Month: March 2010

Categories
Uncategorized

X3DAudio1_7.dll is missing

You just started to play your game (possibly Metro 2033) and saw the error pop up about X3DAudio1_7.dll is missing.  This error is about Microsoft’s DirectX missing a few required files. All you need is a simple update, so let’s get straight to the fix.

Head over to Microsoft’s website to download DirectX End-User Runtime.  This file will update your DirectX, regardless of what version you have installed.  I had this issue on a Windows 7 machine and after the update was applied the error message was gone.  On previous versions of Windows, you may need to reboot.

Categories
Google SEO

Free Google Search Keyword Tracking

Finally an advanced Google keyword ranking checker that is free.  The site is aptly named KeywordRankings and is geared towards SEO people looking to save a history of where their keywords rank in Google.

Feature List:

  1. Entire Service is free
  2. Add unlimited domains
  3. Add unlimited keywords
  4. Each keyword ranking is checked once per day
  5. Each domain is checked for index’d pages in Google once per day.
  6. Graphs are created for each keyword’s history and domain’s index’d history.
  7. A public secure and sharable link is provided for each keyword to show clients.
  8. Available for google.com, google.co.uk, google.ca, google.dk, google.es, google.it.
  9. Keyword Queue Ranking decides in what order your keywords get updated.
  10. Demo account available: login as [email protected] / demo .

The site is coded in PHP with a  jQuery front-end and is extremely fast.  Anyone involved in Search Engine Optimization should be happy with it.  At the moment it is in invite only mode so I can squash all of the bugs.

There have been questions as to how the site determines each users “Keyword Queue Ranking”.  There are a multitude of factors, such as how long you’ve been a member.  I cannot give out all the details, but I can say that it is an ongoing process and will be continuously tweaked.

Of course if you’d prefer to not deal with the Keyword Queue Ranking, then the option to donate to the site is available to get priority keyword checking.  The site has not recevied any donations yet, so for just $1, you will be at the top of the list.  Over time, if everyone donates $1, then you would need to donate another dollar to be first again.

Essentially the price for 1st in keyword priority is determined by you guys, not me.  The site will show you where you rank in the keyword queue.

I am allowing 5 new signups. (1 SIGNUP LEFT)  Enter code: fantasysp.com

If you have any questions or comments, respond below.

Categories
rant

Lost is a Travesty

I was doing my daily rounds of sites that I visit and noticed that The Big Lead had a post about Lost.  My hope was that they were going to make fun of the nonsense and explain how many times they laughed out loud.  Like when Hurley was doing yet another slow-motion scene.  But of course not.

Much to my surprise they actually praised the show.  TheBigLead apparently loves the new Ben and says:

What a travesty that there are only nine episodes left.

There is no sarcasm here either folks, they were saying that line with a straight face.  It’s absolutely stunning that a character can be villain for 4 seasons, then in the span of 2 or 3 episodes viewers see Ben become a good guy and they think nothing of it.  AMAZING.

I’m not going to waste my time to say all the reasons why Lost was completely ruined into a pile of dogshit.  Suffice it to say that there is not one character on the show who maintained his character through 5 seasons.  I guess when you like a show so much, you ignore all of the negative aspects of it.  Exactly like being a sports fan.  You say things like “your team got unlucky, the refs made bad calls, next year will be our year, Sanchise, etc etc”.

So in the end The Big Lead, you’re  just proving what it’s like to be a typical biased sports fan.

All I ask is that you watch season 1 of Lost again.  Look at the tone of the show and the direction they are going with the characters.  Take note of the eerie feeling you get while watching, what was once a great show. . .LOST.

Categories
SEO Uncategorized

SEO, To Hyphen or Underscore URLs Revisited

I’ve seen a lot of SEO Experts and many SEO tools recommend that you should be using hyphens in URLs rather than underscores, one example was Ann Smarty over at SearchEngineJournal.  For the disadvantages of the underscore in URLs she says:

Traditionally it isn’t seen by search engines as a word separator (this is slowly changing now)

Slowly changing?  It was reported in 2007 that Google and other search engines treat underscores like hyphens.  To say it’s slowly changing is like saying Facebook is finally catching on.  Three years on the web is an eternity.  She also says that there are no disadvantages to hyphens.  Though I’m not so sure about that. . .

Think about multiple ways that hyphens are used.  Hyphens are added in-between words and in people’s names.  For example, Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jaugars has a name with a hyphen.  Let me give you an example of a potential sentence that includes his name:

website.com/Maurice-Jones-Drew-has-all-star-week

Now if we use underscores it would look like this:

website.com/Maurice_Jones-Drew_has_all-star_week

Slightly different meaning in both of those URLs, wouldn’t you agree?  It is also much easier to read with underscores.  Therefore the BEST option is underscores because people rarely use them when it comes to typing names or phrases.  There is no way they will get in the way.

I know what your saying, I’m preaching to use underscores when this blog uses hyphens.  Wordpress uses them by default (though I’m not sure why and I never changed it)  Though I have used underscores on other projects….  Check out Jones-Drew’s page at FantasySP.com.

I don’t mean to single out Ann because she certainly knows her SEO, but this issue just keeps popping up every now and then and it truly annoys me.  It needs to be squashed once in for all.

UPDATE: In the comments below, Kieron Hughes provides a link to Matt Cutts suggesting to use hyphens.  I guess I stand corrected.

Do you guys agree with me or am I being too nit picky?


Categories
Uncategorized

Speed Up Gmail’s POP Fetching

My previous post talked about how to switch from outlook to gmail because of speed and ease of use.  From my experience, I noticed that Gmail’s POP fetching for email accounts that I added were not as fast as I would have liked.

The solution is called GSpeed, which speeds up gmail pop fetching.  I have created GSpeed because I wanted Gmail to fetch my email faster.  To use it, simply enter your email address you wish to speed up and filter out emails from GSpeed.  It’s that simple!