My Thunderbird Part 4

Contact Sidebar Extension

I like to have my contacts list close at hand and Contacts Sidebar gives me that option. Rather than waste all that space under the local folders, we can use it to display our address books.

This is how Contacts Sidebar looks once it is installed.

Now, without opening the a separate window, you have the ability to:

Switch between address books
Search through address books

Just double-click on any name and a New Message window will appear with that contacts e-mail address in the "To:" field.

For more information and keyboard shortcuts, visit the Contacts Sidebar Web Page

Download the latest version of Contacts Sidebar

My Thunderbird Part 3

Downloading and Installing Extensions in Thunderbird

Downloading and installing extensions in Thunderbird is not as simple as in Firefox.

Once you find an extension that you want, download the file to your hard drive. If you just click on the "Install Now" button on the pages in the Mozilla Add-on/Extension Database, the following window will pop-up and will attempt to install this extension into Firefox. The extension is obviously not for Firefox, so we want to avoid this.Right click on the button and select "Save Link As". Save the file to your hard drive in an easy to find place.
In Thunderbird, select Tools...Add-OnsFrom the Extensions pop-up window, click "Install..." in the lower left-hand corner.
Find the file that you saved to the hard drive earlier and select "Open". A "Software Installation" window will pop-up and after a 5 second countdown...

...you can click the "Install Now" button to add the file.


Click on the "Restart Thunderbird" and when the program is running again, so should your newly installed extension.

Xplorer2 Lite

Are you tired of Windows Explorer and looking for something with a little more functionality. Check out the Xplorer2 Lite. The best part about this simple file manager is the list of keyboard shortcuts. I have used this program for a while and have forgotten what Windows Explorer looks like.

Keyboard Shortcuts from Lifehacker.com

Download from Download.com

20 Free New Fonts

Who can't use an extra font every now and then. I'll almost guarantee these aren't already on your system. You should be able to find at least one that you won't be able to live without.

My Favorite Free Fonts from elogodesign.com

Erase Pre-Installed Software

Have you ever gotten a new PC that included trial programs that continually issue registration prompts until you visit their website and bribe them not to(pay for the program). Most of us prefer to make our own decisions concerning which programs we install on our PCs, especially for $$$. If you can excuse the crude name, this handy little program will allow you to remove these pre-installed programs with minimal direction and oversight. Freeware for Windows.

Pre-installed Software Removal Program

Firefox Windows Media Plugin

If you are like me, you wouldn't use anything but Firefox, but there are small issues with our favorite browser. The new Windows Media Plugin can cross one off the list. This plugin makes it much easier for Firefox to play windows media videos in your browser. Nothing fancy, just something to make life easier.

Window Media Plugin download page

Personal Finance Software

I don't know if they can't count, or if I am missing something, but Consumerist put together a list of links to popular personal finance programs(7 free and 4 pay). There are options for different operating systems. Some of these items are templates or web based services, but you should be able to find something helpful.

8 Free Personal Finance Management Programs

(Let me know how many you count)

I Want a Firefox Extension To...

Looking for a little known extension that will make Firefox the ultimate browser customized just for you? You would be hard pressed not to find it in this extensive list organized by function.

I want a Firefox extension to...

Send Later Thunderbird Extension

Use this extension to send reminder emails to yourself or others. After you compose the email, instead of the regular Ctrl + Enter to drop it into cyberspace, use Ctrl + Shift + Enter to pull up the send later dialog box and tell Thunderbird when to mail the message down to the minute. Remember to leave Thunderbird open, otherwise the message will not be sent. This extension is compatible with the latest Thunderbird version.

Send Later from Lifehacker

Joost Beta TV on the Computer

I enjoy the concept of TV programming on the PC. I have never owned a TV and find that this could open the door to a lot of content. There are still a few issues that need work in the Joost Beta, but you can't beat the price(free). I recommend that you make every effort to get your hands on a beta invite and check it out.

Interface - The interface was not very intuitive. Sure, I could have read instructions, but who wants to do that? I had a hard time figuring out how to move from screen, and even find the button to close the program.

Content - There are a variety of channels in the beta. You should be able to find something that you can watch to test the service without falling asleep.

Speed - Obviously, we are not talking about high resolution, but I was impressed with the speed that the programming started playing after the channel was selected. I have broadband cable internet.

Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think. Email me for an beta invite!

RipIt4Me

From Freeware Genius

Version 1.5.1.0

Ripit4me is a program that works with either DVD Decrypter or DVD Shrink to rip copy protected DVD’s onto the hard drive.

RipIt4Me acts as a front-end for those other ripping programs and will not do the ripping itself; RipIt4Me’s added value is that it enables these programs to handle stronger copy protections that some newer DVD’s come with, such as ARccOS and RipGuard DVD. It will also utilize another program, FixVTS, that’s designed to adjust the ripped DVD files into better DVD compliance. I’m not sure exactly what that means but I know that in some cases this will enable you to fix an issue where burned DVDs would have problems working on a standard DVD player even when they play just fine on the computer.

