Review Chairman's Industry Comments (10/03)
The Computer Buffet
by Herb Goldstein, Review Editor
E-mail comments, suggestions, etc. to Herb Goldstein at:
revieweditor@spcug.org
BAD HYPERLINK?? Occasionally for reasons beyond our control, a
hyperlink provided here will not work. After carefully checking your
typing (needs to be 100% accurate), the only suggestion we can offer is
that you go to Google and enter the name of the software. If a more
current hyperlink is available, this is the best place to look for it.
Please also note: Most of the software mentioned below is
freeware. It is gathered through researching usually reliable sources. I
do not personally try most references, time being the obvious factor.
NOTE-PAD PLUS. Word processors are a powerful way to
create documents. Sometimes they’re too powerful. Occasionally, you just
need a place to put simple text. Maybe it’s a quick note or piece of
code. You don’t need to spend the time booting Word. Microsoft
understands this. Windows comes with Notepad. This is a barebones text
editor. You get some white space and a cursor. That’s it. You’re taking
a big jump from a million features to none.
Is there something between those extremes? Sure. Try
Notepad++. It’s just as easy to use. But you can open multiple documents
in different tabs. You have some formatting options. And there’s a lot
more. But you aren’t forced to wade through any of it. Use what you
want; forget the rest. Anyone who plays with code will also enjoy
Notepad++. It supports dozens of programming languages, including HTML,
C++ and Java. It will automatically color code correct syntax and tags.
And it can auto-complete regularly used phrases.
www.notepadplus.sourceforge.net
YOUTUBE DOWNLOADER. It’s software that allows you to
download videos from YouTube, including HD and HQ videos, and many
others and convert them to other video formats. The program is easy to
use, just specify the URL for the video you want to download and click
the Ok. It also allows you to convert downloaded videos for iPod, iPhone,
PSP, Cell Phone, Windows Media, XVid and MP3. Allows you to access
YouTube videos for which you need to be 18+ years of age. Now, plays
videos downloaded.
http://youtubedownload.altervista.org/
TRANSLATION MADE FREE AND EASY. How would you like
to convert a word or paragraph into practically any major language?
Imagine the possibilities. You could write to friends or clients in
their native language. Communication barriers could be obliterated.
Well, now you can quickly translate among 37 languages. Translate.Net
does this wondrous thing. This free program utilizes multiple online
translators and dictionaries. It will search multiple translation
sources. So, you’ll get several translations.
Enter the text you would like to translate. Select the
languages. Then, click the Translate menu and select Translate. Or press
Ctrl+Enter. You’ll get your translations in seconds. Computer
translations aren’t perfect. Many languages, including French and
Spanish, have formal and informal translations. Also, watch for words in
red. These were not found or translated in your search. Choose the
translation with the fewest red words. Also, look for translations with
the most similar matches.
www.translateclient.googlepages.com
WATERMARK IMAGE SOFTWARE. When it comes to embedding
a watermark in digital images, almost any image editing program will do.
But when you have dozens of images that need the same treatment, it’s
easier to work with a dedicated tool like Watermark Image.
Watermark-Image.com
XPLORER2 LITE is a file and information manager that
adheres to the philosophy efficiency through simplicity. Without
reinventing the wheel, it integrates the best features of Windows shell
architecture in a small, resource efficient package that’s instantly
familiar to work with. But look a little closer and you’ll discover a
whole new world under the surface that offers power, precision and
flexibility and will boost your everyday productivity
Eat your heart out, Windows Explorer. This powerhouse
file manager beats the pants off Microsoft’s built-in utility on almost
every count. Start with the interface: Xplorer2 lets you browse two or
more folders in one window using panes (as in Total Commander or FAR)
and tabs. You can save several window layouts and quickly switch among
them when necessary. Visual filters let you more easily navigate
overcrowded directories. Selecting several files is a breeze, since you
don’t have to hold down the Ctrl key.
Xplorer2’s tweaks aren’t limited to the interface,
either. You can rename multiple files at once, split and merge files,
synchronize folders, and shred data to prevent recovery. The program
supports NTFS hard links (which are more powerful than shortcuts,
allowing you, for instance, to move the source file without breaking a
link). An enhanced DOS command line lets you create scripts for
processing file batches. All in all, there’s a good chance you won’t go
back to Windows Explorer once you get a look at Xplorer2.
http://download.cnet.com/Xplorer2-Lite/3000-2248_4-10407731.html
TURN OFF USER ACCOUNT CONTROL (VISTA). There’s a
lot of talk about the new user account control policy in Vista, which in
my opinion is really annoying and slows down my normal computer usage.
