Author: Jeffro

Jeffrohttp://jeffc.meEnjoy writing about, talking about, and helping others with WordPress
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Chat With Me Tonight

I wanted to extend an invitation to join me later tonight as I sit on my blog and do nothing. Ok, not exactly. I’ll be hanging around the blog from 8PM EST until 9 or 10PM. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to ask me a question or get to know me better. You’ll be able to ask questions and talk to whomever else decides to show up by using the ShoutBox located on the right most side bar of the blog. The shoutbox refreshes in real-time so it’s like a blog wide IM.

Hope to catch a few of you lurkers in their as well as the regulars.

WordPress Makes Up 0.8 Percent Of The Net

In the grand scheme of things, Mullenweg said he wants the future of the Web to be open source; and he hopes to get more people using open-source platforms to write their blogs, even if it’s not WordPress. But he’s obviously driven competitively, too. (His blog ranks No. 1 on Google because of all the links back to his site from WordPress.) He recently saw a survey from Google, in which the search giant examined all of the http headers of Web. He found that .8 percent of those pages were powered by WordPress. “That’s how far we’ve come, but we have a lot of work to do,” he said.

WordPress founder looks into blogging\’s future | Tech news blog – CNET News.com

Isn’t that amazing? If you compute the numbers, this means that one out of every 125 pages on the web is powered by WordPress. That is a VERY general observation and there is no break down of metrics that state which ones are using WP for a front end, versus which sites are using WordPress as a full fledged blogging solution. Still, this particular stat is amazing and gives credence to the fact that WordPress is on top of their game right now!

Use WordPress Like Tumblr

QuickPost Plugin LogoWhile browsing around the WordPress.org plugin database for something completely different, I happen to stumble upon a plugin that was inspired by the Tumblr bookmarklet. It doesn’t have every feature of the Tumblr bookmarklet, but it doesn’t have to.

The plugin is called QuickPost and was developed by a company called Twelve Horses. After downloading, installing, then activating the plugin, you’ll have to go into the QuickPost options area and select a default category for each bookmarklet tab.

Setting Default Categories

The bookmarklet supports the following types of posts: Quotes, Text/Links, Photos, and Videos.

QuickPost Tabs

For those that are using FireFox, installing the bookmarklet is as simple as dragging a button to your bookmark toolbar. The process is a little more complicated if your using Internet Explorer.

Dear Internet Explorer Users: Yours is a harder path to walk.. Right click the bookmarklet below and select “Add to favourites”. Your IE will probably tell you that this is an “Unsafe bookmark to add”. Ignore your smart arse browser and click OK. The setup will thus be completed.

Although the bookmarklet doesn’t support every thing the Tumblr version does, I don’t feel as if it needs to. I think this bookmarklet covers the majority of content most people post to their Tumblr blog or regular blog. One thing about this plugin is that it does not allow you to preview the post before it’s published.

There is a checkbox that is part of the plugin options that allows you to use the WYSIWYG text editor but I ‘d rather see the option of choosing between both when making a post. The reason being is that, it’s pretty difficult to post YouTube Embed HTML codes into the WYSIWYG editor without it screwing up. I get around this by switching to the CODE view of the post and making sure that embedding the video is the last thing I do when creating the post.

Thanks to this plugin, I’m seriously considering disbanding my Tumblr account and using this blog as my Tumbelog and everything else blog. After all, lifestreaming seems to be where everything is headed so perhaps setting the site up this way allows me to get a head start on the trend.

P.S. The blog post before this one was actually me testing the QUOTE function of the QuickPost plugin. Apparently, it works.

AskApache And Google XML Updates

I finally got the chance to upgrade the AskApache Google 404 Ajax Search plugin along with the Google XML Sitemap plugin. I’m still trying to determine what is new in the Ajax plugin which I’m sure AskApache will probably stop by and let us know. As for the Google XML Sitemap plugin, here is a short list of changes that occurred.

  • Changed HTTP client for ping requests to Snoopy
  • Added “safemode” for SQL which doesn’t use unbuffered results
  • Added option to run the building process in background using wp-cron
  • Added links to test the ping if it failed

Make sure you head to AskApache Google 404 and Google XML Sitemaps to download the updated plugins and install them on your blog if you’re using them.

One special note for those who use the AskApache plugin. I noticed the directory that houses the plugin files had it’s name changed. When you upload this plugin, make sure to delete the old AskApache directory so they don’t conflict.

