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Learning jQuery Free Online

I loved HTML at first sight. Then I realized its limitations and started learning PHP. And then, just recently I fancied learning jQuery and found some free resources online.

how to learn jquery free onlineWhen I say I learned PHP, I do not necessarily mean I mastered it. I learned just enough to be able to amuse myself as I tweaked my themes and played around with the innards of some plugins in my blog.

Now that I am embarking on learning jQuery, it goes without saying that I may not necessarily be aiming for mastery. Maybe, just enough to be dangerous when I find myself in the midst of jQuery code.

Some folks say that I must learn javascript before starting on jQuery. But leave it to my non-conformist nature to just go ahead anyway and dive into jQuery without benefit of a javascript background. Maybe I’m wrong but I have this understanding that jQuery is supposed to help make me jump ahead with javascript coding without starting from ground zero.

learning jquery online for free

I landed on a resource website called Codecademy.com which offers free online courses like Web Fundamentals, jQuery, Javascript, Python, Ruby, APIs, etc.

I’m now almost done with part 2 of the jQuery Course. That means Parts 3 to 6 are still waiting for me to be devoured soon (if the motivation holds up). In part 2, I’ve learned about functions, selectors and some functional jQuery coding.

If you’re expecting passive learning here, you’d be surprised. You can’t effectively go ahead with the next chapters without typing in the proper codes in the jQuery code box. Kind of reminds me of my Trigonometry class instructor back in high school who has this nasty habit of giving us a short quiz after every lecture session. And here at codecademy, if you make erroneous codes, you’ll be reprimanded with an ‘Oops, you need to insert…’ remark. Well, they were not joking when they said ‘Interactive’!

Though, I’m yet at the early stages of the online course, I know that the entire online course wouldn’t make me a jQuery wizard afterwards as it doesn’t really cover everything. That’s why, this early I have started gathering other resources to complement my learning.

I have, for instance, the following digital info files in my jQuery folder:

  • Head First jQuery
  • jQuery Cookbook
  • jQuery Succinctly
  • jQuery Documentation PDF
  • jQuery & jQuery UI Documentation

Youtube is in no shortage of jQuery tutorials too. There’s this channel called LittleWebHut which also offers lots of video tutorials, e.g. HTML, Inkscape, etc.

Why Learn jQuery?

Take a look at this site. Click on ‘News/Events’, and then click on the links at the left side of the page. I just love Ajax!

Or, take a peek at dibusoft.com. Click on one of the direction arrows on the picture frame on the upper right of the page. If you like the effect, click it again and again until your forefingers get sore.

But then again, those are just some effects that can be seen immediately on the surface. JQuery can do lots more and takes off where HTML (or PHP) stops.

HTML and PHP just aren’t enough especially when you want to keep up with the Joneses in the webworld. Interactivity is the in thing now and, I supppose, will remain that way forever.

Some guy in a forum said that he traipsed away from javascript when he found out that some users intentionally disable javascript in their browsers. On closer inspection, I learned that those paranoid users actually constitute only around 2% of all users in the US. Other countries have even lower statistics than that. What’s up with these guys? Do they prefer page load waiting time over ajax?

And why the heck would I worry about the preferences of 2% of US readers? Wait, a yahoo page says that 6,000,000 readers compose the 2% of users among 300,000,000 readers who visit their site each month. Ok, that’s one humongous lot of readers.

Well then, when I become the greatest jQuery programmer in the world soon, maybe I’ll just have to design my websites so that javascript-phobic users can still get satisfaction from my sites. But surely, the rest will get the best experience in their browsing when javascript is enabled, like the way I am awed at masterfully designed sites with expert use of proper javascript.

jQuery Badges
Here are the badges I’ve earned so far @ codecademy

VIDEO: JavaScript & jQuery Tutorial for Beginners

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Wifey Gets New iPad Mini

My wife gave herself a gift just a couple of days ago – the new iPad Mini.

new iPad mini Photobucket

All she’s using before this is her iPhone 4S. She didn’t get to have an iPad earlier because I warned her that Apple upgrade iPads, or any of their products for that matter, every 6 months or so. Thus her iPad, should she get one now, would be considered old half a year from now, and a dinosaur after a year.