To turn it off, the easiest way is to go into the Control Panel and of
"Turn User Account Control (UAC) on or off". Just follow the prompts
from there.
To keep some of the security of the UAC, you can just
turn off the part where it blacks out your screen before doing many
tasks. Note that this only works if you have Vista Business, Ultimate,
and Enterprise versions. To do this:
-
Open group policy (Start | Run | gpedit.msc)
-
Navigate to Computer Configuration | Windows
Settings | Security Settings | Local Policies | Security Options
-
Find the policy named ‘User Account Control:
Switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation’. Set this to
disabled.
Now that’s more like it! No more big brother lurking
in the background asking for my permission on almost every single task.
WINDOWS LIVE PHOTO GALLERY. Windows Live Photo
Gallery proves that you can get world-class software without paying a
dime. It has superb organizer features, including adjustable thumbnail
sizes, keyword tagging, and the ability to upload photos directly to
Windows Live Spaces and Flickr. My favorite feature is the panoramic
stitching tool. http://download.live.com/photogallery
POP-UP STOPPER FREE. Very few of us have a warm
place in our hearts for browser windows that pop up in front of the
screen without permission. The free Pop-Up Stopper prevents them (and
pop-under windows) from displaying. You can have sounds notify you when
a pop-up has been blocked. The program also allows you to briefly
disable the blocking by double-clicking the system tray icon or by
pressing Shift or Ctrl when following a new link. This version features
a new ad-blocking technology, an improved interface, and more sound and
visual options to play when an ad is blocked. This free version is one
of four versions offered. Check the at comparison chart the vendor
website to determine which one best suits your needs.
www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,8060-order,4/description.html
ENHANCEMYSE7EN FREE. For Windows 7 users.
Although Windows 7 may be easier to use than Vista or XP, performing
diagnostic and maintenance chores remains tricky. EnhanceMySe7en Free is
a utility bundle for anyone interested in doing a little system
housekeeping. The tool does a fine job of helping you select which
programs to load at startup. It also lets you monitor your hard drive’s
performance, health, and temperature; and it enables you to fiddle with
the Registry. www.seriousbit.com/
IMPROVE SATA DISK DRIVE PERFORMANCE (VISTA). If
you have a SATA disk drive, you can squeeze a little more performance
out of it by enabling Microsoft’s write caching for drives. The catch is
that there’s an increased risk for data loss/corruption should you
experienced a power loss. This risk is less in laptops because of its
battery.
-
Click on the Start Button (that’s the round
Windows logo button on the bottom left of your screen).
-
Type "Device Manager" and hit Enter.
-
Expand Disk Drives (click the "+" sign).
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Right-click on your hard disk drive and select
Properties.
-
On the Policies tab, check Enable Advanced
Performance.
-
Click OK and close Device Manager.Now your disk drive should be faster, which in turn
means many of your programs will load faster.
WIKIMAPIA. As its name suggests, it has turned
online maps into a wiki. That means anyone can edit the maps. If you
notice an error, you can fix it. You can also add new streets or
attractions. As with Google Maps, WikiMapia’s maps are interactive. You
can zoom in or out and pan. There are also the satellite images we’ve
come to expect. You’ll find a lot of other cool features.
www.wikimapia.org
CARDBOILED. This site has both humorous and
serious e-cards.Many people still mail greeting cards. But that can be
expensive. Plus, it’s time-consuming and technologically backward.
There’s a better way. Send e-cards online for free. It’s fast and easy
to e-mail them to anyone. And you can find many e-card sites online.
www.cardboiled.com/ecards/holidays/index.jhtml
MEMORY VIEWER. With Memory Viewer you can view
your system memory configuration without having to open your PC or
laptop! Not only does Memory Viewer show you the channel, size and
speed, but it also shows you the type of memory: SDRAM, DDR, etc.
