Hi everyone, I'm back again. It's been quite a while but I thought I'd share something to make your lives easier.
Have you all ever encountered extremely long urls that look very messy are not only horribly hard to remember but also take up a lot of space and break in email postings? Don't you wish you had a solution to make those long url links shorter? Well I've found one - its a free url shortening service that can turn a long url such as http://data.example.com/page2.php?something=12345 into a much more managable url like http://qfwr.com/12abc. Works for almost any type of url including images and other media.
Best of all, this url shortening service is completely free - no advertisements even!
To use it, just key in a long url in the input box, and click the "make url shorter" button by the side... presto! You get a shortened link which you can copy and paste and use just like the old link.
Check it out now at qfwr.com!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chatbot
A great way to stave off those lonely hours at your desk is to chat with an artificially intelligent (ai) chat bot. Got a lot of things to say but no one is willing to hear? Or do you have some steam to let off? Talk to an ai chat bot.
An AI Chatbot is a computer program that gives human like responses based on your input. Basically, it acts like another person chatting with you online. Although this is not true intelligence since the responses are predictable and determined, it can come off as surprisingly realistic. An advantage of such programs is that they are always available so long as the server is online, and they never get tired.
One such a chatbot is named Jabberwacky. You can find him by following the link. Basically, jabberwacky mimics humans and gives apparently human responses to your messages. This chat bot can even learn new responses by chatting with people.
If you want to create your own ai chat bot, you might be interested in pandorabots. There, you can build your own chat robot based off the ALICE chatbot using AIML (Artificial Intelligence Markup Language). You can then program in your own desired chat responses for your bot and share it with your friends. Responses can even follow an advanced algorithm with topics and mood defined, custom variables and more.
Enjoy!
An AI Chatbot is a computer program that gives human like responses based on your input. Basically, it acts like another person chatting with you online. Although this is not true intelligence since the responses are predictable and determined, it can come off as surprisingly realistic. An advantage of such programs is that they are always available so long as the server is online, and they never get tired.
One such a chatbot is named Jabberwacky. You can find him by following the link. Basically, jabberwacky mimics humans and gives apparently human responses to your messages. This chat bot can even learn new responses by chatting with people.
If you want to create your own ai chat bot, you might be interested in pandorabots. There, you can build your own chat robot based off the ALICE chatbot using AIML (Artificial Intelligence Markup Language). You can then program in your own desired chat responses for your bot and share it with your friends. Responses can even follow an advanced algorithm with topics and mood defined, custom variables and more.
Enjoy!
Friday, March 14, 2008
Permanently Deleting files with File Shredder
In our previous post on recovering deleted files, we discussed how it is possible to recover a delete files rather easily. Today, I will show you how to protect your sensitive information and keep such data away from prying eyes and curious busybodies.
If the data is preserved on disk when we delete a file, it can be recovered. However, if even a part of this data is destroyed, the file becomes extremely hard to recover. How can we get the computer to write over the data sectors? One way is to defragment the drive, which rearranges the data in the drive, effectively overwriting many sectors that are marked as empty but still contain residual data.
This is not foolproof, though, as you cannot control which sectors are overwritten and which are preserved. A safer way would be to use file shredder, which like a paper shredder, will chop your file up and write over the sectors with random bits of data, effectively destroying the file permanently.
A simple shred of the file and it would be nearly impossible to recover anything useful from it. This is a free program and I strongly recommend you use it to destroy all sensitive data that you do not need anymore.
If the data is preserved on disk when we delete a file, it can be recovered. However, if even a part of this data is destroyed, the file becomes extremely hard to recover. How can we get the computer to write over the data sectors? One way is to defragment the drive, which rearranges the data in the drive, effectively overwriting many sectors that are marked as empty but still contain residual data.
This is not foolproof, though, as you cannot control which sectors are overwritten and which are preserved. A safer way would be to use file shredder, which like a paper shredder, will chop your file up and write over the sectors with random bits of data, effectively destroying the file permanently.
