FAQ

What programs do you use to create your graphics?

I use several programs, but Corel Photopaint is what I use the most.

Can I include a gallery of your images on my site if I link to your site?

Sorry, but definitely not. I've received this question hundreds times. If I let people do that there would be so many sites offering my graphics no one would need to come here. My graphics are one of the things that make my site unique and I need to keep it that way. By letting others post them on their sites I'd lose income that helps take care of my family.

If you really want an image archive you could purchase Background Magic and easily create your own unique graphics content. Copycats don't get far, but having original content is one of the keys to success online.

Do you have a [ whatever ] background or know where I can get one?

I've made thousands of backgrounds, but I don't have a list of them memorized. You are welcome to hunt through the images, but I can't do it for you. I also don't keep tabs on other graphics sites so I can't tell you where to find specific images. Sorry.

How did you come up with the name for your site?

Short Answer: "Boogie Jack" comes from an old blues song and I'm a big fan of all kinds of blues music.

Long Answer: My very first graphics were posted on another site and the webmaster wanted a name to credit the images to. I was new to the net and my wife didn't want me to use my real name. I was listening to a blues song while reading his email and grabbed my site title from the lyrics. I became known by it, having had my graphics used in ZDNet cd-rom book inserts and in some software programs as well. When I decided to build my own site I had a choice of either starting from scratch or going with the name I'd become known by. People seemed to like it, and it's easier to keep publicity going than to start it, so I'm still riding that pony.

I can't figure out how to upload my web site, can you do it for me?

I could, but you'd have to pay for my time. I don't work for free and I doubt if you do either. In case you do work for free though, come on over, I've got a LOT of work I'd like you to do for me.

How do I download a background, tile a background, add an image, etc.?

You'll find tutorials for those questions and more in the web design section of the site. Many, if not most, questions you want to ask are already answered somewhere on my web site. I receive hundreds of emails per day, you'll get the help you want faster if you'll just learn to use the site to help yourself.

I'm having trouble with [ insert software name here ]. Can you help?

Sorry, but I don't have the time nor expertise to provide technical support for [ insert software vendor here ]. Please refer to the vendor where you got the software for better answers than I would be able to provide.

Do you know where I can get [ insert commercial software name ] for free?

No. I support copyright law and the right to earn a living. You'll feel a lot better about yourself if you buy the programs you want. You may be able to cheat a vendor out of his money now and then, but you also cheat yourself when you do. You can't escape your own conscience.

I'm on web tv, can I use your graphics in my email?

Not directly from my site. I don't allow linking directly to the images because I'm not willing to pay for everyone else's bandwidth. You need to open a site on one of the free hosts and transload images to there, and link to them there. You need to search for information on transloading images with Web TV if you don't know how to do it.

Can you make a custom graphic for me?

Perhaps, but not for free. I earn my living from this web stuff. I can't feed the dog if I work for free. If you'd like a quote, contact me with the details of what you're looking for. If I have time to do it—and I often don't—I'll email you back with a quote. If I don't have time I may be able refer you to someone who can help you.

Unsubscribe me!

I'll admit it, this demand is a pet peeve of mine, so I apologize if my answer seems a little harsh. In the first place, I don't know what list you want unsubscribed from, I write a lot of things. In the second place, you signed up for whatever you want unsubscribed from all by yourself, so be adult enough to unsubscribe on your own. Any publication I write or write for has an unsubscribe link in it. All you have to do is click the link.

On the other hand, I'd have to search for which list you're on. Maybe you're on two and I'd unsubscribe you from the wrong one! It would take you 10 seconds for you to follow the link, it could take me 10-15 minutes if you were on the last list I had to check. Be responspible for your own actions. Of course, if for some odd reason you're having trouble I'm more than willing to help, but please do take the first step yourself.

Can I put your tutorials on my site to help others?

In your eyes this may seem like a perfectly reasonable request, but from my perspective it's a totally unreasonable request. If you'd worked hard at building your site since 1997—and I've worked many 12-14 hour days, 7 day weeks—would you want to let anyone take your hard-won content? I don't think you would.

My content makes my site unique, which helps make it popular and helps pay the bills and take care of my family. I've worked extremely hard to develop this site into the resource it is. I'm not going to just let someone replicate it because they want to, I'd only be hurting myself, my wife, and my children. I hope you can see past your wishes and can understand my reasoning.

As I always tell folks, you will not only be better off developing your own content, but you'll get much more satisfaction from it if you do. The satisfaction you get and the success of your site (and your life) is in direct proportion to the effort you put into it. The more you put into it, the more you'll get out of it.

Taking someone else's content is not the way to popularity, satisfaction, or goal achievement. It's wanting something for nothing. If you really just want to help people and think my work can do that, write a nice review of my site and link to it. If your motives are pure, then you not only achieve your goal of helping people, but you'll have unique content of your own (the review you write) that you can be proud of.

Did you go to school for web site design?

No I didn't, though I'd recommend it for anyone interested in a career at it. I taught myself by reading, doing, experimenting, and finally, by writing about it.

How did you learn to make graphics?

I bought Corel Photopaint and one book to learn the tools, then I played around and experimented. I love making graphics so it's been nothing but pure fun for me.

I wrote to you but you did not answer. Is anyone there?

There is, but I can receive hundreds of emails each day. I read and answer as many as I can, but I can't always answer every email I get in a day because there just aren't enough hours in the day—and my rump gets tired! I looked in my Inbox as I was writing this answer, and I have 2,106 emails. It's just very difficult for one person to keep up with kind of volume. I'm sorry if I didn't reply to you, but that's the price of having a popular site. I do the best I can.

I want eBook Farming, but since it's just a download it doesn't cost you anything, so how about selling to me for $10.00?

It doesn't cost me anything? How about the roughly 300 hours that went into researching and writing it? If you want it at a discount just subscribe to my newsletter. I often give subscribers discounts on products.

I've got the first edition of your book, and I'm having trouble with one of the techniques.

That edition is seven years old as I write this. While much of it is still relevant, a lot has changed since then, so naturally some of it is outdated now. The book is currently in the third edition. It goes into successive editions because technology changes. I recommend you upgrade instead of trying to make outdated material work.

We're using your book at [ insert school name here ] and I've got an assignment due soon. Can you help me [ insert problem here ].

I'm sorry, but instructors generally don't approve of the author of their teaching text giving the answers to their students. Since I'd like them to keep using my book as the teaching text, I'll have to respectfully decline solving your homework problems for you. Besides, the answers are in the book. You'll learn more if you figure it out for yourself than if I just hand you the answer.