The Complete Internet Pack: Must Haves For Safer, Faster and Efficient Browsing

Internet offers a wide range of services that spans between emails, chat, video calls, downloads, information and stuffs like that. A successful Netizen (a netizen is someone who uses internet) needs a whole array of tools to aid his path through the internet. Such tools will help him to get things done faster and makes browsing a pleasure.

Nomatter what kind of connection is yours, or how often you connect, there are some 'Must Haves' for every one. Infact, those with slower connection need them more.

The Must Haves can be classified into:

• Web Browsers and Browser Essentials
• Download and Upload Managers
• Security Tools
• Networking and Connectivity Tools
• Feed Readers
• Offline Essentials

Everything discussed in here are freewares and most of them have versions compatible with Linux and Mac.

Web Browsers
The Internet Explorer on Windows is a good Browser, but there better browsers which are much faster and safer than the Internet Explorer. And a good Browser is the primary Must Have for every Netizen.

• Mozilla Firefox recently Launched Firefox 3 series in beta. Firefox is fast, fully customizable and is the most recommended Browser for everyone. If you are a developer, Firefox offers lots of tools that might get your job done. Firefox supports plug-ins which can be downloaded online.
• Opera is another recommened browser. Its the best competitor to Firefox and is well suited for both Geeks and Newbies. Both Firefox and Opera supports tabbed browsing.
• Apple Safari is yet another cool Browser. Its from apple so it has got to look damn. Ranks three in comparison with the others, but consider this one if you are a normal internet user who wish to get rid of Internet Explorer. Safari supports tabbed browsing too.
  

Browser Essentials
Quality websites uses Java, Some Flash and Stuffs like that. You might end up in pages with cross marks all over, just because you dont have some softwares installed on your system. Here are some Must Haves

• JAVA Support - Websites with built in Java Applets need Java Runtime Support. Dowload this file and install. To know if you have JAVA right now, Open Contol Panel and Check whether you are having a Java Button there.
• Adobe Flash Player - Websites with embedded Flash Videos needs Flash Player. Dowload it here
  

Download and Upload Managers
Downloading is one of the most Important job done online. Every Browser has its own Download Manager. But a dedicated Download Manager improves Download Speed and can keep track of all the downloads irrespective of the browser. Download Managers usually have Resume Support, which means that you can pause a download and complete it later. Download Managers usually have a integrated Upload Manager too.

• Free Download Manager is the recommended Download Manager. We have been using it for years and it has been a Faithful Friend always. Download the Latest Version here
  
• uTorrent (read as mue-Torrent) is a Torrent Downloader. FDM also supports Torrent, but if you wish to have a dedicated Torrent Downloader, uTorrent is recommended.

Security Tools
Internet is the home to countless Hackers and Spammers. So Internet Security is a major concern. Basically you need protection from Viruses. You also need to monitor how your computer connects to the internet.

• AVG Antivirus Free is a free and effective Antivirus solution. AVG brings you regular updates so you can be sure that you are protected always. This is a highly recommended Must Have.
• Comodo Firewall Pro is an award winning Free Firewall. It lets you control the way each and every program on your system runs. If you are low on system resources, just install Comodo instead of a Antivirus, since Comodo can partly function as a Antivirus.

Networking and Connectivity Tools
Socializing with Friends and Relatives need a Chat client or a Video Conferencing tool or a Net Phone. The good thing is that, all these facilities are available in a single application, so you dont need to go in search of many.

• Yahoo! Messenger is one such tool which converges all facilites and is a Must Have. With Yahoo! Messenger, you can chat, talk, share pictures, view Webcams and even host a Web Conference.
• Though Yahoo! Messenger has everything within it, you might consider using Google Talk or Skype for connecting with friends in a purticular network.

Feed Readers
Readers are Softwares that bring website content direcly to you, right at the time the website is updated, so that you dont have to keep checking your favorite webpages for updates. Feed Readers work with Websites and Blogs that have RSS support. There are many online Feed Readers, which require no download, but the advantage of a offline Feed Reader is that you can read your Feeds offline.

• Feed Demon is highly recommended for Offline Feed Reading. It is light, Easy and Efficient. There are tons of other Feed Readers available, but Feed Demon is a Must Have if you have the habit of reading Blogs and Websites.
• Google Reader is a online tool that does the same job. This need no download and you can start using it right away, if you have a google Account. Signing up is a easy job.

