Zeus Help
This PDF document contains all of the important help files. It is not intended to be used as a replacement for the embedded Zeus help, rather as a guide for your convenience that can be saved or printed to study off line.
1)
Training keywords
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| 2)
Previewing and Organizing the Directory |
3)
Creating the Directory
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4)
Emailing reciprocal link requests
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| 5)
Maintaining your Directory's Data |
Miscellaneous |
Help
resources
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Your Zeus 1000 Internet Marketing Robot is a fun and exciting program to learn. He is capable of some amazing feats and will turn your web site into the center of the internet for ALL of your web site's subjects or Themes. You will have to see it to believe the amount of extra traffic Zeus will bring to your web site.
Zeus is not a magic pill. In order for Zeus to successfully improve your web site traffic, you will have to invest a few hours learning to use him. Success is never easy, if it was everyone would have it. You will need to learn how to use Zeus, plus spend a few minutes every day consistently guiding him and maintaining your Link Directory. Anyone can learn, with the simple help provided, but it does take a commitment. Zeus provides the tools, but you must provide the consistency of the guiding force. Once you realize that Zeus really works, hopefully you will be willing to make the commitment and consistent effort it takes to have a successful web site.
Note: Zeus was designed for a minimum display adapter, graphics board resolution or screen of 800 by 600 pixels. Click here for instructions if you need to change your screen settings.
Your Zeus application consists of two parts:
Part one - The locomotive section.
The locomotive section is the part of Zeus that automatically travels the internet, searching for web sites that match your web site. These matching web sites are called ThemeSites. You will be able to easily train your Zeus to find web sites matching any Theme or subject.
The locomotive part is the first thing to load when you first start your Zeus. This is the part sure to impress your friends. There is so much happening in the data windows and textboxes, you will mesmerized for hours. You will be starting Zeus in just a moment!
You will train the locomotive section of Zeus to automatically find ThemeSites matching your web site's Themes or subjects. Training is accomplished by assigning keywords an importance or uniqueness. When Zeus finds a word he doesn't know, he will ask you about it.
The locomotive window displays data and information extracted from ThemeSites found. This data and information is stored into a Jet relational database for you to look at later, using the ThemeSite Viewer.
You will sort, organize and view the ThemeSites, found by Zeus, by Theme Categories using your ThemeSite Viewer.
The ThemeSite Viewer automatically creates and uploads your Link Directory to your web site using FTP (File Transfer Protocol).
You can maintain a ThemeSite's data and upgrade them to Link Partners with easy to use intuitive tools. Link Partner's get preferential treatment with a listing at the top of the Link Directory page, larger sized font and a Link Partner graphic.
You will compose and send reciprocal link request email manually or automatically using the ThemeSite Viewer.
Creating your Link Directory is the first step towards using Zeus
There are 2 goals or milestones along the way to creating your Link Directory:
1 Train your Zeus with keywords, matching your web site's keywords, and start him automatically exploring the internet.
2 Create and upload your Link Directory to your web site.
Becoming familiar with Zeus
The Zeus download includes a sample New Age (astrology, pyramids, astral projections, etc.) Theme database, that's already installed and trained. You can use this database to familiarize yourself with Zeus before retraining him with your own Themes.
Using Help Within Zeus
The Help window, within Zeus, may be moved, resized, minimized or maximized for your viewing preferences. Try experimenting with this Help window until you find what you are comfortable with.
This is your ACTION cue. When you see this symbol, do the action in the text!
This symbol will be to the left of important concepts. Understand these concepts before proceeding.
? Yellow question marks are located in various locations on the Zeus application interface. Click on these to receive context sensitive Help pertaining to the area the mark was located in.
Try it now by clicking the Start button
It's important for you to start Zeus now and have him exploring the web while you read this section of Help. Use the sample New Age database to get comfortable with the operation of Zeus. He may look intimidating to you now, but really he is quite easy to use. Help for any area is just a click away! Just click on a yellow question mark located in the area you have in question.
The following guide is for orientation only. Do not try to memorize the following text. Just get familiar with Zeus at this stage of your training.
status bar
This bar shows you what Zeus is doing at any time. It is located directly under the top menu bar. Sometimes it may be gray. In the example image, the status is Pause.
The current web site URL address is displayed under the status bar. This is the web site Zeus is currently working on. To the right, in the white text entry box, is the web page, in the present website, that Zeus is currently analyzing.
current mode
You will see Zeus' current mode in the mode display. In the example image, the mode is PAUSE. The mode display has white letters on a black background. You will always see one of the following modes:
START - The mode at startup
TEACH - In this mode Zeus will ask you to select a Uniqueness for each word he doesn't know.
AUTO - Zeus is automatically finding ThemeSites in this mode.
PAUSE - Zeus is paused.
control buttons
Located directly below are the control buttons. When a control button is visible then it is currently an available option. Control buttons will be available only when Zeus will accept them. After a button is pressed, the command is stored for action and Zeus will act upon it. This may take a few seconds, depending on what Zeus is doing at the time. So please be patient.
Below the Control Buttons are counters displaying the status of the Databases and the current statistics for this session of operation. Your Zeus is working correctly if the three Database counters show positive numbers.
The large window to the right is the Data window. Information is displayed here that Zeus has extracted from the web site. The following textboxes are not meant for data entry or feedback of any kind except as an indicator of operations being performed. You will not see all of the data in these text boxes but the flashing text is great for impressing your family and friends.
dinnerplate listbox - The dinnerplate listbox contains URLs belonging to the Current Web Site. Consider this analogy. Zeus' eats off the dinnerplate. When the food on his plate gets low he gets more from his Pantry (or database).
hyperlink listbox - Contains all of the links to outside web sites extracted from the current web site.
host email address - Email addresses belonging to the current web site. Zeus is saving all email addresses found but only displaying those belonging to the web site he is currently in.
titles - A list of all titles from all pages, loaded from the current web site.
descriptions - A list of all descriptions from all pages, loaded from the current web site.
keywords found - A list of keywords found on this page.
parsed - The parsed list of title, description and keywords from this page.
scores - The Uniqueness scores of each page.
averages - The Average Uniqueness scores of all of the pages summed together. The most current one being on the top.
robot exclusions - A list of the directories and web pages the web master of this site wants us to stay away from.
teach
When this window appears, press one of the Uniqueness buttons (More on Uniqueness later. For now just click any button).
Go ahead and try this.
To exit the Word Teacher window, click the Go On button.
He may also bring up a window that will ask you to highlight links that you don't want him to visit. (More on this later) Click the Go On button for now.
To change the mode back to AUTO, click the button labeled AUTO. Now the Word Teacher window will not be displayed.
Important: Once you have uploaded your links directory and are working with Zeus on a regular basis, back up your zeus.mdb (database) file. This one file contains all your work. We recommend you do this at least once a week. You will find it in the main Zeus folder on your hard drive. It is also a good idea to back up the misc folder Zeus/links/misc This folder contains the files you use to customize the look of the directory.
Images are normally not loaded during Zeus' operation. You may change this option in the View/Advanced Settings window but it is not recommended. Zeus will be slowed drastically and internet bandwidth will be wasted.
To Exit at any time, select File from the top menu bar, then Exit
Priority Email Support
If you have a question pertaining to the operation of Zeus, please fill out the form that can be found at the bottom of each help page. A priority email will be sent to our Support department and many times you will have a response in minutes.
pause
Training Overview
To train Zeus
1) You will need to reset or zero-out the New Age demo database, Zeus was installed with. This will allow you to start-over and train your Zeus to match the Themes or subjects of your web site. You don't need to do this now, we will show you how in the next section.
2) Train your new Zeus with 100 Keywords matching your web site's Themes.
Use these overall concepts:
After Resetting your Database, you will guide Zeus towards a web site that matches the Theme you want to train him in. Pick the biggest, highest trafficked web site that has the same Theme or subjects as your web site. Zeus will be looking at every word he finds in this site. When he finds a word he doesn't recognize he will ask you to assign that word an importance or uniqueness. He will also be saving any links he finds to other web sites. When he finishes with the first site he will go on to the next web site using one of the links that he found in the first one.
This process continues until you have taught him 100 keywords, not counting Common words. More on this later. After teaching Zeus 100 keywords you will be able to use the Auto mode. Then Zeus will find you thousands of web sites to trade reciprocal links with.
Themes
Themes are categories or subjects that pertain to the subjects or Themes of your web site. You want to have as many Themes as possible.
Zeus will build you a link page for each Theme. These will be the categories for the organization of all your ThemeSites. Ask yourself what type of visitor you are looking for and then think of Themes to match.
For example: a Zeus operator has a new age web site. They should point Zeus to link pages or web sites pertaining to these Themes: Astrology, crystals, tarot, healing stones, Wicca, music, art, etc. This will enable Zeus to learn keywords matching a lot of different Themes.
ThemeSites
ThemeSites are the web sites Zeus finds that match your Themes. These sites had a keyword score high enough to be a ThemeSite. You can then load the ThemeSite Viewer and sort or organize your ThemeSites in various ways.
Your Zeus-generated Link Directory will consist of ThemeSites listed on different Theme pages.
Retraining Zeus
Your Zeus was installed with a new-age demonstration Database (crystals,magic,etc). This was for demonstration purposes only. You will need to Reset the Database before you can train Zeus in your own subjects or .
Follow these simple instructions to get rid of the new-age demo database so that you can train your own new Zeus.
1.) The mode should be START or PAUSE.Themes
Be sure that Zeus has completely stopped if you are Resetting immediately after clicking Pause.
2.) Reset Zeus by selecting Tools on the top menu bar, then Reset the Databases on the pop-down menu.
3.) Please be patient. Resetting the Database completion may take 30-60 seconds.
FAQs
How do I tell if it really did reset?
If the database counters reset to 0 then you have Reset the Database.
Is there a way to be sure if I did hit reset?
If you still have the DEMO Database your counters will read:
50 Total
50 Left to visit
22 ThemeSitesThis means that there are 50 total DEMO URLs in your DEMO database, with 50 (or all of them) left to visit. You have 22 DEMO ThemeSites that are viewable in the ThemeSite Viewer browser window. If you sort your ThemeSites in your ThemeSite Viewer and there are a lot of 'New Age' type ThemeSites, then you still have the DEMO database. If you have trained and visited a few web sites, since re-setting, these counters may vary somewhat.
If you still have a question whether or not you have the DEMO database, email me with your totals from your Database counters.
Keyword Training
The number one key
to proper training:
"Assign the priority of your keywords
on the basis of uniqueness"
"The more unique your keywords to your training theme, the better Zeus will perform when selecting and scoring visited web sites."
Keyword and Uniqueness Contents
| Your Goal Keyword Training - Quick Instructions Keyword Training - Detailed
Instructions Understanding Uniqueness |
Uniqueness
Buttons Used to assign a Uniqueness to keywords Select Hyperlinks to Ignore window Manual Word Teacher Common FAQs |
Train Zeus with a total of 100 Slight Unique, Unique or Very Unique keywords.
After you have reset the database, you are ready to train Zeus with your own Themes.
To train Zeus while running though web sites is very easy. As he loads a web site's pages, he will look at the words he finds and check his word database to see if it has been assigned a Uniqueness. If the word has not been assigned a uniqueness, then the Word Teacher window is displayed. This window will display the word and allow you to choose a Uniqueness category (more on this later).
While in the Teach mode, Zeus will be traversing web sites and extracting information, just as if he were in the Automatic mode. The only difference is, in the Teach mode, the Word Teacher window will popup whenever a new word is discovered.
Word Teacher window
Also, if hyperlinks to other websites were found, he will ask you to select those links that you do not want Zeus to visit. This Select Hyperlinks to Ignore window will enable you to mark any hyperlinks to non-themed web sites that you do not want Zeus to visit.
Select Hyperlinks to Ignore window
Back to top of keyword training
Keyword Training - Quick instructions
1 Enter a website's URL address to begin the keyword training.
The Zeus Mode should be START or PAUSE. Check the mode indicator (black with white letters). If the mode is something else other than START or PAUSE, click the PAUSE button and wait for Zeus to completely stop.
In the URL Page textbox, at the top of the Zeus window, enter the URL of a web site that matches the Theme or subject that matches your web site. Make sure it has a few hyperlinks imbedded somewhere in the web site.
Click here for detail if you are having a problem with this entry
Press ENTER on your keyboard.
You should hear a "Ding" and the mode should change to TEACH
2 A "Word Teacher" screen will appear when Zeus comes across a word he doesn't recognize.
When this screen appears, press one of the 5 Uniqueness buttons. This is how you train Zeus. You can change or modify the categories later with the Keyword Manager. Keep doing this until you train him with 100 unique keywords.
Word Teacher window
3 A Mark Links to Ignore screen may appear after the Word Teacher window has been displayed,
This window will enable you to mark any hyperlinks to non-themed web sites that you do not want Zeus to visit. Zeus will not waste time in non-themed sites if you mark the ones you do not want him to visit.
Zeus will travel on to the next web site, and the next, displaying words he doesn't know, with the Word Teacher, until you reach 100 keywords.
When you have reached 100 keywords, click the newly appeared AUTO button and Zeus will automaticly traverse the web without any intervention from you..
TIP: In between periods of Teaching, you may be working in other programs or just surfing the net. Zeus will pop-up the Word Teacher when he finds words he doesn't know, asking you to assign a Uniqueness to them.
Select Hyperlinks to Ignore window
Keyword Training - Detailed Instructions
In the beginning Zeus will always start the application in the TEACH mode.
After you have trained the initial 100 words he will start in the AUTO mode. When you have reached 100 keywords, click the newly appeared AUTO button and Zeus will automatically traverse the web without any intervention from you..
TEACH - To initially train Zeus in a web site of your choice:
The Zeus Mode should be START or PAUSE. Check the mode indicator (black with white letters). If the mode is something else other than START or PAUSE, click the PAUSE button and wait for Zeus to completely stop.
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Use your default browser to navigate to the largest, most popular web site that has links that matches a Theme you want to train Zeus in. You probably have a web site's URL address in your browser's favorites or Hot List. From your browser, copy the web site's URL address into the clipboard.
Suggestion: If you have your own web site, teach keywords to Zeus by entering your site's URL address into the URL input text box. You can teach him words from your site, including those from your META tags!
This web site should not use Frames. Robots DO NOT like frames. A web site that has been properly constructed for search engine robots, should not use frames. However, if you have the 2.10 PRO version Zeus will be able to spider framed sites.
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There are two possible types of entries into Zeus' URL entry box
a web site's URL address CORRECT or
a web page belonging to a web site. INCORRECT
CORRECT - These are examples of a web site's URL address:
www.cyber-robotics.com
www.webpagehoster.com/~markhEveryone recognizes the first as a web site's domain name. It's easy for Zeus to recognize it as such. The second address uses a tilde (~) as a marker to also designate a web site. This has been used as a standard for a long time. Having a standard marker such as this allows tilde (~) sites to function as true web sites. Without something to define the start of the url path that is the web site address, a lot of net software could not work. Zeus recognizes both as web sites.
