Newsletter for January 23rd, 2007 - Codename "Games For Everyone"

[mouser]

Newsletter for January 23rd, 2007

"Games For Everyone"

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

1. Accessibility Game Contest Results Posted and Playable!
The long-awaited results of our accessibility game programming contest have finally been posted.  This contest challenged programmers to design and implement either an audio-only or single-switch game, in order to explore issues involved in developing games for handicapped players.

• Read about the results and play each of the games now!

2. January Discounts (Deadline Jan 31st)
Supporting Members, you've only got until January 31st to take advantage of this month's Shareware Discounts.  Only two programs available this month, but both are very highly thought of by our members.

• Fineprint (35% discount) - read fineprint minireview.
• Net Transport (30% discount) -  read mouser's comments.

3. DC Software Releases and Updates
Software releases and updates by our members.  Visit the Coding Snacks section of our forum to get your ideas for small freeware utilities coded on demand while you wait!

• New Release: Barnacle - Add toolbars *inside* your favorite programs
• New Release: Removable - Customizable replacement for "safely remove hardware" icon
• New Release: DimScreen - Darken screen on demand
• Update: HideDesktop - Bug fixes.
• Update: DimSaver - New Options.
• Update: Gridmove - Minor Improvements.
• Update: DialogMove - Auto detection of buttons' names
• Update: Find & Run Robot v2 Alpha Release - Request a preview download
• Update: Mobysaurus Thesaurus - Minimize to Tray and Run at Startup Options
• Update: Check the N.A.N.Y. thread for new releases.

4. Security and Operating Systems
Keep your system running safely and smoothly.  Got a question that's been troubling you or want some advice? Ask it on our forum.

• Another Google Hole Uncovered
• password-protect external HD (USB)?
• CyberNotes: Recover Deleted Files Free
• From the makers of CCleaner... Recuva Beta 1
• Moving operating system from one partition to another?
• Wanted: quiet external HD (case)
• Common router firewall outbound settings?

5. Software Discoveries and Discussions
What's new in the world of software? Are you good at finding new software discoveries? Stop by the forum and help us find stuff!  And don't miss our Found Deals and Discounts section where people post great software discounts they find on the web.

• VirtualBox: VM software for home and enterprise use
• Window Arranger Software
• Shedko, Some Very Cool Apps!
• Audio Cutter: Free, Open Source mp3 File Splitter
• Mozilla Firefox 3 (codename Gran Paradiso) alpha 1
• EarthWatcher: to know where the sun is shining now, look at your desktop!
• Dexpot: Probably the best virtual desktop manager around
• Cormorant: Flock's Latest Incarnation
• Stickies 6.0a released
• Paperless Home: Need document management software
• MyHomePoint: The Calendar for your Entire Family
• Geni: Build Your Family Tree
• Vista transformation pack
• Areca Backup - Now there's no excuse!
• Grocery Shopping Software

6. Fun Games, Gadgets, and Diversions
Everyone needs a break from work every now and then..

• Flash Game of the Day: Attack of the Funky Disco Zombies
• Nifflas' Games: Within A Dark Forest Knytt (new!), and more (all free)
• Flash Element TD: Another Tower Defense Flash Game
• The lego car factory
• Alternative way to play music
• Scam-O-Rama: Ridiculously Bad Attempts to Scam People Out of Something
• Spam Conceptual Map
• My Amazing Secret for How to Get Great Publicity and Get Rich in the Web2 World
• a 3D game that is only 97kb!
• Sonic Bomb Alarm Clock
• Soap Bubble 2: Flash Game of the Day
• Roxik Pictaps - Let your Drawings Dance - Brilliant!
• Bang Howdy - Free Strategic Multiplayer Game 
• Game It Yourself - Print your Own Games
• Looking For A Short Entertaining Distraction? Fun Graphs

7. Website Discoveries, Debates, and Discussions
There are always new website services popping up every day, and lots of debate about the future direction of the web.

• WikiSeek, the new long-tailed search engine
• Sizeasy.com - visualizing sizes made easy
• Now Our Newspapers are Writing Stories to Pander to Search Engine Algorithms
• Google Ads are gone from the site once more, or are they?
• Always ask Why.. Always Question Rules.. Always Experiment..
• A mathematical formula for procrastination
• HushedCrush: When Talking to Someone is the Wrong Thing to Do
• The Programming Gender Gap
• Public Domain Image Sources

8. Developer's Corner
The Developer's Corner section of our website isn't just for programmers, it's for people interested in starting their own business, website developers, etc.

• Internet Explorer Developer Toolbar Beta 3 - For Website Development
• Estimates of "Normal People" who have .Net Installed
• CodeIDE: the online IDE that works in your browser
• How long should a software time trial be?
• 10 Business Lessons
• Request for Suggestions: Web-based (PHP) Help Desk / FAQ / Feedback Scripts
• Blog Essay: Fortune Favors Big Turds - On Complexity in Code and Joel S.
• FatBlog: "Joel, Please Get Off of Software"
• Esoteric Programming Languages
• 25 steps for building a Micro-ISV

9. Website of the Month
Did you know that DonationCoder.com has a list of all of our past best-of-the-web recommendations and a list of recommended websites arranged by category?

• Our website of the month in January is Cybernet News - a software/technology news site.

10. Cody's Internet Citizen's Club Assignments
Cody, our rambunctious little bird mascot, has decided to form his own club and he wants you to join it!  What's it all about? Mainly it's about being good internet citizens and active DC participants, and working as a team.

In each newsletter you'll have a small assignment or two - like finding a freeware author you like and emailing them a thank you, or participating in a forum poll.  As a Cody Club member, we ask that you perform the Cody Club newsletter task (or else invent one of your own if you object to the one we've chosen).  Occasionally you'll get a little treat, like a postcard in the mail, or a Cody Club iron-on.  Only Cody knows for sure.

• Read more about Cody's Club..
• Cody's Club Task #1 - Participate in this DC Poll: How old are you?
• Cody's Club Task #2 - Participate in this DC Thread: How do you spend your time on the computer?
• Cody's Club Task #3 - Do you have unspent Cody Credits in your account? Donate $1 worth to others on the forum now.  Just look for the gold coins under people's names on their posts.  Remember that you can make fractional donations.  Don't have any credits but want to see what it's all about?  Post on the Cody Club read more thread above and we'll send you one.
• Cody's Club Task #4 - Do the assignments in the last newsletter if you haven't yet!

So.. have you completed this month's Cody Club tasks yet?

Special thanks to JGPaiva for help preparing this newsletter!

[mouser]

Cody's Uncle Says:

If you have not yet become a supporting member of this site, maybe today is the day? Your one time donation of any amount makes you a lifetime member, and it's the support of individuals just like you that makes everything on this site possible. If you're nervous about donating, just ask around a bit first, or drop us an email - it's safe, it's fun, and you'll feel good about it in the morning.

[mouser]

Cody Says:

If you're already a supporting member and have some unused credits in your DonationCoder account, why not give some away to others on the site? When you donate to the site, you get to choose how your donation is spent.  You can give some or all of your donation to the site fund or to specific people on the site whose work you want to support.  Check the top of the screen for your current credit balance (one credit is worth one dollar) or your Donation Credits Profile Page for complete history of your credit usage. If you use one of the programs on DonationCoder why not go to the program page or forum thread for it and send some credits to the author.  You can give some of your credits to someone else just by clicking on the gold coin next to their name.  Or just choose someone at random on the forum and perform a random act of kindness by sending them some credits.  Whoever you donate to, make sure to leave them a little message when you do, that's the funnest part of getting a donation.