Useful Software

Digitize Yourself!

2008-08-12T21:21:00Z

Digitize Yourself in ASCII text letters like this or in color:

dddddmMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNMNyssssssyyyyyydNNMMMMMNNMMNNNNNNMNNNMNmhyyyyyyyyyy
ddddddNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNmmmmmmNNNNMmyyyyyyyhhhyyydNNNMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNmmNNNNNNNNN
ddddddNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNmNNNNMmyyyyyyyhhhhhydNNNMMMMNNMNNMNNNMNNNNNNMMMMMMMMMMMM
ddddddNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNNmmNmmNmyhhhhhhhhhhhhmNNMMMMNNMMNNMMNNMNNNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
ddddddNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNNmmddmddmmdhddmdmddddmddddmNNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
ddddddNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNNNNNmmmmNmmmNmddmNmddmmmmNNNNmmmmNNNNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNMMMMMMMMMMMM
ddddddmNMMMMNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMNNNmmmmmNNNmNNNNNmmmdddmmmmmmNNNNdmddNNNdmNNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
ddhhhhmNMMMMNNMMMMMMMMMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNmdmmmmddmmdddyhmmddmmmmdNmmNNdhhmmNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhhhhmNMMMMMNNMMMMMMMMMMNNNNNNNmmdhddmmmddhyssshhsoyddyhddddmmmdhddmmmmNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhhhhmNNMMMMNNMMMMMMMMNNNNNNNmmmmdddhyyhhhhhhhsyyso+oooshhyhdmdyydmmddmNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhhhhdNNMMMMNNMMMMMMMNNNNNNmdmmmmmmmmdhhhyyyhyysoosso/:oyyhhhhhyyhdddddmNNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhhhhdNNMMMMNNMMMMMMNmmNNmmNNNmmmdmmdhyss+////+/:::::-.-://+++++osyyhddmNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhhhhdNMMMMMNNMMMMMNmmmmmmdmNmmmddhhys+//:-..`...............---:/+osyhmNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhhhhdNMMMMMNNMMMMMNmmmddddmmmdddyyo+::-...``````..............---:/oydmNMMMMMMNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhhhhdNMMMMMNNNMMMMmmmmddmmmmddhhyso/:-..........................--:/ydmNMMMMMMNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhhhhdNMMMMMNNNMMMNNmmmmdddddddhhyo++:--..........................---/yNNMMMMMMNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhhhhhNNMMMMNmNMMMMNdmmmmdddddhdhso++/:---.....`````````...........--:+dNMMMMMMNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhhhhhmMMMMMNmNMMMMNmmNmmmmddddhyso+/::---.......`````````.......-::/+oymNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhhhhhmMMMMMNmNNMMMNNNNNNNmmdhhys+/::::::://:::://://::-.......-:+ssso+sdNMMMMMMNMMMNmmmmNNNNNNNNNM
hhhhhhhmNMMMMNmmNMMMMNNNNNNmdhhys+/:::::///:------:::::::-.....-/+oo+/++smMMMMMMNNMMMNdhhhhhyyyyyyhh
hhhhhhhmNMMMMNmmNMMMMMNMNNNmddhyo/:::::::----://++/::::-...``..://oso//shmNMMMMMNNMMMMNNNNmmmdddhhhh
hhhhhhhmNMMMMNmmNMMMMMNhhdmdhddy+/:::::----:/+/oss:`-::---..`..:/:/o+:/oymNMMMMMNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNN
hhhhhhhdNMMMMNmmNMMMMNy+/+osyhys+::-:--..--://:://..-::.--.....:///::::+odNMMMMMNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhhhhhdNMMMMNmmNMMMMNo::::+oso+/::::--...----....--::---.-....-//::::://smMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhhhhhdNMMMMMmmNMMMMNs::--:/++///:::--............---..........:/:-:::::/hNMMMMNNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhhhhhdNMMMMMNmmNMMMMh/-...:++///::::-....---..----.............-::----::omMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhddhhdNMMMMMNmmNMMMMmo---.-/+///::::-------------.........--...--:----::/yNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhdddddmMMMMMNmmNMMMMMh/::--:+/////:::-------..........-----.``...:/:--::/yNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhdddddmMMMMMNmmNMMMMMNy/---:/+/://::::::--...`....--.---...-....-/+/-:::+hNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhdddddmMMMMMNmmNMMMMMMNho:-:/+/:://:::::--......-:-....------::/++/:::/+yNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMN
hhhdddddmMMMMMNmmNMMMMMMNNho+++++/::/:::::---..---:..........---:://++/:/yNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
hhhdddddmMMMMMNmmmNMMMMMMMdo///o+//:/::::::-----::---........---:/+o+/--omMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNNMMM
ddddddddmMMMMMMNNNMMMMMMMMms///+o+///::---------::::::-------::::+so:--+dMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNMMMM
mNNNmNNNNNNNNMNNNNNNNNNNNNms//:++++///::------.-:---::::--.....-:+o+::odNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MMMNNNNMNNNNNNNNNNMMNNNNNmds+/:/++/////:-----...-....-------:::::/++/odMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MNNNNNMMNNNNNNNNNNMNNmdddddy//:/++////+/::----..............--:::/++odMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
MNNNNMMNNNMNNNNNNMMMMMdhddhy+:::///::////:-----............---:::::+hNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNmNNNNMMMMMMMMMN
MNNNNMMNNNNNMNMMMMMMMMmddhhhyo/:::/::::///:------............----::omMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNdddddddmmNNNMMN
MNNNMMMNNNNMMMMMMMMMMMmdhhyhhhyo//::::::////:-----............---::sNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNNNNmmddhhhhddd
NNNNMMMNNNMMMMMMMMMMMNdhyhhyyhhyyso+/:---://++//::::------...---:/odNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNNNNNmmmddd
MNNNMMNNNMMMMMMMMMMNmddhyyyhyyyhyyyyys+:---:/++ooo++++////:::://oymNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNNNNNMMMMNNNNNNN
MMNNMMNNMMMMMMMMMNNmmddhyyyyyyyyyyysyhhyo/:--::/+ossyyyyssssyhddmddmNMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNmddddmmNNNNNMMMM
MMNMMMNNMMMMMMMMNmdddddhyyyyyyyyyyyyssyyyyso/:-:://++osssssyhmmddhyyhdNMMMMMMMMMMMMNmhhhhhhhhdddmmNN
MMMMMNNNmdmNNNNmmdhhhhhhyyyyyyyyyysyyysyyyyyyso/:-:://+oooo+ydhhhhhyhyhNMMMMMMMMMMMNdhhhhyyyyyyyhhhh
MMMNNNNNdhhdmmmmddhyyhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyssyyyyyyys+/::/+oo+//hmddhhhhhyhNMMMMMMMMMMMNdhhhhyyyyyyyyyyy
MMMNmmmNmhhdmmmmmdhhhhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyssyyysyyhyo+/++/::/shdmddhhhhdNMMMMMMMMMMMNdhhhhhyyyyyyyyyy
MMMNmmmmmdddmmmmmddhhhyyhyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyssyyyssyyyyys+/::/++shddmmdhhhdNMMMMMMMMMNdhhhhhhyyyyyyyyy
NMMNNNNNNNmmmmmmmmmdhhhhhhhhhyhhhyyyhyyyhyyyyyyyssyyyyyso+/////+shdmmddhhhmMMMMMMMMNdhhhhhhyyyyyyyyy
MMMMMNNNNNmmmmmmdddhyhhyyyyyyhyyyhhyyyhyyyhyyyyyyysyyyyhyyyo+////ohdddddhyhmMMMMMMMNddhhhhyyyyyyyyyy
MMMMNNNmmmmdddddddhyyhyyyyyyyyyyyyhhyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyshdhhdddys+///+yhhdhhhyhmMMMMMMNmmmddhhhhyyyyyyy
MMMMNMNmmdmddmdddhyyyyyyysssyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyhdhhhhddhhhys+/+syhhhhhydNMMMMMNmddddmmmddhhhhyy
NNNNNNmdmddmdmdddhyyyyssyyysssssyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyhdhyhhhhhdhhdmdyo+oyyyhhhhmNMMMMNmddmmddddddmddhh
NNNNNmdddddmdmddhyssyyyyyyyyyysssssyyyyyyyyyyyyyyydhhhhhhhhhhdhhdddhyosyhhhhhhdNMMMNmddddddmmmdddddd
NNNNNmddddhddmdhyyysyysssssyyhhhhyyyyhhyyyyyyyyyyhhyyyhhhhhhhhddddhhddhyhdhyhhhdmMMMmddddddmNmmmmmmd
NNMNNdhhhhddddhyyyyyyhhhhhhhhhyyyyyssyyyyyyyyyyhhhhyyyyyhyhhhhhdddddddddhddhhhhhdmMMMNNNmddmNNNNNmmd
NNMNmdddddddhhhhhhyyhhhhhhhyyyyyyyyyssssyyyhyyyyhyydyydyyhyyhhdhddddddddddmmdhhhhdmNNNNNNNNNNmNNNNNN
MNNmmmmdddddhhhyhhyhhhhyhhhyyyyyyssyyyyysssyyyyyyhyydyhdhhdhhhyhhhhhddddmddmmdhhdhdmmmmmNmNNNNNNNNNN
MMNmmmdmdhhmdhdhhyyhhhyyyyhhyyyyyyyyyyyyyhyssyyssosyyyyydhhdhhdhhhyyyhhddmmmmmdddddmmmmmmmmNNNNNmNNN