But after the release of the iPad Mini, no amount of warnings about obsolescence could keep her from craving for it. Thus, she put out an order for her unit and as soon as it arrived last week, there was no stopping her.

My kids were also very excited, not only because they can also get to play their favorite games on mommy’s iPad Mini when she’s busy and not using it at home, or during grocery shopping, but also because she’s promised to give her old iPhone4S to me and my old iPhone to them.

That’s how it works in the family. I do appreciate new technologies and cool phones, but I’m not picky with what phone I use. Not only that, I also could survive without a cellphone (though I could definitely not do without my laptop).

Thus, when it comes to phones, I am content with hand-me-downs from my wife. When she upgrades hers, I get her old one. And the kids get mine.

The iPad Mini

The iPad Mini added another level to the iPad’s portability. It has all the features of the old iPad, has better screen resolution, 4G, and has Siri, among other things.

ipad mini Photobucket

I fiddled with it sometime ago. Browsing the internet is a breeze and definitely much better than the squeezed space of the iPhone.

I could also hold it in one hand the way I hold a phone, though I needed to stretch out my fingers out a bit.

With Retina, which it has not at the moment, the iPad Mini should be an all out winner in the tablet arena. In another 6 months, that would surely come with the iPad Mini 2.

Then, this iPad Mini she just bought would become another hand-me-down…to me. Kids, here’s my iPhone4S, it’s yours now.

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Hiding Folders in Windows: The Free Hide Folder App


Have you ever had the idea of wanting to hide some specific personal folders so that others, e.g. your kids and your wife – if its a family computer, or your prying officemates – if you’re using your office computer, may not be able to see some files?

free hide folder program

The files you want to hide may range from porn to just about anything you want to use exclusively. Just password protecting those files (there are apps that can do that) is not enough. In fact, when you password protect a file, it makes the curious even curiouser and more insistent on finding out what secret you’re hiding. Thus, making them invisible is the best way as no one can start looking for something if they don’t know what they want to look for.

Not all Folder hiding apps are good

About 2 years ago, I remember using some cool software that effectively hides folders from anyone, even yourself if you forget your password. The thing with that software (I forgot its name) is that it turned out to be a trojan-carrying application that eventually caused my antivirus software to shriek in chaos. Well, of course, it just confirms the grim reminder that not everything you download are good for you (especially if you get it through torrent downloaders).

There was one other similar app I tried that did not contain any virus or trojan, but it limits the size of the folder I want to hide. In other words, you need to shell out a few bucks to lift the limits. Now, I am not that desperate enough to hide my folders as to get myself a few bucks poorer. Besides, I knew that if I search further enough, I’d eventually find some free ones that will work just as efficiently.

Free Hide Folder

Lately, I stumbled upon this software called ‘Free Hide Folder’. It can hide folders very efficiently. It can even fool windows explorer because the folder count in its status bar shows only the visible folders. And there’s no limit to the number of folders or the size of the folders you want to hide.

Free Hide Folder password

One thing I’d like to be a feature of this app though is a shortcut key that can be set by the user. Say, I want to load the app up by pressing ‘ctrl-alt-b’. It doesn’t have this feature at present. Instead it creates a shortcut in your desktop and in your start bar effectively announcing to everyone that you have this app in your desktop. Although the curious may not know what folder you’re hiding, he’d still be suspecting that you’re indeed hiding something.

For those who have an aptitude for programming, this can be remedied, say, with AutoIt or some other similar program. I’d probably try that out sometime. After creating a hotkey, I can thus delete the shortcuts, and voila! I’m the only one who knows the app exists in the computer and how to run it (except for smart guys who might stumble on it while browsing the Program Files folder in the C drive).

Again, this is totally free as its name ‘Free Hide Folder’ says plainly. One caveat: everytime you fire up the app, it’d show you a nag screen asking you to go get a registration code. To get a registration code, you need to send some donation. If you don’t feel like donating however, you can always just click the ‘Skip’ button and you’re good to go.