Its a good idea to use this program even if you’ve been happily using DVD Decrypter to rip your DVDs, as the creator of that software has stopped all development on it. RipIt4Me will help DVD Decrypter keep up to date with newer protection mechanisms.

RipIt4Me is very easy to use; ripping a DVD will not take more than 3-clicks or so, and the interface is very intuitive.

Note: this program does not have an installer; simply unpack and place in the right place. Go to preferences to make sure it knows the correct paths to the programs it needs.

Downloading DVD Decrypter and DVD Shrink: It’s apparently not legal to post download links to these programs on a US based website, but it is very easy to find the download links nontheless: after downloading RipIt4Me go to ‘download’ pull-down menu and select the desired program; you will be directed to working download links. You’ll also find download links for FixVTS in the same place.

100 Portable Apps

From Makeuseof
17 April, 2007 written by Aibek

These stuff can be installed on any portable drive, i.e. USB thumbdrive, PDA or an iPod. You can use them at work, school, or any other place where you can plugin your device. Check them out, you can either scroll-down for relevant category, i.e office software, email tools, messengers, games, etc. or get one of ‘all-in-one’ packages for all essential tools in one package. While there are more apps for windows users, I tried to include mac versions for each essential tool. All free. Enjoy!
What is a portable program ? : A portable program is a piece of software that you can carry around with you on a portable device and use on any other computer. It can be your email program, your browser, system recovery tools or even an operating system. The coolest part about it, is that all of your data and settings are always stored on a thumbdrive so when you unplug the device, none of your personal data is left behind.

Portable Office Software
Abiword [Win (6.3 mb) / Mac (9.5 mb)] - word processor (compatible with Microsoft word)
OpenOffice [Win (65 mb) / Mac (127 mb)] - free alternative to Microsoft Office (fully compatible with Microsoft Office docs)
PDF Viewers: Sumatra [Win (1.1 mb) ], Foxit PDF Reader [Win, (1.8 mb) ]

Portable Email/Calendar/ToDo Programs
Mozilla ThunderBird - [Win (6 mb), Mac (20.5 mb), Cross-Platform (Win, Mac)] - very good email client (built-in address book, import/export, tons of addons)
Calendars: Mozilla Sunbird [Win, 5.6mb], Sunbird [Mac, 9.7mb], Lightning [Win, 1.3mb) - ThunderBird addon
Mail [Mac] - requires locally installed Mail.app
iCal [Mac] - requires locally installed iCal.app
Adress Book [Mac] - requires locally installed Address Book
Quick Mailer [Win, 20kb] - tiny program for sending quick e-mail messages
gDisk [Mac, 1020kb] - handy program that turns your gmail account into a portable hard drive. (More stuff for gmail)

Portable Text and Voice Messengers
All-in-One (Yahoo, MSN, ICQ, etc.): Gaim [Win, 6.9 mb], Miranda IM [Win, 1.2 mb], Adium [Mac, 15.5mb], Trillian [Win]
iChat [Mac] - requires locally installed iChat
Newspeak [Mac, 1mb] - Newspeak Cocoa IRC client
Skype - exlpains how to make skype portable

Portable Media Tools (Audio / Video)
Audacity [Win (2.4 mb), Mac (5mb)] - simple audio editor and recorder
VLC [Win (9.3 mb), Mac (24 mb)] - powerful media player that plays almost all popular audio and video formats
K-Lite Mega Codec Pack with Media Player [Win] - another powerful media player for playing all conceivable formats
iShout [Mac, 7mb] - record and listen to your favorite internet radios.
CocoaJT [Mac, 8.7mb] - stream live TV programs from major broadcast channels.

Portable Graphics Viewers and Image Editors
GIMP [Win (8.6 mb), Mac (87.5 mb)] - free alternative to Photoshop
IrfanView [Win, 1013kb] - fast graphic viewer with basic image editing features
XNView [Win, Mac, Linux] - image viewer and converter (support more then 400 image formats)
Inkscape [Mac, 24.6mb] - scalable vector graphics editor

Portable Browsers and Internet Tools
Firefox [Win (5.8 mb), Mac (21.9mb), Cross-platform (Win, Mac) ]
Other browsers: Camino [Mac, 16.2mb], Opera [Win], Safari [Mac] - requires installed safari
Feedreaders (RSS, Atom …): RSSOwl [Mac, 5mb], Feed [Mac, 564kb], GreatNews [Win], Sage [Win, 0.2 mb]
FTP Clients: Filezilla [Win, 2.3 mb], FireFTP [Win, 0.1mb], CyberDuck [Mac, 9.9mb]
TrayURL [Win] - bookmark manager
uTorrent [Win] - popular torrent downloader

Portable Security Software
Antivirus: ClamWin [Win, 5.9mb], Dr.Web CureIt [Win, 5.5 mb]
Keepass Password [Win, 1mb] - securely store and manage your passwords
Omziff [Win, 0.5mb] - lets you encrypt/decrypt a file, using secure encryption algorithms. Also includes a password generator, file shredder, file splitter and some more tools.
LockNote [Win] - simple text file that lets you store sensitive info with 256bit password encryption.
RoboFor2Go [Win] - secure password manager and form filler
Smart Sniff [Win, 57kb] - lets you inspect network traffic that passes via your network adapter.

