Monday, December 10, 2012

Must Have Free and Open Source Software

All of the applications are free to use, freeware or open-source. A couple of them have a trial period (you can still use the software after the trial has run out) or there's a purchasable version as well. I've also listed several similar applications (like Firefox and Chrome for browsers or Foxit Reader and Sumatra PDF for PDF readers) so that you can find your your own personal favorite. You don't need both, but it's nice to have something to chose from.

Video:
  • VLC - Open source video player.
  • Media Player Classic - Home Cinema - Light-weight media player for Windows. I personally like MPC-HC much better than VLC. Supports more codecs/formats and video looks better.
  • Combined Community Codec Pack - A simple playback pack for Windows with the goal of supporting the majority of video formats in use today. Must have if you watch certain tv-shows or anime.
Audio:
  • Foobar 2000 - Extremely lightweight and customizable free audio player for Windows. Supports a wide array of different audio formats.
  • Audacity - Free, open source, cross-platform software for recording and editing sounds.
  • Spotify - Listen to music for free.
  • Grooveshark - Listen to music and radio stations for free.
Browsers:
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Waterfox - 64bit browser based upon the Mozilla Firefox source code.
  • Pale Moon - Open Source, full-featured, speed optimized browser based on the popular Firefox browser.
Extensions for browsers:
  • Reddit Enhancement Suite - Make surfing Reddit so much more enjoyable. Highly customizable and easy to set up.
  • Adblock Plus - Blocks annoying ads on webpages and in videos. Surf faster and safer.
  • Ghostery - Anti ad/tracking extension.
  • ProxTube - Circumvent blocked Youtube videos.
  • Speed Dial - Allows fast access to your most visited websites. Extremely useful if you visit or want to keep track off a lot of different websites.
  • NoScript - Open source add-on (for Firefox) which allows JavaScript, Java, Flash and other plugins to be executed only by trusted web sites of your choice.
  • ScriptNo - Similar to NoScript only for Chrome instead.
  • Search by Image for Google (Firefox) - Fast way to reverse search an image. Very handy if you're looking for a source, more information or if anyone posts "original content".
  • Search by Image for Google (Chrome)
Security:
System, cleaning and recovery:
  • CCleaner - A freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool.
  • Deffragler - Defragmentation software.
  • Recuva - File recovery software.
  • Speccy - Give you detailed statistics on every piece of hardware in your computer.
Communications:
  • Skype - Call friends/family on their computers or phones.
  • Pidgin - Open source chat client which is compatible with several different chat networks.
  • Trillian - A fully featured, stand-alone chat client that supports several different chat networks.
  • HexChat - IRC chat program for both Linux and Windows.
Documents, images and graphics:
  • Foxit Reader - Free PDF reader.
  • Sumatra PDF - Free PDF reader.
  • Open Office - Open source personal productivity suite.
  • Libre Office - Open source personal productivity suite for Windows, Mac and Linux.
  • GIMP - Free image manipulation software.
  • IrfanView - The best freeware image/graphic viewer for Windows. Extremely lightweight and supports a wide arrange of different formats.
Compression:
  • WinRAR - File archiver (You can still use the software after the trial period has run out).
  • 7-Zip - Open source file archiver.
File sharing:
  • uTorrent 2.2.1 - uTorrent became extremely bloated after they released version 3.0 and on. Version 2.2.1 has everything you need without using many resources or having any ads.
  • Transmission - Extremely lightweight BitTorrent client for Mac and Linux. There's an unofficial Windows version which you can get here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/trqtw/
  • Deluge - Lightweight, cross-platform BitTorrent client.
  • qBittorrent - Free, lightweight cross-platform BitTorrent client.
CD/DVD-tools:
Online Storage:
  • Dropbox - Cloud storage.
  • Google Drive - Google's cloud storage solution similar to Dropbox.
  • Skydrive - Microsoft's cloud storage solution.
Other:
  • Steam - PC-game client for PC, Mac and Linux (Linux version is still in closed beta).
  • f.lux - Makes the color of your computer's display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day. Must have if you have problems with going to sleep or have problems with eyes or headaches.
  • Open Broadcaster Software - Free and open source software for media streaming.
  • Sublime Text 2 - A great text editor for code, markup and prose.
  • Notepad++ - Free source code editor and Notepad replacement that supports several languages.
  • Rainlendar - A lightweight customizable calendar.
  • Hamachi - A hosted VPN service that lets you create LAN-like networks. Very useful if you want to play older pc-games with friends.
  • Tunngle - A p2p VPN tool somewhat similar to Hamachi.
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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

