Posts Tagged: ‘Software’

File Menu Tools (2019-09)

July 12, 2022 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

This month I’d like to tell you about one of my favorite utility programs.  I’ve got it installed on all of my computers and have been using it for more than ten years.  I first reviewed this program in July 2009.  The program has gotten even better since then.  Like many other free programs, the programmer has a donate button on his website.  I like the program so much that I hit the PayPal button a long time ago.  Maybe it is about time I gave him a few more dollars.

FileMenu Tools lets you customize the right click menu of Windows Explorer.  It also works with all of the alternate explorer programs that I’ve tried.  The program adds utilities to perform operations on files and folders and adds customized commands that let you run external applications, copy or move to a specific folder or delete specific file types.

With the built in commands you can:
• Run With Parameters – Runs a program with parameters you input in a dialog box.
• Command Line From Here – Opens a command line window.
• Copy/Move – No need to cut and paste. You can also use filters in file selection.
• Duplicate Files – Makes a copy in the same folder.
• Pack to Folder – Moves all the selected elements to new sub‑folder in the current folder.
• Copy Path/Name/Content – Copies the selected item(s) to the clipboard.
• Attributes – You can view and change them without having to open a properties dialog box.
• Find and Replace – Lets you find or replace a text for all the files in a selected folder.
• Advanced Rename – With lots of options.
• Change Icon – Changes the icon for the selected folder.
• Change Attributes – Quickly and easily change folder options.
• Advanced Delete – Lets you delete specific file types in a folder.
• Synchronize Two Folders – Lets you synchronize two folders quickly and easily.
• Shred Files – Overwrites several times so it is impossible to recover the file in the future.
• Send to Mail Recipient – Lets you send an e‑mail with selected elements as attachments.

These are less than half of the FileMenu commands you can select from.  In the configuration menu, a simple check will turn off the commands you don’t want.  If you can’t find the FileMenu function you need, then just add a customized command to run external applications, copy/move to a specific folder or delete specific file types.

FileMenu Tools lets you configure the “Send to” sub‑menu.  You can add new items, change the properties of the existing items or delete them.  You also can disable existing “Send to” items in order to hide them from the menu.

FileMenu Tools will also let you enable/disable the commands which are added to the context menu of the Windows Explorer by other programs.  This is the only function that is not one hundred percent reliable.  When it works, it works well, but it doesn’t catch all of the programs that add a right click.

FileMenu Tools is a 12.90 MB download and runs on all Windows platforms.  Open Candy is used during the installation process but can be refused with a check mark.  Did I mention the price?  This program is freeware and costs nothing.

Download FileMenu Tools and give the program a test.  I’m pretty sure that you’ll like it.  While you’re on the Lopesoft website, you can also download and test LopeEdit Lite, an excellent alternative to Windows Notepad.

Keep on clicking and thanks for reading.

Cutting the Cable and Streaming (2019-05)

July 11, 2022 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

Last month at the monthly meeting, I demonstrated the Roku Ultra, one of many streaming media players that can be purchased.  A streaming media player is simply a device that is programmed to stream video, audio, pictures and other media over the internet to your TV.  A simple search on Amazon shows that there are many options for buying a device.

Most of the questions were not about the Roku, but instead about the services that you can stream.  Many attendees wanted to know “how much does streaming cost?” or “will I be able to watch a specific channel?”

Unfortunately, my answer to most of those types of questions was, “I don’t know.”

The truth is that the answer would be different for each person.  It is kind of like somebody that says they are buying a car and asks how much it will cost them to operate it.  There are many variables: the cost of gasoline, how many miles they drive, how often they take a trip, etc.

The same can be said about cutting the cable and streaming.  There are various streaming services, each with their own pricing structure.  To make things harder to choose, most of them have different pricing plans.  For instance, Netflix has three different plans, ranging from $8.99 to $15.99 a month.  Hulu has four plans from $5.99 to $50.99 a month.

With the thousands of streaming channels you can watch, how do you choose?  If you do an internet search, you will find hundreds of sites that will give you tips on how to stop cable service and stream your shows.  Most of them recommend that before you do anything, either keep a journal or make a list of what you actually watch on TV.

