mysql has failed, please contact the sysadmin (result was “Warning, no valid mysql.sock file found.mysql has failed”).

I had this error message just recently when installing/upgrading to MySQL5 onto one of the Nix boxes and after a lot of pain and googling found this solution which works a treat so hopefully someone else will benefit from it

Step 1.)
Go into your WHM > TweakSettings and select the MySQL 5 > Save it

Step 2.)
login as root via SSH and run /scripts/mysqlup, it will do the upgrade for you.

Step 3.)

Rem out the line in /etc/my.conf that was setting basedir to /var/lib. As seen below:

user=mysql
#basedir=/var/lib

Step 4.)

Create the directory “/var/run/mysqld” if it does not exist. Then chown that directory to mysql.mysql as below…

mkdir /var/run/mysqld
chown mysql.mysql /var/run/mysqld

Step 5.)
Kindly check if a socket file exists on /tmp.
if not add one
root@server# cd /tmp
root@server [/tmp]# ln -s /var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock .

Step 6.)
Start the service..

service mysql start

no comments yet.

Is Google bcoming the new PayPal?

For the first time since its launch, traffic to the Google Checkout system has exceeded that of PayPals more established serviced.

According to reports from Hitwise’s Robin Goad, for the first time Google has taken a small lead in the battle to become the number one eCommerce software payment provider of choice. Although only launched in the UK in the last 18 months, Google checkout has already proved incredibly popular when compared against PayPal, partly for the strong brand behind it but also for the sometime poor history PayPal has had in the past. This doesn’t of course mean that more transactions are being processed by Google Checkout but that cannot be far away…

Unsurprisingly, the majority, some 59.1%, of traffic to PayPal comes from its parent company eBay, 12.4% from Google (irony is always amusing) and only 2.2% from shopping and classified ad sites. Conversely, Google gets the bulk of its own traffic from retailers, a whopping 45.3%.

Retention is also a lot higher for Google with 43.4% of users visiting another shopping site after checkout against just 26.7% for PayPal.

This basically means that there are more users abandoning their carts using Google Checkout than those using PayPal.

This in itself is surprising as both gateways offer a clear and simple interface for eCommerce software providers and a rapid checkout is essential. In addition, the implementation of Google Checkout for eCommerce software solutions is actually more complex than the simple PayPal “Buy Now” button.

So what does this mean for eCommerce software solutions, store owners and shoppers?

Well Google certainly has the brand and traffic to push their solution forward whereas PayPal is owned by the largest Auction site in the world so they both have solid sources of traffic. Developers may be snubbing the complex interface of the Google eCommerce offering band shoppers seem to prefer the simplicity of PayPal.

The best solution for eCommerce software providers therefore is to offer a choice to their users which is why Open Mind Commerce supports both gateways as well as over ten other payment options.

Choice is good, choice is important, shoppers shouldn’t be restricted to just one solution and should be given the freedom to choose.

As for the future it will certainly be interesting to watch the battle of the giants shape up…

no comments yet.

So true on so many levels…

The next time a web designer, graphic designer, writer or anyone else involved in a industry that regularly attracts freeloaders gets asked for a freebie saying it will enrich the designers life and make them rich and famous; show the requester this video…

I see this on a daily basis on the business forums I frequent and it gets so far up my nose it occasionally pops out of my ears! It really gets my goat that people honestly expect something for nothing and this chap sums it up very well…

WARNING! RUDE WORD ALERT SO YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

no comments yet.

Open Mind Commerce Jumps into Bed with KashFlow!

We are very pleased to announce the launch of Open Mind Commerce v1.1.1, our second major release in just six weeks of being live!

This release brings two major enhancements to the system, a host of minor upgrades and some essential tweaks and fixes to the core files. So what’s new?

KashFlow Integration
KashFlow is a award winning web based accounting package designed specifically for UK businesses to help control their cashflow as well as manage their accounts. As it is web based, it offers a considerable saving over traditional accounting packages and has the added benefit that you can access it from any computer in the world!

We have worked closely with KashFlow over the last couple of months and have tightly integrated the Open Mind Commerce system into their accounting package. Not only will our system automatically insert customers and new orders but it will even mark those orders as paid once an authorised order is completed!

This represents a significant time saving for any web retailer in that they don’t have to worry about entering data twice. A quick check of the orders being added is all that is required as we’ve the done the leg work for you…

For more details about KashFlow, take a look at their site and we’ve also negotiated a special discount of 20% just for OMC users!

Multi-currency Options
This has been a major request from our users and now its here. The OMC system now checks over ten major currencies including USD and Euros every day and stores the rates within the system. Shoppers can then choose to display the prices in the favourite currency for convenience…

Store owners can even elect to check out the orders in that currency saving money through transaction fees due to no conversions and offering their customers even greater choice!

