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This is first part of a series of articles I intend to write about those small, free yet incredibly usefull softwares. I will start of with three of my favourites.

1. Unlocker : This is truely a must have software. I am sure that everyone has had the misfortune of encountering error messages like “Error Deleting File or Folder : It is being used by another person or program” while trying to modify/delete a file. The can be extremely frustrating, especially if you can’t recognize the process that is causing this trouble. This is where Unlocker comes into the picture. Unlocker is a tiny shell extension that integrates itself with the context menu.Unlocker can identify the process which is locking the file and unlock it, and most of the time you wont even need to kill/end the trouble causing process. Click on the image to view it in full size.

Recent versions also include Unlocker assistant. Unlocker assistant stays in the system tray, and when you encounter some locked file it automatically Unlocks it.
Apart from unlocking a file, it can also directly delete, rename or move the file.

2. TrIDNet : TrIDNet is an utility designed to identify file types from their binary signatures. It comes in handy as sometimes while downloading the extension of the file is lost (eg. while downloading email attachments or youtube videos using keepvid.com). I tested it with 10 different file formats : doc, pdf, txt, srt, flv, adr, avi, mp4, tiff, exe. It managed to succesfully detect all of them. Check the forums if you want to integrate TrIDNet with the context menu.This software can come in handy if you want to quickly and easily hide/disguise files without using any expensive software. All you need to do is to change the extension of the file you want to hide to something else (dont use a common format). When you neeed to access the file use Trid to get the original format.

3. Belarc Advisor : Belarc Advisor is a free system inventory creator. There are scores of similar programs. However, the reason I prefer
is it creates an inventory of not only your hardware but also software. Its hardware monitor itself is reasonably detailed.
However, according to me the most usefull functionality provided by the software is related to Microsoft Security Hotfixes. It list’s all installed hotfixes as well as the hotfixes I am missing. It also creates a list of all the software installed. For the softwares I have purchased it lists the serial number/license key. It also displays your CIS (Center for Internet Security) benchmark score ( Screenshot ).

Edited to Add (24rth May) : Please be careful about what you do with the report that is generated by Belarc Advisor. If you decide to upload the report on the web don’t forget to delete the license keys included in it. More information is available here.

That’s all for now. Hopefully you will find these applications usefull.

After a pretty long lay-off I am back to blogging again. Hopefully, I will manage to (read: I will not be lazy) to update my blog more often. Anyway, let me first start off with some news about Opera.

i ) Opera v9.02 RC2 released : Opera v9.02 RC2 was released a few hours ago. Do check it out. Among other things live.com now works better in the RC builds.
For Windows, Mac, Unix .

ii) Opera attempts to patch Yahoo mail beta : Last year I had blogged about the new Yahoo Mail beta not supporting Opera ( link ). Opera dev Hallvord had then left a comment stating Opera soft will be working on it. He has kept his promise. Today or so (in Hallvord’s words) OddPatch 0.1 Beta will be launched. It will attempt to fix the flaws in Yahoo mail’s scripting through Opera’s browser.js . He writes in his blog :

iii) Trond Werner Hansen leaves Opera : Trond who was involved with design and UI development related activities for Windows version of the browser, since 1999 left the company last week to pursue interests in music. He wrote a farewell message here .

iv) Opera’s CTO Hakon Wium Lie gets interviewed by Zdnet : A must read for any Opera fan. As usual, Mr. Lie didnt mince his words as far as Microsoft and Internet Explorer is concerned.

Excerpt from the Interview :

Part 1 | Part 2

v) Nintendo showcases Opera for Wii : Nintendo has released a bunch of videos showing Opera for Wii in action.

Searching Google
Zooming and playing Multimedia in Opera
Browsing Google Maps
Source

vi) Opera.com is redesigned : Opera has decided to simplify their home page ( Screenshot of old page and new page ). All details about Opera for Mobile and other devices have been moved to separate pages, which is a good thing in my opinion.