If Programming Languages were Transportation

Language   TransportationComment
Perl
Muscle car
Old school, still pretty awesome
C
Shoes
Get EXACTLY where you want to be
C++
Airplane
Complicated enough yet?
Go
Hydraplane
Like C++, but the landing is easier
Lua
Roller blades
Whip this out anywhere
C#
Car
Fast, comfortable and convenient
Lisp
Vostok rocket
Amazingly futurist, and yet strangely outdated
Haskell
Segway
A curiosity not fit for practical use
COBOL
Flintstones car
Your grandparents thought it was obsolete
Python
Bike
Fun but slow
Ruby
BMX
Python for cool kids
Brainfuck
Slinky
Well TECHNICALLY it can go anywhere
Prolog
Zeppelin
slow, useless and outdated, but still awesome
Pascal
Antique Bentley
Fond memories
Bash
Elevator
Not hip, but practical
Javascript
Subway
You're not anything special
Typescript
Tramway
At least the view is nicer
VHDL
Steamroller
A vehicle that enables other vehicles!
Objective-C
Hummer
In some places it's the only thing you'll see - and you'll only see it there
Java
Astronaut suit
Will run ANYWHERE, but damned inconvenient to do anything with
PHP
Motorized wheelchair
hurr durr
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Monday, October 29, 2012

Free Computer Games

Action:
Arcade:
Strategy:
Roguelikes:
Roleplaying games:
Adventure:
Driving:
Online Multiplayer and MMO's:
Other
Platformers and metroidvanias:
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Friday, October 26, 2012

Must Have Free Computer Software

Here's the good free stuff (may want to look into F.lux as well):
The following can all be downloaded using Ninite - an easy downloading software that will download and update programs for you:
The free antivirus war popped up again. Basically, all of their success rates are very close together. Right now, I'm using avast! instead of avira. Honestly, as long as you don't go for something weird, any of the free AV programs will work.

Here are some more good ones:
  • CDBurnerXP - if you still burn CDs or DVDs, this is probably the best free option.
  • Inkscape - as close to Illustrator as you're going to get for free.
  • Paint.Net - GIMP pissing you off? Try this.
  • FileZilla - if you're using FTP at all, you want this.
  • wget - if you're comfortable with the command line, this is one of your best friends for downloading stuff.
  • Calibre Got a few ebooks? You probably want this.
  • HandBrake For all your DVD ripping needs.
  • Rootkit Revealer detecting them rootkits.
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Sunday, October 07, 2012

Good Single Player PC RPG Games

Some are new, some are old. All are good and/or great. I will leave it up to you to choose which ones you are willing to try.

NOTE: Placement does not indicate which one is better/worse, just the general time period the game is set in, when I remembered the game name and wrote it.

Set in some futuristic world
Set in some post-apocalyptic world
Set in the modern world
Set in some pre-modern world, after the invention of guns.
Set in some pre-modern world, before the invention of guns.
Have fun!
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Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Change Schema assigned to a User in SQL Server 2008 R2

Yeah, I needed to do this the other day. When I restored a database, the users who came along with it came with their own schemas. I wanted them to be under the dbo schema.

Pretty easy to do. Open Query Analyzer and type:

USE
GO
Alter User With Default Schema = ;
GO

database name = name of the database (duh)
user name = name of the user you want to change the schema for
schema name = name of the scheme you want to user to use

Do this for each user you want to change schema for. Sucks if it's a bunch!
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Home Made Icepack, Home Made Heatpack

For those weekend warriors out there who might have overdone it....