Offline Essentials
There are some tools that everyone might need, to handle the files that are downloaded from the Internet. For instance, Data is transferred online mainly as zip files, so you need a decompressor to open such files.

• PowerZip can handle most common Compression formats. Its free, light and userfriendly. The interface might look bit old, but it gets the job done.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed for handling pdf files. Must Have because you will find pdf everywhere on the web.

The above mentioned Tools are just the Essentials. They will save your day in most of the cases. But if you have some specific requirements, you should consider downloading tools for them. The Right Tools For the Right Job is the thumb rule.

Adobe Acrobat Reader 9: Quick Review

If you fail to notice the Splash Screen, You might not be able to differentiate Reader 9.0 from 8.x series. The same level of Coolness and integrity is maintained.

The menus are all the same too. Virtualy there is nothing new for the naked eyes except for the Adobe.com inclusion. The tool bar features buttons to upload files to Acrobat.com. Onething worth mentioning is the awesome speed with which Acrobat Reader 9.0 loads. So if you wish to catch the Splash Screen, do it when you open it for the first time. It doesnt show up again!

The package includes Acrobat.com (Beta). This is an online tool and lets you do a lot of things online. List is attached:

• Share Documents
• Screen Sharing and Collaboration
• Convert Files to PDF (5 Files)
• Share Files
• Store Files Online

Direct Download Link (33.5MB)

New Uses for an Old SMPS: Extra Cooling at No extra Cost

The power supply of your personal computer, SMPS (Stands for Switched Mode Power Supply), is the unit responsible for delivering regulated DC Supply to the silicon inside. This unit protects the computer from power surges. An SMPS gets blown out very soon in our country due to the common power surges and irregular power supply.

Recently we had to replace our SMPS for the same reason. This had happened earlier. This time instead of giving the SMPS to the vendor we kept it with us, out of curiosity. Working into the old chap, we soon found out that the cooling fan inside it was intact.

The Broken SMPS:

The Cooling Fan:

The fan is rated at 12 volts. This guide will tell you exactly how to place the fan into your cabinet. The power supply for the fan can be taken from the working SMPS in your computer. You have to know a little about SMPS outputs (if you do not know already), and here is what you need.
SMPS gives output as 12v, 5v and 3.3 volt. Your fan needs 12v (rating will be marked on the fan). The standard output connectors and its output powers are given below. The images are self-explanatory. The required 12 volt output can be taken from one +12v and one ground. Clean the old fan and place it on the cabinet using screws. Most cabinets ought to have a spare fan hole. Our fan was marked with the direction of rotation and direction of airflow. If they are not marked connect to fan to a +12v DC supply and find the direction of airflow. Make sure that you place the fan on the cabinet in such a way that its sucks air from inside to the outside. This will keep the dust out (Thanks Mathews).

The fan will have a +ve wire (usually red) and negative wire (usually black). Identify the +12v of the SMPS output and connect the red wire to it. Connect the black wire to the ground connection. We used cello-tape to make these connections. Turn on the SMPS and make sure that the direction of rotation and airflow are correct.

Now its time to close your cabinet. Congratulations!

Ubuntu 8.04 Tried and Tested: Review

We just received our copy of Ubuntu 8.04 and we did a first hand try on our machine. Usually the CD features some Windows versions of Open Source Software. This time there is nothing like that. There is a new and Improved Installer that loads up once the CD is inserted while Windows is running. This installer can install Ubuntu temporarily without affecting the present file system. Also there is option to install Ubuntu permanently and when this is chosen, Windows restarts and boots from the CD.

The CD boots up with lots of options which was there in Ubuntu 7.10 too. You can try the live version of Ubuntu which shows you exactly how the installed system will look like. But the live version is a too slow and the speed is directly proportional to the speed of your CD drive.

The Ubuntu installation is a seven step process where you tell Ubuntu about your Hardware and specify where to install Ubuntu. The installation took around 30 minutes.

Once installed Ubuntu booted for the first time to a desktop with a picture of a rooster. Now the working speed increased ten fold. Ubuntu 8.04 features lots of desktop effects that will make working with workspaces fun.

