time to live :: technology

Fonts Used In Logos of Popular Websites

2010-01-26T11:20:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder what font was used for that dynamite logo? This article uncovers the Fonts Used In Logos of Popular Websites. The article contains a number of useful links and references for every web developer.

Flash Animations for Physics

2009-12-29T12:23:00.000-08:00

A physicist is used to understanding the world from a mathematical perspective. If there's any visualization going on, it's usually in your head or a simple graph or chart on paper.

These flash visualizations at Flash Animations for Physics show another side of physics that can be appreciated by anyone, regardless of your math or physics background.

How a Web Design Goes Straight To Hell

2009-12-28T14:13:00.000-08:00

For a humorous take on web design, visit How a Web Design Goes Straight To Hell. If you've ever designed a website for someone you'll be lyao in your cube.

If tech humor isn't your thing, try out some of the other cartoons at The Oatmeal. I found Seven Reasons to Keep Your Tyrannosaur Off Crack Cocaine to be very illuminating.

Physicalization

2009-11-25T07:05:00.000-08:00

Physicalization is a new trend in the server market. What is physicalization, Moore's law in reverse? Is it a complement to or a replacement for virtualization? Read the article at Ars Technica to find out more.

Migrating to SSD

2009-10-20T07:14:00.000-07:00

MySpace just converted their datacenter hard drives to SSD. While the smaller size and lower power consumption were compelling reasons to make the switch, the biggest reason was performance increase. As SSD prices continue to drop, more datacenters will find it cost effective to make the migration to this new technology, especially where performance is critical.

Cool Timer

2009-10-13T09:47:00.000-07:00

Cooltimer is a "simple, no-nonsense, handy timer utility with a cool, customizable interface. Can be used like an oven timer, alarm clock, or stopwatch."

What do I use it for?
Timing my tea.

Why do I use it?
Because it's cool!

Web-based Image Editor - Phoenix

2009-09-25T12:42:00.000-07:00

Aviary is on a mission to make creation accessible to artists of all genres, from graphic design to audio editing. The tools are entirely web-based. For starters, try the image editor Phoenix.

How to prolong lithium-based batteries

2009-09-25T12:23:00.000-07:00

Certain factors can shorten the lifetime of your lithium-ion battery. By following these guidelines you can get more cycles from your battery.

Avoid heat. Store batteries in a cool place. Take out the batteries if you are plugging the appliance to main power.
Avoid full discharges. Lithium-ion batteries do not have a memory, so partial recharges are no big deal.
Store at 40% charge. Fully charged or discharged batteries don't last as long. Discharged batteries also run the risk of failure if left too long.

For more information, read the article "How to prolong lithium-based batteries".

Just a Reminder

2009-03-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

Daylight Saving Time begins March 8, so set your clock one hour ahead the night before.

Quote of the Day

2009-02-20T07:50:00.000-08:00

On two occasions I have been asked [by members of Parliament!]: 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out ?' I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question.
:: Charles Babbage

The Universal Language

2009-02-20T07:35:00.000-08:00

Profanity is the one language all programmers know best.
:: Anonymous

Shakespeare in C, anyone?

2009-02-19T07:18:00.000-08:00

#define QUESTION ((bb) || !(bb))
:: William Shakespear

Quote of the Day

2009-02-19T07:14:00.001-08:00

When someone says: 'I want a programming language in which I need only say what I wish done', give him a lollipop.
:: Alan J. Perlis

Putt's Law

2009-02-19T07:06:00.000-08:00

Technology is dominated by two types of people: those who understand what they do not manage, and those who manage what they do not understand.

What's Wrong with Ipower Web Hosting?

2009-02-03T06:43:00.000-08:00

A lot, lately. There have been two major security breaches in the past month. In both cases my websites were compromised with some (or all) of the content missing or altered.
In both cases there was no notification that a security incident had occurred. They also changed everyones account password without notification. Apparently that's how you fix a security breach, punish the customers.
There is nothing on the website to explain or clarify what has happened or how they intend to address the issue. Their January newsletter was also noticeably mum on an issue they will not acknowledge or address in the hopes that it will go away.
In summary, I will just say that in each case, the security breaches themselves cost me a few minutes of my time to restore my sites. However, the inept behavior of my web host - Ipowerweb.com - cost me many hours of frustration.
This is why I will be leaving Ipowerweb shortly.

