What will happen to people's view of me if I "link" to a company with a publicly recognized bad reputation? Or to someone I directly oppose? Or to one I totally mistrust? If this isn't crystal clear, consider a link from your site redirected to a p o r n site.

The "New" Ebook Revolution

Several of most popular ebook compilers link to IE for display. (My ebooks do; this may change soon!) Imagine what gibberish TOPtext can make of an exquisite ebook page.

The future of ebooks remains uncertain. Sure, they'll be around. But format is now up in air. It's a blow to a lot of people heavily committed, some with profits not yet rolling in.

The Insidious Factor

One of things that makes this such an ugly evolution is that webmasters may never know it's happening. Further, there's obvious impact of slowing download speed, because of additional time to add links. And this matters. But it is minor compared to what your pages will look like.

Just how does one design a great looking, carefully polished site that can hold this appearance when randomly highlighted in yellow?

What Is Microsoft Thinking?

I don't know if Microsoft is in any way a part of this particular "experiment." But effects are so much like results they expect from Smart Tags, it is difficult to accept this implementation as a coincidence.

I suspect Microsoft will watch developments with great care. If they can figure a "better" plan, will they implement it in Windows? If so, then whatever browser is in use, results will be same. And MS will be in a position to control advertising. There is inconceivable profit potential in this.

Legal Possibilities

I have no doubt but what this issue will be brought to court. I've a picture of a Ford site reacting to "truck" highlighted on their site with a link to a Chevy site.

This part of tale may prove interesting. I'm fascinated by following notion I don't believe has come up before.

If you buy a book, you may deface it in any way you please. It will be argued that since downloaded page is on visitor's computer, they own it, that user (or software selected) can therefore do as they please with it.

To me, way in which a page is delivered to a visitor is immaterial. It's my creation. Excepting for limitations in my coding, I expect my visitor to see it as created.

A Boon To Advertising?

Maybe. It is something entirely different to webmasters who have spent agonizing hours building site content.

How will this end?

I can't even guess. But if it does not, Web as we know it now will be history.

What is main benefit(s) your prospects and customers get from doing business with you rather than competition?

Are your prices cheapest? Is your selection largest? Do you offer a unique technology? Do you cater to a special niche market? Do you offer free assistance others can't?

If you can't think of at least one main benefit you'd better work on building one into your business. Not only is it crucial to your success, it's only way to slow down those speed surfers -- by simply telling them THEIR benefit as soon as they arrive.

So were you able to come up with at least one solid benefit? Good for you. Now put it into action. First put main benefit or benefits of doing business with you into a sentence.

Need an example? Here's my sentence...

Visitors to bizweb2000 receive high quality online marketing assistance (with no fluff!) from a guy who has been making his living from Internet since 1996.

As you can see from that sentence, best benefits I can offer to my website visitors are:

- quality, no-nonsense help - my experience as a full-time web marketer

You'll see this message prominently displayed at my home page. No, not in those exact words, but through a more powerful method of delivery -- from mouths of my customers. This is my slow down sign -- and it works.

I invite you, scratch that, I CHALLENGE you to come up with your own "slow down sign" at your website. Spend a day if necessary. If you have trouble coming up with anything, contact some of your best customers and ask them why they do business with you. You may find that their feedback provides all stopping power your home page needs!