How to Create an Animated GIF using GIMP

By SFC | Published: December 17, 2010

1. Put all your GIF images in a single directory for ease of use. These are the images to be used to create the animation.
2. Open GIMP then open the first image by pressing File and then Open and browse to your directory where they are stored.
3. Now open all the remaining GIF images in the order you want them to play using File and Open as Layers
4. Next step File then Save As making sure to rename the file so it will not overwrite the first GIF you opened. Verify that the extension is still GIF.
5. When it pops up a message box select the Animation option and adjust the interval timer making sure the check box is checked so it will set the interval time for all images.
6. Then press OK and then Export accepting defaults.
7. Then you’re done. Go click on your new animation GIF.

Link to the GIMP windows installer download

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How to customize your linkedin public profile name?

By SFC | Published: October 19, 2010

To customize your linkedin public URL:

  1. Login to your linkedin site.
  2. Click on the Settings option in the top right of the screen.
  3. Locate the Profile Settings section and click on the Public Profile option.
  4. Click the Edit button beside your Public Profile URL.
  5. Enter a new URL name and press the Set Address button.

The customURL is limited to between 5 – 30 characters. If the new URL name you enter is not available you’ll receive a message stating so. The URL names are available on a first come basis.

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How do I get my picture to show up when I Tweet?

By SFC | Published: October 11, 2010

First you need to place the picture you plan to use in a location on your computer where you can find it. Your picture must be larger than 48k but no more than 700k in a format of either JPG, GIF or PNG.

  1. Login to your Twitter account, www.Twitter.com.
  2. Look on the top right for a menu and click on the Settings menu item.
  3. Now look slightly below for another menu under the display of your username and click on Profile.
  4. Click on the Browse button and browse to your picture.
  5. Select your picture and press the OK button.
  6. Press the Save button at the bottom of the Twitter Profile screen.
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Stop Maximizing My Windows!

By SFC | Published: July 29, 2010

Windows 7 has this maddening feature that maximizes your window if you move it too close to the edge of the screen.  MicroSoft calls it the Snap feature and claims it’s a “quick (and fun) new way to resize open windows, simply by dragging them to the edges of your screen.”

If you work with many different applications at the same time then you need all your pixel real estate.  To turn off the Snap feature associated with the mouse follow the below instructions.

  1. Click on Start -> Control Panel -> Ease of Access
  2. Double click on Ease of Access Center
  3. Double click on Make the Mouse Easier to Use
  4. Select the check box beside Prevent windows from being automatically arranged when moved to the edge of the screen.
  5. Next go to Make the keyboard easier to use
  6. Uncheck the item Prevent windows from being automatically arranged when moved to the edge of the screen.

Item 5 and 6 will allow you to use the Snap Feature when you want to use it by pressing the Win and the up arrow keys at the same time.

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How to Send Out FaceBook Fan Invites?

By SFC | Published: July 13, 2010

Well it turns out there is no Find More Fans “Invite” button.  In order to get more fans for your business Fan page you must send your friends a direct email and ask them to locate your Fan page and “Like” it.   When someone presses the “Like” button on your Fan page they become your fan.

So, Fan pages do Not have an “Invite” feature and it makes good sense when you think about all the SPAM an unscrupulous page could send with such a feature.

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Shopping Cart Requirements

By SFC | Published: July 2, 2010

Three things are required to implement a shopping cart on a website an SSL certificate, a Card Not Present (CNP) Merchant Account and a Payment Gateway Provider.

SSL is short for Secure Sockets Layer which is an internet protocol that encrypts the electronic data and prevents it from being modified in transit.  In short this is the thing that gives you the little lock at the bottom of your internet browser.

A Merchant Account is a type of bank account used specifically for collecting  payments from the consumer’s bank account or credit card.  A Card Present (CP) Merchant account is used when the merchant actually collects payment from the consumer in a  physical location.  A Card Not Present (CNP) Merchant account is used to receive electronic payment on a web site.

The Payment Gateway provides the transaction authorization which means it verifies that the payment information is valid and that the funds are available.  Next the gateway submits the transaction request for settlement into the Merchant Account.

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YouTube Video Security

By SFC | Published: June 17, 2010

YouTube allows users to set the security on uploaded videos to Public, Unlisted or Private.

The Public security setting means just that; anyone can view the video and it is made available for searches.    So if you want people to be able to located your video by Googling it fill in the Title, Description and Tag fields and select an appropriate Category.

The Unlisted security setting is the one to use if you do not want your video to be located via Google or any other search engine.  The only way a user will see a video marked Unlisted is if you email them the link or embed the video in your web site.  YouTube users will not be able to locate your Unlisted video using YourTube’s Search either.

The Private security setting is somewhat misleading because you’d expect that a Private video can only be seen by those who you send the link to.  This is true but there are two other conditions that must be met as well.   1) The user must login to their own YouTube account first.  2) The user has to be 1 in 25 to view the video.  Yes that is correct, only 25 different users can view a Private video.

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Why Does Every Business Need a Blog?

By SFC | Published: June 16, 2010

Business owners understand that in today’s market they need to advertise on the web so the need for a web site is now understood. But in addition to a web site a business needs an easy way to keep customers up to date on its seasonal offerings, holiday specials, new products and services and that, is exactly where a Blog site fits in perfectly.

A Blog site is a web site, actually a web-log that is updated in regular time intervals. Once a blog site is setup it doesn’t require a programmer to post an update.

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