After you have determined what you want to watch, it is time to do some research on where you can stream shows that you want to watch.  This might be the hardest part of the process as there are so many services to choose from.  If you max out on different services, you may not end up saving any money at all.

Local channels and news can usually be watched with the use of an antenna.  You can also often stream the shows from the network’s website.  Many of the stations stream their news reports online via their website or a mobile app.  Some aggregator services such as Sling also include this programming.

I am not a big sports fan, but I can tell you that watching the various types is a whole different problem.  Usually, you will have to pay monthly fees for each sport/team.  Even then, you sometimes do not get all the games due to local blackouts.  You might have to use a Virtual Private Network to trick them.

One final thing you need to consider when streaming is your internet speed.  Most sites recommend a download speed of 15-25 megabytes per second.  Keep in mind that this is in addition to all the other internet devices you may be using.  Faster internet service almost always comes at an increased cost.

So should you quit your cable television and stream everything?  I am by no means an expert, but like a lot of other topics, I have an opinion.  My TV viewing habits are different than most. I like mostly older movies and television shows.  Most of these I can watch on free streaming channels that I watch on my ROKU streaming device.  I still subscribe to basic cable for some channels that my wife likes.  Do your research and compute your costs.  Then do what works for you.

Keep on clicking and thanks for reading.

EULAlyzer (2019-03)

July 11, 2022 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

Before reading this article, you must explicitly agree to abide by the following terms and conditions. If you do not agree, please either close the newsletter or immediately hit the next page key.

This review can only be perused during daylight hours except on weekends, holidays, a family birthday, or a solar eclipse.  In the event you decide to continue reading, you agree that you will not disagree with the author unless you are under the care of a state certified psychiatrist.  By continuing to read, you are granting permission to the newsletter editor to collect your personal information and sell it to other computer clubs.  The author of this article can change it any time without informing the readers.  Information in this article can be true or false without any repercussions to the author.

If you’re reading this paragraph, you probably realize that the lead in is assuredly not enforceable.  I have no idea whether or not it is.  All I know is that almost every program I install on my computer(s) make me read and agree to an End User License Agreement (EULA).  They are often full of large amounts of legal terms and big words.  Many of them are several pages long.  Most of them pop‑up in a small window that is not very large.  I’m pretty sure that most EULAs were written by lawyers.

There have been several surveys and tests that show that most end users just check the agree box and install the software.  One company even put a clause in the EULA telling customers how to claim a $1000 prize.  The money was not claimed until after more than 3000 program installs.

Do you, like most computer users, not read the EULA?  Although I often display symptoms of paranoia, I seldom ever read a EULA.  Don’t be surprised at that statement.  I let the computer do it for me.

EULAlyzer Personal is a utility that scans user agreements and analyzes them for “key words” or phrases in the EULA.  It is an easy program to use.  When the EULA shows on your monitor (usually in a small window that you can’t re‑size), simply select “scan new license agreement” and drag the cursor to the EULA.

EULAlyzer then scans the document and searches to see if the software you’re about to install displays pop‑up ads, transmits personally identifiable information, uses unique identifiers to track you and much more.  Troublesome phrases in the EULA are highlighted so you can easily review them.

Occasionally, EULAs are found on a web page or some other file.  In that case, you can copy and paste the document into EULAlyzer and analyze it as previously described for potential problems.  You can also review Terms of Service agreements by the same method.  As an added bonus, you can save the EULAs to a file on your computer and read them at your leisure.

EULAlyzer is not the ultimate program and does not offer any advice, but only suggestions.  It is a good utility that I recommend you keep in your spam fighting toolbox.  Did I mention the price?  You can download and install the program for a one time payment of $0.00.

The program is from Brightfort, the makers of SpywareBlaster.  You can download EULAlyzer from their website.

Keep on clicking and thanks for reading.

