Thanks a lot, Google!
In the middle of August, my main blog (Pradeep Chakraborty's Blog) -- http://pradeepchakraborty.blogspot.com -- was infected by malware and suddenly removed.
Not even aware of the reasons, I was left with no choice but to replace it with a new blog -- http://pradeep-chakraborty.blogspot.com -- which later, also gave a message from Google that it was also infected by malware!
Subsequently, and very reluctantly, I was forced to move everything to Wordpress -- http://pradeepchakraborty.wordpress.com -- and that's doing very well!
Now, I find that Google finds my blog -- http://pradeep-chakraborty.blogspot.com -- good to run, and well, I've added all the relevant posts back there. What I've done is: I've also removed all links and comments. There were so many of them! How am I to know which ones of those will turn bad?
Anyhow, my blog's back and running! That's all that matters and that's what I want!
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Friday, October 2, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Blogger turns 10! Many happy returns of the day!!
Last week, Google's well known Blogger platform turned 10! Many happy returns of the day!
How did I learn of this? From a follower on Twitter, named TechPupil. Apologies, I can't paste that particular story link here, lest that link turn into a malware host or some bad link later on! :) So, please search for this site, and the post on Blogger turning 10!
I may have been having some tough times in the recent weeks with Blogger -- first with it marking my blog -- Pradeep Chakraborty's Blog -- as having malware, and later, removing the site, and later, it also blocked five of my other blogs -- on electronic components, electronics, semiconductors, solar/PV and telecom -- as spam blogs, only to release it later, on request.
My troubles apart, I am the first to admit to being a massive fan of blogger, and find it a great, very user friendly platform with super features. Hey, those are the very reasons that I've so many blogs on Blogger in the first place!
Would definitely hate to leave Blogger, some day! I personally share an emotional history with it -- as this very blogging platform also won me a best blogger's world title in early December 2008, and another, in February 2009 -- for Pradeep Chakraborty's Blog.
Am quite sure that Blogger has made a mistake somewhere regarding my blog and sincerely hope that sooner or later, it will be returned to me. If, for some reason, it remains unreturned, let that famous and well known blog rest in peace!
And well, as I've told a couple of friends, if I can write that particular blog, I can very well write other such blogs quite easily, especially on semiconductors and telecom! Besides, my identity starts and ends with me, and not with that particular blog, or any other, for that matter.
Till this last week, I've never had any problems with the Blogger platform and in fact, have recommended it to several of my friends and colleagues. Keeping with its trend, it is quite certain that Blogger will be introducing great features in the future for bloggers such as you and me!
Keep up the good work, Blogger (and Google)!
How did I learn of this? From a follower on Twitter, named TechPupil. Apologies, I can't paste that particular story link here, lest that link turn into a malware host or some bad link later on! :) So, please search for this site, and the post on Blogger turning 10!
I may have been having some tough times in the recent weeks with Blogger -- first with it marking my blog -- Pradeep Chakraborty's Blog -- as having malware, and later, removing the site, and later, it also blocked five of my other blogs -- on electronic components, electronics, semiconductors, solar/PV and telecom -- as spam blogs, only to release it later, on request.
My troubles apart, I am the first to admit to being a massive fan of blogger, and find it a great, very user friendly platform with super features. Hey, those are the very reasons that I've so many blogs on Blogger in the first place!
Would definitely hate to leave Blogger, some day! I personally share an emotional history with it -- as this very blogging platform also won me a best blogger's world title in early December 2008, and another, in February 2009 -- for Pradeep Chakraborty's Blog.
Am quite sure that Blogger has made a mistake somewhere regarding my blog and sincerely hope that sooner or later, it will be returned to me. If, for some reason, it remains unreturned, let that famous and well known blog rest in peace!
And well, as I've told a couple of friends, if I can write that particular blog, I can very well write other such blogs quite easily, especially on semiconductors and telecom! Besides, my identity starts and ends with me, and not with that particular blog, or any other, for that matter.
