Counter Increase - can it ignore my PC?

Yes, very often counters can be configured to exclude specific IP addresses or groups of IP addresses.  It's really pretty easy to do from the counter script writer's point of view (I've done it before:), but not all counters support it for some reason...  What are you using for your counter?  That's where your solution will lie.  There should be some documentation about it there.  If you're writing the counter yourself, what programming language are you using?

-Josh

If it is a free counter, you don't have much say in it. There are options though (like jbirk said).

Thanks, I've taken the counter from "myisp" in the uk.  I visited their website but found no info there.  If it's any help, the code is currently ...  

<img src="http://www.users.myisp.co.uk/cgi-bin/Count.cgi?ft=9|frgb=69;139;00|tr=0|trgb=0;0;0|wxh=15;20|md=6|dd=A|st=5|sh=1|df=isla-troy.dat" align="absmiddle">

Perhaps it's a better idea to build my own.  I'll pop off to try and find out how.  Is it difficult?  I'm currently just using dreamweaver as a way to  slowly learn html.  Thanks again for your help.  Cheers

Isla, depends whether you've got your own server fr this, if you have read / write permissions, then you can, otherwise you cannot.

Thanks very much to you both for your help, I'm afraid I do not have my own server (although am planning to find out how to get one) - I currently use ftp to upload to ntl.  Thanks again, I've been trying to figure this one out for a month!  Cheers

Is it possible to give points to CJ S as well?  You were both extremely helpful.

You'd have to open a new question for him.  Label it "For CJ_S" or something like that.

-Josh