Animation and Video Resources
Some may have noticed I've strayed away from programming a bit and more into video production. As usual, most of what I know I've found out online. Those who are also into video editing should find the below useful. Feel free to send me links to add as well if you know of other sources.
Tools and Resources
AlphaPlugins Company - Site that sells plugins for After Effects but also has a number of nice plugins for free download.
Aeigisub...[More]
Aeigisub...[More]
Last Updated Sep 2nd, 2014 | 1202 unique view(s)
Auto Login and Lock
This is a method for turning your Windows home computer into sort of a server by automatically booting and loading the desktop without requiring your manual login. It then locks and requires password to use the computer, but the stuff you want up and running (especially programs in the startup folder) will already be up.
http://lifehacker.com/5645098/make-windows-load-your-desktop-before-you-log-in
For Windows server, make sure to also disable Ctrl+Alt+Delete on login as described here:
https://serverfault.com/a/911298
A program...[More]
http://lifehacker.com/5645098/make-windows-load-your-desktop-before-you-log-in
For Windows server, make sure to also disable Ctrl+Alt+Delete on login as described here:
https://serverfault.com/a/911298
A program...[More]
Last Updated Jun 19th, 2022 | 1375 unique view(s)
Auto-CC with Gmail Google Workspace
For shared emails that can be sent by multiple people (in a company, team, etc), you can have any sent emails automatically CC the team by adding the below routing settings. Basically what this does is so anyone sending from team-email@company-email.com will automatically CC team-email@company-email.com as well. This is especially useful if you also allow users to send from a shared email address from their own personal Gmail account (such as from a shared Google Group email), which makes it harder to be accountable without the Auto-CC.
1) Go to Google Admin > Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail
2) Click Routing.
3) Click Add Another Rule under Routing.
4) Use the...[More]
1) Go to Google Admin > Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail
2) Click Routing.
3) Click Add Another Rule under Routing.
4) Use the...[More]
359 unique view(s)
Black Screen After RDP
Getting a Black Screen Trying to Login After a Remote Desktop Session
I recently started on occasion having a black screen come up when logging in. This happens if I previously signed into Windows remotely. The mouse is gone, keyboard does not work, etc. It turns out this is caused by Nvidia's GeForce Experience ShadowPlay. Disabling Shadowplay stops this from happening.
More details here:
https://superuser.com/questions/1026423/windows-10-black-screen-after-local-login-and-previous-remote-desktop-session
541 unique view(s)
Books Online
Reading books online...
Of course, having the book itself is always better. It's easier on the eyes and you can read it wherever need be.However, sometimes you may not have the book with you - say.. you left it at school or something. And your class requires you to read it by tomorrow. Here are some online sources I've found for reading books in my class. I'm not sure what books everyone else is required to read, but maybe this list will help a few people.
...[More]
Last Updated May 18th, 2015 | 1056 unique view(s)
Buying Gadgets and Tech
I'm not going to say which brands or anything are the best (though they're usually the custom or off-brand ones 
) because they're always changing. Below however are usually the sites I check to figure out what I'm buying before I buy them.
Review and Information Sites
) because they're always changing. Below however are usually the sites I check to figure out what I'm buying before I buy them.Review and Information Sites
Last Updated Feb 2nd, 2022 | 1192 unique view(s)
Buzzing From Keyboard Piano
So I don't forget in the future. If there is buzzing from the piano keyboard via headphones or speakers, it is likely from the MIDI cable plugged in. Removing that or having your recording play from a USB thumb drive instead will fix the buzzing.
This pertains at least to me with the Yamaha P155.
This pertains at least to me with the Yamaha P155.
1021 unique view(s)
Capture Card Latency in OBS
Almost bought a new capture card / second screen to avoid latency issues, but it turns out the solution was in OBS by 1) using capture only on the Properties > Audio Output Mode and then 2) Monitor + Output on Advanced Audio Properties. For some reason, having Properties > Audio Output Mode set to Desktop introduces a 100+ ms delay. Would've expected it to be the same as Monitor + Output. If you're hearing an echo or need to also record sound from Desktop, you'll want to use Monitor Only (mute output) so it doesn't also record the capture card from desktop audio.
Last Updated Dec 11th, 2022 | 312 unique view(s)
CD and DVD Burning
What discs to buy, how to best burn them, how to print on them, how to store them.
Those with interest in video editing will undoubtedly find interest in burning their works to DVD. General knowledge in burning DVDs can often be applicable to CDs and vice-versa.
Disc Brands
In general, the only two brands I trust are Taiyo Yuden and Verbatim. The two are most highly recommended, and unlike many other brands, they can be played in most DVD players. Get the DVD-R for even higher compatibility (this is because -R has been around longer).
