Chris Pirillo » information

Online Backup Service Review

admin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:06:07 +0000

Online Backup Service Review is a post from Chris Pirillo

This review was sponsored by KeepVault. Editorial was completed without sponsor intervention.

Hardware crashes can – and will – happen to you at some point. It’s inevitable, and often unpredictable. You could be thinking to yourself that you’re safe. After all, your computer is fairly new, right? Or perhaps it’s not “acting funny” in any way. That means everything will stay working, doesn’t it? You sadly couldn’t be more wrong – in both cases. When a hard drive dies, there is often no warning signs, nor funny noises and symptoms. It just… dies. What would you do if you try to turn on your computer one morning, and nothing happens? Where are all of your files?

There are many cases where data cannot be retrieved from a dead disk. All of your work, homework, photos, music and files are simply gone. Everything you’ve done, and all you have saved – poof. Why are you taking that kind of chance? There are so many options available to help back up your information, which you should be doing on a regular basis… even daily. KeepVault is one of the best online backup services that I’ve come across.

With KeepVault, you can protect an unlimited number of computers in your home or office. That’s right – for one price, your entire family can share an account to keep your information safe. Most other services only allow you to back up one machine, charging you more for each additional computer (or requiring separate accounts entirely for each of them). For about $4.00 per month, your family can share a 40GB online storage account! This storage amount is expandable up to 5TB, with the cost adjusted accordingly.

For maximum data protection, KeepVault can take your uploaded backups and create a local backup onto a USB flash drive or hard drive. Your information is fully encrypted before transmission to the KeepVault servers to keep them completely safe from others.

The best part of KeepVault is that it is automatic. You won’t forget to back up. Once it is installed, your system is monitored by their software and backups are automagically created for new or changed files!

You have the chance to get a free 40GB KeepVault account if you tweet out the following:

Hey @KeepVault – I want to start backing up my data online, too! http://go.tagjag.com/keepvault

They’ll be giving away five of them before the week is out. Good luck!

Do you seriously want to keep risking your data, information and memories? KeepVault is a simple – and very affordable – way to ensure you will never lose a single thing on your computer… no matter what silly things your hardware may try to do.

How to Optimize Network Management

admin — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:28:31 +0000

How to Optimize Network Management is a post from Chris Pirillo

This post was sponsored by LANsurveyor. We’ve worked with the folks at SolarWinds many times in the past. They have excellent products to help you keep your network running in tip-top shape (as their own community will attest).

LANsurveyor is used by network engineers worldwide to map their networks in mere minutes. According to SolarWinds Head Geek, “getting to know” your network is the first thing you should do when managing any network – and the best way to do this is to discover, map and document it and everything connected to it.

If you’re a network engineer, you are responsible for making sure business-critical network processes are up and running and don’t have a lot of time on your hands to spend cataloging everything on the network. LANsurveyor does the work for you. From automatically discovering your LAN or WAN to producing an easy-to-view, interactive network diagram that can be printed, saved as image or exported to Microsoft Visio, this tool’s got you covered. But this isn’t a one-hit wonder. LANsurveyor adds value beyond the initial discovery of your network. It tracks changes on the network in real-time, creates hardware and program inventory reports and more.

Gone are the days of keeping track of devices connected to your network by manually entering them into a spreadsheet. Who has the time for that? Better yet… who has the desire to be on “network inventory” duty? You can use LANsurveyor to do the dirty work for you! It will automatically keep track of everything, freeing you up to work on more business-critical projects.

Just like with all SolarWinds products, you can try LANsurveyor free for 30 days. If you purchase before November 30th, you will receive a 50% discount! Make sure you use coupon code PLS504QC when ordering to receive the discount.

Make your life as the IT guy a little bit easier using LANsurveyor.

A Word of Caution Concerning Printer Ink Cartridges

Chris — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:05:22 +0000

A Word of Caution Concerning Printer Ink Cartridges is a post from Chris Pirillo

After reading my article about generic print cartridges, Teebo was moved to write to me about his experiences. He taught me a few things that even I didn’t already know… and hopefully you’re about to learn something, as well. Here is what Teebo had to say:

There are two types of ink cartridges today: one is a complete cartridge which includes a print head, the other is only an ink reservoir. The advice I was given when I bought my last printer was to buy one whose cartridges contain the print heads. That way, each time you buy a new ink cartridge, you’re getting a brand new print head.
My previous printer had the print heads built right in to the printer itself, not on the ink cartridges. One day, the print heads failed. I called customer service, and was told that it wasn’t worth it to fix the machine. They said I was better off buying a new one! I was so unhappy with their response that I DID buy a new printer – from a different company! I made sure to purchase one that uses ink cartridges that include the print heads.
Every time I buy new ink, I get new print heads. I never have to worry about them failing again. Generic cartridges don’t come with print heads, of course. My recommendation is to not buy generic ones… but to simply take your name-brand ones in for refills to save yourself money. These work great for home use. When the print heads finally do fail on the ink cartridges, simply throw them out and buy new ones. This is going to save you a lot of money, and a lot of headaches.