Till this last week, I've never had any problems with the Blogger platform and in fact, have recommended it to several of my friends and colleagues. Keeping with its trend, it is quite certain that Blogger will be introducing great features in the future for bloggers such as you and me!
Keep up the good work, Blogger (and Google)!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Google blocked my blog! So, I moved to another URL!!
Wonder why Google has done so! A few days ago, I kept receiving messages that there was some malware within my blog -- Pradeep Chakraborty's Blog -- with the url http://pradeepchakraborty.blogspot.com
The next thing I know late evening is -- this blog is first blocked and then it disappears!
Since then, I've received lots of messages from friends and people from far away, who've been searching for my blog and blog posts. Thanks a lot for your support, guys!
I've sent requests to Google to return my blog, but till now, no reply has come from them!
Nevertheless, within one hour of this event, I changed to a new blog address, which is: http://pradeepchakraborty.wordpress.com! Yes, I've finally moved this blog out of Blogger, even though I didn't want to! I've been literally forced to do so!
I'd added a new site -- http://pradeep-chakraborty.blogspot.com, only for that too to be blocked for malware. I've no idea what's happened, and now, I have stopped bothering.
I have added a site with the same blog posts -- http://testlinksonblog.blogspot.com -- but I don't know how long it will be before this gets blocked for malware.
I wonder why Google said I had malware on my blog, when I only blog about technology related subjects, and especially, semiconductors and telecom. There's no post on sleaze or pornography or sex! Even then?
I didn't know that semicon and telecom were just some other bad words! Apologies!!
Well, most importantly, why on earth will I promote spam or malware? And, how am I to supposed to know what links will later go on to become malware or spam? And even if some links did become like those, isn't it Google's job to protect bloggers like us? They are the online experts, and not I!
How can blogging ever be safe, when the leading global company promoting a blogging platform can't protect itself, leave alone bloggers!
I've tried to do work as honestly as possible. Even then, if I am penalized for no fault of mine, there's nothing much I can do!
About a month ago, Google found my Electronics blog a spam blog! Why will I spam anyone, when I don't even have a newsletter? Nor have I told anyone to spam my posts. It is up to readers to visit that particular blog and read what they wish!
Today, I receive another mail from Google, saying my Solar PV blog is a spam blog!
Come on guys! This is just too much!!
Coming back to my main blog, I have a dedicated follower of readers -- who visit Pradeep Chakraborty's Blog to read that content. If I were, some day, to stop blogging -- because of Google's actions -- please don't blame me!
Or, perhaps, I should move over to Wordpress, or some other blogging platform, where I don't have to break my head over being a spam blog or an attack site, etc. etc.! Nor do I wish to make scores of backups for my blogs! Or, to change URLs. Where's the need? There's much more to life beyond all of this!
Really, this is extremely irritating and frustrating! So much for blogging!!
Maybe, next time this happens, I'll have to bid goodbye to Blogger.
Am also very sure that the semiconductor and telecom worlds can find much better bloggers...
P.S.: Well, after locking three other blogs -- solar, telecom and later, semiconductors, Google unlocked those. Thanks a lot, Google.
Update: August 24 -- Now, Google has blocked my Electronic Components blog! This, after removing my main blog, and then blocking (and later releasing) Solar, Telecom and Semiconductor blogs... and earlier, Electronics! Just don't know what to make of all these...
The next thing I know late evening is -- this blog is first blocked and then it disappears!
Since then, I've received lots of messages from friends and people from far away, who've been searching for my blog and blog posts. Thanks a lot for your support, guys!
I've sent requests to Google to return my blog, but till now, no reply has come from them!
Nevertheless, within one hour of this event, I changed to a new blog address, which is: http://pradeepchakraborty.wordpress.com! Yes, I've finally moved this blog out of Blogger, even though I didn't want to! I've been literally forced to do so!
I'd added a new site -- http://pradeep-chakraborty.blogspot.com, only for that too to be blocked for malware. I've no idea what's happened, and now, I have stopped bothering.
I have added a site with the same blog posts -- http://testlinksonblog.blogspot.com -- but I don't know how long it will be before this gets blocked for malware.