IE And Stack Overflow Errors

Special thanks to Steven Hodson, I was able to discover what exactly was causing the stack overflow errors to occur when browsing this site within IE. As it turns out, the MyAvatars 0.2 plugin is the culprit. I’ve managed to locate block of code that has something to do with the error. If anyone out their in Internet land knows what could be causing the stack overflow errors in this code, PLEASE let me know what I could do to keep the plugin functional yet, prevent those errors from happening.

Code that needs to be edited

That’s the code. Any help would be appreciated!

Living The UnInstalled Life

UninstalledLife.com Logo

My Uninstalled Life is one of those sites I randomly came across while navigating the net. The blog is a chronicle of how to operate a PC without having any locally installed applications and instead, relying completely on web based apps or “CloudWare“.

One thing I’ve noticed during my 10 computeryears is that I have many tools, applications and files that I need daily. But there’s a catch, most of the stuff I use is installed on my desktop. So if I’m not infront of my computer – I’m out of luck. Not very effective right? Not to mention if the whole computer crashes.

My Uninstalled Life was started back in August of 2006. At that time, the Web 2.0 bandwagon was just beginning to pick up steam and within one year, were almost at the point of being able to live an UNINSTALLED Life. The best example I can think of right now which really illustrates this concept is the $199 Everex TC2502. The PC is currently being sold at WalMart and is running Linux GOS. A variant of the popular Ubuntu but with lots of optimization for Google products. The desktop is literally filled with links to online Google services such as Google Docs, Google Maps, and GMail. The machine does come installed with OpenOffice but you could always UNINSTALL it in favor of GDocs.

The author behind the Uninstalled Life blog does have his own thoughts in regards to what Web 2.0 is:

As I see it, it’s the second generation of the web. It should give you an experience close to what locally installed desktop applications would give you. I wouldn’t say we’re at 2.0 yet.. maybe 1.5? Before we’re at 2.0 the applications on the web should be…

* As fast
* As many features
* As easy accessiable (just doubleclick that icon…)
* Free! (I know this rules out a bunch of alternatives.. but I like free stuff)

As long as the “web 2.0″ applications or “webapplications” are not there, we’re not at 2.0, if you ask me.

Wouldn’t it be great to simply not need a desktop PC at your home? Just some small appliance with a webbrowser and an Internet Connection? That’s all I want!

I think it’s safe to say that if you really didn’t want a desktop PC at your home, you could purchase a high storage USB thumbdrive, throw on a copy of PORTABLE APPS, and now, all you need is a PC with a free USB port and a network card and you should be all set. The PORTABLE APPS could be those that you need which you wouldn’t want to be replaced by an online variant. Everything else could be accessed over the web. In essence, your desktop PC would now reside in a USB drive.

One has to question the practicality behind this method, but I find it fascinating that the PC could theoretically be contained within a USB thumbdrive.

To get back on topic, the My Uninstalled Life website has a series of blog posts which tell the story of how to replace local apps with web based applications and I recommend it to anyone who is trying to accomplish the same goal. Although I’m not sure if the blog author is actively pursuing his goal anymore since the last post on the blog is from July 30th of 07. Maybe he finally reached his goal:

My goal: Keep everything online – uninstall everything.

Do you think we are there yet? Can one actually replace their desktop and live an uninstalled life? Let me know how you would go about doing it by leaving a comment.

Blogs – A Lifestream Of Links

It wasn’t too long ago when my poll asking if blogging was dying concluded with an astounding NO. BookTwo.org recently published an article highlighting a change that is taking place within the blogosphere.

I’ve noticed a trend in longtime bloggers, which I’m certainly a part of. Blogging less, linking more, generally winding down the straight blog in favour of a more distributed presence via Twitter, Delicious, videoblog apps like Seesmic. Some of these may be fed through the blog, like Booktwo’s RSS links, but it’s all getting a bit bitty. “I think RSS is one of the main reasons for this (perceived) decline in blogging. We don’t visit each others’ sites, so it’s less obvious when the frequency declines. As more small social apps like Twitter, and larger ones like Facebook, increase their reach, we don’t need blogs as our home pages either.

“It’s good to have a place to put these things, thoughts, articles &c. But I think it’s time, and I think it’s happening, that the delivery mechanism was stripped down. RSS might be the answer: people are starting to have ‘lifefeeds’ more and more, which aggregate everything they’re doing.

Unfortunately, BookTwo is on to something. What’s also interesting to note, is that this article falls in line with Steve Spaldings take on where blogging is heading.

Microblogging will be the critical change in the way we write in Web 3.0. Imagine a world where your mobile phone, your email, and you television could all produce feedback that could easily be pushed to any or all blogging platforms. If you take a picture from your smart-phone, it would be automatically tagged, bagged and forwarded to your “lifestream”. If you rated a television show that you were watching, your review would be forwarded into the stream.