Excellent advice! Thanks, Teebo, for reaching out to help others refrain from making this same mistake!

Mark Glaser and Jim Ray – Hacker Journalists at Gnomedex

Chris — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 06:02:41 +0000

Mark Glaser and Jim Ray – Hacker Journalists at Gnomedex is a post from Chris Pirillo

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Why did media companies miss the boat on the web? They haven’t always valued the input from their own technology folks on staff. That’s changing as the web is becoming an important source for news and information. So now local newspapers, radio stations and TV stations are hoping that a new breed of “hacker journalists” can help them out by having experience in coding and also understanding journalism issues.

Mark Glaser is a longtime freelance journalist whose career includes columns on hip-hop, reviews of video games, travel stories, and humor columns that poked fun at the titans of technology. From 2001 to 2005, he wrote a weekly column for USC Annenberg School of Communication’s Online Journalism Review, and he still writes the OPA Intelligence Report email newsletter for the Online Publishers Association. Glaser has written essays for Harvard’s Nieman Reports and the website for the Yale Center for Globalization.

Glaser has written columns on the Internet and technology for the Los Angeles Times, CNET and HotWired, and has written features for the New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Entertainment Weekly, the San Jose Mercury News, and many other publications. He was the lead writer for the Industry Standard’s award-winning “Media Grok” daily email newsletter during the dot-com heyday, and was named a finalist for a 2004 Online Journalism Award in the Online Commentary category for his OJR column.

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What Does Every Geek Need to Start a Company?

Chris — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:15:06 +0000

What Does Every Geek Need to Start a Company? is a post from Chris Pirillo

Tomorrow evening, I will be co-hosting a very cool event called What Every Geek Needs to Start a Company. We plan to teach you the essential ingredients to launch yourself into entrepreneur Geek success! The Webinar will cover:

What it takes to become self employed
Setting goals and how to to stay on task
Recruiting mentors
Creating a company brand that sets you apart from the crowd
Identify your customer base or niche
Do you need a logo?
What’s a good business name?
Developing your business network
Your 30 second pitch
Finding clients
Networking for Geeks
Time tracking
Invoicing clients
Why contracts are essential
PR and exposure to build your credibility

If you’re a Geek looking to get into business for yourself – or even a Geek who already is in business, you won’t want to miss this. Join us tomorrow evening and let us help you realize your dreams and goals.

My eBooks

admin — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:58:41 +0000

My eBooks is a post from Chris Pirillo

You wanna learn? Cool. I wanna teach. Each one of my eBooks is $7 apiece and is available in PDF.

My Top 70 Windows 7 Tips (Add to Cart) (Buy Now)
My Top 200 Windows Tips (Add to Cart)
My Top YouTube Tips (Add to Cart)
My Top Weight Loss Tips (Add to Cart)

By the way, I’m using these guys to host my eBooks shopping cart. I’ll be writing more in the near future, depending largely on demand – and given the amount of questions I get asked on a daily basis, I’d say the demand is pretty darn high. So, why would you wanna buy one of my eBooks?

Each one of them will be quick and easy to read
You’ll save yourself time, energy, and money
The PDF files can be viewed just about anywhere
There are no DRM restrictions involved
I’ll throw in my pixieApps with every purchase
You’re doing your part to support the community
You’re looking to gain a little extra knowledge
Refunds actually become donations to charity
If just one tip helps you, isn’t it worth doing?

Oh, and if you tweet the following, I’ll send you a coupon for 50% off everything:

Hey @chrispirillo, thanks for sending me a 50% off coupon for your http://tips.pirillo.com/ eBooks!

Let me know what other knowledge I might be able to impart?

What Do You Blame?

Chris — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:38:15 +0000

What Do You Blame? is a post from Chris Pirillo

My good friend Drew Olanoff recently spoke at Gnomedex about how he is kicking ass when it comes to his having cancer. He was diagnosed with Stage III Hodgkin’s back in May. Ever since then, he has been speaking loudly all over the country – to anyone who will listen – to help raise awareness for Cancer support and to help raise money for LiveStrong. He also started a new viral Twitter trend, where thousands of people have blamed everything from lost keys to bad hair days on Drew’s cancer. It’s been amazing to watch what Drew is doing, and I can’t begin to express my awe and pride for this man and his journey.

Today is 9/9/09, and Drew is as busy as ever. He and his posse of blamers are busy in Philly with the 24 hour Blame-A-Thon. They have raffle tickets you can purchase, even if you cannot attend the event yourself. There are people coming to talk about their own battles with cancer, or those of people they love. There are live bands, free food, and a huge party atmosphere.

