Archive for January, 2008
How can I print name tags free, quick and easy?
Jan 25th
So you have a function coming up in the next say… 10 minutes and you want nice name tags but you don’t have the time. Your Secretary is no where to be found?
Want an easy solution?
We have a free (minus the printing supplies) solution for you! Big.first.name is a site that will let you set up name tags – just as the name denotes. You get a Big first name followed by the full name and some other information. It is as easy as 1 2 3 to get these going and they let you import from yahoo.com event lists.
Big.first.name/nametags – free online software for printing “Big first name” nametags.
Sign up for a free account and start printing big name tags and badges with your own printer.
Take a look at some example nametags made using big.first.name.
- Choose from industry standard paper sizes for nametags, name badges, and lables.
- Manage custom lists of nametags for different events.
- Import/Upload names from plain text or CSV files.
- Upcoming.yahoo.com event organisers can automatically extract a list of event attendee names.
- Read the latest nametag news and see more examples in the Big.first.name blog.
The only downside is that it adds their company name to the bottom of your tags. We found this from our buddy Aibek over at makeuseof. For more ways to put your old printer to work check out this link here.
Get Information From Yahoo via SMS that DOESNT Require a Mobile Browser – Great for older phones.
Jan 22nd
Don’t have a fancy smancy web enabled blackberry or uber cool iphone and you want to find the closest pizza place?
Feeling left out from being able to get in on our Wikipedia SMS Action ? Then this is for you – our less technologically advanced readers…
Yahoo’s SMS One Search will be your life saver when you are leading the blind – (more likely the drunk and blitzed).
Now you can find the local bar or movie theater even if youare too enibriated to speak to the 411 lady! This Yahoo! SMS Feature just like the Wikipedia SMS search are some of the webs best kept secrets.
Give it a shot – its better then 411 right? Well if your an AtA reader you know all about Goog411 right (thats googles free 800 number for free 411 info)? When you need some quick knowledge – all you need is a cell phone, which can send and receive text messages (All of em right??). Type in your search query and send it to
92466
That spells YAHOO on your keypad in case you were wondering… Here are some sample queries. They should be self explanatory.
I Am Legend 11235
tmobile 10005
weather 11235
weather 11235
Right now you can search for any local information by sending a query with your location or zip code like: “pizza 94025″, you can get a stock quote with: “s yhoo”, weather information: “w 94025″, dictionary definitions: “d garrulous”, horoscopes: “h aquarius”, WiFi hotspots: “wifi 94123″, and more are coming.
Though it may seem like a step backwards from the rich mobile-web based search that Yahoo! Mobile already has, it’s actually just another � and one could argue faster – way to access the same data. What we’ve done is provide a number of search shortcuts that you can send to 92466 (YAHOO) to receive back a set of SMS Text responses to your query. This is actually very useful just by itself, and pretty much like most SMS search services out there. But we’ve gone one better by providing URL links in each text message which brings you back to Yahoo Mobile’s richer WAP based web pages, with more details than can fit in a text message, links and maps. It does depend on the phone as to how easy this URL is accessed � on newer phones it may be underlined like in any web page, or for Motorola Phones for example, there is a “Go To” option which will find the URL in the message and use it automagically. But the option is there, and it makes SMS Text queries quite useful for the most basic and advanced users alike.
If you think about an SMS message form, it’s very similar to a search box found already on Yahoo! Search. You fill out one field with your query, press a button and great results come back. Now you don’t have to fumble with bookmarks or wait for the initial Yahoo! Mobile Search form to load, you can send off your search as fast as you can send a friend a quick text message. What’s more, is that we’ve also included functionality to do the same search just by replying to an original response � say if you’ve done a stock quote search for YHOO earlier in the day, instead of having to retype the query again, just send a blank reply to one of the earlier quotes and Yahoo! will send you an update automatically. [YsearchBlog]
The Admins Backbone Bandwidth Upgrade Goes Hay-wire and a Weekly Roundup!
