Barack Obama, democratic runner up for Presidency in 2008 has just recently launched his website. Now, I don’t care much for politics but I couldn’t help but to notice he used a lot of Web 2.0 services to help promote his campaign. He is using a series of social networking components on his website as well as multiple 3rd party sites such as Facebook and YouTube.

Now whoever building his site is taking full advantage of what the web offers today. Facebook, MySpace, FlickR, YouTube, Blogs, StreamingTV are all fabulous tools to spread the word about a campaign. So many people visit these sites that it’s almost hard to miss one of his ad impressions or pass his blog.

One impressive feature I saw on his website was the MY.BARACKOBAMA, where he allows supporters to 1) Create a Profile, 2) Find New Supporters, 3) Plan Events, 4) Network with Friends, 5) Fund-raise and 6) Starting a Personal Blog. All these will invite a user to stick around while promoting his campaign. Pretty impressive if you asked me.

He has all tiers of good online advertising covered! Advertising this way will reduce the cost of his campaign heavily and still have the same effect if not more of an effect on his campaign.

See it for yourself at BarackObama.com! Check out this same post on Barack’s blog!

Tangent Music!
[audio:http://litstudies.org/lastnight.mp3]

First Looks on PC Magazine for February 2007 features two great looking WiFi phones for Skype. They are just like little cell phones. The Belkin Wi-Fi phone and the Netgear WiFi phone are both costly and you’d need a bit of luck if your going to seriously rely on the product to work for you. The first limitation is the wifi network security. The wifi network has to be 100% unsecure with no browser authentication, this is really rare and hard to find if your on the road! 100% unsecure like that can only come from those network with the owners not knowing how to add some sort of security for it. If you want to use it at a public wifi area, their most likely to have some kind of browser authentication software.

The second limitation is that it ONLY works for Skype. After 2007, Skype to landlines were no longer free and you need to purchase Skype Credits. They are pretty affordable but just keep in mind that it isn’t free even though you have a wifi connection to use it on.

Well Where Can It Work?

Well, you can use it at home assuming you have network features like WEP and WPA off on your router. I really can’t think of anywhere else where they provide free unsecure wifi with no browser authentication. So make a list of locations where you plan to use it first and check with them to see if they have any type of security of their wifi before you go out and purchase a wifi phone.

Me?, I wouldn’t get it but one day, it will be HACKED! MUHAHA

DC++ announces the freedom to share! DC++ is an open source client for the Direct Connect network. Direct Connect allows you to share files over the Internet without restrictions or limits. The client is completely free of advertisements and has a nice, easy to use interface. Firewall and router support is integrated and it is easy and convenient to use functionality like multi-hub connections, auto-connections and resuming of downloads.

Step 1: Download DC++ at SourceForge here.

Step 2: Install DC++ – This should be easy and self explanatory.

Step 3: Run the setup file to begin installation. The installation consists of three main screens.

1. License Agreement. Read the license, select the “I accept …” box and then click on Next.
   
2. Installation Options. This shows the components to be installed. It is highly recommended that you leave all the items selected. Click on “Next” to continue.
   
3. Installation Folder: The location where DC++ is to be installed. This can be left at the default. Click on “Install” to begin the installation.
   

Once the installation has completed, you may now run DC++ from the Start menu.

Step 4: There are a few basic settings that need to be entered before you can use DC++. Some are essential whereas others are not, but in my opinion make things easier in the long run.

Personal Information

Location: Settings → Personal Information.

The only piece of information that is required here is Nick. This is the username you will use on DC++. This can be anything you want but avoid using characters that would be illegal in filenames, such as ‘*’ or ‘/’.

Entering a line speed is recommended. This value is the maximum upload speed of your Internet connection. For example, if you had a maximum of of 256kbps upload, you would pick 0.2 from the dropdown list, as this is the closest.

The other two fields, E-Mail and Description, are optional.

Connection Settings

Location: Settings → Connection Settings.

I highly recommend reading the Help file as it briefly explains what each of these settings means.

If you are behind a router or gateway, select “Firewall (passive, last resort)” initially. You can switch to a more appropriate setting later by referring to the “Configuring Active Mode” section.

If you are directly connected to the Internet then leave “Direct connection” selected.

If you are behind a SOCKS proxy, select SOCKS5 and enter the appropriate information.

If you unsure which applies to you, select “Firewall (passive, last resort)”.

Download Directories

Location: Settings → Downloads → Directories.

Default Download Directory: Enter a folder where finished downloads should go. If left blank, it will default to a folder called Downloads in the main DC++ folder.

Unfinished Downloads Directory: Enter a folder where downloads should go while they are downloading. Once they have completed downloading, they will be moved to the folder specified above. If no folder is given here, it will default to a folder called Incomplete in the main DC++ folder.

Upload Slots

Location: Settings → Sharing → Upload Slots

File transfers in DC++ are based on slots. Each file being transferred takes up one slot. You need to open up a number of upload slots to gain access to hubs. The minimum needed will depend on the number of hubs you are connected to. Usually it is two slots per hub, though it will vary from hub to hub. Set it to 2 for the moment and remember to adjust it as you connect to more hubs.

Step 5: Connect to the Stony Brook DC++ server. (sbushare.no-ip.info)

Manual Address Entry

If you know the address of a hub (either an IP address or a domain name) then this can be manually entered by going to File → Quick Connect. Type the address and click OK to connect.