Thats all for now 🙂

As Mumbaikars try their best to move ahead, and put this cowardly act of terrorism behind them, the question that is in every Indian’s mind is “What’s next ?“. The question is not whether another attack will take place but how soon it will take place.
To understand the gravity of the situation, first lets have a look at the major terrorist attacks since 2001[ Source : Wikipedia ].

2001 , October 1 : Terrorist target the Jammu and Kashmir state assembly. 35 people lost their live.
2001, December 13 : Terrorist attack on Indian Parliament. No casualty due to alert security forces.
2002, May 13 : 12 people are killed in the Jaunpur train crash in India, caused when Islamic extremists cut the rails.
2002, September 25 : Terrorist attack the Akshardham temple in Ahmedabad. 30 people died in the incident.
2002, December 21 : 20 people are killed in Kurnool when Islamic Extremists derailed a train.
2003, August 25 : 50 people are killed due to 2 bomb blasts in Mumbai.
2005, June 5 : Terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Toiba attacked the Ayodhya Ram Janmbhomi complex in India. No casualties. All the terrorists were gunned down.
2005, October 29 : Multiple bomb blasts hit markets in Delhi, India, killing at least 61 people.
2005, December 28 : Terrorists open fire at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, killing a retired professor of mathematics.
2006, Match 7 : Bombings in the city of Varanasi leave at least 15 people dead.
2006, July 11 : Explosions in local trains in Mumbai.

This list doesn’t include the terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. There are terrorist attacks there almost every alternate week. On the morning of 7/11 itself 8 tourists were killed in 5 grenade attacks.

The length of this list proves the sheer magnitude of threat India is currently facing from terrorists. Lashkar-e-Toiba’s clout is increasing alarmingly. According to preliminary investigation reports this attack may have been carried out by Lashkar-e-Toiba with the help of SIMI ( Students Islamic Movement of India ). Lashkar is now teaming with local and smaller terrorist organizations in several parts of India to carry out their action. This is a very worrying trend, as it increases their effectiveness by manifolds. However, the involvement of Pakistan in this is almost certain.
Yet, the most shocking thing is the reaction of the Government of India. In fact they have hardly reacted. All they do is to release a statement denouncing the act of terror and stating that we will stand united against Terrorists. Then as the days pass everyone forgets about it, till another attack takes place.
The only way of dealing with this crisis is by hitting back. By striking at the source of the problem. Doesn’t matter how much we strengthen our intelligence service, these kind of attacks will continue happening. The terrorists are bound to succeed at least one out of every 10 times. India is a vast and densely populated country with a lot of soft spots which can be easily targeted. To make matters worse it is surrounded by countries like Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh where ISI as well as Terrorist groups have considerable influence. The security agencies has managed to thwart several attacks in the past. In May, this year 43kg of RDX along with large number of Grenades and AK-47 was seized in Maharashtra. However, it will fail , and when it fails the concequences will be disastrous.
It is no secret that terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba, Harakat ul-Mujahidin, Hizbul Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Mohammed, are based in Pakistan and is supported in various ways by the Government of Pakistan. In spite of several requests from India the Government of Pakistan has refused to take any solid action against these groups. India has been assaulted repeatedly, and every time it chose to ignore it and extend a hand of friendship to Pakistan only to be rewarded by another vicious attack. In this perspective let me quote what Pakistan’s foreign minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri’ said after the blasts :

“Anything can go wrong anywhere in India or Pakistan. There are bomb blasts in India, there are bomb blasts in Pakistan. If you have these disputes, it enables negative forces in both countries to blame the other country and exploit the sentiment…I think we should try and take advantage of this improved atmosphere and resolve outstanding disputes, particularly the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.”

Its worth nothing how he brought in the dispute over Kashmir while giving his reaction.

On July 12, the terrorist organization, Hezbollah launched an attack on Israel. Israel wasted absolutely no time in taking action on them, and opened fire on Lebanon, where Hezbollah is based. When the World Trade Center was attacked 2,749 people died. America fought back by waging a war against terrorism. India has lost thousands of more people due to persistent terrorism. And we will continue to loose thousands of more citizens, till our Government stands up and takes aggressive action.

WAKE UP INDIA. WAKE UP.