Google News home page

Google has enhanced its news service with a number of new features that make it easy to modify your own version of the Google News page by adding or deleting sources, and to share the customized page with others.

The Google News home page is now customizable, allowing you to add or delete main news categories (such as business, sports and so on), as well as increasing or decreasing the number of headlines within a section. You can also add sections from any of the 22 country-specific versions of Google News to your own page.

Google has also introduced a feature that lets you create your own section on any topic that interests you. Simply define the section using keywords for a topic that interests you, and a new section is added to your version of the Google News home page.

As with the sections on the standard Google News page, clicking on the link to a new section will open up a separate section page with many more links to news stories related to that topic.

You can now change the layout of the Google News page, either using the controls found in a new light blue box in the upper right corner of the page, or with a javascript widget that lets you drag and drop sections into new locations. Don't like the result? You can always restore the default standard Google news page, or view the text-only version of the standard page by clicking links for those pages.

All customization information is stored in a cookie, so there's no need to register or log in to use the new features.

Another new feature allows you to share your customized news page with others. Each customized news page has its own unique URL. Simply send this URL to others, and they can use the page you've created as their own personalized Google News page, or use it as a basis to make their own modifications.

You can also use this URL to view your own customized page on a computer other than the one where the cookie containing your settings is stored.

The new features are very cool, and make Google News a much more useful service. However, you still need to visit Google News using your web browser; there's no RSS option to allow you to view your customized page in a news aggregator. Google has no plans to add an RSS option either, according to Google product manager Marissa Mayer.

SausageMania

SausageMania is a new, non-commercial sausage website devoted to the art of gourmet sausage-making. SausageMania features sausage making tips, recipes, resources and sausage-related links. There are also instructions on motorizing your grinder and a wonderful photo tutorial on sausage stuffing. SausageMania is the Web's BEST sausage site, created to convince people that anyone can make excellent sausage (as well as kippered salmon and lox) without a big investment in equipment.

As a special, non-sausage bonus (this is an Alaska site, after all), you will also find pages for Kippered King Salmon and Silver Salmon Lox.

SausageMania Sausage Recipes include:

• Sweet Italian sausage with wild fennel
• Sweet Spanish sausage with white raisins
• Sage-and-savory breakfast sausage
• Portuguese linguica with Spanish sherry
• Cajun chaurice
• Alsatian Christmas sausage
• Hungarian Raisin Sausage
• Andouille
• Spanish Chorizo

Special Mention: If you really want the last word in sausage recipes, visit Jerry Fowler's Northwest Smoking Page. After entering the site, choose "Recipes — Sausages" in the popup menu, hit "Select Page" and you'll be taken to a page with literally hundreds of recipes from all over the world, with no less than 13 Andouille recipes, 16 for Bratwurst, and.... get this... 48 for Italian!
Another Special Mention:Stuffer's Supply Company, of Langley, British Columbia, has complied about 150 sausage recipes in PDF format.

Free avast! 4 Home Edition

avast! 4 Home Edition is a full-featured antivirus package designed exclusively for home users, non-commercial users. Both conditions should be met! Our company offers Home Edition free of charge, since in our opinion, it is possible to avoid global virus spreading by efficient prevention; however, many user are not able or do not want to pay for antivirus software. This page will show you the most important features of this program.
Features overview
Antivirus kernel Automatic updates
Simple User Interface Virus Chest
Resident protection System integration

FileZilla

FileZilla is a powerful FTP client that has been designed for ease of use and with support for as many features as possible while still being fast and reliable. (See FileZilla history for more information)

This guide will help you to configure and use FileZilla.

The main features of FileZilla are:

* Ability to resume Uploads/Downloads (if the server supports it)
* Custom Commands
* Site Manager with folders
* Keep Alive system
* Timeout detection
* Firewall support
* SOCKS4/5 and HTTP1.1 Proxy support
* SSL secured connections
* SFTP support
* Upload/Download Queue
* Drag & Drop
* Multi-language support
* GSS authentication and encryption using Kerberos

[4467K] [Win9x/Me/2k/XP] [FREE]

FileZilla

FileZilla is a powerful FTP client that has been designed for ease of use and with support for as many features as possible while still being fast and reliable. (See FileZilla history for more information)

This guide will help you to configure and use FileZilla.

The main features of FileZilla are:

* Ability to resume Uploads/Downloads (if the server supports it)
* Custom Commands
* Site Manager with folders
* Keep Alive system
* Timeout detection
* Firewall support
* SOCKS4/5 and HTTP1.1 Proxy support
* SSL secured connections
* SFTP support
* Upload/Download Queue
* Drag & Drop
* Multi-language support
* GSS authentication and encryption using Kerberos

[4467K] [Win9x/Me/2k/XP] [FREE]

Health calculator

Everything you need to stay healthy

Want to revitalise your health, but don't know where to start? Well, you've come to the right place. Just choose one or more of the options on this site and we will calculate your fitness and provide you with a personal action plan to improve your health.

Yahoo! Netrospective: 100 Moments of the Web

Yahoo! Netrospective: 10 years, 100 moments of the Web

Security Alert - Instant Messenger Worms

From Common Sense Security
Be vary careful about clicking on a link in an instant message. There are
several new worms that have surfaced in the last couple of days that
attempt to download Trojans that allow a hacker to take over your computer.

The messages say "omg this is funny!" or "lol! see it! u'll like it" and
contain a link to a web site. Clicking on the link will infect your computer
with the worm, which then sends itself out to all of your MSN Messenger
contacts, and downloads the Trojans. One of the worms tries to disable
antivirus programs on the infected computer.

Make sure your antivirus program is up to date, and don't click any IM
links!

ABC Shortcuts

This looks like an interesting idea but please note that I have NOT tested this app. due to my not using IE (Come on now. Why are you NOT using Firefox?

---

ABC Shortcuts
Lists the websites you visited
in 26 Menus (a-z) for quick access:

*
Automatically stores menus of visited sites.
*
Select from visited sites, which start with that letter.
*
Click for the site's main page.
*
Right click for the last visited page.




Store the websites you use all the time in 26 Buttons (a-z)
for quick login or search:

*
Each letter is a button.
*
Click an empty button to store the current page.
*
Username and password can also be stored.
*
Click a stored button to return and login to the site.

Google Desktop searches:

Here’s a quick one: Google has taken its Desktop Search Tool out of beta and released a final version.

Improvements include natively supporting non Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, for example, and no longer indexes password-protected files. The release version of Google Desktop Search also gives users the option of indexing secure Web pages. The tool can now search the contents of Adobe PDF, music, and video files, the company says.

Windows Movie Maker 2.1 Download

Windows Movie Maker 2.1 makes home movies amazingly fun. With Movie Maker 2.1, you can create, edit, and share your home movies right on your computer. Build your movie with a few simple drag-and-drops. Delete bad shots and include only the best scenes. Then share your movie via the Web, e-mail, or CD. Using third-party software you can even take movies you've made and turn them into DVDs. You can also save your movie back to the video tape in your camera to play back on a TV or on the camera itself.

