free http://www.computersight.com/tags/free New posts about free Autocad: Tutorials, Courses and Learning http://www.computersight.com/Software/AutoCAD/Autocad-Tutorials-Courses-and--Learning.263115 There are many websites about Autocad.  Here, there are five websites that will be useful for you:

MyCadsite

This website has over 40 tutorials. This course is divided into 4 levels: basic, intermediate, introduction to 3D and advanced topics. Each lesson and level has short self-assessment exercises. There are many videos showing step-by-step solving assignments and exercises. Have a discussion forum. You can also find videos on YouTube this course. This site is also available in Spanish.

AutoCadmark

This site has many Autocad video lessons, documents for downloading, links with tips and tricks, and links to various forums.

CadTutor

It has tutorials on basic commands to advanced modeling techniques, rendering, exercises, and many links about Autocad and other programs for drawing.

CadDigest

There are articles on Autocad and other cad software programs.

YouTube

There are several videos on Autocad in English and other languages.

There are other autocad websites on the internet. I believe that these five among the best. I hope that you can quickly learn the Autocad. Happy learning!

]]> Sun, 21 Sep 2008 07:09:40 PST How to Enlarge Hard Disk Storage for Free Without Losing Data or Reformatting Your PC http://www.computersight.com/Hardware/How-to-Enlarge-Hard-Disk-Storage-for-Free-Without-Losing-Data-or-Reformatting-Your-PC.250289 The advantage of a disk partitioning is more apparent since it provides users with more flexibility in space management and file organization. This time, I'll show you step-by-step how to create a new partition on your hard disk which has a single partition preinstalled with programs, Windows and other data files. To do this, you need to shrink your existing partition to make way for a new partition, without having hassle to either reformat the hard disk or move off the files from the existing partition. This can be easily done with a freeware such as Parted Magic, a bootable Linux CD which comes with GParted (Gnome Partition Editor), which is an open source disk partitioning utility. Though this software is a free utility, it is amazingly packed with the utmost functionally which is just like other commercial disk partitioning utilities.

Step 1: Partitioning Purposes

Most of the desktops or laptops are available in preinstalled partitions as in Windows, Linux, and other operating systems. However, the partition is almost always fixed as one huge Drive C, or two partitions of Drive C and D which will take up most of the hard disk spaces.

Before beginning to partition your PC into several portions that you desire, make sure that you know how many partitions you need, how much space to allocate for each of them and what you want to use for the partitions.

You may want to separate the operating system files from other files such as MP3 folders, data files, Internet Downloads, image folders, audio files, or game folders. Or you may want to have multiple copies of the same operating system, or you just want to create a multi-boot system with different operating systems.

For your information, you can create up to four primary partitions in each hard disk. If you use an extended partition combined with logical partitions, you can create as many as 16 partitions. Nevertheless, in most cases, two or three partitions are just more than enough for most computer Geeks.

Step 2: Preparing for the Partition

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Prior to partitioning, let's do a bit “stock clearing” to make things easier. Firstly, you should use the Scandisk tool to scan the partition (say Drive C or Drive D or both drives) in your PC for errors. To do this, click Start, Run and then press the Enter button. In the Open box, type sfc/scannow and click OK.

Secondly, you should ensure that there is enough free space in your PC. To achieve this goal, you can start by eliminating or archiving all unnecessary or unwanted files by uninstalling them.

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Next, run the Disk Cleanup tool to free up more spaces. To do this, click Start, Run and press the Enter button. Now, type cleanmgr in the Open box and click OK. To clear up all junk files, you should delete items in Download Program Files, Recycle Bin, and any other items which are labeled as “temporary.”

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After the third step, now proceed to run Disk Defragmenter so that you can consolidate the partition's free space. Click Start, Run and press Enter. In the Open box, type dfrg.msc and click OK.

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Take note that if you're in Windows, you should alert with the size and volume label of the partition that you will plan to shrink. Click Start and My Computer to obtain this info.

Step 3: Backup your Existing Partition

At this step, you should know that the idea of using partition software such as Parted Magic is to avoid you from the hassle of deleting your existing partitions or formatting the hard disk. However, you should take notice that either shrinking partitions or partitioning a disk will involve a degree of a risk. Therefore, you are recommended to backup your important data or files prior to the partition. To know more about how to do step-by-step backup procedures for both Window XP and Vista, you can surf to this website here.

