ZSoft Uninstaller enables you to keep track of any changes that are made during installation of new software, and later reverse those changes and completely uninstall the newly added program. The program requires you to create a Before/After system snapshot during which it records any files and registry keys that were added or changed during the install. Any program that has been analyzed with a system snapshot can later be removed by reversing all the recorded changes, optionally using a step-by-step process that allows you to confirm every file deletion. ZSoft Uninstaller also provides access to your standard Uninstall list, and allows you to hide or filter entries from the list, thereby shortening it and making it easier to manage. (Ironically, ZSoft Uninstaller does not completely remove itself if you uninstall it, but leaves behind some files and an empty Program menu entry) . Download : Click HereMonday, February 5, 2007
ZSoft Uninstaller - Software Uninstaller
ZSoft Uninstaller enables you to keep track of any changes that are made during installation of new software, and later reverse those changes and completely uninstall the newly added program. The program requires you to create a Before/After system snapshot during which it records any files and registry keys that were added or changed during the install. Any program that has been analyzed with a system snapshot can later be removed by reversing all the recorded changes, optionally using a step-by-step process that allows you to confirm every file deletion. ZSoft Uninstaller also provides access to your standard Uninstall list, and allows you to hide or filter entries from the list, thereby shortening it and making it easier to manage. (Ironically, ZSoft Uninstaller does not completely remove itself if you uninstall it, but leaves behind some files and an empty Program menu entry) . Download : Click HereInstallSpy - Monitor system changes
InstallSpy allows you to track all changes to the registry and file system that take place when a program is installed, uninstalled, or run. It can warn you of programs trying to install new services or programs that are set to run on reboot, make changes to your home page and other things. InstallSpy comes with a step by step wizard that lets you monitor the changes when you are installing new software, as well as detailed configurations that enable you to select which parts of the system should be monitored. The program comes with a built-in FileWatch feature to monitor files and folders for changes, a FileScan feature, a Process Monitor and many advanced filtering and exclusion options. The results are presented in HTML format; unfortunately, this makes them difficult to read and manage. Download : Click HereMyUninstaller - Uninstall software
MyUninstaller is an alternative utility to the standard Add/Remove applet, provided by Windows. It offers more information for each installed program, including product name, company, version, uninstall string, installation folder and more. You can uninstall selected items or remove the entry from the list and also export the list to text or HTML format. Download : Click HereR-Firewall - Personal Firewall
R-Firewall is a personal firewall that allows you to control which applications can access the Internet. It supports application rules based on protocol, IP and ports. During the initial learning mode, you will be asked each time an application is initiating a network connection and have the option to allow or deny it, and also create a rule for future attempts. The program also includes content and email filtering options based on keywords in the URL, picture size, host and other aspects. Download : Click herePeerGuardian 2 - IP address blocker
PeerGuardian 2 is an IP address blocker that can prevent access to thousands of sites. It uses multiple, categorized lists and you can choose which type of site(s) you want to block, including spyware/malware related, advertising related, P2P file sharing related and more. The lists are maintained and updated by a community and you can automatically have the program download the latests lists, and also create your own based on your personal blocking preference. PeerGuardian 2 keeps track of all blocked sites, and you can easily overwrite blocking rules or add new site directly from the log viewer. Download : Click HereConsidering an Upgrade to Windows Vista
The fact that Microsoft is offering several flavors of Windows Vista should not be the primary concern when purchasing a new computer or upgrading an operating system, at least according to one analyst who suggests thinking about the kind of hardware you need first, and only then deciding what operating system you need or want to run on it.
Vista continued to eclipse technology news headlines on Thursday as everybody from industry analysts to tech bloggers to home users chime in on the arrival of Microsoft 's latest operating system.
It seems few of Vista's hundreds of features are left to review. News reports are focusing on almost every aspect of the operating system. Although Vista is getting high praise on many fronts, some reviewers are pointing out issues such as game glitches, problematic voice-command features, and DVD restrictions.
As Bill Gates continues his marketing blitz -- the chairman of Microsoft even appeared on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" and unveiled a virtual version of his collection of Leonardo da Vinci's scientific musings at the British Library on Tuesday -- some analysts are concerned that consumers might be focusing too much on the wrong part of the computing experience.
Why Compute?
"You buy a computer fundamentally to do some sort of job," said Michael Cherry, a senior analyst with Directions on Microsoft. "It's not to play solitaire. Rather than focusing on the operating system, people should be buying the best computer for what it is they need to accomplish,"
Cherry said the fact that Microsoft is offering several flavors of its Vista operating system should not be the primary concern when purchasing a new computer or upgrading an operating system.
