Newsletter for February 17, 2006 - Codename 'Mini-Review Marathon'

[mouser]

Newsletter for February 17, 2006

Codename 'Mini-Review Marathon'

"If you read nothing else on our site, read the newsletter!"

1. Mini-Review Marathon
This past month has seen a real increase in the number and quality of member-written mini-reviews, on a wide range of software.  It's a fantastic way to find out about good software you may have overlooked in the past.  Some new mini-reviews:

• Address book tools - https://www.donation...?topic=2292.0?ref=nl
• BatchFTP - https://www.donation...?topic=2428.0?ref=nl
• Renaming Tools - https://www.donation...?topic=1146.0?ref=nl
• Tray tools 1 - https://www.donation...p?topic=997.0?ref=nl
• Tray tools 2 - https://www.donation...?topic=2315.0?ref=nl
• AllSnap - https://www.donation...?topic=2455.0?ref=nl
• Synergy - https://www.donation...?topic=2447.0?ref=nl
• TopDesk and Entbloess2 - https://www.donation...?topic=2409.0?ref=nl
• Virtual Desktop Tools - https://www.donation...?topic=2485.0?ref=nl
• Pimmy - https://www.donation...?topic=2411.0?ref=nl

2. New Contest - Cody's Excellent Vacation
Now's your chance to win a rare DonationCoder.com collector's item.. Worth over TEN MILLION DOLLARS !!!! (disclaimer: may be worth substantially less). Cody the bird (the official DC mascot) has absconded with a big chunk of your donations and he's taking an expensive around-the-world vacation. Only you can help him send back some postcards from his trip.  Visit the CodyCards Page and help him write a postcard. Make sure you submit your entry to the public gallery where others can see it. On March 1st, 2006 we will choose some of the funniest entries and those winners will get a custom item of their choice from the HyperRich Friends of DonationCoder.com Cafepress Shop with their winning postcard image on it.

• Enter Cody Contest: https://www.donation...hp?topic=2382?ref=nl
• And don't forget to enter this month's free software drawing.

3. Just for Fun
We try to mix business and recreation on the DC forum; if you're looking for some amusement and a good way to waste some time, look no further than these posts:

• Typing test https://www.donation...hp?topic=2238?ref=nl
• Photobooth - https://www.donation...?topic=2329.0?ref=nl
• Silkwood online free mmorpg - https://www.donation...?topic=2334.0?ref=nl
• Tshirt folding machine - https://www.donation...?topic=2273.0?ref=nl
• Samurize RSS screensaver (Nudone's DC version) - https://www.donation...?topic=2243.0?ref=nl
• Spell with Flickr - https://www.donation...hp?topic=2257?ref=nl
• Pet Dinosaur Robot - https://www.donation...?topic=2386.0?ref=nl

4. Be Careful Out There!
We try to keep on top of the latest threats and warnings on the internet.  Some noteworthy posts include some security risks, a possible health risk, and an insidious trend in the guerrilla marketing of computer products:

• Microsoft antispyware removes norton antivirus - https://www.donation...?topic=2429.0?ref=nl
• Nutrasweet is a neurotoxin? - https://www.donation...?topic=2444.0?ref=nl
• Winamp security risk - https://www.donation...?topic=2241.0?ref=nl
• Companies paying people to say good things about them - https://www.donation...?topic=2341.0?ref=nl

5. New Software Discoveries
One of the favorite things to do on the DC forum is talk about new software discoveries.  Everyone likes to learn about some new program they didn't know they needed.  Since the last newsletter we've come across some very cool stuff:

• Vaselis freeware - lots of nice freeware https://www.donation...?topic=2305.0?ref=nl
• Mediachance freeware (multimon taskbar) - https://www.donation...?topic=2365.0?ref=nl
• Borgchat - free lan chat tool - https://www.donation...?topic=2357.0?ref=nl
• Play mp3s at different speeds - https://www.donation...?topic=1546.0?ref=nl
• Dasher - type without a keyboard - https://www.donation...?topic=2461.0?ref=nl

6. Site News
There's always room for improvement on our site, and we're always open to making changes and listening to your suggestions.  Due to popular demand we've added two new sections on the forum, one for talking about Programming related issues, and one to help people locate the best programs for any given task:

• New section - Programmer's Corner - https://www.donation...hp?board=75.0?ref=nl - A place for programmers to talk about issues(see the discussion of FBSL (Freestyle Basic Script Language) - https://www.donation...?topic=2358.0?ref=nl
• New Section - What's the Best? - https://www.donation...hp?board=78.0?ref=nl - Where we will try to collect views on the best tools for any given task (brand new section!).

