Category: Geek Software of the Week

Windows XP does many strange and mysterious things by default. It reports a great deal of info back to it’s Evil Microsoft Masters in Redmond. So, enter xp-AntiSpy!

xp-AntiSpy

“The xp-AntiSpy is a little utility that lets you disable some built-in update and authentication ‘features’ in Windows XP. For example, there’s a service running in the background which is called ‘Automatic Updates’. I don’t know what this service transfers from my machine to other machines on the internet, especially the MS ones. So I play it safe and disable such functions. If you like, you can even disable these functions manually, by going through the System and checking or unchecking some checkboxes. This will take you approximately half an hour. But why waste time when a little neat utility can do the same in 1 minute? This utility was successfully tested by lots of users, and was found to disable all the known ‘Suspicious’ Functions in Windows XP.”

PC Wizard is a powerful utility designed especially for detection of hardware, but also to do additional analysis. It’s able to identify a large number of system components and it supports the latest technologies and standards. This tool is periodically updated (usually once per month) in order to provide most accurate results.

PC Wizard 2006 is also designed to analyze and benchmark your computer system. It works with many kinds of hardware, giving results for CPU performance, Cache performance, RAM performance, Hard Disk performance, CD/DVD-ROM performance, Removable/FLASH Media performance, Video performance, MP3 compression performance.

PC Wizard 2006

This is an amazing utility, to be totally free! It is as good as any “paid” utility I have seen… check it out!

This week’s GSotW comes from “Sam” one of our faithful Podcast listeners in Germany! This is very neat! You can monitor processes on your Windows system and it even “flags” processes that are “bad!” Here’s what Sam says in his e-mail:

“…However here’s my recommendation for the Geek Software of the Week:

CurrProcess by NirSoft

the program is freeware, it’s called CurrProcess and it shows the running processes on your computer, similar to the Task Manager.

The advantage over the Task Manager is that it still shows the processes that are hiding itself and are not shown in the Task Manager which are usually viruses or spyware.

It even marks suspicious processes red, so they are easy to spot.

This program has helped me a lot locating all kind problems on my customers.”

Great suggestion, Sam! Thanks for sharing… and thanks for listening! Keep those e-mail suggestions for GSotW coming in, folks! Send them to: DrBill [AT] TheComputerCurmudgeon.com (Of course, replace the [AT] with a “@” sign… thanks!)

If you are a geek, you sometimes need to burn an ISO image to a CD. Say, you want to install Linux… you can download ISOs but you can’t just “copy” those ISO files to CDs!!! (Believe me, I know some that have actually tried that!) You need a CD burning tool! But tools like Nero Burning ROM aren’t free… and Nero has gotten huge and bloated with features that you don’t need, or want! So, how about a FREE CD burning tool?

Express Burn FREE CD Burning Software

Features:

Writes both data CDs (for files) and audio CDs (to be played in CD Players).

Records CD Recordable (CDR) and CD Re-recordable (CDRW) discs.

Support Jolliet and CDA formats.

Data CDs support multilevel folders and long file names.

Audio CDs are recorded with direct digital recording (so perfect audio quality is maintained).

For Audio CDs it supports wav, mp3, wma, au, aiff, ra, ogg, flac, aac and a number of other audio file formats.

Data CDs are fully ISO compliant with Joliet extension.

Includes command line operation for automation and integration with other programs.

Simple, easy to use interface for day-to-day operation.

Be sure to download and use the “freeware” edition.

Have you ever sold or donated a PC to someone else? Have you considered that even if you “delete” your private data, it is still recoverable? So, your data COULD be retrieved and used to get into your bank account, etc.! You need a way to totally ZAP your data! Well, here you go!

Darik’s Boot and Nuke

“Darik’s Boot and Nuke (‘DBAN’) is a self-contained boot floppy that securely wipes the hard disks of most computers. DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction.”

DBAN comes in a floppy and CD-ROM version. And, of course, it is totally FREE!

PLEASE NOTE: As Darkmoon points out in a comment to this post, there is NO “CONFIRM” option, once you choose to wipe your drive with DBAN, it will just WIPE IT! And, there is no return from this! Your data will be GONE! You have been warned! Don’t come crying to the Doctor! [Grin!]