KeePass Password Manager (2019-01)

July 11, 2022 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

Do you use a password manager, or do you do like many others and have a just a few passwords that you use over and over?  If you answered no to using a manager, I’d just like to say that you are an idiot.  I’m sorry to be so blunt, but it is true.  In the modern age of computing it is important that you use hard to decipher, unique passwords for all the sites where you have an account.  It is trivial for hackers to try stolen user names and passwords on several sites.

I thought I’d take a few minutes and tell you about the Password Program that I use every day when I’m computing.  I did a Google Search for “free password manager” and got 114,000,000 results.  I’ve carefully researched all of them except for the last four million or so.

I use a lot of passwords in my daily computing.  As of this writing, I’ve got 68 e‑mail addresses.  I frequent 7 different forums, each with separate password.  Then there are my gaming site passwords.  Five right now.  Did I forget to mention my military, government and medical passwords?  Twelve of them.  Then there are on line shopping passwords, miscellaneous social networks and many more.  I’ve got more than 50 passwords that I use fairly frequently.

The first week of every month, I change the passwords for websites that keep important data.  It seems that some company or government office is always being compromised and losing important data.  For most web sites, I use hard to break passwords.  Want to see one of my sample passwords? qyF+,CMqaF+@x!,SdqyF+,CMqaF;+@x!,Sd is a password that used to open one of my web sites for editing.

The program I use to manage all of those passwords is KeePass Password Safe.  It is a really easy to use utility that helps you to keep track of all your passwords while keeping them safe.  It lets you store all of your passwords in a lightweight, simple to use database that is encrypted so that only you can access it.

KeePass Password Safe stores all of your passwords in groups.  That makes it extremely easy to quickly find the one you want.  The program does more than just store the passwords; it also lets you easily copy them onto a Web page or an application.  You can drag and drop them, copy them to the clipboard, or copy them using a hot key.

One of the best features of KeePass is the random password generator which creates passwords with characteristics that you specify.  That way you can tailor your passwords as needed.  For example, some websites won’t let you create a password with underlines while others might require a specific password length.  KeePass makes it easy to create any password.

The program also includes support for TAN (Transactional Access Numbers) passwords and allows you to create TAN lists which automatically expire a password once it has been used.  Other features include auto-lock, database search, import/export.  There are many more features.

Of Course, KeePass also fits in with one of my most demanding prerequisites.  The cost is Zero!  KeePass is open source, which means that there have been a lot of plug-ins developed.  You can download the source code and modify it to meet your needs.  Keepass is a Windows program that has been ported to many other Operating Systems, including Android, iPhone/iPad, Blackberry, JavaScript for browsers and many Linux distributions.

You can read more about the program on the KeePass Password Safe Home Page.  Give it a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Thanks for reading.

Belarc Advisor (2022-06)

May 29, 2022 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

I’ve got a lot of programs that I use to upkeep and maintain my Windows computers so that they operate smoothly.  To help me do this, it is important to know substantive information about my different machines.  I get much of this data by using Belarc Advisor.

The Belarc Advisor displays a detailed profile of your installed software, hardware and security vulnerabilities in a Web browser.  The Belarc Advisor is licensed for personal use only and is not permitted to be used for any commercial or government purposes.

Belarc Advisor scans your PC and builds a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware in the form of an HTML report that you can view in your browser.  This information includes local drive volumes, memory modules, printer information, installed licenses, installed software, multimedia information and much more.  All of your PC profile information is kept on your PC and is not uploaded to any web server.

After installation, you simply need to run Belarc Advisor and wait until the initial analysis of the computer system is completed.  This process may take time, depending on the speed of your computer, number of peripherals, programs installed, etc.  Once the analysis is completed, Belarc Advisor will display in your default web browser a Computer Profile Summary.  This is generated as an HTML file and can be stored on your computer.

