Here are the tools I use to do my job every day that I love. Which do I love, the tools or the job? Well, both, at the moment. Please, share your own free little things that do useful things so that others can enjoy.
I use all of these regularly; many of them are open all day every day, and they make my life easier. Maybe they will make yours easier too!
Honorable mention (because it's not free): UltraMon - if you have multiple monitors and don't have this program, get it. Now.
I use all of these regularly; many of them are open all day every day, and they make my life easier. Maybe they will make yours easier too!
- RD Tabs - Remote desktop/RDP/terminal services connection manager and tabs gives you multiple remote desktops in one window - and it's smart enough to size them to your resolution so no more scrollybars. Works great on my second monitor - I have it parked there, minimized, and when I need to get into a server I pull it up and flip between the tabs. If you ever, ever, use terminal services/RDP clients, you need this.
- Launchy - Katapult for Windows. Hit alt-space, start typing the name of a program, it finds it and auto-completes, hit enter and it starts. Indexes favorites too. Quit digging in your Start menu for programs, just start them and move on.
- Foxit Reader - Tired of waiting for Adobe Acrobat Reader to start? Me too.
- Gmail Notifier - Quick, simple, notification when your gmail account gets a message without having to use Google Desktop, Google Talk, etc.
- Startup Control Panel - I actually started building this into the images I deploy at work because I found myself installing it on my users' computers too often. Control exactly what does and doesn't startup; and instead of just deleting something you decide you don't want, it keeps it but disables it so you can put it back if you don't like it. Indispensable.
- KeePass - Excellent password safe/management program. It works surprisingly well with multiple users - just put your key DB on a shared drive.
- VirtualBox - Yes, you can get really solid virtualization hosting software for free. Even on a x64 architecture. And, unlike MS's free offerings, you can run other things besides Windows and OS/2. (Really, Microsoft? OS/2 virtualization? Really?)
- VisualSVN Server - One for my geekier readers: Windows all-in-one installer for Subversion with LDAP authentication integration including groups, and amazingly, it don't cost a cent.
- InfraRecorder - Why do people bother charging money for CD burning software again?
- Pidgin - Why do people bother charging money for multi-IM clients again?
- EphPod - Need to recover music from an iPod or just despise iTunes? You could take a random pick of one of the thousands of $5-$30 such programs out there, or use this one which is free and works just fine.
Honorable mention (because it's not free): UltraMon - if you have multiple monitors and don't have this program, get it. Now.
- Mood:busy
that's about it, really
06:30: Wake up, grumble.
06:35: Continued grumbling.
06:40: Stop grumbling and decide to actually get up.
07:10: Stagger out of house, grumbling.
07:20: Roll up to AT&T store (the one on Sunnyside south of Clackamas Town Center, for Portlandites). Note thirty-odd people in line. Cackle at their foolishness, reasoning that they certainly have at least thirty iPhones at this store for opening day and feel very pleased for not having camped out.
07:35: Desire to kill everyone around me in line reaches apex.
07:45: AT&T Manager Man comes out and tells us they don't know how many iPhones they have. Cue Xtreme Grumbling by entire line (now grown to around 60). Man behind me works for the Portland Business Journal and is trying to get people to agree to author an article on how unethical AT&T is for not telling us how many phones they have.
07:47: Manager Man explains that if we don't get one today, we can order one which will be shipped to the store and arrive in 3-5 days, at which point we can come in and pick it up at our leisure. This placates many of us (including me) but the rest grumble 2x as loud to make up for it.
08:00: Hooray! The doors opened. One person went in.
08:15: Nothing has happened for over fifteen minutes.
08:30: We are told that it takes about fifteen minutes per person to activate the phone and it must be done in-store. They have six computers and approximately 20 AT&T people standing around with clipboards. One computer is in use - with the guy that got in at 8:00.
08:45: Okay, now the rest of the computers are working. Note guy that went in at 8:00 is still in. Cue Grumbling.
09:15: Line moves at pace last associated with glaciers in the Mesozoic Era. Approximately 6 people have exited the store with Magic Orange Bags.
09:45: Pace still glacial but at least I can see inside the store to see there are now only 4 computers working and yet people with clipboards are everywhere. Ex-AT&T Store Employee in line in front of me has not shut up about how this wouldn't have been tolerated if she still worked there since 8:00.
10:00: The alarm is sounded that THEY ARE OUT OF SIXTEEN GIGABYTE MODELS OH NO. Appx half the line behind me gives up, nobody in front of me. Must be diehards. I wanted an 8GB anyway, so I don't care.
10:15: Guy who has been in front of me and has been flashing his 2G iPhone repeatedly finally gets interrogated by roving clipboard staff as to what kind he wants. When he says he wants a 16, he acts surprised to hear they are out, even though we had discussed it many times, and leaves in a huff empty-handed without even placing an order. ???
