Virtual desktops; Sticker Lite; 7-Zip; FileZilla; BitTorrent

This evening I downloaded 2 free programs for Windows XP: VirtuaWin Virtual Desktop Manager for Windows & Sticker Lite (Desktop Notes equivalent to yellow paper sticky notes).

VirtuaWin is a virtual desktop manager for the Windows operating system (Win9x/ME/NT/Win2K/XP/Win2003/Vista). A virtual desktop manager lets you organize applications over several virtual desktops (also called ‘workspaces’). Virtual desktops are very common in Unix/Linux, and once you get accustomed to using them, they become an essential part of a productive workflow. VirtuaWin is designed to be simple to use and be highly configurable.

Click on the following links to download these fantastic free programs:

VirtuaWin The Virtual Desktop Manager = http://virtuawin.sourceforge.net/

Sticker Lite = http://www.morun.net/www/products/sticker/lite/sticky-notes-freeware.html

And now to some free programs I promised a friend. He was particularly interested in software which would unzip files (compressed files). 7-Zip comes highly recommended.

7-Zip is a file archiver with a high compression ratio.  http://www.7-zip.org/

7-Zip is an free open source file archiver designed originally for Microsoft Windows, and later made available to other computer operating systems. In the form of p7zip, the command-line version of 7-Zip has been ported for use on Unix-like systems such as GNU/Linux, BSD, and Mac OS X as well as AmigaOS. It is also compatible with DOS via either a DOS port, or by using the HX-DOS extender to run the Windows command-line version.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7-Zip

FileZilla Client is a fast and reliable cross-platform FTP, FTPS and SFTP client with lots of useful features and an intuitive interface. FileZilla, the free FTP solution. Both a client and a server are available. FileZilla is open source software distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License. http://filezilla-project.org/

The FileZilla Wiki is a documentation base aimed at helping those that want to download, install, compile and use the FileZilla Client and FileZilla Server software to transfer files across the Internet.

FileZilla Client is a free, open source FTP client for Windows. It supports FTP, SFTP, and FTPS (FTP over SSL/TLS). The client is available under many platforms, binaries for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X are provided.FileZilla Server is an FTP server supported by the same project. It supports FTP and FTP over SSL/TLS.  http://wiki.filezilla-project.org/Main_Page

BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer file sharing (P2P) communications protocol. BitTorrent is a method of distributing large amounts of data widely without the original distributor incurring the entire costs of hardware, hosting, and bandwidth resources. Instead, when data is distributed using the BitTorrent protocol, each recipient supplies pieces of the data to newer recipients, reducing the cost and burden on any given individual source, providing redundancy against system problems, and reducing dependence on the original distributor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitTorrent_%28protocol%29

http://www.bittorrent.com/

Learn what a Wiki is: A wiki is software that allows registered users or anyone to collaboratively create, edit, link, and organize the content of a website, usually for reference material. Wikis are often used to create collaborative websites and to power community websites. These wiki websites are often also referred to as wikis; for example, Wikipedia is one of the best known wikis.^[1] Wikis are used in businesses to provide affordable and effective intranets and for Knowledge Management. Ward Cunningham, developer of the first wiki, WikiWikiWeb, originally described it as “the simplest online database that could possibly work”.^[2]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki

I sincerely hope that this information is of use to people out there in the online world. Good night!

MacBook Air

Recently at Macworld 2008 Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the new MacBook Air – the new ultra thin notebook which is currently taking the web and the world by storm. Just try YouTube and you’ll find a plethora of video footage exploring every aspect of the new MacBook Air.

Apple.ie in Ireland are selling the new MacBook Air from a base price of Eur1,699 – great value because this new piece of kit from Apple is perhaps only the beginning of more fantastic hardware and software that has yet to appear. I would urge anyone interested in Apple software to go along and see a demonstration of this magnificent piece of technology. Who knows you might even buy it there and then.

Check out the new MacBook Air on Mac Life (Create, Share, Enjoy) the online version of the magazine of the same name.  And for your daily dose of all things Mac click on MacSlash

On the form side of things you have the incredibly useful Mac-Forums (The ultimate Source for Your Mac).

Am I converted I hear you ask. Absolutely! Should have bought a Mac computer years ago.

Xubuntu 7.04

Tonight I tried Xubuntu 7.04 on my HP pc. I ran the OS as a live distro and it works like a dream. I would urge all readers of this blog to try Xubuntu because it is an excellent and fast OS for both old and new computers. Thanks to Linux Format Magazine for providing the latest version of Xubuntu on their montly DVD. I find LXF to be one of the best linux magazines on the market – explore their fantastic website!

Nano, LXF, Box & Zoho

GNU Nano is a text editor for Unix and Unix-like systems such as Linux. Recently I saw a reference to Nano in Linux Format Magazine where it was claimed that Nano is becoming a very popular text editor. I wonder why this is so. If anyone has any information about Nano and its increasing popularity please let me know. Thank you kindly.

On Wednesday I signed up for Box.net (online storage software) and Zoho writer (online word, spreadsheet, presentation software, email and much more). I’d certainly recommend these free programmes  to you – try them and explore the possibilities!

NVU

Learning to create websites using Nvu is a must especially if you are hoping to take the web by storm. Just read what the developers have to say:

“Finally, a top-notch WYSIWYG web page program for the rest of us! Now there’s no need to pay a little fortune for a program to create and edit great-looking web pages, including powerful and easy to use CSS capabilities.

Nvu is a complete Web Authoring System that combines web file management and easy-to-use WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) web page editing capabilities found in Microsoft Front Page, Macromedia Dreamweaver and other high end programs.

Nvu is designed to be extremely easy to use, making it ideal for non-technical computer users who want to create an attractive, professional-looking web site without needing to know HTML or web coding.”

I’m going to give Nvu a try and with a little hard work I’ll be heading the page listings! So watch this little white space.

Linux – Red Hat information & Linux in general

I came across this useful information about Red Hat Linux. Here you will find many helpful links to start off learning Linux & specifically Red Hat Linux. Also an extremely useful site is The Linux Documentation Project where you can find answers to all things Linux.
Learning Red Hat Enterprise Linux is made all the more user friendly by the publication of a book by the same name. Read it and learn Linux in a short space of time.

Desktop Linux is another useful website offering a wealth of Linux books and web links.
Happy Linux learning to one and all!

IBM ThinkPad Notebooks

Have a look at IBM ThinkPad Notebooks!!! Linux Format Magazine always recommends Lenovo & IBM ThinkPad notebooks. Linux Magazine also carries adverts for Lenovo.

Geoff Hamilton’s Barnsdale Collection

Recently a friend of mine at work gave me a loan of a video tape which contains Geoff Hamilton’s Barnsdale Collection. This video collection features extracts from the BBC Gardeners’ World TV series in which Geoff Hamilton demonstrates season by season all the essential gardening techniques – from pruning to propagation, from laying paving to tending lawns; essential practical information for new gardeners and those with more experience.

Geoff also shows how to make your own stream, how to build two different herb gardens – one traditional, the other modern. He then shows how to create a rockless rock garden.

All the profits from the sale of this video go to Geoff Hamilton’s New Gardeners Foundation to fund scholarships for young people who want to make a career in gardening.

The following video, hints and tips on creating and planting a secluded garden. This is the final series from the much-loved gardener, author and presenter, who died in 1996.