I wonder why Google said I had malware on my blog, when I only blog about technology related subjects, and especially, semiconductors and telecom. There's no post on sleaze or pornography or sex! Even then?
I didn't know that semicon and telecom were just some other bad words! Apologies!!
Well, most importantly, why on earth will I promote spam or malware? And, how am I to supposed to know what links will later go on to become malware or spam? And even if some links did become like those, isn't it Google's job to protect bloggers like us? They are the online experts, and not I!
How can blogging ever be safe, when the leading global company promoting a blogging platform can't protect itself, leave alone bloggers!
I've tried to do work as honestly as possible. Even then, if I am penalized for no fault of mine, there's nothing much I can do!
About a month ago, Google found my Electronics blog a spam blog! Why will I spam anyone, when I don't even have a newsletter? Nor have I told anyone to spam my posts. It is up to readers to visit that particular blog and read what they wish!
Today, I receive another mail from Google, saying my Solar PV blog is a spam blog!
Come on guys! This is just too much!!
Coming back to my main blog, I have a dedicated follower of readers -- who visit Pradeep Chakraborty's Blog to read that content. If I were, some day, to stop blogging -- because of Google's actions -- please don't blame me!
Or, perhaps, I should move over to Wordpress, or some other blogging platform, where I don't have to break my head over being a spam blog or an attack site, etc. etc.! Nor do I wish to make scores of backups for my blogs! Or, to change URLs. Where's the need? There's much more to life beyond all of this!
Really, this is extremely irritating and frustrating! So much for blogging!!
Maybe, next time this happens, I'll have to bid goodbye to Blogger.
Am also very sure that the semiconductor and telecom worlds can find much better bloggers...
P.S.: Well, after locking three other blogs -- solar, telecom and later, semiconductors, Google unlocked those. Thanks a lot, Google.
Update: August 24 -- Now, Google has blocked my Electronic Components blog! This, after removing my main blog, and then blocking (and later releasing) Solar, Telecom and Semiconductor blogs... and earlier, Electronics! Just don't know what to make of all these...
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Who should I follow on Twitter?
I am sure this is a question most of us ask ourselves. At least, I do! Since my interests are very specific, I find it challenging to determine who to follow. In that dilemma, I actually end up following very few! Now, I don't know whether this is good or bad. However, like a friend told me recently -- it is not in the quantity you follow on Twitter, or your followers, but the quality!
Indeed, a very wise suggestion! If I have less than 100 followers, but if I find that they have a genuine interest in what I write, my day's done! At least, I know that those who read my blog posts seem to have an interest in the subjects I write on.
Who Should I Follow
Right! I also came across a web site called: Who Should I Follow! This web site asks you to put in your Twitter user ID, and promises to give you suggestions on interesting people to follow.
Well, I did try with my own user name, but I don't think I received the desired results. As I said, my needs are very specific. I'd like to follow those who write on topics of my interest, and well, at least, write something new all the time, so I get to learn even more. However, that's me. I have a suggestion for this site -- please add a line for interests, besides, searching by the Twitter username, for example, cooking or photography or mobile phones. Maybe, that will lead to delivering more quality results.
Perhaps, it may not be a bad idea for you to try out this web site. You may find those you'd like to follow and make new Twitter friends.
By the way, may I add here that among those who are following me on Twitter, I've managed to strike up some sort of friendship as the interests are quite common. In fact, a few have even gone ahead with some business related discussions.
So, those new to Twitter, there's more to having followers or simply following others. Think business, think relationships -- and long term! Best of luck
Indeed, a very wise suggestion! If I have less than 100 followers, but if I find that they have a genuine interest in what I write, my day's done! At least, I know that those who read my blog posts seem to have an interest in the subjects I write on.
Who Should I Follow
Right! I also came across a web site called: Who Should I Follow! This web site asks you to put in your Twitter user ID, and promises to give you suggestions on interesting people to follow.
