In the past, setting up a survey would not be trivial - either you send a text file people fill and reply (and then you have to tabulate), or you use some scripting program that is unnecessarily complicated for such a rare event.

Enter SurveyMonkey. This service allows you to create simple surveys you can then share with a link. Surveys can be complicated, simple (my member’s survey is basically one entry!), and anywhere in between. It also manages multiple surveys, and tabulating results (a real time saver).

The advantage of using someone else’s system for surveys is obvious. If you rarely do them, hosting the software - and managing it - is not worth your time (and of course, if you regularly do surveys, then you probably already have a system set up).

The free version is limited to 100 responses, which might seem too low. However, it’s been my experience that if you get 5% response from your members (or anyone else) you’re doing fantastic - that means 2,000 people can be asked, and you’ll still stay under the limit. And of course, even if you do hit the 100 limit, that’s still a fair amount of data to crunch - plenty to get an overall view of things.

Topics:

• What’s New With ActiveBlogging.
• WordPress 2.8 is Live. New version of WordPress? Despite this incredibly rare event, I walk you through how best to manage the changes, and how/when to ‘make it so’.
• User Input: What Do YOU Want From ActiveBlogging Through 2010? ActiveBlogging exists to serve its members - so naturally, here’s where YOU can weigh in…
• How To Jazz Up WordPress With JavaScript. We all understand the power of PHP in WordPress - but JavaScript can add more ‘bang for the buck’ as well. Here’s how to use it effectively.
• Stupid WordPress Tricks. Make YOUR blog a cut above the rest with this pack of simple code tricks. Show a clock, say ‘Good Morning’, block spambots, and have ‘timeout’ offers on your products - all with a smattering of Javascript and CSS!
• Executive Summary: Getting the Millionaire Mind. Get the highlights of valuable business books when you don’t have the time to sit down and read them from cover to cover. An excellent way to get up to speed on the vital business topics of today - fast.
• Internet Offers And Current Deals

Check the ActiveBlogging Reports Section for this issue.

Biggest features for a techy like me? The syntax coloring editor for plugins and themes (makes PHP editing just a bit easier), improved speed, and a revised widget section with more editing options.

Find out more about it from WordPress Central Office now. And if you have 2.7, upgrade/install with a button press!

Topics:

• What’s New With ActiveBlogging.
• Anatomy of a Site Blowup. We often think of hackers as the biggest threat on the Internet - but sometimes it can be SUCCESS…
• Save Money and Time - Steps To Keep Your Site Lean And Mean. There are many ‘gotchas’ on the Internet that can shut down your site, or slow it to the point you’ll need to spend big bucks for an upgrade. Here’s a list of common and not-so-common problems - and how to solve them.
• A Quick Guide to Logs. Not an article on lumberjacks - these logs are the huge access files on your site, and the last resort to uncovering if someone is causing you grief. Here’s how to understand them - and use them to your advantage.
• Free Cache - Or How To Cache Your Blog And Save! Caching a site can avoid a huge performance penalty - but not all caches are created equal. Here’s a review of some of the better plugins, why to use them, and how.
• Internet Offers And Current Deals

Check the ActiveBlogging Reports Section for this issue.

Simply put, not all input is cleaned up properly; the result is, it’s possible to create a user name that contains malicious Javascript, and then use that to grab cookie information (among other things). The result is a XSS (cross site scripting) attack.

Details on the problem are explained here, and CGI-Central (makers of Amember) have posted a fix you can add yourself (total time to patch - under 1/2 hour).

I cannot stress enough that if you use Amember, you should patch it ASAP.

The problem is very real, and very serious - if you’re attacked, you could be handing the keys to your site to someone.

Of course, if you own a copy, you probably already have received an email; if not, when you log into Amember’s Admin, you’ll be greeted with a message. But don’t wait - get the fix in place BEFORE you log into your Admin section.