Taiyo…[More]
1939 unique view(s)
Chrome as a Spider
Helping Google find pages not necessarily linked anywhere...
Interesting discussion at Webmaster World on how Google might be indexing pages that are otherwise private or hidden from the rest of the world. Ran into this a few times myself when trying to set up a few heavy-load test scripts, only for it to get indexed and get outside hits as well. <_<Some of the discussion floating around has been centered on the parsing of URLs in gmail messages, as well as indexing pages someone using Chrome or Google toolbar visits.
1187 unique view(s)
Chrome Tabs CPU
Below is a blog describing a great fix for the excessive CPU usage Chrome has with multiple tabs open. Specifically the Suspender extensions will stop any tab not in the foreground from continuing to use up CPU.
https://www.socmedsean.com/butchering-the-google-chrome-cpu-hog/
Despite having a quad-core CPU, Chrome somehow still uses up 100% of my resources especially if any tabs open are Google Drive / Sheets.
https://www.socmedsean.com/butchering-the-google-chrome-cpu-hog/
Despite having a quad-core CPU, Chrome somehow still uses up 100% of my resources especially if any tabs open are Google Drive / Sheets.
470 unique view(s)
Click Race
The object of the game is to click the Click Me! links to go to the next page. If you aren't quick enough, you get sent back to the previous page. Each page gives you less and less time to click the link. There are 10 pages; the page number is displayed in the page name.
Very basic and html pages. Just something I made way back in 2006... when I didn't know any web design... and when I didn't know any better.
Last Updated Dec 21st, 2019 | 1174 unique view(s)
College Admission Tips
Things to check when applying to colleges…
Seems kind of late for me to be talking about college admissions since most of the people I know online have already attended or are in college. Nevertheless, it’s now my turn, and yes I’m only just now applying. 
The general rule of thumb I’ve found is to simply be honest and real - don’t overemphasize things that aren’t really that important but don’t sell yourself short either. However, I would presume most people who do come online are in search of more concrete tips and advice.
The below…[More]
1204 unique view(s)
Comparing Options Contracts
Bitcoin Options Price Feed Data and Analysis on LedgerX
This is a spreadsheet I created to compare what call or put options are best to buy, specifically using this for Bitcoin options on LedgerX but can be used with any options really. You can essentially use this as an API for LedgerX options price data into your own scripts as well by using the ImportRange function.https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dZbFjCrr2FykdPvE4UVLp8kOO5Iox9lmctSmfqSTq1I/edit#gid=0
Sometimes the...[More]
Last Updated Jan 31st, 2020 | 1250 unique view(s)
CSharp Notes and Pitfalls
Things not to do and things to remember about C#...
Just notes and things I want to remember when I'm coding C#. Sometimes these things take hours to catch when the fix is simple, if you knew about them in advance.
RichTextBox.Text - do not update in a background thread even if each thread has its own RichTextBox (building multiple control objects in parallel, for example). This will cause a memory corruption error and either cause your program to crash or hang every so often (which makes it even harder to notice).
1061 unique view(s)
File Management
Tools to sort, rename, and organize your files...
Seems like the operating system would be best for managing your files, but this isn't always the case. Several times, I'd want to rename a whole batch of files, or maybe I'd want to fix the creation times of my pictures. As usual, the free stuff is always best - there's no reason to buy bloated software for essential needs as these. Below are the best I've found. Feel free to suggest more.
Programs and Tools
...[More]
Last Updated May 24th, 2012 | 1036 unique view(s)
Fixing a Mac White Screen or Not Booting
Failure to Boot on a Mac, White Screen of Death...
Had a few friends who have run into a white screen on bootup for their Macs after dropping it or having a power failure. Rather than have to send in for repair (time + money), a much easier fix is detailed at The Pabster's Notebook.
The basic idea is that the Hard Drive boot sector got corrupted, but the Mac continues to try to boot from it. The system disc doesn't help because the OS doesn't try to boot from anything else unless the hard drive is first disconnected.
Once that...[More]
Last Updated May 22nd, 2012 | 1334 unique view(s)
Free Fax Online
Save you the trouble of buying a fax machine or paying for a service.
https://faxzero.com/
https://faxzero.com/
433 unique view(s)
FTP Tutorial
A guide and tutorial to using an FTP for Windows
Several people who I lend webspace to have had trouble using the FTP connection. Therefore, I've written a hopefully easy-to-understand tutorial and guide to using the FTP. Different hosts/servers may vary, but it is generally about the same. Just change the address to whatever your ftp would be. Using the FTP is simple.
1) First open your windows explorer browser (open a folder such as My Computer or My Documents) and enter your address.
Last Updated Oct 26th, 2015 | 772 unique view(s)