Software How-Tos

Best Free Weblog Software Other Than WordPress

2009-07-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

Those software download adress:

Textpattern
Drupal
XOOPS

Weblog software is designed to simplify the creation and maintenance of weblogs. As specialized content management systems, weblog applications support the authoring, editing, and publishing of blog posts and comments, with special functions for image management, web syndication, and moderation of posts and comments.

We all know WordPress is one the most popular weblog applications. What other options can we choose? We have collected the following Top Quality Weblog Software Other Than WordPress for you.

Melody is an open source content management, blogging and publishing platform, derived from the popular blogging tool Movable Type. At its onset, Melody is distinct from Movable Type by having put in place a set of processes that assist the greater Movable Type and Melody communities to contribute features, changes and fixes more freely and quickly back to the core product. This allows independent developers to pursue the features and preferences that matter to them most.

The promise of Melody is to serve its community by working to build a product according to the principles and philosophies that have helped make WordPress, Apache, Linux, Firefox and other open source applications so successful. Those principles include creating and fostering open communication channels with its user base, by building transparency into its roadmap, and by permitting users to more freely contribute back to the core product.

When it comes to publishing on the internet, beginners and experts alike are met with a bothersome paradox: word processors and graphics applications allow anyone to do a pretty good job of managing text and images on a personal computer, but to make these available to the worldwide web â€“ a seemingly similar environment of documents and destinations â€“ ease of use vanishes behind sudden requirements for multilingual programming skills, proficiency in computer-based graphic design, and, ultimately, the patience of a saint.

Textpattern is a flexible, elegant and easy-to-use content management system and it is both free and open source. Textpattern is a web application designed to help overcome these and other hurdles to publishing online, and to simplify the production of well-structured, standards-compliant web pages.

Drupal is a free software package that allows an individual or a community of users to easily publish, manage and organize a wide variety of content on a website. Drupal is open-source software distributed under the GPL (â€General Public Licenseâ€) and is maintained and developed by a community of thousands of users and developers.

Radiant is a no-fluff, open source content management system designed for small teams with the following main features. Built from the ground up to be as simple as possible, Radiant features an elegant administrative interface that centers around three key components: pages, snippets, and layouts.

Radiant is licensed under the MIT License. This means that Radiant is free for commercial and non-profit use. It also means that you are free to modify and distribute Radiant as long as you donâ€™t remove the appropriate notices from the source code.

Frog CMS is a PHP version of Radiant CMS, a well known Ruby on Rails application. Frog CMS share the goal to simplify content management, and offer an elegant user interface, flexible templating per page, simple user management and permissions and all what you need for your files management.

Frog requires a MySQL database with InnoDB support, a web server (Apache with mod_rewrite is highly recommended) and is distributed under the MIT software license.

XOOPS is an acronym of eXtensible Object Oriented Portal System. Though started as a portal system, XOOPS is in fact striving steadily on the track of Content Management System. It can serve as a web framework for use by small, medium and large sites.

A lite XOOPS can be used as a personal weblog or journal. For this purpose, you can do a standard install, and use its News module only. For a medium site, you can use modules like News, Forum, Download, Web Links etc to form a community to interact with your members and visitors. For a large site as an enterprise one, you can develop your own modules such as eShop, and use XOOPâ€™s uniform user management system to seamlessly integrate your modules with the whole system.

The Movable Type Open Source Project was announced in conjunction with the launch of the Movable Type 4 Beta on June 5th, 2007. The MTOS Project is a community and Six Apart driven project that will produce an open source version of the Movable Type Publishing Platform that will form the core of all other Movable Type products.

MODx is 100% buzzword compliant, and makes child’s play of building content managed sites with validating, accessible CSS layouts â€“ hence Ajax CMS. It empowers its users to build engaging “Web 2.0? sites today, with its pre-integrated MooTools, Scriptaculous and Prototype libraries. If you’re a CSS designer or Ajax aficionado, this is the CMS for you; and if you like what you see today, you’ll love what’s coming.

Techies call MODx a Content Management Framework (”CMF“): equal parts custom web app builder and Content Management System (”CMS“). With a flexible API and a robust event override system, MODx makes building engaging web projects straightforward â€” or changing core functionality without hacking the core code possible. Custom tweaks won’t leave you pulling out your hair when it’s time to upgrade.

sNews is a completely free, standards compliant, PHP and MySQL driven content management system. Consisting of only one small core file, sNews is extremely lightweight, easy to install, and easy to use via a simple web interface.

With sNews you can create a website that consists of dynamic pages and have a blog at the same time. sNews has a front page option and categories for you to categorize your articles. Corporate CMS or a personal blog - your choice.

sNews uses search engine friendly URLs throughout, to make your website truly loved by Google and other search engines (as well as your visitors). This makes a sNews driven site highly Search Engine Optimized from the get-go and will greatly assist in your site obtaining a good SEO ranking.

OpenCms from Alkacon Software is a professional, easy to use website content management system. OpenCms helps content managers worldwide to create and maintain beautiful websites fast and efficiently.

The fully browser based user interface features configurable editors for structured content with well defined fields. Alternatively, content can be created using an integrated WYSIWYG editor similar to well known office applications. A sophisticated template engine enforces a site-wide corporate layout and W3C standard compliance for all content.

ocPortal is a CMS (Content Management System) that allows you to create and manage your interactive and dynamic website from an easy to use administration interface. ocPortal is unique by the combination of a vast and diverse range of provided functionality, out-of-the-box usability, and an ability for unlimited customisation.

ocPortal is completely free under an OSI-approved Open Source licence since version 4.0. There are no restrictions on usage, and they don’t keep away any features from users.

Habari is being written with a firm understanding of the current state of blogging. Most other blogging packages have been around long enough that their responses to things like comment spam and Digg site overloads are bolted on after the fact; whereas Habari is being written from the beginning to take these things — and more — into account.

Habari strongly favors open, standard, and documented protocols. Atom, being both open and documented, is the prefered syndication format, and the Atom Publishing Protocol is the prefered means of remote communication with your site. This is a core feature, and not a plugin.

dotCMS Core is the most feature complete open source web CMS available today. Available under the GPL, you can freely download the dotCMS system and get up, running and managing web sites and web content in a matter of minutes.

Unlike many other â€œopen sourceâ€ cms, dotCMS is in no way crippled. When you download the dotCMS system, you are getting all of the functions and features needed to begin creating customized, manageable and scalable web sites. This includes so called “advanced” features such as LDAP/AD integration, clustering support, online templating, Web2.0 Calendaring and the structured content engine.

Symphony is a web publishing system made for web developers. It gives you all the power and flexibility you’ll need, while keeping out of your way.

Symphony lets you organise everything the way you like, from your publishing environment to your website’s URL structure. Built to be versatile and customisable, Symphony really is what you make of it.

Symphony’s templating engine is pure XSLT goodness. XSLT is a standard recommended by the W3C, so learning Symphony means that youâ€™re learning skills that you can also use outside of the system. If you already know the XML and CSS standards, then chances are you should be able to quickly pick up XSLT.

(from blogperfume.com)

Top 5 DVD to Zune Converter discount Suite

2009-07-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

Top 5 DVD to Zune Converter discount Suite

Do you know… How easily to use Zune Video Converter?The differences of the hottest and popular Zune Video Converter?How to choose and get the high cost performance Zune Video Converter?

If you have already had a Zune, no doubt that you need a good Zune video converter when you use your Zune as a portable video player. As you know, there’are abundant series of Zune video Converter software flooding the market today. For better or worse, most of these Zune Video Converters are of different or similar functions and prices. Usually, you will be confused with them, and still don’t know which one to choose after costing much time of finding.

Here is a way that provide the most discount and high cost performance Zune Video Converter

Top 10 Free Computer System Recovery Tools

2009-06-23T03:16:00.000-07:00

Those software download adress:

SuperDuper! (Mac boot drive maker)
Magical Jelly Bean Key Finder (Windows)
Undelete Plus (Windows file recovery)
Ultimate Boot CD(bootable diagnostic CD,x386)
Knoppix(bootable CD,X386)

Your data's trapped on a dead computer. You lost your login password. You never wrote down the product key on a non-working Windows installation. Your Mac won't start.

Don't pay the extortionists at the computer repair shop 800 bucks to get your data back or start up your dead computer. Plenty of free tools can help you and are available for download right now. Today we've got our top 10 system recovery picks which span operating systems but all cost the same: exactly nothing.

Which one of these tools is right for you depends on your skill level, operating system and particular problem. Do yourself a favor and burn yourself a disc with a couple of these before the terrible day when you need 'em happens.

10. SuperDuper! (Mac boot drive maker)

Top 10 Free System Recovery Tools, #10: The free version of SuperDuper is a pre-emptive recovery tool. Use it to clone your Mac's hard drive onto an external drive. Once you've created that bootable clone, if your Mac dies, connect the clone, hold down the Option key when you boot your Mac, and choose the external drive as your boot drive.
Read more about full drive clones as a part of your complete Mac backup system.

9. Magical Jelly Bean Key Finder (Windows)

Top 10 Free System Recovery Tools, #9: Extract the Windows XP or Vista product key from a dead Windows installation with the beta version 2 of Key Finder, which also displays the product keys of common Windows apps like Microsoft Office.

8. USB PC Repair Kit (Windows)

Top 10 Free System Recovery Tools, #8: Access a menu of 37 Windows repair and recovery utilities from a 32MB USB drive with the all-in-one USB PC Repair Kit. The program list ranges from CCleaner, to Eraser, to ProcessExplorer and ProduKey and TweakUI.

7. Undelete Plus (Windows file recovery)

Top 10 Free System Recovery Tools, #7: Resurrect that deleted file with Undelete Plus, a simple utility that brings back deleted files that haven't been overwritten on disk.

6. System Information for Windows (diagnostics)

Top 10 Free System Recovery Tools, #6: Dig up software licenses, the type of BIOS or RAM or motherboard installed on your PC, saved web browser passwords and more with System Information for Windows. Before you wipe your machine clean and rebuild, you'd be smart to save a comprehensive SIW report first. See a screenshot tour of what System Information for Windows can do.

5. DasBoot (Mac boot CD maker)

Top 10 Free System Recovery Tools, #5: DasBoot for Mac OS X takes a bootable CD - like DiskWarrior - and installs it plus other utilities to a portable, writable, external drive, even an iPod. Effectively this makes a writable Mac diagnostic disk to go. DasBoot is ad-supported freeware, and utilities like DiskWarrior cost money separately.

4. Ophcrack Live CD (Windows password cracker)

Top 10 Free System Recovery Tools, #4: Forgot your Windows administrator password? Need to boot up an inherited PC for which you've got no password? Ophcrack can boot a Windows PC and crack alphanumeric passwords less than 15 characters for various Windows users. See a screenshot tour of Ophcrack cracking Adam's Windows password.

3. Ultimate Boot CD (bootable diagnostic CD, x386)

Top 10 Free System Recovery Tools, #3: The Ultimate Boot CD offers a menu of diagnostic disk tools to scan and repair your PC's drives. The UBCD is faster than a floppy disk - and a USB drive version's available, too.

2. Knoppix (bootable CD, x386)

Top 10 Free System Recovery Tools, #2: The Knoppix bootable CD boots a completely usable Linux desktop that can copy otherwise inaccessible files from your PC's hard drive to another disk, like a USB drive. See more on how to rescue files with the Knoppix boot CD.

1. GParted LiveCD (partition manager, x386)

Top 10 Free System Recovery Tools, #1: The GParted LiveCD is a bootable disk with an excellent partition manager that rivals the commercial, pay-for Partition Magic.

GParted is a graphical user interface to GNU Parted, an open source Linux partition manager, which can read, copy, create, shrink, expand, and move partitions.

(From lifehaker.com)

Top 20 Free Applications to Increase Your Productivity

2009-06-16T06:04:00.000-07:00

Those software download address:
Launchy
AutoHotKey
AVG AntiVirus
SpyBot Search and Destroy
Ad-Aware
Free Download Manager
Cam Studio
Audacity
Foxit PDF Reader
7-Zip
CCleaner
OpenOffice.org
Skype
Better Gmail
FileZilla
RoboForm
Google Calendar

The Internet is loaded with free software, making it hard to know which one’s you really need. This article will act as your guide to the top 20 free applications (Web and Windows) for increased productivity.

These programs will make your PC faster, stronger, and more productive.

1. Launchy

Launchy is the best free program launcher. It allows you to launch your documents, files, folders, and bookmarks with just a few keystrokes. Launchy is also packed with a few extra features. You can use Launchy’s keyboard shortcuts to:

Search Google
Check the weather
Search other sites
Browse your computer
Use the built in calculator
Index your music, pictures, bookmarks, and folders
and much more…

2. AutoHotKey

When it comes to raw power, it doesn’t get much better than AutoHotKey. This software can automate just about anything by capturing your keystrokes and mouse clicks. This free utility allows you to define your own hotkeys, enabling you to launch an applicaton with a single key press.

AutoHotKey is a bit more technical than Launchy, but it’s well worth the effort. Fortunately, this application does come with a built-in macro recorder.

3. AVG AntiVirus

If you’re looking for free antivirus software, nothing beats AVG Antivirus 7. This product has been continuously improved and updated since 1991.

4. SpyBot Search and Destroy

There’s nothing worse than spyware to cripple a computer. For years, millions of users have relied on SpyBot Search and Destroy to keep their computer running smoothly.

5. Ad-Aware

Ad-Aware works perfectly along side SpyBot Search and Destroy to help protect your computer against harmful spyware.

Other good choices include SpyWare Terminator and Win Patrol.

6. Free Download Manager

Free Download Manager is a highly recommended download accelerator and manager. Don’t waste time waiting for your files to download. Free Download Manager will instantly increase your download speed by up to 600%.

7. BK ReplaceEm

Have you ever needed to replace a certain string of text in multiple files? If so, then you know what a pain it can be. Fortunately, there a number of free search and replace utilities that will help you get the job done quickly.

BK ReplaceEm is one of the most powerful search and replace utilities, allowing you to operate on multiple files at once.

8. Google Web Accelerator

Speed up the Web with Google Web Accelerator. This simple program will allow you to enjoy faster web browsing in seconds.

9. CamStudio

CamStudio is free recording software that will allow you to create demonstration videos, online tutorials, or even video-based information products. The possibilities are endless with this professional software. Fortunately, it doesn’t have the price tag that goes along with most streaming video software.

10. Audacity

Audacity is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. You can use Audacity to record live audio, edit sound files, mix sounds together, and much more.

11. Foxit PDF Reader

Here’s a small PDF reader that loads in a flash. It’s an excellent alternative to Adobe’s slow, bloated PDF Reader.

12. 7-Zip

7-Zip is one of the best file compressors available. This open source software will allow you to compress a number of different file formats.

Another excellent zip utility is IZArc, which supports nearly 50 different archive file types.

13. CCleaner

CCleaner is a simple program that will help keep your computer running at its peak. This freeware utility removes unused files from your system, freeing up valuable hard disk space.

14. OpenOffice.org

OpenOffice is the number one open source alternative to Microsoft’s Office Suite. OpenOffice includes a word processor, spreadsheet software similar to Microsoft Excel, web page editor, photo software and a presentation program similar to Microsoft Powerpoint.

15. Skype

Skype allows you to talk to people across the world for free. This program is perfect for business application as well as personal use.

16. Gmail

Gmail is hands-down the best email client available. It comes with built-in Google search technology, 2.6 GB of storage, and a number of excellent features.
Gmail allows you to apply labels to your email, create filters, and presents your email messages as threaded conversations.

17. Better Gmail

To enhance your Gmail for optimum productivity, then you will need to download the Better Gmail Firefox extension. Better Gmail adds a number of features, including:

Google Calendar in the folder list
a number of new Gmail skins
saved searches and…
additional macros

18. FileZilla

FileZilla is a fast and reliable FTP client that packs a ton of useful features. This is by far the best free FTP client that I have found.

19. RoboForm

RoboForm will help you navigate the Web with ease. It is the top-rated password manager and web form filler that will allow you to browse the Web faster than ever.

20. Google Calendar

Organize your life with Google Calendar. You can use Google Calendar to set up automatic event reminders, add important events with a single click, and use the built-in search tool to keep track of all your events.

(from http://www.lifehack.org/)

Five Best Image Editing Software

2009-06-16T01:28:00.000-07:00

Those software download address:

Pixelmator
Inkscape
Fireworks
GIMP
Photoshop

Image editing software has become ubiquitous in this digital age. Whether you’re creating a web interface or simply cropping and enhancing your family photos – you’ll need your favorite image editor to do it.

In this article, you’ll find the top image editing applications currently out in the market.

Last week, readers of Sia Revisions were asked what they thought was the best image editing software. Over 150 people responded and here, you’ll find the pick of the litter.

5. Pixelmator

Pixelmator is a fast and powerful image editing software for the Mac operating system. With its intuitive and beautiful Graphical User Interface (GUI), support for layers to organize your document, a large assortment of painting tools, and simple-to-use photo correction tools - Pixelmator is an excellent pick for Mac users who don’t quite need the features (and price tag) of Photoshop.

4. Inkscape

Inkscape is an open source vector graphics editor much like Adobe Illustrator, CorelDraw, and Xara X. Its default file format is web standards compliant Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) under W3C’s specifications. Want to learn more about what Inkscape has to offer? Check out this list of articles and presentations about Inkscape.

If you’re interested in finding more open source and free alternatives to Photoshop, you may want to read this list of ten open source and free alternatives.

3. Fireworks

Fireworks is Adobe’s image editing software for the web designers. It excels in several areas over its big brother Photoshop, namely in high-fidelity prototyping of sites and a workspace environment that’s optimized for web designers. It is also a raster and vector hybrid, being able to work with raster-based images and vector-based graphics better and more symbiotically than Photoshop.

Fireworks is a popular tool of choice for many web designers and was once voted as one of the top tools for web designers.

2. GIMP
GIMP - which stands for the GNU Image Manipulation Program - is a feature-packed and powerful open source image editor that can be used in all major operating systems (Linux, Mac, and Windows). It has a customizable interface so that you can easily set the view and behavior of GIMP.

It has a huge set of retouching tools that will allow you to perform advanced image retouching and manipulation. The GIMP outputs your work in many common formats like JPG, GIF, PNG, TIFF, and even PSD (Photoshop’s native file format).

1. Photoshop
Not surprisingly, Photoshop is the winner by a landslide, garnering over half of all the total votes. Photoshop is what comes to mind when image editing is involved there’s very little that can be said about it that hasn’t been said already.

With an insurmountable amount of features that help you manipulate and enhance photos as well as create web graphics, all while helping you manage your workflow and image editing environment – Photoshop comes in at numero uno as the best image editing software currently in the market.

(from sixrevisions.com)

Top 10 Freeware Software Nobody Knows About - But Should

2009-06-15T03:10:00.000-07:00

Those software download address:

Sharepod
ConTEXT
EditPlus
IrfanView
Windows Live Writer
Foxit Reader
Snipping Tool
Blender
ImgBurn
MusikCube
AutoHotkey

It’s always a shame when a great program is not heard about by most people - especially when it’s free. Here are the top 10 freeware software that many people still haven’t tried, but definitely should.

10. Sharepod

If you want to get all those files off your iPod and into your computer, then this is the program for you. In a previous post (Transfer Files From Your iPod To PC For Free) Sharepod was used to show how to freely and easily transfer files from an iPod to PC.

9. ConTEXT

Not only is this a great notepad replacement, it is also a great help for software developers.

[Edit: ConTEXT is one of useful editor , but Personally I think the EditPlus is much more popular and better than it. And on the contrary, the EditPlus need to be paid. ..]

8. IrfanView

Simply put, this is a simple graphic viewer. It has many essential features like email, Thumbnail/preview option, various Effects, changing color depth, and, of course, an extensive file format support.

7. Windows Live Writer

Although still in beta, this makes blogging both easy and comfortable. It supports many blog services, including WordPress, Blogger, and TypePad, and also has a some very good plugins.

6. Foxit Reader

This is the adobe reader replacement. It is much faster than adobe reader, and much friendlier to use. Try this once, and you’ll never go back.

5. Snipping Tool

Comes installed in Windows Vista. This program lets you take screenshots of the whole screen, only a certain program, free-form, or rectangular snips. Immediately after taking the screen shot, you are given the choice of editing it and saving it into your computer. They couldn’t have made it easier. This was also covered in a previous post: Top 5 Applications That Come Installed With Windows Vista

[Edit: Some people pointed out that this isn’t necessarily freeware because you need to have Vista in order to use it. MWSnap can be used instead of it. Thanks TemporalBeing and everyone else who pointed that out.]

4. Blender

Did you ever see the amazing CGI movies Pixar makes, like Ratatouille? Well, with Blender, you can make similar computer generated graphics that will amaze everyone.

3. ImgBurn

ImgBurn is great tool to create image files from discs and burn images to discs. It even supports HD DVD and Blu-ray. There is no need to use an high cost programs for images.

2. MusikCube

This is what iTunes should be like. An easy to use, uncluttered, lightweight program, which will convert most people to it after seconds of use. The plugins that are available will make for an easy transition, like being able to grab ratings from iTunes or Windows Media Player and import them to MusikCube.

1. AutoHotkey

This is the one of the most essential programs ever - if you know how to use it. With AutoHotkey, you can write scripts that automate keystrokes, which can save you a lot of time. You can make it automate annoying internship jobs, like copying and pasting a bunch of text from one place to another, to more complex applications like Lifehacker’s Texter. The beauty of it all is that it very easy to learn and master.

(from liveslick.com)

10 best free Windows clipboard replacements

2009-05-18T23:53:00.000-07:00

Those software download address:
ClipX
ArsClip
Oscar's MiniCLIP
PhraseExpress
AccelClip
Ditto
HovText
Xteq URL Bandit

Windows' clipboard consists of a single item - press [Ctrl] + [C] or [Ctrl] + [X] again, and your original entry is lost.
Thankfully this shortcoming hasn't been lost on the programming community, and a large number of tools have been developed to fill the gap.

So we've scoured the web looking for 10 of the best freeware alternatives.

There's a lot of crossover between the vast majority of them, so we've highlighted what makes them unique where applicable to help you pick your chosen clipboard replacement tool.

1. ClipX
This is immensely popular due to its small footprint - just 260KB without any clipboard entries in place - and simplicity. Press [Win] + [V] to select one of its entries from a simple pop-up menu - 25 are stored by default, but it can handle up to 1,024. It only handles plain text, images and file paths, but the latest beta comes with a 64-bit version and its functionality can be easily expanded with plug-ins.

