Office Now "Open" For Business....

Free alternatives to popular programs tend to be hit or miss when it comes to functionality and compatibility. Sun Microsystems Open Office is quite the exception. Offering a full office suite for the price of nothing is the kind of bold statement the open-source community is known for making. It’s time we start listening. Although “free” is a very attractive price point, all this means nothing without solid compatibility with commonly used commercial products. This happens to be Open Office’s crowning achievement!!

The typical document and spreadsheet applications are there, as well as tools for database, presentation and graphics creation and manipulation. The availability of extensions increases functionality, while the ability to run the entire suite from a flash drive means you can stay productive while on the go.

Users will be pleased to know that files from most programs will open without any issues. Files can also be saved in just about every popular file format as well. Combined with its ability to be installed on Windows, Mac and Linux based computers; cross compatibility between various hardware/software combinations shouldn’t be an issue.

Open Office has advanced greatly since first released and is well supported by a community of loyal users. Take it for a spin. You won’t be disappointed. 

A Free Sound Editor With Pro Features....

If you work with a lot of audio, Audacity is a must have. With the ability to edit multiple file formats, create multiple tracks and use VST Plugins, there is no reason why this shouldn’t be installed on your Mac, Windows or Linux based computer. Sporting an easy to use interface and tons of useful features, this is a great alternative to mainstream programs such as Sony’s Sound Forge and Propellerhead’s ReCycle.

Teach Your Old Router New Tricks....

So, while trying to setup a new IBM Thinkcentre I received, I ran into one small issue; how to connect to the internet!!

• The Problem: The broadband modem/Linksys router combination is located in another room downstairs, away from the location of the desktop. This rules out a hard wired connection is out of the question, and a wireless connection would be an added expense as the IBM didn’t included any built-in wireless hardware from the factory.

• The Solution: At this point I have two options, or so I thought. The first was to buy and install a PCI Wireless Card. You can purchase one for as little as $15.00 and the installation is pretty straight forward. The second includes buying a wireless bridge and parting with a crispy c-note, which I wasn’t prepared to do.
  

Although both of these options would result in a wireless connection, I did manage to find a third option involving a free application and a visit to Craigslist.

The Tomato Firmware is an open source application used to replace the factory-installed firmware on a handful of Broadcom-based wireless router; one being the Linksys WRT54G. This is probably one of the most popular routers released to date. With availability stemming back to 2002, there are tons of them available on the used market for next to nothing. You might even have one kicking around in your closet. After a quick search on Craigslist, I managed to track down a WRT54G and WMP54G (PCI Wireless Card) for $25.00!!

After starting the installation process, I left the firmware and router alone so they could get busy. The resulting offspring is nothing short of amazing!! This combination essentially turns your consumer-grade router into a highly configurable super router. The features provided by this upgrade are usually set aside for machinery costing 10x as much. Here’s a glimpse of what to expect....

• Bridge Mode: This feature allows you to use the router as an access point for an existing wireless connection. Once a connection is established, you can use the built-in 4-port switch to distribute the signal to 4 connected devices. This solved my issue, and allowed room for expansion as well. This is also a great feature for gamers who own multiple systems, allowing them to connect an XBOX 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii and other systems to one device, without the need for additional hardware.

• QOS (Quality of Service): Simply allows you to divide the bandwidth amongst users and applications. Great for keeping steady transfer rates when downloading torrents and other large files.
  

• WDS (Wireless Distribution System): Grabs a signal with one antenna, and sends it out of the other. Place your router close to a window, use the Wireless Survey feature to scan for an open network with Antenna A, and then let Antenna B fill your room with a strong signal.
  

The list goes on. With a very clean, easy to use interface and tons of support from online communities, you really can’t go wrong. Check the Tomato Firmware WiKi for more information and model support.

Enjoy

Size Does Matter....

For file transfers that is. We all need to send large files from time to time. Email gets the job done for files 25mb or less. But what if you need to send something larger like a Pro Tools session or HD video files?

While faced with this issue, I stumbled upon a little program called Tirminal. Simply drag the file or folder you need to send into the application, set your security options, save your settings and a link will be generated for a direct transfer from your computer.

Send this link via email, chat, text or even paste it on your blog or website and anyone will be able to instantly download large files to their computer. The best part is the lack of a file size limit. A Windows version is currently available, with Mac and Linux versions in the works. All for free!!

It’s a no-brainer….