Music the Cat Likes

I have been taking care of my aunt's sweet little black cat for the past month or so. The following graph expresses Kitty's usual activities:

*Activities in green indicate need for human intervention.

As you can see by this chart, Kitty rarely actually emerges from under the bed. But when she does, she'll sorta wander out to the kitchen, where I usually sit with my laptop, usually with music playing (when not watching Netflix). This, and some random, mediocre-quality sing-a-longs, have informed me of her music tastes.

This is what I've gathered so far...

CAT LIKES:
-Matthew Good
-Arcade Fire
-"Bones"

CAT DISLIKES:
-Kelly Clarkson
-Katy Perry
-Kesha
-Taylor Swift

CAT CONFUSED BY:
-Muse
-Ocarina of Time (Blackberry ringtones / alarms)

CAT TOTALLY INDIFFERENT TO:
-Metric
-Interpol
-Third Eye Blind
-Linkin Park
-Auto-Tune the News
-"Dexter"
-"30 Rock"

CONCLUSION:
Despite this being a heavily biased sample of music and other media, we can conclude that Kitty likes Canadian music, dislikes female singers, and has no idea what to do about my morning alarm.

Linux features for your Windows install

An introduction:
I have been using computers for my entire life. I have seen 8" floppy disks, I remember using 5.25" actually-floppy floppies, I remember the rise and fall of the ZipDisk, and I once had to get a new printer because my new laptop didn't have a parallel port. I once spent an afternoon arranging all the groups in Program Manager on Windows 3.11 so that each was just large enough to display one icon (then selected "save settings on exit," exited, typed "WIN"+Enter into DOS, then unchecked it so that my mom wouldn't mess it up). And, when we first got that computer, I made a boot disk... and then was shocked (and a little disappointed) to discover that it didn't actually need it. Regedit.exe and I go way back. I have files with datestamps from before today's high school seniors were born. I used AOL before there were Instant Messages. I've taken Visual Basic 6 and Java, and I can pwn you in Excel 2003 and Maya 6.5. And we'll not get into my custom menus and keyboard shortcuts in Word and OpenOffice.org Writer.

"Power User" may, in fact, be an understatement.

In an extended experiment, I used Linux. Eventually, I got tired of relying on others to maintain it and also strongly disliked where KDE4 was going, specifically its emphasis on form over function (read: pretty but slow).

In January 2010, I went back to Windows. I'm a lot more comfortable there, but I missed some features of KDE. Most of what I list here work on both Windows XP (Pro/Media Center) and Windows 7 (FOAD, Vista), and the features they are meant to emulate were on KDE 3.5.10, KDE 3.5.9 or earlier (possibly back to KDE 3.2).

These are the features/programs I wanted when I went back to Windows:
Snap window edges + Always-On-Top + Transparency
Multiple Desktops / Virtual Desktops
Rename "start" menu
Tabbed, paned file manager
Folder tree by default in Windows XP
Custom "My Places" menu in 32-bit common dialogs
Remapped keys (Insert, AppMenu)
Media player
Time, day, date display in taskbar clock
Advanced mouse settings (accleration, threshold)
Text editor with real features
16-bit subsystem on Windows 7


1. Snapping windows, always-on-top: WindowSpace
In KDE, window edges snapped together. User could set the threshold for this. I've definitely got some OCD going on, and add a graphic design background to it, and you can see why Windows's failure to align window edges bothered me to no end. User could also toggle "Always On Top" per window.

Microsoft offers no solution to this. Sure, in Windows 7 you can snap windows to the edges of the screen, but not to each other. ...I expect this half-assed implementation from Google, not Microsoft. Absolutely nothing for "always on top," either.

WindowSpace is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit. I ran/run 32-bit on XP, and now run 64-bit on Windows 7. I have my pixel threshold to 19 for the new hotness of the Aero theme, where I have my titlebar set to the old Windows 3.1 standard of 18 pixels. My laptops are 1920x1080 (Dell Studio) and 1024x600 (Eee 900). On the big Dell, this allows me a Tetris-like setup; on the itty bitty Eee, this allows extremely efficient pixel use. I toggle Always-On-Top with Win+A, oh, and I kept the shortcut, Win+Z for window transparency. WindowSpace has a ton more shortcuts, but just make sure they don't interfere with other system/program shortcuts.

Link: WindowSpace - snapping window edges


2. Multiple desktops: VirtuaWin
In KDE, user could have up to 20 desktops, no problem. The KDE shortcuts were the Win/Meta key + F1/F2/F3, et c, for each of Desktop 1, 2, 3, et c, with Win/Meta+Tab to cycle. Also included a little preview on the taskbar. Oh, and you can rename your desktops. Big Dell was "Fun" and "Unfun." Itty bitty Eee was "Www," "Docs," "Notes," and "Cmd."

