August 2007 Archives

P2P file distribution is not a new concept but knowing how to best utilize it is a concept I'm asked about frequently. The most common question I'm asked is "How do I download torrents?" Well, the more correct question would be "What software do I need to run in order to fetch a file or set of files using the bittorrent protocol?" Read on and I'll give you some quick, easy answers for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

If your movable type blog gets hit excessively by trackback spammers, you may find yourself unable leave trackbacks for yourself due to a "403 Throttled" error. This http response is from movable type in an effort to slow down mass trackback ping spammers. I will go over some quick fixes, some longer term fixes and some very technical info for those intending to modify their installation of MT to handle trackback ping spam better. This article will apply to MT3 and MT4.

Almost anyone can write little scripts to do simple tasks or write little code snippets that print hello world endlessly but to actually develop a really useful application requires a little more time and knowledge. I've put together a step-by-step guide for aspiring programmers to follow that should help fill in the gaps with their new programming venture.

Last week, Six Apart announced the release of Movable Type 4. MT4 is a major upgrade in that it adds many new features and supports a more robust templating system. This site is run by MT4 and has been upgraded from version 3.35 to use the new templates and features. Upgrading the underlying system is fairly straight-forward, but getting all of your customizations moved into the new templates is very work intensive and requires a lot of research. I'll go over what I learned and did to successfully upgrade this site and hopefully save you some time.

With so many new DLNA media receivers emerging on the market, including the PS3 and X-Box 360, there are many options for media server software to run. Each server application has its own set of pros and cons. I researched all of the known products and listed out prices, supported operating systems and features. I also took the time to make a few notes and award best-in-class to a few select products that are the easiest to use, have the best features overall and provide the best end-user experience. Read on to find out how to choose your media server software.

Blade strikes seem to be the number one enemy of the E-Flite Blade CX2 Helicopter. I have them all too often now when I'm flying my heli around. While alternatives exist that help reduce blade strikes, I am currently opting to just keep replacing the rotor blades of my CX2 as I break them. Here's how to quickly replace a rotor blade:

Fortunately, E-Flite Helicopters are easy to work on and the inner shaft isn't too difficult to replace. I was able to take care of mine in about 20 minutes start to finish. Read on for a picture tutorial showing how to do it.

A friend of mine was recently hit with some malware that would put a little shield in the system tray of windows which would show reports of virus infections and all types of problems. Every time you click on it, it would open up a page for a product called Virus Protect Pro. Of course you have to pay for this, and what you're paying for is really a glorified uninstaller of their malware. Here's how to clean it from your system...