This new version works in a completely different way from the last version which will stop the problems caused by the WYSIWYG editors. However, there are other issues which I will explain about later. For now though, here is how to use it:

Download the plugin here.

Install and enable the plugin.

To cloak a link place the tags [cloak][/CLOAK] around the link. For example [CLOAK]Brewsterware.com[/cloak]. This will convert thte URL into unreadable characters when the website source code is shown.

To alter the text in the status bar when the user moves their mouse over the link user this format: [CLOAK statustext="status bar text here"]Brewsterware.com[/CLOAK] - this uses javascript to place the text in the status bar.

The issue I have found with cloaking links like this is that most modern browsers have a feature that will stop javascript from writing to the status bar - this means that the domain will be displayed for all to see.

To get around this issue use a redirect script. This has two benefits:

1. You will be able to track clicks to the url.
2. It is possible to geo target - this is a huge oportunuity to squeeze more money from an affiliate link

Here is an example of a simple non geotargetting affiliate script using php:

$urls = array (
'dvd' => 'http://www.dvdforadollar.com?affiliate=code',
'hypnosis' => 'http://www.hypnosisdownloads.com?509'
);

header('Location: ' . $urls[$_GET['go']]);

?>

Copy the above code into a file called redirect.php and populate the $urls array with your own affiliate links. Add an entry to your robots.txt file so that the search engines don't index the file, then you are ready to go. To use it, using the above examples set the go parameter with the arrays keys:

redirect.php?go=dvd
redirect.php?go=hypnosis

To using geo targetting, we need to enlist the help of a third company. I would recommend MaxMind who offer a subscription service. There are several free services out there for geo targetting, however they are not very accurate. If you are going to spend some effort geo targetting your affiliate links, then it is worth spending a bit of money making sure that a potential customer will end up exactly where you want them to go. You can download an example geo targetting redirect script here. Here is the important part of the script:

// Put your MaxMind key here
$licenceKey = '';

$country = getCountryFromWeb( $licenceKey, getIP() );

// affiliate links for great britain
$gb = array (
'ebay' => 'http://www.ebay.co.uk',
'amazon' => 'http://www.amazon.co.uk'
);

// affiliate links for the united states
$us = array (
'ebay' => 'http://www.ebay.com',
'amazon' => 'http://www.amazon.com'
);

// set the united states as the default country
$default = $us;

Each array needs to be named using the two character country code of the country that you want to target and every array must have the same keys. A list of valid country codes can be found here www.maxmind.com/app/iso3166. You can set up as many country arrays as there are countries, and you use it in exactly the same way as the previous script. So redirect.php?go=amazon will redirect to the local amazon store. All you will need to buy is a license from MaxMind - once you have this you will be able to put in the license key that you will receive at the top of the script.

Here's a quick update.  4th of May I started dating a girl from Worthing.  She likes Sci-fi, Belgian beers and music - who could want more than that!  A couple of months later we went away for a weekend to Wales - weather was awful but we had a great time.

In the last couple of weeks she moved in with me.  I though this would be a piece of cake with a few cars journeys worth of stuff.  She only has a one bedroom flat after all.  I was wrong.  Several car journeys (with two cars), and one van load of appliances, and there is still odds and ends there.  We'll get there eventually.  Then there's getting all of the stuff in the flat at Pease Pottage.  We've made several trips to the dump, but things are starting to settle down now.  Our furniture goes surprisingly well together

I'm currently writing this post from the comfort of my front room using a laptop that I've recently taken delivery of.  It's pretty cool, apart from the fact that it's running vista, and the old (ancient) version of phpedit that I have does not run on it at all.  I'm current running the demo version of 1.2 which will run out in about 28 days forcing me to buy it.  I love phpedit and cannot live without it!

Also, due to demand, I've rewritten my affiliate link cloaking plugin for Joomla, and I'll be releasing it later on in the week.

This website was once a fantastic thriving community of enthusiasts.  Originally developed by Margaret Falkner - a truly great figure on the UK home organ scene, and a huge inspiration to many people.  Sadly, she passed away several years ago.  Remembered by many - such a shame I cannot add to this post to her memory.

Unfortunately the market of the home electronic organ is in a bad state.  Manufacturers insist on producing organs for the elderly, the incompetent, or people who just don't want to put in any time or effort to improve their playing.  Take the absolutely dreadful Yamaha AR100 and AR80.  For a start, their cabinets look low quality sticky back plastic covered chipboard - hardly what you would expect for the circa £8000 you would have had to have paid when they came on to the market.  A console that is just so full of automatic accompaniments that it is more difficult to switch them off and just play something simple.  Sound quality that is so horrible.  And to top it all off, a speaker system that is more powerful than a professional instrument such as the EL90.

Manufacturers should be targeting and encouraging younger people to buy these instruments, not people that wont be here in 20 years.  So sad.

To get the discounted price, use the code gdp0804c when you check out.