JayMcCormack.com

I’m writing this post using something called Windows Live Writer.  This is one of many new services offered by Microsoft under the new windows live platform.

There’s a nice post here that talks about the services available. But it begs the question of whether Microsoft if catching up on all this web2.0 stuff.

Above is a screen cap of the windows live writer application.  At first I was confused in that I had to actually download this application.  How weird? Then I thought “how weird that I thought downloading something was weird”.  I guess I’m just so used to working with online applications that the concept of having to download an application to make a blog posting seemed foreign to me.  But having downloaded it I kinda see where Microsoft is heading.

This represents one of a series of tools that you can plug into other applications or use independently.  I must say that I’m actually really impressed with this writer, it has a ‘Save draft offline’ function which is nice, and when I first used it it walked me through a simple wizard where it connected to my blog and found out what sort of blog it was (wordpress in my case) and then actually showed me the editing window using the CSS of my blog.  Cool!

There a bunch of ‘insert’ functions to the right that I guess will enable me to add more plugins to the posting, here’s a map as an example:

I guess in general I have seen a few things Microsoft have done recently that show me that they are finally catching on to some of these concepts, it’s a shame that it seems to take so long to get these things up and running however.

More to come on this topic.

UPDATE: You know Microsoft is changing when they build and publish a ‘Blog This’ add in for Firefox.

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There seems to be a great debate right now on the sphere around whether the iPhone will be a business phone or not.  I have an iMate JasJam, it runs Windows Mobile 5 and has all my contacts and calendars as well as an thin exchange client.

I don’t see these sort of applications on the iPhone, in fact this article and video report to show some of the business capabilities of the phone, but i struggle to recall the last time i had to zoom into a photo or see the cover art to a sinatra album during a business meeting.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great device and I want one.  But not for work!

On my current phone I can schedule a meeting with a colleague or organise emails into different folders and then synch that back up with outlook on my desktop (and subsequently exchange).

The piece I might be missing is the equivalent business tools offered on the Mac environment.  Do they exist?  Is there an exchange style server for the Mac?

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I have been working with dOOdads for a while on and off.  This is an amazing tool and increases the speed at which I build applications.
I normally use it for web apps and use Microsoft Access, however it flexible in that it can work with many database formats.
Fundementally it lets you build your database interactions with a few lines of code.  So to add a record to a database you just set a few properties and submit one command and it’s all done.
The other thing is that it has the ability to create procedures in an Access Database.  Not sure how, but this makes transferring your app from one DB to another much easier.

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Social Bookmarking: Scuttle

License: GNU General Public License (GPL)
Link: scuttle.org or Sourceforge Project
Status: Alpha - Not really ready for production
Platform: PHP, SQL

About the only things that falls into this category, however seems to be very usable even though it’s alpha.  This is pretty close to del.icio.us, however no toolbar as far as I know. 

I like the tagging cloud and the for: designator when posting.

Likes:

• Tagging system
• similar functions to del.icio.us

Dislikes:

• Still alpha but that will change
• Popular tags only visible through the tag cloud

Š

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Found a great article to explain how to prevent SQL injection in ASP.

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I have been working with OpenSource software for a while, not developing but reviewing for customers, and in most cases have installed at one point or another almost every product listed on this page.  And after downloading and installing some not so great products I though you might benefit from a review of what I believe the best in each class for open source software, specifically targetted at the web.

Your comments appreciated.

Content Management: Mambo

License: GNU General Public License (GPL)
Link: MamboServer.com
Status: Production
Platform: PHP + MySQL

I believe Mambo to be one of the best pieces of Opensource software available today.  It has an amazingly professional interface, high level of sophistication, yet also accomodates simple functionality for the occasional content manager.

Likes:

• Simple installation
• Flexible templates
• Image Library
• Lots of add on modules available

Dislikes:

• Modules vs Components vs Mambots all a little confusing

Simple Content Management: WebsiteBaker

License: GNU General Public License (GPL)
Link: WebsiteBaker.org
Status: Production
Platform: PHP + MySQL

I thought it necessary to have a second CMS category to accomodate more simple products.  WebsiteBaker is by no means simply, it is however simply to look at and doesn’t appear to have the flexability that you would find in a fully fledged content management system.

Great and easy admin interface, the default template is a little plain however and doesn’t really show off the power of the product.  It does have a great tool in the form builder, however a little poorly implemented and clunky to work with.

Likes:

• Simple admin tools
• Perfect for a quick and easy site

Dislikes:

• Not many add ons available

Realestate Management: OpenRealty

License: Unknown
Link: Open-Realty.org
Status: Production
Platform: PHP + MySQL

I searched high and low trying to find some realestate software for a friend and eventually found this.  This really is a decieving product.  On the surface it looks a little simply and perhaps not ‘enough’ to do what you might find on most realestate websites.