Ode to an MD5 Checksum

2008-10-08T10:50:00.001-07:00

Before I made my hash
I forgot to add the salt.
Now you've become so predictable
and it's really all my fault.

Bathed in white noise
from some foreign sector,
Is this the dubious voice
of an alien initialization vector?

Pay heed to the conductor
don't sully the notation.
Every bit dances through
their left-bit rotation.

One step forward
one step back.
I should have seen this coming -
a surprise birthday attack!

A torpor of smoke and confusion
amid flashing lights and double-vision,
the message is beset with peril
after a harrowing hash collision

The message must get through
if the cipher is somehow able -
to navigate his way
to an elusive rainbow table.

AntiVirus Update

2008-07-01T08:26:00.000-07:00

One of the most crucial programs on anyone's computer is the antivirus program. When this is combined with a behavior that minimizes the chance of contracting a virus there is a good chance you won't have to reformat your hard drive and start all over again.

It's important to keep up with what antivirus software is out there. Last year's editor's choice may be outdated or passed by in a year or two. It wasn't that long ago Norton Antivirus was the best choice - now it's the worst solution out there. Other solutions are emerging, some of them freeware or open source.

There are independent sites that evaluate antivirus software, such as AV-Comparatives. Cnet.com does an annual review of antivirus software that can be useful. Lifehacker.com did a recent survey or poll of five popular antivirus packages - the comments were especially insightful.

There are also a number of factors to consider when choosing antivirus software. Cost is one factor - open source or freeware is always nice, but is it effective enough? Another big factor is performance. Does my email or browser run slower now? Does the antivirus software consume a lot of resources or does it have a small footprint?

I have used Norton and Trend Micro and will never go back. I recently used the open-source Clamwin with some success, but may have some performance issues. Based on the results and comments in the lifehacker post, I am going to give NOD32 a try.

Key Scrambler

2008-06-20T11:06:00.000-07:00

In order to protect against keystroke loggers stealing sensitive information while you surf the web, Key Scrambler has a solution for you. There is a free version which will encrypt your key strokes while you type in webmail or enter your credit card information onto a web form. What the keystroke logger gets is a useless encryption of your keystrokes. What you get is peace of mind.

RSS Tutorial

2008-05-06T09:01:00.000-07:00

RSS currently stands for Really Simple Syndication and is a simple technology which allows websites to notify readers of new content without having to visit the site. Here is a very useful and comprehensive tutorial for setting up RSS technology for your website.

Do you use the Verdana font?

2008-04-25T13:44:00.000-07:00

I use it in certain cases, but you want to use the Verdana font judiciously and with care. Here's an article on Why you should avoid the Verdana font.

Scheme some colors

2008-04-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

There is usually a mixture of creativity, intuition, science, and technology when coming up with color schemes for web sites or pages. For help in the technical area try Color Scheme Generator 2, a useful tool for generating color schemes. You can quickly generate triads, tetrads, or just a simple contrast.

When you're done playing with the tool, check out the parent site: Well-styled.com . I found some interesting hacks and articles.

Web Design: Positioning

2008-04-22T13:22:00.000-07:00

The title of this article, Web Design 101: Positioning, is a bit misleading. I have been using css positioning for years, but some of the concepts continued to elude me. When I looked at different layouts their behavior seemed a bit mysterious and unpredictable.

This article clarified more than one concept that perhaps web designers took for granted, but should have stated explicitly. It might have saved myself and others from a lot of grief. But I would have to say I managed to find a little more room in my heart for hating Microsoft, when all was said and done.

This was a useful and concise article. There is also a nice example of css positioning to go with it.

Mail Big File

2008-04-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

If you are trying to move or send big files over the Internet, FTP is really the way to go. But sometimes, for whatever reason, it is handy to get it done with email. Now, if only you could get past the filters that typically lop off any attachment over 5 MB.

The next time you're in a pinch, try MailBigFile.com . They have a free service that allows attachments up to 100 MB.

Color for the Web

2008-04-22T11:38:00.000-07:00

There are many ways colors can be defined when doing web design. Let's see, is it color, bgcolor, or background-color for a tr element? Here's a handy compilation of most, if not all, of the ways to define color for various elements of a web page. While you're there, check out VisiBone's Color Charts.

Resources For Web Design

2008-04-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a list of Resources For Web Design. It seems to be well laid out and covers a lot of topics concisely on one page. I ought to do something like this with my own list of resources.