INCORRECT - These are examples of a web page address:
www.cyber-robotics.com/personal/index.htm
www.webpagehostercom/markh
www.webpagehostercom/index.htm
www.webpagehostercom/markh/index.htmZeus can not recognize these addresses as web sites. He has to extract a domain type name out of the URL address to enable him to make a decision if it's a web site or a web page. These four examples are web pages to him. He wouldn't be able to spider a site if he couldn't tell web sites from web pages. To allow for addition of web page type web sites (Mostly free ones) into your Link Directory, Zeus will allow you to manually enter the information.
Zeus will check for incorrect entries and will return the correct entry for a web site's URL address
3
You should hear a "Ding" and the mode should change to TEACH
4
As Zeus loads a web site's pages, the words he finds are checked in his word database to see if they have been assigned a Uniqueness. If the word has not been assigned, the Word Teacher window is displayed. This window will display the word and then allow you to choose a Uniqueness category (more on this later).
While in the Teach mode, Zeus will be traversing web sites, extracting information, just as if he were in the Automatic mode. The only difference is, in the Teach mode, the Word Teacher window will popup when a new word is discovered.
Word Teacher window
5
If hyperlinks were found, you will be asked to select those links that you do not want Zeus to visit. This Mark Links to Ignore window will enable you to mark any hyperlinks to non-themed web sites that you do not want Zeus to visit.
Zeus will travel on to the next web site, and the next, displaying words , he doesn't know, with the Word Teacher, until you reach 100 keywords.
When you have reached 100 keywords, click the newly appeared AUTO button and Zeus will automaticly traverse the web without any intervention from you..
TIP: In between periods of Teaching, you may be working in other programs or just surfing the net. Zeus will pop-up the Word Teacher when he finds words he doesn't know, asking you to assign a Uniqueness to them.
Select Hyperlinks to Ignore window
When the TEACH button is clicked and/or the mode is TEACH, Zeus will interact with you by asking you to assign Uniqueness to the words he doesn't know.
Word Teacher window
Using new age Theme examples:
If the word is pyramid, you may want to press the Slight Unique button, while if the word is Giza, choose Unique. The word pyramid is on more non-new age sites than the word Giza. The word Giza is more unique to the new age theme than pyramid.
If interested in sites pertaining to mythology and the god Thor, the word 'hammer' could be found in a site about the god 'Thor' OR a home improvement site. Since there probably are so few sites about 'Thor' you could assign the word 'Thor' Very Unique.
Using a Bird Theme example:
If the word is bird, you may want to press the Slight Unique button, while the word avian, choose Unique. The word bird could be found on a lot of sites NOT pertaining to the actual bird sites you are looking for, while avian would probably be unique to actual bird sites.
In the beginning of Zeus' training you will be responding to a lot of words because he only knows common words such as the, a, at, then, that, etc. As the training progresses, your interaction with Word Teacher will become less and less as he learns and remembers the words you teach him.
Don't worry too much about getting it right the first time. It's easy to change your keyword uniqueness later using the Keyword Manager. Your Keyword Manager makes it easy to see what keywords Zeus used to score each site and allows you to easily move your keywords from one uniqueness group to the next.
During Word Teacher click the button which best describes the word's uniqueness as it pertains to your web site.
Very Unique
These words only appear in web sites exactly like the Theme you are looking for.
Unique
Slight Unique
Only slightly unique
Common
These are words that would be ignored by any web sites theme. Example: the, a, at, then, that, etc. You will not have to re-teach these words if you create a new Theme Database.
Ignore
Ignore these words. These are not common words. This could be the word horse, cow, or book if these words have nothing to do with the theme of your web site.
Go On
If during TEACH Mode, Zeus is working with a web site not of your theme, during Word Teacher, press the GO ON button.
Word Teacher window
Select Hyperlinks to Ignore window
After Word Teacher, Zeus will sometimes show you the Marks Links to Ignore screen. This enables you to mark the hyperlinks to the non-themed web sites, found in this site. This keeps Zeus from visiting them. You don't want Zeus to waste his time in non-themed sites.
- Click on the links to not visit.
- Click the Mark Links button.
Select Hyperlinks to Ignore window
Manual - Word Teacher tool.
To manually type in important keywords or phrases, i.e.: "internet marketing" or "web marketing" use the manual Word Teacher.
In order for Zeus to start finding sites you will still have to type in a URL, even though you might have used the manual word teacher to enter a hundred keywords.
- Select Tools then Manual - Word Teacher located on the top menu bar.
- Type the keyword into the text input box.
- Click a uniqueness button.
- Repeat for each word.
- To exit Manual - Word Teacher click Go On.
TIPS: Using the words in the index of a book on your training subject makes keyword training quick and easy. Using phrases, i.e.: "internet marketing" or "web marketing" dramatically Improves training efficiency, reduces traversing times and lowers bandwidth used to find ThemeSites.
I have a Zeus running at my part-time job, a waterjet fabrication company . I've put in my 100+ key words and manually started Zeus on about two dozen sites, but he keeps running out of links to follow and stopping. A few of the sites I've submitted are directories with lots of links to follow. What am I doing wrong?
You might be defining your Themes too tight. There may not be enough links in the websites for the Themes you've chosen. Expand your thinking. Water jets, water sports, lakes, tourniments, magazines, scantily clad beauties in bikinis, racing boats, boat shows, Sun care, etc. Try to think of every conceivable type of website that might be interested in trading links with you. Consider the goals of the website and plan accordingly. Train your Zeus using keywords from these websites.
How do I stop Zeus when I want to end this training session?
- click the Pause button
- click File/Exit in the left top menu bar.
- or click the X in the upper right corner of your monitor screen.
if you are in the Teach window, you may click the GoOn button, then one of the 3 above mentioned instructions for stopping or exiting.
How do I start him again to continue training?
Click the Start or Continue control button. He will start off using the next web site in his database to visit. You may now continue your training of 100 keywords.
These last few keywords are taking forever, what can I do?
Get a few books relating to some of the Themes matching your web site. Turn to the Index in the back of each book, then use the Manual Word Teacher to add your keywords.
What is this Mark Links... window that appears after the Word Teacher window?
After the Word Teacher window is finished, Zeus will show you the Marks Links to Ignore screen. This enables you to mark any hyperlinks to non-themed web sites and tells Zeus NOT to visit them. Click all the links you do not want Zeus to visit and then click Mark Links.
What do I do now?
Wait for the next round of Word Teacher and Mark Links to Ignore windows to appear. Do this cycle again and again until you have reached a total of 100 Slight Unique, Unique and Very Unique keywords. When you have reached 100 keywords the AUTO control button will appear and you may click it to send Zeus off to automatically find your ThemeSites!
The Fine Art Of Fine Tuning Zeus
If you want to succeed with Zeus, you must read this new .PDF eBook
"Anyone Can Be A Webmaster, But Few Can Be A Zeusmaster!"
Copy and Paste this address into your default browser:
http://www.cyber-robotics.com/help/docs/finetuning.htm
AutoMode
Congratulations! You have trained your Zeus with 100 keywords! It's now time to unleash your marketing power onto the web, but before you do, you might want to read the following :-)
There really isn't that much to know about the AutoMode. Zeus takes care of himself. The longer your Zeus is on line, exploring the Internet, the more ThemeSites he will find.
Your Zeus is ready to automatically explore the web, collecting data from web sites that he has judged to be similar to the keywords you chose during his training. He will seek out and find these ThemeSites by matching his Theme keyword training against a Uniqueness score derived from an analysis of each web site visited.
Zeus will extract hyperlinks, host email addresses, other email addresses, keywords, META contents, descriptions, titles and theme uniqueness, from every web page he visits . Zeus then parses, analyzes and filters the raw data into coherent information. After scoring the web site, he saves a condensed analysis of it to a Microsoft Jet Engine Database if he believes that this is a ThemeSite that matches his training.
Your ThemeSite Data Browser will use this powerful relational database to organize the data from the ThemeSites Zeus finds. You will learn more about the Viewer in the next section.
Zeus is not a random wanderer like most web robots. He explores in an intelligent fashion, not bothering other web sites. With his training, he is virtually automatic. He follows all Robotic rules and laws, making it easy for you to follow the Robotics' Operator's Rules. Zeus can solve all web traversing contingencies and is 'net-responsible' when requesting pages. He will not request pages, too fast, from the same server, even on '~' web hosting sites. He makes decisions quickly to go on to another site. He doesn't have to download an entire web site to base his decision to store data into the ThemeSite Database. He quickly makes decisions after scanning the Robot Exclusion File (if there is one). He decides to stay or go on to the next web site. If he stays, he goes to work harvesting information.
As your Zeus grows in knowledge, training and experience, the number classifying and identifying him to webmasters, will grow in value respectively. You can view this number by clicking Help/About. The blue number is your robot's RIQ or robot intelligence quotient. This is calculated from dozens of variables pertaining to your Zeus' training and experience levels.
If you would like to view and help select the next 500 web sites Zeus will visit, click Tools/Select next 500 URLs to Visit
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You can now select any websites that you don't want Zeus to visit.
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FAQs
Zeus keeps looking for the robots.txt, but returns a 404 error message because there isn't one. Is there a file that I need to put into our site for Zeus? And why, if I need to?
There are four Laws of Web Robotics and the second one states:
II. A Web Robot must obey exclusion standards and
follow the Standard for Robot Exclusion.(Koster 1994b)
In 1993 and 1994, robots sometimes visited web sites where they were not welcome. Sometimes these reasons were robot specific. Perhaps a robot blasted servers with rapid fire requests or competitors wanted to keep certain robots out of their pages. Other sites needed to keep them out of certain areas. such as directories containing CGI scripts. A need arose and a standard was placed into existence. The widely adopted Standard for Robot Exclusion proposed by Martijn Koster is an attempt to address this need.What Zeus is doing is requesting the robots.txt file from the current website's server and since the file doesn't exist, the server is returning the error message. This is supposed to happen. When a website has this file, Zeus will load the robot exclusions into the listbox at the bottom of the Data Window. As he loads each page to be visited in that website, he checks the list box and if a pattern matches, he goes on to the next page listed in his dinnerplate.
A webmaster can control, to a certain extent, where robots are allowed to go in his website. Zeus follows the standards but you will find a lot of robots, including the ones from the big search engines, completely ignore the standards.
The following link will explain the robots.txt file in detail if you wish to add one. Standard for Robot Exclusion
Reviewing your ThemeSites Daily
Every day you should delete the bad ThemeSites you don't want included in your Link Directory. This is the single most important task you can do to keep your database from being diluted with a lot of URLs to visit that do not match your Themes.
If Zeus finds a web site and scores it as a ThemeSite but it shouldn't be, deleting this ThemeSite will mark all the the hyperlinks found in it to: do not visit. This will keep Zeus from wasting large amounts of valuable time going to and scoring sites he doesn't need to be visiting. If he finds one of these hyperlinks later in a real ThemeSite, he will then remark it to visit.
Keyword Manager
Zeus is going to sometimes find websites that you don't want him to find. What is happening is the keywords you trained your Zeus with, are too common and not Unique enough to the Themes that you trained him in. Please re-read Keyword Training.
Fine-tuning your keywords from the beginning will make sure that your Zeus is much more efficient and will keep him from scoring the wrong websites as ThemeSites.
The Keyword Manager will help you to fine-tune your Zeus keywords. You will be able to move keywords from one Uniqueness category to another or even delete them. It's a good idea to leave the Keyword Manager window open while you are approving and organizing your ThemeSites, as this will allow you to view the keywords used to score each site.
During your initial keyword training, you may have included keywords that are common to other non-themed sites. Because of this, the non-ThemeSites are being scored incorrectly as ThemeSites. To correct this, while the non-ThemeSite is being viewed in your ThemeSite viewer, click the Show Keyword Manager button at the bottom of your screen. The Keyword Manager will then list the keywords used to score this web site. There are probably only a few words that caused the higher score. You can then move a keyword from one Uniqueness category to another to adjust the way Zeus is scoring websites. You may even have to delete that specific keyword.
You may also find that Zeus has been finding 1000s of great ThemeSites only to wake up one morning with dozens of garbage sites included for you to view. What has happened is that a common keyword, not used before in scoring, has now 'kicked in' because of the websites Zeus ran across during the night. You may find that a keyword like 'egg', when trying to find bird aviaries, will also find you fish hatcheries and the like. You can move this particular keyword to another Uniqueness category or delete it. That will stop Zeus from finding incorrect sites.
The Keyword Manager is available in the Zeus locomotive window or the ThemeSite Viewer by selecting Tools/Keyword Manager, from the top menu bar or by clicking the button:Show Keyword Manager, while using the ThemeSite Viewer.
There are 3 areas to the Keyword Manager
Show the keywords buttons
These buttons display the words from each different Uniqueness category.
Change the SELECTED keywords to this category buttons
If you click or select keywords (one or many) then click one of these buttons, the words selected will be changed to the new selected uniqueness.
Keywords used to score the CURRENT ThemeSite
These keywords will be listed only if you have a current sort list in the ThemeSite Viewer.
New Meta Feature.
We have just added a new feature that stores keyword phrases found in ThemeSite Keyword META tags, starting with the 3rd web page of a ThemeSite (not counting robots.txt), if the average score is at least twice the Back Out Limit. In other words, Zeus is storing keyword phrases for you to put into word Uniqueness categories. This is not automatic training. You must decide what Uniqueness to give these phrases. Use the Keyword Manager, click the New Meta button and those phrases that need to be put into word categories are listed. Select a number of phrases and put them into their proper categories or delete them. We are looking for suggestions from users as to management of these phrases, how fast they build up and whatever you might need to make this job of extended training easier.
FAQs:
How do I change the priority of different keywords? I made the wrong decision in assigning priority of my keywords
Use the Keyword Manager. Follow the command path Tools/Keyword Manager. The top buttons are used to display the keywords and after selecting keywords you may use the lower keys to change their uniqueness by clicking on the appropriate button.
Why are Ignore and Common two separate uniqueness categories?
As to the Ignore and Common word categories, many people use multiple Zeus, or run dozens of them while building massive paralleled Link Directories. Having the words not used in scoring, separated like this makes it easy to train new instances of Zeus. Words like a, it, about, the, etc are put into the Common category while words like donkeys, dogs, lamps, etc. are put in the Ignore category. This eliminates a lot of inputting the Common words at the beginning while training a second, third or even a tenth Zeus.
Previewing
your Link Directory
By now your Zeus should be finding some great ThemeSites. If your Zeus has found about a dozen, then you can preview your Link Directory. To correctly follow the instructions on this page your Zeus needs to have found at least a dozen ThemeSites. They don't need to be good ones though, as they can be deleted after you finish this Help page.
If you already know how to load the ThemeSite Viewer, sort your database, and navigate through your ThemeSites, then you can go directly to Select Theme Categories for a new ThemeSite.
Loading the ThemeSite Viewer
Click the View option on the menu bar located at the top of the Zeus locomotive window, then select ThemeSites
or press the button, which is located near the lower right corner of the Zeus locomotive window, directly below the Database counters.
First-timers:
Sorting your database is the first step to viewing your ThemeSites.
The Sort Database By controls are located in the lower-left corner of the ThemeSite Viewer.
Some sort options such as URL using Search Text, Title using Search Text and Theme using Search Text require you to enter or select text in the Search Text drop-down text box.
- URL using Search Text will allow you to easily find a particular ThemeSite by using a portion of the URL address. Typing birds into the Search Text will return petbirds.com, wildbirds.com, birds.com etc.
