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After doing a bit of research, I've found that CashCrate works, and its not a scam.
I know this is the kind of post you'd find somewhere else, but I am pretty impressed with the CashCrate system. I had heard about it in the comments to a post on Problogger. But after reading a couple of other sites, I decided to give it a try. I have been interested in trying out a pay-per-post or online survey system, but I found evidence that CashCrate was effective and not a fraud so I checked it out.
My account became registered at about 3:47pm (as noted by the email in my inbox) and by 4:13pm I was notified that I had made $10.75 in payments! All I did was fill out a survey and sign up for one product. Now, I admit that it is not a product I would probably use but at least I have learned a bit about the system. One of the survey's happened to be for IPSOS Canada, and I firmly believe that its important to take part in certain kinds of surveys that provide demographic information when its used in a meaningful way. I had filled out a $10 payout survey, and a $0.75 payout survey.
The program includes a very high rate for referrals on a two tier system. The different offers include filling out surveys or signing up for some sites or products. Many are free, but there are some really high payout offers that require you to either provide credit card payment or make a purchase. If you are only looking to make money and not spend it, I recommend only signing up for programs you are TRULY interested in... or at least remember to cancel a membership before you start getting billed. Just a friendly tip there. :)
I think CashCrate is the perfect solution to people working from home especially if you are a student, looking after children at home or just plain have lots of time on your hands!
Now, I wonder if they really will send me that $100 gift certificate for RockStar? :)
I'll post when they send me a cheque around the 20th of next month. Perhaps by then it will be higher than $10.75!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Free Star Wars Fonts
Today I've written a quick note at http://typegeek.blogspot.com on where to find free Star Wars Fonts.
As an interesting aside, I've also learned that if proper physics were followed, then the explosion of the Death Star II in the Return of the Jedi would effectively end all life on the small, wooded moon of Endor. Yes, we are talking the death of all Ewoks via something called "The Endor Holocaust". :)
Special note, this has not actually been merged into the "Star Wars canon" as far as I can tell, but many works make reference to it.
As an interesting aside, I've also learned that if proper physics were followed, then the explosion of the Death Star II in the Return of the Jedi would effectively end all life on the small, wooded moon of Endor. Yes, we are talking the death of all Ewoks via something called "The Endor Holocaust". :)
Special note, this has not actually been merged into the "Star Wars canon" as far as I can tell, but many works make reference to it.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
ASUS EEE PC Overview Review
A friend of mine recently asked what I thought of the Asus EEE PC so I took the time to write out my basic thoughts. I've included them here because other people might be curious as well.
To be honest, the EEE PC is the wickedest piece of computer I've ever bought. I heard about it from a friend at work who bought the Linux version (without the webcam) and he installed Windows XP on it. Works great. It even does this weird "Smart scroll" think that happens when you can't see the task bar or bottom portion of the screen on such a small display. UPDATE: One of the great things about the EEE PC is its solid state hard drive which has no moving parts (so no head-crashes or damaged plates). No CD-ROM, put it has 2 USB ports for storing data or connecting other devices.
We bought ours in the spring because my wife wanted something that would allow her to work more flexibly at home. We've got wireless to her office upstairs, but the room gets too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. I don't keep track of the model numbers, but Asus EEE PC is white, with a webcam, and pre-installed with Linux. However, the interface is just a collection of icons and tabs. This is perfect for what my wife does with it.
It contains some fun games, has a PhotoManager and should also contain the GIMP but at the moment you can't access the Gimp from the Photo Manager. I haven't bothered trying to fix it yet.
The Work tab contains icons for Web (which will open Firefox to a default page), Mail (which will open another tab, and it contains icons for various web mail hosts {Gmail, Yahoo}... they all open Firefox). As well as a Documents icon (which opens Firefox and takes you to GoogleDocs).
At first I was worried if my wife would be able to use Linux (since I hadn't seen the EEE PC run before) but I knew at least that I could install XP if I had too. But after 1 week she asked "Why do we even need Windows?" :) In reality, using the EEE PC as a user has nothing to do with Linux, as everything is point in click. Even setting up the wireless wasn't difficult, though if we have power failures due to storms (which happens a lot at my place) then it can take time to re-initialize the WiFi connection if our router goes down). However, you wait a few minutes and it comes back.
There are also plenty of sites that talk about hacking it. You can set the machine to boot to a standard Linux desktop (Start button, no tabs, clean desktop) and if it ever screws up you can easily reboot it to factory defaults (which clears the hard drive from what I understand).
