Virtualbox

Virtualbox is a program that lets you run a virtual machine. It's free, and exceptionally useful.

Virtualbox allows you to install virtually everything from windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7 to Ubuntu and other linux distros, without changing your computer in any way.

You set up a file that represents a hd in the virtual machine, then choose a iso, or use a cd to install your OS.

If you have ever wondered what a linux dsitro looks like, how something functions or if you would like to run an os, like ubuntu but are stuck with windows, and don't like the idea of dual booting, this may be the best solution.

You can download it here:

http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

It's SIW good

"SIW is an advanced System Information for Windows tool that gathers detailed information about your system properties and settings and displays it in an extremely comprehensible manner."

Skipping the sales pitch, it's a free hardware diagnostic tool I always carry with me on pc repair jobs.

I use SIW mostly for finding out what hardware is inside without opening the case.

It's the best system information tool I have ever seen, and I have looked through most of them.

If you would like to add SIW to your arsenal, go here:

http://www.gtopala.com/

Free Download Manager

I found this while scrounging around the net for a decent downloader, and I think i found a gem.

FDM allows you to restart most downloads, it comes with software to try and defend you against malicious software downloads, and my favorite, it allows you to seed your download with other download mirrors.

So for instance, you want to download program.exe. you download it from the sight you find it, the if you google the same program (the download, in other words google program.exe, for example) and find a mirror for it, you can then add it to the download in FDM and it will then get that program from the mirrors you give it. Very useful for speedier downloads, and for those of us who have a net connection that seems to go up and down in transfer speed like a yo yo.

You can download FDM here:
http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/

-Denny

7 Zip a totally free multi format archiver

Today there are so many programs out on the net for free, some of which are compressed to speed up the transfer between computers. To uncompress them you need a program.

7Zip does an excellent job, is free, and has no ad-ware in it.

It's my personal favorite for my windows machine, and it's a solid part of my linux machine as well.

If you are interested in this awesome program, go here:

http://www.7-zip.org/



P.S. if you are a linux person using debian or some other program for getting your updates, getting 7zip is as easy as typing '7zip' (no quotes) in synaptic or other package fetcher)...

-Denny

VLC Media Player

I wanted to talk about VLC Media Player today, have you ever been looking for that program that plays all your media? something that will play your music files (like mp3, m4a, wma, etc.) your dvd's, your music videos, your home video, whatever it is VLC will do it.

I found VLC looking for a good free dvd player, and was coming up short utill i found VLC.

If you have a media collection you might want to give this a try!

http://www.filehippo.com/download_vlc/



-Denny

No Script is good Script

I have been wanting to talk about this for a while.

For those of you who are big into security, say hello to noscript!

NoScript is a plugin that installs into firefox. (FireFox is a web browser)

NoScript Blocks all script unless you ok it. (A few sites already added, such as google.)

This make firefox with noscript very secure, no website will be able to activate any script from active x to javascript and all ways inbeetween unless you give the go ahead.

I use it to allow the webpage i want to run their scripts, but not the advertisement sites that accompany some of them.

Besides a defensive tool, it kind of teaches you, you'll be amazed at just how many places you are actually connecting to whe you go to a webpage.

You can download FireFox here:
http://www.filehippo.com/download_firefox/

And then download Noscript here:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/722

One last thing, if you notice parts of a webpage arent loading properly it's probably because that website is blocked. After noscript is intalled, on the bottom right of firefox's windows will be a S with or without a slash through it, click on it, and "allow" that website.

-Denny

Droid using Android

One of my friends is a staunch supporter of Microsoft products.

He was really impressed with a friends new phone, a Droid running the Android OS.

I informed him that the OS (Operating System) he was impressed with "Android" is a version of Linux.

I am seeing more and more people interested in linux, besides the price for linux distrobutions usually being free, there is also the ability to do almost everything windows does, with the exception of a few 3D video games and a few windows programs.

I think your going to see big things come from the Ubuntu and PCLinuxOS versions of Linux.
I believe we will soon see a Linux OS that can run 100% of all windows apps.

What that would mean to someone that chooses linux is that they would be able to run all windows apps, all linux apps, and a lot of, if not all of Mac's apps.

(An app, short for application, is a program. anything you run, from notepad or word, to a video game is known as an app.)

-Denny