Chris Pirillo » fan

How to Make it Big in Social Media

Chris Pirillo — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 02:34:49 +0000

Everyone has their own idea as to how to be the next big thing in social media. Almost none of those ideas are right. In some ways, it’s almost luck of the draw as to who becomes “famous” on sites such as Twitter and Facebook. In many cases, people find themselves elevated to the rank of “famous” within social media circles with a lot of hard work. It’s not easy to cultivate a following and keep them interested. Trust me on this. I’ve gained followers, and I’ve lost followers. It happens on a daily basis. However, I don’t have a panic attack if someone unfollows me. I just figure I’m not their cup of tea, and go on about my life.

Not everyone can say the same with any degree of truthfulness, though. I know quite a few people who spend more time tracking how well they are doing on Twitter than they do actually sending out tweets. They are so immersed in the “numbers” that they have forgotten what got them their followers and friends in the first place. People don’t follow someone simply because they are “popular”. They follow someone because they are genuinely interested in what the person has to say.

In any case, it’s often humorous to watch someone who has decided they are famous on Twitter or Facebook. I love it when a person has become “too important” for their own good. Call me a meanie, but it’s just plain funny to watch those giant egos burst when they finally realize that they weren’t so important after all. Only then do we ever get to see the real person.

Tremendous News hit the nail on the head with a recent post: 7 Signs You’re Taking Yourself Too Seriously on Social Media.

You Actually Posed For A Picture With The Clear Intention Of It Being Your Facebook Or Twitter Profile Picture.
For Real-Life Crises, You Seek Advice From Anonymous Internet People.
You Have Customized Social Media Clothes.
You Think Your Facebook Fans Are Like Real Fans.
You Panic When Your Follower/Fan/Friend Growth Stalls.
You Think You Have More Influence Than Established Mediums.
You Think Because A Celebrity Acknowledges Your Existence, You’re Immediately Friends.

I couldn’t have said it better myself. If you recognize yourself in any of the above scenarios, it’s time to step away from TweetDeck and get back in touch with reality.

How to Make it Big in Social Media

Has Anyone Ever Written a Song about You?

Chris Pirillo — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:25:25 +0000

Has Anyone Ever Written a Song about You?

Matt Bickford wrote this fan song just for me! How cool is that? Watch the video, and follow along with the lyrics.

Review an app or two
He does it for you
He’s one geeky dude

Lifestreaming is his thing
taught me of metal grabby things
inspired me to sing

Now don’t get me wrong
for 10 dollars he’ll play you your song

Chris Pirillo

Ponzi went on a cruise
Home alone for the lose
he just did more reviews

Pixie and Wicket – so cute!
He bought Crash Bandicoot
Played it for me and Andrew

His geek cred – so legit!
He gave tech support to Jordi Laforge
Can you believe it?

Thanks, Matt! This rocked!

Has Anyone Ever Written a Song about You?

Top 5 Tips to Improve Computer Case Noise

Chris Pirillo — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 02:45:28 +0000

Top 5 Tips to Improve Computer Case Noise

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I’ve asked for your “Top 5″ tips and tricks. We’ve all had problems with loud computer noises at times, so when I got this email I had to share it. Here it is in its entirety:

Hi Chris!
I’ve read that you are always looking for top 5 top tips for various issues, so here are mine.

Like many people, I have my computer located in my bedroom, and like many people, I also have it on 24/7. Now, as you probably know, as the components in a PC get older, they tend to get progressively noisier. This becomes a problem when you’re trying to sleep.

Now, if you don’t have a screwless atx case,a relatively “old” PC like I do, and you have a noisy computer which doesn’t let you fall asleep, here are some tips I’ve gathered along the years to help you diagnose and reduce computer case noise:

Make sure all the screws that hold the drives, motherboard and cards are tight You don’t want them too tight, as you might damage the screws. Also, when you install a drive check all screw holes, it may seem that two screws are enough to hold it in place but most of that “metal rattling” noise comes either from loosely mounted drives, cards or the case’s side lids. If the lids in your case are the “sliding lock” type, make sure they are aligned perfectly and put the screws on the back! I know it’s easier to leave them out if you’re constantly opening your case, but as you do this the lids get looser and eventually there’s that metal rattle again. So keep it tight.

Get a quality power supply. This is usually one of the components where manufacturers cut costs, so stock PSU’s tend to be cheap and noisy. It’s also one of the most critical components in your system, so not only are you’re reducing the noise your computer generates, you’re also reducing the risk of frying it because of a low quality PSU. Believe me, it’s not that uncommon. There’s some great brands out there so just pick a good PSU that suits you, and your wallet. They are a bit more expensive than a generic PSU, but in the long run it’s worth it.

Replace the stock fans on your case. Again, stock case fans on a “regular” PC are as cheap and noisy as they make them. A good low db fan is inexpensive (8-10$ range) and less prone to getting noisier as they age. Also, a neat trick is to put some rubber rings between the fan and the case, as that absorbs some of the vibration that is transmitted.

Check the connectors from your peripherals. This was more common when COM and Serial ports were popular because most of the connectors were plastic cases with screws instead of molded plastic. Some ports in modern computers as VGA and DVI are still “COM like” ports and can buzz when they are loose, so make sure they are firmly inserted and the screws are tight. It’s not that common with USB or Firewire because of the nature of the pin connectors, but some USB ports have a thin metal foil between the connector and the port, and when it’s loose it can sometimes produce some buzz.

Don’t install a giant CPU cooler just because it looks cool. If you aren’t into do serious overclocking with your computer you don’t really need it, and if you do want to overclock and are inexperienced in handling hardware, ask for help from someone who is. When wrongly installed, these “monster” heatsinks can produce some serious buzz and rattle.

That’s it. I know that cases where you have to “screw” everything are becoming a thing of the past, but many people still have them so I hope you find this helpful.

Helder from Portugal

SC_Thor also joined me for this discussion. Who knew he had a PH D in computer case noise reduction? Just kidding, Allan. Here are a few more tips from him:

Use a bigger fan. It will turn slower, but push the same amount of air. This will cause the fan to be quieter.
When buying a new computer, check the dB (Decibles) and the CFM (Cubic Feet Per Minute) .
Purchase a fan with a temperature sensor. This sensor will automatically slow down or speed up the fan, depending on the temperature of the computer.
Look into getting Heat Pipes. Heat pipes are self-contained, phase-change cooling devices that take advantage of changes in heat to convert a liquid – called the “working liquid” – into vapor and then back again. When a liquid changes phase to a vapor, the vapor absorbs heat, is transported away from the heat source, and then releases heat when it condenses back into liquid. The heat released is dissipated and the cycle repeats.

There you have it. Not the top 5 tips… more like the top nine or so! Keep sending me your top 5 lists of computer tips and tricks. You never know when yours will end up in a video!

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Top 5 Tips to Improve Computer Case Noise