My top 4 favorite buttons.

On browsers.

We access the Web via a paid service in Malaysia the most well known are the TMnet dial up service or the streamyx DSL service. The navigation tools that we need to navigate through the web, is called a browser – which is basically a software. Internet Explorer (IE) is an example of a browser. In the early days of the personal computers (pc) the Netscape Navigator was the most popular browser.

In the mid 90s that Netscape popularity was over taken by IE. For a decade or so IE had dominated the market completely until recently losing ground to Mozilla Firefox (FF). In recent years, the open-source browser FF has earned praises from the public. It enable third party developers to easily create extensions that add functionality of the FF browser. There are thousands of home brewed add-ons and extension for FF. IE add-ons are also available but its closed framework make it difficult for developers.

On toolbars.

The tools that we can make or give instructions to the browser what to do are available from the toolbar. Each item on the toolbar are called buttons. Each buttons gives a specific instruction. This buttons are needed when we browse the web. The best method and the fastest are very much dependent on our ability to use these buttons effectively.

I uses both IE and FF browsers. For both browsers I installed tab browsing buttons. On the IE browser I installed the Yahoo toolbar and on the FF browser I installed the google toolbars. I have been using about 80% of the time, FF in 2006. On the FF google toolbars I had placed all of my favorite buttons.

My top 4 favorite buttons.

I called then my favorite buttons because these buttons gave me considerable ease and save a lot of time. These buttons are the

1. tab browsing button – it allows me to open windows on another tab so I do not have to close all the previous windows. That helps a lot when I need to make a cross references to another site when I am browsing and I cannot leave the present site. It also assists me in doing postings to my blogs. I could open many sites or pages for different functions or reasons at the same time. It also works perfectly well with my two other add-ons developed by third parties, which I shall highlight in later postings.

2. groups button – this button is placed to the google or yahoo toolbars. They are google and/or yahoo buttons. With a click on the button we are in our list of groups (a drop down menu for yahoo) and we can pick which one we want to go into.

3. mail button – it is placed on the respective toolbars too for yahoo & google. Using this button we can get into our mailbox with a click on a button. There are mail button that comes on a third party tool3bars that we can place three or four different mailboxes on to the button – when pressed there is a drop down menu which allow us to elect which mailbox we want to go into.

4. Autofill – if you are filling up many forms like I did for the whole months of December 06 January 07, having this buttons will allow your finger tips some rest and will avoid unnecessary typo errors that is normally associated with such routine work.

The Blogger recommends Firefox browser to enable you to use the buttons.

Add Firefox Buttons

Are you one of the many who use Firefox as your main Web browser? If so, you may think that there just aren't enough buttons to choose from in the regular interface. Well, if you have a feeling something is missing from your button options, the only thing I can think of to do is add some more! And even better, you can do that easily with the FirefoxMenuButtons 2.0.1 extension. Shall we see how all this works?!

Once you download the extension to your Firefox browser, you will have a grand total of 41 more buttons to choose from on your regular toolbar. And let me tell you, everything is covered. There's a button for everything from Save As to Open File to Send Link to Print Preview to Undo to Send Message to Preferences to Page Info to Previous Tab to Full Window and so many more. It's amazing what all you can add to your browser with this one little extension.

Now, there may be some buttons you really want, but a few you don't want, so you can also add and delete any of the buttons as you go along. Talk about convenient! If you're interested in adding these buttons to your Firefox browser, click here for the download. Just click on the link that says "Download FirefoxMenuButtons 2.0.1" to get started. You can read more about this extension from the link above as well. Do keep in mind that this is only for Firefox 2.0. So, if you have that, go have some button fun and enjoy all your new additions!

~ Erin

Windows WOW launching gave ideas ....Top 10 things to try with Windows Vista

Here are a few of the top things you can do to evaluate Windows Vista for your organization, plan your deployment, and make yourself more productive.