Home Made Ice Pack
Got a boo-boo and need to ice it? We've all seen those gel cold packs you put in the freezer. Easier than ice becasue it stays pliable. Instead of buying one, make your own. Fill a ziplock bag with dish soap and freeze it! It remains pliable and cold for quite some time. Keep a couple in the freezer....

Home made Heat Pack
Looking for heat instead of cold? Fill a sock with rice and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute (or until it reaches the desired heat level). It holds heat incredibly well.
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Wednesday, August 08, 2012

Breaking out of a Funk

Mant people often suffer from mild depression and felt detached and unenthusiastic. This is often just from stress, which causes the brain to protect itself and shut itself into it's own little, sad world.
Every suggestion here involves breaking out of that confine. Every suggestion requires a GREAT ACT OF WILL to get the ball rolling, which may require more or less effort, depending on how much juice you got at the time.

It is often tempting to let your brain and life coast and take the easiest route, but this route is easy because it is well-tread. What novelty and joy of discovery--what meaning--was there is likely long-ago used up. To find fresh meaning we have to do fresh things. We have to fearlessly cultivate new perspectives.

Perhaps you want the meaning first, and for your actions to follow that. The reverse must sometimes be necessary. Do something fresh you care nothing about, and let the meaning come from that.
  1. Act without expectation. Do stuff even if you don't want to and aren't feeling it. A friend just invited me to the batting cages-- an activity I had zero interest in. I went anyway and before long really got into the challenge of it. I've been thinking about it all week- this stupid, pointless activity- and fondly remembering how good it feels to get that perfect contact and watch it fly. Pull a Jim Carrey and be a Yes Man for a while. Give yourself time to get into things.
  2. Explore new topics. Watch documentaries, even if they seem boring on the outset. Human Life or Blue Planet or anything about space. Read. Meaning is not found in bite sized snippets. Meaning is found in webs of association, attachments and collusions. This requires in-depth exploration. A rain-forest from a plane might seem like one boring green expanse. Plunge in. I'll also recommend Grant Morrison's "The Filth". It's a graphic novel intended to cure just this. It is psychedellic, unsettling and completely awsome.
  3. Listen and ask questions. If people are starting to bore you, it is likely you're not having the right sort of conversations. Talk to the people you're close to (or random old dudes in coffee shops) and try and get them to reveal their motivations and hopes. Ask them what excites them and listen. This can backfire. Some people are terrible drains if they're in a negative mood. This is how you've probably been. People may not be talking to you about what excites them if they think you'll sap their enthusiasm with your "meh" attitude.
  4. Embrace your ennui. Read some Camus and Satre and revel in their understanding of the futility and pointlessness of existence. Sometimes when we can't escape melancholy or boredom, it is at least good to have a friend there.
  5. If it gets really bad, go talk to a therapist. There's a chance you have a mood disorder. I personally prefer psychologists over psychaiatrists as they're less prone to jamming pills down your throat.
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Friday, August 03, 2012

What is Double Clutching?

Double clutching is a downshifting technique that promotes smoother transitions and lower transmission wear. It is useful for road racing, prolonging transmission life, and giving you an overall smoother ride.

In normal driving, with modern cars- you don't need to double clutch. When you shift, devices called "synchronizers" or "synchromesh" in your transmission help your shifting by matching the rotational speeds between meshing parts. Why do you need to match the speeds between transmission parts when you shift? Simple - they won't go together unless they're all traveling the exact same speed. Your synchros take care of this, so you don't have to worry about matching revs much in normal driving.

So the question now is why do you need to double clutch? It's useful in racing, it's required for non-synchro transmissions, and it's a damn cool racing skill to master. Think of your transmission as being separated into two functional halves. One half is connected to your engine, and the other half is connected to your wheels. The split between the two halves is right at your gears.

