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Google Chrome browser is probably the best PDF viewer I’ve used.  If you have Adobe Reader installed–as most PC users do, since it’s often included with other software, or even installed by your PC manufacturer at the factory–there’s a good chance it’s left you open to serious security risks.  I won’t bother linking to all the security issues it has going for it because a) I don’t feel like wasting so much time, because b) your security is your job, not mine.  But I will suggest you do a Google search for Adobe Reader security issues and do some reading.

One alternative many people began using after the Reader security flaws were made very public, is Foxit Reader.  It’s a great PDF reader, but also has a few security concerns, often the same ones as Adobe Reader.

So, why not get rid of both of those, and just use Google Chrome browser instead?  Late in 2010, Google announced every future version of Chrome would have PDF viewing built in:  http://chrome.blogspot.com/2010/11/pdf-goodness-in-chrome.html

A few versions later, it’s working better than ever, and I’ve yet to find a PDF it doesn’t render perfectly.  There’s just one small issue that we have to look at when it comes to setting Chrome as your default viewer:  how the hell do you do it?  Unlike most programs, Chrome isn’t in the Program Files folder of Windows.  Instead, it’s hidden way down in the AppData folder, which is, by default, invisible.  So, what I’m here to do is show you how to find the Chrome.exe file, and then set it as your default PDF viewer.

Obviously, before you proceed, you need to install Google Chrome, so do it here:  http://www.google.com/chrome/

Once you’ve install Chrome, proceed…

First, open up My Computer (or just ‘Computer‘ on later versions of Windows), and click on Local Disc (C:).  Next, click on Users, and then on your name (or whatever you’ve named your account).  Inside this folder is AppData, but you probably can’t see it.

In Windows 7, click on Organize at the top-left of the window.  Next, click on Folder and search options, which will cause another small window to open.  Click the View tab, and then click the small circle next to Show hidden files, folders and drives.  Click OK and a bunch of folders will now appear in the window that were never visible before.

Find the folder called AppData, and right-click on it, then select Properties.  On the General tab, near the bottom, you’ll see there’s a checkmark next to Hidden.  Uncheck it, and hit OK.  A smaller window will open that gives you the option to apply this unhide action to all subfolders and files.  Make sure you click the small circle next to it, then hit OK.  Now, go back to Organize > Folder and search options > View tab > and click the small circle next to Don’t show hidden files, folders or drives.  All the other hidden folders will disappear again, but the AppData folder will remain.

Now, you need to go find a PDF file saved on your computer.  When you find one, right-click on it, then hover over Open with, and click on Choose default program.  You’ll see a Browse button at the bottom of this window, so click it.  Now, it’s time to find the Chrome.exe file, so you can set it as the defaul.

Click on Local Disc (C:) > Users > your name > AppData > Local > Google > Chrome > Application > chrome

Click on chrome and hit OK.  That window will close, leaving you back at the Open with window.  Be sure to put a checkmark next to Always use the selected program to open this kind of file, and hit OK.  That PDF will now open inside of Chrome browser, and the icons for all other PDFs will change to reflect that Chrome is now their default program.  You’re done.

For those who haven’t heard, Microsoft has been doing a promotion to get the word out about Windows 7, the replacement for Vista.  Along with HouseParty.com, they’re giving out promotional packs for individuals to host Windows 7-themed parties, for getting together groups of people to install the new OS.  I entered, got accepted as a host, and finally received my pack today.  Here’s the bulk of what I received:

The box came from UPS just as you see here:

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Most Windows users (at least, the ones who run Windows Updates) know that part of the update process usually involves downloading the latest version of Microsoft’s Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT).  But, until now, little did any of us know that we could do a full system scan at anytime with the MSRT.

Undocumented by Microsoft, and apparently part of XP–all the way back to 2001, I presume–the MSRT can be launched at any time, so you’re not limited to just being able to scan during an Update.

To launch the application, click on the Start button, then on Run.  In the window that pops up, type in MRT and hit OK.  Once the app is open, click Next, and then click on Full Scan.  It can take a few hours to run, so it’s best to let it go overnight.  Assuming it finds any bad software–you know, like Antivirus 2009, Confickr, or a number of others–the MSRT will take care of healing the problems and removing the bad stuff from your machine.

This also works on Windows Vista, although not on Windows 7.  NOTE:  This does not replace using a good anti-virus program, and is intended to be used as a secondary safety precaution.

I’ve taken the occasional set of panoramic photos, but I’ve never bothered stitching them together in Photoshop.  The reason?  I’m lazy.  I can’t even imagine the hours that must go into doing such a thing and doing it well.