Other Enhancements
We’ve been beavering away adding extra newsletter sign up options, shortened and improved search engine friendly URLs and various other tweaks to make sure the OMC becomes the leading weapon of choice for web retailers.

Existing users can upgrade their installation free of charge through their account area downloads. If you were thinking about buying into the system, now is the time to make that choice as we have an even bigger upgrade planned before the end of the year with masses of new features! Just take a look at our development roadmap and see where we’re going…
www.openmindedsolutions.co.uk…newpost&t=1012

Don’t forget that every license includes 12 months free hosting, 12 months free upgrades and support and a twelve month SSL secure certificate for just £299 inc vat so there has never been a better time to launch your own online store…

As always if you have any questions, comments or concerns then don’t hesitate to get in touch…

no comments yet.

Think this chap got a bit confused…

…over the true meaning of a bicycle pump…

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7095134.stm

Gotta love the beeb

no comments yet.

We salute you…

Tomorrow on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, remember those that died for us…

These people gave the ultimate sacrifice to our liberty and freedom, they died protecting our future, there can be no bigger sacrfice…

Rest in peace…

no comments yet.

Hands up if you forgot the clocks went back…

OK just me then. I really can’t see the point of changing the clocks twice a year. There are some who agree with it but it does actually cause more deaths and accidents in the Winter by doing so.

I woke up this morning thinking it was 9:45 and a reasonable time to end my Sunday morning lie in. Erm it was 8:45 and now has put me in a bad mood which will most likely end at some point in March…. 2009….

So if I snap at anyone or beat people up in the street or decide a life of crime could be quite fun, I cannot be held responsible, it’s down to the bloody clocks!

no comments yet.

Should Scotland have a say in English Lasw and Policies?

What do you think?

Now before I make this statement I have some very good friends and business colleagues in Scotland, just thought I should make that crystal clear.

I personally think that they shouldn’t have a say in English laws that do not affect Scottish policies. The scots fought hard for devolution and the right to govern themselves and rightly so. They have some laws that are completely independent of English law that we are do not have a say in which is completely understandable.

I think that the Scots should be allowed to completely govern their own area but not have a say in English law. It’s a case of you can’t have you cake and eat it, or haggis for that matter…

no comments yet.

Erm ok……

Am I the only one to be a little freaked out by this?

no comments yet.

Dragons Den, not exactly fire breathing, more like smoking…

Well lets see what loonies they wheel in this week…

The DIY doll lady couldn’t be faulted for her enthusiasm but her product was cack, described as a one hit wonder would be right and I was surprised any of the dragons even raised an eyebrow in interest. TP delivered once again by slating the packing and quality, erm sorry mate but it’s being produced in her house so it aint gonna be top notch just yet is it? Muppet…

The learning cards lady got completely tied up in knots by her nerves. Overvaluing the company and not knowing her figures, not to mention losing the dragons and probably half the nation with her pitch, she did herself no favours at all. The dragons taking the mick out of her didn’t help, but oh wait, it’s entertainment isn’t it…

Bat poo and a folding iron board, no comment just don’t let the door bang you on the arse on the way out…

On target, great name for what I though what as a good product. It’s a fairly original idea on the sticky spiders you sometime see in pub urinals and I was very impressed with his pitch and his ability to stand up to the dragons attempting to extract the urine, no pun intended!

I was very surprised that they didn’t invest, good product and good sales so far but I have to ask, how on earth did he spend £70k of his own money on a product that is basically a floating ball that you wee on??

Anti-spiking drinks, erm I put my thumb in the top of my bottle and don’t leave it lying around. Wheel in two scantily clad models and although easy on the eye was a completely pointless exercise…

Not sure if the kebab bloke was crying or just sweating, either way it was another non-starter. So 17 minutes in and yet to see anything of value…

The alert couple couldn’t be more nervous by the looks of things but surely this is just another comparison site? It didn’t get me excited about it at all but the revelation that TPs better half plays online bingo is hardly surprising, probably for escapist reasons I would have thought…

Their projected figures were pretty unrealistic to be honest, why do people do this?? Fast route to the door by over valuing. PJ got angry about the other business and rightly so, he was spot on that he didn’t think thy would put their heart and soul into it. TP actually played an interesting game by throwing the equity question back to the pitchers, surprise, surprise after some suitably dramatic pauses and music (since when did DD become X Factor?) the 25% was rejected.

30% wasn’t exactly a move in the right direction either and unbelievably TP went for it!! I really cannot see him making that back but I suppose time will tell.

To be honest DD this week was a bit lame, they seem to be struggling slightly to find really solid ideas and real entrepreneurs. Remember the coin slot counters from last series? Brilliant original idea and had the dragons fighting over them. I only hope this series finds another winner like that but on this weeks performances I’m beginning to doubt it…

no comments yet.