I started using WordPress on Gadgetnate.com back when version 2.0 was out.  The latest version is 2.2.. So, two significant releases have been made since I started using WordPress.  I started using 2.2 for ISpeakHindi.com and could see many improvements… the auto save feature was one.  But I saw no compelling reason to upgrade.

Well, I changed hosts.  And at DreamHost.com, they have the one click install for WordPress 2.2.  So, this presented a problem… how to get my 2.0 blog from one site over to the next.

A big feature that is missing in 2.0 is the ability to export.  This feature has been added to 2.2.  So, the easiest thing seem to be to upgrade the 2.0 to 2.2, export, then import it in at the new host.  After googling the upgrade process, I found that upgrading was a matter of overwriting the files and then accessing /wp-admin/upgrade.php.  This prompted me with a message saying that the database needed to be updated.   I clicked “OK”.  Then, just like that, I was on WordPress 2.2.

I exported the file.  But I had sooooo many comments, 7,000+ that it timedout before doing a full export.  Seems I had been hit by some comment spam.  I accessed the MySql database deleted all the records in the comment table.  Then I was able to export and import in.

Then I just needed to copy over the theme, and that was it.  And now here we are!!

My brother in law recommended a wonderful hosting provider:  DreamHost.  They offer a wonderful deal.  If you are willing to pay $190 upfront, then you get two years of hosting, which comes out to be a little less than $8/month.  For that, you get all this:

146 Gigs of disk space (increases by 1 Gig a week.  So, as long as you produce less than 1 gig a week of content, then you should be safe :-))

1.4 Terrabytes of data transfers.  This increases by 16 gigs a weeks.  Again, I don’t see myself pushing those limits anytime soon.

unlimited number of MySql databases, email addresses, announcement lists, discussion lists, and most importantly, Domains!!

That is right, for less than $8/month, you can host an unlimited number of domains!!  No need to have a dedicated box or pay extra per domain.  That means you can host all of your sites, your families, sites, your friends sites without any issues!

They support PHP4 and PHP5.  (Can’t imagine myself using PHP4 at this point…) 

Full Unix Shell.  You can SSH over to the box rmoe files around, compile some programs, get into your mysql server, etc.

Crontab access…  So you can schedule programs t run.  Maybe to send out a news letter, do backups, do some cleanup, whatever.  This is a big thing for me!

Ruby on Rails support… After I master MySql, PHP and Apache, I’m going to learn Rails.

Subversion adn CVS repositories.  This gives you version control.  Used correctly, it should let you revert back to an earilier version.

SSL support, Data backup, access to the log files, one click installations of popular programs like WordPress.  www.dreamhost.com/hosting.html

Just found this podcast:

learnhindipodcast.blogspot.com/

It seems they have only published one episode.  But it is along the lines of what I want to do with www.ISpeakHindi.com

 

How many times have you heard that “Freedom is not free”?  Usually it is when the army is recruiting or you are paying taxes or campaign contributions..

You also heard that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance… that is sooo true!

It seems that we are too eager to give up our freedoms.  Because we are too quick to give up our responsibilities.  It is not the government that is responsible to take care of the sick, the homeless, to ensure that everyone has education.  It is the responsibility of each individual that feels these things that happen.  And if we can not make this happen, then it is our job to convince, not force through legislation, to help.  Or we have to figure some way to get the ability to do the help we think should happen.

So, a co-worker of mine is involved in creating a “iRazoo” search engine.  There is even a Houston Chronicle article about it.  I post a log entry about it, with a like to the www.iRazoo.com site and the chronicle article.  Now, that posting is the #1 listing on the second page of google results when you search for iRazoo.

Internet traffic is an interesting thing.  Sometimes you can predict it, but most of the time it is like the weather.

Lots of progress is being made on ISpeakHindi.com.  However, after talking to a friend of mind that runs a high traffic website, I think I have a long ways to go.

First, I need a lot of indexable content.  This means getting the Hindi content on the web site in the form of text, not just podcasts.  It also means linking to other people’s website.

Second, Need to keep the site well maintained and professional looking.  Need a solution to organizing links to other sites on  WordPress.  Need good graphics.  Need to ensure all the content is correct and of high quality.

Third, need to have high quality recordings.  Need better recording equipment, in a better environment, with no background noises.  Need to create scripts.

Fourth, need to participate in online discussion groups and get cross linking going on.  Put the ISpeakHindi.com in the signature.  Reference content on ISpeakHindi.com, etc.

Fifth, need to get listed in all the directories.

Sixth, submit to all the search engines

Seventh, once the audio programs are of a consistently high quality and routinely being published, get listed in the iTunes podcast directory.  Get listed in other directories.

Eighth, send out press releases.

I think it is going to take many, many months to build the site to the point that it will be worth looking at.  Right now I have been focused on recording the podcasts.  But I need to work on getting the written material as well.

July 4th is a wonderful time.  Celebrating the birth of our nation.  This brings great happiness.  But lately, as I think about the true difference that America represented, I have become sad and thoughtful.

America was not the first representative  government.  It was not the first democracy.  But it was the first government that at the beginning set out with the notion of “Limited government”.  All the governments that I have studied seem to focus more on who would lead, but I have not heard of another government created with the intent that it would be powerless in some areas.

I believe this is truly what made America what it is.  The notion that the government is a very powerful solution.  But like taking a nuke to kill an ant hill, it should be employed with great care and restraint.

But I believe this concept of “Limit government” is long dead.  We now look to the government to solve all our social concerns.  We look to it to care for the sick, provided for the retired and helpless, to educate our young and re-educate our old, to research the future, to ensure we all have jobs, to provide peace and security in the world.

It also seems we are caught in a 20/20 cycle.  The more missions the government takes up, the more resources it needs to consume.  The more it consumes, the more we expect of it.  And so on..

Also, it seems like every government failure can be answered by spending more money.

I wish it wasn’t so late so I could talk more about this.  (Don’t worry there will be other posts.)  But let me leave you with these questions:

1) What does “Limited Government” mean?

2) Do you believe that the US government is “Limited” in any way?

3) Does this concern you?

4) What is the role of the federal government?