1. Plan an easier deployment: Get the Business Desktop Deployment (BDD 2007) and install the latest deployment tools and guidance on deploying Windows Vista and the 2007 Office system. In addition, you can use this step-by-step guide to familiarize yourself with some of the major tools and technologies to help you with deployments. Our guidance will show you how to build an image using ImageX, configure it, and create an unattend.xml file using the Windows System Image Manager. Then, configure Windows Deployment Services to deploy the customized image to test machines in your organization. Explore the full range of innovations we've developed to make deployment simpler, including updating an image in an offline state and customizing the Windows preinstallation environment.
   
   
   To get the BDD 2007, visit the Desktop Deployment Center on TechNet.
2. Improve security and compliance: Encrypt your drive using BitLocker drive encryption. Take advantage of User Account Control and deploy a test group as standard users and see how much easier they are to support. Apply group policy settings that prevent data transfers to removable media like flash drives and CD-Rs. Run as a standard user on your own PC. On Windows Vista, everyday activities like browsing the Web with Internet Explorer 7 will be more secure because of the built-in anti-phishing filter and Protected Mode.
3. Manage your PC: Explore more than 500 new group policies to see everything you can manage centrally. New policies include the ability to control installation of devices and power management settings, which can help you save energy costs on each PC. Use the Event Viewer to get a consolidated view of all of the events on your system. (Just type "Event Viewer" in the Quick Search menu to bring it up.) You can right-click any event to schedule a task that will start automatically the next time that event happens.
4. Optimize your network: Restrict authorized use of the network by configure the new outbound blocking capabilities of the Windows Firewall. You can use the same integrated MMC Firewall snap-in to configure server and domain isolation using IPSec. See how Quality of Service policies can help you manage the use of precious bandwidth and define the priority of traffic for applications. If you ever have trouble connecting to a network, just right-click on the connection icon in your system tray and choose "Diagnose." Windows Vista will help you identify the problem and guide you through the solution.
5. Test your applications: Download and use the Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0. Take inventory of the applications in your environment, record any issues you find, and synchronize your findings with other testers using the Microsoft Compatibility Exchange. The tool will also find issues with Web sites you are visiting and applications that may not work well for standard users.
6. Be more productive: With the Windows Aero user experience, the windows feature a transparent glass effect that makes it is easier to manage your open windows with less distraction. Press Windows+Tab to experience the dynamic "Flip 3D" window management feature. Use Instant Search, which is built right into the Start menu to easily find your documents, e-mails, Web sites, and even applications. Insert a ReadyBoost-capable storage device, such as a USB 2.0 memory drive with at least 512 MB capacity. When prompted, click "Speed up my system" to get an extra boost of performance.
7. Go mobile: Windows Vista is designed to work especially well on mobile hardware, so install it on your laptop or Tablet PC, too. Press Windows+X to start the Windows Mobility Center, which puts the most frequently used mobile PC settings in a single location. With the Sync Center, it is easy to keep your files, data, and devices in sync and move seamlessly between online and offline states. You can also configure Folder Redirection so roaming users can access any folder, not just the five that could be roamed in Windows XP. If you are using a Tablet PC, you'll notice that improved handwriting recognition, cursors, visual feedback, and new Pen Flicks will make it even easier to use.
8. Share information and collaborate: Try Windows Meeting Space (previously known as Windows Collaboration) to collaborate with a co-worker who is also using Windows Vista. You can share your screen with others and take turns working on a file. Use Microsoft's new read-only XML-Paper Specification (XPS)archival file format to store and share documents in a more secure way. To create an XPS document, simply print it and chose "Microsoft XPS Document Writer" as the printer. You can share the XPS document with other Windows Vista users or with Windows XP users who have installed the .NET Framework 3.0.
9. Use the Web more effectively: With Internet Explorer 7 on Windows Vista, you can browse the Web more easily and securely. Right-click a link and chose "Open in New Tab" to experience the new tabbed browsing. Press Ctrl+Q to open the Quick Tabs (thumbnail view) of all your open tabs. Even printing is improved—select “Shrink to Fit” printing and the sides of your Web pages won't be cut off. You can use the built-in RSS reader to subscribe to the Windows Vista Blog or other feeds to get the latest information.
10. Join the community: Share your experiences in a blog, get help from other users, and share tips you discover—there are a number of ways you can interact with others around the world who are using Windows Vista. TechNet offers managed forums where you can ask questions and get support from your peers. In the Windows Vista Start menu, you will also find links to community resources and support options in the Help and Support section.

