Blog News Watch

No, that’s not what this Time article says outright - it’s my take on the feelings of some of the users interviewed. Still, it’s a conclusion that might be more supportable than not. Consider:

• Power users like Lockergnome’s Chris Pirillo gave up and “upgraded” (his word) back to XP.
• The lawyer’s ubiquitous officemate, the Fujitsu ScanSnap, won’t work with Vista. Back in the immediate pre-launch days, several of my colleagues called Fujitsu to get the skinny - we were told the company had “no plans” to make its products compatible with Vista. (And say what you will about Vista and Micro$oft - and I’ll be right there with you - but Fujitsu bears not a small amount of my ill will for this move, too. Not making a very popular hardware piece compatible with what’s destined to be one of the major OSs? Not acceptable.)
• Don’t even get me started on the upgrade nonsense.

So, I’m left with just one question: why didn’t I switch to Mac sooner? Seriously - what a joyous computing experience I’ve had with this machine! One pleasure after another. Problems - to be sure there have been some - were so easily fixed, and the whole “gestalt” (love that word) is just heads and shoulders towering above any Microsoft machine I’ve ever owned (and there’ve been plenty of those, too).

If you’re a serious blogger, or want to be, I can only encourage you to give the Mac serious consideration. You’ll find a machine that will suit your needs, I guarantee you, and when you do, you’ll not be sorry you did. As for that old “they cost too much” thing, I submit to you that after you upgrade your computer to be up to Vista standards, then replace your Fujitsu ScanSnap with a new model that works with Vista, and then do the same for your printer, maybe you reconsider that assumption. Initial cost is just one portion of the “cost of ownership” formula, and when you get right down to it, I think the two cost just about the same, once you take into account the fact that Macs come with all that stuff that’s “extra” on many Windows machines.

Macs are particularly great for bloggers for many reasons, i think. They make podcasting and vlogging easy; the software that’s available for Mac is highly conducive to creative endeavors; and they’re just more reliable and stable, in my experience.

I’m not about to go all “fangirl/Macs RULE!” on you. But I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t point out that Macs go with serious pro blogging like PB & J. Or Vista and frustration.

Technorati Tags: windows vs mac

See this post from Search Engine Land:

In light of Google’s acquisition of FeedBurner, Google has made the two fee-based FeedBurner services free: MyBrand and Stats PRO. FeedBurner Stats PRO gives you a more details look at your feed
readers. The enhanced reporting includes subscriber numbers, item
clickthrough tracking, clickthrough tracking optimization, uncommon
uses, podcast downloads, reach, aggregate item uses, on site statistics
and much more. The MyBrand feature allows you to control the URL your feeds.
Instead of your feed URLs being under the feedburner.com domain, it
would be under your domain. Stay Master Of Your Feed Domain from Danny explains the feature and its benefits in great detail.

Technorati Tags: feedburner

Powered by ScribeFire.

Or … “How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love the Blog”

Learn a free, simple, web-based method of collecting, sorting, storing, and recalling blogging ideas.

The Problem

The bane of every blogger’s existence: “Now where was that article I wanted to link to …”

Followed closely by: “And … um … I had this really cool thing I wanted to say about it but …. how’d that go again?”

Does your blog-fodder collection system - if you even have one - resemble nothing so much as a bunch of yellow sticky notes slapped haphazardly along every square viewable surface of desk real estate?

If so - or if you have none at all - you might want to give my system a try. Its advantages: it’s free; it’s centered around web-based technologies (nothing to buy and it’s mobile to boot); it’s robust as hell; and best of all - it works.

The Tools

What you’ll need:

• A browser
• A free account at Stikkit.com
• The Stikkit bookmarklet, configured to pop up in a new window
• A rudimentary understanding of how tagging works (but even this is optional)

To get the full benefit of this system, you’ll also need:

• Firefox as your browser of choice
• ScribeFire

However, these tools (while helpful to any blogger) aren’t necessary. I’ll explain more about them, how they’re used, and why they’re so handy as we go.

The System

You’ve got your account, your Stikkit bookmarklet thingie is installed in your Links toolbar, just waiting for you with its little exclamation point, all humming with bloggy excitement.Your Firefox browser’s fired up and you’ve got the little ScribeFire yellow notepad and pen down there in the bottom right corner just begging to take a memo…

Now what?

Go forth and browse, young blogger. Browse, click, read, scan, link to your heart’s content. This is fast-paced filling the well time, folks. Not hard-core research. Just … browse. See what strikes your fancy.

