Blogging Sueblimely

Is it a matter of survival of the fittest or the survival of those more adaptable to their environment that leads to the success or continuing success of a blog?

Does posting daily or every other day count more than writing less regular more indepth and original content?

I have always used the latter reasoning, not wanting to churn out content that is written about in numerous other blogs. That would be simple to do considering content that I could regurgitate from multitudes of blogs that write about blogging. Would anyone read it? A few loyal readers maybe but, being a lone blogger, I do not have a chance of providing the same amount of content as those with multiple authors. These I consider the fittest blogs. They can even regularly repeat content, albeit it in different words, because of the constant stream of new bloggers that come their way. They also have access to information on what is new because they are told about it. They can break the news to the world; others just repeat it second hand.

Unless you are a personal blogger with a loyal following, less well known bloggers need to be able to adapt to survive and succeed.

This blog is at the need to adapt stage and I am pondering where to go with it. I have been writing infrequently lately and it shows. From a position of 27 in the top 100 Australian bloggers list in November I sank to 36 in January. In the top Australian Women’s list I am now 30 down from a position of 9 last year. When new figures are published I know I will be even lower.

Many bloggers give up in their first year. I have survived longer but motivation has been lacking and topics to write about evading me. As a beginner blogger it took me a while to find my way but he plethora of new social networks and blogging tools provided plenty of material. Now it has become harder and harder for start ups to find something new or different enough to compete successfully with what already exists. Even Twitter the newer shining star has become overrun with applications that support it. Users having been overloaded with new applications and are less keen to try something new if it does not offer them any more than is already available.

What has not changed is my desire to remain in the blogging world; a world much larger and diverse than my particular suburbia and daily routine.

As a refresher and motivator I have enrolled in Darren Rowse’s 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Challenge which has just commenced with Write an Elevator Pitch for Your Blo. It is not too late to join in.

Downloading videos from YouTube*, Google Videos, Myspace, Facebook and other popular video sites requires the use of downloader programs, browser addons or online video tools. Some downloaded video file formats may not play in your preferred video player.

This article is intended to help you through the maze of optons so that you can easily download videos for personal use. You can then view them later without connecting to the internet.

Video Downloaders

There are many downloaders available in various forms. Some offer more features than just downloading. Here is a selection of the most popular for you to choose from.

Downloaders for YouTube

New YouTube download and purchase features

Recently You Tube started testing a download and purchase feature, which gives video video owners the ability to allow the download of videos straight from YouTube either free or for a small fee. The video watch pages of these participating "partners" link to a download option (below the left-hand corner of the video) More details from the YouTube Blog YouTube Goes Offline

KeepVid

• KeepVid is a browser Toolbar button for downloading YouTube FLV files.

KeepHD

• KeepHD is an online utility that downloads YouTube videos in a choice of formats: FLV,
  3gp Mobile Download,
  MP4 and if available
  HD ( High Definition 720p)
• How to Use: On the KeepHD site enter the URL of the video that you want to grab and hit the "Download Video" button.. No registration or plugins are needed. .

PWN YouTube

• Downloads FLV and mp4 formats There are three ways of downloading via PWN

1. Go to their website and enter the video URL into the " Download a YouTube video from any web page:" URL box – handy if you are not viewing the video on YouTube.
2. Type pwn in front of any YouTube URL.
3. Add the browser bookmarklet from the PWN website and click it when you are viewing
   any Youtube page or public webpage with an embedded YouTube video

Get Tube v.3.0

• Get Tube is a downloadable utility for Mac to download videos from YouTube and to save format mp4 or mp3.

Downloaders for Multiple Video Sites including YouTube

Source: nickwheeleroz’s Flickr

Flash Video Resources Downloader

• This application offers three methods of video download:

1. Enter the URL of video on the Flash Video Resources Downloader Page
2. Install the Flash Video Resources Downloader 1.0.2 Firefox Extension
3. A Greasemonkey script that allows downloads from 3 adult sites that I am not going to mention here.. The Greasemonkey Firefox addon must be already installed.