Windows Vista is designed to work well with Microsoft Office 2007. Visit the 2007 Office system site and take a test drive to see how they work better together.

Messages from Gmail team.

Gmail is different. Here's what you need to know.

Built-in chat, keyboard shortcuts, customized addresses and more. Sound cool? We think so too. Welcome to Gmail.

We hope this email will help you learn about some of the features that make Gmail unique. To get started, you may want to:

• Check out the Gmail Tour in our Getting Started section.
• Import your contacts to Gmail from Yahoo! Mail, Outlook, Hotmail and others.
• Visit our Help Center to learn about Gmail's features, like free POP access.

Gmail has super-fast mobile access, and it also works great with other Google products like Desktop for offline searching, Picasa for sending your pictures, and Google Talk for making free calls and sending instant messages to your friends.

As you're using Gmail, you might notice that there aren't any large, blinking, irrelevant ads. That's because we only show small text ads that are matched by computers and designed to be relevant to the messages you're viewing.

Users have often told us that the more they use Gmail, the more they discover its added benefits. So go ahead and give Gmail a try. We'll keep working on making Gmail the best email service around. Thanks for joining us for the ride. We hope you'll enjoy Google's approach to email.

Thanks,

The Gmail Team

* * * * * *

It's easy to switch to Gmail!

Did you know that Gmail was voted #2 in PC World's Top 100 products of 2005, right after Firefox? Why wouldn't you want to switch? Well, because it can be a pain to switch to a new email address. We know.

But, it doesn't have to be. We want to make it easier for you. So, we've created a new switching guide to make the transition easier. The guide covers how to:

• Import your contacts into Gmail
• Announce your new address
• Remind friends that you've changed addresses
• Still use your old address to send mail

There's even personalized help for switching from the email service you no longer care to use. But if you're not ready now, we understand. Play around with Gmail for awhile. Send and receive some messages. We think you'll like it (you might miss all that spam, though). And, when you're ready, the switching guide is in our Help Center.

Change is good. It can be easy too.

Thanks,

The Gmail Team

Sharing : Sedikit cara ambo mengurus e-mel

1. Muqadimmah

Bila ambo cuba fikirkan untuk menulis rencana ini untuk kita kongsi bersama terlintas di kepala ambo tentang satu doa yang pernah di baca oleh seorang ahli sufi yang berbunyi “Ya Allah, bebaskan lah daku dari lautan nama-nama ini”. Dalam konteks memberi pengertian kepada sesuatu perkara, ianya amat bergantung kepada sikap seseorang sama ada jenis optimis atau pessimis. Serupa kata sesetengah orang bila seseorang tenggok air dalam gelas – dia boleh kata gelas itu separoh penuh atawa separoh kosong. Dalam konteks doa yang disebut diatas ambo terjemahkan doa itu sebagai satu permohonan untuk menjadikan lautan nama-nama atau benda-benda berkaitan kepada satu perkara yang boleh di uruskan bukannya satu doa untuk melarikan diri dari lautan itu. Memandangkan nama-nama banyak la ni, terutama nya hak jenis teknikal maka ambo terpaksa guna juga istilah inggeris asal kerana kurang arif dengan terminologi dalam bahasa Malaysia.


2. Benda yang ambo guna

Benda yang ambo guna untuk urusan e-mel adalah

2.1 Streamyx.

Ambo telah menyelia atau monitor, berapa kos sekiranya di gunakan dial up tmnet dan mendapati kosnya melebihi langganan broadband streamyx. Ini memandangkan anak-anak ambo pun guna juga. Atas pandangan ‘minister of home affairs’ ambo, ambo tidak menyekat anak sekolah menengah keatas untuk menggunakan nya.