A simple shred of the file and it would be nearly impossible to recover anything useful from it. This is a free program and I strongly recommend you use it to destroy all sensitive data that you do not need anymore.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Recovering deleted files with undelete
Hello! It's time for another post on Fun stuff to do on the computer!
Today we'll be exploring an application I just recently discovered. A brief intro first, did you think that your files were safe after you delete them? Well I assume you already know about the recycle bin, but I'm referring to files after deleting them from the recycling bin. Do they go to file heaven as they transcend through the great beyond? (har har.)
What are files? Files are basically chunks of data arranged in a meaningful fashion and stored in a medium, such as a hard drive. When you delete a file in windows, the files doesn't get erased actually. Windows should do that, but because it takes so much processing power and time they decide to just allocate it as blank space, and overwrite it with another file in future. So between that time and the time you "delete" the file, your file effectively still exists in it's entirety.
Well, not exactly. You see, the pointers to the file have been deleted so the operating system no longer recognizes the file. But the data is still there, and can be recovered.
Undelete is an application that you can use to do just that. It allows anyone who gets their hands on the pc to recover the files that you thought were gone. Think your secrets and safely destroyed? Not. If there hasn't been many new programs installed lately and your file isn't too large, it's quite likely that your file can be recovered with such conventional tools. Think of all the incriminating evidence!
Okay so this program costs money. So what do we do? Find a free one, of course.
Free Undelete is just like a crude copy of undelete, except that it's FREE! Just install this program and scan the hard drive to the location where your deleted file is, and in a matter of minutes you can restore this file to it's former condition.
What can you do with this program? Well you could use it to recover a project you spent hours working on only to have your friend "accidentaly" delete. Or you could find a used computer, install this program and find the secrets hidden within....
What can be done to protect yourself from this? In the next article I will discuss some techniques to securely destroy sensitive data.
Today we'll be exploring an application I just recently discovered. A brief intro first, did you think that your files were safe after you delete them? Well I assume you already know about the recycle bin, but I'm referring to files after deleting them from the recycling bin. Do they go to file heaven as they transcend through the great beyond? (har har.)
What are files? Files are basically chunks of data arranged in a meaningful fashion and stored in a medium, such as a hard drive. When you delete a file in windows, the files doesn't get erased actually. Windows should do that, but because it takes so much processing power and time they decide to just allocate it as blank space, and overwrite it with another file in future. So between that time and the time you "delete" the file, your file effectively still exists in it's entirety.
Well, not exactly. You see, the pointers to the file have been deleted so the operating system no longer recognizes the file. But the data is still there, and can be recovered.
Undelete is an application that you can use to do just that. It allows anyone who gets their hands on the pc to recover the files that you thought were gone. Think your secrets and safely destroyed? Not. If there hasn't been many new programs installed lately and your file isn't too large, it's quite likely that your file can be recovered with such conventional tools. Think of all the incriminating evidence!
Okay so this program costs money. So what do we do? Find a free one, of course.
Free Undelete is just like a crude copy of undelete, except that it's FREE! Just install this program and scan the hard drive to the location where your deleted file is, and in a matter of minutes you can restore this file to it's former condition.
What can you do with this program? Well you could use it to recover a project you spent hours working on only to have your friend "accidentaly" delete. Or you could find a used computer, install this program and find the secrets hidden within....
What can be done to protect yourself from this? In the next article I will discuss some techniques to securely destroy sensitive data.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Using VBScript to display message boxes
In today's article, I'll show you how you can make really cool looking VBScript popup boxes to amaze and shock your friends and colleagues. Basically, with VBScript and a little time, you can create a Message box on any Microsoft Windows computer with a custom text of your choice.
This example was taken off the autoitscript website. You can create such message boxes with any text you want.
Here's how:
Step 1 - Open up a simple text editor, such as notepad.
