GetDeb.net Repository Makes Newer Ubuntu Apps Easily Available [Linux]
My Clippings November 15th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
GetDeb’s web site has long been the go-to spot for Ubuntu (and Debian, and Mint) users to grab the latest copies of software not yet released by their official repositories. Now GetDeb makes it even easier with a repository.
By adding GetDeb’s repository to your Linux system, you’ll get access to pre-compiled .deb packages as soon as they’re available on GetDeb’s site. That means apps like the GIMP graphics editor, Songbird, and other software that hits a major release between Ubuntu’s six-month release cycle are available to you just as soon as someone’s nice enough to compile the newest code.
GetDeb’s repository is free to use and install. Hit the link for instructions on adding it to your 9.04 or 9.10 Ubuntu system; users of older Ubuntu systems can still grab packages at GetDeb’s legacy web site.
40 Free High-Quality WordPress Themes
My Clippings November 12th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
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High quality free Wordpress Themes have become harder and harder to find in the past year, with the influx of premium themes, more and more designers and developers are selling themes (and rightly so, they do amazing work). However, the quality of freely available themes has improved as well; in fact, some themes are very advanced and professional and can serve as a solid foundation for your next designs.
There are a lot of choices out there for someone wanting to choose a Wordpress theme for their blog. But, that aside, the quality is certainly there, and we are sure you will be impressed with this Wordpress theme compilation.
You may be interested in the following related posts:
Free High-Quality WordPress Themes
AppCloud Theme
A nice e-commerce WordPress theme with a clean and professional look. Built upon 960.gs, with an integrated slideshow, two layouts (horizontal and vertical) for app/gadget images. The theme also includes sections “Featured products” and “Top Selling” and a categorized products view.
Berita (via ThemeCloset)
Berita is a minimalist corporate theme created for companies to prominently display their logo, but the theme could be used for any type of website. It’s a feature-rich theme with a preview slider on the front page and a robust theme administration page.
Magazeen
Magazeen is a two-column theme released specifically for Smashing Magazine readers. The theme has some subtle enhancements that encourage looking at related and new posts, like a related posts drop-down effect for the category link.
Mainstream Theme (via Wootheme)
You have the option of choosing from five different theme colors with Mainstream. Thumbnails are automatically resided and the sidebar is widgetized.
Rusty Grunge
Rusty Grunge is a simple WordPress theme yet still gives you the “destroyed” look. This theme utilizes a fully-widgetized sidebar and has been downloaded over 28,000 times and is featured as a pre-installed theme on Dreamhost’s default installation of WordPress.
Obscure WordPress Theme
A dark magazine WordPress theme suitable for any site niche; also a good fit for a community-based site.
Paper Wall
Smashing Magazine released the illustrated theme Paper Wall last month. The inspiration behind the Paper Wall theme was a designer’s desk, as designers typically put things on paper. It’s a two-column theme with many elements of paper: paper boards, peeling paper and paper “menus”.
Tags: Build, css, Google, Information, IO, ma, man, Monkey, Photo, php, way, WordPress
Programmer 101: Teach Yourself How to Code [Programming]
My Clippings November 12th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
You've always wanted to learn how to build software yourself—or just whip up an occasional script—but never knew where to start. Luckily, the web is full of free resources that can turn you into a programmer in no time.
Since the invention of the internet, programmers have been using it to discuss software development techniques, publish tutorials, and share code samples for others to learn from and use online. If you’re curious about how to become a programmer, you can get off to a running start using tons of great free web-based tutorials and resources.
First Things First: Don’t Get Hung Up on Choosing a Language
A common pitfall for beginners is getting stuck figuring out which programming language is best to learn first. There are a lot of opinions out there, but there's no one "best" language. Here's the thing: In the end, language doesn't matter THAT much. Understanding data and control structures and design patterns does matter very much. Every language—even a simple scripting language—will have elements that you'll use in other languages as well and will help you learn. In classes I took to get my degree in Computer Science, I programmed in Pascal, Assembly, and C—languages I never actually got paid to program in professionally. I taught myself every language I've used in my career, reusing concepts I already knew, and referring to documentation and books to learn its syntax. So, don't get hung up on what language to learn first. Pick the kind of development you want to do, and just get started using one that works.
There are several different kinds of software development you can do for various platforms, from the web to your desktop to your smartphone to a command line. In this article, we’ll outline some of our favorite starter tutorials and resources for teaching yourself how to program for each major platform. We’re going to assume you’re a savvy user, but a newb when it comes to wrangling code snippets, so we’ll keep things at the beginner level. Even just following through a beginner programming tutorial, you’ll be happy to see how far you can get.
