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Top 10 Tips to Keep Your Windows Vista Computer Running Smoothly

January 31, 2008 at 10:43 pm · in Microsoft · Comments (23)

Are you using Vista on your computer? If so… have you had any issues with the performance, and how your computer actually runs? These tips were sent in by a community member by the name of Elis.

When I used to be on Windows XP, I always had the problem of keeping my computer running smoothly. Now that I,’m on Windows Vista the job has become much easier. Although Vista uses more resources, somehow I think it has been brilliantly built if running under optimum specs. So here is my top 10 tips on how to keep windows vista running smoothly.

His suggestions are general guidelines…

  • Leave your computer on for as long as you can. I leave my computer on for months on end. Every time I restart my computer, the cache to certain folders, files etc is deleted. This means that files will open slower than normal. No harm comes from leaving your computer running, and it has been proven that there is no long term damage… apart from receiving a higher than normal electricity bill

    • My note: I don’t know how that was proven, but I keep my primary computer on all the time as well.

  • Firewall. The Windows Firewall now has the option to configure incoming and outgoing traffic, which I think is great. It comes in very handy when you need it most.

    • My note: I don’t fully agree with the above tip, about using Windows Firewall. Many free firewalls are much better at protecting you than the one from Windows… such as Comodo.

  • Antivirus. Get yourself a decent anti virus. Personally, I prefer ESETs NOD32 Anti virus which does a magnificent job. It is also light on resources unlike its competitors Norton and McAfee. Every month or so I do a virus scan, but nothing is usually found.
  • Defragment. Defragmentation of your hard disk is very useful, as files are spread all over the place. There is nothing wrong with the built-in Windows Defragmenter, but there is a better one which is faster and has better options. O&O Defrag 10 repacks fragmented files together and optimizes your hard drives. You should check it out. You can also save 5% off Purchase using coupon code ALEX-KCBH
  • Disk Cleanup. The Disk Cleanup can come in very handy usually. It’s mostly needed when things get overcrowded. I recommend you DO NOT delete the temporary internet files and thumbnails. There is also an excellent free program called ATF Cleaner. It safely cleans things like temp files, cache, java cache, and more… at the click of a button. YOU decide what you do and don’t want ATF Cleaner to clean for you.
  • Keep files organized. I keep all my pictures, videos, documents… everything is organized. I truly think it is very helpful to know where all your files and folders are. This way, they are also not thrown all over the place so you forget what you’re looking for.
  • Have only one instance of each type of software running at one time., such as Browsers or Antivirus. I know most people stick to Firefox, but personally I like IE7. No, I haven’t mistyped. Thats correct: Internet Explorer 7 is my choice. Web sites pop up in under a second. I have tried Firefox. Although it is brilliant with all the nice features and plug ins, I find them irrelevant. IE7 does a marvelous job for me.
  • Delete software that you do not need from “Remove Programs.” I used to have a ton of software on my computer. These were usually things I did not need or didn’t use. I know some software may be considered ‘cool’ to have so you can brag to your friends about them. But when they have no use… they are just wasting computer resources.
  • Startup programs. MSCONFIG does a magnificent job on helping you choose what programs should start and what shouldn’t, although it is up to you. If you haven’t heard of msconfig before then here’s how to open it! Click “Start”, then “search”. Type msconfig, and click “enter”. After it has appeared, go to the “startup” tab, and choose what irrelevant programs you want to cancel from starting. Keep in mind that you cannot disable things like display drivers, and any other necessary system files/programs.
  • Running Programs. Always check what programs/processes you have running on your computer through the task manager. It usually helps because some programs will stop responding in the background if you have one that is taking up a huge amount of resources. You might experience some lag.
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How to Start a Website

January 31, 2008 at 8:48 pm · in Media Blog · Comments (12)

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Have you ever wanted to have your own Website? Do you know how to go about getting started? Here are some tips sent in by Lewis that may shed some light on these questions… and more.