Consumers who are looking for a computer to edit their photo collection, he explained, should be more concerned with choosing hardware that has enough storage space and memory to complete the job than with the operating system.
They also should be concerned about whether the photo-editing software is compatible with Vista, he said, noting that the same equation holds true for any other consumer or business use.
Pick Your Flavor
"We are talking about the low-level plumbing instead of the sinks," Cherry argued. "You should look for the best computer to do your job. If it has Vista on it, then that's wonderful. If it has Mac OS X on it but it's still the best computer you can buy to do your job, then buy it."
Once you determine your hardware needs, you can choose one of several editions of Windows Vista for the best software experience you need or want. Vista is available as a stand-alone box of upgrade discs, and bundled as the OS powering countless new PCs.
Upgrading from Windows XP or Windows 2000 will set you back $99 for the Home Basic version, $159 for the Home Premium, or $259 for the Ultimate version.
Vista continued to eclipse technology news headlines on Thursday as everybody from industry analysts to tech bloggers to home users chime in on the arrival of Microsoft 's latest operating system.
It seems few of Vista's hundreds of features are left to review. News reports are focusing on almost every aspect of the operating system. Although Vista is getting high praise on many fronts, some reviewers are pointing out issues such as game glitches, problematic voice-command features, and DVD restrictions.
As Bill Gates continues his marketing blitz -- the chairman of Microsoft even appeared on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" and unveiled a virtual version of his collection of Leonardo da Vinci's scientific musings at the British Library on Tuesday -- some analysts are concerned that consumers might be focusing too much on the wrong part of the computing experience.
Why Compute?
"You buy a computer fundamentally to do some sort of job," said Michael Cherry, a senior analyst with Directions on Microsoft. "It's not to play solitaire. Rather than focusing on the operating system, people should be buying the best computer for what it is they need to accomplish,"
Cherry said the fact that Microsoft is offering several flavors of its Vista operating system should not be the primary concern when purchasing a new computer or upgrading an operating system.
Consumers who are looking for a computer to edit their photo collection, he explained, should be more concerned with choosing hardware that has enough storage space and memory to complete the job than with the operating system.
They also should be concerned about whether the photo-editing software is compatible with Vista, he said, noting that the same equation holds true for any other consumer or business use.
Pick Your Flavor
"We are talking about the low-level plumbing instead of the sinks," Cherry argued. "You should look for the best computer to do your job. If it has Vista on it, then that's wonderful. If it has Mac OS X on it but it's still the best computer you can buy to do your job, then buy it."
Once you determine your hardware needs, you can choose one of several editions of Windows Vista for the best software experience you need or want. Vista is available as a stand-alone box of upgrade discs, and bundled as the OS powering countless new PCs.
Upgrading from Windows XP or Windows 2000 will set you back $99 for the Home Basic version, $159 for the Home Premium, or $259 for the Ultimate version.
Blu-ray and HD DVD Encryption Cracked
The public availability of the encryption keys for Blu-ray and HD DVD movies comes about a month after notorious hacker Muslix64 first cracked the encryption system used by the next-gen DVDs, leading industry experts to believe the Blu-ray and HD DVD cracks will continue.
Hackers now have the keys to the high-def DVD kingdom, leading to serious concerns about the security of DVD player software and the content it is designed to protect on new Blu-ray and HD DVD media.
According to the Advanced Access Content System (AACS) Licensing Authority -- the alliance of motion picture studios and technology companies responsible for the encryption system used to protect Blu-ray and HD DVD content -- hackers have illegally obtained "title keys," also called encryption keys, and used them to decrypt high-definition DVDs.
Hackers have posted the stolen keys on sites such as hdkeys.com for copying and downloading -- allowing anyone to have unauthorized access to the contents of a disc. Whenever a key is made public, it essentially gives people an all-access pass to a decryption free-for-all.
Weakest Link
Security experts say one problem is that HD DVD and Blu-ray discs can be played on a PC, which is too insecure a platform to keep AACS safe.
"The title keys that are used to decrypt the movies will reside somewhere in the PC's memory -- it's just a matter of finding them," explained Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, author of Internet blog PC Doctor. "Sure, programmers can try to be sneaky, but this will only slow down a determined hacker. It's not going to stop them."
The publication of the title keys comes about a month after notorious hacker Muslix64 first cracked the encryption system used by the next-gen DVDs, leading industry experts to believe the cracks will continue. Ed Felten, professor of computer science at Princeton University, said he believes we're in a situation that's not going away.
