TechBlazer

Your computer’s IP address can be either static or dynamic. A static IP address is when a specific IP address has been assigned to a specific computer on the local network. A dynamic IP address is automatically or dynamically configured by the DHCP server. Whenever possible I recommend using a dynamic IP address with DHCP, if your network supports it. If you use a dynamic IP address with DHCP then you don’t have to change your settings if you move your computer to another location, and DHCP doesn’t require you to manually configure settings such as Domain Name System (DNS) and Windows Internet Name Service (WINS). To change your IP address in Windows 7 do the following:

1. Click the Start Orb .

2. Click Control Panel.

3. Find the “View by:” drop down box in the upper right corner of the Control Panel and do one of the following:

3a. If it is set to “View by: Category”, then click View network status and tasks.

3b. If  it is set to “View by: Large icons” or “View by:Small icons“, click Network and Sharing Center.

Both will lead you to the same screen.

4. On the next screen click Change adapter settings.

5. Right click on your network adapter and select Properties. This is usually named either “Local Area Connection” or “Wireless Network Connection”. The “Local Area Connection Properties” box will open.

6. Click the Networking tab. Under “This connection uses the following items”, click either Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), or Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6), and then click the Properties button.

7a. To specify IPv4 IP address settings, do one of the following:

7a(1). To obtain IP settings automatically, click the radio button next to Obtain an IP address automatically, and then click the OK button.

7a(2). To specify an IP address, click the radio button next to Use the following IP address, and then, in the “IP address”, “Subnet mask“, and “Default gateway” boxes, type the IP address settings, and then click the OK button.

7b. To specify IPv6 IP address settings, do one of the following:

7b(1). To obtain IP settings automatically, click the radio button next to Obtain an IPv6 address automatically, and then click the OK button.

7b(2). To specify an IP address, click the radio button next to Use the following IPv6 address, and then, in the “IPv6 address”, “Subnet prefix length”, and “Default gateway” boxes, type the IP address settings, and then click the OK button.

8. To specify DNS server address settings, do one of the following:

8a. To obtain a DNS server address automatically, click the radio button next to Obtain DNS server address automatically, and then click the OK button.

8b. To specify a DNS server address, click the radio button next to Use the following DNS server addresses, and then, in the “Preferred DNS server” and “Alternate DNS server” boxes, type the addresses of the primary and secondary DNS servers, and then click the OK button.

9. To change DNS, WINS, and IP settings, click Advanced.

10. Click OK to close the “Local Area Connection Properties” box.

11. Right click on your network adapter and select Diagnose. This is to ensure that your new configuration is working properly.

Your IP Address is: 38.107.191.119

An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a numerical label that is assigned to devices participating in a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication between its nodes. An IP address serves two principal functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing. Its role has been characterized as follows: “A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A route indicates how to get there.” (Wikipedia, 2/2/10)

Twice a year for seemingly no apparent reason Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 crashes randomly. Adobe has acknowledged that there is an issue when working with certain PHP or ASP files in Code view or Design view after the clock goes back one hour, when Daylight Savings Time ends. The crashes only occur when selecting certain lines in Code view, or selecting certain objects in Design view. The crashes only occur in files that have PHP or ASP code, intermingled with HTML code. The crashes do not occur in Dreamweaver 8 or earlier.

Adobe states that the Dreamweaver CS3 crashes occur after Daylight Savings Time ends, however I have experienced this issue both before and after the Daylight Savings Time change.

The reason Dreamweaver keeps crashing is that the WinFileCache-AD76BB20.dat file has been corrupted by the time change.

Here’s the solution to prevent Dreamweaver crashes:

1. If Dreamweaver is open, quit the application.
2. Delete the WinFileCache-AD76BB20.dat file from the Dreamweaver user configuration folder. Note that on Windows, the Application Data and AppData folders are hidden by default, so verify that your Windows Explorer folder options are set to View Hidden Folders. The location of this file is as follows:
   • For Dreamweaver CS3 on Windows Vista:
     C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Dreamweaver 9\Configuration
   • For Dreamweaver CS3 on Windows XP:
     C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Adobe\Dreamweaver 9\Configuration
3. Restart Dreamweaver.

This has been an issue with Dreamweaver CS3 for some time now. I really hope that Adobe will publish an update for Dreamweaver CS3 that will fix this annoying bug.