  • Don’t go for the cheapest hosting. These may look great at first, but from what I have found out, they are not. The support is often bad, the servers are often cheap and slow and you do not get what you pay for. Try to look for a respectable one with many reviews. We recommend GoDaddy. Use coupon code Chris1 to save 10% off your order!
  • Learn how to code and design. The worst way to start a website is with no coding experience or design experience. This is often the thoughts of many new website owners and it puts users off. You need to take time out of your life to code and design properly, you will get much more out of the site this way.
  • Don’t swarm your site with adverts. Often, too many ads put off users and they will not come back. If you must, put at the most 3 adverts on a page, that is the maximum. I’m pretty sure you hate websites with loads of adverts, think of your users.
  • Get a proper domain name. Often free domains names like (.tk, .us.tt ect) are bad, full of frames with adverts in them and are often having problems. I recommend getting one from a respectable seller, e.g.: Godaddy. There are many coupons around for godaddy, Chris has a few, type !coupon into his chat.
  • And finally, give your users a way to contact you. This could be a contact form, an email link (make sure to obscure it in an image or flash file to keep bots off your site and selling your address) or anything else. Your users might need your help and without a good clear link to contact, they will not email you and you will lose their business. Many users are not going to bother looking through Whois databases for an address.

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How to Deal with Taxes

January 31, 2008 at 8:46 pm · in Media Blog · Comments (2)

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It’s that time of year again… tax time. *GASP* Don’t pass out on me! I know that tax season is very stressful for many people. Here are some tips that can make this year much easier to get through.

  • File early. Beat the rush and file your taxes as soon as you get your w2… or as early as possible.
  • Make sure you have all of documentation in order: w2, donation receipts, intrest payments, educational costs, and what ever else you may need for itemized deductions.
  • Decide if you’re going to prepare and file yourself, or if you will use a Tax Service… such as H&R Block. You also have the option of using an actual Accountant if you have difficult taxes or exemptions. If you aren’t 100% comfortable with what you’re doing, I highly recommend letting someone else take the load off your shoulders.
  • Make sure you fill in all of the blanks, leaving some vital informaioin missing from your return can delay your refund, or worse… leave you with the IRS on your back.
  • Lastly, and most inportant: DO NOT FORGET TO SIGN YOUR REFUND.
  • Here is a bonus tip: go to irs.gov if your Adjusted Gross Income for the year is less than $53,000. Look for the free filing link on the left side of the page. You can efile your federal return for free, and if you are lucky to live in one of the 21 state that offer free efile you don’t have to pay anything. Just make sure you choose a site that you would trust with your information.

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The Bad AntiSpyware List

January 31, 2008 at 8:45 pm · in Media Blog · Comments (8)

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There are so many choices out there for Anti-Spyware programs. The problem is… do you realize how many of them are scams? There is a huge list of Rogue Anti-Spyware programs available, which I read off in this video. Keep in mind that any programs you hear me read are BAD, and should be uninstalled immediately if they are on your computer.

A Rogue Anti-Spyware program is one that has been tested by Experts in the field of Spyware removal. These programs can make it onto the naughty list in one or more of the following ways:

  • False positives In cases where it is noted “false positives work as goad to purchase,” the apps in question produced inexcusable false positives on a “spyware-free” system.
  • Poor scan reporting This means that the application either did not provide information about what it found or did not report enough information about the basis for the items it found.
  • Knockoffs/rip-offs The term “knockoff” means at the very least that the app in question substantially imitates the look, feel, and experience of another program. With some of these “knockoff” apps there may be evidence of more serious borrowing from other programs, but there are no specific allegations to that effect as yet from the affected parties. The term “rip-off” means that there are specific allegations from the affected parties of unauthorized borrowing from their applications.
  • Aggressive/deceptive advertising “Aggressive” advertising consists of the obnoxious, intrusive, use of pop-ups, false GUI elements, or other advertising techniques designed to badger, pressure, or coerce users into buying the application advertised. “Deceptive” advertising employs advertising techniques and information designed to create a false sense of alarm among users in order to stampede them into purchasing the application being advertised.
  • Flawed, inadequate detection schemes “Flawed, inadequate detection schemes” refer to scanning techniques that are insufficient to produce reliable detections of spyware, adware, and malware. These detection schemes typically rely exclusively on matching file names/path and Registry names/paths without using MD5 hash checking or signature matching to uniqiuely identify detected components. In some cases, there may be other problems with the detection scheme, such as failing to scan all drives on a system or skipping key system areas during scanning.

