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DCS-Media provides reviews, techniques, technologies, programming and design tips to help you conduct not just business, but smart business.
Google Reader gets a facelift
Friday, September 29, 2006 7:00 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Google | Comments: 0
Google has released a newest upgrade to their online RSS Reader.
Whoa!
Last night, I was reading my feeds in Google Reader and around 7:00-ish, Bam! New screen. I looked up at the URL to see if I was on the right site. Yep, Google Reader.
Fireday - Firefox extensions for September 29, 2006
Friday, September 29, 2006 5:00 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Fireday | Comments: 0
This week: Professor X, Load Time Analyzer, and MAB.
Professor X
Rating: 4/5
When developers optimize pages, they automatically click the view source and look at what their competition has done to their pages. Professor X eliminates the need to view source anymore.
Professor X analyzes the current web page and displays the header details at the top of the page. Some of the items included in the extension are:
- Active Links
- Title
- Meta Tags (keywords, description, etc.)
- Generator (WordPress, TypePad, etc.)
- JavaScript Source
- CSS code
...and any thing else included in a header of a web page. The author, Stuart Robertson, said he added CSS to allow the site to be more visually stimulating. I definitely agree with this. The site has a good combination of color to look at and focus on specific sections rather quickly.
The extension took seconds to install and after a restart, was up and running. The one thing that would rock is if a toolbar button was installed to activate Professor X.
How to get people to trust you
Wednesday, September 27, 2006 2:00 PM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: HowTo | Comments: 0
Bottom line: Make yourself trustworthy.
Most small businesses trying to take off have a problem conveying trust to other people. One of the major factors in allowing people to trust you is to first have trust in yourself. If you don't have that, your confidence level will diminish and your business probably won't flourish any time soon. Translation: you need to get out more and network.
Forbes posted an article on How to get people to trust you and provides this same philosophy with more tips and research from the Harvard Business School.
How Windows makes their icons
Wednesday, September 27, 2006 10:00 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: HowTo | Comments: 0
Look at this indepth way of how Microsoft creates their icons for Windows XP
This is really not how microsoft creates icons, but how you can create your own Microsoft Windows XP icons.
But I'm sure Microsoft references this once in a while. ;-)
Update: Google Notebook enhancements
Wednesday, September 27, 2006 9:00 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Google | Comments: 0
Google has enhanced and updated their research notebook.
The Google Notebook site has been updated with features that are definitely a welcome addition to the ole journal.
I have been using the Google Notebook to write article posts for the site. Everything is put into notebook "categories" and provides a way for me to jot down some ideas for future posts.
Dojo Spreadsheet Widget
Wednesday, September 27, 2006 5:30 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: AJAX | Comments: 0
Another reason to move towards the Dojo framework.
Ajaxian posted an "product release" of Marius Hanganu's Dojo Spreadsheet Widget.
Judging by the source and functionality of the component, it looks like it could be on the path of becoming another Google Spreadsheet.
Blogging Quiz
Tuesday, September 26, 2006 4:42 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Blogging | Comments: 0
Do you know how to blog?
Ehhh....not bad.
| You Are a Blogging Expert |
 You know so much about blogging, you should blog for a living. |
How to create a TiVo clone
Tuesday, September 26, 2006 4:00 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: HowTo | Comments: 8
Everyone has a TiVo, but not many people realize that the main components of a TiVo is a Video Capture card and a large hard drive.
Recently, TiVo just announced they would be releasing a high-end DVR for $800. Noooo thank you. With a subscription service of $15 a month, a new PC, or TiVo clone, would pay for itself within the first year. Nice return, wouldn't you say?
Over the last year, I've put together a TiVo clone with the help of two friends of mine. They were taking the Windows Media PC path, but I decided to take the Linux way. Even though my friends were taking the Windows path, we were all moving towards the same goal: creating a TiVo-clone that outperforms a regular TiVo, adds additional features instead of a DVR that just sits there, and provide an added bonus of upgrading specific components in the future without sacrificing the entire system. I would rather add an additional hard drive at my own leisure instead of throwing out the "baby with the bathwater" mentality of replacing a TiVo with another "upgraded" TiVo.
Update: Inspirational posters...Gaming style
Monday, September 25, 2006 12:27 PM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Humor | Comments: 0
An update to my list of Inspirational posters.
An update to the list of gag Successories inspirational posters I've already collected.
- Gamer inspirational posters
And if you are interested in creating your own inspirational posters...
Disconnected for a week and a half: Family Crisis
Monday, September 25, 2006 5:04 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: News | Comments: 0
Anybody wonder why I haven't posted for a week and a half? I had a family crisis and a real eye-opener.
