Monday, December 24, 2001		Downloads of the week

SysFriend is a Windows application that helps you perform a wide variety of procedures automatically when you click on one of its files. You use SysFriend to create Friend files, which are ‘scripts’ containing a list of SysFriend commands. These commands allow you to automatically perform steps and tasks you normally have to do manually or may not even be able to do at all currently. When you save and then run a Friend file, you can have it open multiple programs for you, set their size and positions on the screen, open other Windows special control panel and dialogue boxes and capture screenshots. As in any scripting environment that performs tasks without a user’s intervention, you don’t want to accidentally run an unknown or even potentially hazardous script (Friend) that is not your own. Sysfriend has the ability to identify scripts that you create or approve, preventing Friends that you haven’t used yet or examined from running without your approval.

This gives you the ability to view unknown Friend files before running them, while allowing you to run approved Friends on your own machine without further intervention. SysFriend generates a random identifier. Friends that you approve will contain this unique number. You won’t see the number in the editor, but you can determine the approval status of the current Friend in the editor’s lower right corner. Keep in mind that this unique number, called a GUID is not encrypted in any way in the Friend files (since these script files are really just text files). If you share one of your approved scripts with anyone, you may wish to remove your GUID from the script first, but it really doesn’t matter. You can always use the Security screen to generate a new GUID whenever you wish (but you will then need to re-approve all your previously approved Friends so they can be updated with the new GUID and marked approved). This GUID is stored in the registry by SysFriend and is only used by SysFriend for checking approved script files. This number is not used for any other purpose, and is not tracked, logged, or sent anywhere. You can change this number anytime. SysFriend commands are used to tell Sysfriend what you want it to do. You combine any number of commands to create single files, called ‘Friends’ that end with the extension ‘.Friend’ (just like ‘.exe’ for applications in Explorer.) You don’t have to worry about how to write these commands because SysFriend’s editor does most of the work for you. You select commands from the drop-down cells, fill in some settings to the right of the command, adding it to your current Friend. You may download it from http://sysfriend.com/downloads/sysFriendSetup.zip

Alan’s Math makes learning basic arithmetic fun. This application has been released free of charge to promote interest in mathematics. It is very useful for small children learning arithmetic and maths. This software covers addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. It has an easy interface for kids. It incorporates Fun Sounds that keep children interested. The program has many configuration options available. All answers and setting changes are logged and show a running count of correct and incorrect answers. The Name Dialog box opens when you first start the program or switch arithmetic modes. Enter your name or identifier and press return. The entered name will be used to personalise the interface and logs. The Answer Button will solve the problem that is currently displayed. You can paste the answer into the main screen from the answer box using the hand icon in the answer box. This button can be disabled in the Options Dialog. The number text boxes are where the generated problem and arithmetic operator are displayed. The bottom text box is editable and this is where the answer to the current problem should be entered. The Check Button is the button that should be pressed to have the program check the answer you entered. Statistics Box displays your current progress and counts right and wrong responses. The Mode Buttons are used to switch the arithmetic mode of the program. Download from www.patrickservices.com/software/amath.html

How do you save images from the Web? Right-click on any graphic you might stumble across on the Web and save that thing? But you can only save it as a GIF, BMP, PNG, or JPG, right? How convenient that is? It’s not very convenient at all. Here’s what you should do — download this clipboard, copy an image like you normally do, then save it to whatever format you please. You can also resize the image to your liking, make it larger or smaller (for a thumbnail). Configure the default editor and a default file format to make your life even easier. http://chesterway.co.uk/software/cyclps10.zip

— Raman Mohan