You can easily get to a Linux console and edit some config files (in a program that looks like Pico... GNU Nano I think!) and alter the icons and tabs. There is also a CTRL-ALT-DEL feature to kill processes that might hang. Doesn't happen often, but some websites can be stubborn or try to do weird things.
This article contains links to 3 or 4 reviews:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/01/eee-pc-review-roundup/
So there you have it. If you have any specific questions just ask.
http://rickhenderson.blogspot.com
http://active-wellness.blogspot.com
http://typegeek.blogspot.com
To be honest, the EEE PC is the wickedest piece of computer I've ever bought. I heard about it from a friend at work who bought the Linux version (without the webcam) and he installed Windows XP on it. Works great. It even does this weird "Smart scroll" think that happens when you can't see the task bar or bottom portion of the screen on such a small display. UPDATE: One of the great things about the EEE PC is its solid state hard drive which has no moving parts (so no head-crashes or damaged plates). No CD-ROM, put it has 2 USB ports for storing data or connecting other devices.
We bought ours in the spring because my wife wanted something that would allow her to work more flexibly at home. We've got wireless to her office upstairs, but the room gets too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. I don't keep track of the model numbers, but Asus EEE PC is white, with a webcam, and pre-installed with Linux. However, the interface is just a collection of icons and tabs. This is perfect for what my wife does with it.
It contains some fun games, has a PhotoManager and should also contain the GIMP but at the moment you can't access the Gimp from the Photo Manager. I haven't bothered trying to fix it yet.
The Work tab contains icons for Web (which will open Firefox to a default page), Mail (which will open another tab, and it contains icons for various web mail hosts {Gmail, Yahoo}... they all open Firefox). As well as a Documents icon (which opens Firefox and takes you to GoogleDocs).
At first I was worried if my wife would be able to use Linux (since I hadn't seen the EEE PC run before) but I knew at least that I could install XP if I had too. But after 1 week she asked "Why do we even need Windows?" :) In reality, using the EEE PC as a user has nothing to do with Linux, as everything is point in click. Even setting up the wireless wasn't difficult, though if we have power failures due to storms (which happens a lot at my place) then it can take time to re-initialize the WiFi connection if our router goes down). However, you wait a few minutes and it comes back.
There are also plenty of sites that talk about hacking it. You can set the machine to boot to a standard Linux desktop (Start button, no tabs, clean desktop) and if it ever screws up you can easily reboot it to factory defaults (which clears the hard drive from what I understand).
You can easily get to a Linux console and edit some config files (in a program that looks like Pico... GNU Nano I think!) and alter the icons and tabs. There is also a CTRL-ALT-DEL feature to kill processes that might hang. Doesn't happen often, but some websites can be stubborn or try to do weird things.
This article contains links to 3 or 4 reviews:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/01/eee-pc-review-roundup/
So there you have it. If you have any specific questions just ask.
http://rickhenderson.blogspot.com
http://active-wellness.blogspot.com
http://typegeek.blogspot.com
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Easy Video Conversion - Make DVDs
I've just spend the last few days using Windows Movie Maker to create a video of some students who have been visiting for the past two weeks. Yesterday I ran a workshop where they got a chance to build robots and then create a movie using WMM and a webcam.
I've got all the movies complete, and for a free package Movie Maker has a lot of features and does a very good job. The limitation is that it only creates Windows Media (.wmv) files.
One of the students asked me if I can make the movies playable on a DVD so I figured I would look into how it can be done. I've got some calls in to my people and I'm waiting to hear back from them, but I did find some free software that might help.
First off, this one is time-sensitive: If you've never been to Giveaway Of The Day before, you should definitely check it out. Today's offering is a video and audio converter that lets you join video clips of different formats into one file, then save the whole thing in one of many options for a final format.
The deal with GAOTD is that you have a limited amount of time in which to download and install the software. After that, its not free, but you can buy the software from the vendor. So check it out for great software.
Now, after searching the comments very briefly, I found one COMPLETELY FREE piece of software you might want to check out: MediaCoder.
Not only is the software free (the author is of course asking for donations) but it appears to be extensible, and even programmable in XUL! I love XUL!
Oh I see. The guy is offering the software free because he has bigger products available for purchase. More power to him!
So if you are looking for media conversions or ways to make DVDs, check out the software I've just described. Also check with GiveawayOfTheDay and you might find a great new peice of software you've been looking for.
I've got all the movies complete, and for a free package Movie Maker has a lot of features and does a very good job. The limitation is that it only creates Windows Media (.wmv) files.
One of the students asked me if I can make the movies playable on a DVD so I figured I would look into how it can be done. I've got some calls in to my people and I'm waiting to hear back from them, but I did find some free software that might help.
