Computers Are Smarter Than You

If you’ve had your email address listed on a webpage somewhere then chances are at some point  it’s been harvested by a spammer.   Most people hate spam, myself included.  I do prefer to call it unsolicited commercial email (UCE) but that never caught on.  Because of harvesting, many sites started hiding or removing email addresses from their webpages.  This never made sense to me doing so not only make it harder for spammers to get your email address but you also make it harder for the people you legitimately want to have your email address.

I’ve seen all kinds of trick from images instead of text to javascript tricks.  In the end none of these things will stop spammers.

The one trick I hate the most is writing out the email address in words, like this – thechivesubmit [at] gmail [dot] com.  Do you really think it will stop spammers?  It won’t.  Instead of writing software that parses text for the @ symbol they will just write software that parses [at] or (at) or {at} or some other goofy thing that people use.  How many combinations are there really?

I have a variety of  email addresses that have been published on line for more than 14 years.   I definitely get spam to those addresses but the filters on Gmail do a good job of keeping the spam at bay.

If you want people to email you then make it easier for them to do so, not harder.

Top 5 Chrome Extensions

FINALLY!  Google has finally enabled extensions in their Chrome browser.  I was an early adopter of Chrome and for a while I switched back and forth between Chrome and FireFox.  After adding a couple of bookmarklets to Chrome I gave up on switching to FireFox.   I’m pleased to be able to add some functionality back in to Chrome that I’d been doing without, mostly because I was too lazy to switch.

Chrome Extensions as Displayed in Browser

Chrome Extensions as Displayed in Browser

Here is my list of Must Have Chrome Extensions:

  1. Gmail Notifier – No more popping in to Gmail to find out if I have mail.  Additionally instead of a large button on my bookmarks bar I now have a tiny button on the address bar.   Over 200,000 downloads already.
  2. RSS Subscriber – Just like FireFox a little RSS button will appear in the address area whenever Chrome finds an RSS link on the page you are viewing.  Not only can you subscribe but you can now view the RSS in a Chrome tab.  Very Handy.
  3. Google Bookmark Enhancements – instead of syncing bookmarks between my browser and Google Bookmarks I just use Google Bookmarks.  Now instead of using a  bookmarklet to create my bookmarks I just click the button. This extension also makes it very easy to add and remove labels in your bookmark search.
  4. Send from Gmail – If you read my earlier posts you’ll know that I’ve switched to Gmail.  I no longer use Outlook.  With this extension I no longer had to cut and paste email addresses.  Now I click the link and Gmail opens.  I might be able to delete outlook from my system soon.
  5. Open PDFs in Google Docs – This might be my favourite extension.  I haven’t been able link directly to PDF’s in Chrome for weeks.  Do you know how many docs are online as PDFs – lots!  (Why use a PDF when a webpage will do?).  Now PDF links open in the Google Docs PDF interface.  It’s fast and easy to use.

Twitter @johnarobb Weekly Updates for 2009-12-13

  • Will be discusing SEO – Social Engagement Optimization today. #in #
  • Twitter Real-Time Search in Google, apparently only days away. http://www.seoexpertise.ca/twitter-real-time-search-in-google/2009/12/ #
  • Getting ready to interview the owner of Adventure Guide in Waterloo. Anything you’d like me to ask him? #
  • I like this: There is no such thing as information overload, there is only filter failure. Attributed to Clay Shirky. #
  • 5 Things Google Knows About Your Site That You Don’t, presentation with audio http://slidesha.re/6TtMNi #

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Flower of Scotland Lyrics

I was watching a parade on TV the other day and there was a Scottish Pipe band playing.  It made me think about the pipes.  When I got to my desk I turned on this song as done by Red Hot Chili Pipers.   It’s not a traditional version but it brought back plenty of memories.

This is a sing along kind of song.  In case you feel the urge here are the lyrics

Flower of Scotland
by Roy Williamson of “The Corries”

O Flower of Scotland,
When will we see
Your like again,
That fought and died for,
Your wee bit Hill and Glen,
And stood against him,
Proud Edward’s Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.

The Hills are bare now,
And Autumn leaves
lie thick and still,
O’er land that is lost now,
Which those so dearly held,
That stood against him,
Proud Edward’s Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.

Those days are past now,
And in the past
they must remain,
But we can still rise now,
And be the nation again,
That stood against him,
Proud Edward’s Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.

0 Flower of Scotland,
When will we see
your like again,
That fought and died for,
Your wee bit Hill and Glen,
And stood against him,
Proud Edward’s Army,
And sent him homeward,
Tae think again.

Good Deed for the Day

Wikipedia Affiliate ButtonI read an Article in Reader’s Digest the other day about doing a good deed every day.  It has me a bit inspired.  My good deed today is that I donated to Wikipedia.  I use the site all the time and I’ve even added and edited the odd article.  I donated about what I’d pay for a reference book.  I figure that’s a good deal considering how much information is available on Wikipedia.

Perhaps you could donate some time or money?