2. ArsClip
If you're after features over footprints, ArsClip has a vast array to tempt you. First, you can permanently store and catalogue selected clipboard entries - perfect for repetitive tasks like filling forms (helped with a form filling mode for pasting multiple entries at once). It handles a wide array of formats, including images, RichText and HTML, and doesn't require any installation.

3. Oscar's MiniCLIP
MiniCLIP works best as a floating taskbar - from here you can add items to the clipboard in the usual way, or drag and drop text from supported applications to and from the taskbar to copy and paste. Individual entries can be edited, and files dragged and dropped on to the taskbar to add their full path name to the clipboard, but no media formats are supported.

4. M8 Free Multi Clipboard
This tool is capable of storing up to 25 text snippets or images at a time, and rolling your mouse over each entry reveals a thumbnail or the text in question. It also doubles as a screen capture utility, capable of grabbing the entire screen or an active window using the [PrtScr] or [Alt] + [PrtScr] keys.

5. Phrase Express
This clipboard tool is for those who need to enter repetitive blocks of text. It can store entries with hotkeys or Autotext triggers, plus corrects typos as you enter them and can store formatted text (including images) as well as just the words. Need access on the move? Download and use the portable USB version.

6. AccelClip
This clipboard manager's unique selling point is its support for fragments of text and graphics (referred to as "clips"), support for a wide variety of formats, and its clipboard viewing and editing facilities, which works with images as well as text. Organise favourite clips into folders and even save them as standalone files.

7. Ditto
Ditto's main unique selling point is its ability to synchronise clipboards on multiple PCs across a network (the connection is encrypted for security's sake). It also supports a wide range of formats, has a built-in thumbnail preview and comes in a portable version for USB flash drives.

8. HovText
This tool is geared mainly towards stripping all formatting - including HTML code - from copied text, ensuring you can paste it quickly and simply into your target application. It's also a basic clipboard manager, with the ability to remember up to 10 items at a time.

9. Xteq URL Bandit
This tool simply monitors your clipboard, catching and saving any URLs it finds in copied text, which can subsequently be retrieved later on.

10. RKG Duck
This is a clipboard filtering tool that utilises PERL filters to change the nature of the clipboard selection - for example, converting everything to upper or lower case, extracting URLs and so on and so forth. It's perfect for techies who wish to analyse the clipboard's contents too.

(from techrader.com)

19 Most Essential Open Source Applications That You Probably Want To Know

2009-05-14T00:46:00.000-07:00

Those software download address:
WordPress
OpenOffice.org
Bugzilla
Flex SDK

Today, we are listing here 19 Most Essential and useful open source applications that you probably want to know to use in your daily life. Most of them are top of the list projects that have an open source industry leading popularity and many of them are not listed here but over all the list has variety of projects for every one of you. Just take a look at them and share your thoughts here.

WordPress - Blog Tool and Weblog Platform

WordPress is a state-of-the-art publishing platform with a focus on aesthetics, web standards, and usability. WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.

ModSecurity - Open Source Web Application Firewall

ModSecurity is a web application firewall that can work either embedded or as a reverse proxy. It provides protection from a range of attacks against web applications and allows for HTTP traffic monitoring, logging and real-time analysis. It is also an open source project that aims to make the web application firewall technology available to everyone.

SteelBlue Open Source Web Application Server

SteelBlue is an open-source Web application server environment in which Web-database applications can be developed completely in an extended HTML language. Similar to ColdFusion and Story Server, session and user-associated data as well as SQL commands can be directly embedded into the HTML page. Therefore, no CGI programming experience is required to develop applications with SteelBlue, only knowledge of SQL and HTML.

Dolphin :: Smart Community Builder

YouTube, MySpace, Odeo, Flickr, Match and Facebook - all in one, customizable and under your full control. You’re limited only by your imagination - not by software. Dolphin Smart Community Builder is a universal, free, open source software that allows you to build any kind of online community. With a huge variety of features & options, you can quickly develop your very unique and successful website.

PURE Unobtrusive Rendering Engine For HTML

PURE is an Open Source JavaScript Template Engine for HTML. Truly unobtrusive, it leaves your HTML untouched. It is cross-browser (IE 6.0+, FF 2+, Safari 2.0+, Opera 9.0+).

Bugzilla - Mozilla’s bug tracking system

Bugzilla is a bug tracking system designed to help teams manage software development. Hundreds of organizations across the globe are using this powerful tool to get organized and communicate effectively.

Mindquarry DO - Free Open Source Software Download for Team Collaboration

Mindquarry DO is an Open Source collaborative software platform for file sharing, task management, team collaboration and Wiki editing that is available for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. Mindquarry runs as a web application with an optional desktop client for Windows, Linux and Mac OS that allows for desktop synchronization and offline work. As a result, you are able to connect with team members and share information from wherever you are, effectively improving team-work and increasing productivity within your team.

EPIWARE - A Open Source Document Management System

Epiware GPL project and document management, for those that like to be on the cutting edge of development. Take control of your information and content today.

jobberBase - The Open Source Job Board Software

jobberBase is a great open source job board software for anyone. You can get online your job posting website with jobberBase. It’s easy to install and configure to start your job board.

Flex SDK

Flex is a highly productive, open source framework for building and maintaining expressive web applications that deploy consistently on all major browsers, desktops and operating systems.

Open source Ticket Request System

OTRS is an Open source Ticket Request System (also well known as trouble ticket system) with many features to manage customer telephone calls and e-mails. The system is built to allow your support, sales, pre-sales, billing, internal IT, helpdesk, etc. department to react quickly to inbound inquiries. Do you receive many e-mails and want to answer them with a team of agents? You’re going to love the OTRS!

phpMyVisites Free Web Statistics And Analytics

phpMyVisites is a free and powerful open source (GNU/GPL) software for websites statistics and audience measurements. phpMyVisites gives a lot of information on websites visitors, visited pages, software/hardware utilization, etc… The GUI Interface is fun and practical. The installation is entirely automated and very simple.

LimeSurvey - The Leading Open Source Survey Tool

LimeSurvey (formerly PHPSurveyor) is an Open Source PHP web application to develop, publish and collect responses to online & offline surveys.

dotproject - Open Source Project and Task Management Software

The original theme flagged dotProject as an open source alternative to Microsoft products and other expensive, commercial applications. Right from the start, dotProject had, as it’s core aims a number of simple requirements which are Clean, simple and consistent user interface; Project Management functionality - not another CMS, groupware environment or all things to all people collaboration tool, but a project management environment; Open source and free usage.

The Freeway Project

Freeway is the most advanced Open Source eCommerce platform and Freeway offers selling methods only previously available in enterprise class or niche bespoke systems. Without having to purchase a commercial system and then paying a developer to build a custom installation, Freeway does what you need out of the box. Of course Freeway is great for selling products but it also sells events AND services AND subscriptions. From appointments and time based bookings to event ticketing and subscriptions Freeway is the eCommerce platform.

AtMail Open - Redefining Open Source Webmail

AtMail is an open source webmail client written in PHP. We aim to provide a elegant Ajax webmail client for existing IMAP mailservers, with less bloat and a focus on an intuitive, simple user interface.

OpenOffice - The Free and Open Productivity Suite

OpenOffice is the leading open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more. It is available in many languages and works on all common computers. It stores all your data in an international open standard format and can also read and write files from other common office software packages. It can be downloaded and used completely free of charge for any purpose.

Open Workbench - Open Source Project Management and Project Scheduling for Windows

Open Workbench is an open source Windows-based desktop application that provides robust project scheduling and management functionality and is free to distribute throughout the enterprise.

The SeaMonkey Project

The SeaMonkey project is a community effort to develop the SeaMonkey all-in-one internet application suite (see below). Such a software suite was previously made popular by Netscape and Mozilla, and the SeaMonkey project continues to develop and deliver high-quality updates to this concept. Containing an Internet browser, email & newsgroup client, HTML editor, IRC chat and web development tools, SeaMonkey is sure to appeal to advanced users, web developers and corporate users.

(From smashingapps.com)

Top 10 Tiny & Awesome Windows Utilities

2009-05-13T00:05:00.000-07:00

Those software download address:
Taskbar Shuffle
Everything
DisplayFusion
UltraMon
Texter
Revo Uninstaller
PstPassword
Network Password Recovery
Mail PassView
MessenPass
Asterisk Logger
CCleaner
Process Explorer
Rainlendar

It's the little things that make a Windows system great—like utilities that use less than 10MB of memory to make your life easier. Here are 10 apps that pack a lot of greatness into very little space.

Note: Most of these apps do, indeed, use less than 10MB of hard drive space when installed, or use that much when they're running in the background. Some will scale in use as you demand more or less from them—DisplayFusion or UltraMon, for example, when handling very high-resolution backgrounds or a wall of monitors—but all should have an almost negligible performance impact on a modern system.

10. Taskbar Shuffle

You don't open your programs in the order you want them nealy arranged on your taskbar, you open them when you need them. Taskbar Shuffle knows this, and makes it easy to quickly swap windows around, along with system tray icons. It also allows you to close out windows with a simple middle-click, which alone could make it worth the roughly 6MB price of admission. You won't know you wanted to fling windows out of your cursor's way until you try it.

9. Everything

It's probably smaller than your desktop wallpaper. But Everything is more useful and efficient than applications 25x its size. Everything only searches through file names, not inside the contents of them, but it does so stupid-fast as you type. You'll usually find your file with a few keystrokes, and Google fans will appreciate the boolean operators that enable and/or elegance. Definitely an app you'll want to right-click and create a keyboard shortcut for. There's also Locate32, which does a bit more, is portable, and has more user-friendly features—we just like Everything for its single box that searches, uh, everything.

8. DisplayFusion or UltraMon

If you're rocking dual, triple, or even quadruple monitors at home or at the office (and, let us just say, lucky you on that last bit), these apps have a relatively small system footprint, but make a big impact in how your system looks. They both manage separate or split wallpapers across multiple monitors, and can grab and rotate images from your computer, Flickr, or other sources. With DisplayFusion's recent update, they also both maintain your Windows taskbar across all your monitors (or don't, if that's how you like it). Our resident multi-monitor enthusiast Jason still keeps both apps on his system for the little things, like multi-monitor screensavers in UltraMon, but both are among the very select paid apps we'll admit to being worth shelling out for (although both have restricted "free" versions as well).

7. Texter

I know, it's like we never give up on promoting this, right? Well, what can we say—we (the royal "we," really) wrote it because it filled a need in our half-breed lives of alternating text and HTML. Turns out, though, that folks ranging from power emailers to military writers have found dull, boring text they can automate, misspelled words to catch on the fly, or perhaps powerful, seriously secretive acronyms they'd occasionally like to spell out. For less than 2.5MB of RAM on most systems, this one packs a pretty hefty punch.

6. Revo Uninstaller

In a magical world without computer stress, we're all running virtual machines to try out software we might not want, and we simply uninstall it there, keeping one system nearly pristine. For the real world, Revo Uninstaller scrubs an application and all its traces off your Windows system. It can also turn off programs that are starting up with Windows, and uninstall applications with a crosshair "Hunter Mode" that doesn't require you to know what it's named.

5. NirSoft's password recovery tools

Nir Sofer has contributed a wealth of great applications to the Windows world, but his Lifetime Achievement award for free software could be granted on his password utilities alone. Need to share your network password, but haven't actually typed it in forever and a day? Network Password Recovery to the rescue. Need to unlock an Outlook PST file? Hit up PstPassword. Nir's got you covered for email clients, IM apps, and, for every other app in your system that you can only see asteriks for, Asterisk Logger. Use them with the light side of the geek Force, and you'll owe Nir a beer after he saves your unlucky day.

4. CCleaner

With good reason, this tiny, powerful little app has remained our readers' favorite Windows maintenance tool. With a few clicks, it guns through your web browser remains, Recycle Bin, temporary system files, registry, and unnecessary application left-behinds, clearing them out and, in some cases, freeing up at least a DivX movie's worth of space. It also offers a startup program analyzer and disabling tool, and can be run on a schedule for that light, regular crap-free feeling (ew, but good, right?)

3. Process Explorer

Windows Task Manager isn't a bad tool, necessarily, but it only gives you a layman's view of what's eating up memory or pulling serious CPU cycles. Process Explorer expands on the vagueries of "rundll" or "svchost" with a double-click, links background services to applications, and points to the folders they come from. You might not need it all the time, but when you're rooting around and trying to free up system memory, it's like a finely-tuned metal detector.

2. Replacements for built-in Windows utilities

There are a lot of good reasons to keep on rockin' Windows XP, but some of the built-in utilities can feel a bit, well, dated—and that goes for a good number of Vista tools, tool. Notepads without tabs? A Paint app that can't really resize or undo more than one action? Skip the headaches and work-arounds and run down our list of power replacements for built-in Windows utilities, almost all of which are tiny litle buggers that do their work a whole lot better than Windows' own stuff. This editor, for instance, tries not to think about what file copying was like before TeraCopy came along—or, if he does, tries to keep himself calm about that 4GB transfer that failed out for no reason, overnight.

1. Rainlendar

If you feel like you've heard this one before without really knowing why, you probably saw it listed as the best calendar application, or listed as one of the tools used to create a Featured Desktop. This customizable little guy gives you a floating, tiny, yet informative calendar on your desktop, along with a to-do list. It integrates with Outlook, Google Calendar, and most other iCal-supporting scheduling systems. The full app with offline Outlook, GCal and shared calendar support costs €10 (or about $14-15), but could totally be worth the price for anyone who doesn't like to have to open a browser, or flip up Outlook, just to see what's going on Monday.

As we've learned from reading our comments over many years (collectively, at least), any Windows power-user has their own stash of little helpers that can move the rock down the road. Which teensy-weensy little apps get past the velvet rope to your system tray, or into your must-install list? Share your links and the reasons why they win in the comments.

(From Lifehacker.com)

Blue Screen of Death Survival Guide: Every Error Explained - 4

2009-05-13T00:00:00.001-07:00

Other Notable BSoDs

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA

Faulty hardware, including RAM (system, video, or L2 cache).

INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE

Caused by improperly configured jumpers on PATA hard drives, a boot sector virus, or incorrect IDE controller drives, which can also occur when installing the wrong chipset drivers.

VIDEO_DRIVER_INIT_FAILURE

Caused by installing the wrong drivers for a videocard or rebooting before driver installation could complete.

BAD_POOL_CALLER

Caused by a faulty or incompatible hardware driver, particularly when upgrading Windows XP instead of performing a clean install.

PFN_LIST_CORRUPT

Caused by faulty RAM.

MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION

A bad CPU -- or one that is too aggressively overclocked, or an underpowered or faluty power supply.

An End Run Around the BSoD

Reading blue screens of death is fun and all, but there's another, easier way to discover what your PC's problem is: the Event Viewer. When an error occurs in Windows, the OS adds a note to the system's log files. These logs are accessible through Windows's Event Viewer, and they contain all the information we need to know what ails our poor computer.

In XP, go the Start menu and open the Control Panel. Click Administrative Tools, then double-click the Event Viewer icon. Altternately, select Run from the Start menu and type eventvwr.msc, which will bring you right into the Event Viewer. In Vista, just type Event Viewer in the Start Search box.
On the left-hand pane, highlight the applicaton or system icon (under Windows Logs in Vista). On the right-hand pane, you'll see up to three different events labled Information, Warning, and Error. These are sorted by the time in which they occured. Scroll to the approximate time of the last system restart and double-click the events.

This brings up a Properties window detailing information that should clue you in on any problem. For example, if one of the events contains a bugcheck message with 0x0000002E, we know this is a DATA_BUS_ERROR, and is usually indicative of faulty RAM. On the other hand, there might be several events pointing to a specific driver, such as nv4_disp.dll. This tells us we should focus on the videocard and any recent changes related to the display hardware.

Armed with this information, we're ready to beging the troubleshooting steps outlined previously. If typing the event ID into Google and Microsoft's Knowledge Base (http://support.microsoft.com) doesn't help, head over to www.eventid.net. This site contains a repository of comments and errors from other users, as well as the steps they took to alleviate their problems.

We recommend you familiarize yourself with the event viewer, even if your system is healthy. Rooting out minor problems before they progress will ensure your Windows install keeps humming along uneventfully.

Blue Screen of Death Survival Guide: Every Error Explained - 3

2009-05-11T01:52:00.000-07:00

Those software download address:
Prime95
Core Temp
Real Temp
SpeedFan

NTFS_FILE_SYSTEM or FAT_FILE_SYSTEM (0x00000024 or 0x00000023)

While many blue screens can be traced back to a new hardware install or bad memory, this particular error screams in capital letters that something is fishy with your hard drive. The error that gets displayed depends on the file system your OS is using. In most cases, the file system will be NTFS. With really old systems, the error will read FAT16. If you get this error, be sure to do one thing immediately, before you even being to contemplate its cause: Back up your important data.

Call the Cable Guy

(Image Credit: Tomshardware)

The easiest solutions are often the most overclocked, but they can also be the most effective. Checking your hard drive's cable connections falls into this category. SATA cables are notorious for working themselves loose --we've had this happen to us on many occasions. If using a SATA drive, make sure you have only one power cable connected, not two (many SATA hard drives include a SATA power cable and a legacy four-pin connector). With a PATA drive, remove the ribbon cable and look for any bent or broken pins. Carefully line up the cable and push it securely into place. You might also have a bad cable, so if you have a space cable lying around -- one you know to be good -- swap it with the one in your PC.

Check Please!

Now it's time to check your drive for errors. To do this, we'll first run a diagnostic scan. In XP, click Start, then Run, and type cmd. In Vista, simply type cmd in the Start Search box, then right-click cmd.exe and select Run as Administrator.. At the flashing command prompt, type chkdsk /f /r and reboot the system if prompted. The /f and /r switches attempt to fix file-system errors, then look for an mark any bad sectors before automatically rebooting when the scan completes.

Change Drivers

Even though we don't really think about hard drives as needing drivers, the controller's they're attached to most certainly do. A buggy SATA controller driver can wreak havoc on your data. Your motherboard's chipset drivers include specific drivers for the IDE/ATA controller tha the hard drives are connect to, so you'll need to install the latest version for your motherboard. To find your chipset drivers, you'll need to go to your motherboard manufacturer's website and search the support section, or head directly to your chipset manufacturer's website.

UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP (0x0000007F)

If you see this blue screen, you're probably overclocking your CPU, but this is not always the case. The 7F error is known to attack indiscriminately, lashing out at more than just overclockers. This particular BSoD can rear its head in response to bad RAM, a faulty motherboard, or a corrupted BIOS.

Overzealous Overclocking

If you've overclocked, the first thing you should do to isolate the problem (or any problem, for that matter) is to revert your overclocked components to their default speeds. If the blue screen goes away, then your overclock was too aggressive. The best way to ensure that your overclock is stable is to stress the hell out of your PC. To do this, many enthusiasts turn to the torture test named Prime95. This utility stressed your rig's CPU and memory subsystems. If any errors are found, it's a good indication that your system is not completely stable.

Hot Potato!

This BSoD could also be generated by an overheating PC, so it's a good practice to monitor your system temps on a regular basis. There are several temp monitoring programs available, such as Core Temp, Real Temp, SpeedFan, and many others.

As far as temperatures go, most CPUs can get very hot without incurring any damage. Temperatures of 75C under load aren't unheard of for hot-running CPUs, though most newer chips probably won't get as high. In general, it's a good idea to keep your CPU below 70C, and below 50C at idle. This will vary by processor make, model, and even steppings (revisions) of the same chip.

If a processor is running hot, examine your case's airflow and see if there are any obstructions. Check your fans for dust buildup, including the top of the heatsink that's cooling your CPU. A high-quality cooler will also bring temperatures down. And you should always have some sort of thermal paste between the CPU and the cooler. Finally, verify that all fans are spinning. If the fan is plugged in and still not spinning, replace the defective fan immediately.

The BIOS Beckons

If your BIOS is corrupt or has trouble with a new component, such as newly released processor core, your first order of business is to update to the latest version. Before updating the BIOS, you should change its settings back to default (there is usually a "reset to default" setting in the BIOS that makes this process easy, or you can simply clear the CMOS via the jumper on your motherboard). You should never attempt to update your BIOS on a system that is overclocked and unstable. A sudden reboot in the middle of the BIOS-flashing process will destroy your motherboard, turning it into a fancy doorstop. And remember: Never, under any circumstances, restart or shut down the system while you're flashing yoru BIOS. You can download the latest BIOS from your motherboard manufacturer's website.

When there are several different versions to choose from, skip right to the latest release rather than updating incrementally. Some motherboard vendors include utilities for updating the BIOS from within Windows. This makes the process easy enough for even novices to undertake, but for obvious reasons, we recommend avoiding this route when a system is prone to blue screens.

Mating Memory

Mismatched or bad memory sticks can also cause this blue screen. To scratch this one off of the troubleshooting list, run a single stick of RAM that Memtest86 has verified to be error free. If this solves the problem, replace the bad stick. If not, move on to the next step.

CPU is Kaput

We don't see this often, but another known cause for this particular error is a bad processor. Most people don't have the means to test the CPU in another system, so your options here may be limited. Local computer repair shops are sometimes willing to run the processor for a night or two for a nominal cost, but you can also contact AMD or Intel for a replacement if it's within the warranty period.

Blue Screen of Death Survival Guide: Every Error Explained - 2

2009-05-08T01:17:00.000-07:00

Those software download address:
Driver Cleaner
Driver Sweeper
Memtest86+

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (0x0000000A)

The most common cause of this conflict is improperly installed drivers for a piece of hardware you recently installed. For example, if you’ve installed a webcam two weeks ago, and have been getting BSoDs ever since, start your investigation with the webcam. First, disconnect the hardware, and uninstall the drivers for it completely. If that fixes the blue screen, you can search for updated drivers or contact the manufacturer.

If you haven't installed any new drivers recently, you'll need to do some more detective work. Start by examining the blue screen to see if it lists a specific driver. Looking at the blue screen, check the text at the very bottom of the screen. You'll probably see a file name. This is the driver that caused the problem. If, for example, the driver in question is named nv4_disp.dll (an nVidia-related file), and you've recently switched from an Nvidia videocard to an ATI part, then it's reasonable to assume that either the old driver was not uninstalled correctly, or the new drivers weren't properly installed.
Swapping Videocards

If you've narrowed your search of offending drivers down to those associated with your videocard, turn off the system, disconnect the power, and remove and reseat the videocard. Next, go into the BIOS (press F2 or Delete when your BIOS prompts you to do this, or consult your user manual or motherboard manufacturer's website) and check the bus speed for your videocard. We typically recommend leaving the PCI-E frequency set to Auto in the BIOS, but if you've overclocked your system, it can inadvertently knock the bus speed beyond a stable spec, which can cause blue screens. If that's the case, manually set your PCI-E frequency to 100MHz.

