Problems at Google?

Ok, it's really late night here in Sydney (or early, depending on how you look at it), but here's something strange I noticed.
When I search for anything on google, every link it shows comes up with a threat warning. Like below:
When I try to go to the link, it displays a warning page, then, when I try to look at the actual threat diagnostic page, it shows there's a server error.
A server error at Google?!

I've got a couple of theory.
1) A simple one. A human mistake, or error in judgement. Engineers at Google failed to keep the diagnostic servers up, or the search result displaying servers have failed for some human mistakes.
2) Google is being attacked by crackers. They don't like Google's threat analysis, and have succeeded in executing a DoS (Denial of Service) attack.

Hmm... I wonder how long it's going to take Google to fix this issue. I bet they'd be pretty quick!

(Update: Gee, looks like they've already fixed it, while I was writing up this post!)

(Update 2: Ars reports the Google glitch.)

A designer: Yulia Brodskaya

I'm no designer myself, but I enjoy looking at some nice designs. Here's one designer website I just discovered.

(HT: Environmental Graffiti)

An old news about web security

This is such an old news, I'm wondering how this made the news. But then, I guess it could be helpful to remind those of us who work as web designers/programmers once in a while.

Bits and pieces - 17-Mar-2008

Oh, no! The internet is going down! in 30 years... or not.
Turn Signal Jacket for Cyclists. - well... I think this is a good idea, but when I looked at it I just couldn't help myself but laugh.
Vision of God - Luther Style

Bits and pieces - 4-Mar-2008

• Visible Body - looks very interesting. (HT: RWW)
• An honest blog post on depression (HT: Gordon Cheng)
• Another T4G contest - I'm not attempting this time. Can't think of a good answer...

Google Reader Search Plugin for Firefox

Ok, another technical post, so those not interested can move right along. ;-)

A few days ago, I started learning about Search Engine plugin for Firefox as I was exploring ideas for searching functionality in a project I'm working on. Filled with curiosity,
I couldn't resist but look up the relevant documentation and build one myself.
It turns out, it is really easy (well, ok, relatively speaking, of course!) to build my own search engine.

The following is what I did to build a Google Reader search engine, but first, pre-requisites:
1) Need some understanding of HTML and Javascript. (minimal)
2) Need a web server (eg. Apache Httpd which I used).
3) Used the Firefox web browser before (Internet Explorer 7 should also work very similarly, but I have not tried it myself. If you feel brave, do try it yourself, and let me know how you went.)
4) A Google Reader Account (without this, you won't be able to use the search engine you'll have created by the end of this errr.. humble tutorial.)

To build Google Reader Search plugin:
1) Create a file named installer.html and save to a folder under web server's document root (eg. in my case, I saved it as: C:\servers\Apache2.2.6\htdocs\installer.html).
installer.html:

<html>
<head><title>Install a custom search engine</title></head>
<body>
<a href="#" onClick="window.external
.AddSearchProvider('http://localhost/googleReaderSearch.xml')">
Install Google Reader SearchEngine</a>
</body>
</html>

The key here is of course that one liner: onClick="window.external.AddSearchProvider('http://localhost/googleReaderSearch.xml')"
That will cause Firefox to install the search engine when you click on the link.

2) Create googleReaderSearch.xml which is essentially a description file that tells the Firefox what to do.

Save it in document root of your web server next to your installer.html.
googleReaderSearch.xml:

<OpenSearchDescription xmlns="http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearch/1.1/"
xmlns:moz="http://www.mozilla.org/2006/browser/search/">
<ShortName>Google Reader</ShortName>
<Description>Search for items in your Google Reader</Description>
<Tags>internet web search rss atom reader google</Tags>
<Image height="16" width="16" type="image/x-icon">http://www.google.com/reader/ui/favicon.ico</Image>
<Url type="text/html" method="GET" template="http://www.google.com/reader/view/#search/{searchTerms}/"/>
<InputEncoding>UTF-8</InputEncoding>
<AdultContent>false</AdultContent>
</OpenSearchDescription>

3) Start up your web server if it's not running already, and browse to http://localhost/installer.html

4) Click on the link and install it. That's it!

Of course, the meaty part is the step 2.

I was actually going to upload to Mozilla site if it wasn't available, but it was already there.

references:
a) Creating OpenSearch Plugins for Firefox
b) OpenSearch.org

Update (24-Feb-2008): Added some links which should've been included in the first place.

Universcale

Oh, this was cool. Could be useful as an educational tool for young ones.

Slow internet

My internet connection at home has gone very slow since Wednesday. I didn't think I used up the download limit yet... surely not...

My blogging activity is somewhat suffering too as consequence.

Two websites

I didn't go to work today, but stayed home because I had to open doors for plumbers to work on some pipes under my unit. I was a little annoyed by the fact that I had to use up a day worth of my annual leave for just about 10-15 minutes for the plumbers, but in the end I think I got a good day of resting, reading, web-surfing, watching tv, exercising, etc.

While spending time on the net today I spent some time on these two sites (or rather a game and a site) and couldn't help myself but share my discoveries.

1) The ultimate violent/destructive game
This has got to be the most sinister looking computer game. I won't spoil it for you. Go and have a look, and no, I don't think you need to buy the game, but download and play the tutorial, and see what I mean... well, don't worry, you won't see any blood, promise.
http://www.everybody-dies.com/

2) Treehugger
Let's be environmentally aware.
http://www.treehugger.com/
I have some reservations against the thoughts that the "renewable" energy/technology will secure our future as human beings, held by some conservationists, and I am annoyed at those "environmentally friendly" people who aren't quite "humanly friendly". But, as a Christian, I think we are all invited by God to do what we can to love God by loving (or in more descriptive, although limited terms, taking care of) God's creation. Let's not get into arguments with "what is more important" questions like, man or animal, or preaching the gospel or preaching the global warming, etc. I hope you already know the answer, if in doubt, ask God. (well, if you don't know how to ask God, then... talk to some Christian around you, or even me.) Hmm.. anyways, I think this site is quite reasonable, thoughtful and considerate, it seems to me at least.