links that appear by default. Delete any that you don’t want and add in any new links that you would like to include in your blog’s navigation.

4. Change the settings

The default settings for WordPress need changing. The Permalinks structure isn’t user friendly – most people change it to a custom version such as:

/%postname%/

There’s a good chance you’ll want to change the discussion settings as well – spammers have been known to abuse the default settings which automatically approve comments from someone who has already had a comment approved.

5. Add extra plugins

WordPress is highly customisable. Akismet is the included spam protection and it works OK (there are alternatives if you don’t like it). You’ll need a WordPress API key but this is easy to get by following the instructions on screen and you can re-use it on more than one blog,

I add in a smart pinger (there are lots around) which saves you from spamming the ping engines whenever you edit an existing post. I also add in a cache because I’m optimistic and like to think my blog will cope when it gets busy. I also add in an SEO optimising plugin to help make the default titles and other settings friendlier to the search engines.

6. Change the theme

The default theme is pretty ugly and is worth changing, although that said a lot of people don’t care and just keep their blog as-is. You can preview free themes from your WordPress control panel and it’s worth testing out a few to see which ones you prefer. If none of the free themes meet your standards, there are lots of places that sell themes reasonably inexpensively or you can download a program such as Artisteer and create your own.

7. Start blogging!

After all, that was the whole idea of setting up your blog. Remember to add categories for your posts and to include tags so that your pages are easier to find.

Get more help on how to set up a blog and check out these free blogging videos.