You're more like to experience this IRQL error when switching form one videocard brand to another, as the drivers will conflict with each other. The safe way to swap videocards is to completely remove all remnants of your old videocard drivers using a utility called Driver Cleaner, or the freebie alternative Driver Sweeper. To begin the process, open up your Control Panel, select Add or Remove Programs in XP or Programs and Features in Vista, highlight the videocard drivers, and click Uninstall. Reboot the computer, holding down the F8 key to enter safe mode. Run the Driver Cleaner utility to scrub away any remnants of the previous drivers that a typical uninstall overlooks. After you reboot, install the appropriate drivers for your new videocard.

Some Sound Advice

When the error is related to an audio driver, take note of the program that was running when the BSoD occurred. Make sure the offending application's sound options are configured correctly -- it's especially important that it uses the correct audio device -- and download any patches available that address known issues. You should update your soundcard's drivers as well.

If you're using an add-in soundcard, verify that the motherboard's onboard audio is disabled in the BIOS, so the two audio drivers don't conflict with each other.

Change Doctors

System services known to cause this error include virus scanners and backup utilities. We've had good luck sticking with the major players, such as AVG, Norton, Kaspersky, AntiVir, and Nod32 for our antivirus scanning, and Norton Ghost and Acronis TrueImage for backup duties. Do not run more than one antivirus application on your computer at the same time!

DATA_BUS_ERROR (0x0000002E)

This is one of the easier BSoDs to diagnose, as faulty memory sticks are almost always to blame. If you get this error, think for a second: Are those DIMMs you just added compatible with your motherboard? Your motherboard manufacturer's website will have a list of specific brands verified to work with your particular board, although these are often incomplete.

(Image Credit: Corsair)
Next, are they installed in the correct slots? Some motherboards are more finicky than others when it comes to proper slot placement, and the situation is compounded when dealing with a dual- or tri-channel board. Most motherboards that run dual-channel require that you install matching sets of RAM in the same-color slots, while others, such as some MSI boards, require that you install them in alternate slots. And if you have a Core i7 setup, you may need to install your RAM starting with the slot farthest from the CPU. When in doubt, RTFM.

Once you've verified that your RAM is installed correctly and is compatible with your motherboard, check to make sure they're running within spec. It's possible you may have set your memory's latency timings too aggressive, or maybe the sticks can't handle the frequency you're trying to run them at. Your BIOS could also mis-read the SPD settings. Whatever the case, look up the correct parameters for your RAM and try manually setting them in the BIOS.

(Image Credit: pplware.com)

If the problem persists, the the problem is likely a bad stick. To find out which stick is bad you can simply remove one stick, then run your system for a while to see if the blue screens stop. Then swap the sticks and run your test again. If the machine blue screens with one stick, but not the other, you've found your culprit. You can also run a diagnostic program such as Memtest86+ to help determine which stick is defective. If you're running Vista, you can also use Microsoft's Windows Memory Diagnostics Tool. Type the name of the program in Vista's search box, and once selected, it will run the next time you reboot. Because most RAM sold today includes a lifetime warranty, be sure to check with your vendor before you toss out a bad stick.

Blue Screen of Death Survival Guide: Every Error Explained - 1

2009-05-08T01:08:00.000-07:00

Picture this: It’s late at night, you’re sitting at your computer playing a game or working on a project when, suddenly, Windows freezes completely. All your work is gone, and you find a blue screen full of gibberish staring back at you. Windows is dead, Jim, at least until you reboot it. You have no choice but to sigh loudly, shake your fist at Bill Gates and angrily push the reset button. You’ve just been visited by the ghost of windows crashed: the Blue Screen of Death.

Also known as the BSoD, the Blue Screen of Death appears when Windows crashes or locks up. It’s actually a Windows “stop” screen, and is designed to do two things: tell you the reason for the error, and to calm your nerves, hence the use of the color blue (studies show it has a relaxing effect on people). Though Blue Screens are difficult to decipher, all the information you need to figure out what caused it is right there in front of you in blue and white—and that’s where we come in. We’re going to show you how to dissect the blue screen error details, so you can fix the problem that’s causing them.

BSoD 101: A Crash Course

Error Name

There are many parts to a BSOD, but the most important is right at the top. The actual name of the error is presented in all caps with an underscore between each word. In some cases this will be all that’s needed to get to the root of the problem (thanks to the handy guide you are about to read). Most of the time, however, more information will be required.

Troubleshooting Advice

Nearly every BSOD includes a portion of text with some basic troubleshooting advice, the first of which recommends restarting your computer. Gee, thanks for the tip Microsoft. Before you restart, copy the exact all-caps error code and hexadecimal values shown above and below this portion of generic text. The next paragraph provides sound advice, alerting the user to check to make sure their hardware is installed properly, or to undo any recent software or hardware upgrades.

Memory Dump

Every BSOD is accompanied by a memory dump. What this means is when Windows crashes, it dumps whatever it is holding in system memory to a file, and saves the file on your hard drive for debugging purposes. If you contact Microsoft for technical assistance, they’ll want to know the contents of this file.

Stop Code

The “technical information” section portion contains the actual Windows stop code, in oh-so-easy-to-read hexadecimal form. Despite appearing unintelligible at first glance, this combination of numbers and letters is instrumental in determining the cause of the crash. Pay particular attention to the first set of numbers and letters. It precedes the other four, which are enclosed in parenthesis. If a specific driver is associated with the crash, it will be listed on the very next line.

I Run Vista, so I'm Immune to BSODs, Right?

Unfortunately, no. A common misconception is that blue screens don't even exist in Vista, but not only are they still there, but we're here to tell you we've seen them first hand. The good news is Microsoft put a lot of work into how Vista handles critical errors and other glitches that in previous OSes would cause a system crash. Most of the time, if a problem occurs, Vista will attempt to fix the problem without any interruption. For example, if your videocard crashes, you may see a messge saying "Display driver stopped responding and has recovered." In XP and previous OSes, this almost always would have resulted in a system crash.

In some cases, Vista will be unable recover on its own, and the result is a blue screen. By default, Vista will reboot itself after briefly flashing the blue screen. It happens so fast you might miss it, but once Windows reloads, you'll be greeted with an error message similar to the above. You can try clicking the 'Check for solution' button, just as you can try your hand playing the lotto. Neither one is likely to result in anything.

Instead, scroll down and take note of the blue screen codes. Armed with this information, you can perform your own detective work. Alternately, if you'd prefer to see the actual blue screen rather than automatically rebooting, right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop, select Properties, and click on Advanced System Settings. In the System Properties window that appears, select the Advanced tab, click Settings under Startup and Recovery, and uncheck the box that says 'Automatically Restart.' The same steps also apply to XP.

In another nod towards streamlining the troubleshooting process, Vista's Problem Reports and Solutions wizard can save you oodles of time in PC detective work, and may even alert you to potential conflicts you weren't even aware existed. You can find this applet by name in your Control Panel, or just type Problem Reports and Solutions in Vista's search box. Once loaded, click 'Check for new solutions' in the left-hand column. If Vista finds any conflicts, it will list them in the main window, along with any potential resolutions.

10 Tools and Applications to Enhance your Facebook Experience

2009-05-06T01:01:00.000-07:00

Those software download address:
ScrapBoy

There are a lot of tools, scripts and addons which can make your stay at facebook more fun and a bit less comprehensive. From downloading whole facebook albums to posted videos, these tools cover almost everything. I’ve combined a list of the tools that are actually helpful, skipped the spam. Lets take a look at those.

1- Simple Photo Uploader {Download}

Simple Photo Uploader is a nifty desktop application for facebook that makes uploading of your pictures much easier. After installation, you can upload your pictures by the simple drag and drop method, just select the album you want to upload to and it will do the job. It also gives you the ability to tag those photos.

2- ScrapBoy {Download}

ScrapBoy is another great desktop application for facebook that lets you do almost everything related to facebook. With features like, using a single window on your desktop to write wall posts, view photos or Facebook chat, opening and viewing multiple friends`walls, photo albums and chat windows at the same time, better facebook chat interface, Instant pop-up notifications for newly detagged/deleted photos, Instant Notifications & much much more. A must have for any facebook lover.

3- FacePad {Firefox Addon - Download}

I have been using FacePad for some time now, it’s a great firefox addon that lets you download your friends’ facebook and event albums, with the click of a button. Nothing fancy or technical.

4- Advanced Wall {Install}

Advanced wall is also another facebook application that I’ve installed lately. Instead of posting messages through the default options, you can post images, images, graffiti, videos, flash, change text size and color, along with many other things using the simple WYSIWYG editor.

5- Facebook Toolbar {Firefox addon - Download}

The Facebook Toolbar is a cool firefox addon which gives you the ability to extend your Facebook experience into your everyday browsing. It features a search box, notifications, an icon which lets you check out your friends’ profile pictures and statuses, along with convenient links for interacting with them on Facebook, a Share button which lets you share the page that you are currently browsing by sending it to friends or posting it to your profile, etc.

6- Task Master {Install}

Task Master lets you manage your tasks more efficiently. You can add tasks, categorize, prioritize and add a due date. You can add these tasks in any specific category, the interface organizes it all, automatically.

7- Friends Organizer {Install}

I found this neat application which did a put a smile on my face. Since (/scratches head) I have my friends & family alongwith the people I haven’t met (Social media) are in my facebook, it’s sometime difficult to differentiate. Friends Organizer however is a nifty application which lets you sort your contact list into groups, like schoolfriends, work friends, social media friends etc.

8- Last.Fm Music {Install}

Last.Fm music application is for all those people who love music & ofcourse Last.fm. This application sorts all your friends by musical taste and turn your ‘favorite music’ into a playlist of full-length tracks. You can compare your music with friends, listen to their playlists, and put a grid of artist and album images on your profile.

9- Graffiti {Install}

Graffiti is a fun based application for facebook which lets you draw on your friends wall instead of writing. I personally like this one since I’m already drawing on MSN instead of writing much =).

10- Facebook Mobile {Install}

Facebook Mobile is a fantastic application used by loads of users. It gives you to the ability to upload photos and notes from your camera phone straight to Facebook. You can also receive and reply to Facebook messages, pokes and Wall posts using text messages, or use your phone’s mobile browser at m.facebook.com. The Mobile application page displays mobile photos recently uploaded by your friends and a phonebook that you can use to look up your friend’s phone numbers.

And that’s about it for now. Theres are thousands of facebook applications out there, I only choose the ones that are really useful. Though, don’t forget to check us out later since I’ll be covering more of the good stuff in the upcoming days, related to facebook.

(From smashingdownloads)

Five Best Free Data Recovery Tools

2009-05-05T01:05:00.000-07:00

Those software download:
TestDisk & PhotoRec
Recuva
Undelete Plus

The best way to recover from unexpected data loss is to be properly prepared. With one of the following tools on hand, you'll always be ready to save your data from the Reaper.

Photo by Matalyn.

While the best defense against data loss is redundant and real-time backup, we understand that sometimes data loss sneaks right up on you. Whether your vacation pictures didn't make it safely from your camera to your computer or a bumbling roommate deleted the paper you've been working all week on, having emergency data recovery tools handy is crucial to getting your data back before it's gone forever. Earlier this week we asked you to share your favorite data recovery tools with us. We tallied up your favorites and now we're back with the nominees for best free data recovery tool.

TestDisk (Windows/Mac/Linux)
TestDisk is a powerful open-source tool for recovering your data. Not only can TestDisk perform basic file recovery like undeleting accidentally deleted files from FAT, NTFS, and ext2 file systems, but it comes with a host of additional functionality. With TestDisk you can recover your boot sector from a backup, rebuild your boot sector, fix FAT tables, fix your MFT, locate the ext2/ext3 backup SuperBlock, copy deleted files from partitions to recovery media, and find lost partitions in dozens of formats to help you locate your lost data. It's a command line tool, so there's no GUI, but the menus and the documentation in the wiki should get you started without much trouble.

Recuva (Windows)
Recuva is a user-friendly Windows-based tool. When you run Recuva, you can resurrect missing files using either the file-recovery wizard or the application's manual mode. The file-recovery wizard is handy when you're sure your data is gone but you're not quite sure where it went or how to get it back. The wizard lets you narrow your search type to pictures, music, documents, video, or all files, and you can set the search location to everywhere on your computer, removable media only, in My Documents, the Recycle Bin, or a specified location. If you don't need the wizard you can jump right into manual mode and get to work searching where you know the file should be. Recuva uses a green/yellow/red light system to indicate how probable the recovery of your files will be, and when available, it can provide previews image files available for recovery. Recuva also includes a tool to securely wipe files you find, handy if you're attempting a file recovery just to ensure the files are actually dead and gone.

PhotoRec (Windows/Mac/Linux)
PhotoRec is a companion program to TestDisk, also included in this Hive Five. Like TestDisk, this app is also devoid of a GUI, but likewise is quite powerful at file recovery. We're including PhotoRec independently of TestDisk because many users distinctly prefer PhotoRec as a safer alternative when deep disk recovery isn't necessary. This recovery tool won't mess with your partitions or help you rebuild your master boot record; it will, however, dive into your disks in a safe, read-only mode and ignore partitions and file systems in an effort to seek out your missing files. PhotoRec focuses on file types, is operating-system agnostic, and despite its name, isn't relegated to just photos. Overall, PhotoRec is a powerful tool for quickly and safely copying your deleted files to another disk.

Restoration (Windows)
Restoration is a tiny, no-frills, portable recovery tool. You can use it in all versions of Windows and Windows file systems. It lacks some of the advanced functionality of other nominees but does have basic file-name search and the ability to sort by file parameters such as size and filename. Despite its tiny size, it performed just as well as the other nominees when tasked with restoring files from our test disks. Restoration weighs in at a mere 406k and would make a great addition to any Windows-based USB toolkit.(This software is stop released at 2006, anyone knows if it support for visita or windows 7?)

Undelete Plus (Windows)
Undelete Plus used to be commercial software but has gone on a lengthy "limited time offer" freeware run. This file recovery app works on all versions of Windows and incarnations of the FAT and NTFS file systems. Like Recuva, Undelete Plus assigns a recovery probability to files it finds based on how damaged the file is. You can sort files by type, set filters based on time and size to avoid sifting through every deleted file on your disk, and keep folder structures intact when you perform your recovery.

Now that you've had a chance to look over the contenders for best free data recovery tool, it's time to cast your vote and see who wins the crown.

If you have a file-recovery tip, technique, or tool you're dying to share. sound off in the comments and help your fellow readers get their data back.

(From Lifehacker.com)

25 Best Open-Source (or Freeware) Alternatives You Need To Download - 1

2009-04-24T00:46:00.000-07:00

Those software download address:
XnView
Picasa

Economy got you down? No longer able to make those day-long trips to your local computer store of choice for all the latest and greatest software tools? Tired of paying top-dollar for programs that don't quite have the functionality you want? Well put away that wallet. We spent the past week showing you the best (and cheapest) software we've been able to find across different themes: graphics design, system optimization, games, and office/productivity, and have compiled our picks into this comprehensive list.

Photoshop Alternatives

Just because it doesn't come in a box doesn't mean that these titles are any less powerful than their retail counterparts. The graphics category exemplifies that fact, offering programs that are every bit as good as their hundred-dollar Adobe counterparts. But just for good measure, we threw in our favorite free Adobe graphics program too.

Gimpshop

Gimp is often mentioned as one of the top open-source photo editing applications and it's easy to see why. The program offers Photoshop-like functionality at the low-low price of zero. You can accomplish a number of the graphical tricks you're normally used to, as the program includes support for layers and masking, channel coloration adjustments, and a bevy of preset filters. Gimpshop is a variant of Gimp that ups the ante one step further by blending Photoshop's look and feel directly into the program's. It's the perfect tool if you just can't bear the thought of losing "that same ol' interface" you've grown accustomed to. It's a great program for middle-of-the-road users that just need a graphics editing application with more oomph.

Pencil

Consummate Vs! For the artist that focuses solely on the basics--the careful transformation of sketched pencil lines into a finished comic product--Pencil is the perfect application. What it lacks in graphical gusto, it makes up for in its ability to integrate Macromedia Flash-like keyframe functionality into the drawing board. Taking an illustration from the sketching, to the inking, to the coloration phase is as simple as adding in additional layers. When designing an animation, you can even select alternate camera frames and integrate sound directly into the mix. Don't let our crude attempts at art fool you: Pencil is the digital equivalent of an animator's storyboard that's as easy to use as, well, a pencil!

XnView

Feh to Windows Photo Gallery. We would gladly trade the ability to crop photos and correct red eyeballs for what XnView offers: comprehensive access to your photos' behind-the-scenes data and a wide assortment of tools for managing your growing gallery. Not only can you view your photo folders just like a common Windows Explorer thumbnail interface, but XnView lets you tag, rate, and create slideshows (even Web pages) for the photos you select. We love the ability to get tweak our photos by getting elbow-deep into their EXIF data. And like Photoshop, XnView lets you perform batch editing commands using a number of different filters. You can even zoom right to a photo's embedded GPS location via a direct link to Google Maps--way cool.

Picasa 3

Whereas XnView is more for digging deep into folders you specify, Google's Picasa 3 is an all-in-one monitoring service for your photo folders. It offers less overall editing functionality than XnView, but comes packaged in a more elegant interface with additional options for Internet-related tasks. For example, you can add geotags to your photos via Google Earth and then have Picasa 3 automatically upload your shots to a Web album, FTP site, or straight to your Blogger blog. Picasa 3 also interfaces with online shops for easy photo printing, and can turn a batch of your images into collages, movies, and screensavers. Included backup functionality helps keep your precious photographic memories safe from an errant hard drive failure, provided you select an appropriate backup locale. But our favorite feature, by far, is Picasa's ability to search through your photographs by dominant color.

Adobe Photoshop Express

Ok, we couldn't resist Adobe's lure. For the company's Web-based Photoshop (conveniently called Photoshop Express) is a phenomenal tool for touching up your art when you're on the go. Or anywhere, for that matter: the program's comprehensive-yet-simple suite of editing tools offers a wide range of basic functionality. If you want more, you can drill a little bit deeper to unlock tools like color isolation, distortions, and image enhancements. But that's not all. The online application can interface directly with your Facebook, Flickr, Photobucket and Picasa galleries. Make your edits, and Photoshop Express saves your new work directly back to its original location. The time this saves versus downloading the picture, uploading it to Photoshop Express, making the edits, saving it, and re-uploading it to a new content hose is, in a word, epic.

(From maximumpc.com)

The 32 Absolutely Essential (and Free) Apps for each new PC - 7

2009-04-14T01:43:00.000-07:00

Those software download address:
InstallPad
AppSnap

Now that we’ve finished our list, we’ve got one more cool app to show you. It’s called InstallPad, and it does something that’s very simple and very useful: It install applications for you. You just feed it a list of setup files available online, and it takes care of the rest. There are other programs that do essentially the same thing, such as AppSnap, but we’re sticking with InstallPad because it makes it the easiest to create custom software lists.

We covered a whole lot of apps in our Essentials list, and now we’re going to use InstallPad to make it easy for you to install them all (or just whichever ones you want) at once. Read on to download our InstallPad essential applications list, and learn how to use it.

Step 1: Get InstallPad

Even installers need to be installed, so we’ll take care of that first. The app can be found in the download section of the InstallPad website. It requires the Microsoft .NET framework 2, which you can get here if it’s not already on your system. InstallPad was written for XP, and isn’t guaranteed to work with Vista, though we were able to run it on a Vista box with no major problems.

There’s no installation necessary beyond unzipping the InstallPad .zip file somewhere on your drive. Make sure to remember the location, because we’re going to put another file there later on.

Step 2: Get the Maximum PC Essential InstallPad Application List

InstallPad comes with a default list of software, but it’s not nearly as complete as ours and is badly outdated, besides. We’ll replace it with a custom list, created from the apps on our Essential 33 list.

Unfortunately, because some companies make their setup files inaccessible to direct links, not every app on the list works with InstallPad. Still, almost all of the apps do work, and you can download the list right here. That archive contains two list files. The file called MaxPCAppList.XML is set to try and install the files in silent mode, meaning you won’t see the installer, and default setting will be used. This makes for a much faster install of multiple programs, but at the cost of some control. If you’d rather run the installers normally,use the other file, called MaxPCAppList-nosilent.XML

Extract whichever list file you choose to the directory containing the InstallPad executable.

Step 3: Run InstallPad

Now that you’ve got all the files you need, it’s time to start InstallPad. Run the executable, and a Window will pop up showing the default software list. We don’t want any of that business, so click the “Open an application list” text in the bottom left corner. In the browser that pops up, select the application list file that you downloaded (either MaxPCAppList.xml or MaxPCAppList-nosilent.xml).

That’s pretty much all there is to it. Now InstallPad should show a list of applications from our Essential 33 list. You can check whichever ones you want, and then press the “Install Checked” button in the bottom right to automatically download and install them all.
(from maximumpc.com)

Cucusoft Videos to DVD/VCD Converter Pro Special Offer for 50% discount!

2009-04-09T01:02:00.000-07:00

We released a new special offer today - "Cucusoft Videos to DVD/VCD Converter Pro".
Now you can get it only for 50% OFF discount price from our site.
Also the special offer will end at:06/07/2009, so if you like it, Please hurry up!

The software Description:
Cucusoft Mpeg/Mov/RMVB/DivX/AVI to DVD/VCD/SVCD Converter Pro" is easy to use and powerful for experts as well. It enables you to convert and burn any video file directly to VCD, DVD, SVCD, MPEG1 and MPEG2 format. Pro version included all the features of the lite version. In addition, it has embedded "DVD Author Express" and "DVD/VCD/SVCD Burner Engine". So it becomes an all-in-one VCD/SVCD/DVD Creator. And this program has been optimized for 64-bit CPU including Intel EM64T and AMD64. The video conversion speed is faster than most of our competitors. Now you can get this All-in-One video converter at a very competitive price!

The 32 Absolutely Essential (and Free) Apps for each new PC - 6

2009-04-07T02:56:00.000-07:00

Rest of the Best
Not satisfied with 32 applications? Here are 10 programs that do not make our "core" list, but well worth your attention.

SynergyA KVM switch (short for Keyboard, Video, Mouse) is a device that lets you control multiple computers with a single set of peripherals. And indeed, the nerd elite, there is no better way to show not only to use two monitors, two computers but all at once. KVM switches, but they are kind of clunky, because not only add more clutter and cables to your setup, require some kind of coup switch to move between teams.

This is where synergy comes in. It is a software KVM switch, allowing you to connect two or more computers over a network, and control with a single keyboard and mouse, even if you're running different operating systems. If you have two computers running side by side (a big "if" it had the synergy of our Essentials list), this application is an absolute must-have.

