Back to Columbus's Home Page
Note: the text and links that follow are a mixture of extracts from several sources, including the email newsletter by the Lockergnome©, technical notes and tips from ZDNET, articles from various magazines including Australian PC World, and notes by me to myself! Some comments are mine, some are by others; this page is simply something of a "URL clearing house" for me, and ought to be viewed in that vein!
AutoDialogs v1.0.37 Beta 2 [310k] W9x/NT FREE
http://www.metaproducts.com/download/adsetup.exe
http://www.metaproducts.com/mpAD-AY.html
When you need to open or save a file, do you find yourself wasting time because of repetitious folder navigation? If so, then AutoDialogs is a godsend (it should work with most applications). Configure a list of your most frequently-accessed folders, then when an open/save dialog pops up, you're only a click away from your destination.
Subliminal Messages v3.0 [2.2M] W9x/NT FREE
http://www.jeffguy.com/download/subliminal.exe
http://www.jeffguy.com/software/index.htm
Sometimes you have to read between the lines. It's like those random dot stereograms--you have to relax your eyes before you can see something which isn't sitting directly on the surface. In a similar vein, your computer can now display subliminal messages (of your choice) without intervention. If you're trying to get into (or out of) a habit, give this puppy a whirl. Before you know it, you won't know what hit you. That's the whole idea (you really want to download this tool).
CuteMAP v1.0 [536k] W9x/NT FREE
ftp://ftp1.cuteftp.com/pub/cutemap/cutem10.exe
http://www.globalscape.com/
You're probably aware of CuteFTP (a killer client), but have you heard about their new development? It is perhaps the best Imagemap program around, ( like how HTML code can is seen up front and refreshed on-the-fly).
XXCalc v0.6 [62k] W9x/NT FREE
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lab/7095/XXCalc.Zip
http://www.angelfire.com/wa/woodyvb/betazone.html
There's a tried and true application that's been around for a long while in Windows: the calculator. Of course, its interface leaves much to be desired--but the applet adds, subtracts, multiplies, and divides divinely. It's about time that someone developed a skinnable calculator! XXCalc has all the same, basic calculator functionality, but (on top of this) you'll be able change its appearance with downloadable skins from Skins.org.
GameBar v2.0 [1.3M] W9x/NT FREE
http://users.snip.net/~tressler/gamebar2.zip
http://users.snip.net/~tressler/gamebar.htm
A few short years ago, you didn't need a top-of-the-line card to play the hottest titles. Of course, we always throw nostalgia into the back seat after we take a look at any given high-res, three-dimensional diversion! The problem: different games run better in the different resolutions. Instead of changing your display settings every time you play a particular game, use Gamebar to switch them for you automatically.
Copying Machine v1.13 [1.2M] W9x/NT FREE
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/4042/copymach.zip
http://www.meusesoft.com/
We may not use our scanners every day, but when we need to get an immediate copy of a document or photograph, this software will automatically turn that peripheral into a personal copying machine.
Adlor's Stationery Creation Tool v1.1 [1.7M] W9x/NT FREE
http://pages.preferred.com/~adlor/AdStat.zip
http://pages.preferred.com/~adlor/
Outlook Express introduced 'Stationery' to our HTML e-mail vocabulary. For the most part, it was a welcome addition. That is, until people started to abuse the "right." Before you go wild and crazy with this gizmo, keep in mind that not everybody has speedy Internet connections. Using a background image that is 100k in size isn't incredibly smart. If you have no clue as to how to create simple stationery (with images and sound), Adlor's tool will help.
Drag Tag v2.0 [43k] W9x/NT FREE
http://awdsites.com/software/zips/dTag.zip
http://awdsites.com/software/dTag.htm
Drag Tag is a time saver--especially if you deal with changing images on your Web page(s) on a regular basis. Simply launch the program, drag & drop an image (GIF or JPG) onto it, and the <IMG> HTML tag will automatically be copied to the clipboard. It'll automatically add the SRC, HEIGHT, WIDTH, BORDER, and ALT attributes to the tag. Drag, drop, paste, upload, go!
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Campus/7779/spinbmp.zip
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Campus/7779/qtam.html.
Seeing clouds every time you boot up can get a little mundane. And you already know that there replacement screen repositories all over the Web where you may find alternatives. The Windows 9x startup screens are relatively easy to create--any advanced image editor can handle the task. But what about adding basic animation? If you're into rearranging hexadecimal codes by hand, this utility probably won't impress you. However, the rest of us will appreciate QTam Spin Palette BMP's simplicity. Turn a regular image into an animated logo in no time.
