10 March 2007

Travelers of the Future, Beware!


Travelers of the Future, Beware! Mars is no place for the faint-hearted. Arid, rocky, cold and apparently lifeless, the Red Planet offers few hospitalities.Mars: An Extreme PlanetMars - of course, nothing on Earth comes close to the extreme conditions on the red planet.Earth/Mars Comparison

Mars
Earth
Average Distance from Sun
142 million miles
93 million miles
Average Speed in Orbiting Sun
14.5 miles per second
18.5 miles per second
Diameter
4,220 miles
7,926 miles
Tilt of Axis
25 degrees
23.5 degrees
Length of Year
687 Earth Days
365.25 Days
Length of Day
24 hours 37 minutes
23 hours 56 minutes
Gravity
.375 that of Earth
2.66 times that of Mars
Temperature
Average -81 degrees F
Average 57 degrees F
Atmosphere
mostly carbon dioxide some water vapor
nitrogen, oxygen, argon, others
# of Moons
2
1If you dream of going, here's what to expect:
"Mars" here on Earth: If you want to know what it might be like to spend time in the Martian environment ,then there are some of the places for you on the earth where you can practice for that .Other places on Earth that can help us understand Mars include:
Death Valley, California, where Ubehebe crater and "Mars Hill" have geologic features similar to those on Mars
Mono Lake, California, which is a 700,000-year-old evaporative lake that compares to Gusev Crater, a basin on Mars where water once was likely
Channeled Scabland in Washington, where catastrophic floods swept through the land much like what happened long ago in the Ares Vallis flood plain where Mars Pathfinder landed
Permafrost in Siberia, Alaska and Antarctica, where subsurface water-ice and small life forms exist
Volcanoes in Hawaii, which are like those on Mars, though much smallerMars Atlas Find your way around the Red Planet.So for the next time Fans of extreme sports can rejoice, however, for the Red Planet will challenge even the hardiest souls among us. Home to the largest volcano in the solar system, the deepest canyon and crazy weather and temperature patterns, Mars looms as the ultimate lonely planet destination.

07 March 2007

How to troubleshoot Bluetooth detection and connectivity problems in Windows XP Service Pack 2

How to troubleshoot Bluetooth detection and connectivity problems in Windows XP Service Pack 2

On This Page
SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
MORE INFORMATION
What can I do if my Bluetooth devices do not function?
What can I do if a Bluetooth device is not detected when I add the device?
What can I do if I experience a slow connection with the Bluetooth device or the device is disconnecting?
What can I do if some of the Bluetooth device features no longer function?
What are some things to consider if I have problems with my Personal Area Network (PAN) connections?
What are some things to consider if a Bluetooth device cannot find its associated services?
What can I do if my Bluetooth device loses its connection?
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SUMMARY
loadTOCNode(1, 'summary');
After you install Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), a Bluetooth device that previously functioned correctly in Windows XP SP1 and that supported Bluetooth wireless devices may not function correctly. This article discusses how to troubleshoot:

Bluetooth device detection issues.

Service detection issues.

Device detection and connectivity issues.
Back to the top
INTRODUCTION
loadTOCNode(1, 'summary');
This article answers the following questions about troubleshooting your Bluetooth device after you install Windows XP SP2:
What can I do if my Bluetooth devices do not function?What can I do if a Bluetooth device is not detected when I add the device?What can I do if I experience a slow connection with the Bluetooth device or the device is disconnecting?What can I do if some of the Bluetooth devices features no longer function?What are some things to consider if I have problems with my Personal Area Network (PAN) connections?What are some things to consider if a Bluetooth device cannot find its associated services?What can I do if my Bluetooth device loses its connection?
Back to the top
MORE INFORMATION
loadTOCNode(1, 'moreinformation');
Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.
Back to the top
What can I do if my Bluetooth devices do not function?
loadTOCNode(2, 'moreinformation');
If your Bluetooth device functioned correctly in Windows XP SP1, some Bluetooth drivers may not have updated correctly. To resolve this issue, follow these steps:
1.
Click Start, and then click Run.
2.
Type regedit, and then click OK.
3.
Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{e0cbf06c-cd8b-4647-bb8a-263b43f0f974}
4.
On the Edit menu, click Delete.
5.
On the File menu, click Exit to quit Registry Editor.
6.
Click Start, and then click Run.
7.
Type devmgmt.msc, and then click OK.
8.
Locate and then click the Bluetooth radio device.
9.
On the Action menu, click Uninstall to remove the Bluetooth device.
10.
After the Bluetooth device has been removed, click Scan for hardware changes on the Action menu.
11.
After the Bluetooth device has been correctly detected, Windows XP SP2 Bluetooth drivers are installed. On the File menu, click Exit to quit Device Manager.
Back to the top
What can I do if a Bluetooth device is not detected when I add the device?
loadTOCNode(2, 'moreinformation');
This issue may occur because of a lack of power for the device, a corrupted installation of the Bluetooth device software, defective hardware, or hardware that is not supported. To resolve these issues, follow these steps:
1.
Verify that you have Windows XP SP2 installed. To do this, follow these steps:
a.
Click Start, and then click Run.
b.
In the Open box, type winver.exe, and then click OK.
c.
In the About Windows dialog box, verify that Windows XP SP2 is installed.
2.
Make sure that the Bluetooth device is installed. To do this, click Start, click Run, type bthprops.cpl, and then click OK. This command shows Bluetooth device properties.
3.
Make sure that the Allow Bluetooth devices to connect to this computer option is selected in the Bluetooth device properties.
4.
Check your device specifications to make sure that the Bluetooth device is within the correct operating range specifications.
5.
Verify that the Bluetooth device is powered on and that it is enabled.
6.
Verify that the Bluetooth device is discoverable. For the Bluetooth device to be discoverable, you must turn on the Bluetooth discovery option in Windows XP SP2. To do this, follow these steps:
a.
Right-click the Bluetooth icon in the notification area, and then click Open Bluetooth Settings. If the Bluetooth icon is not in the notification area, click Start, click Run, type bthprops.cpl, and then click OK.
b.
On the Options tab, click to select the Turn discovery on check box, and then click Apply.
c.
To let other Bluetooth devices connect to your computer, click to select the Allow Bluetooth devices to connect to this computer check box, and then click OK.
7.
Has the connection been interrupted by something in the area? Wireless technology is susceptible to interference from the environment. Try to connect to your Bluetooth device again.
8.
Is one of the devices too busy? Does it have too many connections? For example, a printer may have other connections that prevent your connection.
9.
In Device Manager, locate Bluetooth Radios, and then verify that the radio is listed. To do this, follow these steps:
a.
Click Start, and then click Run.
b.
Type devmgmt.msc, and then click OK.
c.
Locate and then click the Bluetooth radio device.
10.
Determine what other USB devices are currently connected. The Bluetooth device may not have enough power. If there are no entries in Device Manager or in Control Panel, the transceiver is not getting enough power for detection. Try unplugging other USB devices.
11.
If Device Manager and Control Panel entries exist for a device, but the device is not detected or it is not connecting correctly, the device may not have been authenticated through the software.For more information about how to resolve this issue, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
811797 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811797/) The input device may not work when you try to use a Wireless Optical Desktop for Bluetooth keyboard or mouse
811800 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811800/) Bluetooth desktop devices not detected Notes

When the transceiver is unplugged, Windows will remove the Bluetooth Radios category in Device Manager, but the Bluetooth Devices icon will remain in Control Panel.