Free Hide Folder skip option

If you’re interested to know more about this cool application, check it out at this site.

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How a SIM Only Deal Can Save You Money

With the rate of unemployment increasing every day, the economy of the world is starting to experience a downturn, and as a result more and more people are going into debt every day. The problem with this is the fact that most people are going into debt because they have to keep paying for services they hardly need or use and they can do nothing about it.

One major service that keeps draining money from the pocket of the masses is communications, and that is because most people don’t know how to go about it.

As an expert that help people find the best SIM only plans, I’m starting to get tired of the fact that people keep paying excess for mobile services they don’t use. Personally, I think everybody should start using a SIM only deal to get the best service without going into debt, and in this article I will be giving you a few tips on how going for a SIM only deal can help you save money.

You Determine the Length of Your Contract

The number one advantage of going for a SIM only deal is that you determine the length of your contract. In other words, instead of being forced to pay for 12 or 24 months because you’re going with a standard contract you can easily subscribe to a 3 months or 1 month contract if that is what you want.

Most of us don’t even know if we will love an ISP for more than a few months, and it can be really frustrating to be forced to sign up for more months than we care to. By going for a SIM only package you won’t have to sign up for more months than you care to.

You Can Decide Not to Accept a New Smartphone

Another reason you can save money by going for a SIM only deal is that you can decide not to accept a new smartphone. In other words, you won’t be forced to get a smartphone you don’t need, and as a result you also won’t have to pay, “in excess”, for it.

I believe deciding which smartphone to use is a choice you have to make for yourself; and if you need a smartphone you can easily get it online or in the nearest store to you, so you shouldn’t be forced by your ISP to pay for a mobile phone you don’t want.

You Can Choose Any Network of Your Choice and Customize the Service that Comes with Your SIM Card

One major way a SIM only deal can also help you save money is that you can determine which network you want and the services that come with your SIM card. For example, most of us only use our mobile phones for making calls, so it wouldn’t be fair if we have to pay the same amount as those who use SMS and web also. You can easily negotiate with your ISP to give you a “call only” plan if that’s what you want and not have to worry about paying for services you don’t need.

[warning]
Paul Tobis is an expert writer that talks about SIM Only deals.[/warning]

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3 Steps to Enjoy Your Internet Connection Performance

Post by: Thoma John Timsim

Many people have been asking me this question on my blog for some time now that how can they enjoy their internet connection on their computers, even at this time when most net access aren’t up to the rate some ISP used to promised their prospects. I normally answer them politely and some of those replies which I used to give them are what I shall be sharing with you in this article.

There are many reasons that can cause you not to enjoy your internet connection and some of them are what we shall be revealing in this article so that you can be able to browse the web and enjoy it without hassle.

Upgrade Your CPU for Faster Net Experience

When it happens that you weren’t able to browse the internet faster because everything is becoming slower and slower every minute – one thing that you should check is to know if your computer operating system is out of date or not. To know if your OS is out-of-date or if it is not up to what it is needed to run the modem, you can do so by checking the system requirement on your modem or dongle to know if your computer is up to what is required or not.

In many cases, you can be seeing errors when you are browsing the internet due to low level of the CPU, in such situation, you should make sure that you contact a nearby computer practitioner or better still, change your computer’s CPU or buy new one.

Also, it may happen that you will need to increase your computer’s RAM to make the system work faster to make your internet connection go faster.

Stop Sharing Your Internet Access with Just Anybody

You should share your connection with like minded people only. When you share your internet connection with other people, either your co-worker or your closest friends, you may discover that you aren’t able to control what they are using your connection for, and that could cause you to have limited internet access on your computer because they are sharing the same resources together with you. And that will certainly limit the amount of browsing time for everyone on the network including you.

Even at times when you feel like sharing your connection with people, you should make sure that you limit the connection by using strong password and also limiting the amount of bandwidth that each person on the network can use at a time. This will help you save more of your bandwidth and also help you enjoy browsing the internet.

