Recently I was trying to craft something for SQL Server 2000 that dealt with SQL Server system settings but working in a SQL Server 2008 enviorment (working locally and going to move the code over to the right location later).  I started looking for the tables that I would need to access. Usually I don’t need to distinguish whether I am querying a table or a view – I just find what I need to know and move on.

So I am looking for the tables… and looking… and looking. MICROSOFT HID THE FLIPIN’ TABLES! Not only did they hide them, they hid the databases the tables are in. From a security standpoint, ok, I get it. I agree with it. If you are trying to get into the system tables you need to know what the frack you are doing. If you don’t know then you don’t need to be looking there for ANYTHING. For the most part, querying the system views is sufficient.

Note – I have not finished this project yet. This falls in the category of things that are not critical, but once done, would make me feel compelled to dance a jig of glee.

Anywho, I started researching this… errr… new feature and came across this link. Simply, I did what they said to do with a few mods (for Vista) and got what I was looking for.

• Become an authority
• Be conscious of your presentation – authoritative tone even if you get your informati0n from a second source
• blog with a neutral tone
• appeal to a large audience
• stay positive
• credible content – accurate and informative
• one-stop resource
• present clean accurate news and bring original content
• hungarian bridge – translated the website for this and was the only person who did so
• networking – think outside your niche
• community – without community you have no readership; core readership – additional source for information
• exclusive reviews
• strong, reliable server – can your site stand being dugg, reddited or stumbled?

I didn’t mention it before but sorry if my notes are kinda crazy. This is just how I roll.

• get noticed – get people to follow you without breaking the rules
• works with DOD – got someone there “off the napkin” in two weeks
• bluehat marketing – good guy applies some bad guy techniques in a way that will be accepted
• don’t go tell everyone about your brand and to come watch you; Geekbreif TV is a good example – they had a plan, they knew what they wanted and stuck to it
• social media – focus on taking care of people  – you will have more success
• sponsors – I know what you are doing, here is how I can add to that
• We don’t “Sell” – We influence
• your opinion can have influence – ex. review of a camera
• click thrus – humans
• keywords & phrases – humans
• backlinks – search engines
• anchortext – search engines
• no-follow tag -test a comment, something that will not get any interest and then search it two days later
• bruceclay.com – all the seo companies share data
• 15-30 min a day helping and complementing people – they will be inclined to help you and further your brand; human nature – when you do something they will want to help you.
• levels of trust = reputation = social capital
• how much reach do you have? – 2.5 times factor of pass-along
• line that you cross that makes you a used car salesman
• seven reason why ms loves opensource
• advertising – you stop paying, it goes away;editorial content – lives on forever
• ad – caries no authority; edited content does
• IJustine – would rank #3 among viewership; 2.5 million views per video
• Google keyword tool
• use the terminology your audience is using
• Facebook – worst return on ad investment
• Facebook – get new users by buying the cheap ads
• social bookmarking sites – associate competitor with keywords that they don’t want to be associated with
• search for email addresses by @domain.com
• Linkedin – create real account and throwaway account
• all-in-one seo in WordPress
• optimize videos – titles, descriptions, etc..
• Tubetoolbox – youtube application; will not allow you to break the terms of service
• Flickr – will forbid you from promoting commercial content; use only descriptive text
• Tweet Adder – will quietly add followers, but then remove them if they don’t follow back; $40

• XSPF Player
• Podcasting – PowerPress
• Simple Video Embedder – powerpress – supports youtube, google, metacafe and other video sites
• WordTube – youtube access
• rss feeds – make sure if you use some type of media you also incorporate a feed
• enclosures – tech term, tags for any media throuhput – tells the podacast where your stuff is; these are built into wordpress
• feedburner – takes care of what you need to podcast though itunes; powerpress also does this; if you move your blog it is easy to update your links in feedburner
• wordpressmu – multiuser; this must be part of what I missed yesterday by leaving early.

CPM – content per mille (page views per month) – how much money are you getting per 1000 page views? get paid regradless of traffic

CPA – cost per action – when someone clicks on something and fills out something; affiliate advertisements

if they like the content they may ignore the ads

CPC – cost per click (adsense)

Sponsorship – effective but will have diminishing returns

Donations

engagement factor – metrics and methods; how much audience interacts in a measurable way determines how/when you get paid

move past ad networks and establish a brand

• advantages – creating a test environment; prevent you from taking down your blog unintentionally.
• requirements – php, mysql, apache
• tools – xampp, wamp, mamp
• there are other products to use
• can be installed on local hard disk or removable media

Bad Tags/Categories

• exaggerated persistence
• indecision
• covers many, focus on few
• babbling rambles
• un-categorized

Purpose of tags and categories – BE FOUND!

Do’s

• identifiable message
• clear message
• recognizable

Tags

• tags – index words, links, microdata, if enough posts have the same tage they are a category
• indexed by Technorati tags
• indexed by Google and other keywords
• tags can be any link

Categories

• Categories = Table of Contents
• categories should be defined – not too broad; it is about being found (keywords)
• know the difference between categories and tags
• 10 posts = category
• when one category dominates another – subject matter fo yout blog?

• readability – white space is your friend. Echoes from those technical writing classes.
• John P. edits his CSS on the fly… and gets crap for it. Hehehe.
• adjust the type based on the font
• different headers should have different font sizes – h1 twice the size of the default font
• you should care about what your blog looks like and that it doesn’t look like everyone else’s – who else with
• a canned theme feel like they are being lectured by the pricipal?
• using archives – using dates vs not using dates and archives
• related posts – put key words on every post
• look at the wall and then look back at your blog – where is your eye drawn to?

• know thyself, know thy blog
• add value – what can you say that will be helpful to those paying attention?
• the red and black tiger print shirt – I have that. Target. $10
• tweetdeck – harry potter example (meh); downloaded.
• make friends, not fans – talk with, not at; friends are more forgiving when you make a mistake.
• show appreciation
• google alerts – thick skin required
• take breaks – yeah, I got this one down.