Mrs. Mecomber’s Scrapbook

I’ve been scouring local retail stores and the Internet, looking for software deals. My daughter received a “pre-owned” laptop as an early graduation gift, but it needs reformatting something fierce. Unfortunately, the Windows OS disks did not come with the laptop. Before I will allow her to connect the laptop to our network and the Internet, the machine must be reformatted. I was looking around online for prices on Windows XP (which we decided she would use), and was appalled at the cost of the operating system! I was so, so tempted to just install Ubuntu (which is free)! But for my daughter’s sake, I can’t; a lot of her programs wouldn’t work and she is accustomed to XP. Retail stores still had this seven-year OS for $200! My eyeballs were a-popping! I surfed around eBay, and prices were lower… but to be honest, I’m not terribly keen on eBay, especially when it comes to electronics and software. You just can’t be sure that it’s the real thing until you buy it. Too risky for this cautious shopper.

I have been using online “retail” stores (like Tiger Direct, Overstock, Amazon), and even with shipping costs, these stores still win, hands down. I have had good experience with them. However, if you are shopping online, be sure to check for coupons and promo codes first! This is a must. My sidebar has a list of good shopping links, so check them out. I have yet to add Coupon Chief, my new favorite coupon store. I think they have every store on the planet, even have Bluefly coupons for the intense shopping fans, and even Home Depot coupons, lol!

I have found online stores to offer better deals. If you are looking for even better discounts, always check for coupons and promo codes. Check my “Shopping” sidebar for my favorite stores and links.

Update: Coupon Chief link added. Check out the links if you shop online. As I discover more discount sites, I’ll add them. Look in the sidebar for the dropdown menu “Shopping.”

I’ve had trouble for the past two or three weeks with my DSL router/modem. It’s a combination router and modem, and allows us to connect via ethernet and wireless. However, for some inexplicable reason, the wireless wouldn’t work. We couldn’t connect the laptops to the network or to the Internet. I did all sorts of troubleshooting, and finally came to the conclusion that it was the modem and not anything else (like the PC cards or the telephone service).

Usually, I unplug the modem from the telephone jack and the power source. I do this with our cordless telephone, too. Sometimes these devices just need a refresh to get back to business. But not even these techniques worked.

I was surfing around, and found a person or two who had the same problem. One response was to update the software for the modem. Hm. I had never updated the software since I got DSL service, about two years ago!

I went to my ISP’s home page and looked around for software update notifications. Amazingly, I found something (my ISP is notorious for its poor service and unfriendly user pages). I updated the software, and it all worked! We’ve not had any problems since.

So, if you discover that your DSL wireless won’t work, and you’ve tried the unplugging and replugging of your modem and phone, try looking for a software update. It may just be what you need.

Here’s a quick article on adding custom text to a categories page for your Wordpress blog. First, a little background.

Wordpress sorts your blog posts into categories. See here for the definition from Wordpress. Wordpress also has something they call a “template hierarchy.” A good explanation comes from Tina Gasperson’s blog:

Because most WordPress themes have a single template for archives, aptly named archive.php, it’s not immediately apparent how to place a text ad on a specific category results page. But never fear: by default, WordPress searches using what it calls a “template hierarchy.” By taking advantage of the template hierarchy, it’s easy to make a special page that keeps your text ad where it belongs.

The template hierarchy works like this: if your visitor clicks on category #3, WordPress first looks for the most specific template: category-3.php. If it doesn’t find that, then it goes after the more generic category.php, and then archive.php, and if it doesn’t find that, it finally drops back to index.php. Armed with this knowledge, you can create a category-specific template using archive.php as a base.

Yes, armed with the knowledge of how Wordpress works, you can guide the system using this template hierarchy. You can make Wordpress show special text on certain category pages. This is not a difficult task, but I will assume that you know about coding and are familiar with the Wordpress format. This is how you do it.

So let’s say you want to post some text (for example, a text ad) under a certain category– but not all your categories. Let’s say you want to post a text ad under your category named “blogging.” Wordpress calls this category “blogging,” but Wordpress also assigns an Identity Number to this category, too. You need to find this ID number before you can do anything.

Log in to your Wordpress blog and go to “Manage” and choose “Categories.” You’ll see your list of categories. Since we are going to alter the “blogging” category, look for it in the list. Look for the ID Number.

In the image above, the ID Number we want is 73.

Now, go to “Presentation” (somewhere to the right of “Manage”) and choose “Theme Editor” tab. You will probably have a different theme than I, and your php files will look different, too. But the basic bones should be there. In the “Theme Editor” screen, look to the right-hand side and you’ll see a long list of links. Listed here are php files, like Style sheet, Header, Main Index Template, etc. Don’t worry if you don’t have the same ones that I do, or vice versa– it really depends on the theme you are using. However, some files should be the same. Just like people all have heads and eyes but different hair and eye color… your theme should have certain “body parts” but the styles may vary. Look for the php file called “archives.php.” Click it. When the page reloads, make sure it says “Editing “archive.php” at the top.

Copy all of the code in this file. Now, open up a new Notepad file. Paste the copied archive.php code into this new Notepad page. Now you are going to save the Notepad page, but you need to rename it using the ID Number of that category you wanted to change. Remember how our “blogging” category has an ID if 73? This is what I named my Notepad page:

Be sure to name your file exactly that (just use your own ID Number for your own category). Make sure there is a hypen and make sure you have the .php. Save the Notepad file but don’t close it yet!

