Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Awesome software tools for Windows

Over the years, I've found some totally awesome software tools that are usually quite low profile but really improve productivity. There are a number of sources for discovering these tools - word of mouth, accidentally seeing someone else use it, LifeHacker, etc.
Everytime I switched computers/jobs, I'd end up losing the list. This here is just my effort to keep a reference list that I can use in the future and if anyone else finds it useful, more power to you.
So here we go...

General Tools
  • Windows Add/Remove Program alternative: If you find Windows Add/Remove program to slow and cumbersome, try using SafarP (http://wistinga.online.fr/safarp).
  • File Sync Utility: Using multiple computers and devices? The biggest headache is keeping tab of changed/new files. New photos, changed password lists, etc. Dropbox (http://www.getdropbox.com) promises to reduce some of these pains. Upto 2GB free data sync and pay-for-use plans for larger quantities of data. Winner of Lifehacker's Sync Utility comparison. Plus they have an iPhone app too.
  • Damaged CD Recovery: If you have a scratched/damaged cd with important data, your last resort should be CD Recovery Toolbox (http://www.oemailrecovery.com/cd_recovery.html) - it reads even scratched/damaged CD's.
  • Screen capture: Windows offers the Print Screen, Ctrl+Print_Screen at best. Install Wisdom Soft's Screen Hunter and you won't remember Print Screen again. Quick to launch and use AND customize. (http://wisdom-soft.com/products/screenhunter.htm)
  • Delete a locked file: Ever tried deleting a file only to have Windows come back and give you a mysterious (file is locked) message? This usually happens to leftover files when you uninstall, or log files. The only way around is to reboot. Or? Think again - think Unlocker (http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker) the awesome little utility tells you immediately who is locking the file and let's you unlock + delete without having to reboot.
  • Awesome windows utilities: LifeHacker (www.lifehacker.com) - Utilities for one and all, software and day-to-day life tips to improve productivity, etc. My week is incomplete without visiting LifeHacker at least once a week or more.
  • Uninstaller that actually uninstalls: If you are tired of failed software uninstallations, half-baked UnInstallers that leave behind a lot of junk in your windows registry and/or undeletable dll's/directories/etc. Revo Uninstaller (www.revouninstaller.com) is for you. You'll never use the application's uninstaller ever again.
  • Keystroke based application launching:
    Launchy - Simply the star of the show
    Never used "Start - Programs - ....." again. Simply install Launchy (www.launchy.net). Using a windows shortcut (Ctrl + Space, for ex) opens a little textbox - just type "Excel" or "Firefox" and launch the program. No more fumbling with the mouse.
  • Download fast - and how: There are a number of free Download assistants out there - but Orbit Downloader (www.orbitdownloader.com) rules the roost. Easy to use and F*A*S*T !!! Just a note of caution - after installation/upgrade, I usually delete the exe file orbitnet.exe - this makes your machine a P2P client by default.
  • Archiving software (Zip/Tar/...): Winzip is nice but if you use 7-Zip (www.7-zip.org), you'll never go back. Free, easy to use windows explorer type user interface (so you actually KNOW where in the zip hierarchy your file is located), in-zip-editing, etc.
  • Defragment your drive: Someone who does the job better than your default Windows defragmenter (Surprise??) - Defraggler (www.piriform.com/defraggler)
  • Recover deleted files: Deleted a file last week and just realized you need it? Recuva (www.piriform.com/recuva) is for you. Nice, easy and free.
  • Spring cleaning Windows: So you delete unused files, defrag your drive and so on. But do you know how much gunk is left behind by all the uninstalled programs, temp files, etc? Could run into a few MB's of valuable disk space. Let CCleaner (http://www.ccleaner.com) show you the way.
  • Recover data from damaged CD's: CD Recovery Toolbox (www.oemailrecovery.com/cd_recovery.html) or RoadKil's Unstoppable Copier (http://roadkil.net/program.php/P29/Unstoppable%20Copier) - slow but works.


