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Keep your site's COVID-19 information up to date

Many businesses have added COVID-19 related information to their websites (open/closed, temporary hours, "use side entrance only"). No one knows when businesses will be allowed to resume normal operations, but we know it will happen. And when it does, things are likely to move quickly. Don't forget to update the COVID-19 information on your website(s) when the status of  your business changes. You don't want your customers to think you are still closed or on a limited schedule if you are not.

The time has come to secure your website

Do you know why some website addresses begin with "http" while others start with "https"? That "s" stands for secure, and it means the site you’re visiting is using a protected, encrypted connection. That security is provided by a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate. Websites that accept credit card payments and other secure information have been required to have SSLs for a long time, and recently there has been a push to make the entire World Wide Web adopt this level of security.

I don't accept credit cards online. Why do I need SSL?

If your website does not have an SSL certificate, and it contains any kind of text input, even a basic contact form or newsletter sign-up script, Google Chrome now warns visitors with a notice that reads:

Your connection to this site is not secure. You should not enter any sensitive information on this site (for example, passwords or credit cards), because it could be stolen by attackers.

 You may not be collecting passwords or credit card information, but that notice will be enough to scare away a sizable chunk of your site's visitors. Also, Google ranks sites with SSL higher than those those without it.

Where can I get an SSL to secure my website?

Most domain name registrars and hosting companies sell SSLs, and generally speaking it is easier to install an SSL if you purchase it from the same company where you purchased your domain name. Moondog Web Hosting is currently selling our Standard SSL certificate for $49.99/year, and we offer free 24/7 US based telephone support to help you install it.

Google Calendar Gets a Makeover

Last week Google began rolling out a major update to Google Calendar. The update includes a new look, and a number of new event, calendar view, and settings features to help you manage your time.

Try the new Google Calendar

1. On your computer, open Google Calendar.
2. On the top right of your screen click  Use new Calendar.
3. To go back to the old Calendar at any time, click Settings   Back to classic Calendar.

Note: If you cannot see "Use new Calendar", the new Calendar isn’t available for your account yet.

Price Increases For Web Hosting and SSL

Moondog Web Hosting has been able to stay competitive with the big players in the Web Hosting industry since 2004 by selling at razor thin margins in order to keep our prices as low as possible. In fact, the prices for our hosting accounts and SSL certificates have not gone up one penny in 13 years!  Today our overlords at GoDaddy / Wild West Domains surprised us with news that our "buy rates" for web hosting and SSL certificates are going up between 30-50% effective August 15th, 2017. Moondog Web Hosting absorbed the cost of the last three "buy rate" increases, but this time we are going to have to pass along a portion of the increase to our customers to avoid selling at a loss. We don't like it any more than you do, but it cannot be helped. How Much More Will I Have To Pay? Most customers who have a website(s) hosted with us are on the Economy Plan and pay annually. Your cost will rise from $6.99/month to $8.99/month ($83.88/year to $107.88). Other plans can expect to see a similar increase of roughly 25%.  Is There Any Good News? Yes. At this time, we are not aware of any planned increases to the pricing of domain names or email accounts. Also, if you want to add an additional year or years to your hosting account(s) before August 15th, you can do so at the current rates.

Login to your Moondog Web Hosting account →

Or call the office at (615) 673-4292 M-F 8:00AM - 5:00PM CDT, and we can help you.

Today is the last day to get the free Windows 10 upgrade

If you’ve been planning to upgrade your Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 operating system to Windows 10, but it somehow slipped your mind, in spite of all the nagging, prompting, and pestering from Microsoft, today is the day to pull the trigger because tomorrow you will have to pay $119.00 (or $200.00 for the Pro version) for something you can get free today.

For most people, the decision to upgrade is a no-brainer. Windows 7 has already passed the end of mainstream support and Windows 8’s support is set to end in January 2018. Plus,  you'll see faster boot times and lower memory usage upgrading to Windows 10.

Before you upgrade, be sure to read Update to Windows 10 Headache Free With A Pre-Upgrade Checklist from the folks at How-To Geek.