PinoyTux Weblog » Internet

Google Fun Facts

Rai — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 02:33:00 +0000

I found these Google Fun Facts while I was messing around with my Gmail settings. Some people may already know about these facts but I want to put them here anyway.

Google’s name is a play on the word googol, which refers to the number 1 followed by one hundred zeroes. The term was coined by Milton Sirotta, nephew of American mathematician Edward Kasner, and was popularized in the book, “Mathematics and the Imagination” by Kasner and James Newman. Google’s play on the term reflects the company’s mission to organize the immense amount of information available on the web.
Google started as a research project at Stanford University, created by Ph.D. candidates Larry Page and Sergey Brin when they were 24 years old and 23 years old respectively (a combined 47 years old).
Google’s index of web pages is the largest in the world, comprising of billions of web pages. Google searches this immense collection of web pages often in less than half a second.
Google receives daily search requests from all over the world, including Antarctica.
Users can restrict their searches for content in 35 non-English languages, including Chinese, Greek, Icelandic, Hebrew, Hungarian and Estonian. To date, no requests have been received from beyond the earth’s orbit, but Google has a Klingon interface just in case.
Google has a world-class staff of more than 2,668 employees known as Googlers. The company headquarters is called the Googleplex.
Google translates billions of HTML web pages into a display format for WAP and i-mode phones and wireless handheld devices, and has made it possible to enter a search using only one phone pad keystroke per letter, instead of multiple keystrokes.
Google Groups comprises more than 845 million Usenet messages, which is the world’s largest collection of messages or the equivalent of more than a terabyte of human conversation.
The basis of Google’s search technology is called PageRank™, and assigns an “importance” value to each page on the web and gives it a rank to determine how useful it is. However, that’s not why it’s called PageRank. It’s actually named after Google co-founder Larry Page.
Googlers are multifaceted. One operations manager, who keeps the Google network in good health is a former neurosurgeon. One software engineer is a former rocket scientist. And the company’s chef formerly prepared meals for members of The Grateful Dead and funkmeister George Clinton.

From http://www.google.com/press/funfacts.html

Gmail was used internally for nearly 2 years prior to launch to the public. They discovered there was approximately 6 types of email users, and Gmail has been designed to accommodate these 6.
Employees are encouraged to use 20% of their time working on their own projects. Google News, Orkut are both examples of projects that grew from this working model.
The prime reason the Google home page is so bare is due to the fact that the founders didn’t know HTML and just wanted a quick interface. In fact it was noted that the submit button was a long time coming and hitting the RETURN key was the only way to burst Google into life.
Due to the sparseness of the homepage, in early user tests they noted people just sitting looking at the screen. After a minute of nothingness, the tester intervened and asked ‘Whats up?’ to which they replied “We are waiting for the rest of it”. To solve that particular problem the Google Copyright message was inserted to act as a crude end of page marker.
The infamous “I feel lucky” is nearly never used. However, in trials it was found that removing it would somehow reduce the Google experience. Users wanted it kept. It was a comfort button.
They have found in user testing, that a small number of people are very typical of the larger user base. They run labs continually and always monitoring how people use a page of results.
This wasn’t a technical talk so no information regarding any infrastructure was presented however they did note that they have a mantra of aiming to give back each page with in 500ms, rendered.
Quote: Give Users What They Want When They Want It
One of the biggest leap in search usage came about when they introduced their much improved spell checker giving birth to the “Did you mean…” feature. This instantly doubled their traffic, but they had some interesting discussions on how best to place that information, as most people simply tuned that out. But they discovered the placement at the bottom of the results was the most effective area.
Google makes changes small-and-often. They will sometimes trial a particular feature with a set of users from a given network subnet; for example Excite@Home users often get to see new features. They aren’t told of this, just presented with the new UI and observed how they use it.

From http://www.gtricks.com/2008/03/interesting-facts-about-google.html

What Web Hosting Provider

Rai — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 14:08:15 +0000

I have my own share of webhosting nightmares, just go through the archive section and you will see that like some other people, I was a victim of scam. It just so happen that I chose to buy a webhosting plan from a certain webhosting company and though the plans were cheap, their services were utter disaster and I was forced to cancel my subscription and move my site to another provider.