Step 4: Downloading and Creating Disc

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For you partition purpose, download Parted Magic software, which is the live CD ISO File, which is a bootable Linux-based image. You can download this software here. Look for its filename which is pmagic-2.2 iso and its file size is roughly 45MB. After you have downloaded the file, remember to locate this file in a separate folder, say, “c:\pmagic”.

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After downloading the iso file for Parted Magic, you must convert your newly acquired iso file to a bootable CD. You can create the bootable CD either using your existing CD burning software, or a freeware such as ImgBurn. Next, click Write image file to disk as shown above. Once this is completed, the CD should be removed to the bootable optical drive on your PC. You can download ImgBurn here.

Step 5: Disconnecting your Unnecessary Drives

Before carrying out this step, make sure you shut down your computer and disconnect all unnecessary devices and storage drives. These may include USB flash drives, external hard disks, card readers and extra hard disks. This step is essential to be taken in order to accelerate Parted Magic's boot time and its device detection process. Removing unnecessary drives are vital to prevent you from accidentally changing partitions on the wrong hard disks or drives.

Step 6: Booting Parted Magic CD

Photo credit: Kenny

Now, you should insert the Parted Magic bootable CD that you created in step 4 into your optical drive, and configure your system to boot from this drive. Just before the Windows starts, remember to hit the key sequence or the special key to access BIOS settings (you'll always be prompted on screen). Under Boot option, you should select optical drive or CD drive, and then exit BIOS.

Next, you'll see the Parted Magic Boot Options Menu at the beginning of the boot procedure. You should now select the Default setting (Runs from RAM/ Ejects CD) unless you've a system with less than 256MB of RAM. After you made your selection, the OS will copy itself into your system memory and boot into the front end interface. After some point, the CD tray will eject (that means you can put it away because it is no longer needed for the rest of the process) and is now fully operating from RAM.

Step 7: Launching GParted (Parted Magic)

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After completing the boot process, you should see the Parted Magic as shown above. Next, you should launch GParted by clicking on its icon, the one which looks like a hard disk (the first icon from its list of detected device). Then, you've to wait for a while as there'll be a little delay. This is because GParted scans for available devices before it is ready to use.

Step 8: Selecting your Task

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From the main window of GParted, select the targeted drive. Automatically, GParted will select the first storage device it detects. From the toolbar, use the drop-down list to choose the correct drive, if the drive is other than the default selection. After selecting the drive, a graphical view of its partition scheme will be displayed in the main window. Now, you can choose the partition that you want to shrink. This is the largest NTFS partition which is usually called /dev/hda1. Make sure its label and size matches the partition info from step 2.

Step 9: Resizing the Partition

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From GParted's toolbar, click the Resize/Move button, and the “Resize/Move/dev/” dialog box will open. The color-coded indicator guides you to shrink the partition. The yellow block marks the amount of data used on the partition. You're advisable to leave enough space to the right of this mark while choosing to resize the partition. In this example, we'll resize the NTFS partition from 38.1GMB to 20.5GB.

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Click the Resize/Move button at the bottom right, and you'll return to GParted main window. Notice that the graphical view of the disk has changed, and previously-grayed-out options on the toolbar are now enabled.

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The status bar in the window's lower-left corner will also report a “Operation Pending” message. To complete the operation, that is to resize the NTFS partition, choose the Apply button in GParted's toolbar. Before any actual operations take place, a window will pop up asking you to back up your data. You can click Cancel, or click Apply to continue.

Step 10: Creating New Partition

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The unallocated drive space is now available for partitioning after shrinking the main partition. Click on the unallocated remaining on the drive, and click on the New button to bring up the “Create New Partition” dialog box.

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In the new dialog box, choose Primary partition instead of extended partition in the Create as: section. You can also key in a volume label in the Label: section. The new partition will take up all remaining space on the hard disk by default, so you should resize it if you plan to add another partition. Click Add to complete this step and to return to GParted's main window.

Step 11: Exit Parted Magic

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Your new window is now updated with the new partition. At this point, you can exit Parted Magic and reboot into windows by clicking on the exit button at the bottom right corner.