My Digital Movies v1.3FREE [Win2k/XP] Only

My Digital Movies is the first in a series of FREE programs built to help you get your digital and non-digital media organized. My Digital Movies focuses on organizing your movies regardless if it is old 8-mil, vhs, dvd, divx etc... Cataloging your movies is done in a snap with MDM, simply by typing the title and pressing save or even better using the ONLINE WIZARD to download and add the information automatically!

The ONLINE WIZARD takes advantage of the latest information available on internet and automatically downloads information such as director, producer, genre, actor lists, release dates, the cover images and much more...

Saving you countless hours of typing!

The built in LOAN MANAGER keeps track of every movie, who borrowed it, how long they have borrowed it, when it is due for return and much more...

MediaMan v2.1 FREE [Win2k/XP]ONLY

Over the years that you have been alive, you doubtlessly have accumulated a huge collection of movies, books, games, and CDs. Sometimes, remembering all of what you have can be a difficult challenge. Most people don't usually think about going all out and organizing their media catalog like a library, but if you have enough titles in your collection, this type of thing makes sense. I have found what I believe to be the ultimate free media cataloging software for Windows. It's called MediaMan, and it sure is useful. You can add your entire collection to this software and manage everything from within one program. This isn't some sort of hokey program that only allows you to type in the title of the movie and a few other tidbits of information - it actually asks you for the ISBN, EAN, or UPC barcode and then goes to Amazon.com to retrieve all of the appropriate information about the title, including the cover art and user reviews. The information is then imported into the proper category of your library, and this feature works surprisingly well. If you get bored with entering the item numbers by hand, use your Webcam to scan the barcodes and import the information in that way - super fancy. MediaMan also lets you change the status of individuals titles, so if you lent one out to someone, you'll know why it's not in your physical library. This kind of thing is perfect for managing your ever-expanding collection. When you're finished with importing your current selection, export the database to a file that's ready for printing, or to an HTML file that is ready to be shared on the Web. I just wish I had enough media to make it worthwhile for me to use this program - it's that good

Calendar 2005, Calendar 2006, and Calendar 2007

Simple but very comprehensible wall or desktop calendar for 2005, 2006, and 2007 years in the Excel-format. This calendar you will easily print on an A4 paper.
If you don't have the MS Office installed, you can open these calendars as GIF images. You may save or print the images with a right mouse click.

3D Photo Browser (Light) for Digital Camera

3D Photo Browser Light is a powerful file manager that will radically changes your way of viewing your 3D files, your images, your videos and your audio files.

WINPATROL FREE

NOTE This is a MUST HAVE program for any computer


Scotty the Windows Watch Dog sniffs out malicious "mysteryware" and parasites that may assault your computer. WinPatrol puts you back in control of your computer so you'll know what programs are and should be running at all times.
Scotty the Windows Watch Dog sniffs out malicious “mysteryware” and parasites that may assault your computer. WinPatrol puts you back in control of your computer so you’ll know what programs are and should be running at all times.

Increase your speed and system performance. Detect and neutralize spyware. Detect and neutralize adware. Detect and neutralize viral infections. Detect and neutralize unwanted IE add-ons. Detect and restore file type changes. Automatically filter unwanted cookies. Avoid start page hijacking. Detect HOSTS file changes. Kill multiple tasks that replicate each other in a single step! Stop programs that repeatedly add themselves to your startup list! Delete and remove the most stubborn infections.

ATnotes

ATnotes is a FREEWARE program which creates sticky notes on the Windows desktop. It sits in the taskbar and takes very few resource.
A lot of translation

The user interface supports natively english and german language, which is set automatically according to the system default language. A lot of additionnal translation are available. And if you don't find your language, translating ATnotes is very easy.
Change the way your notes look

The notes are fully customizable : font, text size, color or transparency can be changed to make clear and beautiful notes. For important notes, You can make it always visible, so you won't forget it.
Alarms

You can set alarm for each note, which will bring the note to front, and flash it with a sound.
Minimize big notes

When a note is minimized, only the first line is displayed, reducing the desktop space used
Open notes links

Atnotes recognize links in notes so you can open them directly
Now, You know the main features of ATnotes. You can already download it and give it a try.
It is a freeware, so enjoy!

Malware: what it is and how to prevent it

I came across this article by chance but I think it is well worth putting on here for everyone to read. Please click on the "Next page" links at the bottom of each page.
Tony

---

Introduction

Along with viruses, one of the biggest threats to computer users on the Internet today is malware. It can hijack your browser, redirect your search attempts, serve up nasty pop-up ads, track what web sites you visit, and generally screw things up. Malware programs are usually poorly-programmed and can cause your computer to become unbearably slow and unstable in addition to all the other havoc they wreak.

Many of them will reinstall themselves even after you think you have removed them, or hide themselves deep within Windows, making them very difficult to clean. This guide will detail the different varieties of malware along with basic preventive measures. In a follow-up article, we will examine the removal process and review a set of spyware removers. Although also considered to be malware, programs such as viruses, worms, trojans, and everything else generally detected by anti-virus software will not be discussed here, and the use of the word malware will only explicitly refer to software that fits in the categories listed below.

You can get infected by malware in several ways. Malware often comes bundled with other programs (Kazaa, iMesh, and other file sharing programs seem to be the biggest bundlers). These malware programs usually pop-up ads, sending revenue from the ads to the program's authors. Others are installed from websites, pretending to be software needed to view the website. Still others, most notably some of the CoolWebSearch variants, install themselves through holes in Internet Explorer like a virus would, requiring you to do nothing but visit the wrong web page to get infected.

The vast majority, however, must be installed by the user. Unfortunately, getting infected with malware is usually much easier than getting rid of it, and once you get malware on your computer it tends to multiply.
Will anti-virus programs protect against malware?

Anti-virus companies are only beginning to pay attention to malware. Aside from some of the latest versions (many include the malware scanner in the Internet security portion of their suites), most anti-virus programs have little to no protection. Those anti-virus programs that do protect are generally not as thorough as a dedicated malware remover. However, some especially virulent malware that malware scanners may miss will be removed by anti-virus programs, so it is generally a good idea to run a virus scan as well. Some of the anti-virus vendors' delay may be caused by worries they will get sued if they start labeling programs spyware, adware, etc., which has already happened.
Types of malware

Although there is no official breakdown, we can divide malware into several broad categories of malware: adware, spyware, hijackers, toolbars, and dialers. Many, if not most malware programs will fit into more than one category.