Let's say you're driving down the street in 5th gear. Assume that your gearing is 1:1 all the way though, just for simplicity's sake. Your engine is turning 3000rpm, and so are all the parts in your transmission. You want to downshift to get higher up in your powerband to pass someone, so you mash the clutch pedal, shift to 4th gear, then lift off the clutch pedal. If your 4th gear ratio is twice what your 5th is, your engine is now spinning at 6000rpm (along with the "engine half" of the transmission) while the "driveshaft half" of your transmission is still spinning at 3000rpm. Your car is still moving at the same speed, but you're higher up in your engine's powerband. Now you have more power to pass the person in front of you.

What normally happens when you downshift and don't match revs? You feel the car lurch some while the transmission forces the engine to a higher rev level. The synchros grip against each other to match the gear speeds, the gears mesh, and when your clutch grips it pushes the engine higher... and you feel the rough transition.

To smooth this out, you can raise the rev level of your engine and the "engine half" of the transmission so the synchros have less work to do, and so your transmission isn't pushing the engine around.

How do I double clutch? I never thought you'd ask.
  1. Push clutch pedal down
  2. Shift to neutral
  3. Lift clutch pedal up
  4. Tap the gas to raise engine speed
  5. Push clutch pedal down
  6. Shift into lower gear
  7. Lift clutch pedal up
You just double-clutched!

source
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Thursday, August 02, 2012

Going off to College Dorm Room Essentials

Basic essentials:

  • Bed sheets -- Get 2 sets. Trust me, you'll need 2. Dorm beds are usually twin XL (unless your building hasn't been renovated recently, then it might be standard twin) but double-check with the school's website.
  • Pillows -- These are almost never provided. Bring your own.
  • Towels -- Bring at least 2 for the shower, 1 hand towel, and 1 dish towel.
  • Mattress pad -- Usually the mattress you have is hard and uncomfortable (it's designed to not harbor bedbugs easily). Add a pad to it, and you'll sleep a lot better, especially when your neighbors decide to blast loud music through the walls.
  • Clothes -- Take about a week's worth minimum, plus something you'd wear to a job interview and gym clothes. Also be sure everything that needs to be hung has a hanger for it. You want to fill the washer to capacity on wash day; otherwise, you'll be wasting money. Don't forget to bring laundry detergent, etc. If you expect to attend a lot of formal functions (e.g. if you want to join a fraternity) also bring an iron and ironing board.
  • Toiletries -- You'll inevitably go through everything you bring, except possibly an electric or straight razor. But it's important to have it right from the start. Don't forget: tooth brush, toothpaste, hand soap, shower soap, shampoo, shower shoes, razor, shaving cream. If your dorm is the old style with communal bathrooms, also bring something to carry these things. If it's the newer suite-style or the fancier apartment-style, also bring toilet paper and a plunger.
  • Cleaning supplies -- You need something for glass, something with ammonia, and something with bleach (but of course, never mix the two). Don't forget the sponge and toilet paper, and perhaps a rag (inexperienced drinkers + lots of booze = people throwing up everywhere). If you have a private bathroom, also bring a brush and cleaner for the toilet.
  • Storage space -- Most dorms provide a desk and a dresser. This is usually not enough storage space. Bring a couple crates to begin with, then buy more storage space as you need it.
  • First aid kit -- Invariably, you'll get a cut or a small scrape at some point. It's important that you can take care of the problem yourself. The RA can't do much except call an ambulance, which will cost you hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

School essentials:

  • Computer -- Even if it's not a listed requirement by your school, bring a computer. Also install a basic antivirus program (Windows Security Essentials is usually good enough) because most technology departments require them.
  • Cable lock for your computer -- If it's a new/high-end computer, especially if it's a Mac, you'll need it to prevent your computer from being stolen.
  • Computer peripherals -- Think about them, and determine what you need. I had a printer, headphones, and a mouse. If you have a printer, don't forget paper and ink.
  • Headphones -- I list these separately because they're especially important in a dorm, where you might want/need to listen to something on your computer without creating a lot of noise. Even if you don't listen to music or you have a portable MP3 player, there may still be course-related materials with audio. If you use loud speakers, your roommate/neighbors will hate you, and you may even get in trouble with the RA/police.
  • Pens and pencils -- You'll need both of these to take the exams, which are still on paper for most classes. Multiple choice usually requires #2 or darker pencil, while essay questions require pen.
  • Notebook paper and binders -- There will always be at least one class where you can't take notes on your computer. If you're a science/engineering major, there will be many. Some professors have banned computers in class after seeing too many students on Facebook.

