Dropbox is a popular online storage solution that helps you store files and access them across multiple computers that have a drop box client. The application allows you to sync your files online and across your computers and mobile phones automatically.

An initial account will give you 2GB of online storage for free with an option to go paid increasing your file storage up to 100GB. The application works on Windows, Mac and Linux and on selected mobile devices. There are 2 types of sync mode, an automated one that will pick up new files and modified files automatically. The second mode is selective where you choose what will be sync, this saves bandwidths specially if you are storing big chunks of files.

File sharing is also available where the files can be accessed online and converted into public shares. Shared files/folders will appear as a new folder entry on your friend’s accounts where they interact with the files. For those that are worried on allowing a stranger to access their files, Dropbox also have the feature to monitor who is accessing your files and keep them out or give them access.

If you have been maintaining a website or plan to maintain one, I am pretty sure that you have already known some of the trickiest part of being a webmaster. Everything starts on your work board where you plan and decide what the website will be, how people will find it and what audience you will aim to serve. Going online gives a few more hurdles such as picking the right webhosting service, for a starter, you won’t get a Linux webhosting service if you want to host ASP files and vice versa.

The hurdles gets on moving to securing your files, protecting the server, making sure that everything runs and that you have enough bandwidth or disk space to carry everything out flawlessly. Sooner or later you will hit a certain condition where uptime will be questioned. Are you 100% sure that your website is live 24 hours a day and 7 days a week?

Introducing the Robot.
Fortunately, you no longer need to sit in front of your computer checking at regular intervals to make sure that your website is live. “Uptime Robot” a web application from WebResourcesDepot & SSLmatic will dutifully alert you if your website suddenly went down so you can take an action at once.

I started having problem with Disqus system showing “View Comments” on the comment count slot when it was upgraded to the latest version (2.52). Playing with the Disqus admin panel gives no good result and I am pretty sure that it is working properly on earlier versions of Disqus after version 2.42 and not it looks broken.

A trip to the official plugin website for Discus was made and it yields almost nothing. This problem seems to exist on earlier versions of Disqus and have affected people since October 2009 until around June 2010. I have been using Disqus since June but was unaware of the problem for the simple reason that I don’t display comments count.

Playing and digging around the Disqus code lead me to the file named disqus.php which seems to be the heart of the plugin. A quick search for the word “View Comments” brought me down to line 697 with the following code:

function dsq_comments_number($comment_text) {
	global $post;
	if ( dsq_can_replace() ) {
		return 'View Comments';
	} else {
		return $comment_text;
	}
}

‘Kambas ng Lipunan’ is a documentary by the late Joey Velasco (a national artist) that revolves around the 12 street children from different streets of Manila, Philippines. The painting was a modern ‘Last Supper’ with the portrait of Jesus Christ but the normal 12 disciples was replaced by the 12 street children.

Each face holds a story, each smile holds a secret and each eyes stairs right back at the person viewing them as if they want to reach into your heart and soul. The canvas turned into the whole world realization of what really is happening outside the four corners of your comfort zone which you call home and drags you to a journey into the real world where real person live and interact.

This faces are so familiar and you can see them around the world but almost no one sees them or did we just ignore them?

Joey Velasco, the documentary author, died July 20, 2010 due to heart attack and seizures.

‘Everyone knows he’s going to die, but nobody seems to be completely and absolutely prepared for it. Nobody lives each day ready to die; life should be lived to the full each day.’

NOTE: The painting was called ‘Hapag ng Pag-asa’

I personally choose not to use Micro$oft products when it is possible, but sometimes the choice is not given. For these unfortunate who have to deal with SQL Server 2008 (or 2005), here is how to get around without too many swear words and avoid licensing costs.

Requirements

1. Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Win XP
2. .Net Framework 3.5 SP1
3. Windows Installer 4.5
4. Windows PowerShell 1.0
5. MS Core XML Services (MSXML) 6.0

Note: In order to download windows Power Shell, you need to pass the genuine windows checking. You can still google for alternative download locations preventing the need for the checking. Power Shell also comes preinstalled from windows 7 including .Net framework 3.5 but it wont eliminate the need to download the service pack.