Related posts:Tags: Apple, backup, Bookmarklet, Bookmarklets, Build, cli, command line, css, email, flash, Google, Information, IO, Javascript, Linux, ma, Mac, man, Monkey, OSX, php, quick, script, video, way, wind, WordPress, XP
25 Slick PSD Website Templates Free for Download
My Clippings November 12th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
There are people all over the internet that are willing to give away their work for promotional purposes or because they want to spread their design talent to other people.
For this reason we are lucky enough to have a wide variety of free PSD website templates for your use and enjoyment. I have collected some of the best ones I found from around the web to bring to you, already split up into layers in Photoshop. Enjoy!
1) Design Studio PSD Template
2) Orange PSD Template
3) SanduneBiz PSD Template
4)Cambridge PSD Template
5) Crisp Presentation PSD Template
6) Citrus Square Burst PSD Template
7) Audryhipburn PSD Template
8 ) MyTwoCents Property PSD Template
9) Old Victorian PSD Template
10) Bright Colors Radio PSD Template
11) Blackboard PSD Template
12) Colorful Video PSD Template
13) Shape PSD Template
14) DelliStore PSD Template
15) Midnight Sun PSD Template
16) Environmental PSD Template
17) Smashing Multimedia PSD Template
18 ) Slideshow PSD Template
19) Fresh PSD Template
20) 5 Webdesigns PSD Template
21) 3 Free PSD Template
22) Organic Conference PSD Template
23) Summer of Love PSD Template
24) Herbal Treats PSD Template
25) Solitude PSD Template
About the Author
Tyler Denis is a part-time freelance designer from Ashland, New Hampshire. He is also the creator/writer of the design blog Denis Designs/blog, a website dedicated to bringing quality tutorials and inspiration. You can follow him on Twitter or at his personal site, Denis Designs.
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Pixmac: Stock Photos, Royalty Free Pictures and Images
Tags: css, Google, IO, ma, Mac, Photo, php, video, way, WordPress
Getting Started With Content Management Systems
My Clippings November 8th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
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The need to update websites faster to keep content fresh has been ever growing. Ever since the first business owner wanted their Web designer to update their website faster, content management systems have played an important role on the Web. Why does this matter to you? How do you know if your company is ready?
In this article, we will look at how to tell if your organization needs a content management system. We will also give you information on the abilities of content management systems to help you better understand what they can do. While content management systems may seem complex, their entire purpose is to streamline your workflow and make your life easier.
A content management system allows you to create, manage, store and edit massive amounts of content without any HTML programming skill. Because you are able to edit your content from any computer with an Internet connection, you no longer have to rely on third-party developers or companies to keep your website up to date. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Every company would like to reduce costs and increase productivity.
Also consider our previous articles:
- 10 Things To Consider When Choosing The Perfect CMS
Goes over what features to look for when choosing a content management system. - 10 Harsh Truths About Corporate Websites
Explains the mistakes we all make when running our websites. The nature of those mistakes varies depending on the size of your company. As your organization grows, the mistakes change. This post addresses common mistakes of large organizations. - Developers Toolbox
Offers tools and resources to help you achieve your goals at a more hands-on level.
1. What Is A Content Management System?
If you have never heard the term before, a content management system (CMS) is a Web-based solution that makes it easy for a company to manage website updates internally. For many companies, updating a website is not something to look forward to because it can be a lengthy and, over time, expensive process. Most companies search for easier means of accomplishing their goals. The solution that many large and small companies have found is a CMS. The easy-to-use application allows your company to control its online identity with little to no knowledge of Web design.
Related posts:Tags: Apple, Build, cli, CURL, Google, Information, IO, ma, man, Microsoft, module, Photo, php, quick, script, security, ssl, video, way, WordPress, XP
WordPress Exploit Scanner helps you keep your install clean
My Clippings November 5th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
Filed under: Security, Blogging, Web services, Web
WordPress has become a victim of its own popularity. The blogging-based content management system powers a huge amount of websites, and has become a target for hackers. Site hacks have been around for a long time, but recently they seem to have evolved.
In the past hackers would gain control of a site just to prove that could, then typically post a quasi-incoherent message on the site to prove their hacking prowess and illiteracy. Now hackers have become more advanced, and hacking has become financially motivated. Hacks include embedding links (some hidden, some not) for the purposes of gaming search engines, and instead of crowing about their conquest, hackers are now trying to hide and cover their tracks as much as possible.
