How To Make Good Use Out Of An Old Laptop

A few years ago, I was going to take an old laptop to the recycling depot. I bought it fourteen years ago. It came with Windows 7 installed. Later I tried to put Windows 10 on it, but it slowed to a crawl and was basically unusable. Then I read an article in PC Mag that told me I could make use of it by install Linux. I’ve tried several distros. Distros is a term that refers to different types of Linux operating systems.

Recently, I heard about Bodhi Linux, and you don’t have to have a powerful computer to run it.

Bodhi Linux 7.0.0, System Requirements:

Minimum:

  • 32bit, 500MHz Processor (including Non-PAE)
  • 512MB** of RAM
  • 5GB of drive space

Recommended:

  • 64bit, 1.0GHz processor
  • 768MB of RAM
  • 10GB of drive space

I thought I would load it into Gnome Boxes, and take it for a test run. I assigned it 100G of disk space and 4G of RAM. This is what the laptop has…

If you go to the Bodhi Linux homepage, you will see it looks different than the one in the video. It comes with several themes installed, or does with the version I downloaded to install. I installed the App Pack Release, which comes with some software packages pre-installed.

Bodhi is Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish) base, so it’s a stable operating system, where you will find everything pretty well works as it should. It’s attractive and nice and snappy on my old laptop. It’s very impressive.

 

Resources for Entrepreneurs in Edmonton

An article on this site titled 15 Low-Cost Business Ideas for Entrepreneurs: Turning Passion into Profit offers some good ideas if you want to work for yourself. After you’ve been looking for a job for a while, it can be frustrating. The jobs you want, aren’t available, and the low-ball offers you could consider, don’t pay enough to make it worth your time to even apply. However, sad as it is, we have to do something, right?

I know what it’s like! I’ve been through it. Furthermore, I made a life-changing decision to work for myself. It was the scariest, but best thing I’ve ever done. My story starts in Calgary, but I live in Edmonton now, so this is what I’ll focus on.

If you’re thinking of choosing one of the ideas mentioned in my article (link above) or something else, the first place to start might be to see what the provincial government is offering. A quote from this page says:

“Self-employment training is provided at no cost to eligible Albertans. Financial assistance may be available for eligible participants who require funding to support their living costs while in training, depending on your circumstances.”

They also published a pdf file BUILDING ON OUR ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT that’s worth having a look at.

Many years ago, participating in a program similar to this, was a real eye-opener. With no real experience running a business, maybe my approach was wrong. I was already earning enough money from my business to support myself, but I had no idea what I was getting into. The course offered by the government at that time covered things like taxes, accounting, registering a business, record keeping, copyrights, patents, marketing, joint-ventures, government resources and more.

Business Networking is one of the key steps to running your own business. Whether you’re looking for people that might be able to mentor you, help you, employ you, joint-venture with you — you need to network. In Edmonton, you’re lucky to have a coffee club. It’s for business networking. They say, “Grab your favourite coffee mug and join us for a morning of engaging conversations, laughter, and a welcoming environment.

“Whether you’re a seasoned member or new to the Edmonton community, this is the perfect opportunity to meet new people, catch up with old friends, and share your projects and ideas. Stay for the whole morning, or pop in for a few minutes just to say hi – either way, we’d love to see you there!

“Thanks to Alberta Innovates, through the Edmonton Regional Innovation Network, for fuelling our Community Coffee events!”

Taproot puts out a community newsletter, THE PULSE, that gives you all the local information about what’s going on around the city. Part of being an entrepreneur, is identifying a need and filling it. So keeping up with what’s happening in the community and reading about the latest trends can help you develop and build towards future goals. You can subscribe to it by email and have the new issues sent to your inbox. As well, I would subscribe to Taproot Edmonton as all the information they offer can be of value to your new business.

There are many resources for people who want to be entrepreneurs in Edmonton, Alberta, including: 

Business Link is a government supported organization that advises new and prospective entrepreneurs; providing mentorship, business advice and market research from professionals to help you realize your vision. You can access free business support:

Get the expert support you need to navigate the process of starting and running a business.

  • Receive free one-on-one business advice
  • Participate in free webinars, events & interactive workshops
  • Find informative resources, guidebooks, & videos
  • Access in-depth market research

The City of Edmonton has business friendly-support.

One-on-One

We provide one point of contact for the City permits and licences. Common questions include:

  • Location support
  • Business licences
  • Zoning and business class use
  • Development permits
  • Building permits
  • Home-based business regulations
  • Business support grants

Two other articles on this site relate to business networking. As well, this article will be posted to my forum, if you’d like to comment or add other resources to this list.

Enhancing Your Writing Skills with A.I.

Introduction to 1min.ai Tools

1min.ai is an innovative platform designed to simplify the writing process for individuals and businesses alike. By offering a comprehensive suite of tools, it addresses various writing challenges that users frequently encounter. Whether one is a seasoned content creator or a novice writer, 1min.ai equips users with powerful resources to enhance their writing efficiency and effectiveness.

