When I tried to install Autohotkey 1.1.20.1 recently on a Windows 8.1 64bit machine, the installer failed. It 'ran' ok, but on the installer splash screen, none of the buttons or links would 'do' anything. I tried the "Express Installation" and "Custom Installation" buttons and the "Read license" and "Extract to..." links. I tried running the installer as an Administrator.

I recently had a complaint of 'abuse' , with my mail server sending out spam.  First, one of my users complained that email was bouncing back, then Linode notified me that I'd been flagged for abuse.  I also found that Spamcop had blacklisted my server.  In the Abuse report from Linode, this line stood out:  X-PHP-Originating-Script: 33:.page93.php(241) : eval()'d code I didn't catch on right away, but that's a warning that a php file (.page93.php) is sending out the email.

I struggled with this long enough, and ended up guessing the right answer; maybe this will save someone else the trouble. On a Windows Server 2003 box, IIS 6, trying to get it to server .aspx pages from a virtual folder.  I could get .html files to serve just fine, but trying to hit an .aspx file kept returning a 404 Not Found Error.  I had to Open the 'Web Service Extensions' folder in IIS Manager, then 'Add a new Web service extension...' to add the .NET 4 application handling.  I used the following:

• Extension Name: - "ASP.NET 4.0"

It took me a long time to find this solution (which worked perfectly), so I'm going to do my part to focus the rest of the Internet that direction.  These instructions worked perfectly to get SQL Server conectivity going for PHP 5.5 (x86), on WIndows 7 x64, running Apache (XAMPP).  http://robsphp.blogspot.com/2012/09/how-to-install-microsofts-sql-serve…

Here's a really nice article that takes the mystery out of autoloaders in PHP.  I've loved the concept, but not understanding the details has caused a frustrating, lost half hour or two...http://www.sitepoint.com/autoloading-and-the-psr-0-standard/

I've been learning to love CSS over the last few years, but have always struggled when it comes to displaying content in a tablular format.  Whenever I've run into the need for it, I've run straight back to the HTML <table> element, and then just felt bad about it later. Today, I accidentally ran into a post on StackOverflow that might finally turn me away from tables forever.

So, I really like this...I noticed, since I had to recently rebuild my Linux desktop (failed HDD) that the 'new' Adobe Air release doesn't work with Pandora One desktop client any more.  I saw a reference that said you might be able to get an old version and make it work, but after a minimal attempt, I couldn't get it working.  However, today I found Pianobar, which connects to and plays Pandora radio via the Linux command line.

I dug around the Intertubes and found this link where there's a great example of a semi-complex html form, with javascript support, that sets up a multiple-control payment form.  Unfortunately, the formatting on that page is horrible, making the javascript useless.  Here is my modified version of it, formatted a little better for posterity sake: 

After years of dealing with all sorts of spam comments on this site, trying a few different spam collection modules (i.e. Captcha, Mollom), I give up.  Comments are turned off, on all old content and any new stuff.  The spammers are a disgusting and frustrating lot.  

Last week, I found, and borrowed, a Python class that makes it easy to update a Cosm (Pachube) feed. I'm using it to upload current temperature data for the two (upstairs and basement) Filtrete 3M-50 Wifi thermostats in our house. I'm also grabbing outside weather data (temperature and barometric pressure) from Yahoo and adding that too. It's working great.