Jan 19th
The Admin spent his Friday night (While you were out partying) upgrading his office 10 mbps line to a 100 mbps line. They were both Ethernet handoffs coming from a media converter. So why then did I have so many fricking problems? Lets just say DON’T ever believe the ISP. rant
I backed up my configuration for my firewall, made the necessary IP changes, modified my one to one nats and switched the cable. My VPN’s came online I had some net (I could resolve IP’s but not connect on port 80). I had a cross over cable connecting the line. Long story short the cable needed to be straight through and the ISP had given us the WRONG IP information. Don’t ask me how some services worked but after requesting the next tier tech he was like – um I see the problem change your subnet mask and default gateway…. Then he was like I need to make a few changes on your router. Then he needed to restart the main router- thankfully it was after normal business hours so he hit that magic button and BAM! I was up. Long story short…
If It isn’t working and you have been on the line with a tech forever asked to be escalated!! But I can safely say 100mbps is FAST! I had movies porn DATA coming down the pipe SO fricking fast it was worth the trouble (not really) BUT transfers from my cable modem back to the office have picked up by almost 10x! The numbers are dizzying! And a 100mb line for $1000/month cant be beat!
/rant
And now for the roundup of our most popular recent post:
- Dvd to Ipod Converter
- Create nifty windows shortcuts with Tooler for common used tasks.
- Free content filtering for your home or office.
- The Admin Gets Interviewed!
- Compiz Fusion – an Intro
- Entre Card Contest!
- Whats going on behind the scenes of my computer?
- Finally A Sleek Bluetooth headset.
- How to make you digital camera WiFi Compatible.
Dell shocking its users. Literally! Should you be scared?
Jan 18th
Cnet is reporting that the pretty brushed metal xps 1330′s and 1530′s are giving electric shocks to consumers.
It is isolated to users with the two pronged plug and not the three. Cnet goes on to say that the two pronged plug is not properly grounded. Dell will send a 3 prong adapter out to users on request.
It goes like this if you touch the metal casing while switching usb cables, plugging in the power cord or pretty much anything you can get a slight shock. Now thats according to dell. No big whoop they say.
As usual that is not what users are reporting on the forums though… Some say they get large jolts and were shocked pretty bad. Don’t hold your breathe for the law suits. I can hear the class action suits forming as we speak.
Imagine if someone took a jolt while wearing a pacemaker?
We have been running a 1330 that came with a grounded 3 prong plug since the get go and have not experienced this. 
Verdict: if you have the two prong adapter hit dell up for a replacement. Better safe then sorry.
Those dell laptops that caught on fire a while back started off with warming laps. Dell told everyone its normal – just dont keep it on your lap. Thus the laptop became a notebook. Anyone else notice that?
You have been warned! With that being said we are going to go play with that 1330, a volt meter and a two prong plug :) Wish us luck!
Thanks for sending this one in Doctor Jay!
Can I control what websites users on my network can get to… FOR FREE?
Jan 18th
I love finding a free solution to an expensive problem!
We normally talk about how to circumvent web filters but today we are talking about locking down your network – home, office or anywhere. As long as you control network settings you can be the internet god. Say where people can go and what they can do. .. As long as they dont know how to or cant change their dns settings. More on this in a coming article.
We are talking about the old content filtering racket. Companies sell their product and rake in the dough off of subscription fees. Without the subscription fee you dont get updates.
There are open source solutions but they were difficult to set up. And Do not work as well as the big named products in web filtering. Sigh…
I have installed hundreds of appliances to lock down the internet in lots of different locations. And they all cost a lot of moolah. One of AtA’s readers put us on to OPENDNS.org. This service is actually pretty simple. You can sign up for their service and point your machines to THEIR DNS server. Then you have access to control what users can get to, see where there going and do the whole geeky statistics thing.
The best part is if you see that the torrent search sites are number one on the visit list block em with one click! Are your users hitting eBay a little too much? Or maybe your a sadist and you think your employees are getting their geek on at AtA to much? Be the oppressive boss, teacher or parent today!
Oh and did we mention that OpenDNS uses PhishTank to block fraudulent phishing sites and misspelled domain mistakes – wait theres more it will also give you bandwidth reporting and probably a whole bunch more we havent found yet… FREE! They areWResolving 37,450 requests per second…
Whoa OpenDNS accounts are free. Your account is what lets you manage Web content filtering, stats, and a whole suite of other features. You could use OpenDNS without an account, but it’d be like having a Porsche stuck in first gear. Wow white listing, different levels of filtering and you can brand this thing. Wheres the catch?
Check out this info from their website:
OpenDNS protects millions of people a day across hundreds of thousands of schools, businesses and homes as they navigate the Internet. We block phishing sites and give you the power to block adult sites, proxies and individual domains.