Depending on the number of the programs installed on your system, the length of the page and the amount of information will vary from computer to computer.  Belarc Advisor identifies and reports the following information:
• CPU(s) installed on your motherboard
• Motherboard make, model, and serial number, plus BIOS data
• Hard drive and optical drive data, including total capacity and free space, as well as volume details like the drive letter and file system
• Total amount of RAM, plus number of modules installed
• Mapped network drives
• Local user and system accounts, last logon time stamps, and locked/disabled status
• Installed printers and which port each is using
• Storage controllers
• Video card and monitor make, model, and serial number data
• USB, eSATA, and similar controller data
• Sound card or other audio hardware
• Anti-malware program installed program and definition version data, last scan time stamp, and current status
• Group policy data
• Service tag of the computer model, and possibly a support link to the manufacturer’s website
• Networking, Bluetooth, and other communication hardware and protocol data

One of my favorite features is in the Software Versions and Usage report section.  There you can check the last time that you have opened any installed program.  This can help you decide whether you might want to uninstall old, unused software.

I run the program every month or so.  That way I always have a fairly up to date report of my system(s).  The information doesn’t usually change too much.  I haven’t included any screenshots of my computers.  You can find many pictures with an internet search.

I like this program and have been using it for several years.  After installation, it only uses less than 7MB of space on my hard drive.  Belarc Advisor runs on Windows 11, 2022, 2019, 10, 2016, 8.1, 2012 R2, 8, 2012, 7, Vista, 2008, 2003 SP2, XP SP3.  Both 32‑bit and 64‑bit Windows Operating Systems are supported.  The license allows for free personal use only.  You can download Belarc Advisor from this link.

Thanks for reading and keep on clicking.

Windows 11 First Impression (2021-12)

November 21, 2021 Posted by Tiny

I feel so left out.  I bought a new laptop with Windows 11 installed.  I haven’t had any of the problems I’ve been reading about on many of the tech sites.  In fact, I’ve had only one problem that I couldn’t find an answer for anywhere on the internet.  I even asked about it in the recent APCUG Windows Q&A.  They couldn’t answer it either.  I’ll tell you more about it later.

So far, all the programs I’ve installed have worked without any problems.  That includes some that haven’t updated since Windows XP days.  I had no difficulties changing defaults on any of them.  My links open with Firefox just like they’re supposed to.  I can only assume that other users might not be setting up their preferences correctly.

The biggest change in Windows 11 is the start menu.  I like using the tabbed start in Windows 10.  I know there are programs that will let me go back to what I prefer.  I’m obstinate enough to learn the new method like I did when I updated from Windows 7 to 10.  I’m already realizing how to move icons to suit my usage.

The other big change is one that I’m afraid I will never get used to.  Ever since it first became available in Windows 95, I’ve kept my task bar on the left of my screen.  I think it makes a lot of sense to create extra space for scrolling.  Almost all monitors are wide screen and you get more screen space with the task bar on the side.  I believe that in the future, Microsoft will re‑enable this feature.  If not, I’ll probably be doing a registry hack.

I haven’t tested most of the other new features.  I have never had an interest in using Widgets.  I know that many people do and I’m glad they have that ability.  I’m glad they are easy to disable.  It’s the same thing for running Android Apps on my Windows machine.  Another reason is that I don’t much care for the Amazon App Store.   I did connect my Android phone in Windows 10.  About three hours late, I disconnected it.

I mentioned that I had only one serious problem with Windows 11.  My battery would drain whenever I put the computer to sleep.  It was frustrating to wake Windows and find that the machine had shut down because the battery was empty.  I couldn’t find any sites on the interest that addressed the problem.  I was beginning to think there might be some defective hardware.  I finally solved the problem by using an old trick I learned back in the 1990s.  I reinstalled the operating system.  Since then, my laptop sleeps with no problems.

Do I recommend Windows 11?  I’ll just say that I’m not updating my desktop computer yet.  Windows 11 runs smoothly and efficiently.  Unless you have a compelling reason to upgrade, Microsoft will support Windows 10 until October 14, 2025.  If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Thanks for reading and keep on clicking.

Astronomy Web Sites (2021-10)

September 20, 2021 Posted by Tiny

Thoughts From a Clicker
By Tiny Ruisch

By now, all members of the Cajun Clickers hopefully have had their electricity restored.  Hurricane Ida did an excellent job of depriving us of many of our modern conveniences.  For me, there was a benefit to help allay the lack of air conditioning.  There wasn’t any light pollution.  The night sky was clearly visible.