It is very common for people to use the words adware, spyware, and malware interchangeably. Most products that call themselves spyware or adware removers will actually remove all types of malware.
Adware

Adware is the class of programs that place advertisements on your screen. These may be in the form of pop-ups, pop-unders, advertisements embedded in programs, advertisements placed on top of ads in web sites, or any other way the authors can think of showing you an ad. The pop-ups generally will not be stopped by pop-up stoppers, and often are not dependent on your having Internet Explorer open. They may show up when you are playing a game, writing a document, listening to music, or anything else. Should you be surfing, the advertisements will often be related to the web page you are viewing.
Spyware

Programs classified as spyware send information about you and your computer to somebody else. Some spyware simply relays the addresses of sites you visit or terms you search for to a server somewhere. Others may send back information you type into forms in Internet Explorer or the names of files you download. Still others search your hard drive and report back what programs you have installed, contents of your e-mail client's address book (usually to be sold to spammers), or any other information about or on your computer – things such as your name, browser history, login names and passwords, credit card numbers, and your phone number and address.

Spyware often works in conjunction with toolbars. It may also use a program that is always running in the background to collect data, or it may integrate itself into Internet Explorer, allowing it to run undetected whenever Internet Explorer is open.
Hijackers

Hijackers take control of various parts of your web browser, including your home page, search pages, and search bar. They may also redirect you to certain sites should you mistype an address or prevent you from going to a website they would rather you not, such as sites that combat malware. Some will even redirect you to their own search engine when you attempt a search. NB: hijackers almost exclusively target Internet Explorer.
Toolbars

Toolbars plug into Internet Explorer and provide additional functionality such as search forms or pop-up blockers. The Google and Yahoo! toolbars are probably the most common legitimate examples, and malware toolbars often attempt to emulate their functionality and look. Malware toolbars almost always include characteristics of the other malware categories, which is usually what gets it classified as malware. Any toolbar that is installed through underhanded means falls into the category of malware.
Dialers

Dialers are programs that set up your modem connection to connect to a 1-900 number. This provides the number's owner with revenue while leaving you with a large phone bill. There are some legitimate uses for dialers, such as for people who do not have access to credit cards. Most dialers, however, are installed quietly and attempt to do their dirty work without being detected.........cont. online

InAlbum

InAlbum is fun and easy-to-use software to turn your digital photos into a stunning photo slideshow. Start with ready to use templates or custom templates that let you mix & match background animations, buttons, photo frames, and transition effects. Decorate with animated clipart, speech bubbles, sounds, MP3 music, and your own voices. InAlbum gives you more output options than any other slideshow software. Create video CDs that are playable on TVs using a standard VCD / DVD player. Even build screensavers for yourself or others!

Secure PC - by Reader

Have just come across this site and even though I have not managed to read or test everything on there I DO recommend it to you.

Many will claim that the only way to ensure a stable and secure PC is not to use it, or
alternatively to get hold of a Mac. Fortunately things are not all that bad; but if you want to use your PC actively, installing new programs/functions and to move about on the "world wild web" you might quite easily run into problems.

I have attempted to compile an overview of programs and functions on can use in
order to avoid most of the potential problems and hazards, or to clean up after them
in case they should show their "ugly heads" in spite of the precautions taken....................................

Thoughts for the day

1.I haven't lost my mind, it's backed up on a disk somewhere.
2.Never be afraid to try something new.Remember: Amateurs...built the Ark. Professionals...built the Titanic

This Week's Links We Like

What kind of parrot are you?

Hold the button

Online Flea Circus - The show must go on!

Relax! Listen to the soothing sounds of waves, fire, animals and more.

Reduce Your Stress Level
Listen To Soothing Sounds Online

Winguard Pro 2005 Free Edition Version: 5.8 Build 2

With WinGuard Pro 2005 you can password protect your programs, windows and web pages in one easy to use program. It lets you lock features of your system so that nobody can use them while you are away. The program lets you specify a password and then choose from a variety of options - what features to lock, for example, the find tool, backing up, desktop, etc. All the options are listed within one window and they are self-explaining, so there is no need to wade your way through dozens of sub-folders and weird registry key values.

What's more, there is also encryption for your personal files and folders. It offers an all-in-one security solution for your computer. With extra features to lock the desktop, boot keys, task keys, blocking software installations and internet access.

WinGuard Pro 2005 comes in a Free and Premium edition. You have the option to upgrade to Premium if you desire at a later date.

Iconoid

Description: Use Iconoid to hide your desktop icons when your cursor is not on the desktop so that you can see your desktop wallpaper. Also, make your desktop icon backgrounds transparent or change the color of the text or background. Save and restore icon positions and Hide windows quickly. Iconoid can be hidden or it can live in the system tray. Other features as well. Very customizable. Not resource intensive. Help is included and full source is available.

ELATED

Back in they heyday of the World Wide Web, it seemed like one out of three sites had HTML tutorials, free corny graphics, and other resources for starting Web developers. I know I remember this period of time, and I’m sure you can also recall when every Web page looked like it had been regurgitated by a pelican. As time has passed, the resources have become much better, but remnants of the olden days can still be found lurking online. A site called ELATED contains nice tools and tutorials that you can use in your development projects.

These type of sites are a dime a dozen nowadays, but one of the things that makes this one a little more noteworthy is its collection of templates. The truth is that even if you can program HTML code with your eyes closed, if your design skills are nonexistent, you'll have a hard time in developing an attractive site. Most of these templates are very well done, and you can download all of the needed files in order to customize the template to your message. This is a great way to give your site the design kick that it has needed for so long. ELATED also features a collection of tutorials that are useful for beginners and slightly more advanced developers. Look through the free graphics and other content to help bring your personal creativity out of hibernation.

welcome to metacafe.com

welcome to metacafe.com
are you bored?

CLICK to see thousands of the best videos, images and sounds on the internet!

welcome to metacafe.com

welcome to metacafe.com
are you bored?

CLICK to see thousands of the best videos, images and sounds on the internet!

Folder Lock 5.1.6 (Keep private files safe)

Platform Windows 2000, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT, Windows XP
Type function limited demo but well worth the price for the FULL download
Manufacturer: New Softwares Inc
Size 1.8MB
Folder Lock Plus is a file-security program that can lock, hide or encrypt and number of files or folders on your PC.

This protection isn't limited to files/folders on internal hard drives either - it can protect files/folders on any media (USB Flash Drives, Memory Sticks, CD-RW, floppies etc).

Conveniently, any protection on files or folders remains active, even if the protected items are transferred from one PC to another.

The program is easy to use thanks to its user-friendly interface.
SEE A FLASH MOVIE

The best of music, movies, breaking news & Hollywood headlines.

Music
Music Store Radio
Movies
Downloads & DVDs
Sports NFL
NASCAR
MLB
NBA
Soccer
News News

TV/Celebrities
Hot Stuff Playboy TV
Mobile
Games
Wow!
RollingStone.com

FILECLOUD

I have just found the brand new file-sharing site called Filecloud
They are giving users the ability to upload and share their own files with the whole world, just their friends, or keep in a private "locker" for themselves with 100 megs of storage accessible via a "username.filecloud.com" type URL system and user interface for uploading, downloading, and managing your buddy list.

