Sidebar Widget Lovers

Britannica Says I'm a Web Publisher

nobody@vox.com(grantalias) — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 20:13:38 -0700

I Twittered this week about Encyclopedia Britannica opening up the walled garden to web publishers for free and whether or not I qualified. Now either the barrier to entry is pretty low or my blog is much better than I thought because I'm in!

If you were wondering here's my take on this. Britannica even with a 237 year lead on competitors like Wikipedia, is not the first stop when you need some annotated reference material online. I'm sure that "kids today" are perfectly happy checking out Wikipedia and Britannica must certainly be worried about losing market share if not branding.

So what better way to increase your online presence than open up your service to web publishers (such as myself) that will start referencing you in their blog posts (like this one).

Wikipedia

With Wikipedia's recent and on going shenanigans at the hands of founder Jimmy Wales, the online community certainly has not been against discussing the possibility that the collaborative online encyclopedia might be broken. Britannica might be able to get some traction here.

But Britannica has some work ahead to usurp Wikipedia as the webs first stop for all knowledge. Though Wikipedia has many omissions and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least wildly inaccurate it, scores over the older, more pedestrian work in two important respects. First, it is slightly cheaper; and secondly it has the words Don't Panic inscribed in large friendly letters on its cover.

Britannica does offer up widgets (but they do get a little cropped here on VOX) if you add it to your sidebar) on different subjects that you can embed on your site and even has a twitter feed you can follow. So if you have a site or blog and publish regularly why don't you see if you qualify for a free subscription.

Britannica Widget

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Adobe OnAir AIR 2008 Tour

nobody@vox.com(osde8info) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:00:50 -0700

Had a fantastic day yesterday at the Adobe OnAir AIR 2008 Tour in London.

Adobe AIR brings Rich Internet Applications to the desktop of all three OS's ! You can use AIR to turn HTML file(s) and JavaScript file(s) into an executable for ANY platform - its a bit like "JVM + FileSystem + SQLite" !

AIR uses WebKit and is therefore compatible with your favorite JavaScript framework and even Google Gears !

Install the runtime, and check out the newest applications.

AIR for GNU/Linux ALPHA

http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/air/

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

avoid suspicious Web sites*

nobody@vox.com(mαhmiќΘў) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 02:21:26 -0700

we may all be Internet fanatics, but do we really know which sites could be harmful or not?

forgive me for posting this, but years of working as a tech support rep for an isp, dealing with spywares and viruses made me think that it will be better if people will be aware of this. i spoke with may be thousands of people who have dealt with viruses and/or spywares, and i couldn't help but think, "if only they know about this..."

they say ignorance is forgivable, but for the cyber world, ignorance can be disappointing and frustrating. i know, this may not be enough, new viruses and spywares are all out there, but it won't hurt to know this...

March 3, 2008 3:35 PM PST

How to avoid suspicious Web sites

Posted by Jessica Dolcourt

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Editor's Note: This article was updated on 3/3/08 from a previous version published on 12/15/06.

No matter how you arrive at an unsafe Web site, much can go wrong when you do. Phishers will attempt to coerce you into disclosing sensitive information--such as your address and social security number--and adware engines may sprout pop-ups over your screen like a field of clover. Thankfully, you can learn to avoid trouble before it's too late. Here are nine telltale signs you're headed for dangerous waters, with tips to keep you firmly in the safety zone.

Nobody's perfect, and while these nine tips should help you avoid many dangerous sites, other online threats are more subtle. Two tools can assist in warning you about dangerous sites. LinkScanner Lite and McAfee SiteAdvisor (for Firefox and Internet Explorer) assess the hazards of sites you visit, and is available for Firefox or Internet Explorer. Online Armor scans sites in real time based on traceable patterns of malicious software behavior.

Also, our Security Starter Kit presents an excellent set of tools to provide a solid foundation of defense against potential threats.