It seems that space and astronomy stories are in the news almost every day.  Even if you discount the billionaires mucking things up, there are many exiting things happening.   We have been exploring our solar system in depth, especially Mars.  Deep space telescopes are finding many new planets orbiting distant stars.  Scientists are speculating that many of them might even be habitable.

Now that we’re getting back to normal, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on a telescope to view the heavens.  Planetarium software will allow you to view stars as if you were actually looking at the sky.  All you need is a computer with a decent graphics card.  There are several free planetarium software programs that can bring the skies to your monitor.

Stellarium is a free open source planetarium program that shows the sky in 3D.  If you have a compatible telescope you can use the program to control it.  The program runs on Windows, Linux and MacOS.  There is also a portable version.

Celestia is a multi-platform Planetarium software available for free.  It lets you explore the Solar System along with the vast expanses of the Universe.  Celestia does not restrict you to view objects from Earth’s point of view.  You can go to a planet, a star or galaxy to view it from a different perspective.

SkyChart is another open source cross platform program.  It also will control a computerized telescope.  There are many deep space images with more being frequently added to the data base.

C2A is a freeware program that has an excellent data section next to the sky image display.  The program is very intuitive and easy to use. It is available for Windows only.

WorldWideTelescope has an interesting “Guided Tours” feature.  Each of the tours takes you on a multimedia trip through some aspect of the night sky.  You can either download the program for windows or view in a web browser.

Although I’ve gotten older and don’t have a telescope any more, I still enjoy exploring the universe with these websites and programs.  If you’re interested, give them a try.

Thanks for reading and keep on clicking.

Goodbye Adobe Flash

January 3, 2021 Posted by Tiny

A Pain in the Whatchamacallit
By Tiny Ruisch

Without any apologies to Shakespeare, I bid farewell to Adobe Flash.

Alas, poor Flash!  I knew it, dear readers: a program
of infinite errors, of most excellent fantasy: it hath
crashed my computer a thousand times; and now, how
scorned in my imagination it is!  my mind rims at
it.  Here hung those updates that I have missed I know
not how oft.  Where be your mockers now?  your
erratic installs?  your songs?  your flashes of merriment,
that were wont to set the monitor on a roar?  Not one
now, to mock your own smirking?  quite chip-fallen?
Now get you to my recycle bin, and tell everyone, let
her paint an inch thick, to this favour she must
come; make her laugh at that.

Last month Adobe retired their multimedia software platform used for production of animations, Rich web applications, desktop applications, mobile apps, mobile games and embedded web browser video players.  Flash got its start as SmartSketch, a vector drawing application.  This was later morphed into a new program, FutureSplash Animator.  This was the software that was used to launch the animated TV series “The Simpsons”.

In 1996, Macromedia purchased FutureSplash and re­‑branded it as the Macromedia Flash Player.  Over the years, there were several improvements to the software.  This led to a period where almost all web sites used Flash in some way.  Many were programmed totally in Flash.

Macromedia was acquired by Adobe in 2005.  The entire Macromedia product line including Flash, Dreamweaver, Director, Shockwave, Fireworks and Authorware were renamed to Adobe.  Many say this is when the Flash Player started its downward trend.  In 2010, Steve Jobs banished it from the iPhone for being too insecure.  In reality, Flash became a prime target for hackers.  Adobe was constantly patching bugs, a process which often created new ones.  In 2017, Adobe announced the End Of Life for Flash would be December 2020.

Adobe Flash had a life of fifteen years.  In technology years, that is a fairly long time.  In “Flash” years, not so much.  The Flash first appeared in comic books in 1940.  He’s been around in movies, television, games and other media since then.  Flash Gordon debuted in 1934.  Although he has spent a lot of time lost in outer space, he has also often been resurrected in movies and TV.  Not too many people remember Flash Thompson.  He was a character in the early years of Spider Man.  He also made several appearances in later years.

As a matter of full disclosure, I must admit that I won’t miss Adobe Flash.  I haven’t allowed it on any of my machines for about four years.  I for one, hope that it never gets a new life

Thanks for reading.