RipBot264 Ripping Blu-ray and HD-DVD was a disconcerting, requiring multiple applications to hours and hours of ripping, demuxing, transcoding, before remuxing and finally, often as not, ending with a file that was broken in somehow. RipBot264 has made the HD ripping game much, much easier. Install the application and three applications help you need, and you are ripping and Blu-ray collection in no time flat. Although not as easy as using the handbrake, I've found that often get better results because the application uses a newer version of the x264 codec which makes the parking brake. While definitely not perfect (RipBot264 no easy way to convert a disk of the subtitles to a format that works with video started), but is easier than ripping Blu-ray application we've tested.

Google Earth That kills us to have to put in Google Earth "the best of the rest" list, really I do. Of course, it is not really essential, you can get all their needs met in charting its maps.google.com web-based cousin, but it is one of our favorite applications. Does Google maps let you explore New York, in glorious 3D? Are you can see what is on the bottom of the Mariana Trench? Do you have maps of Mars?

I think not.

PuTTY What is PuTTY? As in life, if you have to ask, you probably do not need it. Even so, we will cover: putty is a multi-protocol client application which is our favorite for a long time the choice of all our needs SSH. For many PC users can SSH-client is absolutely vital to their daily operations, and PuTTY is the most popular Windows client for a reason.

However, these days most people "SSH needs are fairly non-existent, so we have to let roll PuTTY here with the best of the rest.

VLC Player Playing media files on your computer can be tricky business. There are a lot of codecs and containers, which can have any number of strange interactions, making a mess of the company to play their HD media files. Thankfully, VLC is an application which is basically any file, and not based on any external codecs. It is a welcome breath of fresh air in a jumble of formats and players.

So why is not listed? While it may be a bit difficult, once you manage to get your codecs set up, we believe that Media Player Classic offers a better experience and improve the reliability of VLC.

Thunderbird We reject absolutely the slowness of Microsoft Outlook. That's why we prefer web-based email clients like Gmail. But when we want to manage multiple email accounts, including POP and Exchange, which in turn Thunderbird. Mozilla's mail program offers all the basic functions we want from e-mail, such as quick search and phishing protection. Like Firefox, Thunderbird can also be improved with a series of plug-ins, including the Mozilla Lightning, which adds the appointment calendar and customer management.

Boxee Here is an application that just a week ago, which has made our list Essentials. Boxee (still in alpha, with a Windows version soon) is a slick streaming Internet video feeds from the network interface channels as CBS, ABC and Comedy Central. It's great to see podcasts and video clips on YouTube without a browser window, and features nifty social networking features for you to see what friends are watching. Sadly, Boxee has just suspend support for Hulu, its largest and most popular content provider. Hulu support until they return, we can not consider boxing a must-have.

VirutaldubNeed for raw materials or the process of capturing video from a digital camcorder? Virtualdub is going to request for conversion of AVI files in a large number of encoding formats packages and containers. You will not be able to mix and edit video files in a meaningful way, as you can with Adobe Premiere or Windows Movie Maker, but for quick capture and encoding of your family vacation, look no further than Virtualdub.

TinySpell Firefox already offers a spell checker for text in windows and forms, but what about every other Windows application? TinySpell is a free spell checker that monitors the entry of text in any program (including any word is copied to the clipboard), and offers suggestions for replacement of its database of 110,000 words. The free version, unfortunately, does not give you a visual indicator of their mistakes (as highlighted in red). Rather, their errors are indicated by an audio signal, which ultimately proved to be a bit annoying to go through the entire time. Maybe it's the training that best spellers.

Recuva Sometimes you just need someone to tell you that everything will be okay, and that's what I try to do Recuva. From start to finish, Recuva has its hand through the process of getting your data back with a user friendly wizard. The first prompt asks what type of files you're looking for (images, music, documents, video, or all files), followed by Recuva where you want to search. If you do not know, select 'Not sure' and Recuva shuffling through your computer. Alternatively, you can limit searches to the Recycle Bin, My Documents, a media card, or any other specific location that you specify. piriform Considering a powerful scanning package wrapped in a user friendly interface with useful features sprinkled in, we have no trouble recommending Recuva favorite free file recovery approx.

The 32 Absolutely Essential (and Free) Apps for each new PC - 5

2009-04-03T00:32:00.000-07:00

Foobar2000

Winamp days are long past. For music with large libraries of music, Foobar2000 is our chosen alternative to memory-intensive iTunes organizer. Created by a former developer of Winamp, Foobar2000 has won the hearts and minds of knowledge with his album collection of highly customizable interface, full support of audio formats (including OGG, FLAC and AAC), and gapless playback. There's even an SDK for third rich playing with encoders to add more functionality. Insurance sorting through all the beats of their music playing time.

Picasa With disk storage space so cheap, no wonder it's so easy to collect gigabytes gigabytes of photos snapped of our digital SLR camera and phone. But if you're like us, you do not want to sort through photos by using Windows Explorer. Google, Picasa 3 is an all-in-one monitoring service for your photo folders. Less comprehensive editing features that alternatives like XnView, but comes packaged in an elegant interface with additional options for Internet-related tasks. For example, you can add geotags to your photos using Google Earth and Picasa 3 automatically upload their photos to a web album, FTP site, or directly to your Blogger blog. Picasa 3 also interfaces with online stores to facilitate photo printing, and can convert a lot of pictures in collages, movies and screen savers. Includes backup feature helps keep your precious photographic memories up a hard drive failure errant, if you select a local backup. But our favorite feature by far, Picasa is the ability to search through your photos in color.

Secunia PSI Every geek knows for sure that the operating system and browser is updated, but what about the version of Flash, QuickTime or Java that is working? Not to mention the dozens of other applications you have installed. They have no fear, Secunia.com 's Personal Software Inspector tracks a huge number of security vulnerabilities in applications and control your PC from known vulnerabilities. If one is found, the point is known to any review. Even among our members still paranoid we have to find a machine that PSI does not find something with an exploit. And like the other applications on this list, this application is free.

Audacity

Planning for recording your own podcast (and who is not these days?) Or create a custom ringtone of your favorite dance song? Audacity will have the best audio editor free online (we use it to edit the podcast No BS). Audacity lets you drop in the audio files of any format (or record from any source hardware) to cut, copy and add an unlimited number of tracks to the mix. Built on the effect of setting the tone and allow you to manipulate their samples, and you can cast your compositions up to 96 kHz. Sounds good to us.

7-Zip Almost every operating system now comes with built-in support for ZIP file format, which has existed since the 80s, and generally does a good job of making things smaller and tidier. So, do we really need a file in this list?

Of course we do. We are PC users, darnit God, and that means "good enough" is never good enough. We do not just want to zip, we regarded, CAB, JAR, DEBs and anything else you can imagine, and we want all open source (to the extent that it is not too uncomfortable). And for all that, there are 7-Zip: an elegant, open source file archiver that can handle almost any file to pull on it.

GIMP When it comes to image manipulation, there are only two options now: Photoshop and GIMP. GIMP does not quite capture the usability and polish of Adobe's offer, but when he does win the price of Photoshop is free and open source is much easier in the pocket of $ 700 or for a legal copy of Photoshop that run. And even if not entirely perfect, GIMP is fully equipped enough for handling almost any photo needs you may have.

The 32 Absolutely Essential (and Free) Apps for each new PC - 4

2009-03-29T23:48:00.000-07:00

Handbrake Handbrake DVD ripping a lead-pipe cinch, especially when combined with AnyDVD (or DVD43, a free society, the less impressive program that works similar to AnyDVD, http://www.dvd43.com/ ). If you are ripping to storage and transfer files to your living room, or just want to see Enchanted in your pink iPod Nano, the handbrake's preset excellent ripping pretty easy that anyone can do it. Only the hand brake to your DVD drive, and explore the disc and automatically selects the necessary adjustments to ensure you get the best possible playback on the device chosen. Heck, even help you avoid potential pitfalls, such as the proper rendering of subtitles. The next draft to include support for Blu-ray rips, so we do not like!

Notepad + + Windows Notepad is competent as the most basic text editor, but if you're a programmer or web designer, even occasionally, you will appreciate the strong support of the language of Notepad + +. HTML and Java for more than 40 other languages, Notepad + + makes it easy to analyze the code with syntax highlighting and auto-clear realization of intelligence. The program is compact, but no-brainer features like tabbed documents and plug-in support. Think of it as the Firefox of text editors.

Digsby First, it is instant messaging, and it went very well. But before long before we start asking questions like "Why we can only talk to people using the same customer?" And the first multi-platform client (like Trillian) were born. And that was cool. But it was not too long after that, we began to ask "Why can not we use our instant messaging client to check our email? And our Facebook account and how is that if I connect to another computer, all my preferences do not carry over? "

And then Digsby. And it's very cool.

(Yet! Digsby loses big points for trying to sneak a bunch of crappy search bar on your computer when it is installed. If you make sure you hit "Reduction" can get out clean, but if you want to avoid the hassle, try Pidgin instead. )

Avira AntiVir At first glance, it may be inclined to dismiss the Avira AntiVir as nothing more than a run of the mill with a virus scanner set of features such as its low price. The poor interface is certainly not any wow users, but it would be wrong to cast aside AntiVir based solely on appearance. A small box in the upper left corner of the setup program unlock expert mode, and with him a lot of options previously unavailable. You are given enough control to not feel cheated, even for software that did not have to pay. AntiVir the greatest strength lies in its detection rate. It is the only antivirus scanner in our roundup to victory with a near clean sweep of Virus Bulletin tests for the past, and did so without any notification of false positives. That's impressive.

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Even for the savviest of PC users is a real challenge to go very long without collecting any type of malware. A good antivirus software and firewalls are important to keep the bad, but when an infection occurs, it is important to have a strong anti-malware program on hand. It is a broad field, and (as discussed in this article) a thorough sweep of the needs of more than one program, but for most of the tasks of cleaning simple Malwarebytes Anti-Malware should be all you need.

uTorrent Bittorrent may be a software pirate's preferred method for carrying out illegal downloads, but the protocol was also approved for the distribution of legal software, such as gambling and large patches of open source software. When we have to take legal peer-to-peer downloads, use uTorrent, a 250K application that lets you monitor the bandwidth allocation, file selection, and peer / seed connections with ease. It is not even necessary to install the program - uTorrent runs fine right from your executable.

The 32 Absolutely Essential (and Free) Apps for each new PC - 3

2009-03-26T00:26:00.000-07:00

Media Player Classic + ffdshow-tryoutsThere are many different ways to play videos on your PC, but the best, most consistent one-two punch we've tested is ffdshow-tests and Media Player Classic. There are literally hundreds of different codecs and container formats that you want to view the video may be trapped inside, and while you could install a codec pack to get support for them, evidence ffdshow just looks better, works better and causes fewer problems than traditional packages codecs. And, while ffdshow-testing allows video playback on a wide variety of applications, our favorite is Media Player Classic. This clone of Windows Media Player 6 support functions for soft subtitles, alternate audio tracks, and other characteristics of the user. The fact that it is extremely light only enhances our admiration for the application.

Filezilla Cloud storage may be the next hot thing, but still want to use FTP to back up files to the servers of our own home. And we discovered that there is no better way to use FTP with FileZilla, an open source FTP client. Filezilla's favorite director and allows us to maintain connections to multiple servers, drag and drop your files from your desktop, and ably handles large files and large numbers of files. Both client and server versions are available free, distributed under GNU General Public License.

SyncBack Free While it may be hard to believe, a surprising majority of PC users still backup your files on a CD and DVD. As experienced user, we are a little smarter than that, we recommend using SyncBack Freeware to backup important documents for more reliable storage media such as hard drives and network servers. The free version of SyncBack lets you automatically archive copies of your files to any destination (although it will not perform incremental backups), and then restore the files after any unforeseen disaster. A more functional SE ($ 30 or 30 days trial) version offers faster backup and features, although the free counterpart should be more than enough for most users. And yes, yes to the backup and optical media.

IsoBurnBurning ISO file is a native feature in the upcoming Windows 7, XP and Vista, but users are forced to use third party applications if you want to mount a disk image on a CD or DVD. For this simple but essential task, we prefer IsoBurn, a 50k (small talk) alone executable that provides an interface, no-nonsense way to burning discs. Just choose the location of the ISO file, destination drive, and if you want to burn to CD or DVD. We still do not know why this feature is not included in Windows.

KeePass
KeePass is a password-security program that keeps a list of your passwords, strong encryption with a single master password / keyfile. The benefit to using a secure password is that you can use another program, the security password for each site to connect to, without having to write all of them or remember them all. This helps protect you so so that if one of your passwords is compromised, (through a data breach at a site that has an account with, for example) you do not have to worry about it password working elsewhere log on.

OpenOffice.org We have recommended over the OpenOffice suite of programs as one of the must-have for the open source applications on your PC. In a nutshell, is as close to Microsoft Office as you will get without plunking a small fortune. Contains no drawbacks in the design and functionality that the idea of a free office suite "might conjure. 3.0 and its most recent incarnation of all 6-somethings than the latest OpenOffice release adds even more versatility to the set.

Speedfan

Most of the components of your PC including hardware monitoring chips that track the different voltages, fan speeds and temperatures within its platform. Speedfan gives you access to that information by exploiting the many digital temperature sensors of the important parts like the CPU and GPU. This free application can also access SMART technology on hard disks to diagnose the possible disk failure. And as its name suggests, you can also adjust the fan speed for better performance or noise reduction.

The 32 Absolutely Essential (and Free) Apps for each new PC - 2

2009-03-20T00:41:00.000-07:00

Copernic Desktop Search
While we recognize that Google Desktop Search and search for Windows 4.0 are the two major improvements to the default Windows XP search function (that useless dog to death!) Here is where we want to side with Copernic a powerful desktop search client. Copernic is not only comprehensive index - quickly search e-mails, office documents and web pages - which is also light on system resources and utilization of the processor. We like their ability to sort, group, and refine the search, which is particularly useful for navigating through the dense network of units. Our only complaint? The new version of Copernic Free eliminates real-time results as you type - a feature reserved for $ 50 Professional Edition.

TrueCrypt
TrueCrypt is an open source application that lets you create and mount an encrypted virtual drive. You can save whatever you want in this unit, and is completely inaccessible and invisible to anyone who does not have the key.

And even if you are not an international man of mystery, you never know when you might want to encrypt something, such as sensitive financial data, or a list of passwords. Since TrueCrypt is a small file (about 3 MB) that can be configured to work without installing anything, we feel very comfortable giving it a "download, store on your disk, you never know when you might need to "recommendation.

Skype

Skype, like many of the applications on this list is not here because he has done something new, but because they did something better than anyone had done before. Offering high quality, peer-to-peer VOIP with a client and a bevy of features, Skype easily wins our recommendation for all your needs for Internet telephony. Skype also has the functionality of video conferencing allows conference calls, a feature that we make good use of our own podcast Maximum PC.

Fraps As for playing on your PC? Therefore, we. Therefore, an application that absolutely can not live without Fraps is a lightweight application that lets you compare your game to control the graphics performance. When running near Fraps hidden in the system tray, but runs a small digital overlay on top of any game of DirectX and OpenGL to display your current image. You can also capture and display high quality AVI videos (with sound) for posting Youtube. The free version has a limit on how long you can capture video as well as watermarks to their footage.

Firefox
There is not much that we have not said about Firefox, the current favorite Internet browser. The large number of useful plug-ins available, it is a no-brainer for anyone who spends most of his days on the website. Firefox 3 surprises us with its search bar, and it still remains the most secure browser we've ever tested. Perhaps not as fast as Google Chrome in the delivery of pages, but we will have the functionality and features discrete (Ahem Internet Explorer 8) through a minor speed difference on any day.

CPU-Z If you have not used CPU-Z, you're not a fan. This little CPU interrogator has become the standard tool for everyone who thinks it's a PC expert and wants, for example, check your PC to find out first what the heck is installed on the machine. CPU Z will tell you the model, code name, process, core voltage, number of review and reinforcement, as well as the core speed, FSB and multiplier PC is running. You can also find out what speed DRAM is running and check the SPDs on some machines as well.

GPU-Z Sure, you know you have a GeForce 295 card, but what do you know about it? If you want something that goes to the key card for all its specifications, GPU-Z (no relation to the CPU-Z) will do the dirty work for you. Offered free by techpowerup.com, this handy utility will tell you the hours, the board of revision, the number of transistors on the card and the process technology used to build the card.

The 32 Absolutely Essential (and Free) Apps for each new PC - 1

2009-03-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

You have to admit, Windows is an operating system very barebones, but characteristic. After a new installation of XP or Vista (perhaps after a clean boot), which is compared to a sterile and empty Start menu Desktop transmission with unlimited possibilities. The problem is that up to you to hunt down and download the applications you really need in your everyday computing experience. And chances are, it is often difficult to find a good software that is also free. That's where this guide comes in.

We have assembled a list of what we believe are the most essential PC applications for every reader of Maximum PC. These programs are all free (except one) to be installed immediately after a new build or change of 32 programs and public services can not be imagined without computers. From the best clients of instant messaging and FTP browser to Notepad replacement, these elements actually enhance the experience on Windows (much more than Microsoft's own Windows Live Essentials). We're not saying that you use the 32 entries in our list on a daily basis, but if at all serious about using the PC, which we promise not to go unused.

And at the end of it, even going to show you how to install these applications in a single blow with a configuration file we created. Because if it were up to us, this is software that must be included with every copy of Windows.

WinDirStat
Have you ever ordered a folder by file size, hoping to locate a hard drive hog, only to be frustrated by the fact that Windows does not let you see the size of the content nested folders? So we have, and we made sure we always have on hand WinDirStat.

WinDirStat, short for Windows Directory Statistics is an application that analyzes the composition of your hard drive, allowing you to determine which files are eating your disk space. We present this information in a directory sorted by size of opinion, or as a colorful tree, making it a snap to see exactly what is using your disk space. Once you've discovered that the files are taking more than their fair share of your drive, you can get rid of them with WinDirStat incorporated in cleaning operations.

AnyDVD No problem for ripping DVD, Blu-ray and HD-DVD, including the contents, it is easy to use application that AnyDVD. Unlike most traditional DVD ripping tools, AnyDVD decrypt, unlock region code or even eliminates the annoying and pesky FBI warning on the fly. It is not free, but it is worth the cost to anyone wishing to exercise their rights of fair use in Blu-ray or DVD discs. Your money is well spent, in general, the brain trust in the management of Slysoft again to disable the copy protection tricks a few days later made public, which is more than worth a few dollars a year. (50EUR standard version is 2 years, HD editing 79EUR for 2 years)

Foxit PDF Reader There are few things that can ruin your Internet browsing slot as painfully long wait is endured to open a PDF file from Adobe. Acrobat Reader, a browser plugin and it is very complicated and not only drains your time, but gobs of memory as well. That's why we use Foxit Reader, a free application that light weights only 3MB. The program starts with the speed of Roadrunner, and gives you access to features such as welcoming the extraction of text annotation and commentary. Just be careful when installing Foxit to uncheck the Ask.com toolbar icon and the eBay options. A professional version of Foxit ($ 40), provides advanced editing tools, but we're more than happy with the free offer.

VMware Server Virtualization is not only one of the words hot in technology, is a practical way to test software and operating system patches. VMware is our selection of a robust and easy to use option for virtualization, and VMWare Server is the company's free product. It runs on top of a Windows or Linux machine to deploy multiple virtual machines by their endowment of hardware resources. The only major limitation is that VMWare Server does not support 3D acceleration, is not officially compatible with Vista 64 bits. However, it is relatively the easiest way to create and run virtual machines, including those created by Microsoft Virtual PC.

Steam
I remember when steam first with half-life 2, and all trolls complained online on compulsory service of the online connection? What fools we were. Today, we can not imagine gaming on our PC without steam. Valve is not only an application ultra convenient online store is our preferred method of staying connected to other players online. Gabe Newell recently said that steam is more than on the fight against illegal downloading, the program is the valve to catch the convenience and instant access to appeal of piracy. We believe he is doing a good job.

Dropbox
Get this: a Windows application that "just works". Yes, we're being serious. Dropbox came out of nowhere last year to stun with its incredibly intuitive interface for online storage. The program creates a user folder that acts as a folder on your hard drive. You can drag, drop, copy and store a value up to 2 GB of files in the cloud ($ 100/year for 50GB), while the service works its magic and sync your documents in the background. The online interface allows you to continue its record of file transfer and download any file remotely and restore files that may have been accidentally deleted. You can even create shared folders or to move to public over the files to your friends and family. And you do not even have any ot take online ads. Of course you're in love.

FLV to Video Converter Pro Special offer for 50% OFF!

2009-03-12T01:21:00.000-07:00

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Moyea FLV to Video Converter Pro 2.0 is currently the most cost-effective tool for converting Flash Video (FLV) files to common video and audio files. This program can perfectly convert all kinds of FLV files without installing additional codecs, including On2 vp6 video FLV, H263 video FLV, Nellymoser audio FLV, MP3 audio FLV and audio-only FLV, and this converter could output various types of video files and audio, including FLV to MPG, FLV to WMV, FLV to MPEG, FLV to AVI, FLV to MP4, FLV to 3GP, FLV to MOV, FLV to MP3, FLV to FLV, FLV to 3G2, FLV to WMA, FLV to AAC, FLV to DV, etc. With Moyea FLV to Video Converter Pro 2.0, you can easily convert your FLV files to appropriate files that could be played on your DVD player, PC, iPod, PSP, MP4 player, Zune, cell phones and other portable devices.
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Secure Your Vista PC in 10 Easy Steps - 2

2009-03-02T00:34:00.000-08:00

Disable the Start Up menu

Windows Vista keeps track of all the documents and programs you launch in the Start Up menu. This can be convenient for some users, but it can also compromise your privacy if you share a computer within an office or household. Fortunately Windows Vista provides an easy way to tweak this setting. To protect your privacy, follow these steps:

Right click on the taskbar and select Properties.
Click on the Start Menu tab.
Uncheck Store and display a list of recently opened files.
Uncheck Store and display a list of recently opened programs.
Click OK.

Get Two-Way Firewall Protection

No desktop should be without a personal firewall, but even if the Security Center says you're protected, you may not be. The Windows Firewall within Vista blocks all incoming traffic that might be malicious or suspicious--and that's good. But outbound protection is not enabled by default. That's a dangerous situation if some new malicious software finds its way onto your PC. Microsoft did include the tools for Windows Vista to have a true two-way firewall, but finding the setting is a little complicated. (Hint: Don't go looking the Windows Firewall settings dialog box.)

