We get this asked all the time, along with.. is it best that our shopping cart website is self hosted or hosted on a platform? Good questions? The answer is simple: host on a platform! Everything is done for you, the cart will have every feature needed to set-up and get the business going. As […]
Software
Covers all things related to software.
file explorer not responding FIX
OMG I read 100’s of ways to fix this and none of them worked. I understand it’s complicated, but this worked for me after trying to fix it for over a week. Symptom: file explorer not responding Windows Explorer has stopped working. Windows is restarting Fix – Resolution Click the Start button (Windows button), type […]
XML Sitemaps Generator + Cloudflare: Create Sitemap Fail – FIX
In short, when I selected Create Sitemap Generator [xml-sitemaps.com – v8.2] it returned the error below. I discovered Cloudflare was blocking XML Sitemaps (software). Fix = Whitelist Server IP in Cloudflare (instructions below) Error There was an error while retrieving the URL specified: https://www.xxxxxxxxxx.xxx/ HTTP Code: HTTP/2 403 HTTP headers: date: Mon, 29 Apr 2024 […]
Your Site is Experiencing a Technical Issue: NextGEN Gallery FIX
WordPress has a built-in feature that detects when a plugin or theme causes a fatal error on your site, and notifies you with this automated email. In this case, WordPress caught an error with one of your plugins, NextGEN Gallery. NextGEN Gallery FIX The opcache_reset() default PHP function’s presence was not found .. A future […]
RoboForm iPad PIN Layout Misconfigured
Today, when I attempted to access my Roboform passwords on my iPad (enter PIN), something new is happening. The layout has changed.. meaning the top numbers (1 2 and 3) obscure the place where the pin is entered. The email address, numbers and PIN are bunched up. (click to enlarge) As you can see above, […]
Squarespace | Online Store Software
Squarespace empowers people with creative ideas to succeed. The platform empowers millions of people – from individuals and local artists to entrepreneurs shaping the world’s most iconic businesses – to share their stories and create an impactful stylish and easy-to-manage online presence. CREATE YOUR WEBSITE The leader in website design Stand out online with a […]
AVG: Too Many Conflicts
July 2023 – AVG has been my security software of choice for over 20 years. In that time, I have experienced many issues caused by the software (AVG) in the guise of protection, but in the end, each time it was either false/positives or ‘over-the-top’ detection. I truly understand security is a multi-faceted, complex issue. […]
NordVPN: 100% Online Protection
NordVPN is the world’s best known and trusted VPN service. Connecting a VPN to your devices protects you and your information 24/7. VPN stands for “virtual private network” – a service that protects your internet connection and privacy online. VPN’s create an encrypted tunnel for your data, protect your online identity by hiding your IP […]
Outlook v Mailbird – 2023 Review
I really believe Email Software developers do not understand the most important requirement of good email software.. managing spam and junk emails! I recently purchased a new software program to manage my emails. After 20+ years of watching Microsoft’s OUTLOOK descend into an unusable, unwieldy, time-wasting exercise, it was time for a change. Introducing Mailbird […]
Get RoboForm Everywhere – the best password manager on the planet
After years of bitching and complaining about LastPass, I bit the bullet, downloaded and installed RoboForm.. and wished I had done it years ago. Now, 3 years later and I’ve never been more comfortable and secure with RoboForm. Extremely easy process of buying, download, install, register and then share to your devices. I approximate it […]
Managing SPAM 2022: SpamBully
OK, OK, I hear you.. here he goes again, banging on about spam! To give you some idea of how bad spam is for us.. on an average day we receive over 1,000 spam messages .. yes, a day! Many of the messages include phishing and hacking code. In September 2022, time caught up with […]
Adobe Fireworks CS5 Internal Error – FIXED
I wish to begin with.. I love Adobe Fireworks CS5. I purchased the software a long time ago (2011) and its worked wonderfully ever since but then one day in 2022 up popped a CS5 Internal Error. Nothing I tried would start the program. I was mortified! I Googled the error and found lots of […]
Mailing List Software: Best by a mile! aWeber
One of the best ways of marketing and a must for every website is a mailing list. Don’t miss the opportunity of a new customer when they visit your website simply by getting them to subscribe to your mailing list. Now you understand why, lets move onto software.. There are two forms of mailing list […]
Reebelo: Bringing Electronics Back to Life
Reebelo, APAC most trusted secondhand and refurbished tech devices online marketplace. Pioneer and market leader for refurbished electronics in APAC. We offer tech devices refurbished by experts, at up to 40% discount from the original pricing along with free warranty, delivery & returns. Our vision is to reduce global e-waste while making refurbished lifestyle devices […]
Missing Bootstrap navbar toggler icon fixed
The issue: Toggler icon does not display in mobile view. OMG, I spent hours looking for the answer and it was as simple as a stylesheet. By default, Bootstrap advises to use a MIN stylesheet. The toggler csss is included with the full stylesheet: Not: bootstrap.min.css Change to: bootstrap.css Bootstrap 4 Stylesheet HTML More information […]
What happened to eBay Plugins: phpBay & phpZon?
