Custom software developer. IT consultant. Geek.
Blog
Getting ready to go live on a new project
May 23, 2006
It is an exciting week here at Info et Cetera, as we’re getting ready to go live with a big project — a new version of an online vehicle auctioning system to replace an older classic ASP version that we created years ago. The new site is powered by ASP.NET 2.0 with a SQL Server back-end, and really represents a leap forward in web application design.
From a design standpoint, we were able to streamline the site layout through the use of a standardized design (using ASP.NET 2.0 master pages), so all pages have a consistent login box / status and More >
Getting ready for Microsoft Tech Ed 2006
May 20, 2006
I have spent my spare time this week getting ready for Microsoft Tech Ed 2006, in Boston June 11 – 16. This is the ultimate conference for anyone who works in the Microsoft technology space — 6 days of 7AM – 10PM learning, where technologists can meet with Microsoft employees and industry experts, while networking with other individuals and companies.
Needless to say, Microsoft has a great online tool for scheduling your sessions. I spent some time this morning finalizing my schedule and downloading it into Microsoft Outlook (of course you can download your schedule directly into Outlook; would you expect anything More >
VNC Vulnerability
May 15, 2006
On Friday, a vulnerability was announced in VNC that allows anyone to connect to a machine running VNC without specifying a password. Apparently, during the handshaking between the VNC server and client, the server tells the client a list of authentication mechanisms that it can accept. The client is then supposed to answer with a password using one of the specified mechanisms. Unfortunately, the server was not properly checking the client’s mechanism to make sure it was an accepted type, and apparently “Anonymous” is one of the methods. This means that with one simple change of code to the client, More >
Applying a FormatString to a column in a GridView
May 9, 2006
I ran across a very frustrating problem today when working on a project for a client. I was placing a GridView onto a page, into which went a number of fields, one of which is a dollar amount. I did a quick search and discovered that the BoundColumn has a property called DataFormatString. Sounds good, I say. So into this field I put the old familiar “{0:c}”, only to discover that my grid was still showing numbers like “1.0000″ or “0.9900″. After a lot of head scratching, some MSDN reading, and a lot of Googling, I finally found the answer…
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Talkr – When is the last time your blog talked back
May 2, 2006
I’ve been doing some work, this week, on my blog. My attention has mainly focused around creating a custom skin for dasBlog, which has been surprisingly easy. In addition, I’ve been trying to find useful tools that I can integrate into my blog to make it more useful for viewers.
Today I ran across Talkr — a FREE service that allows you to create a text-to-speech podcast from the text content of your blog, or provide links so readers can listen to an audio version of any article on your site. I’ve decided to take the latter approach, since I’m not sure More >
GoDaddy Stock Imagery CD — Not Impressed
May 1, 2006
Last week, I was registering a new domain (JohnRPattison.com) through GoDaddy, and saw that if I made a non-domain purchase, I could get my new domain for $1.99. I glanced around and found their Webstock Photography Collection, available for $10. With a $1.00 off coupon, I had a pretty good deal!
The CD arrived today, and so far I’m not very impressed. I guess I shouldn’t have expected much for $10, but it seems like maybe they just compiled a bunch of photos that various employees took onto a CD. They’re not particularly high resolution and the “models” certainly don’t seem More >
Eye-Film – A clever application of ever-shrinking technology
Apr 29, 2006
Robert Scoble had a great blog entry this week on a new product in development from Eye-Fi (http://www.eye.fi). This is just such a clever combination of technology and application! The basic idea here is to combine a flash memory card with a WiFi card, so that your memory card can automatically upload images to online photo storage sites (my personal favorite is Flickr). Using this approach, any digital camera can instantly become a wireless-enabled camera. The price looks reasonable too — in the $100-$150 range for a card that normally (without wireless) sells for $60-$100. Functionality is really aimed at complete More >
Box.net – 1GB of free online storage = COOL!
Apr 28, 2006
After hearing a few mentions of it, I gave Box.net a try today. Box.net is a site that gives you a free location to store 1GB of files, which are then accessible via the web. There are higher-capacity plans available for reasonable prices — the highest plan giving you 15GB of space and only costing $100/year.
Up until now, I’ve been using GoDaddy’s OnlineFileFolder offering to handle off-site data storage. This serves as a backup mechanism to my primarily local backup, which I archive using FolderShare to synchronize files between machines. OnlineFileFolder offers the same basic mechanism, with the one advantage of being able More >
Orb.com DVR Everywhere
Apr 26, 2006
I just ran across a great free service from Orb.com that acts as an add-on to your existing Tivo Servies 2 DVR and home computer running the Tivo Desktop called “DVR Everywhere”. It’s free downloadable software that lets you access your Tivo from anywhere to stream video, control recordings, etc.
Setup really couldn’t be easier. You just register for a free account at http://www.orb.com/dvreverywhere, download the software, install, and you’re in business. During set-up, it will ask you what you want to be able to remotely access (MP3′s, pictures, video files, and/or your Tivo). Keep following the steps and you’ll be More >
For home use, we recommend Windows Live OneCare
Apr 26, 2006
The Info et Cetera consultants have been testing Windows Live OneCare (Microsoft’s foray into the consumer antivirus market) for the past couple of months on our home computers, and our verdict — very nice! Therefore, we’re recommending Windows OneCare for all home users. In particular, we like that Windows OneCare has a simplified interface and bundles together the most important aspects of PC security.
The pricing is very reasonable at $50/year, which allows you to install the software on up to 3 computers. If you purchase before the end of April, that price is only $20 for the first year.
For corporate More >