One notable tool within the 1min.ai suite is the keyword researcher. This tool assists users in identifying relevant keywords that can improve search engine optimization (SEO) and content discoverability. By understanding trending keywords, writers can tailor their content to meet audience needs, thereby enhancing engagement and visibility.

Another key feature is the rewriter, which aids in restructuring existing content for clarity and impact. This functionality is particularly valuable for those seeking to revamp previous writings or create new material with consistent messaging while ensuring uniqueness.

For those looking to condense their ideas, the content shortener tool serves as an invaluable resource. It enables users to distill lengthy texts into concise summaries without losing essential information. Conversely, the content expander allows for the elaboration of brief ideas into more comprehensive narratives, thus aiding in creative development.

The content paraphraser enhances the writing process by rephrasing existing text, which can help avoid plagiarism and refresh content. For writers needing quick synopses, the summarizer tool efficiently captures main ideas, saving valuable time. Finally, the grammar checker ensures that grammar and sentence structure adhere to best practices, fostering professionalism in all writing endeavours.

When integrated with Hostinger’s AI content creator, these tools present a robust solution for content generation. This collaboration amplifies creativity while streamlining the overall writing workflow, making quality content creation more accessible and efficient for everyone.

Leveraging Keyword Research for Effective Content

Keyword research is an essential aspect of creating high-impact content that drives traffic and engages users effectively. In today’s digital landscape, the selection of keywords can significantly influence a website’s visibility and performance in search engine results. By using tools like 1min.ai’s keyword researcher, content creators can identify high-potential keywords that align with their target audience’s search intent. This identification process allows writers to craft content that is not only informative but also optimized for search engines.

1min.ai’s keyword researcher provides users with insights on search volume, competition level, and trend data for various keywords. By analyzing this information, creators can focus on keywords that have the potential to generate significant traffic without facing intense competition. For instance, if a writer is focusing on travel blogging, targeting phrases such as “budget travel tips” or “off the beaten path destinations” may yield better results than more common phrases like “travel tips,” which likely has higher competition. Such strategic keyword selection can enhance a website’s ability to rank higher and attract more organic searches.

Once the appropriate keywords are identified, incorporating them into content created with Hostinger’s AI content creator can further optimize it for search engines. Writers should aim to place these keywords naturally within the text, including headings, subheadings, and through the use of synonyms or closely related terms. For instance, if the primary keyword is “digital marketing strategies,” phrases like “online marketing tactics” or “internet advertising techniques” can also be utilized to reinforce the message without compromising the flow of the writing. This approach ensures that the content is engaging and readable while still being optimized for search engine discovery.

Moreover, analyzing successful case studies of keyword strategies can provide additional insights into effective practices. These examples demonstrate how various bloggers and businesses have utilized keyword research to enhance visibility and foster engagement, showcasing the undeniable benefits of a well-researched keyword strategy.

Crafting Quality Content: Rewriting, Shortening, and Expanding

In the realm of content creation, the ability to effectively rewrite, shorten, and expand written materials is crucial. Utilizing tools such as 1min.ai, in conjunction with Hostinger’s AI Content Creator, can significantly enhance this process, leading to more polished and engaging content. The rewriter tool is particularly beneficial for refining existing pieces. By inputting original text, writers can receive alternatives that maintain the original meaning while enhancing clarity and style. This capability not only saves time but also provides varied linguistic approaches that can enhance reader engagement.

Shortening content is another critical function that can be achieved through these tools. Lengthy articles often deter readers from engaging with the material due to time constraints or overwhelming information. The content shortener tool allows writers to distill their ideas into concise, digestible formats without losing the essence of the message. This is particularly important in an age where brevity is valued and information must be communicated clearly and quickly.

Conversely, there are occasions when expanding on existing ideas is necessary. The content expander feature enables writers to elaborate on their concepts, adding depth and context to their work. This function is invaluable when a writer aims to delve deeper into a topic, providing readers with comprehensive insights that encourage further exploration. By integrating these functionalities within Hostinger’s AI Content Creator, writers can easily manipulate their content to serve various purposes, whether it is refining a draft or enhancing specific sections. This holistic approach to content creation not only boosts the overall quality but also streamlines the writing process.

Polishing Your Writing with Paraphrasing,
Summarising, and Grammar Checking

Effective writing is underpinned by clarity and coherence, which can be achieved through the judicious use of tools provided by 1min.ai, such as the paraphraser, summariser, and grammar checker. The paraphrasing tool allows writers to transform existing content into new formulations, preserving the original meaning while using different wording. This technique is particularly beneficial for avoiding plagiarism, enhancing the uniqueness of content, and satisfying various editorial standards that demand originality.