Flash Video Downloader 1.7

• The sites currently supported by Flash Video Downloader include: YouTube, Google Video, MySpace Video, DailyMotion, Metacafe, Break.com, Blip.tv (blip.tv), Spike (spike.com), MyVideo.de (myvideo.de), YourFileHost and others including adult sites.
• An added feature with this utility is that you can download Flash Games from: gamespot.com, community.games.com, armorgames.com, net-games.biz, gamesvine.com, zoopgames.com and flashgames247.com.

Clone2Go Free Video Converter

• Clone2Go is a free software program for Windows that downloads and converts videos including YouTube and Google Videos FLV files The program includes a feature to split videos into smaller clips.
• You can download major file formats such as WMV, FLV, MPEG-4, MPG, RM, RMVB, AVI, 3GP and convert them to a variety of formats including MP4, AVI, WMV, FLV. It supports conversion to files playable on portable devices such as MP4 player, iPod, iPhone, Sony PSP, Microsoft Zune, Mobile Phone (e.g. Nokia N-Series), Pocket PC and smart phone.

Video Download Helper

• Video Download Helper is a Firefox extension that works with popular video sites such as YouTube, MySpace, Google videos, DailyMotion, Porkolt, iFilm, DreamHost and others.
• When DownloadHelper detects that it can do something for you, an icon at the bottom of your Firefox window becomes animated and a menu allows you to download files by simply clicking an item. When you are on a page containing links to images or movies, you can download some or all of them at once.
• Converting files from your hard disk into a choice of multiple formats (Windows or Linux) is now possible with the installation of a file converter feature which uses the powerful FFMPEG video conversion utility. The feature is available from the extension’s preferences. An experimental Integrated MP3Tunes services allows you to send videos to mobile phones or to your private locker.

Net Video Hunter

• Net Video Hunteris a Firefox addon that allows you to download videos and music from most video-sharing sites – YouTube, Google Video, MySpace, Metacafe, Dailymotion, iFilm, Videoegg, Veoh, Blip.tv, etc…
• This extension also supports the download of music if it’s in a player on a website (for example, Myspace Music player). The beauty of this extension is that it captures the video links (if it’s possible), and the video counter of all the videos you have played from a webpage. (e.g. a YouTube Playlist Page) Clicking on the Net Video Hunter icon at the bottom of the Firefox window displays the list of captured media files which you can then Play or Download. Turning off the video smoothing feature plays the video in lower quality which is ideal for slower computers or for preserving download bandwidth.

Flashgot

• One of the problems with trying to download online videos is finding the actual video file source. Flashgot is a Firefox extension that works alongside your preferred download manager (Windows, Linux, Mac) to download all the links, movies and audio clips of a page including links to FLV videos.
• Once downloaded and configured to recognize your download manager, Flashgot can be accessed via the Tools menu or by dragging and dropping a shortcut to your toolbar. The toolbar menu gives you options capturing video selections and creating galleries. You can choose to download all videos that Flashgot finds through its Auto Start feature, although this may create a massive amount of downloads. Download

Vixy Net

• Vixy allows you convert a Flash Video / FLV file (YouTube’s videos,etc) to MPEG4 (AVI/MOV/MP4/MP3/3GP) file online.
• When you submit a URL, it will download and convert to the video format, and then you can download the converted file.
• As well as an online converter Vixy now has a beta desktop version for Windows and Mac.

Orbit Downloader

I would have added Orbit to the top of the list had it not been for some of the Orbit forum messages which indicate a few issues with the newest version. I have as yet been unable to get it to work with YouTube through Firefox itself. However, If I use the Grab++ function in the Orbit program Tools Menu it will download YouTube videos that are playing in Firefox.

• Orbit Features:
• A free downloadable program, based on p2p and multi-source downloading technology, which integrates with Firefox, IE,Opera and Maxthon browsers.
• You can download and record streaming media, social music, social video, movie, flash and files from "anywhere" including Pandora, YouTube, Yahoo, Myspace and Rapidshare.
• Supports most of the file-sharing service websitesmegaupload, badongo, sendspace, yourfilehost, uploading, filefront, 4shared, turboupload, depositfiles, filefactory ……
• Supports: HTTP/ HTTPS/ FTP/ RTSP/ MMS
• Includes a pause and resume function which includes interrupted downloads

Facebook Video Downloader

Facebook Video

• Facebook Video allows the download and conversion of Facebook videos in one of two ways:

1. Greasemonkey Script
2. A new Firefox addon that lets you download and convert Facebook videos, and embed videos outside of Facebook.