www.rjlsoftware.com
SHORTCUT KEY EXPLORER. Shortcut Key Explorer will
help you manage the list of shortcut keys you have loaded on your
computer. Simply run Shortcut Key Explorer and it will automatically
load the existing shortcut keys and display them in an easy to read
list. From this list you can double-click on any item and edit the
properties of the Windows shortcut. www.rjlsoftware.com
RENAME MASTER is a free utility for renaming
large groups of files with a few clicks. Anyone that has worked with
websites, file archives, or collections of music, videos, or pictures
has probably spent way too much time renaming hundreds of files. This
utility will add, remove, or replace parts of the filename with ease and
also supports renaming via file properties, MP3 tags, JPEG JFIF and EXIF
tags. www.joejoesoft.com
BROWSE WITHOUT LEAVING A TRACE Even after
clearing out the cookie jar, your operating system continues to store
more information about what you’ve been up to, like cached DNS lookups
flash cookies. It’s worth noting that you won’t be able to erase all of
your tracks all the time; if you are browsing stuff that you shouldn’t
at work, you can still get caught by a system admin even if the history
on your PC is gone. On your own PC, however, this report will show how
to boost your browsing privacy. www.lifehacker.com
DON’T FORGET THE MILK. You’ve got a lot of things
on your plate. Keeping everything straight isn’t easy. The small stuff
can slip through the cracks. Everyone needs an occasional reminder. But
it’s easy to get swamped in sticky notes. It’s never-ending. You need a
way to organize your reminders. Remember The Milk will do just that. It
lets you create detailed reminders. And you can organize them by
project. So, you only have to see the reminders you need.
www.rememberthemilk.com/
SPEEDFAN. If your computer keeps
crashing while doing labor-intensive tasks like playing 3D games, it
could be overheating and in need of a new CPU fan, a video-card cooler,
or just some cleaning. SpeedFan, which displays system temperatures from
your internal sensors, will tell you for sure.
www.softpedia.com/get/System/System.../SpeedFan.shtml
SET OWNER 1.0. Set Owner 1.0 is a mini utility
that lets you quickly and safely change the registered owner and
organization in Windows (the information you see when you run Winver
command). Portable and simple to use, Set Owner 1.0 has been tested on
Win XP and Win 7. www.leelusoft.blogspot.com
ACTIVE DIRECTORY EDITOR. This utility will load
the Active Directory user account attributes for the Domain you are
currently logged in to. All three attribute types, Standard, Mandatory
and Optional are loaded. Also added is the ability to use different
values for each account changed in multiple account mode.
www.arconi.com
DEVICE DOCTOR. Many things can cause computer
problems. But device drivers can be the most confusing culprits. These
allow your hardware peripherals (printer, keyboard, etc.) to work with
your computer. But they occasionally need updates. But driver updates
are a tricky thing. Some come through Windows Update. Some peripheral
software regularly checks for updates. But for some, you’d never know
when an update is needed. Device Doctor is a great solution. It scans
your computer hardware and looks for available updates. And you can
download new drivers at the touch of a button. This free program is fast
and easy to use. There is also a portable version that can be loaded on
a thumb drive. You can check the drivers on any PC.
www.devicedoctor.com
WINDOWSPAGER. Virtual desktops help you keep open
programs organized by putting each one into a separate virtual space.
You can have your Web browser and e-mail in one desktop, and then switch
to another that holds your word processing windows, for instance.
WindowsPager provides four such virtual desktops.
windowspager.sourceforge.net/
SPEEDUP YOUR COMPUTER. in Windows XP, open the
System control panel and click the Advanced tab. Click Settings and then
select the radio button marked Adjust for best performance. This will
turn off some of the frilly effects, such as drop shadows under your
menus, and make Windows a little snappier.
In Vista, start by disabling the resource hog known
as the Sidebar. In both Vista and Windows 7, turn off the Aero
environment to reclaim some of your PC’s lost memory and processor
power. To do this, right-click the desktop and choose Personalize from
the context menu.
In Vista, click Window color and appearance, and then
uncheck the box for Enable Transparency. In Windows 7, select the theme
labeled Windows 7 Basic.
WINDOWS 7 SYSTEM REPAIR DISK. You never know when
some catastrophe will strike your PC, rendering it unable to boot. And
because few vendors these days bundle actual operating-system discs,
it’s up to you to build a bootable CD or DVD that can help save the day.
Thankfully, Windows 7 makes this quite easy. Just click Start, type
repair, and then click Create a System Repair Disc. Pop a blank CD or
DVD into your drive (netbook users will need to connect an external
one), click Create disc, and then sit back while Windows gets to work.
When it’s done, label the disc, file it away, and hope you never need
it. If you do, you can boot the disc to load a basic repair environment
with diagnostic tools and System Restore. The important thing to
remember is that you can’t do this after a problem has occurred; you
need to create your repair disc ahed of time. So take 10 minutes and do
it right now. At some point in the future, you may be awfully glad you
did.