[Dreamweaver CS3 crashes after Daylight Savings Time ends]

Getting a business license in Alabama is a simple process. A business license for a Sole Proprietor can be obtained in just a few hours. Check out this step-by-step guide on how to get a business license in Alabama:

1. First you need to determine what type of legal structure, business, or type of organization is being established.

1. Sole Proprietor – A sole proprietor is one individual who owns a company that is not incorporated or registered with the state as a limited liability company (LLC). Sole proprietors may or may not have employees. In a sole proprietorship: (1) The business does not exist separately from the owner. (2) The risks of business apply to the individual’s personal assets, including those not used for the business. (3) The sole proprietor reports business income on his or her individual tax return.
2. Partnership - An unincorporated organization with two or more members is generally classified as a partnership for federal tax purposes if its members carry on a trade, business, financial operation, or venture and divide its profits. However, a joint undertaking merely to share expenses is not a partnership. For example, co-ownership of property maintained and rented or leased is not a partnership unless the co-owners provide services to the tenants. Partners can be individuals, corporations, trusts, estates, and other partnerships. Each partner contributes money, property, labor or skill, and expects to share in the profits and losses of the business. A partnership does not pay tax on its income, but “passes through” any profits or losses to its partners. Partners must include partnership items on their tax returns. Two common forms of partnerships are general partnership and limited partnership.
3. Corporation - A corporation is a legal entity established by a charter granting it certain legal powers, rights, privileges, and liabilities. A corporation can be established by a person or group of people with a charter from the state’s secretary of state. After a corporation is created, it becomes its own entity and generally has an indefinite lifespan.
4. Limited Liability Company (LLC) – An LLC is a structure allowed by state statute. An LLC is formed by filing articles of organization with the individual state’s secretary of state. Owners of an LLC are called members. Members may include individuals, corporations, other LLCs, and foreign entities. An LLC can be formed by one or more members, and there is no maximum number of members. There can be no more than one active LLC with the same name in the same state. For federal tax purposes, an LLC may be treated as a partnership or a corporation, or be disregarded as an entity separate from its owner. An LLC can also be organized as a professional limited liability company (PLLC) or a limited company (LC).
5. Estate - An estate (or decedent estate) or succession is a legal entity created as a result of a person’s death. The estate consists of the real estate and/or personal property of the deceased person. The estate pays any debts owed by the decedent, and distributes the balance of the estate’s assets to the beneficiaries of the estate.
6. Trusts – A trust is a legal entity that is created under state law and is taxed under federal law. The trust can be created to perform one act or a series of acts.
7. Other – Visit http://www.IRS.gov if none of the above fit what you are establishing. There are several others to choose from, including tax-exempt and governmental organizations.

[source www.IRS.gov]

This could be the most time consuming step depending on the type of legal structure, business, or type of organization that is being established. I established a business as a sole proprietor without the need of legal counsel or filing additional paperwork. I highly recommend consulting a legal professional for this step.

2. Determine your 5 and 6 digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) numbers at http://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/. The NAICS is the standard used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy. It’s not required to have these numbers before continuing to the next steps, but you will need them later.

3. Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) Online at https://sa2.www4.irs.gov/modiein/individual/index.jsp, cost $0. You will get your EIN immediately upon completing this application. However, if you are an unauthorized third party completing this application for someone else, although the IRS will issue the EIN immediately, it will only disclose the number, in writing, to the addressee.

4. Register for an Alabama State Sales Tax ID at https://aldor.efile.govconnect.com/web/ALO_CBR/WelcomeRegis.asp, cost $0. You will receive your filing confirmation number and a printable copy of your submitted application upon completing this application. You will also receive an email confirmation and a paper copy within a few business days.

5. Register for a City and County Tax Account Number at https://secure.bizlicenseonline.com/default_rds.aspx, cost $0. You will receive an email confirmation and a paper copy within a few business days.

6. If you are starting a home based business you may be required to complete a Home Occupation Permit Application. Check with your local City Hall for the proper form and guidelines. I was able to obtain the form from the city’s website (http://www.florenceal.org/One_Stop_Shop/Form_Descriptions/index.html).

7. And finally, apply for your business license at the City Clerk’s office. You may be able to get the Business License application from the city’s website and complete it prior to arriving to save time. Be sure bring a copy of your EIN, Alabama State Sales Tax ID, City and County Tax Account Number, and Home Occupation Permit Application. The cost of the business license varies by municipality. Some municipality’s fees are flat fees and some are based on gross receipts.

