What was Google Panda?

The infamous Google Panda was an algorithm update introduced by Google in February 2011 to improve the quality of search results by penalizing low-quality and thin content websites. Here’s a summary of the Google Panda algorithm change:

  • Purpose: Google Panda aimed to target websites with low-quality content, including those with thin, duplicate, or poorly written material, as well as content farms and scraper sites. The goal was to provide users with higher-quality, more relevant search results.
  • Content Evaluation: The Panda algorithm assessed the quality and uniqueness of website content. It looked for factors such as originality, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-A-T).
  • Impact on Rankings: Websites with high-quality content were rewarded with better search engine rankings, while websites with low-quality content saw a drop in their rankings. Some sites were heavily penalized and saw significant traffic declines.
  • Iterative Updates: Google continued to release periodic updates to the Panda algorithm, making it an ongoing process rather than a one-time change. These updates aimed to refine the algorithm’s ability to detect and reward high-quality content.
  • Recovery and Improvement: Websites affected by Panda penalties had the opportunity to recover their rankings by improving the quality of their content. This often involved removing low-quality content, enhancing existing content, and focusing on E-A-T principles.
  • User Experience Focus: The Panda update was part of Google’s broader strategy to prioritize user experience by presenting users with content that is informative, relevant, and trustworthy.
  • Impact on SEO: The Panda update had a significant impact on the practice of search engine optimization (SEO). It emphasized the importance of creating valuable and engaging content, and it discouraged tactics like keyword stuffing, low-quality link building, and thin content.

Google’s Panda update marked a significant shift in how search engines evaluated and ranked websites, emphasizing the importance of content quality and user satisfaction in search results. It served as a reminder to website owners and marketers to prioritize high-quality content and user experience in their online strategies.

SOLVED: Could not initialize Traktor. Logfile “Traktor.log” could not be accessed and is propably write protected.

This morning I woke up and my mac had shut down, later I discovered Traktor Pro 3 wasn’t working:

“Could not initialize Traktor. Logfile “Traktor.log” could not be accessed and is propably write protected.”

could not initialize traktor pro dj 3

To fix this, all you need to do is go into System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy (tab) > Scroll down to “Full disk access” and select the Traktor app from the list.

If you don’t see it on the list, click the + buttton to add it (you’ll find the app file in Applications > Native Instruments > Traktor).

Lastly, you may need to click the padlock and enter your password to make the changes.

Traktor.log could not be accessed - write protected

Tune-o-matic Guitar Bridge Adjustment: Lowering The Action

This article was originally featured on doughnutmag.com and has been used with permission.

The Tune-o-matic bridge (what a great 50s name) is common on Gibson and Epiphone guitars, especially shapes such as the Les Paul and SG, usually with a pretty solid stopbar sitting just behind it.

Lowering action on a Tune-o-matic guitar bridge

To Adjust the guitar bridge, all you need is a flat head screwdriver and an accurate measuring tool. A metal ruler with millimeter markings is ideal.

Tune your guitar to standard tuning and place the the ruler on the twelfth fret, keeping it neatly above the fret itself, not the fretboard. Measure around the third and fifth to get an idea of the overall height.

Adjusting The Truss Rod

Before lowering the bridge, you may want to adjust the truss rod slightly. This can done quite easily with a hex key, but is something that most people feel uncomfortable doing themselves.

Quarter turns are all you need to help shape the flex of the neck. Clockwise will tighten the truss rod (pull the headstock back), anti-clockwise will loosen the truss rod and allow the neck to slope forwards. We’ll save adjusting the saddle and intonation for another day…

Adjusting The Tune-o-matic Bridge

If you’ve got your truss road to where you need it then it’s time to lower that action. You could use the rings on the bottom of the Tuno-o-matic style bridge, but a screwdriver is easier and is recommended for precision.

Clockwise to lower action, anti-clockwise to raise it. Start with high string (the far nut). Measure your action, adjust, play and re-tune a few times until you are in the 2mm area and happy that there isn’t too much fret buzz. The repeat on the low string (the closer nut if you’re in the playing position).

“Vital to get the neck right first. A slight curve is desired if you want to get the action low and not have it buzz. Put a capo at the first fret (like for an F) and then hold a string after the last fret. You should be able to push the string down in the middle a distance somewhere between a credit card and a business card. If there’s no gap, loosen the truss rod. If there is too big a gap then tighten. Once this is right you can tweak the bridge height.” – geektard

That’s it!

Fixing Toontrack Superior Drummer installation problem on Mac (“Wrong DVD inserted”)

If you too have had this problem with Toontrack installations, I hope I can help by giving this information which i struggled to find.

Wrong DVD inserted

“Wrong DVD inserted. Could not parse the installer file. Please insert the first disk of your SDK library”

I did a bunch of research to figure out what was going on with my SUperior Drummer 2 installations, and couldn’t find much beyond a forum post that was locked because I didn’t have Superior Drummer 3.

  Superior Drummer 3 is required to read and reply to this thread.

“Superior Drummer 3 is required to read and reply to this thread.”

Side note: Locking down this content is very short-sighted by Toontrack, in my opinion. Firstly, it presents a terrible user experience. I have spent money with Toontrack not so long ago, and expect to be able to access their forums, despite what products of theirs I own. This isn’t even an issue specific to Superior Drummer 3.

Secondly, from a content marketing perspective, having these replies locked behind what essentially amounts to a pay-wall if very bad for their organic search marketing. Rant over.

Fixing the “Wrong DVD inserted” installation problem

I raised a ticket with Toontrack support, and waited a few days for a response before being told the reason for the problem, and the solution (something that shoudl be clearly published on their website).

“Currently with Catalina, the SD2.0 and SDX library cannot be installed from a download location that is anywhere within the your internal Downloads, Desktop or Documents folders or from an external drive.” – Toontrack support

Toontrack product manager: change download location

Following their steps, I was able to get the installation running and the studio back online shortly after starting the process:

  1. Open Tootrack product manager
  2. Open the preferences
  3. Change download location
  4. Click move downloads
  5. Complete your installations
  6. Click ‘Clean up’ to delete all installations files

Toontrack product manager disk clean up.png