YOUR DONE!! AGAIN, NOT RECOMMENDED AND ILLEGAL. I DO NOT USE IT!

via [B Ali DC++ Guide]

My friends and I were tired of the boring weekends here at Stony Brook, many people go home for the weekends because the city is so close by. This really sucks for the people who are staying because theres really nothing to do on this cold campus. Since I found out that tickets to the city via LIRR are only $6 – $9. We decided to go on a little getaway to New York City, my hometown. Both of my friends had never been to the city before so it was almost like a tour guide experience for me. We got off at Penn Station, went around Herald Square, my friend bought some things off the streets, then we went all the way up to the heights to my friends Oscars to get haircuts. We finally finished our day having dinner in Chinatown. Real chinese food isn’t like nasty Jasmines or CampusDelivery!

On our way back, we jacked some MTA advertisements for our dorm rooms! Sweet!

So if you’re bored on the weekends like most people are, take a inexpensive trip to the city and have FUN! For more information on the tickets, refer to my previous post.

[audio:http://litstudies.org/throw.mp3]

My friend just told me about this incredible deal that the SAC (Student Activity Center) has for traveling to New York City on the LIRR. A off-peak train ticket from Stony Brook to Penn Station usually cost $19 and more for peak hours but the school has then for only $6! The only restriction is that you can only purchase it once a week.

Want to get a ticket? Go to the SAC Box Office during their operating hours with your Student ID. I got mine today, this sure beats $19 for a round trip! A lot of people say I don’t go home much, well this is definatly an incentive for me to go home more often. Doesn’t mean I will , I don’t promise anything but this will push me a little more.

Coldest day by far here at Stony Brook! Imagine if the annual Super Bowl Polar Bear Club event was today? The annual Polar Bear Club visits the cold frigid waters every year for fun on Super Bowl day. That would have been crazy! My friend went to the Polar Bear event where 10,000+ people charged into the freezing waters of south-shore Long Island. Getting in naked wasn’t the bad part, getting out was the worst. Your body would feel even colder because it’s wet, then add the wind chill to that! HYPOTHERMIA!

Don’t worry, there were hovering medics available. Chances of you dying isn’t high at all! LOL! BTW, want to know what tomorrows morning temperatures are? Well it’s 5 degrees with a wind chill of -5 to -15. Dress warmly – New York!

I went to Walmart with a couple of my friends from the floor, I came back with a new speaker system, some cheap Walmart shit they had on sale but they look pretty hot!

I practically got them for free! Hehehe! Ok, it was a BUY 1 Get One FREE! The sound gets cracky when you max the volume but other then that, no complaints.

So, we bought 3 speaker systems, 2 Phillips ones and 1 Durabrand one, some generic 5.1 speakers that are DUMB Loud! OMG, now almost everyone on our floor has a crazy speaker system that we’ll blast. Screw the noise complaints! Bring it on RA’s!

Hit em up!!
[audio:http://litstudies.org/contender.mp3]

Want free T-Mobile wifi service? Well, you’ll either have to run Microsoft IE 7 with Windows Vista or you can access it with a Agent changer hack for Mozilla Firefox. As part of the T-Mobile, Microsoft partnership, they are allowing Vista users to get 3 free months to T-Mobile Wifi service which expires in April, 30th 2007. If you go and purchase this wifi plan alone, it will cost you $39.99 a month. This is a real deal right here!

Here’s how to use the service without Microsoft or Vista:

1. Download Mozilla Firefox here.
2. Download the Agent Switcher plugin.
3. Add the following values:
   1. Description: Internet Explorer 7 (Windows Vista)
   2. User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.0)
   3. App Name: Microsoft Internet Explorer
   4. App Version: 4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.0)
   5. Platform: Win32
4. Signup for T-Mobile wifi here!

After you register, you will be able to surf the net at all nationwide T-Mobile wifi locations!

**UPDATE**

Mozilla Firefox hack does not work, an ActiveX required to install on IE 7. Sorry.

Thats right, no more Skype or iCall anymore, it can all be done without hassle over any browser with a plugin download with GizmoCall. It’s a flash based application that allows you to call any cell phone and landline in America. There is however a limit of 10 minutes per day, however I don’t know weather this restriction is lifted after you register or not but I did a test call to my cellphone and the voice qualityf is not bad. Check it out youself! It’s simple and easy to use, no applications needed, best for that quick 1 minute call.

There are several ways you can call, you can go to the website and type in the number directly or you can use their URL method. gizmocall.com/[your number here].

Check out GizmoCall here!

Are you all ready for Windows Vista? Today is the eve if the long awaited launch date. January 30th! Too bad for me, Stony Brook does not give Vista out for free until the summer says my friend “Pepi” but, i’ll wait and see. This is because of the Educational Licensing program, a partnership between institutions and Microsoft, where they cannot get it until a certain amount of time passes. I’m sure if you wait a couple of more days, the cracked version of Vista would be all over the place. Besides, my laptop I’m using at Stony Brook is not Vista Compatible so I’m not really looking forward to it. I have the Vista Transformation Pack 6 installed so it looks just like Vista.

Bill Gates has a live webcast going on now!

Bill Gates Celebrates Worldwide General Availability of Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office System

January 29, 2007
1:45 p.m. PST / 4:45 p.m. EST

From Times Square in New York City, join Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates for a live webcast celebrating the worldwide launch of Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office System. The celebration pays tribute to the millions of Microsoft customers, partners and product testers around the world who provided input and feedback on these products — helping Microsoft transform the way people communicate, create and share content, and access information and entertainment in the new digital age.

Watch the webcast here!

For those of you out there who can’t install Vista for whatever reason, you can install the Vista Transformation Pack. It patches all your system shell files and makes your current XP installation look like Vista. You can find it here! Office 2007 is out today as well!