Wednesday, August 17, 2005

The next few days there will be no news added because i’m going to Pukkelpop. It’s a Belgian 3 days festival with headliners like Marilyn Manson, The Pixies, Good Charlotte, Korn, The Prodigy, Bad Religion and many more.
More info @ Pukkelpop website

From Sunday you can find again news @ SoftwareFlash

See you soon

Sneakytje


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posted by Sneakytje @ 7:53 PM 1 comments

It’s Getting Harder To Watch Movies (CODEX)

by Jeff Slokum
After a long, exhausting day you came home, had your dinner and then sat in front of the TV looking for a nice relaxing movie. Nothing! Then suddenly you remembered that you bought the CD of the new, Oscar-winning movie “Million Dollar Baby”. You took out your laptop, inserted the first CD and hit “play”. To your surprise, the only thing you could see was a green screen. You took out the CD, cursing at the media market that gave you a “broken” CD for the fifth time. Tried the second CD; again the frustrating green screen. First thing in the morning, you took your “broken” movies and went to the shop. Having yelled at the owner of the shop for five minutes, you suddenly noticed the cynical smile on the guy’s face. Having the opportunity to talk, the shop keeper said “CODEX”.
All you needed were the codecs for these movies. They were not broken; they were just coded in a “foreign” language to your media player. The codecs were the dictionary that your laptop had to use to translate the absurd computer language to the nice scenes of the movies.
Every video, audio, picture or even word document files are coded in a different way. In the case of big data entries like movies, the computer has to use different algorithms to compress the data so that the size does not exceed the standard limits. We see this compression in PDF files (Acrobat Reader), in MP3 files (WinAMP), in MPEG files (movies), in each and every data storage file that you can imagine. While the compression is being done, the programs use some kind of a dictionary. Without these “dictionaries” (codecs in the case of video and audio files) the code would seem as meaningless to the player or the viewer as it is to you. So you have to install certain codecs to be able to use certain files.
Some codecs replace the repetitive symbols over the file, ome codecs changes the aspect ratio of the movie; some of them decrease the quality of the picture and yet, all of them turn gigabytes of data into fair size that can fit into a CD or a DVD.
As the user demands increases, codecs are multiplying in a logarithmic scale. There are several codecs that are musts for movie fans, however. You should install most of these if you don’t want to be disappointed.
1. MPEG4 - It is the default codec which is already included in WMP.
2. DIVX - A series of sound and display codex which come with shareware DIVX player.
3. XVID - Relatively new, one of the most used video codecs.
4. AC3 - Most common sound codec.
5. Intel Indeo - Rather useful series of codec which a new version pops out everyday.
Overall the way movies are encoded is changing day by day. Everyday we see a new aspect ratio. Everyday we encounter a new codec. To many, it would seem that it is getting harder and hard to watch movies. The least you can do is to download a codec viewer program which would help you on your quest for a pleasant evening.
About the Author
This article provided courtesy of http://www.wifi-life.com


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posted by Sneakytje @ 7:37 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Microsoft AntiSpyware stays free

The rumors that Microsoft Antispyware was going to become a paid service aren’t true. Steve Dodson from Microsoft has react on the rumors about the paid service from Microsoft Antispyware on his blog.

Dodson is overcast by the development from Microsoft Antispyware and contradict all rumors. Microsoft has already told by the introduction from Antispyware that the program stays free for all the users from Windows. But there will be a limitation on it: Antispyware will only be available for the Windows users with a legal version. Who wants to download the program will pass at first a “checkpoint” from the Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA).

Microsoft is still working on a extensive version from Antispyware, called “Windows Onecare Live”, that has to protect the users not only against spyware but also against viruses and worms.

Windows Onecare Live will not be free in contrast to Antispyware. What the user has to pay for this, isn’t know yet.

There still aren’t know the releases dates for Microsoft Antispyware and Windows Onecare Live but the general expectation is at the end of 2005 or in the beginning of 2006.
Sneakytje


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posted by Sneakytje @ 7:14 PM 0 comments

Monday, August 15, 2005

All My Movies release is available!

