kdmurray.blog

The crossroads of life and tech

Monthly Archives: March 2008

WordPress 2.5: The rubber hits the road

WordPress LogoWordPress 2.5 is out, warts and all, for public consumption today.  Many users are opting to wait for a burn-in period to take place before taking the plunge.  Several major updates from WordPress have had a point-release take place within days, usually to fix a security flaw.

I have installed it on the sandbox where I’m playing around with the Options theme and won’t be applying the upgrade here until I’m ready to move everything over, including the theme.

The biggest complaint from most is the redesign of the admin pages.  People don’t like change.  There is added functionality and a brand new layout to the admin screens.  After having played with it for only a couple of days, I find myself fumbling around a bit still… but overall the new look isn’t too bad.

Many of the links I used most often are now displayed in the main admin toolbar (blue links) while the less often used links are in the grey bar at the top of the page.  These are the high-level nav buttons like the dashboard.  I think this design will indeed prove effective for people who spend quite a bit of time in the admin console, but will be more difficult for casual users to adopt.

I’ll be posting updates to both the Random Image Selector plugin and the Admin Links Widget in the near future to ensure compliance with the WP 2.5 code.

Virus Hunting — Avast + Unlocker

After a somewhat brief Aikido class tonight I was enlisted by Crow to help rid a Vista machine of the Vundo trojan which found it’s way onto the machine (prior to Avast being installed).

Avast did a great job of finding most things and cleaning them up.  What it had trouble with was a few DLLs that were in use by the executing trojan.  I was pointed toward Unlocker to free the DLL’s of their executing process and remove the lock that windows places on these files.  Once the file was unlocked, it was able to be deleted by Avast and all was well.

(Photo Credit: bigux on Flickr)

Endless Options: The Redesign Begins

I’ve been contemplating an update to the look of the blog for several months now.  I know it’s only had the current incarnation since the summer, but I’ve always liked things to feel new and fresh.

The trouble had been finding the right WP theme.  Many of the ones I like visually didn’t have enough support for gadgetry & widgetry.  Being the geek that I am, this is something I prize.  Secondly, and more importantly to some, I wanted a theme that would actually pass XHTML validation and be a bit less of an SEO roadblock (that, and I’m a bit of a perfectionist geek).

I found, though a fortuitous series of bounces the Options theme by JustinTadlock. XHTML compliant, full of widgetable sections and completely customizable through CSS.  Perfect.  Now I just have to get some help with the design work… ’cause I suck.

4.5 Ways to Pimp Out Windows Vista

As some of you may already know, I run Windows Vista on my Macbook.  Not full time, mind you, I’m a fan of virtualization.  :)   I’ve been trying to give my ol’ Vista install a bit more of a “wow” factor recently, and I’ve come across some great tips to help make your PC unique.

1. Lively Logon

This app’s not Vista specific, but Logon Studio will allow you to completely customize the way that your login screen looks.  Make your Windows Vista look like Mac OS X or Fedora Core 6.  The only downside to the Vista version is that it will only allow you to change the background, whereas previous versions provided a finer degree of cotrol.

Logon Studio is maintained by the Stardock folks.  For a bit more detailed review, you can check out GGP #79.

2. Gadgets Galore

Much like some other operating systems that shall remain nameless, Windows Vista has a sidebar to help you pimp-out your desktop with all sorts of fun and useful gadgetry.  Everything from traffic monitors, to CPU monitors, to gadgets that will do a slideshow of your favourite Facebook pics.  You can pretty much do anything with a sidebar gadget because it’s written using HTML and CSS.  Microsoft hosts a site called the Windows Live Gallery which will allow you to download dozens of these great free gadgets.

3. Wicked Wallpaper

Wallpaper is the quintessential customization that nearly everyone seems to know how to do.  As soon as we get our new computers almost the first thing that most people do is change their wallpaper.  Popular choices are the family pet, children, or “that beach” that you’ll get to… someday.

There are tons of sites out there that produce great wallpaper.  But one that most people forget about is good old photo-sharing site Flickr.  A simple query for “Vista Wallpaper” yields thousands of potential wallpaper candidates.  Here are a few of my favourites:

Photo Credit: wvs on Flickr

Photo Credit: janusz on Flickr

Photo Credit: spitfirelas on Flickr

Photo Credit: creativesam on Flickr

4. Spectacular Screen Savers

After the wallpaper, the next most common customization is changing one’s screen saver.  Sure, Windows has a dozen or so “interesting” screen savers, but really how many more times can we watch the starfield, or pour over those same photos again and again.

A great application called InstantStorm will allow you to turn any flash file (.swf) into its own screen saver.  This tool will take the flash file, and compile it into a self-installing screen saver ready to deploy on your computer.  This has the added bonus of being easily distributable and makes for a great screen saver to use at trade shows, or to distribute to clients on one of those funky business card CDs.

Instant storm was also reviewed on GGP #77.

side note: I borrowed the flash file of the pug licking a monitor to do my demo.  Worked out pretty well!

5. Theme Theory

This is the half-tip… I really wanted to include some detailed theme information for Vista but I couldn’t.  Here’s why:

Windows themes have been a topic that for many users lays shrouded in mystery.  How come there are people with better looking versions of Windows than me?  Where can I get that?  Well, I have some answers for you here.  A theme is a way of customizing everything in your Windows UI in one fell swoop.  This includes colours and wallpaper for a start, but often will include new icons, application skins or screen savers as well.

