###################################################################### # (c) 2000 Copyright LinkTopper(TM) # # by searchenginebase.com All rights reserved. # # Copying, modification or distribution requires permission # # in writing by copyright holder. # # LinkTopper(TM) is the protected trade mark of # # searchenginebase.com # # For inquiries, licensing, etc. please contact: # # URL: # ###################################################################### This zip archive consists of three files: getseb.cgi getlinks.cgi readme.txt <=== This is the file you are currently reading. OPTIONAL INSTALLATION SERVICE ----------------------------- The installation instructions below should be fairly easy to follow for anyone who has ever uploaded files to their site by FTP or Telnet. However, if you prefer our technical team to install the scripts on your site for you, we offer this service for a nominal flat fee of $50 (USD 50) per domain. In this case, please contact us at: sbinstall@searchenginebase.com from where you will receive a checklist of technical data required, plus payment instructions. (We offer a variety of payment modes and will also accept American Express, Mastercard, Eurocard and Visa credit cards.) Note that our technical team will require temporary access to your system by FTP and, under some circumstances, Telnet. (If your web provider does not offer these features, we're sorry - we will not be able to help you. In this case we would recommend switching to some provider who does, as these are generally considered standard services these days. Note that your server must comply with the technical requirements outlined below.) Also note that we will not do any web page design! To participate, you must be able to create and upload your own web pages (or have someone do it for you). ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ GETSEB.CGI and GETLINKS.CGI: INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ GETSEB.CGI is a Perl script which allows you to feature searchenginebase.com's LinkTopper(TM) Free Distributed Search Engine Portal on your site. GETLINKS.CGI is the accompanying Perl script which allows you to feature searchenginebase.com's LinkTopper(TM) Free Distributed Internet Directory on your site. If you have not yet done so, please sign up for this free service at: http://www.searchenginebase.com/sbfreeportal0.html MANDATORY REGISTRATION ---------------------- NOTE: To make use of this service on your web site, it is mandatory to register at the site above, where you can read and consent to our "SEARCHENGINEBASE.COM AFFILIATE AGREEMENT". This registration alone entitles you to usage of our content service. Unauthorized use constitutes violation of copyrights, breach of protected trade marks as well as misappropriation of information proprietary to searchenginebase.com and is subject to criminal prosecution and legal redress. PRIVACY STATEMENT ----------------- All personal information including your email address will be treated as confidential and will not be sold or hired out to third parties. VERSION HISTORY --------------- fantomas getFrog(TM) - LinkTopper(TM) Search Engine Portal Edition ver. 01.01.02-e fantomas getFrog(TM) - LinkTopper(TM) Internet Directory Edition ver. 01.01.02-e released: 2000-09-18 fantomas getFrog(TM) - SB Free Search Engine Portal(TM) Edition ver. 01.01.01-e released: 2000-06-18 ++++++++++++ Installation ------------ System Requirements ------------------- * Unix/Linux or NT * Apache Web Server * Perl 5 * cgi-bin functionality * Server Side Includes (SSI) functionality Step-by-Step Installation (The following applies to both cgi scripts.) ------------------------- 1. Download the file "getseb.zip" and extract "getseb.cgi", "getlinks.cgi" and the accompanying documentation file "readme.txt" (this file). 2. If required, in both scripts modify the first line "#!/usr/bin/perl" to point to your server's specific PERL 5 location. If unsure where Perl 5 is located on your server, telnet to your account and enter "whereis perl" (without the quotes) - the system will display the path. Else, pester your ISP or web provider to tell you! :-) Under NT, change the first line to "#!perl". 3. All editing must be done in pure ASCII - no word processor formatting allowed, or script will not run! 4. Upload files "getseb.cgi" and "getlinks.cgi" in ASCII mode to your web server's cgi-bin by ftp or telnet. 5. Be sure to upload in ASCII (not "automatic") mode! Appr. 90% of cgi script installation problems relate to incorrect upload mode. 6. Under UNIX, set file permissions for "getseb.cgi" and "getlinks.cgi" to "-rwxr-xr-x" (CHMOD 755). 