Bluetooth devices typically require 500 milliamps (mA). Determine what other USB devices are connected. You may have to add a self-powered hub to support additional devices on the USB port.

If the device does not authenticate during the detection process, remove the device, and then add it again without a passkey.

If previous steps do not resolve the issue, try the device on another computer. If the device does not work on another computer, the issue is in Windows.
Back to the top
What can I do if I experience a slow connection with the Bluetooth device or the device is disconnecting?
loadTOCNode(2, 'moreinformation');
If your Bluetooth devices are slow or are disconnecting, determine the following:

Are the devices the correct distance apart? The devices could be at the edge of their range. Move the devices closer together. Alternatively, the devices may be too close to each other. Move the devices farther apart. Also, see the manufacturer's documentation for the transmission range of the device.

Is one of the devices too busy? For example, a printer may have other connections that prevent your connection. To prevent too many connections, set your devices so they are not discoverable. To do this, follow these steps:
1.
Right-click the Bluetooth icon in the notification area, and then click Open Bluetooth Settings. If the Bluetooth icon is not in the notification area, click Start, click Run, type bthprops.cpl, and then click OK.
2.
On the Options tab, click to clear the Turn discovery on check box, click Apply, and then click OK.

Are other devices operating in the same frequency range as the Bluetooth devices? The Bluetooth radio frequency is 2.4 gigahertz (GHz). Other devices may include the following:

Cordless telephones that use the 2.4 GHz range.

Microwave ovens.

X10 devices, such as those that control automatic lighting and universal remote controls.

Networks that use the 802.11 wireless protocol. (These networks are also known as Wi-Fi networks.)Note Water and walls can affect Bluetooth radio transmissions.
Back to the top
What can I do if some of the Bluetooth device features no longer function?
loadTOCNode(2, 'moreinformation');
This issue may occur because the Bluetooth drivers that are provided by Microsoft support a different set of profiles than the drivers that are provided by some third-party vendors. The Microsoft-provided drivers are also signed and will therefore be installed instead of a third-party driver for supported Bluetooth adapters. The Windows XP SP2 Setup program will try to detect if a third-party driver is present. If the third-party driver is installed, the Microsoft-provided Bluetooth drivers will not install. This action makes sure that an existing configuration is not modified. If both provided drivers were installed, and the Bluetooth Radio were connected to the computer, the Microsoft-provided driver would load because it is signed.If the missing functionality is critical, you may restore the third-party support. To do this, follow these steps.Note The following steps assume that the third-party software is installed. If it is not, install the software according to the manufacturer's instructions. Then follow these steps from the point in the installation process where the adapter is connected to the computer.
1.
Click Start, and then click Run.
2.
Type devmgmt.msc, and then click OK.
3.
Locate and then expand Bluetooth Radios.
4.
Right-click the Bluetooth adapter, and then click Properties.
5.
On the Driver tab, click Update Driver.
6.
Install the updated driver manually by using the Have disk option in the wizard. Locate the manufacturer's installation files, and then find the .inf file that is required to install the driver.
7.
Complete the manufacturer's software installation steps.At this point, the third-party provided drivers should work. If at any point you re-enumerate the Bluetooth adapter, the Microsoft driver will be reinstalled, and you must repeat the procedure. This issue will occur only if the third-party driver is removed or if another model adapter installed.
Back to the top
What are some things to consider if I have problems with my Personal Area Network (PAN) connections?
loadTOCNode(2, 'moreinformation');
Consider the following points:

The device may be out of range. When this issue occurs, you will receive the following error message:
Windows was unable to connect with your Bluetooth-enabled network device. It may be turned off, out of range, or it may not be configured to accept connections. Consult your device's documentation for information on how configure it to accept connections.

The device may require re-authentication. When this issue occurs, you will receive the error message:
The Bluetooth-enabled network device requires re-authentication. Do you wish to proceed with this step?Press "Yes" to re-authenticate with the device. Press "No" to return to the Bluetooth Network Devices dialog.

For other issues, you may receive the following error message:
The connection with the Bluetooth-enabled network device failed. Please consult your device's documentation for more information on how to resolve this.
Back to the top
What are some things to consider if a Bluetooth device cannot find its associated services?
loadTOCNode(2, 'moreinformation');
If you cannot set up a service for your device, determine the following:

Is the Bluetooth device filtering correctly? After you install and authenticate a Bluetooth device, the device may provide a number of services that are not specific to the device type. These services enable a variety of actions between the computer and the device. For example, the device may provide dial-up networking. Another device, such as your computer, may also provide dial-up networking. In this case, you must filter out other dial-up devices to prevent them from connecting for dial-up purposes.If you install a Bluetooth printer by using the Add Printer Wizard, filtering is not available. If you cannot find the device that you are looking for, try to install the printer by using Wireless Link in Control Panel.

Is the service not available? Does the device not offer the service you are looking for? Bluetooth devices come with different services. The services may be different depending on the device, and not all devices will have the same services. For example, there are multiple printing profiles that may be available. However, Windows XP supports only the hardcopy cable replacement profile for printing to a Bluetooth printer.

Are other services available? Are there any valid services that you can use? Your Bluetooth device may not have any services. The device may be filtering for a service that the device supports, but that your computer does not. If the device cannot find the service, contact the manufacturer for help getting this device to work. You may require additional software.The device may require authentication before you can select services. For example, if you want to connect to the Internet from your Bluetooth cellular phone, the dial-up networking service must be enabled. The cellular phone must be installed and authenticated before you can select the dial-up networking service. In this case, install the device from Wireless Link in Control Panel.
Back to the top
What can I do if my Bluetooth device loses its connection?
loadTOCNode(2, 'moreinformation');
This issue may occur when the Bluetooth device does not recognize the pairing with your Windows XP-based computer. Sometimes, pairing information about a device may be lost, either because a device was reset or because of other problems. If your Bluetooth devices cannot connect to your Windows XP-based computer, follow these steps:
1.
Open Bluetooth Devices in Control Panel, and then make sure that the device is listed. If the device is listed, Windows XP has not lost the pairing information.
2.
Determine if the device has lost the pairing information.

If the pairing information is present on the device, see "What can I do if I experience a slow connection with the Bluetooth device or the device is disconnecting."

If the pairing information has been lost from the device, follow these steps:
1.
Remove the device by using the Bluetooth Devices tool in Control Panel.
2.
Add the device again.
Back to the top

APPLIES TO

Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2

Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2
Back to the top
Keywords:
kbnomt kbgraphxlink kbscreenshot kbhardware kbwireless kbtshoot KB883258

06 March 2007

Apple and Google working on "many more" projects

Apple and Google working on "many more" projects

By AppleInsider Staff

Published: 05:00 PM EST

Google chief executive Eric Schmidt said Monday that Google and Apple are continuing to collaborate on many new initiatives.