This is the type of seamless integration that will finally bring the concept of blogging to the masses. Posts will become shorter and more topical, the world of rehashing the meme will be replaced by one where life and news generation go hand in hand. Blogging won’t be a hobby reserved for internet enthusiasts, but a past time for the MySpace generation.

Of course, the allure of any individual blog would be much more limited. As the popularity of micro-blogging explodes, more and more basically “unreadable” blog will start to populate the blogosphere. It’s not hard to imagine a world where the vast majority of your posts amount to, “stuck in traffic, ugh…”

That last sentence in Steves take on blogging is the one that concerns me the most. The last thing I want the blogosphere to turn into is a series of links with little substance. I want to see bloggers continue to write their opinions, reporting on things in their own way, and continue to be the driving force behind new media. I want to continue to see quality content written by someone other than big media properties. Continue to blog and if you need to share links, create a link blog as I illustrated how to do in a previous article.

I don’t want to see everyone’s blog turn into a lifestream of links. Do you?

Windows Home Server Now Available

Windows Home Server Logo

Just an FYI for those interested. Windows Home Server is now available to the public for purchase. Windows Home Server software, is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com, Best Buy.com, Buy.com, Circuit City.com and CompUSA.com. According to Microsoft, Windows Home Server will be shipped to customers and available via other leading retailer Web sites later in November. Additional Microsoft hardware and software partners are also delivering new consumer products and solutions designed to work with Windows Home Server.

“Digital devices and content are everywhere in our day-to-day lives and they are more important all the time,” said Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft. “With the launch of Windows Home Server, Microsoft and its partners are creating a new consumer product category that will help people keep their digital media safe and make it easier for them to enjoy it with friends and family.”

HP is currently selling a Windows Home server solution in the HP MediaSmart Server, powered by AMD LIVE! The server is offered in 500GB version for $599(U.S) and a 1TB model for $749(U.S.) For those that don’t like HP, here are a list of alternatives coming out later this year and next.

Available in Europe in late 2007, the Fujitsu Siemens Computers SCALEO Home Server 1900 offers 1TB capacity across two hard drives, Gigabit Ethernet and advanced power management features.

Iomega Corp. today unveiled new details about its home server product due in early 2008, the Iomega HomeCenter Server, which will ship with one 500GB hard drive and four “easy-swap” drive bays for storage expansion.

• Available in early 2008, the Life|ware Life|storage will offer enterprise-class capabilities to consumers, including Life|ware Entertainment and Automation Server software for home management.

• The MAXDATA Belinea o.center, which will also be available in Europe soon, is energy-efficient, offers advanced management and media functions, and allows up to four hot plug SATA hard drives.

• Also available in Europe later this year, the Medion Home Server comes with up to 2 TB of storage capacity and will offer universal plug-and-play media streaming based on PacketVideo PVConnect software.

• Available now, the Tranquil PC T7-HSA Tranquil Harmony Home Server is a small, quiet and energy-efficient solution with 500GB and 1TB options.

• On sale today, the Velocity Micro NetMagix HomeServer is a small, sleek unit that can be situated in a horizontal or vertical position, starting with 1 TB of expandable storage capacity.

Third-party software developers have created more than 35 innovative add-in programs to run on the Windows Home Server platform. These solutions provide personal blogging and media sharing, home security, home automation, protection against viruses and malware, and more. Several software vendors today announced support for Windows Home Server:

• Avira GmbH in Germany today announced that its malware detection and removal technology will support Windows Home Server.

• Diskeeper Corporation today released a special edition of its Diskeeper 2008 defragmentation software for Windows Home Server.

• Embedded Automation Inc. released the mControl add-in for Windows Home Server, providing home automation functionality.

• Proxure Inc. announced the release of KeepVault for Windows Home Server, providing automatic, online backup and storage of data.

• SageTV LLC released SageTV Media Server for Windows Home Server, enabling media streaming from Windows Home Server to any PC or Macintosh, at home or over the Internet.

• SightSpeed Inc. announced SightSpeed 6.0 video chat service compatibility with Windows Home Server.

• Telligent Systems Graffiti CMS is compatible with Windows Home Server, enabling users to quickly create personal Web sites and blogs.

• WiLife Inc. announced the release of Command Center Software version 2.1 home security software for Windows Home Server.

I’m really considering picking up a copy of Windows Home Server. My family runs at least 3 Windows based machines so it would only make sense. Will you be picking up a copy of WHS or will you purchase a machine with it already pre-installed?