In Windows XP, Microsoft offered this horrendous "virtual desktops" Powertool, which I've seen accurately described as "buggier than an anthill." The Microsoft one is a POS, in no uncertain terms: on my extremely stable system, running on excellent, error-free hardware, it took down my system almost instantly. When it didn't freeze everything instantly, it later did so unexpectedly, swiftly, and lethally.

VirtuaWin allows you up to 9 desktops, and since I'm no longer running an entire desktop for a Konsole window and waiting on compiling, I really only need 2. User can set shortcut keys with Alt, Ctrl, Shift, and Win. The one limitation is that Windows reserves the F1 key absolutely for "help," which strikes me as endlessly ironic, given the fairly advanced manipulations I've implemented. My "Fun" and "Unfun" desktops are keyed to Win+F1 and Win+F2.

Link: VirtuaWin - Virtual Desktop Manager


3. "start" menu = whatever-you-want menu: Explorer.exe + ResourceHacker
In KDE, there was the K-gear menu. It was pretty, it was tiny, it wasn't condescending.

In Windows XP, user is stuck with a rather dumb "start" menu. Really? I would have absolutely no idea what this button could possibly do! Could it perhaps do something completely different than it did in Windows 95? Really really? Back in my ThemeXP days, I would set the text to begin way off screen, which resulted in just having the "window" symbol and no text. When I switched from Pro to Media Center, I got the "Royale" theme (hello, hotness!) and was content to suffer through the "start" for new shiny.

Aaaand then I found the Elder Geek hack, for XP. Big Dell = §, Itty bitty Eee = ³. A word of caution: entering a blank for the "start" text will disable the start button altogether. While this may be a nice prank, I really don't recommend it, if only for the sake of the target's blood pressure.

Obviously, this is not necessary for Windows 7. Finally.

LINK: Elder Geek: XP Start Button Text


4. Tabbed, paned file manager, with file tree: Nomad.net (everything) OR modification of settings in Windows Explorer (just file tree).
In KDE, Konquerer was the default file manager, and this baby had tabs. TABS!!! This of course was profound in 2005, but now it's standard in every web browser. Konquerer also had panes, which I never used, but it was nice to have. Most importantly, Konquerer had the file tree on the left. Hello, hotness.
There is no Windows implementation of this. That's too bad.

I found Nomad.net via Google search for "tabbed file manager." Of the many reviews, this one looked most promising. And, I'm quite pleased with it so far. It runs on my system, though apparently some reviewers haven't had my good luck. This thing is sufficiently customizable in that I have not yet felt compelled to throw my computer out the window, tear my own hair out, OR write an angry letter to its creator. There are a ton of very specific context menus on a lot of the UI components, while it maintains the item context menus.

I have two issues with it, however:

1. Files appear in dark green text, and I would prefer standard black. I know the difference between a file and a folder, thanks.
2. Navigation controls are a toolbar totally separate from the file location bar. I want these on the same line. Just because I have 1080 veritcal pixels does not mean I need to use an extra 32 of them for four icons, thanks.
Main downside: Cannot right-click drag anywhere. We'll see if this induces a permanent switch back to Explorer. Though there may be a setting for it. Who knows, the settings are kinda buried.

Link: Nomad.Net - File manager, explorer replacement.

In Windows XP, if you really just want the folder tree on the left by default, follow these steps:
"Tools" menu, select "Folder Options"
"File Types" tab
Select "(NONE) Folder" type (from list box)
Click "Advanced" button
Select "Explore" (from list box)
Click "Set Default" button
"OK" your way out.
???
Profit!


5. "My Places" folders in common dialogs in Windows XP or 7
In KDE, you could drag and drop and remove and add like it's nothing.

In Windows XP, I used TweakUI to customize. Oh, if you're using XP, you should be using TweakUI anyway.

Link: TweakUI - Microsoft

In Windows 7, 64-bit programs use the file tree by default, so you have access to your "Favorites" folders. But, anything running on the 32-bit system does not use the file tree. Use this registry hack for these 32-bit common dialogs. Note that it does not work for Office 2003, which you have to set manually in the program.

Link: My Places customization via registry edit

And as a postscript here, speaking of Office 2003:

"To remove the toolbars (and other "buttons"), go to control panel, add-remove programs, do a change/remove on Adobe Acrobat. Use Modify option. Find option "Acrobat PDF Maker" under Create Adobe PDF, mark main option or all suboptions as not available, then update. This will remove those annoying toolbars & buttons while leaving the pdf print feature intact."


6. Remapping keys: Registry edit
In KDE, there was some way to remap pretty much the entire keyboard. I never handled it personally.

Microsoft has a half-assed implementation of it, apparently, according to the link below, which I wouldn't bother with.

