Archive for December 2009
I have recently changed to use Windows 7 from Windows XP and found some apps lose its value in Win 7. Then I sorted out some apps that I must use no matter in Win XP or Win 7 and thus they are regarded as the must-have apps in my daily life. Hope they will be also useful for you.
1、Firefox
Firefox is my favorite browser among the browsers I have ever used. Although the speed of Google Chrome is much quicker, I won’t switch to use it since it doesn’t have so many plugins and extensions as Firefox. Why to use Firefox? In a word here, you can browse webpage more efficient with it.
Relevant resources:
· Firefox extensions & add-ons recommended
· Top 10 Firefox greasemonkey script
2、Notepad++
Notepad++ is an application similar to Windows Notepad but it is much more powerful with support for tab, word count, closing tab by double click, line number mark, Macro and batch replacement.
It can identify most programming languages, distinguish different codes in different colors and fold the subfunctions for you to look over the program structure conveniently.
3、Fence
Fence can divide your desktop into different parts and you can allocate icons to different parts. The following is the screenshot of my present desktop:
The two black and semitransparent parts on the upper right are created by Fence.
One main reason for me to use Fence is I want to put the icons on the right (not by manually dragging) and Fence lets me realize it indirectly.
4、ClipX
I like ClipX very much, for Windows clipboard can only store the last copy which is inconvenient, while ClipX is the software allowing you to store the copies of recent many times in the clipboard and the copies won’t vanish after you turn off the computer. ClipX also supports operations with Unicode and shortcut keys. One feature of ClipX I like best is I can see the images in the clipboard list which is very convenient for me to choose the item to use.
5、Process Explorer
This is an enhanced edition of official Process Explorer of Microsoft. Besides providing rich data, it also provides process contents in tree form. The two features of it I like best are:
1) Users can look up the process of a certain window by dragging and dropping the icon of the Process Explorer 
to the window.
2) Different states of processes are distinguished in different colors.
6、7zip
7zip is the best free substitute of commercial software WinRAR for compression or decompression. It not only supports the 7z format of itself but also supports almost all compressing formats including WinRAR’s exclusive format rar.
The icon of 7zip official version is a bit ugly and you can search for its beautifying version to install.
7、Launchy
Launchy is the software for you to open a program quickly by a shortcut key. After installing Launchy, click Alt+Space (or you can customize it as other shortcut keys) to call out it, then input a segment of a program and you can find the program immediately through Launchy, which largely improves the operating efficiency.
Apart from quickly opening the program, Launchy also supports shortcut search. Input the keyword in Launchy and then click Enter and the system will open the browser to search this keyword.
8、NetSetMan
NetSetMan is for rapidly switching the Network Parameters. You can preset the frequently used IP, Gateway and DNS into NetSetMan and when you need to change the parameter, you can choose the designated tab and enable it. If you need to often switch DNS, NetSetMan is good for you.
9、Everything
Everything is a powerful app for file search with not only high indexing speed but also high searching speed. Also it provides support for regular expression. Meanwhile, its index database is very small. With it, you absolutely don’t need to use the self-containing search tool of Windows.
It’s a pity that Everthing only supports NTFS file system and can only search filename but this is enough for general search. If you want more powerful local search you can try Google Desktop. However, the database of Google Desktop for desktop search may surpass 1G at any time, while the maximum database of Everything is only more than 10MB.
We know there are thousands of URLs shorteners popular on the Internet for shortening URLs. However, when a URL shortener stops working or can not work normally, what can you do with the short URLs?
Besides, since short URLs tell little about where they actually link to, what can you do if you are a cautious surfer and like to browse a short URL with confidence and security instead of getting a nasty surprise when you get there?
The answer to the above questions is the short URLs restoring tool and here are 8 of such tools recommended.
Untr.im: Its feature is simple: input the short URL and get the original URL.
Realurl：Besides showing the original URL, it can also show the Twitter and Youtube content shared by the short URL.
ExpandMyURL: With support for common browsers such as IE and Firefox, it can restore short URLs from more than 30 shorteners including the common bit.ly, tinyurl.com etc.
SUCURI: A tool provided by Sucuri, apart from restoring the short URL, it also provides Google browsing mode diagnosis for security and diagnosis result from SiteAdvisor, a organization who specializes in estimating website security, so that you can better know the security of a certain URL.
LongURL: With support for restoring short URLs from more than 200 URLs shorteners, it also provides Firefox add-on LongURL Mobile Expander and Greasmonkey script LongURL Mobile Expander which have the same effect. However, it is limited to Firefox browser and is a little slow when analyzing URLs. Developers can write some apps with open API.
Preview URL: It not only provides URL snapshot preview service but also supports short URL restoring. You can get the original URL after inputting the short URL and look up the URL snapshot. In addition, It provides search plugin for Firefox 2 and above or Internet Explorer 7 and above.