Even if you can’t join them in person, or donate to LiveStrong (or buy a raffle ticket!!), why not show your support by using the hashtag #blamedrewscancer on Twitter! Tune in to watch Drew and his friends all day today (until midnight tonight) as they kick Cancer’s ass into oblivion.

Drew isn’t the only one doing awesome things, you know. We have people all over our community who are out there in the World, doing their best to make their mark. Who knows – maybe you’re one of them. If not, you can always join us on Geeks or Lockergnome.

Concerns over Identity Theft trumps that of even Terrorism.

Can the Zune really compete in the mp3 market?

Windows 7 is re-introducing an unwelcome feature.

Have you seen some of the fabulous pictures from Gnomedex yet?

Is a Honda Insight the most frugal hybrid?

Gimp 2.8 is going to rock, according to many bloggers.

Two new antibodies are found to cripple HIV.

Is Microsoft + Best Buy the anti-Linux campaign?

Platform: Windows – New Apps

Mediaraptor 3.3

With the web radio recorder for social radios (e.g. Last.fm, Yahoo LAUNCHcast) or the web video recorder for video portals (e.g. YouTube) you can quickly record thousands of MP3 songs and music videos – [more in Audio & Multimedia > Converters]

RMVB Converter 1.4

RMVB Converter is one latest RM/RMVB video converter released by www.RMVBCodec.com, it can convert RM/RMVB to AVI, DivX, Xvid, MPEG2, WMV, MP4, FLV and more, it support only rip the audio data from RM – [more in Audio & Multimedia > Synthesizers]

PageRaptor 0.99p

Direct Marketing Tool. PageRaptor USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Spain and Italy, captures data on web pages (yellow, super, etc.) and saves it to Excel. Subscription-based software. – [more in Business > Vertical Market Apps]

Flexionizer 0.92b

Flexionizer is a conjugation software to look up for conjugations of spanish, english and german verbs, to look up for additional informations of verbs like characteristics and main translations. It o – [more in Education > Languages]

File Encryption 2.1

File Encryption is free Windows application to encrypt and password protect user’s confidential data. File Encryption supports multiple algorithms, it is secure, fast application that uses strong mili – [more in Security & Privacy > Encryption Tools]

Aobo Porn Filter 3.01

Effective & efficient Filtering algorithm to block unwanted websites and filter porn websites : Aobo Website Blocker – Porn Filter uses unique content filtering algorithm to block pornographic webs – [more in Security & Privacy > Access Control]

Portable Efficient Diary 1.60

Efficient Diary is a completely free while still beautiful, easy-to-use and powerful electronic diary software package. With its unique and powerful flash full-text search technique, you can simply en – [more in Business > PIMS & Calendars]

Find Current User 2.5.4.0

Find Current User is a Microsoft Active Directory based tool that helps you find out who’s logged on to which computer in seconds. You can also list computers and their users and save the information – [more in Network & Internet > Other]

Pixie PC 1.0

Help Pixie find her way home through the dark forest and back to her friends and family. Fly your Pixie around each level firing your magic vines to close off areas. When an area is closed off it will – [more in Games & Entertainment > Arcade]

Shooting Gallery PC 1.5

Hot classic arcade action for the PC ! Play this fun game and try to shoot the various targets with your mouse in this fantastic new version of a classic style shooting gallery. Easy to play, hard – [more in Games & Entertainment > Arcade]

KS-Gantt Control for DotNet WinForms 1.0

Extend your application with project-management capabilities with just a few lines of code. The interactive Gantt-Control comes with an easy to understand data object-model. The style and behavior can – [more in Development > Components & Libraries]

Remote Password Recovery 1.0.3

Remote Password Recovery is a remote computers password auditing program and security test tool, it retrieves passwords for software products saved on local or remote network computers. The software r – [more in Network & Internet > Remote Computing]

1AVShare 1.6.8.00

Publish your own secure website directly from your PC and remotely access your images, documents, videos, and music, or securely share them with your friends, family, and co-workers. – [more in Network & Internet > File Sharing/Peer to Peer]

TimeLive Web Timesheet Enterprise Version (Unlimited Users)

TimeLive Web timesheet suite is integrated suite for time record, time tracking and time billing software. The TimeLive suite of products deliver a time tracking solution for professional service prov – [more in Business > Finance]

Platform: Windows – Updated Apps

Forum Dominator 2.213

Forum Dominator is a forum submitter tool that will help you efficiently optimize your time on message boards. With Forum Dominator, you can bookmark your posts and automatically check them for replie – [more in Network & Internet > Other]

Smile 1.00.52

Challenge your mind with this puzzle game. Your goal is to turn all the frown game pieces into smiley game pieces. Do this by jumping over the game pieces to flip them. If you jump over a smile, it be – [more in Games & Entertainment > Puzzle & Word Games]

