When I clicked “New Post” I had no idea what I am going to write about, I have no clue right now as well. So I guess I’ll tell you about my routine these days, yeah? You like that eh? You have a curious stalker somewhere inside you.

Oh well.

It’s a very busy life. I wake up at a fixed time, I work for 14-16 hours (yes don’t give me lecture, I know it’s a lot), and then I sleep at the fixed time for fixed amount of hours. mundane. boring. I wish life had the option of saving and running macros. or something like a Super remote control (like in the movie Click). That’s all about my routine. I would ask you ‘what’s up with you’ but I don’t want to stop writing/typing right now. so I will continue, you can tell me your routine later in the comments.

I don’t know if you have read about SeeNReport (pvt) Ltd. getting series A VC funding, I think it’s really cool, and I congratulate them and wish them best of luck. You can read more about it here.

I think @byteconnector’s poetry is cool, and I think technotwoet.com will rock.

(yes, I am just randomly writing things I find/found rather interesting.)

One thing that’s constantly bugging me right now is the light yellow/cream colored line on this page which is tempting me to upgrade and try out wp 2.8.4 ;p.

@Shubhankar wrote:
#Pakistan truly a basket case – Article about the Rock scene there has #Afghanistan in its URL http://3.ly/b2y Pakistan #fail .. as always

When guardian makes a mistake and adds “afghanistan” in a url of a story related to Pakistan, it’s somehow Pakistan’s fail . IMO it’s a fail fail. *as always*

Did I tell you I have changed my default browser? I now use Firefox just when I want to use Firebug. Except for that I am always on Google Chrome. It’s fast. (Yes, I know you have heard it before ;d)

Just activated a new theme. I don’t change themes very often. But this one looks pretty cool ;d

These days when I am not working (rarely, before or after work-hours or on weekends) I try to get some time for games and browsing-around randomly. Have started playing NFS Undercover. Pretty neat. But a bit weird in the sense that it allows you to roam freely, but blocks the short-cuts when you are actually in a race. I love the cars they have offered though, From Pagani Zonda to Volkswagon :d.

While chatting with Saad’s Junni-Darling on msn we talked about one very old game ‘Cadillacs & Dinosaurs‘ that we used to play at “five-star-game-ki-dukaan” (5 Star Game Shop, desi gaming arena ). We have wasted so many tokens on that game. I found it at torrents and played it myself, now Hammad and Ibrahim play that. (they have finished it as well). Looking for more classics like that one, I found ‘Golden Axe‘ Triology. We used to play that for hours. I don’t like it anymore though.

I also tried “Worms Armageddon” pretty cool game. Trying to find “lemmings” now and will also try “Pro Evolution Soccer ‘09″.

One interesting fact about this post is that I started it at around Sehri (Sunrise), and right now am having kachori and mithai in Aftaar (Sunset) . heh.

Just updated an old post: “Blood Camp, YPP, or main..“.

While I was writing this post Gmail went down and came up again as well.. I didn’t even notice the downtime. I find it quite interesting that it was such a widespread issue that almost all of the slots in Google trends were taken by queries related to Google downtime. Never saw something like that. (Read it on mashable btw, that’s not my original finding).

These days I don’t feel like using twitter or facebook. I am even thinking (once again) about dropping off the social scene by comitting a social suicide. Let’s see if I really do do that.

Oh well, let’s finish this post. I will write again tomorrow if I feel like it.

-Salman

Update: IF you are using Web-Developer toolbar, read this too.

I was having this issue from a while now, none of the animated gif’s on any page would work in Firefox but they worked fine in IE, Safari etc. It was not bothering me much but AJAX applications use animated gif’s to give instant feedback to users and since I was using AJAX in recent projects it was hard to test usability without seeing the animated gif.

So I searched for it on google and found a fix on 008000;">mozillaZine Forums.. and it works! so if anyone out there is having the same issue, here is the fix:

1. Type 800000;">about:config in the address bar
2. Search (FILTER) for “800000;">image.animation_mode“
3. If you have the same error you will see it set to “ff0000;">none“. Change this to the default value of “008000;">normal“.

BTW I have no clue how I could have disabled this setting. I thought I might have disabled it while trying to fix firefox memory issue but that’s not the case.

Anyways it’s fixed, so have fun.

-Salman

I found this PakBlogger.Com post on How To Reset Wordpress Admin Password Via phpMyAdmin. It was shared by Awais Naseer of The Gadgets — one of the very few people who I found interesting enough to stalk using my PC & twitter account. I thought I should post my comments there but then I realized I could use my own blog to post a correction. Why? Oh well for obvious reasons that you all have guessed by now

It’s a very good post, but there is one thing that can be changed to make it even more simple (it reduces one complete step AND a tab) okay let me quote that part first:

Now open a new tab in your browser and go to MD5 hash and write a password and encrypt that to MD5 hash.

