A few weeks ago my trusted Acer Laptop died after 3 1/2 years faithful service. Whilst restoring data from backups to a new laptop I have decided to migrate to a linux based primary system (I will keep a windows laptop) I have tried to set a little challenge. Can I replace all my software with linux compatible open source software.
Step one was the operating system - no upgrade to vista for me. Having used linux a bit a few years ago I am quite used to a couple of the variations, but for my new setup I opted for UBUNTU basically as (I have been told) it is the easiest system to move to without being a linux / unix command line expert. I have done my fair share of unix stuff in the past, but frequent use of cheat sheets ment that I haven’t really scratched teh surface of what I can / should be doing with my own system.
Bye, bye to MS Office. I must admit I haven’t used MS office (regularly) for a number of years now. I have pushed for the almost completly compatible OpenOffice. What can I say. It works on windows as well as linux and does everything a full copy of MS office does and it is free. There is a wordprocessor, spreadsheet package, database, presentation suite, drawing package - what else does the average person need? All of these packages are compatible with microsoft file formats - input and output, though there are some quirk. The only thing missing really is MACRO compatibility with Microsoft, this is something I have found very useful in the past - indeed i wrote a datafeed website generator using just MS excel about 6 years ago now. Open Office has its own macro system - but it is not something I have gotten round to playing with yet.
Internet Explorer. - firefox plugs this gap nicely - and with most needed software packages this is pre installed with UBUNT. I stil l have a copy of IE on my windows laptop - good for bug spotting
Outlook, using Mozilla Thunderbird, good email client. As far as the calendar functions go I am experimenting with a couple of packages and may report back sometime.
MSN / LIVE messenger. Microsoft has not launched this on other OSs other than Windows. Thankfully there are a number of 3rd party messenger apps that will communicate with MSN. I am using pidgin simply as this is preinstalled with ubuntu. It will also work with a number of other messenger accounts including AIM Yahoo and ICQ. I had to download and install skype myself, thank god for ubuntu forums or I would have given up by now.
I must admit I havent found a good Dreamweaver replacement yet - again I am trialing a number of open source solutions.
One of the best things about UBUNTU is that there is a 1 click install of most of the major opensource projects that have been approved by UBUNTU.
- Any other UBUNTU users out there - any hints or tips, I am always ready to hear them.
October 13th, 2008
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Scifind Limited is proud to announce that PurelyDiamonds has the highest EPC of any jewellery program according to the Awin Index.
With strong conversion rates (over 3%) and very high average basket - around £830 and a very generous commission rate of 7% PurelyDiamonds is a very good bet for Christmas Jewellery in 2008.
Christmas 2008, the first Christmas for Purely Diamonds will be an amazing time and an amazing oppertunity for all gift and jewellery affiliates to work with Purely Diamonds.
Sign in to Affiliatewindow today, sign up to PurelyDiamonds (merchant id 1992) and use one of their banners or content widgits. Remember they have a full product feed and we are open to any comments or suggestions - just contact Scifind Limited via the contact page here at affiliatedogma.
Thank you to all PurelyDiamonds affiliates for their good work so far.
Thank you to those of you who are just about to join 
October 11th, 2008
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purelydiamonds |
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Purely Diamonds has been running it’s affiliate program with AffiliateWindow for the last couple of months, being very pleased with the interest in the program so far we are looking for new and current affiliates to turn up the pace and are announcing the first PurelyDiamonds affiliate competition.
We have made this affiliate competition accessible to all affiliates at all levels. Anyone could win.
The Prize.
We have an amazing 18ct white gold pendant with a princess cut diamond weighing 0.13ct to give away to one lucky affiliate.
Worth £425.
Entry criteria
1 entry for adding a banner or content widget to a relevant site or page
2 entries for adding relevant content or blog post text linking to products / group of products or
2 entries for ever £100 worth of sales generated
With an average basket of £600 - that would be an average of 12 entries per sale plus of course that commission of £42
Each entry will improve your chances, but highest number of entries will not guarantee that affiliate winning. Just improve your chances.
