Sandboxie

Sandboxie runs your programs in an isolated space which prevents them from making permanent changes to other programs and data in your computer.

 

http://www.sandboxie.com/

 

Benefits of the Isolated Sandbox

• Secure Web Browsing: Running your Web browser under the protection of Sandboxie means that all malicious software downloaded by the browser is trapped in the sandbox and can be discarded trivially.

• Enhanced Privacy: Browsing history, cookies, and cached temporary files collected while Web browsing stay in the sandbox and don't leak into Windows.

• Secure E-mail: Viruses and other malicious software that might be hiding in your email can't break out of the sandbox and can't infect your real system.

• Windows Stays Lean: Prevent wear-and-tear in Windows by installing software into an isolated sandbox.

Open Source Web Meeting.

http://www.dimdim.com/

Movies on the Web!

http://www.hulu.com/

 

TV on the Web!

http://beta.tidaltv.com/

Qwest Speed Test

http://speedtest.qwest.net/

 

 

Good B KB MB GB Converter Tool.

http://egret.net/kb__mb.htm

 

FileZilla

One of the best free FTP programs there are, also has a server version.

 

http://filezilla-project.org/download.php

Easy Capture

This program allows quick web shots with editing capabilities…again, it’s free like most of the tools I like.

 

http://www.xydownload.com/easycapture/

The best thumbnail tool -- for FREE!

http://www.fookes.com/ezthumbs/index.php

 

 

Aqua Dock

This tool gives you the Mac-like toolbar that is fully customizable:

 

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/OS-Enhancements/Aqua-Dock.shtml

 

 

Active ISO Burner

Freeware ISO Burner – Very Cool!

 

http://www.ntfs.com/iso_burner_free.htm

 

Free Online Storage Space - 50GB!

Ever wish you had a place to store a bunch of information but don’t want to buy more thumb drives or external hard drives? Check out ADrive.com for a 50GB account FREE!

 

http://www.adrive.com/static/storageplans_overview

 

 

Online Games

I have graduated from Flash games and now play more RPG type games. Some of my favorites are:

Gladiatus
BattleKnight
Ikarium
OGame

The cool thing about these games is that they take time. So I can simply log in, click to make some things happen, then go away and work or something. I don't have to sit there and babysit them!

Check them out!

Trillian 3.0 Skins

I found the greatest skins directory for Trillian 3.0. Check it out here: http://browse.deviantart.com/customization/skins/im/trillian/v3/#

 

A Whirlwind of News

I have to say, I don't keep up with news like I should, but I have been trying lately. One of the ways I have been doing this is to use Google Desktops RSS readers to keep news right on my desktop.

A really cool adaptation to the RSS feed reader though, has been released in Beta mode from MSNBC called Spectra. It actually takes the headlines from the content you choose and puts them in a cyclone flash applet.

I could describe it here,but just check it out yourself, it's pretty cool.

A Requiem for Windows XP - InfoWorld.com

I have to say, I will miss XP as the best Microsoft OS ever made. I agree completely with the comment from the senior test analyst below the article...

"After all the rather buggy versions of Windows since the very first edition (that was 3.0, I believe), Windows XP was a pleasant surprise. "Microsoft finally got it right," was my thinking. Well almost."

It was definitely "close enough for government work" and I will make sure I find every loophole available so I can continue using XP on our corporate network.

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/147824/a_requiem_for_windows_xp_.html

Leave Vista Alone!!! This Video Says it all. People who like vista are retarded like this guy!!!

Here is what I think about it. Need a new machine and lots of ram to run correctly. It's pretty, but that;s all!!

And although Mac is just making fun of Vista, this is one of the most true to life comercials about Vista that ever existed: Vista Security?

Virtual Desktop Manager for Windows XP

I found a program that will actually allow you to have multiple "workspaces" open at one time, so you can be in the middle of a task that requires you to have 30 screens open and switch to a new desktop with no windows open to do something else real quick without having to close or lose any windows you're working on.

This is a feature that is apparently common in Linux. I have Debian (free) running as a virtual machine using VMWare (also free now) and found that I really like that feature it offers so while seaching for the same feature in windows, this is what I found.

Check it out!
http://dexpot.de/index.php

Mobile Wireless in your Car!!

Chrysler will offer wireless Internet access in 2009 models

About time! Now I can just take a laptop and Google search directions instead of dealing with a seperate GPS unit!

Gladiatus

Okay, check it out..

I found this game where you work to earn money, buy weapons and compete as a gladiator. I have not been on it for an hour yet, but I am loving it ao far.

Check it out here: http://s1.gladiatus.us

Let me mug you: http://s1.gladiatus.us/game/c.php?uid=74209

A classic highlight from George Carlin

XP End of Life

I have been a little confused by all the posts and discussions out there about what is going to happen to XP. I know they are phasing it out, but how does that effect me? Well, I found Microsoft's page with a short Q and A about this subject.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsxp/future.mspx

So what to do if you want to run XP on a machine from a vendor like Dell?

Dell makes the whole "downgrade rights" a little more understandable here: http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/sitelets/solutions/software/business/xp_smb?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd&~tab=2

What this means for the consumer really is that you have to buy the more expensive version of Vista to have the option to "downgrade" (only an option on Vista Business and Vista Ultimate).

So I guess now would be the time to purchase all the extra licenses you need for all your XP machines in the future.

Install Hyperteminal

I absolutely love Experts Exchange. There are so many people out there who will post and reply to obscure questions I have.