Windows Calculator

November 8, 2020 Posted by Tiny

Some Lagniappe for You
by Tiny Ruisch

la·gniappe (lnyp, ln-yp)
n. Chiefly Southern Louisiana & Mississippi
1. A small gift presented by a store owner to a customer with the customer’s purchase.
2. An extra or unexpected gift or benefit. Also called regionally boot.

It’s official.  I’m 26,501 days old.  No, I didn’t have another birthday.  Those days convert to 72 years, 6 months, 2 weeks, 6 days.  I don’t know how many hours.  Why is this information important?  It isn’t, but it is an example of what the Windows calculator can compute.

The Windows Calculator has evolved from the simple arithmetic program that was first included in Windows 1.0.  Over the years it has become a useful, full featured application that is overlooked by many users.  It includes different modes, date calculations and several useful conversion functions.

First time use of the calculator opens it in Standard Mode.  You will see all of the normal numerical keys, memory buttons and mathematical function keys.  Additionally, there is a small icon to the right of the info bar.  This toggles the program to always stay on top.  Clicking again turns to function off.  On the far right is a clock icon.  Clicking it opens or closes the history function.

There are four modes:
1) Standard Mode – for basic math operations like adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing, as well as for finding square roots, calculating percentages, and working with fractions.
2) Scientific Mode – expands on the Standard mode, giving you the additional functions you’d find on a typical scientific calculator.  In addition to the Standard mode operators, it contains functions like log, modulo, exponent, trigonometric degrees, and SIN, COS, and TAN.
3) Programmer Mode – adds the ability to switch between different number systems: binary, decimal, hexadecimal and octal.
4) Date Calculation Mode – lets you calculate the difference between two specific dates.  I used this mode to find the data in my opening paragraph.

There are also several Converter Calculators:
• Currency
• Volume
• Length
• Weight and Mass
• Temperature
• Energy
• Area
• Speed
• Time
• Power
• Data
• Pressure
• Angle
These all work similarly.  Select the convert “from” and the convert “to” measurements.  Then type the number you want to convert.  Answers instantly show up.

There are many specialized calculators you can install, but the Windows Calculator will fill most user’s needs.  It is included free with your Windows installation.  You should probably use it more often than you do.

If you like the program, just tell everyone that you’ve got a SWLAPCUG extra, a bonus perk, a small gift, a present from the club: a little lagniappe.

How Things Have Changed

October 11, 2020 Posted by Tiny

A Pain in the Whatchamacallit
By Tiny Ruisch

I was looking back at the first two Whatchamacallit articles that I wrote back in February and April of 2009.  The subjects were: 1) Setting Up My New Computer; and 2) My Bi‑Weekly Maintenance Routine.

I haven’t purchased any new machines lately; however, I still do my upkeep routines.  I was mildly surprised to find out how much has changed in slightly over ten years.  At least it gave me an idea for an article this month. Most of the changes are in the software.

1) Pc Decrapifier was a program that removed manufacture installed bloatware from new computers.  It has been discontinued.
2) Zone Alarm was my firewall of choice.  I no longer use it.  The built in Windows firewall has been improved and is adequate for my needs.
3) Revo Uninstaller is a great program.  I am still using it and have often thought of purchasing a license.  I never have because the free version suits my needs.
4) Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI) was another great program that was discontinued after being purchased by another company.  It scanned you computer and recommended updates that needed to be installed.  I haven’t found an adequate replacement.
5) Avast Anti‑Virus was my program of choice for many years.  I didn’t like many of the business strategies they started using and no longer recommend the company.
6) Wise Registry Cleaner is still around.  I haven’t used any programs of this type for several years.
7) Malwarebytes is still around and doing an excellent job of scanning all of my machines.  Thankfully, my computing practices don’t give it much chance to remove anything.
8) CCleaner is a program that is still in production.  For years it was my goto software for removing unwanted junk from my all my machines.  The company was purchased by Avast.  It wasn’t long before things changed.  I no longer recommend this software.

About the only thing that hasn’t changed is the first program I install.  KeePass Password Manager is the one program I absolutely need on every one of my devices.

Thanks for reading.