They are basically allowing all the features that a paid user will have in the future to be completely free for the first 10,000 people that sign up. They will have these accounts free until March 31st; but we'll let everyone know a week ahead of time that they will be switching the site over."

PS -- Let me know if you open an account and i will add it to my friends list. If you wish to add me my filecloud name is uk-tony

Live ATC net

This site was launched as a resource for those who enjoy listening to live Air Traffic Control (ATC)...aviation enthusiasts, student pilots, student air traffic controllers, flight simulation enthusiasts, FBO operators, airline operators, and anyone with an interest in aviation communications.

LiveATC.net is a growing site geared to providing you with a sampling of live ATC radio traffic from around the world. We concentrate on providing ATC audio streams with high sound quality using MP3 streaming audio technology.


Other ATC Links

Via--Linkfilter

network cameras

A network camera is a camera which is linked to a network and/or the internet. There is no need for a PC. The cam has a mini-PC in it-self!



The camera can be easily accesed with an internet browser. The camera image is usually placed in a certain web page...

Someone has already done a lot of homework and compiled a list of open cameras, you can see this list at www.griffid.com/htm/live_images.html

EMS Free Surfer Companion 1.3.0.0

EMS Free Surfer Companion offers intelligent popup killing that eliminates browser pop-ups while you surf. It also includes a browser cache cleaner with cookie manager, and a search option to find items in your Favorites and the browser cache. Furthermore, the program offers an option to store site login information and automatically makes it available when you are entering the site. The automatic Washboard allows you to delete various internet traces automatically or at scheduled times. Additional features include URL aliases, web site snapshots, home page locking and more.

Browster

Browster makes it much faster and easier to browse through search results and other lists of links. Browster plugs into your current browser and preloads search results so you don’t have to wait. Its fast preview window lets you see web pages before you visit them. Learn more
Windows 2000 or XP ONLY

Mozilla - Home of the Firefox web browser, Thunderbird e-mail ...

Get Firefox 1.0, the faster, better web browser. Now available in 27 languages, for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. “Security, Cool Features Of Firefox Web Browser Beat Microsoft’s IE”

The Thunderbird 1.0 e-mail client makes emailing safer, faster, and easier than ever before with new features like intelligent spam filters, saved search folders, RSS support, privacy protection and much more.

Mozilla Suite
Web browser, advanced e-mail and newsgroup client, IRC chat client, and HTML editing made simple.

NOTE
The Sunbird Project
The Sunbird Project is a redesign of the Mozilla Calendar component. Our goal is to produce a cross platform standalone calendar application based on Mozilla's XUL user interface language. At the moment the Sunbird name is a project name. It is not official and may change in the future.

Our intended user is someone who uses Mozilla Firefox and Mozilla Thunderbird and wants a calendar application based on Mozilla.

In addition, by focusing solely on standalone calendar, we believe we can make some dents in the overall footprint and performance of the calendar application by removing components and chrome we don't need.

Our first release Sunbird 0.2 is available for download.

Site of the Day: Veepers

Looking for a crazy site? The one where you can animate your plain old photos and make your subjects say crazy things? Whant to send the Ultimate thankyou message or Birthday Greeting?

Click here for Veepers!

Only caveat: Firefox is still unsupported, but you can still use Netscape if you're trying to avoid IE.

I'd love to see your best efforts. Make sure to email me the gems when you're done!
Tony

Some People shouldn't get webcams.

Some People shouldn't get webcams. Just a little light music?????????

AndreaMosaic

Welcome to the official page of AndreaMosaic. With this freeware program you can create your own photomosaics made with your own pictures. A photo-mosaic is a mosaic where every tile is a photograph and not just a simple colored piece. Enjoy the program and feel free to contact Andrea at denzler at usa dot net.

Warren Simons: Photo Portfolio

Warren Simons: Photo Portfolio
and now for something different
On this site you will find a series of photo galleries—a portfolio of my work. Access the photos by clicking on each gallery link below. To return to this main page find the "HOME" link in the last photo in any gallery or at the bottom of the thumbnail window pane.

I live and work in New York City. I use a digital camera and edit in Photoshop. Most of my photos are reflections—in water, windows, or any other handy reflective surface. Among them you will find the people and places of New York City, New Orleans, Seattle, and Gloucester. No filters or plug-in utilities were used in Photoshop to create the effect seen in these photos.

I try to upload a new photo gallery every week or two so check back often!

UCmore XP FREE

Have this on my machine and it works a treat
UCmore XP works with any search engine in Internet Explorer to give you more substantial--and better organized--results. This toolbar auto-installs into IE. From its vantage point at the top of your browser, it lists several categories related to the subject of your search. You can click any of them for further lists of categorized links. If you want to know more about the site you're visiting, click UCmore XP's icon to see a description of the site's purpose.

Price: Free
Note--Though it mentions XP it will work on any IE version

Streamload

I have a backup copy of my music, photos, and other important data at home. But like most people I've put off uploading my stuff to an online storage service because, well, tinkering under the hood is more fun than doing something I really should do. Then I ran across a service that makes it worth the hassle, in more ways than one.

What if I said that you could access, and even stream, your favorite music and videos to any Web-connected PC in the world? Or how about sharing your fancy, high-resolution photos with the folks back home through a simple URL in an e-mail?

Okay, how about if I said you can do all this for free?
Check out Streamload:
It's an online storage service that offers all the goodies I mentioned, plus you can use it for free if you accept some restrictions. If you're willing to shell out a few bucks per month it gets even better, because the service doesn't charge you for predetermined storage limits (as Xdrive does) or even by the amount of storage you actually use (like Data Deposit Box).
NOTE For all the options INCLUDING the free one click on pricing on the main page
GREAT Help files HERE
It's also worth noting that Streamload isn't some new, fly-by night company. It's been around since 1998, and it's been profitable for the last three years. The company's not going anywhere, and neither is your data. Streamload keeps at least two copies of your stuff, in two different locations, at all times. And if something happens to one copy, the service automatically makes another one.

Get Your Gig On

Streamload recently updated its service interface, and for the most part it's a smooth operator. You can upload and download via the Web, or you can use its free uploader and downloader apps, which I found a bit more pleasant (plus, the apps offer a few extra features).

Uploading takes time, and lots of it. Obviously, your Internet service upload speed affects this greatly. With the T1 line at the office my upload speed maxed at about 162 kilobytes per second, but averaged somewhere closer to 100 KBps. Things were slower on my DSL line at home, where my average upload speed was in the 30-KBps range. Needless to say, uploading 30GB of music files will take a while: I recommend you start the process and go to bed.

Your stuff arrives at Streamload in your Inbox; once it's there, you can organize it however you want. The Web interface is fairly intuitive, and responds quickly to input. Once a file lives on Streamload you can access it from anywhere: You can play it, download it, and even rename it from within the Web interface. When you hit Play on an audio or video file, the service launches your desktop media player and begins streaming the file to your PC. Photos open within the Streamload interface, where you can even add comments.

