I noticed right away that PHP reminded me a lot of classic ASP, very familiar. I'm sure I can pick up enough to make some decent templates without having to get too deep into yet another language (I'm currently working on learning Python/Django in my spare time). I'm mostly interested in Wordpress as a time-saving…

I think Flash needs a second mention here.

I'm a web developer with plenty of experience working on Microsoft platforms such as ASP.Net and classic ASP. Lately I have had some friends looking for small sites for blogging and showing off their artwork. While researching some of the existing platforms I keep finding myself looking at Wordpress, which of course…

Well, for first timers it can be a weekend. If I'm obsessing over getting the exact right parts, the research alone can stretch into a full week ;)

I read engaging as enraging on my first pass through that one :) I have been building my own (and others) computers for 20 years or so now... I have had only a few 'enraging' moments, usually concerning IRQ conflicts back in the old-days. These days it's pretty darn simple, and a fun weekend project if you have never…

Synergy is great, and if there is a linux box in the mix it is the only option I know of. The only complaint I have is that it does not play nice with some applications (Photoshop & WoW to name a couple). But for a free application this is something I can live with. If I had the requisite programming skills I would…

Or in my case, I have a laptop sitting next to my main desktop monitor. With Synergy I can use my desktop mouse and keyboard to control both machines as if they were part of one continuous multi-monitor desktop.

Ikea has a whole selection of desk tops and legs that allow for a more customized setup. There are some legs that attach to a plate that is mounted to the bottom of the desk surface. The mounting plate stays but the legs are easily removed.

Rather than messing with z-index, you could toggle between display:none and display:block on the elements. None will cause the div and its content to disappear and occupy no space, block is a div's default visible state. You could also look into the popular javascript library called jQuery which greatly simplifies…

There are in-line speed controls that allow you to set the fan speed manually, and even control panels that install in a vacant drive bay. My personal preference is to load up on Antec variable speed fans and keep them all on low, it's very quiet and moves a lot of air.

The BIOS on server/workstation motherboards often have fan settings like 'performance' and 'acoustics' or something like that. Performance being for data center environments where noise isn't an issue, and acoustics for office type environments. An aftermarket CPU cooler may also be an option, just make sure the…

I tried the sheet protector method once or twice, but my fax-scanner-printer just wasn't having it and I eventually gave up. Thankfully the NeatReceipts portable scanner shows up on woot from time to time and I picked one up about a month ago and LOVE it. Of course now that has created a whole project for me that…

I have Twonky running quite happily on my Natty server. The only downside is that it is not free ($20), but there is a free trial so you can see if it works for you. Install was fairly painless and the web admin is simple but effective.

I used this how-to to install MintMenu on my Natty laptop to save a little vertical screen space (eliminating the top panel). It has a more windowsy feel and you can customize the favorites to put all of the stuff they would use most right there. I even customized my menu button with a custom icon and the familiar…

Most of the major distros also have live (volunteer) support via IRC on freenode. I have learned a great deal by keeping the Ubuntu channel open during the day and occasionally glancing over to pick up bits of useful information from the conversations that are going on. All I can say is be patient if you are asking a…

There is clamav in the repos. I use in on my server to scan file shares nightly. I think it's command line only, but still fairly easy to use. (Someone correct me if I am wrong about the command line only thing).

When I was in kindergarten, I naturally began writing with my left hand. From the perspective of my mother and my teacher, this made me an outcast, doomed to a lonely existence living on the fringes of a right handed society. I was banned from writing with my left hand and forced to learn with my right. So it went,…

When I booked a UHaul for my move back to California last year, I used their site to hire moving help. I still drove the truck, but they were there to help unload and bring stuff up the stairs. The site is set up so they do not get paid until you give them the payment code after the work is done, and there are plenty…

Agreed. If you have invested the money in a multiple monitor setup (or using an external monitor with your laptop), UltraMon is well worth the extra $39.

I have a friend who uses the passenger side foot compartment as a trash box in his car. Perhaps this is just his strategy for getting his friends to drive when he goes out, because I usually volunteer.