PageBreeze HTML Editor - straight forward free WYSIWYG editor

Title: PageBreeze HTML Editor
Purpose: maintain your website
My use: I use it to edit my website: http://allovercalifornia.com/
Where can you get it: http://www.pagebreeze.com/
Platforms: Windows

I found this nice little editor when I decided to embark on building my own website and trying publicize it. My budget is thin...well...I really have no budget other than my own time and a few bucks for a creative domain name. Therefore...free is good. Not owning any HTML editors and not wanting to pay the big boys for their expensive tools I embarked on a hunt for a freeware HTML editor.

As you might imagine there are a lot of free editors out there. One could use MS Word (no thanks), Notetab light (if your handy working by code only), or other similar items, but I have found they make the building task onerous especially if you are going by code only.

Then I found PageBreeze and it seems to be exactly what I need. I simply WYSIWYG editor that provides views of both code, a WYSIWYG layout editor, and even a page the links into Internet Explore to check the look. It also has built in FTP transfer features but you have to fork over the dough for the pay version to have it enabled. FTP will be the subject of another upcoming post.

In my case I'm constructing a nearly text only website with few images and so worrying about things like the ACID tests for compliance don't worry me much.

One foulup I have seen in the software is that when I paste in links using the dialogue window the software sometimes replaces the http:// part of the adresss with ../../../../ or something simlilar so double check your links if you use this software.

Finally, note it is for non-profit use, so if my site somehow turns a profit I suppose I'll have to fork over a few bucks for the Pro version.

Can you suggest some free alternative WYSIWYG HTML editors?

Check it out:

Microsoft SyncToy - An easy and free backup tool from Microsoft

Title: SyncToy 2.0
Purpose: Synchronize files, folders and hard drives as a means to back up your information
My use: I back up my photos and personal files on my home computer
Where can you get it: Microsoft
Platforms: Windows XP, Vista

I found this little piece of software when setting up a backup strategy for my computer. My machine is not cutting edge by any means, in fact it is very average, but it does contain a number of important files including 65 GB of pictures plus other personal file such as financials, resumes, etc. I wanted an easy back-up strategy without having to buy an expensive external drive with some "lite" version of backup software.

My backup strategy is two-pronged: 1) I use CD's and DVD's to backup my data 2) I have a second hard drive installed in my computer that I use strictly for quick on the fly backups. On my computer I run Win XP pro with NTFS enabled. I formatted the extra drive in Fat32 so if I pull it from this computer I can easily hook it to another and be able to readily read the files. Formatting a second drive to Fat32 will be the subject of another upcoming post, suffice it to say that Windows XP Pro would not format a 100GB drive to Fat32 for me. Also, note that using a multi-media back up strategy (CD's, DVDs, and a second hard drive) is always a good idea since no one media format is perfectly reliable. Have a read through Robin Harris' blog post on long term personal data storage over at ZDnet.

Focusing on the hard drive, I use a tool from Microsfot called "SyncToy." It allows me to make exact copies of folders I choose on my backup drive. It's relatively easy to use but the settings can be a bit confusing with options of Synchronize, Echo, Subscribe, Contribute, and Combine. Off hand, can you tell the difference between these?...neither can I. Fortunately the software gives narrative descriptions of each option so read carefully and think about what you are doing.

In short SyncToy will allow a user to compare two folders (one on the left and one on the right in the diaglogue box) and decide how to manage copies of files between the folders. For backup, I only use "Contribute". It only copies new files appearing in the left-hand-side folder to the folder on the right. Other options such as "Synchronize" ensures the folders have exactly the same content. With "Synchronize" if something is deleted from the left-hand side folder it is removed from the right-hand side. Do you see the danger here, it is possible to delete files you are trying to back-up and keep.

Here is the interface...pretty simple with folders on the left and the right:



Here are the folder pair options - read the descriptions on the right very carefully:




Give it a try - do you think it will work for you? What do you like or dislike about this program? Do you know of other good options for freeware backup?

XY Chart Labeler - Automatically apply labels to XY scatter charts in Excel

Title: XY Chart Labeler
Purpose: Automatically apply labels to XY scatter charts in Excel
My use: I have used it for analysis tasks in my work as a Market Researcher and Market Planner
Where can you get it: http://www.appspro.com/Utilities/ChartLabeler.htm
Platforms: Windows, Mac

If you do charting in Excel and have ever worked with XY scatter charts, you know what a pain in the a** it is to apply a third label on the X/Y points in a scatter chart. Excel will allow users to label the points with either the X-value, Y-value, or both, but not a third column of labels. I have been waiting for this option through several iterations of the software (Office 97 through 2007), alas it has never shown up. Instead, for my work I have been forced to use text boxes and manual labeling of XY charts. Sadly, I'm not a VB programmer.

All that changed when I found XY Chart Labeler from AppsPro. The have created a freeware add-on to MS Excel (Windows) that provides a dialogue box for adding in those pesky labels on XY charts. It allows users to add labels in automatically by picking a placement relative to the data points (above, left, right, bottom, centered) and highlighting the field of labels. It will also allow for manual placement. Best of all, it will match the appropriate labels to your data points. Just make sure you select the same number of labels as you have data points. In Excel 2007 the XY Chart Labeler must be installed as an add-in.

Also, note that the authors state "Even though this utility is called the XY Chart Labeler, it is capable of labeling any type of Excel chart series that will accept data labels." Cool!

The only real bug I have found in the software so far is that when it adds in the labels to a chart sometimes it fails to apply a color to the labels so they are applied invisible (no color applied/chosen). No worries - just click on the spot where a label should appear and change the font color to black and you are good to go. This little bug is a small price to pay for such a useful add-on to Excel.

