Hi all.

W've had the "cool tools for development" thread, so I thought I'd start a thread for us all to share non-programming "cool tools" we all use on a daily basis. Things lilke desktop enhancers, blog readers....anything not coding related really! I'm always tweaking around with my PC, so I'd love to know what you all use...

I think my current list would be something like:

• Sharpreader
• windows themes from neowin.net (Otis has a decent Xp theme!) - not really a "tool" but something I'm always messing with
• Google Earth - having fun with that at the moment
• Samurize (www.samurize.com) - not used it much recently, but its pretty good nonetheless

Ok, I downloaded Google Earth and it blew me away! That is so cool. I thought their maps util was amazing, but this is "out of this world"

I recently upgraded from Adobe Photoshop Album 2.0 to Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0. The differences are subtle between the two, but as an overall photo manager, I like it the best out of all the different ones I have tried so far (JASC, Roxio, etc.).

I enjoy a program called Konfabulator. Desktop widgets and tools. Reminds me of my Mac days.

http://www.konfabulator.com

NickD wrote:

Ok, I downloaded Google Earth and it blew me away! That is so cool. I thought their maps util was amazing, but this is "out of this world"

Yeah its fantastic The detail on places like Sans fransisco is amazing too - the only problem is where I live in the UK has not highly defined - ah well !!!

swallace wrote:

I enjoy a program called Konfabulator. Desktop widgets and tools. Reminds me of my Mac days.

http://www.konfabulator.com

Nice one! Lots of cool widgets

Veyr much like http://www.samurize.com, although samurize is a bit more difficult to get going....

netclectic wrote:

swallace wrote:

I enjoy a program called Konfabulator. Desktop widgets and tools. Reminds me of my Mac days.

http://www.konfabulator.com

Nice one! Lots of cool widgets

It's lots of fun, but it makes me beg for a larger screen. Somehow, someday, it's going to justify my purchase of one of those widescreen LCDs.

My favorite (lately) is the Simpsons quoter.

Homer: "Fame was like a drug, but was even more like a drug was all the drugs."

Barney: "Aaaaah! Natural light! Get it off me! Get it off me!"

Moe: "Hi, my name is Moe, or as the ladies like to refer to me, 'hey you in the bushes.'"

swallace wrote:

Somehow, someday, it's going to justify my purchase of one of those widescreen LCDs.

I know that feeling, i'm suffering "monitor envy" at the moment

My colleague who sits across from me just got a new pc including a rather nice 19" flat screen monitor.

Dual 19" monitors is very nice........

JimFoye wrote:

Dual 19 monitors is very nice........

Triple 19" flat panel + 18" flat panel... Excessive? I don't think so

Fishy wrote:

JimFoye wrote:

Dual 19 monitors is very nice........

Triple 19" flat panel + 18" flat panel... Excessive? I don't think so

You beat me.

Fishy wrote:

JimFoye wrote:

Dual 19 monitors is very nice........

Triple 19" flat panel + 18" flat panel... Excessive? I don't think so

Prove it. I gotta see the picture.

So, with four monitors on your desk, you'd have to take a picture to prove to me you've ever kissed a girl, you big geek!

(that's a joke...)

haha

I feel old with my 19" CRT monitor . (but then again, the system it's connected to isn't :P). Some say dual 19" flatpanel is very productive, though I have the feeling that's subjective to how you work I think. For example: if you stick your 'solutions' window to the right in vs.net, your screen is effectively smaller than when you dock it to the left and you then need more screen space (this is because you sit in the middle of your screen and you start reading from left to right (code) which means that what you want to look at is in the middle of the screen with the solution box at the LEFT, but it's far to the left if you have your solution box docked at the RIGHT. Try, it gives more information you care about visible for you and easier to read

I really don't understand why vs.net docks the solution window at the right. Must be some VB-ish thingy, I guess.

Wide-aspect screens for the win! I've tried the dualies set up and I prefer the wide-screen more - less fuss, easier to get used to and still plenty of room for code. Basically, the wideness gives you that much extra room for the tool panels, et al, and leaves you a completely full screen for the code editor. Luv it.

This is the stuff of legend: Dell UltraSharp 2405FPW 24in. Wide Aspect LCD

4 USB ports 12 ms response time 9 in 1 card reader and 1920x1200 pixels of sweet sweet goodness.

^-^ <rowwwrr>

Jeff...

that's what I call a monitor! . Now, because my own 19" is not even a year old... how am I going to make sure I need a new one... (what I find odd, is that the monitor is in Holland: € 1.049,00 (ex tax) and in the US $959.20! While the $ is not that high compared to the euro.

Otis wrote:

that's what I call a monitor! . Now, because my own 19" is not even a year old... how am I going to make sure I need a new one...

<film_noir> There are ways, my friend, there are ways. I know a guy, who, for the right price, can make sure that little monitor never bothers you again. Just don't ask any questions... </film_noir>

Jeff...

LOL

Otis wrote:

LOL

I'm hoping to get this for Christmas.. http://www.go-l.com/monitors/athens/features/index.htm

Otis wrote:

what I find odd, is that the monitor is in Holland: € 1.049,00 (ex tax) and in the US $959.20! While the $ is not that high compared to the euro.

Its 860 English Pounds here, which is a total rip off compared to the US price I guess thats why we call it "rip off Britain" !!

that's indeed a huge price! Especially when you know the things are build in ireland if I'm not mistaken (from parts made in taiwan).

Alex: whoa...! Simply insane!

swallace wrote:

So, with four monitors on your desk, you'd have to take a picture to prove to me you've ever kissed a girl, you big geek!

(that's a joke...)

Okay, I don't have a camera handy but I used SnagIt (great tool by the way) to give you some idea. Here it is:

https://schools.medford.k12.or.us/samples/triple19.jpg

btw, your forum doesn't recognize https as a link.

WOW..WOW..WOW... and theres me thinking that my 17" laptop was the bees knees.... I mean i've only had it a couple of months and the stains are starting to show

Alex, that isn't a monitor; it looks more like a control panel from the USS Starship Enterprise... bloody amazing...

Fishy, i'm gob smacked... Why am I the last to know that you can have more than one screen

I'm going to PC World tomorrow

Geoff.

davisg wrote:

WOW..WOW..WOW... and theres me thinking that my 17" laptop was the bees knees.... I mean i've only had it a couple of months and the stains are starting to show

Alex, that isn't a monitor; it looks more like a control panel from the USS Starship Enterprise... bloody amazing...

Fishy, i'm gob smacked... Why am I the last to know that you can have more than one screen

I'm going to PC World tomorrow

Geoff.

Why am I always the last person to hear such catchy phrases as "bees knees" and "gob smacked"? Anyway, even I don't know what I would do with all those monitors.

Monitor 1: chat windows Monitor 2: Outlook Monitor 3: Photoshop Monitor 4: Tool bars for Photoshop and VS.NET Monitor 5: VS.NET

BTW, you should also check out the computers at http://www.go-l.com. They're the absolute fastest you can buy I'm sure.

On topic: What's the best alternative to SharpReader. I REFUSE to run SharpReader any more because I'm convinced it brings my computer to its bees knees. I miss my feeds, but I haven't had time to look at anything else out there.