What do you do next after installing a fresh copy of Windows XP SP2 from the installation CD supplied by Microsoft ?

Chances are that you’ll connect to the Windows Update website and wait for your computer to download and install the hundreds of security patches / updates released by the Windows team since the launch of XP SP2. Imagine if you have do repeat the exercise on your laptop.

One of the options we discussed sometime back was AutoPatcher XP - it contains all Windows XP hotfixes neatly packaged into an Microsoft style installer. Just run the program over your existing copy of XP SP2 and it will patch it with all the available Windows updates without connecting to the computer.

The only issue with AutoPatcher XP is that it takes two steps - you first have to install the XP SP2 on a computer and then run the AutoPatcher XP program to patch the Windows installation. How about combining them into a single step ?

Enter RyanVM MSFN pack - Unlike AutoPatcher XP which updates your Windows XP SP2 installation, RyanVM’s pack will integrate all patches and hotfixes into your installation CD itself [also called slipstreaming]

This post XP SP2 patch slipstream option is supported for English versions of Windows XP Home and Windows XP Professional. Life would have been much smoother had Microsoft not delayed the release of Windows XP SP3 but until then, you can build the XP SP3 installer disk with RyanVM.

– Digital Inspiration

As a frequent seller on eBay, I visit the site, a few times a week. When I got to the “my eBay” page, I noticed a little widget for bloggers. It’s ToGo from eBay which features a flash listing of a single item of my choice and displays it in a nice looking box in a blog.

Making the button was an easy process but putting the flash object code into WordPress was difficult because of syntax issues. Anyhow, take a look at this Ford Mustang. It’s obviously not my Mustang! Just an item I chose to test the widget with.

Gmail is again and again proving itself to be the best web based email service since email was introduced to the world! This time, they have a Gmail Free Paper version of your email that can be sent to you through snail mail.

Everyone loves Gmail. But not everyone loves email, or the digital era. What ever happened to stamps, filing cabinets, and the mailman? Well, you asked for it, and it’s here. We’re bringing it back.

A New Button
Now in Gmail, you can request a physical copy of any message with the click of a button, and we’ll send it to you in the mail.

Simplicity Squared
Google will print all messages instantly and prepare them for delivery. Allow 2-4 business days for a parcel to arrive via post.

Total Control
A stack of Gmail Paper arrives in a box at your doorstep, and it’s yours to keep forever. You can read it, sort it, search it, touch it. Or even move it to the trash—the real trash. (Recycling is encouraged.)

Keep it Secret, Keep it Safe
Google takes privacy very seriously. But once your email is physically in your hands, it’s as secure as you want to make it.

I checked for the feature but as of now, it is still something to look forward too!

APRIL FOOLS! 

I use the Mozilla Firefox web browser and I love everything about it! It’s a full featured browser that follows all HTML rules unlike Microsoft IE and it has a full range of different add-ons that you can install to make your web experience easier. I believe that my specific configuration of Mozilla Firefox makes my daily internet surfing activities safe! A good set of security features and a alert sense in browsing makes your computer almost unvurnerable to worms, spyware and viruses.

The one thing I hate are add-on tool bars, I suggest never installing any of them because most of them are spyware tools that either makes your computer slower or simply block your browsers viewing space. If you have too, then, the Yahoo, Google or MSN tool bars are okay to download.

Here is the main feature presentation, the 5 plugins TONY CAI uses! :P:

• Adblock - Once installed, it’s a snap to filter elements at their source-address.
  Just right-click: Adblock: done. Filters use either the wildcard character (*)
  or full Regular Expression syntax. Hit the status-element and see what has or
  hasn’t been blocked.
• Adblock Filter.G Updater - This is a companion extension to Adblock or Adblock Plus and should be used in conjunction with it. This extension automatically downloads the latest version of Filterset.G every 4-7 days. Filterset.G is an excellent set of filters maintained by G for Adblock that blocks most ads on the internet.
• Fasterfox - Fasterfox allows you to tweak many network and rendering settings such as simultaneous connections, pipelining, cache, DNS cache, and initial paint delay. Dynamic speed increases can be obtained with the unique prefetching mechanism, which recycles idle bandwidth by silently loading and caching all of the links on the page you are browsing.
• Google Notebook - With Google Notebook, you can browse, clip, and organize information from across the web in a single online location that’s accessible from any computer. Planning a trip? Researching a product? Just add clippings to your notebook. You don’t ever have to leave your browser window.
• Verizon Wireless Minutes Used - This plugin allows you to view the minutes used on your cell phone plan on the bottom bar of Firefox. Other carriers are available as well; Cingular, T-Mobile. Very easy and convent to use, never go over your minutes again!

So yeah, those are all the plugins I use for ease and security. Go have a try at it!

How about changing your DNS servers so it can block porn and other unsafe websites from being accessed on your computer? It can be done with ScrubIT! It works just like OpenDNS where you have to configure your DNS servers.

If you want to configure it manually, the DNS servers to use are:

67.138.54.100 and 207.225.209.66

“ScrubIT is a FREE recursive DNS server that regulates what comes into your home or business. ScrubIT “scrubs” the internet so you don’t have to be concerned about what your family members or employees will be confronted with.

We currently profile several million websites and by default block out any pornographic, phishing, and many other potentially harmful sites. Users who wish to customize which sites are blocked and allowed may sign up for our BETA and customize their ScrubIT experience.”

