Monday, January 25, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Chrome Browser
Faster than I.E. and Firefox. Smaller footprint. Getting more extensions developed. Not sure of security, as I haven't seen much on the web other than the initial security issues. Found an ad blocker and W.O.T. extension available. Could be the next best browser. I have appreciated Google since they just had a search engine, their works have been pretty decent. Is Google going to be the next Microsoft? I hope not. Even saw mention of an Operating System for Google. Looks like one can synchronize Chrome using GMail, granted Firefox has Weave and Weave site for synchronizing it.
Still shows in Beta, and only showing that it works on Windows.
Firefox 3.6
"... it's opened up an even wider speed gap against Internet Explorer, better adheres to Web standards and adds a nice trick or two. Those who favor raw speed alone will still prefer Chrome, but Firefox is clearly superior to Chrome when it comes to full-featured Web browsing." "...nearly four times as fast as Internet Explorer..."- Computer World Review
"Mozilla does appear to fix its security flaws much quicker than Microsoft, which means that the 'window of vulnerability' is actually shorter. This is a good reason to use Firefox rather than IE." - askjackblog
"Mozilla does appear to fix its security flaws much quicker than Microsoft, which means that the 'window of vulnerability' is actually shorter. This is a good reason to use Firefox rather than IE." - askjackblog
Ubuntu takes half the time as Windows to Boot Up!
Recent news post shows that Ubuntu 10, which will come out in April, should boot up in 15 seconds vs. the average boot time of 30 seconds for Windows. Very nice!!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Shortcut Organizer, Launcher
FSL Launcher - decent tabbed shortcut launcher to help organize shortcuts instead of putting them on the desktop.
By moving the mouse to the upper left corner of the screen the menu will pop up. Uses tabs to organize shortcuts. Also has a groups folder which I feel can be used to temporarily store files prior to organizing them in the My Documents folder.
By moving the mouse to the upper left corner of the screen the menu will pop up. Uses tabs to organize shortcuts. Also has a groups folder which I feel can be used to temporarily store files prior to organizing them in the My Documents folder.
Process Management
Anvir Task Manager - Delay start up processes, check files on virus total.com, replace power menu by adding Hide to Tray, Always on Top, Change Priority, Make Transparent, and also add the ability to Create a Floating Icon.
Process Lasso - Control processes, stop them from running, change their priority, etc. Provides stability and maintains responsiveness.
Process Lasso - Control processes, stop them from running, change their priority, etc. Provides stability and maintains responsiveness.
Interesting news article
The Canberra Times
- Jan 20, 2010
BY MARKUS MANNHEIM Australian taxpayers paid more than half a billion dollars last financial year for public servants' software licences, even though free ..."
Kind of makes ya wonder how much our government is spending on Microsoft Office Suites in both the Federal offices, and at schools. As Open office can do basically anything Microsoft Office can do, for free, it concerns me that any tax payers should have to pay anywhere from $100 to $300+ for an Office Suite to be on a desk. This also brings up the costs of licenses for Microsoft Operating Systems. There are several free versions of Operating Systems that are safer and better that can be used to replace Microsoft OS in schools and government. How much is our government paying for these?
Kind of makes ya wonder how much our government is spending on Microsoft Office Suites in both the Federal offices, and at schools. As Open office can do basically anything Microsoft Office can do, for free, it concerns me that any tax payers should have to pay anywhere from $100 to $300+ for an Office Suite to be on a desk. This also brings up the costs of licenses for Microsoft Operating Systems. There are several free versions of Operating Systems that are safer and better that can be used to replace Microsoft OS in schools and government. How much is our government paying for these?
Power Menu
A tool from Tummy that I found on Major Geeks, adds Always On Top, Minimize To Tray, Priority and Transparency sub menus to all top level system menus..
Free CD Burners
CDBurnerXP - Nice layout, basic audio, data, cd burner.
Deep Burner - basic burner that works efficiently. Comparable to CDBurnerXP in functionality. I preferred the look of CDBurnerXP but Deep Burner also has a basic autorun wizard which helps to add a quick autorun menu to the disc. Auto run menu is a quick and unprofessional looking menu, but does the job.
Researched prices for Autorun programs and found they run from about $40 to $295. The $40 programs were limited in functionality but they looked better than Deep Burner's menu creation, and they did the basics.
Autorun functionality on a cd is easy to create. You simply place an autorun.inf file in the root of the disc or usb drive. It's the menu that requires some work and the functionality of the buttons.