Step 12: Rebooting into Windows

When you're in the boot process, Windows will warn about disk problems and run Chkdsk. Do not be panicked; instead, you just allow it to complete the tests and verify the partition. When completing the loading, Windows will detect the new partition and report “new hardware found.” Next, it will prompt you to reboot the system. After the reboot process, the new partition will appear in the list of storage devices in My Computer, in which it'll be assigned a new drive letter, typically E: or D:. Now, you've successfully partitioned your hard disk. And you can now use it just like any other hard disk.

]]> Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:50:00 PST The droopy's List of the Best Free Products and Services http://www.computersight.com/Software/Thedroopys-List-of-the-Best-Free-Products-and-Services.244883 I will start this article by saying that I have spent a lot of time looking for free things. I am basically a cheap, cheap person who loves the concept of "something for nothing". Some of the things you will find here are useful applications and some are just high quality games. If you're like me, you'll find this article very helpful.

Games

We'll start with the games, because that's what 90% of you are here for anyway ;)

Eternal Lands

A free RPG/Adventure using SDL

What It Is: A full-fledged RPG with levels, monsters to fight, PK maps, and everything you might except from an RPG.

Why I Like It: Eternal Lands (EL for short) is constantly being developed, offering exciting new options. Recently, ranging (bows and arrows) was added and rumors persist of pets in the near future.

Sauerbraten

A free First-Person-Shooter with singleplayer and multiplayer options

What It Is: An adaptation of the original Cube game/engine (Sauerbraten is also known as Cube 2); a fast-paced FPS in a science fiction setting.

Why I Like It: Everyone knows that feeling when you just need to shoot some misshapen, oddly-named aliens, right? Online play is excellent, provided a decent Internet connection is used, and several singleplayer game modes are included when you want to play by yourself. The engine also has built-in map editing, which is always fun once in a while.

BZFlag - A multiplayer First-Person tank game

What It Is: A Tank game that makes use of simple 3D graphics and still provides an enjoyable gaming experience.

Why I Like It: On top of fast-paced gameplay, the conversations that go on in this game are an experience in themselves. Also, there is a sense of loyalty when all of the players turn against the one "F5-er", just don't ask anyone what that means.

Heroes of Earth

A top-down sci-fi shooter/adventure

What It Is: A 2D Shooter that is still early in development, but version are available as soon as they are developed and much progress is being made.

Why I Like It: I'm writing it!

My Identity: Droopy. I'm the first guy you'll run into in the game.

Useful Applications

Moving away from the games, here are some free applications that I use and would recommend. Note, I won't include screenshots of these, as they would be pretty dull compared to the ones from the games.

GIMP

GNU Image Manipulation Program

What It Is: Think of it as a free alternative to PhotoShop. It has most of the same features, and generally works very well.

Why I Like It: I often use GIMP to generate animated GIFs from a series of images. This is as easy as loading the images as layers and exporting the GIF.

Eclipse

A free Java IDE

What It Is: If you program in Java, get Eclipse for free and use it to manage your Java projects, including editing, compiling, and running all within the same application.

Why I Like It: I write Java games and Eclipse is less frustrating than TextEdit and a Terminal shell.

Art of Illusion

3D modeling/animating/texturing/rendering

What It Is: It's a Java program that basically provides a GUI for 3D operations in OpenGL. You can use it to easily create models, add textures, animate them, and render them either in still images or as animations.

Why I Like It: I'm using ArtOfIllusion to do most of the graphics work in Heroes of Earth and it is by far the best free 3D software I have used.

Skype

Free Internet calling, instant messaging, video chat....

What It Is: Skype makes phone calls to regular phone numbers for a fee, or provide voice or video chat with other Skype users for FREE. It also comes with a little Instant Messenger-type feature for when you can't talk out loud.

Why I Like It: Conference calls are also possible (many users in the same voice chat), and this can be very useful for catching up with old friends.

My fingers grow weary and my mind grows bored. When I started this article, I expected I would have more to write about than 8 applications including my own game, but I guess that's just how it goes.

At this point it should be worth pointing out two more free things, services that I have used and enjoy very much. First is DotTK, a free site re-direction service that lets you rename your long URL to a shorter ending in .tk.

The second, of course, is Triond, everyone's favorite web service! (Come on, don't tell me you didn't see that one coming)

And remember everyone, why pay for something when you can get something just as good for?

Well... you know.

