Laughing Means A Lot To Me

Have used Google Adsense for a few weeks. It was looking good in the beginning. Like what I said, sometimes you can find useful information in the ads. But recently, after adding Chinese version in the posts, more and more unwanted ads come out, including the no sense hospitals and so on, which are not related to my topics at all. Maybe Google is still not so good in Chinese. Though Google provided an AdSense Preview Tool, there are god knows how many unwanted ads waiting to be published. Picking them out one by one is a waste of time. I have no choice but updating the Chinese version in another place.

You can add google account in iCal to sync the calendar. Previously you have to do that manually by a few copy and paste steps, really boring. Last night I found google had released a tool named Calaboration on December 9th last year, which is tiny but easy to use. Simply login with your google account, it will show the calendar you have. Check the ones you want to sync with iCal and click "Add to iCal" and it's done.

Note that the calendar with a lock after it, is read-only. For example, the calendar shared to you by your friends. You can change the setting in preference if it can be ADDED into iCal, but you can not modify it in iCal(either in Google Calendar of course).

Download it here.

I decided to add Chinese version of each post from today. Have to remove to avoid unwanted ads.

Previously I met the problem that the Apple Mail application starts automatically. I tracked the history for a few days and now I find out the reason. Here under is my analyze:

• There was no sign that the Apple Mail run in a fixed frequency.
• The chance of virus is slim too. Because virus often hides itself when doing anything bad like sending email to all contacts. And in another hand, OS X is much safer than Windows at present and no too much virus is reported so far.
• It could be triggered by some application that I had to find out.

So I check the system log in Console. I found out an error of iCal occurred at the same time that Mail run. When I look into the details, yes, it was there, iCal called a function to run Mail to send a email out. Since I have never set up an account in Mail, it pops up an notice to let me set one. The log also recorded what kind of mail iCal wanted to send. Then everything is clear: I sync the iCal to my google calendar, my google calendar has a series of email reminders to send to myself. While google has it's own mechanism to send them out, iCal uses Apple Mail.

This is just a specific problem. But the way of wisely using the Console and tracking down the history is the key to find out the reason for most problems.

You see, there is only one constant, one universal, it is the only real truth: causality. Action. Reaction. Cause and effect.

-- The Matrix Reloaded

Previously, I thought only internet rookies would click the ad in web pages. And I was even proud of identifying the ads from the real content. But one day when I was searching some information on web, I really found something useful in the ad provided by adsense. I could not help to click and bang, I got what I wanted. I finally accepted it and started to apply it in my blog. I know there will be much more to do to optimize the ad. To let the ad more helpful to the visitors like what it did to me. I will look into it step by step. This is a start.

Maybe in a few hours, gmail's interface looks different. When I logged in one second ago, my eyes told me there's something different: the Buttons.

To recall the memory to compare, I have to google the old interface out:

The buttons in new interface look more compact, beautiful. Not ugly grey buttons any more  (those in screenshot above are styled by Vista theme, but in Windows classic theme, they are like this: ).

They are also separated into 3 groups: simple button, drop down list, more action.
The change improved usability. I like it.

Tips: Note that there is a "Mark as read" button in first screenshot.
It can be enabled by a plug-in in "Setting -> Labs -> Mark as Read Button". Small function, but really handy.

Previously in May 2008, Google changed the favorite icon. Today I found that the icon has been changed again.
New icon is white lower case "g" in colorful background combine by blue, red, green and yellow.
I think all popular browsers are supporting tabs in same window. A unique icon could help user identify your website quickly in a lot of tabs. This new icon does a good job. It looks more attractive in a series of tabs.

Just found that in Gmail address book, QQ was added in the IM option list.

QQ is the most widely used IM in China. When ICQ was getting popular at the end of last centry, QQ, previous called QICQ, caught the chance in China. Compare to MSN, ICQ or other IMs, QQ has the local advantage. In China, it has become a standard contact method for long. Now it's added in Gmail address book too.

I have a QQ number of 6 digits, which could be valuable now. In another hand, now a long QQ number is hard to remember.

The English version of QQ for Windows is available here. And a Mac version too.

See the differences? I just see it today. Interesting.

Added google people search for earthquake on the top left. Hope more relatives and friends can be found by this google tool.