V10.02 February 2008

0.  Introduction.
1.  New! Easy zenphoto One-Click!
2.  New! Get SSL Certs from DreamHost!
3.  New! Add-on Callback Phone Support!
4.  DHSOTM


########################################################################
0.  Introduction.

Hey, wait a second.. didn't I send the LAST newsletter on a Tuesday? And
wasn't the LAST Tuesday on which I sent a newsletter a Tuesday where a
lot of states were voting in their primaries? AND can this be taken as
some sort of foreshadowing that the February DreamHost Newsletter is 
going to turn out as LAME as the LAST DreamHost Newsletter?

Don't worry, I know that it won't. I can GUARANTEE it, in fact. Because
this newsletter is for February, and February, leap year or not, black
historians, is SHORT. Which means this newsletter is going to be short.
And, one thing I've learned over the last ten years is the only way to
make a DreamHost newsletter better is to make it SHORTER.

(Psst. If you actually LIKED the politics theme from last newsletter,
maybe this blog post will satisfy your right/left-wing nut-job fix:

    http://blog.dreamhost.com/2008/02/27/people-power/
)

In fact, there's only one example known to humanity where shorter is
WORSE.  When it comes to BIRTHDAY WISHES.

When did 2008 become the year where everybody just starts posting happy
birthday on your Facebook wall! I didn't even know I HAD a Facebook wall
until today, March 4th, the only day that's a command, when oh by the
way I happened to turn 31. Is that why they call it a "walled garden"?


########################################################################
1.  New! Easy zenphoto One-Click!

So, now we all agree shorter is better. I guess that explains why I'm so
tall.

And I guess that also explains why Gallery, the photo management
software we offer as a one-click install is SO crazy confusing, slow,
and horrible! I've looked at its source code, and the one thing I could
not describe it as is short.

Which is why for our new EASY one-clicks, I've decided NOT to port
Gallery over. Not even a little. INSTEAD, we're giving "zenphoto"
(notice the stylishly understated all-lowercase-ness) a try. It doesn't
allow you to do all the fancy-shmancy things Gallery does like sell your
pictures or order prints, but it is super-simple to use to upload,
organize, and view photos!

    https://panel.dreamhost.com/?tree=goodies.installer

Right now, the only way to upload pictures to it is via a web-based
uploader, but we're planning on adding an XP picture publisher plugin
and probably some sort of email attachment gateway as well. Later we'll
even make it integrate better with the WordPress easy one-click install!

LATER.


########################################################################
2.  New! Get SSL Certs from DreamHost!

And I use "New!" in the loosest possible sense.

We've offered a free SSL cert with our Strictly Business plan (we just
buy you one from GeoTrust) since time immemorial, and it's not like 
we've just become our own cert-signing authority overnight or anything
that would be AWESOME and ground-shattering like that.

No, the truth is much more mundane, and filled with 1977-era technology.

So... when we stopped even HAVING a Strictly Business plan, we've
allowed people to add an SSL cert to their Happy Hosting plan when
signing up. BUT, there was never a way for EXISTING customers to buy a
secure certificate from us... never until right about NOW.

They're still just re-sold from GeoTrust, but at least now it's oh so
very CONVENIENT to have all your hosting expenses on one bill! We charge
$90.96 a year (don't ask *me* where *I* came up with THAT price) and
there's as much as 40% off for pre-paying for as much as 10 years, and 
I'll bill you again when I'm 41, you crazy DreamHost-for-lifers.

To get one, just go to our "Manage Domains" area and click "Edit" under
"Secure Hosting":

    https://panel.dreamhost.com/?tree=domain.manage

It's kind of goofy, but what that then does is just send a support
ticket in "as you", telling a member of our support team exactly what
to do to go buy you your certificate from GeoTrust! At least it's still
a step up from asking for new certs via Facebook wall.


########################################################################
3.  New! Add-on Callback Phone Support!

Did I say "New!" again?

Same deal as with certs. Now, when you're about to write into support,
if you REALLY want a callback _this_ time, but you were too cheap when
originally signing up, you can sign up for the 3 callbacks a month add-
on pack for $9.95/month extra. Pre-pay for a year and get a whopping 10%
off!

    https://panel.dreamhost.com/?tree=support.msg

But be careful.. there's no partial refunds for ending a callback add-on
plan early.. muah huah huah huah HAH HAHAHAHAH!!!!!


########################################################################
4.  DHSOTM

It's nice to know that some things in this world never change. Whether
it be me shamelessly plugging my birthday in the newsletter, me
shamelessly plugging my MARCH birthday in the FEBRUARY newsletter, or the
DreamHost Site of the Month winner being a flash-based portfolio site:

    http://www.scarlettvisionmedia.com/

... it's just nice to know there are some things you can COUNT ON.

    https://panel.dreamhost.com/?tree=home.dhsotm

Is where you go to submit your OWN no-shot-in-winning-unless-it's-flash
website for the DHSOTM contest! And no, there's no Facebook app for it.


########################################################################
Agedly yours,
Josh Jones

P.S. What, did somebody already post this newsletter on your Facebook
wall? Visit

     https://panel.dreamhost.com/id/?tab=contact

then and unsubscribe, Mr. Big Shot social networker man/woman/kid.