Category: Tools

  • Keep Your Inbox Spam-Free with TrashMail

    I’m not comfortable giving out my email address freely on the internet, but many websites require a valid email address when registering.  While this is typically harmless, it does open you up to the potential for spam – and who wants that? TrashMail lets you sneak past compulsory email registration by generating a disposable email…

  • Aviary Makes Online Image Capturing and Editing Easy

    One problem I have come across again and again online has been the struggle of how to capture screenshots of web pages to show my friends, co-workers, or family.  Stumbling upon the relatively new Aviary.com was the solution to that very problem.  Aviary.com is one of the most significant websites I’ve seen in a while. …

  • Manage Multiple Gmail Accounts with Google Account Multi-Login

    Firefox only:  If you’re like me, you have multiple Gmail accounts and wish there was a quicker way to switch between them in the Gmail web interface.  With the Google Account Multi-Login script for Greasemonkey, you can do just that. Step One – Prerequisites: To enable this feature, you’ll first need to be using Firefox…

  • Become a Facebook Power User with Facebook Fixer

    Sure,  you know how to use Facebook pretty well – but there are dozens of features you can add to the popular social networking site with Firefox and Greasemonkey scripts.  Greasemonkey is an add-on for Firefox that lets you enhance webpages with user generated scripts, and can enable features in Facebook like: Enlarging profile pictures…

  • How To: Install WordPress Locally in Mac OS X

    Mac only:  This guide will show you how to install WordPress on your local computer, which will allow you to test tweaks or modify a theme for your current website without making live changes. To get started, you’ll need to download the following files: WordPress XAMPP for OSX – An Apache distribution containing MySQL, PHP…

  • How To: Verify Your Windows 7 ISO is Legitimate

    With literally dozens of copies of the Windows 7 ISO floating around the internet (and countless more once the RTM is inevitably leaked) – it has become increasingly important to verify your copy is legitimate before installation.  Verifying your ISO not only lets you know that you have the correct file, it also protects you…

  • How To: Securely Erase Your Hard Drive Using DBAN

    It’s likely that at some point in time, you will either sell your computer or install a new operating system on your current machine.  In either situation, it’s recommended that you wipe your hard drive clean of any and all information. Most people will tell you to format your computer because it deletes everything from the…

  • Google Wants to Help Make Your Website Faster with Page Speed

    Firefox only:  Google has just released Page Speed, a website performance tool for Firefox/Firebug that is similar to the previously covered Yahoo YSlow add-on.  Google has made it clear that speed is one of their highest priorities for modern-day internet, and Page Speed is their attempt at getting web developers personally involved in the process.…

  • How To: Mount Images (ISO Files) in Windows XP with a Small, Free Microsoft App

    Windows XP:  If you have ever downloaded a disk image (ISO file), you likely burned it to a CD or DVD and put it in your optical drive.  Well, image files don’t necessarily need to be burned to physical media – they can be mounted “virtually” in your operating system and be used just the…

  • How To: Analyze and Improve Your Website’s Performance with YSlow

    Firefox only:  When creating a website, it’s a good idea to be aware of the site’s performance and to find ways to improve load times.  YSlow is an add-on for Firefox that can thoroughly analyze any website’s performance and can even provide suggestions on how to improve the site’s speed. Getting Started To get started,…