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Self Hosting 101 – part 2

March 11, 2017 · by: Athina Leave a Comment

All the bloody basics in 3 non-intimidating posts

If you’ve been blogging on a free platform for a while you must have heard, time and again, many “experts” and “not-so-experts” telling you you need to self-host. In my previous post we broke down some essential info you need to be aware of and I also gave you a run-down list of major pros & cons on self versus free hosting.

So with that tip out of the way, here’s my two cents on the rest of the mountain…

If you’re just setting up your site, all you need to do is pick up a plan that best suits your needs with a well-known company, and you can get your blog up and running, following a tutorial, in a jiffy. Same thing is true if you’re migrating from a subdomain address or if you’ve decided on a new web-address altogether. But…

If you’re already paying for a custom domain name within a free blogging platform there are a couple of things you need to be aware of. Namely one: Domain Name Server (DNS) data propagation takes time.

What happened to me was nothing major at all, actually it was a pretty common glitch. My issue was resolved within a couple of hours but it played an immense role in how (and why!) I chose the hosting company that I did. Let me explain further:

I had initially registered with a different hosting company than the one I’m using now. I’m using screenshots provided by my current host (SiteGround) for demonstration purposes, but hosting plans are very similar and registration steps are pretty common in all platforms. Step.1 is “Choose Plan”. The start-up package is usually a great choice for a blog.

 

Step 2. is “Choose Domain”. When you register a “New Domain” you type in the name of your choice between the www. and .com fields (you can tweak the .com extension into any country-specific or other popular extension you like, but experts say .com is the wisest route to follow) and hit “proceed”.

 

*Upon the launch of new plan discounts (on March 16th, 2017) free domain registration, shown here, will be discontinued. SiteGround clients will be able to register a new domain at standard prices.

If the name you’ve chosen is already taken you will get a message saying something like this: “The domain name you have chosen is not available. Please choose a domain from the suggestions below”… If your name of choice is quite unique, congratulations, moving on to step 3.

You will be asked to provide your client and payment information (if you have not already signed up for an account at the beginning), you will review your hosting plan info, and complete the purchase. You will then be redirected to your Customer Area (you may need to re-log in using the username & password you’ve recently provided). Follow any step-by-step tutorial, or walk-through you can find on YouTube (like this great one) to complete the process. Go on My Account, then on to cPanel. From cPanel, download and install your blogging platform of choice (like WordPress or Joomla) on your domain name. Once the process is complete you’ll get a username, password, and login url. Copy and save your username & password. Click on the login url to be taken to your blogging platform’s log-in page. Enter the info you just saved, and well… log in! Congrats, you’re on your dashboard and you can start building your blog!

But let me back-track a bit:

*Upon the launch of new plan discounts (on March 16th, 2017) free domain registration, shown here, will be discontinued. SiteGround clients will be able to register a new domain at standard prices.

See above where it says “I already have a Domain”? If you’re migrating from a free blogging/hosting platform and you’re already paying for a custom domain name within it, you’re going to need to click on that instead of registering for a new one. The next of the steps remain the same. But… oh, but –as I said before DNS data propagation takes time. And you just changed your Domain Name Servers, but kept the same address! To give you a silly analogy, you moved house, stayed on the same street but you now have a different street number. Wouldn’t you bet that many friends and acquaintances, and even service companies would mix up your old & new addresses?!

So the glitch in my case was, that even though I was using my new username & password to log into WordPress.org where I should be able to see my new dashboard, I was being redirected to the old one instead! Again and again, attempt after attempt my WordPress.com dashboard kept popping up! I tried to troubleshoot by researching online. Tutorials said you need to go onto WordPress.com settings and restore your old subdomain name, then set that old blog on “private” instead of “public”. Then, after signing up with your new host, go back to WordPress.com settings and change the name servers on your –already– registered domain (all info being available in your host Customer Area, under My Account). But these suggestions were all about helping others find your new website instead of accidentally bumping onto your old one. There was no mention, anywhere, of the problem that I was encountering. I also made sure I deleted any old blog bookmarks I had on my browser(s) and then cleared all browsing history, including cookies/cache. Still, nothing.