I have told my readers time and again to do a full and thorough research on web hosting company’s background before buying or entering into a contract. Reading other people’s reviews, preferably those who were customers, is highly recommended as the best reviews come to those who have experience with the service. And searching around the internet for web hosting rating is worth it. There are few web hosting directories scattered around the internet and they have user reviews of different web hosting companies today.

Web hosting tutorials are also a big plus to read on when you are searching for web hosting companies. The more you know about the hosting package you are buying, the more you are getting for your hard-earned money. Not all providers offer same kind of services so it is better to compare first and be sure that you getting mor, not less. Some offer even free SEO packages for the same price and these are sure a big plus to your budding web site. Webhostingrating.com is one of the searchable web hosting directories that features reviews and information about web hosting companies. And if you are looking for discount coupons, you might find one too.

One last feature that makes a difference is to look for web hosting awards of a particular provider. A winning company invests well in customer service and infrastructure.

The Internet from 1969

Rai — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:52:38 +0000

Here is a very old video dating back from 1969 defining how the Internet can be of use to normal households. The weird thing is that most of the things in the video are now possible.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Video from katize.com

Browser Comparison

Rai — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:56:28 +0000

Image from phun.org

How to Make Soda Bottle into Secret Stash

Rai — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 09:13:35 +0000

Here is a nice way to hide your secret stash of anything. I am always fond of making things like ordinary stuff lying around the house, fooling everyone into thinking that it is just a piece of junk.

Be Techie and Money Smart

Rai — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 08:03:54 +0000

There are more than a few ways how a person’s IQ is measured. There are some who measure it by academic performance like how book smart a person is. People under this category are usually either rocket scientists or Google programmers, either way, geeks are uber sexy! On the other side, there people who are not so good with books but are ultimately the royalties of being street-smart. These people know may not be able to build a quantum gravity replicator (if there is such a word) but knows their way when it comes to budgeting finances or getting their life goals in their own way. There are also sexy smart, those who are both physically and mentally attractive and people who are dumb smart, those who are neither dumb nor smart.

Ideally, I am kind of in the dumb smart category simply because you cannot survive as an administrator if you are not one, and at the same time I tend to make mistakes which I consider as dumb. Take for example my financial status. I am earn well for my age, but still I think I am not earning enough. In reality, I just spend a lot time and money and my excuse is, I am just enjoying the fruits of my labor. It is not easy to work as system administrator, you know!

And so I stumbled upon BillsIQ which gave me a fair idea of how knowledgeable I am with my financial IQ and when I tried their online IQ test, it gave me 80% as my score. It is below average according to their report, but the great thing about BillsIQ is they give advice and helpful reminders to help you remain in control of your finances. It sure helped me in being more financially smart about my expenses because their tips are straight to the point and simple to understand.

The only thing left for me is to take into action what I have learned.

Using Internet as Alternative to Malls

Rai — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 02:18:48 +0000

I am a mall rat. Wherever I go, I always make sure that I visit the malls in the area, even if all I do is window shop. Besides, I would rather buy souvenirs from the local market where I can haggle with the shopkeeper to make the most out of my money.

But the Internet has evolved into something to something not only as means of connection between computers, but into something much bigger, like as big as a mall - at least a virtual mall, that is.

You can buy anything from as big as car bumpers, to as tiny as engagement rings. Even dog collars and dog shirts are available on the Internet, if you know where to look for them. Ordering food is also possible, just fill up the form and someone from McDonald’s or Junior’s Cheesecake will contact you. Books are long available from the Internet as popularized by Amazon.com, where you can find books by authors like Dennis C Carey.

And it would not make sense if you cannot buy computer parts like monitors and keyboards from online stores.Whatever it is that you are looking for, it is very likely that there is someone, somewhere, selling it using the powers of the Internet. But why people like posting stuff for sale online?

Websites such as ebay.com reach millions of users everyday, and every one in the selling business knows that the more people knows about your product, the more you have potential buyers. No one would buy products that they don’t know about. Posting your second hand camera online will reach hundreds or probably thousands of possible buyers. And it also works for dog food.

And buyers like buying online because it utilizes easy buying and fast transaction. Read the product description, add it to your virtual shopping basket, and checkout. All you need is a valid credit card, Google Checkout or PayPal account. Wait for as little as 24 hours or up to 3 weeks, depending on your location, and your item will show up on our doorstep. That is how easy it is.

