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Sherri
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« on: March 27, 2008, 12:02:55 PM » |
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Hi,
I've been tinkering with a new programming trick... and thought this might be fun. If you have a new-ish Windows computer (I'd say Windows 95 or newer) with Internet Explorer 5 or above installed (this will be most of you), try this out.
This will take the kiva banner that shows a random loan, and will turn it into a mini program that you can put on your computer. It will open a small window with the banner inside so you can see a random featured loan, without having to open your web browser. It also refreshes every 15 minutes.
Try it out and let me know what you think.
( See attached zip file. Contains the program: Kiva.hta )
Steps:
1. Save the zip file to your computer.
2. Unzip to your desktop.
3. Run the program by double clicking the Kiva.hta icon that is on your desktop.
How it should look:
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Peter S
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« Reply To This #1 on: March 27, 2008, 12:19:49 PM » |
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wow, thanks Sherri..
If you're maintaining a wishlist for Release 2.0...
any way the loan can be refreshed for a different one every [selectable number] of minutes?
any way the link to the borrower can be forced to open in Firefox? (or just have a Firefox version?)
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verba volant, littera scripta manet
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Sherri
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« Reply To This #2 on: March 27, 2008, 12:55:26 PM » |
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It now refreshes every 15 minutes.
Nope, I can't figure out how to get links to open in the default browser. It is a Microsoft IE only programing method.
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KivanSteven
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« Reply To This #3 on: April 03, 2008, 08:14:35 AM » |
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Thats really great Sherri. If you can you should really work on expanding the features of this program. Not that what you did is lacking, its terrific! But it would be even better if refresh rates could be controlled or more basic info included. Great job though. I have it up and running.
I was just wondering as well if there is any sort of delay as compared to Kiva displaying a particular loan.
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I find not direction in the readings of those with whom my eccentricities are similar, but rather validation.
My only solace is that I find a peaceful place where I might be resigned to my depriving loneliness.
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Sherri
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« Reply To This #4 on: April 03, 2008, 09:22:53 AM » |
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I'm not sure how often Kiva updates the loan shown in their dynamic banners. If I knew, I could match the application to refresh at the same rate. But... I also do not want to cause lots of un-necessary hits to the Kiva website (slowing things down for people browsing the site). I hope to add the kiva stats to this little program. Maybe I will cache (store) the stats and banner on my own server to prevent extra hits to kiva.org.
For those who don't speak 'tech'... what this means is that websites can only handle so many hits per second. If the number of hits gets too high, the site slows down. Or crashes (as seen after Oprah featured Kiva and the site got swamped). Hits that request images or videos slow things more than hits that only get text. That's why you might notice that some of Kiva's images are being stored by Amazon. This saves Kiva's servers from having to deal with the load. Amazon has very 'beefy' servers designed for massive loads.
Ok, I'll stop the tech-speak now! *laughs*
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wind5001
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« Reply To This #5 on: April 03, 2008, 09:41:50 AM » |
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Hey Sherri, this "un-techie" over the pond is really grateful for your explanations...  Thanks! |
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Sherri
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« Reply To This #6 on: April 03, 2008, 10:51:43 AM » |
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Hey Sherri, this "un-techie" over the pond is really grateful for your explanations... Thanks! I'm glad! I enjoy explaining things! |
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KivanSteven
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« Reply To This #7 on: April 03, 2008, 11:04:40 AM » |
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It helps that youre good at it to!  |
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I find not direction in the readings of those with whom my eccentricities are similar, but rather validation.
My only solace is that I find a peaceful place where I might be resigned to my depriving loneliness.
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wind5001
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« Reply To This #8 on: April 03, 2008, 12:58:06 PM » |
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 , Steve, totally agreed!
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Sherri
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« Reply To This #9 on: April 03, 2008, 01:12:42 PM » |
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Awww Shucks !! |
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