Schmidt made the comments at the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference in San Francisco while responding to a question concerning rumors that the two firms were working on a tablet-style personal computer.

Without commenting specifically on the rumor, Schmidt reportedly said Google and Apple are "doing more and more things together."

"We have similar goals, similar competitors," he added.

Thus far, Apple has integrated Google's geographical mapping service into its upcoming iPhone hand set. Rumors have also suggested that Google's technology will play an increasing role in the Mac maker's upcoming Leopard operating system release.

Schmidt, in addition to his role atop Google's executive hierarchy, is also a member of Apple's board of directors.

MIT Admissions | Blog Entry: "Everybody LOVES a math joke"

MIT Admissions Blog Entry: "Everybody LOVES a math joke"
"Everybody LOVES a math joke"
Judging by the facebook group "I Wish I Were Your Derivative So I Could Lie Tangent To Your Curves!" with 42,000 members, everybody loves a math joke. My roommate, a math major, is especially into them...here's one she loves to tell (copied from an article in the American Mathematical Society Journal, with a link to the article below). Seriously, she even told it at a Harvard party that we went to, with an audience of future lawyers and chemists:
"A biologist, a physicist, and a mathematician were sitting in a street cafĂ© watching the crowd. Across the street they saw a man and a woman entering a building. Ten minutes later they reappeared together with a third person. “They have multiplied,” said the biologist. “Oh no, an error in measurement,” the physicist sighed. “If exactly one person enters the building now, it will be empty again,” the mathematician concluded."
If you're interested, check out this article in the American Mathematical Society Journal, called Foolproof: A Samplingof Mathematical Folk Humor by Paul Renteln and Alan Dundes
Here are some I received in an email:I've definitely felt like doing this before....

Tips for Mobile Beginners: Create Your Own Mobile Blog

Tips for Mobile Beginners: Create Your Own Mobile Blog/a>

Create Your Own Mobile Blog
by Suzanne Ross
Tested on: Windows Mobile powered Smartphone
First, what's a moblog? A moblog, or a mobile blog, is an online record of anything you feel like sharing with the world, whether they want it or not. The difference between moblogging and regular blogging is that you use your phone or Pocket PC to post text or pictures.
There are obvious advantages to this. If you get inspired in the middle of a meadow, at your favorite local watering hole, or on a road trip, you won't have to wait until you can get back to your desktop to send your thoughts and photos to the world.
Though moblogging isn't new, it has been gaining popularity and attention, though I don't think the uses of it have been fully explored. It seems a perfect way, for instance, for a real estate agent to show new properties to clients. I've been looking around for a house lately, and I'm frustrated by the lack of pictures on real estate sites. If an agent had a mobile blog, she could take pictures and immediately send them to her moblog.
Then she could call her client on their Smartphone and say something like, 'hey, I just listed a house that seems to be what you're looking for. I'm standing right in front of it. I posted pictures to my moblog. Take a look, and if you like it, you can see it right away.'
In less then five minutes the client could look at the pictures on the agent's moblog on their own mobile device, decide if they like it, call her back, pull up the address on their
Pocket Streets map (shameless plug). No time wasted.
There are several types of mobile blogging. One is simply using your Smartphone to post to your regular blog. The blog doesn't have a mobile version. Most major blog sites offer some way to post to your blog with your phone.

Another type of mobile blogging is using your camera to snap a picture, and then posting it to your mobile blog with MMS or e-mail. You can then view your pictures on a mobile version of your site. Textamerica is one popular Web host that does this. They also put car ads on the free sites. It's probably worth it to pay to have your site ad-free, but it's up to you.

There is a text only, bare bones site designed for mobile device viewing. The only company I've seen offer this is Winksite. You can bring in your favorite mobile feeds, add a forum, add a survey, add announcements, and add a chat. The developers put in a lot of functionality, but kept the user interface simple. If you have a forum on a mobile phone, you probably don't worry about color and style. However, it may discourage some from posting, as they're used to mobile sites with photos. I think Winksite would be great for poets – especially those who write Haiku.
Earthcam adds a twist to the usual photo blog. With a paid subscription, $4.95 US a month at the time I wrote this, you can access Web cams around the world on your phone. You can also set up your own Web cam on your desktop computer, and view it on your phone. This could be useful for people who want to see their children during the day, or check on a pet. "Nanny or Fido Phones" could be the next big thing.
How do you pick the right moblog? I tested out several sites. What I looked for was:
Don't make me think. Easy instructions and FAQs that don't have 'how do I find my blog on the Web site' as the last choice.
Privacy. Allow me to keep my pictures private, or a mix of public and private. I don't want to share pictures of my family with the world, but if I happen to see Elvis or a Yeti, I might want to post my proof.
Features. I liked the extra features of a forum and survey offered by Winksite, and the Web cam feature from EarthCam.
Personalization. I want my blog to look pretty. Offer me an easy way to change templates, even if I'm not a developer or a designer. Textamerica does a good job there.
You'll have your own laundry list of features that you want. Shop around, try the free version that most offer, and have fun. Many sites also offer features that allow you to cross-post – you can send pictures and text from your mobile blog to your regular blog and vice versa.
Once you've chosen your moblog, be sure and add the e-mail address you need to post your pictures to in your contacts, and add the URL of your site to your mobile favorites.
Add to contacts:
Press Start
Select Contacts > New
Type in the name of your mobile site
Scroll down to E-mail: and type in the e-mail address
Select Done
Add the site URL:
Select Internet Explorer
Select Menu > Add Favorite
Type in the site URL
Press Add
Here's an example of how easy it is to use a mobile blog. I signed up for a free blog with Textamerica. They gave me an e-mail address, and a URL for my site. It only took a few minutes, and no credit cards changed hands.
I took a picture of a cloud out the window of my office on my Windows Mobile Smartphone. Better than the coffee cup on my desk. This is how I posted it to my moblog using my Smartphone:
Press Start
Select Messaging
Select MMS
Select New
Select Menu > Recipients > Add
Scroll to the contact you added following steps above and select
Type in a subject, which will be your caption
Type in text, which will show up under your image when you open a larger version
Select Send
One word of warning – yes, this will count on your data charges. If you plan to post a lot of pictures, get an unlimited data plan.
Becoming a moblogger is fast, fun, and one more way to enjoy your Windows Mobile powered device.
About the Author
Suzanne Ross usually uses at least three devices at once. She has no furry pets, but is fond of her two laptops, two desktops, and a Windows Mobile powered Smartphone and Pocket PC.