After installation however and having a good look through the functions I found this to be very flexible and comprehensive, it even supports virtual 3d tours of property!

Image management is easy and the construction of the templates is excellent, which lets you quickly adapt this software to your own site’s look and feel.  It does have a simple content management system built in, however this software’s real function is property viewing and that’s where it excels.

Likes:

• Image management
• Flexible templates
• Ability to add new fields and search criteria

Dislikes:

• Default template a little plain

Blogging: WordPress

License: Unknown
Link: WordPress.org
Status: Production
Platform: PHP + MySQL

This really is a beautiful user experience.  I love the interface, I love the flexibility.  The default templates are nice and you easily modify to suit your own design.

The functionality is all you would expect a blog to be, trackbacks, categories, comments, draft editing, multiple users and workflow for content authorisation.

There is a little bad press about this at digital point, however if you have a low end blog then this is perfect.

Likes:

• Blog editing has some nice AJAX
• Previews before posting
• Scheduled publishing (write today, post next week) 
• Comprehensive options and configuration
• Links management

Dislikes:

• Images in the editor a little strange 

Portal: DotNetNuke

License: BSD Style
Link: DotNetNuke.com
Status: Production
Platform: MS SQL + .NET 2.0

I started working with DotNetNuke about 2 years ago.  Back then it supported an access database as well as MS SQL server, however it appears to now only support MS SQL.

I love the fact that it uses a really simple ‘page’ and ‘component’ style interface as well as the fact that almost everything you do is done in-line as opposed to having to go to an admin interface that is a little disconnected from the site.

Changing navigation is a breeze, as is adding member only content.  The other thing is that you can create as many sites as you like from the one installation, each with their own URL and template, all managed in the one place.

The list of components/modules you get is comprehensive and there are hundres of good quality addon modules you can buy. 

Likes:

• Multiple sites, one admin interface
• Ease of use 
• Image library
• Large community support

Dislikes:

• Dropped support for MS Access, so might be expensive to run

eCommerce: VirtueMart

License: GPL
Link: VirtueMart.net
Status: Production
Platform: MySQL + PHP + (Joomla or Mambo)

I think the thing I like best about this is that it works well with Mambo/Joomla.  This application was recently renamed and now targets Joomla more and Mambo, but Mambo is still supported.

This software does what you might see in a standard eCommerce system.  Product information and images is comprehensive and it integrates very smoothly with a full blown CMS in Joomla.

Order management is easy, and integration to a range of checkout/payment systems is included as standard.  It has nice extras like specific group based pricing and coupons. 

You may also find a download for the whole Joomla/VirtueMart system, so one install does both CMS and eCommerce, easy!

Likes:

• Works seemlessly with Joomla/Mambo
• Ease of use 
• Coupons

Dislikes:

• Interface is a little slow 

Still to come…

Calendar

GroupWare

Email Subscription Management (Bulk Email) - PHPList

Email Autoresponder

Online Course Management

HTML Editor - FCKEditor

Document Management - KnowledgeTree Document Management Server

Photo Gallery

Forum

Surveys/Questionaire

Banner Ad Management - phpadsnew

CRM - Sugar or Tiger

Social Bookmarking - Scuttle

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Really Slick Screensavers

Check out the above site, there are some amazing free screen savers!

I especially like helios and cyclone, but they are all excellent.

I love it when someone with a passion does this sort of quality work, and then distributes it for everyone to use, it really embraces the sharing concepts of open source.

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So, you’re given 6 minutes to explain your philosophy, your product, the value, the market and your competitive advantage huh?  Give me 3 and I’ll get the message across!

The thing that seems to stand out in these demonstrations is the complete lack of pizzazz!  Explain to me why the founder of a company is the best person to do a demo. And the thing the annoys me the most about these demos is the way that some of the presenters completely disrespect the audience.  Someone last year was quoted as saying “I know you’re really tired but this is really important so pay attention.”  WHAT!

Ok, so i’m very critical, but my job is doing product demonstrations.  Unfortunately some of these people look like this is the first time they have ever seen the product, let alone done a demo.  I know, I know, hundreds of people in the audience etc.  But honestly that should make you thrive, not scare you into doing a bad job.

In my opinion if you are passionate about your product and believe that it will actually help the people who choose to buy it then your demo is filled with emotion and interest.  If your intention however is to really ’sell hard’ then you might just miss the boat.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand the purpose of demo is to show emerging products, that’s not lost on me.  I would have expected however that the quality of the demo is up to scratch.

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This is the next tool in the ‘hard to find but really useful’ category.

This is one of those applications that I installed and started using from day 1, and haven’t stopped using it.  In essence Roboform is a username & password saver, however this is only one capability, it also has a great form filler to save time filling in forms on websites.