"What the music industry found was that everything they tried to do to prevent infringing, didn't work," he said. And while movie files are larger than music files -- making them more laborious to copy and download -- what's troubling is the rate at which the attacks occur, he noted.
Biding Time
Kingsley-Hughes said there isn't much the studios can do. Developers involved in creating software players for HD DVD and Blu-ray will no doubt be paying more attention to keeping title keys more secure, but all this does is buy them time. "Studios can change the title keys, but that doesn't help," he said. "One compromised disc is all it takes -- and that movie can be available on [file-sharing networks] in a matter of hours."
Felton said he believes the AACS is not entirely helpless, noting that the organization has developed new ways for the software to hide the encryption keys. But he compared the relationship between the hackers and the AACS to a kind of "arms race." "It's an unfavorable arms race," he said. "In the end we'll continue to see the publication of keys, and people will be able to decrypt these disks."
The AACS Licensing Authority includes such industry heavyweights as Sony , Toshiba, IBM, Warner Bros., and Panasonic.
Hackers now have the keys to the high-def DVD kingdom, leading to serious concerns about the security of DVD player software and the content it is designed to protect on new Blu-ray and HD DVD media.
According to the Advanced Access Content System (AACS) Licensing Authority -- the alliance of motion picture studios and technology companies responsible for the encryption system used to protect Blu-ray and HD DVD content -- hackers have illegally obtained "title keys," also called encryption keys, and used them to decrypt high-definition DVDs.
Hackers have posted the stolen keys on sites such as hdkeys.com for copying and downloading -- allowing anyone to have unauthorized access to the contents of a disc. Whenever a key is made public, it essentially gives people an all-access pass to a decryption free-for-all.
Weakest Link
Security experts say one problem is that HD DVD and Blu-ray discs can be played on a PC, which is too insecure a platform to keep AACS safe.
"The title keys that are used to decrypt the movies will reside somewhere in the PC's memory -- it's just a matter of finding them," explained Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, author of Internet blog PC Doctor. "Sure, programmers can try to be sneaky, but this will only slow down a determined hacker. It's not going to stop them."
The publication of the title keys comes about a month after notorious hacker Muslix64 first cracked the encryption system used by the next-gen DVDs, leading industry experts to believe the cracks will continue. Ed Felten, professor of computer science at Princeton University, said he believes we're in a situation that's not going away.
"What the music industry found was that everything they tried to do to prevent infringing, didn't work," he said. And while movie files are larger than music files -- making them more laborious to copy and download -- what's troubling is the rate at which the attacks occur, he noted.
Biding Time
Kingsley-Hughes said there isn't much the studios can do. Developers involved in creating software players for HD DVD and Blu-ray will no doubt be paying more attention to keeping title keys more secure, but all this does is buy them time. "Studios can change the title keys, but that doesn't help," he said. "One compromised disc is all it takes -- and that movie can be available on [file-sharing networks] in a matter of hours."
Felton said he believes the AACS is not entirely helpless, noting that the organization has developed new ways for the software to hide the encryption keys. But he compared the relationship between the hackers and the AACS to a kind of "arms race." "It's an unfavorable arms race," he said. "In the end we'll continue to see the publication of keys, and people will be able to decrypt these disks."
The AACS Licensing Authority includes such industry heavyweights as Sony , Toshiba, IBM, Warner Bros., and Panasonic.
Google Turbocharges Mini Search Appliance
Google's push to bring the Mini search appliance to small and midsize businesses is not a new strategy. First introduced in 2005, the Google Mini underwent some changes in March 2006 in an attempt to make the appliance more attractive to smaller companies. At that time, Google noted that SMBs do not need the same type of high-powered search functions used by larger enterprises.
Google has updated its Mini search appliance in a fresh bid to win new small and midsize business customers to the all-in-one corporate search product.
The Google Mini is designed to connect to an enterprise network and provide secure search capabilities for employees hunting for documents, applications, and other corporate data. The Mini also can be interfaced with a public Web site so external visitors can find information more quickly in a collection of company-owned content.
New features in the Mini include letting site administrators link search results with a Google-created analytics application, created to provide more detailed information about how people use search on a Web site.
Another improvement comes in the form of the appliance's OneBox feature, which attempts to identify the intent of searches to create a digest of related data. Security also has been upgraded for the Mini, which for the first time will recognize established access settings for users and documents.
Small Business Search
Google's push to bring the Mini to small and midsize businesses is not a new strategy. First introduced in 2005, the Mini underwent some changes in March 2006 in an attempt to make the appliance more attractive to smaller companies.
