In places like where I live (Malaysia), we are usually lucky enough to stay in cool & cozy office space. But one thing we have always failed to notice, is how temperature can shoot high while we’re using our computers at home or at places without air-conditioning. Yes, besides electric surge and shock, heat can cause serious damage to the hardware, especially the harddisk. From my limited experience, a harddisk that frequently goes beyond 53° celcius is bound to fail in less than a year!

For people like me, using the o-so-cheap-and-popular Dell notebook, you can download a free utility called i8kfan. What I usually do is to turn on the harddrive temperature sensor and display it on the system tray, along-side the CPU temperature.

Alternatively, you may want to use another free software which provides a nice GUI, and takes up just a little bit more RAM (9K, as compared to i8kfan’s 4K). Enter Active@ Harddisk Monitor.

Not only does it provide a system tray temperature display, it also shows the harddisk SMART info, the de-facto standard for harddisk health monitoring (although I have never been able to fully understand what all those numbers means exactly).

Well fine, now that we know the temperature of the harddrive, and if it’s too high, what do we do ? Obviously you could get yourself an air-conditioning system. Or, just get your PC better cooling; and for laptops, get yourself one of those laptop cooling pad, like this:

 

, or this:

Doesn’t really matters which one, as long as there’s wind blowing below your laptop, and better still get your table/standing fan to blow at you and the laptop (that’s what you usually does anyway). This definitely lower the harddisk’s temperature by may be 3° or 4° celcius, and that’s good enough! May your harddrive lives long and prosper!

 

I havent had time to read all the programmer’s jokes in Stack Overflow, but this one is damn funny. Sing it out loud, hahaha!

With the need to work with overseas development office, we often have to find ways to communicate and collaborate more effectively. Some of the tasks we do are reporting bugs, or performing a system walk-thru among the offices. One useful tools I've found, is this free Jing Project, from the creator of the famous Techsmith Camstudio.

Using it is pretty straight forward. After installing, this minimalist icons appears on top of the screen.

Just click on it, then outline the area of the screen you wish to capture. Click on the Video button to start recording your on-screen activities.

When you're done with the recording, it lets you save to either a file, FTP or upload to the free Screencast.com hosting site. Screencast.com is the easiest route (you just need to share the URL). If you don't want the world to see the bug you've just encountered while unit-testing, you can save it to a local file. A Macromedia Shockwave file (SWF) is created, which anyone can view from Internet Explorer.

For more information, go to http://blog.jingproject.com/2008/07/get_started_with_jing.html

Woot, I’ve been waiting for this phone for a few months, and with this video, I’m gonna dead get it! Yeah!

Out of the free antivirus program you can find online, I think Avira Antivir is the best one. It may not be the best in terms of detection rate (I think Kasperky wins out in this one, but I feel that its performance is very bad), but dare I say, for 99.9% of the time, it detects all viruses that have ever grace my system, and it doesn't bog down system performance noticeably.

The only annoyance is this big bad nag screen being displayed after every signature update. I have found a way to disable it. Here goes...

.: Disable the Avira AntiVir avnotify nag screen :.

Windows 2000:

1. Click Start, and then click Run
2. In the Open box, type gpedit.msc, and then click OK
3. Expand User Configuration, expand Administrative Templates, and then expand System
4. In the right pane, double-click Don't run specified Windows applications
5. Click Enabled, and then click Show
6. Click Add, and then type the executable file name of the program (avnotify.exe) that you want to restrict users from running.
7. Click OK, click OK, and then click OK (NOTE: If domain-level policy settings are defined, they may override this local policy setting.)
8. Quit Group Policy Object Editor
9. Restart the computer

Windows 2000/XP: (2000 & XP Pro do not require you to boot into safe mode)

