Chris Pirillo » help

How to Help Haiti Earthquake Victims

Chris — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 07:56:02 +0000

How to Help Haiti Earthquake Victims is a post from Chris Pirillo

The screams in Haiti are being heard around the World. The 7.0 earthquake that rocked Port Au Prince on Tuesday brought the already impoverished city of more than two million people to its collective knees. Buildings lie in ruin. Bodies are piled in the streets. Hundreds of thousands of people are still missing in the wreckage, their fates unknown. There is no food, no water and no electricity. As emergency crews fight to get to the scene, people are digging through the rubble on their hands and knees, hoping to uncover survivors. What few houses remain are structurally unsafe. People who were lucky enough to escape with their lives are huddling together in open fields, too afraid to enter any buildings that may still be standing.

The devastation is unthinkable and unimaginable. The sheer amount of destruction is seemingly insurmountable. One news blog that I read a little while ago ended with the sentiment that “Any thoughts of full recovery during this generation is unrealistic.”. The more news, videos and photos that reach us from Haiti, the more we begin to realize how true that small statement is. One way to keep up with the very latest news is to follow reporter Richard Morse. He is giving updates from Port Au Prince as often as he can.

Those of us who are not in Haiti are scrambling, trying to figure out what we can do to help. Not knowing what we can do often leads us to do nothing at all. In my opinion, this is not an option right now. The devastation caused by this earthquake is being compared to losing an entire war in just a few short moments.

There are many trustworthy organizations who are already on the scene, and many more that are gathering together resources to aid the victims of this awful tragedy. We have come up with a list of some of the ways that you can help. Please remember that every penny – literally – counts. If you are in a situation where you cannot send money or supplies, do not feel as though you are worthless. Your thoughts, prayers and support are needed by the people in Haiti, as much as the physical donations are.

American Red Cross – There are three ways you can contribute via the Red Cross: monetary donations, blood donations, and signing up as a volunteer.
Text to Donate – If you want to donate money but are a little short right now, the State Dept. has set up a way to donate via text message. Text “Haiti” to 90999 and a donation of ten dollars will be added to your next phone bill and forwarded to the Red Cross.
Doctors Without Borders – The Doctors Without Borders program has been stationed in Haiti for a long time already. Their facilities were destroyed by the earthquake, along with much of their supplies. They are rushing to attempt to care for the injured people who need them, but they need your help.
National Nurses United – The nation’s largest organization of registered nurses tonight activated its nationwide disaster relief program to recruit nurse volunteers to provide assistance to residents of earthquake devastated Haiti.
UNICEF – UNICEF is dedicated to helping children. Before Tuesday, there were already thousands of children who were orphans living below the poverty level. Today, there are many thousands more.
Operation USA – Operation USA has been rated as a four-star charity for the past six years. Every penny that goes in to the organization goes right back out to the places that need it.
Mercy Corps – Mercy Corps allows you to send a flat donation of your own, or can help you organize your own fundraising team. They also accept donations other than money, such as clothing and building materials.
World Food Bank – The WFP has already pledged more than two million dollars to help feed the people of Haiti. It is expected that the amount needed will far exceed this.
T-shirts – Emerald City Fashion Week is raising money to support the relief effort with a Fashion4Haiti T-shirts which are available for immediate purchase! Net proceeds will be donated to World Vision to help children and families affected by the 7.0 earthquake.

Our hearts go out to everyone in Haiti, as well as to the people around the World waiting for news of loved ones.

My eBooks

Chris Pirillo — 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 available in PDF – no DRM!

My Top 140 Twitter Tips (Add to Cart) (Buy Now)
My Top 70 Windows 7 Tips (Add to Cart) (Buy Now)
My Top 200 Windows Tips (Add to Cart) (Buy Now)
My Top YouTube Tips (Add to Cart) (Buy Now)
My Top Weight Loss Tips (Add to Cart) (Buy Now)

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?

How to Find Your “How To” Topic

Chris — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 06:40:21 +0000

How to Find Your “How To” Topic is a post from Chris Pirillo

This is Evan Brammer’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

As I was mulling over the possibilities for my entry, while tossing ideas back and forth with my wife, I realized that I just could not think of anything. What should I teach everyone “how to” do? I don’t know. I suppose it would be good if someone were to post something on “how to” come up with a “how to” topic? That would be good. WAIT! That’s what I can do. I’ll do a “how to” on “how to” discover exactly what your “how to” is.