7. In your web page, where you want to display the LinkTopper(TM) Free Distributed Search Engine Portal, place this line, modified to your system's specifications: In your SECOND web page, where you want to display the LinkTopper(TM) Distributed Internet Directory, place this line, modified to your system's specifications: Take care not to put any breakspaces (carriage returns) in this code - it will not work if you do! Note: Some systems may require usage of a cgi-bin alias such as "cgi-yourdomain". In this case, you may have to modify the code to: or or similar. If in doubt, please consult your ISP or web provider. DON'T ASK US! WE ARE NOT PRIVY TO YOUR SYSTEM'S CONFIGURATION PARMS AND WILL NOT RESPOND TO SUCH POINTLESS INQUIRIES! 8. IMPLEMENTING OUR CONTENT PAGES (Important Information - PLEASE READ, PLEASE HEED!) 8.1 It is strongly recommended that you integrate both the Distributed Search Engine Portal and the Distributed Internet Directory into your web site's overall layout and design: include all navigation elements as on any other page of yours. (The easiest way to get this done is to work from any ordinary page template as used when creating a new page for your regular web site.) 8.2 Make sure that you include LINKS from your web site's INDEX PAGE to BOTH, your new Distributed Search Engine Portal page and your new Distributed Internet Directory page. You may also link to them from your other pages, but THE INDEX PAGE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE! This is because some search engines will only accept pure domain URLs for submission, i.e. http://www.yourdomain.com but not: http://www.yourdomain.com/page.html. Deep crawling spiders (such as currently AltaVista, Google, Alltheweb/FAST, Inktomi and a few others) will follow the links on your INDEX PAGE up to two levels deep. Hence, you must include these links on the INDEX PAGE, or your site will not experience any link popularity improvement. (See below under 8.3 on how to install invisible links.) THIS IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE! Search engines dislike isolated pages which have no site links pointing to them (and which don't themselves point to other pages on the web site on which they are residing). 8.3 THESE LINKS DO NOT HAVE TO BE VISIBLE! They are for search engine spiders only, unless you actually wish to display our pages to your visitors. However, many webmasters prefer to leave their existing index pages intact and won't spoil them with some link popularity program's extra links. Note that most link popularity programs will actually require you to put a prominently visible link to your link pop pages on your index page or elsewhere on site. LinkTopper(TM) does not require this! An invisible link is simply one which includes no text between the anchor tags ( and (). Thus, a pair of typical invisible links would look like this: and: As you can see, there's no text between these tags - invisible to the human eye but crawlable for search engine spiders! 8.4 It is also strongly recommended that you place your links as high up on your index page as possible, preferrably immediately below the tag. This ensures that the links will get spidered even if the page does not upload fully due to some timeout problem. 8.5 Make sure to submit your LinkTopper(TM) pages to all major (and, preferrably, minor) search engines about once a month! We reserve the right to submit members' pages at our own discretion if we find that the program could do with some submission boosting. 9. Note that you will only be featured in our Internet Directory AFTER YOU HAVE CONFIRMED COMPLIANCE by email! Please address all compliance confirmation messages exclusively to: sbcompliance@searchenginebase.com Please include both URLs: your Distributed Free Search Engine Portal page and your Distributed Internet Directory page. Yes, you entered these already when signing up. However, this gives you a last chance to specify possible last minute changes. Also, it will speed up the checking process and, hence, your inclusion in our directory page. All URLs will be monitored by human editors immediately on receipt of compliance confirmation and, later, in irregular intervals to check for continued compliance. (No "bait and switch", please!) Sites caught at switching originally registered URLs for other content will be banned from all further participation in our LinkTopper(TM) program. We reserve the right to pursue criminal charges and legal redress where applicable, as specified in our Terms of Agreement. Anything else, feel free to contact us at: sbsupport@searchenginebase.com When requesting support, please be sure to include: - any system error messages ("Won't work" is not enough!) - detailed description of any odd system behavior encountered - your directory structure: where are "getseb.cgi" and "getlinks.cgi" located? - your portal URL: where should the LinkTopper(TM) Free Distributed Search Engine Portal be displayed? - your directory URL: where should the LinkTopper(TM) Free Distributed Internet Directory(TM) be displayed? - temporary access (ftp and telnet) parameters so we can check out the problem SUPPORT REQUESTS WITHOUT THIS DATA WILL NOT BE RESPONDED TO! ---------------------------- Trademarks mentioned herein are their respective holders'.