Sign 1: Pop-up city
You click a search result and are suddenly bombarded with no fewer than 10 porn pop-ups. Back out immediately by either clicking the X in the upper-right corners of the windows or by pressing Alt-F4 to close your browser. Then run a malicious software scanner and remover to assess and fix the damage. Many pop-up blockers are available for Internet Explorer, and both Firefox and Opera include blocking features.

It's a mouthful, but EULAlyzer's ease of use makes up for its awkward pronunciation.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Sign 2: Where's the EULA?
You're about to sign up for or purchase a service and aren't prompted to accept an end-user license agreement, nor are you offered a privacy policy to view. Shady site proprietors often disclose their intentions in the privacy policy or EULA, so you should always read carefully! The free tool EULAlyzer (from the makers of SpywareBlaster) is a great help because it analyzes license agreements and notes any unusual or possibly dangerous language. An upgrade to the professional version is available for about $20.

Sign 3: Excessive firewall alerts
Your firewall repeatedly alerts you to file extensions you don't recognize and other suspicious anomalies. Once you've set your firewall to allow your most common programs, any alert should be taken seriously, and a number of warnings should be a red light something is amiss. If you're not running a firewall, get one right now.

Sign 4: E-mail and instant message links phish for information
You follow a link embedded in an e-mail and arrive at a site that asks you to provide security information for an "important update." Misleading links are increasingly sent through instant messages under the guise of a contact's friendly tip. This variety is especially easy to fall for. If the page is asking for data or looks like a different destination than the link implied, pull yourself out of autopilot and start taking screenshots. Contact the company for verification before taking any action, and check the Federal Trade Commission's alert board.

Sign 5: The site's URL and e-mail don't match
Any case in which a site's URL doesn't match the contact's e-mail address should raise an alarm. Most legitimate companies provide their employees with a corporate e-mail account. This doesn't mean, however, that you can automatically trust sites where the two align. Illegitimate companies can purchase domain names as easily as legitimate companies.

Phishing link sent through Yahoo IM.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Sign 6: Are you secured?
If a site prompts you to enter personal information, such as a username, password, or credit card number, check the browser window. Unless the site is secure--that is, unless the address starts with https:// and a closed padlock appears at the bottom of the window--your information is ripe for theft.

Sign 7: Check teh speling
Developers and engineers may have a bad reputation when it comes to grammar, and that's why most companies hire wordsmiths. Be wary of a site chock-full of grammatical and spelling errors. That includes the Web address--there's a world of difference between www.yahoo.com and www.yhoo.com.

Sign 8: Nested links
Does the site forward you to a completely unrelated site when you land on it? If nested links progressively take you to other sites, the host may be trying to pull a fast one.

Sign 9: Ridiculously large gifts
If a free gift offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. You don't get a $500 gift certificate for doing nothing. Most often you'll have to provide personal information, download something compromising, engage your friends in a pyramid scheme, or all of the above. Even after you read the EULA, beware--the free iPod site that originally received positive press was sued in New York in March 2006 for violating its own stated privacy policy.

---
*copied and pasted from:
http://www.download.com/8301-2007_4-9768006-12.html?tag=nl.e415
---

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Jango Gets a Jukebox

nobody@vox.com(northerngeek) — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 12:45:22 -0800

Jango Jukebox

Get yours for free. Pick 15 bands (minimum), customize your player and grab the code. Just simply click the Get Your Own button to get started. Enjoy! Can we say sidebar widget?

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Smooch the Geek

nobody@vox.com(northerngeek) — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 12:11:10 -0800

The Geek Smooch'O'Matic

This a neat little applet you can get for free from www.pyzam.com. They also have a few other Christmas themed ones as well, like this one Dewitte shared with us. Come on Dewitte gives us a smoochie!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Getting to Know Me for the Holidays

nobody@vox.com(northerngeek) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 23:05:46 -0800

I never do these things, but because its Christmas what the heck. Passed on to me by Musicchick2.