]]> Sun, 07 Sep 2008 06:32:11 PST Five Simple Ways to Keep Your Computer Healthy http://www.computersight.com/Communication-&-Networks/Security/Five-Simple-Ways-to-Keep-Your-Computer-Healthy.218941

  • Trend Micro Housecall

    This is a system scanner. It will hunt out spyware, viruses, and other problems in your PC. Check the whole things, or select specific folders. The time this takes depends on how much is in your machine. A time bar will appear on the screen but this isn't a very good indication of the timr remaining. It fluctuates quite a lot.

    When the health check is finished you will get a list of problems plus suggestions for resolving them. The 'clean now' is usually the best option. Anything that can't be cleaned up will be marked for your attention.

    This is easy to use, efficient and free.

  • Free Online Virus Scanner

    This anti-virus scanner will check your entire system. You can target a specific drive if you want to. A full scan takes a long time but I have found that this scanner picked up things that others didn't, so it may well be worth running it from time to time. It does remove any viruses it finds. This only runs in Internet Explorer (not on Netscape, or Firefox).

  • System Checkup

    This tool will find problems in security, vulnerabilities, file fragmentation, registry problems , spyware, start-up bottlenecks and lots of other potential problems. Each test is marked pass, or fail. However, there is no more information available about the problem and the only way you can sort it out if you don't have technical ability is to pay for their System Mechanic 7 program.

    I wasn't impressed with this. I downloaded it and ran the tests before I realised they want me to pay before they helped sort the problems. So, I wrote down the test results and used other scanning systems like Housecall to resolve them.

  • Secunia: Online Software Inspecto

    This scanner looks for outdated software and lets you know when something needs updating. If a patch, or update is available it will try to find it for you. It also verifies that the latest Microsoft security patches are active on your system. This doesn't take long to run, even if you do a thorough check.

    This is very useful especially as it checks for Microsoft patches which you need to protect you system from damage and attack.

  • Zone Labs Security Scanner

    This scanner uses ActiveX to check your system and then shows the results. You have to delete anything it finds manually because the tool won't do this for you. You can do this while you are on the site with the errors listed in front of you. If you want to do this automatically you have to buy ZoneAlarm Pro.

    I find this useful and use it as a cross check for other scanners. Deleting manually is not really a problem and it is effective.

    • None of these services is an alternative to a virus protection program on your PC but it is always good to check and double check your system using sites like these if you have any concerns over the health of your computer.

    ]]>     Thu, 21 Aug 2008 01:15:25 PST     Awesome Free Programs I Can't Do Without http://www.computersight.com/Software/Awesome-Free-Programs-I-Cant-Do-Without.206311 Trillian

    If you are like me you have to have a Yahoo! IM account, an AIM account, an MSN account, etc. Trillian allows you to access all of these from the same program and the same window, simplifying your instant messaging life.

    Skype

    If you go on a lot of business trips, Skype is an absolute must. Video chat is completely free, so both you and your significant other can get face time even when you are halfway around the world. If you insist on doing it the old fashion way, you can call a telephone anywhere in the world from your pc for lower than normal rates. Also has regular text chat.

    VLC Media Player

    VLC can play almost any type of video or audio file you can think of. Since I got VLC, I haven't opened QuickTime or Windows Media Player, and there hasn't been a file that I was unable to view or even had trouble watching. VLC is a must, especially if you download torrents.

    Vuze

    Speaking of torrents, Vuze is the greatest client I've found for that. Search multiple sites from inside Vuze, it has an easy to use download manager, and even has videos that are exclusive to Vuze users. It's the new and improved Azureus. The best part is probably the torrent reviews you see in the searches.

    CDBurnerXP

    CDBurnerXP allows you to burn CDs, Blu-Ray and HD DVDs, and create ISO files. Awesome interface, easy to use, I haven't had any problems with it so far.

    Thunderbird

    I currently have four email addresses that I need to check regularly - work, school, Gmail, and AOL. Thunderbird allows me to check all of them in one window, check for updates to all of them simultaneously, and also has a calendar and task list. Thunderbird is made by the same people (Mozilla) that make the Firefox browser.

    Firefox

    Even though most people know about it and already have formed their opinion, I might as well mention it. Firefox for me has been worlds better than Internet Explorer, and also even better than Opera. It's secure, the add-ons allow me to add whatever functionality I want to it… if you haven't tried it, you need to.