A simple GUI can be created using AutoIt or AutoHotKey. I've used ASuite on my USB drive and it worked fine, not sure if it would work on a CD or DVD but could give it a try. Another possibility is to use Lazarus, or probably any other windows programming tool, if you are wanting greater power and improved aesthetics. Granted, free solutions as I mention here will require some more work so it is advisable to first ask oneself if it is worth the time to do it yourself or would it be better and easier to buy a program that will do it for you.
Above programs list the ability to make boot disks.
Ran Across:
BootDisks - PC Support - Essential Utilities - might be useful
How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install. - describes some details to help not lose info
Deep Burner - basic burner that works efficiently. Comparable to CDBurnerXP in functionality. I preferred the look of CDBurnerXP but Deep Burner also has a basic autorun wizard which helps to add a quick autorun menu to the disc. Auto run menu is a quick and unprofessional looking menu, but does the job.
Researched prices for Autorun programs and found they run from about $40 to $295. The $40 programs were limited in functionality but they looked better than Deep Burner's menu creation, and they did the basics.
Autorun functionality on a cd is easy to create. You simply place an autorun.inf file in the root of the disc or usb drive. It's the menu that requires some work and the functionality of the buttons.
A simple GUI can be created using AutoIt or AutoHotKey. I've used ASuite on my USB drive and it worked fine, not sure if it would work on a CD or DVD but could give it a try. Another possibility is to use Lazarus, or probably any other windows programming tool, if you are wanting greater power and improved aesthetics. Granted, free solutions as I mention here will require some more work so it is advisable to first ask oneself if it is worth the time to do it yourself or would it be better and easier to buy a program that will do it for you.
Above programs list the ability to make boot disks.
Ran Across:
BootDisks - PC Support - Essential Utilities - might be useful
How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install. - describes some details to help not lose info
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Antivir Pop Up
The free version of Antivir has a pop up when it updates the virus definitions. This isn't really all that annoying to me but some feel it's a little intrusive. Using AutoHotKey with the following code should kill the pop up as soon as it may arrive which means it may be visible for a brief moment or not.
WinWait, Notifier of Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus
WinClose
if the virus updates are done every 24 hours and you have an idea when that would be then this script could possibly be launched a few moments prior to the update instead of having it sit there constantly. That way the script is launched say 5 min prior to the update, it sits and waits, and then when the update happens it exits the pop up after it pops up, and then the script exits, freeing up the space it would have taken if it had sat around all the time.
At least this is my hypothesis.
Which has shown to work, however with new programs comes new possibilities. Process Lasso has the ability to kill processes that start up so if we set avnotify.exe as a disallowed process we should be able to stop the pop up while maintaining full functionality of the scanner and updates.
WinWait, Notifier of Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus
WinClose
if the virus updates are done every 24 hours and you have an idea when that would be then this script could possibly be launched a few moments prior to the update instead of having it sit there constantly. That way the script is launched say 5 min prior to the update, it sits and waits, and then when the update happens it exits the pop up after it pops up, and then the script exits, freeing up the space it would have taken if it had sat around all the time.
At least this is my hypothesis.
Which has shown to work, however with new programs comes new possibilities. Process Lasso has the ability to kill processes that start up so if we set avnotify.exe as a disallowed process we should be able to stop the pop up while maintaining full functionality of the scanner and updates.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Free System Maintenance Software
Maintain your system for free with these wonderful FREE programs:
Advanced System Care Free - 1 click system maintenance. Various other system tools.
Auslogics Registry Defrag - Defrag your registry to speed up access.
Avira - from my experience this program does better than the paid for virus scanners in finding viruses.
CableNut - Tweak your internet settings to optimize it.
Crap Cleaner - Keep your system clean, Erase your browsing tracks, Clean your registry, Manage your Start up programs, and Uninstall software. Launch this program from right clicking your recycle bin.
Malwarebytes - Manual malware scanner, because it's always good to use a manual scanner as no virus scanner is 100%.
PC Wizard 2010 - Look under your hood with this tool. Get the name of your mobo, for upgrades.
REVO Uninstaller - when Add\Remove programs is not enough, use this uninstaller to power wash that program out of your system, and remove those pesky left overs.
Smart Defrag - Automated defragmentation and smart placement.
Spyware Blaster - A little inoculation program to help with Active X, cookies, etc. Primarily useful for IE in those brief moments one may launch it.
