Category: Sites and Downloads

Awesome websites and useful or fun downloads

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Programming and Podcasts Sites and Downloads

Patrick Norton? On the Web? No way!

Yes way!

Patrick Norton has a website. No, I’m not kidding, and right now it looks like the real thing; that it’s really him. Imagine that! There’s not much up there right now, and it’s definitely just a typepad blog, but I, along with almost 400 commenters (at the time of this writing) seem to think it’s the real thing. And if the talk of reviews for Extreme iPod [ http://www.extremeipod.com/ ] and blasting awesome punk music are any indication, it’s definitely the real Patrick Norton that we all know, love, and horribly miss.

Here’s to hoping he keeps the blog updated and keeps us all in touch with everything he’s doing; I know for one I very much miss his presence and knowledge, and would like to see more. Check out his blog:

[ http://www.patricknorton.typepad.com/ ]

Categories
Sites and Downloads TechNews Bytes

Netscape Launches Browser Beta

Because someone somewhere would be interested in this, looks like Netscape has launched it’s so-called Firefox-based browser to the public as a beta. I’m not entirely sure the claim that it’s Firefox-based anymore is true anymore since it’s not included in the press-release and in any of the hype, but apparently the browser has features like built-in browser blacklisting that’s updateable (not a bad feature) that will block users from visiting bad sites by displaying a warning page when someone tries to visit a blacklisted site. Not a bad idea, but I hope that feature won’t be exploited. (imagine if Mozilla.org became a blocked site?)

Anyway, I haven’t actually downloaded this and tried it, although I am actually curious to see how this browser enters the market. So far it’s gotten something of a lukewarm reception and not a lot of spin or hype, but hey, any competitor to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer makes the web safer for all of us, and gives everyone options that hopefully work for them, instead of being forced to use whatever’s there.

Read the ZDNet article and even try the new browser:
[ http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588-5598291.html?tag=nl.e589 ]

Categories
Sites and Downloads Tips and Tricks

Picasa 2: Better than the Original?

I’m a huge advocate of Picasa, Google’s photo application that does more than just catalog all the images on your system, but it’ll do everything from create custom slide shows and presentations to create a searchable index of all of your images, and if you’re like me at all, you have hundreds and hundres of images on your system.

Picasa has always been fast, attractive, and best of all, free-and it beats the pants off of some of the more traditional applications like Vallen JPegger or ACD-See (in my opinion). Installation is simple, the application automatically scans your system (the whole system or just selected locations) for images, organizes them into albums, allows you to perform simple manipulations like removing red-eye or changing the orientation of the images, zoom or change the image size, and simple editing. Create a few slideshows or some galleries to be posted on the web, or just scroll through the albums and pick and choose photos to be added to a special collection, it’s all right at the click of a mouse, and not many clicks at that.

Now all of those features were in the original Picasa, and they’re still around in Picasa 2, and PC World gives us a first look review of the new version of the software. Check out the review, and download and try it-if you take as lot of digital pictures like me, or just download a lot of…::ahem:: images, or maybe even do some web development and want places to keep all those images you’ll need for your new sites, Picasa will help simplify the process.

[ http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,119921,tk,dn030805X,00.asp ]

Categories
People Sites and Downloads

Ramzi in the HOOUUUSSEEE!

Okay, sorry for the all-caps article title, but if you’re at all a fan of The Broken [ http://www.thebroken.org/ ] as I most certainly am, you know you’d do well to take your hacker tips from Ramzi.

What’s that you say? Haven’t seen The Broken yet? Head on over and catch up on the episodes; you’ll get the drift.

Anyway, Ramzi himself doesn’t have a blog, but some fans have made one for him, and they’ve been hookin up readers with regular tips and news for a while now. I mean, how can you beat this tagline?

Ramzi and his l33t Hacker tips, Beotch! Hacking with Ramzi! You know me, its Ramzi. Kevin got Blog. I get it too. Word up. Please be noting, that Ramzi (or anyone) can take no responsibility for anything you do with this infomation. Dont break the law. NOTE THIS IS A TRIBUTE SITE!! It doesnt have the Real Ramzi! He Praise him and honor with this Tribute Site. So Relax.

Rock on guys, keepin Ramzi alive. Bookmark this beeyotch:
[ http://ramzi.bizhat.com/ ]

Categories
People Sites and Downloads

ScopeTech Launch….Today!

According to Dan Huard’s blog:
[ http://danhuard.typepad.com/dan_huard/2005/02/definitive_scop.html ]

ScopeTech launches officially today! The sneak preview last week only really served to whet our appetites, so I for one am more than ready to see how everything pans out and how the site launches. Keep an eye out, something tells me that our friend Foo is going to make good with the tech writing and commentary we know he’s good at now that he’s no longer on-screen.

“Some clever people have already figured out how to find it,” eh? Guess that makes us clever! Rock on!

Categories
People Sites and Downloads

ScopeTech Preview!