- Title using Search Text allows you to search by Title using a portion of the title.
- Theme using Search Text requires you to select a Theme from the drop-down box.
Directly below the navigation buttons is ThemeSites in this Sort - This number indicates how many ThemeSites are in the current Sorted Set, not the current total of ThemeSites in your database.
If your Zeus has not yet found enough ThemeSites, let him run a little while longer, traversing the web in Auto mode, until you have a dozen or so ThemeSites. Don't worry yet if they are good ones or not. However, if it seems that your Zeus is finding all junk sites, you might want to fine-tune his keywords before he finds too many bad ones.
After you have sorted your database, these controls will allow you to navigate through your ThemeSites.
Depending on how you sorted your database, you may not have ALL your ThemeSites in the Sorted Set you are viewing. For example, if you sort by Not Visited, it would not include any ThemeSites you have already visited.
Select Theme Category for a new ThemeSite
Notice that each one of the ThemeSite's that you assigned a Theme Category to, has the Include in Link Pages automatically checked
. This is automatically checked when you assign a Theme category to a ThemeSite. When this is checked, this ThemeSite will be listed in the Other Important Links area on the Link directory Theme page.
When both checkboxes are checked, the ThemeSite will be listed in both the Link Partner and the Other Important Links areas. It will have two listings on the directory page.
If you only want the ThemeSite to appear in the Link Partner area, uncheck Include in Link Pages.
Previewing Your Link Directory
When you first Preview your Link directory, some of your directory settings are not entered yet. You may not see a background image, the font size will appear smaller than it will be when it is uploaded to your site and viewed in a regular browser, and your home page or email address link may be incorrect until those missing settings are explained and entered in the Uploading section. There are also other features of your link Directory that you can add and customize.
How to change a Theme category to a different name
Sometimes, you will want to change a Theme category's name and at the same time, change the ThemeSites associated with that Theme. This Tool will allow you to re-name Themes, delete a Theme, fix a misspelling of a Theme, organize your Themes, move Themes to an existing Theme or move Themes to a new Theme.
When the OK button is clicked in the following window image, ALL the ThemeSites that were assigned the Related Sites category, would be assigned the Other Martial Arts category. The Other Martial Arts may be a new Theme you typed in or one selected by the drop-down selection box.
Concentrate on organizing ThemeSites and fine-tuning your keywords. Then start building a link directory with different Themes and many ThemeSite listings. Study the next Help section, Organizing Theme Sites, especially the section on Selecting an Email Address.
Your Zeus is now finding and storing information about web sites that he believes are the type of web sites you wish to have listed in your Link Directory. The information about these ThemeSites is stored in the ThemeSite Database. Use the ThemeSite Viewer to view each ThemeSite's data, surf it's web pages and approve the ones you wish to include in your Link Directory. The ThemeSite Viewer also enables you to easily organize your ThemeSites into groups or Themes by adding or selecting an existing Theme. This organization creates the individual Theme pages linked together in an easy to navigate Link Directory. You can also weed out the ThemeSites you don't want to include in your directory by deleting them. This also helps train Zeus. More on this below.
The ThemeSite Viewer window enables you to sort your ThemeSite Database in various ways. You can navigate forwards and backwards through a current sorted database list and view the data Zeus extracted. While visiting your ThemeSites you can organize your Database by adding or assigning a Theme Category to them. You can help your Zeus to run more productively by deleting the web sites you do not want to include into your Link Directory. This marks the hyperlinks found in the deleted web site in such a way that Zeus doesn't visit them unless found again in a real ThemeSite.
What should I do next?
Concentrate on organizing your ThemeSites and fine-tuning your keywords. Start building a link directory with different Themes categories and ThemeSite listings.
ThemeSite Viewer window
Don't forget to Select an Email Address as you go through the sites.
Organize your ThemeSites by Themes.
Themes are categories or subjects that pertain to the subjects or Themes of your web site. You want to have as many Themes as possible. Zeus will build you a Link Directory Theme page for each one of these Themes. Themes will be the categories for the organization of your ThemeSites and Link Directory pages. Ask yourself what type of visitor you are looking for and think of Themes to match.
The training demo you used in the first part of this Help was organized by new age Themes. The different themes were astrology, tarot, Wicca, stones, magic, angels, aliens, etc.
Your Link Directory will be organized by your Theme choices. The Theme Categories you add and select will be the individual pages of your Link Directory. If you assign a ThemeSite with the Theme Aliens, an individual Aliens Link Directory page will be created when you upload your Link Directory. Any additional Aliens ThemeSites will also be included on this page.
Adding a new Theme:
New Theme Categories are added as you review your new ThemeSites.
- You must have a ThemeSite, that you want to assign the new Theme to, displayed in the ThemeSite Viewer's browser window.
- Type the new Theme that you want to assign to the current ThemeSite, into the Edit Theme Category text box.
The new Theme has now been assigned to the current ThemeSite and is also available to assign to a new ThemeSite.
There is no need to press Enter, on your keypad, as the database will be updated as soon as you click any other button or selection choice on the Zeus application.
Click here to look at a Zeus-generated directed where Brian (the Zeus operator) did a really nice job of selecting words that have a good chance of being searched for by visitors to the major search engines.
Assigning a Theme to an already existing Theme:
After you have added at least one Theme Category, you may now assign it as the Theme for another ThemeSite by selecting it in the drop-down box, when the new ThemeSite is displayed in the ThemeSite Viewer.
To sort your ThemeSites by Theme category:
- Select Themes using Select Text in the Sort Database by drop-down box
- select a Theme in the Select Text
- click Sort.
To delete a Theme category:
Free VersionOnce you assign the last ThemeSite of a given Theme, to a different Theme, then the given Theme will not exist any longer.
- Select Themes using Select Text in the Sort Database by drop-down box
- select a Theme in the Select Text to delete.
- click Sort.
- Reassign a new Theme to each ThemeSite in the current sort, one-by-one.
- When you assign the last ThemeSite to the new Theme the old Theme no longer exists.
Pro Version:
Use the Directory Manager to delete an unwanted Theme Page.
To edit a Theme category name:
Free Version.
- Select Themes using Select Text in the Sort Database by drop-down box
- select a Theme in the Select Text to edit.
- click Sort.
- Reassign the new Theme name, to each ThemeSite in the current sort, one-by-one.
- When you assign the last ThemeSite to the new Theme the old Theme no longer exists.
Pro Version:
Use the Directory Manager to rename a Theme Page.
Theme Category FAQs:
Is there a way to have a listing under more then one theme? Say someone raises llamas and pygmy goats, they would qualify for both listings but right now I only have them under llamas...
What you can do is to add them as a web page to get a second listing in your Link Directory by using the ADD/EDIT button Click Add, then enter their web site address as http://www.sample.com/index.htm. The page part of it must be included. Zeus will see it as a web page and allow you to enter the Title and description. He will never visit a web page. You must know the actual default page such as index.htm, index.html, default.htm or default.html.
With the PRO version you can add a site to multiple theme pages using the Directory Manager
It's important when you select a Theme Category for a ThemeSite, that you go ahead and select an email address to receive email correspondence from you. This saves you the trouble of having to review the ThemeSites a second time. Make sure that you select the correct contact by going through the website and checking to see who handles the links. It could be the webmaster, or it could be someone else.
Use the two email list boxes to select an email address that will receive email correspondence from you. Click on an email address to hi-light it. It is now stored in the database as the address to send email to for this ThemeSite.
DO NOT click on more than one email address. If a webmaster receives more than one email, they could consider it spam and probably will not be pleased with your request for a reciprocal link trade.
As you are building your email database it will need to be properly maintained. As you send email, you will find some bad email addresses or email messages going to the wrong person. It's important that you de-select an incorrect email address and re-select another email address to send email to.
Host Email
These email addresses are host emails or they belong to this web site. Their email server address (i.e. - sample.com) matches the IP URL address of the web site (i.e. - sam@sample.com - www.sample.com). If email addresses are listed then you will probably be selecting them from here.
Other Email
These are all other addresses. Every email address found in the web site has been extracted and stored in the database.
There is more emailing info located in the Email Manager section.
Clicking the Delete button at the bottom of the ThemeSite Viewer will delete the current ThemeSite from the database. This action will also mark all the hyperlinks found in the deleted web site to not visit. If these hyperlinks are again found in a real ThemeSite, they will be marked to be visited.
This area of your screen contains the analysis and data that Zeus found when he visited this ThemeSite.
Title - The title extracted from the web site's home or initial page.
Description - The Description extracted from the web site's home or initial page. The Description is taken from the Meta Tags if they exist on the page, otherwise Zeus uses the first 200 characters from the text excluding any HTML code.
URL Address - The actual URL address of the home page.
# Pages Found - The number of pages found belonging to this web site. These are pages not necessarily visited and scored.
# Pages Loaded - How many pages were loaded by Zeus during his visit
# of Hyperlinks Found - The number of hyperlinks found belonging to other web sites.
Date Analyzed - The date Zeus visited this web site
Date you visited - Marked after 60 seconds - While visiting a web site using the Data Browser, a timer will count down every second from 60. If this timer reaches 0 then the Date You Visited will be set with today's date and current time.
Score - This is the total score Zeus gave this web site after visiting it. The higher the score, the more sure Zeus is that this web site matches your theme. The # of Page Loaded below will tell you how many pages were loaded to arrive at this score.
Include in Link Pages
When this checkbox is checked, the current ThemeSite will be included in the 'Other Important Links' in your Link Directory.
The Include in Link Pages is automatically checked for you, after a Theme Category is selected and your focus moves elsewhere (meaning you click anything).
Link Partner
Check this to set priority treatment to Link Partners. The listing will appear at the top of each individual Theme page with bold type, Link Partner star, larger font, etc..
If the Include in Link Pages AND Link Partner are both checked then the ThemeSite's listing will be included at the top in the Link Partner's area and at the bottom of the Theme page in the other links. You can select any combination of these two check boxes.
Manually Uploading your Link Directory
Important Notice:
Whatever version of Zeus you have, you must do the steps next to the
's
Introduction
Important: If you are using the Sponsored FREE version you must use the Auto Upload to deactivate the 14 day countdown.
If you plan on always using the Auto Upload Zeus feature and never manually uploading, you must still complete the 4 View/Options settings and create a /links/ directory or folder on your website so the Auto Upload will work properly. DO NOT SKIP THESE 5 STEPS even if you do not plan to manually upload. Do the steps next to the star.gif
Zeus auto uploads your Link Directory to your website, but many users want to upload it manually before they go through the steps to set up the Zeus' FTP feature. They can't wait to see their link directory on their website.
Your Link Directory was created when you previewed it in the Previewing Your Link Directory Help section. If your Zeus is earlier than 2.9.1, it does not have the Previewing feature, but you will still be able to create your directory. When you previewed, the link directory was built in your C:\|Program Files\Zeus\links\ directory on your hard-drive. All your directory pages are there, already properly linked to each other. All you have to do is to upload it intact, without changes, to a directory called /links/ on your website. You can then link your website's navigational system to it and visitors can see your Link Directory in all it's splendor and glory.
The steps involved in manually uploading are:
Enter 4 settings into the View/Options window.
This step is only done once.Create the /links/ directory on your website: http://www.yourwebsite.com/links/
This step is only done once.Preview your website, if you haven't done so already, to create your website. If your Zeus does not have the Previewing feature, you will still be able to create your directory.
Upload your link directory from your hard-drive's C:\|Program Files\Zeus\links\ directory to your website's new /links/ directory, using any third party FTP program like CuteFTP, etc.
View your Link Directory in your browser using this URL: http://www.yourwebsite.com/links/themeindex.html, substituting in the proper place, the name of your website.
Link your website's navigational system to your Link Directory
Follow the detailed steps below:
Email Tab Settings
Enter the following settings by clicking View/Options in the top menu bar. There are selectable Tabs along the top of the View/Options window, allowing you to easily setup Zeus for your web site. Click the Email Tab.
This is your email address. This is included in your Link Directory pages so that webmasters wishing to be included into your Link directory will be able to contact you.
john@sample.com
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The URL address to your web site. This is used to link the directory's navigational system together so that visitors may view each Theme page of your directory.
http://www.sample.com
http://192.209.24.122
http://www.sample.com/~yoursite.com
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Link Directory Appearance Tab Settings
Enter the following settings by clicking View/Options in the top menu bar. There are selectable Tabs along the top of the View/Options window, allowing you to easily setup Zeus for your web site. Click the Link Directory Tab.
The Title of your Link Directory. Used as the Heading of your ThemeIndex .html page and also the Title (appears in the blue window bar at top of browsers). This will also be used as the description, if a visitor saves your ThemeIndex page into his or her favorites, hotlist or bookmarks. A space " " is added to the front of the title that forces your link to the top of a user's Favorites, Hotlist or Bookmarks. A space " " is sorted before other characters.
My WebSite's Link Directory
Acme's Favorite Links
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URL address - Background .gif or .jpg
This is the URL address to the graphic you wish displayed as the background of each Link Directory page. For versions prior to 2.9.22 this is a required setting..
An Image url address may be used: i.e.-
http://www.testsample.com/images/background.jpg
If you are using version 2.9.22 or higher, you may also use these codes.
#FFFFFF format may be used
red, black, green, etc may be entered.
If left blank, the background will be white.
When your Link Directory is created, all the Theme pages must linked be together in a navigational system so your visitors will be able to easily go from one page to another. The integrity of the Nav system must be upheld. The directory you create for the Zeus Link Directory must be the subdirectory /links/ directly off your website's HTTP root directory. The basic Zeus Link Directory is created specifically for this directory. Another directory will not work as the Theme pages are linked together using the /links/ subdirectory. (PRO versions using Templates may use any name for this directory)
http://www.sample.com/links/
IMPORTANT
Zeus will not create this directory for you.
You can use any FTP program, FrontPage, or another HTML editor to create this directory.In Microsoft FrontPage, a Directory is called a Folder.
Make your Link Directory pages - required
Make your Link Directory pages by Previewing Your Link Directory. Your link directory will be built in your C:\|Program Files\Zeus\links\ directory on your hard-drive. All your directory pages are there, already properly linked to each other. Any time you need to refresh your Link Directory after making a ThemeSite addition, change or edit, you can Preview it which will re-build your directory, thus making the changes visible in the Preview browser.
Upload your link directory - required
Upload your link directory, without changes, from your hard-drive's C:\|Program Files\Zeus\links\ directory to your website's new /links/ directory, using any third party FTP program like CuteFTP, etc.
For FrontPage users
Copy the files created in the C:\|Program Files\Zeus\links\ directory on your hard-drive, to your Front-page Zeus web on your computer or anywhere else you wish to move it. When you load your localhost web after that, FP will find it. The next time you publish, your Zeus directory goes with it. As long as your Link Directory ends up on your website in the /links/ directory, everything will work and link correctly.
Insert this URL address into your default browser's location entry box: http://www.yourdomainname.com/links/themeindex.html Be sure and edit this URL address, inserting your web site's domain name.
Link your web site's navigational system to your Link Directory
Use your web site's html editor to link your web site's navigational system to: http://www.yourdomainname.com/links/themeindex.html. You can also link it to any of the individual Theme pages.