Rules
A relevant site or page could be (but is not limited to being) a jewellery site or a jewellery page on a shopping site, fashion blog, wedding site, engagement site etc
Banners / content / widgets must remain in place for until the draw date.
1 affiliate could immediately get 3 entries by adding content and adding a banner or a widget
Random checks will be made to check that the banner is not immediately removed.
Promotion will run from the 1st September to the 30th September, the draw will be made on or around Friday the 10th October 2008. Sale based entries will be counted automatically. Content / banner inclusion needs to be entered (via email to Brian Edwards - info [at] scifind.com) before the end of Monday 8th September.
Please state your name, affiliatewindow affiliate ID and include relevant link(s) in your email
Final decision by PurelyDiamonds.
Other Questions?
Please contact Brian Edwards
August 26th, 2008
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affiliatewindow, purelydiamonds |
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Yesterday I was invited to tinker with affiliatefuture’s new affiliate software - using the affiliate future voucher code webservice to populate a website with discount voucher code and affiliate links. More info and get the software here
It took about 2 minuites to install the basic setup, then I had a functional discount voucher site, nice.
The software is very simple and is really to be used as a platform for affiliates to develop and produce their own affiliate voucher code websites, so although useful from the outset for newbies and those not into php, it is a tool that will find its place with those code savvy enough to modify.
The first changes I made included, URL rewrites to give SE friendly and easy readable urls. Making affiliate sites open in a new window. Some cosmetic changes - but not many I must admit. (It is easy enough to drop a new template onto the site - free templates are available from places like oswd.org)
It is early days yet. I expect the basic script to be vastly improved over the coming weeks, I hopefully will have some time to modify my discount voucher site
August 21st, 2008
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affiliate marketing |
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Purely Diamonds now has a range of Branded Widgets available through AffiliateWindow.
Don’t know what branded widgets are? They are banner alternatives, that incorporate product images and prices from the product feed. They take 2 minuites to set up and are available in a wide range of sizes.
Log into AffiliateWindow and click on Content Widgets on the right navigation menu, click New Content Widget then start typing Purely Diamonds in the Merchant box on the left side, select Purely Diamonds, select the size desired, then you can add your own products from the purelydiamonds range.
Prices and product availability are kept upto date.
August 8th, 2008
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affiliatewindow, purelydiamonds |
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We all know about Dragon’s Den, which is fantastic entertainment and slightly informative. But what other business TV shows are there for inspiration, motivation and general tips?
There are a couple I watch, Tricky Business and Trouble online on the Business Channel (imports from Channel 4 -IIRC). Both of these follow young entrepreneurs. But unfortunatly they are getting a little old, and there are only a couple of episodes. Also the other problem with the Business Channel (SKY 547) is that their scheduling is a bit erratic - sometimes they seem to show the same 2 episodes for month online. Also there naming of programs is sometime wrong. Tricky Business is often put in the Doing Business slot, which is often a boring talking heads style show.
Some of the other programs on The Business Channel are worth a look, some of the lectures series are ok, but it can be very hit and miss. Hustlers is another show which again follows young entrepreneurs and is narrated by Sarah Cox (why? I am not sure).
S o what else is there? Badger Or Bust where Ruth Badger goes and shouts at failing business and usually teaches the sales persons how to sell. The Apprentice is ok. But I would like to see more of the programs that follow small or startup businesses.
Any suggestions?
August 7th, 2008
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Purelydiamonds has now entered into its third month of its affiliate program on the affiliate window affiliate network. And it is doing very well for the affiliates that actively promote the program.
The wedding season is well into its stride, but there is still time to be selling those all important wedding rings, Purely Diamonds produces some exquisite diamond wedding rings along side the more traditional plain wedding rings. The rings are easily paired for the happy couple ing in price from around £100 - £1000 (that is £7 - £70 commission for those who wonder)
For those interested by the image - it is a 18ct Yellow & white gold wedding ring with 5 round brilliant cut diamonds retailing at £360 - discounted from £500.
Looking forward, PurelyDiamonds is planning to run an affiliate incentive throughout August and September - so either keep an eye out here - or join the affiliate program to be kept up to date with the affiliate program news.