10:25: AT&T crowd comes out and starts making very divisive hand gestures directly in front of me. Grumbling behinds me turns from Muttering to Shouting. Manager placates crowd by telling them they still have plenty more. I overhear him muttering "We have 8 8GBs left" to someone else and pass the information down the line subvertively. Briefly feel bad about this.
10:30: Hooray, I'm Next To Go In!
10:40: Hooray, I'm Still Next To Go In!
10:45: I'm in sweet Jesus I am tired of standing.
10:50: I give my name, address, email, and social security number to the nice but clearly dazed representative four times before the computer accepts it. She says "iTunes is completely dead so we're not going to even try activating it, just take it home and plug it in." So much for having to activate them in the store.
11:15: Finally free, listening to to-be-pitied AT&T drone explaining to the Cut-Off Person why the person in front of them got a phone and they can't have one today.
Present: Attempting to activate using iTunes, servers still appear to be crapping themselves.
Phone review: The 'Please plug me into iTunes Right Now' screen is very nice! Not much else to report!
06:35: Continued grumbling.
06:40: Stop grumbling and decide to actually get up.
07:10: Stagger out of house, grumbling.
07:20: Roll up to AT&T store (the one on Sunnyside south of Clackamas Town Center, for Portlandites). Note thirty-odd people in line. Cackle at their foolishness, reasoning that they certainly have at least thirty iPhones at this store for opening day and feel very pleased for not having camped out.
07:35: Desire to kill everyone around me in line reaches apex.
07:45: AT&T Manager Man comes out and tells us they don't know how many iPhones they have. Cue Xtreme Grumbling by entire line (now grown to around 60). Man behind me works for the Portland Business Journal and is trying to get people to agree to author an article on how unethical AT&T is for not telling us how many phones they have.
07:47: Manager Man explains that if we don't get one today, we can order one which will be shipped to the store and arrive in 3-5 days, at which point we can come in and pick it up at our leisure. This placates many of us (including me) but the rest grumble 2x as loud to make up for it.
08:00: Hooray! The doors opened. One person went in.
08:15: Nothing has happened for over fifteen minutes.
08:30: We are told that it takes about fifteen minutes per person to activate the phone and it must be done in-store. They have six computers and approximately 20 AT&T people standing around with clipboards. One computer is in use - with the guy that got in at 8:00.
08:45: Okay, now the rest of the computers are working. Note guy that went in at 8:00 is still in. Cue Grumbling.
09:15: Line moves at pace last associated with glaciers in the Mesozoic Era. Approximately 6 people have exited the store with Magic Orange Bags.
09:45: Pace still glacial but at least I can see inside the store to see there are now only 4 computers working and yet people with clipboards are everywhere. Ex-AT&T Store Employee in line in front of me has not shut up about how this wouldn't have been tolerated if she still worked there since 8:00.
10:00: The alarm is sounded that THEY ARE OUT OF SIXTEEN GIGABYTE MODELS OH NO. Appx half the line behind me gives up, nobody in front of me. Must be diehards. I wanted an 8GB anyway, so I don't care.
10:15: Guy who has been in front of me and has been flashing his 2G iPhone repeatedly finally gets interrogated by roving clipboard staff as to what kind he wants. When he says he wants a 16, he acts surprised to hear they are out, even though we had discussed it many times, and leaves in a huff empty-handed without even placing an order. ???
10:25: AT&T crowd comes out and starts making very divisive hand gestures directly in front of me. Grumbling behinds me turns from Muttering to Shouting. Manager placates crowd by telling them they still have plenty more. I overhear him muttering "We have 8 8GBs left" to someone else and pass the information down the line subvertively. Briefly feel bad about this.
10:30: Hooray, I'm Next To Go In!
10:40: Hooray, I'm Still Next To Go In!
10:45: I'm in sweet Jesus I am tired of standing.
10:50: I give my name, address, email, and social security number to the nice but clearly dazed representative four times before the computer accepts it. She says "iTunes is completely dead so we're not going to even try activating it, just take it home and plug it in." So much for having to activate them in the store.
11:15: Finally free, listening to to-be-pitied AT&T drone explaining to the Cut-Off Person why the person in front of them got a phone and they can't have one today.
Present: Attempting to activate using iTunes, servers still appear to be crapping themselves.
Phone review: The 'Please plug me into iTunes Right Now' screen is very nice! Not much else to report!
- Mood:amused
I am going to try and obtain an iPhone tomorrow. I may regret this.
Q: How do you bury an old programmer?
A: Face down, nine edge first.
...
If you get this joke without Googling or otherwise looking something up, CONGRATULATIONS, YOU'RE OLD! Or worked on systems when you were young, like me!
A: Face down, nine edge first.
...