Step One: Just Start Typing (Free Write)

If you are unsure, as I was, of what to write about – just start writing. Put your fingers to the keyboard or pen to the paper, and let the words fly out from beneath your fingertips. It doesn’t matter what you write about. You are free. Just keep writing, no matter what. If you cannot think of anything to write, then write that: “I cannot think of anything to write. I cannot think of anything to write.” Not incredibly useful, but…

As your fingers move, so will your thoughts. You’ll discover that when you write just anything, you can write anything! Next, you have to focus that “anything” into “something”.

Step Two: Focus that Anything into Something (Focused Free Write)

With your fingers blazing, begin to let you thoughts drift away from the aimlessness and onto a specific course. Just like a kayak on a big river, you can go in any direction you want – but if you want to reach your destination, than you have to chart your course. By allowing your mind to start in the river of aimlessness and then traverse into the bay of specificity, you open yourself to the wideness of possibility and are able to settle on what works best.

To focus your mind, ask yourself a few directing questions, such as: “What do I enjoy?” or “What am I good at?” Use these questions, and others, to bring your free-write into a more purpose-built writing exercise. If something doesn’t immediately come to mind, keep free writing until something does. As your ideas become more focused, the possible topic for your “how to” will emerge.

From there, you will need to refocus your focused thought.

Step Three: Refocusing your Focused Thought (From Broad to Exact)

Now that you have a general idea of what your “how to” could be, figure out if your topic needs to be refocused. Sometimes, the topic at which we initially arrive is entirely too general or broad. To continue on that course to actually writing the article on such a topic would be disastrous, as we cannot write about everything successfully in equal terms.

Think about making your “how to” topic more specific. Your original thought might be, “how to take over the world.” Now, can that topic really be covered in appropriate detail in such an article? Most likely not. So determine one aspect of the general topic and use that. Instead of focusing on “how to take over the world,” try just one part, such as: “how to harness the communicative tools currently available on an Internet that is transitioning from a static web of hyperlinks into a more social 2.0 conversation to bring the world under total domination.” Now that is an article that can be written and enjoyed, I am sure. Just… pick a better title.

With that, we have discovered the three basic steps to discovering what needs to be discovered. From here, we can all learn “how to” write a “how to” for anyone that might need to know “how to.”

How to Write a How to Guide

Chris — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 07:26:43 +0000

How to Write a How to Guide is a post from Chris Pirillo

This is TokenUser’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

Before writing a guide on how to do something, there are a couple of questions that you need to ask yourself … do you know the subject well enough to explain it in simple terms? And, can you write a concise set of instructions based on that explanation?

If you are good to go on these questions, the best How-To guides follow an age-old and simple principle: KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid, or (in this case) Keep It Stupidly Simple. This will enable someone to more easily follow your instructions. I’m hoping to help you write better how-to guides with this guide of my own.

Stuff You Need:

Original idea (or a better explanation of someone else’s idea)
Know your target audience
All equipment on hand for a practical demonstration
Time
Patience
Spell Checker
Someone to proofread

Step 1: Tell people what you are going to tell them.

The internet is a cruel place. If someone cannot find what they are looking for above the fold (i.e., on the first page of a normally-formatted Web page), they are going to hit the back button and try the next item in their Google results. You need to tell people what you will be telling them about. In traditional terms, this is an abstract – but the internet is far less formal (!) than that. An introductory section or paragraph will work just as well.

Step 2: Tell people what they need to perform the how-to you are documenting

This is like the ingredients list in a recipe. You need to be up front about any tools or ingredients someone will need. Pointless getting to the 10th step of a 12-step process to find that you need a 12.5mm socket wrench. If it’s going to be needed, tell ‘em up front.

Step 3: Break it down

Take the process and break it down to its simplest components. Don’t go overboard, but do break it down (e.g., using the Phillips head screwdriver or small socket, remove the screw hold the side panel, and then pull the panel towards you then up to remove).

Step 4: Educate

The best how-to guides will have you learning something new. So, take the opportunity to educate as well. Chances are, the person reading the guide is new to the subject (otherwise, why are they are a how-to on it), and some education might be better than just spoon-feeding the steps. There are two ways to do this: a breakout box with an explanation, or explaining inline with the instructions.