This is the process that I used to get a business license in the city of Florence located in Lauderdale County, Alabama. This process may be similar for other counties in Alabama, and possibly other states. Contact your local City Clerk’s office for guidance and information on how to get a business license in your city and state.

Also, check out these eHow.com search results on how to get a business license in Alabama.

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. If you need legal advice, contact a lawyer.

Authorize.net  was down due to a fire in the Seattle-based Fisher Plaza data center. Authorize.net downtime was limited to a few hours. Further downtime from the fire is not anticipated.

The following was posted to the Announcements section on the Authorize.net website on Sunday, July 5, 2009 with the heading “Unanticipated Downtime Summary”:

The security and reliability of the Authorize.Net Payment Gateway are of the utmost importance to everyone at Authorize.Net and our parent company, CyberSource Corporation. Each year we invest significant financial resources and energy to assure that we can accommodate our growth-both in terms of the number of merchants we serve and the number of transactions we process. Our mission is simply to provide the industry’s most secure and reliable payment solutions.

As part of our efforts to assure that we are meeting our goals, we continuously look at our infrastructure and processes to confirm that they meet the needs of our merchant base. Unfortunately, late in the evening of July 2, 2009, we encountered a service disruption that adversely impacted our merchant base. The purpose of this communication is to explain what happened and perhaps more importantly, the steps we are taking to ensure that it will not happen again.

Fisher Plaza Fire
Authorize.Net’s primary servers are housed in the Seattle-based Fisher Plaza, a state-of-the-art “class A” data center with full redundancy and diversity in all systems, including the building structure, power, cooling and connectivity. However, even with state-of-the-art technologies, things can go wrong, and on July 2, 2009, at approximately 11:10 PM Pacific time, Fisher Plaza suffered a fire that knocked out its primary power supply. More information on the fire can be found at http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Fisher-Communications-Inc-NASDAQ-FSCI-1012899.html.

Upon losing power, Fisher Plaza immediately moved to backup generators, but was forced to shut the generators down by the Seattle Fire Department due to their proximity to the fire location. With this loss of power and backup power, at approximately 11:40 PM, Authorize.Net (along with many other Web sites) was forced offline.

Backup Data Center
As already mentioned, Authorize.Net continuously reviews its infrastructure to assure that it is adequate to meet the demands of the business. As part of the 2009 planning process, it was determined that we were approaching the maximum capabilities of our current backup data center, and the decision was made to open a new, state-of-the-art backup data center in San Jose, CA. This new backup facility would not only act as a backup, but as a true “hot” site (in other words, real-time synchronization), so that the Authorize.Net platform could be switched from one data center to the other “on the fly.” At the time the fire occurred at Fisher Plaza we were just completing the final stages of transitioning to the new San Jose backup data center.

Perfect Storm
It’s fair to characterize the events beginning with the fire at Fisher Plaza as a perfect storm. Not only did the fire occur late at night, but the long July 4th holiday weekend had begun and the majority of our engineers, operations team and Customer Support representatives were on holiday. While many of these people were called back to work shortly after the fire started, it took longer than we would have liked to gather the full team. The fire knocked out our primary data center, which also provided our primary communication infrastructure, including e-mail and phone lines. We quickly organized our teams to fail over to the new San Jose data center. But while near completion, the backup data center was still undergoing final testing and configuration, and when we attempted to fail over, a number of unanticipated errors occurred. These errors, combined with our inability to access the Seattle data center (the fire department had deemed the building unsafe and no one was allowed in), caused the outage to last much longer than we would have expected.

Most transaction services resumed at approximately 11:00 AM on July 3rd and over the following days, other services were also restored. These other services included issues with Automated Recurring Billing, Batch Uploads, the Verified Merchant Seal and others.

Important: At no time whatsoever was any data that is handled or stored by Authorize.Net compromised.

Communication
Unfortunately, the fire also crippled our ability to communicate to our merchants and partners. While we would normally post messages on the Merchant Interface, Reseller Interface, public Web site, Customer Support line, etc., none of these tools were available due to the fire.

At approximately 7:30 AM on July 3rd, we began posting messages to our Twitter account (http://twitter.com/authorizenet) and we continued to provide updates via this channel. As service was restored, messages were also posted on the Merchant Interface, Reseller Interface and phone lines. In addition, our Customer Support department opened on Sunday, July 5th to assist merchants and partners.

