Quicktip: Routers

When looking for a router you need to keep 2 things in mind: You are looking for something that is "N" compatible, and you should probably spend more than $60. Otherwise you're getting something outdated and it will likely break within a month. Routers DO go bad!

I recommend: Apple Airport Extreme, Apple Time Capsule (for those that want NAS!), and Cisco Valet routers. Yes, they are pricey...but you'll definitely get something thats worth the money.

Also this blog needs support on REDDIT and DIGG! You can find the Digg button at the top of the page. The reddit link is right here:

Reddit

Happy Wednesday. Remember, I take questions!

Steve Jobs bashes Android, New poll

Hello all! I'm back! Miss me?

Well in my time away I had a chance to listen to the earnings call from Steve Jobs recently. The guy just completely bashed Android as a platform by saying it was too hard to develop for due to fragmentation. The funny thing is, as soon as he said this, several app developers tweeted in recourse...like one from TweetDeck (the app I recommended a few days ago), saying that they had only 2 people working on TweetDeck for Android...so obviously it wasn't that hard. What do you guys think about what he said?

Also...any weigh-in on how Steve thinks that a 7" tablet is simply out of the question? Remember he also said netbooks and tablets were ridiculous about 2 years ago. But there is an 11" Macbook Air coming and of course the iPad...seriously, Steve?

Also, a new poll is soon to be posted if it isn't already up when you read this!

Lets hear some comments about this.

I apologize for the temporary down-time

I will be back soon with more tips and How-to's for you techies and DIY'ers out there. Stay tuned!

Sarge

Recommended: TweetDeck

Hey twits, tweeters, and tweeple. Looking for something that can manage your Twitter account(s) from your desktop? Maybe add in bonus control for Facebook, Foursquare, and more? This is your answer: TweetDeck. I have personally tried every twitter client for the desktop that exists and this tops them all. Its even worth ignoring the Adobe Air updates. Plus, its FREE!

Available for: Mac, PC, iPhone, Android

http://www.tweetdeck.com/

DSLR Photography, made simple

There are a few simple terms you need to learn before getting into DSLR photography...I don't have a lot of time so I'll make this quick.

Aperture: Look for the marking on the knob that says "A" or "Av". This stands for aperture priority mode. The smaller the f-number is on the screen, the larger the aperture (or opening of the blades in the lens) is. This allows your camera to increase the shutter speed automatically to the maximum possible speed to reduce blur in your photos.

Shutter speed: the time interval in which the photo is taken. Usually looks like a fraction (1/250, etc). The faster this speed is, the less blur in your photos. Manually set the speed to 30 seconds and set the camera on a tripod to capture long lines from lights in heavy traffic!

Viewfinder: USE THIS. Stop using the screen. Look through the lens of the camera and you're bound to get better at 'seeing' the potential photos around you!

Mailbag 10.7.2010

So im looking to get a couple of A+ certifications, which ones would be most lucrative? are you certified? What would be the best way to get my certs? Is there a class or should i just go buy a book?

A: No I am not A+ certified. And you shouldn't be, either. A+ certification is useless in todays world because of the rapid change in technology. If you want to be "Certified" you need a piece of paper that says you got a degree from a real school. This is not to put you down, this is to encourage you to go major in a computer related field. Once you've done that, you wont NEED to get any certifications.

if I'm interested in writing simple code and have experience with HTML and I've hello world'd in C++, but that's about it if i were to try and teach myself, what would you recommend

A: Just start doing it. Start by making the simplest HTML website you can (header, body, "Hello"). Then add on to it. Find things about certain websites you like and try to emulate them. Once you've gotten yourself fairly well versed, move into PHP and MySQL databases, you'll find the syntax there more similar to C++, even though it is still scripting.

any simple tips for learning/ remembering C# for a begginner, also make me a very detailed diagrm dispalying how a entire netork works, from user PC requesting data showing the path of the packets, ISP, Server proxies etc from a buisness perspective, this will get me a distinction on my college couse unit 1 on web desgin, many thanks xD

A; There is nothing simple about any of that. I suggest googling "IOS model".

unix or microsoft for a server? why?

A: Unix, without a doubt. They are a million times more secure and you can make them do just about anything.

Android or iOS? Which do you prefer?

A: Neither. I prefer to use an iPhone for my cell phone purposes, but both operating systems are handicapped. iOS has the potential to be great, but is crippled by not having Flash...not being able to compile Java...blah blah.

Thanks for all the questions! Feel free to send in more at any time!

Time for a Mailbag!

Alright lets hear your questions. Web Design, Networking, Photography, personal, Code, whatever! Post your questions and I'll answer them in my next blog!

You never forget your first girlfriend...