Cooking:

Read your dorm's rules before you buy or bring anything related to cooking. Many of them ban certain appliances. Others provide appliances, and bringing them will just leave you with a lot of junk you won't use.
  • Refrigerator -- Although you'll probably have a meal plan, at some point, you'll want something to eat when the dining hall is closed. Some of it will have to go in the refrigerator. Consider buying a refrigerator with a lock -- an RA is more likely to ask you to open it, but your roommate won't be able to raid it while you're away.
  • Microwave oven -- Get a small one; there's usually a power limit. And understand how it works; you don't want to do something with it that will bring the RA to your room.
  • Rice cooker -- If it's allowed, it'll make rice cooking easy and worry-free.
  • Plates, bowls -- Make sure these are unbreakable. There will always be someone who will knock them to the ground.
  • Utensils -- Knives may be prohibited. But either way, it's better to have reusable utensils than to always use disposable ones.
  • Tupperware -- Use these to save unfinished portions of food for later.
  • Coffee maker -- Dining hall coffee costs only marginally less than Starbucks. Why not see if you can get a free coffee maker for your dorm room?
  • Tea kettle -- More likely to be banned than the coffee maker, but more versatile.

Useful things to have:

  • Carpet -- Be sure it's approximately the size of your room. The floors are usually hard and cold.
  • Vacuum cleaner -- If you have a carpet or the room comes with it, you'll need it to clean the carpet.
  • Furniture -- Look for small, easily folded furniture such as butterfly chairs and futons. Be aware that many types of lamps are not allowed.
  • Spare bulbs -- Only for the lamps you bring. Dorms usually replace the bulbs for fixtures they provide.
  • Posters -- The dorm walls are usually bare at best and prison-like at worst. Try to avoid posters that are pornographic (this is usually a turn-off to the women) or feature booze/weed (this will put you at odds with any RA who walks into your room). Remember that people who enter your room will judge you based on your choice of posters, so choose wisely.
  • Sticky hooks -- For hanging things. Screws, nails, and even tacks are usually not allowed (and some walls won't accept them at all).
  • Reusable adhesive -- For hanging posters; see above.
  • Condoms -- Better have them when you need them than need them and not have them.
  • Fan -- If the air in your room is hot, stale, or has a smell you don't want in your room, you'll need a fan to blow it out the window.
  • Air freshener -- House plants usually don't last long in a dorm, but you'll still need to prevent the air from getting stale. It's also important to cover smells when the fan isn't enough.
  • TV -- If you like having people over, the room with the TV usually becomes the hang-out spot. But be careful not to get distracted from college life (studying, partying) by the TV.
  • Game console -- Multiplayer games are another great way to turn your dorm room into a hangout spot.
  • Speakers -- When you want to play music to everyone in the room, you'll need speakers to do it.

Things not to bring:

  • Any booze or drugs -- If your roommate turns out to be "straight edge" and you have these things, you might start the year by getting in trouble. Wait until you've met your roommate before you buy any. Same with shot glasses and red cups.
  • Large pieces -- It's a lot harder to hide a 3 foot bong than it is to hide a small pipe, pack of papers, or portable vaporizer.
  • Any appliance banned by the dorm rules -- These are also usually hard to hide.
  • Anything expensive -- These often get stolen.
  • Addictive video games -- Many people miss out on the college experience because they were too drawn into their MMORPGs to live it.
by LurkinGrue
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