    ]]>     Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:34:51 PST     10 Steps to Regain Memory on Your Computer http://www.computersight.com/Hardware/Memory/10-Steps-to-Regain-Memory-on-Your-Computer.204859
  • Run Disk Cleanup: As simple or obvious as this maybe not everyone remembers to use this little program installed on their computers. This can be found under Control Panel. When prompted click "Files From All Users" this will delete files that are in the recycling bin and some internet junk that was stored on your computer while you surfed the web. Check here for more info.
  • Restore Points: Delete all but the most recent Restore Point. This is a good option after creating a Restore Point after having backed up your files. Windows Creates a Restore Point every time you download updates. I read on one site the Restore Points are set to be deleted on Windows Vista after 135 years.. insane!
  • Open the Add/Remove Programs List: Go to Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs and skim through it. Do you really need four different audio programs? Also Add/Remove Windows Components helps.
  • Uninstalled? Not Completely: Even after Uninstalling some programs still leave files behind so go through your Programs Folders and check. Some programs leave behind user related files... games for example might leave behind games you saved.
  • Delete Files: If you have 3000 songs I can guarantee you do not listen to all of them. A person's taste in music changes... so remove the songs and music videos that simply don't rock your boat anymore. I have over 3000 songs on my laptop I burned a copy of them on a DVD+R data CD and deleted about half of them off my laptop because I honestly don‘t listen to ALL of them. Saved me a LOT of space.
  • CCleaner. This little free program which I use helped me regain approximately 3GB. It's like Disk Cleanup but more through well as registry entries that are no longer valid. (Each program you install leaves shall we say a footprint or two. Even after uninstalling most programs WONT delete their footprints... they leave you something to remember them by. www.ccleaner.com
  • Folders Folders everywhere! Yup that's right too many folders will eventually bite into your how many MB you have to spare believe it or not. Many of the folders you create will have a small file created by Windows (at times hidden depending on your settings) called Thumbs.db if viewed in Thumbnail or Strip views. The little ones do add up. It speeds up the previews of the pictures and videos in the folders as to not have to load every time, personally I did not disable the feature. So, reconsider if you really need to divvy up across so many folders. Check here for more information.
  • Duplicate Files
    moleskinsoft clone remover 2.5.1
    Deleting duplicate files can be tedious. Instead of opening each folder and checking visually there are programs out there that do it for you. One such program is Duplicate File Finder will do this for you and doesn't take very long depending on the size of your hard drive. To make sure you don't accidentally delete something you want look at the file path names. For example: a picture titled bbq.jpg... will be.. My Documents/Pictures/Digital Photos/bbq.jpg -- each slash tells you what folder to look at next to get to the photo. If you have something like this:
    My Documents/Pictures/Digital Photos/bbq.jpg
    My Documents/Pictures/Pictures/bbq.jpg
    You know you got yourself a duplicate =)
    You don't have to install it which is a plus. Double click the .exe file -> add path (meaning folder) -> click start search.
    Note: Be careful which files you select to delete... because the delete is permanent.
  • Recycle Bin: Right Click on your Recycle Bin ->Properties. There you will see either a slider or Custom Size in the properties window. Drag the slider just above half way down. If the allotted space in the Custom size box is 5000 tap in 3000 or 2500 instead. This is space that windows keeps separate for your Recycle Bin. Friends have tried it and noticed a change... myself sorry I have not... maybe you wont either having done steps 1 - 8 =).
  • Setup Files: Programs you download come with a setup file that ends with-> .exe to install the program on your pc. Those executable files add up to a lot so delete them. For example if you downloaded OpenOffice, AVG Anti-Virus, Firefox, CCleaner, and so on you don't really need those files. If you want them - burn them to disk. The four I mentioned I have and their setup files add up to 170MB... I saved about 400MB by burning all my setup files to CD.

    • Bonus: Run Check Disk (AKA: ChkDsk Utility. Use this utility to check your computer for errors. Corrupt or bad sectors will bog down your computer and also take up memory.

    Vista: Computer -> right-click on the drive you want to check -> Properties.
    Select Tools tab -> click "Check Now".

    A box for ChkDsk will appear, check both options and click start. A message that Windows needs to restart in order to run ChkDsk might appear. Click ok.

    XP: My Computer -> right click on the drive/disk you want to check -> Properties.
    Click on the Tools tab -> click "Check Now"

    A box pops up, check both options and click start as in Vista you might have to restart in order to start ChkDsk.

    If you found these useful or have any comments please let me know. Also, have any other ideas or tips? Like? Dislike? Share with the class and post a comment about them.