Ambo rasa berbaloi kerana anak ambo selain dari bertukar-tukar emel dengan kawan mereka yang berada di sekolah lama / dulu. Mereka berhubung melalui e-mel dan friendsters dan download filem-filem dan siri-siri TV. Mereka juga telah jadi lebih kreatif dan arif dari ambo hingga ambo boleh belajar daripada mereka. Perlunya broadband bertambah lagi sebab ambo sendiri pun suka melawat akhbar dan website alternative seperti Democracy Now, Counterpun,IRNA ( Islamic Republic News Agency ), Ynet, Aljazeera dan Muslimedia International (ini adalah website pengeluar Crescent International, sesiapa yang belajar di UK / Seberang laut mungkin biasa mendengarnya, Crescent International di haramkan di Malaysia sekitar tahun 1995 oleh kerajaan Tun Mahathir). Tujuan untuk mendapat berita mengikut pandangan mereka, yang tidak boleh di dapati melalui CNN dan RTM. Contohnya kalau nak tahu pasal isu panas di Malaysia seketika dulu, ia itu “Bank Negara main penukaran mata wang asing (Pound Sterling)” sepenuhnya, eloklah melawat juga “blog” Kit Siang. Tapi, ni tidak bermakna ambo sokong Kit Siang atau ahli DAP. Sesiapa di antara pembaca yang ada binari logik tolong ubah sikit pemikiran.

Ambo di Machang tiada pilihan lain melainkan Streamyx untuk perkhidmatan broadband. Satu lagi baiknya broadband. Kita boleh guna Komputer dan talian talipon sekali ( bersama dalam satu masa ). Kalau dengan Tmnet dial up kena guna salah satu, samada e-mel (computer) atau talipon, kecuali dengan guna dua line satu khusus untuk talipon dan satu khusus untuk tmnet dial up baru boleh guna kedua sekali ( bersama dalam satu masa ). Dengan broadband, walaupun satu line kalau ada call in ianya tidak memaksa pengguna computer yang melayari lamanweb berhenti.

2.2 Firefox sebagai Browser melayari alam siber.

Ambo dapati firefox lebih baik daripada hak Microsoft buat, internet explorer. Firefox tiada pop-up, iklan dsbnya. Firefox senang di dapati dari websitenya dan boleh download percuma sahaja. Firefox ini di perkenalkan oleh anak ambo. Firefox ambo guna untuk melawat websites, melayari alam siber. FF2 tidak mudah terganggu seperti IE6 atau IE7.

Walapun Bill Gates merahsiakan Operating System dia, hinggakan Microsoft kena denda ANTI-TRUST di Eropah baru ini. Firefox antara yang bagus dan senang untuk digunakan dengan Microsoft Windows. Cuma di ingatkan disini bila nak download pastikan version windows anda boleh menerima software yang di kehendaki itu.

Selain dari firefox (FF2), dalam PC ambo ada browser lain seperti Avant, Opera dan IE7. Ambo baru install flock yang di minati oleh anak ambo hok form three untuk friendster dia. AOL browser ada ambo download tapi telah uninstall kerana di dapati slow. Ambo boleh kata the fastest dan kurang kerenah sekali adalah Firefox2.

Firefox, FF juga membenarkan communiti untuk membina addons dan extension untuk browser FF. Ambo tahu hal ini apabila ambo bina personal google pages ambo. Yahoo pun ada function ini, untuk membuat personal pages. Masing boleh buat addon dan extension mengikut selera dan kehendak hati masing-masing. Sekiranya sesiapa nak cuba bolehlah masuk komuniti Google firefox mozilla thunderbird tersebut. Jadi banyaklah addons dan extension Firefox dan Ambo happy kerana kita boleh pilih untuk download addons dan extension kepada browser FF2 itu mengikut selera dan keperluan kita.

2.3 Email Address (Addy)

Ambo pakai melebihi tiga “e-mail address” yang berkekalan streamyx, yahoo dan gmail. Dulunya semua ID sama tapi sebab lupa password yahoo, terpaksa tukar ID Yahoo, sebab ID bila ada dah di guna orang kita tidak boleh guna lagi. Jadi dari segi yahoo ID hok ambo dulu telah digunakan orang. Untuk ringkas dan cepat dapat khidmat yahoo balik ambo buat ID lain dengan password baru.