Free yourself of DNS-related Internet outages with our zero-downtime global network. Eliminate DNS as a problem source on your network. Using OpenDNS means fewer support calls and headaches, letting you focus on more important issues.
We provide you with the tools to see what’s happening on your network, coupled with the tools to take action. For example, discover that myspace.com is the most frequently visited site on your network, and then block it with a single click.
You run anti-virus software on your mail servers and use various other network security tools to keep your users safe. It’s time to do the same with your DNS. All OpenDNS features are free. No hardware to buy, no software to install.
Block the bad sites and whitelist the good.
Phishing Protection
We operate PhishTank.com, the world’s most trusted source of phishing data. We integrate that data into an intelligence feed on our DNS servers to keep everyone on your network safe from phony sites trying to steal personal information.
Domain Blocking
You want to secure your network and have control over what resolves. We give you that control by providing the tools to block any website or DNS zone on the Internet, all through an easy-to-use interface.
Adult Site Blocking
Safeguard your kids, protect your students, or limit your corporate liability by blocking adult websites. Our adult site blocking solution can be deployed in minutes and provides granular levels of blocking. Hundreds of school districts are already using OpenDNS to achieve CIPA compliance. Did we mention it’s completely free?
Web Proxy Blocking
Prevent people on your network from bypassing the access restrictions you put in place. Blocking Web proxies helps ensure your network remains secure.
Domain Whitelisting
We provide a (growing) list of Web content filtering categories to block, but sometimes there is a domain you want to make sure is never blocked, even if it’s listed in a feed. Have the final say with our Domain Whitelisting feature.
Got stats?
Statistics
Understand your Web traffic with intutive stats about your network’s DNS. This is your data, and now you can view it like never before. And of course, if you don’t want stats, we won’t collect any DNS data from you, at all.
We’re here to help.
Free technical support
If you have a complicated DNS setup and have questions not answered in our instructions, feel free to send us an email, IM or even give us a call. We’ve got DNS experts ready to help you start using OpenDNS today. We don’t outsource this, so expect to talk to some engineering-types when you call. :-)
Make life easier for you and your users.
OpenDNS Guide
The OpenDNS Guide is the page your users see when they go to a website that doesn’t exist or isn’t resolving. We provide search results and offer suggestions to help your users get back on their way. This includes the use of our industry-leading domain spellchecking service to save them time and make them more productive.
Customization
We want what you want: happy users who feel comfortable using OpenDNS. Customize and brand our OpenDNS Guide and blocked pages, replacing our logo with your own. Show the users on your network that what they are seeing is trusted and safe.
Typo Correction
We don’t think you should be punished with an annoying error message if you make a small typo, like typing google.cmo instead of google.com. That’s why we correct that typo, and thousands more like it every day.
Shortcuts
Shortcuts are like AOL keywords that you control. Set up a simple shortcut like “help” that people on your network can use to find your company IT helpdesk, or “HR” that takes them to your company HR Web site. You can set up network shortcuts and still let all the users on your network create their own.
Make DNS outages a thing of the past.
Large Cache
OpenDNS operates the largest and most intelligent DNS caches in the world. As a result, when you ask us a question, we almost always have the answer. This results in an overall faster way to navigate the Internet.
Ultra-Reliable Network
Our architecture was designed to withstand even the worst of network failures and still serve your DNS reliably. Feel free to dive in and learn more about our architecture and how we run a zero-downtime network.
The Admin Gets Interviewed…
Jan 17th
TechWag reviewed AtA in its infancy and has come back around for a second look. Check out their first review here and the new interview is posted here.
Ask the Admin is a blogging site that has had phenomenal success since it started in June of 2007. From humble beginnings, to today’s 20K per traffic, Ask the Admin is a site that is worth taking a look at. Not just from the success factor, but from the whole “hit a target market and provide real value” view point that all bloggers should be aiming for.
Techwag was fortunate enough to have an e-mail interview with the Ask the Admin crew, and it is worth noting what they did, how they did it, and where they plan on going for 2008.
Techwag: What did you do in October to get the large spike of traffic that was recorded by both alexa and compete?
Ask the Admin: First thank you for taking the time to review AskTheAdmin (AtA) in its infancy and for coming back around to check up on us after our first real makeover.