To request Ubuntu head to: http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu

Interested in Oracle ? Then Get a Free Subscription of The Oracle Magazine

Are a Oracle developer? Are you interested in using Oracle products or do wish to know the inside stories of Oracle? Then here is something for you. Oracle has got a bi-monthly magazine which is given to all those who are interested in Oracle and its produclts.
The Oracle magazine is mainly for the IT professionals which delivers Up-to-date information on Oracle Database and Oracle tools. It contains Technical articles on Orcale products and operating enviornments and gives you lots of tips and tricks, right from the Oracle users. Also brings winning customer stories and news every 2 months right to your door-step in a neat printed format.
So if you feel like you need a bit of technical reading, all about Oracle, follow this link : www.oracle.com/oraclemagazine

You have to fill up a questionnaire before you get the free subscription.

The May-June issue contains an Interview with Jeff Pollock, senior director of product management at Oracle in whcih he talks about the new Oracle Data Integration Suite.

Ubuntu 8.04 is available for free download

Ubuntu, one of the most popular linux versions, just released its newest version named Hardy Heron 8.04. As always, Ubuntu is available for free download from http://www.ubuntu.com/
For those new to Ubuntu, Ubuntu is a linux based free Operating System developed by a community of programmers and developers. Ubuntu comes with a bundle of softwares that include office packages and productivity tools and some simple games. A new version of Ubuntu is available once in every six months. Ubuntu is named based on the year and month of its relase. i.e 8.04 means April 2008. Ubuntu has got separate versions for your 32-bit and 64-bit computers.
For those with a slow internet connection and has got the patience to wait for about 10 weeks can request a free Ubuntu CD. When the free CD Distribution initially started, Ubuntu encouraged users to request more and more CD's. But now their funds are drying up, so they will only accept request in small quantities unless you can convince the Ubuntu team.
Ubuntu CD includes both Installer CD and live CD packed in to one disc. You can boot from the CD and choose to see a demo of the OS. There you can try out all the applications that would be available once the OS is installed. Then you can choose to install the OS. Ubuntu CD also includes Windows versions of Open Office and interntet tools like the Mozilla Firefox.
To request or download Ubuntu 8.04 follow this link : http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntuJoin the Ubuntu community : http://www.ubuntu.com/community

Secret Spaces on Your Computer : The System Volume Information area

There is a secret space of your computer where no search engine can reach. That is the system volume information area. Type ' C:\system volume information ' into the address bar ( ofcourse without the quotes ) and your reach there.

 

Actually its not very secret. Some third party browsers like the browser of Nero, can reach these areas. But files stores in the sytem volume information area are not listed in the searhces done on the computer. So it offers a minimal security. If you dont have any folder protection utilities then you can try this.

And one important thing : The system volume information area is cleared when you clean up the disk or when you delete the restore points. So make sure that you are not storing files on the root directory which usually users clear at regular intervals.

b.

Shortcut to Select the First Boot Device For Your Computer

What do you do If you have to boot from a CD? Usually you restart your computer and your keep tapping F2 or the Delete Key to Enter the Setup of the BIOS and you change your Boot device to CD-ROM ..right..? And after that you have to change it back to your Hard Disk to boot from Hard Disk again.

One of my friends, Jeril taught me a rahter simple way. While you restart your computer press F8 instead of F2. Then You will get a quick menu asking for the boot device. All you have to do is to select the boot device from the list aned press enter. Your System boots form the selected device for that session. It automatically resets the boot device selection to the earlier value. i.e You dont have to change it back again.

He demonstated that on a AMD based PC and did not work for me. Instead F10 worked in place of F8 on my Pentium-4 based PC.

b.

Tricks in the most simplest Text Editor - Microsoft Notepad

Notepad is the most simplest text editor that every windows user has got access to. Here are some things that we often miss out even if we use Notepad very often. These have been tested on Notepad ver. 5.1 and the Notepad that came with Microsoft Windoes 98 and should work well with other versions too. Here we go...

* You can use notepad to create a log file. Add ' .LOG ' to the beginning of a text document [ without the quotes ] and save it. The next time you open it the current system time and date is added to the document. So the text document works like a log file. Note that the word LOG is preceded by a dot [ . ] .

* Notepad can be launched by simply typing 'Notepad' or 'notepad' in the 'Run' Window [ without the quotes ] which can be brought up quickly by pressing the 'Windows Logo Key' + 'R'

* You can insert the current time and date [ as specified by your system clock ] in to Notepad by simply pressing F5.

* Notepad can open virtually any kind of file and is a good try for the file types that you do not know.

b.