Step 5: Now copy this encrypted form and in phpMyAdmin check the box beside your username and click on the pencil icon to edit the entry and replace the password with newly generated md5hash password that you copied.

Click on Go to save the changes and you new password is set.

Okay now please check the two images I have posted below (click to magnify):

If you follow that step you won’t have to go to any other site to encrypt your password.. There is no problem with using 3rd party site for that but why use something when you really don’t have too?

My Preferred Way to Reset WP Admin Password:

Well this was for people who have access to phpMyAdmin, what if you don’t have access to phpMyAdmin? What if your access is limited to just FTP? I had that problem recently when I was trying to setup a blog at DaCoolSite.Com, a site that I created to raise funds for my awareness campaign “Thalassemia Free Pakistan“.

Well here is the solution for them:

Step 1: (Screenshot)
Download this file “Wordpress: Reset Admin Password Script“, Extract & Upload it in your Wordpress directory (it must share the same folder with wp-config.php).

Step 2): (Screenshot)
Open it in your browser (ex: http://yoursite.com/wordpress/reset_pass.php)

Step 3): (Screenshot)
Click on your Username, enter a new password and click submit, your password is updated. You can login with your new password now.

Step 4): (Screenshot)
For security reasons it is advised to either delete OR rename reset_pass.php on your server.

It can’t get simpler than that, no?
-Salman

I used to find/get work from RAC (RentaCoder.Com), I did my first project on RAC back in September 2005, I got only one dollar from that project (I actually submitted 4$ as the bid amount, but RAC deducted 3$ of their ‘fees’).

Well, after that project I did some more tiny project for 10$, 15$, 20$, once I had good rankings and testimonials I started submitting bids on bigger projects, then I got projects for as low as 90$ and as high as 600$.

In September 2006, Two of my frequent clients on RAC contacted me outside RAC and we started working outside RAC. Since then I have only done 4-6 projects on RAC. You can click here to see my RAC profile.

Right now I have a permanent job at DirectorsAdvantage one of the clients I found & worked with on RAC. I was working with him as a free-lancer since July 2006, and as a full-time employee since October 2008.

Oh I forgot to say that I am a PHP/mySQL Web-Developer from Karachi, Pakistan.

So that was about me, now for you guys.. I don’t know many ways to earn from home, or even if I do know some I am not sure if they work or how they work. So I am going to write about the things that I have tried myself and have succeeded.

1. Rent a Coder, the one I talked above, this was the most successful one. I will write a detailed post about who can use RAC and how to use RAC next (after this one I mean)
2. Blogging, I had very little luck with this, but then again I have not tried sincerely enough ;d. (Read Light Within blog for more info)
3. Entertainment Website, Maybe the most difficult, I have not earned myself much from entertainment websites.. But I know people who are earning from them. I have worked with ApniISP so I know the basics. You just have to give the freshest hottest content before everyone else. Keep updated with the news, something’s happening like Prime Minister Gilani’s Speech, Upload it first on your site, and share it quickly using Twitter, Facebook, DIGG etc, Some cool new song just got released? You already have the video? oh wow. UPLOAD.

I have only tried these three, but seriously speaking if you have some skills that can be used on projects available at RAC, you should go with that.. it’s way easier to earn by doing what you already know, and then again Blogs OR Websites can be created and kept updated in your leisure time. You can give it 2 to 3 hours (or even more) daily.. no?

Please stay tuned to find out what you need to know to work with RentACoder, and I will also write about a few things about RAC that I learned ‘the hard way’ (by losing real money I mean) .

Comments & Feedback will be highly appreciated and will also motivate me to write on this subject more.

-Salman

(Please note: I am not affiliated with Rent A Coder, I have used their serviecs as a coder only, and I will not be getting any benefit by sending you guys to Rent A Coder except for maybe some duayen from people who will find it very useful and fruitful.)

*relaxed*

oh and Happy New Year

Everything that happened this year, without descriptions and explanations:

1. Moved to a new location (new home)
2. My Fight Against Thalassemia (F.A.i.T.h) foundation got awarded on Blood Donors Day
3. Job!!
4. Successfully avoided hospitalization
5. Started DaCoolSite
6. Left IRC for good!
7. Returned some parts of the debt on my family
8. Ditched AKUH and returned to Fatimid :p
9. Started Blogging

I will update this post if I remember some more things.. so yeah.. This was definitely a better year.

-Salman

Developed using PHP & mySql, all scripts were customized to suit the sites requirement, due to the heavy traffic all scripts were highly optimized for lesser sql queries and bandwidth consumption.

ApniISP.Com, caters to all age-groups, from songs, ringtones to jokes, chat rooms and Forum Community ApniISP.Com has it all. If you are a site owner looking for more exposure simply putting your link in the web directory will give you hundreds of hits easily!

Visitors can also play online games on the main site or on the Forum to win prizes, download wallpapers and there favorite actor/actoresses pictures or Msn Display Pictures, you can even send an e-card to your loved ones right from the website, making it a complete website for all your needs.

