Web behemoth Google has launched its own URL shortening service – goo.gl.  So far, it’s intended for use for tweeting your blog through Feedburner.  It makes sense from a Google perspective, as it gives them more information for their store, and the likelihood is that they will also provide that information through Analytics, too, at some point (although that’s merely my suspicion).  But the question I’d really like answered is (more…)

My WordPress plugin auto-upgrade stopped working sometime around WordPress 2.7. Being of an indolent persuasion, I stopped bothering trying. Maybe it was the browser – but it didn’t work on either Firefox or Internet Explorer on Windows. And when it didn’t work after the upgrade to Wordpress 2.8, I tried it on 64-bit Kubuntu. It didn’t work on Midori, Konqueror, Galeon, rekonq, Epiphany or Dooble either. And then came the upgrade to WordPress 2.9. Which is where it all went panic-inducingly wrong… (more…)

Google have launched a new service, called Google Public DNS. DNS, for those that don’t know, is the system that translates a domain name – such as www.esotechnica.co.uk – into the actual address that the computer connects to its services: such as retrieving a web page like this one, retrieving (or sending) your email, downloading a file, or just checking what time it is.

But before I talk about what Google Public DNS is and does, it’s worth reminding ourself what life was like before DNS… (more…)

Google seems to be countering the threats from News Corp’s Rupert Murdoch, and Microsoft’s Bing by evolution, rather than revolution. First of all there is the change to allowing five page views from a subscription site in 24 hours, rather than the previous “first click” principle (where the first click is free, you have to subscribe to the rest… unless you do a new search). Now, they’ve launched a revamped front page. Well, revamped by Google’s minimalist standards, anyway. (more…)

If you ever do any web development, you’ll be acutely conscious of the fact that you need most versions of IE available to test on. Of course, a virtual machine (using Virtual PC, Virtual Box, VMWare or whatever) is one solution, but it would be nice to have everything available on the same machine. Sure, using Multiple IEs you can install IE 3 to 6, but what about 7?

Well, you can. Credits to Tredosoft for the details, and Softzilla for spotting it….