Super Anti-Spyware - Used to love Spybot Search and Destroy but I couldn't get it to fix a problem that it found on a computer. I ran across this program which had no such problems, so now I use it instead.
Zone Alarm - Firewall, because I like to control the programs that want to call back home from my computer, along with external access requests.
Here is the full list for Free Download Manager to dowload them all: System Maintenance Package
Advanced System Care Free - 1 click system maintenance. Various other system tools.
Auslogics Registry Defrag - Defrag your registry to speed up access.
Avira - from my experience this program does better than the paid for virus scanners in finding viruses.
CableNut - Tweak your internet settings to optimize it.
Crap Cleaner - Keep your system clean, Erase your browsing tracks, Clean your registry, Manage your Start up programs, and Uninstall software. Launch this program from right clicking your recycle bin.
Malwarebytes - Manual malware scanner, because it's always good to use a manual scanner as no virus scanner is 100%.
PC Wizard 2010 - Look under your hood with this tool. Get the name of your mobo, for upgrades.
REVO Uninstaller - when Add\Remove programs is not enough, use this uninstaller to power wash that program out of your system, and remove those pesky left overs.
Smart Defrag - Automated defragmentation and smart placement.
Spyware Blaster - A little inoculation program to help with Active X, cookies, etc. Primarily useful for IE in those brief moments one may launch it.
Super Anti-Spyware - Used to love Spybot Search and Destroy but I couldn't get it to fix a problem that it found on a computer. I ran across this program which had no such problems, so now I use it instead.
Zone Alarm - Firewall, because I like to control the programs that want to call back home from my computer, along with external access requests.
Here is the full list for Free Download Manager to dowload them all: System Maintenance Package
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Free Video Software
Any Video Converter - Does a decent job of converting videos to other formats.
BSPlayer - Plays the videos, allows for bookmarking your place while watching a video so if get interrupted can come back later and start from where you were interrupted from. Can save screen shots.
K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 5.61 - Covers the codecs for various video formats so that you can watch them.
Real Player - Can download embedded videos like from You Tube to be viewed later.
Here is the full list for Free Download Manager to dowload them all: Video Package
BSPlayer - Plays the videos, allows for bookmarking your place while watching a video so if get interrupted can come back later and start from where you were interrupted from. Can save screen shots.
K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 5.61 - Covers the codecs for various video formats so that you can watch them.
Real Player - Can download embedded videos like from You Tube to be viewed later.
Here is the full list for Free Download Manager to dowload them all: Video Package
Free Audio Programs
Aimp2 - reskinnable, works with winamp plug ins, lastfm plugin, can record off soundcard, audio converter, mp3 tag editor, multiple playlists, bookmarks, configurable hotkeys
Audacity - Can record off soundcard or microphone, useful for editing, trimming, splitting, joining, equalizing, and various other audio editing.
Media Monkey - Jukebox music player, music file manager, converter. Customize MediaMonkey with Skins, visualizations, plug-ins and scripts to make it do what you want it to. Listen to podcasts and shoutcasts.
dbPoweramp - Wonderful little audio converter that provides context popups for audio files, allows for batch conversions and single conversions, a lot of codecs that can be downloaded from the programs website to handle various formats.
All these can be downloaded from FileHippo.com or here is a Free Download Manager list for them all Audio Package
MP3 Tag Tools V1.2 - Program to batch process mp3 tags and rename mp3 files.
Audacity - Can record off soundcard or microphone, useful for editing, trimming, splitting, joining, equalizing, and various other audio editing.
Media Monkey - Jukebox music player, music file manager, converter. Customize MediaMonkey with Skins, visualizations, plug-ins and scripts to make it do what you want it to. Listen to podcasts and shoutcasts.
dbPoweramp - Wonderful little audio converter that provides context popups for audio files, allows for batch conversions and single conversions, a lot of codecs that can be downloaded from the programs website to handle various formats.
All these can be downloaded from FileHippo.com or here is a Free Download Manager list for them all Audio Package
MP3 Tag Tools V1.2 - Program to batch process mp3 tags and rename mp3 files.
Free Download Manager
Free Download Manager - recommend to go into settings and click on perform virus check and has a drop down list of virus scanners to do the virus scan. Activate the Mirrors by clicking on the check boxes, settings for allow browser to download if press cancel should be unchecked unless you want it to have browser ask if you want to download after you cancel FDMs request to download after you requested a download then hit cancel.