YTS Words Suite http://www.dcalcoda.com/.
The most complete and extensive solution to word-management, a central repository offering instant system-wide, easily configured Hotkeys, on-the-fly access to 160,000 word Definitions Dictionary, 14 different language spelling dictionaries and 30,000 word Roget's 1911 Thesaurus lookup. And YTSEditor, your full featured Notepad replacement.
TaskbarHide v1.0b [119k] W9x/NT FREE
http://users.cybercity.dk/~dko1437/tbhide/tbhid10b.zip
http://users.cybercity.dk/~dko1437/tbhide/
Come out, come out--wherever you are! Does your Taskbar stay on top all the time, or do you have it set to disappear when not in use? To maximize screen real estate, it's wise to keep that puppy hidden. I'm sure you know that the Taskbar is still there--does that tiny line which remains annoy you? TaskbarHide will wipe it off the screen! Now your background image may look cleaner (there's no 'line' to cut off a border), plus you'll gain a pixel or two in resolution. Every bit counts! Your Taskbar will still be there--only hidden... for REAL.
IconShop v1.13 [90k] W9x/NT FREE
http://www.ping.be/liontech/IconShop.zip
http://www.ping.be/liontech/
This program allows the Windows user to view and export Macintosh icons (as well as view ICL files)! There is NO OTHER product like this one available--I've looked high (and low). If you like Windows icons, and you're looking for better replacements, now you can check out ANY GIVEN Macintosh one on your PC. Of course, you'll need separate utilities (BinHex, StuffIt, etc.) to get the icons out of their compressed state. But once you've done that--you'll see why most Mac icons are much BETTER looking than PC ones.
Joystick's Friend v1.00 [1.4M] W9x/NT US$15
http://bstar.net/joystick/joystick.zip
http://bstar.net/joystick/
Joystick's Friend will allow you to play non-joystick-enabled games with your joystick. It remaps keyboard controls to your game controller; quite a fantastic tweak that's been long overdue. "Classic" game players: rejoice!
Sometimes it's not easy to tell when a Web page was last updated. If the author doesn't show you outright, you should be able to find out with a snippet of JavaScript code. Open your JavaScript-enabled Web browser and type the following on the Address line: javascript:alert(document.lastModified) -- hit Enter, and a dialog box should pop up with the time & date of the last page modification. It's a simple trick you should keep up your sleeve should the need arise.
Haven't installed a DVD drive quite yet? Here's a way to turn on the DVD functionality of the Windows Media Player! Open Regedit, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > MediaPlayer > Player > Settings. Right-click on the Settings key and choose New > String Value. Name that string "EnableDVDUI" (without the quotes). For the value, use "yes" (again, without the quotes). Next time you start Windows Media Player, you should have DVD viewing abilities
Pete Beim's [Unofficial] Eudora FAQs & Links
Unearthed by Joe Fisher
http://www.cs.nwu.edu/~beim/eudora/
Evolvable WebTest v4.0 [2.0M] W9x/NT FREE
http://www.evolvable.com/ewebtest.exe
http://www.evolvable.com/webtest.htm
Wise Web developers always test their pages under a variety of circumstances: operating system, browser type, browser version, screen resolution, color depth, etc.. It's also important to remember server-side variables like: how many hits can your site endure before there is a noticeable slowdown? Evolvable WebTest was designed to put your site under a great deal of stress so that you might see (first hand) the effects of heavy traffic. Does your Web host pass the test, or is it time to find a new carrier?
Y2k Specialist
http://www.y2kspecialist.com/
Change Case v2.5 [152k] W9x/NT FREE
http://members.tripod.com/~zealsoft/chgcse25.zip
http://www.netease.com/~zealsoft/chgcase.html
Some users like their folders and filenames to contain nothing but lowercase letters; other users we want to see each character capitalized. And then there's the splitter group who wants only the first letters of a folder/filename capitalized. Well, no matter which of those groups you fall into, this utility will help. With the click of a button, you can change the case structure of all filenames/folders in any given directory (and subdirectories, too)!
UnPlugged v1.0 [121k] W9x/NT FREE
http://members.xoom.com/rambo/up_all.exe
http://www.filtermeister.com/unplugged/
Creating special effects with your scanned photos can be fun. You might find your image program's range of "toys" a bit limited, though. Whether you're running PhotoShop, PhotoImpact, Paint Shop Pro 5.0, or any other graphics editor capable of handling third-party plug-ins, this collection is for you. Once loaded, you'll have a new variety of effects at your disposal (to be used on any graphic).