We used phpBay and phpZon for many years and suddenly in 2020 discovered they were gone. A little research revealed phpBay and phpZon have been abandoned by its authors. phpZON vanished in 2018 and I suspect the final straw for phpBay was eBay withdrawing products feeds in September 2020. From what I hear Wade Wells […]
Happy World Password Day
To celebrate our favourite day of the year and the importance of healthy password practices, we’re sharing mind-blowing statistics behind password behaviours across the globe. Before you dive in to the full infographic, here’s a sneak peek at some of the most shocking takeaways: #1 We use the same passwords over and over again #2 […]
CleanMaster Junk Files
I have noticed this anomoly.. CleanMaster reports different amounts of junk files. CleanMaster Process Step 1: CleanMaster pops up (bottom right of screen) saying it has detected 1.61GB of junk files , click to delete now. Step 2: After clicking the Clean button on the pop-up, CleanMaster runs a check and finds 1.9Gb of of […]
How To Fix OUTLOOK.exe error: (0xc0000142)
This is how to fix error: (0xc0000142) Error After rebooting PC (Windows 10 + Microsoft Office 365), I clicked on Outlook in status bar and this error appeared. Fix error: (0xc0000142) Step 1 Perform the troubleshooting steps on the Repair an Office application article. If Outlook still does not work.. Step 2 Install the latest Office […]
File Path to SpamFighter
We experienced an issue with not being able to open SpamFighter to enter a product key or manage settings in it’s control panel. We were advised by the team at SpamFighter to add an exception to our security software AVG. We had trouble finding the path to the program in Windows10 Path = C:\Program Files (x86)\Fighters\SPAMfighter\* […]
How to Completely Disable WordPress Comments
Like everything in WordPress there is a plugin to achieve this and very good one at that; a simple checkbox to completely disable all comments on the website.. yay! Disable Comments allows you to completely disable comments everywhere on your WordPress site. You can also disable them on specific post types like posts, pages, media, […]
#1 WordPress Plugin: Cache Plugin
Of all the plugins recommended for WordPress, the Number #1 plugin at the top of the list is a Cache Plugin. For a minimal amount of work the benefits are massive to bothe website owner and the hosting server. Faster web pages Less drain on server Increase page rank on search engines What is caching? […]
Save iPhone Data
Optus keeps telling me my data usage is out of control when in reality, I hardly use my ISP data (use WiFi at home). So, I need to manage what APPS are using my data. Take control of how your iPhone uses its data connection. Restrict iTunes and App Store downloadsYou can prevent iTunes and […]
Credit Card Shield Card Number
Yesterday for the 4th time (in 3 years) my business credit card was cancelled by my bank because it had detected unauthorised use. Kudo’s to the ANZ falcon for spotting the bad transactions and protecting my business by not authorising the transactions. We only use our credit card with known merchants with SSL. This means […]
Stop Contact Form 7 Spam in WordPress
After a flood of spam originating through our WordPress Contact forms with No CAPTCHA reCAPTCHA, we needed a fix. This excellent article by barn2.co.uk shows 6 Ways to Stop Contact Form 7 Spam in WordPress The 2 we liked and are now trying are: 1. Quiz Simple quizzes are becoming a popular way to combat […]
Back To Firefox
Like many, I moved to Chrome because Firefox was experiencing too many bugs and issues. But wow, here in 2018 I discover (see article blow) that the latest Firefox is much improved and capable of better managing privacy. I’ve been saying for some time, the shine has gone off Chrome (chuckles) which has become a […]