At that time, Google noted that SMBs tend to have tighter budgets and do not need the same type of high-powered search functions used by larger enterprises. These were realizations that led the firm to begin offering search appliance at lower prices and with different sets of features so users would not have to pay for features they did not want.
With the introduction of several versions of the Mini, the battle for search became a heated one indeed. The SMB market is an attracive one in particular, noted Yankee Group analyst Jennifer Simpson, where appliances are increasingly valued for their ease of use and quick installation times.
Company Minded
In December, IBM and Yahoo launched a free, entry-level search application called IBM OmniFind Yahoo Edition, which can index up to 500,000 documents. One advantage that Google might have over competing offerings such as this is that the Mini appliance has been available in several versions for over a year, and the company has continued to improve it.
Also setting Google apart might be its name recognition, Simpson noted. Although there are several contenders in the enterprise-search space, the dominance of Google in consumer-based searches could have an impact on how it is perceived as an option for corporate search.
"Google's definitely in the top spot when it comes to user searches," said Simpson. "They're pretty much the one to beat, because they're so popular across the board."
The new Google Mini appliance is available starting at $1,995, in configurations that allow users to search between 50,000 and 300,000 documents.
Google has updated its Mini search appliance in a fresh bid to win new small and midsize business customers to the all-in-one corporate search product.
The Google Mini is designed to connect to an enterprise network and provide secure search capabilities for employees hunting for documents, applications, and other corporate data. The Mini also can be interfaced with a public Web site so external visitors can find information more quickly in a collection of company-owned content.
New features in the Mini include letting site administrators link search results with a Google-created analytics application, created to provide more detailed information about how people use search on a Web site.
Another improvement comes in the form of the appliance's OneBox feature, which attempts to identify the intent of searches to create a digest of related data. Security also has been upgraded for the Mini, which for the first time will recognize established access settings for users and documents.
Small Business Search
Google's push to bring the Mini to small and midsize businesses is not a new strategy. First introduced in 2005, the Mini underwent some changes in March 2006 in an attempt to make the appliance more attractive to smaller companies.
At that time, Google noted that SMBs tend to have tighter budgets and do not need the same type of high-powered search functions used by larger enterprises. These were realizations that led the firm to begin offering search appliance at lower prices and with different sets of features so users would not have to pay for features they did not want.
With the introduction of several versions of the Mini, the battle for search became a heated one indeed. The SMB market is an attracive one in particular, noted Yankee Group analyst Jennifer Simpson, where appliances are increasingly valued for their ease of use and quick installation times.
Company Minded
In December, IBM and Yahoo launched a free, entry-level search application called IBM OmniFind Yahoo Edition, which can index up to 500,000 documents. One advantage that Google might have over competing offerings such as this is that the Mini appliance has been available in several versions for over a year, and the company has continued to improve it.
Also setting Google apart might be its name recognition, Simpson noted. Although there are several contenders in the enterprise-search space, the dominance of Google in consumer-based searches could have an impact on how it is perceived as an option for corporate search.
"Google's definitely in the top spot when it comes to user searches," said Simpson. "They're pretty much the one to beat, because they're so popular across the board."
The new Google Mini appliance is available starting at $1,995, in configurations that allow users to search between 50,000 and 300,000 documents.
Filseclab Personal Firewall
Filseclab Personal Firewall is a personal firewall that allows you to control which programs can access the Internet and at what times. It offers an automated rules wizard that will prompt you for action whenever an incoming or outgoing connection is detected, that does not match any of the existing rule sets. You can then choose to grant or deny access, and automatically create a rule for it. The firewall also allows you to create rules manually and supports rules for applications, intranet, network type and time. In addition to connection filtering, the program also offers browser independent web site access filtering, that allows you to block specified sites or limit access to a list of sites. Additional features include control of ICMP packets, traffic graph display, three security levels and more. The interface is a little small (and a little confusing), but overall, Filseclab Personal Firewall offers some good features.Download : Click Here
PC Tools Firewall Plus - Personal firewall
PC Tools Firewall Plus is a personal firewall that monitors incoming and outgoing traffic on your computer and allows to to create rules to limit and control network connections. The program includes an application level firewall as well as a rule based TCP/IP firewall. The default settings of the firewall will prevent several common attacks while allowing normal internet traffic. You can create your own rules using protocol, port and IP address - however it requires some experience with TCP/IP configuration, as no documentation is provided. The integrated application filtering engine will prompt you each time an unknown program is trying to connect to the Internet, giving you the option to block or allow current and future activities by the same program. Requires free registration after 30 days. Download : Click Here
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