Frederick’s Timelog

Customizing 404 error pages (on WordPress blogs)

If you’ve ever seen a 404 error (”not found”), you’ll relate to the frustration that users experience when all they get is a “Sorry, can’t help you” type of message.

That’s why I’ve customized the 404 errors on Frederick’s Timelog to be a bit more user-friendly.

If you go to any random non-existent page (for instance, http://www.frederickding.com/posts/234u0af) you will come up against a 404 page with an evident error. The red background immediately indicates a problem, while the blue section indicates possible remedies.

On a random URL, the possible remedies are limited to a site search. However, if you go to a misspelling (for instance, http://www.frederickding.com/podcasts as opposed to http://www.frederickding.com/podcast), there’s a neat feature that says “Go to [the correct URL]“.

How was this accomplished? (Code samples follow after the jump.)

More »

China’s first spacewalk

Not really a spacewalk, just a bit of floating outside the module.

Adobe CS4 products released

Although there do not appear to be any significant new features, the new versions of the Adobe multimedia/document/Web development tools are very appealing. The major changes are generally related to 3D authoring.

You can take a look at Adobe’s Web site for more information about the new products.

“Better” Microsoft commercials?

A few days ago I posted about the un-funny Bill Gates + Jerry Seinfeld commercials.

Now they’ve released a new set of commercials that do promote Windows, and they are a bit more effective.

The only thing I’m confused about is: if Windows is the product that is being promoted (as one can tell from the logo shown at the end of each commercial) why are they promoting “PC’s” as opposed to Windows? I can understand why Apple would promote the Mac over the PC (as they produce hardware & software and it’s the combination that is being marketed), but not why Microsoft is using the term PC, which is not a Microsoft product nor a Microsoft innovation. Perhaps it’s just because Microsoft doesn’t perceive Linux and other PC operating systems as a threat.

Anyhow, I invite you to vote on this poll. Choose “Yes” or “No”, and also choose the reason closest to yours.

We’re not dead yet

Video from National Geographic.

We’re all still alive, aren’t we? Congratulations to mankind for the success (so far) of the Large Hadron Collider.

I just have one insight: when man’s technology surpasses his wisdom, we run into the risk of tampering with things we have no skill to tamper with. I’m not saying that the LHC is dangerous, because it probably isn’t, and I’m not saying that we shouldn’t make progress in science — I’m simply trying to say that maybe, just maybe, we’re moving too fast.

Please comment.

Follow me on Twitter

I’ve been using Twitter for about a month now, and the characteristic signs of Twitter addiction are beginning to show. That’s why I’d like for you to follow me on Twitter.

All you have to do is create a Twitter account and click the follow button under my name. You’ll be alerted of all of my future tweets (only about one message a day or less) and you can post your own 140-character messages as well.

Go on, see what I’ve been posting on Twitter.