WINTOFLASH will help pull over the contents of a
Windows installation CD or DVD and prep the USB drive to become a
bootable replacement for the optical drive. It can also do this with any
Linux LiveCD. You don’t have to worry about scratches on the disc or
misplacing your original media discs once you transfer their contents to
the flash drive. The optical drive is quickly becoming a thing of the
past, especially in office environments, where media is shifting to the
cloud technology. http://wintoflash.com
100 FREE MICROSOFT GAMES. Microsoft offers over
100 online games to play, free of charge. From Ranch Rush to Bumper
Stars, there is sure to be one that will interest you.
www.microsoft.com/games/playyourgame
HOW TO RESTART EXPLORER.EXE. Sometimes
Explorer.exe will shut down, leaving your XP desktop with no taskbar.
That’s not good. You can fix it by rebooting, but you might lose data
that way, and it can take a while. You can restart Explorer.exe and get
your toolbar back without rebooting. Here’s how:
Press CTRL + ALT + DEL to invoke Task Manager In Task
Manager, click the Applications tab,
Click File -- New Task In the "Create New Task"
window, type explorer.exe
Click OK This restarts the Explorer shell and you can
get back to whatever you were doing.
VISTASWITCHER (64-BIT VERSION). VistaSwitcher
replaces the hoary, ancient, alt-tab program switcher attached to Vista
like the vestigial leg bones buried deep inside a blue whale. As well as
providing a much more aesthetically pleasing task switching window,
VistaSwitcher provides a lot more functionality.
www.ntwind.com/software/vistaswitcher.html
COPY AND MOVE FILES IN BULK. Organizing the files
on your computer can take a lot of time. Moving files between folders or
hard drives can take a while. And Windows doesn’t handle the operation
as well as it could. You can drag-and-drop files between windows. But
the transfer can take a while. And things don’t always go smoothly. If a
single file fails, the entire operation shuts down. You have to figure
out where it went wrong and start over. TeraCopy is a free better way.
You can queue up the files you want to move or copy. This lets you pull
files from multiple locations. Then just click the start button. The
process is much faster than dragging-and-dropping. The program also lets
you pause active transfers. You can focus on other tasks. Then you can
pick up the transfer where you left off. It also smartly handles
failures. Failed files are simply skipped. They don’t stop the entire
transfer. You can then retry problem files.
www.codesector.com
CSMENU. Do wish the Windows 7 functioned the way
the it used to in the good old days before Windows Vista? If so, you’ll
want to download the free CSMenu, which lets you navigate the Start Menu
using the old-fashioned flyaway approach.
www.ordinarysoft.com/index.html
KMPLAYER is one of the most powerful freeware
video players we’ve seen. It includes a vast array of video- and
audio-capturing options, as well as skins, a plethora of playback
controls and tweaks, and broad DVD support.You’ll have to learn the
ropes yourself, perhaps a hindrance to newcomers. But if you’re familiar
with where things ought to be in programs, and willing to patiently wait
for mouse-over labels to pop up and then click on them for the actual
menus, KMPlayer has the potential to be immensely rewarding. It supports
all major file formats, and all of the minor and obscure ones we tested.
It did have problems with the RealPlayer 11’s video capture IVR format,
but not much else.
Advanced options include frame capture and a
frame-forward feature, which is actually a fractional Play button, but
the difference is negligible. The Pause button is a fast responder, too.
Combined with streaming TV and HDTV compatibility, playlists, and the
ability to select which codec is used on a video-by-video basis, and you
get a media player that demands attention.
kmplayer.en.softonic.com
PC WIZARD is also an utility designed to analyze
and benchmark your computer system. It can analyze and benchmark many
kinds of hardware, such as CPU performance, Cache performance, RAM
performance, Hard Disk performance, CD/DVD-ROM performance,
Removable/FLASH Media performance, Video performance, MP3 compression
performance.
Since 1996 PC WIZARD is among the most advanced
system information programs on the market. PC WIZARD is a powerful
utility designed especially for detection of hardware, but also some
more analysis. It’s able to identify a large scale of system components
and supports the latest technologies and standards. This tool is
periodically updated (usually once per month) in order to provide most
accurate results. www.cpuid.com/pcwizard.php
USE READYBOOST (VISTA). ReadyBoost is a Vista
feature that uses a compatible USB flash device to enhance performance.
Note that the oft-misunderstood feature isn’t a replacement for a memory
upgrade, and it doesn’t affect game performance." You won’t see higher
frame rates by adding a keychain drive to your system.