Windows Marketplace: Parental Controls

Windows Marketplace: Parental Controls

Firefly Web Browser By Children's Technology Workshop Firefly is a Web Browser made specifically for...
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iShield Lite identifies and blocks potentially pornographic images displayed within Internet Explorer, if there are numerous such images then the browser is redirected to a Web page informing the user that the web-page requested has been blocked. This is only a trial version for the IE engine.... Learn More
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BeNetSafe's free toolbar for Internet Explorer automatically locates your child's online profiles at sites like MySpace, Xanga, and Friendster. Do not let your loved ones fall victim to predators lurking on social networking sites. Learn More
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Integrated RSS news reader. Integrated Google search box. Integrated SpyWare removal tool and Integrated PopUp blocker. One click button turns the toolbar on/off. Full customer configuration. Easy privacy cleaner. Easy button add/removal. Easy online toolbar update. Easy toolbar uninstall. Privacy... Learn More
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Internet Explorer: Home Page

Internet Explorer: Home Page

See the lighter side of Internet Explorer
Watch this entertaining video to see how Internet Explorer 7 made one user’s everyday tasks easier. (See this video for 300K or 100K connections.)
Get keyboard shortcuts
Check out or download our Quick Reference guide to learn keyboard shortcuts for Internet Explorer 7.
Explore the features
See the advances that have been made to ease of use, security, and the development platform in Internet Explorer 7.
Want to take a deep dive into the technology?
Download this technology overview paper to learn about the capabilities of Internet Explorer 7, including the platform advances, security, and privacy protection.
Learn about a new security feature added to Internet Explorer 7
Stay safer online with Extended Validation SSL certificate functionality.

Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce

Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce
Located just 7 miles off the Massachusetts coastline, the beautiful island of Martha’s Vineyard is a world apart, offering a vacation ambience unlike any other. Explore the diversity of our six island towns, take long walks along our pristine shores, and step back in time to a more leisurely pace. Each season offers something different. We invite you to come and experience all the island of Martha’s Vineyard has to offer.
—MARTHA’S VINEYARD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

05 March 2007

Alexa Company Info - Technology

Alexa Company Info - Technology
Alexa is gathering Web information and learning from content and paths to create the Alexa Service.
How and Why We Crawl the Web
Alexa is continually crawling all publicly available web sites to create a series of snapshots of the Web. We use the data we collect to create features and services:
Site Information: Traffic rankings, pictures of sites, links pointing to sites and more
Related Links: Sites that are similar to the one you are currently viewing
Alexa has been crawling the Web since early 1996, and we have continually increased the amount of information that we gather. We are currently gathering approximately 1.6 Terabytes (1600 gigabytes) of Web content per day. After each snapshot of the Web, which takes approximately two months to complete, Alexa has gathered 4.5 Billion pages from over 16 million sites.
To access Alexa's vast information about the Web, please visit Alexa Web Information Service. To keep Alexa from crawling your site, please visit this page.
Gathering Web Usage Information
In addition to the Alexa Crawl, which can tell us what is on the Web, Alexa utilizes web usage information, which tells us what is being seen on the web. This information comes from the community of Alexa Toolbar users. Each member of the community, in addition to getting a useful tool, is giving back. Simply by using the toolbar each member contributes valuable information about the web, how it is used, what is important and what is not. This information is returned to the community with improved Related Links, Traffic Rankings and more.
Finding Patterns in Data
The Alexa services are derived from our uniquely powerful combination of Web content and usage information.
Site Stats
Alexa gathers Site Stats from a variety of sources to provide key statistics about each site on the web. These include: Traffic Rank and Speed which are derived from Web usage information, and Other sites that link to this site, and Online Since, both of which come from Web content. For an example of Site Stats, see the Alexa Overview page for Schwab.com.
Contact Info
Alexa provides contact information for Web sites by mining for Web content gathered in the crawl. This information includes Site Owner, Address, Phone Number and contact e-mail address. See Contact Info for Schwab.com.
Traffic Details
Web usage information is utilized to provide information about the number of page views and number of users that Web sites receive. This data is also the basis for the Alexa traffic rank and traffic history graphs. See Traffic Details for Schwab.com
Our goal for these features is to help people navigate the Web more efficiently by giving them all the information they need to make informed decisions about the sites they visit.
Related Links
Whenever an Alexa Toolbar user visits a web page, the Alexa Toolbar retrieves information from the Alexa servers to suggest other pages that might be of interest to the user. To generate Related Links, we use several techniques, including:
The usage paths of the collective Alexa community- this is the most important source of our information, since these paths show us which web sites our users believe are important and interesting.
Clustering - the hundreds of millions of links on the Web can be used to find clusters of sites that are similar and relevant to one another. We mine this data by using custom databases to find and identify these clusters.
Users' suggestions - we consider our users' suggestions to augment our Related Links recommendations.
The Alexa Toolbar
The Alexa toolbar is a program written by Alexa Internet that users install into the browser. Every time the user changes pages, the Alexa toolbar communicates with Alexa servers to retrieve information which is then displayed in the toolbar.
Donation of the Information to the Internet Archive
As a service to future historians, scholars, and other interested parties, Alexa Internet donates a copy of each crawl of the Web to the Internet Archive, a (501(c)3) nonprofit organization committed to the long-term preservation and maintenance of a growing collection of data about the Web. At Alexa, we believe that saving and preserving our early digital heritage is important today and essential for future generations. We also believe that a public charity is the best kind of organization for preserving this global asset. More information about accessing archived materials is available at the Internet Archive, www.archive.org.

Live QnA:Your place for best answer with microsoft live

Live QnA:

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Vista cracked by Paradox 2007 - ibibo Blogs