Don’t Force Yourself to Browse

When you force yourself to browse the web, you will notice that you won’t be able to do what you wanted to do better than when you have the power and the passion to do that thing. It normally happened in most cases that when a person forces himself or herself to browse the internet, the person will end up becoming frustrated because of the outcome of what the person will get along the line – the body will be working against the person.

Whenever you force yourself to browse the web, you will notice that you won’t be able to achieve what you’ve set out to achieve through that browsing session that when you do it at your leisure – the time when you have the ability to do what you want to do on the internet.

[warning]
Thoma John Timsim is a blogger and a writer who loves to write reviews for companies and start-ups. He also loves to share latest computer security tips on his technology blog, techatlast.[/warning]

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What you should do to Enjoy Internet Connection Better

Post by: Thoma John Timsim


What happens when you begin to see your internet connection malfunctioning?


It means there are factors that are contradicting with its configuration or there are factors that have been affecting some of its functionality, and that can cause you to experience negative internet experience. So, how can this problem be put at bay so that you can be able to browse the net successfully? The perfect answer to this question are what I took time to provide for you in a simple to understand manner so that you can enjoy your internet connection without any hassle on your side.

When you are experiencing errors on your browsing activities, below are the tweaks you should try on your connection in order to put a stop to the problems at hand.

Surf the Web Anonymously to Avoid Limits from ISP’s

Sometimes, some internet service providers limit what their customers can do and what they can’t do while using their internet packages. And that action can make it hard for the user browse the net faster.

In some cases, the user won’t have access to browse websites in some locations of the world because of the limit from the ISP and some others. To solve it, you should contact your ISP to rectify this for you or better still you can go for another ISP company that can offer you far better package than the current one you are getting from the current ISP.


Disable Sharing

One other thing that can determine if your internet connection will work better for you or not is when you are sharing it with other people. You should make sure that you’re not sharing your internet connection with just anybody you see around you, even someone that is closest to you if you don’t want to have so many issues with the connection. And if it is a must for you to share your connection with people that are very close to you, you must make sure that you limit the amount of things that they can do on your PC with your connection or if it happens that the person is using the connection via Wi-Fi access, you can limit how the person will use your network over the wireless router settings without hassle.

Upgrade Your Package to Avoid Limits

It may happen that you are using a limited bandwidth internet connection package which has limited internet connectivity and that will certainly limits how you can browse the internet. So, you should make sure that you subscribe to the best package that can give you what you really need which is to browse the internet every time and everywhere without limitation.

Check the Broadcasting Station of Your Service Provider

Most times, it may become clear that your ISP is the cause of the challenges you are experiencing with your internet connection. I don’t mean that they deliberately giving you stress on the connection but, what I mean is that they might not know it or they know and don’t tells you about it. If your ISP’s broadcasting station is too far from the place where you are staying or where you are browsing the internet from, chances are that you might not be able to browse the internet faster without some limitations. One of the limits that you can experience is that of low signal strength when you are browsing the net. And that means when the signal is low, you can’t be able to surf easily.

[warning]
Thoma John Timsim is a blogger and a writer who loves to writereviews for companies andstart-ups. He also loves to share latest computer security tips on his security blog.[/warning]

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3 Key Things to Keep in Mind before Going Wireless

With the rate at which people are starting to use the wireless internet every day, and with the kind of comfort it provides it can be a pretty smart decision to start using it yourself. The wireless internet sure has a lot of strong points, but it is also very important to be clear about some of the dangers that can come with using it.

Obviously, you can take some steps to make your wireless network even secure, but you need to realize the problems that come with using it first, and this article will be listing 3 of them.

There can be Speed and Latency Problems

The first problem you might experience as a wireless internet user is latency problems. Latency is like the time it takes for your data to be delivered to the intended server. In other words, your computer might be able to download files at a very large rate, but how long does it take to deliver information to another server? With a good internet connection it will be instantly. I’m not trying to say every wireless internet has latency problems, but since wireless networks can be affected by a lot of things such as the location, the frequency and a lot more, it is important to realize that it is more prone to latency problems. The solution in this case will be to look for a way to get closer to the server, or to use a proxy server that can help you solve the problem.