[ Note: For you Linux types, I have tested the Open Office suite (Calc) which does offer scatter chart labeling but I just don't find Calc to be as full featured as MS Office when it comes to creating charts. For Mac users, AppsPro does offer a version for Mac but according to the authors it is not as full featured as the Windows version. I don't own a Mac and have not tried this alternative.]

Below is a screen shot. It shows the data, the chart, and the XY Chart Labeler dialogue window. It's pretty simple if you ask me, but it does need to be installed in Excel as an add-in.



Thank You AppsPro!

Give it a try - what do you think? How does the Mac/Apple version perform? Do you have a better free option for XY chart labeling tasks? Have you seen other similar free add-ins for Excel that you can share?

ZDNet - What's on My Thanksgiving/Holiday Disks? - a list

Quite a lot, it turns out. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, a blooger over at ZDNet has compiled quite a useful list of free software utilities for family and friends and was thoughtful enough to put the listing in his Blog post. Note he states in a later post "Some of you think that I’m just dumping these stuff on people without instructions. That’s not the case as I povide an overview for everything I include." That's what I want to do here. But check out Adrian's list of resources and links - it rocks!

http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=3094

Google Sketchup - for 3D drawing and design

Let's kick this off with something well-known, robust and fun:

Title: Google Sketchup
Purpose: 3-D Design Program
My use: Woodworking
Where can you get it: http://sketchup.google.com/
What platforms: Windows, Apple

Before you run away thinking 3-D design, this is already too complicated. Hear me out. The beauty of Sketchup is it is extraordinarily easy 3-D design program to learn. It comes in two versions: free, and much more feature rich pay version. But, for the average user the free version is just fine. It downloads to your computer as a stand alone program - no online interface or forced advertising.

The purpose of the program as you might imagine is to do design work in 3-Dimensions. If you can draw circles and blocks you can use this program. Don't let the overly complicated designs shown on the Sketchup homepage scare you off, this program is mighty useful for simple projects.

I use it mostly for Woodworking. I became very intersted in a 3-D program after building a full-sized custom-designed armoir for my bedroom with only 2-D design tools. 2-D just seemed to leave a lot to chance and required multiple individual drawings to get my design right - translate - lots of time and work to get a design together. I used Sketchup to design my recently built workbench and I found it to be a lot easier.

Not surprsingly I have started to see Sketchup pop up and being reviewed in Woodworking magazines. Wood magazine had a Sketchup tutorial in a recent issue and ShopNotes is offering Sketchup design download for subscribers for the jigs and fixtures they detail in the mag.

I also used the software to draw the inside walls of my parents bonus room to help them determine the size and shape of built in shelves. We had the room together in about 20 minutes and propsals being compared within an hour - amazing!

An additional bonus is the well done tutorials available on the Sketchup Website and the 3-d model warehouse hosted by Google full of free downloadable sketchup designs. No other program comes close to the kind of free support and tutorial materials offered by Google.

One sad note about this program is that it is not currently available for Linux. Google claims Wine will support Sketchup on Linux but my experience on Ubuntu is that it is buggy and the graphics rendering is poor compared to Windows XP pro. Am I "whining"?

Have you used it? How, for what types of projects? Is there a better alternative out there that is free? What do you like? What do you hate? Please share!

The Interface - see, it's not too intimidating:




My workbench built - thanks Sketchup:



C'mon, give it a try and tell me what you think!

Introduction

I am writing this blog as an exercise in putting free useful software in context. In my hunt for useful, and free software tools I have found a lot of resources out there but I believe much of the useful information and reviews are scattered, disconnected and downright confusing for the average computer user. Thumbs up, thumbs down, and stars are hardly useful and are only a smidgen better than a crap shoot when it comes to evaluating free software.

The purpose of this blog will be to put some of the most useful free software tools in context. By that I do not mean a review of features and functionality, or a bug hunt. Instead I will put the tools in context of their use. How do I use them? What problems do they solve? Where can we get it? Around these ideas I hope to start a dialogue with other users regarding the same issues. Will my suggestions work for you? What problems might the tools I have pointed out help you to solve? How are you using the software tools? Do you have better suggestions? In the end I hope to have a blog loaded with the most useful and free software tools and common sense conversation about how to use them and apply them.

For the most part, this will be Windows related material but I may stray into Apple or Linux when something interesting comes up. That said I'm not a fanboy of any system. Windows is where I have experience and it is what I am familiar with....it is a means to an ends, not a goal in and of itself. For me, software and operating systems are tools, not a social cause or a status symbol.

This is supposed to be fun and informative. Part of my goal will be to provide a suggestion, solution, treat or toy (depending on your perspective) to explore and discuss here. My ideas emerge from years of trying to solve my own personal computer problems and serving as the unofficial tech support dude for many a family member and friend.

This blog was inspired by another blog post I saw on Zdnet in which the commentator shared the contents of his "Thanksgiving/Holiday CD". It was essentially a CD full of useful utilities he shares with his family once a year while at home providing gratis tech-support in the holiday spirit. I thought, why not continue that as an ongoing process with thoughtful commentary rather than just the typical software ratings.

My experience, what I know about Windows, is self taught. I have been playing on computers since my dad brought home the HP Chipmunk terminal and later the HP 150 (1st touch screen) to use from home. In college I had a Packard Bell XT clone. My first Windows machine was a screaming 486-66 Comtrade running Windows 3.11. Now I run WinXP dual boot with Ubuntu on a Dell Dimension 8300 (3 ghz Pentium IV, with 1 Gig memory). And...I own an iPOD Touch.