Vista cracked by Paradox 2007 - ibibo Blogs

Vista cracked by Paradox 2007 Mircrosoft is in trouble now .BIOS Emulation Toolkit For Windows Vista x86Download link:http://rapidshare.com/files/19494902/ParadoxisCool.RARWhat's the purpose of this release?Bypassing the product activation requirement of Microsoft Windows Vista x86.How does it work?Microsoft allows large hardware manufacturers (e.g. ASUS, HP, Dell) to ship their productscontaining a Windows Vista installation that does NOT require any kind of product activation asthis might be considered an unnecessary inconvenience for the end-user.Instead these so-called 'Royalty OEMs' are granted the right to embed certain license informationinto their hardware products, which can be validated by Windows Vista to make obtaining furtheractivation information (online or by phone) obsolete.This mechanism is commonly referred to as 'SLP 2.0' ('system-locked pre-installation 2.0') andconsists of the following three key elements:1. The OEM's hardware-embedded BIOS ACPI_SLIC information signed by Microsoft.2. A certificate issued by Microsoft that corresponds to the specific ACPI_SLIC information.The certificate is an XML file found on the OEM's installation/recovery media,ususally called something like 'oemname.xrm-ms'.3. A special type of product key that corresponds to the installed edition of Windows Vista.This key can usually be obtained from some installation script found on the OEM'sinstallation/recovery media or directly from a pre-installed OEM system.If all three elements match Windows Vista's licensing mechansim considers the giveninstallation a valid system-locked pre-activated copy (that does not require anyadditional product activation procedures).So the basic concept of the tool at hand is to present any given BIOS ACPI_SLIC information to WindowsVista's licensing mechanism by means of a device driver.In combination with a matching product key and OEM certificate this allows for rendering any systempractically indistinguishable from a legit pre-activated system shipped by the respective OEM.How do I use it?Preliminary hint:Most operations described below require elevated privileges, so disabling UAC (Run->MSCONFIG.EXE->Tools->Disable UAC) for the time being is recommended, Of course, it can be safely re-enabled afterall steps have been performed. Otherwise OEMTOOL.EXE and some SLMGR.VBS operations must be explicitlyrun with adminstrative privileges.1. Install the Windows Vista x86 edition of your choice without entering any product key during setup.Basically any Windows Vista x86 installation media will do, regardless if it's MSDN/Retail/OEM/ETC2. Install the emulation driver.INSERT THIS FILE INTO THE C: SO THE FILE IS IN C:.XRM-MS E.G. C:ASUS.XRM-MS" if you chose to install the default driverRun OEMTOOL.EXE, select the OEM BIOS information to emulate (ASUS might be a good choice given thefact that it's the only OEM for which a complete set of product keys is provided ) and hit the'' button.If prompted about whether to install an unsigned driver, allow it.(For some odd reason Microsoft didn't wanna sign this one...)3. Reboot your machine.4. Install the OEM certificate matching your OEM selection during driver installation by runningSLMGR.VBS -ilc .XRM-MS(e.g. "SLMGR.VBS -ilc C:ASUS.XRM-MS" if you chose to install the default driver and extractedthe certificate file to C:)Note that this operation might take quite a while depending on your system, so be patient.5. Install an OEM product key matching the installed edition of Windows Vista x86 by runningSLMGR.VBS -ipk (e.g. "SLMGR.VBS -ipk 6F2D7-2PCG6-YQQTB-FWK9V-932CC" if you're running Windows Vista Ultimate usingthe default emulation driver)Note that this operation might take quite a while depending on your system, so be patient.See PKEYS.TXT for a list of OEM product keys published by different OEMs.Download link:http://rapidshare.com/files/19494902/ParadoxisCool.RAR

Paid Surveys Online Surveys - Instant Paypal Payment

Paid Surveys Online Surveys - Instant Paypal Payment

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qSample is not a survey review site. We are not passing your data outside of our network. We do not share your information with others, not even with our clients.

Library use: Outside Users: MIT Libraries

Library use: Outside Users: MIT Libraries

Library Services for Outside Users
The MIT Libraries' primary purpose is to support MIT's teaching, research, and scholarly activities. Access to some resources and services is reserved for the MIT community.
Library Use
Access to Collections
All categories of users may access the MIT Libraries’ open stack collections, government depository material, and the Institute Archives. Visitors are welcome, although restrictions apply during exam periods in December and May. Users without MIT library borrowing privileges may be asked to register at the circulation desk of the library they are using. At their discretion, the MIT Libraries may limit or refuse access by individuals or groups whose behavior fails to comply with the Libraries' Guidelines for Use.
Library Storage Annex
Access to the Annex, Building N57, requires an appointment made one business day ahead. Please call 617-253-7040 or fill out a request form at http://libraries.mit.edu/lsa.
Document Delivery and Interlibrary Lending
Copies of MIT theses, research publications, and out-of-print MIT Press books are available through Document Services, which also lends MIT Libraries materials to libraries and businesses in accordance with library policy. No MIT affiliation is needed to use these services.
Institute Archives
Users are asked to make appointments to consult materials (most of the collection is stored off-site). Contact the Reference Archivist, Institute Archives, MIT, Building 14N-118, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307 617-253-5136 617-258-7305 (fax) http://libraries.mit.edu/archives
Government Documents
MIT provides basic reference and access to its selected federal government documents. Boston Public Library has the region’s full depository collection.
Borrowing Privileges
Library Privilege Cards (P-cards) permit borrowing of materials, with some exceptions, in accordance with library policy. For more details on P-cards, including cost, how to purchase, and limitations on use, please see Privilege Cards (P-cards).

MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory

MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
Introducing the CSAIL News Room:
We've added a new News Room page with the following items:
An RSS feed of CSAIL related news.
We've used the Simile research group's Exhibit framework to create a more interactive view of past news articles. (This is a chance to take a look at some of our research in action!)
Expanded content including: An article about our DARPA Grand Challenge Team, an Alumni Spotlight on CSAIL's Sam Madden, and an article about the 2007 CSAIL Olympics. Keep an eye on the News Room for more articles about research in CSAIL and the CSAIL community.
CSAIL members and alumni: If you have an idea for an article about CSAIL research, history, or an alumni spotlight or if you would be interested in doing some writing about the lab, please email news@csail.mit.edu. If you are working on a research project that you think we could showcase by integrating a portion of it into the CSAIL web site we are interested in hearing about that too!In Memoriam:
CSAIL community member Doug Ross passed away on January 31st, 2007 at age 77. Doug Ross was a pioneer in computer science and engineering.
The Boston Globe reported that " While studying and later teaching at MIT in the 1950s, he directed development of APT, the computer language used for automatic programming of numerically controlled machine tools. He came up with the term computer-aided design, led MIT's CAD project through the 1960s, and helped develop the software engineering language AED. Mr. Ross also developed the Structured Analysis and Design Technique and founded SofTech to market products based on the system."
(Read the Boston Globe Article)-->

MIT Medical - Mental Health

MIT Medical - Mental Health
At MIT Mental Health, we are available to anyone in the MIT community with problems, questions, or concerns. The service provides evaluations, brief treatment (both psychotherapy and psychopharmacology), referrals, urgent care, and consultations.Our psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, psychologists, and clinical social workers help individuals, couples, groups, and families with such issues as:
Stress, anxiety, and depression
Exam anxiety
Relationship problems
Homesickness, loneliness, and isolation
Suicidal thoughts and behavior
Eating disorders
Cross-cultural issues
Identity issues
Insomnia and fatigue
Infertility, pregnancy loss
Alcohol, substance abuse
Problem gambling
Other life crises
Personal Assistance ProgramMIT's Personal Assistance Program provides specialized counseling and referral services to employees who face issues that may affect their work or family life. The program is a free and confidential benefit for all staff, faculty, and employees of MIT, including Lincoln and Draper Laboratories and the Whitehead Institute. For details, please visit the Personal Assistance Program web page, download the Personal Assistance Program brochure (pdf), or call 617-253-4911.
Support GroupsMany different therapy, support, and discussion groups are available to members of the MIT community. To learn what's available to you and your family, please see Support Groups or call us at 617-253-2916.
Parents of MIT students Read more about how to help your son or daughter adjust to life at MIT.
Helping a Friend in NeedIn our experience, people in distress may find it difficult to ask for help, even though they may want to. Family and friends can play an important role by expressing concern and encouraging professional support. To help you identify and respond to psychological stress, we recommend our pamphlet, How to Help Someone in Distress (pdf).
Faculty: Helping a student in NeedFaculty can play an important role by identifying students who may be in distress and encouraging professional support. We recommend our pamphlet, How to Help Students in Distress (pdf).
ConfidentialityAll visits to the Mental Health Service and conversations with our staff during phone or in-person sessions are confidential.