Checkbook for Flash Drives 1.01.06

Checkbook for Flash Drives has all the features of the desktop version of Checkbook, but runs completely from your flash drive. You can run this portable version from any computer and keep your checkb – [more in Business > Accounting & Finance]

Sticker Activity Pages 4: Fairy Tales 1.00.48

Find the correct stickers to complete fairy tale scenes in this fourth set of Sticker Activity Pages. With dozens of pages and hundreds of missing stickers to find, kids will have hours of fun while i – [more in Games & Entertainment > Kids]

Sticker Activity Pages 1.00.52

With the Sticker Activity Pages, kids find the correct sticker that matches the spot on the page that has the outline of the sticker. The scene on the page is complete after all the missing stickers a – [more in Games & Entertainment > Kids]

Credit Card Manager for Flash Drives 1.01.06

Credit Card Manager for Flash Drives has all the features of the desktop version of Credit Card Manager, but runs completely from your flash drive. You can run this portable version from any computer – [more in Business > Accounting & Finance]

Envelope Printer 1.12.48

Envelope Printer is the quick and easy way to print addresses on envelopes. Type in the address, then press the print button. It’s that easy and that fast! You can also save addresses for easy loading – [more in Business > Other]

Matching Game 3 1.00.52

Matching Game 3 gives you more cards to flip – plants, animals, household items, and fantasy characters! Flip any two cards to see if they match. If they do, watch them disappear. Make all the cards d – [more in Games & Entertainment > Kids]

FiRST AiD – A Restriction Removing Tool 1.3.0.1

FiRST AiD is a restriction removal tool. Where you can remove all kind of restriction. After virus attack it is very much essential. Just few clicks make your OS as previous. Easily recover windows ba – [more in Security & Privacy > Access Control]

TimeLive Web Timesheet Enterprise Version (Unlimited Users)

Coloring Book 8: Fairy Tales 4.22.52

An eighth coloring book program from Dataware with characters and scenes from your favorite fairy tales! 50 pictures included with the complete version. Published by Dataware. – [more in Education > Kids]

Coloring Book 6: Number Trains 4.22.52

A sixth coloring book program from Dataware with 5 train loads of pictures to color! Each train car has a different picture on it for the numbers 1-10. 50 pictures included with the complete version. – [more in Education > Kids]

Coloring Book 4: Plants 4.22.52

A fourth coloring book program from Dataware. With this one, there are a large variety of plants to color! It has the same easy to use interface as the previous coloring books which makes it easy to u – [more in Education > Kids]

Coloring Book 9: Little Monsters 1.02.52

A ninth coloring book program filled with 50 pages of delightful little monsters at play and in other delightful situations where you would normally find kids. There’s something unexpected on every pa – [more in Education > Kids]

QuadQuest 2.31.52

QuadQuest is a turn-based strategy adventure game in which you play four quests. Each quest has its own hero, but you choose the five party members that will accompany the hero. Battle more than 100 d – [more in Games & Entertainment > Strategy & War Games]

Maze Book 3: Lost in Animal Town 1.00.52

Maze Book 3 is another set of computer generated mazes for kids. In this set, kids guide animal characters through mazes in Animal Town to find friends, neighbors, teachers, toys, and lots of other ch – [more in Games & Entertainment > Kids]

Coloring Book 13: Kids Stuff 1.00.52

A 13th coloring book program filled with 50 pages of fun stuff for kids. The 50 pictures included with the complete version are an easel, balls, bikes, tricycles, blocks, books, dolls, strollers, kits – [more in Education > Kids]

Coloring Book 2: Dinosaurs 4.22.52

A second coloring book program from Dataware, but this time it’s ALL dinosaurs! It has the same interface as the first Coloring Book with large buttons that make it easy to use for children, but there – [more in Games & Entertainment > Kids]

ASP.NET File Upload (AjaxUploader.com) 3.0

Ajax Uploader is an easy to use, hi-performance ASP.NET upload component which allows you to upload files to web server without refreshing the page. It supports ASP.NET AJAX frameworks and works in aj – [more in Web Development > ASP & PHP]

H+Soft Arcade 1.9

Ever wanted to have your own arcade on your PC or Laptop? Now you can with H+Soft Arcade! – Play, Download, Get Info or Delete any game from the H+Soft collection of 2D and 3D Retro Style Mini games w – [more in Games & Entertainment > Arcade]

Platform: Linux – New Apps

TimeLive Web Timesheet Enterprise Version (Unlimited Users)

Platform: Linux – Updated Apps

TimeLive Web Timesheet Enterprise Version (Unlimited Users)

Platform: OS X – New Apps

4Videosoft iPhone Transfer for Mac 3.1.22

4Videosoft iPhone Transfer for Mac provides you a full solution to deal with iPhone/iPod video and audio files. This Mac iPhone Transfer can easily sync songs and movies from Mac local disk to iPhone/ – [more in Audio & Multimedia > Converters]

