SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Here are few guidelines on SEO that I find it very useful.

Building a search engine optimized Website

By Jono Craig July 2002

No doubt about it, design a Website with search engines in mind right from the start and you will save future marketing time and money. The most likely scenario most of us encounter however are lofty initial objectives with scant follow through.

In this article, a broad search engine optimization (SEO) foundation will be described. Stay with me for the conclusion; as I blow aside some of the smoke and mirrors to reveal on-line resources for testing and fine tuning a Website’s SEO potential.
1. Plan your site

Take time to map out your content before building your site.

Identify possible themes i.e. if your site is about clothing, you may have sub categories for men, women, boys, girls & further sub categories for mens casual wear, mens toiletries, mens shoes etc. Some top tier Search engines identify specific theme areas of Websites – let’s make it easier for them.

Your Website folders may look like this: mens-casual-wear, mens-toiletries etc. By placing one index.html (or landing page) in each of these directories, search engine’s can categorize these specific theme areas easier.
2. Content is king

Content has supposedly always been king; so what do we hail it now? More than ever, the emphasis is on unique, useful and keyword rich content.

Don’t forget to research how your market will search for your product. Look at various search scenarios. Anticipate & cover them.

To participate in the search engine’s (ahem, much coveted) top 10 position race requires preparation and technique. We need to understand the delicate balance between feeding the right information to both Website visitors and search engine spiders.

Define a content guideline before creating your Website content. Use on-line resources to help you ensure you have peppered or seasoned your content with a good mix of relevant keywords. The future of successful search engine results will weigh heavily on specialized Website copy.
3. Know your tags.

Meta tags can distract many web developers and if used incorrectly; can work against you. I believe three Meta tags are required at present namely: Title, Keywords & Description.

The Title tag is the most important criteria out of the three, not only will it help attract a potential search result (human) click through but can include relevant keywords & phrases for the search engines. There are other Meta tags for specific purposes i.e. to ensure a page does not get indexed or listed.

Personally I don’t add keywords, which do not exist on that particular page, and I keep the number of repeated keywords to a maximum of 3. This tag is fast becoming redundant and often SEO professionals will make use of it as a reminder of their areas of focus per page. Don’t expect too much from this tag.

Your Description tag however, is important, as several search engines will still refer to it. Again that balance between human click through fiber and search engine food is necessary.
4. Be careful with the use of some technologies

Friends don’t let friends use frames. Although a popular design choice by many, it’s important to design a site, which is search engine spider friendly. Can they get to your content easily?

In a similar manner the use of certain processing technologies (i.e. some Java Servlets) can result in one page of content seen to a human visitor and a blank page to the search engine spider.

Test your Website while it’s in development – rather allocate more time getting the structure correct than waste months of on-line time with lackluster results.
5. Make a site map

Create a site map to assist both human visitors & search engine spiders. Keep it simple.

A logical layout with HTML links which include keyword rich descriptions i.e. mens casual wear – dinner jackets, will assist both audiences. Your site map should be linked throughout your site.
6. Keep your pages lean & mean.

Secondary pages or those linking off your home page (products etc.) are best optimized for search engines if they contain between 350 – 550 words.

Wherever possible break your pages up, retain the same layout; look & feel but set a reasonable page limit throughout your site.

Some search engines may exclude a page if it is above 100 KB. An ideal size? The smaller the better, keep any scripts in external files to minimize page size & to assist spider digestion.
7. Keep it consistent.

Create user-friendly navigation, which spiders can access. Certain Dynamic HTML drop-down menus can be problematic. The common denominator to both human & search engine spider visitors are standard HTML links.

Use image Alt tags to accurately describe your site’s images and to subtly reinforce your keyword focus per page.

Keep your SEO goal consistent through out your site – treat each page as a potential entry (via a search engine).
8. Study the competition

Use the Web to see what your competitors are doing. Too often we reinvent the wheel instead of watching to see who is successful and then decipher how they possibly got there.

Create a competitive landscape spreadsheet – list the top competitors for several keyword phrases specific to your market i.e. mens wear london, women’s shoes london etc.