Background images for your use.
Do not try to save these images from the Zeus Help Window. It does not work to save images from web pages.
Please copy and paste the following link into your browser's address entry text box.:
http://www.cyber-robotics.com/help/ThemeSiteViewer/ManualUpload.htmWhen this is viewed in your default browser, Right-click the image of your choice. Select Save Image. If your browser doesn't support this you will have to find out how to get your browser to save an image from a web page.
Do not link your background to the cyber-robotics.com web site or we will be forced to delete these images. After saving it somewhere on your computer, upload the background image to your web site and use the URL address that will link it.
Before Auto Uploading your Link Directory
Link Directory FTP Settings Link Directory FTP Settings (Continued) 2) AutoSet the Server Directory setting
Account - normally not used
Use Active FTP Settings - normally not used
Introduction
Important notice:
Before starting this, be sure you have entered the 2 settings in the Email Tab, 2 settings in the FTP Appearance Tab and created the /links/ directory (or folder) on your website. This was described in detail in the Manual Uploading Help area.
Link Directory FTP Tab Settings
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) allows a person to transfer files between two computers connected via the Internet. Zeus uses FTP to transfer files up to your web site. If FTP is new to you, don't worry, just carefully follow the instructions below. If you do have problems, the forms to contact me are below.
The FTP settings are the ones that give users the most difficulty. Please follow these directions exactly.
This section will help you setup your Zeus to create and upload your Link Directory from the ThemeSites you have stored in your ThemeSite Database. These settings will also enable Zeus to automatically upload your Link directory anytime you select Tools/Create Link Directory.
This is a 2 step process. make sure you complete each step before proceeding on to the next.
1 Entering and testing your FTP logon settings
2 AutoSetting the Server Directory setting
Enter the following settings by clicking View/Options in the top menu bar. There are selectable Tabs along the top of the View/Options window, allowing you to easily setup the auto upload FTP for your web site. Click the Link Directory Tab.
Host Name
The FTP server host name. This is where you type in the FTP server address.
Say your web site's hosting provider is Sample.com. You would type in the textbox: www.Sample.com, ftp.Sample.com or even their IP address, like 209.322.145.16. Each server’s address is unique. You must obtain that address from the service provider who is hosting your web site.
Many times your web site's domain name is used: YourDomainName.com
Please notice the examples below. Do not preface "http://" or "ftp://" before the name.
192.209.24.122
sample.com
ftp.sample.com
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User Name
Your FTP logon user name was assigned to you when your web site was first setup by your website's administrator. This is probably the same user name you use to log on to your web site with FrontPage, CuteFTP, your HTML Editor, etc. Your web site's hosting provider provides this unique ID. It is case sensitive. If you do not know what your user ID is, then you need to contact your server administrator for that information.
Logon Password
Your logon password was assigned to you when your web site was first setup. This is probably the same password as used to log on with FrontPage, CuteFTP, your HTML Editor, etc. It is unique, case sensitive, and also provided by your web site's hosting provider. As you cannot see what you are typing into that field, you must use special care not to make any mistakes.
2 AutoSet the Server Directory setting
Test the 3 settings above by clicking the Test button located below the Logon Password.
When the Test button is clicked, Zeus will logon to your web site using FTP (File Transfer Protocol). If your FTP Hostname, Username and Password are correct, and the FTP logon is successful, the Test procedure will load the AutoSet window.
The Server Directory AutoSet feature automatically sets your Server Directory setting. This setting is different for each type of FTP server and web site. The AutoSet routine is an automatic feature designed to help solve this difficulty.
The AutoSet feature automatically scans your web site, using FTP, looking for your /links/ directory that you created in the Manually Uploading area of Help..
Once Zeus finds the Server Directory, the Server Directory setting is automatically set.
Click here for more information about the AutoSet feature .
Usually not used. If your FTP server requires it then enter it here. Leave it blank if you don't know what it means.
If unchecked then the FTP Passive mode is used. If checked the active mode is used.
This setting sets up the way Zeus and your FTP server communicate with each other. It's not possible to know in advance what this setting is. For most FTP servers it will be Passive and the checkbox should be left unchecked.
If you are using a modem and a dialup to access the internet, normally leave this unchecked.
If you are using a Proxy Server or Firewall then you may have to check this. It is up to the individual Proxy or Firewall software whether this is checked or not.
An indicator that this setting is incorrect is zero length Theme pages or some Theme pages uploaded, others did not. If any Theme pages or the star.gif uploaded at all, the Server Directory setting is correct, but the Use Active FTP Connection setting is incorrect.
Important! When the Use Active FTP Connection setting is changed:
- Click OK to save the setting
- Then click File/Exit Zeus to leave the Zeus program
- Reboot your computer
- Load Zeus
- Try uploading your Link Directory again by loading the ThemeSite Viewer, then click Tools/Create Link Directory.
The reason for the reboot is to clear any access to files that may have been set by the Passive FTP mode waiting for a response from your web site's FTP server and never receiving it.
Problem 1:
If you are having problems with the 3 initial FTP settings, then try this. This procedure will test the settings using your computer's Windows FTP program.This basic FTP program is included in all windows operating systems. If you are NOT getting FTP access to your web site, please check with your web site's hosting service for the correct settings. You must have FTP access to your web site.Click Start/Run (Start is at the lower left corner of your screen)
Type into the textbox: ftp YourFTPHostName.com, click OK
It comes back with User <YourFTPHostName.com<none>>
It wants your User Name, type in: YourFTPUserName, press enter
It responds Password>, you type in YourFTPPassword, press return
Play with the Windows FTP program to try to find a combination that works. If you do logon (you'll receive a login message), you can type Quit to disconnect.
Problem 2:
Link Directory seemed to upload but there are zero length Theme pages or some Theme pages uploaded, others did not. Another indication is your web site's server may return a file with no content when you try to load a page from your Link Directory into your browser.This is an indicator the Use Active FTP Connection setting needs to be changed. click here
If you are still having problems with your Server Directory setting, please Click Here fill out the form using the settings from View/Options/Link Directory/FTP Settings. I will log onto your web site and then email you the correct settings.
Creating and Auto Uploading your Link Directory
Creating and Uploading a Link Directory using Zeus FTP
In the Previewing Your Directory help page, you learned that when you Preview your Link Directory, Zeus builds your individual directory Theme pages in your /links/ directory on your computer's hard drive. Tools/Create Link Directory gives you more control in creating and/or uploading your Link Directory's and it's behavior after it's uploaded.
To upload a Link directory:
1 - Select Tools in the top menu bar, then Create Link Directory or press the button at the bottom of your ThemeSite Viewer.
2 - The Upload Option Window appears with two options: Leave both options checked.
Create Link Directory builds the ThemeIndex and individual Theme Link Pages in the sub-directory /links/ off the installation directory \links\.
Upload Link Directory automatically uploads your Link Directory to your web site if the FTP settings are properly configured.
To view your newly uploaded Link Directory
Insert this URL address into your default browser's location entry box: http://www.yourdomainname.com/links/themeindex.html Be sure and edit this URL address, inserting your web site's domain name.
To link your web site's navigational system to your Link Directory index:
Use your web site's editor to link your web site's navigational system to: http://www.yourdomainname.com/links/themeindex.html You can also link it to any of the individual Theme pages.
You will want to upload your Link Directory on a periodic basis to update new data.
The process of creating your Link Directory will likely continue forever. The information in your ThemeSite database will be constantly changing and you will need to upload it often to keep it current. Set a schedule for uploading your Link Directory.
Every day your Link Directory's data in the ThemeSite's database will be changing.
- You will be upgrading ThemeSites to Link Partners, who have traded links with your web site.
- You will also have requests for changes in ThemeSite's listings.
- Zeus will continue finding ThemeSites and you will have to continue to organize them.
Your Link Directory will not show any changes until it is uploaded to your web site with the new data. Uploads are easy as you only have to click: Tools/Create Link Directory. In the beginning, you can upload it everyday. Later when there are thousands of ThemeSites, it may take an hour or more to upload it. You may only want to upload every three or four days with large directories.
After you have uploaded your Link Directory
Read the Directory FAQs.
Folder and File Locations (click here)
You must have version 2.10 to use the Directory Manager.
Click Help/About to find out which version you have.
Contents of this page
Installation and starting
Theme pages
- The ThemeIndex page is the gateway into your Link Directory or highest directory tier
- The basics of adding Theme sub-categories or multi-tiers - PRO only
Drag and Dropping, Cutting and Pasting
Creating new Theme pages
Refreshing the TreeView
To move the Theme pages under the Alternative SitesIncluded in Directory
ShowSubChildrenIndented - PRO only
TitleOnlyNoLink - PRO only
Edit <HEAD> - PRO only
- Adding the new <|TIER_LEVEL_STRING|> to the PRO Template files - PRO Templates only
- Refresh with Totals
ThemeSites
- Adding a ThemeSite to more than one Theme page - PRO only
- Loading a ThemeSite into the ThemeSite Viewer or default browser
Load ThemeSite in Default Browser
Load ThemeSite in ThemeSite ViewerDirectory Manager mode
Show/Select ThemesUsing the Directory Manager to display a ThemeSite's Themes
Using the Directory Manager to select a ThemeSite's ThemesIncluded in Directory
Link Partner
Explanation of ThemeSite Viewer check boxesMisc.
JavaGoSelect and Column NavBars - PRO Templates only
Tier Spacing Variable - PRO Templates only
<|TIER_LEVEL_STRING|> - PRO Templates only
<|DISTINCT_LINK_TOTAL|> - PRO Templates only
Example Multi-Tier Link Directory
The Cyber-robotics.com's Webmaster Resources Link Directory is a good example of what's possible using the Zeus 2.10 Multi-Tier version. Please explore this directory and especially notice the indented sub-categories, Also + (plus) signs to the left of the links and their purpose of indicating hidden sub-tiers. Title pages can be created which are in bold text.
Here is another example using columns. Magic Mushroom Lamps Directory
Introduction to
Directory Manager
|
 |
Starting the Directory Manager
|
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Theme pages
The ThemeIndex page is the gateway into
your Link Directory or highest directory tier
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The basics of Theme sub-categories or multi-tiers - PRO only
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Experimenting with the Directory Manager
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Theme Page Properties
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Adding the new <|TIER_LEVEL_STRING|> DataTag to the PRO
Template files - PRO only
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Refresh with Totals
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ThemeSites
Listing ThemeSites and their data
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Adding a ThemeSite
to more than one Theme page - PRO
only
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Loading a ThemeSite into the ThemeSite Viewer
or default browser
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Two Directory Manager modes
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ThemeSite Properties
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ThemeSite Deletion
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Misc.
To be considered in upgrading to this new version
- PRO Only
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Uploading your Link Directory
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Customizing your Link Directory
Email Tab Settings Your Link Info URL - Optional
Attributes
Mark as NO email Add a Comment BannersLink Directory Appearance Settings URL address - Page top .gif or .jpg - Optional
Owner of the Copyright - Optional
ThemeSite Index Information - Optional
HTML Header Information - PRO Only
HTML Footer Information - PRO Only
Introduction
These are settings that are not required for the creation and uploading of your website but that will allow your Link Directory to more closely match the colors, images and styles of your website. These settings can also provide important links and information to your visitors.
These settings are entered by clicking the View/Options selection located in the top menu bar. There are selectable Tabs along the top of the View/Options window, allowing you to easily setup Zeus for your web site. These Tabs are: Email, Proxy Settings and Link Directory.
Email Tab Settings
Enter the following settings by clicking View/Options in the top menu bar. There are selectable Tabs along the top of the View/Options window, allowing you to easily setup Zeus for your web site. Click the Email Tab.
Your Link Info URL - Optional.
Every web site should include a page available to other webmasters that has your web site's information including text, title, descriptions, banners and graphics that shows them how to easily add your link to their web site.
You will have to create this page with your HTML Editor. Zeus can't make this page for you, as it will be different for each web site. You can place it anywhere on your web site. When finished creating this page, enter the URL address into the Link Info entry box.
This page should include the following correct information
- your web site's URL Address
- your web site's Title
- your web site's Description
- your web site's graphics
- etc.
This address is automatically included in outgoing email messages if the Include Link Information box is checked in Compose Email.
Optional - text will not appear in email messages if left blank.
Notice the textbox in samples that allow visitors to easily copy and paste needed information.
Link Directory Appearance Tab Settings
Enter the following settings by clicking View/Options in the top menu bar. There are selectable Tabs along the top of the View/Options window, allowing you to easily setup Zeus for your web site. Click the Link Directory Tab.
URL address - Page top .gif or .jpg - OPTIONAL
This is the URL address to the graphic you wish displayed at the top of each Link Directory page. This image may be a .gif or .jpg
http://www.sample.com/graphics/topimage.gif
Owner of the Copyright - OPTIONAL
Name to appear at the bottom of each page in the copyright notice. Only enter 'Your Name'. The copyright text notice is automatically inserted. If this setting is not provided, it will not be added to the Link Directory pages.
© Copyright 1999, Your Name
ThemeSite Index Information - OPTIONAL
The ThemeIndex page (themeindex.html) is automatically created by Zeus as an information page for webmasters wishing to be a part of your Link Directory. Clicking this button starts the Windows Notepad application with your ThemeIndex Information opened. This is the information automatically inserted into your ThemeIndex.html page. You may edit this information to suit your needs.
HTML Header Information - PRO Only
Clicking this button starts the Windows Notepad application with your Header Information opened. The first time this button is clicked, a window will be displayed asking you if you wish to create the Header file, click Yes.
This is the text (HTML OK) to include as a Header on all Link Directory Pages. This text is inserted directly after the <BODY> tag. You may edit this information to suit your needs.
Using a combination of the Header and the Footer, you can insert your Link Directory pages or listings in Tables, Cells, Frames or any other HTML possible combinations. Use the Header to start your code and use the Footer to end your code.
If you create this file, but put nothing in it, then nothing will be added in your Link Directory pages.
This file is normally located in: c:\Program Files\Zeus\links\misc\headerinfo.txt
HTML Footer Information - PRO Only
Clicking this button starts the Windows Notepad application with your Footer Information opened. The first time this button is clicked, a window will be displayed asking you if you wish to create the Footer file, click Yes.
This is the text (HTML OK) to include as a Footer on all Link Directory Pages. This text is inserted directly before the </BODY> tag. You may edit this information to suit your needs.
If you create this file, but put nothing in it, then nothing will be added in your Link Directory pages.
This file is normally located in: c:\Program Files\Zeus\links\misc\footerinfo.txt
Note: If you have purchased the PRO version, you have complete control of how your Zeus directory looks by using templates
At the top of the ThemeSite viewer you will see the Attributes option.
Occasionally you will come across a ThemeSite that you want to include in your directory but for some reason or another, you don't want it to receive email. When the Mark ThemeSite as No Email option is checked, it will not be included in ThemeSite Viewer email sorts. This helps you to better organize your ThemeSites.
You can also add a comment about the website by clicking the Add Comment option. You might want to say something like " This site has great information about Jaguars." The comment will appear under the listing. We recommend you use this feature.
If you want to include a web site's banner, click the Add Banner option.
This will load a window enabling you to enter the banner's URL address.