So now what? How do you know what to trust? The following applications are recommended by Experts in this area, as well as this site.

Don’t let yourself get taken in by claims of “100% protection”. Do your research, and make SURE that what you are buying or installing on your computer is a legitimate program.

CORRECTION TO VIDEO We were discussing who is responsible for the Rogue list. Suzi does, in fact, own the website it is hosted on. However, a man named Eric Howes is responsible for putting together and maintaining this Rogue list.

Here are several coupons to help ease the strain on your wallet:

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How to Choose the Best Airline

January 31, 2008 at 7:48 pm · in Media Blog · Comments (3)

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Do you travel by air often? Are you going to be flying in the near future? What airline do you choose? How do you know which is best? Here are some tips to help you decide the next time (or first time!) you will fly.

  • If the airline is new to you, you may want to look up their safety record and look at the ways they are criticized by others. If the airline has a crappy safety record and their maintenance allegedly sucks, you may want to give that airline second thoughts. A good place for this is Wikipedia.
  • You may want to look at reviews of this airline If they allegedly have crappy service and the pilots don’t seem well trained, you may want to reconsider your decision to fly with this airline. But don’t let just one review convince you, only really get concerned when there are several reviews criticizing the same issue.
  • If you have flown this airline before and you had a pretty bad experience while the reviews are mostly good, you may want to give this airline a second chance; it could just be that one crew.
  • I know this may sound silly, but research the type of plane you are going to be on; the airline website when you are looking at flights will usually give you the plane model (e.g. 757, 737, A320, etc.). You can look at passenger comfort reviews of the plane and see what type of plane would be your best choice.
  • And last, but not least, check out other airlines’ prices. You don’t want to spend $1000 on an airline that is the same quality as an airline that offers $100 for the same thing.

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How to Keep From Being Stinky

January 31, 2008 at 7:09 pm · in Media Blog · Comments (4)

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Yes, you read that right. This video isn’t about Technology in any way. It’s about Body Odor. A reader sent in these tips. Believe it or not, many people don’t follow these simple tips every day… do you?

  • If you use deodorant and still smell… get a new kind of deodorant. It may sound silly, but some deodorants may not work with some people’s body chemistry. My friend uses Degree, and it doesn’t work. Now that he’s trying Old Spice, he actually smells decent, instead of smelling like a huge piece of rotten pizza.
  • Take showers at least once daily. If you work in a job or hobby that gets you very dirty and sweaty/smelly, consider taking more than one per day.
  • Use deodorant that dries or soaks into your skin and doesn’t rub off onto your shirt. This means the smell stays on you… not your shirt.
  • Don’t walk through the planters in parking lots… they tend to have doggy droppings. You don’t want to smell like you went to the bathroom in your pants.
  • Always always >strong>always put your clothes on after you wake up. I know some people that sleep in there clothes, and then wear them again the next day. You sweat a lot more in your sleep then you think.

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Is Apple Proprietary?

January 31, 2008 at 3:43 pm · in Apple · Comments (4)

Ross Snowden and I have been interacting online for a while. He emailed me again last night:

I watched a video (or perhaps it was the live feed on your site) a couple of evenings ago. You were reading a letter you received from someone who mentioned they might consider switching to the Mac operating system, and you were impressed that he considered the possibility and wasn’t strictly against the idea.

I believe the video is forthcoming, so you must have watched it as we recorded it live.

I, myself, would also not be opposed to using the Mac OS, but the only thing keeping me from doing so is that the Mac uses proprietary hardware, if I’m not mistaken. You made it sound as though the Apple used the same hardware as the PC, but isn’t that just for some of the components? If that was true, I would be able to install Leopard without any problem on my machine, no? I will try it out when, and if (and that’s a big if), Apple decides to release an operating system that installs on regular PC hardware. I would consider it, though.

ATI is proprietary? NVIDIA is proprietary? Intel is proprietary? EFI is proprietary? You, and millions of others, are sadly mistaken. Apple’s Intel computers will run a full-blown installation of Windows (just as easily as they can run a copy of Mac OS X). Moreover, it’s not really Apple’s own hardware - it’s Apple’s computer, comprised largely of countless components from third-party vendors.