Cool Netscape command line options into separate tips, at this excellent (and official) Netscape page. http://developer.netscape.com/docs/manuals/deploymt/options.htm
Browser Compatibility Check
Don't release your site to the world without knowing who can view it. Use this new online tool to see which browsers are compatible with your site.
http://www.zdnet.com/devhead/resources/tools/browsercheck/
Great font site:
http://www.fontface.com/
Paste & Save v1.04 [227k] W9x FREE
ftp://ftp.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/win95/desktop/pnsav104.zip
http://dzs.8m.com/paste.htm
'Paste & Save' will sit quietly in your System Tray... every time you paste text somewhere, it'll log the date & time and include the snippet. This would be nice to have if you'd like to monitor rudimentary editing activities.
Push the Freakin' Button v1.04 [130k] W9x/NT FREE
Found by John Krueger
http://www.bobos.demon.co.uk/par/dnloads/ptfb/PTFB104.zip
http://www.bobos.demon.co.uk/par/
"Internet Explorer 5 Companion" (published by the makers of .net magazine).
http://www.futurenet.com/net/ie5/default.htm
URL CLIPtomania v1.0 [280k] W9x/NT FREE
http://sm97.hypermart.net/urlcliptomania/clipto_fe.zip
http://sm97.hypermart.net/urlcliptomania/
When a URL is copied to the clipboard, URL CLIPtomania will automatically "record" it in a log file (of sorts). You can edit, delete, or save the ever-expanding list of URLs at any time.
Internet Explorer 5.0 Web Accessories
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/Ie/WebAccess/default.ASP
The first page you should visit after downloading IE5 is THIS one. There's no better time like the present to check out some awesome add-ons to Microsoft's latest browser.
ICQ Plus v1.01 [1.5M] W9x/NT FREE
ftp://ftp.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/win95/inet/iplus101.zip
http://members.xoom.com/icqplus/
Never liked the ICQ User Interface? With ICQ Plus, you can easily change the program's appearance.
TypingMaster's Games v4.5 [1.3M] W9x/NT FREE
ftp://ftp.cdrom.com/pub/simtelnet/win95/edu/tmgame45.zip
http://www.typingmaster.com/games.htm
This site offers skill-building "typing games" as well as a Java applet in which you may test your typing skills and speed.
Outlook 98 & Outlook Express tricks for sending HTML mail etc:
http://www.davisstraub.com/secrets/
Creative Labs' Most Recent Updates
http://support.soundblaster.com/files/newfiles.asp
X-Files Sound Archive
http://www.thex-philes.org/kitsunegari/
http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/downloads/corporate.asp
Enough people complained to Microsoft about not being able to save the WindowsUpdate downloads to disk for installation at a later time. This page should be bookmarked so that every time you reinstall Windows 98, you don't have to keep heading back to the WindowsUpdate site for system patches. It even includes the Zero Administration Kit for Windows 98!
Here's a great idea for those of us who use multiple browsers on our systems. We need a way to open Internet shortcuts in either Netscape or IE (or Opera, for that matter) without changing his default browser. Open up the Windows Explorer, go to View, Folder Options, select the File Type tab, then find the Internet shortcut file type. Click on 'New' and add 'View with Netscape' (or whatever your non-default browser is) and set Netscape as the application for that option. Now, when you right-click on an Internet shortcut, you'll be able to open it up easily in IE, Netscape, Opera, etc.
The biggest problem with rich-text e-mail is that many mail systems aren't currently configured to support HTML. Fixing this may be as easy as changing a configuration setting in a mail server. In other cases, e-mail client programs must be updated. A good test of whether your e-mail system is equipped to display HTML mail is provided by Woody's Office Watch, an e-mail newsletter. Send a blank message to testHTML@wopr.com. A robot sends you back a rich-text message. If you can read it, great. If it looks weird, the message gives you tips on how to fix it.