Directions: Change all the answers so they apply to you. Then, send this to a whole bunch of people you know, INCLUDING the person who sent it to you.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrap, wrap, wrap. There is just no fun in opening a gift bag. Unless of course its for a young childs birthday (they dont care, they just want the gift)

2. Real tree or artificial? Normally real. But this year we dug out my bachelor days 6ft plastic tree. Kinda sad Charlie Brown looking thing but my girlfriend is awesome at decorating trees and it looks great. Hard to tell theres an ugly ass tree under all that decorating.

3. When do you put up the tree? Day after or around Thanksgiving. Helps us all get into the holiday spirit. Not that we need it when everything is already out in stores before Halloween. Friggin Walmart.

4. When do you take the tree down? New Years day or day after. Hung over as hell but we get it done because were sick and tired of staring at it by that time.

5. Do you like eggnog? Only with booze in it. But I must be honest, I have not had it in probably 15 years or so. Christ I'm old.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? A remote control black FireBird, yes the car from Smokey and the Bandit.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, I have 2 which my girlfriend and I have been swapping out every year. Doesnt hurt to have more than one though. And baby Jesus doesnt go in till Christmas day.

8. Hardest person to buy for? When we draw names for Santa gifts with my girlfriends family. I dont know them all on a personal level that well so whomever I get is really hard to buy for.

9. Easiest person to buy for? The pets. Dog (Roxie), bird(Gizmo), fish (Fred, Goldie, Blackie, and two other poor guys with no names yet)

10. Worst Christmas gift ever received? Jumper cables. My then wife got them for me on our first Christmas. What the hell woman!

11. Mail or email Christmas card? None. Stopped sending them out when my family never sent me any. I used to send out about 40 to 50 a year. Hardly ever got one in return.

12. Favorite Christmas movie? National Lampoons Xmas Vacation (also my favorite movie of all time) I watch it at least 20 times throughout December then it goes back into storage for next year. I wore out my VHS tape but my girlfriend bought me the DVD for Xmas last year. (LOVE YOU BABY!)

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Throughout the year. Find good deals on things, throw them into the closet. But Im slacking this year, way behind.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Ummm not yet, but I do have a few things given to me from when I was married (3 years ago) still in the box. Now who could I give that remote control, arm chair hangy thingy too?

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Food and tons of it. Not pickey. But I did grow up with my grandmother always making a huge batch of chicken stew every year. Her dumplings were off the hook!

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored, but hmmmmm.....kinda depends on the decorations. Some decorations look better with all white lights. Depends on the decorations. We try to change things around every year.

17. Favorite Christmas song? "That Spirit of Christmas" Performed by Ray Charles. Its the song you hear playing when Clark (Christmas Vacation) is stuck in the attic and is watching old christmas video footage of his family. It almost makes me cry when I hear it. I am such a wimp.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? Stay at home now, since Im not married. We only have to go over to my girlfriends parents house which is about a mile away. Thank you lord, go tell it on the mountain!

19. Can you name Santa's reindeer? Well there was that one that crapped on my windshield last year (Donner or Comet, or was that a teradactyl? too big to know for sure)

20. Do you have an angel on top or a star? Angel. Always an angel. There is a great story on how the angel ended up on top of the christmas tree but thats for another blog.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? The girlfriend and I like to open gifts on Christmas day morning which is also when my 2 boys open gifts. Means more to them when they see us open gifts as well. Especially when my youngest still believes. Of course though, if you dont believe, you dont get gifts from Santa. Which is why my oldest still believes as well. As I, even though he never got me my Evil Kneival Stunt Motorcycle when I was 5. Friggin bastard!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Too much Christmas music waaaaaayyyyy to early. It gets old very fast. Way to many cheasy songs out there as well.