1. Boot into Safe Mode (tap F8 repeatedly after you restart the computer)
2. Log in using the Administrator account
3. Go to C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic\avnotify.exe
4. Right-click avnotify.exe-> properties-> security-> advanced
5. Under the Permissions tab click on SYSTEM under Permission entries:
6. Edit-> Traverse Folder / Execute File-> deny-> ok ->apply-> yes -> ok-> ok
7. Reboot the computer into Normal Mode (start-> shutdown-> restart)

Windows XP Pro & Vista Business/Ultimate/Enterprise

1. Start-> Control Panel
2. Administrative tools-> Local security policy
3. Click on Software Restriction Policy-> Action (at the top)-> create new restriction policies. If there are pre-existing restriction policy, this step is not applicable.
4. Right-click additional rules (on the right side)-> new path rule
5. Click Browse and navigate to C:\Program Files\(Avira)\AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic\ and double-click avnotify.exe
6. Set the security level to Disallowed-> apply-> ok

Windows Vista Home Premium

1. Go to C:\Program Files\Avira\AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic\avnotify.exe
2. Right-click avnotify.exe-> properties-> security->
3. Under the group or username SYSTEM click edit
4. Put a checkmark under the DENY column for "read and execute"

.: Disable the splash screen :.

1. Open regedit and navigate to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
2. In the right pane double-click avgnt and add /nosplash at the end of the path (ex. /min /nosplash)

quoted from http://www.elitekiller.com/files/disable_antivir_nag.htm

Trying to reinvent and understand company's ex-staff source code. This is all too familiar.

I've always thought that, among the thousands of characters in the Unicode character set, some of them can be put to good use daily, but I've never really dig into them. That is until lately, when I start noticing people using funny characters in sites like Plurk, and discovered the characters people started to extracted from it, then I realized how fun it can be.  Now I use it in things like my Y! Messenger Status. An example here:

☀ + ☂ = ?

The list is here. Copy and Paste it however you like, and enjoy!