I logged into my hosting panel again and asked to live-chat with tech support. I had to wait for about 20 minutes but I didn’t mind that. Said host is very popular and they support hundreds of thousands of clients 24/7 all over the globe. In fact, given how big they are, I think an average 15-20 minutes on hold is really ok. When the tech came up he was patient while I explained everything in full detail. And then right away he proposed something that was, I guess, a great solution but left me a bit stunned… He said, “you can pay us and we will fix this”. Period. Literally. That was it! No questions asked, no suggestions or hint that we could try to troubleshoot otherwise, not a mere attempt to maybe explain to me what could be causing the problem, not even the slightest implication along the lines of “listen rookie, this is not up your alley, let pros handle it”. I mean, he could have sold this to me so much better, right? I typed in “Ok, thank you. I will have to think about it” but right then and there something compelled me to try another host. I sent an email and cancelled their service (and I have to say I was refunded almost immediately). Then, I singed-up with SiteGround. Sure enough the same thing happened with them too. After I deleted everything and cleared up my computer to the core, I set up my account and registered, and repeated all the steps involved. And when the time came to log into my WordPress.org dashboard the dreaded WordPress.com one popped up again.

Well, hello SiteGround support! Tech was with me on live chat in under 10 minutes. She said I had done everything by the book and had already troubleshot greatly on my own (she did give me one more tip that I will share with you in my next post). Then she took the time to explain to me what I have already shared above. The servers need time before they start propagating new data properly and it can take up to 48 hours. But, she said, in the meantime, let me give you a temporary link that you can use to successfully log into your dashboard and start working on your site if you wish to. Boom! Clicked, logged in, dunzo! Ehm, SiteGround, I love you!

 

 

From then on they have been wonderful, in resolving whatever issues I have had (all of which involved me messing up my blog). Of course they have paid services to help you set up and transfer all your content from your previous site, if you choose to! I have experienced no downtime at all within a year (except for scheduled, minor intervals, during maintenance, usually well into the late night hours). Their loading speed is amazing and they have top-notch security features. Their prices are awesome and they even generated a custom PayPal link for me, back in the day, to help me complete payment when I couldn’t use my Greek credit card online due to capital controls. Phone support picks up immediately, live-chat can resolve an issue within 5 minutes, the first reply to an open ticket comes within 8 minutes (the average industry first reply comes in nearly 8 hours and only 2 companies are below 1 hour). Need I say more? Ok, they called me back, at home (in Greece, from The Netherlands) after the 48-hour-data-propagation-frame to make sure my site was up and running properly and that I had had no other issues. I was, and still am, like… seriously?

SiteGround has three plans and you can currently sign up for any of them with a great discount. In fact, on March 16th they’re launching new uniform discounts across all shared plans. This will lead to even better prices for the GrowBig and GoGeek packages (60% discount for all the prices in USD and GBP and 50% for EUR and AUD while the lead price for the StartUp plan will remain unchanged – 3.95 USD/mo, 3.95 EUR/mo and 2.75 GBP/mo).

  • The StartUp plan is perfect for people with one website that are just starting out
  • The GrowBig plan is a great value for money offer, including the option for multiple websites and the SuperCacher feature that greatly improves a WordPress and Joomla website speed
  • The GoGeek plan is perfect for people with e-commerce and larger sites, or more geeky development needs like staging and GIT integration

I can honestly rave about them all day long. I highly recommend them, can you tell? Make sure you hop on to the 3rd and final post of this small blogging series, where I’m giving you one more run-down list with my final tips and I’m also answering some of the most common questions we all itch to ask, when migrating sites, but hesitate to!