    ]]>     Sun, 10 Aug 2008 10:30:20 PST     Installing Ubuntu http://www.computersight.com/Operating-Systems/Ubuntu/Installing-Ubuntu.198477 Ubuntu is a Linux distribution. Ubuntu is considered the most user-friendly distribution of Linux, and so it's the easiest to use while trying out Linux.

    How do I Install?

    Following these steps should get you through the installation nice and smooth:

    Get the Ubuntu ISO file at Ubuntu's Official Site http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download.

    Alternatively, you could buy or request a CD with Ubuntu already burned into it, but buying costs money and requesting takes awhile.

    Downloading will take awhile, as the file itself is over 600MB.

    Burn the CD Image

    An ISO file is the type of file that is usually burned to a CD or DVD for later use. You can use Nero or other Disc burning programs for Ubuntu.

    Alternatively, you could use VMWare to make a Virtual Machine within your own.

    Load Ubuntu

    Once Ubuntu is loaded, you may start the actual installation:

    Open the "Install" icon on the desktop. This will take you through the extremely simple installation wizard.

    Select the language you want to use and continue.

    Choose which time zone you live in.

    Click on the keyboard layout you wish to use.

    Now here's where it might seem tricky. At this point, it'll ask you how you'd like to partition your drive. Since the scope of the tutorial is mainly installing on a clean disc, stick with "Guided". As you can see, I'm using a 2GB "disc" made in VMWare.

    WARNING: Do not install on your computer if you already have an operating system, as you will definitely lose all of your data! This tutorial only deals with installing on a computer that hasn't already had an operating system installed.

    Fill out your name, and choose a good password.

    Now confirm your installation settings, and change things where required.

    Wait until it finishes installing (may take an hour or 2), then reboot.

    Congratulations!

    You've successfully installed Ubuntu Linux!

    What Are the Advantages of Ubuntu?

    It's a free, easy-to-use operating system that's being used more and more by people who want a more stable and secure operating system. It has many of the same capabilities, as well as many features not available in Windows.

    Have fun using Ubuntu!

    ]]>     Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:50:54 PST     Eight Free Utilities to Keep Your PC in Top Shape http://www.computersight.com/Computers/Eight-Free-Utilities-to-Keep-Your-PC-in-Top-Shape.190593 Few home users are aware of just how much junk accumulates on the average PC while performing daily tasks: surfing the internet, watching videos, downloading games, etc. Even fewer users are aware of the simple, ready out of the box programs that exist to clear out this junk. In the world of computers, an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure, and these (all free!) programs will give you the best optimization and protection for a minimal time investment!

    1. Mozilla Firefox 3

       When it comes to prevention, no program can spare the user more virus/spyware/identity theft headaches than Firefox. This popular open source web browser comes loaded with built-in anti-phishing, anti-hijacking, anti-spyware, and anti-anything else that sounds scary features. In addition, Firefox can be tweaked enough to satisfy the fussiest power user, but it also comes with a clear, easy to follow interface that even a newbie can follow.

    2. FileHippo.com Update Checker

       The free UpdateChecker is small, lightweight, and fast. Weighing in at about 100kb, this nifty program will keep you up to date with all your software in just one click. Activating the utility will direct you to a filehippo.com webpage listing all the updates available for your programs. Just click and download the updates you want. Run this baby once a month and you will never have to worry about being left out of the newest features or security updates.

    3. CCleaner

       For clearing out the junk, nothing beats CCleaner. Fast and thorough this program will search out temporary files, useless folders, cookies, and the like and nuke them with just one click. It will do the same for your registry, but users are advised to use the built-in backup function before sweeping the registry….just to be safe!

    4. Spybot - Search & Destroy

       The industry standard for spyware detection, this power utility can take a long time to scan, especially on an older system, but you will rest secure knowing that your computer is clean of malware. It also sports options for erasing user tracks, real time protection, and a comprehensive startup program cleaner that lets you know exactly what's going on when you start your system.

    5. Auslogics Disk Defrag & Registry Defrag

       These two programs meet and expand upon the functionality of Window's built-in defrag utility. Fragmentation is inevitable in Windows, and defragmenting every few weeks is essential to keeping your system running smoothly. These two programs are faster than their Window's counterpart, inform you exactly how much you've improved performance, and take care of the registry to boot. I would also like to recommend Auslogics BoostSpeed 4, which although it costs $30USD, offers the defrag tools, as well as a disk cleaner and scores of Window's tweaks.

