FastCopy - a neat (fast!) copy utility

FasCopy is a smart copy utility that copies files very quickly. It also supports file moves and deletes.
It is clever enough to detect whether the copy is from and to the same HDD and uses a different copy strategy accordingly.

As stated on its web site,

Diff HDD	Reading and writing are processed respectively in parallel by another thread.
Same HDD	Reading are processed until the big buffer fills. When the big buffer filled, writing are started and processed in bulk.

Please visit the home site for more info.

FileMenu utility - handy Windows Explorer extension

This handy utility will add a number of useful functions to the Windows Explorer window, as shown in the image below.

Some of the functions I like are:

• Command line from here
• Copy to ...
• Move to ...
• Copy Path (very handy!)
• Change time
• Run with arguments
• and many more
  

Please visit the home site for more info.

The DSLR saga goes on!

... and just when it all looked like it was settling down (read: I'd stopped telling everyone about what my DSLR was going to be...again and again, see my blog entry), a new one pops up on my radar and I have to start all over again!











(drum roll please!)

Canon EOS500D

Here's a brief look at the vitals:
- 15MP (more than enough!)
- RAW format
- ISO 100-3200 with expansion to 12800.
- 3" LCD with 920k pixels! Yes!
(btw, when are we going to go metric with everything?! What's with this 'inches' thing????)
- 1080p video at 20fps (up to 4GB or 29m:59s)
- 720p video at 30fps (up to 4GB or 29m:59s)
(note that for either of the above, the camera cannot focus continually while recording. Hmm, does this make video recording on the 500D as useless as teats on a bull?)
- Expected price: US$799 for the body.

All I need now is a good lens to cover 28-450mm (in 35mm terms).
Still looking for that one.

For in-depth info on this camera, head over to DPReview or DCResource

Antique, Vintage and Handmade Woodworking Tools

[Update March 2016: The site is no longer in operation]



I never thought I'd see the day that I'd be impressed by tools that did not have a version number on them, let alone that required me to use anything other than a keyboard! (and risk hurting my hands!!! Gasp!)

My nephew restores and sells antique, vintage and handmade woodworking tools and we've just finished his web site.
The site is all about woodworking and related vintage, handmade tools.




I must say, I am very impressed with the quality of the photos he's taken, not to mention the final look of the tools.

There are tools there that are an absolute mystery to me!
What on earth is a Wooden Plane??? I thought that was what the Brits flew in WW2!

What about a Myrtle Spindle Turning Pack???
What version is it? Does it have a USB port?
When is its next service pack coming out? Does it run under Vista (well, does anyone care about vista?)

Woodworking tools are another world altogether!
Though I enjoyed putting the site together, I got a headache from trying to figure out what they all do.

I think I'll stick to my keyboard and *software* tools!

Best of luck Luban!

ps: IE6 sucks!
pps: Many thanks to the jQuery guys; it is one of the best tools I've come across for quite a while.
ppps: Smarty for PHP is one cool tool! Check it out.
pppps: Did I say IE6 sucks? Thank the gods for Firefox and Opera kicking Microsnuff's backside and forcing them to update that most pathetic, bug-ridden piece of software!

jQuery file upload plugin

I have been using jQuery for quite a while now and I still consider it to be one of the best tools for javascript development. There are bigger js libraries around, as well as ones that offer more eye candy but i still find the simplicity, easy-of-use and power of jQuery, extremely useful.


I have seen an explosion of component becoming available for jQuery (sometimes, it is too hard trying to catch up with all the new ones that keep coming out).


One component I have always wanted, is a multi-file upload dialog that also offers visual feedback. There have been a few but they never did seem to hit the spot for me.
Now, there is a new one, called jQuery file upload plugin, by Ronnie Garcia, that seems to have got all the right answers.


Visit Ronnie's site and have a look at it.


If you enjoy what you see, leave Ronnie some feedback of appreciation.

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30 useful open source apps

Jacob Gube has a great article on 30 useful open source apps, with links to web editors, graphics editors and other misc utilities.

Head over to his blog and look at http://sixrevisions.com/tools/30-useful-open-source-apps-for-web-designers/

Well done Jacob, I found some goodies in there myself!

Handy web-design plugin for Firefox and IE

It is always a bit of a problem trying to determine if a web page will look ok on a user's screen, given that there are so many different resolutions around.


This plugin makes it easy to resize your browser window (Firefox or IE) to one of the standard resolutions and see how your page would look like.


Simply, right-click on your browser window and select Resize Window.