By the way, if you are looking for a utility to simply delete files securely, WITHOUT wiping the hard drive, check out simple File Shredder available here:

Eraser

The recent post about the Bush Administration wanting Google search info to fight porn on the Internet, prompts this find for our Geek Software of the Week. For all you parents that want to block bad sites on the Internet… it can be EXPENSIVE! But, never fear! There is a FREE software package that is actually pretty neat! It is small, doesn’t drag down system performance, and effectively blocks sites by shutting down the browser (or other application) that accesses certain contect:

Naomi Internet Filter

“Naomi is able to constantly monitor all internet connections, protecting children from inappropriate online material – such as obscene or violent contents; pornography, pedophilia and erotism in the form of images or texts; sites that popularize drugs; gambling games; terrorism; hate propaganda; occultism; sects; blasphemy, etc.

Naomi does not rely on a simple list of banned sites; instead, it examines in real-time all the data being transmitted and received through any internet application – such as web browers, chat programs, news readers, etc.

The filtering technology employed in Naomi features:

Heuristic analysis capable of recognizing new material automatically.

Semantic analysis of web pages contents and analysis of their addresses and links.

Recognizes all the major languages (10+).

Recognizes ICRA labelling system.

Monitoring is not limited to web sites, but covers the whole local internet traffic.

Works with all service providers and software applications, and does not alter settings.

Allows blocking of file-sharing applications.

Password-protected (the password is chosen during the installation).

Easy to use: does not require configuration.

Can be used on slow connections (it does not perform any download in background).”

This week’s Geek Software of the Week is Portable OpenOffice. That is, the full OpenOffice Suite, designed to be run entirely off of a thumbdrive! That’s programs and data! Wow! This way, you can take your favorite office suite, and your data, with you, no matter what computer you use!

Portable Openoffice!

I like it, because if I have to sit down at someone else’s system, I can have “my” environment to work in, without having to open their software (and use the Evil Empire’s package!) Very cool! And, while you are at it, check out the other applications that are listed that can be run entirely from a thumbdrive!

“PortableApps.com is a community site devoted to the development, promotion and use of portable applications. The site was created by John T. Haller, the developer behind numerous portable applications (like Portable Firefox and Portable OpenOffice.org) as a way to centralize the knowledge and development efforts of multiple portable application efforts.” Neat idea!

OK, so I like web based e-mail because, unlike Microsoft Outlook, web based e-mail isn’t as prone to open virus attachments, and have security issues in general. I use Squirrelmail on my own Linux servers, which is a great Open Source IMAP package using PHP. I also like Gmail, which is very handy free e-mail service and offers large storage and searchable e-mail. However, one thing that is nice about Outlook, or even Mozilla Thunderbird, is that when you get an e-mail, you get instant notification… if you are logged in to your PC. You don’t have to remember to check your e-mail via a web site. Well, as usual, some kind individual has created a free, Open Source utility that does just what I need! It is called PopTray. It sits in your Windows tray, and checks your e-mail on any server, and then pops up and notifies you of incoming e-mail. (Thus the name, “PopTray”, get it?)

PopTray Open Source E-mail Notifier

Download it and configure it as you like.

Features:

Unlimited number of Accounts

Show number of messages directly on the TrayIcon (rotating by account)

Quickly preview a message

Delete messages from the server without downloading them

Rules that identify a message according to your criteria, then does one of these actions:

Play different notification sound

Delete from the server

Run any EXE file

Mark as Spam, etc.

Configurable Hot-keys/Mouse-Buttons/Command-Line options for most functions

Plug-in Support:

Protocol plug-ins (e.g. IMAP4, Hotmail, Gmail, etc.)

Notify plug-ins (e.g. Flashing scroll-lock light, ScreenSaver)

Spam management using rules and white/black lists

Mulitple notfications (play sound, pop-up, etc)

Translated into 30+ languages

Complete Install / Uninstall

I like WinZip. And, I own a licensed copy. However, you would be AMAZED (OK, maybe you wouldn’t) how many folks are using WinZip, which is shareware, beyond the “test period.” You see, WinZip allows you to download and install thier software and use it to see if you then want to buy it. But many people never get around to paying for it. Shocking, but true! So, what if you need a LEGAL and FREE Open Source Zip/unZip utility? Well, here it is:

7-Zip Utility

This week’s Geek Software os the Week will do this:

Packing / unpacking: 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2 and TAR
Unpacking only: RAR, CAB, ARJ, LZH, CHM, Z, CPIO, RPM and DEB

I like the fact that it handles the newer “RAR” format. Very cool. Download – Enjoy – Be legal!