arts@MIT

http://web.mit.edu/arts/

- Tuba player/composer Kenneth Amis to appear at MIT
- 'N (Bonaparte)' is third in Laura Harrington's war trilogy
- Jazz artist Magali Souriau to perform at MIT
- MIT students exhibit photos in PRC show
- Music FAQs for incoming students
- more news and announcements

MIT - Current Students

MIT - Current Students


Academics
Academic Calendar
Academic Integrity
Exploring the Majors
Course Catalogue
Cross-Registration
Departmental Graduate Administrators
Departmental Graduate Officers
Departmental Undergraduate Officers and Administrators
Distinguished Fellowships (external awards)
Exams
First Year at MIT
Independent Activities Period (IAP)
Learning Strategies
Libraries
Online Subject Listing and Schedule
Registration
Schools and Departments
Stellar™ Course Management System
Study Abroad
Subject Evaluations
Transcripts
Tutorial Services
Undergraduate Information and Advising (U-Info)
Writing Center
Activities, Recreation, Living
Activities Committee (MITAC)
Arts
Association of Student Activities (ASA)
Athletics, Physical Education, Recreation (DAPER)
Dining
Events
Fraternities, Sororities, Independent Living Groups (FSILGs)
Graduate Student Council (GSC)
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Independent Activities Period (IAP)
Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender (LBGT)
Publications, student news
Undergraduate Association (UA)
Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center (Z Center)
Careers, Jobs, Internships
Careers Office
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Public Services Center (PSC)
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Finances
Federal Credit Union
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Financial Aid, Undergraduate
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MedLINKs
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Edgerton Center
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Graduate Students Office (GSO)
International Students Office (ISO)
MITcard
Office of Minority Education (OME)
References and Guides
Registrar's Office
Teaching Workshops
Transportation and Parking
Undergraduate Advising and Academic Programming (UAAP)

iCampus: iCampus: Microsoft goals

iCampus: iCampus: Microsoft goals

From the start, Microsoft Research has seen the iCampus project as an important step in establishing Microsoft as a leading technology partner for higher education.
Specifically, the iCampus alliance creates a framework for researchers from MIT and Microsoft to:
Create new interactive learning models for project based science, mathematics and educational technology learning;
Build tools that define the cutting edge of excellence in teaching, with a focus on creating experiential learning environments;
Publish educationally innovative content for wide-scale distribution; and
Develop educational utilities—Web services for learning—that assist in assessment, administration and content management.

How Much Is a Blog Post Worth? Would You Believe $2400 Each?

How Much Is a Blog Post Worth? Would You Believe $2400 Each?
The metric we’ll try to calculate is revenue per blog post. I suggest we take the web site’s current monthly revenue and divide it by the total number of blog posts on the site to get a ballpark figure. So we have:
Monthly revenue per post = ( current monthly revenue ) / ( total number of posts )
This isn’t a perfect metric by any means. It doesn’t account for the contribution of non-blog content such as the audio section, nor does it account for site popularity as a factor in revenue generation. But the vast majority of this site’s traffic goes to the blog entries, and most non-blog items including the audio files and feature articles have their own blog posts too, so it should be a reasonable simplification.
So here’s the basic data. In August 2006 this site generated a little over $10,000 in revenue, and there are a little over 500 total blog posts, so we have:
Monthly revenue per post = $10,000 / 500 = $20 per month
So on average each new blog post I write increases this site’s revenue by about $20/month ($240/year). If I want to bump my annual income by $5000, I need to crank out about 21 new blog posts.
Is it reasonable to say that an average blog post on this site generates about $20 of additional revenue every month it’s online, even years after its original posting date? For this blog I’d have to say yes. Older posts continue to receive substantial traffic every day, and even though they don’t get the same featured position as my latest writing, thousands of visitors browse the archives each day or arrive from search engines, links, or referrals. I write mostly timeless content, so my articles normally have a very long shelf life. Some of the most popular articles on this site were originally written in 2000 and are still going strong. I don’t imagine topics like personal development, time management, spirituality, or self-discipline going out of style anytime soon. Plus I can always go back and update the most popular articles if they ever become dated.
Lifetime value of a blog post
Now how do we calculate the estimated lifetime value of a blog post? Here’s how:
Lifetime post value = ( monthly revenue per post ) x ( estimated post lifespan )
I’d say a conservative estimate of the lifespan of one of my average blog posts would be 10 years, assuming I keep them online that long. I’ve been maintaining web sites since 1995, so I’ve already seen some online content endure longer than 10 years. Beyond 10 years it’s hard to fathom what will happen technology wise.
Based on a 10-year (120-month) lifespan then, our calculation works out like this:
Lifetime post value = $20 / month x 120 months = $2400
So my average blog post can be reasonably expected to generate about $2400 in revenue over a 10-year period. These aren’t inflation-adjusted dollars, so the money received in year 10 won’t be worth as much that received today, but for practical purposes I don’t need that level of precision.
How resilient is this blogging income? What if my current method of monetizing my blog (mostly online advertising) goes bust? That’s of little concern because I’ll just switch to another revenue model. I’ve already planned for the contingency of another online advertising bust that might demolish my current revenue stream. I also maintain an emergency fund to give me sufficient breathing room to make such a switch even if my current model suffered an immediate overnight collapse. In fact, I’ve gradually been diversifying this blog’s income streams, and you’ll see a lot more of that happening next year.
But assuming a roughly compatible blogosphere endures for the next 10 years, it should be reasonable to estimate that each article I’ve written will generate about $2400 in revenue during that time, perhaps more as I continue adding new revenue streams.
Lifetime value of the blog’s complete archives
Interestingly, if we know the lifetime value of a blog post, we can also estimate the collective lifetime value of the blog’s entire archive. This would tell us how much revenue had been pre-earned from creating the existing collection of blog posts and setting up the system to monetize them.
To simplify the calculation a bit, let’s make the (slightly generous) assumption that all of the existing blog posts still have their full lifespan ahead of them. So posts that are a year old still have their full 10 year lifespan left. Since this blog is less than two years old, this simplification shouldn’t throw us off too much. So we have the simple formula:
Lifetime value of blog’s archives = lifetime value of blog post x total number of posts
Plugging in our specific figures, we get:
Lifetime value of blog’s archives = $2400 per post x 500 posts = $1,200,000
In other words you could say I’ve already done the writing work and the systems building to pre-earn an estimated $1.2 million of revenue over the next 10 years ($120,000 per year). This figure may surprise you, but it seems about right to me. Of course this assumes I’ll at least maintain current traffic levels and not do something stupid like allow the site to go dormant for a couple years. And as I continue to write new articles and make further site optimizations, the site’s actual performance should be much better, since this figure is based purely on the content that’s already been created. I also didn’t include this blog’s positive influence on my family’s other revenue streams, especially Erin’s readings, which would boost all the previous revenue figures by over 50%. For the sake of simplicity, I only wanted to consider this site’s current direct income.
Now here’s the great irony: Even though I enjoy a decent income for the time I invest in writing new blog posts (presently about 15 hours/week), I don’t write for money. In fact, I find the idea of writing for money totally demotivating. I write because I love sharing ideas that help people grow. I started writing articles in 1999 and gave them away free for many years. I didn’t seriously start monetizing my articles until 2005, after I decided to retire from computer game publishing. It’s nice that I’ve been able to create a vehicle that allows me to easily monetize what I write, but I’d find a way to keep writing even if it wasn’t an income generator. The income just serves as feedback that I’m writing something people value.
Value providers vs. post monkeys
I’m sure the metrics for other blogs will vary tremendously, but I have to wonder about those work-for-hire bloggers who write for a few bucks per post. Do they realize how incredibly risky it is to accept such a position? As I’ve emphasized many times before, our greatest risks in life aren’t that we’ll make critical mistakes — our greatest risks are that we’ll miss critical opportunities.
How many bloggers ever consider the potential lifetime value of the content they’re creating? Do they write for readers 10 years hence, or do they churn out disposable posts that will be obsolete next month? Are they capable of sharing ideas that could be worth $1 each to 2000 people… or $0.01 each to 200,000 people… given 10 years for their ideas to disseminate?
I’ll be the first to admit that it takes considerably more time and effort to write articles that are timeless, original, thought-provoking, and helpful than it does to rehash the news, compile link lists, or upload cat photos, but for $2400 per post vs. $10 per post, perhaps going the extra mile is worthwhile after all.
Even if you don’t care about the business side of blogging, what’s your attitude towards your current career? Are you more closely aligned with the mindset of a long-term value provider or a short-term post monkey? Do you eagerly accept short-term pay for short-term results, or do you commit to creating long-term value for long-term results? Will the fruits of today’s labor still be useful to people a decade from now? Are you selling out the future or intelligently investing in it? Long-term investing isn’t just about your own gains – it’s about investing in helping others, so much so that you’re helping them even when you aren’t working. If serving the greater good is your primary focus, then I say you deserve every penny the universe sends you in return.
Ultimately I believe the #1 factor in determining what a blog post is truly worth is the intention of the person who wrote it.
Discuss this post in the Steve Pavlina forum.

