Very helpful web "things"!

These days I've become really addicted to these Google tools:

1. Google Reader - web application of the year!!! Dangerously addictive. Add RSS feeds of your favorite blogs and save your time just using the mighty Reader which shows the updates. Any post that you read and like, just "star" it and you don't have to bookmark it or lose it. Reading in this perfectly designed app is what I am doing all day instead of writing my thesis!
   I recommend subscribing to "photography" blogs combo and my dosmojitos RSS since I don't post really often.
   
   
2. Google Notebook - has received new fancy look just yesterday. I have created few notebooks like Music, Quotes, Travel, Personal etc. in which I keep things for which I don't have time now but definitely don't want to forget.
   Install Firefox add-on and just select anything on a web page and send it to your Notebook instatly!
   
   
3. Google Calendar - all time favorite. Organize your life so you can use your time more effectively. Share your calendar with your friends and family so they know what you're up to.
   If you want to synchronize your calendar and use it offline-online, download Calgoo.
   
   
4. Google Documents - the spreadsheets are just cool to share information with your friends. I use them for sharing data online, for example phone numbers of my friends who play squash. I also keep track of friendly squash tournaments I've just started to organize every weekend!
   
   
5. Picasa Web Albums has 1GB of free web space and very convenient upload directly from Picasa, the greatest and easiest photo software ever.

This is the Google world, if you are interested in this stuff, have a look at Zoho Notebook or Scrybe... and wait patiently until Christmas :)

Computer Virus Mafia

I have just spent half of Saturday locating and removing a nasty virus on my laptop. It is called Winfixer or Vundo and randomly opens Internet Explorer with a link to buy some anti-virus software. Also, I was not able to put my laptop to hibernation, which really really sucks.

So I have downloaded some 10 different utilities, spyware removers, anti-virus applications and read at least 10 forum posts to fix the problem. I was offered to buy some premium software but since I am principled I have used just freeware. Fortunately the infection is gone and I can hibernate again (even thought the winter is gone:)

I still think that there must be a hidden conspiracy - programmers who develop computer viruses are own employees of anti-virus software producers. The system works like Italian mafia - you have to pay for their "protection" but the threat originates, surprisingly, from themselves.

technorati tags:virus, conspiracy