Your Network and Computer is Vulnerable to Hacking Attempts

Another danger that comes with connecting to the internet wirelessly is that your network and computer is vulnerable to hacking attempts. There are a lot of hackers online waiting for the next computer to test their skills on, but they won’t be able to do that unless they discover that computer. This kind of problem can easily be avoided with the cable internet or with any other form of wired internet connection due to the fact that there is no way to access your computer besides using it directly, but the wireless network makes your network and computer available to everyone.

You can prevent this kind of problem from happening by installing a firewall, and by restricting your network signals so that not just anybody will be able to connect to it.

There Can be Constant Signal Problems and Instability

The final problem you might experience with your wireless network is in relation to network signals and stability. Wireless signals can be affected by almost anything these days; ranging from a very heavy wind to the block of buildings standing in your way, and in most cases it can be very difficult to solve problems like this. The key to help you solve this kind of problem is by getting closer to the wireless router, or by looking for a way to boost your wireless signal.

[tip]
This guest article is written by Paul T, an expert that believes in the importance of choosing the right wireless internet plans.[/tip]

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3 Productivity Software Applications to Install on Your Windows Laptop

Almost everybody has a laptop today, and the majority of us depend on our laptops for our work.

While there are countless people who only use their laptop computer for multimedia purposes, the majority of laptop users are creative people who depend on their laptop for their work. Some of these people are writers, some are bloggers, some use the internet for one thing or the other and others use their laptops for educational purposes. It doesn’t matter what your occupation is, or what your reason for using a laptop computer is, being more productive can make a difference in the kind of results you can achieve each day.

What I mean by this is that if you are able to double or triple your productivity with your laptop that could mean a lot more money for you on the long-run.

One thing you need to note, however, is that the key to having a more productive laptop isn’t just to get the latest laptop with a bigger ram or bigger configuration. The kind of software you install on your laptop can make a whole lot of difference in how productive you are, and this article will be listing 3 major software you can install on your Windows laptop to help you be more productive.

  1. Dark Room

    2. The number one software on this list is the Dark Room software, and it can be of utmost importance to you if you are a writer.
    As bloggers and writers the kind of distractions we are exposed to every day can be dangerous to our work, and if we are not careful we will end up paying a lot of dollars for it. While Twitter, Facebook and every other social media sites are great, I believe there is time for everything.

    Dark Room is a distraction free writing software application for Windows users. Once you install the software on your Windows computer it will automatically take over your screen and make the writing space the only thing you can see – all you need to do is start writing, as there is nothing to distract you.

  2. Open Office

    3. The next software on this list is the Open Office software, and most of us might already be familiar with it.

    Open Office is an alternative to Microsoft Office, and I think it is a free better alternative. Open Office makes it extremely easy for you to type and use other Microsoft Office related functions on your computer, while at the same time giving you great options and flexibility.

    With Open Office you can easily use a lot of features not provided by Microsoft Office to help you save time and money. For example, you can easily print a document of any length directly without having to install a PDF converter on your computer.

  3. Roboform

    4. The final software on this list is Roboform.

    If you’re a Windows user reading this there is every possibility you log in to one or more sites every day, or that you register on one or more sites every day and have to fill in the details manually. Roboform helps remove your worries and makes it extremely easy to fill in your details with just one click.

[note]This guest article is written by Paul who can help you find the best free laptop deals.[/note]

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Why Your Cable Internet Connection Might not be Cable Internet

The internet is now a different world of its own, and the rate at which people flock to the internet every day is stunning. Our reasons for using the internet vary, and while some people rely on the internet for jobs and business opportunities, some people use it for entertainment purposes, and some people only use it for academic purposes. It doesn’t matter what your purpose for using the internet is, the speed you get will to a great extent affect your online activities.