Oops. Wait a sec. Back a page. Right there. See that article? On the land speed of that zombie fish that crawls out of the water and walks? Wouldn’t that make an awesome post? OK, maybe not. But let’s pretend it would. Here’s what you do:

1. Scan the article for the killer quote - whatever you want to copy directly into your post, or maybe the lede, or the first paragraph - whatever you want to use or whatever might prompt you to recall the full idea you’re having right this very minute. Select it, and copy it (Ctrl + C on Windows; Cmd + C on Macs).
2. Now, with the text selected and copied, click the Stikkit! bookmarklet.
3. What happened? The Stikkit window popped up and (probably) promptly disappeared beneath the open browser. Never fear. Down to your task bar. See the window’s minimized bar? Click it. Up it pops again … and, 99% of the time, the text you just selected will already be there. That’s right, without pasting the text, the bookmarklet opens a window prepopulated not only with the selected text but also with the page’s URL and page title. And on occasion, with preselected tags. You’ll probably want to …
4. Erase the tags in the Stikkit window. Just select and delete. You’re gonna want your own. (Alternatively you can keep them but you’ll have a larger selection of tags to browse through when it comes time to draft your post.)
5. Now, jot down a few notes about this article. What fantastic idea occurred to you while reading it? What angle do you want to take on your blog post? What further research do you need to do? Type it into the Stikkit window.
6. Now - here’s the genius part: tag it. I created my own tagging system based on the abbreviated names of my blogs (BCLB for my bankruptcy practice blog, ELB for my employment practice blog, BNW for this one, etc.). I also tag based on the subject. I don’t tag indiscriminately and freely, though I know a lot of people swear by this method. For a limited purpose such as blog fodder control, I have found a more restrictive system works best for me. Your mileage may vary, of course.  To tag in Stikkit: use the @ symbol immediately preceding the tag. Ex: @BCLB - would tag a stikkit for me as BCLB.
   
7. Click ’save.’
8. Lather, rinse, repeat.

You’re going to want to do this not only in a dedicated “looking for blog material” session but also throughout the week as you play (OK, OK, work) on the ‘Net for other purposes. Whatever you run into that strikes your fancy, just follow the steps: select, click, note, tag, save. Get it? select, click, note, tag, save. SCaNTS. Me so clever.

The Recall

When it’s time to blog, it couldn’t be simpler using Sisk’s SCaNTS (try saying that five times fast - hell, try saying it once).

1. Open up Stikkit’s home center. You might want to stay logged in if you’re the only one using your computer, or that particular user account; otherwise, log in and out at every session.
2. Click on the little luggage tag icon in the row of icons at the top. That’s “tags.”
3. Click on the tag for the blog you want to work on.
4. Ctrl-click on the link - this brings up the reference URL in a new tab.
5. Click on the ScribeFire icon in the tray at the bottom of your browser window (it’s the yellow notepad and pencil).
6. If you haven’t already, set up ScribeFire with your blog(s)’s login info: Click “ADD” at the bottom of the right hand column, and follow the prompts. ScribeFire automatically recalls your blog’s categories for you (and you can add new ones, right from the ScribeFire window - pretty nifty).
7. In SF, select the blog you’re working on from the list under the “Blogs” tab.
8. Still in SF, click the “Categs.” tab and select the appropriate category. (Hint: I use my subject tags in the Stikkit for this purpose - they help me gauge the best category to use.)
9. Type in your working (or final, if you’re that good) title in the “Title” bar in SF.
10. Copy and paste in your working quote from the Stikkit, if you have one, into the text window of SF.
11. Compose your blog post, using the Stikkit and the reference page in your browser tabs as resources.
12. You can save it to your blog as a draft form in SF: simple click on the “Publishing Options” button to the right of the title bar, and select “Publish as Draft.” Alternatively, leave that box unchecked and when you get to step #14, it’ll publish your post to the blog immediately.
13. While you’re still in “publishing options” though, you’re gonna want to take advantage of some wonderful SF tools - add your Technorati tags (and click “Add Tags to post”), plug in your trackbacks, if any (separated by commas), click “bookmark post at del.icio.us using same tags” and “Enable pings” (and choose your ping forum of choice).
14. Click the reddish-orange “Publish to: {blog name}” button (after a once-over check to make sure you’ve got the right blog, etc. - it’s been known to happen … not to me, of course … <cough>).
15. Back in Stikkit - click the “edit” stikkit icon (again, a pencil) and add a DONE to the end of your blog tag. Ex: @BCLB becomes @BCLBDONE.  Click “Save.”