Develop a keen eye for detail – see why these sites do well in particular – is it their domain name, page title, content, directory listing etc? The only way you can participate in the SEO race is by knowing who the top contenders are and what they’re doing.
9. Build, measure, fine tune

Be prepared to make some changes and adjustments if you are serious about your search engine position results. Realize it is going to take time; possibly up to six months to see your careful work bear fruit.

We need to develop Websites with the objective of feeding both human & search engine spider visitors. How certain are you that they will be adequately fed by your data? Is it better than that of your competitors?
10. Avoid the snake oil

Be wary of those offering to submit your site to 3000 search engines. Successful SEO is about careful planning, focused strategies resulting in improved HTML code / data and certainly not mass submission. Your best options are to research SEO for yourself or to consult with search engine optimization professionals.

Learn how to read your Web site’s log files in order to become familiar with your visitors click stream analysis or typical site walk through pattern.

Be able to identify your typical monthly site traffic pattern; which search engines are sending you visits and for which terms etc.

Work closely with your Website developers; you know your market and specifically your competitors & potential new markets.
To sum up

In summary I would like to reflect on the intricacies of search engine optimization.

There are no magic formulas. Similar to the Olympic Games there are few Gold medals to take home. I view the top 10 positions as Gold, the following 5 as Silver and the following 5 as Bronze. Anything less is a also ran scenario.

Expect tactics and techniques to vary and change. A successful SEO strategy this July may well be surpassed and less effective within 6 to 12 months.

Base your Web development on consistent, visitor & spider friendly principles.

I believe we’re entering the age of the search engine; the next killer app following e-mail. For years we’ve learnt how to design sites with little consideration to this sleeping giant. I will see you at the finish line.

May ye search engine Gods smile favorably as we pore over top 10 search engine results…
Jono reveals some top SEO resources:

Use online resources to help you ensure you have peppered or seasoned your content with a good mix of relevant keywords:

WordTracker
Overture Suggestion Tool
Google AdWords Keyword Suggestions
Keyword Counter

(see Pandia SEO Gateway for more tools)

Know your tags:

Pandia on meta tags

It’s important to design a site which is search engine spider friendly. Can they get to your content easily?

Search Engine Spider Simulator

Keep your pages lean & mean:

Webpage Size Checker

Learn more about search engine optimization:

Make use of Pandia’s huge palette of search engine ranking tools, resources, books, articles and more.
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Top Meta Tag Myths

By Jono Craig July 2002, update October 2002

It’s Saturday night and I’m explaining to my new acquaintance that I am a search engine optimization consultant.

“Oh… So you add meta tags to Websites” concludes my acquaintance.

I breathe out slowly. “Yes, that a part of what I do…” I offer, wondering how on earth did search engine optimization earn such a humble job description.

Today Meta tags are possibly the most misapplied aspect of search engine optimization. In this article, I’m going to dispense with some current Top meta tag myths.

These very myths separate professionally optimized sites from the amateurs. They can make the difference between being treated favorably by search engines or not.
Myth 1: “Add all the meta tags you can find.”

Take a look under the surface of a few Websites out there (view their HTML source in your browser’s View>Source option). Numerous sites have some incredible tags.
More on meta tags

If you want to know what a meta tag looks like (the code) and where to put them, read Pandia’s article on how to optimize Web page elements.

It’s as if the Website developer wanted to cover all possible bases with as many tags as possible. They will have copyright, author, region and distribution tags alongside the more common ones.

Remember the old maxim; kiss? Keep it simple stupid. I have to remind myself of this often. Unless you are absolutely confident of individual tags, don’t add them. Worse yet, some Website authors make up their own tags. Quaint it is, pretty it ain’t.
Myth 2: “Have lots & lots of keywords.”

I mentioned the correct use of keywords in my article on Building a search engine optimized Website.

Personally I avoid placing too much faith and dependence upon the ubiquitous Keyword tag. Yes it has merit and place but is also very likely to become near redundant before the year is out.

Google ignores this tag. If you consider the amount of spamdexing (stuffing of Keywords shamelessly into Keyword Tags) it’s not hard to figure out that the search engines have to treat this tag with caution.

[In September also AltaVista abandoned the keyword meta tag. This means that Inktomi is the only major search engine supporting this tag. The Editor.]

