Omnivorous Surfer

In an effort to keep some semblance of security, I use different passwords for different sites/programs/types of sites..and I have accounts on a lot of sites! Occasionally I have trouble coming up with the right password for one I access infrequently. Anyone with me? I have found a reasonably secure way to keep access to all those passwords at my fingertips. It's a little free program called KeePass.

Put KeePass and its database on a flash drive and you'll always have it with you. Folders are provided for you which you can rename if needed, and you can add more folders for organization if you wish to.

You use a password, a  key file, or both to access the database. Read KeePass help for further information. Be aware that there is no backdoor to the database. IMPORTANT: If you forget your password, your database is locked and useless. Think about this carefully!

You can read more about other features of KeePass on the download page at ZDNet or on the KeyPass website.

KeePass is considered a Portable App, which means it doesn't have to be installed on a computer, but can be carried and executed from a flash drive (or CD). Other OS posts on portable apps include:
System Nucleus - view, edit, and manage system resources and settings;
PortableApps Suite - a single download for a collection of apps;
Gimp - portable photo editing;
Portable Freeware - characteristics of  a portable application and a link to The Portable Freeware Collection.

System Nucleus is a FREEWARE utility for viewing, editing and managing system resources and settings.
It makes these types of tasks much easier than remembering the right command, and allows batch processing of tasks such as uninstalling multiple programs or stopping multiple processes. You can get an idea of its functions from the image above (from lifehacker.com), but for more details check the spencerebus website.

To make it even better, you don't have to use an installed version; System Nucleus has a portable version as well.

I will be trying this one out soon on my "old" computer to delete installation data left over from programs previously uninstalled, and I WILL make a system backup before doing so!

I've had a couple of posts about portable apps (Portable Freeware and Gimp), applications you can carry around with you on a flash drive and use without installing on a computer. I just found PortableApps Suite. One download gives you a collection of apps for just about any use you might have: web browser, email, calendar/tasks, antivirus, instant messaging, PDF reader, password manager, games, audio player, and office suite. Sweet. suite!

I'm always on the lookout for FREE alternatives to expensive software. While Photoshop is probalby the best-known photo editing software package, with incredible features and results, its pricetag is a little high--well, extremely high--for the average user. I do appreciate the features in Irfanview, which I have used for years, but sometimes I need--well, want--more advanced options. I have found GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) to be a viable alternative for those times when a little more power is needed.

GIMP is not for the faint-hearted. Any software which can accomplish a wide variety of more complicated operations such as this will not be as easy to learn as simple word processing software. It does have built-in help, and a user manual is available for downloading. The GIMP website offers tutorials for various levels of expertise, and a Google search for "GIMP tutorials" yields even more. Perusing a few of those will give some idea of the amazing finished products which can be produced.

Oh, and for those of you who use portable apps, try GIMP Portable for your on-the-go photo editing.

GIMP is freeware, but of course you are encouraged to make a donation if you like the software.

SCREENRIP 32 IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. (3/20/2011)

ScreenRip32 (http://www.progency.com/other.html#screenrip32) is a freeware portable screen capture utility that will save me so-o-o-o-o much time when creating training documents! This is the best thing I've seen in a long time!! Thank you, Brent, for sharing!

Hmmm. What is that??? Funny you should ask. I wondered, too, when I saw it, so I looked it up and found that it might be useful. Here's the definition given by the individual who collected and made available on the web The Portable Freeware Collection (copyright 2004-2007):

• It must run without installation.
• It must run on older versions of Windows which might not have been updated.
• It must not have any coupling with Internet Explorer, audio/video codecs, DirectX etc.
• It must not write settings to the registry or local filesystem.
• It must not leave any trace on the host machine at all, even when the app crashes (hereby referred to as "stealth").
• It must run with guest access rights.
• It must be able to compensate for USB memory stick drive letter changes.

A further description is available, but this will suffice for here.

Applications include everything from audio (conversion, ediors, iPod managers, players, etc.) to video (authoring, capture, conversion, players, etc.). It's actually a pretty impressive list. I haven't tried any of these yet, but it seems to me they might come in handy when moving around from machine to machine in different locations where you don't know what applications might be available. Having both data and apps on a flash drive sounds pretty cool.