Well, I did try with my own user name, but I don't think I received the desired results. As I said, my needs are very specific. I'd like to follow those who write on topics of my interest, and well, at least, write something new all the time, so I get to learn even more. However, that's me. I have a suggestion for this site -- please add a line for interests, besides, searching by the Twitter username, for example, cooking or photography or mobile phones. Maybe, that will lead to delivering more quality results.
Perhaps, it may not be a bad idea for you to try out this web site. You may find those you'd like to follow and make new Twitter friends.
By the way, may I add here that among those who are following me on Twitter, I've managed to strike up some sort of friendship as the interests are quite common. In fact, a few have even gone ahead with some business related discussions.
So, those new to Twitter, there's more to having followers or simply following others. Think business, think relationships -- and long term! Best of luck
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Technorati Attention Index: Top 50 media sites bloggers link!
This is actually taken from Technorati, and isn't an original post.
Technorati recently tried to determine the influence of mainstream media sites in the blogosphere. The result: the Technorati Attention Index. Given below are the top sites with highest number of blogs linking to them in the past 30 days. These will be updated every month by Technorati.
1. YouTube
2. New York Times
3. BBC News
4. CNN.com
5. MSN
6. guardian.co.uk
7. Washington Post
8. Yahoo! News
9. Reuters
10. Los Angeles Times
11. Telegraph.co.uk
12. MSNBC
13. The Wall Street Journal
14. Time
15. Wired
16. USA Today
17. boston.com
18. FOX News
19. Daily Mail
20. ESPN
21. CBS News
22. Financial Times
23. Forbes
24. San Francisco Chronicle
25. Chicago Tribune
26. The White House
27. New York Post
28. New York Daily News
29. International Herald Tribune
30. PBS
31. Salon.com
32. BusinessWeek
33. Slate
34. Newsweek
35. New York Magazine
36. Economist.com
37. CBC.ca
38. San Francisco Examiner
39. MarketWatch
40. Chicago Sun-Times
41. US News & World Report
42. Houston Chronicle
43. Yahoo! Sports
44. Entertainment Weekly
45. Seattle Times
46. E! Online
47. People
48. Science Daily
49. Style.com
50. The Christian Science Monitor
Technorati recently tried to determine the influence of mainstream media sites in the blogosphere. The result: the Technorati Attention Index. Given below are the top sites with highest number of blogs linking to them in the past 30 days. These will be updated every month by Technorati.
1. YouTube
2. New York Times
3. BBC News
4. CNN.com
5. MSN
6. guardian.co.uk
7. Washington Post
8. Yahoo! News
9. Reuters
10. Los Angeles Times
11. Telegraph.co.uk
12. MSNBC
13. The Wall Street Journal
14. Time
15. Wired
16. USA Today
17. boston.com
18. FOX News
19. Daily Mail
20. ESPN
21. CBS News
22. Financial Times
23. Forbes
24. San Francisco Chronicle
25. Chicago Tribune
26. The White House
27. New York Post
28. New York Daily News
29. International Herald Tribune
30. PBS
31. Salon.com
32. BusinessWeek
33. Slate
34. Newsweek
35. New York Magazine
36. Economist.com
37. CBC.ca
38. San Francisco Examiner
39. MarketWatch
40. Chicago Sun-Times
41. US News & World Report
42. Houston Chronicle
43. Yahoo! Sports
44. Entertainment Weekly
45. Seattle Times
46. E! Online
47. People
48. Science Daily
49. Style.com
50. The Christian Science Monitor
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
What are my reasons for blogging!
Recently, my main blog -- Pradeep Chakraborty's Blog -- was nominated for the Best Technology Blog by BlogNet Blog Awards.
Well, my friend, Jonathan Lloyd, from the UK, sent me a very nice congratulatory mail and also asked me what made me take up blogging! By the way, we met on LinkedIn, and also share a group -- the FastTrack 100!
Jonathan is the founder of BusinessMedia, UK, and plans to feature a post that looks at business related (B2B) blogs. The eventual plan is to recommend the top 10 business blogs for their readers. He specifically wanted to find out a little more about what made me set up my blog.