Current Situation
Authorize.Net resumed processing transactions Friday morning and continues to operate normally from our backup data center. Fisher Plaza is being powered by external backup generators and is now operational as our backup center to San Jose. While it may take several weeks to restore normal power to Fisher Plaza, the external generators allow this facility to be fully operational. However, until primary power is resumed we will continue to operate out of the San Jose data center. We do not anticipate any further interruptions in service.

Lessons
Even as our engineering and operations teams continue to ensure normal operations, the postmortem process is already under way. We are examining all aspects of this outage and implementing steps to mitigate future risks. Over the next weeks, we will be completing the work to ensure that we have two fully functional, synchronized hot sites. Failing over from one to the other will occur in a matter of seconds. Steps are also being taken to ensure that we have the ability to implement emergency communication by distributing our voice, e-mail and Web capabilities across multiple sites.

Over the next days and weeks the postmortem will continue. Processes will be refined and further protections put into place.

Conclusion
We would like to reiterate that the stability, security and reliability of the Authorize.Net Payment Gateway are of the utmost importance to everyone at Authorize.Net and CyberSource. We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience the downtime may have caused and want to assure you that we are taking the necessary steps to avoid any similar situations in the future.

Thank you for your understanding and patience and thank you for being an Authorize.Net merchant. We will work hard to live up to the confidence you have placed in us.

I believe that the most important sentence in this statement is: “Important: At no time whatsoever was any data that is handled or stored by Authorize.Net compromised.”

Watch the video below and read the message that scrolls along the bottom of the screen. The message reads: “Attention Comcast Customers June 24th we will move ION from channel 12 to channel 178. ION will be available with digital starter – upgrade to digital starter for no additional monthly charge. Call 1-800 Comcast for more information.”

That exact same message scrolled across the screen day and night for at least a week prior to June 24th.

The message clearly states that you can “upgrade to digital starter for no additional monthly charge”. However, when I called Comcast to take advantage of the this offer I was told that I would be charged an additional $52.70 per month.

The Comcast rep said that the offer only applied to customers with a basic package, and since I have a limited basic package I would incur an additional $52.70 monthly charge.

I told the rep that the ad did not contain those restrictions and that it clearly stated that I could “upgrade to digital starter for no additional monthly charge”.

The rep put me on hold for several minutes. When he came back he said basically the same thing as earlier. I once again told him that the ad did not contain any restrictions and it clearly stated that I could “upgrade to digital starter for no additional monthly charge”. He put me on hold again and came back with the same statement again.

After the third or forth time he came back with a different answer. He said he wanted to meet my expectations, and he was willing to work with me to meet my expectations. He said he was now authorized to make me a special offer: digital starter at $14.99 for two months, then $52.70 a month thereafter. Then with the sound of triumph in his voice he said “How does that sound?”

What? I told him it was not even close to my expectations and with confused surprise in his voice he said, “Oh really, how so?” I couldn’t believe he was serious, but he was.

I told him that my expectation was to get an upgrade to digital starter for no additional monthly charge, not to fall for some “bait and switch” scam that would cost $52.70 a month.

He assured me that it was not a “bait and switch” scam.

Really? Not a “bait and switch” scam? Comcast “bait’s” me with an advertisement to upgrade to digital starter for no additional monthly charge. Then, when I call in to take advantage of that offer, you try “switch” me to a different offer, one that would cost me an additional $52.70 a month. How is that not a “bait and switch” scam. With a confused voice he said, “Uh, I don’t know, but I’m sure it’s not”.

After several more minutes of going around and around in circles and getting nowhere, I ended the call.

Atari started the home video game, quickly becoming the fastest growing company in American history. In the last six months of 1982, however, it all fell apart even faster than it started. Here’s why:

For many people portable electronics are an indispensable part of their life and the link to the world around them. The battery is the lifeblood of portable devices–and without batteries, our favorite devices are useless. For this reason, and because they aren’t that cheap to replace–you should always try to extend the battery life of your favorite equipment. If you’ve never imagined that you could do this–then you may be surprised to learn that some of your habits may actually be killing your batteries. By taking the following easy steps you will add hours, days, weeks and sometimes years to the life of your electronics.