ICQ Rescue: Use this backup tool to make sure you'll never lose your contact lists, bookmarks or message history. You simply choose where to store the backup and Rescue does the rest. (Free/Win-95-98-NT ftp://ftp.zdnet.nis.newscorp.com/pub/private/sWlIB/internet/chat_irc/icqresue.zip
NewURL v0.99 [25K] W9x/NT FREE
http://users.cybercity.dk/~ccc20280/newurl.exe
http://users.cybercity.dk/~ccc20280/vb99.htm
You simply launch the program, enter the title, URL type, and actual web address, and it'll create a ready-to-use IE4 Internet Shortcut (by default, it will save it in the same directory as the program). This program is also compatible with Simulbrowse.
CD-ROM god v5.5 [1.1M] W9x FREE
http://members.xoom.com/cdromgod/cdgod55.exe
http://welcome.to/cdromgod/
Windows 9x makes it relatively simple to make a boot disk, but sometimes it doesn't recognize your CD-ROM drive. That can be a problem, especially if you need CD-ROM access from the command prompt outside of Windows. Time to "pray" to the CD-ROM god. It runs from the command prompt, and as long as you can guestimate what kind of CD-ROM you have, it'll create a boot disk for you (replete with CD-ROM drivers). It knows of 50+ different types, so there's a strong chance it can work for you.
A Few Scanning Tips
http://www.scantips.com/
Master Scanner Wayne Fulton has compiled a site with all the "best" & most useful scanning tips around.
IconPlanet
http://www.iconplanet.com/
TrayWeather v1.0 [650k] W9x/NT FREE
http://members.tripod.com/~adanil/tweath.zip
http://members.tripod.com/~adanil/tweather.html
Don't let the file size fool ya, this is a relatively tiny app. I've been looking for something that'll give me the local temperature at the click of a button. The UI is clean, and it runs from your System Tray. In fact, the graphic will change depending on what kind of weather you're having.
BIGpage 1.51 [382k] W9x/NT FREE
http://www.spidersoft.com/bigpage/bigpage151.exe
http://www.spidersoft.com/
Wouldn't it be nifty to surf the Internet on the PC with a remote control? When you're using BIGpage, your favorite sites are merely a click away. The program looks (and acts) like a remote control on your screen.
Sequential Folder Creator v1.0 [38k] W9x/NT FREE
http://www.mboxall.demon.co.uk/freeware/SFC10.exe
http://www.mboxall.demon.co.uk/
"Hadley, I need you to create 137 folders in this particular folder." No problem, boss! One little, two little, three little folders... this is becoming a pain. I need to download the Sequential Folder Creator. With it, I can easily create any given number of folders with the click of a button.
The Cleaner v1.02 [159k] W9x/NT FREE
ftp://mirrors.aol.com/pub/simtelnet/win95/email/clean102.zip
I typically delete anything that has fourteen 'greater than' symbols preceding each line: > > > > > -- Here's a program that will remove all that extra junk from those messages. That's all it does, but it works well.
Skins.org
http://www.skinz.org/
Most of you already know that there are Windows UI changers (eFX & WindowsBlinds), and who doesn't have at least one extra WinAmp skin on file? The idea of skins is pretty darn cool; with skins, you can apply new "looks" to certain "skinnable" programs. Well, here's a site where you can grab all the latest (and coolest) skins!
Magic Mail Monitor v2.52 [58k] W9x/NT FREE
Found by Kevin Camilleri
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/2576/magic.zip
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/2576/
Want another great way to access messages sitting in your e-mailbox without downloading them first? This "magical" program handles an unlimited number of accounts, sports a familiar Explorer-like interface, has message header preview functionality, allows you to perform "quick" replies, sends, deletes, and views.
Cupertino v1998-10-10 [301k] W9x/NT FREE
Found by Christopher Nye
http://members.xoom.com/seanhu/Cupertino.zip
http://members.xoom.com/seanhu/
Getting a file from one computer to another is usually an easy task. If two computers are sitting across the room from one another, it's simple to do. And, of course, copying a file from your computer to an FTP site isn't a problem. But what about copying or moving files between two different FTP sites? Cupertino is like most other FTP clients (drag & drop, keyboard controls, local-to-remote & remote-to-local file transfers, etc.). But it's unique in the sense that it'll allow you to copy, move, and/or delete multiple items (including directories) between two different FTP servers or within the same FTP server.
CLOX 2000 v6.1 [2.4M] W9x/NT FREE
ftp://ftp.direct.ca/pub/tucows/files3/clox2000.exe
http://www.mirage1.u-net.com/clox.htm
What if you've got to keep track of what time it is on the other side of the world? Or even on the other side of your continent? CLOX 2000 will allow you to view the time in up to five other time zones simultaneously--all from ONE program. There's even a "Daylight Map" which shows where the sun is currently shining.