Check this one out. I was trying to get Hyperteminal installed and it wasn't showing up in the windows programs section where it was supposed to be. Someone actually formatted their pc, and still had the same issue, then this expert posts this little tidbit:

To manually have windows install it
RUNDLL32 ADVPACK.DLL,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\communic.inf,Hypertrmor

To manually have windows uninstall it
RUNDLL32 ADVPACK.DLL,LaunchINFSection %windir%\INF\communic.inf,HypertrmUninstall

I said good day!

Novel bacterial species found trapped in Greenland's ice

"A team of Penn State scientists has discovered a new ultra-small species of bacteria that has survived for more than 120,000 years within the ice of a Greenland glacier at a depth of nearly two miles. "

The original story was poted here on Penn State's website: http://live.psu.edu/story/31052

I like the take of the Slashdot readers: http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?no_d2=1&sid=08/06/03/1923207

Nice pictures on this one: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-06/ps-asi052708.php

Google Shows First Android GPhone Prototype

Android is the Open Source platform for mobile devices. With Google making the SDK available, we should all see applications and widgets popping up like mad from all those smarties out there who do this stuff for fun. Oh yeah, and the 10 million dollars for the best application development. I CAN"T WAIT!!

http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2008/05/google_shows_fi.html?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_ALL

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Stick Figure Cartoons

This is pretty cool. It's got a bunch of random stick figure cartoons: http://xkcd.com

Brazil Discovers Uncontacted Indian Tribe in Amazon Jungle!

One of Brazil's last uncontacted Indian tribes has been spotted in the far western Amazon jungle near the Peruvian border, the National Indian Foundation said Thursday. The Indians were sighted in an Ethno-Environmental Protected Area along the Envira River in flights over remote Acre state, said the government foundation, known as Funai. Wouldn't life be so much more simple?

read more | digg story

8 reasons you'll rejoice when we hit $8-a-gallon gas

I'm not saying I agree with everything here, but I really like to see the different sides of this issue. I think what it comes down to is that there has to be a resolution, either getting oil from our own continent or pushing out all the other alternative fuel sources that have been developed since the 70's and making them mainstream. Our dependency on oil is simply lack of catalyst for change. Well, that catalyst is here, lets do something about it!

read more | digg story

At least 20 cars hit pedestrian on Arizona freeway

An investigation into a fatal car-pedestrian accident backed up traffic during the morning commute Thursday. The Dept. of Public Safety says the victim was apparently walking on the I-10 freeway when he was struck by as many as 20 vehicles. Westbound I-10 was closed during the entire morning rush hour.

read more | digg story

A Tiny Fruit That Tricks the Tongue

A small red berry called miracle fruit temporarily rewires the way the palate perceives sour flavors, rendering lemons as sweet as candy.This is pretty cool. I bet we could get kids to eat vegetables by adding this to the mix!

read more | digg story

Bond gadgets: never say they'll never work

Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, was born 100 years ago today. But while his hero's Cold War concerns may have dated, some of Bond's gadgets have not. Some movies and stories used existing technologies such as jetpacks (Dr No), autogyros (You Only Live Twice) and GPS-capable phones (Casino Royale)...

read more | digg story

Flock

I am not a social creature. However, it seems like more and more these days, if I want to stay in touch, I really need to keep up on the sites that my friends and family members (mostly family members) are using.

With that in mind. I have decided to try this browser called Flock. Apparently it will let you keep track of all your social networking accounts and give you alerts and things when someone in your friends lists posts online.

This blog is being published with the Flock blogger plug in that automatically installed when I signed in to my blogger account. Also, it has a built-in spell check...I like that!! I think I'll try it out for a while and see what it's like.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

PHP Development

I am looking for a place that will allow me to work with coders to develop web apps for internal usage. I was thinking of posting the project on sourceforge.net, but I think that would ne a bit premature.

Basically, I have a program that connects to my Panasonic PBX phone switch. The program called Panalog logs all events in the system, allowing me to run basic reports against the data (in an Access database). The problem is that I want a web version so I don’t have to remote into the pc running Panalog in order to get the data.

I have created some simple queries that show total number of dials by extension, as well as total amount of talk time, but I really need it to me more robust and allow custom queries and grouping by groups and such.

I am not a programmer (as much as I want to be) and I only know enough coding to get in trouble. I am using PHP and an ODBC connection to a copy of the Access database to pull my info.

If anyone knows of a place that will let me work (for free) with coders to develop this idea, let me know.

Web Content Filtering

I would like to start this blog with a post on one of the greatest pieces of equipment I have had the pleasure to manage - the Barracuda Web Filter.

Before purchasing this piece of equipment, the only way I had of managing users and groups and the sites they were allowed on was either by much configuration of some open source software on a separate box, or using a software proxy (which is what I was doing). Don't get me wrong, there are many, many ways to go about managing content on your network, but nothing seemed very easy and I just didn't want to have to spend a whole lot of management time on it.

Then came the Barracuda! This device was so easily configurable, it came with a single page instruction manual! Simple install and integration with Active Directory through LDAP made this such a breeze to get up and running and all I had to do was take the network down for 5 minutes to get it installed completely.

If you are looking for a content filter and a way to track and manage users and groups by category, keyword or bandwidth, this is the only way to go. At $2500 plus yearly update subscription, it's not cheap, but it's done right. And when it comes down to it, that's what really matters.