Keep the number of repeated keywords to a maximum of three. Use Keywords, which are relevant to your page and target market.
Myth 3: “Keyword lists must have a formula.”

This includes: “it’s better to add Keywords with or without commas.”

A moot point in the SEO world, there appears to be numerous options. Keywords followed by a comma with no space or keywords followed with a comma and then one space and finally, keywords separated with a space and no comma.

One theory exists that the last option is better; it allows the search engine to mix and match combinations of your presented keywords into possible phrases. Ultimately one has to be careful not to get too distracted by this tag – don’t misuse it and definately don’t expect miracles from it.
Myth 4: “The Title tag doesn’t really do much.”

Out of all the tags, this is definitely the most important when used correctly. Similar to writing your site content; write your Title tag for your audience first and the search engines second.

It is a delicate balance between tweaking the ratio to favor the search engines but always consider whether or not the Title tag would motivate a click through.

Create a standard or guide for your site’s tags. The various search engines have their own limits so its nest to aim for some middle ground. You may wish to set an outer limit or maximum of 90 characters with spaces (cws).

Consider your site branding and navigation issues (where exactly am I?) as you create your Title tags.
Myth 5: “If I copy my competitor’s tags I will do just as well.”

It’s not about the number of tags or number of keywords etc. It’s about understanding tags and the intricacies of search engine optimization in general.

I personally recommend a minimal set of meta tags, namely, Title, Description & Keywords.

What may work on a competitor’s site is still subject to a wide array of other factors including; the URL, link popularity, page content, site structure, keywords & phrases, image alt tags, alongside numerous spider or index factors. Search engine algorithms notoriously cycle through a variety of changes. Know your tags but also get to know your broader search engine optimization requirements.
Myth 6: “If I repeat my Keywords and Descriptions in a comment tag I will rank better.”

There was a time when this technique was in vogue for search engines, which may have read and indexed comment tags. Today we know that it’s safer to refrain from code, which may be misconstrued as spam.

There is no need to repeat your tags.
Myth 7: “We have to have as many different Keywords as possible throughout our site.”

This becomes a search engine optimizer’s headache. The client clinging to this notion regardless. The marketer spending hours looking for extra keywords to add. Often the keywords they want to include are not even mentioned in the page content.

Identify a theme or focus for each particular page. If it can be covered in 10 – 20 Keywords or key phrases which are actually found on that page, all the better. Yes, there can be a place for synonyms (words with similar or related meanings).

Keep page content to tag content relevance in mind. Some search engines will permit misspelled Keywords, which are not actually found on the page.
Myth 8: “Anyone can write the tags for a Website.”

Search engine optimization calls upon a new range of skills. Ensure that the person writing your tags is passionate about results. What you put in is what you will get out.

A certain amount of copywriting flair combined with focused marketing objective is required. Writing tags to entice both discerning humans and search engine spiders is no trivial task.
Myth 9. “The Description tag isn’t important – since Google doesn’t use it.”

Google generates a page snippet or a ‘ransom note’ comprising of parts of actual page content. Should this not be available, a relevant DMOZ Description is used. There are instances when Google will make use of a supplied Website Description tag.

Don’t forget that a lot of search engines do still make use of your Description tag. If it’s compelling and succinctly describes your Website’s unique sales proposition, this may in conjunction with your Title tag be the pull that draws your visitor to click through.
Essential Tags Summary:

These are general recommendations; always determine the optimum guideline for your site based on your search engine target.

* Title tag: 5 – 10 words, including the company name and relevant keywords, 90 characters with spaces (90 cws).
* Description tag: Concise summary of the page, an upper limit of perhaps, 170 characters with spaces (170 cws).
* Keyword tag: An upper limit of 900 characters with spaces – keep it simple and relevant. 10 – 20 Keywords per page (900 cws).

In some instances (Title/Description tag) the search engines may produce a truncated result. Your Title tag or Description may therefore be abbreviated or cut short if it exceeds a particular search engines limit. Bear this in mind when writing your tags.

Use unique tags per page – i.e. each page should have its own Title tag etc.

I’m holding out until the day arrives, when search engine optimization is recognized as the new digital economy skill, that it truly is. Until then, smile politely and explain the subtle challenges we now face should a new acquaintance loudly summarize your job description.

