Tinyurl

Speaking of Tinyurl, the website that converts long url's into tiny url's

http://www.tinyurl.com/

Does anyone else wonder what they do with the url's they convert?

Do they make these url's available for market research purposes?

Is there a voyeur window into tinyurl?

A few hours later...

Just came upon this ZDNet article that addresses some of these issues...

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Berlind/?p=200

Notice how I didn't convert this to a tinyurl--no need.

Thanks Dell for allowing me to have Microsoft XP

I was telling some people that I would like to upgrade my computer system, but I don't want to get stuck with Vista.

I kind of knew, but wasn't sure, that if I yelled and screamed, Dell would provide me with a PC running XP.

I got an email this morning from Dell about 'holiday' savings, and towards the bottom was a link that said 'Get XP'. When I clicked on it, I discovered that there are a bunch of systems you can get configured with XP Pro, and also Vista if you later decide you want it (yuk). Here's the tinyurl link for it...

http://tinyurl.com/586jjm

When you arrive, there's a big banner that says

"YOU SPOKE - WE LISTENED"

When you buy a Dell PC system configured with the Windows Vista® BONUS, your PC will come loaded with Windows XP® Professional pre-installed.

With the BONUS option, you can transition to Windows Vista when you’re ready.

Your BONUS Kit will include Windows XP Professional back-up CD which will allow you to re-install or transition back to XP from Vista if necessary plus Windows Vista Business or Ultimate installation DVD.

Transitioning to Vista is entirely your choice.

Windows Vista BONUS gives you the opportunity to run the XP OS for as long as you like.

Page Views

My website stats indicate that this page averages over 1,000 views per day

http://www.johnsmiley.com/cis18.notfree/smiley029/smiley029.htm

Now how can I make money on it?

I've tried 'turning it off' for a week, and asking people to make a donation. One person did.

I've tried putting a 'donation' button on the top---no one did.

I've recently placed Yahoo ads on the top---nothing obvious, although just now I've modified my Yahoo reporting criteria to let me know how well that page is doing.

More to follow.

Forgot all about this---Web.archive.org

I forgot all about this great website

http://web.archive.org

Enter a website, and see the way it looked a long time ago. Here's a listing for Microsoft...

http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.microsoft.com

and here is their website from 1996

http://web.archive.org/web/19961020014044/http://www.microsoft.com/

Check out my website from the year 2000 :)

http://web.archive.org/web/20000301041030/http://www.johnsmiley.com/

Just removed my Google Adsense link--and added by Yahoo Ads link

I just removed my Google Adsense link--and added by Yahoo Ads link---I should have done that weeks ago instead of wasting time with Google.

What's their share price today?

I'd like to upgrade my PC

I'd like to upgrade my PC, but ...

I'm afraid I'll get stuck with Microsoft Vista :(

I'm currently using XP Pro Edition.

What a dope I am---Web site redirection

I'm such a dope---I just sent out a course notification email with the incorrect product page--as a result, customers won't be paying for the correct course!



However, it's not a problem if you know how to set up a web page redirection, which is what I did using this code...

meta equiv="Refresh" content="3; URL=http://www.johnsmiley.com/products/101.htm"

Place this on the incorrect page reference, and display a message indicating that your user will be redirected in 3 seconds to the site. That's what the 3 after the word CONTENT indicates.



The bottom line: my stupidity generates a valuable tip for you today. Maybe Google will see the value in my blog and approve my Ads. Please!!!!!!

A word from SetFocus

Someone is reading my blog...I received an email from Stacey Uhrig the other day.

She was happy to hear that I'm writing about SetFocus, and I was happy to hear that she's reading my blog.

Here's what she said about the current focus of Setfocus :)

Things on our end are great!

We have grown in a stable fashion over the years.

Back in the day - when you first wrote about SetFocus we were training roughly 80-100 students a year in our 13 week program (.NET). Today we have 3 tracks (.NET, SQL Server, and MS Business Intelligence). We will be launching a 4th track in 2009, SharePoint.

Each quarter we are training on average 100 students - so around 400 / year. We continue to have strict admissions criteria on the front end and superior career services on the back end, helping individuals solidify positions all across the country.

One of the major factors in our growth / expansion is that we designed and implemented a proprietary online training solution, called The GRID, using Polycom Video Conferencing technology. This online solution, which we launched in 2005, allows for our students to train from anywhere in the country synchronously with local students. It also allows us to expand our instructor talent, as many of our instructors also teach remotely from their home base. This allows us to tap into the best of the best when it comes to instructors, and does not limit us to simply the tri-state area for expertise. Roughly 70% of our students are remote today. Many of our staff are also remote. It's wonderful not having geographic boundaries!

Back to me :)

The thing that always impressed me about SetFocus is their 'strict' admissions standards.

I can recommend a training program that doesn't take everyone. Do you remember the radio and television ads from training companies that promised they would have you trained and employed in 30 days?

SetFocus doesn't do that--they can afford to be picky, because their clients want the best.