To get two-way protection in Windows Vista, click on the Start button; in the search space, type wf.msc and press Enter. Click on the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security icon. This management interface displays the inbound and outbound rules. Click on Windows Firewalls Properties. You should now see a dialog box with several tabs. For each profile--Domain, Private, and Public--change the setting to Block, and then click OK.

Enabling the two-way firewall will, however, block all applications from accessing the Internet, so before leaving Windows Firewall with Advanced Security scroll down to and click Outbound Rules, then click New Rule in the upper-right corner. Select Program, then on the next screen browse to the program path for Internet Explorer, iTunes, or whatever apps you have that need access to the Internet, and on the next screen select Allow the connection, then name each rule you create. You will need to create a new rule for every app that accesses the Internet.

Ultimately, I recommend adding a more robust third-party firewall. I suggest either Comodo Firewall Pro or ZoneAlarm, both of which are free and fare very well in independent firewall testing.

Lock Out Unwanted Guests

If
you share your computer with others (and even if you don't), Windows
Vista includes a neat way to keep unwanted guests from guessing your
system administrator password. When you set up users and declare one
user as administrator (with full privileges), Windows Vista allows
outsiders unlimited guesses at the password you chose. Here's how to
limit the guesses.

Click Start, type Local Security Policy.
Click Account Lockout Policy.
Choose Account Lockout Threshold.
At the prompt, enter the number of invalid log-ins you'll accept (say, 3).
Click OK and close.

Now Audit Your Attackers

With
the Account Lockout policy in place, you can now enable auditing to see
any account attacks. To turn on auditing for failed log-on events, do
the following:

Click the Start button, type secpol.msc, and click the secpol icon.
Click on Local Policies and then Audit Policy.
Right-click on Audit account logon events policy and select Properties.
Check the Failure box and click OK.
Right-click on Audit logon events policy and select Properties.
Check the Failure box and click OK.
Close the Local Security Policy window.

You can then use the Event Viewer (by running eventvwr.msc) to view the logs under Windows Logs and Security.

Secure Your Internet Explorer Settings

The
Windows Security Center will also report whether your Internet Explorer
7 (or IE 8) security settings are at their recommended levels. If the
screen shows this section as red, you can adjust the settings within
the browser itself.

Within Internet Explorer, click Tools in the menu bar.
From the drop-down menu, click Internet Options.
Choose the Security tab.
Within the Security tab, click Custom Level.

Here
you'll see a window with all the security options for the browser. If
any are below the recommended level (if, say, some kind of malware
reconfigured your browser settings), these options will be highlighted
in red. To change an individual setting, click the appropriate radio
button. To reset them all, use the button near the bottom of the tab.
You can also change the overall security setting for Internet Explorer
from the default Medium-High setting to the recommended High or Medium,
if you wish. Click OK to save and close.

Use OpenDNS

Domain Name System (DNS) servers act as a phone book. When you type "pcworld.com" in the address bar, for instance, Internet Explorer sends that common-name request to your Internet service provider's DNS servers to be converted into a series of numbers, or an IP address. Lately, DNS servers have come under attack, with criminals seeking to redirect common DNS preferences to servers that their interests control. One way to stop such abuse is to use OpenDNS.

Go to Start, Control Panel, Network and Internet, and then click Network and Sharing Center. Under the tasks listed on the left, click Manage Network Connections. In the Manage Network Connections window, do the following.

Right-click on the icon representing your network card.
Click Properties.
Click Internet Protocol Version 4.
Click the Properties button.
Select the Use the following DNS server addresses radio button.
Type in a primary address of 208.67.222.222.
Type in a secondary address of 208.67.220.220.
Click OK.

Live With User Account Control

One area where some people might want to see the Windows Security Center turn red is User Account Control (UAC), perhaps the most controversial security feature within Windows Vista. Designed to keep rogue remote software from automatically installing (among other things), UAC has a tendency to thwart legitimate software installations by interrupting the process several times with useless messages. In Windows 7 you'll be able to set UAC to the level you want. Until then, you do have some options.

One is to disable UAC. I would caution against that, since UAC is meant to warn you of potential danger. Instead, install TweakUAC, a free utility that offers the ability to turn UAC on or off as well as an intermediate "quiet" mode that keeps UAC on but suppresses administration elevation prompts. With TweakUAC in quiet mode, UAC will appear to be off to those running as administrator accounts, while people with standard user accounts will still be prompted.

Check Your Work

Now that you've tweaked Windows Vista, you can keep tabs on your system's security with the System Health Report. This diagnostic tool takes input from the Performance and Reliability Monitor and turns it into an information-packed report that can spotlight potential security problems.

Open Control Panel.
Click System.
In the Tasks list, click Performance (near the bottom).
In the resulting Tasks list, click Advanced tools (near the top).
Click the last item on the resulting list: Generate a system health report.

The report will list any missing drivers that might be causing error codes, tell you whether your antivirus protection is installed, and declare whether UAC is turned on. You may want to run this report once a month just to make sure everything's still good.

Secure Your Vista PC in 10 Easy Steps - 1

2009-02-26T01:57:00.000-08:00

While Windows Vista may be Microsoft's most secure operating system ever, it's far from completely secure. In its fresh-from-the-box configuration, Vista still leaves a chance for your personal data to leak out to the Web through Windows Firewall, or for some nefarious bot to tweak your browser settings without your knowing. But by making a few judicious changes using the security tools within Windows Vista--and in some cases by adding a few pieces of free software--you can lock down your operating system like a pro.

Use Windows Security Center as a Starting Point

For a quick overview of your security settings, the Windows Security Center is where you'll find the status of your system firewall, auto update, malware protection, and other security settings. Click Start, Control Panel, Security Center, or you can simply click the shield icon in the task tray. If you see any red or yellow, you are not fully protected. For example, if you have not yet installed an antivirus product on your machine, or if your current antivirus product is out-of-date, the Malware section of the Security Center should be yellow. Windows does not offer a built-in antivirus utility, so you'll want to install your own. For free antivirus, I recommend AVG Anti-Virus 8 or Kaspersky Internet Security Suite.

Use Windows Defender as a Diagnostic Tool

The Malware section also covers antispyware protection, and for that Windows Vista includes Windows Defender. The antispyware protection in your antivirus program usually trumps the protection Microsoft provides, but there are several good reasons to keep Windows Defender enabled. One is that every antispyware program uses a different definition of what is and what is not spyware, so redundant protection can actually offer some benefit.

Another reason to keep Windows Defender enabled: diagnostics. Click Tools, and choose Software Explorer from the resulting pane. You can display lists of applications from several categories such as Currently Running Programs, Network Connected Programs, and Winsock Service Providers, but Startup Programs is perhaps the most useful. Click on any name in the left window, and full details will appear in the right pane. By highlighting, you can remove, disable, or enable any of the programs listed.

(From Pcworld.com)

Make Your Scroll Wheel Work in Every Window

2009-02-24T01:37:00.000-08:00

There's something broken in Windows. (Insert your own joke here.) Specifically, mouse-wheel scrolling doesn't work the way it should, by which I mean you can't just point your cursor inside a window and start scrolling. Instead, you have to click in that window first to bring it into "focus."

Madness! Fortunately, I've found an easy fix: WizMouse, a free utility that makes your mouse's scroll-wheel work wherever you point your cursor.

I'm using this full-time now and can no longer live without it. The program works exactly as advertised: Just point your mouse at a window and spin that scroll wheel. There's no need to click first. I know it sounds like a minor thing, but I didn't fully realize how much this click-first business annoyed me until I started using WizMouse.

The program can also optionally add wheel-scrolling capabilities to programs that don't support it.

Sure wish this obvious functionality would find its way into Windows 7. Whaddaya say, Microsoft?

(From Pcworld)

Back Up Your Registry

2009-02-16T23:54:00.000-08:00

About the software: ERUNT

Backing up the Windows Registry isn't as important as backing up your data (including photos, music, and documents), but it's still a good idea. If Windows starts acting seriously weird, restoring the Registry to a point when it was healthy could save you a lot of grief.

Windows provides two methods for backing up your Registry. I'll discuss both of them, then tell you of a better, third-party yet free solution.

System Restore: Windows' built-in, semi-automated system backup tool protects a lot of important files in addition to the Registry. Windows is supposed to create a restore point (translation: backup) every day or so automatically, but don't trust that to happen. To create your own restore point in XP, select Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore. Select Create a restore point, click Next and follow the wizard. In Vista, click Start, right-click Computer and select Properties. Click the System protection link, then the Create button.

In either Windows version, you can restore by selecting Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore and following the prompts.

And hope it works.

Because no single restore point contains a complete backup, one corrupted or missing restore point can make all the ones that follow it unusable. What's more, Windows decides which points to keep and which to throw away, so it could throw out the one you use.

Regedit: Yes, you can back up the Registry using Windows' Registry editor. To launch the editor, select Start, Run (just Start in Vista), type regedit, and press ENTER. To make a backup, select File, Export. For the 'Export range,' select All, and otherwise do what you do in this sort of dialog box.

This creates a .reg file, and all you need do to restore it is double-click it and confirm that you want to change the Registry.

But this one also has problems. Restoring the entire Registry from this backup doesn't always work. And even when it does, it will not delete new keys created since you made the backup.

And now, the best solution:

ERUNT: A few months ago I recommended the Emergency Recovery Utility NT for XP users, but said it didn't work in Vista. I was wrong. This simple, free, and highly dependable Registry backup program gives off error messages and refuses to work properly in Vista--unless you know the trick.

And here's the trick: Don't launch ERUNT by simply double-clicking the shortcut. Right-click the shortcut and select Run as administrator. That's it.

Well, there is one limitation. You can't automate ERUNT to run automatically with every boot from inside Vista, but that's excessive, anyway. Backing up the Registry before and after installing new software or a major upgrade is sufficient.

Once up, ERUNT is extremely simple--in Vista or XP. Each ERUNT backup consists of a folder containing several files. One of them is ERDNT.EXE, the restore program.

Finally, one quick note about restoring from any of these backups. If a restore fails, reboot into safe mode and try again. There's a better chance the restore will work that way--although no guarantee.

How to Protect Your Online Passwords

2009-02-13T00:14:00.000-08:00

Password protection is easy with a password manager like Bruce Schneier's Password Safe or the Portableapps.com version of the KeePass software. Using a dirty public PC? Scan it first with free ClamWin antivirus software.

It seems so unfair: Though it's difficult for us honest folk to remember all of the passwords to all of the sites and software we use, losing control of them is a big security issue. Here's some advice to help you avoid two common security problems involving passwords.

Easy-to-Guess Passwords

Why You Should Care: Your passwords are the keys to everything you've locked inside.

Scenario: When someone broke into Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's Yahoo mail account and published details that it contained, the incident drew public attention to a serious problem. You can generate an awesome, complex, random password for your Web mail account, but if the information you provide in the "secret questions" section of your online profile is obvious or easy to obtain, a bad guy won't have too much trouble convincing the Web mail service's password-recovery mechanism to hand over the password on a platter.

These days everyone has a LinkedIn account, a Facebook profile, and a Twitter feed, and these information middens make it all too easy to guess the answers to commonly used security questions such as the high school you attended or the name of your dog. You may have blogged about both of those things half a dozen times or more.

Fix: Use a password manager religiously, and back up your password files. Using Security Task Manager or the Portableapps.com version of the KeePass software is a good place to start. And once you've created a random, unguessable password, generate a second, different password in the manager to use as the answer to the inevitable "mother's maiden name" question (or questions). Mom may not appreciate being identified in some password bank as Miss 7#BrE_r, but no one will ever guess that that's how you listed her in your "secret questions" data sheet.

Password Protection With Public PCs

Why You Should Care: You may have to use dangerous public PCs in a pinch.

Scenario: While on a business trip, you check your e-mail at the PC in your hotel's lobby. Here's why you shouldn't: It's distressingly common for public PCs in places like schools, cybercafés, trade shows, and libraries to be infected with password-stealing Trojan horses. In many instances these public PCs are not closely monitored by their owners, so they tend to get infected often and to be cleaned of infections infrequently. And since scores of casual visitors use them to log into e-mail or other services, data thieves view these PCs as an efficient source of harvestable information, which they then sell to spammers and other unsavory types.

The Fix: If you can reboot the PC, your safest alternative is to carry a copy of the Knoppix bootable operating system on a CD, DVD, or flash memory drive; you can customize your build with up to 2GB of Internet tools, productivity apps, and utilities. But if you have to use the machine's own Windows installation, you're better off running your applications from a portable drive using the excellent tools available from PortableApps.com. This site hosts dozens of apps that have been "portabilized" so that they store all temporary files, cache files, and history on the portable drive itself.

To protect yourself from malicious software that may be lurking on a public PC, scan the machine with the portable (and free) ClamWin antivirus software, and carry your own customized (and portable) browser, office apps, IM clients, and secure file-transfer tools. There's even a useful password manager tool; after all, PC World's Security Alert blog recommends that you change, as quickly as you can, any password that you've entered while using a public PC.

How to Recover Deleted Files with Free Software

2009-02-09T00:23:00.000-08:00

Ack! The computer ate my term paper! We've all been there at some point. You delete an important file, somehow it skips your Recycle Bin altogether, and for all practical purposes, it's disappeared into the ether. But before you hit the big red panic button, there's a very good chance that your file is still alive and kicking somewhere on your hard drive—you just need to know how to find it. With the right tools, finding and recovering that deleted file can be as simple as a few clicks of your mouse.

Part I: The Overview

Ok, so you've lost an important file. Don't panic. Take a breath, and let's see if we can find it. Before you go into full-on file recovery mode, make sure you double-check the folder you had saved it in and the Recycle Bin or Trash. Still nothing?

1. Stop What You're Doing

When your operating system deletes a file, all it really does is mark the space on your hard drive that your file occupies as free space. It's still there, but your computer is now perfectly happy to write new data on top of it—at which point the file recovery process becomes a lot more difficult. That means you should do as little computing as possible until you find the file you're looking for, since every time you save a new file—every time your computer writes information to your hard drive—your chances of recovering the file go down.

2. Find the Right File Recovery Program

Windows: You've a lot of really great freeware options for file recovery if you're running Windows. Notable apps include Undelete Plus, PC Inspector File Recovery. Undelete Plus is the most user-friendly option of the bunch, with advanced filtering options that make it easy to find your needle of a file among the haystack of deleted garbage, but in my tests I found both Restoration and PC Inspector File Recovery to be more effective at recovering files. (Of course, your mileage may vary.)

UPDATE: Per several readers advice, you may also want to check out Recuva, another freeware Windows file recovery tool.

Mac: If you're on a Mac and aren't afraid to lay down a few bucks in the name of data recovery, the $99 Data Rescue II is the go-to application for file recovery with a friendly graphical interface.

All Platforms: If you're not afraid to crack open a terminal window or command prompt, the free, cross-platform command-line tool PhotoRec is a crack shot at recovering photos (as the name implies) as well as virtually any other file type from your removable media or hard drives.

3. Recover Your Files

Once you've picked a tool, it's time to scan your hard drive for your lost file or files. This process varies depending on the app you're using, but it's basically the same for all of them: Just point the program at the hard drive or folder that was holding your missing file and start your scan. Once the scan is complete, you're going to see a big list of jumbled file names. Often most of these files are nothing more than system files that your operating system has created in the course of basic operation, and you won't need to worry about them. You're just looking for the file type and name that matches what you've lost.

Once you find what you're looking for, saving it is a matter of right-clicking the file and choosing where to save it.

Went through steps one through three and still aren't having any luck? It might be worth trying again with a different application, since there can be a lot of variation between apps. If you're still not having any luck, part two discusses a few other ways you can try addressing more specific problems when your data goes missing.

Part 2: More Specific Problems

Above you got a basic overview for recovering deleted files from your computer. Now we'll take a closer look at some more specific problems, methods of data recovery, and tools that may be of help in your quest for your elusive lost data.

Recover Files from a Wiped or Unbootable Hard Drive

So you didn't just accidentally delete a file or two and empty your Recycle Bin prematurely—instead you've got a whole hard drive worth of missing data. You can still use many of the applications mentioned above to recover files from these drives as long as you have or can get the hard drive into a bootable computer. For more details, check out how to recover files from a wiped hard drive with PhotoRec or how to recover data from a crashed hard drive with PC Inspector File Recovery.

If you can't or don't know how to get your unbootable drive into another computer, a Linux live CD can be perfect for rescuing files. If the Linux route scares you off, give the popular BartPE a try.

Finally, if none of these options can even read your hard drive, you still might be able to get it working for just long enough with a few tricks of the data recovery trade, like putting the busted hard drive in the freezer.

Recover Lost Photos

If you need to resurrect photos from a damaged flash memory card from your digital camera, you'll be happy to know that most of the applications listed in part one above will do the trick—you just need plug in your camera or insert the card into your computer's card reader before running your data recovery application of choice. That said, you can find other applications, like Zero Assumption Digital Image Recovery, that are focused specifically on image recovery that you may want to add to your data recovery toolbox, Aslo you can find much more applications

Recover Lost Word Documents

If your lost dissertation was saved as a Word document, you've got a few more interesting options for getting to your lost or deleted documents—read more about them here and here.

Recover Data from Scratched or Corrupted CDs and DVDs

If your munged data is sitting on optical media like a CD or DVD, the recovery process can be slightly different. Freeware application CD Recovery Toolbox is made specifically to read the portions of a CD that are readable in an effort to rescue as much data as possible from a damaged disc. If that doesn't work, you may want to give a look at the 30-day trial of shareware application CDCheck. Then again, if scratches are the issue, you may be able to get away with simply fixing your scratched CD or DVD yourself.

Part 3: Don't Let This Happen Again

Whatever the cause of your lost file, the best method of data recovery is a good preemptive data backup plan. If you're on Windows, we've taken you step-by-step through how to automatically back up your hard drive so that this sort of thing never happens again. If you're running a Mac, do yourself a favor: Get an external hard drive and flip the switch on the easy-to-use Time Machine. Linux users should check out backup options like FlyBack, TimeVault, or the time-honored rsync.

Have you ever raised deleted files from the hard drive graveyard? What software did you use to do it? Tell us your tales of file recovery victory and woe in the comments.

Also you can find more recover tools at this

10 lightweight apps to make older PCs fly

2009-02-04T23:25:00.000-08:00

Your desktop PC might have been slim and speedy five years ago, but keeping up with application upgrades and filling your hard drive with feature-bloated commercial tools can soon make your machine sluggish.

If your computer feels underpowered, there's no need to ditch it and reach for the credit card to buy a new model.

Instead, try our pick of free, lightweight tools and it'll soon be back to its sprightly self.

1. Word Processing - AbiWord

Boasting most of the same functionality as Microsoft Word 2003, AbiWord is free and light on its feet. Needing only a paltry 16MB of RAM, it runs on Windows 2000 upwards. You can grab an earlier version for Windows 98 if your machine is really wrinkly.

2. Graphics - IrFanView

Forget about Photoshop and even its open source rival The GIMP - IrfanView's the photo editor to choose on underpowered platforms. With support stretching back to Windows 95 it opens and saves dozens of image formats, with batch editing, cropping resizing and other basic photo manipulation tools built in.

3. Coding - EditPlus

Looking for a seriously lightweight coding tool? EditPlus does the job. A text editor that's optimised for working with HTML and CSS, it has features like code snippets, HTML tidying and auto-correction. I have used this product for 3 years, it's best codeing tool to my point of view.

4. Email - Popcorn

With even online mail providers becoming bloated and AJAX heavy, Popcorn connects direct to your POP email account - reading mail direct from the server. You can use it with your ISP's service - or online mail providers that use POP3. Popcorn's no longer under active development, but new features are moot when the basics are in place.

5. Web Browsing - Chrome

Google Chrome, make the web faster, safer, and easier, some one try to run on a 486 PC with 32MB of RAM and Windows 95?
I thinks it's the fastest browser on old pc!

6. Video - VLC Media Player

Judging media players is difficult as they're only ever as fast and reliable as the data you try to squeeze through them. VLC Media Player is portable. though, has a small footprint and - though it will struggle to play full HD video on older systems - it's perfect for DVDs and MP3s on Pentium class computers.

7. System Maintenance - CCleaner

Even computer maintenance tools can suffer from bloat - nagging you to update or upgrade components. CCleaner does none of the above. You run it, it finds files you can delete, you delete them - job done!

8. PDF Reader - Sumatra PDF

PDFs have become the industry alternative to printed documentation - but Acrobat Reader, Adobe's free tool for opening PDFs, is something of a resource hog. Enter Sumatra PDF - nimble on its feet and stripped of bells and whistles, it's a fast loading alternative to Adobe's offering.

9. Instant Messaging - Pidgin

Multiple messaging clients scoff your system resources, so switching to a single, universal IM tool makes sense. Pidgin does the job well, with support for AIM, Google Talk, Yahoo!, MSN and more.

10. System optimization - WinUtilities

WinUtilities is a system tweaking suite that includes more than 23 tools to improve and tweak your PC's performance. It offers an attractive and easy to use interface that organizes all tasks into categories and provides graphical statistics whenever possible. The tools include Junk File Cleaner, Registry Cleaner, Memory Optimizer, System Information, Registry Backup, File Encryption, Safe Uninstaller, Duplicate File Finder, File Shredder and much more. WinUtilities also includes an Internet Tracks Eraser with Cookie Manager and Secure Deletion. Overall, a great bundle that offers a wide range of system tools with extra benefits which are not easy to find. Make your pc speed up! don't forget use this software

Fast Fixes for Common PC Problems(6) - Mobile

2009-02-04T00:10:00.000-08:00

Stop Paying for Movies You Already Own

Does Apple really expect you to pay $15 to download Iron Man when you already own it on DVD? Well, yes--but that's not the only way to get the film onto your iPod or iPhone. Instead, you could try firing up HandBrake, a free utility that can rip DVDs (but only the ones you own, of course) and turn them into iPod/iPhone-friendly MPEG-4 files. You'll need to install AnyDVD, DVD43, or DVDDecrypter to allow HandBrake to work its magic on commercial (copy-protected) movies.

Copy Recorded TV Shows to Your iPod/iPhone

If you use Windows Media Center to record TV shows on your PC, you've undoubtedly wished for a way to copy those shows to your iPod or iPhone. After all, they're free, whereas Apple charges $1.99 for every single episode of 30 Rock. Unfortunately, recorded shows are saved in Microsoft's proprietary DVR-MS format, which iTunes can't recognize.

Enter iPodifier, a free utility that converts DVR-MS files to iPod-appropriate MPEG-4 or H264. Just install the program, point it to Media Center's Recorded TV folder (which is usually in the Public folder), and configure any options you want. For example, iPodifier can convert all new shows or just those you choose, and it can automatically add transcoded shows to iTunes for on-demand syncing.