See also Pandia’s article on Using meta tags in search engine optimization .
Jono reveals some top SEO resources

Use on-line resources to help you ensure you have peppered or seasoned your content with a good mix of relevant keywords:

WordTracker
Overture Suggestion Tool
Google AdWords Keyword Suggestions
Google Search (Search Google for specific title tag results)
Keyword Counter
Keyword Density Analyzer

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Meta Tags Generators – Fast track creating your META tags with our advanced META tag generator. Just select the META tags you would like and let our META tag generator spit out the code for you. Takes under 30 seconds and you’ll have a complete set of META tags without needing to know anything about them.

Meta Tags Optimization Tool – Meta tag optimization is an important part of SEO and using this meta tag checking service can help you to optimize key terms for higher search engine ranking.

Google Keyword Tool – No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google.

Beware of SEOs that claim to guarantee rankings, allege a “special relationship” with Google, or advertise a “priority submit” to Google. There is no priority submit for Google. In fact, the only way to submit a site to Google directly is through our Add URL page or by submitting a Sitemap and you can do this yourself at no cost whatsoever.

Enable/Disable Task Manager in MS XP

There is a registry hack to enable or disable Windows NT TaskManager. The same registry hack applies to Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

Hive: HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Key: Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
Name: DisableTaskMgr
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1=Enablethis key, that is DISABLE TaskManager
Value: 0=Disablethis key, that is Don’t Disable, Enable TaskManager

As part of the enhanced management available in Windows 2000 and Windows XP, rather than risking a registry change, as an administrator you can enable or disable Windows 2000 Pro or Windows XP Pro’s TaskManager using Group Policy Editor. This can be applied to the local policy. Note: if you are trying to override your organizations group policy, you can’t. As soon as you re-authenticate to the domain, the domain or OU Group Policy will rewrite the registry setting. But if the TaskManager was accidently disabled or you need to control this item for a set of standalone boxes this is for you:

• Click Start
• Click Run
• Enter gpedit.msc in the Open box and click OK
• In the Group Policy settings window
  • Select User Configuration
  • Select Administrative Templates
  • Select System
  • Select Ctrl+Alt+Delete options
  • Select Remove Task Manager
  • Double-click the Remove Task Manager option

And as I mentioned above, since the policy is Remove Task Manager, by disabling the policy, you are enabling the Task Manager.

Got XP Home – use the registry edit.

Change/Reset Root Password in Linux

1. http://www.go2linux.org/fedora-centos-root-password-recovery
2. http://www.labtestproject.com/using_linux/step_by_step_to_reset_change_root_password_on_fedora_10
3. http://www.linuxforums.org/securit
4. /howto:_recover_root_password.htmlhttps://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo        (on root sudo-substitute user)  or  http://www.linuxforums.org/security/howto:_recover_root_password.html

Note:   Better to login to any of the user accounts and use the terminal.

BeWARE of MALWARE

Malware, a portmanteau from the words malicious and software, is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner’s informed consent. The expression is a general term used by computer professionals to mean a variety of forms of hostile, intrusive, or annoying software or program code. The term “computer virus” is sometimes used as a catch-all phrase to include all types of malware, including true viruses.

Software is considered malware based on the perceived intent of the creator rather than any particular features. Malware includes computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, most rootkits, spyware, dishonest adware, crimeware and other malicious and unwanted software. In law, malware is sometimes known as a computer contaminant, for instance in the legal codes of several U. S. states, including California and West Virginia.

Malware is not the same as defective software, that is, software which has a legitimate purpose but contains harmful bugs.

Preliminary results from Symantec published in 2008 suggested that “the release rate of malicious code and other unwanted programs may be exceeding that of legitimate software applications.” According to F-Secure, “As much malware [was] produced in 2007 as in the previous 20 years altogether.” Malware’s most common pathway from criminals to users is through the Internet: primarily by e-mail and the World Wide Web^.