So I continue to recommend them highly---and I'll be periodically blogging about the experiences of one of their students as they (no he or she here) goes through their program.

By the way, if you aren't admitted to SetFocus don't despair.

I am one of those other companies that will train you and help you get employed--but it won't take 30 days.

My Website 'sucks'

Recently, one of my student's whose honesty I value, told me that my website 'sucks'.

I don't really disagree, my website needs a lot of work, and I've been trying to improve it, but his use of the very popular word 'sucks' is one that repels me.

It seems everywhere I turn I hear "that sucks".

In my younger years, we used to say "that stinks" or "that's a shame". Today it seems to be "that sucks" or "it sucks to me you".

I was inspired this morning to check out its definition today at Dictionary.com. Here's what it says...

1 dictionary results for: sucks

v. sucked, suck·ing, sucks
v. tr.
1. To draw (liquid) into the mouth by movements of the tongue and lips that create suction.
2.
a. To draw in by establishing a partial vacuum: a cleaning device that sucks up dirt.
b. To draw in by or as if by a current in a fluid.
c. To draw or pull as if by suction: teenagers who are sucked into a life of crime.
3. To draw nourishment through or from: suck a baby bottle.
4. To hold, moisten, or maneuver (a sweet, for example) in the mouth.
5. Vulgar Slang To perform fellatio on.

v. intr.
1. To draw something in by or as if by suction: felt the drain starting to suck.
2. To draw nourishment; suckle.
3. To make a sound caused by suction.
4. Vulgar Slang To be disgustingly disagreeable or offensive.

n.
1. The act or sound of sucking.
2. Suction.
3. Something drawn in by sucking.

Phrasal Verb(s):
suck in To take advantage of; cheat; swindle.
suck up Slang To behave obsequiously; fawn.

I'm not sure what definition is best for use with my website---the closest would seem to be the fourth intransitive verb form

Vulgar Slang To be disgustingly disagreeable or offensive

I'm not sure that my website is disgustingly disagreeable or offensive--but it may very well 'stink'.

Phone number entries in your address book

When making an entry of a telephone number into your phonebook (PDA, Phone), what format do you prefer?

Is there a universal standard?

(555)111-2222
555.111.2222
555-111-2222

I don't care for the parentheses myself. Most of my entries are #3, although #2 has more of a modern look to it.

And what about the country code? Does that complicate things a bit?

Twitter look alikes

I just received this in an email this morning from Business Week---Twitter is so popular that other sites are mimicking it...

Building a Better Twitter

A host of rival sites allow users to share short messages like Twitter, but offer unique features such as picture-sharing or private groups

http://newsletters.businessweek.com/c.asp?736333&45d6f9114dae444e&1

Twitter

Anyone out there using Twitter?

What is Twitter?

It lets users send short, 140-character blog postings to friends who 'follow' you.

http://www.twitter.com/

It's better than setting up a texting group on your phone because friends and followers are dynamic---some start following you, some stop following you.

My family and I use it to keep in touch---last Thursday morning, while bleeding profusely on the upstairs carpet after crashing into a wooden cabinet and breaking my nose, I asked my wife to find my cell phone and 'twittered' a message "I just broke my nose". In theory, that message was then delivered to all 8 of my followers, which included my brother, my son, and some clients who were expecting me to greet them at 9AM.

Twitter is a start-up company---I received an email last week asking if I would like to work for them---I believe they have 20 or so employees in San Francisco.

As a start-up, they are not without their problems. A recent Wall Street Journal article about them seems to have caused some issues with their Search feature---it hasn't worked for about two weeks.

And that message about my nose? For some reason, it wasn't delivered until around Noon.

Still, I enjoy using Twitter. You should check it out.

Redesigning my Website

I'm working on redesigning my website---and I've been seeking a good book on Web Desing principles.

I've checked out this one so far...

The Principles of Beautiful Web Design
http://www.principlesofbeautifulwebdesign.com/

Just headed to About.com--this link may be promising...

http://websearch.about.com/b/2006/02/28/examples-of-beautiful-web-design-and-ten-tips-for-search-engine-friendly-site-design.htm

webworkerdaily.com

Just found this link...check it out, it seems like a pretty valuable site...

http://webworkerdaily.com/

Bought a calculator

It was 1973---these devices called 'Calculators' were introduced---they allowed you to do calculations quickly, and they weren't mechanical, they were electronic.
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My father took me to Bundy Typewriter in the Roosevelt Mall, and after evaluating the two leading models, Texas Instruments or Summit, I bought a Summit Calculator for $99---$105.95 including Tax.

By the way, my ability to pick companies that would later go bankrupt over companies that would later go on to make billions was evident even at the age of 18!

I was very happy with the calculator---in fact, I have it even today, although it no longer charges.

I used it in my Chemistry classes and loved it---one thing I didn't love (and still hate today) was the sound of those stinking Texas Instrument Calculators clicking away.

Poor students (I was a good one) would be clicking away at those things in hopes of obtaining a correct answer--the sounds drove me crazy, and even today, I hate the sounds of clicking keyboards and keypads.