Authorized users can login to the Backend Administration to manage the website, and sections, all sections like Songs, Ringtones, Greeting Cards, Web Directory can be managed from the admin panel.

Click on any thumbnail to view the full size screenshot.

000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/apniisp_2.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="ApniISP.Com - Latest Songs" /> 000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/apniisp_3.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="ApniISP.Com - Latest Ringtones" /> 000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/apniisp_4.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="ApniISP.Com - Online Games" /> 000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/apniisp_5.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="ApniISP.Com - Greeting Cards" />

Actually my e-life was pretty much idle in last three months, so there are no actual updates for these months.. BUT I have some projects that were under development in August.. let me post them all together in this post..

ExpressLien will be shortly expanding to other jurisdictions, but for now is only available in Louisiana.

We wanted to make it as easy and quick as possible, alot of information was required from user and a long form could have easily displeased users, so we distributed the form in several small steps.

User can fill those parts one by one and keep on going to the next pages, eventually they will get to the final screen where they will be able to pay for their selected services via Paypal.

It was really painful because complete form was supposed to be customizable, admin could login to admin panel and select which form fields are requried and which are optional. So with each field there was a query attached to see if its required or not.

Apart from that many parts of Form were dependent on user selections, like user can select to upload any number of invoice documents OR create his invoice right their on that very form. User could either provide his own Property Description OR he could ask ExpressLien.Com to search and get property description for him for a little fees ofcourse. Javascript, DHTML and CSS were used heavily to make it look perfect, excellent in usability and compact!

When a user starts filling this form a new code is generated and associated with that client.. and then on each page his form details are inserted or updated in the database. IF the user completes his order that data is automatically removed from the database otherwise it is displayed as “Incomplete Forms” on admin panel, so that admin can see if users are finding some particular field or page of form difficult to understand or fill.

After the order is submitted admins get an email that a new order has been posted, and they login to see what it requires, if its urgent or not, and if its filled correctly. They will process it and update the status as it is processed, after each status change user will get Update Email from ExpressLien so he can know that his work is in under process, that mail is defined by admins.

Every mail that system sends is also saved in database for legal reasons, so for example if a client claims that he didn’t got his lien, ExpressLien will be able to prove that they did completed their part of work and client’s lien was mailed to him.

Admin can also customize lien document for each order from an easy to use WYSIWYG editor, He can add custom text in it and then download or print it with rest of the documents or invoices that user uploaded, or if the user selected to create a custom invoice it is also included in the lien itself.

000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/elien_1.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="Home Page" height="119" /> 000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/elien_2.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="Form - Page 2" height="119" /> 000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/elien_3.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="Form - Page 3" height="119" />

000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/elien_4.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="Form - Page 4" height="119" /> 000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/elien_5.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="Form - Page 5" height="119" /> 000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/elien_6.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="Admin Panel" height="119" />

000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/elien_7.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="Admin Panel" height="119" /> 000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/elien_8.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="Admin Panel - Required Fields" height="119" />

For example someone who uses internet from home and office would want to keep his bookmarks synched, so he can simply export all his bookmarks from his home or work using the simple features given in every browser, and import all of them at once in just 2 clicks!

although the name says “Easy” but it was not as easy as it sounds , well actually the development part was easy but since I am not a designer so the very simple design part was pretty ermm painful!

It allowed it’s members to upload / create their bookmarks and organize them into categories or however they want, it also let them choose if they want them to be public or private, not only that but they can specify their username or password hints with each link if they want.. like if you have an account with gmail.com you can add a link with your username and password’s hint, cool right..? erm no? okay ;d

Members can also use their XML feeds into any software they want for example they can use Mozilla Firefox Live Bookmark facility to see all their ez4u.net’s bookmark in Firefox Bookmark menu.. cool? *phew*

Well that’s not it, Members can also share links between them by using the Messages section, they can send their links to some other user on ez4u OR they can send those links to any email id they want..!

Members can also customize their account by options like “Google search bar”, “Open links in new window”, “Javascript mouseover descriptions”, “Publicly visible account”, “Rss Feeds”, etc etc.. they can also fill their profile which will be only visible if their account is Publicly visible!

Admin have access to the stats and member’s profile, so that if a user forgets his password and email id he can reset it for him.. *if user remembers his email and username he can use the forget password utility him/herself*.

Thumbnails:

000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/ez4u_1.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="Ez4u Homepage" /> 000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/ez4u_2.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="Ez4u Public Bookmarks" /> 000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/ez4u_3.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="Ez4u Member Account" />

000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/ez4u_4.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="Ez4u Account Settings" /> 000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/ez4u_5.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="Ez4u Categories" /> 000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/ez4u_6.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="Ez4u Sites" />

000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/ez4u_7.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="Ez4u Add Sites & Categories" /> 000000;" src="http://blog.skdev.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/ez4u_8.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt="Ez4u Message section" />