Make Your Own iPhone Ring Tones

Want to turn your favorite Brendan Benson song into an iPhone ring tone? iTunes charges 99 cents for the privilege, and that's after you've already paid for the song. Luckily, you can easily roll your own ring tone using any MP3 file in your iTunes library.

First, in iTunes find the song you want, right-click it, and choose Get Info. Click the Options tab, check the Start Time and Stop Time boxes, and then enter times for each (no more than 30 seconds apart, the maximum length for a ring tone). Click OK, right-click the song again, and choose Create AAC Version. You should see a new 30-second version. Drag it from iTunes into the folder of your choice. Next, delete the 30-second version from iTunes and undo the Start Time/Stop Time changes to the original.

Finally, open the folder containing the 30-second AAC file you dragged out of iTunes, and then change the file extension from .m4a to .m4r. Double-click it, and it's immediately added to iTunes' ring-tone library. Sync your iPhone, and you're good to go.

Recover Lost Photos From Your Camera's Memory Card

Rolls of film (remember those?) are vulnerable to accidental light exposure; similarly, memory cards can be corrupted by, well, lots of things. For example, if you pop the card out of your PC or camera while it's still being accessed, you risk damaging the data and/or the card's ability to be read. And let's not forget accidental deletion, which is often the result of nothing more than the errant click of a mouse.

While you can't do anything to rescue an exposed film roll, several software utilities promise to recover damaged or deleted photos from memory cards. For starters, stop snapping pictures the moment you realize you have a problem. Any extra data written to the card may overwrite the photos you want to recover. Next, install a program such as PC Inspector Smart Recovery or Zero Assumption Digital Image Recovery on your PC, and then slip the memory card into your PC's reader. No guarantees, but these programs should find some, if not all, of your photos and copy them to your hard drive.

Advanced users can try CGSecurity PhotoRec, a DOS-based utility that bypasses the card's file system and goes straight for the data--arguably the most effective approach. It's a bit tricky to use, but worth a spin if the other programs can't do the job.

Replace a Failing iPod Battery

It's a sad fact of gadget life: Batteries wear out.

Unfortunately, Apple and Microsoft each sacrificed good sense for stylish design, building their iPod and Zune players so you can't change out the batteries. Consequently, when the battery dies permanently (usually after 18 to 24 months), so does your device--in theory. In reality, you can gently pry open most iPod and Zune cases and replace the battery. Just head to eBay and search for "ipod battery" or "zune battery." We found one for a 30GB Zune selling for just $7, complete with tools and instructions. The entire operation takes about 10 minutes, and it's easy for anyone adept with a screwdriver. Just remember: The key word is "gentle." You can accidentally chip or mar the case if you use the wrong tools or don't follow the instructions to the letter.

Going this route means you should be able to find everything you need for a lot less than the cost of a new player.

Rescue a Wet Cell Phone

So you dropped your cell phone in the toilet. Or left it out in the rain. Or ran it through a load of whites. Hey, it happens. Before slinking into the phone store for a replacement, try bringing your drowned device back to life. First, remove the battery (which may need to be replaced). If your phone has a memory card, take that out, too--it should be fine once it dries. Submerge the phone in a bowl of dry rice, cover it, and leave it overnight. The rice should suck out the moisture from the phone's innards. Pop in a new battery, and you might just be back in business.

Get Driving Directions--While You're Driving

Futzing with your GPS device while driving is just plain dangerous. But what if a client has just changed the meeting location, and you have no idea how to get there? No problem: Dial Microsoft's voice-activated TellMe service (800/555-TELL) and say the name of the restaurant. After TellMe tells you the address, say "text me the info." In a flash you'll get a text message containing the address, the phone number, and a map. TellMe works from any phone (hint: add it to your speed-dial), but BlackBerry users can download the even cooler TellMe app. The service and the app are free of charge (though texting charges apply, of course).

Fast Fixes for Common PC Problems(5) - Web

2009-02-01T23:58:00.000-08:00

Keep Your Kids Safe Online

Tech-savvy teens can probably work their way around parental-control software, so how can you prevent them from visiting inappropriate and/or malicious Web sites? Simple: Route all Internet activity through a "filtered" domain-name server like ~~ScrubIT~~(it is still working?). This free service promises to block pornographic and harmful sites, and will even fix inadvertently misspelled Web addresses.

Setup requires configuring your router to use ScrubIT's servers rather than those that your ISP supplies. If you're uncomfortable messing with your router's settings, a small Windows 2000/XP configuration utility can get the job done. Vista and Mac users must do it manually.

Once router reconfiguration is complete, ScrubIT will automatically block both adult and potentially malicious sites--over 3 million in all, according to the site. Remember, however, that you will have no control over what sites are blocked, which is the only real drawback to using ScrubIT over, say, content-filtering software. If you decide that you don't like it, an "unscrubit" utility on the site's FAQ page will revert your router to its original DNS settings.

E-Mail Large Files Easily

Big files are a fact of life in these days of 10-megapixel photos and viral videos. But many mail servers haven't kept up: They still put size limits on file attachments, so if you're trying to send something larger than, say, 5MB, it may not go through. What's more, sending huge attachments to people who aren't expecting them is a digital faux pas, as the files choke the recipient's inbox (and pity the poor dial-up or mobile user who tries to download a 5MB e-mail message).

Instead, share big files by way of a service such as Drop.io, GigaSize.com, SendSpace.com, or YouSendIt.com. No software to install: Simply choose the file to send, and then name one or more recipients.

After the file uploads, the service sends the recipients an e-mail containing a link for downloading the file. No clogged mail servers; just an easy, free, and convenient big-file transfer.

Sync Google Docs With Your PC

Google Docs puts documents, spreadsheets, and presentations "in the cloud," meaning that you can work on them from any Internet-connected computer. But what about those times when you're disconnected, such as on an airplane? How can you do any work when your files live online and you're offline?

Answer: Google Gears. This free tool syncs your Google Docs docs to your PC, letting you work with your Web-hosted files even when you're offline. Changes to your documents will sync back to your Docs account the next time you connect to the Net. Just fire up Google Docs, click the Offline link in the upper-right corner, and follow the Gears setup instructions.

Give Gmail a Major Makeover

Gmail may be indispensable, but it's not much to look at. It has a decidedly Web 1.0 appearance--all text and links. Give it an extreme makeover, courtesy of Google Redesigned. A few clicks, and Gmail goes from ugly duckling to sexy starlet (or applet).

To use this free skin (which also transforms Google Calendar--no prize pig itself), you'll need Firefox 3 and the Stylish add-on. Install both, restart Firefox, and then head to the Google Redesigned site and click Install. Don't be alarmed by the stark-looking page of text; just follow the instructions, which essentially boil down to clicking the Stylish icon in the bottom-right corner of Firefox and then clicking Add Style. Finally, fire up Gmail and be prepared to say "Wow." It may be just a skin, but it's like dropping a Ferrari frame over a Ford Focus body.

Too much work? Give Gmail a splash of color with Google's new themes. Just load Gmail, click Settings, Themes, and choose from dozens of nifty designs.

Fast Fixes for Common PC Problems(4) - Networking

2009-01-22T00:10:00.000-08:00

Help PCs on Your Home Network ‘See' One Another

So you have a desktop in the den, a laptop in the kitchen, and maybe another system in the kids' room--all connected to your router. Problem is, they can't "see" one another, making file and printer sharing impossible. This maddening problem tends to plague networks with Windows XP-based systems or a mixture of XP and Vista.

Unfortunately, while Vista does a better job than XP of identifying networked computers, neither OS really helps users remedy this particular annoyance. So here's the easy way to get all of your machines communicating quickly.

Start by making sure that each PC is subscribed to the same workgroup (very often the problem is that they aren't). It can have any name, up to 15 characters, but it needs to be the same on each machine. In XP, click Start, Control Panel, System, and choose the Computer Name tab. Click the Change button if you need to modify the workgroup name. In Vista, click Start, Control Panel, type workgroup in the Search field, and then click Change workgroup name.

If this no-cost solution doesn't fix the problem for you, let a third-party utility do the heavy lifting. Pure Networks' Network Magic provides wizard-driven operation for such tasks as file and printer sharing and even network optimization. The Essentials version ($30) supports up to three PCs; if you have more computers, you'll need the $50 Pro version.

Stop Your Neighbors From Stealing Your Wi-Fi Bandwidth

The tip below solves weak Wi-Fi, but some folks have the opposite problem: Their routers put out signals strong enough to extend far beyond their walls. So Flanders, Norton, the Mertzes, and other pesky neighbors might be pilfering your Internet access. Even if you don't mind sharing, remember that many ISPs now have caps on monthly bandwidth--and your BitTorrent-happy squatters might push you over the limit. "Loose" Wi-Fi also represents a very real security risk: If the neighbors can access your network, they may be able to access your data as well.

You could just turn on your router's built-in WPA encryption, but that won't do you much good if your kids blab the family Wi-Fi password to everyone on the block. Instead, turn on MAC address filtering in your router's security settings. You'll have to spend a few minutes entering the MAC hardware addresses for all your devices (which you can find by typing ipconfig in the Windows command console), but after that you'll need no additional security at all. Only known devices will be allowed to connect, so a password isn't required.

Boost Wi-Fi Signals to Reach All Corners of Your Home

If you're still using the old 802.11b or 802.11g Wi-Fi router that you bought when you set up your home network years ago, it's high time for an upgrade to 802.11n (currently known as draft-n); 802.11n routers offer roughly twice the range of their g counterparts--more than enough to blanket the average home with Wi-Fi goodness.

If you're looking for a cheap solution, consider a taking a do-it-yourself approach: You may be able to extend the range of your existing Wi-Fi router by "hacking" its antenna(s). Check out this how-to video and the accompanying step-by-step instructions.

Fast Fixes for Common PC Problems(3) - Hardware

2009-01-20T01:07:00.000-08:00

Clean Up USB Cable Clutter

We're not sure why design engineers so often decide to put laptop USB ports on the sides instead of the rear, or even put them all on the same side. Sure, the ports are easier to find that way, but if you employ your laptop as your primary computing system, then all those side-mounted USB ports will create a ton of unsightly cable clutter.

Solution: Use a USB "elbow" connector, which routes any USB device's cable toward the rear of the laptop (or toward the front, if you prefer). Belkin's $9 Flexible USB Cable Adapter, for instance, plugs in almost flush with the system case and rotates 90 degrees, either forward or backward, for easy access.

Rescue Your Data From a Failing Hard Drive

Ever heard a PC's "click of death"? Count yourself lucky. It's the warning siren of a dying hard drive, one that can't be fixed and will only get worse. When you start hearing that sound, that's your cue to get a new hard drive right away.

If you've been diligent, you've been making full backups of your data all along, in which case a dying drive is merely a nuisance, not a catastrophe. If not, act fast: Buy or borrow an external hard drive, plug it in, and copy over your most critical data (documents, photos, music library, financial records, and so on). The key is to offload everything you can and install a new drive before the old one dies.

If your drive has reached the point where you can no longer boot Windows (or run any file-copy operations with it), a Linux-based boot CD such as Ultimate Boot CD might help.

Once you download the file and burn it to a CD, it runs a Linux OS straight from the disc, giving you access to your drive without the drive having to run Windows at the same time. With luck, you'll be able to offload all your files before the hard drive bites the dust.

If all else fails, you may have no choice but to seek out a professional data-recovery service. Just be prepared to spend at least a few hundred dollars for the rescue.

Upgrade Your Laptop Hard Drive

Laptop hard drives tend to be on the smallish side, so they can fill up fast. But swapping your laptop's internal drive for a higher-capacity replacement is easier than you may think.

With some online comparison shopping, you can find a 160GB SATA drive for around $70 or a 250GB drive for about $90. A 7200-rpm drive will give you optimal performance.

Next, get an external USB drive enclosure with an internal interface matching that of your hard drive. This should cost no more than $20. Install the new drive in the enclosure, connect the enclosure to your system, and then format the drive according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Finally, use a free utility such as DriveImage XML to copy the contents of the old drive to the new one, and then swap the two drives. (Tip: Reuse the old one for storage.)

Replace a Dead Power Supply

You press your desktop PC's power button just as you have a thousand times before, only this time...nothing. Fortunately, power supplies are relatively easy to replace, and doing it yourself will save you upward of $100 or more at the local repair shop. While you're at it, consider something more powerful than your old one to accommodate higher-end graphics cards and other upgrades.

The actual surgery is pretty straightforward: Before starting, snap a bunch of photos that show where each power lead is plugged in. Disconnect the main power cord from the system, unhook the cables from the internal components, remove the old power supply, and install the new one. Follow the labels on the leads to reconnect everything, using your photos as a guide if needed.

Replace a Lost Instruction Manual

Can't find the manual for your printer? Cell phone? Digital camera? No problem: You can almost certainly find a replacement online. Start with the manufacturer's Web site; the support page for any given product often includes an electronic version of the manual (usually in PDF) that you can download.

But if you can't find one there (or if you don't want to hunt through seemingly endless support pages), try Diplodocs/SafeManuals.com. This site is home to a whopping 1.2 million instruction manuals, and you can browse or search by brand, product, model number, and so on. All manuals on the site are stored in PDF, so you should be able to view them using nearly any device (even many smart phones). If you have some user guides of your own that aren't in the directory, you can upload them, and they'll be preserved for future reference (and shared with other users).

Help Technology-Challenged Friends and Relatives Fix Their PCs

If you're the go-to tech guru in your family, you know how tough it is to troubleshoot a problem over the phone. So do what the pros do: Run remote-control software to temporarily take control of another user's PC to diagnose and fix problems.

Although many programs offer this capability, I'm partial to CrossLoop. It's free, and it couldn't be easier to use. Just download and run the program, and instruct Uncle Moe to do likewise. Then have him click the program's Share tab and read you the access code presented there. You type it into CrossLoop at your end, and then click Connect. Presto: You have full control over your uncle's PC. Now you can work your magic.

Fast Fixes for Common PC Problems(2) - Software

2009-01-19T00:13:00.000-08:00

Help iTunes Auto-Detect New Songs

iTunes 8 updates your library when you buy songs from the iTunes Store or use it to rip songs from CDs. But what if you want to add music from other sources such as Amazon or eMusic? Alas, with iTunes, unlike just about every other music manager, you have to add files and folders manually.

Thankfully, there's iTunes Folder Watch, a free Windows utility that monitors designated folders and then automatically adds any newly discovered music to your iTunes library.

After installing the application, run it by clicking Start, iTunes Folder Watch, iTunes Folder Watch (Background Monitoring). This action will launch iTunes, create an "iTFW New Tracks" playlist, and add a new icon to your system tray. Right-click that icon, click Open, and then add one or more folders to watch. Click the Check Now button to have iTFW scan for any tracks not already in your iTunes library. If it finds any, you'll see them listed in the New Tracks tab. One more click whisks the songs into iTunes.

You'll also want to visit the Configuration tab so that you can select and tweak iTFW's options, such as one that automatically adds newfound tracks to iTunes.

Remove Duplicate Entries From Microsoft Outlook

The longer you use Outlook, the more likely you are to end up with duplicate records. Sometimes they're the result of synchronization errors with a phone, PDA, or Web site, and sometimes, well, it's just Outlook being Outlook. Either way, duplicates can be a hassle-but you can purge them easily. Outlook Duplicate Items Remover, or ODIR for short, eliminates duplicate contacts, calendar entries, tasks, notes, and e-mail folders.

After installing the
program, simply fire up Microsoft Outlook, and look for the newly added ODIR menu. Click it, then select Remove Duplicate Items. Choose the folder you want ODIR to scan; it'll find duplicates and relocate them to a subfolder (without actually deleting anything). The tool is fast, simple, and effective--just the way freeware ought to be. ODIR is compatible with Outlook 2000 and later.

Open Office 2007 Documents in Older Versions of Office

With Microsoft Office 2007, Microsoft introduced a new batch of file formats: .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx, all incompatible with earlier versions of the suite. So if someone sends you a Word 2007 document and you use Word 2003, an error message awaits you. Fortunately, the fix is easy: Use the succinctly named Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats.

MOCPWEP2007FF enables you to open Office 2007 documents in Office 2000, 2003, or XP without any work on your part. Just make sure that your suite has the latest Service Pack installed--either SP3 for Office 2000 and XP, or SP1 for Office 2003.

If you don't want to go to all that trouble and you need to convert just a single .docx file, point your browser to docx-converter.com. Upload your file, select your desired format (.doc is just one choice), and enter your e-mail address. In short order you'll get a message containing a link to download the converted file. It's a free service.

Organize a Huge, Messy Digital-Photo Library

Sorry, but the shoebox approach doesn't work in the age of digital photography: You can't just dump every snapshot into your My Documents folder and still expect to find specific photos again. What you need is a photo-management program that supports tags, or keywords that you assign to each picture. For example, suppose you have a vacation photo of you and your friend Jane standing on a beach in, say, Aruba. You'd assign tags like me, Jane, beach, vacation, and Aruba.

Get in the practice of adding tags to your photos and you'll turn a disorganized mess into an easily searchable library. Google Picasa 3 and Windows Live Photo Gallery are among the free photo managers that support tagging. I'm partial to the latter (which is newer and better than the Photo Gallery app that's built into Vista), mostly because it makes tagging easier. All you do is select one or more pictures, click the Info button, and then click Add tags in the Info pane. To use existing tags, just drag photos onto the tag name in the navigation pane.

Fast Fixes for Common PC Problems(1) - Windows

2009-01-13T00:44:00.000-08:00

Struggling with dead components, a recalcitrant Windows, and uncooperative applications? Our easy hardware repairs, simple software remedies, and quick tweaks will put your PC in the pink.

Every computer user hits a speed bump now and then. Whether the bump is a dead power supply, a slow-booting PC, a soaking-wet cell phone, or an e-mail attachment lost in cyberspace, sometimes technology seems more trouble than it's worth.

But just as flat tires can be patched, most common PC problems can be fixed--and fast! We've rounded up speedy, simple solutions to hardware, software, network, Internet, and mobile-device crises--and we haven't left out Windows, of course. High-tech speed bumps may be annoying, but they shouldn't keep you from enjoying the ride.

Windows

Accelerate XP File Searches

I'll say one thing for Vista: Its search capabilities put XP's to shame. Pity the poor XP user who tries to locate a file with that operating system's plodding, poorly designed search tool. Fortunately, alternatives exist: Both Copernic Desktop Search and Google Desktop index your documents, e-mail messages, images, MP3 files, and other content for lightning-fast searches. Better still, they let you peek inside found files without opening them. That's the way a search tool should work.

Hasten Windows Boot-Ups

Nobody likes getting stuck in traffic. But that's exactly what happens when a Windows PC boots: All the startup programs try to run at the same time, resulting in a kind of software traffic jam. What you need is a traffic cop, an application that lets programs start up one at a time, at designated intervals.

That's Startup Delayer in a nutshell. The free app helps you set delays for other programs, easing startup congestion so your PC boots faster. Begin by reviewing the list of startup programs to see which ones can wait. Google Update, iTunesHelper, and LightScribe Control Panel are examples of good candidates: They don't need to run the moment your system starts. To set a delay for a program, drag it to the white bar at the bottom of the Startup Delayer window. You'll see a line representing the program; drag it left or right to decrease or increase the delay. Repeat for other apps as desired, but stagger them by at least a minute.

Leave some startup programs, especially those you don't recognize, alone. But a delay of 10 or 15 minutes for many apps should improve startup speed noticeably.

Make Windows (XP or Vista) Run Faster

When you launch a program, does it snap open in a matter of seconds, or does it leave you drumming your fingers for what seems like an eternity? Countless possible culprits can be to blame for a slow system, but you have a good chance of revving things up by following a few simple steps.

Start with a RAM boost. A Windows XP system can get by on 512MB, but it'll run a lot smoother with 1GB. As for Vista, it needs at least 2GB for optimal performance. Vista also benefits if you disable resource-hogging (and, some would say, unnecessary) extras, like Aero Glass and Flip3D. To free your system from both, right-click anywhere on the Desktop and click Personalize. Next, click Windows Color and Appearance, open Classic appearance properties for more color options, and then set the color scheme to Windows Vista Basic. Click OK and your system should seem a bit zippier.

XP users should consider disabling Windows' indexing service, a system hog of little practical value. Go to Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services, and scroll down to Indexing Service. Double-click it, and set Startup type to Disabled.

Aslo you can use WinUtilities for speeding up your pc

Speed Up Vista File Copying

Whatever Vista's deal is, it's a slug when copying files to external and network drives. To step things up, adopt a utility such as FastCopy, or TeraCopy, all of which do the job an awful lot faster. What's more, both SuperCopier and TeraCopy can pause and resume file transfers, which may come in handy if you need to interrupt the copy process. All three programs are freebies, too.

4 free software To Clone & Copy Your Hard Drive

2009-01-08T05:58:00.000-08:00

Those all software is for free, I have listed the 3 software download address:
DriveImage XML
XXCLONE
EASEUS Disk Copy

One of the most annoying things about owning a computer is the maintenance. It’s easily neglected. After all you don’t really notice the slow decline of your system’s performance, do you?

But then again it’s a delight to work on a freshly installed machine, where everything is smooth and responds quickly. But customization is tedious. And when your hard drive decides to break spontaneously, time is something you won’t have for sure.

For emergencies it’s better you have a data and a system backup available. Here are the 5 best tools to clone or copy your hard drive in no particular order.

DriveImage XML (Windows)

In contrast to Drive Backup Express, DriveImage XML is a visually very basic tool. However, it reliably creates images of logical drives and partitions and restores these to either the originating or a different hard disk.

Like Drive Backup Express, DriveImage XML applies a cloning technique that allows parallel use of the system while the backup is running. It can also do incremental backups, supplementing existing backups with what was changed in the meantime. Additionally, images can be restored without having to reboot.

CloneZilla (cross platform)

CloneZilla is an open source and cross platform tool to clone and restore hard drives.

It’s a tough tool for non nerds as it requires some background knowledge. First of all it’s not a software you install on your computer. You download CloneZilla in form of an ISO image or ZIP file and burn the image to a CD or load the files onto a USB flash drive or hard drive.

The next step is to reboot the computer from that medium you created, which may require going into the BIOS and allow booting from a CD or USB device.

Once the tool is running, it’s easy to use the simple interface to initiate or restore a backup. There also is sort of a screenshot walkthrough on the CloneZilla homepage, where you can view some of the options before running the tool.

XXCLONE (Windows)

XXCLONE is Windows software. The tool can create a self-bootable clone of a Windows drive as well as full backups of non-system volumes.

