Revisiting my youth
I just downloaded the Sega Mega drive emulator Fusion along with Sonic the Hedgehog rom. Let’s see if I can get back some of that Sega magic.
Google Maps API for your Website
1. Sign up for an API key here http://code.google.com/apis/maps/signup.html
2. Type in your domain name that you want to inlcude the maps on.
3. Start using google maps on your website.
Getting Started with WordPress
Before we start I think it is important to tell you that there are two options when getting WordPress. The first, WordPress.com allows you to quickly register and signup for a free account which is the quickest way of getting a blog. When you register you will be given a domain name like myname.wordpress.com. If all you want to do is try out wordpress and are not bothered about having a custom domain or hosting it yourself then this is where I recommend you start.
On the other hand if you are a developer or have your own web hosting and want to install the wordpress software for yourself then head on over to wordpress.org where you can download the latest version.
If you want to just dive in and get started head on over to wordpress.com and register for a blog. If you would like a bit of hand holding stick with me as I will be taking you through the process step by step.
What is WordPress?
Simply put, WordPress is an online web publishing platform. WordPress is designed as blogging software. However as wordpress is so popular due to it’s ease of use, and powerful plugins system, it has been used to develop almost every type of website ranging from small business websites, to fully blown e-commerce solutions. With a thriving community behind the project WordPress is continues to improve with every new release.
So why do I love it?
- WordPress acts as a great framework to build pretty much any website I can think of.
- The interface allows users to quickly pick up the software with little training.
- It’s Open Source and free to download and install.
- Less time coding = more time developing and creating content.
There are hundreds more reason why I use WordPress. If you want to get to know more about wordpress check out my next post where I will show you the fastest way to getting your own WordPress blog.
Windows 7 is it worth it?
If you haven’t heard, Windows 7 has just been released. You may be wondering whether or not to bother updating. What I can say is if you are currently running windows vista and you are really unhappy then it may be worth the upgrade. However If you are still happily running XP like me, then maybe not bother just yet. If you are running any system that you rely on for work then it may be too much of a risk just now, wait a few months and see what problems pop up, the biggest problem I can see is it that older hardware won’t function with it. Whatever you do, always make sure that the hardware you have can support the operating system that you want to run. If you are thinking of buying a new PC make sure that it comes with Windows 7 and not Vista.
Optical illusions to show how we see
As a multimedia designer I find it fascinating to learn more about how our brains work and how we interact with the world. This morning I watched this video about optical illusions.
Managing Multiple Computers
If you are anything like me, you may have the need to install and manage software across multiple computers on a network. There are a few free open source tools that can help you do this.
I would consider these four tools to be essential in managing multiple computers in a windows environment. I may consider doing a screen-cast about these tools if I get enough interest.
Removing Spyware from Windows XP / Vista
What has your experiences been with spyware on Windows XP/ Vista. Have you ever had an infection? If so what software did you try to resolve the problem. Did you try something like Spy Doctor and if so did it get rid of the infections? I am interested to know what your solutions are for getting rid of spyware as it seems everyone tends to have thier prefered solution. Personally I use Spybot with a combination of Peerguardian 2.
Autocue Teleprompt Systems
Recently I have had a need for using an autocue for some video recordings, I have only just realized how important these can be in certain situations, however that does not mean that they don’t come with a whole host of problems that you need to watch out for.
All of the system I have tried so far are unable to handle multiple fonts / languages, if anyone knows of a system that is free or low cost that can do this get in touch and let me know. Ideally what I would like to see is an Open Office extension that can turn Writer into an autocue system, now this would be very cool!
