Google Pages, Part 2

Please note that Google is linking to this page from the search engine because it deleted all other 100+ pages of this blog from its index.

If you're looking for information on why BloggerBotIsDead and the best alternatives, then please follow my link to my blog post's page, because the recommended alternatives have problems you should know about and no one else is reporting on them.

If you're looking for information on the many ways to safeguard your data, computer, and network for free, then please start on the most recent page of my blog.


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Google Pages, Part 2

As I reported in Part 1, Google's Google Page Creator is a free tool to build Web sites that are hosted for free on Google's servers. As a project from Google Labs, it's currently in its testing phase, and Google is inviting folks to try it out for free. So be advised that it's in beta and don't expect too much.

You may not get past first base

One first needs a Gmail Account to sign up for the free tool. If you don't already have one, create one. However, a mobile phone (most commonly called a cell phone) that handles text messaging is required to create a Gmail Account. Don't have one? Get a friend's help and his phone, because Google is only offering Gmail Accounts to mobile phone numbers with text messaging so that they can receive the Gmail invitation code. Don't have a mobile phone and your friends don't, either? Google isn't buying that. Once you have your mobile phone in hand, request a Gmail Account.

Our little secret

Google doesn't want everyone to know, so this will be our little secret -- just between you and me. ;-) There are alternatives to getting Gmail for those who are both friendless and without mobile phones:

1. Students and faculty of accredited U.S. institutions can submit a request for a Gmail invitation, as long as they have valid .edu E-mail addresses.
   
2. Get yourself invited by someone who already has a Gmail Account. Don't know anyone with a Gmail Account who has any invitations left? Here's how to get Gmail without a mobile phone, an invite, or an .edu domain E-mail address. Just remember to donate two or three or more of your invitations back into the pool after you receive your new Gmail Account, because too many other people are forgetting after they get theirs.

And don't ever ask me why I know this.


Update on Gmail (14 Feb. 2007): As I reported here, Gmail is now free to anyone, no strings attached.


Other gotchas

One problem that some users may have is screen resolution. Menu items and scrollbars may not be visible in the Google Page Creator if the resolution is set too low. What's too low? 800 x 600 and 1024 X 768 are both too low. Set your screen resolution to at least 1152 X 864 or higher.

After a preliminary investigation, I've found that Google's statement that your Google Pages "can be crawled by Google within a few hours of publication" seems to emphasize the word "can." Apparently, it takes a few weeks to show up in Google's search engine results according to reports by users.