First off, this one is time-sensitive: If you've never been to Giveaway Of The Day before, you should definitely check it out. Today's offering is a video and audio converter that lets you join video clips of different formats into one file, then save the whole thing in one of many options for a final format.
The deal with GAOTD is that you have a limited amount of time in which to download and install the software. After that, its not free, but you can buy the software from the vendor. So check it out for great software.
Now, after searching the comments very briefly, I found one COMPLETELY FREE piece of software you might want to check out: MediaCoder.
Not only is the software free (the author is of course asking for donations) but it appears to be extensible, and even programmable in XUL! I love XUL!
Oh I see. The guy is offering the software free because he has bigger products available for purchase. More power to him!
So if you are looking for media conversions or ways to make DVDs, check out the software I've just described. Also check with GiveawayOfTheDay and you might find a great new peice of software you've been looking for.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
A computer graphics blog
One of my biggest interests for a long time has been computer graphics, and I WISH I could spend more time on it. I've just started a new blog on the topic hopefully there will be some artwork and more tutorials in the future.
The blog is at http://iteachvr.blogspot.com/ and today's post is a quick look at Google SketchUp.
The blog is at http://iteachvr.blogspot.com/ and today's post is a quick look at Google SketchUp.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Using Snadboy's Revelation
Using Snadboy's Revelation can help you in some situations, but it doesn't always work.
Just a quick update on my A+ Certification training, because I couldn't think of which blog to put it in!
Last week I began my A+ Certification training which my company is paying for. I'll blog more about that in a different post. Anyway, the instructor showed us a tool for recovering passwords that a client/user has forgotten because it has been automatically saved into their software.
Scenario: You have been asked to move the email for your client from their old computer to the new computer and finish setting up the software. Problem is, the client doesn't remember the password.
Solution: With Snadboy's Revelation, you can reveal the password that is hidden in a password text box (hidden by asterisks). Its quite a simple tool, accept I haven't got it to work yet.
The demonstration in class was simple enough. Very handy. Last night at home I downloaded and installed it on a USB key (the only files you need are the .dll and .exe). I tried it on my Google Notify window, but it would reveal the password. Ok, so its not perfect.
I tried it at work this morning because I have another actual use for it.
Scenario: I have a number of websites configured in Dreamweaver, and they all have the password save into the server settings. One site I haven't updated in a long time and I recently started updating it and I wanted to be able to update it from home. Except I don't remember the password. So that would leave me with only being able to update it at work, which isn't too useful. (The story is more complicated than that but I'll leave it at that.)
So I installed my USB drive to try and run the program and a dialog box said "File not found" appeared. I checked behind the dialog box after closing it and sure enough it was gone. Turns out my Symantec Antivirus deleted the file off my USB key because it treats it as a Hack Tool!
I went into settings and the default action for HackTools is to Quarantine the file. I tried changing it to "Leave Alone". Then I installed the utility again on my hard drive, and again Symantec deleted the file!
Luckily, I just tried playing with Symantec again and I was able to restore the file, but who knows if it will get deleted again.
(NOTE: I don't have full control over Symantec, its installed remotely be our IT people)
Just a quick update on my A+ Certification training, because I couldn't think of which blog to put it in!
Last week I began my A+ Certification training which my company is paying for. I'll blog more about that in a different post. Anyway, the instructor showed us a tool for recovering passwords that a client/user has forgotten because it has been automatically saved into their software.
Scenario: You have been asked to move the email for your client from their old computer to the new computer and finish setting up the software. Problem is, the client doesn't remember the password.
Solution: With Snadboy's Revelation, you can reveal the password that is hidden in a password text box (hidden by asterisks). Its quite a simple tool, accept I haven't got it to work yet.
The demonstration in class was simple enough. Very handy. Last night at home I downloaded and installed it on a USB key (the only files you need are the .dll and .exe). I tried it on my Google Notify window, but it would reveal the password. Ok, so its not perfect.
I tried it at work this morning because I have another actual use for it.
Scenario: I have a number of websites configured in Dreamweaver, and they all have the password save into the server settings. One site I haven't updated in a long time and I recently started updating it and I wanted to be able to update it from home. Except I don't remember the password. So that would leave me with only being able to update it at work, which isn't too useful. (The story is more complicated than that but I'll leave it at that.)
So I installed my USB drive to try and run the program and a dialog box said "File not found" appeared. I checked behind the dialog box after closing it and sure enough it was gone. Turns out my Symantec Antivirus deleted the file off my USB key because it treats it as a Hack Tool!
