Looking for a cool project you can tackle in an afternoon on your extra day off? Here’s a quick roundup of some of our favourite afternoon projects you can squeeze into your long weekend. More »
Customising the appearance of your Windows installation can be frustrating, because both Windows XP and Vista are limited to the Microsoft’s default themes out of the box. However, with a bit of tweaking under the hood, your Windows setup can try on a wider range of looks than come pre-installed. Let’s take a look at how to patch your Windows installation to allow customised styles, and a few places to find new and interesting styles online.
Linux only: One intrepid Ubuntu user has written up a nifty tutorial on using a webcam tool available in the standard repositories, motion, to turn a standard webcam into a motion-detecting security system. Once the camera sees something large enough move as to be suspicious, a custom script written by the blogger sends a notification to you through your Twitter account. It might not be the most reliable theft or home invasion prevention tool, but it could offer insight into when your roommates are invading your space or whether someone’s using your laptop when they shouldn’t be. The tutorial requires some command line work, but it’s spelled out and explained pretty thoroughly. Photo by MShades. Keep Tab On Home Security With A Webcam And Twitter [My Technophilic Musings]
VirtualBox makes virtual installations of Windows and other operating systems easier than you’d think in Linux (as mentioned in our second look at Ubuntu 8.04, “Hardy Heron”), but the key missing feature from its free, open-source edition is USB support. Your iPod need not feel shunned from Linux land any longer, however, as the Ubuntu Unleashed blog offers step-by-step instructions on installing and configuring VirtualBox with support for plug-in devices. It’s specific to the newest Ubuntu and a little bit more than the “five easy steps” promised, but it should only take a few minutes to unlock the bridge between your system-in-a-system and all your gadgets. Howto: Install VirtualBox in Ubuntu Hardy Heron with USB Support in 5 easy Steps [Ubuntu Unleashed]
Linux only: Any Linux user clutching a mouse with more than the standard two buttons and a scroll wheel doesn’t have it easy trying to match the same kind of configuration options given by the manufacturer’s setup software, which is almost always Windows or Mac-only. The Flow of Consciousness blog walks through installing btnx, a program that can assign nearly any mouse click to a huge variety of actions. Got a Logitech with left and right buttons? Feel free to set them to switch workspaces or even rotate a four-sided desktop cube. The tutorial requires a fair bit of command line work, as the package isn’t available in most respositories, but the Ubuntu-related instructions can be adapted to most any distribution. btnx is a free download for Linux systems only. HOWTO Install btnx for better mouse control in Ubuntu Hardy [The Flow of Consciousness via Ubuntu Unleased]
If you’ve ever suffered from seeing a great photo sullied by red eye, reflective skin, or other blemishes, Wired’s How-To Wiki is offering an assist. The guide provides specific steps one should take with image editing tools to fix distracting imperfections or backgrounds, and while the instructions are written from a Photoshop user’s perspective, users of the free, open-source GIMP editor can follow along by finding the (usually identical) tools called for. Hit the link for a lesson, or contribute your own revisionist tips at the wiki. Photo by Noel Zia Lee. Touch Up Your Pics [Wired How-To Wiki]
Real Simple offers three-step processes to tackle the oft-neglected spots around the house that require a little more motivation to get into. From hardwood floors to drapes and curtains and into furniture fabric, the advice is sound and possibly worth printing, if only for the little nuggets of wisdom that prevent further cleaning down the line, as with this cabinet idea; Consider an idea from How Clean Is Your House?’s Aggie MacKenzie: Store muffin tins, woks, and other rarely used things in plastic bags so you won’t have to rinse dust off the next time you use them.
What parts of your home space do you least look forward to spiffing up, and how do you fit it into your schedule? Let’s hear about it in the comments. Photo by ewen and donabel. Deep-Cleaning in 1-2-3 Steps [Real Simple]
You can get decent photos out of a standard, consumer-grade digital camera, but a little post-processing can turn them into fantastic wide-angle landscapes. You don’t need to be one of those people who can explain the concept of lateral chromatic aberration to get truly eye-catching digital pictures. With a few shutter clicks and some free, cross-platform software, you can easily mesh standard digi-cam shots into true landscapes, fix one photo’s deficiencies with another, and create layered photo collages. Let’s take a look at how to use the free, open source application Hugin to make two basic kinds of panoramas.
