Utilities
The little tools that make you more efficient using other tools - including the computer itself.
| Name | Comments |
|---|---|
| ClipMate
|
What it Does: Enhances the windows clipboard dramatically Runs on: PC only Price: $20 Best Feature: Efficiency of doing multiple copies from a document and then pasting in another. Worst Feature: Two different "views" or"modes" can be confusing. Learning Time: Minutes --- Export/Import: Good My use: Daily --- Confidence in Evaluation: Good Comment: Remembers copy and paste (clipboard) functionality - and much more - includes a good screen capture (making an image file of something on the screen). Use it if you do a lot of copy and paste. Review & Comments about ClipMate in Academic Tools Blog |
| Direct Update
|
What it Does: Allows connecting computers over the internet that normally are hidden. TechSpeak - Allows creating an apparent "static" IP address to computers forced to connecting using DHCP. Runs on: PC only Price: $19 Uniqueness: It's one of only a few tools to provide this combination of functions Best Feature: Allows publishing a single address for your machine - for web server, ftp, remote control Worst Feature: Must also sign up for a free DNS account elsewhere - the program suggests where. Learning Time: Half Hour --- My use: Daily --- Confidence in Evaluation: Good Comment: Techie: Useful only for those wanting their machine accessible, but using a non-static IP - e.g. most campus computers and home DSL computers. |
| FileZilla
|
What it Does: File Transfer over internet Runs on: PC only Free Best Feature: Straightforward FTP file transfer. Worst Feature: Somewhat quirky interface. Learning Time: Half Hour --- My use: Infrequent --- Confidence in Evaluation: Good Comment: FTP client - for file transfer between FTP sites - e.g. to a web server like Dunx1. For many users just using Internet Explorer works well. |
| Find and Run Robot
|
What it Does: Finds things you use regularly on your machine Runs on: PC only Free Best Feature: Quick easy way of starting many programs and files. Worst Feature: A bit slow finding files not used regularly. Learning Time: Minutes --- My use: Daily --- Confidence in Evaluation: Good Comment: A near-ideal tool for a single purpose. Once you're comfortable with it you should explore the capability of customizing the "rules" it uses to sort what it finds. Review & Comments about Find and Run Robot in Academic Tools Blog |
| Firefox
|
What it Does: Web browser Runs on: PC, Mac, Linux Free, Open Source Best Feature: Add-ins that provide additional fucntions. Worst Feature: Many large institutions are not friendly to FF - e.g. Drexel. Learning Time: Half Hour --- My use: Daily --- Confidence in Evaluation: Good Comment: I use Adblock, NoScript, and All-In-One Sidebar extensions a lot. Utility note: My current favorite web browser. Review & Comments about Firefox in Academic Tools Blog |
| Foldershare
|
What it Does: Synchronize files on multiple machines via web Runs on: PC, Mac - Uses Web Free Uniqueness: It's one of only a few tools to provide this combination of functions Best Feature: Automatic backup of files protects against hardware failure. Worst Feature: If you delete a file on one machine it deletes it on all. Learning Time: Hours --- My use: Daily --- Confidence in Evaluation: Good Comment: A web-basede srvice (MS now owns it) for synchronizing files between multiple machines. It takes a bit of thought to set up, but works wonderfully in the background. You should still backup separately. Review & Comments about Foldershare in Academic Tools Blog |
| Google Search Tips
|
What it Does: How to search effectively via Google Runs on: Web Free Best Feature: Can focus/narrow searches Worst Feature: Must memorize to be effective. Learning Time: Minutes --- My use: Daily --- Confidence in Evaluation: Good Comment: My most useful is "site:drexel.edu" - it finds stuff that Drexel search engine buries. Utility note: To make Google more effective Review & Comments about Google Search Tips in Academic Tools Blog |
| Jv16 PowerTools
|
What it Does: Tools for fixing windows problems and tweaking it. Runs on: PC only Price: $30 Best Feature: Clean up the "registry" in Windows - often fixes problems. Worst Feature: Mysterious to novices. Takes a lot of faith to use it. Learning Time: Hours --- My use: Regular --- Confidence in Evaluation: Good Comment: This is probably a semi-expert tool though the author tries hard to make it simple. |