September 17, 2006 will go down in my personal history as the beginning of the worst week of my life. I know this is a technology/business blog and this is a little off-topic, but I feel I needed to let some people know about what happened to my family over the past week and why its been a little sparse on this site for the past week and a half and why I'm still trying to get my head screwed back on.
This is basically the first post since September 15, 2006, but for good reason.
Firefox 1.5.0.7 and Thunderbird 1.5.0.7 updates
Friday, September 15, 2006 6:00 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Firefox | Comments: 0
Firefox and Thunderbird updates were just released last night.
Last night, I'm was writing the latest Fireday and the first notification I get was my Thunderbird needed updated.
Then, I get a Firefox notification. Wow. Two in one night. :-)
Fireday - Firefox extensions for September 15, 2006
Friday, September 15, 2006 4:00 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Fireday | Comments: 0
This week: Platypus, ErrorZilla, and FareWatcher (FareCompare)
Platypus
Rating: 4/5
Platypus works in conjunction with Greasemonkey to let you edit web pages and then save your changes as a Greasemonkey script so the next time you visit the site, it will show the site as you designed it last time.
Platypus requires Greasemonkey 0.3.3 or higher to work, but that doesn't seem to be a problem with most extensions.
Current Trends In Web Design
Thursday, September 14, 2006 9:00 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Design | Comments: 0
Want a look at the current state of web design? Look at these designs to find out which category your site fits into.
When users visit a site, they can immediately tell whether they are going to like it or not. Some users have even left before the site even loads, but it all depends on the design of the site (I know, I know...sometimes it doesn't).
ontoinfo.com posted an article about the current trends in web design and some examples of web sites that match those specific trends. The categories are:
Vertical Centering with CSS
Thursday, September 14, 2006 7:00 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: CSS | Comments: 0
A great technique for designers/developers on centering something vertically on a web page.
I'm sure this little technique will get some mileage.
SimpleBits.com found a site that uses CSS to verticallly center a DIV on a web page, along with other vertical centering techniques.
Google Services integrated into Intuit QuickBooks 2007
Thursday, September 14, 2006 5:30 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Google | Comments: 0
Intuit formed a partnership with Google Services.
I just read on TechCrunch that Google is forming a partnership with Intuit to integrate Google services into QuickBooks 2007.
This means if you are a small business owner, you will benefit from the various services Google has to offer directly from QuickBooks 2007, which will be sold later this year. Great news for small businesses:
10 Ways to Love (and respect) Your Customers
Wednesday, September 13, 2006 9:00 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Business | Comments: 0
Good refresher on Customers 101.
Most companies I've worked for in the past almost always put their customers first, listen to their feedback, and take action after reviewing it. And no, I don't mean take action by throwing it in the trash.
Fast Company has an article about how to love and respect your customers so they keep coming back to you and providing better business relationships.
Google Earth Extreme Mod: Atlas Gloves
Wednesday, September 13, 2006 5:00 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Google | Comments: 0
Someone created Atlas Gloves to control how you move around in Google Earth.
MakeZine has a report on how someone created "Atlas Gloves" that allow you to virtually move a projection of Google Earth. You can zoom in and out and rotate the world.
Definitely watch the video. I didn't understand what the idea was at first, but after watching the video presentation, its definitely an interesting application.
Apple iTunes Alternative: Songbird
Tuesday, September 12, 2006 11:30 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: General | Comments: 4
Songbird has all of the primary features, but is 1/4 the size of Apple's iTunes.
About a month ago, I ran across a open source project called Songbird that is similar to Apple iTunes and I've been using it ever since. It is definitely an alternative to Apple's iTunes for your Apple iPod.
I understand Apple has stepped up and created their own Music-topia where everyone can listen to music and now, watch videos and TV shows, but I feel that when downloading an update, I'm loading up my machine with a lot of extra features that I really don't need. This is where Songbird comes in.
AJAX: The Past, Present, and Future
Tuesday, September 12, 2006 8:00 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: AJAX | Comments: 0
Based on the current news and events, now is the time to be an AJAX developer.
The Past
When I first read the AJAX flagship article from Jesse James Garrett called AJAX: A New Approach to Web Applications, back in February 2005 (I can't believe it's been that long), I started diving into it immediately and created some applications using AJAX. Heck, who wouldn't.
Ohio Linux Fest 2006
Tuesday, September 12, 2006 5:06 AM
Posted by Jonathan Danylko | Tag: Linux | Comments: 0
The Ohio Linux Fest 2006 will be held in Columbus, OH.
How many Linux geeks does it take to fit into a convention center?
Well, on September 30th, we will know the truth, and I will be there to find out. :-)