Streamyx ambo guna untuk urusan peribadi yang “official” seperti berurusan dengan “utility companies”- seperti air, api, telekom, Pihak atau Badan Kerajaan, Bank dan kelab. Streamyx agak leceh untuk posting kita tidak boleh tunggu lama akan keluar “session out”. Kalau slow atau typing panjang habis. Gapo lagi kalau nak tingal posting dan melayari web semula, kaedah streamyx ini tidak membolehkan kita optimize “tab browsing”. Kalau banyak guna dtreamyx akan keluar “WTF!”.

gmail ambo guna untuk egroups. Memandangkan “memory” gmail besar, berita dan rencana dari Malaysiakini dll (seperti yang kita boleh arahkan “Yahoo Alert” misalnya berkenaan Irag) juga diterima melalui gmail dalam spam yang akan dibuang dengan sendiri selepas 30 hari kalau tak penuh atau dengan prinsip “first in first out (FIFO)”. gmail juga ambo guna untuk berurusan dengan AJK PERWI untuk membezakan dengan mel biasa.

gmail ini lain sikit cara penyusunan mel dengan Yahoo, setiap mel disusun mengikut satu rangkaian susulan perbualan itu, jadi amat sesuai dengan group yang aktif yang perbincang berdasarkan tajuk dan banyak tajuk dalam satu hari dibincang. Ianya tidak sesuai dengan group yang tidak aktif, tidak berbincang secara bertajuk dan banyak mengirim attachment seperti rencana dan gambar. Begitu juga dengan googles group – bagus untuk perhubungan “perkataan bertulis”, tiada simpanan database atau gambar di dalam “grouppage” nya.

Sekarang ini ambo edit rencana lama. Paragraph di atas tidak sesuai dan tepat lagi. Ada boleh guna picasa2 untuk gambar-gambar. Kebelakangan ini gmail telah improve dan berkembang begitu cepat dan pesat sekali. gmail pun sesuai untuk attachment dan gambar-gambar. Google group beta begitu hebat sekali sehingga ada yang telah hijrah (migrate) dari yahoo group ke google group. Yahoo pun kebelakangan itu membuat revision dalam business nya untuk bersaing dengan google.

Cara Yahoo menyelesaikan berbualan berangkai ini juga lucu sikit. Misalnya apabila seorang membalas kemudian seorang lain menjawap kemudian seorang lagi kemudian seorang lagi mengulas, sekiranya kita guna versi yahoo melayu akan keluar tajuk, “balasan balasan balasan”. Anda boleh fikir apa akan jadi sekira rangkaian perbualan itu telah melebihi “double digit” (berbelas atau berpuluh).

Satu lagi yang perlu di atasi adalah “double posting” kepada kita. Ini berlaku apabila ada overlapping “egroup” yang kita sertai berhubung dengan keahliannya. Mithalnya Batch ambo dengan egroup Alumni ambo. Cara ambo atasi ialah dengan memilih satu e-mail yang mengeluarkan beberapa ayat di bawah tajuh nya. Dengan melihat ayat tesebut ambo boleh tahu samaada telah membacanya atau belum. Kalu telah ambo boleh terus hit “DEL”.


2.4 Untuk Keluargawanishak egroup

Yang paling sesuai digunakan untuk keluargawanishak ialah yahoo. Ada kelebihan lagi selain dari kemudahan untuk memasuki webpage dan lihat kesemua apa yang ada di situ seperti database, gambar, files, links berkaitan dan boleh pakai voice mails dan IM (Instant Messaging). Perkara yang teknikal tertulis di ruangan ini ambo serahkan kepada yang lebih arif, dalam AJK ICT, untuk menghuraikan cara penggunaan nya.