Streamload keeps you informed about the amount of data you download (there's a ticker in the top-right corner of the Web interface). Streaming a media file affects your download total the same amount as transferring the file would. If you reach your maximum monthly allowance before 30 days are up, you're given the opportunity to upgrade your service and continue.

Send a Song

Streamload is worth a look for all the reasons I've just rattled off. But file sharing is where it really nails the deal. Now, I'm not going to get into a big discussion about the morality of sharing copyrighted material. Like Streamload, I'll just trust that we all know right from wrong.

So let's say you want to share photos from your last family vacation. While services like Ofoto and Yahoo let you upload and share images for free, they often won't display the photos at full resolution. From within Streamload's interface you can either send the files themselves to other Streamload users, or e-mail a link to the files to anyone, regardless of whether they use the service.

The e-mail recipient clicks on the link and sees a version of the Streamload site that provides access to the images. The service works the same way with music, video, and other files. You can also create an entire Hosted Files section with a Streamload URL, so you can simply point people to your shared files.

When a fellow Streamload user downloads one of your files, the download usage is charged against their monthly total. If a non-Streamloader accesses your stuff via a link you send, the download goes against your total. To prevent somebody with access to your files from using up your entire month's bandwidth allocation, you can limit the number of times they can download a file, and you can expire the link you send so it doesn't work after a certain date. If you're sending out links to multiple addresses you can even assign passwords for each person.

I like the Streamload service, even though it's not always flawless. I ran into a few error screens during regular use, and an e-mail address book would be nice. But overall, it runs well and the interface is solid. Obviously it's meant for broadband users, but dial-up folks can use it too--assuming they are absurdly patient.

Finally, I like any company with a sense of humor, and Streamload clearly has one. When you send a link via e-mail, pithy advertisements prefaced by meaningless numbers appear in the body of the message. For example: "#935. Streamload: Don't stream like a little girl!" and "#358. Streamload: More fun than watching a dog eating peanut butter."

Unlimited storage, easy access, a solid interface, and jokes about dogs eating peanut butter--what's not to like?

FoxyTunes (Control your media player from within Mozilla Firefox) Free

Users of Firefox, Thunderbird or the Mozilla suite can use FoxyTunes to control their music in a toolbar.

FoxyTunes can control a wide range of different media players from Windows Media Player to iTunes and Winamp.

You can set up keyboard shortcuts to make controlling the media player even easy and install different skins to match the stye of your web browser.

There is also an alarm clock and a sleep timer.

Don't email - vmail

Don't email - vmail
Introducing a new service from Tiscali, send video messages, make a live video call or video conference with up to six friends. The service is free of charge, doesnt require any specialist software and can be used by both broadband and dial up users. Use Vmail to

# Keep in touch with friends and family abroad
# Keep up to date with grandchildren
# Send a birthday or christmas message
# Make an announcement to a group of friends
# Have intimate video calls with loved ones far away

Creative Webcams
To use the service you will need a pc with internet access, the flash 6 plug in and of course a webcam. If you havent got a webcam don't worry Tiscali have teamed up with Creative labs to provide you with some great offers.

FreeSerifSoftware

Serif, Inc - the US office of the leading independent desktop publishing, design and graphics software developer - announces the launch of "FreeSerifSoftware.com", a new Web site devoted to providing FREE downloads of some of the most user-friendly design and publishing software available.

FreeSerifSoftware.com provides FREE software that covers just about everything from desktop publishing, drawing and digital imaging to 3D design and Web publishing.


Downloads are 100% FREE, fully functional and unlimited. There are no gimmicks, conditions or catches as Serif firmly believes that the best way to win future loyal customers is to exceed their expectations from Day One.
Desktop Publishing / Graphic Design / Image and Photo Editing / 3D Animation / Web Publishing

MEMEO™ FOR IPOD

Memeo Expands the Capabilities of iPod Beyond Music to Include E-mail and File Access and Helps Consumers Seamlessly Manage and Safeguard Precious Digital Files
Laguna Niguel, California -- February 14, 2005 – Tanagra, Inc., a worldwide provider of backup software for the digital consumer, today announced it is launching an iPod version of its flagship product, Memeo™. Memeo is designed to address the challenges of the digital lifestyle by providing consumers with a way to effortlessly and universally preserve and keep track of data files by working with their behaviors.


Memeo now expands the capabilities of iPod beyond managing music files to include access to e-mail, calendars and other personal files. iPod users can use Memeo to catch up on their latest e-mails, review notes, check schedules, look up contacts and have their latest files and digital photos with them wherever they go. Once the users have selected what files they want Memeo to keep track of, it will automatically update anything on the iPod along with new music selections each time the device is plugged in.

The increasing use of smart devices, especially the iPod are making music, photographs and the rest of our lives digital and portable. The challenge is how consumers will safeguard, monitor and manage all these files across multiple devices. Helping consumers manage, track and safeguard these digital files in a simple, natural way is the focus of Memeo zero-touch data preservation technology.

"The 20 million iPod users in the market today are already inseparable from their iPod. It is inevitable for them to want to do more. Memeo extends the functionality of the iPod beyond music naturally and effortlessly," stated Hong Bui, CEO and Co-founder of Tanagra. “Think of the iPod and Memeo as the vehicle for making everything in your digital life portable. Need your latest work with you? Plug in your iPod. Working at a remote location and you need to safeguard your work? Plug in your iPod. Memeo will do all of the work automatically.”

Memeo allows for integration and transformation of data and can advance the capability of a particular device. This further demonstrates the ability of Memeo to break away from traditional “back up” software. Because it works in concert with a user’s behavior, Memeo makes data migration effortless. Consumers can simply and securely establish what file to backup to a certain storage destination with Memeo’s simple SmartPick™ checklist. The product also offers multiplexing technology, which allows users to choose any combination of a wide selection of storage resources both on- and off-line to meet their individual needs. For example, MEMEO has the ability to separate work files from personal files. Users can copy personal information, emails, photos to their iPod and back up their work files to a corporate network automatically.

“Think of Memeo as your maintenance free, personal organization and filing system,” stated Lisa Davies Henderson, vice president of Consumer Marketing for Tanagra. “Memeo will automatically and discretely monitor your files and preserve, sync or transform your files in a way that you would intend to use them with the devices or storage that you have.”

Free downloads of Memeo are currently available at www.tanagra.com.

Tanagra has been funded entirely from personal funds invested by private investors and its founders.

For more information visit www.tanagra.com or contact Hong Bui at hong@tanagra.com.

Memeo. FREE

Without a doubt, one of the most frustrating computing disasters is data loss. It always seems to happen at an inconvenient time, and for those less conscious of the need to backup their data, this kind of thing can wipe out hours, weeks, months, or even years of work. It’s always important to have recent copies of all your vital data, but for some people, the backup procedure feels too time consuming and repetitive. Wouldn’t it be nice if all of your desirable files were backed up automatically whenever they were modified? This is made possible with Memeo.

