Category: Internet

Categories
Apps Internet Software

Poster – My Favorite iOS WordPress Editor – Goes Universal

[Poster](http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=r*bqlTuiXSo&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fapp%252Fposter-wordpress-blog-editor%252Fid549006481%253Fmt%253D8%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30)[^f5818] is my favorite way to update this site. It supports Markdown, [TextExpander Touch](http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=r*bqlTuiXSo&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=httpThursday662662itunes.apple.com662us662app662textexpander662id326180690662mt?8?o?4PMartnerId?30) text expansion and just feels good to use. I highly recommend it.

[^f5818]: Affiliate Link (as is the post link).

Categories
Internet Technology

Squarespace does not have a posting API

I cannot imagine using a blogging platform that does not allow me to post via 3rd party applications. It strikes me as odd that Squarespace spends so much on advertising on geek podcasts yet does not provide an API, a feature that geeks definitely desire.

Categories
Entertainment Internet

Google Becomes More Useful

Finally. I hated having to go to some other website for my “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” info.

Categories
Apps Internet Programming

Diet Coda 1.1 Update

As [explained on MacStories ](http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/macstories/ad-supported/~3/x-4CdE__6RM/), [Diet Coda](http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=r*bqlTuiXSo&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fapp%252Fdiet-coda%252Fid500906297%253Fmt%253D8%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30)[^f0733] now offers the ability to upload images from your camera roll to your server via FTP. I am hoping this is finally *the* solution for handling posts with images going forward[^f1006].

[^f1006]: I have really struggled to find something that works well. I had one alternative, however, I could only get it to work via plain FTP. I deciding that trying to increase the security on my server was more important than sticking with that workflow.

[^f0733]: Affiliate Link (as is the post link).

Categories
Internet Technology

Ben Brooks Responds to MG Siegler

Ben Brooks, responding to [MG Siegler’s widely linked to article on Apple’s strategy of iteration](http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/13/the-iphone-5-event/):

> I think it’s important to remember that iterating to perfection is fantastic just so long as you recognize that perfection may be a completely different device than what you are iterating on today.

> …

> I just want to point out that there’s two types of iteration: iteration for the sake of perfection and iteration for the sake of selling new devices. It’s the latter that we need to be worried about, Apple’s still well in the iterating to perfection mode.

Mr. Brooks is one of the few people I have see who actually provided a counter opinion to what Mr. Siegler wrote. It will be interesting to see if the *next big thing*[^fn1] in the mobile space comes from Apple or some other company.

[^fn1]: I guess I can use the cool buzzword here: “disruption

Categories
Apps Internet Software

Instacast Memberships

I use [Instacast](http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=r*bqlTuiXSo&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=httpThursday751751itunes.apple.com751us751app751instacast751id420368235751mt?8?o?4AMartnerId?30)[^aff] as my primary podcast client[^fn1], so it is a no brainer for me to sign up for one of these memberships.. My hope is that these memberships provide additional resources that allow the development of a [robust, new syncing platform](http://vemedio.com/blog/posts/333).

[^fn1]: I do [use multiple podcast clients](https://johnkiv.us/2012/07/20/making-the-best-of-the-current-ios-podcast-player-options/), but Instacast is by far my favorite

[^aff]: Affiliate Link

Categories
Internet Technology

Macworld’s SpiderOak Review

> If you’re looking for the highest level of privacy and a service that has all of the pieces in one place for backup, sync, and read-only folder sharing, SpiderOak offers the strongest solution. For backup, SpiderOak compares favorably with CrashPlan in features but less so in pricing.

I use [SpiderOak](https://spideroak.com/download/referral/7849b23e25b7c05a3bc49e43db2f11d6)[^f2625] in addition to [Dropbox](http://db.tt/bl7yQBc), but I consider it a secondary sync / storage location. So many iOS apps use Dropbox for syncing that it has to be on top of my sync / storage stack.

[^f2625]: Affiliate Link (where I get additional space on my account when people sign up through the link)

Categories
Comics Internet

For Your Non-Sport Fan Friends

If this comic was not great enough already, the ALT text puts it over the top.

Categories
Internet

Amazon Targeting One Day Delivery

All the local retailers who complained that “Amazon did not have to pay taxes” are going to regret those complaints. Essentially, they ended up opening the path Amazon will use to move into their backyards. First it will be one day delivery, then will come same day delivery.