Free Accessibility CD Set

Free Accessibility CD Set

The free Microsoft Accessibility CD set includes:
Windows Vista Accessibility Demonstrations and Tutorials CD featuring a video and eleven demonstrations of accessibility. See the new Ease of Access Center, Windows Speech Recognition, and Internet Explorer 7.

Accessibility Resources CD which features Windows XP accessibility demos and tutorials, accessibility solutions, tutorials and training, and resources for businesses. Learn about accessibility in Microsoft products such as Office and Internet Explorer.

freedb.org > Home

freedb.org > Home
1. General questions
1.1. What is freedb?freedb is a database to look up CD information using the internet. This is done by a client (a freedb aware application) which calculates a (nearly) unique disc ID for a CD in your CD-Rom and then queries the database. As a result, the client displays the artist, CD-title, tracklist and some additional info.1.2. Can I download MP3s or other music files from freedb?freedb is not a file sharing service, we do not offer any MP3s or other music-files for download!1.3. Where can I buy a CD I found in the freedb database?freedb does not sell CDs and we have no information if and where a CD can be bought.1.4. Can you provide additional information regarding a CD in the database? Since all information is submitted by freedb users, we have no additional information about the CDs in our database.1.5. How can I access freedb?You should use a freedb-aware program. You can take a look at our (incomplete) list of freedb-aware applications.1.6. How can I tweak my CDDB-aware program to use freedb.org instead of cddb.com?If there is no direct option to choose freedb instead of CDDB, take a look at our list with config-hints, where you can find solutions for many CDDB1-aware programs. Programs supporting CDDB2 can not be tweaked to access freedb, as CDDB2 uses a different (proprietary) protocol. If there is no solution for the program you're trying to use and you don't find one yourself, please ask the authors of that program to add freedb-support.Top1.7. On which ports do the freedb-servers run?The servers run cddbp on port 8880 and http on port 80. The path for http-access is /~cddb/cddb.cgi.1.8. Where can I find a list of freedb mirror-servers?The current list of freedb server mirrors can be found here. A list of ftp mirrors for download of the database can be found in our Download/Database section.1.9. Is it possible to search the online freedb database?Unfortunately not, we will release a new online search soon.1.10. What about commercial and non-commercial licensesThis service will remain license-free and will be available for unrestricted use by any commercial or non-commercial user or developer. All commercial and non-commercial licenses of the existing software components and the database are only available under the terms and conditions of the GPL.1.11. How often is the database updated?We update our master server as well as the mirrors with new submissions several times a day.1.12. How can I run my own local freedb-server?You have to have a Unix- or Linux-system to run your own local freedb-server. Download the server software, which you can find in the download section. A very helpful HOWTO is included in the archive.1.13. I installed my own local freedb-server. Can I automatically receive updates?No. We only provide automatic updates for official freedb mirrors. You'll have to wait for the offline database updates to be released on freedb.org. If you want to be informed about new database archives, please watch our website and the forum for new entries.Top
2. Submitting new entries
2.1. How can I submit my CD's to freedb?You need a freedb-aware program supporting submit. For Windows you can e.g. use MAGIX Music Manager, Feurio!, CDex or Audiograbber, for Linux you can e.g. use Grip. A longer list of freedb-aware applications supporting submit can be found here. The info can be submitted via http or via e-mail (depends on the programs, which method is supported). When submitting via e-mail, the submissions have to be sent to freedb-submit@freedb.org.2.2. Are there any rules for submitting CDs to freedb?Yes, there are:1. Never submit info completely in capitals or completely lower case, if there is no special reason for that.2. For bands that have a leading "the", simply leave out the "the" (e.g. use "Rolling Stones" instead of "The Rolling Stones") (this rule does not apply to "The The" ;-)3. Names of people should be written "first name last name" - NOT "last name, first name".4. Use the name of the artist repeated on the "title" field if there is no title (usually seen on an artist's first major label release, such as with the B-52's)5. When submitting a CD-Extra, name the data-track "Data" or something like that - do not leave the track-title blank.6. When submitting a sampler or compilation, you should include the track-artist in the track-name, using the syntax "artist / track-title" and set the CD-artist to "Various"2.3. Can I submit corrected information, or would that be discarded as "already in the database"?Yes, you can. The important thing with this is the revision, which the newly submitted entry has. It has to be higher than the revision of the existing entry (otherwise the newly submitted entry is discarded). So you need a program supporting revisions. Fortunately most programs support revisions in their latest versions. If you are a Windows-User, you can e.g. try Audiograbber, CDex or EAC, which support revisions and increase them automatically, when resubmitting. As a Linux-User, you can try Emptytree Seedy or gtcd. To be sure that this works, you should first query freedb for the entry, change it and resubmit it. Please be careful, and select the correct category for the submit (it has to be the same as the original entry's category).2.4. Can I correct database entries I found via the web-based search, if I don't have the CD?Yes, you can. On the website displaying the content of the entry you want to correct, note a disc ID on the "ids:" line and the accompanying category and click on the disc ID. This will now show you the raw database entry. Copy the complete entry to your e-mail program, do the changes you want to do and increase the "Revision" by one. The subject of the e-mail must be "cddb category discid" where category is the category of the original entry (do not change it!) and discid is the disc ID of database entry. Now send the e-mail with the corrected entry to freedb-submit@freedb.org. Make absolutely sure that you send the e-mail as text-only. HTML-e-mails will be rejected by the server software!Top2.5. Can you (freedb) add more genre categories to the database?It's theoretically possible, but we won't do that, as a lot of programs rely on exactly the 11 current categories to exist. Additionally a lot of entries in the current database would be misplaced, if we added new categories. But there's a better solution: If you're using a program supporting protocol level 5 (e.g. the latest versions of CDex, dMC and Easy CD-DA Extractor), you can store any genre name inside the database entry (additionally to the general classification)!2.6. Which genre categories are there and where should I put rap or pop CDs? This is the list of the 11 freedb categories: blues (self explanatory)classical (self explanatory)country (self explanatory)data (ISO9660 and other data CDs)folk (self explanatory)jazz (self explanatory)newage (self explanatory)reggae (self