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About Me

A stalwart bookworm ever since I can remember myself. I studied English & American Literature and became an EFL/ESOL Teacher. I successfully(!) combined teaching and working as an executive secretary, in a big advertising company and a law firm, for several years. I'm a freelance writer, line editor, and blogger as of lately. Also, a bit ironic by nature but, all in all, quite easy-going. Partner to 1 & mother to 2 cats. I once tried to give up coffee and then swore to never make that mistake again... Read More…

kickingbackthepebbles

If there was ever a time for a black-themed Christ If there was ever a time for a black-themed Christmas tree, I say 2020 is it! 🎄🎄🎄
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I've listed my items, in case you're interested @ my linktr.ee (follow the link in bio). For the items specific to the Greek market, I've listed similar on Amazon and Amazon.co.uk (some are affiliate links).
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P.S.: I realize as I'm posting this that several online shops are swamped with orders during lockdowns and have decided to go on a brief halt. Also, keep in mind that all shipments are susceptible to delays due to Covid-19 restrictions. My post is only meant to inspire you and not to overwhelm you in any way. If you like the look and wish to go for it, you can totally DIY it—or do something similar—with whatever materials you have at hand. To recreate these particular baubles, use matte black spray-paint and give your old ones a coat or two. Use a small paintbrush and mod-podge to draw snowflakes (or any other shape you 🖤), sprinkle with gold glitter, and voilà! Things should get better. Be patient, keep your chin up, and get creative—it helps battle the blues. 
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#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #christmas #christmas2020🎄🎅🎁#christmastime #christmasiscoming #christmas2020notcancelled #christmasdecor #tistheseason #christmasmood #holidays #festive #seasonsgreetings #christmasshopping #happyholidays #christmascheer #photooftheday #instagood #christmasvibes #countdowntochristmas #countdown #joy #noel #holidayseason #christmassy  #christmas2020doesnthavetosuck #christmas2020loading #lockdownchristmasspecial #lockdownchristmas2020
Final day (7) of Kouzounas Kitchen's November Supe Final day (7) of Kouzounas Kitchen's November Superfood Week. What a marvelous week this has been! 
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I've kept you posted daily, leaving the links to the recipes of my partners in crime below and today is no exception. Copy & paste the link below to Krystina's final weekly post where you can find a roundup of the entire Superfood Week and today's recipe by Foodie and Wine Lover—a direct link will also be available for a while @ my linktr.ee (follow the link in bio). I hope you've enjoyed this as much as I did. Thanks for following along! 😊
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Pear & Blue Cheese Salad 🥗 by @foodieandwinelover @ https://kouzounaskitchen.com/2020/11/15/november-superfood-week-day-7/
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➡️➡️ Find the entire Kouzounas Kitchen November Superfood Week @ https://kouzounaskitchen.com/
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👩🏻‍🍳 Foodie and Wine Lover @ https://foodiewinelover.com
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#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #foodblog #bloggerlife #foodie #recipes #kouzounaskitchen #foodiewinelover  #itsfallyall #november #superfoodweek #quarantinelife #quarantinecooking #homemade #makeyourown #fromscratch #instagood #fooddiary #foodgram #yumyum #foodcoma #foodisfuel #foodlover #foodstagram #instafeast #heresmyfood #theartofslowliving
Day 6 of Kouzounas Kitchen's November Superfood We Day 6 of Kouzounas Kitchen's November Superfood Week. (Take a peek at Monday's post for more deets.)
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I'm keeping you posted daily, leaving the links to the recipes of my partners in crime below (copy & paste), but direct links will also be available for a while @ my linktr.ee (follow the link in bio). Dig in!
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Roasted Pumpkin With Pomegranate and Cream of Feta 🥘 by @eatyourselfgreek @ https://kouzounaskitchen.com/2020/11/14/november-superfood-week-day-6/
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➡️➡️ Find the entire @kouzounaskitchen November Superfood Week @ https://kouzounaskitchen.com/
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👩🏻‍🍳 Eat Yourself Greek @ https://eatyourselfgreek.com
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#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #foodblog #bloggerlife #foodie #recipes #kouzounaskitchen #eatyourselfgreek  #itsfallyall #november #superfoodweek #quarantinelife #quarantinecooking #homemade #makeyourown #fromscratch #instagood #fooddiary #foodgram #yumyum #foodcoma #foodisfuel #foodlover #foodstagram #instafeast #heresmyfood #theartofslowliving