It’s not the hardware itself that’s proprietary, nor is it necessarily the software itself (the OS). It’s Apple’s choice to restrict the types of machines that its operating system can run on - as it’s been proven that Mac OS X can indeed run on non-Apple hardware. It’s a proprietary cocktail, but not because of raw hardware or software limitations.

Apple controls the entire “ecosystem,” and you need to think long and hard about why that’s not so horrible for consumers. I’ve written (and talked) about this several times in the past.

Until then, I’ll stick with Vista, which, for the record, has not crashed or given me any BSOD whatsoever. In fact, for me, on my new hardware, this has been the most stable version of Windows I have ever used, and I’m using the 64 bit version!

Good for you (seriously). I’ll also stick with Vista… in a VMware virtual machine on my Mac OS X desktop.

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Bills to Ban Aspartame Progress in Hawaii

January 31, 2008 at 3:00 pm · in Health · Comments (5)

“Greetings from New Mexico!”

I’m not there, but that’s how the email from Stephen Fox, Managing Editor of Santa Fe Sun News, begins:

I am grateful for the broad Hawaiian support thus far for the bill to ban aspartame, the neurotoxic artificial sweetener, from human consumption or sale, which I hope will be heard soon and strongly support in the Senate Health Committee and in the House Health, and Consumer Protection and Commerce Committees. I was the main force behind this massive effort in the NM legislature in 2006 and 2007, and I can share with readers a few insights on the pitfalls and stumbling blocks that will be thrown at this legislation by corporate lobbyists representing some very evil doing corporations in the USA and in Japan which manufacture and use this poison to save a few bucks on adding real sugar as a sweetener.

I have been discussing this at length with Dr. Adrian Chang of Honolulu, the nuclear engineer and force behind the very brilliant and ultimately successful effort to stop fluoride being added to municipal water supplies, thanks to the Oahu County government’s decision to not add fluoride.

I am sure that these Hawaii bills to ban Aspartame can be passed, despite blatantly corporate-serving and corporate-lobbyist-advanced theories that all of these concerns are entirely pre-empted by the federal authorities, or that Hawaii state government would automatically be sued by manufacturers. About the worst to legislators in Hawaii that could happen if one of these bills passes and is signed by Gov. Lingle is that the FDA Commissioner, Dr. Von Eschenbach, would be forced to revoke the approval for aspartame, which should rightly have been done long ago.

This legislative passage could occur with the right help from the Medical community in Hawaii, particularly the experts in toxicology, internal medicine, pediatrics, oncology and biochemistry at the University of Hawaii School of Medicine. I encourage Hawaiians to contact whomever you consider as both ally and as impeccable and unimpeachable sources of testimony at the Medical school and in the Medical community, who can come and testify and/or write a strong letter to the Committee members.

We will generate strong letters of support from the three top mainland physicians in this regard, who are really the top leaders in the world on aspartame’s proven medical and neurodegenerative harm, and all readers of this would do well to easily google and read their articles:

HJ Roberts, Internist; Russell Blaylock, Neurosurgeon; and Ralph Walton, Psychiatry. All wrote great letters to the entire New Mexico Legislature members, and readers should take the time to google and read their articles.

The New Mexico bills were overwhelmed and eviscerated by the most vicious corporate lobbyists I have ever encountered, representing Ajinomoto of Japan, the world’s largest manufacturer of both aspartame and MSG, as well as their duped American corporate henchmen/partners-in-poisoning who use massive amounts of Aspartame, like Coca Cola, Pepsi, Altria/Kraft Corporate Services, and others. The same corporations and even more will show up in Honolulu, make no mistake, probably to include Wrigley’s Gum, all of whose products contain aspartame, which is metabolized as methanol and formaldehyde, and even more dangerous since gum releases poisons absorbed under the tongue, which go directly to the brain.

In Santa Fe in 2006 and 2007, there was a regrettable and probably avoidable strong partisan context (which we hope will prove irrelevant in Hawaii) since so much criticism was leveled at Donald Rumsfeld, aspartame progenitor when he was CEO of G.D. Searle, the patent holder, back in 1981 in one of the darkest and dirtiest chapters of the checkered history of failures at the FDA, when Rummy as part of the Reagan Transition Team, forced the appointment of a crony, Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes, as FDA Commissioner, in exchange for agreeing to approve aspartame, despite 16 years of the FDA saying no, based on the obvious and rudimentary toxic biochemistry of its metabolized components.