1. Allow your battery to fully die once a month, or don’t charge it until you get a low battery warning on its screen. Cycling your battery this way will help keep the cells fresher longer.
2. Avoid overheating your laptop. Don’t set your laptop on a pillow, your couch, or your bed while it is running, as the cushions will prevent proper ventilation and your computer’s interior temperature will rise dramatically. This will shorten the life of the battery very quickly.
3. Don’t leave your valuable electronics exposed to high levels of heat. This includes the inside of your car on a summer’s day. Try to use your cell phone or iPod after it has sat in your sweltering car all day, and you may discover that it will no longer hold more than a 10-minute charge.
4. Similar to heat, extreme cold (anything below 40 degrees) can also shorten the life of your batteries. If you forget your device in your car in the dead of winter, allow it to come to room temperature before turning it back on.
5. If you have older devices that you just don’t use as often, but don’t want to get rid of, use them at least once a month. If the device is left unused, over a period of time, the battery will become stagnant and need to be replaced.

[via eHow]

• Another Monday morning. Going to need a lot of coffee today. #
• RT @JasonCalacanis: Happy National Napping Day. http://www.mahalo.com/Napping_Day #
• I wish Gmail and Google Apps email would add a “Send and Apply Label” button. @GoogleAtWork @google #
• Did you watch Woz dance last night? Me neither, but you can still vote for him here: http://bit.ly/aVugI. #votewoz #
• Enjoying lunch outside on the patio and free wifi at Sweet Peppers Deli. #
• Time to go home and do some yard work while the weather is nice. #
• Got some yard work done and took the dog for a short walk. #
• Having problems with the Android WeatherBug app all day. It can’t find my location. Reinstall did not help. #
• http://twitpic.com/1zt4z – WeatherBug Android app share test. #
• WeatherBug app is working now. Somehow “Use wireless networks” under “Settings” was unchecked. Very handy app; glad it’s working now. #
• RT @GoogleAtWork: last call for webinar: mixing in-house + hosted services, cost tradeoffs, security. 9am PST today. free. http://ow.ly/MJp #
• RT @TheGrok: 3-Steps for Writing (and testing) Great Headlines http://tinyurl.com/ahs5bb #
• RT @BirthdayDirect: Now in stock: Rock Star Guitar birthday party supplies: http://bit.ly/lxm6x. #
• #randomfactaboutme I love Cheez-It snack crackers. #
• RT @google Yes, it’s true: Google Voice is coming http://bit.ly/oIj55 #
• RT @waff48: BREAKING: Astronauts are evacuating the Int’l Space Station due to space debris. Stay tuned to WAFF 48 News at Noon for updates. #
• RT @waff48: UPDATE: Danger has passed at ISS; astronauts leave Soyuz after short evacuation: http://twurl.nl/p05h4r #
• Going to get some meds. I’ve had this 24 hour cold over a month now. #
• Got Tyler some new strings for his guitar at Alabama Music; left mine there for some minor adjustments. #
• My first 12 of 12 photo set: http://bit.ly/7EgT5. #12of12 #
• Wow – RT @zr_i AOL’s gain is Google’s loss http://tinyurl.com/cnpb29 #
• Happy Friday the 13th. #
• Waiting for the upgrade to Google Voice. GrandCentral tells me: “Your account is not yet ready to be upgraded. Please check back shortly. ” #
• 938 will be the next new area code for North Alabama: http://bit.ly/V79h. #
• RT @google: How will you celebrate Pi day tomorrow? http://bit.ly/1apuZK #
• Nice cold rainy afternoon. Perfect weather for listening to the No Idle Frets podcast (http://bit.ly/dyH8) and drinking some coffee. #
• The ShopSavvy app on my G1 just saved me over $40. #
• RT @podcacher Happy Pi Day everyone! #
• RT @podcacher Happy Pi Day everyone!!! #
• Time to catch up on a few episodes of Chuck and Heros thanks to @hulu. #
• RT @dannysullivan: RT @kevinrose created a user powered twitter directory http://wefollow.com – click upper right icon to add yourself #
• No pie on pi day, ice cream and cookies instead. #
• Finally caught up on Chuck and Heros, for now. #
• Odd. The battery on my G1 had a full charge and died after less than 6 hours on stand by. I hope this was a one-time thing. #

This is my first 12 of 12 photo set. I’ve been wanting to do this for some time, and this morning I decided to finally do it. Here is my 12 of 12 photo set:

These were all taken using my T-Mobile G1 Android phone. The first 11 were taken the SnapPhoto app and the last with the default G1 Camera app.

View my 12 of 12 photo set for March 2009 on Picasa Web.