MendoNet Web Site F.A.Q.

This is by no means a complete F.A.Q. (Frequently Asked Questions), but rather a porting of reference information for recipients of email with this page's URL included within the message. If you found this page just by cruising around, that is fine, but at this time it is not a general F.A.Q., and the following may not be that informative for visitors from outside Mendocino County. All the same, you are welcome to read along.

Server Reliability & Maintenance Q. Is the MendoNet server ever down for maintenance, and when?
A. The server is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is accessed globally via Five Internet backbones. Maintenance requiring a service interruption is scheduled for around 2 AM pacific time, but rarely needed. If you look for shell6 on the system status newsgroup, you'll find it to be extraordinarily reliable. Since the whole system uses different machines for web site hosting service (43), Domain Name Service (D.N.S.: 4), mail service, and newsgroup service (2), maintenance on one part of the system does not require the whole system be shut down, as is typically the case. With two corporate mergers last year, the whole system network currently hosts over 180,000 web sites from three NOC's in the U.S., and is staffed by 120 plus employees at the west coast NOC in Mountain View, California. General newsgroup status is posted if you are curious. Note: The above system links are internal (bookmarks may not work once you leave MendoNet). The server runs on a proprietary (hot-rod) modification of the FreeBSD unix operating system, using the Apache server, calling on Sendmail V 8.9.2 MTA (Mail Transport Agent), and Procmail V 3.13.1 MDA (Mail Delivery Agent). All mail transport matters and filtering, as well as CGI (common gateway interface) functions are programmed by the MendoNet webmaster.

Gateways Q. What is a 'gateway' page and why is it used?
A. The old expression, "A picture is worth a thousand words" has stood the test of time.

This is a 'gateway' page: Gateway Example

And their features and benefits:

It provides an accurate accounting of traffic going from MendoNet to the client. This traffic is twice filtered before it gets to you. First, they came to MendoNet because they are interested in Mendocino county, and second, they chose to find you through the appropriate directory of their specific interest. We will evaluate the effectiveness of this traffic in a couple of months. Gateway 'head-counts' will be available to linked clients. Along this vein, the vast majority of non-domain hosted web sites do not have access to what we call a referrer log, which tells you where you traffic is coming from. At least we'll have a handle on your traffic from MendoNet.
There are five places within MendoNet that point to you from four different files. These five URL's all point to your gateway page. If you change your URL, only the gateway page need be programmed with your new URL, greatly reducing the chance of error and/or loss of traffic. This is another reason why it is referred to as the MendoNet System. Gateways have been in use on the system since last August of 1997 and have proven to be an invaluable aid for traffic analysis and management.
The gateway page is programmed to automatically forward your visitor to your web site after a programmed delay of several seconds, depending on typical remote host connect time. This gives them time to read a "Thank You" screen advising them they are being transported to your site, and that they will need to use their `back' button to return to MendoNet, in lieu of a MendoNet button. A hot-link is provided for antique browser programs so they won't get stuck in cyber space without a jack handle!
It affords the client the opportunity to have a line or two on the gateway page to flag interest to some special offer, which might otherwise be lost on your visitor once he/she gets to your site. If a party of twenty just canceled 7 rooms reserved starting Thursday, this is where you might give notice of an extraordinary offer!
The latest Tier Four Link+Plus system also uses gateway pages, but features further enhancements for getting visitors and providers connected via MendoNets' exclusive Link+Plus Global, and Link+Plus Private email systems. For details of these features, please go to the Service Request page here in the office.

Feeders Q. You mention the use of 'feeder' pages for traffic development. What is the difference between a feeder and a gateway?
A. A gateway redirects traffic to sites within the MendoNet system for traffic management, and to sites that reside outside the system. A feeder page, although it is housed on the MendoNet server and is part of the system, it is designed to bring traffic into the system from the outside. Naturally, all the registered pages bring traffic in from the outside, but a feeder is like special teams in football. It is a worker site loaded with meta information to bring visitors from specific markets into the system.

If someone in Houston punches up "Texas telephone prices" in the Alta Vista search engine, they will get this: http://www.mendonet.com/telecom/areas/texas.htm This is a feeder page. If they happen to order a case of wine, or kindle an interest in vacationing in Mendocino county after they visit the telecom sites, that's just fine with me, and part of the system plan.

Links to MendoNet Q. Can I import MendoNet site pages into my own site, such as the demographics page.
A. I would be flattered to have links to the many public service areas of the MendoNet system. However, if your site uses frames, you must program the link so as not to be displayed within one of your frames. This would be the same as taking a picture from book A and publishing it in book B, which would be an infringement of copyright if done without permission. If your site uses frames, just program your link like this example:
<a href="http://www.mendonet.com/demogrfx.htm" target="_blank">Mendocino County Demographics</a>
The page will then be displayed full screen as if your site was not using frames.

Service Tiers Q. What types of services are available from the MendoNet System?
A. The MendoNet System is set up to accommodate six tiers of service to commercial endeavors within Mendocino County. This section of the F.A.Q. has been moved into another page. Please see a detailed description on the Service Request page here in the office.

Design Services Web site Design. The entire MendoNet system was designed and built in-house, and includes over 2000 files. Complete design and programming services are available at standard rates for this area. Sites are designed to be 'Fast and Clean'. Comprehensive graphics processing of 36 different file formats, coupled with in-house scanning (72 to 9,600 d.p.i.) facilitate placing clients graphics materials on their site. Graphics files are specially processed to reduce file size (and therefore download time) while preserving visual content.

Fast and server friendly client side image maps (C.S.I.M.) can be programmed to your exact specifications, such as programmed for the Bed & Breakfast Inn's directory. By design, hosted web sites enjoy an additional download speed advantage in that many graphics files are used commonly through out the system.

This advantage is borne out by the unusually high percentage of file requests answered by the server with a code 304, which means that the file is already in the browsers computer, and therefore no time is wasted to download that file again!

Unless you just got here, chances are the four graphics files used to create this page were already on your computer! Our code 304's are presently running at an enviable 16%! This number also alludes to a goodly amount of return visitors.

Forms processing is programmed using Perl 5.0 for common gateway interface (c.g.i.) processing by the server. Input filters are programmed to be referrer specific; that is your form can not be hacked and processed by any server other than the one specified. Using a restricted mail gateway like this discourages some folks with way to much time on their hands. Book'em Dano!^©'s systems access security is even more extensive to protect a clients' data files.

WebSite Rating The MendoNet System is 100% "G" rated and we reserve the right to not publish information inappropriate for the system. Please take a look at our goals and mission statement at the MendoNet office.

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