The interface is basic and clear. When started, the tool scans for available volumes and you can then choose a source and target volume from these. A direct link to the Windows Disk Management is provided through the “diskmgmt” button. Under the “Tool Cools” tab you can make use of options such as making the target volume self-bootable, manage restore points or create a batch file to save your current settings for future re-use.

The download section of the website provides a thorough help file that contains screenshots and descriptions of all features.

EASEUS Disk Copy (cross platform)

EASEUS Disk Copy creates sector by sector clones of partitions or hard disks, independent of operating system, file systems or partition scheme. It’s a versatile tool for both the novice and experienced user.

Just like CoolZilla, it’s not installed locally, rather the ISO image is burned to a bootable CD or DVD.

The website is probably the best of all tools described here. The information is thorough and very clear, including a very detailed help section that will walk you through every aspect of the program.

Do you clone and copy your hard drive? If so, which program do you use? Can you recommend any particular program to us? Let us know in the comments.

(From makeuseof.com)

Aslo those software just use for clone dirver! if you want backup your data, read this

Five Strategies to Back Up Your Data

2009-01-06T01:49:00.000-08:00

Every year you say you'll be better at keeping your data backed up, but then life happens. You get busy. You get distracted. And the number of files in your digital life grows exponentially--all while you continue to relegate this critical task to the "I'll get to it" pile.

Sound familiar? Thought so. Backup is essential, yet most people neglect it, despite adding ever more files to their digital stockpiles. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, the average U.S. adult with online access has an average of 1800 digital files. And growing.

We've found the tech that can help you get a handle on your backups--and help you stick to a plan. You'll find many options that lead to the same result. Part of your challenge is picking the ones that are best for you.

1. Devise a Backup Plan of Attack

Survey your backup needs, and think about what you have that is "live" data--your ongoing, working library of files--versus what is archival data, files that don't require changes or additions. Live data might include your collection of digital music and your business documents, while archival data might include your digital photos from the past five years. Think about whether you want all of your data to reside in a single place, or whether you want to spread your backups across multiple devices. Also consider your habits: Do you need prompting to back up, or do you want to invoke a backup at will?

Having evaluated your files and needs, you can better decide on a backup strategy--and on which combination of technologies makes sense for you. You'll likely settle on a strategy that encompasses various devices and services, selected from among USB flash drives, external hard drives (see our latest Top 10 External Hard Drives chart or peek at the newest portable external hard drives), network-attached storage (see our most recent Top 5 Network-Attached Storage Devices chart), and online backup.

Many hardware devices now include a backup utility as a matter of course; but whether you'll find that backup utility (be it a separate application or one that's integrated with the drive) useful will depend in part on the backup approach you've chosen. Do you want to back up all of your files? Or are you aiming to do larger, more-current sets while leaving the file archive to reside on a NAS or on a dedicated 1TB hard drive attached to your system?

In steps two through five, we'll identify some of the best technologies for helping you with your backups--and what situations and needs those technologies are most suited for.

2. Organize Your Files

Various software programs--including the traditional backup programs we rounded up recently, such as NovaStor NovaBackup Professional, Auto Backup, and Vision Backup--will find specific file types on your hard drive and back up those file types per your instructions. But it helps to devise an organized structure for the files on your hard drive; that way, you know exactly where to begin when you establish a backup routine in the aforementioned software, or if you ever do a quick-and-dirty manual backup (in which you simply drag and drop files from one drive to another within Windows Explorer).

See more backup strategies on the next page.

3. Try Set-It-and-Forget-It Backup

Let's be blunt: Sometimes, deciding on what to back up, and where, makes the process overwhelming. And though acknowledging that fact doesn't negate the need for steps one and two described on the previous page, occasionally you want everything you own to be saved, with no brain activity required to get the process going.

A handful of devices make jump-starting your system backups dead simple. Among the most notable faces in the crowd is the Clickfree Portable Backup Storage Appliance, which makes backup supereasy. Connect this $180, 320GB USB drive (also available in 120GB and 250GB capacities, with up to 500GB coming sometime in 2009) to your Windows-based PC, and it will back up your data files, including your music, movies, pictures, and e-mail. The drive's built-in backup software kicks in as soon as you attach the drive to your PC; the software supports up to 350 file types. You can configure some basics, or just let the drive do everything--your choice. The drive can safeguard up to 20 PCs, and it does its backups incrementally (meaning that it does a full backup the first time, and then on subsequent occasions finds the new files and backs those up). Restoration is simply a matter of pressing the Restore button; the drive's built-in software will then return data to its original location.

If you have only enough data to fill a DVD or three, Clickfree sells DVD discs with the same backup software loaded. And the HP SimpleSave Photo utility uses an HP-branded version of the software for its discs.

Rebit Disk Drive Backup is even simpler to use. Just plug in the drive (available in capacities up to 500GB for $220), give the built-in software permission to back up, and off it goes, continually protecting you in the background. By the end of January, the drive's software will get an update that supports managing backups for up to six PCs to a single drive (a good setup for people backing up smaller sets of data, but not for users who have multiple PCs packed with multimedia collections). The company also now offers its easy-to-use software on CD, for use with any external hard drive; the CD costs $50 at its Web site.

Memeo's Autobackup software and NTI's Shadow are competing stand-alone applications that you can buy for real-time file backup; they can require more intervention on your part, however, than either Clickfree (which is not real-time backup) or Rebit (which is real-time, much like the Apple Time Capsule for Mac OS computers).

4. Use a Flash Drive

USB flash drives are ubiquitous, but nowadays 4GB is a baseline capacity, not the high end. And larger capacities--16GB, 32GB, and greater--are becoming more commonplace.

The benefits to using a flash drive can be multifold. You can store your files--perhaps both your critical documents and your multimedia files--on a drive the size of your index finger, and you can keep your data close to you, in your pocket or on a keychain. Many drives offer software encryption and password protection; still more include a file-synchronization utility. The SanDisk Cruzer Titanium Plus goes one step further by letting you sync the drive with Web-based storage.

SanDisk is going all out, however, with its newest offering (announced this week at CES), the SanDisk UltraBackup USB Flash Drive. The drive is expected in April, in capacities of 8GB to 64GB ($40 to $200). It has a retractable USB connector that slides inside, so you needn't worry about caps (or cables, as you would with an external hard drive). The integrated software requires no installation; instead, it just asks you for the file types you want to back up, and it initiates a backup when you plug the drive in; a button on the unit lets you launch a backup, too.

5. Send Data to an Online Backup Service

Online backup makes sense in some circumstances but not others. Certainly, Web-based services (such as the Webroot Secure Backup service) provide off-site redundant storage that can keep your data safe against natural and unexpected disasters (such as flooding, earthquakes, or fire). But online backup may not be appropriate if your data measures into the tens of gigabytes, or even terabytes (yes, snap-happy digital photographers and devoted music gurus, I'm looking at you). Content creators with high-capacity needs may prefer to keep their files on NAS drives and hard drives locally (or on drives located at secondary sites) rather than deal with the ongoing fees of Web-based backup.

That said, many sites offer some free online backup, as much as 2GB (Mozy.com and Fabrik.com, for example). Two gigs can go a long way for basic Word and Excel documents, PDF files, and PowerPoint presentations (the ones light on multimedia, at least). For your files currently in play, online backup can be both convenient (get it anywhere you find a Wi-Fi connection), and economical.

It's all about strategy--and what type of data you need to protect. Feel free to comment below.

(From PC World)

Turn Any MP3 into an iPhone Ringtone

2009-01-04T02:20:00.000-08:00

Back when I was a Palm Centro owner, I used the excellent freeware app MiniTones to turn Brendan Benson's "Spit It Out" into my ringtone. But when I upgraded to an iPhone, I discovered that iTunes charges 99 cents for ringtones--even if you already own the song.

My cheapskate nature doesn't allow for that. (It's not the money, it's the principle of the thing.) So I decided to "roll my own" iPhone ringtone, which turned out to be a fairly easy process.

Start iTunes and find the song you want to convert. (It must be an MP3.)
Right-click the song and choose Get Info.
Click the Options tab.
Check the Start Time and Stop Time boxes, then enter times for each (no more than 30 seconds apart, the maximum length for a ringtone). I used 0:00 and 0:30, respectively, as "Spit It Out" has a perfect ascending lead-in.
Click OK, then right-click the song again and choose Create AAC Version. You should immediately see a new 30-second version of the song.
Drag that version out of iTunes and into the folder of your choice.
Delete the 30-second version from iTunes and undo the Start Time/Stop Time changes to the original.
Open the folder containing the 30-second AAC file you dragged out of iTunes, then change the file extension from .m4a to .m4r. Double-click it and it immediately gets added to iTunes' ringtone library.
Finally, sync your iPhone. When it's done, you can head into the settings and select your new ringtone.

That's all there is to it! What song(s) will you assign to ringtone duty? Leave a comment and nominate your favorites. Meanwhile, have a happy new year! I'll see you back here in '09.

The Top 50 Proprietary Programs

2008-12-29T00:42:00.000-08:00

Not every proprietary program can drive a person crazy, right? Some, like Norton Ghost, are superb tools for anyone to use. But, the fact that these tools are proprietary can drive open source fanatics up a wall. It’s not the price of the software that makes the real difference (although it’s a reason to migrate from one software to another for many people); it’s the idea that proprietary software comes with boundaries that keeps the user experience confined to…well, being the user. That’s enough to drive any developer crazy.

The following fifty proprietary programs are listed in no particular order within broad categories along with their open source alternatives. In some cases you could probably write your own book on frustrations with the proprietary programs shown here. In other cases, you’ll discover that the open source alternative isn’t quite up to snuff yet. And, in other cases still, you’ll learn that some proprietary programs are real gems, but that the open source advocate can replace those gems with equally shiny objects from the open source repertoire.

Basics

Windows Vista OS to Ubuntu OS: This is Microsoft’s operating system (OS), and even Microsoft fans have become disillusioned with this product. Open source OS alternatives have expanded; but these OS often are difficult for the average user to install, learn, and operate. Why deal with it when Ubuntu has become so easy to use that even the most computer illiterate can jump into this operating system with very little time spent on a learning curve? In fact, users can purchase a Dell computer with Ubuntu already installed. Remember, however, that when it comes to using open source software that the open source community often focuses on applications that can be used through Windows, Mac, Linux, or Unix with the majority seemingly devoted to Windows.
Internet Explorer Browser to Firefox Browser: Sure, Internet Explorer (IE) is free; but, that’s because it comes packaged with Windows’ operating systems. Free is far different from open source software, where users have more control over how that software works. While you might feel more comfortable with a proprietary operating system, you can still use an open source browser like Mozilla’s Firefox, an exceptional product that expands its use with ‘add-ons‘ created by avid users.

Office Suites

Microsoft Office to OpenOffice: If the price makes you feel that Microsoft has worked you over, then switch! If you compare Microsoft’s Office with other products, then you’re looking for something that includes an email client, a word processor, a spreadsheet tool, and a multimedia presentation application. The only product that provides a competitive edge against Microsoft is Google (that includes Gmail, Google Docs, Google Presentation and more). But, some would argue that Google isn’t truly open source. So, the next best bet alternative would be OpenOffice, an open source project that includes everything you’d find in Microsoft Office except the email client.
Mactopia to NeoOffice: Another Microsoft office suite, but this time meant for MacIntosh computers. Try NeoOffice instead. NeoOffice® is a full-featured set of office applications, including word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, drawing, and database programs for Mac OS X. This suite is based on the OpenOffice.org office suite, but it has integrated dozens of native Mac features and can import, edit, and exchange files with other popular office programs such as Microsoft Office.

Office Tools

MathWorks MATLAB to Scilab: MATLAB is a highly used application for numerical computing. It provides a programming language that allows users to work with numbers in any possible way imaginable through visualization. Scilab is the open source alternative to MATLAB, and it provides visualization of numerical data just as MATLAB does. Scilab is partly compatible with MATLAB, and both tools are suited for Windows, Linux, and UNIX.
Microsoft Access to Kexi: Microsoft Access is a versatile tool for creating database-driven applications and to maintain office or personal data. Access contains an embedded database engine, but it also connects to other databases through ODBC. On the other hand, Kexi allows users to design forms to gain access to and to create data, just like Access. Kexi also contains an embedded database engine and it can import data to Microsoft Access databases. Plus - Kexi is open source, whereas Access belongs to Microsoft.
Microsoft Word to OpenOffice Writer: If you want to break that office suite down and begin to replace the suite item by item, then you can start with this product first. Writer is the word processor component of the OpenOffice.org software package that is similar to Microsoft Word, and with a roughly equivalent range of features. Writer can be used across a variety of platforms, including Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, Linux, FreeBSD and Solaris. Writer also includes the ability to export Portable Document Format (PDF) files with no additional software, and can also function as a WYSIWYG editor for creating and editing web pages. One plus over Word is that Writer carries functions and number formats in its tables from Calc, OpenOffice’s spreadsheet application.
Microsoft Excel to OpenOffice Calc: Another Microsoft product, Excel still carries its productivity pluses as a spreadsheet, but it no longer carries an air of absolute necessity. Google’s Docs can bring an online, sharing atmosphere to your spreadsheets now. As for a truly open source product that can replace Excel, try OpenOffice.org Calc. This tool provides full spreadsheet functionality incl. a huge number of statistical and scientific functions, pivot tables and charts.
Microsoft Visio to Dia: Visio actually is a great application that allows users to go from complicated text and tables that are hard to understand to diagrams that communicate information at a glance. The only thing that spoils the context is the fact that this software is that it’s not open source. Instead, use Dia, a GTK+ based diagram creation program for Linux, Unix and Windows released under the GPL license. Dia was ‘roughly’ inspired by Visio, which should make this tool easy for transition.

Productivity

Blackboard to Moodle: Blackboard has been the CMS (Course Management System) ‘industry standard’ for educational purposes for many years. This program allows instructors to build courses, manage student workloads, and more. But Moodle has gained significant ground as an open source alternative to Blackboard, as it helps educators to create effective online learning communities in a scalable package that costs nothing to use.
Box to Cabos: If you’re into file sharing, you’ve probably heard of Box.net, if not used them. Not only can you share files, Box allows you to store your files securely online, allowing you to access them from any computer, phone or mobile device for a fee. Cabos, another file sharing program that’s open source, provides simple sidebar user interface, firewall to firewall transfers, proxy transfers, Universal Plug and Play, iTunes + iPod integration, “What’s New?” searches, international searches, and more. All you need is Windows 2000 or later. Mac OS X 10.2.8 or later. Mac OS 8.6 or later. Granted, you don’t have the file storage capacity, but at least you can share files with Cabos without that extra storage capacity.
Microsoft Project to Open Workbench: Microsoft allows users to control project work, schedule, and finances, and effectively communicate project data to other users. But, it costs to do that with Microsoft. Instead, use open source Open Workbench to accomplish exactly the same project details for free. When users need to move beyond desktop scheduling to a workgroup, division or enterprise-wide solution, they can upgrade to CA’s Clarity™ system, a project and portfolio management system that offers bidirectional integration with Open Workbench.
Mindjet to FreeMind: Mindmapping is a way to share ideas among individuals and groups for productivity. This type of activity takes time, but it saves time. So why should you pay for a product when you can save money by using FreeMind? This latter product will accomplish all the Mindjet does and more. That “more” is the fact that FreeMind is open source.

Graphic Programs

Adobe Illustrator to Inkscape: Adobe’s vector drawing system is one of the best in the industry. However, like Photoshop, the price can be prohibitive for some designers and artists. Try Inkscape instead, an open source vector graphics editor similar to Illustrator, CorelDraw, or Xara X. Inkscape uses the W3C standard Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) file format and it supports many advanced SVG features (markers, clones, alpha blending, etc.). Finally, the streamlined interface is easy to use to edit nodes, perform complex path operations, trace bitmaps and much more.
Adobe PhotoShop to GIMP: Even if you’re paying for upgrades instead of the original package, the price for Adobe’s Photoshop can be prohibitive for some photographers and graphic designers. Try GIMP to see if this open source tool can’t provide you with all the power you need for your photography and graphic design needs. GIMP stands for Gnu Image Manipulation Program, and it’s the solution that comes closest to emulating the Photoshop environment.
Adobe Premiere to Avidemux: Premier is state of the art real-time non-linear video editing for any format including High Definition (HD). Supports 16-bit color resolution, GPU accelerated rendering for faster effects and even advanced DVD authoring. On the other hand, Avidemux provides Windows, Mac, and Linux users with an easy-to-use open source tool for DVD/DivX converting and editing. Avidemux also has scripting support for automation and even offers DVD authoring with the addition of the open source software, dvdauthor.
AutoCAD to Archimedes: AutoCAD is an AutoDesk tool used by any designer who creates design drafts - mostly architects. Archimedes is an open source computer aided design (CAD) alternative that focuses primarily on architectural design. AutoCAD definitely has the winning score thus far, but Archimedes shows promise. The latter program contains all the drawing features a designer would need, but its interoperability is weak. Designers still can export scalable vector graphics, so there’s a real market for this open source tool (this opinion isn’t based upon Archimedes’ newest release).
Microsoft PowerPoint to OpenOffice Impress: You can make a move away from this Microsoft tool with the use of Google’s Presentation or with OpenOffice’s Impress. Both tools represent full-featured presentation applications that allow users to create and modify diagrams and pictures right within the application.
Microsoft Paint to Tux Paint: While not a serious graphics program, it is widely used by many computer users, mostly children Try Tux Paint instead of Paint, as this open source product stands apart from typical graphics people edit software (such as GIMP or Photoshop) in that it was designed to be usable by children as young as 16 months of age. The user interface is meant to be intuitive, and utilizes icons, audible feedback and textual hints to help explain how the software works.
TruSpace to Blender: Caligari offers a range of products that enable designers and artists to produce 3D images - at a hefty price. Blender, on the other hand, provides one tool that provides full multiresolution sculpting capabilities with 2D bitmap/3D procedural brushes (Paint, Smooth, Pinch, Inflate, Grab) supporting symmetry. And, that’s just the beginning of Blender’s capabilities. This open source software is free to download and use.

Web Editors

Adobe GoLive CS2 to Mozilla SeaMonkey: GoLive is an integral part of the Adobe Creative Suites products, so it works with your InDesign documents and allows those documents to be converted to Web pages. But, you might want to try Mozilla’s SeaMonkey before you commit to the total Adobe suite option. The Mozilla SeaMonkey project includes a Web-browser, email and newsgroup client, HTML authoring program and IRC chat client. The Composer is simple but it handles tables, CSS, positioned layers and more without sweat. Add-ons currently include Scribefire, the blog blog editor that integrates with your browser and lets you easily post to your blog.
Adobe Dreamweaver to NVU: While this tool is a powerful WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) HTML editor, other options exist that can save money. NVU (pronounced N-view, for a “new view”) is a complete Web Authoring System for Linux Desktop users as well as Microsoft Windows users to rival programs like FrontPage and Dreamweaver. Use NVU to create Web pages and manage a Website with no technical expertise or knowledge of HTML.
Macromedia Flash Professional to OpenLaszlo: Developers use Flash to create multimedia events on the Web. Since the program utilizes vector-based graphics, it provides a venue that goes beyond the Web. As an open source product, OpenLaszlo provides developers with a platform to create zero-install Web applications with user interface capabilities of desktop client software. In other words, OpenLaszlo applications developed on one machine will run on all leading Web browsers on all leading desktop OS. These applications, like Flash, provide animation, layout, data binding, server communication and more.
Microsoft FrontPage to Bluefish: While not as powerful as Dreamweaver, FrontPage is a widely used proprietary application used to create Web pages. Take a gander at this list to understand your many open source options for HTML editors. Try Bluefish as one option that can save you money and, possibly, time.
Windows Notepad to ConTEXT: Yes, you can get the world’s most versatile HTML editing tool absolutely FREE when you purchase Windows version 2.0 and above. But, why would you want to do that when you can work with open source ConTEXT? This application is a small, fast and powerful freeware programmers text editor, developed to serve as a secondary tool for software developers.
Altova XMLSpy to XML Copy Editor: XMLSpy is one of the most popular XML editors on the market today. Its editing features and support for both schema and DTD development along with XSLT, XQuery and XPath development make it an ultimate XML tool. As an open source alternative, XML Copy Editor is a versatile XML editor primarily focused on text editing with XML files. However, XML Copy Editor provides many other features including validation of DTD and XML schemas - as well as XSLT and XPath with tag-free editing. Both tools are Windows applications.

Publishing

Adobe Acrobat to PDFCreator: Yes, you have a free trial to create a PDF through Adobe. However, this PDFCreator easily creates PDFs from any Windows program. Use it like a printer in Word, StarCalc or any other Windows application.
Adobe Framemaker to DocBook: Adobe Framemaker software represents a powerful authoring and publishing solution for technical communicators who want to author and publish technical documentation in multiple languages. While this software is reliable, so is DocBook, an open source publishing tool. Additionally, you have access to all the free wikis and documentation that shows how to install, use, and customize the tools and stylesheets.
Microsoft Publisher to Scribus: When it comes to Desktop Publishing (DTP) Microsoft’s Publisher provides more control over document elements than Microsoft Word through a DTP-oriented approach. However, professional users still consider this program an entry-level application. Since it’s part of the Microsoft Office Package, many users will find its costs negligible as well. With that said, Scribus offers an open source DTP alternative. Scribus brings award-winning professional page layout to Linux/Unix, MacOS X, OS/2 and Windows desktops with a combination of “press-ready” output and new approaches to page layout. Scribus supports professional publishing features, such as CMYK color, separations, ICC color management and versatile PDF creation.