Portable Games
Sudoku - popular puzzle game
Bricks2000 - popular tetris clone
Logix - something similar to minesweeper
Gem Drop - fast-paced puzzle game
GeneRally - 2D racing game
Nagaskaki - chess game
NarkoMania - cool minesweeper clone
NeverBall - part puzzle, part action game

Other Portable Utilities
7Zip [Win, 1.1 mb] - file archiver and compressor, supports 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2, TAR, RAR and more
Registry Tweaker [Win, 1.52mb] - registry tweaking tool
Restoration [Win, 229kb] - handy program for recovering deleted (or formatted) files
YamiPod [Win] - powerful iPod manager (copy mp3/AAC files to and from your iPod, import/export playlists, search for songs, remove duplicates,..). More iPod tools
Drive Manager [Win, 1191 kb] - quick summary for each local and removable drive.
PStart - lets you organize and create menu-like list for quicker access to your portable programs.
SyncPAppX - script that syncs preferences between portable and local applications.
RQ Money - handy utlity to manage your credits and debts
SIW - a system analysis tool that tells you almost everything you need to know about a computer, i.e. hardware, configuration settings, etc.
WinAudit - one more analysis tool
Convert [Win, 155 kb] - fast metric unit conversion tool (distance, temperature, volume, time, speed, mass…)
UK Calender [Win, 321kb] - straightforward calendar with ToDo and remainders
CPU-Z [Win] - provides detailed info about your processor and other components
Country Codes [Win, 1358 kb] - a small database of country codes and additional information for more than 250 countries.
TreePad Lite [Win, 866kb] - personal database program, lets you store all your notes, emails, bookmarks, etc. into one searchable file
StartupList [Win, 158 kb] - displays all items that are in any way related to your computer startup and are executed without any user interactions
eTextReader [Win, 279kb] - read plain text files provided by Project Gutenberg in a book-like manner.
Index Your Files [Win, 640kb] - provides an easy way to create index databases (of specified folders and drives) for quick file/term search
RockXP [win, 768kb] - handy utility for retrieving Win XP’s product key
WhoisThisDomain [Win, 42kb] - view owner and registration info for any domain name

Portable Developer Tools (Techies Only)
Nvu [Win (7.3 mb), Mac (12 mb)] - easy-to-use webpage editor. Simpler alternative to Dreamweaver and Microsft Frontpage
Server2Go - apache webserver (no configurations needed)
InstantRails[Win, 60mb] - contains Ruby, Rails, Apache, and MySQL, all preconfigured and ready to run.
Putty [Win, 0.9 mb] - lightweight telnet and SSH client
Follow-Me IP - displays your external IP address
XAMPP [Win, 25/17 mb] - integrated server package of Apache, mySQL, PHP and Perl. Just Unzip and Run
HTTP File Server [Win] - simple and easy-to-use file server for personal file sharing.
CurrPorts [Win, 46kb]- lets you view a list of ports that are currently in use, along with applications that use them
Hamachi
FTP Servers: Quick’n Easy FTP Server [Win, 355kb], PureFTPdManager [Mac, 10.9mb]

All-In-One Packages
PortableApps Suite [Win, 89.5mb] - includes 7 programs for essential needs (office, email, IM client, etc.) + cool Startup manager and backup utility
FSuite [Mac, 668.3mb] - over 30 useful tools in one file (Office, Graphic, Audio, Video, Internet, Developer Tools and Games)

Portable Operating Systems (’HowTo’ Articles)
Mac OS Classic 7
Portable Linux: Knoppix, Ubuntu
Win XP

USB ThumDrive Tips
How to create a bootable USB key
Never Forget your USB Stick
QuickLaunch your USB workspace

That’s mainly it… In case you’re looking for something that wasn’t mentioned above, there are couple of more resources you may want to check out. These are Portablefreeware.com and Tinyapps.org

AVI2DVD

From One Tip A Day


AVi2DVD is a freeware program that converts AVI video files to ISO files so that they can be burnt to DVD, VCD or SVCD. This means that you can play any video files stored on your PC on a standard DVD player.

Avi2DCD is an All In One tool in order to convert with just few clicks an Avi/Ogm/Mkv/Wmv/Dvd to Dvd/Svcd/Vcd file will be playing in your DVD. It even supports multiple audiostreams and up to three textual external subtitles.

More: Avi2DVD

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Related Articles at One Tip A Day:

• Make Your Own FREE Video Screensavers
• Convert YouTube Videos To Standard Formats
• Combine/Split Large Video Files
• How To Combine Video Files
• How To Send Large Email Attachements

Download of the Day: Watchmycell

This nifty little program can automatically log into your cell provider's website and keep track of your minute usage. It currently supports Cingular, Verizon, T-mobile, Sprint, and Nextel. After you set in some parameters. The app will notify you via e-mail or text message. This can save you serious$$$ by keeping away those unexpected overage bills.

Watchmycell via lifehacker