NexEncode Studio v2.0 [3.0M] W9x/NT FREE
http://nexgen.htonline.com/download/ncodes20.exe
http://nexgen.htonline.com/nexaudio/encoders/index.htm
This program provides an EXCELLENT way to convert WAV files & CD songs into MP3 format. The UI is beautiful, and the speed is on par with other "rippers".
Tray Shortcuts v3.2 [15k] W9x/NT FREE
http://www.cyberramp.net/~clovis/tscuts.zip
To use this (incredibly small) program, simply place shortcuts you'd like to have show up in your System Tray in any given folder, "Browse" to that folder, and voila! You can configure Tray Shortcuts to respond to single or double clicks, too.
Trouble In Paradise (TIP) v2.0 [66k] W9x/NT FREE
ftp://grc.com/tip.exe
http://grc.com/clickdeath.htm
Most Iomega drive owners have heard of (but not actually heard) the "Click of Death" before; once you hear it, there's almost no hope for salvaging the drive or the disk currently inside the drive. But how can you tell if the CoD is about to happen? You can't. But with this (updated) utility, you can run diagnostics on both your Zip & Jaz drives and their disks... which could potentially save you from an impending disaster!
This unique "capture" program will copy text that can't normally be copied to the clipboard: text from menus, dialog & message boxes, status lines, lists, etc.. As long as you're copying text that's using a registered font, this thing actually works (and very well). I suppose it's okay to "take" this download--it would be a crime not to do so.
http://www.structurise.com/Kleptomania.exe
http://www.structurise.com/kleptomania/
MouseImp v0.5 [313k] W9x/NT FREE
http://www.tv4studios.com/downloads/mouseimp.exe
http://www.tv4studios.com/eng/holidays/
Using a scroll bar is the biggest trick (one often over- and undershoots it). Then I tried MouseImp. It's perfect for those of us who are having difficulties manipulating the mouse cursor; you can "scroll" ANYWHERE in a window by clicking, holding, and dragging. MouseImp will also "shrink Windows" temporarily out of your way. This puppy should work with any mouse on any system.
PC-Pine v4.0 [1.4M] W9x/NT FREE
ftp://ftp.cac.washington.edu/pine/pcpine/pm405w32.zip
http://www.washington.edu/pine/pc-pine/
The other day, my e-mailbox bloated to 30 megabytes in size (overnight). I couldn't grab any e-mail through Outlook (or Outlook Express); POP3 would stop cold, and IMAP wasn't working properly through my two favorite mail programs. I tried loading Pine through my shell account, and that didn't work either. My system administrator told me to check out PC-Pine... I'm glad I did. It's wonderful! If you want to check your e-mail remotely (IMAP), this works great. It was the only thing I could use to delete all the unwanted messages on my server.
Win-Res-Q v1.0 [139k] W9x/NT FREE
http://www.magnetiq.com/programs/winresq10.zip
http://www.magnetiq.com/
When Explorer crashes, you usually lose all those icons sitting in your System Tray (like your Internet Connection, System Resource Monitor, etc.). If you need to access a program whose icon isn't visible anymore, instead of rebooting, run this program. Just select which process you wish to see and it should show up again (WARNING: all Windows processes are listed)!
Xara 3D v3.0 [895k] W9x/NT US$40
http://www.xara.com/software/xara3d3n.exe
http://www.xara.com/xara3d/
If you're considering doing anything three-dimensionalish with text, you can't be without this new version (now you can do shadows and different animations). Within a matter of seconds, you can have a "text graphic" customized, saved (GIF, BMP, JPG, etc.), and ready to be posted to your website.
TClockEx v1.3 [388k] W9x/NT FREE
http://users.iafrica.com/d/da/dalen/files/tclockex.exe
http://users.iafrica.com/d/da/dalen/tclockex.htm
This is exactly what Microsoft should have done with their System Tray clock! You can configure what data shows up in the Tray (and ToolTip) as well as how it appears: day, month, year, minute, second, week, time zone... even display basic system resources. Everything imaginable is configurable to your liking. I can't think of any reason you wouldn't want to use this. Two o'clock thumbs up!
TweakJr 99 v1.0 [238k] W9x FREE
http://home3.swipnet.se/~w-31362/program/TweakJr99v10.exe
http://home3.swipnet.se/~w-31362/tweakjreng.htm
Tweak the "startup" programs, the Windows interface, miscellaneous security settings, etc. Free registration is available at the author's site.