...even if you want to. Today, I debugged my Unix professors C++ program.

I started my college in Computer Science, learning the hell that is C++. And I would have stayed with it, but I ran out of memory... Haha. It was my first language and I hate it with a burning passion. Today was the first time I thought about it in 2 years. When I saw the code and my professor was all, "Okay now whats wrong here, why isn't this working..." My mental muscle-memory kicked in and as if I was a robot programmed for response I blurted "STDIO.H IS FOR C, YOU HAVE TO USE IOSTREAM FOR C++". I was so ashamed.

So I ask, what was YOUR first language, and how do you feel about it today?

Recommended: Colloquy

Are you a Mac user looking for an IRC client? This is your answer. Colloquy is a free IRC client with an extensive development background. Check it out here:

http://colloquy.info

Its Gameday.

Well, folks. Its my day off and what a day it will be! TODAY IS GAMEDAY. So I ask, who is YOUR team?

Predictions for the day:

Texas Tech 35
Iowa State 14

Oklahoma 32
Texas 21

Alabama 21
Florida 14

WRECK EM

I love Apple, but...

Sad fact of the day: the processor Apple uses in the NEW Mac Mini's and some NEW MacBook/Pro's is the same processor that is in my 2008 MacBook Pro. Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 Ghz. So tell me, Apple, why should I spend the money on a new MacBook?

I await your response, Mr. Jobs.

EDIT: I emailed Steve. I can only hope for an answer.

Tip of the Day: Network security

For the purpose of education yesterday, my Data Communications class remotely accessed an insecure router in a city 2 hours away. We logged in as the default router Admin and the password was, duh, "password". We were able to look through the logs to see what sites this person has visited, we had the ability to BLOCK websites, to turn off the router completely...the possibilities for exploitation were endless.

The problem is not many people seem to realize this. If your wireless home network is insecure, your whole life is open to the public. So how do you correct this problem? There are a few easy steps to make this vulnerability go away.

1. Find out your routers IP address (it is probably something like 192.168.0.1, 10.1.0.1, etc)
2. Type that IP address into the URL bar of your browser and go.
3. You'll be brought to a login page...it will look different from router to router. 
4. If you do not know your login information, it is likely "admin" and "password", or consult your routers manual to find out what the default log in is. 
5. Look in the security settings (again, read your manual to find out where it is for your router) and change the log in and password for your routers homepage. 
6. Next, go to WAN (Wireless) security and change the security to the highest possible encryption. Right now, that is probably WPA2 or some variant of it.
7. Set a password of your choosing, I recommend using upper and lower case + numbers. 
8. Save

Done. Now you have a secure network. If you ever lose access to your router, simply use a paperclip to press the reset button on the back. 

Segway Inc. Owner rides over cliff, dies

Man is this the epitome of irony or what? From Engadget:

Segway Inc. owner rides over cliff to his death

By Vlad Savov  posted Sep 27th 2010 8:20AM

UK businessman Jimi Heselden, the man who believed in the Segway so much that he went ahead and bought the company, has died after reportedly driving a ruggedized version of the scooter off a cliff and into a river. He was found early on Sunday morning in the River Wharfe, having earlier been touring his estate in the personal transporter. The cause of the accident is not yet known. Mr. Heselden was 62 years old and, true to our geeky hearts, generated his fortune by coming up with an innovative design for wire cage walls that has since become standard equipment for NATO, American, and British forces. Our thoughts are with the good gent's family, and please, behave yourselves in comments.

[Thanks, David]

How to: Jailbreaking Your iPhone

This might just be the easiest How-To I ever write. So lets get to it! For today, we have 2 options. One is done through your computer, the other can be done directly through your iPhone.

Through the computer

STEP 1: Go here http://blackra1n.com/

STEP 2: On the bottom of that page, click on the operating system that you have (Windows or OS X)

STEP 3: Click the button that shows up, let the magic happen

STEP 4: Enjoy your newfound freedom

Through the iPhone

STEP 1: Pick your iPhone up, open Safari

STEP 2: Go to http://www.jailbreakme.com

STEP 3: Slide to enter the awesome zone

STEP 4: Win the internets.

NOTE: These methods may not work with certain iPhone OS releases, its always a good idea to see if your version can be jailbroken before upgrading!

RECOMMENDED: Boxee

Boxee.tv

Boxee is free software you can run on your computer or Apple TV and connect to your HDTV in the living room to watch movies and TV shows from the internet for free. Also has apps like Pandora, Last.fm, YouTube, and others!

This is definitely a SARGE RECOMMENDED piece of software!

Boxee Beta from boxee on Vimeo.

Am I really writing these? (Spoiler: YES!)