Email Settings and
Options
Email Settings Tab Your Web Site's URL - NOT required for emailing to work, but important to include so webmasters have a link to your web site in the email message. IS required for uploading Link Directory to work. Your Link Page's URL - NOT required for emailing to work, but important to include so webmasters have a link to your Link Directory in the email message.
Your Link Info URL - NOT required for emailing to work, but important to include so webmasters have a link, to information pertaining to adding your web site's link to their web site, in the email message.
There are 3 settings required for emailing to work. It is suggested you DO NOT send email until your Link Directory is created and successfully uploaded to your web site.
Options are selected and set using View/Options in the top menu bar. There are selectable Tabs along the top of the View/Options window, allowing you to easily setup your Zeus for your web site. These Tabs are: Email, Proxy Settings and Link Directory.
Email Settings Tab
Your Name
The name to appear in From: for all emails.
John Doe
Your Email Address
The return email address for all outgoing emails. This is your email address. You may want to set up a separate POP account with a unique name such as links@sample.com.
SMTP Host
Outgoing email host. This is the same as the setup entry in your default email program. Check your settings in your email program for SMTP Server or SMTP Host.
Find the paperwork from your ISP. There should be a SMTP Host Name somewhere on the data sheet they provided you. If not, call them and tell them you have a 3rd party mail program that needs the SMTP Host Name. Enter it in the email Host Name textbox.
192.209.24.122
mail.bellnorth.net
yourdomainname.com
sample.com
AOL does not allow 3rd party mail programs. You may want to consider getting another ISP for your internet connection. There is absolutely nothing we can do to change this. Getting connected through a normal ISP is easy and can usually be done in a few minutes over the phone. You will be surprised that you didn't do it sooner. If you want to send email through AOL, then you will have to look at each ThemeSite, preview the email message, then copy and paste that info into your AOL Mail Client.
Your Web Site's URL - NOT required for emailing to work, but important to include so webmasters have a link to your site in the email message.
The URL address to your web site. It is best if you copy and paste this address from your default browser's address entry box at the time your web site is loaded. This eliminates the chance of error.
Optional - text will not appear in email messages if left blank.
http://www.sample.com
http://192.209.24.122
http://www.sample.com/~yoursite.com
Your Link Page's URL - NOT required for emailing to work, but important to include so webmasters have a link to your Link Directory in the email message.
Address to your link page. Copy and paste this address from your default browser's address entry box at the time your Link Page is loaded. This eliminates the chance of error.
This address is automatically included in outgoing email messages if the Include Link Information box is checked in Compose Email.
Optional - text will not appear in email messages if left blank.
Before creation of your Zeus Link Directory.
http://www.sample.com
http://192.209.24.122/linkdirectory/yourcurrentlinkpage.htm
http://www.sample.com/~yoursite/linkdirectory/currentlinkpage.htm
After creation of your Zeus Link Directory
The correct address for the Zeus Link Directory will include the subdirectory /links/ directly off your HTTP root directory. The Link Directory is built for this directory. Other directories will not work as the Theme pages are linked using this subdirectory.
You may enter the link to the ThemeIndex page.
Includes links to all other Theme Link pages. This page also includes instructions on how a visitor can add his web site's link to your Link Directory. A link to your email address for contacting you is also included.
http://www.sample.com/links/themeindex.html
http://192.209.24.122/links/themeindex.html
http://www.sample.com/~yoursite/links/themeindex.html
or directly to one of your individual Theme pages.
http://www.sample.com/links/misc.html
http://192.209.24.122/links/misc.html
http://www.sample.com/~yoursite/links/misc.html
Your Link Info URL - NOT required for emailing to work, but important to include so webmasters have a link, to information pertaining to adding your link to their web site, in the email message.
Every web site should include a page available to other webmasters that has your web site's information including text, title, descriptions, banners and graphics that shows them how to easily add your link to their web site.
You will have to create this page with your HTML Editor. Zeus is unable to make this page for you. as it will be different for each web site. You can place it anywhere on your web site. When finished with the page, enter the url address into the Link Info entry box.
This page should include the following correct information
- your web site's URL Address
- your web site's Title
- your web site's Description
- your web site's graphics
- etc.
This address is automatically included in outgoing email messages if the Include Link Information box is checked in Compose Email.
Optional - text will not appear in email messages if left blank.
Notice the textbox in sample that allow visitors to easily copy and paste needed information.
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Please read the Email Request Guidelines and FAQs first, before sending email.
Before sending email, you must first setup your email options such as your name, email address, SMTP server, etc.
To setup your email options,
- click on the View option on the top menu bar,
- then select Options
(This is also referred to as: "follow the command path View/Options").- Select the tab Email.
- Fill in the entry boxes using the examples provided.
- Help for setting up email.
Warning! Do not send email while training.
The Sending Email feature has NOT been disabled!
For it's simplicity, the Email Controls
and Indicators are extremely powerful. These simple controls:
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Use the two email list boxes to select an email address that will receive email correspondence from you. Click on it to high-light it. It is now stored in the database.
DO NOT click on more than one email address. If a webmaster receives more than one email, they could consider it spam and probably will not be pleased with your request for a reciprocal link trade.
As you are building your email database it needs to be properly maintained. You will find some bad email addresses or email messages going to the wrong person. It is important you de-select incorrect ones and re-select another address to send email to.
These email addresses are host emails or they belong to this web site. Their email server address (i.e. - sample.com) matches the IP URL address of the web site (i.e. - sam@sample.com - www.sample.com). If email addresses are listed then you will probably be selecting them from here.
These are all other addresses. Every email address found in the web site has been extracted and stored in the database.
A history of each email message sent is displayed by message ID, email address and date sent. They are sorted with the most current message listed at the top.
Click the down arrow located to the right of this control. A Dropdown list will list the individual email messages available. Selecting _Help then clicking the Edit button will load a Help and Index page containing useful information. This Help text file may be edited to suit your needs.
This button edits the email message file selected in the dropdown list. If nothing is selected then the index or information page is loaded.
Zeus uses Notepad to create or edit email text messages.
To edit an existing email message using Notepad
select a message to be edited by using the drop-down list box.
click the Edit button in the Email Composition area in the ThemeSite Viewer.
Creating your own custom email messages
Use Notepad to create your own various outgoing email messages. To load Notepad, click the Edit button in the Email Composition area in the ThemeSite Viewer.
Important: The first line of your email message will be used as the subject and will not appear in the message body.
To create a new message using Notepad.
use the command path File/New located on the top menu bar in Notepad.
To save a message
Be sure to save any new or old messages into the directory /email/messages directly off of your Zeus application folder (click here for location)
This allows them to be listed in the drop-down selection box after clicking Refresh.
To exit Notepad
click the X in the upper right corner of Notepad
or
click through the command path File / Exit.
After creating a new message you must click Refresh so the Dropdown list is updated. Clicking the Refresh button will result in nothing selected in the dropdown list.
When clicked this button displays your message based on all selections made in the Email Composition. You may experiment by selecting and deselecting various options then clicking Preview.
Zeus will insert database field data directly into any message created by a user by using simple tags in the email text. This allows Zeus users to have total control of all email message content.
When MailMerge tags are placed in the email text message, Zeus replaces these tags with the proper data fields for each email message to each ThemeSite. For example, when Zeus finds the MailMerge tag <url>, it will be replaced with the URL address of the ThemeSite receiving the email.
To use this feature:
Create your text message (see example text below) incorporating the special MailMerge tags.
Save your text message into the /email/messages/ directory, directly off your installation directory
Select the newly created MailMerge message using the Select Email Message, drop-down selection box, located in the ThemeSite Viewer's Email Composition area. If your Zeus was running when this file was saved, you will have to click the Email Composition/Refresh button.
De-Select all 4 Email Composition checkboxes: Personal message, link information, keyword gift and farewell close.
Sort your ThemeSite database.
Preview your message by clicking the Preview button.
Send email using the Send Email button or Email All Selected email tool. All tags will be replaced as Zeus sends email.
<personal_comment> MailMerge Tag
When the <personal_comment> MailMerge Tag is used, Zeus will stop, while emailing, when this tag is encountered during the composing of the email. You will be prompted for a personal comment to include in the email messages to the selected email addresses. You could include something like: "I really like the animations you had on your home page.", ".. and loved your background image" or "I loved the content on ...... page". This personal comment must prove, beyond any shadow of a doubt to the person receiving it, that you personally visited their website.
When used with the Email All Selected tool, Zeus will connect to the mail server, load the first ThemeSite into the ThemeSite Viewer allowing you to explore the ThemeSite to decide what your personal message should be. Enter the personal message, and click OK. The email is sent and the next ThemeSite is automatically loaded for you to begin the process over and over again until all have been sent.
You have approximently 3-5 minutes to decide on a personal message before your SMTP mail server disconnects you, requiring you to start over and re-connect by choosing Tools/Email All Selected again.
To stop or pause the Email session, click the Email/Reset button. If you continue, by starting the email session over, without exiting Zeus, the mailing will continue from the point where you clicked Reset.
Try this entire sequence on a small sort using the Test checkbox. Zeus will send all email messages to you, allowing you to learn the process before doing it for real.
Edit the message to your own personal style. Only include the MailMerge data tags you feel are important. Do not include them all. Your message will have too many blue links in it if you do. Change the order of the MailMerge tags. Your email message MUST look totally unique from all others.
The following example text will provide a basic text message using all available tags. Create this text file using Notepad and save it in the /email/messages/ directory, off of your installation directory. When you load Zeus or click the Refresh button, in the email composition area of the ThemeSite Viewer, this file will then be available for selection to send manually or automatically using Email All Selected.
This textbox will make it easy to copy the text to your computer's clipboard, then paste into Notepad.
Send Email to current ThemeSite
The button sends email to email addresses selected and highlighted in the email list boxes.
If the button is not enabled or it's dim, click on the Host or Other Email list boxes and it will be activated.
To send an email to the ThemeSite, currently displayed in the current sort list.
Be sure at least one email address is selected and highlighted
(if None found is displayed, navigate to a page containing an email address and click on the email address)Compose your message
Click the button
Progress Indicator - A simple red progress indicator, alerting you when the email is actually being sent.
Status - Directly below the Progress Indicator, the Sending Status will be displayed in red text and keep you notified of the email sending status.
Reset - Allows you to cancel the email procedure.
Testing the email setup - When the Test box is checked ALL the email messages are sent to your email address. If you select 8 email addresses to be sent, you will receive 8 emails. No email will be sent to those email address selected and the database will not be marked or affected in any way. This is the best way to test your email setup.
If you receive email errors and your internet connection is slow, you may want to pause the locomotive part of Zeus while emailing.
Email All Selected Addresses in the current ThemeSite sort
This is the most powerful email tool Zeus has. Selecting this option while your ThemeSite database is sorted, will send an email to every email address you have selected (highlighted in blue when you clicked on it) in that current sort.
For example: If the database is sorted by Email Not Sent then every selected address in that sort will receive the current composed message.
This makes it easy to communicate with every web site in your ThemeSites, in a multitude of ways.
- Set up your email options
- Compose and preview the email message
- Sort your ThemeSite database with one of the sort definitions
- Select Tools / Email All Selected Addresses
If you receive email errors and your internet connection is slow, you may want to pause Zeus while emailing.
FAQs
I have tried to send automatic mail several times but it sends one and then ends. I have been sending them all by manual. What's wrong?
Select all the email addresses you want to send to in the ENTIRE sorted list before you select the Email All Selected.
Manually adding an email address to the database
Navigating and clicking the email link
There will be times when Zeus did not find an email address but you can by navigating to the page it's displayed on. Left-click the email link in the ThemeSite Viewer's Browser Window and the database will be updated to include it.
Pasting from the clipboard
- Copy an email address into your Windows clipboard.
- Right click ANY one of the email list boxes.
- Click Paste Email Address from Clipboard from the popup menu.
Using the Add/Edit button
Click the Add/Edit button located at the bottom of the ThemeSite Viewer. During either of the modes: Add or Edit you may type, or paste from the clipboard, an email address into the Email Address text entry box located on the Add/Edit window.
Not used for email address editing.
Marking an email address as No Email
There will be times when you can not find an email address in a ThemeSite. To keep the ThemeSite from being included in email sorts, click top menu bar Attributes/Mark ThemeSite as NO Email. To reverse this, click top menu bar Attributes/Unmark ThemeSite as NO Email
Maintaining Your Data
- Add a web site, and all it's information to be included in the ThemeSites database and Link Directory.
- Add a web page type web site so that Zeus will include it in the ThemeSites and Link Directory.
- Edit Link Directory listing information belonging to any ThemeSite in the database.
- Have Zeus visit or re-visit a web site and spider it so that he can refresh the data and look for new links.
Introduction to Add/Edit
The Add/Edit window enables you to easily add or change the information in your ThemeSite database.
Use the Add/Edit window when you want to:
- Add a web site, and all it's information to be included in the ThemeSites database and Link Directory.
- Add a web page type web site so that Zeus will include it in the ThemeSites and Link Directory.
- Edit Link Directory listing information belonging to any ThemeSite in the database.
- Have Zeus visit or re-visit a web site and spider it so that he can refresh the data and look for new links.
The following information may be added or edited:
URL address - This address may be a web page or a web site. Zeus will make the determination of whether an address is a web page or a web site, after user entry.
See difference between a web site and a web page.Title - The title or name of the web site. Limited to 75 characters.
A counter to the right of this textbox will simplify entry by counting the length of your entry.Description - The Description of the website.
Limited to 200 characters. A counter to the right of this textbox will simplify entry by counting the length of your entry.Pages Found - The number of pages, belonging to this web site, that Zeus would normally find if spidered. These are pages not necessarily visited and scored.
Links Found - The number of hyperlinks Zeus would find, in this web site, linking or belonging to other web sites.
Score - This is the score Zeus would give this web site after spidering it.
Reciprocal Link Location - Here is where you can enter the link to your site that is on the link partners web site. This will be entered in the database and works in conjunction with the Auditor feature. PRO only
Email address - Email address of the owner or webmaster you wish to have receive email correspondence.
Fetch Button - Allows you to enter in a URL and Zeus will automatically find and enter in the Title and Description. PRO Only.
How do I . . . ?
Add a web site, and all it's information, to be included in the ThemeSites database and the Link Directory.
2.) Enter a web site type address into the URL address textbox using one of the following formats.
www.cyber-robotics.com
www.webpagehoster.com/~markh3.) Enter the Title, Description, etc.
4.) Select the checkboxes.
Being a web site, you will have all available checkbox options.
See difference between a web site and a web page.
| Check this to
never visit. Zeus will set this site to Audit. PRO Only Check if you want a priority visit before other urls waiting to be visited |
Add a web page type web site so Zeus will include it in the ThemeSites and the Link Directory.
2.) Enter a web page type web site address into the URL address textbox using one of the following formats.
www.cyber-robotics.com/personal/index.htm
www.webpagehostercom/markh
www.webpagehostercom/index.htm
www.webpagehostercom/markh/index.htm3.) Enter the Title, Description, etc.
4.) Select the checkboxes.
Being a web page, the checkboxes will automatically be checked with available options enabled.
See difference between a web site and a web page.
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does not visit web pages. This is the only available option. PRO Only Zeus does not visit web pages. |
Edit Link Directory Listing information belonging to any ThemeSite in the database.