Hatred for the Insert key is fairly universal. The only program I have ever used (in what, 20 years?) that makes use of it is Maya 6.5, where Insert toggles the center/focus point of an object in Scale mode. In everything else, Insert toggles PLEASE OVERWRITE EVERYTHING I'VE ALREADY TYPED BECAUSE MY PALM HIT THE TOUCHPAD. On the Big Dell, I unmap this evil, evil key altogether. On the Eee, I remapped it to PrintScreen. Fn+Ins = PrintScreen, and Alt+Fn+PrtScrn is a crazy contortionist move, so I just essentially removed the need for the Fn key. So, Alt+PrntScrn is once again a right-hand-only maneuver, thus restoring the natural balance of the universe.

I also hate the AppMenu/Context/Right-click key. I could see how it would be useful on a Mac, with only one mouse button, but it's completely useless on Windows. On the Eee, I remapped it to Rt-Ctrl because the 900 does not have one. On the Big Dell, I unmapped it altogether because it comes between Ctrl and left arrow.

Link: Remapping keys - registry edits. NOTE: it's best to export your changes for saving between installs. Do it now.


7. Amarok 1.4 (RIP): MediaMonkey
In KDE, I used Amarok 1.4. I had a super customized view. It was pretty (enough). It was functional. It did absolutely everything I wanted a media player to do, and then it did some more, just because it was amazing like that. In-playlist queuing? Yes, it does that. If I could marry Amarok 1.4, I would. It is perfection embodied.

And then came Amarok 2. Yeah. Googling "Amarok 2" is NSFW due to all the cursing that comes up. They essentially "reinvented the wheel" and made it square. You're doing it wrong.

Windows Media Player doesn't really do anything, VLC only effectively plays videos, and Winamp is unstable and kind of a fatty at this point. Songbird doesn't play Apple formats and doesn't manage iPods. And I won't go into my dislike for iTunes.

Enter MediaMonkey. It is everything Winamp could have and should have been. It's insanely cusomizable and mostly "supports" all iPod models. I recently got an iPod Shuffle 4th Gen, and MediaMonkey just added playlist functionality for it.

Link: MediaMonkey - for your inner control freak.


8. Time, Day, Date: Samurize Embedded Clock
In KDE, you could select the type of clock (normal, analog), the colors, and the details you wanted shown in the clock space. I had Time, Day, and Date. Because, honestly, I frequently lose track of the day of the week.

Windows wants you to have a super tall taskbar for more than just the time (or time and date in Windows 7). This defeats the purpose of having a skinny taskbar.

Samurize Embedded Clock Client allows you to create a totally custom display. I added diskspace and uptime to mine, for instance. I think the only thing you can't add is core temperature, but who knows, that might be a plugin.

Link: Samurize Embedded Clock Client - extra info in taskbar clock


9. Mouse settings: Registry edit
In Linux, the Control Center let user set all sorts of crazy mouse settings. This was especially useful when I got a super-high resolution laser mouse, as it let me slow it WAY down so that moving it 1cm did not race the pointer across the screen. User can set things like pixel threshold and acceleration rate.
In Windows, all you really get is the Mouse Settings dialog, which is pretty basic. Acceleration, for instance, is either all or nothing. And there's no mention at all, ever, anywhere, of pixel threshold, which is important if you're working with pretty much any Adobe product or audio software.

Windows actually has all the KDE settings, just in the registry. The link below explains it all. My preferred settings are 10px threshold and 0.4 acceleration, but obviously it's a very, very personal preference depending on usage and hardware.

Link: Advanced mouse registry settings


10. Tabbed text editor with Find-ReplaceAll: EditPad Lite
KDE has KATE (K Advanced Text Editor), which is absolutely amazing. It has syntax highlighting (with custom colors!) and multiple open files. I am not at all a fangirl, nope.

Windows gives you Notepad, which just got "Ctrl+S = Save" as of WindowsXP, and STILL lacks drag-and-drop editing as of Windows 7. Pretty sad.

EditPad Lite is an excellent replacement for KATE, though it unfortunately lacks syntax highlighting. But, it has drag-and-drop. Though it still does not have right-click-drag, I'm probably just being picky.

I'm typing this on it right now. I've used EditPad Lite for HTML/CSS editing for many, many years and have only seen it crash once, on a POS Windows 98SE computer with old, dusty, faulty hardware.

Link: EditPad Lite - a real text edior


11. 16-bit subsystem on Windows 7
So you couldn't do this on Linux anyway, but this is important if you, too, have a stack of 3.5" floppy DOS games and nostalgia.

Windows 7 does not have a 16-bit subsystem. It has 32-bit, but I cannot blame Microsoft for phasing it out. There comes a time, you know.

If I ever figure out how to connect this old internal floppy disk drive to a USB port, I'll attempt a DOS virtual machine.

Link: 16-bit subsystem on Windows 7


Conclusion:
I take out my control issues on my computer. I just wanted to share these with The Internets on the whole.