I do write all of my blogs myself. I don't get them from info sites or random feeds. I do answer questions that you might have about web design or coding, or even NETWORKING. I do all of that stuff. So fire away, I need questions for my occasional mailbags!

And now I leave you with a little bit of AWESOME:

Web Design Tip - Formatting

To be quite honest, there really isn't much to formatting other than realizing that you NEED it. You do not have to climb to the top of the highest mountain and cross the widest river to speak to the Sensei of Formatting. No, you only need to DO IT.

Some of you might be asking, "What is formatting?". If thats the case, you're a moron, and you probably ask other questions like "How do make internet?" and "What am the sky?". On a more serious note, formatting is the process of making the content of your site look proper...like it was set the way it is on purpose. Furthermore, formatting is the key to readability. Follow me to the next step! -->

Cascading Style Sheets. Don't ask me why they called it that, just know "CSS", and that it is the best (and in my opinion the ONLY) way to control your formatting. Using a single CSS file to govern all of the text [read: content] for your website ensures consistency and the ability to quick change your styles without having to edit Every-Single-Entry-You've-Ever-Written. See CSS.

If you want all of your text to look like THIS then go for it. Just remember todays tips: first, MAKE AND EFFORT to format, and second BE CONSISTENT.

How to: Custom Background images

Want to change your blogger template background image? Here's how!

Step 1. Upload your desired image to a site like Photobucket, and/or acquire the URL of the image you want to use.

Step 2. Log in, find the "Design" link. Click on it.

Step 3. Click on the Edit HTML link in the upper left of the editor .

Step 4. Scroll through and find the code below. Replace every instance of (http://www.blogblog.com/1kt/watermark/body_background_birds.png) with your background image URL. Keep in mind, if you are not using the same template as I am, the name of the default picture may not be the same as the above.

Step 5. SAVE AND DONE!

Had to share: Swedish Chef

Useful links: CSS

I have compiled a list of useful glossaries/websites that help with CSS. If you don't know what CSS is and you are trying to design a website, you probably need to start over!

W3Schools

http://www.w3schools.com/css/
W3 Schools has the best online resource for coding. Not just for CSS!
Make sure you keep your knowledge up with new versions of CSS over the years.

CSS Validator
http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/
If your CSS isn't fully compliant, its inevitable that some of your users (if not all) will not experience your website the way you want them to. TESTING PEOPLE, TESTING!

CSS Basics
http://www.cssbasics.com/
This wont teach you everything you need to know, but it will certainly help reinforce the 'basics' of CSS.

Advanced CSS
http://www.yourhtmlsource.com/stylesheets/advancedcss.html
This is a blog that will spit out some more advanced techniques now and then.

Mailbag - 9.23.10

jj_srk asked: do you have any suggestions on which imageboard software to use?

A: I'm not really doing the whole imageboard thing, but Kusaba X seems to have a lot of support. 

___________________

Nick asked: What do you think about HTML5? Excited yet? 

A: The only thing I like about HTML that really stands out is the video tag. Of course I think its long past due, but better late than never, right? I would assume you are referring to HTML5's ability to emulate something that looks like Flash. The answer to that is no, I'm not excited about it. As a designer I prefer to use Flash for Flash purposes. Unless Adobe makes "HTML5 CS5" and it works like Flash CS3/4, I won't be animating in HTML5 anytime in the near future. 

___________________

Trashcanman said: Write me a cheat code to make my site the best

A: The best cheat code for making your site the best is this: Up Up, Down Down, START SELECT, Pick-up-phone-and-call-a-web-designer-to-make-your-website-for-you. Let me know how that one works for you!

I love answering your questions, if you have one please be sure to drop me a line in the comments! 

I take questions!

If you are having a problem with your code/site or have a general web design question, just leave a comment and I'll get to it if my schedule permits! I need ideas for blog posts too, and your question may be that idea.

Happy Wednesday!

Web Design Tip: 09/22/10

A common mistake many amateur web designers make is not properly testing their beta and/or finished products. These are a few quick reminders on how to test your website:

1. Test in ALL browsers! It is well known that Firefox does not play nice with some javascript and Internet Explorer is the devil. So make sure your website is working properly in all of the popular browsers. (See: Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, Chrome, Opera)

2. Validation. http://validator.w3.org/ .... 'nuff said.  Make sure you have no errors. Sometimes warnings are okay, but try to eliminate them!

3. Beta Testers. You could join an online web community or get a group of friends to test out your site. Chances are if you haven't encountered a problem, someone else WILL. It could be a result of the machine its running on, the operating system, browser versions, etc.

An ugly website is still better than a website that doesn't work. SO TEST IT!

Sarge

Why is he even trying?

Stupid horse.

This be my first blog.

Hello and hello again. This entry isn't very meaningful, but more will come!