Software/Hardware Gadgets

[Lord_La_forge]

It's about tools, mods, upgrades, plug-ins, freewares you can get from the web.

Please keep in mind, we don't support any form of warez on this site!

I hope to see here some nice additions to my OS, browser or any other programs.

If you post a link, please give atleast a brief information on the subject, explain why you recommend it.

I found two great applications today:

 

aMSN: Was originally made for Linux users, it's an open-source software, that uses the msn network. For Win users, it can be useful too, as it has a lot of nice plug-ins... AND... It can show you, which of your friends have blocked or deleted you! (nasty). I only had 2 blockings, both from SWR members!!

http://www.amsn-project.net/

 

iGoogle: quite nice to set up my starting page with this. I always had the standard Google search for that purpose, but now it's highly customized.

Edited December 12, 2007 by Lord_La_forge

[ElvisMiggell]

Was one of them me? I think i blocked a whole load of people about a year ago, because i never actually spoke to them on msn!!!

 

That said i don't use msn at all these days.

[Mad78]

Songbird: A nice little iTunes like player with an integrated webbrowser

[Eagle]

Good idea, LLF!

 

http://vixy.net/ : An online converter for youtube-vids. You can convert FLV-Vids to AVI and download it after it´s finished. Or for example you´ve got a music-video, you like the song but not the vid, you can extract the soundtrack.

[Lord_La_forge]

Songbird: A nice little iTunes like player with an integrated webbrowser

 

Good one, I did try this about a year ago, but wasn't really satisfied, so I switch to J. River Media Center: http://www.jrmediacenter.com/

Very nice player with extremly high customizing capabilities.

 

Maybe I'll give the bird a second try (I like the design and the interface)

[Mad78]

ImgBurn: i used this one VERY often a brilliant, free and easy to use application for burning cd images.

[Lord_La_forge]

Got my Asus Xonar D2 today. Quite an investment, but I don't plan to buy any soundcard in 5 years.

I still can't believe what I hear on my little PC

The difference between the Xonar and the integrated Realtek is just incredible.

And I only tested it on a 2.1 Logitech system! I plan to buy some nice gear later next year, maybe a 7.1 set.

I have to listen all to my mp3s again (yes even those sound better)

[Mad78]

That looks like a very nice card. Considering i have to replace my current soundcard it may be an interessting investment.

[Lord_La_forge]

I can only recommend it, though I have no expreince with latest soundblasters.

 

 

Think it was posted a few times, but I can't skip it:

Stellarium

http://www.stellarium.org/

 

A small and free planetarium software. I know, there is Google Sky, but this is a bit different, and more friendly (and it doesn't require net connection, so you can just put it on your notebook and browse the constellations in your garden)

[Mad78]

Ah yes i heard of that one!

 

Has anybody tried Kubuntu?

[Grand_Admiral_Thrawn]

My Security Architecture professor chose Ubuntu/Kubuntu/Xubuntu as our Linux distro this year, so I've had a chance to play around with it. It the perfect Linux flavor if you've never used Linux before, and it's especially nice that it has the Debian style "apt-get" command (just type apt-get install and it grabs it for you if it's in the repository).

 

Choosing any of those distros is an excellent way to get yourself off of Windows (unless you're a gamer, sadly). Just choose the GUI you like and away you go! For my purposes I've just replaced Windows with OpenSuSE on my XPS laptop, but only because for some things Ubuntu has some strange libraries that don't get along well with some software.

[Lord_La_forge]

Do these OS support Adobe programs? I never really gave any chance to any other platform, always had Win. I'm not a really gamer, but I need the overall compatibility Win provides for everything. I don't really support MS, but I'm also not against it.

[Mad78]

Generally you can get emulators for Win programs.

[Grand_Admiral_Thrawn]

Linux supports most file formats you would use in Windows. I'm not sure how Adobe programs would operate, though. There are simeple to use propgrams that allow you to run Windows programs in a Linux environment, such as Wine and Cedega.

 

I've looked into using Photoshop and there are apparently some problems when trying to install the CS versions, but there may be work arounds for it now. There's also a program called Gimp which has the same functionality as Photoshop, only it's free. It's also very different, so it's not easy to switch over.