All My Movies release is available!
by Max Smirnoff

All My Movies 3.6 is a nifty utility for cataloguing one’s movie collection. It supports all formats, new ones – DVD, Video CD, AVI and MPEG files, and old ones as well – VHS tapes, for example. The program helps easily track films – which movies are loaned, which ones are borrowed, etc. Most importantly, the program is specifically designed for DVDs and works fully automatically with all digital carriers.

Basically, all a user has to do is to insert a DVD or scan a hard-drive. The program will extract all movie information – title, director, actors, description, genre, languages, subtitles, etc. If absent, this information can be imported from online movie databases, like IMDb.com with one mouse click or entered manually.

The best thing about All My Movies is how easy it is to use. Having a tree-like database structure, program owner can quickly sort movies by genre, actor or director. Another great perk is an option to capture movie screens for DVDs and AVI files and attach them to the database. User comments can be added too.

True movie fans with thousands of titles in their collection are certain to like the fact that movie data stored with All My Movies 3.5 can be exported to HTML, MS Excel or plain text files. In addition, the program comes with password protection options to prevent unauthorized access, and a straightforward loan manager. Another advantage is that the program support third-party plug-ins, including database import from other popular movie cataloguing applications.

The hot new feature of All My Movies v3.6 is ability to lookup all movie information by barcode from DVD’s back cover and German online movie database support for import movie details in German.

All My Movies 3.6 is distributed electronically over the Internet; free demo version is available at http://www.bolidesoft.com/ for evaluation.


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posted by Sneakytje @ 5:58 PM 0 comments

Winternals Defrag Manager 4.0 launched

Winternals Defrag Manager(TM) 4.0 Features Comprehensive Enterprise Defragmentation Capabilities; New Version Adds Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 Integration, Windows x64 System Support, More Real-Time Status Reports and Alerts

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 15, 2005--Winternals Software(R), a leading provider of Microsoft systems recovery and data protection solutions, today announced the release of Defrag Manager 4.0, the latest version of the company's Windows enterprise defragmentation solution. Version 4.0 retains the product's system performance benefits and advanced management capabilities, while extending its ability to support the evolving Windows enterprise.


"Defrag Manager has always been an important component of Winternals' strategy to help our customers achieve a highly optimized Windows enterprise and the greatest possible return on their Microsoft infrastructure," said Edwin Brasch, president and CEO of Winternals. "The latest version of Defrag Manager continues to deliver unmatched manageability while ensuring that the product will maintain its value as enterprise computing requirements change in the future."
Defrag Manager 4.0 is the first commercial defragmenter to integrate with Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005, Microsoft's enterprise operations management solution. To facilitate integration, the Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 Management Pack is available for download directly from Winternals (www.winternals.com/support). The Management Pack is imported into an existing deployment of MOM 2005 and applied to centrally monitor scheduled defragmentation events on the main Defrag Manager Console server.


Defrag Manager 4.0 also offers full support for Windows x64-compatible systems, ensuring that as organizations migrate to 64-bit systems, Defrag Manager will also evolve to meet future enterprise requirements. 64-bit systems are incorporated seamlessly into existing defragmentation schedules, without requiring additional installation or deployment tasks.
New reporting capabilities included in Defrag Manager 4.0 provide greater efficiency for managing the defragmentation of large Windows environments by allowing administrators to monitor the status of Defrag Manager operations such as success and failure details, space analysis, and disk and partition information. Reports are available for any system scheduled for defragmentation -- whether a single PC, a group of computers, an Active Directory Organizational Unit, or an entire domain. Administrators can also receive real-time email alerts of defragmentation status in HTML or plain-text format.


In addition to MOM 2005 integration, support for x64-based systems, and reporting, new features in Defrag Manager 4.0 include:
-- Certified for Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition - Defrag Manager 4.0 meets Microsoft standards for security, reliability, and manageability in the Windows Server 2003 environment.
-- Advanced Mode(TM) defragmentation enhancements - Defrag Manager 4.0 integrated CD burning. This simplifies the process for configuring Advanced Mode defragmentation -- an offline environment that safely defragments all files, folders, and metadata regardless of Windows version, cluster size, or permission settings.
-- Usability enhancements - Optimized user interface makes it even simpler for administrators to quickly complete defragmentation tasks from the central console.

