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Newsletter for April 21st, 2007 - Codename "Death and Taxes"

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mouser:

Newsletter for April 21st, 2007Codename "Death and Taxes"

"If you read nothing else on our site, read our BLOG"



0. Greetings!
April is tax month in the United States, and we know how stressful that can be! That's why we decided to only put out one newsletter this month instead of our normal two, to avoid distracting you too much.  But now that it's past, you might need some help regaining your sanity.  So to help you recover we've got a ton of easy and super-fun flash games for you in this month's newsletter, and some humorous website discoveries (do not miss the medieval tech support video).  And if all this stress has given you some back aches, don't miss the back health site in the "Tips, Tricks, and Techniques" section of the newsletter.

April was also a very interesting and busy month on the site due to getting a glowing recommendation from Ian "Gizmo" Richards in his Tech Support Alert newsletter.   I also had some real life visitors from the forum to my new apartment, at the first DonationCoder.com dinner.  If you missed it don't feel sad, we'll have another very soon, and you are all welcome!

And if you noticed that we took a break from rounding up shareware discounts this month, don't worry, they will be back in May.


1. DonationCoder.com News
Who's Gizmo, and why did he cause the largest single day of new members and donations on our site?  And what do you do with your credits once you donate?  Now's your chance to find out.


* The Gizmo Effect - DonationCoder.com welcomes all Tech Support Alert newsletter readers!
* Remember: DonationCredits are for Giving
* Report on DC-IRLDD: The First DonationCoder Impromptu Real Life Dinner+Drinks (champaign-urbana, Illinois)

2. Your Input Requested!
Ok, I'm going to start a new section of our newsletter - one devoted to hot threads on our forum where we'd like to hear back from our readers.  It's ok if you're normally shy and reserved and scared to post questions and comments, but we give you permission to make an exception for these posts.  Some people think our forum is only for expert power users, but it's really a giant mix of users, and we want you to participate, regardless of your background.  So take a deep breath and jump in!


* Funny small software company names - do you know of any?
* Rant: High software prices?! What's your view?
* GPS Software? Can you Recommend Some?
* What's the best introductory programming language to learn?
* Poll: How old are you?
* Lets get to know each other... who are you, what do you do, where from?
* Must-have apps in the System Tray? What's your opinion?
* Find And Run Robot (FARR) v2 - do you have any plugin idea requests?

3. DonationCoder Software Updates
Here come the updates!  While work on Find and Run Robot 2 continues apace (see forum to request a preview download), we've been updating our other programs to add features based on your requests.  Skrommel is also back with a cool new program, and a new author joins us with a very very cool file searching program (Argus Panoptes) which is capable of finding text based on non-exact search strings, like sound-alike words and typos (great for when you need to find something tricky).  Keep your eyes open in the next few weeks for even more updates of programs like Process Tamer and more.  Want to see the latest versions available for all of our programs? https://www.donationcoder.com/Software/.


* Clipboard Help+Spell v1.13.01 - Advanced better popup paste menu
* Screenshot Captor 2.32.01 - Better built email, new display fixes+options
* FARR v2, Plugin SDK 1.0 Released
* FARR v2, New member-created skin: slenderFARR
* Mircryption v1.19.01 released - Lots of new xchat improvements
* Process Tamer Update Coming -- Express your feature requests here!
* Argus Panoptes - search files for text based on soundalikes and typos
* Skrommel's One Hour Software, New Release: Screamer Radio frontend - ScreamerMenu
* Skrommel's One Hour Software, Other Updates - CAPshift, TaskLog, MoveOut

4. Mini-Reviews by Members
The mini review section is where members on our forum can post short reviews about programs they like.  It's a great way to spread the news about an under-appreciated application, and discover a new program.  We've got some nice new mini-reviews for you this month.  What's that? You want to read more? You can view them all at: http://minireviews.donationcoder.com.


* EX Cat - a straightforward reliable catalogue program
* TimeKeeper v2.20c by TSM, Kevin Pluck, Crypto-Central
* RSSMate, a free RSS and Podcast reader
* Print2Flash (Virtual Printer)
* ArtRage 2.2 (free and full versions)
* SFX Compiler Reviewed
* InfraRecorder

5. Fun and Casual Games
Our readers are obsessed with productivity and time management, but even the hardest workers need an occasional quick burst of recreation and diversion.  Nothing too complicated -- just enough to recharge your batteries.  The forum was bursting at the seams with great flash game discoveries this month, including a super new tower defense game that has to be tried (think of it like you are defending your money from IRS collection agents and you might enjoy it even more). And do NOT miss the brilliant and hilarious Medieval Tech Support video - hahahaahahahahah!!!!!