[Evaders99]

I don't know about Linux versions, but Adobe provides lots for Mac OS

It is built on a Unix derivative - BSD.

It may be an alternative if you're going the non-Windows approach (unfortunately this means you have to buy a Mac!)

[Mad78]

(unfortunately this means you have to buy a Mac!)

Or build a Hackintosh.

 

I tried OpenSUSE a little the other day. I must say i found it pretty good.

[Lord_La_forge]

Nice FF add-on.

 

"Mini Map Sidebar is a suite of maps and tools that lives in your browser's sidebar. It offers integration with Google, Yahoo!, and Windows Live Local mapping sites, as well as Google Earth and GoogleSightseeing.com. Drag and drop addresses or enter geographical coordinates manually, choose from three displays options -- map, satellite, and hybrid -- then pan and zoom to get just the view you want."

 

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5203

[Mad78]

Good find LLF.

[Krytos]

Here are a few little apps I use for everyday stuff.

The first is called Y'z Dock, which is an emulation of the Mac OSX dock - but only to launch apps (ie. shortcut). It's a nice way to keep the desktop clear and quickly access favourite programs, I've got my CG programs, web browsers, email, media player and a CPU load app sitting in the dock, which hides at the top of the screen.

Only problems that I've encountered is that when playing games you'll need to quit the program otherwise when you move the mouse up to where-ever the dock is you'll "open" it (depending on settings)

Also, by default you need to run the program each time windows starts up, otherwise you can put a shortcut to it in the startup folder.

 

Another app I started using as a bit of a screw around, and now keep using, is ViStart (select Build 2661 VTP to download). It's meant to mimic the Windows Vista start menu, with new layout etc. Now, those who've seen the Vista start menu will know it has some advantages and possible disadvantages.

Ok, so similarities to XP's start menu. Click on start, you get the menu with quick access links on the right to My documents etc. (with pretty images ). On the left are the programs you've used most.

The Good, the program list (called "All programs") doesn't pop out and cover the rest of the screen, but rather stays in the start menu and replaces the most used programs with the ability to scroll. My favourite part is the search ability which allows you to dynamically search through programs in the start menu rather than manually search. Start typing in "photo" and it displays the programs I have with that in its name - viola, there's photoshop, adobe stock photo album, photorecord, photostitch and a host of other programs I'd forgotten about. Personally, I love it for that function alone and I'm getting closer to getting rid of Y'z dock.

Bad, currently right mouse clicking does nothing (annoying sometimes, but you can quit and drop to XP's menu for that). There are several limitations in the options. And the program list is ONLY sorted alphabetically, which is annoying.

Other things of interest. Well, graphically it's made of a serious of PNG's stored in a resource folder that you can edit to change the look of it you'd like or download other skins. It supports transparencies ... good and bad. Looks neat, but gets annoying because unlike the real Vista this doesn't blur. I also rather prefer the new layout of access buttons.

 

These are sort of everyday apps that can make things easier, for me. But, just remember that the more crap you put on your computer the more RAM gets used and the longer it'll take to fully load.

[Mad78]

Google SketchUp an amazing little program and surely the easiest 3d Modelling software out there. The learning curve is of about 30 minutes.

[Darth_Rob]

Google SketchUp an amazing little program and surely the easiest 3d Modelling software out there. The learning curve is of about 30 minutes.

 

I see that its free, so I think Im gonna check it out.

[Eagle]

Google SketchUp an amazing little program and surely the easiest 3d Modelling software out there. The learning curve is of about 30 minutes.

Any chance or possibility to do new models for SWR with that?

[Guest Scathane]

I don't have anything to add but I do have a question: do any of you know of an application with which I can 'record':

 

1. anything that's displayed on my computer screen at a particular moment in time?
2. PowerPoint presentations?

[Evaders99]

Adobe Captivate is the nice one used for software demos and so forth. It is an Adobe product though, so its not free.

[Mad78]

Google SketchUp an amazing little program and surely the easiest 3d Modelling software out there. The learning curve is of about 30 minutes.

Any chance or possibility to do new models for SWR with that?

 

Yes I think it would be possible but I never tried.