The Herb Garden

Creating Sitemaps Needn't be Hard

2009-08-19T00:10:00.001+01:00

After searching in Google for 'Google Sitemap Template' I was bombasted with hundreds of options for creating sitemaps with a minimum of fuss. The majority of the links involved registering at the site, or involved a method as complicated as creating the sitemap from scratch in the first place.

Eventually I found XML Sitemaps. It is by far the easiest tool I have encountered. In a little less than five minutes I created sitemaps for five web sites that had been long overdue. The reason it's so quick is that it's automatic priority function is very effective, and it fills in all the fields too.

If you want to get all your sitemaps done in record time, simply go to http://www.xml-sitemaps.com/ and soon all will be taken care off!Tags: xml, sitemap, google

Windows Genuine Pain in the Ass!

2009-05-15T16:13:00.001+01:00

One very quick tip for people. I have recently found a message popping up whenever I load Windows stating that it would be in my best interests to run Windows Genuine Advantage Notification and find out if I my copy of Windows is official. Now the laptop I have been using is second-hand so I have never questioned whether Windows is genuine or not, but have just got on with using it.

I believe it is still possible that my copy of Windows is genuine but I don't want to run the program to find out in case I then get stuck with an even more permanent program in my taskbar informing me every 5 minutes that I should really consider buying an authorised copy of Windows.

There is one thing that can be done to prevent this message ever appearing and one thing to remove it once it does start appearing.

To prevent it simply change your Windows Automatic Updates (they can be found in Control Panel) so that you are informed before any updates are downloaded or installed. When you get the prompt that there are new updates have a look at them and if there are any involving Genuine Advantage Notification don't install them. There are also some other strange things that Windows tries to install so this is never a bad idea.

To remove the message from your start-up simply go to Control Panel and find Scheduled Tasks. In there will be a scheduled task for Genuine Advantage. Delete it and hey presto, no more warning!

Setting the Scene

2009-02-15T17:51:00.000Z

I feel the time has come where my experience providing IT solutions for small businesses and not-for-profit and voluntary groups might be of usefulness to the masses, or at least the couple of people who may find their way here!

I find this area extremely interesting. The evolution of web 2.0 has made a vast array of applications available to small business. Some of the open source packages available are as powerful as those commercially available, and in many cases, are more appropriate for the clients need.

The other side of this is trying to create solutions from current programs and creating systems that allow small businesses to flourish in ways they may not have imagined.

I hope to use this blog to show some of these systems and applications and in turn hope they I might also learn something from the process. Web 2.0 is evolving at an incredible rate and I definately need help keeping up so will be grateful for anyone reading this to give me their own solutions.