Playing Downloaded Videos

Source: libraryman Flickr

If you download an .mp4 version of a video file, you can play it in Real Player, QuickTime Player, or iTunes. Most players do not support YouTube FLV files. My choice for a lightweight but fully featured video player is my default video player, VLC Player.

VLC

• VLC is A free video player that supports most file formats with no extra codecs needed, for example, MPEG, AVI, WMV, AV, FLV, MIDI, Flash, Real, MP4, MOV, 3GP, OGG ….For Windows, Linux, Mac OS X 10.5 or later and various other operating systems.

Another highly rated free player, which I have not tried, is:

GOM Media Player

• GOM Media PlayerFeatures: Supports most Codecs, plays incomplete or damaged AVI file by skipping the damaged frames and can play video files that are still in the process of being downloaded.

If you just want a program to play FLV videos there are a number of free programs including the one I used before I realized that VLC could play them.:

FLV Player

• FLV PlayerPlays Flash FLV and H.264 (MPEG-4) videos.
• This program also includes an option to install a free audio recorder browser toolbar, Free Recorder, which allows you to make MP3′s from anything you can hear on your PC, including sound tracks from videos, music, and more. Download current version FLV Player 2.0.25: CNET Download.com

Do you have any preferences for video download or video player applications?

I admit that I am powerless over my email, Thunderbird has become unmanageable.

Image: by uzvards

If you can relate to this do not despair but spend some time, to save some time in the long run. Although most of the following applies to my email program of choice, Thunderbird, some can be adapted to other programs. If you use online email applications consider importing and reading them from Thunderbird to take advantage of its more extensive features.

I recently had to take more steps to organize my own emails so as not to miss those that I need to read straight away. It took a little time but has been worthwhile. I am keeping up with and actioning the more important messages, the rest are tucked away for reading if and when I have the time. Here are the steps I took.

1. If your inboxes are full now, click on the top of the "Organize by Subject" or "Organize by Sender" columns and concentrate on senders that send multiple emails. The others can be done bit by bit as they come in. It is not worth spending time searching for or trying to remember them at this stage.
2. Unsubscribe from emails that you do not read and have no need to refer to in the future. Then delete those that already exist.
3. Create a number of Inbox folders for mail you do not need to read or action straight away. A two tier system of of folders works well. One tier is for emails you do need to action, but not immediately, the other for those that can be left until you have some spare time to read them. If you are bringing in mail from more than one email account do not create separate inbox folders for each but in only the one you use more regularly. Some emails could be filtered directly into Local Folders rather than Inbox subfolders, although I recommend you only do this for less important ones, if you think they may get forgotten.
4. Create filters to automatically file relevant incoming mail from all email accounts into the folders you have just created . I filter my gmail accounts and my ISP email into subfolders of my ISP account inbox.

5. Make sure that emails you mark as junk are removed from the inbox – Go to Options/Privacy tick "When I mark messages as junk" and choose to send them to the junk folder or delete them. Make a habit of marking spam as junk rather than just deleting them so that Thunderbird’s spam filter can learn what you consider to be spam.

6. You could also create filters for spam that slips through the net, such as those containing the word Viagra, to send them straight to junk (unless they are emails you have subscribed to of course) .
7. Create folders within your Local Folders for filing away emails you have read but need to keep. Base your folder structure to suit yourself but I advise creating folders just for registrations and subscription confirmation emails, for important emails that you may need to find again quickly and those that have ongoing threads.
8. Use Thunderbird’s default tags and/or create your own to mark inbox emails that you need to do something about in the future. They are much easier to find again.

9. Take advantage of Thunderbird extensions to further automate the process.

Next I will talk about the Thunderbird extensions that are useful for organizing your mail and saving you time.

Google Friend Connect is my latest social networking trial – partly because other blog community sites have not been too successful in bringing readers here lately and because, as usual, I cannot resist checking out something new. Although released for trial in May last year, the beta version is now available to all.

