Categories
Life

Google in circles

Sorry to go on about Google, but I have another head-scratching query.

I did search earlier for a post of mine.. Google found it, but also said:

Did you mean to search for: https://artiss.blog/2008/03/website-performance

Now I knew what would happen if I clicked on this. Sure enough:

No results found for https://artiss.blog/2008/03/website-performance.

So… so… why suggest to me, when an exact match had been found already, a link that didn’t actually exist?

Worst of all, Google then proceeds to state “However, there are results from websites with similar addresses” and, yes, then lists my original URL.

Does anybody understand this crazy logic?

Categories
Life

Blush

Only just noticed (on a random trawl of the web) that the Guardian did an article about Sky box upgrading and mentioned my website.

Yes, mine. Not anybody else’s. Mine.

Makes ya proud, it does.

Although I would like to point out that the “huge” 250 GB hard drive upgrade that they mention is, well, nothing. With Copy+ you can put a 1 TB drive in. Oh yes.

Categories
Life

Google logic

I use Googles Adsense for some of my websites to generate a little revenue. For reasons that are now lost on me, I signed up with a non-Google email address. I then tried to use my Google account later only for it to turned down because, well, I already had an Adsense account. All very true.

Now, Google are desperately trying to get Adsense users to sign in with a Google email address. Fine, they even get you a nice wizard to transfer it over. Except it won’t let me as my Google Mail account is associated with a turned down Adsense account. Which it is.

And I’ve sent various mails to Google asking them how I can get around this. Their only solution is for me to set up ANOTHER Google mail account. Which I don’t want to do. And I know that, given time, they’ll force me into using Google mail for Adsense.

How can they not disassociate my account with my previous Adsense attempt? They’re Google. It’s their software. How can that be difficult?

I love Google but sometimes…

Categories
Life

My shiny new phone

Today my new phone turned up.

My provider rang me yesterday asking if I wanted to end my current contract early, and they’d send me a new phone. Well, offers like that I can’t refuse. Especially when they provide me with free internet access on it too.

So, I’ve moved from a Sony Ericsson K800i to the Nokia N95 8Gb, replete with Wi-fi connection and 5mp phone. Hmmm.

Now, if you get one of these, I’d recommend heading to play.com where they do a splendid leather case for it, along with car power cables and the like for just a few points – cheaper than you can get them on eBay.

One thing I have had problems with was my wi-fi connection at home. The connection keeps dropping out. Thankfully a quick Google found my answer, thanks to a forum post. It would appear this is – erm – side effect of having a Netgear modem. It can be worked around though.

Lastly if, like me, you use Google to organise your life I’d like to recommend GooSync, which enables you, free, to sync your Google Calendar with your phone (and not just the N95 – many others). For some cash (about £2 a month) you can get them to sync multiple calendars plus (crucially for me) your Google contacts.

The aforementioned problem with my router also affected GooSync working too – however, as the sync problem occurred first I didn’t initially know I had a much wider issue. However, GooSync have an excellent contact system, as well as forums. I’m always grateful when products such as these come with good support. In the end, though, I found out the above router fix before I got a response, but ended up posting the above to their forums as well (you never know, it may affect someone else too).

Categories
Life

Let's Just Say…

Ok, here’s a hypothetical situation. Let’s just say you’re a member of a non-profit, charitable group. Now let’s say that, although, not part of the management committee you have, for a number of years, assisted by writing and running their website and done most of their design work – printed media, and the like. You do it, not because you’ve been asked to, but because you like to help. Now, let’s also say that you’d stated in the past that you’d like to re-design the groups logo, which is looking a little old and tired. Let’s say you’d asked to do this on more than once occasion.

So how would you feel if they decided to do the logo, but didn’t ask you? Instead a committee member (admittedly, the one who should be responsible for such things) was doing it. And it wasn’t mentioned to you, and didn’t go through anyone’s mind that they should maybe speak to you about it. Oh, and a change of logo would have the biggest impact on the website, which you’re responsible for.

Well, when I put this exact situation to an internet forum, the vast majority of people agreed with the following statement that one user posted…

You’re doing this voluntarily out of the kindness of your heart. If that’s the case, I think there’s a simple solution, i.e. stop doing it. If you’re feeling unappreciated (and personally I think you have a fair point) take your time and skills elsewhere..

Hypothetically, of course