• What is Aardvark? [NOW WITH INVITES]

    Aardvark is a social search service that connects users live with friends or friends-of-friends who are able to answer their questions. Users submit questions via email or instant messenger and Aardvark identifies and facilitates a live chat or email conversation with one or more topic experts in the asker’s extended social network. Users can also review question and answer history and other settings on the Aardvark website.

    via Aardvark (search engine) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

    Furthermore,

    When a user joins Aardvark, Aardvark is added to the user’s IM buddylist. Users submit questions by email or IM. Aardvark guides the user through the question process by providing messages that confirm receipt of the question and explain any actions required by the user. IM users are also able to use a variety of “IM commands”–one word messages that can be used to fine-tune the question parameters, invite new users, or get help.

    Aardvark currently supports Google Talk, Windows Live Messenger, and AOL Instant Messenger.

    If you need an invite link, feel free to use mine, available here.

    Some people have responded to Aardvark by saying that it’s example questions can be answered using Google – and for the most part, I agree – increasingly, I find that people who use Aardvark are just damned lazy.

    For example, I got this from some guy in Sweden:

    How do I printscreen when using Parallels Desktop on a Mac?

    Not having used Parallels before, I decided to Google it – I eventually stumbled across a couple of forum threads that suggested using XP’s built-in on-screen-keyboard with it’s printscn key worked a treat. It took me what, 30 seconds to look on Google? For crying out loud.

    Another one I got was:

    Anyone know any good Linux data recover software?

    At the time Lifehacker hadn’t released their article detailing free data recovery tools, so Google proved fruitless. Of course, I wasn’t searching for “linux data recovery”, so I have to brush up on my Google-fu.

    Last one I thought was pretty stupid:

    How can i nstall the newest version of ICQ on my Windows 2000?

    I mean, COME. ON. HAVE YOU HEARD OF GOOGLE?!

    No, Aardvark is best used for those personal questions. “What’s the best way to ask out a girl?”, “Where’s the best place for a good meal on a saturday night in Hobart?”, “How do I tell my girlfriend of 15 years that I’m gay?” Okay, I’m kidding on the last one. But really – those personal recommendations that you can’t get though Google work a treat on these so-called “social networks”.

    To each his own, I guess.

    Anyways, if you need an invite link, hit up mine: available here.

  • The Hit List: Basics and Beyond

    This seems as good a time as any to mention a large easter egg in the app. ‘Tis the season, as well. Create a task with the word “Mario” in it, complete it, and archive it. Do the same with “Star wars”. Now you’ll see why those are the only two tasks allowed to stay in the archive of my Inbox, for those times I need a motivator and don’t have any chocolate around. Speaking of which, excuse me for a second…

    via The Hit List: Basics and Beyond | International Mac Podcast.

    A dammed excellent article on why you should be using The Hit List as part of your Getting Things Done methodology (or, more accurately, a tutorial on how to use The Hit List to it’s full extent).

    The day of my GTD approach is nigh – just gotta wait for The Hit List on iPhone, and I’ll be all set.

  • Two Things About Tanks

    If you’ve been following my Twitter feed lately, you would have seen this.

    If not, here it is again, the picture speaks for itself…

    Hit the image up for more detailed L4D stats.

    1. A tank set on fire will always die in 30 seconds.
    2. Tank on fire speed comparison.

    In summary: any tank set on fire will die in 30 seconds, and in campaign mode, any tank on fire will be significantly faster than a non-flamed tank, while in versus mode the tank is slower when on fire.

    Now the only question becomes what the tank is like in Survival mode…

  • Windows 7 isn’t as free as you thought.

    The RC will expire on June 1, 2010. Starting on March 1, 2010, your PC will begin shutting down every two hours. Windows will notify you two weeks before the bi-hourly shutdowns start. To avoid interruption, you’ll need to install a non-expired version of Windows before March 1, 2010.

    via Windows 7 Release Candidate Customer Preview Program.

    Bi-hourly shutdowns?

    Ouch, Microsoft.

  • Angry Aussie Video – EPIC LULZ AHEAD

    This video isn’t available as an embed, but you can still watch the original on eBaum’s World.

    Sounds like a typical Croyden person

    via Angry Aussie Video.

    Be aware that there’s A LOT of swearing. Like, A LOT OF SWEARING.

    It’s funny as hell, though – especially if you’ve worked in Retail, or in any customer-service related capacity.

    Thanks to Mactalk Forums for the link – if you’re a member, hit up this link for more retail horror stories (link requires membership).

  • WordPress Counter Strike Theme

    Counter Strike Theme

    Free WordPress Counter Strike Web2.0 Theme Template, theme designed for first person shooting games blog. This is a fabulous theme, It has very interesting images, cool color scheme. Two columns and fixed width. This is an XHTML and CSS valid theme, tested properly on Firefox3, IE6 and IE7, works both well with WordPress 2.7 and older versions, and supports threaded comments coming with WordPress 2.7.

    via Free WordPress Counter Strike Blog Web2.0 Theme Template » Free Web Templates and Themes.

    I might install this for the lulz.

Benny Ling's Bling

Computers are like a bicycle for our minds.