Archive for March, 2008

This weekend I have the pleasure of travelling down to Cornwall on the train, a journey that takes around 3 and a half hours each way. And while I’m here I decided I would try out the new Vodafone USB 3G modem to ‘get on-line’ while i travel.

The device I am testing is the E220 model. The installation is very easy. All the data needed for the install is contained on device its self, so once attached by USB it can self install and begin to run. There is a nice interface allowing you connect/disconnect from the net as well as a clear traffic monitor so that you can keep inside your data limits.

The limits on my particular tariff is 3GB. You get this for ₤15 per month, but a smaller limit of 1GB is available for ₤10. If you are only using it for some light surfing then you may only need 1GB. Just don’t plan any video streaming!

Continue reading »

In this series of posts I will explore my favourite Firefox extensions. In this, the second in the series, I’ll describe the plug-ins I use to make my life as a web developer easier and improve my productivity.  You can find a more extensive list at the Mozilla Add-on site

Continue reading »

Firefox is my browser of choice and a growing number of web users agree, with over 500,000,000 downloads and a 30% market share. One of the features that makes Firefox such a popular choice and sets it apart from Internet Explorer is the ability to develop and install extensions to extend the default functionality and customise it to your liking. With almost 2,000 to choose from - where do you start?!

In this series of posts I will explore my favourite Firefox add-ons and extensions. In this, the first in the series, I’ll tell you which addons I use to enhance my daily web browsing experience, including: blocking adverts, improving usability and defending myself from phishing. In later posts, I’ll cover my top Web Development extensions, the best Search Engine Optimisation plugins and Social Networking toolbars. Continue reading »

I encountered a strange error today while I was developing a document repository website in a Windows Server/IIS environment.  When I pointed my browser at myfile.docx it returned a 404 error, but other files in the same directory were served correctly.  After some Googling, I discovered that Microsoft’s IIS only allows the download of files that are in a list of predefined types as a security measure. To be able to download Office 2007 files from IIS you need to add the extension/MIME type pairs to the IIS configuration.

Continue reading »

If like me you are a bit of a Mac enthusiast then you’ll no doubt be a sucker for their graphical styling as well. This tutorial aims to give you of one possible way to emulate the Mac OS X desktop background style.

In this tutorial we will be using vector paths, blend modes, gradients and effects. Its a must read to see the many ways Photoshop can handle colour.

Continue reading »

Remove or disable Windows Search Indexer: If like me you are unfortunate enough to have to work on a machine with Windows Vista from time to time - then you may also be annoyed with Windows Search Indexer which will happily munch up your RAM and CPU whenever it feels like it!

It took me a while to work out how to kill/disable it so for anyone else out there who wants to know:

1. Click Start > Control Panel
2. Go to Click System and Maintenance
3. In Control Panel Home view, click Administrative Tools
4. Double-click Service (If asked for permission just continue)
5. Find “Windows Search” in the list
6. Right click and hit Properties
7. Click Stop
8. Select Disable from the drop-down next to Startup Type
9. Click Apply and OK

Enjoy your RAM and CPU! (Or whats left after Vista is done with it!)