New website: softwarethatdoesntsuck.com - From idea to deployment in 30 minutes

2007-10-17T20:55:00Z

Today I launched a new website, softwarethatdoesntsuck.com, because we need software that doesn't suck. The idea behind the site is to have a forum where people can post links to software that is good, and links to software that should be avoided, with an explantation of why.

This post however, is really about improving efficiency to pursue new ideas.

As an Entrepreneur, you probably have many ideas. You probably have more ideas than you can pursue, because each venture requires time and money. However, if you can create ventures affordably enough (in terms of time and money) then you can pursue more ventures. You never know which venture is going to be the successful one in advance!

Lets talk about operating efficency here for a minute, because this website is all about improving entrepreneurship. Forgetting the particulars of what the site content is about, the thing that's impressive about this site for entrepreneurs is that I got this website up in 30 minutes. That includes:

Registering the domain name
Creating the website on my server
Setting up e-mail accounts
Creating a database to power the website
Configuring the website
Setting up forums on the software that users can post on
Creating content for the home page

Registering the domain name cost me less than $20 for a year. I could have registered it for less but I paid extra for private / anonymous registration. Since I have my own server, throwing another site on it doesn't cost me anything.

So how did I do it so quickly? These are the ingredients of my process:

An account with GoDaddy. I login, enter the name of my new website and pay. Then I click on the nameservers tab and configure the site to use the nameservers GoDaddy already has on file. Since GoDaddy supports bulk operations on domains, if I ever need to move my domains to a new server I can do that in a few seconds.
A dedicated server with domain management software. Software like Helm, or Plesk or others let you log in via web browser and register a new domain with the server. The software creates all the folders for you and lays everything out. Now you have an empty site. The management software lets you manage security permissions, create e-mail address accounts and more. It also automatically sets up for you DNS server, MAIL server and an online statistics package so you can monitor how your site is performing.
A content management system, in this case Community Server. When you use a CMS you don't need to design and program a website. Out of the box you have something that looks nice. You login through your web browser to configure it and add content using an editor that's a lot like Microsoft Word. Now you can add or edit content at any time without being dependant on a designer / programmer.
A database server. CMS systems need a database to store your content. You can use free servers like MySQL (which you can also manage using Plesk / Helm using your web browser).

Since I now have these great tools at my disposal, and I use them over and over again as a cookie-cutter for each new site I setup, I become familiar enough with the applications to do what I need to do quickly.

Recover pictures from digital camera flash memory cards

2007-07-02T19:50:00Z

Zero Assumption Digital Image Recovery

Recover deleted or damaged files from digital camera flash memory cards

I popped my xD flash memory card out of my digital camera and popped it into my computer. Windows XP spontaneously reboots. I try to put the card back in my camera and now my camera says there are no photos on the card!!

I did some searching and I found a utility that recovers digital images from your flash memory cards and the software is free. Download Zero Assumption Digital Image Recovery. There is a pay version of the software, but that is for recovering files from other types of storage; the recover images from flash memory cards feature is enabled for free in the trial version.

I'm really glad this company released this software. There are a lot of products out there that try to charge you money for you to get your data back. The pictures are worth more than the camera. You can always replace a camera, but you can't replace pictures once they're really gone.

With the card still in my digital camera, I plugged my digital camera into my computer's USB port and ran this software. The utility instantly found my memory card and with one mouse click it scanned the card and found and recovered my pictures. It's easy to use and works very well. A must-have for anyone who takes pictures with digital cameras.