How to fix scanpst: Microsoft Outlook
Issues with Microsoft Outlook can be fixed by running Microsoft’s excellent scanpst.exe software. scanpst.exe resolves issues including Outlook Data File (.pst or .ost) won’t open, error message that Outlook can’t open this set of folders, or if you suspect the file is damaged. How to repair your Outlook personal folder file (.pst) Applies to: Outlook 2000 – […]
Could not copy file: wordpress
WordPress 4.9.1 is available! Please update now. You can update to WordPress 4.9.1 automatically: I ran the update and got his message: Unpacking the update… Verifying the unpacked files… Preparing to install the latest version… The update cannot be installed because we will be unable to copy some files. When I googled the error I […]
How to Fix: Enter Network Password Credentials
This simple and easy to follow fix works 100% every time. MJTube presents a video of a simple fix how to stop a PC asking you to Enter Network Password Credentials in Windows 10,8.1,7. The only thing he doesn’t say is: change the setting on the computer you are trying to connect to. ie: Message […]
WS_FTP LE | Profiles Missing
This is a short story about WS_FTP LE profiles | Now You See Them, Now You Don’t I see and experience some weird stuff working on my Windows10 PC and various software including WS_FTP LE I’m writing this for the software users out there that may run into the same issue. I fired up my PC […]
Get A Valid SSL Certificate
Google’s Chrome browser will display a security warning on all web sites that are not HTTPS starting October 2017. If your website has text input fields on an HTTP page or it is opened in the incognito mode, Chrome will display a warning notification to the user. What’s next? Your website will be deemed “not […]
Best WordPress Security Fix
How we locked down our WordPress web sites, but in one move drastically improved server performance. Keeping in mind that the most common attack against WordPress is brute force passwords, then why not stop it in it’s tracks by blocking access to wp-admin. By blocking all access to WordPress Admin except to known IP Addresses, […]
How important is website security?
As a host as well as a developer we see both sides of website security when it comes to attack and defence. An idea of the level of attacks still taking place, we see a (monthly) report published by security expert Wordfence, WordPress Attack Report. WordPress Attack Report This report contains the top 25 attacking […]
Wordfence Security Audit Service
I read this morning (May 2017) that Wordfence (security) has launched a WordPress Security Audit Service. Long overdue, it is a must for any WordPress owner who values their security. Here is the announced by Mark Maunder, Wordfence Founder/CEO. Wordfence Launches WordPress Security Audit Service This morning I am very excited to announce that Wordfence is […]
WPMU DEV: Directory Plugin for Non Members
Once again with WPMU DEV, the devil is in the detail. My version of ‘Directory’ plugin is out of date: There is a new version of Directory available on WPMU DEV. View version 2.2.6.5 details or Install WPMU DEV Dashboard to update. For reasons detailed here, I cancelled my WPMU DEV some time ago, so […]
Plugin: I’m not a robot CAPATCHA
There is not a internet user anywhere that likes seeing a CAPTCHA at the bottom of a form. In 2016, we started seeing “I’m not a robot” simple one TICK verification and immediately fell in love. It’s so simple and most importantly, works every time with a simple click by a human. How it works […]
WordPress Plugin Updates: Do They Ever End?
