Create your own social network with Ning

Some info from Wikipedia:
Ning hopes to compete with large social sites like MySpace and Facebook, by appealing to users who want to create networks around specific interests or have limited technical skills.[5] The unique feature of Ning is that anyone can create their own custom social network for a particular topic or need, catering to specific audiences. At its launch, Ning offered several simple base websites developed internally and by members of a closed beta. In late September of 2006, Ning narrowed its focus to offering a group website, a photos website, and a videos website for people to copy and use for any purpose. Later, these three templates were superseded by a single customizable template aimed at allowing non-developers to more easily customize their copy of the social website. However, Ning does allow developers to have some source level control of their social networks, enabling them to change features and underlying logic.
Ning has announced support for the OpenSocial API that Google announced in late 2007. Developers will be able to run OpenSocial gadgets within their networks.[6]
The websites running on its service are built in standard PHP and the platform itself is built in Java.[7]

Send an email with telnet

Open the cmd prompt.
Type telnet server.com 25 (where "server.com" is the name of the smtp (outgoing) server of your email provider, such as smtp-server.austin.rr.com). This can be found by checking your account info in the program you normally use for email.
Type HELO server.com.
Type MAIL FROM: you@server.com.
You may get a message saying "250 ok"
Type RCPT TO: Friend1@anotherserver.com, friend_two@someotherserver.org, friend.3three@Someserver.com, etc.
again, You may get a message saying "250 ok"
To write the message, type DATA, followed by your message.
To end the message, put a period on a line by itself and press Enter.
Type QUIT to exit Telnet.

Problems receiving email but sending email works?

Problems receiving email but sending email works?
If you are using exchange server and your outbound email works but your inbound is being rejected check to see if you are using intelligent filtering. If so, check to see if you are using http://www.ordb.org as a service provider. Disable the relay database!!

Cooperative Linux - colinux

Run Linux and Windows alongside one another!!

Here is a blurb from the site:

Cooperative Linux is the first working free and open source method for optimally running Linux on Microsoft Windows natively. More generally, Cooperative Linux (short-named coLinux) is a port of the Linux kernel that allows it to run cooperatively alongside another operating system on a single machine. For instance, it allows one to freely run Linux on Windows 2000/XP, without using a commercial PC virtualization software such as VMware, in a way which is much more optimal than using any general purpose PC virtualization software. In its current condition, it allows us to run the KNOPPIX Japanese Edition on Windows (see Screenshots).

Free online storage of files and documents. Up to 1 Gig

What is DropBoks?
Explanation: DropBoks is a little website that allows you to securely store your files online. No bells and whistles, just simplicity.
Size: Your account has 1 GB of storage space. You can upload/download files (any format) as large as 50 MB.
Security: Log in, and DropBoks switches to HTTPS. Your files are encrypted, authenticated, and secure.

http://www.dropboks.com

Create a portable Wi-Fi with your EVDO connection

Take your Sprint / Verizon EVDO card and put it in the Cradlepoint to create a portable wireless network. Great for construction sites where you need multiple connections but lack a hard line.

Features
802.11 ‘N’ for 4x the range and 10x the speed of 802.11g routers
Two USB ports and 1 Express Card port for Modem Card connectivity
Works with EVDO, HSDPA cellular networks
Automatic network failure sense with backup prioritization control of all wireless ports
WPS Security allows quick configuration and addition of new network nodes
Also tetherable to wide range of 3G cellular handsets via USB port for emergency backup
Three external 802.11 antenna for optimum WLAN coverage
Added firewall prevents unauthorized use of instant or remotely configured networks

Use your photos to create a video. All online and free!!!

Super easy free service to create videos from your photo collection. All you do is upload some photos, select from their music or upload your music, then click create. I uploaded some photos of a home we listed. Then automatically posted the video right here on the blog. WOW easy and fun! Try it out...http://www.animoto.com/

Speed up your web browser AND get usage reports FREE

When you type the name of a website into your browser, the computer needs to look up the "real" address of the web site that you wish to go to.. For Example if you wanted to go to http://www.thebarstads.com/ , you would type that into the address bar. The computer would goto a "DNS" server and find the real address. In this case 64.68.35.17

This "DNS" service is usually provided by your ISP ( eg..comcast). Many times when you have delays using your browser it is because the DNS server is running slow.

Try using open DNS a free service at http://www.opendns.com/. The website will show you how to change your ISP's DNS to theirs. ( 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220)

Once you have changed your DNS server, you can sign up for free web statistics. You will be able to track all the websites you visit. OpenDNS also provides additional free services...check it out.

TWIT on your PS3 using the Cordless MediaBoard Pro Bluetooth

Now that the HD / Blu-ray wars are over, it is time to hookup the blu-ray player. I purchased a PS3 at target for $399.00. Target had an incentive of a $40.00 gift card at the time I purchased. My net $359.00.

The PS3 came with a copy of Spiderman 3 and the quality is just so great!! But...