Username/Passwords

Roboform makes this really easy.  Basically after it is installed every time you fill in a username and password on a web page Roboform pops up and asks if you want to save the password for next time.  Now I only use the unregistered version of the software which lets you save up to 10 username/passwords.  However in a way this is good as it makes me think about registering on some website before filling in the details, others may think this is restricting.  Regardless the software is cheap so if this bugs you then buy it.

There are other username/password savers available, even a free or open source one i think.  The thing I love about Roboform is that it gives you a little icon in your system tray and with one click on this icon i get a list of all of my favorite sites (ones that require a login anyway) and roboform will open a new browser window, navigate to the page, fill in the username and password and then submit the login.  Effectively jumping straight to the page I want without having to login, or even type the website address.

Of course when you install you have the option of encrypting your username/passwords with a master password which you are prompted for everytime you go to use Roboform for the first time in the morning.  There is also a security timeout feature which simply forces the you to retype the master password every once in a while.

Web Forms

The second thing I love about this is that you can go in and enter all your basic personal details into Roboform and when you hit a website with a registration form, you can hit one button and have roboform fill in all the details for you, coolest thing ever.  A huge time saver, especially for your slow typer.

I have my full name, address, email address, phone number and, get this, my default username and password.  This means that if i am registering on a website for a login then it will even fill in what I would like my username and password to be.

Other Features

There are a couple of other things this software does, however I don’t really even use them but I can the value.  Firstly it has the ability to generate random passwords for you.  If you are really padantic about picking passwords then you can select the complexity of the password, the length etc and have it copied to your clipboard.

In addition to storing all this username/password/personal information it also has the ability to switch personalities.  Like many of you I have work life and a home life, so I configure roboform to have a work personality and a home personality.  Primarily this means that if I am registering on a site for work it will put in my work address and phone number and email address.  If registering for personal, then you get the idea…

There is also a Safenotes function, and although i haven’t used it it lets you save little snippets of text to recall quickly.  It has a nice “create a new note from the stuff on my clipboard” function which you might find useful.  I don’t you this function instead choosing to use the Notes in Outlook to store this sort of information.  Things like IP addresses, phone numbers and commonly used paragraphs would probably be good candidates for this function.

Roboform is available for download from http://www.roboform.com/.  The full version costs US$29.95.

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This is the next tool in the ‘hard to find but really useful’ category.

I’m not even sure where I found this piece of software, but it must be one of the best free pieces of software available today.  If your job requires that you produce screen shots then this is the software you need.

I know, i know, you can create a screenshot without any special software.  For those that didn’t know you can just hit the ‘prnt scrn’ button on your keyboard and your screen will be captured and placed on the clipboard, ready for pasting into what ever you want.  When I ask people to send me a screen shot of something they are having a problem with, I typically ask them to hit prnt scrn, then paste into a word document and send me the document.

Ok, so back to Screenshot Captor.

There are specifically five things I like about this software:

1. It takes over the scrn prnt button - so when you want to snap the screen you just hit the prnt scrn button and up pops Screenshot Captor.
2. It has a cool sound effect - I know this is stupid, but it’s actually a good idea in that it tells you that the shot has actually worked effectively and more to the point that it was done using the right software.
3. You can add shadows - I love this, you will notice EVERY screen shot on my site has a nice little shadow around the edge. If you’re thinking I have the patience to do this in photoshop everytime then you don’t know me.  A single click will add this shadow, very classy!
4. You can include the mouse pointer - This was one of the big problems with using the standard prnt scrn function in windows, it doesn’t caputre the mouse pointer.  If you are trying to illustrate something for someone then one of the easiest ways is to include the mouse pointer so people know where you are talking about on the screen.  Screenshot Captor has this option that you can turn on.
5. It saves everything - I think this is one of the other great features.  You can grab a screenshot of something and then do nothing with it!  I know this sounds bizarre but if you are surfing around or working on a problem and you see something you want to look at in more detail later you just hit one button, then keep working.  Later when you want to review it you can double click on the system tray icon and browse back through your captures.

There are a couple of other nice things, however I don’t use them that much.  Firstly as you might expect you can crop a screen shot really quickly, you just drag a selection rectangle then click the ‘crop’ button.  After this you then add a shadow to keep it looking nice.  I find this shadow function saves time because I don’t have to crop so exactly, cause it still looks good with a shadow.

The other option is the ability for the software to recognise different objects in the captured image (like a window, or dialog box) so that you can just select the object you want to capture AFTER you have captured the full screen.  This means you have a lot less planning to do.

Screenshot Captor is available for download from here.  The full version costs noth’in, but you need to request a key.

There are some you can pay for that have even more features.

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