Movavi Video Converter for Mac 1.0.1

The renowned Movavi Video Converter is now available for Mac users! A powerful yet easy-to-use video & audio file converter especially designed for Macintosh. Convert video & audio on your Mac. Save v – [more in Audio & Multimedia > Converters]

Aiseesoft iPhone to Mac Transfer 3.2.28

Aiseesoft iPhone to Mac Transfer is specially designed for iPhone/iPod users to help you transfer iPhone music, video files or folders to Mac local disk. So actually this iPhone to Mac Transfer is the – [more in Audio & Multimedia > Video Tools]

Shooting Gallery Mac 1.5

Hot classic arcade action for the Mac ! Play this fun game and try to shoot the various targets with your mouse in this fantastic new version of a classic style shooting gallery. Easy to play, hard to – [more in Games & Entertainment > Arcade]

Platform: OS X – Updated Apps

Aiseesoft DVD to Apple TV for mac 3.2.16

Aiseesoft DVD to Apple TV Converter for Mac allows you to custom file size, pick up any segment you need for converting, select subtitle and audio track, and remove the black edges of your DVD movies. – [more in Audio & Multimedia > Converters]

Geek Violence

Chris — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:13:55 +0000

Geek Violence is a post from Chris Pirillo

This guest blog post was written by the geek known as “kpsince1953.”

I don’t think it would be outrageous to suggest that most Geeks are friendly passive creatures who would never dream of committing a savage, violent act. This made me think of the violence in the world and how it affects Geeks and even the part we play in local and global acts of violence.

The individuals who design weapons of war could most likely be described as Geeks. Not because Geeks have any violent intent, but rather though there interests and knowledge of technology. What I’m trying to say is the type of person who succeeds in the world of weapons development most likely has a personal interest in the field of technology and the communities that follow its progression. Therefore, s/he could most likely be described as a Geek.

I feel the Geeks connection to violence extends further. It’s no secret that technological progression has a lot to do with space travel and perhaps even more so, the military. Therefore, a lot of modern technology is a product of violent intentions, and which stereotype uses technology more than any other? Geeks.

I have come to the conclusion that Geeks – possibly the most passive and gentle of all people – are directly involved and largely responsible for all the major wars of our time. I understand this is a sensationalist claim. But I believe my reasoning is sound. As a proud Geek myself I wanted to delve further into this ironic turn of events. In doing so I came to a second more important conclusion. The same category of individual who would be contracted to design a weapon would also be suitable to design a wheel chair, or prosthetic limb. I would even be willing to bet on that it will be a Geek who will cure cancer.

My final conclusion is simple. I believe that the Geeks influence on the modern world is immeasurable. Geeks have provided the tools to perform the worst and best acts in human history. However, while Geeks may be the ones providing the tools to commit these acts, they themselves are controlled by other men and governments who decide how those tools are to be used.

How to Save Electricity

Chris — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 00:14:48 +0000

How to Save Electricity is a post from Chris Pirillo

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If a device is plugged into the wall, it’s using electricity. Even if it’s not turned on, it’s still draining your wallet by running up your power bill. You may want to look into a device that can help you cut that bill down, and save on your energy usage! There’s a way to do it easily by using TrickleStar’s devices.

Using either the TV TrickleSaver or the PC TrickleSaver, you can cut your energy consumption quite a lot. Using them reduces the standby electricity used by devices. There’s a built-in relay that switches off devices that consume standby current.

The TrickleStar TV TrickleSaver reduces the standby energy consumed by TV accessories. The product has inbuilt current sensing circuitry to sense when a TV is on or Off. When the TV is on the product will switch On all peripheral devices. Conversely when the TV is Off, the product will switch Off all accessories.

Conversely, the TrickleStar PC TrickleSaver reduces the standby energy consumed by PC Peripheral equipment. The product connects to a PC via a standard USB connector and detects the power status of a PC via the USB port. When a PC is powered up, the product will switch on all peripheral devices. When a PC is switched off, the product will switch off all peripheral devices.

Why not make the Earth a friendlier place by cutting down on the amount of electricity you use? Heck… you’re saving yourself money as well, so you really have no excuse!

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The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth

Chris — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:49:31 +0000

The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth is a post from Chris Pirillo

There’s an old saying in the Bible or some book that I don’t even remember for sure. It says “And the Geeks shall inherit the Earth”. A friend of mine argued with me the other night, claiming that it’s supposed to be the meek shall inherit the Earth. I beg to differ. I know what it says, thank you very much. We all know it’s pure fact that Geeks are taking over the World, and that we will one day ~~rule~~ inherit the World. Why haven’t you given in and joined us yet? You know you’re going to have to!