When I first started writing this article I was the lone friend of my site. As you can see by the member icons in the Friend Connect member gadget, at the top of my sidebar, this has now changed. Initial enthusiasm for new social networking activities means members spend more time participating and adding contacts. This initial enthusiasm tends to fizzle out either because the network is not successful or it is successful and you get lost in the crowd.

Benefits

"You will bring viral social growth to your website. Visitors can evangelize for your site by inviting their friends and publishing their activities to their social networks. Social gadgets will keep these visitors more deeply engaged with your site, and with each other." That was taken from the Friend Connect site but, ignoring the hype, why should you join yet another social networking community when you are likely bogged down in them already? For me the answer lies in its differences rather than similarities:

Why is Friend Connect different to other methods of networking?

• Interaction with others is done via the actual sites that have Friend Connect Gadgets installed. You do not have to go off to another site, as with MyBlogLog, to join a site or add friends.
• In addition to the Members widget (gadget) you see in my sidebar, Social gadgets allow for such things as commenting, reviewing and sharing media..
• Unless you want to add your own site to Friend Connect and include gadgets on your page, you do not have to be a member of Friend Connect yourself. You can sign in with Google, Yahoo, AIM, Twitter or OpenID’s to interact with other members.
• Integration with other social networks is achieved using a member’s Google profile. Clicking on a member’s icon will show not only their blog URL’s but, if they have joined using their Google account rather than an OpenID, other sites they belong to. (Google Reader, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr ……) Twitter users can sign in with their ID and check to see if any of their followers are also using your site.
• Integration of OpenSocial means that independent developers can can create social gadgets and, although the choice is limited as yet, the possibilities are promising.

One disadvantage with adding multiple widgets is that they increase your page loading time at times quite considerably. Adding the widget to your footer rather than your sidebar is one way round this – at least your page content and your sidebar(s) load first, leaving the footer to load out of the fold area.

Friend Connect Page

Friend Connect is not very simple to learn and you may find it hard to install, navigate around the widgets and find other members.. The help is not comprehensive. I have therefore created a Friend Connect Page, which I will update as I find new resources. On the page you will find:

A tutorial and videos covering:

• Joining up with Friend Connect
• Setting up your preferences
• Adding Member and Social Gadgets to your site.
• Managing your settings and members.
• How to add Friend Connect to WordPress self hosted, (not possible with WordPress.com) and Blogger blogspot.
• How to find other members
• How to join other sites

Examples of some of the Social Widgets

I have added social widgets to the bottom of my Friend Connect Page show you what they look like and to give you an opportunity to use them, in case you are considering adding them to your own site.. I had a bit of fun finding Google and Social Networking type songs to add to the playlist gadget.

Hope to see you around Friend Connect

If, like me, you download themes or templates for future reference or while deciding on a theme for a new blog or planned update, keeping track of them can be difficult. I always create a separate folder for each theme I download and make sure there is an image of the theme in there too. It is a quick easy reminder of what the theme looks like. Rather than using the little thumbnail images that are often included in a theme I save a copy of an image from the download site or do a screenshot of a demo page. I save this image as folder.jpg which, on windows XP, gives you a good preview of the image when looking at the folder in thumbnail view – This is not so useful in Vista which hides most of the image.

When you download a theme, add on (or any other software for that matter) where extra instructions are needed (for installation or usage) create your own text file and copy and paste the information from the site into this. Give this a distinct name so you know it is your own file. (I used to call all mine sue.txt but this was a real problem when I had to restore all my files from a disastrous reformat. I had hundreds of files called sue.txt and had no idea where most of them belonged.) After this I started adding the name of the application too. I only tend to do this when I may forget where I downloaded the files from – otherwise it is as easy just to go back to the site for instructions.. To quickly create a file In Windows – right click in a blank space in the explorer file window, click on "New" and then on text file (or Word or Excel etc depending on what you want to record). Name your file. Open it and copy and paste the information you need to record then press Save and you are done. It may be enough just to add the url of the site to go to for the instructions.

I use the Firefox Download Status Bar extension. A bar at the bottom of your browser window shows the files that have been downloaded. You can open files from here (to view images, unzip, install etc) and right clicking gives you the option to go to its containing folder. This makes it easy to quickly go to the folder where you installed a download to do what you need to do with it and to create a text file as mentioned above.