Aja Lapus

Category: WWW

  • Buying the Competitor

    I first saw it with Adobe Systems‘ acquisition of Macromedia last year—i.e., buying Adobe SVG‘s competitor, Macromedia Flash, for one. Now the news is with Google Inc.

    I’ve just read in a press release from the YouTube Web site that the search giant would be buying them for $1.65 Billion in stock. But isn’t that Google Video‘s competitor? I really do not understand these companies making such actions, but still, with the proper explanation in the said press release, I think the merge could be beneficial to the users of the more popular YouTube.

    YouTube fans need not worry about this as they said that the YouTube team would still operate independently to preserve its brand and community.

    The complete press release is posted in the following Web pages:

    Note: Both pages contain the same content/press release.

    Now if only I could solve my connection problem with Google Web sites. [Yes, this is a different matter—completely unrelated to the news.] I could surf most sites but not Google and its sub-sites [Calendar, GMail] from time to time. I’ve checked my router and modem already, I just hope this is an ISP matter that is going to be fixed very soon as I don’t have time for fixing right now. Hmmm … I think I better study for the finals now. 😛

  • Phishing Warning

    I’ve just received two attempted attacks of phishing from two of my bloggermates in my Yahoo! Messenger contact list. I guess their accounts are being hacked the time I’ve received those messages, so I want to warn those of you who want to protect your accounts.

    For those who do not know, phishing literally means fishing [for passwords], as the letter f is usually replaced by ph in 13375p34k. Another definition could be password harvesting or fishing

    There are many methods of phishing attacks, usually through email that, most probably, directly goes to your spam directory [if you have any]. But ones through YM or any other IM accounts that really look like your friends are referring to you to go to are somehow really mind-controlling.

    The method I’ve encountered used a spoof of the Yahoo! Photos Web site inside a Yahoo! Geocities Web page requiring you to sign in with your username and password in the attempt to trick you that your friends’ photos are posted post-login. Please take note that Yahoo! Geocities Web pages are user-controlled, meaning other people just made up that Web page.

    The two URIs that was given to me was:

    Apparently, those two sites that were IMed to me were already reported and were taken down. Some may still be out there, [or are currently being made] so please watch out still.

    Note: Do NOT enter your login details there.

    If you take a look at both the main frames’ source pages (the frames with the sign in page displayed), you will see that the form input will go to a mailform (http://www2.fiberbit.net/form/mailto.cgi) with the same email address input of smoke.beer@gmail.com. (Now, spam that bastard!) It just means that your login information will go to his GMail inbox.

    The primary solutions for this is within you. You should basically:

    • Never trust login forms inside a frame of user-controlled Web page.
    • Try to login directly from the site, with secure (HTTPS) connection if possible. (e.g., Yahoo! Login, Google Accounts)
    • Never trust friends’ URI referrals unless you really know the site or have checked for security flaws/issues.

    I know I haven’t fully discussed what could be done to prevent such intrusions to your accounts, you might even want to change your passwords regularly. Just remember to be aware of such possibilities when visiting untrusted Web sites. Or else, you may be giving them permission to hack you.

    More about Phishing:

  • Fast Pace in Slow Motion

    I have a new layout, everybody. Obviously. I hope this one wouldn’t turn out dull like the second version. I have a reason for that static title, maybe I’ll tell you a little later. I’ve done this for four weeks. Yes, four weeks! I got so busy with many things but fortunately, one [this] is finished. Now, I have more time for the others.

    This is somehow broken in Internet Explorer. And, I am in no mood for hacking CSS yet again for that pesky browser. Get Firefox! I’ve been telling you for years! The upcoming Windows IE7, which is already downloadable in Beta, is still no match for it—at least for me.

    There are a few somethings still lacking from this Web site. Just as a checklist, it includes:

    Maybe I’d just post the story behind the title in the Site Information page. I really can’t think right and write right right now. See? 😆

  • So much work, so little time

    One word: über-busy.

    I’ve just realized having so many dreams and interests could really stress a person out—well, at least for me. Well, after two weeks of unannounced hiatus, I could finally tell you some news.

