My Life With IT

Having been blogging for quite some time, I have come to identify that blogging is an obsession. A blog is a site where ideas and opinions are meshed together.

Blog Abuse

After reading different types of blogs, from niche to personal, I have realised the abuse that blogs have become. There are many who make use of the traffic from genuine niche blogs to redirect to their money making sites infested with Google Adsense, Kontera and affiliates. The sites have no content value except to trick the non-savvy into clicking the advertisements.

Image via Wikipedia

Blog Wars

When someone blogs about the personal opinion of a certain subject, another takes offence and starts a post linking to the “offending” post. Another trigger could be from an interview with the newspapers and one blogger starts to be offended at being quoted as “second fiddle” to the other. This starts with the blogger stating the reasons that the other isn’t good enough and a blog war is started.

Throughout my journey with blogging, I have experimented with a few niches that I have interests in and they are gaining traffic at a slow pace. This is a good sign as it meant that I am doing something in the right direction.

While there have been negatives seen along the way, blogs don’t necessarily mean negative. I haven’t seen anything that has no negatives.

New Friends

New friends with similar interests are found. It’s much more fun talking about blogging stuff with people who have similar interest in blogging.

Community

A community is created and it’s filled with more people who have tried blogging with different platforms and their frustrations with the platforms.

Knowledge Shared

Knowledge is shared among people with common interest. There have been times when one posted a request for looking for missing friends or family members whereby the people were found.

Blogs have evolved from personal diary to niche whereby different sites attract the group that is being targeted. Some have even started their own eHow, Wikipedia and even shop blogs. Shop blogs are gaining popularity in certain countries due to the uniqueness of the products and most of the time, availability of products that can’t be found in the country.

This is a group writing project by Daily Blog Tips.

Image via Wikipedia

After using the Samsung Omnia for more than a week, I can safely say that I love it. I love the slimness and it’s sleek looks. I like the auto brightening of the display based on the surrounding lighting. I am use the auto function. So far, it seems to work fairly. I’m not a good gauge at the display.

I like the way Samsung built in the keyboards. They are not too tiny like the default keyboards that comes with Windows Mobile. I can press the keys using my finger and that is why I dislike iPhone despite its sleekness

Windows Mobile 6.1 has threaded messages and it makes it so much easier to continue the SMS if you key in halfway and have to answer someone else. I don’t have to save the message and read the message that I was trying to reply too. Unfortunately, deleting a message also means deleting the whole thread and you can’t save just one message from the same person.

I tried the mass sending of SMS and sent blank messages instead. I don’t know if that’s what it was supposed to do but I wasted a few good long SMS that way. Thus, I won’t be attempting the stunt except using the email. The volume is quite good but the vibration is a wee bit too weak. Perhaps it’s the size.

Overall, I love it a lot because I can take quite decent photos with the 5MP camera. The dim lighting will cause the photos to go dark but when I tried using the flash, the photos turned out too white. Looks like my S5 IS is a better option for such condition.

There is a slight lag despite turning off the Samsung Widget programme. I feel that the processor speed is alright but the RAM should be increased since it doesn’t seem to match the processor speed.

I still haven’t used the Wifi because the last time I connect to Wireless@SG, I didn’t manage to surf the net except the error page.

Image via Wikipedia

I was honoured to be sent a personalised email from Blog2u.sg about their iPhone viewing session. At least they changed to display my name instead of just saying:

“Hi,

Blog2u.sg is holding an iPhone viewing session at bla bla”

I think that was part of the reason why I went to my 1st bloggers session. I was late but I did managed to catch Paddy talking about how they were wanted to give Blog2u members an iPhone each. I like the idea. Unfortunately, being a staff is better since they can’t give out to every blogger.

After that, DK was supposed to bring up the climax of the iPhone 3G to everyone’s anticipation. He needs more practice. I have managed to molest/touch the iPhone, thanks to Blog2u’s exclusive invitation.

After playing with the iPhone, I feel that it really isn’t for me. I have long fingernails and I love my Samsung Omnia more. iPhone may looks sleek and sexy but I for one, won’t be queuing up to buy it but I don’t mind if I am given one for free

Image via Wikipedia

Frankly speaking, a new toy is always fun to play with until you reach the stage of boredom. I am bored of Facebook. I still have incoming application requests and have resorted to blocking the applications as I find the them a hassle to keep myself active in more than 30 applications.

I read with amusement about the Facebook Anthem and found it rather endearing. Apparently, We didn’t Start the Fire by Billy Joel is popularly used to change the lyrics. I have more than 30 applications being loaded in my profile and it sure is loading very slowly.

It took me much sheer power to remove applications that I have no fancy for such as Ninjas vs Pirates, and other games that took too much time to upkeep the status. I’m hoping to remove Superpoke, Fun Wall, Make a Baby and other applications in future.

Facebook, it was good while it lasted.

I’ve done my share of IT projects for years. Throughout the years, I’ve often learnt some techniques from different teachers along the way. The different users I meet also gave me the opportunities to improvise despite being angry about the ways that things just change at their whims.