Is it just me? WordPress plugin updates never seem to end. I totally understand regular updates to “security” plugins but why are there so many for “SEO” plugins? Almost every week there is an update, messages all over admin alerting changes, bla bla bla. A common culprit is NextGEN Gallery, it too seems to update […]
The BEST WordPress Security Plugin of all time
Having read forums, Googled for hours, I wanted to know: What is the best security plugin? What is the best security plugin to deal with Brute Force attacks? What WordPress security plugin is best to block comment spammers? WordPress is the most popular blogging platform in the world with millions of websites using WordPress as […]
WPMU DEV
When I first found WPMU DEV, I was impressed. On the surface, here is a service born and managed in my home city of Melbourne offering 100+ plugins, themes and support for WordPress. My first major disappointment was the cost. Having done my “due dilligence”, the contact page shows Australian contact information leading me to believe […]
WordPress Admin Protection
This post explains how WordPress owners can lock down and fully protect their website, and improve server performance. It is achieved by denying access to WordPress Admin by allowing only known IP Addresses to access the area. All Ripefruit hosting clients with WordPress are fully protected If a client sees a 404 or 500 Forbidden […]
LastPass = Fail & Pass
FINALLY.. the end for LastPass! After repeated complaints, each time with LastPass blaming Chrome for its issues, I’d had enough. April 2023 = Get RoboForm After years of bitching and complaining about LastPass, I bit the bullet, downloaded and installed RoboForm.. and wished I had done it years ago. Purchase and learn more about RoboForm www.roboform.com […]
Ransomware – What Is It & How To Remove
Ransomware is a particularly invasive form of malware that takes a victim’s data or device and holds it hostage (or displays bogus claims of illegal activity, porn usage or suggests that a system is already infected with viruses) until a sum of money is handed over in order to secure its release. While ransomware has […]
Wordfence Alert Alert
I’m frustrated! I continually receive these Wordfence Alert emails from the Wordfence plugin, except they are 100% wrong. The two anomalies that Wordfence refuse to accept are: We have BLOCKED all access to the login page by IP Address via .htaccess file Using another plugin, we have changed the name of the login page. I […]
Windows 10 Upgrade Review
Like many, on Saturday 1st August 2015 I downloaded and installed Windows 10 replacing my Windows 9 operating system. Largely the download and install went very well. I worked on a second PC during the update which took over an hour. On finally installing, a welcome screen invited me to customize Windows 10 or go with […]
Fixing WordPress Speed Issue
One of the negatives about open source software like WordPress is that it becomes an easy target for hackers and spammers. We were experiencing speed issues as a result of high loads on our server with several services struggling to cope. We identified that a number of WordPress installations were receiving a lot of traffic to the admin login […]
Firefox & Unresponsive Plugin
Warning: Shockwave Flash may be busy, or it may have stopped responding. This issue has been happening for over a year now. The only way to fix it is to reboot my PC which is frustratingly slow and down right annoying. It is time Firefox fixed this plugin issue once and for all. The warnings […]
Toontown is BACK
A new Toontown called Toontown Rewritten is being launched on September 19, 2014 – 2:00 PM Toontown Time (PST – USA Time). It is an independent production not connected with Disney, although we hear it has Disney’s blessing and best wishes. A group of former Toontown Online players have created Toontown Rewritten, which they describe […]
Dreamweaver | Site Definition Local Root Folder
Dreamweaver | Unable to select correct local root folder for a Site in Dreamweaver CS3 and CS4 on Windows Vista SP2 and 7 Heres an overview of the issue A previously working version of Dreamweaver (in this case CS3), moved to Windows 7 (although I didn’t realise Windows 7 was the culprit). When creating a […]
How To Write Content For Web Pages
A question from an old customer got me thinking… How does a business write content for the pages in their web site? Here are my suggestions to get you started: Read all 10 items before starting. If you do not read first, some of your time will be wasted, and you will only realise afterwards. […]
Unable to create directory uploads
You are in WordPress trying to upload an image, and get the dreaded message… Unable to create directory uploads ~ ~ ~ Is its parent directory writable by the server? Dismiss Errors Error image-file-name.jpg I am very pleased to say, I have found a setting that FIXED it for us. Hopefully it will fix it […]