Communications

AIM to Pidgin: Give it up. AIM, AOL’s Instant Messenger, no longer rules. The open source alternative is Pidgin, a multi-protocol Instant Messaging client that allows you to use all of your IM accounts at once. Let’s break that down: No matter if you use Windows, Linux, BSD, and other Unixes. You can talk to your friends using AIM, ICQ, Jabber/XMPP, MSN Messenger, Yahoo!, Bonjour, Gadu-Gadu, IRC, Novell GroupWise Messenger, QQ, Lotus Sametime, SILC, SIMPLE, MySpaceIM, and Zephyr. Can AIM do that? No? Well, then.
FeedDemon to RSS Bandit: FeedDemon for Windows constantly searches through feed search engines with keyword-generated searches as well as generalized searches. It also allows offline reading as it ‘prefetches’ your subscribed feeds. NewsGator also synchronizes with FeedDemon so you can gain access to news without your computer. Except for the fact that FeedDemon isn’t open source, it’s an ideal, robust reader. But, for open source fanatics, RSS Bandit provides an equally robust alternative RSS and Atom reader that allows you to keep track of all of the news feeds you follow. Its newspaper view can be customized and the templates are compatible with those used in FeedDemon. Plus, RSS Bandit allows you to synchronize everything with NewsGator online. Finally, RSS Bandit also provides access to news on news servers (similar to Google Groups) - it uses NNTP to read and post to newsgroups anywhere on the net. It integrates to Google Groups by linking to posts on their website.
Microsoft MSN Messenger to aMSN: Microsoft offers MSN Messenger to the masses as freeware on Windows, and it’s grown from a simple IM application into a trendsetter in a competitive market. Features include voice and video chatting, gaming, remote support - on top of that it allows connection through mobile devices when you are not near a computer. aMSN, the open source Windows alternative to MSN, aims to mimic its proprietary competitor as much as possible. Most of its extra features are added through plug-ins. You can add, at your leisure, POP3 email support and translation, voice clips, Webcam support, Chat logs, Conferencing support and more.
Microsoft Outlook to Thunderbird: Say that you decided to switch to OpenOffice, but you need an email client to replace Microsoft’s Outlook. Try Mozilla’s Thunderbird, an application that carries a similar interface and that is easy to use. Additionally, you can use Lightning to integrate Mozilla’s Sunbird calendar application with Thunderbird.
Skype to Wengophone: Skype is a very strong freeware internet VoIP (Voice over IP) product in the telecommunications industry. It started with a simple and free PC-to-PC telephony, but today offers full integration with existing telephone systems. Skype today also offers voicemail, video conversations and sending SMSs. Its open source alternative, WengoPhone, also provides free PC-to-PC calls as well as chat and video conferencing. Created by Wengo, this phone also can provide SMS and call-out features that allow users to communicate with any phone at reasonable prices.

Media

iTunes to Songbird: If you’re accustomed to the equation where “Apple + iPod + iTunes” equals a ton of money, then you might consider a switch to Songbird. Songbird is an open source player and a platform committed to “playing the music you want + from the sites you want + on the devices you want.” Songbird thereby challenges the conventions of discovery, purchase, consumption and organization of music on the Internet.
Nero Burning Rom to K3b: Nero Burning Rom is a popular tool to burn CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs. This software includes backup, cd copying, audio features and more, and it’s easy to use. But, it’s not open source like K3b (Windows). This latter program creates and burns CDs and DVDs, including ripping with DivX/XviD encoding, DVD copy, ISO burning, Video CD (VCD) creation, Audio CD creation for almost any audio file, CD-TEXT support for audio CDs, support for DVD-RW and DVD+RW and much more. Oh, and did we add that it was easy to use?
Quicktime to Darwin Streaming Server: Apple’s QuickTime 7 Pro is good for everything from creating podcasts to transcoding media in more than a dozen formats. And, the software isn’t that expensive when compared to other products. But, why not use an open source application that shares the same code base as Quicktime Streaming Server? Darwin Streaming Server is an open source project that’s perfect for developers who need to stream QuickTime and MPEG-4 media on platforms such as Windows, Linux, and Solaris.
TiVo Desktop to Galleon.tv: Tivo-to-Go users were disappointed to discover that their Tivo software wouldn’t work with Windows Vista. Some answers to this problem included spending more time and money on various solutions that might work to restore that software’s functionality. One solution included using the open source software, Galleon, instead of trying to “fix” Tivo or Windows Vista. Galleon is a free open source media server for the TiVo® DVR which allows you to enjoy many kinds of content and interactive applications right on your TV. The server runs on your home computer and organizes your media collection so that they can be viewed on your home network. Galleon also brings Internet content and applications to your TV.
Windows Media Player to Miro: This application seems ubiquitous…no matter what you try to open, Windows Media Player is in your face, right? Well, replace that in-your-face attitude with Miro, an open source program that turns your computer into an internet TV. Miro has 2,500 unrestricted channels with a huge selection of HD content. Plus, you have access to any publisher with video RSS feeds, including anyone on YouTube, Revver, Blip, and many, many more.

Utilities

CuteFTP to Filezilla: Sure, CuteFTO is cute, but it’s not free. Sure, it’s reliable, but so are many other File Transfer Protocol applications. Try Filezilla, a fast FTP and SFTP client for Windows with tons of features - easy to install, easy to use, very reliable, secure, and open source.
iBackup to ZManda: Who can you trust with your backup files? It’s difficult to decide, as price alone means nothing. You want safe, reliable servers or tools that can keep your backups available and intact. iBackup has proven to be worthy of that task, but you might want to look at ZManda as well. This open source solution protects more than half a million of servers and desktops running various versions of Linux, UNIX, BSD, Mac OS-X and Microsoft Windows operating systems worldwide. Not only do they backup information, they’re into recovery as well.
Norton Ghost to Partition Image: Norton Ghost isn’t a shabby backup system, as it’s a complete tool that backs up everything but the kitchen sink. If you have a complete disk failure, Norton Ghost can bring it back to life on a new hard disk (although you don’t need to make a complete backup every time). You can take this backup to external drives, CDs or DVDs. If you’re an open source advocate, however, Norton Ghost doesn’t cut the cake. You’ll want something like Partition Image (for Linux) or Ghost for Unix (G4U) for Windows or Unix users. Both tools are disk cloners that act differently, but they’re as robust as Norton Ghost. Read more at their respective Web sites before you make the jump. (For a complete rescue disk including Partition Image see SystemRescueCd).
Rational Purify to Valgrind: IBM’s Purify is a well respected and much used debugging tool. It uses topnotch memory corruption and memory leak detection to keep hard-to-find bugs from any application. As an open source alternative, Valgrind also detects leaks and other memory related programming errors. But, it also detects threading bugs and includes a call-graph profiler that detects bottlenecks in code. as well as threading bugs. A user might say that Valgrind is better than Purify, even if it is open source.
WinZip to 7-Zip: Some of us grew up with WinZip, so it’s sad to say goodbye. But, we all gotta leave home at some point, and when the open source 7-Zip beckons, maybe you should heed the call…

Security

Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal to Winpooch: Kaspersky Anti-Virus probably is among the top products on the market for Windows-based anti-virus tools, mainly because it’s well known for its outstanding detection rates. It commits to multiple tasks as it protects against viruses, script viruses, checks file archives (such as zip files) and removes viruses from mail. It also provides protection against spyware as well as adware. As an open source alternative, however, Winpooch also scans files on your computer, detects malware, and prevents all the viruses, trojan horses and other problems that Kaspersky hunts down as well. Winpooch, by the way, adds a real-time scanning capability that ClamWin (noted below) lacks.
McAfee VirusScan to ClamWin: McAfee is well known as one of the oldest companies in the anti-virus market. Many individuals need to deal with this software company, as its tools come packaged with many new Windows OS computer systems. The plus side to McAfee is that it is reliable and that it offers 24/7 support. The downside is that it’s not open source. ClamWin, on the other hand, is a free Antivirus for Microsoft Windows 98/Me/2000/XP/2003. It features high detection rates, scheduler, automatic download of virus database updates and a plug-in for Microsoft Outlook. As noted above, ClamWin doesn’t provide on access realtime scanning, but when combined with WinPooch, this capability is added.
Norton Personal Firewall to WIPFW: Many people could work with Norton in their sleep, as this company has been around that long. The Norton Personal Firewall for Windows will monitor and check all Internet traffic and it will reject any attack or intrusion attempt. Ubiquitous popups and permissions are part of the game, as it seems that each new Website carries its own set of Norton no-nos. As an alternative, WIPFW is a firewall for Windows based on IPFW for FreeBSD UNIX. It provides virtually the same features, functionality, and user interface as Norton Personal Firewall. The big difference? WIPFW is open source.

Financial

Authorize.net to OpenSSL: Granted, Authorize.Net’s preferred payment gateway connection, Advanced Integration Menthod (AIM), provides the highest level of customization and security to merchants for submitting transactions online. But, why pay for a secure SSL when you can get an open source product for free? The OpenSSL Project is a collaborative effort to develop a robust, commercial-grade, full-featured, and Open Source toolkit implementing the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL v2/v3) and Transport Layer Security (TLS v1) protocols as well as a full-strength general purpose cryptography library. A worldwide community of volunteers uses the Internet to communicate, plan, and develop the OpenSSL toolkit and its related documentation manages the project.
Microsoft Money (Plus) to TurboCash: While Microsfot Money Plus is much more than a personal accounting software, Turbocash can boast that claim plus more. Turbocash is open source and free to use. In fact, you might compare TurboCash more to Quickbooks than to Microsoft Money. However, as a personal finance tool, TurboCash is much more user-friendly to the average home budgeter than Compiere.
Quickbooks to Compiere: Few people are unfamiliar with Quickbooks, as this software has made its way into many a small business computer. If you feel that few opportunities exist to switch, think again. Compiere, produced by Global Era, provides one solution to open source ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) solutions for any small to large business. Compiere 3.0 marks the introduction of Compiere Professional Edition, a new premium offering targeted at larger organizations that require more advanced services and commercial licensing from Compiere.

Now I prepare a software page, that you can quick download the hottest and the most popular software from this page.

if you feel any software will be good than the Top 132 software, please tell me.

6 Ways To Convert A PDF To A JPG Image

2008-12-22T00:07:00.000-08:00

Those software download address:
PDF-Xchange Viewer
OmniFormat
ImagePrinter

The solution begs the question – why convert a PDF document to a JPG image? The answer lies in the way we view PDF documents.

PDF requires an external application like Adobe Acrobat Reader (or any other free variants) while JPG does not.
Browsers have the built-in capability to display images while handling PDF documents requires an external application or plug-in which may or may not be present.
An external application comes with the handicap of loading times. Plus the rendering of a PDF document happens only after the complete document is downloaded while images can be streamed in.
Office applications also do a better job of handling images in comparison to PDF. To cite an example, a PowerPoint presentation with an embedded image goes faster than with a PDF document.

So, in some specific cases converting your PDF documents to an image format like JPG or JPEG could be the solution we are looking for.

1. Convert PDF to JPG (The Web Way)

No installations – just browse to these websites, upload your files and it’s done.

Zamzar

Perhaps, the most well known of the file conversion sites. Zamzar has been previously mentioned in Top Onlin File Converters. The process is simplicity personified: Choose the file to convert then choose the format to convert to (e.g. JPG) then enter your email address to receive the converted file then convert.

The minuses with the free service are that the file size is limited to 100MB with just 5 simultaneous conversions. Also, you might feel a wee bit uneasy uploading sensitive data without encryption support.

YouConvertIt (Beta)

Another previous mention at MakeUseOf but just warrants a second look here because it too does a similar job of converting a PDF file to its JPG equivalent. You can upload 5 files at the same time.

As YouConvertIt is still in beta, expect some conversion attempt failures.

Neevia Document Converter

Neevia Technology has a web interface which facilitates the conversion of PDF documents to image files. Select the conversion settings and upload your file. The converted file can be rendered in the browser or can be downloaded via an email link. Two dropdowns further give you control over image quality and resolution. The only visible restriction is the 1MB file upload size limit.

If you are wary of uploading sensitive files over the net, you need to look beyond the online solutions to something much more local. Thankfully these three pieces of free software take up the task.

2. PDF to JPG Converters for The Desktop

PDF-Xchange Viewer (Windows)

PDF-Xchange Viewer is a light feature-rich PDF document reader. The free version of the software is a capable document handler with most of the standard features expected. Add comments and annotations, mark-up pages with texts and objects, type within the PDF document along with plug-ins for both IE and Firefox are also included.

But the feature which interests us is the ability of the software to export a file or a page to the supported image formats like JPEG, BMP, TIFF, PNG and more.

Open the PDF file in the viewer, click on File – Export to Image and the dialog opens up where you can set the pages to convert, the image type to convert to and the destination folder. More importantly, the ‘Export Mode’ setting allows you to designate the number of image files for the subject PDF file. The ‘Page Zoom’, ‘Resolution’ and ‘Page Background’ also allow added finishing touches.

OmniFormat (Windows)

‘Omni’ means all and the OmniFormat document conversion utility lives up to the name. The free version permits active conversion and image handling of over 75 file formats including HTML, DOC, XLS, WPD, PDF, XML, JPG, GIF, TIF, PNG, PCX, PPT, PS, TXT, Photo CD, FAX and MPEG.

Using OmniFormat requires the installation of Pdf995 (it’s free too). Pdf995 is a fast and flexible PDF printer driver which makes it easy to publish PDF documents from any program. Pdf995 needs to be installed prior to the installation of OmniFormat. The free version of the software opens with a timed ad display.

This annoying part done with, the software itself is uncomplicated. It sets up a ‘Watch’ folder (or lets you set it up yourself). Any PDF file that has to be converted to JPG is copied into this folder. With the press of the ‘Single Pass’ button each single page of the PDF gets converted into the JPG format. With the ‘Start Monitoring’ button, PDF files can be repeatedly dropped into the watch folder for conversion.

Note of Caution: OmniFormat deletes the original PDF file in the watch folder after conversion…so be sure to copy the file you want to convert.

Virtual Image Printer Driver (Windows)

This open source application installs as an additional printer on the Printer’s applet and can convert any printable document to a BMP, PNG, JPG, TIFF or a PDF file. The Virtual Image Printer driver is based on the Microsoft universal printer driver core.

Simply, open the PDF file and print it by selecting the Image Printer Driver in the ‘Print’ dialog. The image file format and the compression range can be set in the Image Printer options box.

And When Everything Fails…

If you are away from a net connection and in want of the software’, the trusty ‘Print Screen’ button aided with any image handling application like MS Paint or IrfanView can do a stand-in job. I should know – I went this way before I came across the other six ways.

Do you know of any other methods?

(From makeuseof.com)

Most Popular Free Windows Downloads of 2008

2008-12-18T23:26:00.000-08:00

In the past year we've highlighted hundreds of Windows apps aimed at making your life easier, boosting your computer productivity, and powering up your PC.For those of you who weren't able to keep up, here's a look back at the most popular Windows downloads of 2008.Keep in mind that this list is based on the popularity of posts we've published in 2008 only, regardless of the original release date of the app. Many were brand new this year, while others were solid updates to popular software. Here's the full run-down of the 12 most popular Windows downloads of 2008:

Firefox 3 Is Released, We Download

Firefox 3 was easily one of the biggest events in software in 2008 regardless of what platform you run. We may be well on the way to Firefox 3.1 now, but if you're looking to brush up on your Firefox 3 chops, be sure to check out the top 10 Firefox 3 features and our power user's guide to Firefox 3.

Mojo Downloads Music from Your Friends' iTunes Libraries Over the Internet

Mojo makes it easy to download music from your friends' iTunes libraries over the internet. Mojo comes in both free and premium flavors, but the free version offers plenty of functionality for the money. If you're just getting started with Mojo, check out our guide to using Mojo.

Free PDF to Word Doc Converter Does What It Sounds Like

It's easy to convert or print Microsoft Word documents to PDF, but what about when you want to go the other way around? The aptly named Free PDF to Word Doc Converter does exactly that. (Original post)

OurTunes Grabs Music from Shared iTunes Libraries

If the limitations on Mojo aren't for you, the open-source classic ourTunes—which downloads music from any shared iTunes library on your network—made a comeback earlier this year, as a new developer took up the reigns and continues to release updates. (Original post)

CCleaner Clears the Crap from Your PC

The popular PC colonic CCleaner (the first 'C' stands for Crap) pushed out a 2.0 release earlier this year and you were quick to update and enjoy the crap cleaning goodies. (Original post)

AVG Free Anti-Virus 2008

AVG Free Anti-Virus 2008 hit the streets in May, and the application that you voted the best antivirus applications for Windows was unsurprisingly popular. (Original post)

Windows Vista Service Pack 1

Microsoft released the first major service pack for Vista, Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (x64 version), in March, and you were eager to download and update to the latest and greatest from Redmond. (Original post)

Hotspot Shield Gets Around US-Only Blocks and Content Filtering

Looking to protect your browsing privacy or access US-only content from outside the US? HotSpot Shield received a lot of attention in '08 from users looking to do that and more. (Original post)

Quick Media Converter Easily Converts Media to Any Format

Quick Media Converter converts virtually any media file (audio or video) from one format to another. The application has an emphasis on simplicity: Just drag and drop a file you want to convert onto the app, click the icon of the device you're converting for, and let Quick Media Converter take care of the rest. (Original post)

DExposE2 Brings OS X's Expose to Windows

Freeware application DExposE2 is a clone of Mac OS X's Expose feature for Windows XP and Vista, providing an attractive, innovative interface for switching and managing windows in Windows. Check out the original post to see a video DExposE2 in action.

Dropbox Instantly Syncs Files Across the Internet

Instantaneous file syncing was huge in 2008, with free, cross-platform application Dropbox leading the pack. Dropbox boasts web-based version control, fast and instant syncs, and a dead-simple setup. Among other things, Dropbox makes for the perfect password syncer. (Original post)

Executor Challenges Launchy, Impresses

Open-source application Launchy has long been a favorite of savvy keyboarders looking for quick app launching in Windows, but a saucy newcomer called Executor hit the ground running when it was released earlier this year. Check out our original post for a more detailed rundown of what makes Executor so impressive.

Sharepod Frees Your iPod from iTunes

Want to free yourself from the shackles of iTunes but still want full functionality from your iPod? Sharepod is a lightweight iTunes alternative that runs directly from your iPod, so it's with you whenever and wherever you plug in your player. (Original post)

Whether or not your favorite Windows download of '08 won out in the popularity contest, let's hear more about your favorite

Those software download adderss:
Firefox
Mojo
Free PDF to Word Doc Converter
OurTunes
CCleaner
AVG Free Anti-Virus
Windows Vista Service Pack 1
HotSpot Shield
Quick Media Converter
Dropbox
Launchy
Executor
Sharepod

(From lifehacker.com)

Top 10 Free Windows Downloads

2008-12-03T23:40:00.000-08:00

At every turn on the internet, someone's offering a free software download for your PC. But separating the wheat from the evilware-addled chaff isn't for busy users with better things to do than test applications all day long. That's where we come in.

Today we've got our top picks of free Windows software downloads that will make your PC faster, stronger, more functional and productive. This list was tough to whittle down from a huge field of candidate applications, but that means our 10 choices are that much stronger.

Read on for 10 great free Windows downloads sure to make your PC experience that much better.

10. 7zip 9. Foxit Reader (PDF reader) 8. SyncBack (backup utility)

7. Picasa (photo manager) 6. Notepad++ (text editor) 5. foobar2000 (media player)

4. Pidgin(GAIM) (instant messenger) 3. Paint.NET (image editor) 2. Launchy (keyboard launcher)

1. Mozilla Firefox I like the Chrome better than firefox. (web browser)

Lifehacker photo galleries require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

(From Lifehacker.com)

4 Packs to Transform Windows to other OS

2008-12-03T00:51:00.000-08:00

Those software download address:
Vista Transformation Pack
Mac OS Transformation Pack(Leopard Mods On XP)
FlyakiteOSX
Fedora Transformation Pack

It’s a new year, why not give your years old XP operating system a new look? If you’re bored of having to look at the same kind of icons and eyecandy everytime, you can download and install these free transformation packs, and transform XP to look like any other OS.

(Note: Some of the listed transformation packs are quite extensive so please read installation guidelines carefully)

Vista Transformation Pack

Vista Transformation Pack does all kinds of appearance tweaks, and makes Windows XP look like Vista. From icons, transparency to new sounds, this pack does it all to make your XP look like Windows Vista.

Mac OS Transformation Pack

[bigger image]

Transforms XP to look like Mac OS X 10.5. Some important components like Windows Explorer and other shell files are patched to mimic Mac OS X appearance. Work only with Windows XP SP2 (English version).

FlyakiteOSX

Again, make your windows look like Mac OS X. However, it’s much more comprehensive than the above one. This enhancement utility does everything from registry tweaks, visual styles, sounds, icons to imitate the appearance of Mac OS X. See other screenshots here. If you’re using iTunes then make sure to deselect ‘iTunes Multi-Pugin’ option (under ‘Software’) in the installation wizard.

Fedora Transformation Pack

This tool is intended for making XP resemble the Fedora Linux Distro. Though the utility just packs a simple visual style, it does include icons, screensavers and wallpapers, and other Fedora-like skins for programs.

~~Ubuntu Transformation Pack~~(Not available)

This pack contains visual styles, icons and other patches that can give the brownish Ubuntu look to Windows XP. If you just can’t get Ubuntu working on your PC, but still love its looks, you can download this pack. [via]

(From makeuseof.com)

Software How-Tos

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Step 2: Get the Maximum PC Essential InstallPad Application List

Step 3: Run InstallPad

Cucusoft Videos to DVD/VCD Converter Pro Special Offer for 50% discount!

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FLV to Video Converter Pro Special offer for 50% OFF!

Secure Your Vista PC in 10 Easy Steps - 2

Disable the Start Up menu

Get Two-Way Firewall Protection

Lock Out Unwanted Guests

Now Audit Your Attackers

Secure Your Internet Explorer Settings

Use OpenDNS

Live With User Account Control

Check Your Work

Secure Your Vista PC in 10 Easy Steps - 1

Use Windows Security Center as a Starting Point

Use Windows Defender as a Diagnostic Tool

Make Your Scroll Wheel Work in Every Window

Back Up Your Registry

How to Protect Your Online Passwords

Easy-to-Guess Passwords

Password Protection With Public PCs

How to Recover Deleted Files with Free Software

Part I: The Overview

1. Stop What You're Doing

2. Find the Right File Recovery Program

3. Recover Your Files

Part 2: More Specific Problems

Recover Files from a Wiped or Unbootable Hard Drive

Recover Lost Photos

Recover Lost Word Documents

Recover Data from Scratched or Corrupted CDs and DVDs

Part 3: Don't Let This Happen Again

10 lightweight apps to make older PCs fly

Fast Fixes for Common PC Problems(6) - Mobile

Stop Paying for Movies You Already Own

Copy Recorded TV Shows to Your iPod/iPhone

Make Your Own iPhone Ring Tones

Recover Lost Photos From Your Camera's Memory Card

Replace a Failing iPod Battery

Rescue a Wet Cell Phone

Get Driving Directions--While You're Driving

Fast Fixes for Common PC Problems(5) - Web

Keep Your Kids Safe Online

E-Mail Large Files Easily

Sync Google Docs With Your PC

Give Gmail a Major Makeover

Fast Fixes for Common PC Problems(4) - Networking

Help PCs on Your Home Network ‘See' One Another

Stop Your Neighbors From Stealing Your Wi-Fi Bandwidth

Boost Wi-Fi Signals to Reach All Corners of Your Home

Fast Fixes for Common PC Problems(3) - Hardware

Clean Up USB Cable Clutter