IE4 Tweakin' Tool v1.0b [44k] W9x/NT4 FREE
http://www.digitalspider.co.uk/tweak/ie4tk10b.zip
http://www.digitalspider.co.uk/tweak/
If you're wanting to tweak IE4 (or 4.01), don't be without this tool. It'll help you rename titles, remove splash screens, fix problems you might be having, and even help you with your Start Menu. If you use IE4 or W98, you NEED this fantastic tool.
BrowserSizer v1.03a [469k] W9x/NT FREE and BROWSERMASTER
http://www.vasile.com/racecar/stampware/download/bszr103a.zip
http://www.vasile.com/racecar/stampware/browsersizer/default.asp
Normally, you have to switch between resolutions to make sure your HTML is okay. With BrowserSizer, simply click a button and your browser will (smartly) resize itself to "fit" the resolution in which you want to view it. It's free to use, but the author requests you send him a stamp. Small price to pay, eh?
WAVclean v1.5 [727k] W9x/NT4 SW$20
http://www.excla.com/WAVclean/English/WAVclean15E.exe
http://www.excla.com/WAVclean/English/
When was the last time you downloaded a WAV file only to discover its quality was sub-par? Sure, you could use a fancy editor with all the bells & whistles to tweak the sound, but this proggie does the job quickly, easily, and efficiently. WAVClean turns poor 8-bit sounds to great 16-bit sounds, eliminates hiss & background noises, and works with both mono & stereo recordings! Wave good-bye to bad-sounding WAVs forever...
Swingware Daily Sounds
http://swingware.com/sound/
Quotes from movies, television shows, cartoons, theme songs, and (as you can imagine) quite a bit more. And if you can't find what you want, you can always make a request.
Registry hacker:
The best utility that you can use to configure the hidden Windows 95 settings. Some of the features include, ability to rename or change the icon of any shell folder (such as My Computer, Recycle Bin), Add / Remove specific shell folders from My Computer or the Desktop, show Windows Bitmaps as thumbnails in Explorer and more..
http://www.wedgesoftware.com
The Midi City
http://www.themidicity.com/
While the site might not have every MIDI file in existence, one of the better features is the "MTV Top 20" listing. So, if you
want to keep your MIDI collection up to date, don't hesitate to drive through the Midi city.
Smilie replacement for Windows95 START Button, and tips on how to hack your own.
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6508/hb_howto.html
http://www.geocities.com/athens/6508/
Johann's Plugin Manager v2.0 [2.1M] 9x/NT US$35
http://johann.simplenet.com/software/files/plugmgr20en.zip
http://johann.simplenet.com/
Do the filters in your graphics editor seem mundane? Johann to the rescue! With his Plug-in Manager you can get a live preview of all your plug-ins (installed or not) and selectively render unwanted plug-ins invisible. Don't have plug-ins? Download some through the links at Johann's site. This manager works with any Adobe PhotoShop-compatible plug-in (Paint Shop Pro v5.0 users can use these plug-ins, too). Once you start using plug-ins, forever will they dominate your destiny.
Spurt v1.1.2 [145k] 9x/NT FREE
http://ww1.comteck.com/~drhamy/spurt.exe
http://ww1.comteck.com/~drhamy/spurt.htm
Clicking on an e-mail address should bring up your default e-mail client. Clicking on a web address should bring up your default web browser. But when you click on an FTP URL, your default web browser launches as well. Sounds insane, but it's a "bug" that's been squished with SPURT. This small program will recognize when an FTP URL is trying to be accessed by your web browser--and it'll then send that FTP URL to your default FTP program and bring it up in there. Sleek! VB5 runtimes required (full version can be downloaded from the site).
HTML 4.0 Reference [298k] 9x/NT FREE
http://www.htmlhelp.com/distribution/wdghtml40.zip
http://www.htmlhelp.com/reference/html40/
I won't consider anyone a web designer unless they *know* HTML. Anyone can use a WYSIWYG editor, and those sites typically don't look as professional. That'd be like me considering myself a chef just because I boiled some water. But where can one turn to for HTML guidance? This help file has been in development for a long time, and now it includes the HTML 4.0 standards. Find out if you're writing HTML correctly, or if you need to tweak your code somewhat. Just because it looks good, doesn't mean it's right.