The Indecisive User

This user kept changing the requirements at every meeting. Likes to pick on things that aren’t functional. Is unable to decide if this function is more important than that function despite the impeding deadline.

Alternative: Give them the low down of the thing and confirm which are the important features to be rolled out 1st phase. Subsequent changes can be rolled out in the 2nd phase. This alternative may be time consuming but mention the word: budget in the communication tools and you’ll see miracles.

The Picky User

This user likes to pick on the colours, layout, functions, features and more. Even after massive overhaul based on the changes said, everything changes back to version 1 for the layouts, colours, functions and more.

Alternative: Backup every design for each phase and show them the demo upon the decided UAT date. Mentions keywords like user interface, budget and more. Hope for miracles.

The Forgetful User

This user likes to talk to you and forgets about it after that. Claims non-ownership even if the idea came from this user in the first place.

Alternative: Always follow up with an email listing the requirement changes and CC to the bosses who are involved. This way, you save yourself a major headache.

The Haughty User

This user has all the requirements laid out and likes to wait for you to fetch them to the UAT environment. Does not like to be delayed but will always be late for the testing. Prefers to talk to the higher authority than someone who is of a lower status.

Alternative: Send reminder emails about the date and venue. Include the test case. Let the higher authority know that you will be fetching them to the test environment. In the event the user wants the higher authority, let the higher authority know too.

The Know-it-all User

This user usually has some IT background and will instruct you how to develop, code and how the layout should look like. Sometimes, does not know what he/she wants. See The Indecisive User.

Alternative: Design a prototype and asked for more specifics as the requirements are often vague except for the programming portion.

The Want-it-all User

This user wants everything to work for the system. Likes the system to be 100% bug free. Prefers to have just 1 click and the system will do its magic. Expects the developers to be able to produce it in the shortest time possible when the requirements are not fully discussed. May be a little like The Haughty User.

Alternative: Give them the lowdown and explain that the system is unable to achieve everything if the deadline is too short to be able to fully test for 100% bug free launch. Send emails to confirm to prevent disputes. Documentations should include what the system is and isn’t able to perform.

I am not a project manager but I’ve seen mine using ways to calm down the users. There were times when I had to manage some projects on my own and recall how to handle it. While I’m not perfect, I learn them along the way.

I have come a long way. Testing various platforms before deciding on Wordpress that didn’t give me headaches until the widget part for 2.5.1. I have long suspected that I wasn’t famous enough, still isn’t despite my attempts at garnering more blog exposure.

There were even times I was suspecting that blogging could be bad and it is wrong. However, my love for penning my thoughts got the better of me. Since I have been blogging my way for a long time, I have discovered a few things along the way. It was a long and arduous path (inspired by Cobalt Paladin).

Blogging Pros

1. You can earn some money online.
2. You can join blog directories and improve your blog’s traffic.
3. You can post hundreds and thousands of photos online.
4. You can tell your friends that you own a blog and the domain is under your name.
5. You can start shopping sprees, sales and hurl insults online.
6. You can freelance more easily as web designers have their names as credits in the designs.
7. You can find more like-minded people.
8. You can blog about niche topics that you have talents for but never discovered.
9. You can sell your handmade items online.
10. You don’t have to rent a shop for selling small items.

Blogging Cons

1. You don’t really earn thousands of dollars online.
2. The money doesn’t always come constantly.
3. Being anonymous doesn’t mean you won’t be found. Photos and details of you can and will be displayed in full glory.
4. You get known for something that you wished it hadn’t come to light. Such as Edison Chen, Fragrance Prince and many others.
5. Being anonymous also means that Asian advertisers distrust your reviews and you don’t get invited to events much.
6. Your photos of you being drunk or behaving wildly can turn off potential employers.
7. Freelance becomes a problem when someone accuses you of ripping clients.
8. You have to upgrade Wordpress constantly. So do other platforms.
9. You get flamed, spammed and even accused of wrong-doing.
10. Your words are dissected and scrutinised and probably mis-interpretated half the time.

These could just be the tips of the iceberg but I stick to blogging because it’s a way to voice out without requiring a license for the soapbox in that park. Lord knows how long it’ll take to grant a paper license for public speaking.

After using WP for so long and doing my own upgrades when necessary, I found that the new UI is a refreshing look. All other features work find except for the widgets. I am not the only one complaining of the way the widgets work now.

I just wanted to move my text widget to another sidebar. So, I removed it and saved. Only to realised that it has been totally deleted. That’s not what I intended. I have to find all my codes again and add a new text widget. I have no idea why the new changes to the widgets but it would be nice for us to be able to control whether the text widgets gets deleted, no?

I thought it was so much easier just to drag and drop. Now, it’s changed to something that isn’t that friendly and easy to use at all.

I have been using aLinks happily for quite some time. Unfortunately, it is now generating fatal error when attempting to activate the plugin. I don’t know if it’s to do with the Wordpress version or the plugin is unable to access something.

The current version is updated but there seems to be a conflict somewhere that I can’t find. I do want to use it again. However, I don’t know how to troubleshoot this part. Help.