1.) Sort the ThemeSite database and position the ThemeSite you want to edit in the ThemeSite browser window.
4._ Edit any of the data displayed
Have Zeus visit or re-visit a web site and spider it so he can refresh the data and look for new links.
1.) Sort the ThemeSite database and position the ThemeSite you want to edit in the ThemeSite browser window.
4.) Check the Priority visit by Zeus
| Check if you want a priority visit before other urls waiting to be visited |
The difference between a web page and a web site:
There are two types of entries that you can add into the URL address textbox :
a web site's URL address
or
a web page's address.When you type the URL address to be entered into the Add textbox, Zeus uses the same code analysis as when he finds links in web sites which he is extracting data from. He makes the decision as to whether the address you entered is a web site type address or a web page type address.
These are examples of a web site's URL address:
www.cyber-robotics.com
www.webpagehoster.com/~markhEveryone recognizes the first as a web site's domain name. It's easy for Zeus to recognize it as such.
The tilde (~) is a marker that also designates a web site. It has been used as a standard for a long time. Having a standard marker such as this allows tilde (~) sites to function as true web sites. Without something to define the start or end of the url path that is the web site address, a lot of net software would not work. Zeus recognizes both as a web site that can be visited by him
These are examples of a web page address:
www.cyber-robotics.com/personal/index.htm
www.webpagehostercom/markh
www.webpagehostercom/index.htm
www.webpagehostercom/markh/index.htmZeus can not recognize these as a web site. Especially when he finds it as a link in a web site. He has to get a domain type name out of the URL to make the decision it's a web site. These are web pages to him. He wouldn't be able to spider a site if he couldn't tell web sites from web pages. Remember, he is making this decision every time he finds a link in the 800,000,000 pages on the internet. He can't consider every page as a web page. To allow for addition of web page type web sites (Mostly free ones), Zeus will allow you to manually add the information into the ThemeSite database so the web page will have a listing on the Link Directory. This ThemeSite can be viewed, organized into a Theme category and included as a Link Partner just like any other ThemeSite, using the ThemeSite Viewer. This type site is never visited.
Is their a way to have a directory listing under more then one theme? Say someone raises llamas and pygmy goats.. they would qualify for both listings but right now I only have them under llamas....
What you can do is to add them as a web page to get a second listing in your Link Directory by using the Add/Edit button. Click Add, then enter their web site address as http://www.sample.com/index.htm. Zeus will see it as a web page. He will never visit a web page. You must know the actual default page such as index.htm, index.html, default.htm or default.html
If you have the PRO version you can use the Directory Manager to do this.
You must have version 2.10 to use the Auditor feature.
Click Help/About to find out which version you have.
Contents of this page
1) Select those ThemeSites you wish to Audit
Directory Manager Selection of ThemeSites to Audit
ThemeSite Viewer Selection of ThemeSites to AuditSorting the Results into the ThemeSite Viewer
Result Window
The Link Partner background color is color-coded
An incoming link is stored in the database
Storing an incoming Link into the Database
Help Find a Link
Displaying the stored incoming link page
During an audit:.
1) Select those ThemeSites you wish to Audit
You can select a single Theme page, a single ThemeSite, an entire section of your directory, your entire directory or whatever is sorted in the ThemeSite Viewer to be Audited.
Setting an Audit, resets ALL ThemeSites that may not have been visited, that were selected for the last Audit, resets ALL Audit results and Summary. Does not affect stored incoming links.
2) Start the Audit
3) Viewing the results.
After Zeus has finished walking each ThemeSite selected, review the problem ThemeSites in your ThemeSite Viewer, manually verifying links to you that Zeus could not verify. Each problem site is displayed in the ThemeSite Viewer with a result narrative of what happened during the Audit.
1) Select those ThemeSites you wish to Audit
You can select which ThemeSites to Audit using the
Directory Manager or ThemeSite Viewer.
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An incoming link is stored in the database when it is:
- found by Zeus during normal exploration,
- during an Audit
- or you can manually enter it in various ways
These stored incoming link pages are visited first during the next Audit, thus cutting down the Audit time.
Storing an incoming Link into the Database
Zeus will automatically store an incoming link to your website when it is walking the Internet looking for ThemeSites or during an Audit.
There will be times you will have to manually store an incoming link into the database. Zeus can not recognize a link to your site when the link is using a cgi script code that re-directs to your site.
You can store an incoming link page by:
- Manually navigating to the page the link is on and if Zeus finds it in the html page, it is automatically stored. - Help Find a Link feature
- Manually clicking on the link to your web site
- Enter the url in the Add/Edit window.
- Storing the url from the clipboard - Auditor drop-down menu
- Inputting an incoming page's url address in a pop-up textbox - Auditor drop-down menu
- Selecting Link is on this page - Auditor drop-down menu
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 The check mark next to the url address means it was verified in the last Audit. HIDDEN FEATURE: Loading an Incoming Link Page, automatically puts the url address to the incoming link page into your computer's clipboard. |
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Misc.
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Daily Schedule Strategy & ThemeSite Data Maintenance
Sort the
Database
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Maintain the data in your ThemeSite database Update your Link Directory by uploading after each edit session |
This is a suggested daily maintenance schedule that will enable you to use the Zeus ThemeSite Viewer for selecting ThemeSite Categories and email addresses for each of the new ThemeSites that Zeus has found. The ThemeSite Viewer is also used for maintaining the data in your ThemeSite database, plus creating and uploading your Link Directory to your web site. After your Link Directory is updated on your web site, you can easily send invitations to trade reciprocal links
The following steps are only suggestions to help you get started until you develop your own personal routines for Zeus. Print this page as a handy reference.
Sort the Database in your ThemeSite Viewer by Theme Category not entered. This returns a list of new ThemeSites or any not having a Theme Category entered or selected.
- select a Theme category from the drop-down box
- or add a Theme category by typing in the new Theme name.
Select an email to receive email correspondence
Select an email address in the Host Email list box or the Other Email list box. This will be the address that will receive all email correspondence from you. You may have to adjust this address after a few emails to make sure that you find the correct one.
There may be times when Zeus did not find an email address, but you are able to by navigating to the page it's displayed on. Click the email link in the ThemeSite's browser window and the database will be updated to include it into the database and Email text boxes.
Other ways of adding an email address to the ThemeSite's data.
Use the forward button to navigate to the next ThemeSite in the sorted list.
Maintain your ThemeSite database
After selecting categories and email addresses for your new ThemeSites, it's time to make the changes web sites have requested. They may need to change information in their listings or even want to be upgraded to Link Partners.
Including ThemeSites as Link Partners
Your Link Partners enjoy preferential treatment in your Link Directory with listings at the top of the pages.
You will receive email from those wishing to be Link Partners. You will need to add them as Link Partners.
1.) Find them in the ThemeSite Database
- Select the URL using search text selection in the Sort database by area. Do not click the Sort button yet.
- Enter a portion of the ThemeSite's URL address in the Search Text input box.
- Click the sort button.
Your sort result list may include a few ThemeSites but you should be able to quickly navigate to the correct one.
2.) Check the Link Partner box to include them at the top of your Link Directory.
3.) Send an email message notifying them that their Link Status has been upgraded to a Link Partner.
Select the email message: Now partner in the Email Composition drop-down box.
Be sure the Include Link Information is checked in the Email Composition. This will include the information where they may find their link listing in your Link Directory.
Click the Send Email button.
Add/Edit button
The Add/ Edit button is located near the bottom-middle of the ThemeSite viewer. Clicking it opens a window displaying the following 2 choices. See Add/Edit
Add New
When you click this button you may add a ThemeSite.
Edit Current
Allows you to edit any of the listed data about the current ThemeSite. Click this button and a window opens with the current data. When you are done editing click the OK button.
Update your Link Directory by uploading after each edit session
Update or upload your Link Directory by selecting Create Link Directory in the Tools selection located in the top menu bar of the ThemeSite Viewer. Do this when you are finished with your daily selection and editing. Uploading your Link Directory first, then emailing your new ThemeSites, makes sure your new visitors have the proper links and information to find their listings and to visit your web site.
Automatically send email to the ThemeSites selected today, to request a trade of reciprocal links
After you upload the changes to your Link Directory, send email to the new ThemeSites automatically.
- Sort your database by Email Not Sent not Link Partner.
- Compose and preview your Request for Reciprocal Links message.
- Automatically send email to all your new ThemeSites by selecting Tools/Email All Selected Addresses.
Selecting this option while your ThemeSite database is sorted, will send an email to every email address, you have selected for each ThemeSite, in the current sort. (The selected email addresses are highlighted in blue because you selected them by clicking it.)
Weekly
Train Zeus in a new Theme every week.
Keep Zeus running. He must be constantly searching the internet if you want him to find hundreds of Reciprocal Links.
What about FrontPage?
If you check the HTML source of this web site you will see it's FrontPage generated. Zeus works fine with FP and uploads the Link Directory using it's own FTP control.
Also if I purchase it can I use it on two of our sites?
If you install Zeus to a directory, then HAND COPY all the files in the original installation directory to other directories. You can be running as many Zeus as you wish as long as they are in different directories. Webmasters can actually rent these Zeus to clients. If you do this then you will probably want the PRO version so the banner is not installed on the Link Directory pages.
You may be limited by your internet connection bandwidth or the speed of your processor. I currently have 12 different Zeus installed on my computer but I am only able to run 4 at one time. My processor speed is only 266 MHz.
Is there an instruction manual with your program?
Help is available within the Zeus Application.
Will Zeus work with all subjects?
Yes as long as a web site Theme or subject follows the basic internet premise of reciprocal links. Web users surf fron site to site so it follows that information should be researched the same way. Most sites have links to other sites that are similar or match a theme. Bird sites have links to bird sites and so on. You might find a few Themes where the webmasters of that Theme will not allow links on their sites but these are rare. These web sites do not go far in the traffic dept. All in all Zeus works in every Theme we have tried to use him in.
What are ThemeSites?
ThemeSites are the web sites that match the keywords you trained Zeus with. They are what you are looking for. The information from these sites is what will appear in your Link Directory. These are the ThemeSites that you will be trading links with.
How does Zeus score a web site when he finds and determines whether it is a ThemeSite or not?
Zeus will score every site he visits using the Keywords you selected during training. Zeus scores Keywords higher when they are found in certain areas. They have a higher score if they match the words found in Titles, Descriptions, or META Keyword tags. These are furnished by the webmaster who built the web site Zeus is currently visiting. For example, a word you assigned Very Unique if found in the META tag will score the highest, while a Slight Unique word found in the page text will score the lowest. All the word scores are added and a total score is derived. When the average score for the web site falls below the Backout Limit, Zeus backs out of the current web site and goes on to the next one. As long as the average score stays high enough Zeus will stay and visit page after page until he reaches his Page Load Limit. (default is 20 pages). He will then save the data he has extracted from the web site.
Do I install Zeus to my web site or to my computer I work at?
Zeus installs to your computer. He installs like any other professional piece of software. Installation is simple: Just double-click on the down-loaded installation program, zeussetup2623 (where 2623 means version 2.6 build 23).
Can you slow Zeus down?
No
Do I have to be on-line when Zeus is operating?
Yes. Think of Zeus as a database-driven, automatic browser. If you only have one phone line then you will have to run him at night. The largest and smartest Zeus in the world was built this way. Consistency is the most important factor.
Will Zeus work well on a limited site common to the free hosting scene, e.g. angelfire.com?
Zeus works well with ALL sites with FTP access. He is installed to your personal computer and does all his work there. You do need FTP access to be able to upload your Link Directory. You link pages will be 10K-50K in size for every Theme or subject you have.
Will the increased traffic on a small site crash it?
No. You will be able to control the rate of traffic to a certain extent. It will depend on how hard you work Zeus. After training, he will find 50-100 ThemeSites a day. You will email these sites daily with a request for reciprocal links. When they agree, the traffic starts immediately. About 10-15% will agree with each emailing (a lot depends on the content of your site, your design, etc. and remember you end up with a great Link Directory that they WANT to be in). In other words if you email 50 per day, you will get 5-7 agreements for reciprocal links per day. The traffic resulting from these would not crash a site, but if you started getting too many visitors, just stop sending requests to trade links until you get your own domain and a faster server. You will be emailing on a daily basis.
After 30 days you will want to automatically send a second request to all those sites that didn't take you up on your first request. Your second request would be going out to approx. 1500 sites (50 per day times 30 days) so you would receive approx. 100 -150 agreements.
The third request would be going to 3000 and so on forever until Zeus finds every site in the world matching your Themes. Then you work all of those consistently.
www.toolady.com was one of our original test sites and now has her link on 1/3 of the Bird sites in the world. Imagine the traffic she gets. Her site is growing at 80-120%% per month and has been for months. She claims she is getting more visitors than any other bird site in the world after only 5 months using Zeus. Her site was brand new and built solely on Zeus generated links. Search engines account for about 15-20% of her traffic.
As you can see the traffic is built up on a controlled gradual basis.
My ISP disconnects me if there is no activity for more than 15 minutes; is Zeus constantly communicating from "home" to other sites and back (so that the connection would stay open)?
Yes, Zeus is constantly working from your computer so he will keep your connection open. If the connection fails then Zeus will stop and wait.
If ran Zeus while sleeping or at work (as many users probably do), are there security concerns?
Zeus is no more of a security concern than leaving your connection open with your default browser loaded. Think of Zeus as an automatic browser.
Would there be a need for a firewall (or would Zeus even work with one?).
There are millions of people using the net every second without firewalls. Zeus does work behind a proxy server or firewall. I run my Zeus behind a proxy server as all my computers are on one network sharing one ISP connection.
Why does Zeus seem sluggish when I press a control button? Nothing seems to happen for a while.
Zeus may seem sluggish to you when you try to control him with the Control buttons. He will act on your commands at the appropriate time. When choices are made or buttons pressed, these commands are put into a cache or storage for action at the appropriate times. Zeus is not meant to replace your browser.
The Zeus application I downloaded is a Zeus 2000. I thought he would be an infant Zeus 1000. What gives?
The download is a 2000. This gives you a demo of sorts which enables you to learn and get comfortable with Zeus. When you reset the databases he will then be a 1000. Then you will be able to train him to your Themes.
How can I view the images on pages being visited by Zeus?
Click on the settings button at the bottom of data window. Check the box labeled 'Load Images'. Press the button 'Save'. Reverse the procedure to end image viewing.
Do you lose data if you close Zeus by clicking on the X in the upper right corner rather than going to "file" in the upper left corner and then selecting exit?
No. You can exit any way you want. The Jet Database (zeus.mdb) is very well-protected. About the only time something could happen is if your computer lost power while the DB is being compacted. Even if you lost power Zeus always checks the integrity of the new DB before the old is deleted. Knock on plastic, there has never been a database corrupted.
Link Directory Customization and FAQs
General Link Directory FAQs
I'm quite confused as to what Zeus creates and what I need to create as web pages. I understand that Zeus creates the Links Directory. However, is this just a URL or is it actually a page (or pages) that contain(s) all the theme sites with corresponding links to those sites?
When you make any changes of any kind to the ThemeSite database, changes are made only in the database tables themselves. This is where the data pertaining to your ThemeSites are stored.