๑•ิ.•ั๑ ๑۩۞۩๑ ♬✿.｡.:* ★ ☆ εїз℡❣·۰•●○●ōゃ ♥ ♡๑۩ﺴ ☜ ☞ ☎ ☏♡ ⊙◎ ☺ ☻✖╄ஐﻬ ► ◄ ▧ ▨ ♨ ◐ ◑ ↔ ↕ ▪ ▫ ☼ ♦ ▀ ▄ █▌ ▐░ ▒ ▬♦ ◊ ◦ ☼ ♠♣ ▣ ▤ ▥ ▦ ▩ ◘ ◙ ◈ ♫ ♬ ♪ ♩ ♭ ♪ の ☆ → あ ぃ ￡ ❤＃ ＠ ＆ ＊ ❁ ❀ ✿ ✾ ❃ ✺ ❇ ❈ ❊ ❉ ✱ ✲ ✩ ✫ ✬ ✭ ✮ ✰ ☆ ★ ✪ ¤ ☼ ☀ ☽ ☾ ❤ ♡ ღ☻ ☺ ❂ ◕ ⊕ ☉ Θ o O ♋ ☯ ㊝ ⊙ ◎◑ ◐ ۰ • ● ▪ ▫ ｡ ﾟ ๑ ☜ ☞ ☂ ♨ ☎ ☏ × ÷ ＝ ≠ ≒ ∞ ˇ ± √ ⊥▶ ▷ ◀ ◁ ☀ ☁ ☂ ☃ ☄ ★ ☆ ☇ ☈ ☉ ☊ ☋ ☌ ☍ ☑ ☒☢ ☸ ☹ ☺ ☻ ☼ ☽ ☾ ♠ ♡ ♢ ♣ ♤ ♥ ♦ ♧ ♨ ♩ ✙ ✈ ✉ ✌ ✁♝ ♞♯♩♪♫♬♭♮ ☎ ☏ ☪ ♈ ♨ ₪ ™ ♂✿ ♥ の ↑ ↓ ← → ↖ ↗ ↙ ↘ ㊣ ◎ ○ ● ⊕ ⊙ ○ △ ▲ ☆ ★ ◇ ◆ ■ □ ▽ ▼ § ￥ 〒 ￠ ￡ ※ ♀ ♂ &⁂ ℡ ↂ░ ▣ ▤ ▥ ▦ ▧ ✐✌✍✡✓✔✕✖ ♂ ♀ ♥ ♡ ☜ ☞ ☎ ☏ ⊙ ◎ ☺ ☻ ► ◄ ▧ ▨ ♨ ◐ ◑ ↔ ↕ ♥ ♡ ▪ ▫ ☼ ♦ ▀ ▄ █ ▌ ▐ ░ ▒ ▬ ♦ ◊ ◘ ◙ ◦ ☼ ♠ ♣ ▣ ▤ ▥ ▦ ▩ ◘ ◙ ◈ ♫ ♬ ♪ ♩ ♭ ♪ ✄☪☣☢☠░ ▒ ▬ ♦ ◊ ◦ ♠ ♣ ▣ ۰•● ❤ ●•۰► ◄ ▧ ▨ ♨ ◐ ◑ ↔ ↕ ▪ ▫ ☼ ♦♧♡♂♀♠♣♥❤☜☞☎☏⊙◎ ☺☻☼▧▨♨◐◑↔↕▪ ▒ ◊◦▣▤▥ ▦▩◘ ◈◇♬♪♩♭♪の★☆→あぃ￡Ю〓§♤♥▶¤๑⊹⊱⋛⋌⋚⊰⊹ ๑۩۩.. ..۩۩๑ ๑۩۞۩๑ ✲ ❈ ✿ ✲ ❈ ➹ ~.~ ◕‿- ❣ ✚ ✪ ✣ ✤ ✥ ✦❉ ❥ ❦ ❧ ❃ ❂ ❁ ❀ ✄ ☪ ☣ ☢ ☠ ☭ღღღ ▶ ▷ ◀ ◁ ☀ ☁ ☂ ☃ ☄ ★ ☆ ☇ ☈ ⊙ ☊ ☋ ☌ ☍ⓛⓞⓥⓔ๑•ิ.•ั๑ ๑۩۞۩๑ ♬✿ ☉♡ ♢ ♣ ♤ ♥ ♦ ♧ ♨ ♩ ✙✈ ✉ ✌ ✁ ✎ ✐ ❀ ✰ ❁ ❤ ❥ ❦❧ ➳ ➽ εїз℡❣·۰•●○●ゃōゃ♥ ♡๑۩ﺴ ☜ ☞ ☎ ☏♡ ⊙◎ ☺ ☻✖╄ஐﻬ ► ◄ ▧ ▨ ♨ ◐ ◑ ↔ ↕ ▪ ▫ ☼ ♦ ▀ ▄ █▌ ▐░ ▒ ▬♦ ◊ ◦ ☼ ♠♣ ▣ ▤ ▥ ▦ ▩ ◘ ◙ ◈ ♫ ♬ ♪ ♩ ♭ ♪ の ☆ → あ ぃ ￡ ❤ ❁ ❀ ✿ ✾ ❃ ✺ ❇ ❈ ❊ ❉ ✱ ✲ ✩ ✫ ✬ ✭ ✮ ✰ ☆ ★ ✪ ¤ ☼ ☀ ☽ ☾ ❤ ♡ ღ☻ ☺ ❂ ◕ ⊕ ☉ Θ o O ♋ ☯ ㊝ ⊙ ◎ ◑ ◐ ۰ • ● ▪ ▫ ｡ ﾟ ๑ ☜ ☞ ☂ ♨ ☎ ☏▶ ▷ ◀ ◁ ☀ ☁ ☂ ☃ ☄ ★ ☆ ☇ ☈ ☉ ☊ ☋ ☌ ☍ ☑ ☒☢ ☸ ☹ ☺ ☻ ☼ ☽ ☾ ♠ ♝ ♞♯♩♪♫♬♭♮ ☎ ☏ ☪ ♈ ♨ ºº ₪ ¤ 큐 « »™ ♂✿ ♥ の ↑ ↓ ← → ↖ ↗ ↙ ↘ ㊣ ◎ ○ ● ⊕ ⊙ ○ △ ▲ ☆ ★ ◇ ◆ ■ □ ▽ ▼ § ￥〒 ￠ ￡ ※ ♀ ♂ © ® ⁂ ℡ ↂ░ ▣ ▤ ▥ ▦ ▧ ✐✌✍✡✓✔✕✖ ♂ ♀ ♥ ♡ ☜ ☞ ☎ ☏ ⊙ ◎ ☺ ☻ ► ◄ ▧ ▨ ♨ ◐ ◑ ↔ ↕ ♥ ♡ ▪ ▫ ☼ ♦ ▀ ▄ █ ▌ ▐ ░ ▒ ▬ ♦ ◊ ◘ ◙ ◦ ☼ ♠ ♣ ▣ ▤ ▥ ▦ ▩ ◘ ◙ ◈ ♫ ♬ ♪ ♩ ♭ ♪ ✄☪☣☢☠㊊㊋㊌㊍㊎㊏ ㊐㊑㊒㊓㊔㊕㊖㊗㊘㊜㊝㊞㊟㊠㊡㊢ ㊣㊤㊥㊦㊧㊨㊩㊪㊫㊬㊭㊮㊯㊰✗✘✚✪✣✤✥✦✧✩✫✬✭✮✯✰ ✱✲✳❃❂❁❀✿✾✽✼✻✺✹✸✷ ✶✵✴❄❅❆❇❈❉❊❋❖☀☂☁【】┱ ┲ ❣ ✪ ✣ ✤ ✥ ✦ ❉ ❥ ❦ ❧ ❃ ❂ ❁ ❀ ✄ ☪ ☣ ☢ ☠ ☭ ♈ ➸ ✓ ✔ ✕ ✖ .: ◢ ◣ ◥ ◤ ▽ ▧ ▨ ▣ ▤ ▥ ▦ ▩ ◘ ◙ ▓ ▒ ░ ™ ℡ 凸 の ๑۞๑ ๑۩ﺴ ﺴ۩๑ o(‧”’‧)o ❆ べò⊹⊱⋛⋋ ⋌⋚⊰⊹ ⓛⓞⓥⓔ ☀ ☼ ☜ ☞ ⊙® ◈ ♦ ◊ ◦ ◇ ◆ εїз❃❂❁❀✿✾✽✼✻✺✹✸✷ ✶✵✴❄❅❆❇❈❉ ❊❋❖❤❥❦❧↔ ↕ ▪ → ︷╅╊✿ (¯`•._.• •._.•´¯)(¯`•¸•´¯) ❤`•.¸¸.•´´¯`•• .¸¸.•´¯`•.•●•۰• ••.•´¯`•.•• ••.•´¯`•.••—¤÷(`[¤* *¤]´)÷¤——(•·÷[ ]÷·•)— ①②③④⑤⑥⑦⑧⑨⑩ ⑪⑫⑬⑭⑮⑯⑰⑱⑲⑳ ⒶⒷⒸⒹⒺⒻ ⒼⒽⒾⒿⓀⓁ ⓂⓃⓄⓅⓆⓇ ⓈⓉⓊⓋⓌⓍ ⓎⓏ ⓐⓑⓒⓓⓔⓕ ⓖⓗⓘⓙⓚⓛ ⓜⓝⓞⓟⓠⓡ ⓢⓣⓤⓥⓦⓧ ⓨⓩ(⊙▂⊙✖ )(づ ￣ ³￣)づ ( c//”-}{-*\\x)(-’๏_๏’-)(◐ o ◑ )(⊙…⊙ )๏[-ิ_•ิ]๏(•ิ_•ิ)\(•ิ_•ิ\) (/•ิ_•ิ)(︶︹︺)