Sunday, June 06, 2021
QiSoftware uses Thingamablog as the content management system (CMS) for most of the site's active blogs. That includes, this blog (Remix), and It's Personal.
This entry provides a "howto" on adding comments and "read more" options to Thingamablog posts.
Saturday, April 11, 2020
In 2010, I started using the desktop blogging platform, Thingamablog. I loved the idea that the entire database for my blog (this blog) was located on my personal computer, at the time- the 2008 Macbook.
In that, when I develop new software applications, I also write about the new tools, having a blogging platform on the same system as the software development environment, makes it easier to screen grab and post about the new tools in real time.
This worked for years, however earlier this year, new frontiers with SSL protocols left me in a lurch, in that my older Macbook and the Java JDK could no longer handle the newer security rules. I needed new hardware to handle the latest releases of the Java JDK.
I went with a Windows 10 Pro Mini that was easy to afford on the heels of the holidays.
So lately, I have been in software development mode and posting to my personal blog about new programs. Not because I develop software on the Windows XP system where my personal blog is maintained (also a Thingamablog), but more because that platform is always "on".
Long story, short-- earlier today, I decided to move this blog (Remix) to
the new Windows 10 Pro Mini.
First, I had to export the posts from Macbook version to an XML file, and then import the XML file to the new blog on the Windows 10 Pro Mini.
There were several problems with this process, however in my opinion, all minor in nature.
- For each post imported, the author (Q...) was not automatically inserted, however if I copy the contents of each post file to the corresponding entry while in edit mode, the modification process updates the author field.
- The second issue, the Macbook posts were not sequentially numbered, while the Windows 10 Pro Mini Thingamablog software imported the entries sequentially. This will not hurt too much in that the old blog entries are still in place, and though I do link to my own posts, can easily search on the original files and make quick changes. This I have started, however the task is not complete.
- I also had to manually reset all of my custom tags, however this simply meant cutting and pasting the same tags from the old to the new blog.
I have to admit, moving a Thingamablog was something I worried about. Happy to report this was a lot easier than I thought it would be.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Sometime ago, the official forums for Thingamablog were closed.
I myself know- that forums are an expensive resource to maintain online, so it was with sadness I learned this resource would no longer be available for Thingamablog users.
Novice users of the blogging platform may have been especially put off by this turn of events, in that- Thingamablog is blogging software that is maintained on a user's personal computer and all issues with its operation are left to the user. That said, it is not hard to put the software into operation [Linux, Mac, Windows] nor maintain once operational, however issues do arise.
This is why I am excited to announce- the Thingamablog Wiki page now lists the Thingamablog Facebook Group amongst the External Links.
This is a forum group, I hope will help users of this blogging software with all sorts of issues.
I have been contacting others to ask for their support of this group, including:
- Users of the Blogging Platform
- Web Designers
- Software Experts and Consultants
If you know of others that maybe interested in joining the Thingamablog Facebook Group, please let them know.
Tuesday, October 08, 2013
A great way to gain exposure for your business is to write articles for other [online] publications.
Organizations I also write for:
My latest off-site article, AACPL eBooks is for patch.com and discusses the local county library and their eBooks borrowing system.
If you are thinking of doing something similar, keep in mind-- editing your work is one of the most important factors. I tend to write a lot for my own sites/blogs, and find I am a bit more careful when writing for others. That said, I have allowed one or two mistakes to go uncorrected and can do nothing but cringe when this happens.
You may also want to save a copy of the browser page of your off-site article or snap a screen shot just in case. Most of us use automatic logins for accounts we use often and it is so easy to gain access to someone else's accounts when computers, notebooks and other personal devices are left unattended.
Monday, July 15, 2013
I belong to some of the largest affiliate programs on the internet- so I have experience with quite a few tools these programs offer to its publishers. Of course, I am a software consultant so I also look into API offerings of these programs.
That said-- a week or two ago, I created my first Listmania and aStore under the Amazon program and I have to say- it is by far the easiest ad publishing tool I have worked with. I like this program so much-- that I wrote a brief article on a community site I have a membership with-- detailing some of the reasons I do.
The article on Skirt--
If you are into affiliate sales for online content-- you really should check out this option. Further details about setting up a Listmania are found here.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
The first version of Q's Wire was online between November 2004 through July 2007. I took it offline-- because it dealt with a lot of body language issues that I previously had not understood. I will learn of Deep Throat in December 2006 and have two blog posts-- one in October 2006 and one in December 2006 explaining I knew nothing in October 2006 and then learned something in December 2006. The post reads so young. I had no idea.
I provide this information to explain why a post about my first version of the Blogger Calendar for WordPress was taken offline. Brief summary-- I developed my first version of the Blogger Calendar for the Blogger platform-- however for a blog sitting on a private domain-- blog.qisoftware.com. You may remember this post-- "Dating Your Blog". In November 2004 I started a personal blog-- "Garden Pleasures" which I later renamed Q's Wire.
In January 2005 I developed the WordPress version of Blogger calendar and wrote a post. Here is the Unix grep command I did on the directory where I keep all of the original posts for the first version of Q's Wire [larger image can be viewed in a separate browser window]:
Here is a screen grab of the actual posts that were returned based on the grep search:
I developed several versions of the Blogger Calendar-- the latest for the Thingamablog platform.
- Blogger FTP Private Domain
- Blogger Blogspot servers
- Movable Type
- Thingamablog
- WordPress
The link from this blog about the different versions of the calendar:
I recently discovered a optimization process that I might add to the WordPress and MovableType servlets that power the applets-- however it will be at a later date. Basically it will force the clearing of a large array I am using in the servlet-- however it really should not matter in that I developed this tool when I still had dial up and the first version had over 2000 posts and I never noticed a problem with the server [qisoftware.com]. It is a minor adjustment-- and should have no affect other than it makes things a little tidier. Java is supposed to do this type of cleanup automatically-- however I am going to run some tests to see if it makes a difference.
That said-- this is simply a reminder about when I developed the WordPress version of the Blogger Calendar-- January 2005. I also have a lot of tar backups for the site-- between 2004-2007. I was a lot better then about backing up the site on a regular basis than I am now and it takes a lot less time to down load now. Do not go after this.. I can prove too easily I developed the code and when.
Update: 4.11.12. QiSoftware and Regina D. Thomas [Sole Proprietor QiSoftware a legal Business entity in the state of Maryland]-- has had a great deal of interest in the Blogger Calendar [based on the form emails received from the interface on Q's Wire]-- however has never sold a Blogger Calendar nor received a phone call concerning the calendar. If you believe this is in error-- contact the FBI. They should have an open file on Regina Denise Thomas and her business-- QiSoftware.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Installed my new personal blog- "It's Personal". Here is a screen shot--
Features include:
- Thingamablog
- Blogger Calendar -- no server side Java required.
- Archives
- No comments.
- Fast loading
Q's Wire- will remain online for the foreseeable future, however will not be updated on a regular basis-- other than the current updates I am providing concerning a business issue.
