NewsForge | MySQL migration: MyISAM to InnoDB
“The MySQL database is unique in that it offers multiple storage engines. The SQL parser and front end interfaces are separate from the storage engines, so you can choose among nine low-level table formats the one that suits your application best. I recently needed to convert a production application from the default indexed sequential format, MyISAM, to InnoDB.“
Creating Enhanced Podcasts: Include Slides and More!
This excellent HOWTO on the MAKE blog is a great HOWTO on creating enhanced podcasts for iTunes 4.9 and iPod Color. There are some potential uses here in a lot of areas in the education arena. Think lectures with slides and links to notes. Biggest drawback right now: tools to create these are Mac only:(
MAKE: Blog: HOW TO make Enhanced Podcasts (images, links and more with audio)
“Apple’s new iTunes 4.9, iPod color, allows you to view (and listen to) “enhanced podcasts” these are audio files that can have slideshows, URLs and some cool features we have discovered. Apple’s included documents and a Wiki was all I needed to make our MAKE enhanced podcasts, but I also wrote a how-to. Here’s how to get, make and all you need to know about enhanced podcasts! As a bonus, we put together some fun ideas we think many might use…“
Make a desktop trebuchet
MAKE: Blog: Make a desktop trebuchet
“By using popsicle sticks and some glue you can build yourself a clever little trebuchet. This is a good replacement for the one made out of paper that has vanished from the Internet. You will need 18 sticks for the frame sides. “
Needs to work this into next year’s conference.
Scribus Releases 1.3.0 – Includes Support for Win32 and OSX
Scribus Team Releases 1.3.0 – La Liberté :: Scribus :: GPL Desktop Publishing for Linux and more
“With this release, we also commence support for Scribus running natively on Windows and Mac OS X.“
Native builds for Windows are not yet available, but alpha compiles have been done and Win32 builds are on the way.
Scribe Adds Word Processing Features to Web Forms
This is one cool extension for FireFox and another reason to move IE. Be sure to check out Scribe’s features.
MAKE: Blog: Word processing in web forms
“Scribe adds Word Processor like functionality to web forms, including opening and saving form entries as files. Open and save form entries as files. Quickly save to a local file as you type. Never lose a post again due to your internet connection being dropped or laptop battery going out.“
Am I Fundable?
Slashdot | OSS Funding through Fundable
“FredCK, developer of the popular FCKEditor, recently raised $600 from supporters through Fundable to port his open source HTML editor to Safari. Fundable is a new site that lets groups of people pool money for specific purposes, like software features. Unlike generic donation dropboxes (such as PayPal buttons), if a group’s targeted collection isn’t reached after 2 or 4 weeks, everyone gets a complete refund.”
Maybe I’ll use this help fund some of my innovations…
Graphic Maps of Apache Logs
freshmeat.net: Project details for Apache2GDL
“Apache2GDL is a Perl script that parses an Apache log file and generates a directed graph of visitors’ movement in GDL format for visualization with aiSee. It also allows you to pipe the graph directly through aiSee and get a mapped SVG or PNG image of the layout. The generated images help you find out how people actually browse your site — which paths they take to get from page A to page B, which paths are more popular than others, which pages get the most hits, and whether there are one-way paths and dead-end pages.“
Microsoft Downgrades Gator Detections
Slashdot | Windows AntiSpyware Downgrades Claria Detections
“A week after word leaked out that Microsoft was negotiating an acquisition deal with Claria (See recent /. coverage), spyware researchers have noticed that the Windows antispyware application has downgraded Claria’s Gator detections and changed the recommended action from ‘quarantine’ to ‘ignore.’ Screenshots of the new default settings.“
New OpenKiosk Release
freshmeat.net: Project details for OpenKiosk
“This version features major enhancements to both the clients and server module of the system. One of the key features is the introduction of the Kiosk-Mode User Interface. Other features include membership support, delegation of configuration access to operators, restricting prepaid and member access to a particular workgroup, remote viewing of site status using a Web browser, remote reporting, detailed reports, and more.“
P2P RSS
Hell of an idea. You get filing sharing through an RSS feed. Add files to the folder, links show up in the feed, an aggregator/reader d/l’s the files. Neat, clean, fast. Of course Box.net costs money and is likely to go the way of other online storage schemes. But the idea is sound. It could use more security and encryption too.
MAKE: Blog: RSS feeds to online storage…
“Box.net’s filefeed lets people easily subscribe to your shared files through any web or software-based RSS reader (including firefox, my.yahoo, newsgater, feedster, and more). Distributing files through filefeed is easy: just add a file to one of your Box.net shared folders and all of the subscribers will instantly receive a link to that new file. Imagine the possibilities… share documents with your blog’s readers, send brochures to clients, syndicate recent photos automatically to friends and family, or simply use RSS to sync up your web folder with another location. “