Favorite Files

1. Alcohol 52% Free Edition
2. AnyDVD HD
3. Avant Browser
4. ConvertXtoDVD
5. DVD43
6. DVDFab HD Decrypter
7. Fresh UI
8. Mp3tag
9. Process Explorer
10. Rainlendar Lite for Windows
11. SpeedFan
12. SQLyog for Windows
13. WinMerge
14. µTorrent for Windows

Recent Posts

1. 
   Review - Paint Shop Pro

   Ultimate X2 (Apr 22, 2009)

   Paint Shop Pro is a good program for doing somewhat advanced photo/image editing, though not on the level as Photoshop. However it is much cheaper and easier to use than Photoshop.
   
   I've been using it since about PSP 5 or so and has added several features. I feel like the interface relatively OK and easy to use. However, there are a couple reasons I'm not going to rate this a 5 star. Bugs that they've failed to address in numerous releases.
   
   1. The software doesn't work through a proxy and there's no setting to add it. Registration is required and you can't go through a proxy??? They at least fixed it in this version so that you can open up a seperate web browser to register. However, Corel checks for updates each time it starts and if it can't go through the proxy it locks up for 10 seconds before starting. Also, you have to download updates manually.
   
   2. GIF transparency bug. If you open a GIF with a transparent background, it doesn't work. It shows it as black. You can use the magic wand to delete the black background, but if your image has black on it, then you're SOL.
   
   Failing to address the business environment (proxies), and failing to address basic bugs leaves me no choice but to rate it a 2-star.

2. 
   Review - ScreenHunter Free

   5.0.125 (Sep 12, 2008)

   FastStone Capture is now a 30 day trial. The last freeware version was 5.3.
   
   Since this seems to be the best free capture utility now, I'll give it a 4 star, though it has room to improve.

3. 
   Review - Mozilla Firefox for Windows (v3)

   3.0 Alpha 8 (Sep 20, 2007)

   hell0, there is a plugin for that. Tab Mix Plus. It will let you do alot of differnt things with tab manipulation as well as "Single Window" mode.

4. 
   Review - nVIDIA ForceWare Drivers for Windows Vista/7 (32-bit)

   1.58.43 Beta (May 16, 2007)

   Drivers are getting better for Vista. Here are the release notes: http://us.download.nvidi...eWare_Release_Notes.pdf
   
   However, there is still a problem with Vista and Sleep Mode....it rarely works. Fix this!!

5. 
   Review - Trillian

   3.1.5.0 (Apr 30, 2007)

   Does not support Jabber/Google Chat in the free version - booo
   
   Takes over 15 seconds to start up on a Xeon 2*3.4Ghz computer. WTF??
   
   Why do I have to go to the preferences to login to one of my preconfigured connections? That should be in a dropdown somwhere on the main screen.

6. Comment - Could a standards body force the iTunes-Pre issue?

   3.1.5.0 (Jul 28, 2009 - 3:03 PM)

   tmiller,
   An appropriate analogy would be Intel requiring you to buy an Intel manufactured motherboard as opposed to one by a 3rd party like ASUS. ASUS can make motherboard that are compatible with Intel processors, just like Palm being compatible with iTunes. The difference is Intel doesn't lock out 3rd party motherboards like Apple trying to lock out 3rd party music devices.

7. Comment - Could a standards body force the iTunes-Pre issue?

   3.1.5.0 (Jul 28, 2009 - 12:24 PM)

   Portable Music Playing Devices are to iTunes, as Applications are to Windows. If it's iTune's right to only allow their own devices connect to it, would it also be Microsoft's right to block iTunes and force people to use Windows Media Player?
   
   You're either for companies being open and working for the consumers, or you are for them protecting their own little space and blocking 3rd party products.

8. Comment - Web-based solution for Palm Pre iTunes dilemma

   3.1.5.0 (Jul 17, 2009 - 11:25 AM)

   So you would be fine with Windows shutting the door on iTunes and Apple so that it wouldn't recognize any of their products since they are competitors?
   
   Windows is an OS and it should allow any program that's compatible to run regardless of vendor. Similarly, Itunes is an media organizer and it should allow any product that has the appropriate interface to sync regardless of vendor

9. Comment - Dish Network adds remote DVR access

   3.1.5.0 (May 8, 2009 - 5:02 PM)

   Get ready for another lawsuit Dish.

10. Comment - Presto, and your PC is on

    3.1.5.0 (Apr 23, 2009 - 10:54 AM)

    For desktops, yes, this is pointless. But for laptops and the users on the move, this can be very handy if you are opening and closing your laptop every hour or so.