ReadyBoost caches disk reads on the fly and can often
speed up data access. Reads from a USB key or other ReadyBoost device
are much faster than random reads from a platter on the hard drive.
ReadyBoost data is encrypted, so if someone swipes
the flash device he or she can’t tell what you’ve been up to. It’s
secure, and it really does speed up access in certain instances.
To enable ReadyBoost, just plug in a flash device
(Microsoft recommends one about the same size as your system’s main
memory. For instance, if you have 2GB of RAM, grab a 2GB ReadyBoost
device). The system will automatically detect the drive and offer to use
it either as an external drive or as a ReadyBoost drive. Simply choose
the latter. You can change the amount of memory on the device is used
for speed. Windows will recommend the amount it can use with the most
efficiency. Click OK and you’re done. Adding a ReadyBoost drive isn’t
like doubling your system’s memory, but the performance benefits are
well worth the price of a USB flash device.
OFFISYNC. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could make a
mash-up of Microsoft Office and Google Docs, using Office’s great
editing tools and Google Docs’s online storage and collaboration? With
OffiSync, that’s exactly what you can do. You use Office to create your
documents, and then store and access those documents via Google Docs.
You do the editing in Office, then save them and get them from Google
Docs. www.offisync.com/product_info.html
REGSCANNER (32-BIT VERSION). This registry
scanner doesn’t replace RegEdit, but it makes it easier and faster to
get into your Windows Registry. RegScanner lives up to its name: It
scans the Registry, but it doesn’t give you any power to edit it.
(Though it will fire up RegEdit when you’ve found the keys you seek.)
www.nirsoft.net/
RECUVA FILE RECOVERY. Accidentally deleted an
important file? Lost something important when your computer crashed? No
problem! Recuva recovers files deleted from your Windows computer,
Recycle Bin, digital camera card, or MP3 player. And it’s free!
www.piriform.com/recuva
WINDOWS LAYOUT MANAGER. Windows Layout Manager,
or WiLMA for short, is a must-have aid if you have to keep track of many
open windows at the same time, even over multiple monitors. The main
application has a basic window that allows for the management of various
layouts. Adding new ones, editing existing ones, configuring the
options, all the basic things you can expect from any normal application
can be found here. http://stefandisk.com
MEDIA COPE is multi-functional media software for
Windows XP / Vista / 7 that can play audio, video, cut video, convert
audio / video, and can even perform photo editing services.
www.mediacope.com
DO IT AGAIN is a free and simple program that
allows you to make your computer automatically perform a task for you,
whenever you want. If there is something that you do on your computer
over and over, and you do it exactly the same way every time (such as
backing up your pictures, checking web-based email for new messages,
etc.), you can tell Do It Again how to perform that task.
www.spacetornado.com
CHROMIUM OS is an open-source operating system
project that aims to provide a fast, simple, and more secure computing
experience for people who spend most of their time on the web. Here you
can review the project’s design docs, obtain the source code, and
contribute. www.chromium.org
MEDIAMONKEY. If you’ve got a gargantuan media
collection in dire need of reorganization, MediaMonkey is a must. It is
a comprehensive program, doing just about everything iTunes does and
more. You can rip audio CDs, but the MP3 and M4A encoders are limited to
30 days with this free version. www.mediamonkey.com
FAB AUTOBACKUP 2. Fab Autobackup 2 is a program
that allows users to backup and restore personal data and settings like
emails, documents, internet browser bookmarks, and more. You can use it
as Windows PE plugin or as a standalone program for Windows.
www.fpnet.fr
GMER detects and removes rootkits. It scans for
hidden processes, hidden threads, hidden modules, hidden services,
hidden files, hidden Alternate Data Streams, hidden registry keys,
drivers hooking SSDT, drivers hooking IDT, drivers hooking IRP calls,
inline hooks, and much more. www.gmer.net
TRANS OTHER. Want to spice things up with your
desktop and the applications running on it? Tired of the same old theme
for those open windows? Then try Trans Other, which makes all windows
but the active one transparent. www.donationcoder.com
PLANET M.U.L.E. is a free remake and tribute of
the original game M.U.L.E. from Ozark Softscape.
www.planetmule.com
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Copyright 2010. This article is from the March 2010 issue of the
Sarasota PC Monitor, the official monthly publication of the Sarasota
Personal Computer Users Group, Inc., P.O. Box 15889, Sarasota, FL
34277-1889. Permission to reprint is granted only to other non-profit
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