| LapLink
|
What it Does: Remote computer operation and file transfer Runs on: PC only Price: $110 Best Feature: Detailed file synchronization between computers. Worst Feature: Sometimes flaky. Learning Time: Hours --- Comment: There are several competitors, most noticeably the free Foldershare. I still use Laplink. |
| Linkman
|
What it Does: URL storage and retrieval Runs on: PC only - Uses Web Price: $30 Best Feature: Great control and search in a large collection of URL's Worst Feature: Not being further developed. Learning Time: Hours --- Export/Import: Good My use: Daily --- Confidence in Evaluation: Good Comment: There are many URL capture tools, most of them are free. This one is useful only for someone capturing a lot and wanting to run searches. Utility note: Enhances web use |
| Neo
|
What it Does: Outlook enhancement - Search, to-do, filing Runs on: PC only Price: $35 Best Feature: Multiple ways to see only the EMails you want without deleting the unwanted permanently. Worst Feature: Works only with Outlook. Immediately Useful: Yes --- Learning Time: Hours --- My use: Daily --- Confidence in Evaluation: Good Comment: If you get more than 20 EMails a day this will save you a great deal of time. It allows easy organization of your EMail traffic and tagging of "to-do". Keep an eye in future on "Chandler", a developing Opensource product. Utility note: To enhance Outlook |
| NetVibes
|
What it Does: Create your own "portal" with favorite links and "feeds" Runs on: Web Free Best Feature: Your home page contains only what you want. Worst Feature: Keeping multiple links updated can be time consuming. Learning Time: Half Hour --- Export/Import: Poor My use: Regular --- Confidence in Evaluation: Good Comment: Many alternatives. This is a fast-changing area so it may be superseded next week. |
| Onfolio
|
What it Does: Web clip, page and note taking Runs on: PC only Free Best Feature: Good interface Worst Feature: MS is limiting it to IE and removing features (academic) that were useful. Learning Time: Hours --- Export/Import: Medium My use: Infrequent --- Confidence in Evaluation: Medium Comment: If you use Internet Explorer it's a very good, free tool to collect and report web-based information. Utility note: Enhances web use |
| PowerPro
|
What it Does: Many, many shortcuts (macros) for windows Runs on: PC only Free, Open Source Best Feature: Make your own custom key combinations to do almost anything. Worst Feature: Takes quite a lot of effort to make it worthwhile. Immediately Useful: Yes --- Learning Time: Hours --- My use: Daily --- Confidence in Evaluation: Good Comment: I use it probably the most of all these tools, but it took a while to be comfortable with it. |
| Roboform
|
What it Does: Store and fill web forms and logins Runs on: PC only Price: $30 Uniqueness: It's one of only a few tools to provide this combination of functions Best Feature: Shopping online is vastly simplified - one-click filling of those horrible forms Worst Feature: Interface can be a bit daunting at first. Learning Time: Half Hour --- Export/Import: Poor My use: Daily --- Confidence in Evaluation: Good Comment: Remembers passwords and identities. The have a portable version (Pass2Go) as well. Makes it easy to have a separate login for each website = safer. |
| Spreadsheet Assistant
|
What it Does: Excel macros to improve heavy-user efficiency Runs on: PC only Price: $40 Uniqueness: It's one of only a few tools to provide this combination of functions Best Feature: The added features become "natural" - such as "select to end" of column or row. Worst Feature: You have to pay for it. Learning Time: Hours --- My use: Regular --- Confidence in Evaluation: Good Comment: Not likely to be useful for somebody who doesn't regularly use Excel. Review & Comments about Spreadsheet Assistant in Academic Tools Blog |
| VPN Client
|
What it Does: Work away from home as if on campus -Virtual Private Network Runs on: PC, Mac, Linux - Uses Web Drexel Site License Best Feature: Use Outlook at home. Worst Feature: Cannot print to local network printer at home when connected to VPN. Learning Time: Half Hour --- My use: Daily --- Confidence in Evaluation: Good Comment: It ought to be possible to connect to campus servers when using the VPN, but I've not been successful recently. |
Update: 2006-11-26