This software is perfect for those of us who are obsessed with up to date backups. You start off by telling the software what type of files you want it to keep track of. This can be anything from Word documents, media files, or even specific folders that you choose. Next, choose where you want Memeo to store your backups. This can be something like a removable drive, spare computer, FTP server, etc. While the software is running in the background, it tracks the files that you specified and automatically updates them to your desired storage locations whenever a change is made. Even if you're not connected to your backup destination 24/7, Memeo will still remembers what was changed and then updates the listing when the backup connection is restored. This automatic backup procedure is fantastic, and it appears to work beautifully. The software is free and is in preview stage for a short time, so grab it now and test it out. This type of thing could definitely become a huge hit.

[11.8M] [Win2k/XP] [FREE]

jetAudio

Overview


Supports All Major File Formats
jetAudio supports all major digital audio/video file formats, and CD/DVD*/VideoCD.

Supported file formats are :

Windows Sound Files (WAV)
MPEG Audio files (MP1, MP2, MP3) including mp3PRO
MPEG Audio Playlist Files (PLS, M3U)
MPEG Video Files (MPG, MPEG)
Windows Media Audio files (WMA)
Windows Media Video Files (ASF, WMV)
Windows Video Files (AVI)
DivX Video Files (AVI, DIVX) *
Ogg Vorbis Sound Files (OGG)
Apple Audio files (AIF and AIFF)
QuickTime files (QT, MOV and MP4) **
SUN Audio files (AU and SND)
RealMedia Files (RA, RAM, RM, RMM)
MIDI files (MID, RMI and KAR)
IMS file (IMS)
Module files (MOD, S3M, XM, MTM, STM, IT, ULT, 669, FAIR, MED, MDL, MDL, NST, OKT and WOW)
Monkey's Audio file format (APE)
MPEG Plus Audio files (MPC)
Free Lossless Audio Codec files (FLAC)
Ogg Media Files (OGM) *
MKV Video Files (MKV) *

* Requires additional codec from third party
For example, you should install DivX codec to play DivX format video files.

** Requires QuickTime 4 or higher

Supported disc formats are :

Audio CD
Video CD
DVD

(Note) DVD playback needs DVD decoder from third party.
Features



Supports All Major File Formats
Audio CD burning
Recording
Visualization powered by Sound2Vision
Various sound effects
Speed Control
Resume
Synchronized Lyric (Karaoke)
Alarm & Timer
Equalizer
Superb Crystal-Clear Sound

Conversion
Audio CD Ripping
Internet Broadcasting
Tag Editing
Multi-channel sound ouput
Crossfade
Skin
Subtitles
Internet CD Database
Convenient album management & Playlist
Utilities

MediaJoin 2.0

MediaJoin enables you to easily join (combine) multiple audio or video files. Unlike most other file mergers, this program does not use a simple copy merge, but actually re-encodes the files, with options to change the output format, as well as format specific settings (bitrate,frequency,frame rate etc.). MediaJoin supports MP3, WMA, WAV, OGG, AVI, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and WMV, and it can optionally include audio tag information for combined output audio files.
The above link will take you to the Snapfile download site but for further programs in this catagory Look HERE

Yahoo! Desktop Search

Yahoo! has just released the first public beta of their own desktop search app. You can find it HERE

Requires Windows XP or Windows 2000 SP 3+
Find it fast with the power of Yahoo! Search

* Find anything on your computer
* View search results instantaneously - as fast as you can type
* Protect your privacy with easy search controls
* It's free!

Guitar Tuner for Windows AND Metronome for Windows

Dont EVER say that the range of links on this page is anything but eclectic. So to keep you ALL happy here are two more that I have just found. OK for those of you who play an instrument especially the Guitar

Guitar Tuner for Windows 9x/Me/XP/2000/2003
This is a basic guitar tuner allowing standard* and open tunings.

It shows the name of the note, together with its place on the stave, and numerical values of pitch/frequency.

(*) The standard tuning is:

6th string (bass string) = E
5th string = A
4th string = D
3rd string = G
2nd string = B
1st string (thinnest one) = E

Metronome for Windows 98/Me/XP/2000/2003

This metronome plays tempos from 40 to 340 beats per minute.

It also allows the user to play simple, compound and odd-time meters as well as mixes of measures (5/4=3+2/4, 13/8=3+2+3+2/8), etc.

It plays different tones for accent, intermediate and regular beats, and displays meter, tempo and movement being played.

FLICKR (FREE)

"...cutting-edge real-time photo sharing."
This service provides a substantial amount of functionality for anyone that is a lover of all things photographic. Upload your pictures from your computer or camera phone, label them appropriately, organize them into albums, and then share them with the public. Posting photos straight to your blog is simple enough, and RSS feeds allow the content to be pushed out even more efficiently. You may wish to keep certain photos private for yourself or family and friends, and Flickr helps to keep private photos safe from anonymous eyes. As you would expect, viewers can leave comments on pictures that they feel like responding to. I really like the tagging feature that allows you to categorize photos by subject, therefore making them much easier to find. Go create a free account to see what the Web is buzzing about.

FLICKR (FREE)

"...cutting-edge real-time photo sharing."
This service provides a substantial amount of functionality for anyone that is a lover of all things photographic. Upload your pictures from your computer or camera phone, label them appropriately, organize them into albums, and then share them with the public. Posting photos straight to your blog is simple enough, and RSS feeds allow the content to be pushed out even more efficiently. You may wish to keep certain photos private for yourself or family and friends, and Flickr helps to keep private photos safe from anonymous eyes. As you would expect, viewers can leave comments on pictures that they feel like responding to. I really like the tagging feature that allows you to categorize photos by subject, therefore making them much easier to find. Go create a free account to see what the Web is buzzing about.

Answers.com: 1-click answers to 1 million topics at your fingertips

Powered by GuruNet technology, Answers.com acts much like a hybrid Internet-based Encyclopedia and Search Engine all-in-one on steroids.

As opposed to standard search engines that serve up a list of links for you to follow, Answers.com displays quick, snapshot answers with concise, reliable information and incorporates content from "over 100 authoritative encyclopedias, dictionaries, glossaries and atlases, carefully chosen for breadth and quality".
And best of all -- Answers.com is completely free and you have access to their entire database of references (I.E.: no subscription fee is required)!

If you're on the computer as much as I am, having reliable and quality 'answers' at your fingertips can literally can save you a bucket load of time
How does Answers.com work?
You can access answers.com directly via the Answers.com web site, or you can opt to install one of three Answers.com "plug-in" programs which work seamlessly with your existing applications (such as your word processor, web browser, chat program, etc).

Answers.com does not contain Spyware and is invoked *only* when you place the mouse over top of a word and by pressing ALT + Left Click (I.E.: press ALT on the keyboard at the same time as Left Clicking the mouse).

Here's the skinny on how it works:

* Alt-Click: See a word on your screen? Simply press the Alt key on your keyboard and use your mouse to click on any word or name, and Answers.com will provide you with the necessary information.