7. Program Updates - The Calm before the Storm
We've got a bunch of new programs in development, and forthcoming major updates of Find and Run Robot 2 and Process Tamer will be out soon.  Some recent updates:

• Drag and Drop Robot - https://www.donation...?topic=2299.0?ref=nl
• Clipboard Help+Spell - https://www.donation...?topic=1514.0?ref=nl

8. Coding Snacks - Teamwork Edition
Skrommel continues his Coding Snack binge - adding new utilities each week based on user requests.  Recently he's got some company on the Coding Snacks section of our forum as well, with several other AutoHotkey and now FBSL scripters joining in.

• Gerome's FBSL Find and Run Robot Commandline Calculator - https://www.donation...hp?topic=2344?ref=nl
• PlainPaste (Paste plain text from clipboard) - https://www.donation...el/index.html?ref=nl
• TrayScreenSaver (Control the screensaver from the tray) - https://www.donation...el/index.html?ref=nl
• HideDesktop (Hide the desktop icons when the mouse is elsewhere) - https://www.donation...el/index.html?ref=nl
• IdleMute (Mute speaker after some idle time) - https://www.donation...el/index.html?ref=nl
• Across Room Stability Monitor (team coding snack) - https://www.donation...?topic=2291.0?ref=nl
• kfitting's excel natural sort addin - https://www.donation...?topic=2413.0?ref=nl

9. Latest Discounts
February brings with it a TON of new exclusive discounts, many 50% off normal prices.  You'll find discounts on some very popular well known programs, like True Launch Bar, on software that has been recommended by our users, like PS Tray Factory, a beautiful systemtray clock replacement, a nice schedule printer for daybook fans, a powerful exe resource tool, and many more.  They're all shareware so try 'em out and see if you find something you like.  Members will find screenshots and discount links in the Member's Only section of the forum.

• Member's Only Section: https://www.donation...hp?board=18.0?ref=nl
• Discount Summaries and Expirations: https://www.donation...ts/index.html?ref=nl
• True Launch Bar - 50%
• PS Tray Factory and PS Hot Folders - 50%
• Clock Tray Skins - 50%
• Fast Schedule Printer - 50%
• Resource Tuner - 50%
• SikUp! - 50%
• PageSpy - 50%
• Almeza (MultiSet and Captain Tray Pro) - 50%
• DoubleSafety - 50%
• Neon Labs (Wallpaper Expert and NeoN Reminder) - 50%
• Web Stream Recorder Pro
• Dr.Explain
• AmiPic
• Subliminal Flash
• Moveax (ViewFolderSize and more)
• Sencesa Software (multiple)

10. IMPORTANT! Changes are Coming in March
The end of March will mark our one year anniversary(!).  After that we will no longer be offering Charter Member accounts at our site.  All donors after the one year anniversary will be known simply as Supporting Members.  So if you want to be part of the founding members of DonationCoder.com, with all the benefits that may entail, you don't have much time left to make a donation before the new changes take effect..  And if you're already a member, don't miss this opportunity to tell a friend about our site!

   





If you have good ideas about how to improve the newsletter or the site itself just reply to this post.

More links:

• Donate: https://www.donation...te/index.html?ref=nl
• Forums: https://www.donation...r.com/Forums/?ref=nl
• Wiki: https://www.donation...php/Main_Page?ref=nl
• BugTracker: https://www.donation...main_page.php?ref=nl
• RSS Feeds: https://www.donation...p?topic=496.0?ref=nl
• Forum Daily Digest Emails: http://www.feedblitz.../f/?Sub=22516?ref=nl

[mouser]

sorry the server is slowing down today - we still haven't mastered how to send out 18,000 emails and not have the server turn into a turtle trapped in a molasses swamp in slow motion.

[jgpaiva]

"If you read nothing else on our site, read the newsletter!"

-mouser (January 30, 2006, 06:47 AM)

That's the way i thought, "if i read all the site every day, why should i have any interest in the newsletter?". Well.. All that changed when i read this one.

It's very well structured, has everything that went on on the past month, all the news, all the posts, all brainstorming going on (well.. not all of it, the references are all there ).
Receiving it on the mail is just the cherry on top of the cake, it allows for a good storage on information about what happened and when it happened, and even helps divulging DC, if you forward it to your friends.

About point 10, I'm happy I joined before the first anniversary
How about YOU? Have you joined? What are you waiting for?

[allen]

That's the way i thought, "if i read all the site every day, why should i have any interest in the newsletter?". Well.. All that changed when i read this one.

-jgpaiva (February 17, 2006, 06:30 PM)

My sentiments exactly -- this issue was just chuck-full of great information, suffciently organized and well presented.

And, hey, looky that, I got me a charter thang, too. I must be one of the cool people!

[Loonier]

Yes, an enjoyable - as always - newsletter!  This issue had me left-clicking away there for a while...

[dingus]

GREAT newsletter....I'll send some more money home soon