Friday 29 August 2008 15:37
Why do so many professional software developers use InstallShield to create their application installers? This is not a rhetorical question. I'd really like to know. From my years answering the reader help pages in PC Advisor magazine - and some personal experience of my own - I know that InstallShield installs and uninstalls often go wrong, sometimes causing horrendous problems for the user. Yet I have never come across a single problem with installers created using the free setup builder Inno Setup. Read more...
Software no trackbacks § ¶
Wednesday 27 August 2008 15:18
Tech-Pro.net has just signed up as an AdLandmark publisher. We're always interested in new ways to earn money from our sites, and this seems like a good one. AdLandmark is a promotion service for software (shareware) authors. What's nice about it, from the author's point of view, is that you only pay for the ad if the customer actually downloads a trial version of the software. With traditional PPC ads if they click, you pay, even if they only stay a few seconds on your site. Read more...
Business no trackbacks § ¶
Thursday 21 August 2008 11:21
For years, independent software vendors (ISVs) have promoted their products by submitting details to hundreds of so-called "download sites" - searchable directories of software like our own Tech-Pro Downloads. To simplify this repetitive task, the Association of Shareware Professionals developed a file called the Portable Application Description, or PAD file, an XML file that many download sites know how to read. Product listings can be submitted to these sites just by entering the PAD file URL. Unfortunately, Google's efforts to eliminate Web spam, the "duplicate content filter", has made this approach ineffectual, as I accidentally proved to myself recently. Perhaps it's time to dump the PAD file? Read more...
Software no trackbacks § ¶
Friday 15 August 2008 21:29
One of my main interests outside of work is ham radio. I hold the callsign G4ILO, which allows me to operate a transmitter and contact other licensed enthusiasts on the air. While setting up a new antenna I injured my back, and am currently confined to bed. Being bored , and unable to access my radio gear, I stumbled across HamSphere, a VOIP simulation of the amateur radio shortwave bands. Read more...
Other stuff no trackbacks § ¶
Thursday 14 August 2008 14:15
In the last 24 hours we received several reports that clicking on Google adverts for "free WinRar downloads" resulted in an attempt to install malware. As the informants didn't tell us the address the ads linked to, we are unable to block them using the AdSense ad filter. I have written to Google about this, and asked our informants to do the same, because even if I could block the ads, they would still appear elsewhere. But for the time being I have had to remove Google ads from our "How to open Rar files" page, which will cost us dear, as it is the most visited page on our site. Read more...
Internet no trackbacks § ¶
Monday 11 August 2008 12:15
I love Firefox, and spend most of my day working in it. So I did not rush to download the latest Firefox 3.0. I don't like being an early adopter of anything - computers throw me enough problems to solve without having to deal with brand new software releases that probably still contain some bugs. And some of the Firefox extensions I have come to depend on haven't been updated to work with 3.0 yet. Read more...
Web development no trackbacks § ¶