For example:

In the Mac OS X Terminal, type “cd Desktop” (same as in Windows, cd changes directory).
Now, confirm that the file is in that directory by typing “ls” (this command is like the “dir” command in Windows, and will list all the files in the directory). You should see the text file you downloaded. There are lots of options available for the ls command – type “man ls” to see them all. If the file is not shown in the list, make sure you are in the Desktop directory (it will be listed in your command prompt, or type “pwd” to see where you currently sit). You may have to download the file again, making sure it is on your Desktop.
Now type “cat filelist.txt” (cat is a “type” command, it displays the contents of the file on screen).
Next, type “cat filelist.txt | xargs ftp” – you are building a command chain here, with the “|” (pipe character) indicating that you want the output from the left side used as the input for what lies on the right side. xargs builds an “argument list” based on the contents of the text file you piped in via the cat operation, then feeds it to the ftp program.
You should then see the files starting to download, one by one.

Step 5: Anticipate

The best how-to guides anticipate problems someone might have, and ensure that the environment for executing the steps is consistent. Steps 1 and 2 in the above example are setting up the environment consistently (i.e., making sure people are in the same directory for starting the procedure), and telling people what to do if the step fails. Examples are important, as they give the reader a comfort level with what they are expecting to see. If this is a practical guide, photos or screen shots are ideal (as they show where someone should be for each step).

Step 6: Conclusion

Tell people what they just did, and confirm that the end result is as expected. This is often in the form of a summary that bulletpoints the highlights of the how-to – a post implementation checklist.

Summary

How-to guides need to be clearly written, and contain examples. If it is a practical guide, images are ideal.
Sentences should be short, unambiguous.
Style needs to remain simple – less distraction from the subject at hand.
Content needs to be tested. Once you have written the how-to, go and perform the steps outlined. Have someone else do it as well. Can something be explained more clearly in one section? Have you assumed something that not everyone will know?
Spell check is your friend, but it doesn’t protect you from using the wrong word or the proper word incorrectly. This is the internet, but there are no excuses for being sloppy. Your work will have greater credibility if it easy to read.
A how-to is not a PhD thesis – remember Keep is Stupidly Simple.

I’ve Been Accused of Dodging Questions and Answers, So…

Chris — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 06:20:58 +0000

I’ve Been Accused of Dodging Questions and Answers, So… is a post from Chris Pirillo

From this FriendFeed thread I started a few minutes ago, Mona asked: “How many cups of coffee do you drink?”

I’m down to a quad espresso – Starbucks, because Peet’s is too far and good espresso machines are too freakin’ expensive and take too much to maintain.

Tad asked: “Is God so powerful that he can create a rock that he can’t lift?”

Yes. I usually don’t answer questions if I don’t know the answer to the question, but… some people apparently want some kind of answer, no matter the question.

Mona asked a second question: “Why is the sky blue?”

According to NASA, “As the sunlight has passed through all this air, the air molecules have scattered and rescattered the blue light many times in many directions. Also, the surface of Earth has reflected and scattered the light. All this scattering mixes the colors together again so we see more white and less blue.”

Mona asked a third question: “How many boogers does a person have?”

On average? Five. That’s a total guess.

Mona asked a fourth question: “Why does a Macbook only have two USB plugs?”

I believe you mean “USB ports,” but the answer to your question likely lies in correlation between the production process and the product’s ultimate price. Simply put, they could accommodate two ports – because three wouldn’t fit, and one is the loneliest number.

Rah asked the question: “Where do babies come from?”

Sperm + Egg = Eventual Baby

MiniMage LightBlueRanger asked: “Why are we here?”

To make plastic, according to George Carlin.

Mona asked a fifth question: “How did Luke construct his lightsaber?”

Out of lips and assholes.

Justin Korn asked: “Are you going to answer these questions?”

Was that a trick question, or were you not expecting a socratic response?

Pete Delucchi asked: “Hello… tap, tap, tap, is this thing on?”

Yes, it is on – and stop tapping on my thing.

Matt Musgrave asked a series of questions: “You want a question that goes with the answer for 42? Well, how about what’s six times seven? Or how many Vogons does it take to change a lightbulb? Here’s one! How many roads must a man walk down?”

Sure. 42. 42. 42.

Joe Pierce asked: “What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?”

African or European?

Rah asked a second question: “Why do you look almost exactly like my youngest uncle?”

Pure coincidence, I assure you.

Outsanity asked: “Why do old people like CBS?”

Probably because it’s been around as long as they have?

Joe Pierce asks a second question: “If a unicorn farts in the middle of a magical cotton candy forest, and nobody is around to hear it, does it exist?”

If a blogger blogs a blog post, and nobody reads it, did it really get written? Oh, I’m sorry – I’m not answering the question again. I believe that it would (indeed) exist, if only in thought.