Right click Drop Box and unckeck if not wanting it to show. Also can go into view on menu and check drop box to toggle it.
Under file menu can request it to build a portable version.
Multi-thread, Resume, Mirror, Virus Scan, Download File Management, Portable, import\export download lists, integrated browser monitoring for automatic downloads, and various other wonderful features to meet or beat the competing download managers. And it's FREE!!
Right click Drop Box and unckeck if not wanting it to show. Also can go into view on menu and check drop box to toggle it.
Under file menu can request it to build a portable version.
Multi-thread, Resume, Mirror, Virus Scan, Download File Management, Portable, import\export download lists, integrated browser monitoring for automatic downloads, and various other wonderful features to meet or beat the competing download managers. And it's FREE!!
Theme of the Day Customize
Well, looks like the theme of the day was customize. Wasn't aware that I had so many programs for that purpose.
Here is a list for the Free Download Manager to Download all the customization software shown on 1/12/10. Copy the list below. Paste into a .txt file. Open Free Download Manager and click on file > import and select the file and it should automatically start downloading the files. Make sure you turn off the virus scan in the settings of Free Download Manager and wait until the entire list is processed, then run the virus scan on the folder it was downloaded to. The virus scanner I use Avira only has 4 consecutive scans so wont scan the list fully unless run it afterward.
Customization Download List for Free Download Manager Batch Download:
Here is a list for the Free Download Manager to Download all the customization software shown on 1/12/10. Copy the list below. Paste into a .txt file. Open Free Download Manager and click on file > import and select the file and it should automatically start downloading the files. Make sure you turn off the virus scan in the settings of Free Download Manager and wait until the entire list is processed, then run the virus scan on the folder it was downloaded to. The virus scanner I use Avira only has 4 consecutive scans so wont scan the list fully unless run it afterward.
Customization Download List for Free Download Manager Batch Download:
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Customize Sounds
www.eventsounds.com
Audacity - Record and trim anything playing on your computer. Have had some problems with recording in the past but still good editor.
AIMP2- Nice music player and is able to record what is playing on the soundcard.
Audacity - Record and trim anything playing on your computer. Have had some problems with recording in the past but still good editor.
AIMP2- Nice music player and is able to record what is playing on the soundcard.
Customize Cursors
ANIFX - freeware cursor editor. An all in one solution for creating, extracting, and editing cursors.
Customize Icons
ICOFX - Extract, create, replace, icons. Batch operations. Freaking awesome Icon tool, and it's free.
Customize Hot Keys
Auto Hotkeys - make your own hotkeys to launch your favorite sites, and programs. Expand abbreviations as you type them. Create custom data-entry forms, user interfaces, and menu bars. See GUI for details. Remap keys and buttons on your keyboard, joystick, and mouse.
Power Desk 6
The highly customizable file manager with dual panes, favorites, and launchbar. I like to use the free version which has an add for the pro version at the bottom, taking up real estate space on the window. It also pops up a reminder of how many times you used it and about getting the pro version which is also an annoyance. Regardless, I like the file finder that comes with the program along with the program itself. Sure there are other programs out there that do the same thing, but I like this one for some reason. Not enough to pay for it, but enough to use it.
File Menu Tools
File Menu Tools is a program that expands the right context menu to provide a great deal of file handling options in the context menu. It also allows for running programs which means it is good for launching useful programs like powerdesk 6 or scripts made in autoit or autohotkey. Another program that can be useful for adding elements is the nircmd command line utility.
This is a highly customizable, highly functional, right click customization.
This is a highly customizable, highly functional, right click customization.
Winrar Command Line SFX Creation
a archivename -s -sfx -z "archive parameter file.txt"
Which means a for add to archive archivename -s silently -sfx create an sfx file -z using the parameters in the text file archive parameter file.txt.
It is the -z portion that allows us to make the sfx a silent one, that is put into a temporary folder, and over writes the files, along with which program to execute, and what icon to use for the sfx.
Something to look into later: Solid Archive, since the sfx is rarely ever updated
Which means a for add to archive archivename -s silently -sfx create an sfx file -z using the parameters in the text file archive parameter file.txt.
It is the -z portion that allows us to make the sfx a silent one, that is put into a temporary folder, and over writes the files, along with which program to execute, and what icon to use for the sfx.
Something to look into later: Solid Archive, since the sfx is rarely ever updated
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