I went into settings and the default action for HackTools is to Quarantine the file. I tried changing it to "Leave Alone". Then I installed the utility again on my hard drive, and again Symantec deleted the file!
Luckily, I just tried playing with Symantec again and I was able to restore the file, but who knows if it will get deleted again.
(NOTE: I don't have full control over Symantec, its installed remotely be our IT people)
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Wedding plans and classes
If you didn't know it already, I'm getting married in June of this year and the planning is well under way.
This weekend we met with the photographer and went over the order of the photos, and the meeting only took half an hour. It took us 1h45min to get there! That's ok though since we had dinner with the in-laws, which are really great people, I'm very lucky... and so are they! Yesterday we picked up some shower gifts that my parents and sister had sent down (they live 5 hours away) since the shower is in 2 weeks so that was fun. Had to go back a second time because the guy at Home Outfitter forgot one of the boxes! But we did get a nice rug for my computer room here in the rec room.
Then we addressed all the envelopes and put together all the invitations. Most were already made we just had to add the reply card and envelope, but even that didn't take very long so the invitations should go out in the mail tomorrow. And that means we didn't have to mess with them today!
But we did have to do yard work today :( Finally time to get outside when it wasn't raining. We didn't get all the weeds but at least the garbage is gone and the leaves are raked... and even the front flower beds are done.
Next week should be good, but it will be busy. Classes are finally over (I work at a university) but I'll begin my Comptia A+ Computer Hardware/Software Technician certification training. For the next 17 days or so, my afternoons (12:30 - 4:30) are dedicated to learning how to fix, install and troubleshoot computers! No big deal, I've been doing it for years, even though its not technically part of my current duties. But there is a chance I could create a new course after this and teach it to some of our computer students! So nothing wrong with upgrading skills that could lead to better pay in the future. Or something like that anyway.
I've heard the tests aren't that hard, and I already know most of the material, but the tests have been updated as of 2006. I've already gone through some of the readings and it is a mixture of old and new stuff but I feel even the old stuff is still relevant... I've had to work with it in the past so I know what's out there.
Even got a computer from my future father-in-law that will be donated to my future wife's museum (she works at one) so I get to practice my computer technician skills on it. Actually, right now it won't boot of the Windows XP Home CD without keyboard interaction, and the only keyboard I had around is my Apple USB keyboard and unfortunately, the USB ports don't kick in when it tries to boot of the CD or the floppy. So I'm going to download a Linux LiveCD and see what I can do.
Wish me luck! What brand of Linux do you use? Leave feedback in the comments!
This weekend we met with the photographer and went over the order of the photos, and the meeting only took half an hour. It took us 1h45min to get there! That's ok though since we had dinner with the in-laws, which are really great people, I'm very lucky... and so are they! Yesterday we picked up some shower gifts that my parents and sister had sent down (they live 5 hours away) since the shower is in 2 weeks so that was fun. Had to go back a second time because the guy at Home Outfitter forgot one of the boxes! But we did get a nice rug for my computer room here in the rec room.
Then we addressed all the envelopes and put together all the invitations. Most were already made we just had to add the reply card and envelope, but even that didn't take very long so the invitations should go out in the mail tomorrow. And that means we didn't have to mess with them today!
But we did have to do yard work today :( Finally time to get outside when it wasn't raining. We didn't get all the weeds but at least the garbage is gone and the leaves are raked... and even the front flower beds are done.
Next week should be good, but it will be busy. Classes are finally over (I work at a university) but I'll begin my Comptia A+ Computer Hardware/Software Technician certification training. For the next 17 days or so, my afternoons (12:30 - 4:30) are dedicated to learning how to fix, install and troubleshoot computers! No big deal, I've been doing it for years, even though its not technically part of my current duties. But there is a chance I could create a new course after this and teach it to some of our computer students! So nothing wrong with upgrading skills that could lead to better pay in the future. Or something like that anyway.
I've heard the tests aren't that hard, and I already know most of the material, but the tests have been updated as of 2006. I've already gone through some of the readings and it is a mixture of old and new stuff but I feel even the old stuff is still relevant... I've had to work with it in the past so I know what's out there.
Even got a computer from my future father-in-law that will be donated to my future wife's museum (she works at one) so I get to practice my computer technician skills on it. Actually, right now it won't boot of the Windows XP Home CD without keyboard interaction, and the only keyboard I had around is my Apple USB keyboard and unfortunately, the USB ports don't kick in when it tries to boot of the CD or the floppy. So I'm going to download a Linux LiveCD and see what I can do.
Wish me luck! What brand of Linux do you use? Leave feedback in the comments!
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