Easy as it is, I still prefer going out, walking the stretch of the mall aisles looking for that perfect shoe, and burning calories along the way. Internet made it easy for us to shop but real malls are still irreplaceable.

Pop Bandit Helps You Stay Alert

Rai — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:27:33 +0000

Everything today is pop. Even the word itself is pop. We have now pop rock, pop RnB, pop movies, pop art, pop everything. No wonder so many people are so mad about pop.

Mad people are alert and always on the go. Everything should be at a touch of a button anytime, anywhere. The early bird gets the worm and it is always the case for pop news. That is why websites such as pop bandit is there to make sure that you get the juicy news about everything you love the minute it is published, anywhere in the world wide web.

Even if you are mad about music previews, book releases, new products or movie recommendations, a quick visit should keep you connected with everything that you care about. Not to mention that it alerts you the moment that a topic you are interested in gets published somewhere on the net. Just open a pop bandit account and you get a personal assistant to buzz you when it picks up something.

It delivers fresh news, and it means fresh. A few moments after a news is released and it alerts you so you can get the worm - er, the news right before everyone else does.

So remember to stay alert about pop with Pop Bandit.

Mozilla Breaks Guinness World Records!

Rai — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:33:00 +0000

It is now official! Guinness officials announced that Firefox holds the record for the largest number of software downloads in 24 hours with 8,002,530 number of Firefox 3 downloads beginning 18:16 +UTC on June 17, 2008 to 18:16 +UTC on June 18, 2008.

Firefox community now has 180 million users in 230 countries all around the world. The best part of it is I am part of the event! And of course you are too, if you downloaded Firefox 3 on that date. And to celebrate this joyous event, you can get your personalized Firefox Download Day certificate here.

Congratulations, Firefox team!

Reach More Visitors Through IZEA

Rai — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 04:26:51 +0000

I am a proud member of IZEA for almost a year now and I can help but be amazed by its many opportunities available for bloggers as well as advertisers. IZEA Networks include SocialSpark and PayPerPost, I am a member of both advertising networks, offer various opportunities not only for bloggers, but for advertisers as well.

Advertisers benefit through blog marketing because their ads reach more audience and potential customers by utilizing Social Media marketing. So if you want to spread a word about your products, subscribing to PayPerPost and SocialSpark is definitely a must. There are also other ways of promoting your site or products like sponsoring a blog to review your company’s website and services. You can also hire a blogger to give an honest opinion of your products or promote products and services.

And what about the bloggers? Bloggers or Posties also benefit from IZEA’s programs as well. Like me, you can earn by writing a review about a product or service that is related to your interests or blog topic. There are various opportunities that are available to PPP Posties like credit card services, webhosting plans and websites, even topics about cars are available. Posties can select which topics are related to their field of interest and after reviewing the review and making sure the requirements are met, Posties are paid after 30 days through PayPal credits. Earning money while blogging is definitely an easy way of earning.

So whether you are a blogger or an advertiser, IZEA Network sites like PayPerPost and SocialSpark are there to make sure that advertisers reach more audience through social media marketing and bloggers earn for their opinions.

Pepperjam Network Revolutionizes Affiliate Marketing

Rai — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 06:05:35 +0000

Affiliate Marketing drives the life of Internet business whether multi-million dollar online casino or a simple niche marketing business. And what more can help a company succeed than a company that specializes in affiliate marketing, search engine optimization and media management, and that is where Pepperjam Network comes in.

Pepperjam Network can turn your business from 10 visitors per day to hundreds of potential customers by utilizing and concentrating on the most important part of your business - getting people to know your company. Backed by eight years of experience, Pepperjam has gained the reputation of being one of the finest and largest affiliate marketing agencies around.

Its secrets to its success is by addressing the common problems of any affiliate network, poor and unreliable communication tools and lack of affiliate transparency. And by addressing these, Pepperjam has been the most recognized network ever since.

With its experience as the pioneer in Internet marketing, Pepperjam Network has truly revolutionized affiliate marketing.

IE Cake for Firefox Team

Rai — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:10:13 +0000

Internet Explorer sends a beautiful cake for the Mozilla team, congratulating them for the successful shipping of Firefox 3.

Aww… How sweet!

PinoyTux Weblog » Internet

Google Fun Facts

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The Internet from 1969

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Mozilla Breaks Guinness World Records!

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