Yuvi asked: “Why is your name spelt like it was spelt by a script kiddie?”

I was tired of people guessing it outright a few years ago and decided to throw zeros in there. Really, for no other reason. Of course, I post it everywhere now, so… bleah. I guess it turned out better for SEO?

Tad asked a second question: “You don’t really answer rhetorical questions, do you?”

Yes. I mean, no.

Rah asked a third question: “WTF is a ‘l0ckergn0me?’ Is it related to the angry monkey in my closet?”

It’s a harmless little whatever.

Faboo Mama asked: “How many times a day does Ponzi call you a dork*? *dweeb, goober, geek, etc are also acceptable.”

On average, one time a day.

Morton Fox asked: “What would have happened in The Matrix if Neo took the blue pill and that turned out to be Viagra?”

Matrix II & III would have been much better.

Rodfather asked: “Do your farts really smell like a fresh pack of 3.5″ floppy disk labels?”

According to Ponzi, I’m not allowed to fart anymore… it’s been so long since I’ve done it. I can hardly remember what scent was attached to them.

Joe Pierce asked another question: “If a man got pregnant where would the baby come out?”

Likely out of his gut via some kind of Caesarean operation.

Carlos Granier-Phelps asked: “Is the answer really blowing in the wind? Why?”

Often you’ll find life’s answers drifting past you, if you’re not looking for them. When you’re looking for answers, be sure you’re asking the right question – or any question the ‘right’ way. Otherwise, the response may not be to your liking – or you’ll find it lacking in directness. Either way, it’s not the fault of the answer nor the answerer, but the asker for not being specific in their knowledge fishing. Why is contingent on weight ratios.

Chet asked: “Why DID the chicken cross the road?”

To get to the other side. It’s as simple as that. Srsly.

How to Learn Computers

Chris — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 03:00:49 +0000

How to Learn Computers is a post from Chris Pirillo

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Tom is twelve years old, and has more insight to computers than many people three times his age. This kid blows me away, and he has an amazing future ahead of him. He sent me in his top five tips to learn more about computers.

If you don’t know the answer, don’t fight. Try fixing it yourself. If you cannot connect to the network… check the cables! It’s ok to ask your friend, or your teacher/parent.
Don’t click randomly when something won’t work. Keep in mind that Google is your friend. If you can’t find any answers on Google, check out the Microsoft Knowledge Base, Apple Support, or even the free forums on Lockergnome.
Don’t freak out. Freaking out will get you nowhere in a hurry.
Ask a local geek. Pop into a small computer shop and see if they’re willing to answer a few questions, or even check with the experts at the Apple store down the block. No question is stupid, other than the one you didn’t ask. We all have questions every now and then (even Chris!).
When your issue is fixed, find out what caused the problem and what the solution was. Then, don’t just educate yourself… share that information, via a blog or whatever communication you use. This will help others learn, as well.
Excellent tips, Tom. Thank you for sharing them!
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How to Keep Your PC Clean and Fast (Speed up Tips)
Buy a Computer
Computer Tips and Help for Novices
Remember to Write it Down
Erase Hard Drives Securely
Live Tech Help with Chris
Call 888-Pirillo
What Kind of Laptop Should I Get?
Rich Media Email
Customized Windows Installation CDs

Computer Tips and Help for Novices

Chris — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 03:55:50 +0000

Computer Tips and Help for Novices is a post from Chris Pirillo

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At some point, we were all computer novices. I mean, we had to start somewhere, right? I’m lucky to have such a Technically inclined community behind me. But I want to make sure to reach out to those of you who may be beginning users, as well. Bill sent me an Email, with his Top 5 tips he always gives to newer computer owners:

#1.When you download and install software, save the download link in a text file right in the folder for the program. Once you have installed the program, burn that program installer and the saved text link to a CD, label it, and keep it. That way if you ever need to re-install, you can pop in the CD, and know exactly what it is and where it came from.
#2. Categorize your folders, but keep them simple. Create and label folders for pictures, work-related documents, personal documents, and the like. Keep track of the folders’ sizes. Once a folder reaches CD size, burn it to a CD, label it and store it. Then you can empty the folder on the computer. This can keep your computer much less cluttered.
#3. Don’t put off updating your Anti-Virus and protection programs. Remember… your computer protection is only as good as your last update.
#4. Be skeptical, be smart, be investigative. If you receive an email from someone saying that Microsoft and Yahoo need to verify information, why would you click on anything or reply to it? If Microsoft or Yahoo wanted to get ahold of you for security reasons, they would do so themselves. They would not have some unknown third party contact you.
#5.Ask questions, and learn what to avoid. If someone is telling you how their computer always gets infected with viruses and the like, ask them questions. Find out their surfing habits, and learn what not to do!