Dan Huard’s new project, ScopeTech, hasn’t officially launched yet, but there are a few ways to se the backend and see what the new site is going to look like. A little bird clued me in on some of the details, and for the time being, you can check out some of the features and columns planned for the site by heading over to ScopeTech’s Intelligence page:
[ http://www.scopetech.net/intelligence.php ]

and you can see the featured columns already set for the site’s launch at:
[ http://www.scopetech.net/columns.php ]

and the featured columnists (oh to be in THAT list of folks):
[ http://www.scopetech.net/columnists.php ]

while you’re nosing around, check out the readme:
[ http://www.scopetech.net/readme.php ]

and don’t forget that Dan has called for moderators for the ScopeTech forums, if it’s not too late to apply! Check out his blog for more info:
[ http://danhuard.typepad.com/dan_huard/2005/02/moderators.html ]

While you’re nosing around in there, check out some of the other pages that are ready for development; and the cute little roll-over icon in the upper left corner that Dan is using as his site logo. Poke around, but be warned, the site’s not finished yet and I’m sure Dan will have much more info and content when it’s ready to go. Enjoy!

Categories
Sites and Downloads Tips and Tricks

Looking for Firefox Extensions?

This morning I happened on a treasure trove of Firefox extensions; some of them allow you to easily back up your bookmarks, one of them remembers the tabs you have open(so if you crash or have to restart or something happens to Firefox, you can reopen Firefox and go back to the tabs you had open), and there are lots more!

There’s lots of goodies here, check em out:
[ http://www.pikey.me.uk/mozilla/ ]

And also, if you want an extension that allows you to back up your bookmarks remotely, try this one:
[ http://dietrich.ganx4.com/foxylicious/ ]

Give em a go, and leave a comment if you feel that any of them are particularly useful!

Categories
Sites and Downloads

Cool Download: Process Explorer

I find a lot of use in a program like this because it lets me track down spyware, more specifically the programs running quietly in the background that don’t leave a trace that they’re running except for popup ads and annoying system slowdown. When I sit down at someone else’s computer and see their system infested with spyware and leftover executables from old viruses, this kind of program will help me sniff out what’s running in the background and tie it to an actual executable file somewhere that I can hopefully get rid of for good.

Check it out; PC World describes it like this:
Windows Task Manager tells you what applications and processes are running, but some process names aren’t very clear to the casual reader. Process Explorer helps you get to the bottom of things by digging down to see which application started a process and which resources that app is currently using. This excavation can be a big help when you?re trying to figure out which background processes you dare shut down, and it can even help sniff out spyware, too.

[ http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,23780,tk,hsx,00.asp ]

Categories
Sites and Downloads

Cool Download: DVD Decrypter

Just out with a brand new version (v. 3.5.2), the guys behind DVD Decrypter give you an effective way to back up your DVDs for use on the road, abroad, as a backup copy in case of disaster or theft, or just in case you want to keep that DVD you got from the store in pristine condition and actually get your fingerprints on something else, so you have something to show off at parties.

Just so we’re clear, software like DVD Decrypter should be used to make legal backup copies of DVDs that you already own and have paid for. We set on that? Good. Now get to decrypting those DVDs and making some images so you can burn them later! Check it out:

[ http://www.dvddecrypter.com/ ]

Categories
People Sites and Downloads

ScreenSavers Desktops

I know, I know, we all miss the old cast and crew of The Screen Savers, but now you can have them on your desktop! This one was passed along by a member of the Long Live TechTV Yahoogroup a while ago, and it’s only fitting to share! Now you can have Pat, Leo, Sarah, Yoshi, Megan, Morgan, Kevin, Jessica, or Martin on your desktop (or the entire crew) sitting right behind your windows reminding you that you too can solve those computer problems!

The desktops were done by Dan Heiss, who runs Venis Productions, [ http://www.venisproductions.com/ ] an art and production studio that has a ton of really good comics, games, music, and more on their site! When you snag your favorite desktop and wallpaper it, make sure to stick around the site and read some comic archives, kill some time watching movies, or even drop Dan a line to tell him how much you appreciate his keeping his work online. If you really like, he says he’s available for freelance art and design, so somebody hire him and pay him lots of moneyhats. Thanks Dan!

[ http://www.venisproductions.com/other/tss.html ]

Categories
Sites and Downloads

Cool Download: Wallpaper Master

If you’re like me, you have way too many images that you’d love to make your wallpaper, but only one (or in my case, a few) screens to decorate with them. There are lots of wallpaper management applications out there, but Wallpaper Master seems to encompass the features of several of them. Wallpaper master will examine directories for recently added or removed images, allow you to create categories for your wallpapers, and more. Check it out:

“Wallpaper Master allows you to change your desktop wallpaper automatically every X minutes. You can create your own categories, using images on your computer, and cycle through one or multiple categories in random order, listed order or based on your personal ratings. The programs offers advanced auto-size options to make sure your images are displayed in with optimized size. You can also change the wallpaper instantly by simply clicking the tray icon. Additional features include customizable position and background color, directory monitoring and more.”

[ http://www.snapfilespro.com/gnomeapp.php?id=108708 ]