Why My System Rocks

The tagging portion of this system, together with Stikkit’s amiable user interface tools, makes it simple and effective - highly customizable without being confusing (which, in the land of apps, is really not a combination you come across too often, I’ve found). Using ScribeFire, even without the Stikkit component of the system, is a real time saver for bloggers. You can blog straight from the reference page without switching back and forth - keeping the text you’re working from and the text you’re working on both in plain view at all times. It might be a small bit of time saved, but it adds up to one great big reduction in the hassle factor.

The tags in Stikkit also help me plan my postings. I can see from the clouds on the main tags page which subjects are heavy with stuff and which are light - and which don’t exist at all. I can then tell - “hmm, ’tis been a while since I blogged about sex harassment at ELB - time to find some new stuff.” Changing the tag at the end of the process keeps your housekeeping up to date. This removes your resource from the active items list - the list of ideas to be blogged about - and puts it in the list of items already blogged about, creating a nice archive of your past resource material.

I’d love to hear comments, improvements, and suggestions on this system. It’s always a work in progress, and I’m forever looking for tweaks.

Technorati Tags: managing blog material

Powered by ScribeFire.

And the Internets. Interestingly, Blogger & Podcaster has three subscription options. Print will run you $80 a year. Digital and podcast versions? Free. (Does this mean print is dead? I’m just joking!) And they put Scoble on the cover!

Here’s a link to the blog.

blogging, blog magazine, blogger & podcaster

Raj Dash has up at Performancing a collection of what look to be incredibly helpful blogging tools - SplashCast, Slide, and ThinkFree.

How about you? What’s your favorite or most useful blogging tool? For me, there are two, equally helpful: ScribeFire, and Stikkit. I use ScribeFire to assist composing posts when browsing around the web (saves having to switch back and forth between tabs) and Stikkit to maintain notes about possible future blog posts, by tagging each Stikkit with a code for each of my blogs, and jotting down a few thoughts about the topic at hand.

Ricardo’s finishing up a nice batch of orange-cranberry-walnut muffins and says “Howdy.” So - happy blogging, bloggers! Until tomorrow.

Many of you may not heard about blogjet, which is a desktop blogging application by Coding Robots. Though i use Windows live writer and Blogdesk as my desktop blog tools, but i guess now i have to give a thought of using Blogjet 2.0 too. Blogjet’s greatest feture that attract many bloggers is easy integration and on spot editing. in this Blogjet 2.0 there are some more goodies to amaze bloggers, and make their hard work a little more less.

The key features of blogjet 2.0:

Well that looks nice isn’t it? But one little problem, it isn’t free application like Windows Live Writer or Blogdesk. It cost arround US$39-US$69, depending on license type.

Blogdesk, Blogjet, Desktop blogging tools, Windows Live writer

As social networking came to it peak (Has it?), Shakers and movers like IBM is seeking doorway to enter in this battle. Now With collaboration software called Lotus Connections, IBM competes with Microsoft. Microsoft has a head start in web 2.0 supremacy battle, but looks like IBM had something under their sleeve all along.

Most social networking sites were gaining their popularity boom with quick and easy technologies for doing everything from creating blogs and forming communities to posting photos and videos on the Web. Apart from that now lots of them even comes as bundle software, but honestly what was missing is a true corporate/enterprise software pack. Adobe already gave it a shot with Contributor four, as well as their latest Vlog software. Microsoft slowly started with windows live writer, which is no way can be consider as a pack. Though their Microsoft SharePoint Server 2007, has some basic capabilities of social networking.

Looks like IBM might be the first one to stepping in web 2.0 with their new product called Lotus Connections. It wraps five social networking technologies up into one integrated package—similar to what Microsoft’s Office does for traditional desktop productivity software such as Word and Excel. And, if IBM handles this right, its package could rapidly spread the use of so-called Web 2.0 applications in the business world. The commercial version of the package is to be delivered in the second quarter. The IBM package includes five applications:-

• Profiles- where employees post information about their expertise and interests.
• Communities- which are formed and managed by people with common interests, Tag will be used.
• Activities– which are used to manage group projects, say hello to IBM’s Wiki.
• Bookmarks– where people share documents and Web sites with others.
• Blogs– I don’t need to say what is it! do i!

Well if that thing goes out and truly can give performance, i say a lot of enterprise blogging platform’s business will be over. Steve Mills, the general manager of the software group at IBM (IBM) says:

The business market is showing a lot of interest in using social networking tools to improve productivity. It’s about helping people find experts and the information they need to get their jobs done..