Many of the new Defrag Manager 4.0 features were added at the request of customers to ensure that the product continues to provide the most comprehensive enterprise defragmentation capabilities in the future.


"We're running a dispersed, multi-site enterprise with thousands of Windows systems, so we need a defragmentation solution that can be set up, deployed, and managed from one centralized location," said Kirk Plyler, Senior Systems Administrator with Sun Healthcare Group Inc. "Winternals Defrag Manager meets all of these requirements. I've recognized a significant performance increase on my servers since I started using this automated defragmentation solution."


About Winternals Defrag Manager
Defrag Manager remotely schedules, deploys, monitors, and controls defragmentation throughout a Windows-based network from a single console, without requiring any client installations or new, continuously running services. It deploys a low-system-overhead defrag agent to every client according to a schedule that the administrator designates. The agent utilizes a proprietary defragmentation algorithm that automatically completes the defrag process, and then removes itself from each system.


All defragmentation tasks can be controlled and configured from one system, regardless of the number of computers in the enterprise or the physical location of the machines -- including mobile PCs disconnected from the network. Administrators can schedule defragmentation for a single PC, a group of computers, an Active Directory Organizational Unit, or an entire domain with a single drag-and-drop. Every version of Windows NT, 2000, XP, and Windows Server 2003 is supported, so separate defragmenter products do not have to be maintained.
Defrag Manager maintains 100% compliance with native Windows file system APIs, ensuring thorough, safe boot-time defragmentation in every mode of operation without file system corruption or data loss. There is never a need to perform additional backups before running Defrag Manager.


Using Defrag Manager in the Windows enterprise results in better application and system performance, averted hardware upgrades, shorter start up times, reclaimed disk space, and reduced workload for the IT staff.


Availability
Defrag Manager 4.0 is available now directly from Winternals and through the company's network of resellers. For additional product information go to www.winternals.com/Products/DefragManager. To locate a reseller, visit www.winternals.com/partners/.

About Winternals
Founded in 1996, Winternals provides systems recovery and data protection solutions for Microsoft-based enterprises worldwide. Winternals solutions empower IT professionals to rapidly resolve the daily emergencies that arise when administering Windows systems and maintain high availability of mission critical systems. By accelerating recovery, improving data integrity, increasing productivity, and optimizing performance, Winternals reduces the total cost of ownership for the Microsoft-based enterprise. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Winternals is a Microsoft Gold Certified partner that counts among its customers 49 of the Fortune 50 and 97 of the Fortune 100. For more information on Winternals visit http://www.winternals.com/.
Product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners.


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posted by Sneakytje @ 5:35 PM 0 comments

Letter Chase Typing Tutor 3.71


Letter Chase Typing Tutor is a full featured typing program that uses a visual method to teach the location of the keys. To help experienced typists type even faster, it also includes new and unique features.

Letter Chase requires a Pentium or faster computer with a 256 color or better graphics. Letter Chase includes printable charts, animations to learn the keys, timed speed tests, 2 unique sections to help gain speed.

What's New?:

· Addition of timed tests.

You can download it from here


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posted by Sneakytje @ 10:58 AM 0 comments

Skylook 1.0.1.52

Skylook is a piece of software that integrates Microsoft Outlook and Skype.

Key features of "Skylook":
· allows you to call Outlook contacts directly from Outlook.
· shows your on-line contacts in the Outlook toolbar.
· allows you to save Skype phone calls to MP3.

What's New in This Release:

· In some cases, Skylook 1.0.1.36 mistakenly believes that the 14 day trial is over when it is not, or worse, believes that the product has not been purchased when it has been. 1.0.1.52 resolves these issues.
· 1.0.1.36 caused Outlook 2000 to crash under some circumstances. 1.0.1.52 resolves this issue.

