Archive for category Geek Toys
EraseTemp 3.4.1.3 XP/Vista/Win7
Posted by William in Geek Toys, System Tool on February 4, 2009
This is an interesting tool that Madhur Kapoor brought us via his blog, whoismadhur.com. The tool is EraseTemp by No Design software. EraseTemp will automatically delete old temp files from your computer, and I know your saying there are scripts and tools to do this already but EraseTemp is designed to run from command line interface (CLI) so it can be used as a scheduled task within Windows Task Scheduler. The CLI switches are fairly simple but flexible, and they are as follows.
Vista User Account Control By Norton Labs
This has to be one of the greatest tools to date made to improve Vista and it’s day to day usage. It makes UAC usable and bearable!
Vista User Account Control
User Account Control (UAC) is a new security feature in Microsoft Windows Vista that changes the architecture of the access token creation process and prevents users from logging on with full administrative rights.
While the intent of this feature may have been enhanced security, all too often users need administrative rights for tasks like installing/updating programs, and many software applications need access to run properly.
The User Account Control tool has been designed to replace the Vista UAC, to simultaneously make your system more secure while significantly improving user-friendliness.
By default, any application launched by an administrator is running with a filtered, standard user access token. When the administrator attempts to perform a task, the UAC prompts the user to approve the action. This can lead to poor user experiences because the prompts can be slow to display, and appear frequently and without warning. What’s more, because the UAC may give a false sense of security since other processes can still access the desktop, it actually raises security concerns.
The net effect is that many users find the UAC security clearance and prompting process annoying, especially those who are a computer’s only user and have all the latest Norton Internet Security software installed and updated.
The User Account Control tool will collect user input as well as information on applications causing prompts. The data will be processed to improve the comprehensiveness and robustness of the white list, which will be updatable while running the tool online.
User Access Control – Vista User Account Control – UAC | Norton Labs
Sysinternals’ Desktops
Posted by William in Dual Screen, Gamer Wife, Geek Toys, Microsoft, Ummm OK on August 24, 2008
Microsoft’s Sysinternals team, who is already know for their work writing some the THE best tools around for system administration and has added a new gem to their crown. Desktops 1.0. It is an ultralight weight tool that allows you to swap between four desktops by hotkey or mouse click.
The Good
- The tool is very light weight only being one file and is a whopping 118,824 bytes, no DLLs or other files are needed.
- It works well with multi-monitor systems creating it’s virtual desktops that spanned both monitors.
The Bad
- There do not seem to be any major issues, other then it would not allow me to open a second copy of firefox in one of other desktops.
Microsoft description of the tool is:
Desktops allows you to organize your applications on up to four virtual desktops. Read email on one, browse the web on the second, and do work in your productivity software on the third, without the clutter of the windows you’re not using. After you configure hotkeys for switching desktops, you can create and switch desktops either by clicking on the tray icon to open a desktop preview and switching window, or by using the hotkeys
Desktop Doodads Part Two
Posted by William in Dual Screen, Geek Toys on September 7, 2007
Let me start is an update Vista Virtual Desktop Manager was a no-go it caused issues with Multiplicity so it got removed. But I have kept WinSplit Revolution which has also received an update to version 1.70. It is a small update but I think the “AutoUpdate” will be nice.
Updates from 1.60 to 1.70:
- AutoUpdate detection implemented
- Catalan language support
- New functionality for third press Ctrl+Alt+5
Coming next:
- Move windows from screen to screen (multi-monitor)
I also found another trinket to play with. Switcher it just updated to version 2.0.0.2202 Beta. I found it a cool toy to play with but I found no real use for it in my daily life.
Desktop Doodads
Posted by William in Dual Screen, Geek Toys on August 24, 2007
I am not just a gamer, I am a a core geek. It is my goal to not just write about games, but anything this clueless geek can think of.
I am not a big fan of Windows desktop gadgets, but every now and then I find one I like, there is Ultramon for managing a desktop with two or more monitors (I live by it at work where I have do many windows open two, having two monitors is a need more then a want). Multiplicity lets you control multiple computers with a single keyboard and mouse. But I may have found a new one to add, so far I am liking,WinSplit Revolution. I run a 24 inch wide screen monitor and this allows me to easily have two applications open side by side getting the most out of the wide screen.
I am also looking at Vista Virtual Desktop Manager but I am not sure if I like it or not yet. Here is the blurb on it:
Introduction
Vista provides developers with the new DWM based aero interface. A new set of thumbnail API’s can be used to access some of this new technology. This virtual desktop program takes advantage of this new API and uses some tricks of its own to provide a powerful virtual desktop manager with a full screen thumbnail based preview. You can have as many desktops as you want and can seamlessly switch between them.
I will have to play a bit more with it and see if offers anything I can use.