TIG

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Holiday Wallpaper

nobody@vox.com(northerngeek) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 09:15:06 -0800

Free wallpaper for the taking. Happy Holidays Everyone!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Vote for Vox

nobody@vox.com(northerngeek) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:40:21 -0800

The VOX crew just sent out a post reminding us all to VOTE FOR VOX at Japan's 12 Annual Web of the Year Honors. They also had a video clip showing us how to get through the site navigation because it was all in Japanese. I'm hoping that this Google Translated Link makes it a little easier as it translates most of the sites buttons. To vote for Vox scroll down to the very bottom of the page in the block to the right. It is suppose to be the Blog Services categorie but google translator doesn't work with it.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Drumroll please...

nobody@vox.com(Crom74) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 21:12:53 -0700

And the Wieners are...

Well, before I announce the winners, I must state that we only had 16 respondents and that some categories did not have a true winner. Anyway, without further ado, the winners are...

Best Damn Blogger Ever = Redzilla with a close second being Cupcate
Best Comments = lauowolf
Most Reliable = SweetMisery
Most Influential = CupCate with Miss Scotch and Redzilla in a close second
Best Pictures, etc...= No clear winner
Most Humouristic Blogger = Tie between Nancy Mitchell and crankypants
Best Stalker = 4 way tie (Paxton, Valerae, http://lezleevictoriah.vox.com/, and Happyhippy (don't know this one)
Most likely to blog... = SweetMisery
Most likely to fizzle... = I gotta give it to Sixbucksamonkey although it ain't happening...
Just Because = No clear winner

Well, there you have it. A contest of sorts that will end not quite in sorts. So, comment on the winners you know and meet the ones you don't know. Maybe one day this contest will be taken up again by one braver and more apt with counting than KAC.

Once again, your humble stat keepers - KAC (well at least Ash):

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Widgets, Widgets, Everywhere, and Not a Place to Put Them

nobody@vox.com(Ross) — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 06:23:13 -0700

Based on the response I received from a recent comment I left on Crankypants' blob, I realized not everyone knows that you can successfully add more than one widget to your sidebar. It's really easy to do, and I figured I'd throw up a quick post to help guide you. Don't worry, even if you don't know any HTML you can follow this guide to have a way to put up 2, 3, even 4 widgets (depending on how big they are) in your sidebar.

Here's the key - Your sidebar is basically a box sized to fit about one widget. If you add a second widget (by adding the code for it below your first in the widget edit box), you may find it gets cut off, or worse yet, doesn't appear at all. The problem is the widget is outside the dimensions of the default box. The solution? Change the size of your box.

In order to make your sidebar taller, so you can fit more widgets in, you want to define a box big enough for all your widgets. Before your first widget, paste the following line:

and then after your last widget, paste the following line:

</div>

What this does is create a box 900 pixels tall in the sidebar - this is bigger than your original sidebar, and will allow you to fit in multiple widgets inside it, one after another (e.g. in my sidebar, I have a Creative Commons link, a last.fm widget, and then a KVOX music widget). You can change the "900" to any number you choose to fine-tune for your choice of widgets. If you're still cutting off a widget, make it bigger. You can also make it smaller if you don't require so much space.

Things to consider:

You may think having 4 widgets is cool (and yes, they probably are), but remember that every time someone loads your page, they will be loading your widgets. The longer it takes to load the widgets, the longer it takes to load the page. You're also requiring someone's browser to use more RAM to display your page, which means you could slow their system down if you go overboard.
This will NOT increase the width of your sidebar, which is limited to 140 pixels. Using widgets wider than this will either cut them off on one side or keep them from working properly (or both).
If you have a short post, increasing your sidebar's length may affect the length of your page for your post. This may mean you have blank space in between the end of your entry and the bottom of the page. This is the reason you don't want to make your sidebar 2000 pixels long when you only have 2 widgets in there.

Good luck adding your widgets! If you come across a cool one, post a link to your vox homepage (where we can find your widget displayed) in the comments below, so everyone else can ooh and aah at your widget prowess!

Read and post comments | Send to a friend