The first salvos against ignorance and for true consumer protection in Hawaii have very recently been fired in the news report on KHON-2, a rather conservative station and Fox Affiliate in which the predicatble professor from the Medical school basically said “a little bit doesn’t or won’t hurt you.” Of course, this is absurd: a whole lot of little bits of poison are cumulative and end up killing you, whether through cancer, heart disease, Multiple Sclerosis, etc.

We hope to see a Hawaii Capitol Press conference with the bills’ sponsors (Kalani English, Suzanne Chun Oakland, Mele Carroll, and Calvin Say) to illuminate the press about the medical harm done by aspartame!

I have communicated a basic letter to the editor to all of the press and all of the radio stations in Hawaii, but few have responded thus far. Nothing will really take shape, I fear, without massive press coverage, and we were able to achieve that in New Mexico, which included all of the main television stations in New Mexico.

Readers should watch the online posting of the brilliant documentary, SWEET MISERY, the DVD by a recovered victim of aspartame poisoning in Tucson, Cori Brackett, the most convincing possible communique on this subject, according to the New Mexico Senate sponsor, Jerry Ortiz y Pino.

Please let me hear from you if you have questions or want to contact your friends, family, or colleagues in Hawaii to get this done….

I don’t know how many people are still tracking my eariler Hawaii conversations, but… seems to me, this is a slightly more important (read: pressing) issue to tackle.

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Payless Coupons

January 30, 2008 at 3:50 am · in Coupons · Comments (19)

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Finding the Perfect Fit

  • Measure both feet. Some people have one foot slightly larger than the other. Choose the size that fits the larger of the two.
  • Consider the socks or tights you’ll wear most often with your shoes. For thicker socks or tights, you may want to order shoes 1/2 size larger than you normally wear.
  • Measure your feet in the afternoon, when feet tend to be their largest.
  • If you require a wide width and no wide width sizes are available, try ordering a ½ size larger in the regular width.

How To Measure:

Proper fit is especially important for children, because their feet are still developing. Our printable foot measurement tool will help you determine your or your child’s shoe size. To measure your foot, click on the appropriate link below, print the pages that appear and follow the directions on your printout.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print the above foot measurement tools. When your shoes arrive, try them on with the socks or tights you would normally wear and give them a test walk indoors on a carpeted surface. Check to be sure your toes have room to wiggle a bit.

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United Shades Coupons

January 30, 2008 at 3:10 am · in Coupons · Comments (1)

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Getting the Right Fit

The sunglass size should be in proportion with the face size. This means that smaller sunglasses are best for smaller faces; larger sunglasses for larger faces. The frame shape should contrast with, that is, be the opposite of, the shape of the face.

These tips must not be taken as rules but they can help you to choose your right frame.

Oval face: Almost any style works for oval face. Experiment with the latest looks, such as wraparounds or shields. Square shaped frames with gently rounded edges and higher temples also look good on an oval face.

Frame suggestions : Any frame shape

Round face: Frames should make the face appear longer and thinner. In general, look for frames equal to or slightly wider than the broadest part of the face. Minimize the curves and add definition with soft, angular, rectangular styles or double brow styles. Higher temples will create a longer profile. Sunglasses with brow bars also pull the eye upward, making the face appear longer.

Frame suggestions : Wider frames with angular / rectangular styles

Diamond shape: This face shape has wide or high cheekbones with a narrow forehead and chin. Oval sunglasses will soften the contour of the face, although softly curved square frames will work as well. Make sure the styles are no wider than the top of the cheekbones.

Frame suggestions : Oval, Square, Rimless

Square face: This face shape consists of a strong jawline, a broad forehead and wide cheekbones. Reduce the angles with soft, curvy styles that will give the face some definition such as cat-eye styles. The classic ovals also works well for this face shape.

Frame suggestions : Oval, Round, Cat Eyes

Oblong face: Widen and shorten the face with sunglass styles that do not extend beyond the widest part of the face. Round or square shapes will look great on this face. Frames with short horizontal and long vertical lines also work. Decorative or contrasting temples add width to the face.