    1. I’ve got the Head position in the Web & Technical Committee of the Engineering Student Council. Wish me good luck on this, guys. It’s so much work I haven’t imagined. I’ve only applied for the Assistant Head position, but after two chosen candidates [for the Head] declined, they picked me. Many projects to come. 🙂
    2. I’ve got accepted to work on XHTMLized. Current project: none. I’ve got to finish ESC work first. 😀
    3. My Princess got a blog! And, I write here, too. Please read: Mixed to Perfection. Thank you! Shoutout: I love you, Princess!
    4. My interest in spreading Web standards could possibly be official. Though up to now it still isn’t, I’ve already told Molly that I’m interested in joining the International Liason Group of The Web Standards Project. I hope other Filipinos come and join. This would be a great opportunity for everyone who’s into standards. 🙂

    I know I am forgetting something. Haha! It would just have to be on the next entry. I have to start making my project proposals and the projects themselves. Until next time!

    Raindrops on my car window. North Luzon Expressway, 6 May 2006. Oh yes! I remember: I’ve already gone out swimming with the Tan Clan (my mother’s side of the family). I’ve got only a handful of photos because it was so much fun being in water after so many days of extreme heat exhaustion. Ironically, it rained so heavy the afternoon we were coming home from the province. *sweatdrop*

    BTW, I’ve finished my upcoming layout about a week ago. It’s the content that it is lacking—about eight user pages are still unfinished, but the WordPress layout is done. I don’t want to activate it just yet because I think I have the tendency not to continue its development if I implement the design so early. Well, I may ask you though: “Finish it first!” or “I want the new design now!”? 😛

    Back to work, now. One by one by one by one … 🙂

  • On Freelancing

    Everyone has to start somewhere, right? I know I started markup programming since I was 14 years old. Now, I think I have the skills and knowledge to make money from it. Well, actually, I knew months back that I could start making money with my work but I really do not know where to start. One major thing that stopped me was my lack of skills in image manipulation and design — I just do my XHTML really good. And since I thought possible customers were more into design than markup, I stopped a while until I have the skills — the skills that I still do not have that much even right now.

    Then I have encountered XHTMLized. There I saw an opportunity that I could just make the XHTML out of the customers’ designs that they can’t turn into beautiful markup. I have done this for a volunteer work with TomWeb on the UST Nursing website and with my friends’ blogs, and now I know I could do this for a fee.

    XHTMLized starts their service at $149 — that is PhP7600 on the average! Wow! I can not make that money even with my 4 months’ allowance! Now I am definitely starting my career!

    Well, I still won’t stop volunteer work for my school [TomWeb] and for my college [ESC WebTeam] and for my close friends, but for other people that need me: I am going to think about how much it would cost first. 🙂

    I know I’ve done free service a lot in the past few years but please consider that I am in dire need of finances right now. And, if I am not going to start making this as a career, I may not be able to start making this as one in the future. I need support for this from you [my friends and readers], maybe you could refer me to anyone who wants to build a business out of a website [those are usually the ones willing to pay for good design and markup] or someone who has just a lot of money and wants a good XHTML+CSS design.

    Here are my specifications about my work that may be of interest to those who are thinking of availing my services:

    • I use XHTML 1.0 Strict, unless the design restricts me to do so then I’d use the Transitional DTD.
    • I use XHTML purely for content, using CSS for design.
    • I would accept designs in almost any image format [JPEG, GIF, PNG, preferably PSD for Adobe Photoshop].
    • I would also accept designs in HTML or XHTML that the owner wants to be cleaned up for better Search Engine Optimization and accessibility [for text-only browsers and screen readers].
    • I would make the XHTML look similar [there is no same in rendering between different browsers] in major browsers — Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Mozilla Suite, Netscape Browser; and if possible, Camino and Safari.

    I do not intend to compete with those people at XHTMLized. I just want to start my career. Besides, I’ve linked them twice already — my thank-you’s for giving me the idea.

    Here are my details if ever you wanted to contact me privately; or just post a comment below if you don’t mind telling it in public.

    Thank you!
    — Aja Lorenzo Lapus, freelance programmer.