[ tags]IBM, Lotus Connections[/tags]

Sorry gone missing yesterday, and result we miss some incredible news. Though it’s not fresh but still better late than never right? So here we go. Movable Type (MT) upgraded to 3.34 now, as of January 17. I am not very big fan of MT, though I had some clients preferred MT as a platform. The biggest changes brought to this upgrade is FastCGI and fixes of possible XSS vulnerabilities.

There is no doubt because of FastCGI Movable Type will have increased performance. Previously in order to get FastCGI in Movable Type you had go through lots of patches and tweaks, it’s about damm time they include it with every MT versions.

We encourage all of our users and customers to upgrade to this latest release of Movable Type because it addresses a hand full of important XSS security vulnerabilities. In addition to security enhancements, this release introduces a feature enhancement that has increased application performance for a number of users by over an order of magnitude.

Oh I forgot to mention. This is a free upgrade for every MT users. After a long time MT is having some top notch upgrade.

Yesterday (January 15,2007) Drupal turned six, one of the greatest CMS ever. WP (WordPress) may be the most popular blogging platform but when it comes to static web site CMS Drupal takes the top spot. Drupal celebrate it’s six birthday in a unique way by releasing Drupal 5.0. That means finally after five years since the release of Drupal 4.0 in 2002, Drupal is moving towards version change instead of sticking with branches. According to Drupal release post- 492 contributors to the Drupal 5.0 release submitting 1173 patches, which is 150 more contributors than the previous upgrade. As you can see Drupal community is gradually increasing. Drupal power lots of great and famous sites on the net, like- MTV UK, One of the Sites of NASA and not to mention our beloved Spreadfirefox.com.

The 4.7 branch will continue to be supported, but as you can guess the branches of 4 will be no longer get priority in their developer community, so better switch to latest version. Drupal 4.6 branch is no longer maintained, if you are running 4.6 you should switch to 4.7 or better if Drupal 5.0. There is some changes brought in Drupal 5-

• Usability Improvements (New Admin pages,Multiple setting pages (all settings rearranged into multiple pages) and some minor changes)

Apart from changes there are a huge addition of new feature in Drupal 5.0-

• Status page and requirement checking
• Web-based installer
• Core theme
• Custom content types
• URL filter
• Blocks per role
• Edit block titles
• User management improvements
• Improved module administration
• More logging reports
• CSS preprocessor
• Performance tuning

If you think that’s the end think again Drupal 5.0 also bring features like-JavaScript library, Reorganized directory structure, Uninstalling modules, Pluggable cache backends, Pluggable session handling, PHPTemplate improvements, Node access arbiter, Node rendering and Form API just especially for developers.

You will find complete installation, upgrade instructions as well as complete descriptions of all these new features in the Drupal 5.0 release page.

Drupal 5.0, Drupal Birthday, CMS

While WordPress 2.0.6 security update is less than two weeks old they rolled out another new security update 2.0.7. Apparently this new update is released fixing two major bugs in 2.0.6–PHP security problem and the Feedburner issue. There are few more other small bugs also got patched in this new release. Just to make it clear-Feedburner bug was only in 2.0.6 not in other versions. WordPress recommended this 2.0.7 security upgrade to all user using lower versions of WordPress. The bugs fixes in 2.0.7-

• Security fix for wp_unregister_GLOBALS() to work around the zend_hash_del_key_or_index bug in PHP 4 versions less than 4.4.3 and PHP 5 versions less than 5.1.4 with register_globals set to “On.�?
• Feeds now properly serve 304 Not Modified headers instead of mismatched 200/304 headers (a.k.a. the FeedBurner bug).
• Backport of another 304 Not Modified fix from WordPress 2.1
• Deleting WordPress Pages no longer gives an “Are You Sure?�? prompt.
• After deleting a WordPress Page, you are now properly redirected to the Edit Pages screen.
• Sending an image at original size in Internet Explorer no longer adds an incorrect “height�? attribute.

The upgrade from 2.0.6 to 2.0.7 is simple as just six files has been changed.

wp-admin/inline-uploading.php
wp-admin/post.php
wp-includes/classes.php
wp-includes/functions.php
wp-settings.php
wp-includes/version.php

Mark Jaquith also mentioned that WordPress 2.1 is due in end of this month (January), but the branches of 2.0 will be still be supported and maintained for quite a while. Can’t wait to see that WP2.1.

WordPress, WP, Security Update, WP 2.0.7