Firefox Plugins and Tools
iPhone/iPod Touch apps
  • Backup data on your iPhone/iPod Touch: This is the biggest grouse of all iPhone/iPod Touch users - all that flash drive space going waste and the inability to easily backup data using iTunes. Looks like someone has heard your prayers. Check out DiskAid (http://www.digidna.net/diskaid) - free for a month but easily makes your iPhone a sweet backup device. What I use now is iPhoneExplorer (http://www.iphone-explorer.com) - Free and under development - nice, nice tool to use your iPhone/Touch as a backup device.

Windows and browser security
  • Use Firefox - period !!!!
  • Privacy Intact: If you are paranoid about privacy like me (and you should be - why??? Google up "flash cookies" - big brother is watching you !!!) - use BetterPrivacy plugin (https://addons.mozilla.org/addon/6623)
  • Delete - completely: Everytime you delete a file, even though you've cleared it from the recycle bin - all you've done (most cases) is remove the ui reference to it. The file is still sitting somewhere on your hard-drive - this is the logic used by data-recovery software. However, sometimes you want to delete a file - kaboom!!! Blast it to teeny-toony bits so no data-recovery - NOTHING - can retrieve it. Eraser (http://eraser.heidi.ie) will help you cleanly erase files completely, thoroughly.
  • Ghostery - block peeping toms: Everytime you even read a news website, someone is tracking you. Inspite of your efforts to block out popup windows and restrict cookies, there are arcane javascripts running in the background picking up stats about you and sending them surreptitiously to their masters. Use Ghostery (http://www.ghostery.com) to check who is spying on your browsing habits and stop them in their tracks.
  • No Scripts: Well - the name says it all. NoScript (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/722) is a powerful Firefox Plugin that just stops all unnecessary javascript in its track. It is intelligent enough to let javascript required on common sites like GMail, Yahoo, FB, etc do their job but stops others. Awesome !!!
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Monday, January 05, 2009

A bit of sun, a few elephants and a lot of percussion

Yesterday, on the last day of my few days off at Kerala - to be precise, at Thiruvambady, Thrissur I found myself in the late afternoon walking towards the Thiruvambady temple entrance. It was nice pleasant winter morning - probably a cool 28 deg C (80 deg F?) in the shade with a touch of humidity. The crowds were gradually gathering in anticipation and i was myself not quite sure, for what.

As the train passed by a few minutes past its scheduled time and the railway crossing was opened, there came a revelation - and boy, did it make the wait worth. Five magnificent tuskers - gigantic pachyderms, probably in the prime of their youth grandly walking in single file towards the temple. Each one decked up in his finest jewelry (nettipattom), they entered the temple and assembled inside.


Aaaah - now it struck me. What better way to spend a nice Sunday afternoon than to watch these magnificent beasts walk around decorated so skilfully? But someone had a better idea - so there, waiting for them at the temple entrance was a posse of a few dozen musicians, including some of the more famous names all over Kerala. They were the panchavadyam team - a group of skilled musicians, highly specialized in the synchronized performance of some of the most phenomenal percussion sounds one can here on this side of the Equator. It surprised me how these gentle giants allowed themselves to be handled so seemingly easily by their mahouts, gently kneeling down to permit the priests and their assistants to clamber up their broad backs with the deity of the temple, then circumambulate before the party began. While all five pachyderms lined themselves up on one side, the beats began in a gentle sway. Gradually, the drums picked up their pace and the cymbals and trumpets raised the crescendo. The beats grew faster by the second, with an occasional pause to let a single player belt out a tune on his instrument - suddenly being picked up by the dozens of other players around.

Not once did they miss the beat or skip the sync.

The performance was incredible. After what seemed like too short a time, the performance slowed down to let the elephants move on to their next destination, a temple further down the road.

I bid these marvellous mounts of Thiruvambady Sri Krishna goodbye as they lined up on the road. As they departed in their stately trot, the devotion people show these elephants seemed rather appropriate if not funny - the musicians led the procession barefoot on the hot afternoon asphalt.


But behind them came a tanker pouring water on the road to ensure that these gentle beasts walked on a cool ground - now isn't that nice?

Epilogue: The water tanker cooling down the road for the pachyderms was owned a company called "Godly water company".
Coincidence, wot?

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