Modem Help
http://www.modemhelp.com/
Modems are easy to install and use. And if you believe that, you need to get out more. If it has to do with a modem,
it's probably on this site. They've got diagnostics, FAQs, installation aid, troubleshooting tips, reviews, tutorials, and so
much more. Finally, modems are demystified!
Free Japanese Name
http://www.incl.or.jp/~cameron/japanes_names.htm
Ever wonder what your name (or company's name) looks like in Japanese? Probably not, but it might come in handy if you want to impress potential Japanese customers! Just enter what you want translated, what font, script, and color you want to use, and the graphic will be e-mailed to you.
USING THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE
* If you're wanting to get info from the Microsoft Knowledge Base, simply e-mail mshelp@microsoft.com with the article number as your subject.
RED TED Bakehead Editor v1.0 [1.3M] 9x/NT US$25
http://www.zantech-systems.com/headcase/bh100.zip
http://www.redted.mcmail.com/
Headcase player ... you can play any WAV file and it'll show an animated face doing the "talking". Now (with this editor) you can create your own faces! Edit your own pictures for use with the Headcase player.
BABEL (Computer Acronyms)
http://www.access.digex.net/~ikind/babel.html
Can't figure out what 'EEPROM' stands for? What about 'SCSI'? Check out this comprehensive Glossary of Computer Oriented Abbreviations and Acronyms. Even if you think you know everything about abbreviations, you still might like the Country Domain Names listing at the bottom of the page--it lists the two-letter abbreviations that represent country names used in Internet addresses. Abbreviations may be small, but this resource certainly isn't.
EyeDropper v1.0 [120k] 9x/NT FREE
http://www.inetia.com/eyedropper.zip
http://www.inetia.com/eyedroppereng.asp
HTML coders and graphic designers, how many times have you wanted to use a color that you see on the screen, but can't seem to replicate it in your editor? Then you need to start using this eyedropper. Merely hover the cursor directly over the color you're wanting, and it'll show you the RGB code for it. It sits in the System Tray, so it stays in memory and out of your way.
Desktop Theme source sites, as recommended by Desktop Theme Installer:
http://www.crypted.com/themes.htm
http://www.apci.net/~steveb/
http://www.themesplus.com/
http://spyder.interspeed.net/index2.html
http://themes.tierranet.com/
http://www.klotsnet.com/themes/
http://209.8.76.171/
http://www.95themes.com/
http://wkweb1.cableinet.co.uk/alistair
http://www.thethemedoctor.com/
ftp://ftp.monash.edu.au/pub/uploads/win95.THEMES.76235/.wt/
http://station.nasa.gov/gallery/theme/
Earth Views Wallpaper Collection v1.0 [2.3M] FREE
http://www.graphicsdepot.com/gd/gdeview.zip
http://www.graphicsdepot.com/waeart.html
Cute FTP author's home download site:
http://ftp.papa.indstate.edu/winsock-l/ftp
File Investigator v1.21 [222k] 95/98 FREE
http://members.home.net/robzirnstein/fi121.exe
http://members.home.net/robzirnstein/
Extensions are great ways of telling us (at a quick glance) what kind of file a file happens to be. TXT usually means a file is a plain text file, EXE usually means the file is an executable file (a program). But sometimes extensions don't match up with the file's contents. That's when you should call in the File Investigator. It'll look past the extension and tell you exactly what kind of file you have on your hands. A newer, more complete shareware version is also available.
MMXTest [43k] 9x/NT FREE
ftp://mirrors.aol.com/pub/simtelnet/win95/util/mmxtest.zip
http://www.calsci.com/
Not sure if you've got an MMX processor? Run this program and find out. This detects what family of processor you have, shows the presence of MMX (or lack thereof), and then performs a speed comparison of MMX instructions vs. non-MMX instructions.
Search & Replace 98 [257k] 9x/NT FREE
http://www.andromeda.co.za/srhtml-98i.exe
http://www.andromeda.co.za/srhtml98.html
Windows 98 comes with a much enhanced find applet (much better than Windows 95's). But where's the "replace" functionality? This could come in handy for HTML coders who need to replace certain entries in dozens of web pages on their hard drive. Search & Replace 98 has a great new interface and can be used by both novices and professionals.
Notify CD Player v1.51.3 [122k] W9x/NT4 FREE
http://www.artech.se/~mlt/software/ntfycd.zip
http://www.artech.se/~mlt/software/
It's smaller, faster, better, and FREE. When you pop in a new CD (and are online), it'll connect to www.cddb.com and automatically show you the album & track titles. No more typing!
