[Update 2] Reports are that offers are being posted now via the eHow Writer’s Compensation Panel.   Also, if you didn’t get an offer, and the email you received is different than below, you probably won’t get one.  Read past the break for the alternate (read: we’re not buying your articles) version of the email eHow sent.

[update] No article buyout numbers in my control panel yet.  I’ll update this with some buyout vs. earnings numbers if I get them.

A sign that Google’s Panda update(s) did turn a few heads over at Demand Media, here’s the letter they just send to eHow writers regarding the eHow articles for which they’ve been getting monthly earnings payments.

Gee thanks eHow – A buyout offer!

Hi XXXXX,

We want to personally thank you for the time spent writing articles for eHow.com and helping contribute to the growth of our site. As a valued writer who’s written articles for eHow, you know we’re a site that is focused on excellence and delivering the best possible experience to our readers.

As you might remember, we stopped accepting user-generated articles under eHow’s Writer Compensation Program (WCP) in April of 2010. However, we kept articles published by members like you so all contributors could continue earning money for their work.

As eHow.com continues to evolve and become a leading destination for trusted information, we are working hard to ensure all content is professionally created and editorially vetted. After much consideration, eHow has decided to close the WCP and remove a number of user-generated articles from the site beginning May 5, 2011.

Now, what’s exciting for YOU is that we are extending attractive offers to a select group of great writers to purchase the articles they’ve written for eHow so that those articles can be vetted through our current editorial process, which includes professional fact checking and copy editing. Needless to say, your great work has put you in this special category!

Beginning today, your WCP console will have the details of your offer. The offer includes the purchase price of your articles, which is based on historical earnings. You will have until May 31, 2011 to accept our offer.

By accepting our offer you are agreeing to sell all the rights of your articles to us.  We would own the articles from that point on, and will have the ability to review and revise them to ensure they meet our editorial standards. Following the acceptance of the offer, you will receive three payments: one for regular earnings paid in June for money earned from May 1-5, and two equal installments for your buyout offer, which will be paid by June 15 and July 15, 2011 via PayPal. However, if you choose to decline the offer you will receive your last WCP payment for money earned from May 1-5 by June 15, 2011.

If you agree to sell your articles, we ask that you immediately remove the articles from any other sites that have published them. If you decline the offer, articles will begin to be removed from eHow.com. However, you will retain complete control of all the content you have written and will continue to have rights to publish them anywhere. Additionally, if you choose not to accept our offer, you’ll have an opportunity to retrieve your articles from us between May 17th and May 31st, if you wish to retain them for your records. Further details for article retrieval will be shared through your WCP console.

We truly value your contributions to eHow and know that the site would not be what it is today without people like you. Thank you again and please feel free to contact support@ehow.zendesk.com with any questions you may have.

Best,
eHow Team

 

Here’s the altnerate email.  Seems this is the version you if they don’t want to buy your articles:

Hi XXXX,

We want to personally thank you for the time spent writing articles for eHow.com and helping contribute to the growth of our site. As a valued writer who’s written articles for eHow, you know we’re a site that is focused on excellence and delivering the best possible experience to our readers. As eHow.com continues to evolve and become a leading destination of trusted information, we are working hard to ensure all content is professionally created and editorially vetted.

As you might remember, we stopped accepting user-submitted articles in April 2010. At the same time, we also closed the Writers Compensation Program (WCP) to new participants and stopped accepting articles through that program as well. Though we stopped accepting user-generated articles, we kept legacy articles that had been previously submitted and published online so that readers could continue to find and enjoy that information, and participants who opted into the WCP could continue earning money for their work.

After much consideration, eHow has decided to close the WCP and remove user-generated articles from the site. We’re doing this because these articles were not vetted through our current editorial process, which includes professional fact checking and copy editing. Your article(s) will be taken down from eHow.com this month. If you are opted into the WCP you will receive final payment for earnings through May 5, 2011, during the regular monthly payment schedule in early June. Even though your articles will no longer appear on eHow.com, you retain all ownership of your articles for use on other websites.

We appreciate the time you’ve spent writing articles for our site and want to make it easy for you to have a record of your contributions. You’ll have an opportunity to retrieve your articles from us between May 17th and May 31st, if you wish to retain them for your records. Further details for article retrieval will be shared through your writer’s console.

We truly value your contributions to eHow and know that the site would not be what it is today without people like you. Thank you again and please feel free to contact support@ehow.zendesk.com with any questions you may have.

Kind Regards,
eHow Team

I don’t get what the fuss is about.

Time for technology in World Cup Football?

An easy way to access both at the same time, without having to log out of one and then into the other, is to simply use two different browsers.  For example, you can log into Gmail account 1 using Firefox, then Gmail account 2 using Microsoft Internet Explorer, and even Gmail account 3 using Google Chrome.

Since each browser keeps track of its own cookies, you can have unique sessions on the same site (Gmail, eBay) without one inferring with the other.

Yeah, it’s incredibly simple, but very useful.  Thank the browser wars!

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Canon Rebel XT

Canon does not seem to provide a driver for the Canon Rebel XT camera that is compatible with Windows Vista 64 bit.   This leaves you with the option if purchasing a compact flash reader to transfer you photos – but, not anymore.

All you need to do to get Windows Vista 64 to recognize your camera is to change one setting in your camera’s setup screen.  Turn on your Canon Rebel XT, Press the ‘Menu’ button and go to the 2nd menu.  Then, under ‘Communication’ change it from ‘PC Connection’ to ‘Print/PTP’.  Yes, it seems counter intuitive but it works!
That’s it.  Told you it was easy.

One more video after the break.

1.) A tribute to Jeremy Clarkson and Top Gear.  Sadly the last episode in the series (ever??) today.

2.) Some amazing trials riding in Ediburgh.