I’ve been out searching for a program that will allow me to quickly color code the folders on my Vista machine. The only problem is, I can find a lot of good programs that work with Windows XP but this must be a harder task to accomplish on Vista.
Here are a few of the Windows XP programs I have tried (all good solutions by the way) that just haven’t gotten the job done thus far.
So I am asking you, do you know of a good Vista folder customizer out there? I need something that would allow me to quickly change the colors to kind of help organize things a ‘bit in my PC. Better yet, how do you organize your “My Document” folders?
This is one of those programs you just happen to stumble upon but you know you have to at least give it a shot. Mario Paint Composer allows you to create your own Nintendo inspired tune using the old SNES Mario Paint-ish layout. Even if you don’t have a musical skill in your entire body, it is fun just to drag and drop things onto the board and then hit play.
It is both Mac and Windows friendly too. Just download, unzip and you’ll be off on your own music creating adventure. Here is an example video I found via the ‘ol YouTube:
I have been using Windows Vista for some time, and sure - it does have a few quirks that make me want to beat myself over the head with my keyboard. Overall though, 85% of the time, I have to say I am pretty happy with it. I am at least as happy as I was with Windows XP. Here are three of the best programs I have found that have just added a little more icing to the Vista cake.
This program makes it a quick and easy job to browse through the shadow copies of your files created by the Windows Vista volume shadow copy service. Without, it is kind of hard to hunt down an exact file backup, but with it - it gives you a familiar interface to find all your backed up files. I would still recommend backing up using other means, but this is just one more nice Vista addition to have handy.
Tired of how your default Windows Vista logon screen looks? This free download will allow you to change that background picture you see on the logon screen to whatever you desire. They also have several you can download and use too. Sure, this is just an eye candy improvement, but we all like for things to look nice, right?
This tool, used with Vista Media Center, is an application designed to remove any and all commercials from the video that you record. I have used it a number of times for the various cable shows I watch and it has yet to let me down. Might just set it up to work overnight, so it doesn’t get in the way of your day to day work.
For some more applications to make the Vista experience better, check out Ave’s Vista Stuff. There are a handful of neat little application there that will add a few more perks to your shinny new OS.
Ok, maybe I am a little behind the times - or am very careful before I give Microsoft the fair shake. Whatever my reason was, I never tried Windows Live Writer till the other day. I figured it would be like every other blog updater I’ve seen out there. It would do everything but (insert feature here). Well, I am happy to say that Windows Live Writer does it all - and does it well.
I am damned impressed with the entire product. I hate to sound like an anti-Microsoft goon, but it is a little hard to believe they developed such a nice product. (Just in case any of the Microsoft guys are reading, really don’t mean that as a back handed compliment) It worked with WordPress right off the bat too with no problems at all.
Inserting pictures into posts is as easy as dragging the image from the desktop of folder into the main editing window of Live Writer. It gets automatically uploaded, just as any other image would to my hosting account. The in-dept draft feature is nice too. I can save as a draft here on my machine, or on the server.
The only downside I have found (and this might be more my fault than Microsoft’s) is the Web Layout preview doesn’t work that well with all of the various places I write. Other than that though I would highly encourage any and all to go check it out if you haven’t. Windows Live Writer is definitely worth your time for sure and won’t cost you any money.
I was searching for a way I could view media files recorded on my Vista machine (through Media Center) and found this beauty of a freeware program. The Windows Essentials Codec Pack gives you the an easy way to play just about any audio or video type in Windows Media Player.
After installing it, just try to open the file in question via Windows Media Player and it should work. If it isn’t already the default player for that type of file, just dragging and dropping the media file into there should work too.
Here are a few of the cool downloads I’ve been playing with that have made my Windows Vista week a little more stylish and useful.
Windows Sidebar Styler - I wasn’t going to use the Windows sidebar at first, but I thought I would give it a chance for a while and thus far the calender and notes are pretty handy to have there. Windows Sidebar Styler allows you to tweak the look and feel of it (which is needed after a while) and a few other cool features. It is a keeper if you use the sidebar any in Vista.
Logon Studio Vista - This one isn’t helping me as far as performance or getting things done, but have just cool effects and things isn’t always a bad thing. Logon Studio Vista allows you to change the background for the login screen in Vista. There are plenty of pretty ones to choose from too. Just take your pick! Read the rest of this entry »
I’ve been out searching for a program that will allow me to quickly color code the folders on my Vista machine. The only problem is, I can find a lot of good programs that work with Windows XP but this must be a harder task to accomplish on Vista.
This is one of those programs you just happen to stumble upon but you know you have to at least give it a shot. 