This means that site owners are losing their confidence that their sites have not been compromised. With recent highly publicized exploits that allowed hackers to take control of out-of-date WordPress installations, it became even more important to make sure your site is clean.
If you’re running a WordPress site on your own server, one step you can take to make sure that it is clean is to install and run the WordPress Exploit Scanner plugin. Beware, the exploit scanner is very thorough, and it will likely report a lot (and I mean a LOT) of false positives. It essentially reports any hiding behavior, which some of the plugins on your site might be doing for very normal reasons.
Even with the false-positives, the WordPress Exploit Scanner is a useful tool in any blogger’s toolbox.
WordPress Exploit Scanner helps you keep your install clean originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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WordPress – Download Squad – Blog – Website – Content management system
Tags: cli, email, Google, Inc., IO, ma, man, php, security, WordPress, XP
Apple Purchase of Placebase Confirmed: Goodbye Google Maps?
My Clippings October 1st, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
Google and Apple’s very public, very messy ongoing lover’s spat is obviously not doing either company many favors in the media. Apple looks to be taking steps to ensure that should it need to, it can go without the do-everything leading Internet search provider.
To that end, it’s finally been confirmed this week by ComputerWorld that Apple did indeed acquire Google Maps competitor Placebase in July of this year. Former Placebase CEO Jaron Waldman is now part of the “Geo Team” at Apple, which suggests that the company was acquired so that Cupertino could work on its own, in-house Google Maps alternative.
Our own sister site GigaOM ran a profile of Placebase back in May 2008. It detailed the way in which Placebase’s PushPin product was able to stay afloat and compete with Google Maps, which offered its services completely free of charge. Placebase offered white label solutions for a price.
PushPin, and the follow-up, PolicyMap, which expanded PushPin’s features, competed by offering users the ability to layer on commercial and public data sets, including things like home sales, crime, demographics, employment, etc. Developers could also add their own data sets using a simple API. All of which made it infinitely more useful for business applications, and open to some incredibly creative uses, too.
Acquiring the one company that showed signs of being able to do what Google has done, only better and with more possibilities for third-party developer expansion, does not just seem like something done because of idle fancy. Apple’s motivation was probably twofold: First, it has an alternative in case things continue to go sour with the relationship between the two Silicon Valley heavyweights. Second, if the FCC forces a wedge between the two because it finds their relationship noncompetitive, Apple still has a back-up in place to prevent a major feature loss for iPhone users.
Of course, the loss of Google Maps on the iPhone would have far-reaching complications, especially considering the number of apps that now sport direct tie-ins with Maps functionality. To grant developers access to the Maps app in iPhone OS 3.0, and then swap it out for an Apple-branded version of PushPin would require a massive overhaul from a development standpoint. Will Apple really alienate its developer base with such a risky move?
Showcase of Designs Optimized for iPhone
My Clippings September 27th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
   
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Over the last couple of years, mobile devices have managed to gain mainstream popularity. With iPhone, making mobile Web applications finally usable by broad masses, web design can now be applied to mobile applications as well. In this post we are focusing on designs that are specifically optimized for mobile devices, in particular iPhone.
Though iPhone’s Safari browser is able to render any website just like you would see it on a desktop browser, the available screen area is much smaller than in common “classic” displays. This poses a new challenge for designers and developers who now can reach millions of users that use mobile Web. Websites that are specifically optimized for the iPhone utilize the screen to the fullest extent, and use less bandwidth (which is necessary, because the connectivity is not always optimal).
The iPhone browsing experience is quite different than the regular browsing experience. The buttons and hyperlinks have to be bigger because our fingers are not as sharp as the mouse pointer. Optimizing a website for iPhone is not rocket science. It’s the same HTML, CSS and JavaScript that you already know. The only major difference is the screen size.
In the showcase below we present some of the interesting, interactive and beautiful designs that are optimized for the iPhone. You will also learn about some handy tools that will help you optimize your website for the iPhone.
Also consider our previous articles:
- How to Create Your First iPhone Application
- iPhone Apps Design Mistakes: Over-Blown Visuals
- 100 (Really) Beautiful iPhone Wallpapers
1. News / Entertainment
Sevnth Sin
The unique navigation makes this site very interactive. Nice concept, nice colors.
Blip.tv
Perfectly suits the theme: video entertainment! Clean and clear typography.
NBC
The YouTube-style design makes it very easy to navigate and find shows.
Zinio
That’s a kit of magazines, all one-touch away!
Spin The Bottle
A simple bottle spinning game. Good use of graphics.