Seriously, being a Geek is an amazing thing. Geeks are not just computer guru’s, you know. A Geek is anyone who is passionate about something, whether it’s computers, motorcycles, or even gardening. Using this definition, it’s easier to imagine Geeks one day making a huge difference in this World of ours. What am I saying? We already have. Look at some of the strides in medicine, technology and science in just the past few years. There are an astounding number of new inventions, cures and gadgets on a daily basis.

If you could change the World somehow, make an impact so to speak, what would it be? Just imagine for a few moments that you have the brains/money/power to change any one thing. What would you do?

While you’re contemplating, make sure you take the time to check out what others are up to in our community!

How to Compare Search Results between Bing, Yahoo, and Google

Chris — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:01:38 +0000

How to Compare Search Results between Bing, Yahoo, and Google is a post from Chris Pirillo

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You, much like the rest of the galaxy, are likely using Google as your search engine. But is Google giving you the best results? How would you know unless you compare the results between search engines? Copying and pasting searches into multiple places and manually checking the results across the board is just not going to happen. Who has the time to do that? We need a way that we can easily and effectively make sure that we are each using the search engine that is right for us and our needs.

There’s a website out there that will help surface the truth for you. You may be convinced that Google is the best, but it may not be. The way to find out is to do a Blind Search.

Type in your search terms, and let Blind Search do the work. Then, compare the results columns, and vote for the one that you felt best delivered the content you were looking for. The columns are randomized with every query. The goal of the site is simple: they want to see what happens when you remove the branding from search engines. How will you perceive the results at that point?

Believe it or not, when I did a Blind Search of my own, the best results came from Yahoo. It just goes to show that things may not always be as they seem. Open your mind – and your search horizons.

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Technology in the Navy

Chris — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:38:37 +0000

Technology in the Navy is a post from Chris Pirillo

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In early June, I was fortunate to be aboard the USS Nimitz. I had an absolutely amazing time, and learned so much. Being the complete Geek that I am, I had to find out exactly what kind of technology is on board the ship.

Ships like the Nimitz are built to last approximately fifty years. One thing that the Navy has to keep in mind when building one is that they have to be able to later adapt to evolving technology. The ship I was on was designed in the 60s and commissioned in the 70s – during a time that they were just beginning to understand that you could use a satellite to record and transmit data. They were at a very basic age in terms of satellite communications. When you see what is available now, it’s honestly an amazing difference to realize.

When the USS Nimitz is deployed somewhere, it’s not just an aircraft carrier that is headed there. It’s also the capability to gather intelligence, to make plans to stabilize a region of the world, and an ability to project power should it be necessary. They’re staffed to collect and process information, and send it all over the world to various intelligence agencies as needed.

A lot of the tools used to do these things were not even invented yet when the Nimitz was designed. This is a perfect example of being able to adapt to change.

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Dvorak vs Qwerty

Chris — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:48:19 +0000

Dvorak vs Qwerty is a post from Chris Pirillo

Kevin L. has been typing up a storm:

Hey Chris, I’ve been a fan of yours ever since you were on Call for Help. I used to love that station, and wish they still had a station that had enthusiastic tech, help, news, and a lot of fun mixed in. Although, these days I rarely watch TV. I do, however, watch a ton of YouTube videos – by you and the Tinkernut guy.
Recently, I was researching the Dvorak keyboard layout. I learned that it was developed for comfort and speed. The standard of our English keyboards (Qwerty) was designed so that typewriters wouldn’t get jammed – almost a century and a half ago. A lot of uber-geeks out there think that Dvorak is a simpler and faster method for typing.
I was wondering if you had ever tried or given any thought to using Dvorak? I would think this would make a great video. It might make an even greater poll. But this can also be used to prank your unsuspecting friends (not that I would do something so sinister). Thank you for entertaining, and informing us geeks.

Despite having friends who swear by Dvorak, I haven’t felt the need to switch it up. If only because it’s not quite standard – and I can’t imagine the frustration of walking up to a Qwerty keyboard and having to shift mental gears. Not to mention, I don’t feel like I’m a slow typer at 100+ WPM (on a good day).

I’d be interested in hearing from the community on this one.

When Bleu Cheese Goes Bad

Chris — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 05:50:39 +0000

When Bleu Cheese Goes Bad is a post from Chris Pirillo

chrispirillo: How do you know when bleu cheese goes bad?

about 40 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:09:40 +0000 2009

Ladywolf55: It's always bad, no need to tell. ;-)

about 39 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:10:14 +0000 2009

Cdipaolo: i dont like cheese much so i wouldnt knnow

about 39 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:10:32 +0000 2009

jt: As soon as you buy it… toe jam is always bad.

about 39 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:10:32 +0000 2009

netdoc66: it turns green.

about 39 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:10:43 +0000 2009

jimtez: it turns the opposite of blue?