Save Documents Faster Using the Windows Explorer Instead Of the ' Save' Dialog Box

Navigating through the 'Save' Dialog Box or the 'Save As...' Dialog Box can be hard for some. I find it a lot congested to use such small Dialog Boxes. Here is a way to handle this problem which I had been using for years.

Have you noticed the 'New' Menu item when you right click anywhere in the Windows Explorer or the Desktop..? [ See the first Image ] This Menu Item is going to help us. Using the Windows Explorer navigate to the folder where you wish to save your document. Then right click and choose 'New'. Now a list comes out showing the documents of various softwares that you have installed. Here I have illustrated using the 'Text Document' which is a new text document and creates a .txt file. See the second Image. The Explorer Window is asking for a file name. Type in that and press Enter or simply press Enter to accept the default name.

Double click this file and your new document is ready with the name you have given. Navigating through the Windows Explorer is a lot more easier than the 'Save' Dialog Box.

b.

Earthquake in Explorer !

Press and hold F11 now. Or go into windows Explorer and press and hold F11.

Congratulations ! You just experienced am earthquake inside your explorer......

b.

Typing Lessons Formulated By Me..!

Wanna type @ 60 words per sec..?  I got an idea...
Last day while listening to music I tried this.. In a notepad I started typing the lyrics.. and I found myself typing very seriously... That was a really good exercise.

The idea is to type the lyrics of the some song while listening to the song. Try to beat the song. As the speed of your typing increases select songs with faster beats. And you will find your typing speeds going up gradually..

But first you will need some basic knowledge of typing. You have to know whcih finger is the right one for each alphabet. Like letter 'a' must be pressed with the little finger of your left hand.. and the 'space bar' must be pressed with the thumb of your right hand. You can get that information from any book that teaches typing ( I will include that later.. ) or from any typing tution software.

Select songs that you are familiar with in the beginning so that you do not have to spend time to learn the lyrics before you type. Later on as you move to the pro levels try new songs.

Even though this looks like a crazy idea, I do believe that this works.. That way you can listen to music and learn typing simultaneously. Work and Play or Play at Work !

Good Luck!
b.

Hiding And Unhiding Multiple files In Windows Explorer in One Go

To Hide Or Unhide a number of files together is easy if you have all of them together. But what will you do when they are scattered into many sub-folders..? Instead of going to the properties of each file and doing the needed, all you have to do is this...

If you wish to unhide all the files, First hide the parent folder. Then a message box pops up asking you whether you wish to apply that setting to the sub-folders too. Press yes and everything will be hidden. Now unhide that parent folder and the message box pops up again. Press yes again. Now you have all the files unhidden.

The reverse also works.
Good Luck!
b.

How to Protect Your password From KeyBoard Loggers

There exist Softwares designed such a way that every keystroke on the computer is recorded. Such softwares are often used by firms to monitor the office computer usage by its staff. Such softwares are well known for their spy nature and is difficult to detect for a normal computer user.

Those programs record everything.. which can be your password or your credit card number. Here is a simple trick to protect them.
Enter the password in parts. Suppose your password is 'blackwidow'. Enter some part like ' bla..' and the press some where on the window so that the password field is not highlighted. Type in some random words on the window. These words will be recorded by the logging program but will not appear anywhere on the screen. Now click the password field and enter some more..' ckwido...' . Repeat the other thing again.. Click on the screen and enter random words. Now complete the password ' .. w ' . That way you can cheat the program . So Your password remains protected.

Usually all keyborad logging programs record the title of the window you are in. So shifting windows and typing in words in some textfile or so will not work. You will have to follow as above........click somewhere on the screen and enter random words.

Good Luck!
b.

[ Thanks to my friend Jerry Joseph for this tip. He too is a inspired blogger at www.jjsoftware.blogspot.com ]

 

Logging Into Websites Blocked By the Admin

Do u see the message ' This page has been blocked by your administrator '? And you still wanna use that website..? Here are some tips which might help you access them.

• Try the secured server https. All you have to do is type in https://www.website.com instead of http://www.website.com.This might work in some cases
• Try Browsing Using a Proxy Browser. Proxy Browser means a browser that is capable of visiting a website from a fake address. Many websites like Kproxy.com provide proxy browsing services. Just Google for Proxy Browsers and get a list of websites.