Day 5 of Kouzounas Kitchen's November Superfood We Day 5 of Kouzounas Kitchen's November Superfood Week. (Take a peek at Monday's post for more deets.)
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I'm keeping you posted daily, leaving the links to the recipes of my partners in crime below (copy & paste), but direct links will also be available for a while @ my linktr.ee (follow the link in bio). Dig in!
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Roasted Delicata Squash With Arugula and Aronia Berries 🥗  by Sweet Greek  @ https://kouzounaskitchen.com/2020/11/13/november-superfood-week-day-5/
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➡️➡️ Find the entire @kouzounaskitchen November Superfood Week @ https://kouzounaskitchen.com/
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👩🏻‍🍳 Sweet Greek @ https://mysweetgreek.com/blog/
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#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #foodblog #bloggerlife #foodie #recipes #kouzounaskitchen #xtinaxenos #itsfallyall #november #superfoodweek #quarantinelife #quarantinecooking #homemade #makeyourown #fromscratch #instagood #fooddiary #foodgram #yumyum #foodcoma #foodisfuel #foodlover #foodstagram #instafeast #heresmyfood #theartofslowliving
Day 4 of Kouzounas Kitchen's November Superfood We Day 4 of Kouzounas Kitchen's November Superfood Week, featuring yours truly! (Take a peek at Monday's post for more deets.)
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The recipes are also available on my site, but due to a broken recipe plugin and a chronic procrastinator—yep, referring to me again—they're all messed up and nowhere near shearability. If you do insist on jumping over, you may proceed at your own risk. 😅 For the time being, here's where it's safest:
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Roasted Carrot Saffron Soup & Coriander Chickpea Soup 𝑝𝑎𝑟 𝑚𝑜𝑖 @ https://kouzounaskitchen.com/2020/11/12/november-superfood-week-day-4/
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➡️➡️ Find the entire Kouzounas Kitchen November Superfood Week @ https://kouzounaskitchen.com/
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#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #foodblog #bloggerlife #foodie #recipes #kouzounaskitchen #itsfallyall #november #superfoodweek #quarantinelife #quarantinecooking #homemade #makeyourown #fromscratch #instagood #fooddiary #foodgram #yumyum #foodcoma #foodisfuel #foodlover #foodstagram #instafeast #heresmyfood #theartofslowliving
Day 3 of Kouzounas Kitchen's November Superfood We Day 3 of Kouzounas Kitchen's November Superfood Week—take a peek at my post from two days ago for more deets! 
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You can find the links to the recipes of my partners in crime below (copy & paste), but direct links will also be available for a while @ my linktr.ee (follow the link in bio). As most of the world is in lockdown mode again, I hope we inspire everyone to nourish their bodies and souls. May the warmth and vibrant hustle of our kitchens spread positive vibes, some comfort, and cheer. Dig in! 
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Carrot, Ginger, and Apple Smoothie🧋& Beet Soup 🥣 by @kouzounaskitchen @ https://kouzounaskitchen.com/2020/11/11/november-superfood-week-day-3/
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➡️➡️ Find the entire Kouzounas Kitchen November Superfood Week @ https://kouzounaskitchen.com/
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#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #foodblog #bloggerlife #foodie #recipes #kouzounaskitchen #itsfallyall #november #superfoodweek #quarantinelife #quarantinecooking #homemade #makeyourown #fromscratch #instagood #fooddiary #foodgram #yumyum #foodcoma #foodisfuel #foodlover #foodstagram #instafeast #heresmyfood #theartofslowliving
Day 2 of Kouzounas Kitchen's November Superfood We Day 2 of Kouzounas Kitchen's November Superfood Week—take a peek at my previous post for more deets! 
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I'll be keeping you posted daily, leaving the links to the recipes of my partners in crime below (copy & paste), but direct links will also be available for a while @ my linktr.ee (follow the link in bio). As most of the world is in lockdown mode again, I hope we inspire everyone to nourish their bodies and souls. May the warmth and vibrant hustle of our kitchens spread positive vibes, some comfort, and cheer. Dig in! 
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Fasolada, Greek White Bean Soup 🥣 & Briam, Greek Style Mixed Oven-Roasted Vegetables 🥘 by Cook Like a Greek @ https://kouzounaskitchen.com/2020/11/10/november-superfood-week-day-2/
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➡️➡️ Find the entire Kouzounas Kitchen November Superfood Week @ https://kouzounaskitchen.com/