When you select Tools/Create Directory, a Create Directory Options window opens.
If the Create Link Directory option is checked, the Zeus program creates your complete Link Directory in the Projects folder as described below. Zeus uses the information stored in the ThemeSite database, combines it with the ThemeIndex, Header and Footer information (PRO Only) to create your Link Directory in this directory. All Link Directory pages are created here.
If you have the Upload checkbox checked, the entire contents of the \links\ directory is then FTP uploaded to your web site.
After uploading, you can then view your Link Directory pages through the internet, with your web browser.
What are the legal ramifications of putting someone's listing on my Link Directory without their permission.
Click here to see a legal FAQs page about links, images, copyright on the web, etc.
I also don't quite understand the relationship between the "ThemeIndex" pages in the Zeus files on my hard drive and the same files loaded to my site's server, and also the "options" dialog box where Footers, etc. are specified? (click here for location)
The ThemeIndex.html page is automatically created by Zeus as an information page for visitors or webmasters wishing to be a part of your Link Directory. It includes the Header text file (PRO Only) at the top, followed by a NavBar, followed by the text information in your ThemeIndex text file. If you have a Link Info Page (explanation to webmasters how to add a link to your web site on their web site), a line will be added with a hyperlink to it. The Footer file (PRO Only) is added at the bottom. Clicking this button in View/Options/Link Directory starts the Windows Notepad application with your ThemeIndex information opened. Sample
The Header and Footer files (PRO Only) can contain any HTML code or text you wish. Most users copy the HTML source that is the Header of their web site. This allows you to match the overall look of your web site. You can start a table in the Header and end it in the Footer. I don't suggest it as the text in the table could get very large and result in too much time for a visitor to view nothing. The table has to load completely before a browser displays it.
HTML Header Information- PRO Only
This is the text (HTML OK) to include as a Header on all Link Directory Pages. This text is inserted directly after the <BODY> tag. You may edit this information to suit your needs.
Using a combination of the Header and the Footer, you can insert your Link Directory pages or listings in Tables, Cells, Frames or any other HTML possible combinations. Use the Header to start your code and use the Footer to end your code.
Clicking the Header button in View/Options/Link Directory starts the Windows Notepad application with your Header Information opened. The first time this button is clicked, a window will be displayed asking you if you wish to create the Header file, click Yes.
If you create this file, but put nothing in it, then nothing will be added in your Link Directory pages.
This file is normally located in: \links\misc\headerinfo.txt
HTML Footer Information- PRO Only
This is the text (HTML OK) to include as a Footer on all Link Directory pages. This text is inserted directly before the </BODY> tag. You may edit this information to suit your needs.
Clicking the Footer button in View/Options/Link Directory starts the Windows Notepad application with your Footer Information opened. The first time this button is clicked, a window will be displayed asking you if you wish to create the Footer file, click Yes.
If you create this file, but put nothing in it, then nothing will be added in your Link Directory pages.
This file is normally located in: \links\misc\footerinfo.txt
Link Directory Appearance
How much customization can be specified as to how Zeus displays links pages, and how may these pages be customized?
I would like to make the pages more in keeping with my website's style, and I wonder how much or what could be changed.
Limited unless you have a PRO Version. click here.
Can background colors and text/links colors be specified?
Yes, if you have a PRO Version. click here.
Fonts?
Yes, if you have a PRO Version. click here.
I want more control in the look of the displayed Link Directory pages?
You can control all HTML output if you have a PRO Version. click here.
Link Info Page FAQs
I'm not computer-savvy, and my web site was created by a computer-savvy friend on Microsoft Publisher, which converts regular text, etc. to HTML automatically. Would the Link Info URL be the same as the "index" page that Publisher creates, or is it, instead, a completely separate page that I need to create on my web site?
The Link Info page is a separate page you must create. This page explains to a webmaster how to set up the reciprocal link to your web site. This page is placed anywhere you want on your web site and the Link Directory is linked to it by the setting in the Options Email tab. This area explains the Link Info page.
Can I post the Link Info URL on the directory pages so visitors can access this information? If so, how do I do it?
It's done automatically for you if the URL address to it is entered in View/Options/Email Tab/Link Info Page. The bottom of every Link Directory page has a link to the ThemeIndex.html page. The ThemeIndex.html page has info about how they can become a Link Partner. The ThemeIndex.html page will also include the link you want, to information for them to add your link to their web site. In other words, your Link Info page.
Finished my link Info instructions page but have a question on what is the correct way to link a logo. I've noticed some sites say copy and paste their logo and others are very clear in telling us not to do that. They say we should right click, choose save as, etc. Seeking clarification.
Both ways are doing the same thing. They want you to save it to your computer's hard disk, then upload it to your web site where you can provide the image source link to it from your html code. The main thing they don't want you to do is leave it on their server and you setting up your image source link to use it off their server. Creates extra bandwidth for them.
Email
Guidelines, Directory Basics and FAQs
Asking another webmaster for a reciprocal link is standard practice on the internet. Webmasters have been asking other webmasters for reciprocal links since the beginnings of the Internet. The very nature of the web is linking websites to one another. It is of even higher importance, now that Altavista has changed it's ranking algorithms and the others are sure to follow.
If a webmaster considers your email spam then he can report you. If your emails are unique, without commercials, and are personalized with unique personal information about the webmaster's website that you are emailing, then it would be hard to call your email spam.
All Zeus users must be responsible in the operation of their Zeus Marketing Robot. This includes following simple rules and guidelines choosing ThemeSites to include in your directory and during the emailing operations of your robot.
Organizing a tightly-Themed Vertical Link Directory
Zeus does increase your search engine positioning if used properly.
Tightly-Themed, Zeus-generated Link Directories get high ratings from search engine robots but only if they are true resources of organized knowledge. Search engines are getting very smart in their query result rankings. They include all kinds of advanced calculations pertaining to how the links point to you and away from you. They can include keywords in their algorithms and now they know how tightly linked your Themes are. Don't try to fool them into better positioning, by including into your Link Directory, a lot of ThemeSites that are outside your website's real Themes.
Just about all the Zeus-generated Link Directory I have visited lately, include an area for website design, marketing or hosting. It's OK if that's one of your real Themes, but if it's Birds, Dogs, Health, etc., etc., it does not belong in your Link Directory!
Your Link Directory's Theme's must match the Themes of your website. You must not let your zeal to email and perhaps get a reciprocal link, overpower your need to create a true web resource. You don't want to create a directory that includes all the knowledge of mankind and also sounds like a soft drink. You should be happy with organizing a tightly Themed Vertical Link Directory. Be the best in your area, linking only sites that relate to you.
A smaller, tightly-themed Link Directory will grow much faster than a diluted, loosely-themed, large bulky one. Your website's traffic will quickly increase, not only with visitors from your Reciprocal Link partners but will also increase from Search Engine visitors, once their robots quickly find your Link Directory pages through your Link Partners!
Email General Guidelines
If you are including websites in your Link Directory just because you want to send an send an email and possibly get a link, then you are spamming in mind and spirit. The webmaster who receives this kind of email is not a happy camper. He is proud of his achievements in creating traffic to his site over the last few years, millions of hits every month, only to receive an email asking him to link to a website, that in no way can remotely match his website or be useful for his visitors. This is spam. Remember the phrase reciprocal links? Please change it to Reciprocal Themed Links. This is important !
DO NOT commercialize your email in any way.
- It shouldn't look like spam or people will think it is.
- Do not include a Zeus link in your signature. Do not include ANY links in your email signature area except links to your website.
- Do not send the Keyword Gift. Uncheck Keyword Gift in the ThemeSite Viewer's email area.
- Keep it short and to the point. Ask for a reciprocal link and that's it.
- This message should only be a few lines and not a long narrative with rules and guidelines. Save that for your ThemeIndex page on your link directory.
Change the email reciprocal link messages that are included with Zeus.
It is possible for webmasters to receive the same basic message from another Zeus operator. Each reciprocal link request MUST look different. DO NOT SKIP THIS SUGGESTION.
Change the subject line from Let's Trade Links to something else. Let's trade links is probably the most used email Subject line on the internet today as there are thousands of Zeus on the internet. If you keep this Subject line then you are sending the same one as everyone else. It will not be accepted or worse, it will look like spam.
While sending MailMerge emails, include the <PERSONAL_COMMENT> tag
Personalize every email message
Send email using the MailMerge feature with the <personal_comment> tag.
When the <personal_comment> MailMerge Tag is used during Email All selected or when using the manual Send Mail button, Zeus will stop when this tag is encountered during the composing of the email. You will be prompted for a personal comment to include in the email messages to the selected email addresses. You could include something like: "I really like the animations you had on your home page.", ".. and loved your background image" or "I loved the content on ...... page". This personal comment should prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that you personally visited their website.
Do's and Don'ts
Email a copy of your reciprocal link request message to your ISP and ask them what they think. You should be able to be honest with your ISP.
Send one email to your ThemeSites and if they don't want to trade links, DO NOT send them anymore requests that might bother them.
Do your email daily. Sending 50 -75 emails daily is a lot different than sending 800 emails in one day because you only want to organize your ThemeSites once a week.
I have done everything in my power to keep Zeus from being used by spammers
and I will not allow Zeus to be used by spammers.
Zeus is not designed to send spam.
If someone wanted to send spam with Zeus he would have to go through every ThemeSite that Zeus finds, then manually select every email addresses and a Theme Category for each one. Plus Zeus only extracts a few email addresses per website. If someone wanted to go to all that trouble, then he could probably send spam with Zeus, but there are a lot of easier ways to do it. It would be easier to spam with a normal mail program. Zeus is not efficient to send spam and was designed this way on purpose.
There is very little difference in using Zeus as an email program than if you used your default mail program.
Before you can send a reciprocal link request, you have to explore their web site, decide if you want to include them in your link directory, select a message and choose an email address. You have to also select a Theme category to include them in your Link directory. It is no different than your default email program sending to those on a personal address list that you've used your browser to find and explore their website. Consider Zeus as an automatic browser and contact manager, with an email program attached.
The main difference between Zeus and your default email program, is that Zeus saves you all the leg work of finding the web sites to trade links with. He will also list some of the email addresses found in each web site, even sorting them by host or other email. Listing them makes it easy for you to select one email address to send your personal request to. All email addresses will not be listed from the website, as Zeus will only list so many from each page. This is necessary to keep Zeus from being used by those trying to spam.
FAQs
How much control do I have over my email message?
The MailMerge feature is available for all versions of Zeus. The MailMerge feature gives you total control over your outgoing email messages. You simply create a text message inserting simple MailMerge tags and Zeus automatically merges the data from the ThemeSite database into your message. This allows you to have TOTAL control over the placement of Data in email correspondence.
I'm confused. When I generate emails asking for the link directory, does it come out of my office computer where Zeus resides, or is the email generated out of my hoster's computer?
It's works through your computer, through your ISP's smtp server. It works like any mail program like Eudora, Outlook, etc.
I am new to the internet, and do not clearly understand what constitutes "SPAM". Thanks for your help, I am really excited about the Zeus program and looking forward to implementing it.
Basically Spam is whatever the receiver of the email thinks it is. If he decides it's spam and reports it, then it's up to your ISP. Sometimes your ISP defines Spam as any un-requested email. This way they don't have to deal with it, if they don't want to, since that covers just about everything.
Asking for a reciprocal link is common practice on the internet, but please make sure you ask for a link without including any commercials of ANY kind. If you have kept it a simple request, then your ISP is probably going to work with you if by chance you do get a spam complaint.
Keep your letters personal and short. It shouldn't look like spam or people will think it is and then you will have a problem.
Tell me an easy way to send a second email one month later without having to go through 2000 links. What I'm saying is that I add links every day and when it comes to a second email will have to manually go through the database and send email one by one. That is simply impossible.
I don't know if there is an easy way. I have been talking to older experienced users of Zeus and I find that most do a sort by Email Not Sent, Not Link Partner, then go through these changing the email address to another listed, checking the checkbox to personalize each email and adding a bit of trivia directly related to the ThemeSite being viewed, then manually clicking the Send Email button one ThemeSite after another. Those that follow this policy have few problems and receive great results. It's hard for someone to call an email spam when it's personalized.Will I have problems?
If you follow the above guidelines, then I doubt you will have problems. Webmasters have been doing this since the beginnings of the Internet. The main thing is that you don't cause your ISP any unwanted work by having to write an email explaining to their Service provider why you are not spamming. From a business standpoint, they have to weigh the amount of work they would have to do answering to their service provider against the returns you give to them. They will have to ask the question to themselves: "Are you worth the $16.95 per month you give to your ISP?"
AOL
AOL does not allow 3rd party mail programs. You may want to consider getting another ISP for your internet connection. There is absolutely nothing we can do to change this. They want you to stay inside and not stray. Getting connected through a real ISP is easy and can usually be done in a few minutes over the phone. You will be surprised that you didn't do it sooner.If you want to send email through AOL, then you will have to look at each ThemeSite, preview the email message, then copy and paste that info into your AOL Mail Client.
I finally received the following reply from AOL regarding this question. Now, what does it mean?
From: Acme
> To: support@aol.comMY QUESTION TO AOL:
> I just installed a program that needs me to provide my "SMTP Host" for my
> email server system. There is another blank for my email address, so I don't
> know what they are asking for. I use AOL for all my email services. What
> should I put in this data box? Thanks for your help.THEIR REPLY:
AOL does not support the use of 3rd party mail clients. In order to
access your mail, you must either use the AOL client or you can use AOL
Mail on the Web at http://aolmail.aol.comIs this their way of saying they consider this spam?
No this is their way of forcing you to do it their way.
I also have a pop-email account with unlimited redirects, mail lists, autoresponders, etc, with my web host which I have set up to redirect all my mail to addresses there thru the AOL email interface. Should I be using Zeus on that account and NOT redirect to the AOL email interface?
Yes, you can use Zeus on that account but I always advise everyone, whether they send email or not, to never use the same business for their web hosting and ISP connection. This is entirely too much power for someone to hold over you.
Other sources of information:
Zeus keeps looking for the robots.txt, but returns a 404 error message because there isn't one. Is there a file that I need to put into our site for Zeus? And why, if I need to?
There are four Laws of Web Robotics and the second one states:
II. A Web Robot must obey exclusion standards and
follows the Standard for Robot Exclusion.(Koster 1994b)
In 1993 and 1994, robots sometimes visited web sites where they were not welcome. Sometimes these reasons were robot specific. Perhaps a robot blasted servers with rapid fire requests or competitors wanted to keep certain robots out of their pages. Other sites needed to keep them out of certain areas. such as directories containing CGI scripts. A need arose and a standard was placed into existence. The widely adopted Standard for Robot Exclusion proposed by Martijn Koster is an attempt to address this need.What Zeus is doing is requesting the robots.txt file from the current website's server and since the file doesn't exist, the server is returning the error message. This is supposed to happen. When a website has this file, Zeus will load the robot exclusions into the listbox at the bottom of the Data Window. As he loads each page to be visited in that website, he checks the list box and if a pattern matches, he goes on to the next page listed in his dinnerplate.
A webmaster can control, to a certain extent, where robots are allowed to go in his website. Zeus follows the standards but you will find a lot of robots, including the ones from the big search engines, completely ignore the standards.
