Myzips.com Software Blog

Worldwide Telescope

Administrator — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:42:07 +0000

Worldwide Telescope by Microsoft Research is a fun little program will allow you to view the stars, the constellations and galaxies of our universe.

Even for someone who knows nothing about astronomy this is a great and free program to play around with. You can even view surface images of other planets in our solar system. Capable of syncing up with your physical telescope at home, this program can help you navigate the stars and find specific constellations such as Orion’s Belt, Scorpius, Aquarius and a host of others.

I Can’t Believe The Audacity

Administrator — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:43:21 +0000

One of the best examples of Open Source software I have found is Audacity.

Audacity offers the ability to create multitrack recordings, which is great for musicians. It also can convert its own files into mp3 format to be shared. The software will also generate tones, which I used as I was developing a tutorial on music theory. I have also used it to create spoken-word podcasts for classes I teach. Sometimes Open Source software can be unstable, but Audacity has been around long enough that the bugs are pretty well worked out. Also, while there is a secondary file that must be downloaded and then “found” by Audacity (a common procedure in the use of Open Source software) in order for some of the plug-ins to work, the instructions for doing this are clear. If you are considering learning how to use recording software, Audacity is a great way to get started. It’s good enough that I use it exclusively for my recording needs. And it is a great way to get started using Open Source software for lots of different purposes.

Make Great Screen Captures

Administrator — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:35:08 +0000

HandySnap is a very useful little program that I have put to use far more than I thought I would.

This versatile program allows the user to outline a section of their screen for screen capture. The user interface is a small, thin window that doesn’t obscure the area you are working with, and can be easily moved around out of the way, but still accessed without the need to toggle between screens. It includes options such as entire screen capture, mouse pointer capture and shape area capture. The software also includes a few minor built in editing features, such as arrows, drawing and painting. The user can add text, draw or edit the picture in a number of ways. HandySnap is available in a free trial version, while the full version is $29.95. I have personally used the program while composing Power Point presentations, and while using One Note in class. The ability to grab screen shots of web pages used in class, or even better, pages from an e-book from a digital library for my notes has been an invaluable tool. I highly recommend HandySnap for anyone who needs a quick, small and easy to use interface for grabbing screen shots for their work!

Swiff Charts

Administrator — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:33:46 +0000

Swiff Charts is a instinctive, simple Chart making program which is great for crafting great looking charts.

There are ample options when it comes to formatting, and the end results looks very professional. Styles can be customized, and there are many pre-programmed styles which should fit the bill for most users. There are some limitations, specifically when it comes to showing multiple data series. With that being said, when it comes to a simple, clean, and professional charts and graphs, there is no better product out there. Stop using those ugly Excel graph’s for presentations. As they say, God is in the details.

Allway Sync File Syncronizer

Administrator — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:26:34 +0000

I am currently using a software program known as Allway Sync 7.1.2 Pro.

The software allows you to automatically track changes and additions/deletions of files. I use mine to ’sync’ my flashdrive with my desktop. The software works flawlessly and easily and allows me to be sure that I will never lose a copy of my important files. As a special educator I have report cards, IEPs (legal student related documents), lesson plans and materials. I need to know that my years of materials won’t get lost or corrupted. Recently I actually fell in a lake while fishing and I had my flashdrive in my pocket! Fortunately the drive was undamaged, but if it was ruined I am secure knowing that my files are accurately saved throughout my workday on my desktop! I LOVE this program. The program lets you set up specific folders to ‘mirror’ or ’shadow’. The software works well with removable drives, second hard drives, networks/servers, etc. Best of all the software is FREE up to a certain level of usage. I monitor around 3,000 files so I had to pay for it, but the program only cost me $20.00! A great value for such powerful and solid software!

Sudoku For iPhone

Administrator — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 22:22:52 +0000

If you are a Sudoku fanatic and have an iPhone, there is a website just for you: http://www.enjoysudoku.com.

This site offers the most intuitive interface for Sudoku since the pencil. There are new puzzles every day and they are offered at seven levels of difficulty ranging from Beginner to Fiendish. Even the ‘Moderate’ setting offers a challenging puzzle and they go up from there. One nice feature is that once you select a number to work on, the game highlights all of those already on the board. If you make a mistake by placing a number on a line already occupied it displays the number in red, so you don’t fat-finger your way into a wrecked puzzle. When you finish a puzzle the system tells you what percentage your time ranks among all the others who have played!