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👩🏻‍🍳👩🏻‍🍳 Cook Like a Greek @ https://cooklikeagreekblog.com/
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#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #foodblog #bloggerlife #foodie #recipes #kouzounaskitchen #cooklikeagreek #itsfallyall #november #superfoodweek #quarantinelife #quarantinecooking #homemade #makeyourown #fromscratch #instagood #fooddiary #foodgram #yumyum #foodcoma #foodisfuel #foodlover #foodstagram #instafeast #heresmyfood #theartofslowliving
When it comes to superfood antics, some like kale, When it comes to superfood antics, some like kale, pomegranate, green or matcha teas, nuts, and berries, usually get all of the glory. And yet, more research is uncovering the age-defying, disease-fighting, fat-blasting super-powers of commoner foods you've been likely overlooking. Leeks, carrots, beets, chickpeas, beans, squash, pears (to name but a few) are cheap, quick to prep, unexpectedly tasty, and most are probably already in your kitchen. To make it even easier for you to tap into their head-to-toe benefits, @kouzounaskitchen is hosting a superfood week get-together of foodies (myself included), featuring recipes packed with a wide array of the aforementioned age-erasers! 
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I'll be keeping you posted daily, leaving the links to the recipes of my partners in crime below (copy & paste), but direct links will also be available for a while @ my linktr.ee (follow the link in bio). As most of the world is in lockdown mode again, I hope we inspire everyone to nourish their bodies and souls. May the warmth and vibrant hustle of our kitchens spread positive vibes, some comfort, and cheer. Dig in! 
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Mediterranean Roasted-Chickpea Salad 🥗 & Leek, Vegetable & Feta Cheese Puff Pastry Pie 🥧 by Foodzesty @ https://kouzounaskitchen.com/2020/11/09/november-superfood-week/
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➡️➡️ Find the entire Kouzounas Kitchen November Superfood Week @ https://kouzounaskitchen.com/
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👩🏻‍🍳 Foodzesty @ https://foodzesty.com/
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#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #foodblog #bloggerlife #foodie #recipes #kouzounaskitchen #foodzesty #itsfallyall #november #superfoodweek #quarantinelife #quarantinecooking #homemade #makeyourown #fromscratch #instagood #fooddiary #foodgram #yumyum #foodcoma #foodisfuel #foodlover #foodstagram #instafeast #heresmyfood #theartofslowliving
— Lucy Maud Montgomery, 𝐴𝑛𝑛𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐺𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝐺𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑠
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 🍂🌰🍄 I'm slowly falling into autumn even though Attica's warm weather doesn't really agree. One of my favorite web and graphic design sites @designerblogs is helping set the mood instead. I've been using their blog planner for years—it's one of the best you'll find out there. Its pages will help you brainstorm post ideas, draft your weekly uploads, set monthly and yearly goals, track monthly and yearly and stats, track affiliate links, social media advertising and posts, newsletter campaigns, finances, usernames & passwords, giveaways—you name it! I'll leave the links for both their classic design and this year's limited edition blush-color planners below (copy & paste on desktop), but direct links will also be available for a while @ my linktr.ee (follow the link in bio). 
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Aaand don't forget to grab your own monthly quote and matching wallpaper for desktop, phone, and tablet from their FREEBIES section and get your boo-game on with their spooktacular Halloween resources (also linked)! 🎃👻
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➡️➡️ Designer Blogs resources:
2021 Blog Planner (2 colors, 4 sizes) @ https://www.designerblogs.com/2021-blog-planner/
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2021 Life Planner (2 colors, 4 sizes) @ https://www.designerblogs.com/2021-my-life-planner/
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Free October wallpaper @ https://www.designerblogs.com/free-october-wallpaper-2020/
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Halloween freebies @ https://www.designerblogs.com/category/seasonal/halloween/
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#kickingbackthepebbles #blog #bloggerlife #organizingblog #travelblog #foodblog #dreamingoftraveling #wanderlust #keepinitreal #quarantinelife #itsfallyal #fallcolors #pumpkinseason #verilymoment  #aquietstyle #momentsofmine #planneraddict #plannernerd #plannerlover #plannergeek #plannerlife #designstudio  #planners #anneofgreengablesquote #anneofgreengables #lucymaudmontgomery
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June 25, 2015 By Athina 7 Comments

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