HTNet - A Notepad of Tech, Business, Science and Self Improvement

I’ve been giving WP theming a whirl this past few days. This is mainly because I so much want to create my own WP theme from scratch. I basically have a draft layout for the front page ready, and I’m just considering how I would like my single entry page look like. I doubt that it will be too different from the front page layout that I’ve already completed.

Basically, I’ve gotten my HTML templates ready. So the designing part is almost 100% complete. All that’s left in this phase is integrating the standard CSS entries that WP uses, and noting where it’s being used. I’m also going to comment my CSS extensively so that it will benefit whoever is planning to modify the theme if I ever release it.

Once I’ve sorted this out, all that’s left is to design a site logo for HTNet. Perhaps I should create a contest of some sort where visitors can submit their designs. The thing is, I don’t really know what sort of “prize” I can offer. Maybe when I’m happy with the theme I can put more thoughts in this logo thingy.

Watch this space.

There’s been updates to the AdSense programme, now publishers can have a total of 200 active channels (both URL and custom channels) at their disposal. This will give AdSense programme participants more customisation and tracking options when it comes to ad placement on their web sites.

There’s more goodies from the guys at Google Adsense, we now have the ability to save custom reports. This feature is excellent for people who use multiple computers like myself to access my AdSense account. Usually the last viewed settings is saved (most probably through cookies) on a per PC basis, and these settings tend to be lost whenever you clear the browser cache and saved cookies. Well, the addition of this custom reports not only solves this problem, but gives you much more statistical analysis leverage… not to mention saving you tons of mouse gestures and keyboard presses

You can read about these new features here.

There’s more good news for AdSense publishers… We can now suggest sections of our web pages where we want to emphasize or ignored to improve on the relevancy of AdSense ads that appear on them. Basically, this can be achieved through the use of the following tags…

For areas you want to emphasize:

<!-- google_ad_section_start -->
Content that you want AdSense to emphasize on
<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

For areas you want to be ignored/downplayed:

<!-- google_ad_section_start(weight=ignore) -->
Content that you don't want AdSense to emphasize on
<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

Bear in mind that it might take up to two weeks for your optimisation to take effect, so be patient! Read more about these tags here.

At a browser near you… HTNet’s WCS part 8:

• Sloganizer: Create a slogan from any term you enter. Many of the generated slogans do make sense… and some sound very familiar
• wordometers.info: Real-time statistics about the world. The numbers are generated using JavaScript, I feel the algorythm is around the acceptable category.
• Forensic Psychology Dictionary: Know what irritable aggression or insertional necrophilia means? No? Find out here.
• Optimum X Downloads: A collection of (Windows) freeware utilities for command-line network administration, software distribution and login scripts.
• Guess-the-Google: Test your Google images results query guessing skills. Pretty fun game!

Enjoy the links!

This new WP version can be downloaded at the usual location. Fixes are listed here. Upgrading instructions can be read here.

Basically, I covered everything in this post… but if you still want to read the official 1.5.2 release announcement, you can do so here.

Here’s the belated WCS entry for last week:

• PhoneBin: See photos submitted directly from camera phones all over the world. Due to the nature of some pictures, this site might be NSFW
• Poom: What’s a WCS entry without featuring Flash time-wasters. Poom is quite an addictive game that requires good hand-eye coordination… and a non-jerky mouse.
• Creativity Techniques: Got a creative block? Try some of the suggestions here to get your creative juices flowing again.
• Free Programming and Computer Science Books: Because knowledge wants to be free
• Strange and Unexplained Anomalies: Can’t get enough of X-Files? Then you would probably want to check this web site out.

That’s all for this edition of WCS. Like always, feedback is always welcome