Dari segi menyimpan nama-nama ahli, cara ambo buat adalah dengan menggunakan ruangan First Name mengisi nama/gelaran ahli misalnya “Na” dan ruangan Last. Last Name ambo isi nama kelaurga misalnya “Mok Ngoh”. Ambo sort arrangement dengan Last Name. Sebab itu, kalau ambo mail dengan cara “first principle” – dari Compose and menggunakan “insert addresses” – akan keluar “Na Mok Ngoh<>”. Dengan cara begini ambo dapati senang untuk cari seseorang. Misalnya nak cari Kak Mie, Ambo cari Che Nab, dan boleh “tick” sahaja untuk hantar emel kepada Kak Mie. (Nota, version Beta telah di ubah fungsi ini).

Satu lagi kita boleh buka dan buat list. Cuba tenggok menu Address. Ada satu “LIST”. Sebagai contoh ambo buat list untuk senaraikan anak beranak Arwah Wan Som. Ketika hendak hantar email dalam mode “insert Address”, klik “Categories” kemudian boleh klik nama list tersebut misalnya “wansom” semua nama yang ambo senaraikan itu akan keluar di ruangan “TO”. Tidak perlu taip banyak kali yang akan boleh menyebabkan ada kesilapan menaip. “List” kita boleh adakan dengan menggunakan “Last Name”, letakan semua yang “Last Name” yang sama dalam satu list (ini berdasarkan versi original, bukan Beta, belum cuba dengan Beta).

Kegunaan “List” pada pandangan ambo akan menjadi penting di egroup “keluargawanishak”. Dulu ambo pernah sarankan untuk menggunakan kaedah ini bagi kumpulan yang pejabat mereka telah “block” mel egroup ( orang gomen la ). Sebabnya age group, professional group dsbnya dalam egroup keluarga ini amat luas. Mungkin puak Che Gu nak bincang hal berkaitan dengan penguruan mereka saja. Atau pun mungkin “contents” ada hal yang melanggar AUKU ataupun age limit. Ataupun mungkin hanya untuk orang yang pandai cakap Jepun sahaja, ha..ha! Third language will be very fashionable soon as we go Global! Jadi masing “sub-group” ini hanya perlu buat “list” sahaja dan tidak perlu buat e-group.

Satu lagi kegunaan “LIST” adalah bila ada di antara kita yang menggunakan Secretary di Pejabat, selalu on the move dengan tugasan dan mengarahkan / delegate the secretary membuka emel kita. Tentulah hanya mel yang resmi/official, seperti perhubungan antara AJK yang sesuai untuk di baca oleh Secretary. Jadi “office email address” hanya diletakan didalam “LIST AJK” dan address lain seperti Yahoo atau gmail di letakan didalam egroup untuk hubongan harian – yang ada kala sedih, ada kala serious dan ada kala gelak ketawa dan bukan untuk “consumption” orang luar seperti secretary kita.

gmail ada satu fungsi group, fungsi ini boleh digunakan dan diadaptasi untuk tujuan “LIST” seperti Yahoo.



Hal-hal teknikal lain seperti masok gambar, buat album, voice mails, hantar video, instant messaging dan sebagainya ambo tinggal ko orang lain untuk teruskan ruangan ini.


3. A Caveat – clearing the air

Ambo tulis rencana ini sebagai permulaan sharing dalam bab ICT. Kita tahu dan faham isu hok di bincang ini isu teknik saja. Jadi kita selalu dengar, “there is more than one way to skin a cat”. Bukan satu cara untuk melepah kulit kambing. Cuma orang India kata orang Melayu gatung kambing kepala keatas sebab itu kambing Melayu lepah berbau. Orang India gatung kambing kepala kebawah ketika melepah kulit jadi tidak berbau. Itu lah moralnya.

Mungkin ada cara lain hok molek lagi dari segi teknik mengendalikan apa yang ambo telah huraikan, silalah kemukan dan buat kita faham – ambo pun nak tahu jugak dan gunapakai gapo hok sesuai dan sejiwa dengan selera ambo. Kita nak achieve “personal satisfaction and optimization” in using ICT. That is Rome. And we know that there is an English proverb, that says “all roads lead to Rome”.

<the article will be rendered into English for the benefit of our English readers >

Ma6 matlesen
Dec 2006 AD