There are over a thousand different kinds of broadband internet today, and there are hundreds of thousands of ISPs from all over the world. The cable internet is currently one of the most popular forms of residential internet access, and it is only used in developed countries. The problem, however, is that a lot of people are getting sub-par speeds from their so called cable internet, and are wondering why it is so.

Is your internet connection a cable internet or not? This article will be giving you some tips.

It Provides Poor Speed

The number one sign that shows that a cable internet connection isn’t a cable internet is when it is delivering extremely slow speeds, so you should make sure you check your cable internet connection for this. A standard business cable internet connection is capable of providing internet download speeds of up to 400mbps while a standard residential cable internet connection is capable of providing up to 100mbps of download speed on a fixed spot. Mind you, I’m not trying to say you’ll be getting such speeds with your cable internet connection, but you should at least be able to get download speeds of up to 20mbps.

If you want to know what your internet speed is you can check your speed test by using BandwidthPlace.com.

It is Always Disconnecting

Another red alert you should watch out for is your internet connection disconnecting. It doesn’t matter who your ISP is or how fast or slow your internet connection is; a cable internet service doesn’t disconnect. If you notice that your cable internet connection is disconnecting at every opportunity then you need to check it out.

Another name for the cable internet is “always on”, which means you don’t have to connect or disconnect – so if you notice your internet connection to be disconnecting every time then it isn’t the cable internet.

It Doesn’t Use a Cable Modem

The final thing you should watch out for to ensure you’re using a real cable internet is the modem you use. A standard cable internet will be hooked to a cable modem or to your cable TV, so if you’re given a mobile broadband dongle and you’re told you’re using a cable internet then you’ve been lied to.

Only the right cable modem will be able to provide you with the speeds you need, so make sure you are using the right modem. To ensure even better results, you might want to use the internet to research your modem and how effective it is.

[tip]
This guest article is written by Paul, at expert that helps you choose the right cable internet.[/tip]

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Is the Internet (Technology) Helping or Hurting Your Job Search


I’ll be honest – finding work on the internet only ever works if you have specific skills and know where to go online to sell them. I sell my own work every day on the web, but that’s because I know how to search for places in which to sell it (thank you Google) and because my product (words) is something that finds a natural home on the web. Using the internet and its associated technologies can be extremely useful for finding jobs (like mine) – but you have to know how to apply that technology.

The connections that internet providers are now making available are powering a whole new way of using the internet, where multiple platforms and applications don’t just run side by side but bleed into each other (think about commenting on a programme that is still being broadcast, on your digital TV but also on your Facebook page). Social media technology, which doesn’t work without those high speeds and big bandwidths backing it up, has started to change the face of job finding for good. So maybe my own experience (when I used to look for work on the web, before I started selling my services as a writer, I’d sign up for all sorts of online agencies and never hear back from them again) is out of line with modern times.

The basic problem I (and all my friends) used to have was that any job site we used was also used by pretty much everyone else in the universe. So there’d end up being millions of potential candidates for any job and we’d never see an interview. In that respect we were like a web site that is trying to optimise for a really widely used search term – competing with so many other sites that it will never see the light of the first two pages on the SERPs.

Modern net technology has moved away from that blanket approach – everything that happens online these days is small scale. That’s the whole point of social networking, which is now driving everything that happens online. Social networking is all about exclusivity – while the old net model was a false impression of inclusiveness, so inclusive that no one stood a chance. Social networking makes you define a network of contacts and work within it – and that’s a much more fruitful way of getting work.

Internet providers, as I have said already, are making this happen with the increased speed and power of their signals and connections. The more technology that develops from the exclusive social network model (you’ll have seen a lot of it already, like Google’s plus one and the Facebook “like”), the more power our internet connections will need to run the sites we use, and to allow us to fully engage with that tech.

Finding work online is all about getting a network together and using it to recommend you (a recommendation is exactly like a plus one or a like) to potential clients. That’s becoming more and more possible as the power of our net connections spirals into its next level. Look to your internet providers for the tools to join the revolution. 

Roxanne Peterson