Frame suggestions : Round, Square

Triangle shape: This face has a narrow jaw and a wide forehead. Soften the lower portion of the face by accenting the eye area. Styles such as cat- eyes should angle outward at the top corner and be wide enough to balance the jawline. You can also try metal frames with rimless bottoms.

Frame suggestions : Frames with a Straight Top Line, Cat Eyes

SKIN

  • Pale complexions: Try lightweight frames or those with a touch of colour such as rose or amber. Tortoiseshell frames suit fair complexions (avoid darker versions) but clear, blue or green tinged frames tend to drain colour from cheeks.
  • Dark complexions: Olive, Mediterranean, Golden or Asian skin and dark hair can look stunning in silver, gold or clear frames – but avoid black which can be too heavy.
  • Black Skins: All metallic frames suit black skins and amber often works well – be very careful with black frames, which can look spectacular or awful!

HAIR

  • Soft & curly: Enhanced by delicate shapes, rimless frames and translucent colors
  • Very curly: Choose a frame that follows your hairline. Classic small frames are advisable
  • Short: Geometric frames, or rounder frames look best
  • Very short: Bold colors and designs, as well as decorative styles
  • Long hair: Try the frames with both your hair up and down, as the change in style may alter the look of the frames

What Do You Eat for the Munchies?

January 29, 2008 at 1:37 am · in Fun · Comments (51)

Ponzi heard about this thing called ‘Bistro MD’ and we decided to give it a shot this week. After the first day with the program, we’re ready to try anything else. Since the cardboard-flavored oatmeal this morning, I’ve been snacking all day. Yes, I’ve had a severe case of the munchies.

Mark Sissons submits his list of favourite “decadent” munchies - not necessarily healthy! Also, in no particular order of preference…

  • BBQ’d fresh ground lean beef burger on a sesame seed topped kaiser (one that is toasted right on the grill). As it happens, he stick with ketchup as the condiment, but spices the patty before it goes on the grill (pepper, garlic powder, minced onion, season salt, Heinz regular BBQ sauce).
  • Salt & Vinegar potato chips - must be fairly fresh of course… the more vinegar taste, the better.
  • Regular Coca-Cola… NOT PEPSI! Super-cold, just a bit above freezing… no ice, of course.
  • Really good Chinese lemon chicken - preferably with a light corn starch batter. Best if it is REAL lemon sauce made with fresh lemons. Also, some places use frozen battered chicken filets… not that great, usually.
  • A homemade pure maple syrup & vanilla flavored milkshake, extra thick. Grade 3 DARK Maple Syrup is best (look in the “organic” section).

I had some protein pellets a few minutes ago. This is not a snack for eating - this is a snack for laying down and avoiding.

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Reasons Not to Buy the new Apple Software Update

January 29, 2008 at 1:07 am · in General · Comments (28)

Earlier today, I uploaded a video in favor of the new iPod update. I included my own reasons for purchasing this, as well as reasons sent in by a community member.

Tonight, I received the following email, and wanted to pass it along, as well. Here are some reasons you may choose not to purchase this update.

Hey there Chris! My name is Leo and I too am a Tech enthusiast. As I watched your iPod Software Update video, I thought of a few reasons why Apple wronged the community by charging for these apps. Now, I understand that this is a business and Apple, like any other company out there, is in this to make money. But here are the top 5 reasons why I will not get the software upgrade.

