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Windows user goes Mac; and why OS matters less than Browser
I've just switched my Lenovo T60 Thinkpad running WinXP for a MacBook Pro running Leopard; my first ever Mac experience. I'm surrounded by people who swear I'll never look back, and I'm keen to learn a new OS, so I'm putting my 'Apple is all form over function' views to the back of my mind and getting stuck in. Three days into the switch and I'm warming up to the Mac. Having not used Windows 7 extensively, I can't do a fair comparison of the current Apple and Microsoft OSes, but here are ...
Full entry: http://www.martynj.com/switch-windows-mac-advantages-web-browser-os
Google Buzz: How to hide your full name in your Google Profile
Posting an update to Google Buzz currently (16-Feb-2010) requires that your full name is displayed publicly on your Google Profile (a page at www.google.com/profiles/your_id_here). I personally prefer not to associate my surname with my online pseudonym so found a way to hide my surname from my Google Profile while still being able to make public Buzz updates. To remove your surname (or change your entire name) on your Google Profile: 1. Go to http://www.google.com/profiles/me/editprofile and change your First name and Last Name to whatever you want to appear on your ...
Full entry: http://www.martynj.com/google-buzz-hide-real-fullname-public-profile
Visit More Countries than your Age in Years
Some friends and I were discussing that a fun way to test how well traveled you are -- Compare the number of countries you have visited versus your age in years. I like the idea as a way to spur you on to see more interesting places. We found it's actually quite difficult remembering all the countries you have been to, but I've just stumbled across this Visited Countries webapp that uses the Google Charts API to generate a map with your visited countries highlighted. The handy Visited Countries checklist helps keep count. My Visited Countries total so far ...
Full entry: http://www.martynj.com/visit-more-countries-map-age
Using & Enjoying my Bialetti Moka Express
This year's Christmas was rich with coffee related gifts, including a Bialetti 'Moka Express' stove-top coffee pot and an Arabica coffee plant (Coffea arabica). The former has already provided many hours of tasty coffee enjoyment, while the latter should be ready to provide a brew in about 4 years! The Bialetti Moka Express coffee maker uses espresso-ground coffee and provides a rich espresso-like brew. Ground coffee is placed in a funnel and hot water forced through it from a reservoir in the base as steam builds pressure when heated on a stove. The resulting coffee bubbles through to a ...
Full entry: http://www.martynj.com/using-bialetti-stove-top-coffee-instructions
Festive Orange & Cranberry Muffins recipe
These sweet and tangy muffins made with fresh cranberries are delicious, but I could only find the recipe in US imperial units. So here's my interpretation in metric / British units. Ingredients, in order of use. Makes 12 muffins. 170g / 6oz butter 170g / 6oz sugar 3 medium eggs 170g / 6oz flour 1-2 tsps baking powder Zest of 3 oranges (or clemantines for a Christmassy alternative) 100ml orange juice (include juice of the zested oranges) 170g / 6oz roughly chopped cranberries 2 tsp each of cinamon, all spice, ground ginger 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp vanilla essence Steps 1. Pre-heat the ...
Full entry: http://www.martynj.com/orange-cranberry-muffins-recipe-metric
How to Host a Simple Web Site for Free with Google App Engine
...in 9 moderately involved steps. A Guide I wrote for my Dad. Google App Engine is a free (up to 5 million pageviews per month) web application hosting platform that provides an interface to Google's highly scalable infrastructure. It's a very powerful platform, not really targeted at simple static HTML websites, but with a bit of setup effort, it can provide a great way to host your website for free. The following instructions assume that your website is static HTML (no serverside logic) and you're using Windows on your local machine (though the same software is also ...
Full entry: http://www.martynj.com/host-website-free-appengine
Google Analytics: Setting up Profile Filters
To define what data appears in your Google Analytics reports and how it is displayed, filters process raw request data and pass it to the appropriate profile. Raw data cannot be re-processed once it has been passed through a filter, so it is recommended to maintain a completely unfiltered profile in addition to the rest as a safety/backup. 2 types: pre-defined & custom filters. Edit a profile, click add Filter, then choose whether to edit or create a new filter. Commonly used pre-defined filters: - Exclude all traffic from a domain (Google Analytics does a reverse lookup on a visitor's ...
Full entry: http://www.martynj.com/google-analytics-profile-filters
Google Analytics: Cookies and Tracking across Multiple (sub)Domains
Cross-domain considerations with Google Analytics Tracking users between domains with Google Analytics does not work 'out of the box' because GA uses only first party cookies. We need a way to share cookie data between domains. Tracking Multiple Domains If using HTML links to transfer visitors between domains, use the _link() Method as follows to track between domains: 1. Add pageTracker._setDomainName('none'); and pageTracker._setAllowLinker(true); 2. Add onclick attribute to all HTML links between the sites - onclick="pageTracker._link('http://destinationurlhere'); return false;'" If using forms (with method="post") to transfer visitors between domains, for example if using ...
Full entry: http://www.martynj.com/google-analytics-cookies-tracking-multiple-domains-filters
Google Analytics: Campaign Tracking and AdWords Integration
I made the following notes when watching the Google Conversion University slides: http://www.google.com/support/conversionuniversity/ Campaign Tracking and AdWords Integration Two ways to track marketing campaigns. 1. Autotagging your links in Adwords 2. Manually tagging other links To autotag links: Within AdWords, click Analytics tab to link your accounts. Once accounts are linked, you can enable destination URL autotagging. If you prefer to manually tag your links, you won't see your campaigns data in GA. If you don't want ad cost data appearing in a specific profile, you can edit the profile and de-select the ...
Full entry: http://www.martynj.com/google-analytics-campaign-tracking-adwords
Notes from Google Conversion Uni: Introduction to Google Analytics
I made the following notes by watching the slides on the Google Conversion University Help page: http://www.google.com/support/conversionuniversity/ The Google Analytics Tracking Code (GATC) javscript is executed when each page is loaded. The _trackPageView() method is called and GA first party cookies are written and/or read. Invisible GIF request is then made to transfer data to secure Google servers. Data is processed throughout the day. Google Analytics uses only first party cookies (no third party). Many people block 3rd party cookies in their browser preferences, but most allow 1st party. If user disables cookies, GA ...
Full entry: http://www.martynj.com/google-analytics-intro