Categories
Internet

Instapaper and 9to5 Mac

An interesting story. Matt Alexander provides both [before](http://one37.net/10/9/2012/instapaper-controversy) and [after](http://one37.net/11/9/2012/9to5) reactions if you want a fuller picture of what happened and why it was important[^fn1].

[^fn1]: [Buzzfeed](http://www.buzzfeed.com/mattbuchanan/how-to-get-banned-from-instapaper) has the most detailed explanation, but it is probably overkill at this point

Categories
Internet

Apache Overrides Microsoft’s Privacy Setting

I do not understand why Apache has such a problem with Microsoft turning on Do Not Track as a default. The best I can come up with is Apache is slavishly devoted to the “standards” above the actual users the Internet. I really do not get it.

Categories
Internet

Adding Self-Hosted Search to My Site

I have recently been unhappy with [DuckDuckGo’s](http://duckduckgo.com) indexing of my site. I considered changing back to a [Google](http://google.com) based search, but I figured there had to be something that let me have more control. I found my solution in a [Macdrifter post about self-hosted search](http://www.macdrifter.com/2012/08/self-hosted-search.html): [Sphider](http://www.sphider.eu/index.php). It is a php-based, self-hosted, search engine and it seems to work like a charm.

A couple of quick things that are not covered on Macdrifter:

* There’s an error in the SQL script you have to run to setup the database. Remove the “(14)” from the timestamp line for the creation of the query_log table near the end of the script [^fn1]
* If you want to edit the search box on a WordPress installation, you edit the “searchform.php” page in your theme directory[^fn2] My search form looks like this:






* If you do not edit the default template that comes with Sphider then people who get to your search results have no link back to the page they just came from[^fn3]. This bothers me from a usability perspective, so I added a couple of “Return to Previous Page” buttons to the “search_results.html” page.

Overall, the setup process, including the time it took me to style my search results, took me closer to two and a half hours, instead of one hour mentioned in the Macdrifter post. That said, I am really happy with the results.

[^fn1]: If you choose to use the “install.php” file instead of the SQL script, you have to make the same removal. In my version, it is on line 139.

[^fn2]: Or create that page if it does not exist.

[^fn3]: Other than the back button of course.

Categories
Internet

Ben Brooks on Read and Trust Magazine Pricing

It started with Mr. Brooks’ [post on App.net](https://alpha.app.net/benbrooks/post/342482) about [the pricing of Read & Trust magazine](http://readandtrust.com):

> I don’t like the Read and Trust magazine pricing $6 for a single issue, but $5 a month for a subscription. To me that’s says “we want you to subscribe because we know you’ll forget to unsubscribe later” Sends the wrong message.

expanded into a [back and forth with Michael Schechter](https://alpha.app.net/mschechter/post/342601) and ended with Mr. Brooks [writing a detailed version of his statment at Brooks Review](http://brooksreview.net/2012/09/subscription-pricing/). I have previously stated [I do not think I will support Read & Trust because I find the content of some of its writers objectionable](https://johnkiv.us/2012/09/04/the-read-and-trust-magazine-and-whether-or-not-i-should-support-it/), but I also agree with Mr. Brooks’ thoughts on the magazine’s pricing. I especially agree with his concluding paragraph:

> Not only do I think consumers are better off with equal pricing, but I think Read & Trust would be too and that applies to any company selling goods without advertising in play.

At this current pricing, I definitely will never buy a single issue. I would think I was getting screwed because it cost a dollar more than if I subscribed. At a price equal to the subscription price, I might consider buying an issue that included content of writers like [Shawn Blanc](http://shawnblanc.net), [Matt Alexander](http://one37.net), and [Bret Terpstra](http://brettterpstra.com)[^fn1] but that does not include content from those writers I find objectionable.

[^fn1]: Writers I respect and enjoy reading.

Categories
Internet

The State of App.net

There has been a lot of good writing recently about the current state of App.net. It seemed to start with [Glenn Fleishman’s article](http://tidbits.com/article/13216):

> **Pipe Dream or Alternate Universe** — App.net doesn’t need to get everyone to move away from Twitter. It only needs to get everyone you know to move. I’m being facetious, but it’s true. If you have even a relatively large group of people with whom you interact on Twitter, and they start turning their attention to App.net interaction, you may find yourself there as well. For now, I run Twitter and App.net clients side by side, since App.net is still in alpha, and only a small number of people I know are early adopters like myself.