August 6th, 2008
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purelydiamonds |
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Mobiles.co.uk (AW) have a Samsung U600 which apparently is ready and willing to be trashed in the most violent and extraordinary way possible.
Poor Samsung U600 what have you ever done to them to be picked on in such a way.
What a good publicity idea though, after the success of ‘Will It Blend’ and other technology trashing websites mindless destruction of property is a quick visual way to review a product.
Being a big fan of MythBusters my initial idea was to test mobile phone myths, biggest one being petrol stations being blown up by sparks from mobile phones. Mythbusters have debunked this just a myth, there are some videos on youtube that show otherwise. Brainiac also dispelled this myth - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BBkPT-j8PNg
So petrol is out as it probably wouldn’t work. So from here…
I would like to see if a mobile phone could stop a bullet (as wads of cash, cigarette cases, decks of cards, lockets etc do in movies.)
Of course I would like to start small (pea shooter, spud gun) and work my way up to bb gun, air rifle and if necessary shotgun, depending at which point the phone gives in.
Having the phone attached to a shop dummy in order to give some indication of the protective value of the phone in a gunfight situation, I would take it along to a shooting range of course to ensure safety to all witnesses of the shooting.
I would love to see some other Destruction Derby entries - so if you wanted to post a link in a comment that would be great.
July 29th, 2008
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It has come to our attention that a number of affiliates are using just the basic description of PurelyDiamonds taken from either the affiliatewindow page or the Purely Diamonds site itself, this is not a big problem in terms of the terms and conditions, but it does affect search engine rankings for affiliates.
If 600 affiliates all use the same copy for their websites to promote any affiliate program Google and the other search engines will see the duplicate content and not rank those pages as well as they should do.
The answer? Take just 10 minutes, read our program description, read the description on the website and then write your own variation on this copy. Get it to best match your website’s own feel.
I can help affiliates by writing bespoke copy for you, but I can only do this for a very limited number of affiliates.
When writing copy for your pages think about using the following keywords:
Engagement Rings
Diamond Engagement Rings
Diamond Rings
Eternity Rings
Diamond Eternity Rings
Platinum eternity rings
Dress rings
Diamond earrings
Diamond bracelets
Diamond bangles
Diamond pendants
Get variations on these keywords and phrases by using free online tools like:
https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal
http://tools.seobook.com/keyword-tools/seobook/
Suggested Default Description for PurelyDiamonds: (A great starting point for your own copy)
The founders of Purely Diamonds have been in the diamond industry for over 30 years. We are specialists in the design and manufacture of diamond jewellery—everything from rings and earrings to bracelets, bangles and pendants. We are also experts in the manufacture of Platinum pieces as well as 18-carat yellow and white gold.
Having built up an enviable reputation selling to High Street retailers, we recently took the decision to offer our products direct to public. Why? We can offer substantially lower prices when we sell direct to customers. The benefit is High Street quality without the High Street price.
Almost every item you see on this website has been designed and manufactured in-house in our workshop in London. In fact, we are one of the few genuinely in-house manufacturers still around today. We have a highly skilled team of craftsman who we have been working with for many years.
July 21st, 2008
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affiliate marketing, purelydiamonds |
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Dragons Den is back on the BBC from next Monday, back for it’s 6th Series.
Got a killer web application - their application form is here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/dragonsden/apply/
Will the entrepreneurs get it this year and register their domain names before the show is broadcasted and the cybersquatters get in?
Will there be any affiliates this year.
Will we be getting tips (I doubt it) , business model ideas, or just get to see some hopefuls cruelly put down.
The Dragons this year remain the same as last
Deborah Meaden - Dragon - AffiliatDogma Rating - C+
Duncan Bannatyne - Dragon - Affiliate Dogma rating A
James Caan - Dragon AffiliatDogma Rating B-
Peter Jones - Dragon AffiliateDogma Rating B+
Theo Paphitis - Dragon Dragon AffiliateDogma Rating B
July 16th, 2008
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Dragon's Den |
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