Tips and Tutorials

Legal Disclaimer:

The following article is for your reading enjoyment only in regard to free WordPress themes with sponsored encrypted footer links and should not be construed as legal advice. You take full responsibility for you own actions and should consult a lawyer or do further research before taking any action to remedy themes that have encrypted footer links. Themebot is not liable in any way for the actions you take regarding the information presented in this article.

With that said, this article will address the issues with sponsored links in WordPress themes and give a technique to remove the encrypted code in the footer without messing up the theme. A few months ago, a visitor left a comment on one of the WordPress themes called "Kindergarten" in relation to the license and encrypted footer links contained in the theme. It was mentioned that the encrypted code presents a security concern, because malicious code could be included with the theme and there is no way to audit for it.

Themebot has been aware for a long time that WordPress theme designers often encrypt the sponsored links at the bottom of the WordPress themes they add. This wasn't the first time somebody complained about this, and it brought to mind the possibility of disallowing themes that contain encryption. Some sites that provide directories for free WordPress themes do not allow themes to be listed if they use encryption, and the free themes directory on WordPress.org doesn't even allow themes with sponsored links at all. However, this is not the best solution, because there are a lot of high quality themes that have sponsored / encrypted links. Instead of prohibiting members from uploading such themes and removing all of the existing themes with encryption, Themebot decided it would be better to write an article explaining why it is a bad idea to use these themes along with a tutorial outlining an easy method to remove the encrypted code. This way your selection of themes is not limited and it is up to you to decide whether or not to use such a theme. You will also have the tools to take care of the encrypted code if so desired.

First, it is important to understand why sponsored links are harmful and you should keep reading if you are considering using a WordPress theme that has encrypted links. If you would like to just skip ahead to the method for removing encrypted links, click here.

After filing a complaint with the BBB (Better Business Bureau) Kontera is still refusing to pay my account balance, even though I was fully within their terms of service. It looks like I am going to have to take them to small claims court. Frustrating, because I have already wasted way more time trying to get the payment than what I would have been making working an hourly wage, not to mention all the time spent signing up for the account, integrating the Kontera tag and then trouble-shooting the website when the tag started conflicting with other code and broke the downloads section.

In this article, I will specifically address why you should avoid using Kontera ContentLink ads and discuss generally why it is a bad idea to use in-text advertising on a website.

If you are not familiar with Kontera ContentLink advertising, it is the double underline links you see on some blogs and forums. When you mouse-over the link, an ad pops up. ContentLink is Kontera's specific brand; there are other advertisers who offer this type of advertising. Generally, it is referred to as "in-text contextual advertising".

Kontera ContentLink Ads are not Relevant

Look more closely at the picture above. This is a cropped screen shot taken from a website with Kontera ads. The screen shot was taken shortly before I started writing this article and it was the first link I moused-over to view a Kontera ad. You will notice that the mouse is hovering over "HTML tag". The ad that is displayed is for free Married With Children episodes.

First of all, I can't think of a more pointless way to waste my time than watching old re-runs of the TV show, Married with Children. But what is really glaring in this example is that free Married with Children episodes have nothing to do with an "HTML tag". Is this supposed to be contextual advertising? Obviously, Kontera's algorithm for determining relevancy sucks. That was my impression while running Kontera ads on Themebot for several months, and seeing that ad today only confirms my opinion. Obviously, if you have a website and use Kontera, your visitors aren't going to appreciate seeing the irrelevant ads.

Do you tend to buy on impulse? Do you later find yourself searching for a better deal, even after your purchase has been shipped? Do you ever have buyer's remorse?

You are not alone. 7 out of 10 shoppers world-wide suffer from After Shopping Syndrome (ASS) at some point in their lives. This crippling disorder causes distress among shoppers who find out they could have gotten a better deal. ASS leads to an overall lack of satisfaction with and enjoyment of products.

There is hope...

Coupons Dealuxe is a potent new website specifically formulated to ensure that you get the best deal possible. Coupons Dealuxe is clinically proven to alleviate and, in most cases, completely eliminate the symptoms caused by ASS. You will no longer feel like a dumb ASS for spending too much money.

Whether you are looking for HP Coupons or a HostGator Coupons, Coupons Dealuxe is guaranteed to put some Cha-Ching in your shopping experience.

If you or your loved ones are suffering from ASS, ask your doctor about Coupons Dealuxe today!

*Warning, side-effects may include:

• Uncontrollable excitement
• Irrational exuberance
• Happy dances in front of computer
• Bloating of wallet
• Bulging of purse
• Stocking up like a chipmunk getting ready for winter

While searching for computer manufacturers that offer Linux laptops, I was happy to discover that Lenovo has a selection of ThinkPads that can be ordered pre-configured with SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop. As a result, a new page has been added to the Goodies section: Lenovo Coupons / Coupon Codes.