about 38 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:11:03 +0000 2009

KawazoeMasahiro: Generally, it goes out walking around the house and make groaning noises.

about 38 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:11:23 +0000 2009

david_ing: When you wake up in hospital?

about 38 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:11:28 +0000 2009

njc002: it becomes yellow, and you can see kind of sweating ^^ (i swear im french)

about 37 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:12:04 +0000 2009

papadimitriou: Bleu cheese never goes bad ;-)

about 37 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:12:09 +0000 2009

alexbarnett: when it goes Indigo.

about 37 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:12:11 +0000 2009

m0rph: When it tastes REEEEALLLY good.

about 37 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:12:16 +0000 2009

realph: When the E is in front of the U!

about 37 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:12:21 +0000 2009

XaveGregz: You won't

about 37 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:12:24 +0000 2009

wolfcraaft: it curses and swares and tells dirty jokes

about 37 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:12:25 +0000 2009

angelrodriquez: when green > bleu

about 37 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:12:35 +0000 2009

seanromero: Not sure, but enjoy your entertaining content on youtube.

about 37 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:12:37 +0000 2009

maoliperfumes: I've asked myself the same ? several times. Ultimately, my Lab lets me know by eating it or not.

about 37 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:12:59 +0000 2009

lvdjgarcia: it smells like cheddar

about 36 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:13:05 +0000 2009

craightonmiller: When it turns green

about 36 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:13:07 +0000 2009

HaraTaiki: That honestly a good question. Maybe it doesn't?

about 36 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:13:13 +0000 2009

2can_stan: perhaps when of turns purple.

about 36 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:13:27 +0000 2009

kimzzz: It doesn't but if it starts crawling let it go

about 36 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:13:29 +0000 2009

tazs_10: thats when blue cheese goes bad http://tinyurl.com/od7l9z

about 36 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:13:59 +0000 2009

Telematica: Teast it first… if it teastes so bad… it's bad…. XD

about 35 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:14:15 +0000 2009

DarthGuybrush: – it goes green?

about 35 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:14:22 +0000 2009

jorgeguberte: When it tastes rancid, or when it's too dry.

about 35 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:14:33 +0000 2009

Macness: green cheese?

about 34 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:15:06 +0000 2009

Joshrath: It becomes green cheese.

about 34 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:15:18 +0000 2009

gman5541: When it smells badder than it normally does.

about 34 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:15:24 +0000 2009

redhaute: it turns green?

about 34 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:15:33 +0000 2009

Jon5700: Smell it and see..

about 34 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:15:37 +0000 2009

LeoWolfe: when u eat it and it tastes like blue cheese

about 34 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:15:40 +0000 2009

oclafcire: easy… it turns green. or starts talking. either one, it's gone bad.

about 33 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:16:37 +0000 2009

GeekPornGirl: When it gets slimy or is fuzzy all around and growing other colors of mold. Or when it smells much stronger, like ammonia.

about 33 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:16:51 +0000 2009

mushiku: Every time.

about 32 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:17:11 +0000 2009

waffleboy5787: How do you know when bleu cheese goes bad? When it starts smelling fresh. :P

about 32 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:17:36 +0000 2009

TimBrazer: It already is bad. Its like beer. If it goes from hot to cold a lot it goes bad quickly. If its kept cold it is good.

about 32 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:17:51 +0000 2009

ludovicah: it becomes really really runny and smelly Blue cheese is awesome

about 31 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:18:17 +0000 2009

J3V: turns green..

about 30 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:19:38 +0000 2009

the_beth: “how do you know when bleu cheese goes bad?” i think when it no longer smells/tastes sour.

about 30 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:19:43 +0000 2009

strangetikigod: dunno…I can't stand the stuff even when fresh!

about 29 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:20:30 +0000 2009

haxor911: when you can't rember who bought it. Heh

about 28 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:21:31 +0000 2009

kenjij: When its spelling changes from blue to bleu? BTW, recently, my swiss cheese in the fridge turned blue. Is that bad?

about 28 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:21:51 +0000 2009

fogfish: When the blue turns yellow. In the case of Stilton/Stichelton when the orange turns blue. If it's melted and fuzzy toss.

about 27 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:22:08 +0000 2009

PlayPolo: — Old cheese smells like dirty feet and get's chalky.

about 27 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:22:14 +0000 2009

jbraver: it becomes green cheese

about 26 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:23:51 +0000 2009

benjaminellison: You'll know when it's bad. It's one of those “good, good, good, zOMG gack pthbtht!” moments.

about 25 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:24:54 +0000 2009

Phylop: It doesn't go bad, it goes good… :-)

about 24 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:25:43 +0000 2009

lavasusan: To You know when bleu cheese has gone bad when it starts smelling good!

about 23 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:26:51 +0000 2009

BoxWhatBox: – when bleu cheese goes bad it smells like clean socks fresh from the dryer.