* AnswerBar: Our AnswerBar is docked conveniently on the side of your screen. Click the arrow to pull it out, and look up the word or name.

* Browser Toolbar: Browsing the Web using Internet Explorer or Mozilla? Type into our toolbar (available for Microsoft Internet Explorer or as a Mozilla FireFox plugin).

Who can use Answers.com?

Anyone can use the Answers.com web portal, but the "plug-in" programs are available for MS Windows or the Mac.

Do any of the Answers.com "plug-ins" contain Spyware?

Absolutely not.

Answers.com is supported by contextual ads based on searches, and never uses "popup" or similar annoying advertising methods. Ads displayed on the page are similar to that of Google's Adwords.

Credibility: Why should you use Answers.com?

Answers.com is such a compelling force that Google.com (the world's biggest search engine) has opted to replace all it's previous Dictionary.com references with the answers provided by Answers.com in their search engine technology. (Source: searchenginewatch.com)

HOW Stuff Works

Let me tip my hat to an excellent site that new users can peruse at their own pace and learn everything they may wish to know. How Stuff Works will explain all there is to know (in plain language) about such things as --How Blogs Work--How Cable Modems Work--How Web Pages Work-- etc etc

Magic Show - Online Magic magazine

Interested in magic? - want to learn a trick or two, find a magic store, read reviews of the latest effects for sale, watch video clips of tricks, learn what magic websites are out there, get some pointers on sleight-of-hand technique.

The Magic Show site provides a jumping-off spot to a whole world of magic on the web and is updated weekly with new reviews and effects. Lots of nifty stuff to explore here.

11view

11view is a free, fast and easy image viewer with several unique features. It shows, prints and converts images with the highest possible quality.

Special features: loading-time interpolation makes any picture appear smooth and clear when stretched onto a full screen, color management corrects color and brightness distortions giving you the most realistic colors possible, gamma correction allows you to light-up dark images or darken too bright ones while viewing them.
Screenshots

Photoleap

Photographs are for sharing. Unfortunately, it hasn't always been easy to share digital photos - until now. Introducing Photoleap, a better way to share.

Photoleap is the easy new way to send and receive digital photographs. It works exactly like email - start a new message, add email addresses, a subject and a message. Then add your photos, and click send. That's it: you don't need to resize your photos, you don't need to worry about your email bouncing back or crashing if you send too many.

Photographs are for sharing. Try Photoleap today.

Share any number of photos
With Photoleap, you can share one photo, or ten, or a hundred or more! Send your friends the whole “roll” – let them decide which photos they want to keep.

See how it works
As easy as email
To share photos with Photoleap, start a new message, enter email addresses, type a subject and message, and drag in your photos. Sound familiar? Photoleap works just like email, so you already know how to use it.
Fast and free
Photoleap compresses your photos – with no visible loss of image quality – to make sending and receiving photos far faster. Photoleap Basic will always be free, so anyone you share photos with can get them quickly and easily

FreeRAM XP Pro

Is your memory getting a little hazy? It could be all those drugs you ingested when you were young. Or, in the case of your computer's RAM, it could be all those impolite programs that don't manage memory correctly. When ill-mannered programs don't release your computer's RAM after you run them, FreeRAM can do the job. FreeRAM XP Pro is a freeware application that frees and defragments your computer's random access memory. As you use your computer, open applications, surf the Internet, and navigate Windows, your system's memory usually decreases. FreeRAM XP Pro frees up this memory, thereby increasing system response time, stability, speed, and efficiency.

This version introduces RAM-Cuts (shortcuts designed to free RAM).

ModBlog

ModBlog is a revolutionary system for creating the ultimate interactive personal site, without any technical knowledge. With a ModBlog, you are empowered to create a truly useful personal site that will keep your friends, family and all visitors coming back often!

ModBlog is more than just a host for your personal site, we are a community of great users. We're everything from 14 year old basement coders to 35 year old soccer moms. We all have our own take on things, and we interact in our own ways. You're not alone at ModBlog, you're a part of something much bigger; you're a part of a community.

What kind of dog are you? (Funny)

To take this test, click on Game on the left hand side of the page after you've clicked on the link
There’s a dog inside all of us, waiting to be let out. This game is based on a computer called SUKA built in 1975 by Russian scientist Mikhail Volkonsky and now housed in the London Science Museum.

SUKA is powered by CATS (Canine Algorithmic Transfer System™) which is able to determine what kind of dog you are. Simply answer 10 questions, being as honest and accurate as possible and CATS will calculate which breed you resemble the most. INSTRUCTIONS

1. Click “START” to begin. 2. Answer the multiple-choice questions by ticking the appropriate boxes. To tick a box, place the mouse pointer over the (_) and click. 3. Click “NEXT QUESTION” to move onto the next question. 4. Once you have completed all 10 questions the machine will provide you with the results. 5. Click “RESET” at any time to start the test again.

Law Dictionary.

Envision yourself sitting in a room with a lawyer while he’s spouting off various legal jargon. For some of you, that may not be too much of a stretch of your imagination because you’ve been there and done that. Don’t worry - I don’t want to know why. Lawyers seem to get a kick out of rambling incoherent statements, but for the common man, this stuff is extremely hard to understand. To get a handle on what these terms mean, check with the Law.com Dictionary.

TUGZip 3.2

TUGZip is a powerful award-winning freeware archiving utility for Windows® that provides support for a wide range of compressed, encoded and disc-image files, as well as very powerful features; all through an easy to use application interface and Windows Explorer integration.

Try this great free archiving utility!
Screenshots

SKYPE 1.1 [Freeware]

Platform Linux, Mac OS, Pocket PC, Windows 2000, Windows XP
When it comes to making free calls across the internet using Voice over IP technology, Skype is certainly leading the pack. With almost 26 million people having downloaded the software, Skype is the most used free internet application.

Skype is free Internet telephony
that just works.

Skype is for calling other people on their computers or phones. Download Skype and start calling for free all over the world.
Get to know a bit more

Eudora 6.2.1

An essential update to this powerful email client
f you've got a standard Pop3 or Imap4 email account, chances are you're using either Outlook Express or full Outlook to access your messages.

Eudora is an email program that fits somewhere in between, but one that also offers some features you won't find in either of the Microsoft products.

This latest version supports SSL encryption and authentication, virus warnings on attachments (which can also be dragged straight onto the desktop), and a Moodwatch facility which can flag potentially offensive words or phrases.

There are three versions of Eudora: paid, sponsored and light. They are all accessible from this one download - simply choose your option once installed.

The sponsored version is free and fully functional but ad-supported, the light version is free but lacking some features, and the paid version is fully functional with no ads, but costs $39.95.

