Save money on Microsoft tools and systems.

Microsoft Action Pack

Microsoft Empower for ISV's

Save streaming music to disk from WinAmp using Streamripper

Streamripper is a plug-in for WinAmp 5.0 that will allow you to save streaming music to disk. Simply download the latest version and run the installer. When you start WinAmp an additional window titled "STREAMRIPPER" will be open as well. While listening to a stream that you want to record, click the start button in the Streamripper window. StreamRipper will beging to save the files in a folder on your desktop by default. To change the location of the save folder, click the config button in the Streamripper window, select the File tab and change the output directory to wherever you want Streamripper to save to.

A thorough tutorial on how to use Streamripper with WinAmp can be found here.

How to automatically embed DotNetKicks "kick it" links into your Blogger posts.

DotNetKicks is a social bookmarking site, kind of like Digg but targeted at .NET developers. The stories are moderated using a democratic system where articles get votes, called kicks. The more kicks you get the higher up you move in the story hierarchy. When a story is submitted it starts in a pending stories queue. If you get enough kicks your story will be moved from the pending stories queue to the front page. This might all sound like fun and games but what really perked my ears up was their integration with Google's AdSense to earn money for submitted stories. DotNetKicks will split 50% of the ad revenue for clicks through to stories you submit. Nice.

The trick is getting submitted, if your readers aren't aware of DotNetKicks they won't know to submit and/or Kick your articles. You need a way to let them know about the site, but without being crass about it. I didn't want to manually submit my post every time I blogged, so I used Blogger's template system to help do it for me.

<p><a expr:href='"http://www.dotnetkicks.com/submit/?url=" + data:post.url + "&title=" + data:post.title' expr:id='data:widget.instanceId + "_kickit"'><img alt='Submit this story to DotNetKicks' expr:src='"http://www.dotnetkicks.com/Services/Images/KickItImageGenerator.ashx?url=" + data:post.url'/></a></p>

I created a tag that I inserted into my Blogger posts template that will automatically display the number of kicks the article has received so far. If you click on the link and the story hasn't already been submitted you will automatically be redirected to DotNetKicks article submission page with the link and title already filled out for you. If the story has already been submitted your vote will be added to the kicks counter.

To add the tag into your post template go to the Template tab under your Blogger accounts Customization section. Select "Edit HTML" and check the "Expand Widget Templates" check box. Scan the template until you find a line that looks something like "<p><data:post.body/></p>". That is where the Blogger templating engine inserts the body of your post. I inserted my tag to appear directly below the body of my posts but you can play around with whatever position you like by using the "Preview" button. You'll have to save the template to apply the changes when you are satisfied.

PS, I used the above steps to post this article to DotNetKicks.

Follow up: The URL changed for submitting links, the snippet in the article has been updated to output the correct link.

Programming without source control is like coding without pants.

Sure, I can code with no pants on. But if I'm working on a team it's better if I put on some nice slacks.

One Shall Stand, One Shall Fall

I just got back from seeing the Transformers movie. All I have to say about that is, "Mr. Bay I am sorry for doubting you." This is what summer popcorn adventure movies are supposed to be. Simple, straight-forward action, driving music and just enough humor and light romance to keep it fun. And gigantic robots smashing the shit out of each other.

Personally, I have quite a history with the Transformers franchise. The first thing I ever purchased with my own money was a first generation Optimus Prime. I had to do chores at my father's truck shop for several weekends before I saved up enough money. $13.00 American. As with all children's fancies I eventually traded him for a new Rodimus Prime around the time of the first Transformers movie. Big mistake, Rodimus was never as much fun as Optimus.

I'm pretty sure I did more than my fair share of whining and wheedling whenever my mother got too close to the toy section, but my biggest showdown with my mom was over the Transformers movie. We were at a Jewel that had a video rental center towards the front of the store that was carrying the object of my desire. I don't recall the entire event completely, but I'm sure it went something like this. As my mother entered the cashiers line to pay for our daily bread when I began my attack. She was informed of the movie and just how important it was, but she resisted. As she packed up our groceries and moved out towards the door I realized the object of my desires was not in our possession, I became frantic. I remember stomping and crying and yelling that I was being abused and she probably didn't love me or care about me. She kept her will and I didn't get the movie that day, but I like to think I put up quite the scene. I have to admire her fortitude, I was quite the showman.

Autobots, transform and roll out.