This is an excellent starting point, for sure. If you have any tips and tricks for newer computer users, be sure to send them on to me! I’d love to share them with the rest of the world.

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Windows Vista Stories

Chris — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 01:25:57 +0000

Windows Vista Stories is a post from Chris Pirillo

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http://live.pirillo.com/ – A few friends joined me live to discuss their opinions and thoughts about Windows Vista. We discuss issues, as well as what we each feel should be done to improve.

Four of my friends joined me for this discussion: Kat, SC_Thor, Wirelesspacket, and last but certainly not least… Datalore.

Everyone agrees that Vista was simply not ready for release when Microsoft let loose Vista on the general public. Unfortunately, we all also agree that it would take drastic overhauls to make Vista better.

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Automatic Login for Windows Vista

Chris — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 16:49:22 +0000

Automatic Login for Windows Vista is a post from Chris Pirillo

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http://live.pirillo.com/ – I decided to give Vista another go, and reinstalled it on my computer, along with SP1. Being a fresh install, I had to go through and set everything up the way I had it before, including the way Vista logs me in.

I want Vista to automatically log me in each time I start the computer up. I wasn’t sure how to do this, so I went to Google. One of the first hits I came across actually linked back to our Lockergnome.com blogging network. Thankfully, this isn’t so hard to do.

To open this in the UAC (or User Account Control) in Vista, go to the start/search area of Vista, and type in NETPLWIZ. Once you get there:

UNcheck the box next to “Users should enter a username and password to use this computer”, and then press OK.
Type the username and password for the user you want to automatically logon to Windows Vista when it boots up and press OK
Reboot the computer

It’s that simple. Vista will remember the username and password, and you won’t have to log in every time you boot the computer.

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Remember to Write it Down

Chris — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:58:52 +0000

Remember to Write it Down is a post from Chris Pirillo

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http://live.pirillo.com/ – Any time you have to work with electronics and take things apart, make sure you plan what you’re doing. Don’t get over-anxious and just start disassembling something you may not later remember how to properly put back together.

Ponzi and I recently got some new shelving units for our basement media room, which is still coming together. I have 7.1 surround sound, and had to unhook all the wires from the back of the receiver. Had I just started pulling them out, putting it back together could have been a nightmare. Here are some things I did to help me remember, and are my “tips” to you when doing anything similar at your home.

Have plenty of light. Make sure you can see what goes where, the proper color wires, and the proper holes.
I recorded myself with my video camera. This gave me a visual and audio backup to refer to if needed.
I grabbed some stickers out of Ponzi’s desk drawer. Little color-coded stickers are a great little thing to use to keep things organized. You can actually buy wire labeling kits that you can write on the long, thin sticker what the cord is for, then wrap it around the cord permanently.
Write. It. Down. Yes, write! I even drew a little diagram in one instance.

If you take any or all of the above steps, you shouldn’t have any problems when the time comes to reassemble what you’ve taken apart.

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Adobe Flash Privacy Settings

Chris — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 03:41:10 +0000

Adobe Flash Privacy Settings is a post from Chris Pirillo

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http://live.pirillo.com/ – If you’re watching this video, then you’re probably using Flash player. David wrote in wondering how to adjust the privacy settings, and whether his personal history is viewable by Adobe.

Adobe’s Flash Player is a widely used program that allows you to watch videos on any number of websites. It can also be used to play online games, as well.

You can easily check your Flash privacy settings by going to this video, or any online video, and right clicking on it. This will open up a small settings box, and from there you should click the “Advanced” tab. This will take you to Adobe’s site, where you can adjust your privacy settings, and view your history. On that page, it will straight out tell you that all information is stored locally… on YOUR machine… and not on their actual site. They do not access it for any reason, nor do they use it in any way, shape or form.

Instead of asking “who here uses Flash?”, the question of the day is… who doesn’t?

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Halo 3 Slayer

Chris — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 02:06:35 +0000

Halo 3 Slayer is a post from Chris Pirillo

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http://live.pirillo.com/ – You’ve seen me review the new Halo 3, and play the Oddballs custom game. This time, GamerAndy and I are going to try Slayer.