In addition to paraphrasing, summarising plays a crucial role in effective communication. The summariser condenses extensive information into a succinct format, making complex concepts easier to digest. This is particularly useful for creating abstracts or introductory sections of articles where brevity is essential. By using the summarising feature, writers can spotlight critical ideas, thereby enriching their content and ensuring that readers grasp the core message without being overwhelmed by excess information.

Moreover, maintaining grammatical accuracy is fundamental to achieving high-quality writing. The grammar checker offered by 1min.ai serves this purpose effectively by identifying errors, suggesting corrections, and enhancing overall readability. Utilizing this tool helps in reducing common errors, such as punctuation mistakes, sentence fragments, and subject-verb disagreements. This rigorous proofreading can elevate a piece of writing, ensuring it meets both professional and academic standards.

When combined, these tools—paraphrasing, summarising, and grammar checking—contribute significantly to enhancing written content. By integrating Hostinger’s AI content creator into this process, writers can further streamline their workflow, ensuring a polished final product. This collaboration fosters a comprehensive writing platform where high-quality content emerges as the primary goal, ultimately benefiting both writers and their audiences.

If you’d like to get twenty percent off on hosting with Hostinger, send me a message and I’ll send you a special link for a 20% discount.

Global Warming and Conservative Policies

This podcast examines A UN report that warns about current Conservative policies that will cause a 3.1°C global temperature increase by the end of the century. It also addresses how it relates to Project 2025.

 
If you would like to learn how this podcast was created so you can do something similar, read this article that will explain how to do it yourself.

How to Connect Various Ideas Into a Podcast

Besides being fanatical about new tech and AI, another interest that I’m really passionate about is politics. I will use this as an example on how to engage with your audience. The same method, however, could apply to almost any market. The idea, is how to join various forms of content and create a connection, to make a podcast that would be of interest to your target market.

The Facebook group I want to share this with is #cdnpoli, which is a Facebook Group I created several years ago. It’s for Canadians who have an interest in politics and the environment. You can imagine this as any group you want; perhaps one of yours, that explains your specific interests and has posts and content related to this interest.

Often, podcast are created as .mp3 files, and they can’t be share on Facebook. Google Gemini offers this information as a work-a-around.

You can’t upload an MP3 podcast directly to Facebook, but you can share it using a file-sharing service or an RSS feed:

Use a file-sharing service
Upload the podcast to a service like Google Drive, Dropbox, or SoundCloud, and then post
the shareable link to Facebook. You can also change the sharing settings to allow anyone
with the link to view the file.


Use an RSS feed

Host your podcast with a service like BuzzSprout or PodBean, which will provide an RSS feedthat you can share on Facebook. Once set up, new episodes will automatically post to Facebook when you upload them to iTunes.

That’s a fair assessment I believe, but it would be better if you were able to serve the content from your own website, and used as a means to create content, and interest, for your website business.

To create this content, Google NotebookLM was used. PC Mag said:

No form of online content is safe from AI-ification, and that includes podcasts. Google added a new capability to NotebookLM in August that turns your scattered notes into a full-blown podcast discussion between two AI hosts.

One male and one female voice chat about the material in an incredibly humanlike, though at times cringeworthy, tone. They make jokes, play off one another, and raise probing questions about the material. Spotify partnered with Google to add a NotebookLM-powered feature to its annual Spotify Wrapped. I tapped NotebookLM to turn my childhood diary into a discussion about being a kid in the modern world, which was surprisingly insightful considering the simplistic, childhood thoughts I uploaded.

Google plans to continue building on the feature; the latest update allows the human listener to join the conversation with the AIs and ask questions.

Three pieces of content I have on my hard drive, is a pdf file with the Conservative party of Canada policies, a link to the Republican Project 2025, and a report from the United Nations about dire consequences if we don’t reduce our emissions. It’s very obvious that this content is all related somehow, but the problem was how to explain it.

Google NotebookLM enables one to upload the various resources to this new program, and the AI analyzed the content and created a podcast to download and add to your website.

It connected the dots between these three pieces of content, and examined how it’s related. It turned the content I uploaded into a thought-provoking podcast. The mp3 audio file can’t be shared directly to Facebook, but the url of the webpage, with the podcast, can be shared to Facebook.

Here is the podcast I created:

Any social network that will allow you to share a URL, will enable you to share content that matters to you, in the form of a podcast.

Please note: the file size when you download your podcast in Google is in .wav format and is larger than it needs to be. It could slow down the play back. There’s a program called FFaudioConverter and you can find the latest downloads for Windows and Linux here. I used this to convert the format from .wav to .mp3, and it was only about one-tenth the size.

Other related posts on this site are ‘How Castapod Can Elevate Your Business‘, ‘Unlocking the Power of Video: Explore 3 Unique Video Content Generators with 1Min.ai‘ and ‘15 Low-Cost Business Ideas for Entrepreneurs: Turning Passion into Profit‘.