The following link will explain the robots.txt file in detail if you wish to add one. Standard for Robot Exclusion
You may consider adding a text file to your root server where the url address is http://www.personal-planning.com/robots.txt
This file could allow free access to all robots and should contain:
User-agent: *
Disallow:or just create an empty "/robots.txt" file will do the same thing.
How do I change the priority of different keywords. I made the wrong decision in assigning priority of my keywords
Use the keyword manager. Follow the command path Tools/Keyword Manager. The top buttons are used to display the keywords and after selecting keywords you may use the lower keys to change their uniqueness by clicking on the appropriate button.
I am trying to train my Zeus to look for Chinese culture related websites. Hence, I would designate the words "chinese" and "culture" as unique keywords (score 3 each). I also found out I could designate "chinese culture" as a very unique keyword (score 9) as well.
So how does Zeus score this sentence? "This is a site about Chinese culture"
Does it score is as "chinese" (3) + "culture" (3) = 6
or does it recognize the keyword "chinese culture" and score it as a 9?
There are a couple of factors involved. See View/Score Settings in the main Zeus locomotive window. Notice the two sections, one labeled Word Importance Factors and the other labeled Source Factors. To understand how Zeus scores a word, take for example the default settings in these sections. If you have assigned a word a Uniqueness (Word Importance) of Very Unique, then the Word Importance of that word is 10. If the word is found in the Title, which has a Source Factor of 5, then the two factors are multiplied together and Zeus will score the word a 50.
In the 2.8 series, multiple word phrases are accepted but not used for scoring. Sometime during 2.9 this feature will be added.
In your example, I would assign "chinese" as Very Unique and "culture" as Slight Unique.
I'm just getting 1-2 ThemeSites per hour (about the same on both a broad theme and a more narrow one). Are you using the default settings or something else?
I mostly use the default settings. The number of ThemeSites found per day can be greatly increased by lowering your Page Load Limit. The default is 20. I know Gail at toolady.com uses a setting of 10. I sometimes use 15. The new Zeus is extremely efficient in finding the pages containing hyperlinks and email so you can lower this. Remember that your goal is to find ThemeSites and really nothing else, so the least amount of pages looked at, the more ThemeSites, in any given time, you will find. If it's too low then you will have to be searching for email and there is the possibility he will not find enough new URLs to replenish the ones used. Zeus spends most of his time in each ThemeSite looking at the number of pages specified in Page Load Limit. If the site isn't really a ThemeSite then Zeus' time is being wasted.
He is only loading 3 pages in non themed sites before backing out. This setting is in the Start Avg Score @ Page. This doesn't count the Robots.txt page. If you set it to 3 then he will load 3 pages plus the robots.txt page and so on. I do not know of a reason to change this from a 2 but it's there if needed.
Here is what happens when Zeus decides to score a site as a ThemeSite and what he does with the data when he doesn't.
Zeus first loads the home page and scores it, then the robots.txt for robot exclusions and then one other page. The third page he will try for is a link page. (most webmasters include link, favorite, etc in their URL). He then scores that page as he did the home page. He then creates an average score and puts it into the average score box in the Data Window. You may change the page you want the average score to start at in the I If you want Zeus to stay a few more pages before he makes his judgement to stay or leave you may change this setting.
If the current website's average scores under the Backout Limit (Score Settings) he backs out and goes on to the next site not visited stored in his urls table in the database. He hasn't had time to really find anything but any email addresses have been stored. Any hyperlinks he finds he marks as visited as he assumes they are not what you are looking for as they were found in a site not matching your theme. If he ever finds these hyperlinks again in a ThemeSite, he knows they were never actually visited so he re-marks them for a visit. This logic increases Zeus' efficiency dramatically.
If he stays he loads the number of pages specified in the Load Page Limit (score Settings) 20 pages seems to be a perfect number of pages with Zeus. His main goal is to try and get accurate information about a ThemeSite while being fast. His goals are to find Theme links, email for you to mail the web site owner, and enough information for an accurate Link Directory listings.
Changing your Backout Limit will adjust the number of garbage sites you find. If he marks a lot as ThemeSites that aren't, you can raise it. I think it is better though to do the fine-tuning in the keyword manager by moving your keywords into more appropriate uniqueness settings. The keyword manager shows you the keywords Zeus used in scoring any ThemeSite. Sometimes I find it a help in deciding which Theme to assign a particular ThemeSite. If you are finding a particular type of website you don't want, you can discover which keywords are at fault and adjust them accordingly.
The only thing you might want to save is the title and description from all the non-ThemeSites. Zeus really wouldn't have any keywords saved or an accurate page size or number of hyperlinks.
EVERY email address he finds is being stored. When you assign a Theme Category to a ThemeSite he marks all the emails with that same Theme. So you will be able to automatically be able to mass email by themes.
If you really need more information stored, it is fairly easy to store some of it depending on what you need. In fact a lot of the code is still in Zeus (earlier versions stored more.) just awaiting unlock but the problem is your database grows completely out of sight and can fill up a hard disk very quickly.
I am happy to provide you with a text document containing the tables and fields that Zeus uses to score data. You may then access this data with Microsoft Access as it a standard .mdb database file.
I've improved my keywords several times and that seems ok. But, over time it seems Zeus adds more off-topic sites, returning fewer ThemeSites. Once, I deleted URLs (kept everything else), started over with a new seeding, and things improved a lot (for awhile). I also tried very tight training (with URLs) after the URL reset, but after I went to auto, I started getting more off-topic URLs and fewer ThemeSites again. Is this how it works on auto or what am I doing wrong?
I have never deleted the URL table. If he starts returning fewer ThemeSites to URLs visited, then the only thing that can be happening is he is saving non-Themed sites as ThemeSites. He will visit those URLs found in those non-Themed as he feels he should since they were found in what he believes was a ThemeSite. This is why your ThemeSites found to URLs visited is getting smaller. On the other hand he will NOT visit URLs found in a non-Themed sites unless he finds it again in a Themed one.
Another important thing to do is to go through the ThemeSites Zeus has found every day. Do not let them add up. If Zeus marks a web site as a ThemeSite that shouldn't be, deleting it will also mark all hyperlinks found in it as visited so he doesn't waste his time going to them. If he finds one of these sites later in a real ThemeSite, he will remark it to visit.
In special cases such as my Link Directory I am creating for Web Site Marketing, Construction and Design, the problem arises where a lot of sites found and scored as ThemeSites contain a lot of URLs that have nothing to do with my Themes. I am returning a smaller amount of ThemeSites in the beginning because it has to visit the more common ones but it does find out they really aren't ThemeSites. Once the common ones are visited then the ThemeSite to URLs visited is getting better not worse. Also the words for these Themes are not very unique. I opted to go for a lot of Unique words and and raise the Backout Limit to 250. I am actually using words like email, hosting, and design as keywords. I was actually shocked to find that it worked so well with non-unique words. You might go for quantity of keywords, all scoring slightly less. The really Unique ones I am scoring them higher (more on this later). He is still finding about 70 ThemeSites per day and I am close to 700 ThemeSites. I am having to delete a dozen or so a day, since the keywords I am forced to use are not very unique. He is doing a great job considering.
The surest way to help him make the correct decision is to use your Keyword Manager. When you are reviewing your ThemeSites found and you have one that isn't, then look carefully in the lower listbox in the keyword manager. All the keywords used for scoring this site are here. For example the word "egg" would denote a bird site but also a fish hatchery. You may have to ignore the word "egg". If you have only a few words that are extremely unique but you feel most ThemeSites should have them. Use your View/Score Settings to change the following settings. Raise the Importance Factor for your Very Unique words. Using a bird example: The word "avian" is very unique and is assigned "Very Unique". Raising the factor for your Very Unique words would score those keywords much higher. A word is scored by multiplying its Importance Factor by its Source Factor. So a Very Unique word found in the Title would score the highest. This way each of these really important words would score higher. You can do the same for less important words, but in reverse.
You may also want to raise your Backout limit. In most cases it will be from 100 to 250. Once your words are finely tuned then you could lower this. The Backout Limit is the number used when deciding if it is a ThemeSite or not. If set at 150 and the moving average of the website drops below your Backout limit, Zeus marks it as a non-themed site marking all the hyperlinks he's found as visited. As long as the moving average stays above your Backout limit, Zeus considers it a ThemeSite. Notice the score on every.
I often use 'template' pages...for those pages not automatically generated on the fly from the database/modules I use. Are there instructions contained in the program for inserting whatever HTML tags and content I need to construct a page for the Link Directory as well?
The Link Directory pages are automatically created for you. If you have the PRO version you may insert any HTML you wish as a header and a footer for all of the Link Directory pages. You will insert the HTML code in View/Options - Link Directory. Pressing the appropriate buttons will load Notepad and a .txt page which will be included either at the top or bottom of your link pages. You can also use the PRO Templates option which will give you complete control of how the directory looks.
Pro Link Directory Enhancements
Installing Templates
You must have a PRO Version 2.9.0 or higher to use the enhanced Link Directory features. Zeus does not come with these features installed, so it is your choice to install and use the Link Directory Enhancements to edit your directory. To upgrade your Zeus application, click Help/Upgrade Application, while in the locomotive window.
Templates allow you to change the look of your Link Directory in any way that you desire. The new directory creation subroutines use two text files, called Templates, to control the output of your directory theme pages. The presence of these text files activates the new Link Directory Engine code embedded in 2.9.0 or higher version Zeus applications. When you create your directory Zeus using a PRO version and the Template files are installed in the /links/misc/ directory, Zeus will create your Link Directory using the commands he finds in the text files.
Templates will create a link directory very close to the default code in downloaded Zeus installation versions, with a minimum of installation time on your part. 2.9.0 reads your HEAD, header, footer and themeindex text files and uses them in the new Template files. If you carefully follow the directions on this page, installing this new feature is quick and easy . There shouldn't be any downtime for the Link Directory, located on your web server.
To use Template files to control the appearance of your Link Directory, you must first install two text files into the \links\misc\ folder (click here for location), located on your hard-drive. Zeus will find these two text files and use them to create your Link Directory.
Zeus reads the Template files and uses the instructions in them to create your link Directory. This is simple programming using a computer language. Many languages read a text file and do something depending on the instructions in that file. The text file or files contain the program, which is written in special syntax that the computer language understands. Your Link Directory creation, using Templates, works the same way. Zeus reads the Template text files and follows the instructions located in them to build your directory.
A Link directory refresher:
A standard Zeus-generated Link Directory has many Theme Pages that are linked together through the NavBar.
At the bottom of each Theme Page is the link Information on adding your web site to our Link Directory link.
When a user clicks this link, the ThemeIndex Page (themeindex.html) is loaded into their browser. This page contains information that has value to your visitor. This may be information about your website, info for your visitor about how to add their website's listing to your directory, etc. It also contains a NavBar. At the bottom of the ThemeIndex Page is another link that goes to the LinkInfo Page. This is the page that contains information for other webmasters that allows them to easily and quickly add your website's link to their website. The LinkInfo Page must be created, once-only, with an HTML editor.
The new Link Directory Creation Engine is slightly slower than the previous hard-coded versions. The new program code takes 37% more time. The reason is basically the same if one would compare the speed of a compiled program to an interpretive one, which in this case is exactly what is happening. The new Zeus version still contain the old code so it's easy to re-use the old creation subs by simply renaming the Template files to something Zeus doesn't recognize.
There are two text files that Zeus must find to use the PRO Version Link Directory Enhancement program code to build your Link Directory.
The themepage_template.txt Template file controls the appearance of every Link Directory Theme Page.
\links\misc\themepage_template.txt (click here for location)
The themeindex_template.txt Template file controls the appearance of the ThemeIndex Page (themeindex.html)
\links\misc\themeindex_template.txt (click here for location)
To create and install the two Template text files:
Start your Windows Notepad text editor program by clicking Start/Accessories/Notepad.
Create the themepage_template.txt
Copy the entire contents of the top text box on this page (themepage_template.txt) into your Window's Clipboard
Paste the contents of the Clipboard into the Notepad window.
Save the contents of Notepad using the file name themepage_template.txt into your \links\misc\ folder (click here for location).
Create the themeindex_template.txt
Copy the entire contents of the bottom text box on this page (themeindex_template.txt) into your Window's Clipboard
Delete the text already in the Notepad editor if it still exists there.
Paste the contents of the Clipboard into the Notepad window.
Save the contents of Notepad using the file name themeindex_template.txt into your \links\misc\ folder (click here for location).
Zeus will now find these two text files and use them to create your Link Directory.
Editing the Template files.
These two Template files will create the standard Zeus Link Directory, very close to what Zeus has always created in older versions. Editing the Template files will allow you to control the appearance of your Link Directory pages. Use Windows Notepad or any text editor to edit the Template files.
Start off simply, Just edit the ThemePage Template file first. Save the ThemeIndex Template for later. Try locating sections of the file that control the various sections of the Theme Pages. Study the Comments in the Template files. You do not have to understand all the various DataTags and SubTemplates to customize your directory. Once you locate a particular section you wish to change, it's easy to just change the styles like font size or color by just changing the HTML code in that section. You can move code around if you wish. If you don't want a NavBar or something else, just remark out or delete that section of the code.
If you make a mistake, just replace the Template file in question with a new one to start over. Deleting or re-naming either of the Template files will cause Zeus to revert back to the standard way of creating a Link Directory.
Easily viewing the changes you make to the Template files.
To simplify editing and quickly viewing your changes, start the Zeus program application
Start Notepad and load the Template file you wish to edit.
- Edit the Template file
- Save your changes
- Use Zeus to create your Link Directory with the DisplayPages variable set to "Yes" (See detail below).
- When finished viewing the pages, click the Stop Viewing button at the bottom of the Browser View window.
- Repeat these instructions to make another change.
If "DisplayPages"="yes", then Zeus will create the themeindex.html page and show it to you in the new browser window. You have the option, by clicking the buttons at the bottom of this browser window, to display the next page or quit the viewing. If you display the next page, Zeus will show you the next page he creates which is your first link directory Theme page. If you click the Stop Viewing button, Zeus will exit the directory creation subs allowing you to edit the Template page for the next displaying of your pages. In this fashion, you only have to view two pages to see the output of both Templates.
Before using these Template text files for the first time.
1) Are you are using a Top Image setting?
Click View/Options/Email Tab on the top menu bar, while in the Zeus locomotive window.
If there is NOT a setting for the Top Image setting in View/Options/Link Directory Tab, using Notepad again, delete the following lines of code in themepage_template.txt and themeindex_template.txt. They are located near the top of the files. Delete the 4 lines of HTML code, following this remark, if you are NOT using a Top Image
<CENTER>
<BR>
<a href="<|WEBSITE_ADDRESS|>" TARGET="_top"><img src="<|TOP_IMAGE_URL|>" border=0 alt="<|DIRECTORY_TITLE|> - <|THEME_PAGE_TITLE|>"></a>
</CENTER>If you are NOT using a Top Image, be sure these lines are deleted in both Template files.
Starting the Link Directory creation
Select Tools/Create Link directory. The Upload Link Directory Options window will appear allowing you to chose between Create and/or Upload.
themepage_template.txt
themeindex_template.txt