about 21 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:28:09 +0000 2009

Gwailonuy: it smells good?

about 21 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:28:27 +0000 2009

jawharp1992: You puke afterwards

about 20 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:29:34 +0000 2009

xxloverxx: Er, isn't the 'blue' in 'blue cheese' already mould?

about 20 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:29:52 +0000 2009

AllieWag: Like a Twinkee (or cockroach). Would survive a nuke attack.

about 17 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:32:25 +0000 2009

amrosario: When bleu cheese goes bad, it smells good.

about 17 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:32:59 +0000 2009

nymagy: when it grows pubes.

about 14 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:35:32 +0000 2009

sephiros: It's always bad. By definition.

about 5 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:44:24 +0000 2009

lbutlr: can Bleu Cheese go bad?

about 3 minutes ago

Sun Jun 07 05:46:42 +0000 2009

GordonGrant: it turns purple and smells worse than normal?

27 seconds ago

Sun Jun 07 05:49:34 +0000 2009

What is Digital Culture?

Chris — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 20:47:33 +0000

What is Digital Culture? is a post from Chris Pirillo

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I may not look it, but I am 35 years old. This means I grew up with things like Merlin, Speak n’ Spell, and Atari! I surround myself with toys even to this day, including on the Internet. There are people my age, however, who don’t use mobile devices or even the Internet. In this day and age, that’s unheard of!

We are now living in a digital age – the age of information. I’ve been online since 1992, and doing so professionally for 12 years now. This IS my life. I received an email from a guy named Chris, who is taking a course named Digital Culture. They are learning about how digital culture is changing every arena of human experience. For their final project, they were creating a website devoted to digital culture and its influence. One component of the site features thoughts of people like myself, who are immersed in the digital lifestyle. They wanted to know what exactly digital culture means to me.

I think that digital culture is pervasive technology. What I mean by that is just assuming a solution is going to be there. Back in the days of dial up when I would travel, I would have to carry with me some type of telephone cable. I had to dial in to the Internet, and usually pay for the time I used that line. These days, you take it for granted. If you go to a hotel, you expect you can get online. It’s a given, right? You know it’s there!

Could you sit in front of a computer today and use it without an Internet connection? You could – but what would you do? The Internet unlocks so many experiences. It’s there, and it’s pervasive. It actually helps with the flow of things. Imagine not having email, or knowing someone who doesn’t have it. It’s frustrating. You’ve potentially grown up with it, and you’re just used to the convenience of it!

When I think of digital culture, I think of it as a part of ourselves, and an extension of society. What it means to me is a step in mental evolution, and social responsibility. The phrase that explains the idea that technology connects us as humans which I coined is “Human Circuitry” – which is now the theme of my Gnomedex conference.

Digital culture is amazing to me today as it was back when I first began my journey. It gives rise to a different kind of relationship between people – and it’s one that I treasure.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

How to Handle Remote Tech Support

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:30:00 GMT

Using GoToAssist is the easiest way to view and control another person's computer online. Use it to provide instant technical support to family, friends and customers. Start a session with just one click, and instantly connect with the other party.

Network Tools for Windows

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

You need these network tools, no matter which operating systems and networks you have to support. SolarWinds ipMonitor: Affordable Network Monitoring for SMBs. Get turnkey network, server and application availability monitoring with SolarWinds ipMonitor v9.0. This easy-to-use, reliable solution for SMBs delivers out-of-the-box availability monitoring so you always know exactly what's up with Active Directory, DNS, Exchange, FTP, Web, IMAP, MS SQL Server, and SMTP. Download your free trial today. Or, try their totally free tools! And, through 2/29, save 20% when you purchase ipMonitor 9.0.

Get Your Own Web Site

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

Starting at just $3.99/month, web hosting from GoDaddy includes 99.9% uptime, 24/7 support and free access to GoDaddy Hosting Connection, THE place to install over 30 FREE applications sure to help you get the most from your hosting plan and Web site. Enter code CP2 at checkout, and save an additional 10% on any order.

Plus, as a friend of Chris Pirillo, enter code CHRIS7, that's C-H-R-I-S and the number 7, when you check out, and save an additional 10% on any order. Get your piece of the internet at GoDaddy.com.

VMware and Parallels for Virtual Machines

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

It doesn't matter if you're running on Windows or Mac OS X - every power user needs either Parallels or VMware (or both). There's never been an easier way to test software without destroying your primary operating system's stability. Think of how many times you wish you could press a 'reverse' button on your computer. Plus, there's no easier way to try new Linux distributions - see what all the fuss is about. Run Windows in OS X, run Linux in Windows, but the best way to do either is with VMware and/or Parallels.

Coupons for Online Shopping

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:56:13 GMT

This feed is fueled by Lockergnome Online Shopping and Coupon Codes

Before you shop next time, see if we have a coupon first.