The current list of Lenovo laptops with SUSE is a bit sparse (only three models) but the coupon codes work for any of the models listed, regardless of OS.

Personally, I'd rather run OpenSUSE and load it on Lenovo X300 ThinkPad. Either that or stick with Ubuntu, which is currently my operating system of choice. The selection of ThinkPads with Linux will undoubtedly expand to include more models as more people start using Linux. One of the obstacles to getting up and running with Linux can be driver support. As more manufacturers start supporting Linux with drivers, the whole experience will be smoother and there will not be any excuses left for wasting money on a proprietary operating system.

Sign the Petition!

Well, well. It looks like Facebook just got a chin tuck! The website was recently reworked to make the user interface better. Does this mean we can finally customize / customise our Facebook profile pages?... Nope. Is it time to get out the BOTOX? Well, there is more than one way to skin a Facebook.

Keep reading to find out how to customise your Facebook profile.

The following is a mini-review of the Dell XPS M1330 and my experience running Ubuntu 64-bit Gutsy 7.10 on this laptop over the past two months. Before getting the XPS M1330, I had been using Ubuntu 32-bit on my Latitude D830. I'm one of those people who actually needs two laptops. The Latitude D830 is my workhorse stay-at-home computer with dual-pointing devices and expansive 1920x1200 resolution screen. The XPS M1330 is my thin-and-light secondary laptop that I use when away from home so I don't have to tote around client files and data. I also need the M1330 for testing web designs, since it has a more standardly used screen resolution.

At first, I installed the 32-bit version of Ubuntu, since I had the install CD lying around. I had ordered 4GB of RAM to upgrade my system, which hadn't arrived yet. After receiving the RAM, I started thinking about installing the 64-bit version of Ubuntu, so I could have access to all of the RAM. Most 32-bit operating systems only allow you to utilize between 2.75GB and 3.5GB of RAM, depending on your motherboard chipset. While pondering Ubuntu 64-bit I did some research and it seemed that the general consensus was to stick with 32-bit for the time being, due to incompatibilities and whatnot. I figured I had nothing to lose and decided to give Ubuntu 64-bit a shot.

What do IE aka Internet Explorer and the word DIE have in common? Well, you don't have to look that close to figure out that IE comes at the end of DIE. What can we deduce from this? It's quite simple really, IE should DIE. And, what do IE5, IE6 and IE7 all have in common? They all suck and of course, they should all DIE.

Which version of Internet Explorer is the worst? In my opinion, IE6, or Internet Explorer Sux as I like to call it. Technically IE5 and lower versions are worse than IE6. But, the fact that so many people are still using IE6 makes it the worst browser.

I don't think I am exaggerating when I say that Internet Explorer is a menace to society. Microsoft is doing a disservice to humanity by providing their crappy browser with its lack of proper support for web standards and buggy display issues as the browser that comes bundled with Windows.

According to Net Applications, the Operating System Market Share for all Windows Versions was 91.46% as of January, 2008. Downright dismal! Fortunately internet users are catching on and using browsers other than Internet Explorer. Browser Market Share for Internet Explorer was 75.47% as of January, 2008. Still, that is 75.47% too many IE users.

Somebody ripped off the new Themebot layout!

As you may have read earlier, the layout for Themebot was updated recently. I was checking my Google analytics this evening and saw a noticeable amount of traffic coming from a site I didn't recognize. The referring URL is: freeipodsforstudents.co.nr. Free iPods eh? Decided to pay them a visit. Hmm, something looks familiar.

At one time or another, nearly every web master thinks about how to make (more) money on their web site. The challenge is that most people who surf the internet expect things to be free. The internet was formed on the idea of free access to information. Scores of companies are willing to subsidize the cost of building out a website and gathering an online community without charging a dime. Why?

Because people are not interested in frequenting a site they have to pay for (unless it is for porn). If somebody stumbles upon a web site with an entrance fee, they will quickly browse to another site and are almost guaranteed to find exactly what they are looking for free of charge (yes, even for porn). Although it may be lucrative, there will be no Bot porn on Themebot. Sorry. NO BOT PORN! So how is a web master supposed to make money?

It is rare for a Dell coupon code to come along that can be used to save money on a Latitude notebook. I've personally owned laptops from several manufacturers and I've also worked on many brands of laptops over the years. I have primarily owned Dell notebooks since 2000. Some people have had a bad experience with Dell, like any other company, but I have not. In fact, they are one of the few companies that have earned brand loyalty with me.

Anyhow, I had been planning on upgrading my main laptop for a while now and just purchased a Latitude D830 after receiving an email with the coupon details. This coupon code is for 10% off. Once my order was complete, I configured a brand new Latitude D830 with the exact same specs, just to do a price comparison. I saved a whopping $732.16 total compared to the exact same laptop configured new! Not a bad deal.