Step 2 - Enter in the following line
msgbox"Have a nice day!",16,"Your title here"
You will replace the text in quotes "Have a nice day!" with a message of your choice (don't remove the quotes!)
The number after the message text is an indicator of what icon you may want to use.
Here are some examples :
Step 3 - Save it as a VBS file. When saving, make sure you select "all files" and enter the extension ".VBS" (for example, your file may be named "hello.vbs")
Step 4- Double click to run. Simple as that.
The possibilities of what you can do with this are endless. Obviously you could pull some pranks on other people's computer by leaving messages such as "system failure" or anything you like. You can also use such messages to leave notes or alerts.
A little more fun: Adding this line
WScript.Sleep 5000
before the msgbox line will force the script to wait 5000 miliseconds before running and displaying the messagebox. In this way you can set a timer (or a fuse) to your script so it only shows after the specified time has passed.
I hope this tutorial has been useful to you. Have fun on your computer with VBScript!
This example was taken off the autoitscript website. You can create such message boxes with any text you want.
Here's how:
Step 1 - Open up a simple text editor, such as notepad.
Step 2 - Enter in the following line
msgbox"Have a nice day!",16,"Your title here"
You will replace the text in quotes "Have a nice day!" with a message of your choice (don't remove the quotes!)
The number after the message text is an indicator of what icon you may want to use.
Here are some examples :
- Icon number 16 is a ERROR sign, a circle with a cross
- Icon number 32 is a QUESTION mark sign "?"
- Icon number 48 is a WARNING sign, a triangle with a "!" on it
- Leaving it as a 0 will give no icon.
Step 3 - Save it as a VBS file. When saving, make sure you select "all files" and enter the extension ".VBS" (for example, your file may be named "hello.vbs")
Step 4- Double click to run. Simple as that.
The possibilities of what you can do with this are endless. Obviously you could pull some pranks on other people's computer by leaving messages such as "system failure" or anything you like. You can also use such messages to leave notes or alerts.
A little more fun: Adding this line
WScript.Sleep 5000
before the msgbox line will force the script to wait 5000 miliseconds before running and displaying the messagebox. In this way you can set a timer (or a fuse) to your script so it only shows after the specified time has passed.
I hope this tutorial has been useful to you. Have fun on your computer with VBScript!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Crazy computer bug!
Take a look at this funny computer bug that I found while browsing Youtube.
Beware of the computer bug! Remember to turn up your volume before watching and don't eat anything or you may choke! Have fun!
Beware of the computer bug! Remember to turn up your volume before watching and don't eat anything or you may choke! Have fun!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
How to play games at work with Boss!
So you want to have fun at your monotonous workplace but you're afraid your mean boss will catch you in the act? With this application you'll never have to find another excuse.
Boss! is a program that hides other programs from, well, your boss. This neat executable is a mere 48 KB and will fit on any media such as floppy disks, thumbdrives and CDs. It's a standalone application, and once run will allow you to leave it running hidden in the background. Basically, you can configure this application to hide any type of window at the press of a key or a set of keys that you choose. Once you do that, all matching windows will effectively be hidden from sight (the processes will still be visible in the task manager though). Once your nosy supervisor has passed, simply press another set of keys to restore all your windows to their original state.
You'll want to activate and configure this program before exploring other fun stuff to do on the computer. Simply enter the window title of the program you want to hide into the cofiguration and you're set. It even works with entire classes of windows, for example entering "Microsoft Internet Explorer" will hide all IE windows.
Boss! is a program that hides other programs from, well, your boss. This neat executable is a mere 48 KB and will fit on any media such as floppy disks, thumbdrives and CDs. It's a standalone application, and once run will allow you to leave it running hidden in the background. Basically, you can configure this application to hide any type of window at the press of a key or a set of keys that you choose. Once you do that, all matching windows will effectively be hidden from sight (the processes will still be visible in the task manager though). Once your nosy supervisor has passed, simply press another set of keys to restore all your windows to their original state.