* Onslaught: Tower Defense Game of the Day - a must play!
* Medieval Tech Support - hahahaahah! - a must watch!
* ToonDoo - The Cartoon Strip Creator
* Sift Heads 2 Sniper Game: Flash Game of the Day
* Bloons: Flash Game of the Day #2
* Student Park: Flash Game of the Day
* Help Vampires: A spotter's guide
* Boomshine: Flash Game of the Day
* BegForPost: Humorous site about advertising
* Universcale: Graphic representation of very large sizes and numbers
* BaboViolent 2: Another great top-down fast free multiplayer shooter!
* JellyJumper: Flash Game of the Day
* Flow-inspired game: Bubble Tanks
* Cool Flash Adventure Game: Fancy Pants Adventure
* 1980-Games: All your old favorites
* Insane Super Mario Bros. Mod - Funny and Frustrating
* The Terrific Menace of the Invaders from Audio Galaxy - Flash Game of the Day
* Amazing realtime 3D network traffic visualization

6. Tips, Tricks, and Techniques
We love sharing tips on our forum, and you won't find a more friendly, helpful, knowledgeable group of people on any forum on the web.  So if you have a question, just post it!  Our motto: "No question goes unanswered!"  And do you know about our coding snacks section?  It's where everyday people can post ideas for small little utilities they would like to see implemented as freeware.  Post your request and see if one of the coders on our site will implement it while you wait.


* Keep your Back Healthy While you Work
* How to make a multi-monitor compatible wallpaper
* How to find out if external HD uses USB 1.x or 2.x?
* Multitasking Dangers
* Truly Beautacious Wallpapers
* Windows XP Annoyance: ToolTip pop-ups
* Vista Tips, or things you'll want to disable right away
* Desktop Search for network files?
* CERT Warning about Animated Cursor Files
* Don't call it "the tray"!
* What fonts do I actually need?
* How to schedule hibernation On/Off so can run overnight once a week
* Mouse Motion Shortcuts?
* Can you disable XP's Recovery System partly?

7. General Software Discussion
We normally just have one "Software Discussion" section in our newsletter, but in the last month there have been so many noteworthy discussions about software that I've split up the posts into two sections.  This section has the more general discussions where multiple programs are referenced.


* On Screen Volume Status Display?
* Lightweight alternatives to FeedDemon?
* Off Screen App Multi-Monitor/Standalone
* Know of a freeware seamless texture tool? (Details inside)
* Ctrl + tab (first in, first out history) for excel sheets?
* Two free windows explorer enhancements
* Monitor Resolution change tools?
* Batch image optimisation from Ashampoo
* Don't be fooled, Vista wants new hardware
* Which Software MP3 Encoder already supports DualCore Cpus?
* To cut or not to cut - The lousy MS Office ribbon
* Freeware equivalent to FireDaemon?
* I have the need to convert animated GIFs to AVIs
* Notepad-equivalent for spreadsheets?
* Last Freeware Versions Website
* Mac Software Clones for Windows
* Anyone know any good cheap, easy to use software for interior design stuff?

8. Discussions about Specific Programs
If there is one trait that most of the people who visit the forum share in common, it's an interest in new software program discoveries.  So sit down, brew yourself a cup of tea, and learn about some tools you've never heard of.. You might even find something you want to keep installed by the time the next newsletter comes out.  And hey if you find something you like, make sure you make a post and add your opinion!