  • Other companies are giving such things for free. I can’t really think of others at the moment, but I specifically recall Microsoft allowing users to upgrade their old Zune software to the new. Granted you did not get any new “apps”, but you got added functionality. That’s all these apps are, added functions.
  • Over half of the new apps were already available for the iPhone when it came out. Why are we paying $20 for essentially 2 new apps? If I am not mistaken, mail, Google maps and stocks were already included on the iPhone. If they had been developed then, why do we have to pay for them now a whole 6 months later? And why were they not included from the beginning? Well that’s an easy question to answer… money.
  • There are options out there. There are web apps that do what these new apps are doing. They are not as convenient to access, (you have to click 3 times instead of 1) and they are not as customizable… but they are free. And don’t get me started with jail breaking (I for one have not done it)… Yet.
  • For what it does, it’s actually expensive. I for one have absolutely no problem paying for software (no matter how expensive it is), if there is a tangible gain. I honestly don’t feel these apps are worth $20. Now let’s forget that only half of them are new. Are they really worth it? The only app I could see having a true value is Google maps, but it’s not going to be that effective on the iTouch. I am sure it will work well on the iPhone, but the iTouch does not have the ability to use multiple sources to pin point your location. Plus… if we are not connected by Wi-Fi, we can’t even use 4 of the apps.
  • You don’t really need it. When I first heard the announcement from Apple, I was actually quite upset. I just purchased my iTouch (4 days before the announcement), and was quite furious that the new iTouches would have it, but I couldn’t. After my initial anger subsided, I started thinking rationally about this whole thing. After doing some research, I came to the conclusion that I was not really missing much. I mean the iPod touch is an iPod. It is an mp3 player. Yes it has the ability to do extra stuff, but I got it to listen to music. It’s not to surf the web, not to check my mail, and not to check the weather. Do I like the extra functions? Heck yes I do, and they were actually part of the reason I paid $400 for a 16GB iTouch instead of $250 for an 80GB iPod. I am sure there will come a day when I purchase a software upgrade pack from Apple, but today is just not the day. I don’t see the value in the content, so for now I will choose to keep my money.

Ah there is just one more thing. I understand why Apple is charging for these apps. I actually no longer have a problem with that. I am a little confused, however, as to why Apple did not include some of the new iPhone features on the iPod touch for free. I am talking about web clips, and the ability to customize the home page. These are not new applications, but rather an expansion on the features already available on your iPod Touch. These two really should have been free.

It all boils down to whether or not you feel these applications are something that will be useful to you as a user. If they are not, then why spend the money?

How to Get Along in an Online Forum

January 28, 2008 at 3:41 pm · in Media Blog · Comments (36)

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Do you visit online forums? Do you behave while you’re there? Do you know HOW to behave in a forum environment? Here are some tips to make your forum experience a much happier one for you… and the forum Moderation Team.

  • Read the rules You may have been on other forums and gotten around there smoothly but if you are joining a new community you have to read the rules. You may be doing something that every new member (who didn’t read the rules) does and in worst cases get banned. Read the rules and follow them.
  • No 1337-speak Posts that contains 1337-speak is not always easy to understand. 1337-speak is a very geekish way of writing. You try to replace every letter with numbers and symbols. For example, 1337 means leet, short for eleet -> elite. 1337-speak is even disallowed on some sites. Use proper English and spell check your typing. Do everything to look as engaged as possible. Do not ever use caps-lock for your messages. It makes you look dumb and you for sure will not receive valuable response.
  • Have manners The worst thing is people who join a site and request people to do everything for them. If the site has an introduction forum, introduce yourself to the community. If you have a problem, don’t ask people to do things for you, do what you can to figure out how to do it and in worst case, ask how to do what you want.
  • Try to help others When you have been in the community for a while, you might know more than the average user. Use your intelligence to help people. Tell them what they did wrong and tell them how to do what they want. Moderators can not help all users. Users are there to help and get help.
  • Search before posting Always search before posting about a matter. Every common forum system has a search system that allows you to search through every single post on the forum. Many things get answered several times because some users don’t search before they make their request. This will help the moderators so they can focus on other things, the site itself, so it doesn’t get filled with loads of the same stuff.

Our live community leader Kat also is an Administrator at a huge forums site. GeeksToGo is a free computer-help site, with over a million posts, and more than 200,000 members. She has more than four years’ worth of experience in being an Administrator at these types of forums, and wanted to add the following tips.

  • When posting for help on a computer help forum such as GeeksToGo, be specific. The Staff will have a much easier time helping you if they know off the bat what the problem is. If you don’t know what the exact problem is, give as many details as possible.
  • When you join any type of forums, ALWAYS actually take time to read the Terms of Use (Terms of Service). Every site is different, and some allow things that others don’t. By taking the time to read these prior to signing up, you’ll know exactly what the rules of that particular forum are. This can save you trouble in the future.
  • Don’t spam the forum with a hundred posts in your first day, just to make yourself “known”. You’ll be “known” all right… as a spammer, a pest, and someone to “keep an eye on”. Take time to look around the forums, and see how other people talk to each other. Watch posting style of long-time members and Staff/Mods. This way, you’ll be able to fit in much easier when you do begin posting!