Well, my reasons are fairly simple and straightforward!
1. I am realy tired of searching Google and Yahoo, and other search engines for information, and hence, decided to write on key information on semiconductors.
2. My blog is also my archive -- I am really frustrated at NOT being able to FIND my old articles on the Web. The few, I found on other sites, actually wanted me, as a user, to sign up! To read my own articles... really! So, Pradeep Chakraborty's Blog now archives all of my articles written over the past two years.
3. India DOES NOT have any magazine on semiconductors yet, and till I also spun of a semiconductor site off the blog for CIOL, there wasn't even a semicon portal in India! I hope I have managed to give India a small and decent site on semiconductors!
4. I wanted to be THE resource for the semiconductor industry... again, I have miles to go. It is not easy being a lone ranger :)
5. The sheer thrill of doing something difficult -- sitting in India -- which does not have such detailed blogs on semiconductors, especially. And well, it has really been difficult :) but very thrilling! My colleague, Usha, pokes fun at me -- saying, go, light your bulb (a la the Sharukh Khan movie, Swades!) Ok, I've done nothing of that sort, as this movie showed...
6. My blog posts are all exclusive pieces, as I'm a believer in: great content = great traffic! Again, it is really difficult writing exclusive posts, especially on semiconductors.
7. I wanted to see where I stand, as against my former employers :) -- EDN, US (Reed) and EE Times (Global Sources). Yes, I can never match them! ;) These are the places where I developed myself as a writer and an editor, and I will forever remain indebted to Global Sources and Reed!
8. I also attempted to create a brand out of my name, using semiconductors, essentially, as a platform. I have yet to see how successful it has been :)
There you go! These are my reasons!!
TechFools, is what I call my fun blog, where I can write leisurely blog posts such as these.
If you notice, traffic has really not been among my top priorities. These blogs and blog posts are my own, and so are my opinions, and well, for my own consumption. If readers on the Internet find something useful on my blogs, and choose to stop by, that is a bonus and very humbling.
One other reason for my blogging: I really enjoy meeting new people, and my blog has managed to bring a whole lot of new friends to me -- from all over the world. That's really priceless!!
I am sure you have your own reasons for blogging. :) Keep it up, my dear friends!
Well, my friend, Jonathan Lloyd, from the UK, sent me a very nice congratulatory mail and also asked me what made me take up blogging! By the way, we met on LinkedIn, and also share a group -- the FastTrack 100!
Jonathan is the founder of BusinessMedia, UK, and plans to feature a post that looks at business related (B2B) blogs. The eventual plan is to recommend the top 10 business blogs for their readers. He specifically wanted to find out a little more about what made me set up my blog.
Well, my reasons are fairly simple and straightforward!
1. I am realy tired of searching Google and Yahoo, and other search engines for information, and hence, decided to write on key information on semiconductors.
2. My blog is also my archive -- I am really frustrated at NOT being able to FIND my old articles on the Web. The few, I found on other sites, actually wanted me, as a user, to sign up! To read my own articles... really! So, Pradeep Chakraborty's Blog now archives all of my articles written over the past two years.
3. India DOES NOT have any magazine on semiconductors yet, and till I also spun of a semiconductor site off the blog for CIOL, there wasn't even a semicon portal in India! I hope I have managed to give India a small and decent site on semiconductors!
4. I wanted to be THE resource for the semiconductor industry... again, I have miles to go. It is not easy being a lone ranger :)
5. The sheer thrill of doing something difficult -- sitting in India -- which does not have such detailed blogs on semiconductors, especially. And well, it has really been difficult :) but very thrilling! My colleague, Usha, pokes fun at me -- saying, go, light your bulb (a la the Sharukh Khan movie, Swades!) Ok, I've done nothing of that sort, as this movie showed...
6. My blog posts are all exclusive pieces, as I'm a believer in: great content = great traffic! Again, it is really difficult writing exclusive posts, especially on semiconductors.