Yesterday, that all changed.  I stumbled upon a little, free app called Autostitch, which promised to do all that difficult work for me.  I doubted it’d work, but I had nothing to lose, seeing as though it was free.  I tossed a set of 24 photos together that I took from the top level of a downtown parking garage, then let it render for 10 minutes or so.  When it was finished, I was astonished at the results.

After a little manual cropping and level adjustments in Photoshop, I grabbed my camera and headed out to take a few more sets of photos.  I’ve been kind of bored taking photos since it got cold out, but I was so excited about finally being able to render full panoramic shots, that I ignored the sub-freezing cold and snapped away.  I have a feeling I’ll be doing a whole lot more of this over time.

Here’s a link to what I have so far (continually updated):  http://www.flickr.com/photos/one9us/sets/72157612444342150/

If you’ve ever considered making your own panoramic photos, give Autostitch a try and go take photos in a whole new way.

Link:  http://www.cs.ubc.ca/~mbrown/autostitch/autostitch.html

p.s.  By the way… a good tripod isn’t a must, but it’ll definitely make for better photos.

I installed a sweet GUI for my Palm Centro, called TouchLauncher.  It’s basically a skin that makes your Palm device look a whole lot better than OEM, and allows some convenient reorganizing, as well.  Originally, I’d been using the developer’s icon set (see here), but I got bored and decided to make some icons of my own.

In the screenshot below, which I took with the freeware application, Snap, you can see just a few of the 38 icons I made, namely the Firefox icon for the Blazer browser, and the camcorder, Facebook, and Twitter icons.  The rest you see are from the developer and some other guys.  Through TouchLauncher, I was able to set the Facebook icon to launch the Facebook app that Sprint included on the phone; the Twitter icon launches the browser and goes straight to Twitter Mobile.

If you want the icon set, I uploaded it here:  http://drop.io/tlauncher  There’s also a screen capture in the .RAR file so you know which icon is which.  If you don’t already use TouchLauncher, I’d suggest you get a copy and play with it.  At less than $7, it’s some of the best money you’ll put into apps for your Palm.

So, I decided to reformat my wife’s hard drive yesterday and re-install Windows XP Pro.  She had a possible trojan on her system, so that was reason enough to go to all the trouble.

After making sure all her important files on the C: drive were backed up to either DVD or on her 250GB slave drive, I popped the XP disk in and went to work.  All was well through the process, including SP2 & SP3, until I realized I couldn’t access the slave drive through My Computer.  Odder, still, was that it only appeared as one drive, instead of two (it was partitioned into two sections, thus should appear as two drives).

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I just Stumbled onto a site that I’m surprised I haven’t seen before, so I thought I’d pass it along.  It’s called Open Source Windows, and has a huge list of the best Windows-based open source programs available, all in on place.

Link:  http://www.opensourcewindows.org/

I upgraded to AVG Free 8.0 yesterday and all seemed to go well.  Then while doing a typical Google search, I saw a little swirly logo to the right of every search result title.  It turned out to be a new feature in AVG 8.0 called "Safe Search", and it was scanning all the search results to verify none of the pages that Google was linking to contained harmful code.

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No, the Taskbar Shuffle is not some sort of country line dance.  For one, anyone who line dances probably has no clue what a taskbar is.  Secondly, it’s because it’s one of the most awesome programs I’ve ever used.

Basically, all is does is allow you to rearrange the programs on your taskbar.  That may not sound like much, but if you’re the compulsive type like I am, you might like to have your programs always in the same spot on the taskbar.  I always have My Documents, Outlook Express and Firefox open, in that order along the taskbar.  What sucks is when one of them is accidentally closed or crashes, and then they all end up out of order when I re-open one.

Now I no longer have the problem.  Simply click and hold the button you want to move, then slide it to where you want it and release.  This should really be standard in Windows, but since it’s not, it’s nice that a program exists that allows us to do it.

Link:  http://www.freewebs.com/nerdcave/taskbarshuffle.htm

WHDb.com has compiled a rather nice collection of 50 open source programs to replace all those typical programs you’d otherwise have to pay to use… and that limit your overall user experience.  There were quite a few on the list I’d never heard of before, as well as a couple (such as GIMP) that I may try just to see how they compare to what I already use.

http://whdb.com/2008/the-top-50….open-source-alternatives/

I accidentally found this little program while browsing Newegg.com for a new mouse.  I use a Logitech with multiple buttons, but five of them were locked to factory settings for MediaPlayer and I wanted more control.  This program unlocks those five buttons as well as giving full control of all buttons on any mouse or keyboard that uses Logitech’s SetPoint software. 

Link:  http://www.mstarmetro.net/users/rlowens/