But back to your question October was a big month for us as our readership doubled and then tripled. We added social networking buttons. Then a few posts hit the front page of Digg and Stumbleupon. Traffic started flooding in and we learned what the term Hit Lust was. On my birthday we saw 50,000 hits – that was some gift! I am not to sure about compete but Alexa does not always pick up our traffic spikes due to the low percentage of people actually using their toolbar. I have yet to find a good public traffic analysis tool. Shouldn’t Google be making one besides their outdated PR system?
Techwag: Did you do anything special to get more traffic? Or did you rely on word of mouth?
Ask the Admin: We have been promoting strictly by word of mouth. And due to a few over zealous users we were banned from submitting articles to Digg. We felt the traffic hit for a while as our traffic dropped back down to the thousands. But, we had a flurry of attention from the media which helped us get back on to our feet – so to speak.
We also met some great members of the press and blogo-sphere at various press events like Digital Life Press Preview and CES Unveiled. These people (you know who you are) have been a big help in getting us in with some of the bigger named companies.
Techwag: How do you try to reach out to your audience? How hard is it to keep up on the requests for information that you get in?
Ask the Admin: We are constantly trying to interact and get our readers to participate. I have recently added a little widget that allows for a user to “IM” me – it hits my cell phone. Some people call this level of dedication to a free service insane but I enjoy helping people.
When we first started, we were receiving one or two questions a day and now on a bad day we get about 30. I answer everyone personally! If I don’t know the answer I search the web for it and if I still come up empty handed I send the question on to my hand picked network of international Admins (sounds pretty cool huh? Maybe I should get a trademark on that?)
Techwag: Where do you see the site going in the next six months after a phenomenal 2007?
Ask the Admin: We have some BIG plans for 2008 including AtA video segments with man on the street questions and answers. More admin tools on AtA – like subnet calculators and lookup tools. We want AtA to be your first stop on your way to troubleshooting your technology issues (well maybe right after Google). More guest bloggers, more of the same geeky content our readers have come to enjoy.
Techwag: What kinds of questions do you get the most of?
Ask the Admin: Routers questions come in at number one. Normally questions regarding ports and firewalls. Then there are people looking to spy on loved ones and others paranoid that their significant other is spying on them. We get a lot of hard drive failures and data loss. Some of the questions though are way to funny to be real though!
Techwag: What would you say are the biggest issues with system administration today?
Ask the Admin: A lack of documentation. You build something to forget about it until there is a problem. We admins look for the five 9’s of uptime. So often, after a machine is up for years without intervention doing its job, passing from admins responsibility to another -No one knows how or what it really does and how to administer it. Boy that was a mouth full. When I arrive on scene for a disaster recovery I ask two questions. My second question after do you have a backup is can I see your documentation.
Techwag: Have you had a chance to read Nicholas Carr’s idea of the end of corporate IT, and what are your thoughts on this subject?
Ask the Admin: The transitions that Mr. Carr spoke about will rattle the backbone of IT companies. Companies will rethink what they need to own and what they need to outsource. Carr’s comparison of the IT sector to the early days of electricity was wonderful and spot on. A lot of IT guys spend a lot of down time so by outsourcing this work and only paying for the work you need done would be a great savings. But to play the devils advocate for a minute as soon as you start outsourcing your costs will go up. So unless you have an over inflated it department to begin with this will not be affecting you for several years while the prices and market values fluctuate.
Techwag: Do you see corporate IT contracting or expanding, and how would you help fill in the gaps with a corporate IT contraction?
Ask the Admin: I don’t know if I could say contracting or expanding. I think a better word would have to be evolving.
The beast that is corporate IT is so much different than 5 years ago. As main frames are moved out of data centers and small clusters of powerful computers replace them we realize this industry more than any other is constantly changing. There are so many niche markets for techies that if you stay on your game you will always have well compensated work. In the past anyone with a little bit of mis experience was able to become a sysadmin. Times are changing and the amateurs are moving on.
People are outsourcing their IT departments but that just creates more jobs for consultants. Some places go off shore but they would have been nickel and dimeing their developers here anyway. Everything tends to even it self out.
Don’t worry we will all still have jobs in ten years!
We would like to thank Ask the Admin for their interview and remember if you want an interview with techwag, please follow these simple guidelines.