* WordPerfect Lightning - free beta by Corel
* Free Download Manager 2.3 BETA
* Windows Desktop Search 3.01 for XP
* J. River Media Center: Awesome for music, great for video, and good for pics
* XMplay 3.4 released
* ProcessMonitor 1.1 released by SysInternals
* Sumatra PDF Viewer is cool, thin, and open-source
* Link Commander: Good program, Bad support
* Quizo QTTabbar
* RegExBuddy
* DMEX Bar
* ImageTasks.com - Free image, batch-processing software
* SelfImage: The open-source hard disk imaging utility
* Directory Opus 9 Release
* System Safety Monitor
* KeyPass v2 previews are out
* KMPlayer and GOMPlayer
* Opera 9.2 is out
* Localdeli - Instant delicious search on your windows desktop
* Tweak VI — Don't waste your money
* PowerPro development to cease this month
* XNeat: rearrange taskbar, ontop windows, hide tray icons (free)
* PhotoWipe
* filehippo.com Update Checker (Beta)
* Looks like KeyPass, is named KeyPass, but is not... oops, I can't read... sorry
* DVDProfiler 3.0 is finally out !
* emailSTRIPPER - Freeware
* Fast Explorer: Tweak Your Context Menu
* SysExporter (export list/tree window contents)
* Engauge Digitizer - Digitize Graphs (freeware)
* DipStych - Open Source "Stitch" program

9. The Wonderful World of the Web
Are you suffering from IOS (Internet Overload Syndrome)?  We thought so.  Have you just figured out what web2.0 means? (get ready because web3.0 is coming soon).  To help reduce your overload, here's a list of some of the more interesting website discussions, debates, and discoveries that have come up on the forum over the last month..


* Google: Transforming the Web into One Big Direct Marketing Advertising Machine?
* Oh no, not another social network site...
* Review of DVR set tops: TiVo vs MythTV (homebrew alternative)
* Software patents, and the crazy business side of software.
* Microsoft is Dead?
* Is Amazon's Mechanical Turk a Failure?
* LibrarianChick: Resources for students & knowledge junkies
* Scott Karp's Latest Essay on Web2.0 Flaws..
* WordSpy: Devoted to lexpionage, the sleuthing of new words and phrases
* Free Download A Day Site
* 5minutefriend.org: Free service to spend some time with a stranger
* Read/WriteWeb Roundup: Your Guide to Online TV Guides: 10 Services Compared
* Five Website Annotation Programs
* Zinkmo - IE favorite and Firefox bookmark synchronization and sharing
* Searchable Database of Microsoft DLLs Straight From The Source
* The End of Support for Windows XP Service Pack 1 and 1a
* Word 2007 interactive tutorial for Word 2003 user
* Lifehack.org Podcast Episode 6 - Trial By Fire Productivity Introduction

10. Developer's Corner
Don't be thrown off by the name of this section on our forum.  It's not just for programmers.  It's also for people interested in starting their own business and website developers, students an entrepreneurs.  Even if you're not sure whether you belong in that category, you might want to peek your head in and see if there's anything interesting out there that might want you to start up a new hobby..


* The BoxShot Depot - Boxshot Image Tool Product Comparison
* 14 Surefire Ways to Annoy Users
* Jeff Atwood Wrestles With Licensing
* Drupal is f*cked
* Source Insight IDE: it seems to be different, and better!
* The sorry state of open source today: Thought-provoking, self-critical article
* Graham does it again: Why not to start a startup
* WIRED: more on "why digg failed": herding (mob manipulation)
* Portable development IDE/Compiler?
* CourseLab - free e-learning authoring tool
* Coding Horror: Top 6 List of Programming Top 10 Lists
* GarageGames contest prize increased to $10,000
* Service to Help you Incorporate Your Company Legally and Cheaply
* The Hacknot Book (big free pdf ebook) - Essays on software development
* Hacknot on dynamic languages
* Wanted: Best Practices for changelogs/version history
* Starting a Nonprofit Organization and More: The Free Management Library
* Working for the Man: Essay on Lessons for Young Software Developers
* Indievelopment Show: Episodic webshow about indie game developers
* Setup program for apps that require .net

Ok, whew, that's it for this edition of the newsletter.  Sorry it was so long, but it's hard to fit an entire month's worth of site news and discussions into a single newsletter!  We'll be going back to putting out two newsletters each month in May.  Hope to see you then!

-mouser (jesse)

mouser:
Note:
If you are participating in Cody's Club, your assignment this month is to post in at least one of the threads in the "Your Input Requested" section above.

lanux128:
is it too late to join the Cody's Club? :)

mouser:
not at all, but you have to go back and do the old cody club tasks!

lanux128:
no problem! count me in.. :) Cody's (Internet Citizens) Club Begins!

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