All in all, being a member of an online forum of any kind can be fun, informational and addictive! Don’t burn yourself out by trying to do too much at once. Have fun, be yourself… and you’ll do just fine!

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MMORPG Etiquette

January 28, 2008 at 3:27 pm · in Media Blog, Games · Comments (13)

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A community member writes: “I have been a player of the MMO, Massive Multiplayer Online game, City of Heroes and the expansion, City of Villains since the original CoH came out in April of 2004. I have ran across plenty of newbies and general idiots over the course of almost four years. I hope these tips help people not to be such “noobs”.”

  • Don’t spam the announcement channels with chit-chat. It is annoying going into some game zones (game levels/maps) and seeing people spamming chit chat to the entire map. Not only does it get annoying, but if you are looking for a team to play with, it makes that a little harder if your announcement scroll off the the chat screen quickly.
  • Don’t pester people with team invitations. If you want to invite someone, do the polite thing and send them a private message with the /tell command. This allows you to see if they would like to join your team. If they are not interested, or they are doing something else, wish them luck. Sometimes, they wish you luck back. If you invite first, you may end up getting ignored.
  • Don’t pester people to Power Level you. If you have friends who are willing to power level you, then run with them. Do not go to the high level zones and expect some random high level character to help you get a lot of levels quickly. If you want to level somewhat quickly on City of Heroes/Villains, then run the Task Forces for heroes and the strike levels for villains. When you play these at the lowest available level, you tend to level up around two, three or even four levels in the span if the Task Force/Strike Force.
  • Don’t pester the people in the auction houses. Some people worked hard, in the game that is, to get what they are selling. Just because you need to get the one thing there that cost more than what you got, then work to get the extra bit in the game. If you have friends that play, ask them if they can let you have the amount you need. Just don’t pester them, or they will not be your friends for long.
  • Don’t pester someone asking if they have a TeamSpeak or a Vent server. Chances are, if you annoy them and they have one, you wont get invited to join. Also, once on a TS / Vent server, don’t annoy the people there. Don’t play music over the server, but make have your sounds levels good. You don’t want to be too quite or too loud. You may also want to make sure that the people are not hearing echos or game sounds effects from your side. It is also good to set your vent/ts client to have a P-t-t (Push to Talk) button configured. This way, game sounds wont activate the microphone, and it also wont allow your clients to constantly broadcast out.
  • Don’t pester someone to join a guild (super group/villain group in C O H/ C O V). If the guild is asking for people, then send a message to the person who is recruiting.

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How to Deal with Media and MP3 Players while Driving

January 28, 2008 at 3:11 pm · in Media Blog · Comments (9)

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I’m the same as you… I take my iPhone everywhere with me. I’m sure most of you have your phones and MP3 players in your cars with you, as well. We’ve all heard of the potential dangers of using these devices while driving. Here are some tips to help reduce your chance of problems.

  • Video Do not watch video!! If your eyes aren’t on the road then you are a danger. Save it for a cafe park or your living-room, although designed to be portable video players as well they were not designed to watched while driving.
  • Searching songs Searching for music while driving is as bad as watching videos, dont find yourself scrolling thru 1000’s of songs just to find the one you want to listen to at that time. If your drive time is 35-40 min I’m sure you can wait. This brings me to my next point.
  • Playlists Use playlists designed at home for certain moods, or make one of your favorite or top rated songs just for when you use the car. This can save you from skipping dozens of songs because you dont listen to them as often as those that would be in your playlist.
  • Preparation Have the device plugged in to the charger and audio input (device/cable) for your stereo, and have it secured in a place that is easily accessible while keeping you eyes on the road. A generic holder of some sort will usually do the trick and are inexpensive. Select your desired playlist before you start driving and if you really want to skip tracks try and do it at a stopped position like at the traffic lights. Also if possible try to have the backlight display set to constantly on, this will enable you to easily see any content at a glance rather than having to reach over each time to activate the screen.
  • Get help If you have a passenger ask them to change the music for you (Tough as it may be for those who dont like others controlling the music in their cars) If you have to focus on the road then its a better choice to get someone else to search music or skip songs. Note: if they really annoy you by constantly skipping tracks then you can always threaten to make them walk and follow tips 1 to 4.

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