Xplorer2 Lite v1.0.0.2

The familiar face of Windows Explorer is starting to show its age. Xplorer2 Lite is a Windows Explorer replacement with many useful additions. Instant previews of several kinds of files--text, graphics, and audio/video content--help you keep tabs on the burgeoning data mass inside your PC. Features like mass renaming, side-by-side directory comparison, and split/merge ability let you handle greater amounts of data more efficiently. Keyboard shortcuts and autocompletion keep Xplorer2 Lite easy to use.

Note: Xplorer2 Lite is free for personal and academic users. Business users must purchase the pay-only Xplorer2 Pro, which includes advanced searching, FTP and Web syncing, subfolder disk usage statistics, and other features.

You've got a good head on your shoulders

A digital photographer, Susan Hesse, is creating a stir with her Web gallery of faces overlaid on various objects, such as a Napa cabbage bearing the visages of her and her husband, Stephen (photo, left).

She reportedly e-mailed her friends one of these whimsical creations a day for 10 months before a friend, Norman Sanders, surprised her by assembling the shots into a Web site. Now the odd and hilarious images can surprise you, too

PalTalk 7.0

The all-new PalTalk Messenger 7.0 allows you to see, hear, and share files and chat with anyone, anywhere in the world--all for free. Meet millions of people in existing audio and video chat rooms, or create a videoconference of your own to bring together other PalTalk users with similar interests. You'll enjoy six full video windows of your friends while communicating in chat rooms and groups. No Webcam is required to see people. Plus, you can share photos, files, and messages instantly with any PalTalk user. If you want to chat without the video and voice features, you can always instant message and use PalTalk for real-time text chat. PalTalk operates with AOL, Yahoo, and ICQ, so you can see and chat with all your buddies using a single program. Finally, Paltalk includes 24-hour online help.

Freshdevices

Free downloads from this company. I have only tried the LAST program on the list (Fresh View) but have found the program to be excellent.

Mozilla's Firefox 1.0 Internet Browser (review)

In PCstats review of Mozilla's new Firefox 1.0 web browser a little while back, one of the things we were most impressed with was the smooth and easy way that users could customize the appearance and functionality of the Firefox browser with a number of themes and extensions. All of which can be obtained, installed and managed from within the program itself. After some reader feedback on our look at Firefox, we decided to devote a whole article to some of the interesting, useful and amusing things you can do with the Firefox theme and extension managers. Continue Here>

Mozilla Firefox Themes and Extensions

GAIA TidyMail V1.0 (Free)

Remove messy ">" characters from your email messages. I have been using this now for ages and would not be without it.
Tony

ISOBuster

With ISOBuster, you can go in and view previous session on the CD and then extract the information to your hard drive. ISOBuster is free.

Bloglines

Bloglines is the most comprehensive, integrated service for searching, subscribing, publishing and sharing news feeds, blogs, and rich Web content. It's free and easy-to-use.

Winguard Pro 2005 Free Edition Version: 5.8 Build 2

With WinGuard Pro 2005 you can password protect your programs, windows and web pages in one easy to use program. It lets you lock features of your system so that nobody can use them while you are away. The program lets you specify a password and then choose from a variety of options - what features to lock, for example, the find tool, backing up, desktop, etc. All the options are listed within one window and they are self-explaining, so there is no need to wade your way through dozens of sub-folders and weird registry key values.

What's more, there is also encryption for your personal files and folders. It offers an all-in-one security solution for your computer. With extra features to lock the desktop, boot keys, task keys, blocking software installations and internet access.

WinGuard Pro 2005 comes in a Free and Premium edition. You have the option to upgrade to Premium if you desire at a later date.

1-Click AnswersTM

> Discover the power of 1-Click AnswersTM. It brings you instant information about any word on your screen, whether you're working in Word, reading your e-mail, or browsing the web.

DEMO
How does Answers.com work?

You can access answers.com directly via the Answers.com web site, or you can opt to install one of three Answers.com "plug-in" programs which work seamlessly with your existing applications (such as your word processor, web browser, chat program, etc).

Answers.com does not contain Spyware and is invoked *only* when you place the mouse over top of a word and by pressing ALT + Left Click (I.E.: press ALT on the keyboard at the same time as Left Clicking the mouse).

Here's the skinny on how it works:

* Alt-Click: See a word on your screen? Simply press the Alt key on your keyboard and use your mouse to click on any word or name, and Answers.com will provide you with the necessary information.

* AnswerBar: Our AnswerBar is docked conveniently on the side of your screen. Click the arrow to pull it out, and look up the word or name.

* Browser Toolbar: Browsing the Web using Internet Explorer or Mozilla? Type into our toolbar (available for Microsoft Internet Explorer or as a Mozilla FireFox plugin).

Who can use Answers.com?

Anyone can use the Answers.com web portal, but the "plug-in" programs are available for MS Windows or the Mac.

Do any of the Answers.com "plug-ins" contain Spyware?

Absolutely not.

Answers.com is supported by contextual ads based on searches, and never uses "popup" or similar annoying advertising methods. Ads displayed on the page are similar to that of Google's Adwords.

Credibility: Why should you use Answers.com?

Answers.com is such a compelling force that Google.com (the world's biggest search engine) has opted to replace all it's previous Dictionary.com references with the answers provided by Answers.com in their search engine technology. (Source: searchenginewatch.com)

Answers.com: Try it for yourself -- it's completely free!happy smiley

Tools You Might Have Missed

Here is a collection of research tools , as you might have missed them the first time around. Many of them access the Google API.

Explore Google Maps

Getting from point A to point B just got a lot easier. Google Maps shows you where you want to go — and tells you what you'll find when you get there. This site is for the USA only at the moment.
Maps are great for getting around, but online maps could be a lot better. So Google decided to make dynamic, interactive maps that are draggable — no clicking and waiting for graphics to reload each time you want to view the adjacent parts of a map. Want to be able to type in the name of a region or neighborhood and see any part of it as easily as with a regular street map? Now you can with Google Maps.

Since these maps are draggable, you can use your mouse or the directional arrows to pan left, right, up and down to see areas that are hidden offscreen. You can also use the slider to zoom in and zoom out.

It's like having a huge map you can scroll around in.

GMAIL

Google has rocked our search and advertising worlds, but it’s also upped the ante for what we expect out of e-mail thanks to its Gmail service. If you’ve ever used the service, then you know what I’m talking about. People are still competing to receive invitations so they can have the privilege of using this fantastic service. Some of the fanfare has died down, but what’s left behind all of the media mania is a tool that just plain works. As it is with all things, there are some tips that you can learn from to improve the way you use Gmail. Find out about some of them at Gmail Tips.

Even though the service as a whole is easy to use, there may still be some aspects of it that you need some help with. Maybe you've had some trouble with importing your contacts or searching for specific messages? Perhaps you'd just like to find out if there is a better way to take care of a common task? In any case, Gmail Tips has a fairly complete guide to many of the things that you can do to improve how you use the service.
AND
For any of the people who visit and use MY website and who have been good enough to send me feedback, and who still would like a Gmail account. Please just ask me, as I have some invitations to the service to give away.
Tony