The Xbox Live network went down over Christmas when a DDos (distributed denial of service) attack was launched against it. Now before the end of the year, hackers from the group H4LT have put the Xbox SDK (software development kit) on the internet for anyone to download. With a tweet @notHALT, the group linked to the DSK which will allow anyone to develop games for the platform. The company does not openly give the development kit away. And developers will not be able to put their creations with the kit in Microsoft owned store fronts but the release of the kit opens up for an open source store front to emerge.

Data released this week by Socialbakers showed that Instagram photo posts had 50 times the engagement for big brands as similar posts on Twitter. This follows a story that the photo app surpassed Twitter in total number of accounts, 300 million to 284 million. The study looked at the top 25 brands on each network and then compared user interaction with the brand’s posts. Twitter feels that it has more reach that is not easily tracked in such reports since it allows tweets to be viewed by non-account holders.

WordPress is easily a very popular blogging online platform. Knowing how to operate the software properly makes running a blog easier and more effective. Follow these simple suggestions on while using the platform to take full advantage of your blogging experience.

There was an exploit discovered just this month that allows remote code to execute on the popular content management system (CMS). A popular file download plugin could be used by a hacker to execute code on your site. If you are running WP Download Manager 2.7.4 or lower, you should upgrade right away. Sucuri discovered the issue and the plugin developers but a new version out to protect against hackers gaining access to your admin accounts.

Google will be tracking Santa Clause once again this year as he travels around the world in one night. The Santa Tracker is available from Google to track the sled and the reindeer on Christmas Eve 2014. In addition to the tracker there will be games, animated shorts, information on holidays around the globe and even some JavaScript classes for the kids.

If you want make-it-yourself logos for you website or company startup, one millions customers are telling you that LogoGarden is a good place to start. The company recently reached the milestone after a period of rapid growth. The company is reporting 2,000 new accounts each day and sees customer growth reaching 2 million users in the company year.

CodeEd is a Boston company that teaches computer programming to girls in middle school to create interest and help them become more proficient. The idea behind the project is to bring in volunteers that work in technology to work on creative projects with middle school and high school students so that they will pursue careers in technology and decrease the gender gap that currently exists. The Godaddy involvement includes recruiting volunteers and providing resources so the classes can continue.

Web.com reported their earnings for the third quarter this month and provided information about the registration business. David L Brown of Web.com reported that the increase in domain names has led to a reduction in the amount of income they were able to generate. Overall registrations have declined at the same time. Non-domain name registration services have also been hurt as companies offering package deals at rock-bottom prices. Web.com took aggressive steps to support its share price after their earnings report by starting a $100 million stock buy back plan. That plan will purchase 12% of the company’s outstanding stock.

In the past GoDaddy focused on small businesses that did not want technically advanced websites, but now is introducing Pro Hosting for companies with technical staff that want an advanced custom web programming platform. The company sees 6 million developers and designers that maintain websites for a majority of the small business today. Extra support options are a part of the Godaddy Pro hosting program. These developers support sites for multiple companies, making them a prime target.

Some of the new features include web hosting with CPanel, managed Wordpress, and VPS (virtual private servers). Administrators will be able to patch the operating, stage website changes, clone current installations, control backups, have direct access to the server, and plan for disasters. The Pro plans come fully managed to self-managed.

When turning 12 at HostGator equals big savings for customers, it’s a good day. Now you can get up to 65% off HostGator hosting during the anniversary sale that started today. Register for 6 months of service and get 65% off. Take a 45% discount when registering for a full year. Their host popular shared hosting is great for small businesses and everyday bloggers. But there are many  different options to choice from depending on your needs.

GoDaddy is a company that is very familiar on the Internet. Many with a business online have probably used GoDaddy to register their website domain name. The fact is that the company is one of the biggest domain registration and web hosting companies online. They really gained attention in 2005 with controversial commercials that received a lot of attention during the Super Bowl. The commercials were considered sexist and objectified women. Millions of women found the commercials offensive. However, things are certainly changing at GoDaddy. They have a decidedly new attitude, and they want to change the way others see them.

GoDaddy CEO Speaks At Women's Conference
The new CEO of GoDaddy was welcomed at a recent woman's computing conference. A few years ago, this would of been an impossibility. Blake Irving is the new CEO at GoDaddy. He was invited to speak at the "Male Allies" panel Anita Borg Institute Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing event that celebrates women in the computing industry. Many women found the sexist commercials very offensive. However, the new CEO was not responsible for those commercials. He has taken a decidedly new approach and is trying to change the image of the company. This new advertising approach is raising a few eyebrows and renewed interest in the company.