Information on Cyber Trading news

Re-vamping of the Cyber Trading Customer Support

In response to the estimated 500 e-mails a day we are receiving at Webmaster@yt.com and others we are attempting to split our mailboxes by subject.

Please update your records for this new arrangement. Spamming of these boxes will not be allowed, and will probably result in your question not being answered at all. Questions sent to the wrong box will result in the Cyber Trading Co. forwarding it the right box, and thus the answer may be delayed.

We try to answer all questions, however we have been missing key system-related & account problems amidst a plethora of general (HTML, CGI, UNIX) questions that fall outside the scope of our Customer Support. If you feel the answer to your question is not directly related to our services of Webspace-providing, then it probably is not.

The following subjects have the following mailboxes. Please be careful when mailing Root & Webmaster, since this box is reserved to questions of System Administration, such as downtime, server configuration, etc. Support is reserved for technical questions related to our service only.

News on the future of Cyber Tading Scripts

In an effort to provide more flexibility and ease of use we have previously provided automated 'front-ends' to many scripts: Vend, Guestbook, etc. This was partly due to the fact that these scripts ARE difficult to set-up if you are inexperienced.

However, it has been difficult maintaining current versions of these scripts on all of our (growing quickly) machines. In addition, we have noticed a dependency on such 'front-ends' that does NOT encourage contacting the proper Support, nor promote the learning curve on How to Set-up a Script. Cyber Trading Co. has always been a place for those more familiar and comfortable with such topics.

In the past 6 months there have been a number of general CGI 'front-ends' emerging. The ones we have been most impressed with have been PHP and HTMLSCRIPT- allowing HTML tag programming. Along with other scripts such as ImageMagick, a command-line batch graphics editor (great), there are a number of programs that will allow Cyber Trading user more control over his/her destiny. Also, these new environments require less Server Load for us.

So, in the next few weeks we will be announcing that Cyber Trading Co. will be pulling our automation scripts off the sight (such as Generate Your Own Guestbook). We will continue to run the scripts (Vend, HyperNews, etc) on our machines for several months, however the scripts will be eventually removed. In addition, the things like the counter, etc. will be switched to JavaScript, and the old ones turned off.

Replacements will include Java, HTMLScript, PHP, Real Audio, etc.- there will be no shortage of Bells and Whistles.

We will be keeping you informed... Any question, give us a mail...

New Scripts

In the above effort, Cyber Trading is now running HTMLScript and ImageMagick on all machines. It is in our customers best interest if you at least look at the documentation to see if either is for you.

HTMLScript- this is an easy interface with CGI programs. The standard Guestbook, Vend, etc.-like scripts are here, the difference is the speed, the overhead for us, and the ease with which you can modify these scripts. Learning HTMLScript is a few hours of reading and looking at examples- just a few more HTML tags!
Requirements- if you are a new user you may get a Authority problem, just mail webmaster@yt.com to be switched on to it.
- You will need to create the default public_hts directory in your Home to place your .hts files in.
- Proper reference for a file in this dir is http://yourcompany.com/cgi-bin/htmlscript?~username/filename.hts

ImageMagick- it's a Command Line editor for all sorts of graphics formats- lots of Bells & Whistles. The greatest thing about it is that it's fast, and with a little Perl it can Batch Process faster than anything. For those of you using X Windows you can Display any format, edit, whatever. For the rest, you can make changes to graphics on the fly, and compress better than the rest...
Requirements- Just type Convert, Modify, whatever at the Unix prompt and you're off and running.

Coming soon... New versions of PHP, mSQL, the Real Audio Server, and server compiled Java machine. As a sidenote, I's also recommend also looking at the page for Java Script- very easy to learn for those with only HTML experience.

Scripts Update

ALL of our users are now allowed to use HTMLScript under their UserName. If you are a brand new account in the future you may need me update the access logs.

ImageMagick is working. Working...

We have updated PHP(2), mSQL(1.0.12), gdbm(1.7.3), and gd(1.2) on all. If anyone notices a prob, please mail me, lots of compilation here and room for errors. Again, for you database people, check-out the PHP & mSQL combo to fill you needs.

We will be posting news semi-daily as we will be annoucing quite a bit in the near future.

Real Audio Server- setup

Working:
List Server for customer support
IRC Chat line for customer support

Update

- Working on the Co-Location Program structure... due out tomorrow morning first thing!!!

- Updating HTGREP on all machines...

- Our Watchdog program (for monitoring system status) has been completed and is in the testing phase....

- The Real Audio Server and Java-compatible Server has been created

- Please use the mailboxes on our Home Page- designed for your convenience!

Update

- O.K. Cyber Trading has decided to, for the time being, only take per request info on the Co-Location Program. In an effort to take a few initial customers, test the waters, etc. we will be requesting customers to be on a first-come-first-serve basis. For info requests, please mail Sales@yt.com for now.

- Real Audio and Java have been setupped.

- J-Fax is coming- Email to Fax capability- e.t.a is a few weeks. Box is installed, working on lines...

Update

- The Co-Location Program is now public. The information should be of particular interest to companies with many resold accounts, and to people willing to spent more for an individual machine.

- O.K., we've updated the httpd on all machines-which means that Imagemaps are now greatly simplified. Though the old way will work on all machines, we would recommend the newer method (below) for a faster response. In the past one had to reference our cgi-bin's ImageMap CGI, now httpd incorporates these functions. Now it is as simple as:

A HREF="PathToTheMapfile" & IMG SRC="PathToTheImage"

We are sure this works with Relative or Absolute paths...

- Now we're focused on Real Audio- we've got it running.

- HTMLScript has been getting great reviews and thanks to all who gave me input. We've gone permanent with our copies of it so it's here to stay. I still recommend taking a look at PHP (also here) -vs- HTMLScript, as it can handle mSQL calls. Point is, once you've chosen one you may have applications that need aspects of the other. Guess you could combine them?... sure.

Update

- We have added a card to the New FAQ on HTMLScript. Search for 'htmlscript', or 'cgi', or 'public_hts'. People are using this! Keep in mind that we also offer PHP, an alternative.

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