Untiny.me: Short URLs from 221 URL shorteners can be restored here. If the URL shortener you used is not common, you can mainly use this one. It has add-ons for multiple platforms (Windows、Mac OS X、Linux/Unix OS) and multiple browsers（IE、Firefox、Opera）. Firefox users can choose to install Untiny Greasemonkey Script or UntinyFox Add-on. It also provides Bookmarklet as well as Gtalk robot(untiny@bot.im）and MSN robot(untiny@hotmail.com . With open API, technicians can develop more application.
LongURLPlease: It supports restoring short URLs from 75 URL shorteners surely including the common ones. Also it provides Firefox add-on Long URL Please that I would like to strongly recommend since the short URLs on the page can be automatically replaced by the original URLs which is very convenient.
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5 Free Ways to Rip & Convert Videos from Websites.
0 Comments | Posted by Bob in Multimedia
How to Rip Videos from Websites?
There are various reasons for famous websites like Google Video, YouTube and many others, for not allowing users to download videos from their sites. This is because when they allow downloading videos from their sites, there may be possibility for copyright problems to occur and next the more important reason for websites not allowing this facility is that, they badly need their visitors to come back and back to their website. They need more traffic in their site to get good response. Apart from these issues there are many ways for you to get your favorite videos from websites.
Rip your favorite videos without using any software:
You can convert all the online videos to any one of common video formats like the .vob or .avi from various sites, which are only meant for ripping these videos and then providing their download links.
Here about three conversion services are provided for you, using which you can have your favorite video in any file format you desire.
Zamar:
First let us have a look at the working of Zamar. Open the Zamar window first. Then copy the URL of your favorite video either from YouTube or from any other website source. Mention the copied URL in the Zamar site. Then select the file format to which the video should be converted. After entering the file format, it will request your e-mail id. Provide it in the space provided and just click convert button. Once clicking this, Zama automatically converts your favorite video and will send you a mail containing the download link for that video. You can then click on the download link and enjoy your favorite video. The only drawback of Zamar is that the download link will expire after 24 hours and providing your e-mail address may also lead to some problems. But you can convert the video into any kind of file formats you like.
Try for Vixy:
Vixy is also similar to Zamar. The difference between Vixy and Zamar is that, you need not provide your email address here in Vixy. The only problem with vixy is that it is capable of converting your video into 5 file formats. But once your provide your video URL it will convert, upload the video and provide you the link as soon as possible.
Media Convert Can Also Be Used:
Media Convert is the best among the three and it is very flexible in nature. The file formats associated with Media Convert is many and is much faster than the Trojan.
Both Zamar and media convert allows you to convert your files with any kind of formats and also you can upload any of your pictures, music files in net and then you can convert to any file format you desire.
Check Out the Options of Real Player:
While installing the real player, it will ask you an option for “download video form sites”. Select the option. Now, click on the download sign from the website offering you video and follow the instructions given. Do not forget checkout our video converter software.
From the Source Code:
In the website offering you video, right click and select the view source option. Now you will get html codes in a notepad. Press Ctrl+f, you will get a window. In that type .mov or any file format you require. Then identify the URL and download the video using any download manager.
Before looking in some of the fun cool things that could be done on Google wave, let’s know about what Google wave is all about. Google wave is all about integrating your personal communications and having a web based collaboration of documents, videos, images and other files on a real time working platform. The use of e-mail has been taken one more level up to have a sophisticated usage of internet. Since it is working real time, you can be able to notice changes as and when taken place. This Google Wave allows you to embed it on any website or blog and even can be extended to some of the custom applications and widgets that are embedded already in the Wave.
Now let us have some brief details about some funny cool things that can be done with Google Wave gadgets.
1. Get to Know about Napkin:
Since Google Wave being more collaborative, the Napkin gadget allows to you takes part in a brainstorming session or you can just plot any mind map to all your group friends and colleagues.
2. Speak with Your Friends with Ribbit Gadget:
Make conference call to your friends with the help of the Ribbit gadget. Even though it is already available, it could be a handy option for you to discuss all your required information with your friends. This gadget is very easy to work with.
3. Get Video and Audio Conferencing with Grounds Gadget:
Grounds allow you to have a one – on – one video conferencing/audio conferencing. You can share any video with another person you like. It not just like a simple webcam chat, it is more than that.
4. Collaborative Suduku Helps You for a Good Time Pass:
If you already know about suduku, then just think what will happen if 10 or more people start solving a single riddle in suduku? This is what happens in Google Wave, in collaborative suduku, many people can play suduku at a time and they can give their number inputs. You will be given with points for right numbers and deduct points for wrong numbers. So, have a go at this time pass collaborative suduku.
5. Check Out the Interesting Wave Dice:
Like suduku, Wave dice is a simple game of rolling dies. Once start playing it, and then you will find how interesting and simple it is to play. Why can’t you have a go at it?
6. Play with Words in Fridge Magnet Poetry:
With Fridge Magnet poetry you can have a good play with the words of English. This gadget will be more helpful for relieving your mind stresses. It is a good time waster for you.
7. Get Info about All the Places in the World with Mappy:
Mappy gadgets allow you to get information and details about various locations in the world and you will be able to collaboratively share it with your friends. You cannot have complete Waving without Mappy. It is one of the more interesting tools and has about 4 types of maps differing from each other.