7. I wanted to see where I stand, as against my former employers :) -- EDN, US (Reed) and EE Times (Global Sources). Yes, I can never match them! ;) These are the places where I developed myself as a writer and an editor, and I will forever remain indebted to Global Sources and Reed!
8. I also attempted to create a brand out of my name, using semiconductors, essentially, as a platform. I have yet to see how successful it has been :)
There you go! These are my reasons!!
TechFools, is what I call my fun blog, where I can write leisurely blog posts such as these.
If you notice, traffic has really not been among my top priorities. These blogs and blog posts are my own, and so are my opinions, and well, for my own consumption. If readers on the Internet find something useful on my blogs, and choose to stop by, that is a bonus and very humbling.
One other reason for my blogging: I really enjoy meeting new people, and my blog has managed to bring a whole lot of new friends to me -- from all over the world. That's really priceless!!
I am sure you have your own reasons for blogging. :) Keep it up, my dear friends!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Cut the chirp! Get Filttr, with Twitter!
How many of you, like me, are on Twitter? Possibly, everyone! How many of you feel there is an overdose of information on Twitter? Again, possibly, everyone!
So, here's a chance to cut the chirp and get to the relevant! I guess, that's what Filttr sets out to achieve!
According to the Filttr site, its amazingly intelligent birds fetch you, the user, only those tweets that are relevant for you.
Interestingly, I could not sign up, as the "NEXT" link on the sign-up page refused to work. Maybe, it is a beta flaw or something. Hence, I was unable to test the system. I will surely try again later, so nothing much to report otherwise!
Nevertheless, more power to micro blogging!
PS: Later, I was able to email Filttr, and get a response as well. And yes, the site did work. Thanks Swaroop!
So, here's a chance to cut the chirp and get to the relevant! I guess, that's what Filttr sets out to achieve!
According to the Filttr site, its amazingly intelligent birds fetch you, the user, only those tweets that are relevant for you.
Interestingly, I could not sign up, as the "NEXT" link on the sign-up page refused to work. Maybe, it is a beta flaw or something. Hence, I was unable to test the system. I will surely try again later, so nothing much to report otherwise!
Nevertheless, more power to micro blogging!
PS: Later, I was able to email Filttr, and get a response as well. And yes, the site did work. Thanks Swaroop!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Print your blogs and make money!
Bloggers, especially those, who are just joining the blogosphere, there is a tool, which allows other people to print your blog!
Blog2Print has been around for a while, I believe. However, this site allows bloggers to have their blogs printed and convert those into 'blog books.' As of now, the Blog2Print supports Blogger and Wordpress blogging platforms.
According to the site, a 20-page softcover Blog Book is just $14.95, and a hardcover is $24.95. Extra pages can be added for only 35 cents (per page, I guess).
As a user, you can choose the blog book's cover and the images, as well as the number and the order of blog posts. The site allows you to edit the book, and add/remove comments, and add/remove pictures.
Blog2Print also allows bloggers to sell their own blogs. A blogger would need to add Blog2Print to his/her blog. Each time a blog book blog is bought, the blogger gets to receive 20 percent of the sales of the books sold from his/her blog.
Well folks, here's your chance to make some money! Write super blog posts having unique, relevant content. Soon, you'd be laughing all the way to the bank ;)
Blog2Print has been around for a while, I believe. However, this site allows bloggers to have their blogs printed and convert those into 'blog books.' As of now, the Blog2Print supports Blogger and Wordpress blogging platforms.
According to the site, a 20-page softcover Blog Book is just $14.95, and a hardcover is $24.95. Extra pages can be added for only 35 cents (per page, I guess).
As a user, you can choose the blog book's cover and the images, as well as the number and the order of blog posts. The site allows you to edit the book, and add/remove comments, and add/remove pictures.
Blog2Print also allows bloggers to sell their own blogs. A blogger would need to add Blog2Print to his/her blog. Each time a blog book blog is bought, the blogger gets to receive 20 percent of the sales of the books sold from his/her blog.
Well folks, here's your chance to make some money! Write super blog posts having unique, relevant content. Soon, you'd be laughing all the way to the bank ;)
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