Mr. Fleishman’s article is a comprehensive explanation of what App.net is in its current form and what it hopes to become. I recommend it to anyone who wants to get a better foundation to decide whether or not to sign up.

Building on Mr. Fleishman’s article is [Federico Viticci’s write-up](http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/macstories/ad-supported/~3/dJ9LyM0YLgQ/):

> For my job, I talk to developers and creators on a daily basis. And right now, developers are picking up some good vibes from App.net. There’s a lot of experimentation going on, support from the company, and an overall feeling that, if this is will work, maybe a better (and different) Twitter could be possible. It’s too early to tell — after all, Twitter still works — but it’s a good start nevertheless.

I get the same impression from my developer friends that Mr. Viticci is getting from his developer contacts. The service is just starting and developers are trying to figure out what it will become. This early period of developer enthusiasm should be the story at the moment, not the [statistics of who is doing the most posting](http://diegobasch.com/first-month-on-app-net-charts-and-stats).

Categories
Internet

Pocket Updated to add App.net Support

I hope this is a trend.

Categories
Internet

How I Feel about Blogging

Nate Boateng:

> I use this site as a place to collect and share small thoughts. Sure the link-blog format has been around for a while, and is possibly an overcrowded medium. But if everybody ran their sites in a way they enjoyed, would it matter that there’s a lot of them?

I agree with Mr. Boateng. I started this site as a way to collect those stories and other bits of information that I find interesting. Consequently, it is probably not a surprise that I have a blast running it.

Categories
Internet Technology

A Solid (though Early) App.net Client

*Appetizer* is my [App.net](http://alpha.app.net) client of choice. It is still in its early stages, but it handles the basic App.net functionality[^mo] well.

[^mo]: I also have tried *Mention* and *moApp*. *Mention* is just not my style, while I feel *Appetizier* handles things a little better than *moApp*. Also, the *moApp* developer was kind of offensive on App.net recently and that makes it hard for me to support him.

Categories
Internet

The Apparent End of the Official Twitter Mac Client

Marco Arment commenting on [MG Siegler’s tweet that Twitter for Mac is dead](https://twitter.com/parislemon/statuses/243850588452945920):

> Of *course* it’s dead. The difference now is that Twitter won’t let anyone else replace it, probably because they can make far more money by making people use their website. (emphasis in original)

The next step for Twitter? Turn the mobile application into nothing more than webview wrappers for the website[^tracking].

[^tracking]: The wrappers will probably enhance the ability to track users’ activity even more than a standard browser.

Categories
Internet

The Read and Trust Magazine and Whether or Not I Should Support It

[Read and Trust](http://readandtrust.com) has moved away from a membership model to production of a high quality, monthly magazine from some of the best independent writers on the Internet. Unfortunately, it is a difficult decision for me whether or not to support this project. Though there are writers like [Shawn Blanc](http://shawnblanc.net) and [Brett Terpstra](http://brettterpstra.com/) who I would gladly support[^fn1] , I find the content of some of the other writers on the site so objectionable that I have a real problem putting money into a pot that they might have access to. At this point, I think I think the best option for me is to not subscribe[^brooks].

[^fn1]: I actually do support both of those writers. In Mr. Blanc’s case I support him via [membership on his site](http://shawnblanc.net/members/), while in Mr. Terpstra’s case, I have purchased his [Marked]() application (*Affiliate Link*)

[^brooks]: If you are like me and want to support independent web authors but have a problem with some of the members of the *Read and Trust* network, you might want to consider supporting [Ben Brooks](http://brooksreview.net/members/), who has been doing some really good work behind his paywall.

Categories
Internet Software

Tweetbot for Mac Beta Released

You cannot add new accounts though due to [Twitter’s new API restrictions](http://www.marco.org/2012/08/16/twitter-api-changes)[^fn1].

[^fn1]: As [The Beard](http://www.loopinsight.com/2012/08/31/tweetbot-for-mac-beta/) says “Amazing that these developers are still trying to improve their apps and Twitter can’t release an update for their piece of s\#$t app.”