 Clonezilla added to osalt.comClonezilla is an open source solution to computer backup, restoration and "ghosting". It is based on partition imaging and allows you to backup and recover your system should it be taken out by a virus or a hard drive crash. Two types are available, the Clonezilla Server Edition (SE) and Clonezilla Live.
Clonezilla Live is intended for use with a single computer while Clonezilla SE can clone more than forty computers at once and is suitable for use in an office setting where many users share a server. Both versions are very efficient due to the fact that they restore and save only those blocks in the hard disk that are actually used. And both versions are surprisingly quick; the SE version can clone a 5.6 GB system to forty computers via multicasting in only ten minutes.
Since both versions of Clonezilla support many types of file systems, they can clone MS Windows, Linux and Mac operating systems. The SE version uses multicast to restore many computers at once as well as having the ability to remotely do the same thing if Wake-on-LAN and PXE are supported. In addition, this free software can restore or save an entire disk, not just partitions.
Whether you have just one computer or you're IT support for a company with several dozen on a network, Clonezilla is an easy to use and cost effective solution to backup and recovery.
Komodo Edit added to osalt.comKomodo Edit is an open source editor by ActiveState that is different from your run-of-the-mill editor in that it has many features that are usually absent in editors, but you might find in IDEs (integrated-development-environment). Actually Komodo Edit could easily be considered a lightweight IDE.
The user interface is very organized, using four main areas and a menu and toolbar. Some editors have a few buttons in the toolbar that you need and a couple dozen more that you might use once in a lifetime - if you live for a couple of centuries! Komodo Edit has the buttons you need and very little else. Simplicity is always a good thing!
Komodo Edit lets you edit multiple documents simultaneously so it does have tabs, just like the best editor you can buy. You can also have Komodo open up the files from the last session which saves time.
This editor comes with all the features that you would expect in a high-end editor including block selection, reflow paragraph, code commenting and much more. If you've ever tried other editors, you'll see everything they have in Komodo Edit, and more. It supports many programming languages and recognizes most of the more common ones but can also recognize framework-specific syntaxes such as Django, Smarty and RHTML. It has great HTML multi-highlights that let you put all your CSS, server-side programming (e.g. PHP) and Javascript into the same file.
One of the best features of Komodo Edit is its autocompletion capabilities. It supports Perl, PHP, XML, Python, Tcl and more. If you normally use an IDE, you'll find that Komodo Edit fills all your requirements and even more.
You can create a toolbox for the tools you're using in your current project and have them available in a toolbar or menu. That's just about the ultimate in convenience and very, very nice to be able to work with!
Greenshot added to osalt.comGreenshot is a screenshot tool, supports several image formats as well as saving part or all of a screen into a file within one second's time.
This program takes only a small amount of memory, a real plus over similar software that are memory hogs. Three hotkeys keep it simple and you can access an options menu with a right click of the mouse. You can choose to capture just the visible window, a section of it or the entire screen. Once you capture the shot the editor will almost immediately open and allow you to add textboxes or shapes such as boxes, arrows and others to your shot. You can then save it in one of several image formats to be placed in a file, on the clipboard or send it directly to your printer.
It's easy to be sure you're capturing the correct image with Greenshot, as the area to be captured turns green. You can then proceed or adjust your areas. Once you have Greenshot capture the image, you'll hear a sound similar to that a camera's shutter makes.
The hotkeys also feature a capture and share option which makes it easy to distribute your screenshot. Once you've saved it, it's simple to send it to a friend or colleague quickly and easily. Greenshot is also very user friendly, allowing you to choose among several options to gear it to your preferences.
Greenshot is a small program, quick to download and efficient without unnecessary bells and whistles. It also does its job well without making demands on your computer's resources. If you need an image capture application for documentation at your job, blogging, emailing or other reasons, Greenshot is highly recommended.
Chrome added to osalt.comChrome, the new browser by Google, uses refreshingly minimal design and combines it with advanced technology to make surfing the internet safer, faster and simpler than ever before.
One of the things that users find so attractive about Chrome is avoiding crashes. Since each tab is isolated from the others, they aren't able to crash each other as with other browsers. The windows are simple and streamlined, getting you where you want to go with a minimum of fuss.
Chrome has many great features, including the automatic importation of all the passwords, settings and bookmarks you were using in Internet Explorer or Firefox. It will also populate username and password fields for you, saving you time and aggravation. The browser will also let you make a QuickLaunch shortcut to any Web application or page, again saving you the time it takes to open your bookmarks or "favorites" and sorting through them for the right one.
Of course, searching is an important part of Chrome and Google has added several things that make it easier than ever. As well as searching the web, Chrome will automatically search the browser history as well.
Chrome is unique, exciting and fresh but still in the beta stage. Google seems to have a winner here, and will be making improvements and innovations on a regular basis.
WikidPad added to osalt.comIf you've ever been frustrated in finding the ideal application for organizing all your ideas, lists, contacts or notes, you'll be glad you tried WikidPad.
The concept of "wiki" comes from the Hawaiian word for "quick" and is a fast way to cross-link information by using WikiWords, a mixed case word entered into an editor. HoneyDoList is one example. Wikidpad makes use of WikiWords in a standalone notepad-type application. All your random pieces of information, all your notes you have hanging in your cubicle, your office or on your fridge can be organized in WikidPad. Managing all the information you have lying around, roaming about in your head or lost in the depths of your computer is a job that WikidPad does flawlessly.
A user new to WikidPad has to learn only a few new ideas in order to use it to its optimum potential. It's particularly invaluable to creative people who need a way to organize all the different ideas and concepts that occur to them. Having your information right at hand is important and WikidPad will definitely fill the bill. For example, if you entered your notes from the last office meeting into WikidPad and wondered what in the world the boss was talking about when he referenced last week's meeting, the wiki will have linked his remarks to that past meeting. It will take just a couple of seconds to refresh your memory and make you look capable and efficient!
WikidPad is particularly popular with writers and other people who have many compartmentalized information banks that are linked to each other and yet also need to stand alone. Best of all, WikidPad gives you what you need when you want it, in a very uncomplicated design.
If you want a basic desktop organizer that does everything you need without throwing a million options at you, you'll love WikidPad.
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