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Crimeware is a class of malware designed specifically to automate financial or political crime. The term was coined by Peter Cassidy, Secretary General of the Anti-Phishing Working Group to distinguish it from other kinds of malevolent programs.^{[citation needed]}

Crimeware (as distinct from spyware, adware, and malware) is designed (through social engineering or technical stealth) to perpetrate identity theft in order to access a computer user’s online accounts at financial services companies and online retailers for the purpose of taking funds from those accounts or completing unauthorized transactions that enrich the thief controlling the crimeware. Crimeware also often has the intent to export confidential or sensitive information from a network for financial exploitation. Crimeware represents a growing problem in network security as many malicious code threats seek to pilfer confidential information.

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Spyware is computer software that is installed surreptitiously on a personal computer to collect information about a user, their computer or browsing habits without the user’s informed consent.

While the term spyware suggests software that secretly monitors the user’s behavior, the functions of spyware extend well beyond simple monitoring. Spyware programs can collect various types of personal information, such as Internet surfing habits and sites that have been visited, but can also interfere with user control of the computer in other ways, such as installing additional software and redirecting Web browser activity. Spyware is known to change computer settings, resulting in slow connection speeds, different home pages, and/or loss of Internet or functionality of other programs. In an attempt to increase the understanding of spyware, a more formal classification of its included software types is captured under the term privacy-invasive software.

In response to the emergence of spyware, a small industry has sprung up dealing in anti-spyware software. Running anti-spyware software has become a widely recognized element of computer security best practices for Microsoft Windows desktop computers. A number of jurisdictions have passed anti-spyware laws, which usually target any software that is surreptitiously installed to control a user’s computer. The US Federal Trade Commission has placed on the Internet a page of advice to consumers about how to lower the risk of spyware infection, including a list of “do’s” and “don’ts.”

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Adware or advertising-supported software is any software package which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertisements to a computer after the software is installed on it or while the application is being used. Some types of adware are also spyware and can be classified as privacy-invasive software.

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Scareware is several classes of software, often with limited or no benefit, that are sold to consumers by certain unethical marketing practices. The selling approach is designed to cause shock, anxiety, or the perception of a threat, generally directed at an unsuspecting user. Some forms of spyware and adware also use scareware tactics. A frequently used tactic is to convince users that their computer is infected with a virus, then suggest that they download, and pay for, anti-virus software to remove it. Usually the virus is entirely fictional and the software is non-functional or malware. According to the Anti-Phishing Working Group, the number of scareware packages in circulation rose from 2,850 to 9,287 in the second half of 2008.

Keylogger Freeware

Top 5  Keylogger Freeware

1. http://www.actualkeylogger.com/
2. http://www.tucows.com/preview/376270
3. http://www.kmint21.com/keylogger/
4. http://ph.brothersoft.com/Free-Keylogger-King-126235.html
5. http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/downloads/KGB_Free_Keylogger_12998_p/

NOTE:  For Parents, Teachers, CEO, CTO and company owners use and not to be abused.

How to view and manage event logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP

Event Viewer

In Windows XP, an event is any significant occurrence in the system or in a program that requires users to be notified, or an entry added to a log. The Event Log Service records application, security, and system events in Event Viewer. With the event logs in Event Viewer, you can obtain information about your hardware, software, and system components, and monitor security events on a local or remote computer. Event logs can help you identify and diagnose the source of current system problems, or help you predict potential system problems.

Event Log Types

A Windows XP-based computer records events in the following three logs:

• Application logThe application log contains events logged by programs. For example, a database program may record a file error in the application log. Events that are written to the application log are determined by the developers of the software program.
• Security logThe security log records events such as valid and invalid logon attempts, as well as events related to resource use, such as the creating, opening, or deleting of files. For example, when logon auditing is enabled, an event is recorded in the security log each time a user attempts to log on to the computer. You must be logged on as Administrator or as a member of the Administrators group in order to turn on, use, and specify which events are recorded in the security log.
• System logThe system log contains events logged by Windows XP system components. For example, if a driver fails to load during startup, an event is recorded in the system log. Windows XP predetermines the

How to View Event Logs

To open Event Viewer, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, then click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management. Or, open the MMC containing the Event Viewer snap-in.
2. In the console tree, click Event Viewer.The Application, Security, and System logs are displayed in the Event

How to View Event Details

To view the details of an event, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, then click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management. Or, open the MMC containing the Event Viewer snap-in.
2. In the console tree, expand Event Viewer, and then click the log that contains the event that you want to view.
3. In the details pane, double-click the event that you want to view.The Event Properties dialog box containing header information and a description of the event is displayed.To copy the details of the event, click the Copy button, then open a new document in the program in which you want to paste the event (for example, Microsoft Word), and then click Paste on the Edit menu.