I received an advance copy of Halo 3 hanks to my friends at Edelman PR. I’ve already done a review on the game, and played Oddball .

I asked Andy if he’s tried Forge yet… he indicated he hadn’t, but thought it would be boring. Dude! Hardly! How cool is it when you blow things up, record it, play it back and freeze frame it… then take screenshots!?

Again in Slayer… just like with everything else on Halo 3 thus far… the graphics are just WOW. I keep using the word “astounding” over and over, but it truly is.

At least with Slayer, I died in vibrant color and detail! Who says I can’t be a true gamer? For those of you asking if you should get a PS3 or an XBOX360… just watch these videos, and decide for yourself.

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Halo 3 Oddball

Chris — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 01:41:09 +0000

Halo 3 Oddball is a post from Chris Pirillo

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http://live.pirillo.com/ – Watch as I play the custom game “Oddball” on my pre-release copy of Halo 3. I’m playing with my friend GamerAndy, and I got one point!

I received an advance copy of Halo 3 hanks to my friends at Edelman PR. I’ve already done a review on the game. Now I’m going to try out a couple of the custom games.

The active Camo is amazing. I continue to be astounded by the sheer beauty of the graphics in this game. Absolutely… amazing.

Oh yeah… and I didn’t lose!

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Halo 3 Sneak Peek

Chris — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 01:17:08 +0000

Halo 3 Sneak Peek is a post from Chris Pirillo

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http://live.pirillo.com/ – I was lucky to receive an advance copy of the new Halo 3 that is due out in a few days. I played it last night with some friends to test it out, and decided to do a short review today. In a nutshell, if you’re waiting for Halo 3, you won’t be disappointed.

Thanks to my friends at Edelman PR, I was able to get my hands on a perfectly legal advance copy of Halo 3. I know many people are anxious for the release, and will be standing in line for this game.

First, let me warn you that your disc may have a slight scratch on it like mine does. The little plastic thingie in the case doesn’t hold the disc in there very well. However, I am able to play the game with no problems at all.

Now… on to the good stuff! The graphics in this game are absolutely astounding!!! The detailing is amazing, and the “trash talk” on both sides is excellent. I have a feeling this will be the most popular Halo version yet.

I know, some of you want my gamertag. It’s Lockergnome. However… don’t waste your time. I’m more of a Tetris kind of guy. I enjoy playing this, I’m having a great time with the demo… but you can see me getting my rear kicked while I’m at it.

UPDATE ON SCRATCHED HALO 3 DISCS If you purchased a copy of Halo 3 and your disc is scratched, Microsoft will send you a free replacement .

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Ronni Bennett Live from Gnomedex

Chris — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 01:15:57 +0000

Ronni Bennett Live from Gnomedex is a post from Chris Pirillo

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http://live.pirillo.com/ – There are 35 million people in the US who are 65 and older. People don’t know or don’t pay attention to what elders need to use computers and the Internet. Ronni has set out to change that… and change it she has.

In 1995 Ronni was hired as the first editor of the CBS News Internet portal. She needed to talk to a writer one day and realized that she was the oldest person in the room, by decades. She was 55 at the time. At that point, she started researching what aging was all about – everything she found was about decline, debility, disease, and death.

A few years later she had a massive amount of material, and decided to start a blog about aging just to get the information she had collected organized. People started reading… a LOT of people.

During today’s session, Ronni asked for two volunteers. They had to put on gardening gloves and special glasses, and then get online. The point was to show the challenges facing older people who want to surf the Internet.

The issues that they had were difficulty typing, and vision was blurry. Dark colors on a black background was even more difficult than white text on black background.

Seniors are the fastest growing age segment online. Currently there are no more than 9,000 geriotricians in the US. Because there are so few of them, the challenge is figuring out how to take care of elders. If we can get enough elders online, we could monitor all their vitals over the Internet, which means much less trips to the doctor.

Many people 65 and older have never used a computer at work, and therefore end up teaching themselves how to use their computers. In Ronni’s own words:

“At first, Time Goes By was just a place to put my research and thoughts on aging. I had no further ambitions for it and no illusions that with such a loser topic, many people would want to read it. Four years after its inception, Time Goes By has become a complex mix of reporting on every aspect of aging: health and medical issues, ageism and age discrimination, media, technology, politics and public policy, cultural attitudes, marketing to elders, the important of language, love and sex, friendship, post-career careers, retirement, retirement living, family, the prospect of death and, certainly, humor.”

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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.