    6. avast! Antivirus

       The best free antivirus out there, in my opinion, avast! is thorough and unobtrusive. It updates itself and consumes minimum system resources, all the while offering your PC excellent protection. You will probably forget it's even installed until one day it pops up a warning that you just downloaded a virus and asks you what to do.

    7. Revo Uninstaller

       A vast improvement over the Windows uninstaller, Revo loads quicker and does a more thorough job. In addition to running the program's uninstaller, Revo searches for post-uninstall remaining files and registry entries and lets you delete them, reducing system clutter. Revo also offers a user track wiper and a junk files cleaner.

    8. PeerGuardian

       A massive database of harmful IP addresses, PeerGuardian was originally designed to protect file sharers. However, this program is also a wonderful tool for blocking spyware and ad-related IPs.

    So there you have it! Run these 8 simple tools monthly and your computer should last forever. Well, maybe not forever, but it will definitely last at peak performance until your next upgrade - be it months or years from now.

    ]]>     Thu, 31 Jul 2008 07:24:28 PST     Five Free Alternatives to Commercial Products http://www.computersight.com/Software/Five-Free-Alternatives-to-Commercial-Products.188963

  • OpenOffice

     Free, open source, cross-platform Office suite. Includes a word processor, a Powerpoint-likwe presenters, and many other of the same features as Microsoft Office. Written in Java, so it's slow, sometimes.

  • Linux

     Official website for Linux operating system distributions. If you're new to Linux, you might want to get Ubuntu Linux, as it's the most user-friendly distribution. Great alternative to Microsoft Windows, and it's totally free!

  • CompizFusion (Linux Only)

     A nice alternative to the Aero theme on Windows Vista. Fast, easy to use, and perfect for anyone who likes all the bells and whistles on their GUI.

  • GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

     If you like Photoshop, you'll love GIMP. GIMP has almost all of the features of Photoshop, as well as faster loading times. Whether you're editing images, or creating original artwork, GIMP is the free program you need.

  • Avidemux

     One of the best alternatives to ADbe Premire Pro. You can edit videos at the click of a mouse button.

    • Hopefully these programs help you.

    ]]>     Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:43:05 PST     Switching to Ubuntu http://www.computersight.com/Operating-Systems/Ubuntu/Switching-to-Ubuntu.186167 Tired of Microsoft? Tired of horrible support? Tired of crashes? Stop being weary, and say hello to Ubuntu! Ubuntu is a Linux operating system built from the core of Debian. Made to be one of the most stable, secure, and easy to use operating systems that has ever been made free of charge! If you are ready to make the change, this article is for you!

    I really suggest organizing your files before making the switch to Ubuntu. It will make the process much faster. Move all of your files into one location (ie: a backup folder), once you have done that; you will need to convert unsupported file types.

    Many types of music files cannot be used on Ubuntu without additional software for legal reasons. The following file types are not supported by Ubuntu by default: mp3, wma, aac, and RealAudio. Although, these files my be used if you install additional software. If you do not want to install additional software, you will need to convert them to a supported file type. I would suggest converting them to “oog vorbis.” OOG Vorbis is a lossless format which provides outstanding audio quality.

    Also, many types of video files cannot be used on Ubuntu without additional software, due to legal restrictions. The following video formats are not supported without additional software: wmv, RealAudio, DivX, and QuickTime. You would need to convert these files.

    Many office files are not supported by Ubuntu. There is an Office program built into Ubuntu, this supports Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files.

    Ubuntu supports all major image types, and you can even use PSD files with Gimp.

    You will need to call your ISP (Internet service provider), and see if you need any additional information to set up your internet connection on Ubuntu.

    You will want to save your bookmarks from Internet Explorer, Opera, and FireFox. You can import both of these into FireFox once you install Ubuntu. You will also want to write down your email settings if you use POP3, SMTP, or IMAP.

    Once you have collected everything you need. You can burn the information to a CD, or DVD. And, if you have a supported removable device, you can store it on there.

    And, that's all you need in order to start using Ubuntu! If you would need any additional help, you can ask questions on the Ubuntu Forums.

    Thanks for reading, and welcome to the open world.

    ]]>     Mon, 28 Jul 2008 06:34:53 PST