You need to put in your text ad. Grab your text and paste it in like this (mine is in red):

<?php get_header(); ?>
<div id=”primary-content”>
<?php include (TEMPLATEPATH . ‘/theloop.php’); ?>

<p>
The kinder, gentler computer geek, <a href=”www.mrsmecombersscrapbook.com”>Mrs. Mecomber</a>, has recently issued her top ten free software programs for 2008.
</p>

</div>
<?php get_sidebar(); ?>
<?php get_footer(); ?>

Do you see how you are inserting your code between these two lines of code?

<?php include (TEMPLATEPATH . ‘/theloop.php’); ?>

</div>

Of course, your text ad will be different, unless you want to give me some free advertising.

Now, save your Notepad file again. Upload this file into your FTP program. Go back to your Administrative page in Wordpress (you may need to refresh or click a link elsewhere and come back to the page). You should now see your “category-IDNUMBER.php” file in the right-hand side.

You’ll notice that the Archive files remains unchanged, too.

Your text should now show up in only that category page. Ain’t Wordpress fun?

I was aghast to discover a few months ago the policies of search engine companies. The SEOs hold on to your searches information for inordinate periods of time. I’d read recently about a new policy by Ask.com. They are hoping their new policy will give them the edge over the giants (and you know who they are).

Jumping on the privacy bandwagon, Ask is offering users the chance to take charge of what happens with their search history.

An AskEraser link will feature prominently on the Ask.com homepage and, when enabled by the user, will delete all future search queries and associated cookie information from its servers.

The information it destroys includes IP address, user ID and session ID along with the complete text of a query.

I could wish all SEOs did such. MSN and Yahoo save the information for 18+ months, although policies bounce up and down more than stock market numbers. And when the Bush Administration demands the numbers from AOL, MSN, and Yahoo, they obediently hand it over. AOL might even broadcast that information– oopsie!

Google holds on to the info forever. Well, they say they’ve changed that to be 18 months, but who believes them?

Here’s a great comparison chart by CNet, showing the policies of the SEOs.

Moral of the story: your searches are monitored, and may be used against you. Be clean with your searches and use a variety of search engines frequently.

Eventually all the information will be condensed anyway, but at least we’re stemming the tide.

I have discovered the great benefit of WiFi (wireless fidelity) these days. My daughter is spending more time at the Hamilton College library, and we often go to our local library for research. I am able to bring my laptop and continue to work while they do their research. I love free WiFi!

Places where you can connect online for free via wireless are called “hotspots.” I’ve discovered that most libraries are “hotspots.” I’ve also learned that most McDonald’s restaurants offer free WiFi, too. I am no frequenter of McDonald’s, but I would be hesitant to connect there because I am overly cautious about the clientele. As always, you should take security measures when connecting to a WiFi hotspot (have a firewall running, etc).

I found a few websites that will find WiFi hotspots for you. I checked out my local area and a few others, and did not see any libraries listed. I would prefer to connect at my local library than, say, a hotel, but it is always nice to know one’s options. And I think a library is more secure and accountable than an Internet cafe.

The first link is a website that will search your area for local libraries–a great resource when traveling!

RoadLibrary
Mobile Broadband
Wi-Fi Hotspot List
WiFiFreeHotspots
EZGoal WiFi Hotspots

I got in my Kim Komando newsletter a great piece of information that I thought I’d pass along. It’s a website that helps you to opt-out of all those junky catalogs in your mailbox (your real mailbox, by the curb). The website is Catalog Choice. It looks heaven-sent. (You do have to register to use the system.)

We get a ton of junk mail, and even then, I know we get far less than our neighbors. This is a great site to put an end to all the trash flowing through the mail system.

Ever since I was a newbie, I’ve been interested in forums, tech help sites, and tutorial sites. It wasn’t too easy finding them, though. It took a lot of searching back then to find good sites.

Nowadays, there’s a glut of help and tutorial sites (of which I am thankful). But did you know that you can receive great information in your email inbox? I’m talking about subscribing to computer “e-zines.” My two favorites are the daily emails from Kim Komando and WinXPNews.

I loved Kim Komando’s Tips email– I looked forward to them every morning. Now that I have a lot of years and experience under my belt, they aren’t as helpful. But they are still very good, and I try to read them when they interest me and when I have time. They are excellent for newer computer users. Kim keeps things very simple, and she makes herself personally available to help out users with specific problems. You can sign up for her free emails at her website. There are several to choose from, or get all of them! Her message boards are also a very good way to get to know the computer world a little better.

Another helpful email I get is from WinXPNews. I’ve been receiving these for a few years now. They cover topics that are a little more advanced, so they keep me challenged. They’ve recently expanded their subscription service to include VistaNews, an email solely about Vista issues. I haven’t opted in to receive that one, as I don’t have Vista and so far, I haven’t been impressed enough to buy it. I’m sticking with XP for a while. If I ever do choose another operating system, it will be Ubuntu.

I also get emails from CNet, because I’m a download junkie. I’m not terribly impressed with their emails, though. Wired is another good site but I haven’t gotten around to signing up with them, yet. I’m pleased with what I have right now, anyway.

So if you are hankering for some down-to-earth information to make you a better and more informed computer user, I recommend getting emails. It also helps to read the emails.

According to internet marketing, before anything, internet safety comes first. This means that all the policies of web marketing should revolve around safety for us as well as others. Since long, people have associated risks with email marketing. This is why internet marketers charges are increasing, since everyday they are coming up with a new marketing solution that suits everyone.