1) Conference calling, "caller-ID", Call waiting and numerous other similar features.

3) Instant messaging, file sharing and other instant messaging type features.

2) Numerous add-ons or plug-ins, many of them are free, give you additional features such as a Skype Answering machine, Microsoft Outlook integration, even a Video for Skype option. All Skype add-ons can be found at http://www.summitcircle.com/ largest Skype resource site on web.

If you decide that you find Skype convenient you may eventually want to consider some of Skype's premium services:

1) Skype Voicemail at ~19$ a year (that is about ~1.50$ per month,

2) Calling "external phone numbers", About 2 cents a minute for almost anywhere on planet! (Skype to Skype calls are always free)

3) An incoming phone number with almost any area code in US, England, much of Europe and even in China for around ~39$ a year (that is ~3.50$ per month and they throw in voicemail)

Once you get going with Skype you will find that it starts to grow on you. I haven't replaced my regular phone with Skype but it has become my second phone line and I use it frequently. If you are interested in Skype, then download Skype for free at http://www.skype.com/

Once you have Skype, you can find a Skype phone, add-on or community at http://www.summitcircle.com There you will find all Skype add-ons (or plug-ins) that you want along with a growing list of Skype business services.

Have lower expectations - taking a digit or two off from figures is closer to reality for most writers.

Choose right topics. Writing about celebrities, hair are popular topics. There is one particular article on hair in places where sun has hardly shone before, which had over 30,000 hits in an article-submission site alone. In contrast, articles written by this author on cryptography and technical analysis have only 100 hits. How these popular topics are related to your website’s theme will need your creativity at its best.

Consider using teenagers and young people as your test-market. If they do not read your articles, chances are, few would.

Submission to article sites is an exercise in patience. The author still wonders how some experts still claim there are hundreds of article submission sites, when there are only tens of listed article depositories. Probably, they may be referring to thousands of one-theme sites such as web marketing.

Despite some flaws, this author still recommends article-writing as a web promotion tool. Seeing your articles accepted by 100 sites and read by thousands is indeed gratifying. Seeing your opinion being quoted and discussed in forums is exhilarating. Seeing one of your articles being blatantly pirated provides a new badge of honor – how many articles get pirated anyway? The internet, like everyone else, is imperfect.

Stan Seecrets’ Postulate: “Website promotion is a journey of a million sweats. Savor each drop and it will taste like honey.”