You'll want to activate and configure this program before exploring other fun stuff to do on the computer. Simply enter the window title of the program you want to hide into the cofiguration and you're set. It even works with entire classes of windows, for example entering "Microsoft Internet Explorer" will hide all IE windows.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Desktop Destroyer aka Anti-Stress aka Termites
So it's a warm lazy weekday and you're bored at your office cubicle with nothing to do. Your colleagues are all busy "working" and so are you. Problem is, you've worked so hard already you can't find anything else to work on, or work at, for that matter. In other words, you're so terribly bored. Looks like it's going to be a few hours before you can leave your desk and it's too risky to fall asleep now. You desperately search for something to do to keep you sane.
Don't despair. Amusement is here (and it's free too).
Desktop Destroyer (click to download) is a very old but amusing piece of software. Basically, it captures a screenshot of your computer desktop and turns it into a work of art. More precisely, you are given various tools such as a flamethrower, a termite-laying hand, a chainsaw, a hammer and a few others to wreck havoc on your own desktop. Great for releasing the pent up stress from hours of "hard work".
This program comes as a standalone executable, with many different names such as Desktop Destroyer, Anti-Stress, Termites and Ants. In recent years, it's online presence was wiped clean by a newer program with a similar name - Desktop Destroyer 3D. Anyway, this program has been around before the year 2000 so don't expect much is the area of graphics. The program plays cute sounds whenever you do an action. Just don't let your boss see what you're doing or you might have more stress to relieve.
A note of caution: some antiviruses detect this piece of software as malicious, or otherwise as a joke program. This program is perfectly safe and does not harm your computer in any way, other than perhaps reducing work productivity. If you receive an alert warning, know that the program is safe, you can instruct the antivirus to allow this program to execute.
Have fun (smashing your desktop)!
EDIT: Well it seems like the owner of the website hosting this file has found me :D
So in gratitude of allowing me to link to your file (which I found on a forum, but thats a long story), i'll add a nice, one way backlink to your blog.
Hopefully it will give you some link juice and boost pagerank :D
Don't despair. Amusement is here (and it's free too).
Desktop Destroyer (click to download) is a very old but amusing piece of software. Basically, it captures a screenshot of your computer desktop and turns it into a work of art. More precisely, you are given various tools such as a flamethrower, a termite-laying hand, a chainsaw, a hammer and a few others to wreck havoc on your own desktop. Great for releasing the pent up stress from hours of "hard work".
This program comes as a standalone executable, with many different names such as Desktop Destroyer, Anti-Stress, Termites and Ants. In recent years, it's online presence was wiped clean by a newer program with a similar name - Desktop Destroyer 3D. Anyway, this program has been around before the year 2000 so don't expect much is the area of graphics. The program plays cute sounds whenever you do an action. Just don't let your boss see what you're doing or you might have more stress to relieve.
A note of caution: some antiviruses detect this piece of software as malicious, or otherwise as a joke program. This program is perfectly safe and does not harm your computer in any way, other than perhaps reducing work productivity. If you receive an alert warning, know that the program is safe, you can instruct the antivirus to allow this program to execute.
Have fun (smashing your desktop)!
EDIT: Well it seems like the owner of the website hosting this file has found me :D
So in gratitude of allowing me to link to your file (which I found on a forum, but thats a long story), i'll add a nice, one way backlink to your blog.
Hopefully it will give you some link juice and boost pagerank :D
Monday, February 11, 2008
Welcome to Fun on the Computer
Welcome to Fun on the Computer, a place where you can learn to have fun with your computer! In the next few articles I will be showing you some fun stuff to do on the computer. If you're reading this you're probably bored at your desk with nothing meaningful to do. Don't give up in the gloom, read this blog! I will also demonstrate some tricks that you can employ to make using your computer easier and more exciting. Amuse your friends and yourself with some computer fun.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please fill free to leave a comment on this post.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please fill free to leave a comment on this post.
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