the skype pointer
Jul 6th
Synopsis
As you may know, skype has many options for inserting skype buttons that do various tasks within your website. Click here to see the skype buttons.
The problem encountered is that you can’t send a message containing the skype commands within most social media sites such as facebook, twitter, etc.. The commands will just appear as plain text and therefore will not be clickable. By using this skype pointer you can add the pointer URL to a message, just like you would with any other website address, and the URL will automatically be clickable. So when someone clicks on the link they will be brought to the pointer and then the skype command will be issued.
For short URLs use a URL shortening service such as bit.ly for the pointer address. For example: http://bit.ly/zachbarrett_skype_add
skype Pointer Usage:
- URL
- Format:
http://zachbarrett.com/development/skypepointer/?name=[your skype name]&action=[skype action]
- Example: Add zachbarrett to skype contacts.
http://zachbarrett.com/development/skypepointer/?name=zachbarrett&action=add
- Format:
- skype Actions
- call (default if no action is entered)
- add
- chat
- userinfo
- voicemail
- sendfile
Feel free to give input.
The Coldfusion Rick Roll
Jun 29th
Recently I submitted some code for a CFUNITED t-shirt contest and I thought the code was funny enough to post on the blog. BTW: The code isn’t just a joke, it actually works!
The Over Programmed Coldfusion Rick Roll by Me
<cfset lyric = ""> <cfloop condition="lyric neq 'Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you'"> <cfswitch expression="#lyric#"> <cfcase value=""> <cfset lyric = "Never gonna give you up"> </cfcase> <cfcase value="Never gonna give you up"> <cfset lyric = "Never gonna let you down"> </cfcase> <cfcase value="Never gonna let you down"> <cfset lyric = "Never gonna run around and desert you"> </cfcase> <cfcase value="Never gonna run around and desert you"> <cfset lyric = "Never gonna make you cry"> </cfcase> <cfcase value="Never gonna make you cry"> <cfset lyric = "Never gonna say goodbye"> </cfcase> <cfcase value="Never gonna say goodbye"> <cfset lyric = "Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you"> </cfcase> </cfswitch> <cfoutput>#lyric#<br /></cfoutput> </cfloop>
The Elegant Coldfusion Rick Roll by Ryan Vikander
<cfset Lyric = "give you up, let you down, run around and desert you, make you cry, say goodbye, tell a lie and hurt you" /> <cfoutput> <cfloop list="#Lyric#" index="i"> Never gonna #i#<br /> </cfloop> </cfoutput>
BP Live Video Cam Array
Jun 7th
Unless you have been under a rock you are well aware of the British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. BP was mandated to broadcast their live stream from the ROVs so the world could see how bad the situation really is. Recently on the BP site they added eleven different camera feeds that could be viewed, I am not sure if adding the additional feeds was mandated but never the less it gives us even more insight into the constant attempts to repair and stop the leakage.
I found one problem with the new feeds; I couldn’t decide which one to watch because they are all from different ROVs. So I decided to build a quick camera array so I could view them all at once much like the array I built on surfassateague.com. Due to all the feeds being broadcasted in the Windows Media format the array is best viewed using Internet Explorer (I know, lame…), this is mainly due to the limitation of Firefox using the stretchtofit parameter in the embed, but I digress.
So without further ado, I give you the BP Live Video Cam Array:
Be sure to let me know what you think…
WOWednesday™ #19: Drum on Drummer
Jun 2nd
I am going to stop counting the WOWednesday™ posts in binary because the titles are a bit too long and Twitter does not like that.
This is probably the funniest drummer I have ever seen; it kind of reminds me of Chad Heller back in the PXR days. Enjoy!
WOWednesday™ 00010010: Skate or Die
May 26th
This is a skateboard video about 2 men from Wisconsin which serves to remind us that sometimes it’s not about how high you can ollie, it’s about how far you can power slide. Enjoy!
Tim and Eric – Roger of the Month Mar 2010 – Outro Video from Roger Skateboards on Vimeo.
WOWednesday™ 00010001: Believe in Yourself
May 19th
This guy explains how we all have the ability to do anything we want by demonstrating how he can break a piece of plywood with his head. All of this is possible by following these three basic steps:
- Believe in yourself
- Formulate a plan of action
- Follow through with it
This is truly inspirational, enjoy!

