Archive for April, 2008

Published by alax on 06 Apr 2008

Fresh goodies from Microsoft

Published by alax on 06 Apr 2008

Zero-Defect Software Development

When it comes to software bugs it is useful to know the gradient how to avoid and how to fix. What I recently found is an article about the accumulated experience on the topic:

Published by alax on 03 Apr 2008

Google search specifics

I am curious if Google has a bias against Microsoft websites in search results. It was rather unexpected to see this site first in search for _CONVERSION_DONT_USE_THREAD_LOCALE with following results from connect.microsoft.com and blogs.msdn.com (at least as relevant as I think).

Published by alax on 03 Apr 2008

Google Talk Sidebar Widget 1.0 for WordPress 2.5

WordPress is great but each upgrade or theme change is a bit painful because all customizations have to be moved manually and as long they are direct file edits, including fixes for not quite correct theme files.

So after all at least some of the updates have to be made as WordPress Plugins.

Here we start with Google Talk Sidebar Widget Plugin (for WordPress 2.5). Google offered chatback badge to offer web chat through Jabber/XMPP compatible Google Talk instant messaging network.

User quotes:

What’s cool about it is it’s anonymous both ways. I don’t have to expose my Google-ness to random visitors on the web, and if it gets annoying I can turn it off. Also, and most likely to be actually useful, people I actually know can go to my blog, check my status, and ping me if I’m around, all without downloading a client. On their end, Google is just running a web browser session for them. They don’t even need a Google account.

Download link: wp-googletalk.zip

Permanent link: http://alax.info/blog/tag/wp-googletalk (to bookmark or revisit)

Installation is standard for plugins and after activation a new widget is available on widgets page.

Google Talk Sidebar Widget Configuration

Copy paste <iframe> code from Google chatback badge page into Text field and the widget is ready for use. on your website.

See also:

Published by alax on 02 Apr 2008

Be Informed: Event Log Notification

Alax.Info Be Informed update is available.

What’s new in this build?

  • New: System event log notification; event notification can be configured to be written to Windows Application event log (case study will follow)

Keywords: RegisterEventSource, ReportEvent

Application Name: Alax.Info Be Informed
License: Free for personal use, request commercial licenses via email or contact form
Latest Version: 1.0.4
Download Link: Alax.Info Be Informed 1.0.4 (730K)

Published by alax on 02 Apr 2008

DHCP Server: Running out of available trial/demo leases

I have been recently asked a question (by the way through new Jabber/XMPP/GoogleTalk based web chat) about DHCP Server leases.

I’m using the trial version of Alax.Info DHCP Server
And it says there are no more IP addresses available… Do I have to register?

Registration definitely would not hurt, however there is also an alternative. Issued leases are kept in registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Alax.Info\DhcpServer\Leases key. It is possible to open registry editor and remove some of the leases or even delete all of them (or rename key to be able to restore) in order to reset current DHCP Server state and allow it issue new leases again. This trick resets lease counter and allows having new five IP addresses given out by server to old or new MAC addresses.

Published by alax on 02 Apr 2008

Only A’s in high school

… time may fix even this!

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