Making your Computer Better, A Step At A Time

One of the things I do everyday, between other things I must do, is check out what software has been released, both commercial and freeware, as well as the ever dwindling category known as shareware.

As I was perusing the releases this morning on Betanews, I happened to take a closer look at the Panda Antivirus that is “the cloud revision”. I don’t know about you, but when I hear something is a part of the nebulous cloud, the very first thing I think of is that there will be little to no footprint on my computer. Imagine my surprise when I saw the executable installer is 18 MB in size. This is nothing today in terms of some programs that we use on our computers, but for something that is supposed to reside non-locally, it seems extremely bloated.

Also there is a new beta revision of WinRAR, 3.90 beta 1. I own an earlier copy of the archiver, yet I hardly ever use it, as it is not especially user friendly in its interface, or attractive, for that matter. Yet the interface has not changed in quite some time. Also, I don’t store things in RAR format. Since so many more people have access to an UNZIP program I use the much more popular ZIP to archive files to be sent over the internet, or distributed by some other method, like CD or memory stick. It was not until earlier this year that I realized that WinRAR is the only program that will archive files in that format. Many programs will open the files, but you must have a copy of WinRAR to make an RAR archive. Just one of those realizations that I wonder why the light bulb did not switch on sooner. I usually use PowerArchiver 9.26 as my shell for archiving programs, which is older, but as with WinRAR, the newer interface seems extremely cartoony to me – which fits in fine with those who like Vista, but I don’t.

Released just yesterday is yet another revision of Picasa, 3.1 build 7140, which I’m sure is better than the previous revision, but you might not know it, as Google uses the very same description for this revision as the last.

Picasa automatically finds and organizes all of your pictures including: jpeg, tiff, bmp, psd, and standard camera movie files. Sending pictures with e-mail used to mean five steps just to get it right. Picasa lets you pick the size and then automatically attaches your pictures. Browse through all your pictures and view slideshows of your albums with the click of a button. Enhance, fix red-eye, and even crop without losing data or permanently changing your original picture.

Isn’t this what is wrong with the U.S. car companies? Yes, buy the 2010 (insert make and model here) which is just like the 2009 (same make and model) only better!

Just a quick thought.

Also, for the people who like the fru-fru of Windows 7, yet don’t want to spend money, or have the changes enforced by that OS, there is a transformation pack. Free, and only a 20 MB download! Since the advent of Vista, these things are getting to be quite a little business – someone could probably monetize it, if it hadn’t already been done by Window Blinds.

Try it, you might like it, if not, you’re not out anything but time.

Another place I check daily is Shell Extension City. I am constantly amazed by the number of things I get here, that make using Windows nicer, for free. Now and then, there is a Linux tip or program too, so it’s always worth a look. Today there is a little tidbit to change the look of the the Windows XP boot screen. Hmm.. I can see it now, my computer booting, and then “Windows XP Professional 2010“, with the logo in a new set of colors! Everyone likes to customize things, I’m no different.

Last week at Shell Extension City, a small utility that has become very useful for me was featured, and, for anyone with a widescreen LCD monitor, I would try it out.

MAX TO………. MaxTo is a small Windows program that divides your monitors into regions. When you maximize a window, it will no longer fit the entire screen, but only the region it was maximized into. Your windows are neatly organized into the grid you have defined when they are maximized. MaxTo has been described as a tiling window manager. MaxTo is light-weight, and works on both 64-bit and 32-bit versions of Windows XP and Windows Vista. The .NET framework version 2.0 or higher is required…..(free)…..GO THERE!

There are things like this at the City nearly every day – definitely a stop to make at least a couple of times per week.

While at the City, there are all manner of links to other sites of similar bent; enough to keep you checking for gold for a week or two…always a good thing.

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