The service is of course free. See more about ScrubIt here!

Joost’s concept of the TV on a PC is amazing! I will update this post as I trial it further.

P.S: I have Beta Account Invitations, if interested please leave me a comment!

Download it for Windows XP here.

The Democracy Media player downloads and plays all videos from YouTube, etc. This open source software available for all platforms including Linux and OSX can be the ultimate player for you, powered by VLC player.

• 1. Play All Your Videos
  Play virtually any video– Quicktime, WMV, MPEG, AVI, XVID, and more. Browse your collection, make playlists, stay organized.
• 2. Get Internet TV Shows
  Subscribe to any video RSS feed, podcast, or video blog. Explore hundreds of free channels with the built-in Channel Guide.
• 3. Search YouTube
  Download and save videos from YouTube, Google Video, Yahoo Video, and other sites.
• 4. High Definition and Fullscreen
  Your computer screen is a high-def display. Watch free HD videos in gorgeous fullscreen.
• 5. Torrent Power
  Easily download any BitTorrent file. Fast. Then watch it in the same app. Simple.

To get the Democracy Player now, click here! Highly Recommended!

OpenID is a security system that allows you to login to many* websites with just one universal ID. Seems easy and secure right? Many things can potentially go wrong. A OpenID company can go out of service and your ID is lost but luckily there are many providers out there. Well how are there many providers of OpenID? Think of it this way, it’s a code that you can run on a server.

The problem is that too little primetime websites are using the service at the time. Recently, AOL says they would start using OpenID which is good news for OpenID because it’s getting a better user base.

* Too little websites using OpenID as of now.

I just signed up for an OpenID and it serves me pretty useless now.

Google Apps goes Premier Edition, meaning you get all of Google Apps standard plus more! All for the price of $50 per year. However, their target customer base are only companies and educational institutions so for the personal accounts that we all have, we should be good with just the standard basic.

“We offer multiple editions of Google Apps to meet the needs of different organizations. So whether you’re a small business or a Fortune 500 company, Google can power up your organization with the right services and support, for the right price.”

Of course with Google Apps, you need a domain, you can use your existing or register for a new one. Remember! Google is now a domain registar!

For a nice comparason chart between the differences, click here!

DC++ announces the freedom to share! DC++ is an open source client for the Direct Connect network. Direct Connect allows you to share files over the Internet without restrictions or limits. The client is completely free of advertisements and has a nice, easy to use interface. Firewall and router support is integrated and it is easy and convenient to use functionality like multi-hub connections, auto-connections and resuming of downloads.

Step 1: Download DC++ at SourceForge here.

Step 2: Install DC++ - This should be easy and self explanatory.

Step 3: Run the setup file to begin installation. The installation consists of three main screens.

1. License Agreement. Read the license, select the “I accept …” box and then click on Next.
   
2. Installation Options. This shows the components to be installed. It is highly recommended that you leave all the items selected. Click on “Next” to continue.
   
3. Installation Folder: The location where DC++ is to be installed. This can be left at the default. Click on “Install” to begin the installation.
   

Once the installation has completed, you may now run DC++ from the Start menu.

Step 4: There are a few basic settings that need to be entered before you can use DC++. Some are essential whereas others are not, but in my opinion make things easier in the long run.

Personal Information

Location: Settings → Personal Information.

The only piece of information that is required here is Nick. This is the username you will use on DC++. This can be anything you want but avoid using characters that would be illegal in filenames, such as ‘*’ or ‘/’.

Entering a line speed is recommended. This value is the maximum upload speed of your Internet connection. For example, if you had a maximum of of 256kbps upload, you would pick 0.2 from the dropdown list, as this is the closest.

The other two fields, E-Mail and Description, are optional.

Connection Settings

Location: Settings → Connection Settings.

I highly recommend reading the Help file as it briefly explains what each of these settings means.

If you are behind a router or gateway, select “Firewall (passive, last resort)” initially. You can switch to a more appropriate setting later by referring to the “Configuring Active Mode” section.

If you are directly connected to the Internet then leave “Direct connection” selected.

If you are behind a SOCKS proxy, select SOCKS5 and enter the appropriate information.

If you unsure which applies to you, select “Firewall (passive, last resort)”.

Download Directories

Location: Settings → Downloads → Directories.

Default Download Directory: Enter a folder where finished downloads should go. If left blank, it will default to a folder called Downloads in the main DC++ folder.

Unfinished Downloads Directory: Enter a folder where downloads should go while they are downloading. Once they have completed downloading, they will be moved to the folder specified above. If no folder is given here, it will default to a folder called Incomplete in the main DC++ folder.

Upload Slots

Location: Settings → Sharing → Upload Slots

File transfers in DC++ are based on slots. Each file being transferred takes up one slot. You need to open up a number of upload slots to gain access to hubs. The minimum needed will depend on the number of hubs you are connected to. Usually it is two slots per hub, though it will vary from hub to hub. Set it to 2 for the moment and remember to adjust it as you connect to more hubs.

Step 5: Connect to the Stony Brook DC++ server. (sbushare.no-ip.info)

Manual Address Entry

If you know the address of a hub (either an IP address or a domain name) then this can be manually entered by going to File → Quick Connect. Type the address and click OK to connect.

YOUR DONE!! AGAIN, NOT RECOMMENDED AND ILLEGAL. I DO NOT USE IT!

via [B Ali DC++ Guide]