Bizarre Stuff You Can Make in Your Kitchen
http://freeweb.pdq.net/headstrong/
This site is filled to the brim with cool stuff that you (and perhaps your children) can create with household items. Make slime, smoke, and even a crystal garden. Become the MacGuyver you've always wanted to be!
Neatish site about Kabbala, with basic tree and tolerable intro:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/9991/kabbalah.html
Whip Your Site Into Tip-Top Shape
If your site is larger than a few pages, you can benefit from sound site-management practices. Not only will you find out how to lead 'bots around by the nose, but you'll learn all you need to know about link validation, orphan detection, site analysis, and more at Site Management ToolsUser.
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/zdnu980302001/www.zdnet.com/products/sitemanagementtoolsuser.html
What the heck can you use that stupid WinKey for? Ya know, the key that's on newer keyboards in between Ctrl and Alt? Here's a comprehensive list:
* WinKey + E = Opens Explorer
* WinKey + F = Opens Find
* WinKey + R = Opens Run
* WinKey + Pause = Opens System Properties
* WinKey + D = Maximize / Minimize all windows
* WinKey + M = Minimize all windows
* WinKey + Shift + M = Maximize all "WinKey + E" minimized windows
* WinKey + Tab = Flip between open apps in the taskbar
PictureDicer v0.39 [450k] 9x/NT4 FREE
http://www.ziplink.net/~shoestring/dicer039.zip
http://www.ziplink.net/~shoestring/dicer01.htm
I get supremely annoyed when I check out a site with a 249k imagemap and no text links. Enter PictureDicer: a great tool that slices any large image into several smaller images and the accompanying HTML code. Even though you'll have smaller graphics, it will still *appear* the same in your web browser. Your visitors won't have to wait for one LARGE image anymore, and you won't have to worry about the code. PictureDicer figures it out for you.
HexaBit Junior
Web browser for kids (requires IE4 to be installed)
Rating: ****
Operating System: Windows 95
Compressed Size: 424,073 bytes
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/expa19980304/www.hotfiles.com/?000FJ5
DRS TeleScreen-32 LE
Use a Teleprompter-style text scroller
Rating: ****
Operating System: Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0
Compressed Size: 966,222 bytes
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/expa19980318/www.hotfiles.com/?000P3S
Picture and Sound Show
Save your screen with .bmp & audio files
Compressed Size: 124,899 bytes
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/expa19980402/www.hotfiles.com/?000PJH
Wild occulty page, about tetrahedrons etc, sent to me by Mark Ainsworth:
Sacred Geometry Discovery by J. Vincent Beall
http://home.dmv.com/~vincent/
Josh's new webpage 17/4/98: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Stadium/4406/
Wholesale URL submission sites that post your information to as many search engines as possible, free.
Submit-It - http://www.submit-it.com and
PostMaster - http://www.netcreations.com/postmaster/index.html
US PC World's free Universal Spreadsheet Convertor - converts input from any brand of spreadsheet to HTML tables:
http://www.pcworld.com/cgi-bin/tabdemo.pl
FOR SETTING UP MULTIPLE ISPS FOR INTERNET EXPLORER - from
Australian PC World magazine's HELP SCREEN section
at http://www.idg.com.au/pc.world . Their email is pcworld@idg.com.au
Back up user.dat and system.dat from c:\Windows.
Run Regedit.
Locate branch: [HKEY-CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Internet Explorer], and highlight the branch by clicking on it.
IN the menu, choode Registry-Export Rigistry File, in the export registry dialogue box choose Selected Branch. Now choose a file name like ISP1.reg.
Now set up Internet Explorer for ISP, and save the branch under the name ISP2.reg. Put a shortcut to these files somewhere convenient, such as the desktop, you can click on them to change configurations before launching Internet Explorer. If you're very brave, you can edit the .reg files in Notepad to change settings.
This method works for multiple configurations of any 32 bit apps, which stores its configuration settings in a branch of the Win95 registry.
QUICK SHUTDOWN
"If you have to shutdown windows quickly, create a new shortcut.For the application, type: "C:\WINDOWS\RUNDLL32.EXE User,ExitWindows" (without the quotes) -- If opened, this shortcut will immediately shut down Windows without prompting. This, too, is something that you don't have to download a third-party utility for. The ability is already built-in to Windows!
Back to Columbus's Home Page
Last updated: Wednesday, 4th August 1999