If you get this joke without Googling or otherwise looking something up, CONGRATULATIONS, YOU'RE OLD! Or worked on systems when you were young, like me!
- Mood:nostalgic
I have been summoned for jury duty.
The subject of this post is 100% serious/sarcasm-free.
The subject of this post is 100% serious/sarcasm-free.
- Mood:pleased
I don't wish to cause general widespread panic or even divers alarums, but I appear to have won the Royal Spanish Sweepstake Lottery Program.
It seems I was selected randomly through World Wide Web site through computer draw system!
I'll let you know when I get the check.
It seems I was selected randomly through World Wide Web site through computer draw system!
I'll let you know when I get the check.
- Mood:excited
Apparently there is a big protest afoot about the fact that LiveJournal is, in fact, a commercial business and not just some sort of free government service. They are protesting by not posting tomorrow. I, too, will participate in this protest. In fact, I already have been, since 1/2/2008.
- Mood:touched
Do it again and don't suck.
So among my musical interests is included the playing of electric guitar. I don't play very much any more but I used to play more and while I'm not anywhere near a great guitarist (I play like an acoustic player) I'm skilled enough and unfortunately afflicted with fussy ears. Been doing some work on ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
thump's garage studio over the last couple days and it occurred to me that over the years he and lokidecat and I have been getting together for the Rusty Pipe thang I've brought a new guitar rig almost every time :P
( click for ze capitalism and super geekery )
thump's garage studio over the last couple days and it occurred to me that over the years he and lokidecat and I have been getting together for the Rusty Pipe thang I've brought a new guitar rig almost every time :P( click for ze capitalism and super geekery )
- Location:97222
- Mood:nostalgic
- Music:talking to Kierstie
and are not on my friends list, comment and tell me who you are.
After a unsuccessful scouting trip to Best Buy, wifelet (who was on the fence) bet me that GameStop wouldn't have any. Guess who won.
5006 7208 3414 6080
5006 7208 3414 6080
- Mood:capitalistic
Wow, I haven't posted since May.
I'm not sure if this is the nicest thing in the world to think, but I can't help but not be too broken up over Jerry Falwell's death. I believe that he did as much damage to the worldwide image and perception of the Christian faith as Osama Bin Laden did to Islam.
- Mood:complacent
From thump via lokidecat
First 15 songs from MP3 player on random, first line(s) of the lyrics(excluding instrumentals and songs with the title/artist in the firstline). No cheating (googling etc). Can you guess the song/artist?:
1) A preacher shuns his brother, cause his bride's a different color
2) Cheap sunglasses, snakeskin boots, clip-on tie, and he's ready to scoot!
3) Everything you say is so, so predictable and small, I don't wanna hear you
4) I don't get out much, when I do I like to get some nuts (no kiddingthump/lokidecat, that came up randomly)
5) Mary pretends she's so insane, so insane, so insane
6) While I down Kentucky bourbon I am waiting for a call
7) I have never taken life yet I have often paid the price
8) Anchor the night, open the sky, hide in the hours before sunrise
9) It's time to move on, time to get going, what lies ahead, I have no way of knowing
10) Se voce disser que eu desafino amor, saiba que isso em mim provoca imensa dor
11) Man sieht ihn um die Kirche schleichen seit einem Jahr ist er allein (two foreign ones in a row!)
12) You don't need your name in bright lights, you're a rock star
13) I change the key from C to D, you see to me it's just a minor thing, y'all
14) Three into the two and two into the one
15) Hey ladies in the place I'm callin' out to ya, there never was a city kid truer and bluer
thump via lokidecatFirst 15 songs from MP3 player on random, first line(s) of the lyrics(excluding instrumentals and songs with the title/artist in the firstline). No cheating (googling etc). Can you guess the song/artist?:
1) A preacher shuns his brother, cause his bride's a different color
2) Cheap sunglasses, snakeskin boots, clip-on tie, and he's ready to scoot!
3) Everything you say is so, so predictable and small, I don't wanna hear you
4) I don't get out much, when I do I like to get some nuts (no kidding
thump/lokidecat, that came up randomly)5) Mary pretends she's so insane, so insane, so insane
6) While I down Kentucky bourbon I am waiting for a call
7) I have never taken life yet I have often paid the price
8) Anchor the night, open the sky, hide in the hours before sunrise
9) It's time to move on, time to get going, what lies ahead, I have no way of knowing
10) Se voce disser que eu desafino amor, saiba que isso em mim provoca imensa dor
11) Man sieht ihn um die Kirche schleichen seit einem Jahr ist er allein (two foreign ones in a row!)
12) You don't need your name in bright lights, you're a rock star
13) I change the key from C to D, you see to me it's just a minor thing, y'all
14) Three into the two and two into the one
15) Hey ladies in the place I'm callin' out to ya, there never was a city kid truer and bluer
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