You can download Skylook for a free trial here


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posted by Sneakytje @ 10:47 AM 0 comments

Sunday, August 14, 2005

Browser with 3D-navigation expect in October

NTT will bring the 'Space Browser' on the market.
To make navigating more natural and easier this 3D browser places the different pages in a spatial room on your screen.
NTT aims mainly at the business market, because the technique has the best effect when there are already collect a lot of pages from a website.
The Space browser will be especially suitable for the use of intranet and the so-called kiosks like fair presentations and information in hotels and on airports.
Who wants to know more about this, will need his translation machine because NTT isn't only write in 2 dimansional but also in Japanese...
Source: http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news_10018.html
Sneakytje


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posted by Sneakytje @ 11:09 PM 0 comments

The Importance Of Email Backup

by Marias Alexanadru

Viruses, software failures, power failures, human errors, hard drive failures are only a few examples of what could destroy the data on a hard drive, including all documents, pictures, emails and other files!


Most home computer users don't need an expensive backup solution; as they only need to burn the folders with important documents and pictures to a CD-RW from time to time; this ensuring that in case of a disaster they can easily get them back. Togeder with documents and pictures, it's a critical operation to save the emails, attachments, address book and other important data from within the email client; otherwise in case of a computer problem the user will find himself in the impossibility to get them back, and this can be a really unwanted situation especially for webmasters or people who rely on their emails. Unfortunately many people actually start to do backup copies only after they lose data.This article will explain how one can create a Outlook Express Backup copy ( as Outlook Express lacks a backup function ) This email program is usually installed with the Windows operating system and is probably among the most commonly used email programs today. While using Outlook Express is fairly easy, finding and backing up the emails can be a little more complicated. Since there are a large number of files and folders on a computer running Windows, the first problem is to find the files containing the emails. Outlook Express stores emails in .dbx files and there might be several different dbx files depending on how many email folders you have created in Outlook Express. If you are using Windows 98, you can probably locate your emails somewhere in the Windows directory. In Windows 2000 and XP, emails are usually stored somewhere in the user data or application data folder.

The easiest way to find out exactly where your emails are stored is to start Outlook Express, go to the Tools menu, and open the Options dialog box. In the Options dialog box, select the Maintenance page and click the Store Folder button. . Here you can find the path to the folder containing your emails. To open the folder, copy the path and paste in the address field of the Windows File Manager. You should see a number of .dbx files and possibly some other files, too.

After locating the email folder, you can simply select all the files and press Ctrl-C. Then open the folder where you want to keep the backup copies (on another hard disk, a DVD or a network drive, for example) in Windows Explorer, and press Ctrl-V. To backup the Address Book, you can follow these steps:

a.. Select Tools Address Book... from the menu in Outlook Express.

b.. Choose File Export Other Address Book...from the address book's menu.

c.. Select Text File (Comma Separated Values) as the export format.

d.. Click Export.

e.. Select the location you want to export your address book to using the Browse... button.

f.. Give your backup copy a meaningful name.

g.. Click Next.

h.. Select the fields you want to include in your backup.

i.. Finally, select Finish.

j.. Click OK.

k.. Click Close to end the process (successfully, Ihope).

Additionally, there are several email backup utilities which can make the backup operation much easier. Outlook Express Backup Genie is one piece of software that can offer peace of mind by creating compact backup copies of emails, attachments, address book, signatures, blockedlist, mail rules and settings periodically. The difference between using a automatic email backup utility and manual backups, is that the first can be scheduled to create backups quiet in the background at specified time intervals, and that it will include all email information ( signatures, blocked list, etc ) which otherwise would be more difficult to save. Also if ever the backup is needed, the application will ensure that the restore process is made smoothly. And, it works with top 9 popular email clients. The downside of using a automatic email backup utility is that it costs money, usually about 20-30 USD as one time payment, while the manual backups are ofcourse, free.

The conclusion is that either manual or automatic,backing up emails is a critical operation for every computer user that would regret losing them.
A trial copy of Outlook Express Backup Genie can befound at: http://www.amicutilities.com/outlook-express-backup/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
student IT


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posted by Sneakytje @ 1:45 PM 0 comments