David Artiss

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?

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.

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…

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).