Author: Dustin Patterson

  • DD-WRT: Password Protect Your Status Page To Increase Network Security

    DD-WRT is an excellent firmware alternative for your network router, whether your router is used at home for at your business.  One of my favorite features of DD-WRT is the router status page, shown below.  The DD-WRT status page is very useful for looking at real-time information. This status page is shown by default when…

  • Office 2010: Fix Word Not Saving Default Settings

    In a previous article, I wrote about how to change the default font and document settings in Word 2010.  I recently ran into a frustrating problem on a computer where even though I was saving the settings as default like shown in the mentioned article, when I would close Word and then re-open, the old…

  • Optimize Your MySQL Server With the MySQL Tuner Script

    MySQL is powerful, open-source database software. When joined with PHP or another programming language, the uses of MySQL are almost endless. The ability to use MySQL in an unlimited number of ways is both a blessing and a curse. While MySQL can be used for just about anything, there is no single proper way to…

  • How to Manage Stored User Names and Passwords in Windows Credential Manager

    A convenient feature of any operating system or software application is its ability to save login credentials so you don’t have to repeatedly enter the same user name and password. Although it may be convenient, there are some potential security concerns with saving login information on your computer, especially if it is shared with others.…

  • Tectonicus: A High Detail Map Renderer for Minecraft

    If you haven’t heard (or you are a gamer that has been living under a rock), Minecraft is an extremely popular sandbox indie video game being developed by the Swedish company Mojang.  Currently available in both a free Classic version and a paid Beta version, Minecraft has exploded in popularity with over 10 million registered…

  • Enjoy Mindless Gaming With SkyBurger for iOS

    Everyone loves Angry Birds, that is pretty clear.  The problem I have with Angry Birds is that it takes two hands to play – one hand to hold my iPod Touch and the other to slingshot those little feathered creatures across the screen.  Sometimes what I need is a game that takes very little skill…

  • 100 Mbps Broadband Internet Coming to North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota

    Recently, people in the upper-Midwest region of the United States have seen commercials for the website xisnext.com that was potentially hinting at 100 Mbps broadband internet coming to the upper-Midwest (North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota).  I received a reply from Midcontinent Communications confirming that this is indeed true. Midcontinent Communications has launched MidcoNet Xstream®…

  • Subsonic: Now Able to Stream Movies and Videos

    I previously wrote an article introducing you to Subsonic, the open-source, cross-platform software that can be used to stream your personal music library anywhere across the internet. In the time since that article, few changes have occurred to Subsonic.  But recently, a feature was added that really puts Subsonic at the top of my list…

  • How To Change Default Font and Document Settings In Microsoft Word

    The release of Microsoft Office 2007 brought some major changes to the popular office suite.  Many did not care for these changes at first, but users soon started to enjoy the newest features of Word, Excel, and other Office 2007 programs. One feature in Office 2007 still seen in Office 2010 is a change in…

  • How To Add Greasemoney and Other Scripts To Opera 11

    When I recently made the switch from Firefox to Opera, there were a couple of things I had to work out with my new web browser of choice.  One of my favorite add-ons for Firefox was Greasemonkey, which allows for the installation of scripts that modify and enhance web pages on-the-fly.  There is no version of…