Safari

I have never used a Mac in my whole life but I always admired Mac and wanted to use one if not for the sky-high price for acquiring one. I even tried a transformation tool for my Windows XP Pro PC t look like a Mac OS X. I like the looks of it though at times I am confused with the location of the buttons on every window.

Just recently, my officemate introduced my to Apple's Safari web browser. From then on, I can seem to unhook myself with Safari. Its got a nice layout and is very Mac. I must admit I am bored looking at my Windows XP PC for quiet sometime. I have been using Windows XP since college so I need a new look for my browsing needs. Besides, Apple promises that Safari is faster (although I doubt that) and much safer.

Safari goes well with Microsoft's Bing Search Engine. They both present a new look and innovation. Since I started using Safari I haven't experienced any trouble at all. I think it is nice to try something different sometimes. It breaks the everyday monotony.

You can download Safari here.

VirtuaWin

Ever wished you have enough space in your desktop for all your running application? Well, VirtuaWin is the right solution to your problem. It even lets you create up to 9 virtual desktops or workspaces!

VirtuaWin manages your virtual desktop enabling you to organize your workspaces more efficiently. It runs on a Windows platform from Win98 to Windows Vista and has a simple interface so you could never go wrong. With VirtuaWin, you can segregate your workspaces the same as mine. I could run all programming related applications in one workspace and open another workspace to run Windows Media Player and other utilities. In this setup I wont be bothered with non-work-related application in my working space. I could also minimize applications appearing in my taskbar so I wont have a scrollbar in it.

You should try using VirtuaWin and notice the difference in your productivity. Once you will get used to it you will get hooked to the feel of having an organized workspace.

You can download VirtuaWin here.

CodeGear Delphi 2009

After several years of using Borland Delphi 2006, the company I work for decided to give us something to experiment on. After six months of the current year has passed, we finally got our copy of Codegear's Delphi 2009.

CodeGear promised a lot when they released the new version. They now even support Unicode. They changed the look of the IDE to fit with the new versions of Windows operating system. The best part of the deal is that we availed of CodeGear's promo which allows purchasers to get a free software from CodeGear of the same or lesser value. We availed of their JBuilder for developing Java applications but we may not utilize it as our main development tool.

The sad part of acquiring a new IDE is that our previous applicatins will not compile on Delphi 2009. The components we used were not compatible with Delphi 20009. Components used in Delphi 2009 are also changed in such a way that backward compatibility with the components we used in Delphi 2006 will never happen. It gave us a terrible headache on how we can migrate our applications. We might not migrate after all. Just develop new applications with Delphi 2009 and applications developed in Delphi 2006 will be remain as is. It is discouraging to know that our applications will not compiler in Delphi 2009 but we really don't have a choice. So far Delphi 2009 is a superb IDE providing developers with rapid development tools to shorten the development time of applications.

More information on CodeGear Delphi 2009 can be found here.

Windows Defender

If your PC runs in Windows environment, you can protect yourself from spyware and unwanted pop up ads by downloading a free anti-spyware from Microsoft. Although Windows Defender's protection is meager compared to commercial anti-spyware solutions, it is better than having no protection at all. Besides, it is free to every licensed Windows user. Here is a product description from Windows Defender website:

Windows Defender is software that helps protect your computer against pop-ups, slow performance, and security threats caused by spyware and other unwanted software by detecting and removing known spyware from your computer. Windows Defender features Real-Time Protection, a monitoring system that recommends actions against spyware when it's detected, minimizes interruptions, and helps you stay productive.

The benefits of installing Windows Defender include:

Spyware detection and removal

• Windows Defender quickly and easily finds spyware and other unwanted programs that can slow down your computer, display annoying pop-up ads, change Internet settings, or use your private information without your consent.
• Windows Defender eliminates detected spyware easily at your direction, and if you inadvertently remove programs that you actually want, it's easy to get them back.
• Windows Defender allows you to schedule your scanning and removal times when it's convenient for you, whether it's on-demand or on a schedule that you set.

Improved Internet browsing safety

• Windows Defender helps stop spyware before it infiltrates your computer. Windows Defender also offers a continuous safeguard designed to target all the ways that spyware can infiltrate your computer.
• Windows Defender works without distracting you. It runs in the background and automatically handles spyware based on preferences that you set. You can use your computer with minimal interruption.

Protection against the latest threats

• A dedicated team of Microsoft researchers continuously searches the Internet to discover new spyware and develop methods to counteract it.
• A voluntary, worldwide network of Windows Defender users helps Microsoft determine which suspicious programs to classify as spyware. Participants help discover new threats quickly and notify Microsoft analysts, so that everyone is better protected. Anyone who uses Windows Defender can join this network and help report potential spyware to Microsoft.
• To help protect your computer from the latest threats, you can choose to have updates that counteract new spyware automatically downloaded to your computer.

Windows Defender is included with all versions of Windows Vista and is available to download for genuine copies of Windows XP Service Pack 2 or later, or Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 or later.

You can visit Microsoft's Windows Defender here.
Update definitions can be downloaded here.

HijackThis

If you are weary of malware or spyware hiding in your computer, one of the best tools to have in your arsenal is Trend Micro's free utility - HijackThis. This free software scans your computer and the registry for changed settings and registry entries. It then creates a log file that shows the list of registry entries that may or may not be manipulated by a malware. The downside of this utility is that it is not intelligent. When you decide to remove a registry entry, Hijackthis automatically removes it be it harmful or not.

But, do not worry too much. I have visited many forums dedicated on helping computer users interpret the log file HijackThis creates. Or, you can let a friend with troubleshooting expertise take a look at the log file.

To analyze your computer, start HijackThis and run a scan. HijackThis will display a list of areas on your computer that might have been changed by spyware. Do not change any settings if you are unsure of what to do. There are many popular support forums on the web that provide free technical assistance by using HijackThis log files to diagnose an infected computer.

You can download HijackThis, here.