In Windows Vista theming really has a long way to go.  After seven years, there are tons of great theming devices for Windows XP, but for Vista many of the third-party theme options are limited and buggy.

Plug: If you’re still using XP and like high-tech looking themes… go get AlienGUIse.

Apple Support Treats Us Like Babies… Sometimes

Please Apple, heed my call.  We’re not all n00bs.

I performed a series of software updates on my computer today.  Apple has learned that some of us would like to know what our update contains, beyond the simple “bug fixes” or “compatibility fixes” that it typically lists with each update.

My ask is simple, whenever there’s a software update, tell us what’s in it.  This way we can assess how important it is to us, and how soon we need to apply it.  If I find out that the Finder has a bug in it which will allow a malicious web-page to access my hard drive when I use Safari… I don’t care.  I don’t use Safari.  But if I did, I’d apply that a lot more quickly than I would an update to add the latest HP printer drivers.

Here are examples of two recent Apple updates.  One is done correctly.  The other is not.  See if you can spot the difference.

BAD!  Why? “Compatibility Improvements” isn’t very damned descriptive.

Good!  Link is provided to give those who actually want to know, the information they need.

Apple has long been seen as a very easy platform for the non-geeks among us to learn quickly and easily without the configuration and security nightmares that plague the Windows world on occasion (though that’s usually due to market share… but that’s a rant for another day).  Constantly focused on ease-of-use and design Apple makes beautiful and elegant products which are easy to understand, and for the most part to intuit.  A little consistency in documenting things wouldn’t kill them.

Providing people with the information they need to make an informed choice and just maybe understand their computing experience a little bit more is something that all software developers should consider.  It’s nice to have the option to know what people are telling me is a “critical update” so that I can decide for myself.

No More Ads!

Until such time as I can find a viable (read: worthwhile) ad service to help offset the costs of the blog, I will no longer be subjecting readers to ads on the blog.

After nearly 9 months of Google Adsense, I’ve managed $3.56.  Since Google requires $100 in your account before they will pay out, I’m on schedule to be paid out in Late 2028.  A bit too late to cover costs of blogging (though it would make a nice almost 50th birthday present.  :razz: )

The Amazon and TTZMedia affiliate programs have also had similar results with a payout from TTZ media due sometime in 2048… and that’s only a $25 payout.

In short, I don’t get enough traffic, and my readers on average aren’t the type to click on enough ads (hell most use Firefox and AdBlock Plus!) to provide an income stream.

An added bonus: the site loads faster now!  :mrgreen:

Passing of a Legend: Sir Arthur C. Clarke

Yesterday marked the passing of a legendary figure in the literary world.  Sir Arthur C. Clarke, author of 2001: A Space Odyssey and dozens of other works, passed away in his adopted homeland of Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

Clarke was a pioneer of science-fiction, along with others like Isaac Asimov, helping to build the genre into the strong source of insight, foresight and entertainment that we enjoy today.

“The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.” - Arthur C. Clarke

Clarke’s brilliance not only as an author but as a futurist brought him to write not only about fantastic other-worldly adventures, but also about the future of the the earth, space travel and humanity’s role in it.  Another prominent member of the science-fiction community who was inspired by Clarke was Gene Roddenberry.  Clarke’s vision and writings helped to fuel his passion to pursue Star Trek which has grown into one of the most popular and prolific science fiction series of all time.

You can see Dave’s short video comment on the GGP blog, and a video dedication by Rod Roddenberry.

Sir Arthur C. Clarke, dead at 90.

Mac Lab Rat – GGP #80 Encryption… like a House

The Geek Hits 80!

This week the Global Geek Podcast releases it’s 80th episode!  Wow!

I decided to take this opportunity to talk about the iPhone and iPod Touch SDK releases since I don’t plan on talking about them again in the near future, probably not until WWDC in June.  So let’s get down to it.

Some have hailed the iPhone SDK as “the second coming of the Jesus phone“, I see it more as a naturally evolutionary step for a mobile computing platform. What company in today’s world of user-contributed social networks would release a computing platform and limit the ability for developers to create “killer apps” for the device?  Nobody.  And so Apple released their SDK for the iPhone and the iPod touch last week.

However, Apple’s not giving up control of their devices to the open-source community.  They will control the ability for developers to launch new applications to the devices by way of the Apple App Store.  Yes, that’s right.  You can’t just download your favourite new iPhone gadget, you’ll have to download sanitized “Apple Approved” gadgets.  Great.  Thanks Steve.

Not all the news is bad, though.  Venture capital firm Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers has come forward with a $100 M fund to support the development of new and innovative applications for the next-generation media devices.  I’m glad to see some investment that will help non-professional developers get their ideas heard.  The firm has also pledged to provide support with business expertise and startup information.

Finally the SDK announcement came coupled with a few others.  The biggest among them is that Apple has inked a deal with OS rival Microsoft for the use of it’s ActiveSync technology finally allowing the iPhone to synchronize it’s mail, calendar and contacts applications with Microsoft Exchange.  This is a major coup for Apple because one of the major problems preventing the device from gaining widespread acceptance in enterprise environments was the lack of connectivity with the 800-pound gorilla of the office.  The next few months will be interesting indeed, particularly if the 3G iPhone drops in June as most expect.

I’ll be sure to have a raft of applications up for the next GGP.