Developer David Heinemeier Hansson says he loves working with family people, because when there’s a daily deadline—like his co-workers having to get home to their kids—people’s jobs get done during the workday, period. [via]
Windows Vista only: By default, Windows Vista doesn’t allow you to install custom colour and window decoration themes, unless they’ve been specifically reviewed by Microsoft. With a set of Uxtheme Patches, and a willingness to roll up your sleeves and patch your system, you can enable custom themes and tweak your colours, windows, and other desktop parts to your heart’s content. The How-To Geek has a step-by-step guide to installing, patching, and enabling custom themes, and it’s highly recommend that anyone trying it out back up their files and create a restore point before pressing on. Having said that, there are some pretty slick themes out there, at deviantART and elsewhere. Uxtheme Patches are free downloads for Windows Vista (standard and SP1) only. Image from NEXTLevel theme by patrickgs.
The CyberNet tech blog digs into Smart Bookmarks, one of the neatest new features in the upcoming Firefox 3, and pulls out a how-to guide to compiling your own iTunes-like collections. Using a wide set of parameters, you can add bookmarks that monitor sites, your own browsing habits, and more. A few examples of what you can bookmark after the jump.
Mac OS X only: VMware’s brand new beta 1 of Fusion 2.0, virtualisation software for Mac OS X, promises to make you feel like you’re running Windows or Linux natively from your Mac desktop. From multiple monitor support, 3-D graphics support for games, smoother USB device detection, folder sharing, and printing, Fusion 2.0 is a tempting piece of software already, even in only as a first beta. Problem is, if you already use Fusion, the beta will replace your existing installation. To spare you possible bugginess on your desktop, have a look at some screenshots of Fusion 2.0 in action on my Mac.
I’m happy to announce that thanks to the generosity of uber-Lifehacker Gina Trapani, we have a pile of autographed copies of her new book to give away to Lifehacker AU readers! Gina’s latest Lifehacker book, Upgrade Your Life, is full of lifehacking tips, tricks and tools, and we really want to give you a copy! Send us your best life hack, organisational strategy, computer tip, or DIY project and earn a chance to have one of these books signed and shipped to your door.
We’re especially keen to see entries which are supported by screenshots or video illustrating your hack – so feel free to get creative! Email us your submission to tips@lifehacker.com.au with the subject heading “Upgrade Your Life Competition” and over the next couple of weeks, we’ll feature the top three hacks here on the site, and give the winners an autographed copy of the book. Get more details after the jump. More »
A Nielsen Online study has found that Australians now spend more time online than watching TV. We spend an average of 13.7 hours per week web surfing, and 13.3 hours per week in front of the TV. Does that fit with your net and TV habits? The silly thing is I bet it doesn’t take into account people watching downloaded shows on their computers or streamed to their TV. My question is – how do people find 13.3 hours of TV worth watching each week? :)[via Laurel Papworth] More »
Once upon a time, if you wanted to access or share a file over the internet, you either had to have your own web server to upload it to or hope the file was small enough to sneak in under your email account’s upload limits. Nowadays, you can upload and share gigabytes worth of data for free using a handful of web applications designed to make sharing and storing files online a breeze. We’ve covered gobs of them, but among all the choices, it’s difficult to narrow down the competition to find the best. That’s why you’re here. For this week’s Hive Five, we want to hear about your favourite. Hit the jump for details and to nominate your favourite online file storage and sharing application.
Windows only: We know it’s kind of pathetic to get all excited about something as mundane as a service pack—yet here we are, hearts all a-patter because XP SP3 and Vista SP1 have been unleashed on Windows Update and at the Microsoft Download Center. Get thee to patching your PC! Why should you? Our complete field guide to XP Service Pack 3 holds all the answers.
Windows only: Freeware application USB AutoRunner automatically launches documents or applications when you plug in your USB thumb drive. We’ve explained in the past how to auto-run apps or documents when you insert your thumb drive by making your own autorun.inf file—a Windows default convention for automatically launching files. USB AutoRunner creates this file for you, so setting up a working autorun.inf file is as simple as telling USB AutoRunner what you want to launch when you plug in. USB AutoRunner is freeware, Windows only. While you’re at it, find out how to quick-launch your USB workspace. USB AutoRunner [via Shell Extension City]
Anyone who’s dealt with significant debt knows how difficult it is to write out a large cheque every month to pay it off. Instead, financial weblog FiveCentNickel suggests paying off debt in micropayments: In short, pay what you can afford, and then scrape together whatever else you can during the month and send in multiple, smaller payments… Believe it or not, [a friend]got to the point where he was sending Citibank an extra $5 each and every day via online billpay. By making a game out of finding an extra $5/day, he managed to stay motivated and slay the debt beast well ahead of schedule.