7 reasons why LCD Monitors are better than CRT Monitors

LCD Monitors are much better that CRT monitors. Last month my uncle bought one. Its only then I realized this fact.

Here are some reasons supporting this.

* LCD Monitors use 1/3rd the power used by CRT Monitors
* LCD Monitors use less table space and can even be mounted on walls.
* The picture clarity of LCD Monitors is really good when compared to CRT Monitors
* LCD Monitors are Flat Screen Monitors
* LCD Monitors give the workspace a really cool look!
* LCD Monitors do not strain ur eyes and is suited for works of long duration.
* LCD Monitors have longer life than CRT Monitors.

But at present LCD Monitors are expensive that CRT Monitors. A 17" LCD Monitor cost around 10500 Rs which is 3000 Rs more than a CRT Monitor of similar function.
But when productivity matters and not money, LCD Monitors are a good choice.

b.

Refresh Internet Explorer Windows In a Flash

To refresh a page of displayed on the Internet Explorer quickly, this tip can come handy. Move to the top left corner of the screen. This can be done quite easily if the window is in the maximised position. Just push the mouse in that direction and the pointer will be above it automatically. This is because the mouse pointer cannot go out of the window. Now drag the icon into the window ( the space where web pages are displayed ).
You will get the page refreshed.

As this might be a new method for you, it may prove to be less useful in the beginning. But with due practice ( as I do ! ) it can prove to be more faster than the conventional method of clicking the refresh button.

Good luck !
b

Close Windows In a Flash

Here is a quite useful hack on using Windows. To close an open window quickly you can use the following methods.

Approach 1:
Move the mouse to the top right corner of the window so that the mouse is over the 'X' button. You need not click at the centre of the button. You can just push your mouse in that direction. As the mouse pointer cannot move out of the window it will automatically come over the 'X' button. Then just click and the window will close.
Using this method you can close the window without even looking to the 'X' button.

Approch 2:
Move the mouse to the lop left corner, over the image of the Folder or the application. You can do this by just pushing the mouse in that direction. As the mouse pointer cannot go out of the window it will reside over this icon automatically. Then double click and the window will close.

Both these methods work with maximised windows only. If windows are in the restored position you cannot do this without moving over to the button. Then use Alt+F4 to close the window !

b

Convert to Windows Media Audio ( wma ) Format From any format using Windows Movie Maker

Here ia a hack. Use this to convert you .rm or.mp3 files to wma format in case you are making a wma disc . This can come handy if you dont have a wma convertor.
All you need is the Windows Mavie Maker ( coming with Windows XP ), and a player capable of playing the source file. i.e if you got a audio file in .rm format you will need real player or any player that supports .rm formats. In other words your computer must have all the resources( or software ) to play your source file.

Open the source file in the associated player ( like .rm in real player )
Open windows movie maker. Goto Tools >> Narrate Timeline...
In the Narrate Timeline region click show more options ( if you have all the options displayed then it wills how as ' Show fewer Options '.
Select audio input source as Sterio Mix.
Now Play the source file and set the input level such a way that you can see the graph moving. The graph must not be full always.
Now stop the source file. Set it to the starting position.
In movie maker press ' Start Narration '. Just after that without losing any time start playing the source file. Now Movie Maker is recording from the output of your computer and not via the microhpone.
Once the source audio ends press ' Stop Narration '
A save window comes so that you can save in any desired location as wma format.

Disclaimer : Do no use this with copyrighted work or to record something that is illegal. No liabilities lie on me. Use this at your own risk.

b

Set Multiple home pages in FireFox with Tabbed Browsing

Award winning Mozilla FireFox give you the tabbed browsing functionality so that you need not switch windows to visit more that one site. All you have to do is place a new tab ( ctrl + T ).

But the coolest part of FireFox is that you can set a different homepage for each tab. To do this...Open FireFox >> Enter the address of first homepage in the address bar ( Location Bar ) >> Press Ctrl+T to open a new tab ( or File -> New Tab ) >> Enter the second homepage in the address bar of the second tab. Repeat this for each of you homepages. i.e. Google.com and Gmail.com should go in two different tabs, if you wish to set them as your home pages Now Goto Tools >> Options >> Press the general tab in the dialog window >> In the Homepage section wou will see a button which reads ' Use Current Pages' Press that and Press 'ok'.

Note that this button shows ' Use current Pages ' only when more than one tab is open. Otherwise it shows ' Use current Page '.


b