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Sunday 25 March 2012

Google proposes sweeping new changes penalizing over-optimization

Google has announced sweepig new changes to its search algorithm. To be implemented within the next few weeks, the searches will penalize the blatant over-use of SEO . Websites that have pages that contain links that are simply not relevant to the website will be penalized against, as will the over-use of keywords.

In future Google will make less use of keywords and more of understanding what the content of a website is all about. You can see pertinent videos here;

2 Minute Video announcing Google changes

8 Minute Video commenting on the Google proposed changes

If you would like me information regarding these changes, or would like to discuss content for your website, please contact me

Sunday 18 March 2012

Telkom update

I was very surprised on Friday (3/16) to receive a telephone call from Telkom. Now Telkom never call people unless they are late with their account payment. You will recall from the previous post that I had reported my land line out of order on 2/28 - so that's already over 2 weeks that I have been without a land line. The lady who phoned me (on my cell phone, of course, and reception on that is a little dodgy out here in the countryside, since we're so far from the nearest cell tower) advised me, very politely, that the service would not be restored until the end of April. That means that I and others in the area will have been without their Telkom line for no less than 2 months.

Now 2 days might be an acceptable time for a telephone line to be out of order, but 2 months?. That is completely unacceptable in 2012. The problem is, what can I do about it? Imagine the business that is being lost because of this Telkom failure. We have our house on the market, so this means that no-one will be able to contact us with an offer (unless they just happen to have our cell numbers. I cannot see any way in which Telkom can justify their inability to restore our connection within a couple of days.

This only serves to amplify my feelings regarding the demise of everything sane in this country.

Monday 12 March 2012

Telkom going downhill and unable to fulfil its commitments

I live out in the countryside, six miles from the nearest tarmac road and 20 from the nearest Telkom office. Now, when I first "signed on" with Telkom some 30 years ago, I understood that their part of the agreement was to supply me with a serviceable land line. Out here in Martindale in the Eastern Cape my telephone line goes on poles for a couple of clicks to where it is connected to a battery driven radio transmitter that is backed up by a solar panel. Anyway, apart from the usual breaks when the locals have stolen the copper wire connecting me to the transmitter, or when they have stolen the solar panel - these faults have always been dealt with fairly timeously.

At some time in late February my phone line went dead - I reported it on 28th February ( reference 83CEZ280212 ). and two full weeks later I am still without a phone. Not having a landline out here in the countryside (where cell phone coverage is somewhat limited) puts one at a distinct disadvantage, and what worries me is that, should something happen to either my wife or myself, we would have no way of communicating with the emergency services. I have managed to get through to an operator twice. On the first attempt I was advised that the matter was in the hands of a supervisor (Hassim ??) and he had been sent a message to contact me (I am still awaiting that contact more than a week later). On the second time that I managed to get through to an operator I was advised that Telkom was waiting for delivery of a "card" and that it had to be imported from France.

If anyone reads this and has the time or inclination, perhaps they could, on my behalf, direct a few newspapers to this posting in the hope that someone can start putting some pressure onto Telkom. Maybe there is a lawyer out there who would be willing to sue the company on my behalf - it would have to be pro bono though. You can contact me through my contact page - I have removed the Telkom number!!!

I take this as being just one more sign of how South Africa is going downhill, weighed down by the pressure of corruption, bad management, reverse apartheid and bad government.