I wanted to be able to surf the web and found entering URLs via the game controller less then desirable. I found the Cordless MediaBoard Pro on Amazon for about $62.00 and ordered it. After 2 minutes of configuration I was surfing the web and listening to TWIT.TV

Great Site for Free College courses online

JimmyR has put together a nice page of links to Free online college classes. He has many other useful links as well. http://education.jimmyr.com/

How to download Youtube videos to your ipod

You enter the URL of the Youtube video you want into Http://www.convertyoutube.com. Select the format (mp4) then Convertyoutube.com will connect to Youtube download then convert the video for you

How to increase WI-FI distance and power cheap

I stumbled on this cool video to make a cheap wi-fi antenna




WIFI Antenna Hack! - video powered by Metacafe

Create an invisible folder

Here is a cute trick. Create an invisible folder on your desktop.
1..right click your desktop
2..select new folder
3..hold the alt key and type 0160
4..right click the folder ( now has no name) and select properties. Change the icon to one of the invisible ones.

Just don't forget it's there..

How to find directories of music files on the web

If you are looking for music on the web, there is no better place then searching just Directories. Directories are folders that contain files. To look for these folders of music, specifically, mp3's type in the google search bar

intitle:"index of" (mp3)
If you want a specific song try:
intitle:"index of" (mp3) your.name.of.a.song
use a . between words eg
sweet.child.of.mine

Search Universities for specific information

Say I was looking for information on Algebra. Tests, classroom notes, course info etc. I can use google to really narrow the scope. Eg..

In google type site:.edu filetype:pdf algebra

This is what you get for a result

One of the results is..a workbook in Higher Algebra

If for example you wanted lecture videos try typing this:

site:.edu filetype:mp4 class

the mp4 is a video format and I added class ( as in classroom) but you could use any topic...

Wish you had Onstar? Try CarShield

CarShield works with any car and will provide you with directions, emergency assistance, monitors your car's systems, track your car's where abouts, even unlock your car. Approx cost...$300.00 plus $150.00 per year.

The Webs largest Sweepstakes directory

Feeling lucky? Enter to win at:

https://sweepsadvantage.com or
https://sweepstakestoday.com or
https://bestsweepstakes.com ( free 3 day trial on this one)

Guitar hero type game that uses a Real Guitar

Here is an up and coming game that will actually help with learning guitar. Guitar Rising is a promising game for the PC that uses your REAL guitar. You can see a short demo at http://www.guitarrising.com/

Help secure your system with HauteSecure.com

Protect your browser from Mal ware. Especially the info stealing kind!!

http://www.HauteSecure.com

Sync Outlook with Google Calendar

Now you can Sync Outlook with Google Calendar...Yeah!
http://calendar.google.com

Eric Barstad flying a Pitts S2b in Chandler AZ part 1

Me flying aerobatic Pitts S2b

Sagacious words of Tao #5

Great good is said to be like water,
sustaining life with no conscious striving,
flowing naturally, providing nourishment,
found even in places
which desiring man rejects.

In this way
it is like the Tao itself.

Like water, the sage abides in a humble place;
in meditation, without desire;
in thoughtfulness, he is profound,
and in his dealings, kind.
In speech, sincerity guides the man of Tao,
and as a leader, he is just.
In management, competence is his aim,
and he ensures the pacing is correct.

Because he does not act for his own ends,
nor cause unnecessary conflict,
he is held to be correct
in his actions towards his fellow man.

Interesting quote #12

People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them

Stream media to the PS3

This weekends project is to stream media to my new PS3. From the reviews I have read it looks like the Universal plug-n-play (Upnp) software of choice is:

UPnP Entertainment Service's software. Available at: http://sourceforge.net/projects/fuppes

Description as follows:
A free, multiplatform Universal Plug and Play A/V MediaServer (not yet fully UPnP compliant). It supports on-the-fly transcoding from ogg/vorbis, musepack/mpc, FLAC and AAC/MP4 to mp3, mp2, wav or pcm, image conversion/rescaling and video transcoding.

Eric Barstad flying a Pitts S2b in Chandler AZ

More video of me flying a Pitts Acrobatic airplane part 2...Such fun!!

Website for Mary. The Mind Body and Spirt Channel

Hey Mary,
This is a pretty cool site. I thought you might like it...

http://www.mypathtv.com/

E

Me flying a Pitts S2B Acrobatic Airplane and Landing in Chandler AZ

Video ... This was REALLY FUN!!!!!!!

Need to send a huge attachment try this free service

Just use http://www.mailbigfile.com

It is a free service to 100mb

Hey Steve why does this work?

Click this link

http://1244130866/index.html

XBOX 360 Playstation3 PS3 connecting to the internet through ISA firewall

Apparently the port usage for connecting a PS3 to the Internet through a SBS ISA firewall is different than the Xbox 360. I had to make a rule to allow the 360 to access the Internet and have had no problems. I hooked up a PS3 and have not been able to connect. Even after I enabled the use of a proxy with user name and PW the PS3 does not connect. I will have to set up a monitoring session with the server to see what the PS3 is doing.

I will post a solution as soon as I stumble across one.

Link for Voicent - Thanks