The decisions on content have been made, and now the keynote schedule for Linux.conf.au, due to take place in Hobart in January 2009, has been announced. Keynote presenters this time around will include Wikia co-founder Angela Beesley, Sun Microsystems chief open source officer Simon Phipps, and author Tom Limoncelli. I’ll be there; if you’re keen on Linux, you should be there too. Linux.conf.au
Finding new and useful Firefox extensions is a passion of ours, but sometimes we run across extensions adorning the daunting “Experimental” moniker at the Firefox Add-ons web site. We try to avoid these extensions as much as possible because they haven’t been vetted by the folks at Mozilla, but even more importantly, we hate requiring our readers to register and sign into a web site just to download an extension. Most of the extensions that have hit the Experimental phase are ready to go despite their name; they just need a little extra push to get over the approval process. We’ve covered three awesome experimental extensions once before, and now we’re back with a look at three more experimental Firefox extensions we’re excited about.
Hit up the old Software Update on your Mac today, because Apple’s posted a Security Update to Leopard 10.5.5 that includes vulnerability plugs and bug fixes; the direct download is available here.
Firefox only (Windows/Mac/Linux): Firefox extension Nodobe Viewer is an inline document viewer for Firefox intended to replace the bloat of plugins like the dreaded Adobe Reader. Nodobe Viewer supports 38 different file types, including PDF, Microsoft Office documents, and OpenOffice documents. When you’re about to download one of these document types but would prefer just a quick inline view, right-click the link and select Open Link in New Tab with Nodobe. The tool works in conjunction with web application Vuzit (pronounced “views-it”), which handles the document conversion and displays the results in your browser.
Windows only: Application Monitor is a free utility that monitors user-specified applications to ensure they’re running. If a program is not running, Application Monitor restarts it. Let’s say, for example, your roommate is prone to shutting down your BitTorrent client when you’re away from your computer. You return home expecting the movie you’d been downloading to be ready for your viewing pleasure, then discover the download hasn’t even been running. If you had set Application Monitor to keep an eye on your BitTorrent client, it would have automatically restarted your BitTorrent app and you’d be enjoying a fresh bowl of popcorn right now. Application Monitor isn’t something you’d want to set up with every application on your system, but under the right circumstances it’s really handy. Application Monitor [via Life Rocks 2.0]
If you’re thinking about buying a new Mac laptop, wait a week. Apple’s got some announcements scheduled for this coming Tuesday, the 14th (US time), and there may be a recession-friendly (read: lower-cost) MacBook involved.
The R-Strap, a sling for DSLR cameras that hooks into the tripod socket, makes it easy to keep a camera slung low during idle moments, then quickly bring it up for shooting without scraping your neck or twisting the strap. The Photojojo site points out two DIY R-Strap how-tos that require just a few dollars of gear and not too much hardware work to get the same effect. Best of all, you can use nearly any strap you like, so if you’ve always felt comfortable with your laptop tote or guitar strap, you can get the same effect while shooting. Check out the original R-Strap in a video demonstration below.
Windows only: Free application FastCopy is a portable replacement for the standard Windows Explorer file copying mechanism. FastCopy’s interface is rather cluttered but the file transfer speeds are fantastic. Copying ISO files, thousands of pictures, and other test files was extremely fast. You can opt to not overwrite, overwrite by newest or biggest file, and sync when transferring files with FastCopy. We’ve covered another popular file copier replacement here before, TeraCopy, and you might be wondering how FastCopy stacks up against it.
CNET’s Michael Horowitz runs down the ins and outs of securing and restoring private, secure access to your Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail account, whether it’s been infiltrated, locked you out, or you’re just looking to ensure its privacy. It’s a good guide that might make you think twice about your web mail practices, especially if you haven’t run through his final bit of advice: Test your password recovery procedure—the kind that left Sarah Palin’s Yahoo Mail account wide open—before anyone else does. Anyone involved in backing up computer files knows the importance of testing the recovery process and the same applies with Web mail. The best way to insure that you can recover or reset your password is try it.
Horowitz covers the pros and cons of the three major web mail services, so if you’re using a different service with better (or worse) security, tell us how you lock it down in the comments.
Being smart about Web mail [CNET]