Daily Wallpaper
Similar to Zinio, but 2 thumbnails in a row make it more easy to navigate around.
AOL Horoscopes
Very well designed for a horoscope site. Matching color scheme throughout.
Related posts:
Tags: Apple, Build, css, Food, Google, Guideline, Information, IO, ISO, Javascript, ma, man, Photo, php, quick, script, Shopping, video, Wallpaper, way, WordPress, XP
Back-to-School With 40 Excellent Adobe Illustrator Tutorials
My Clippings September 23rd, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from Google Starred
   
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Learning is a process which continues throughout the life of an artist, graphic designer, and illustrator. Along the way, designers find the task of mastering Adobe Illustrator a large obstacle which requires practice and experience in using the vector-based application. Practice comes in the form of tutorials, which offer tips, tricks, and artistic styles from other designers who have mastered certain techniques based on their experience.
From these tutorials, a designer can polish their skillsets on a variety of topics which will strengthen their own artwork. Sometimes a simple tutorial has tips which may have been overlooked based on the subject of the tutorial. By looking past the subjects of the tutorials, an endless array of learning opportunities exist. Essentially, the tutorials become not only a teacher but a “class” which a designer can repeat as often as necessary to refine their skills.
This post presents 40 excellent simple to complex Illustrator tutorials and presents the overall techniques of each tutorial, summarized in a brief overview. The purpose is to pick and choose among the tutorials based on the areas that need improvment. Whether a seasoned professional or a designer just starting out, these Illustrator tutorials offer a way to brush up on one’s skills.
Illustrator Tutorials
Gradient Mesh Bell Pepper Tutorial
- Use multiple smaller Meshes to create a realistic object
- Learn to use the Eyedropper Tool (I) to sample colors from a reference photo
How to create a Television Icon
- Using Offset Path on an object
- Learn to use Gradients to create surface texture and depth
- Create a reflection using an Opacity Mask
Working with 3D Objects and Transparencies to Make a Vector Cola Bottle Design
- Learn to “cut” up an image in Pathfinder and use the pieces in 3D Revolve to create solid objects
- Map art (symbols) onto a 3D object
Create a Stylish Colorful Text Effect in Illustrator
- Learn to use Offset Stroke on text
- Apply a Pattern Swatch to text
Illustrate a Malevolent Skull in 8 Steps
- Working with a sketch and outlining with the Pen Tool (P)
- Use Outline/Preview modes during design process
- How to use the Reflect Tool (O) to save time
Tags: Google, Guideline, IO, ISO, OSX, Photo, php, video, Vista, way, wind, WordPress, XP
iPhone OS 3.1 Update Causing Crashes On iPhone 3G’s
My Clippings September 14th, 2009 by System
Automatically pulled from My Clippings on NewsGator Online
It just wouldn’t be an iPhone OS update without the usual accompanying cries of anguish from end-users, now, would it? It seems Apple just can’t get the update process right; and there’s really no good excuse for it.
Over on the Apple Support user discussions forum several threads are quickly growing around a common theme; the iPhone OS 3.1 update is causing iPhone 3G’s to slow down and, in many reports shared by frustrated users, handsets are simply shutting down, seemingly at random.
A selection of the most popular posts at this time go by the provocative titles; 3.1 turned my iPhone slow – unusable and lacking in all tasks, 3.1 Update Problem – Hangs, Two very strange bugs found in 3.1, 3.1 killed 3G – unable to restore, WIFI Issues and Mysterious random total shut downs following 3.1 update.
At the time of writing, the problems seem to be limited to the iPhone 3G. Users report that their phones refuse to respond after:
- exiting applications
- unlocking the handset after auto-lock has kicked-in
- waking from standby with or without the passcode lock activated.
In all cases, only a hard reset returned the handset to proper working order, but only temporarily. Reading through the different reports shows that users have tried different ways to fix the problem, including removing and reinstalling all applications, wiping all personal data and settings and even full system restores via iTunes — all to no avail.
To add to the drama, some 3G owners report drastically reduced battery life since the 3.1 upgrade.
So once again, an iPhone OS upgrade is causing end users grief. Despite the fact it’s a closed platform developed by one company (not an open-source free-for-all). Despite the fact that there are only three platform configurations for this device. Despite the careful attention Apple would have us believe each third-party app is subjected to prior to approval (and let’s not forget the sandbox environment in which apps operate).
Despite all of these checks in place that ought to provide Apple with a foundation for trouble-free updates, the company seems to have extraordinary — and bewildering — difficulty releasing stable, bug-free updates to the iPhone OS.