explanatory)rock (incl. funk, soul, rap, pop, industrial, metal, etc.)soundtrack (movies, shows)misc (others that do not fit in the above categories) Additionally to the general classification freedb supports a genre field in the database entries, which can be filled with any genre name. To do so, you need a program supporting protocol level 5.2.7. My freedb-submission was rejected with error-reason "Discid collision in category xy". What's the problem?The disc ID, which is an important factor in identifying a CD, is not as good as it could be - in fact, it is pretty bad as a unique identifier for a CD. Therefore completely different CDs (with the same length in seconds and the same track number) can have the same disc ID. A disc ID, however, can only exist once in each of the 11 categories. This disc ID algorithm and the cddb protocol can unfortunately not be changed without loosing backwards compatibility to existing applications - and we definitely want to keep backwards-compatibility.If you receive a rejection e-mail telling you, that there was a disc ID collision in the category you tried to submit the entry to, that means, that in that category the disc ID of your CD is already used for a different CD. When querying the server for disc information with your CD, you don't see the existing entry (which is for a different CD), because the server software checks not only the discid, but also the track offsets when trying to determine, if an entry is a match or not. In order to submit your CD to freedb successfully, you will have to select a different category - even if it does not really fit for the music style of your CD. Since a specific genre can be specified for a database entry in addition to the category, a wrong category choice is not really that problematic.Top2.8. My freedb-submission was rejected with error-reason "Existing entry found with higher revision than submitted". What's the problem?In order to prevent correct database entries from being overwritten by new (possibly incorrect) submissions, freedb uses revisions for its database entries. When reading a database entry from freedb, an application supporting the revision system stores the revision of the existing entry. If the user changes the entry (to correct mistakes) and re-submits it, the application increases that revision by 1 for the re-submission. So if the server receives an updated database entry with increased revision, it knows, that the user submitting the updated entry really saw the original entry. If the revision is not increased, the server software has to assume, that the user never saw the original entry and is possibly overwriting an entry, that is already perfectly ok.In order to ensure that a re-submission really works, you should first query freedb for the entry and then correct and re-submit the info (without closing the application in-between, as it might "forget" the revision of the original entry when being closed).2.9. My freedb-submission was rejected with error-reason "Unsupported charset in header". What's the problem?Submissions must be in the US-ASCII, the ISO-8859-1 (the 8-bit ASCII extension also known as "Latin alphabet #1") or the UTF-8 charset. The application you used for submit specified an unsupported charset for the submission - which is something you should report as a bug to the application's author, if there isn't already a new, bugfixed version available.2.10. My submission was rejected with error-reason "unauthorized client/revision". Why?We had to block the program version you're using from submit, because it generates erroneous submissions. Try getting a newer version of the program - the author of the program was informed about the problems and most likely there is already a new, bugfixed version available, which is not blocked from submit. 2.11. My submission was rejected with error-reason "garbage character on line xy". Why?The server software found a character in the submission, which is not valid in the charset specified for the submission by the application you used. Only applications supporting the new protocol level 6 can submit entries with Unicode characters - older applications are limited to the ISO-8859-1 (aka Latin1) charset. In order to find the character which caused the rejection, start counting the lines in the rejection notice beginning with the "# xmcd" line, until you reach the line number mentioned in the rejection reason.2.12. My submission was rejected with error-reason "Submission is not utf8, existing database entry is utf8". Why?The reason why a UTF-8 encoded entry can't be overwritten with a non-UTF-8 entry is that a UTF-8 entry (eg. in Japanese) may contain character data which can't be presented in the ISO-8859-1 encoding. These characters will, except for some Eastern characters which will be transliterated, be shown as question marks in clients which haven't been updated to support UTF-8 (the entry is, in fact, probably all right). This will provoke people to try and overwrite it (eg. with transliterated Japanese, or worse, S-JIS presented as ISO-8859-1) while there might be no need to do so. This message will become less common as clients are updated. Ask the author of the application you use to support UTF-8.Top
3. Database-files
3.1. How often do you release the database archives?We try to release a complete archive in Windows and Unix format and an update in Unix format once a month. However, there is no guarantee for this. Please do not send e-mails, asking for updates!3.2. Can you inform me, when new database archives are available? If you want to be informed about new database archives, please watch our website and the forum for new entries.3.3. What is a .bz2-archive, how can I decompress it?bzip2 is a very good compression-algorithm. If you don't know how to decompress it, visit the bzip2 and libbzip2 official home page.If you prefer a GUI-based program and are running Windows, try Power Archiver (Shareware) or 7-Zip, which is Freeware. There's also a bzip2-plugin available for the popular Total Commander.3.4. Why can't I extract the Unix-format database under Win9x or WinME?The rock and the misc directory contain more than 38.000 files. Unfortunately the FAT-filesystem cannot handle that many files in one directory. Since WinNT and Win2000 use NTFS, they don't have the problem. As a solution you should download the Windows-format database archive instead. It consists of far fewer files, as it includes several database entries per file.3.5. Why aren't there update files available for the Windows-format database, like those for the Unix-format database? Direct updates for the Windows format database are not possible, but that's no problem as you can use the freedb Updater (which is available on the ftp-servers) to update your Windows format database using the Unix format update files.3.6. Why do I get lots of 0 byte files when extracting the Unix-format archives under WinNT/2000/XP and how can I extract them properly? The Unix-format archives contain several hardlinks. Extracting them under WinNT/2000 doesn't work properly (as links are not supported by Windows) when using common decompressors, so you will get 0 byte files instead of the links. But there is a way to extract the files properly. Download star.exe, bzip2.exe and the cygwin1.dll from ftp://ftp.berlios.de/pub/cdrecord/alpha/win32/ Put them somewhere in your path and run star -x -bz -copylinks f=/cygdrive/driveletter/path_to_your_archive in the directory, to which you want to extract the database.