7 Applications Worth Checking Out

September 4, 2008 at 1:22 am · Filed under software

The following is a list of 7 software applications or web services to keep your computer safe and make your computing experience better.

First up is adaware. Go to download.com and search for adaware. It is a free (for personal use) spy ware removal tool. Run it once a week to remove spy ware and small viruses that maybe slowing your connection or trying to steal your identity.

Second is spy bot. It is also a spy ware removal tool and can also be found by searching download.com. The reason you need this is that is will pick up what adaware misses. Between the two applications you will stop/find most spy ware.

Third is zone alarm. You can find it at www.zonelabs.com. Zone alarm is a free firewall program. It will prevent unwanted invaders from getting into your computer. It can sometimes be very aggressive so you may need to go into the settings and allow any programs you notice are being blocked after you install.

Fourth is the google pack. This is a suite of free programs put together by Google. It includes a photo organizer, tool bars, and most importantly it includes a version of Nortan Antivirus with a 6 month subscription. This will give you a good start with having an anti-virus program installed. There are also several other programs that are optional. You can get the google pack by clicking on the link on my homepage.

Fifth is the web browser Firefox. This is an alternative to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. It has many features that enhance your web browsing experience including tabbed browsing, not to mention it is more secure than IE. You can get Firefox by clicking on the link on the right hand side of my homepage.

Sixth is Windows XP. Windows XP comes with most new computers these days. If you are still using Windows 98 or Windows ME its time to upgrade. These older system are no longer supported and its hard to get software that is compatible.

Last but not least is a Google account. Email has the best web based email program out there. A Google account not gets you an online spreadsheet program and an online calendar. All of these features can be shared with your friends and there is a chat program that works right inside your inbox.

Using these applications will make your computing safe, fun, and easy.

Matt Christensen
http://www.mattchristensen.net

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Free Picture Editing for the Novice and Intermediate Photo Taker

September 2, 2008 at 1:11 am · Filed under software

As a technology guy, I’m often asked about the software I use for various applications. The most recently asked for application is “How do I edit my pictures after I take them with this neat new digital camera?” The simplest, best program I have found is one called Picasa offered free by Google. Why Picasa? Ease of use is the first reason, as it’s just double click on an image and you can crop, reduce red eye, or brighten a picture in just a few easy clicks. My favorite reason for using Picasa is one that has nothing to do with editing pictures, and everything to do with finding my pictures on my hard drive. When you first launch Picasa, it asks you if you want to search your whole hard drive for images. Definitely say yes, and you’ll be surprised at where some of your pictures might be hiding, as not everyone is as disciplined as me and puts all their photos in their My Photos folder on their hard drive.

Just as important as image editing is image re-sizing. Just because you have a shiny new digital camera does not mean that you should e-mail full MB shots to everyone in your address book. Instead, take the time to re-size your pictures before you send them so they don’t take hours for your friends with dial up to download, and so it doesn’t clog up your and your friend’s families inboxes. The easiest way to do this is with a neat little program called PicSizer. PicSizer allows you to re-size complete folders of images with just a few clicks. This is also a free piece of software, and one that is quite simple to use. Simply select the folder with the big pictures, select a new folder to put the smaller pictures in, select the size of the pictures you wish to re-size too (I recommend 25% or smaller of the original size) and away you go. Simple as that.

The last piece of software is one that is a little more advanced, but one that you can easily learn to use and love, and it’s called GIMPShop, a take-off on the $599 Adobe Photoshop product used by image editing professionals. You can do some cool editing with GIMPShop, things you can’t do with many other free applications. Oh yeah, did I mention, GIMPShop is free, just like all the other software I mentioned?

To find these great resources, it’s easiest to just go to http://www.google.com and insert the name of the software you’re looking for (Picasa, PicSizer, or GIMPShop) and you should be transported to the site you need to get the software to make it great!

Phil Gerbyshak challenges you to stop having a nice day. Instead, Make it Great! While life might be tough, the only thing you can change is YOU! Whether you think the glass is half-full or half-empty, remember that both are only perceptions. What’s true is that you have a choice on how you want to deal with the 6 ounces of water you have in your hand. Read more of Phil’s ideas at http://makeitgreat.org

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IT Focus - Careers and Redundancy

August 31, 2008 at 2:16 am · Filed under software

Once you have become an IT professional your life becomes consumed with IT. Long hours of programming, support or planning and irate spouses become your life.

There seems to be no way out of the IT circuit and the rule is diversify or die. What was popular today is gone tomorrow and to keep employed you are always having to surf the crest of the IT wave with the latest advances in technology, languages and software. Diversification does not mean you have to rely solely upon IT courses and books, there are other pursuits that can complement your IT career whilst providing an escape route in times of fatigue or facing vocational redundancy. Here are some ideas:

Instead of learning the latest computer language try learning a new human language. A new language such as Spanish, French, Chinese or German will give you the skills to program applications that cater for people who speak those languages. Your new human language will allow you to export your skills to other countries providing you with the ability to travel and should your skills become redundant in one country they more than likely could be utilised in another country. You could end up providing translation services for documentation or applications or even just working as a translator.

Writing articles about your job gives you skills in writing and publishing. Perhaps IT journalism is your next step, writing for an IT magazine or writing a book on a system you know well.

Courses in speaking or training could lead to a job in training IT professionals where you would probably get free training yourself in the latest products.

I have a friend who started growing lettuces on the side, I was amazed at how much he had done when he showed me tables of hydroponic lettuces growing on his 6 acre property. His philosophy was “in the future people will most likely not need Oracle but they will need food”. A radical departure, but he is beginning to pull a living from his venture and there is no need to expensively upgrade a lettuce to the latest version.

Duane Hennessy
Senior Software Engineer and Systems Architect.
Bandicoot Software
Tropical Queensland, Australia
(ABN: 33 682 969 957)

Bandicoot CodeClipper, your code snippet organiser.
http://www.bandicootsoftware.com.au

Moderator of http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AccessDevelopers

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