   To view the description of the previous or next event, click the UP

How to Interpret an Event

Each log entry is classified by type, and contains header information, and a description of the event.

Event Header

The event header contains the following information about the event:

• DateThe date the event occurred.
• TimeThe time the event occurred.
• UserThe user name of the user that was logged on when the event occurred.
• ComputerThe name of the computer where the event occurred.
• Event IDAn event number that identifies the event type. The Event ID can be used by product support representatives to help understand what occurred in the system.
• SourceThe source of the event. This can be the name of a program, a system component, or an individual component of a large program.
• TypeThe type of event. This can be one of the following five types: Error, Warning, Information, Success Audit, or Failure Audit.
• CategoryA classification of the event by the event source. This is primarily used in the security log.

Event Types

The description of each event that is logged depends on the type of event. Each event in a log can be classified into one of the following types:

• InformationAn event that describes the successful operation of a task, such as an application, driver, or service. For example, an Information event is logged when a network driver loads successfully.
• WarningAn event that is not necessarily significant, however, may indicate the possible occurrence of a future problem. For example, a Warning message is logged when disk space starts to run low.
• ErrorAn event that describes a significant problem, such as the failure of a critical task. Error events may involve data loss or loss of functionality. For example, an Error event is logged if a service fails to load during startup.
• Success Audit (Security log)An event that describes the successful completion of an audited security event. For example, a Success Audit event is logged when a user logs on to the computer.
• Failure Audit (Security log)An event that describes an audited security event that did not complete successfully. For example, a Failure Audit may be logged when a user cannot access a network drive.

How to Find Events in a Log

The default view of event logs is to list all its entries. If you want to find a specific event, or view a subset of events, you can either search the log, or you can apply a filter to the log data.

How to Search for a Specific Log Event

To search for a specific log event, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, then click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management. Or, open the MMC containing the Event Viewer snap-in.
2. In the console tree, expand Event Viewer, and then click the log that contains the event that you want to view.
3. On the View menu, click Find.
4. Specify the options for the event that you want to view in the Find dialog box, and then click Find Next.

The event that matches your search criteria is highlighted in the details pane. Click Find Next to locate the next occurrence of an event as defined by your search criteria.

How to Filter Log Events

To filter log events, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, then click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management. Or, open the MMC containing the Event Viewer snap-in.
2. In the console tree, expand Event Viewer, and then click the log that contains the event that you want to view.
3. On the View menu, click Filter.
4. Click the Filter tab (if it is not already selected).
5. Specify the filter options that you want, and then click OK.

Only events that match your filter criteria are displayed in the details pane.

To return the view to display all log entries, click Filter on the View menu, and then click Restore Defaults

How to Manage Log Contents

By default, the initial maximum of size of a log is set to 512 KB, and when this size is reached, new events overwrite older events as needed. Depending on your requirements, you can change these settings, or clear a log of its contents.

How to Set Log Size and Overwrite Options

To specify log size and overwrite options, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, then click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management. Or, open the MMC containing the Event Viewer snap-in.
2. In the console tree, expand Event Viewer, and then right-click the log in which you want to set size and overwrite options.
3. Under Log size, type the size that you want in the Maximum log size box.
4. Under When maximum log size is reached, click the overwrite option that you want.
5. If you want to clear the log contents, click Clear Log.
6. Click OK.

How to Archive a Log

If you want to save your log data, you can archive event logs in any of the following formats:

• Log-file format (.evt)
• Text-file format (.txt)
• Comma-delimited text-file format (.csv)

To archive a log, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, then click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management. Or, open the MMC containing the Event Viewer snap-in.
2. In the console tree, expand Event Viewer, and then right-click the log in which you want to archive, and then click Save Log File As.
3. Specify a file name and location where you want to save the file. In the Save as type box, click the format that you want, and then click Save.

The log file is saved in the format that you specified.