Here are TIPS by Software Variations to help you debug some of the everyday problems. Also these TIPS are here to help you prevent everyday problems.

Web browser --- FireFox http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/
AntiVirus --- MSE http://windows.microsoft.com/mse
MalWare/Spyware Cleaner -- Malwarebytes.org - the best malware cleaner as of 11/11/09
CrapCleaner / CCleaner -- http://www.ccleaner.com/ (don't play with the registry cleaning)

---Photo manipulation/organization
Picasa2 (its like iPhoto on the mac) --- http://picasa.google.com/
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Office Suite - Alternative to Microsoft Office but FREE http://www.libreoffice.org
dedicated word processor .. Abiword does the trick http://www.abisource.com/
------------------------------------------------------ ----Calendaring / PIM
Sunbird - http://www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/sunbird/
(there is a twin sister to sunbird called "Lightning" which is the Sunbird program as a firefox/thunderbird extension) if you would rather have your calendar integrated into either your web browser or your email program. .. Sunbird/Lightning also supports the iCalendar format so you can subscribe to (or publish) your calendars for others to incorporate into their calendars. (you can also subscribe to "public" calendars for things like Holidays and other things like moon phases, etc.) the iCalendar is also the format used by the ical program on Apple Mac's and is becoming a "standard" for sharing or exchanging calendar information/schedules.)

Spicebird - FREE email ( likeoutlook and can use multiple email accounts) Spicebird.com integrated email and instant messaging within mail. www.spicebird.com

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Pidgin IM ... http://www.pidgin.im/
Chat with buddies on more than one IM service? .. eg. Yahoo and MSN.. hate running different chat clients?, want everyone in "one" IM program?, then Pidgin is for you!
What is Pidgin?
Pidgin is a multi-protocol Instant Messaging client that allows you to use all of your IM accounts at once.
Pidgin can work with:
* AIM
* Bonjour
* Gadu-Gadu
* Google Talk
* Groupwise
* ICQ
* IRC
* MSN
* QQ
* SILC
* SIMPLE
* Sametime
* XMPP
* Yahoo!
* Zephyr
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Skype http://www.skype.com/
Skype - literally "is" Telephone via the interent .. skype is just like Vent or Teamspeak with no need for a central server, and no push to talk, you can have multiple people talking (concurrently - at the sametime {you know just like you do on a real phone} ) from anywhere on the earth .. and you can also use it to call real phone numbers (that howerver is at a minimal cost) .. skype to skype calls are always free.
skype also offers video chatting and of course text based messages and file transfers..
I used skype when I first started playing DaOC before I got vent.. and it worked out really well.. (on the off chance someone has never heard of skype)

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Google Earth .. http://earth.google.com/
Google Earth combines the power of Google Search with satellite imagery, maps, terrain and 3D buildings to put the world's geographic information at your fingertips.
* Fly to your house. Just type in an address, press Search, and you’ll zoom right in.
* Search for schools, parks, restaurants, and hotels. Get driving directions.
* Tilt and rotate the view to see 3D terrain and buildings.
* Save and share your searches and favorites.
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7-Zip
http://www.7-zip.org/
7-Zip is open source software. Most of the source code is under the GNU LGPL license. The AES code is under a BSD LICENSE. The unRAR code is under a mixed license: GNU LGPL + unRAR restrictions. Check license information here: 7-Zip license.
You can use 7-Zip on any computer, including a computer in a commercial organization. You don't need to register or pay for 7-Zip. But you can make a donation to support further development of 7-Zip.
The main features of 7-Zip
* High compression ratio in new 7z format with LZMA compression
* Supported formats:
o Packing / unpacking: 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2 and TAR
o Unpacking only: RAR, CAB, ISO, ARJ, LZH, CHM, Z, CPIO, RPM, DEB and NSIS
* For ZIP and GZIP formats, 7-Zip provides a compression ratio that is 2-10 % better than the ratio provided by PKZip and WinZip
* Self-extracting capability for 7z format
* Integration with Windows Shell
* Powerful File Manager
* Powerful command line version
* Plugin for FAR Manager
* Localizations for 63 languages
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GIMPShop -- Want photoshop .. too dammed cheap to pay for it.. Gimpshop may be just the thing for you
http://www.gimpshop.com/ <--- official site
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GIMPshop <-- more info on it
http://gimpshopdotnet.blogspot.com/ <-- screen shots additional info
GIMPshop is a modification of the free/open source GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP), intended to replicate the feel of Adobe Photoshop. Its primary purpose is to make users of Photoshop feel comfortable using GIMP.
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Audacity - Audio Editor (good for making mp3 ringtones)
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
Audacity is a free, easy-to-use audio editor and recorder for Windows, Mac OS X, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems. You can use Audacity to:
* Record live audio.
* Convert tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs.
* Edit Ogg Vorbis, MP3, and WAV sound files.
* Cut, copy, splice, and mix sounds together.
* Change the speed or pitch of a recording.
* And more! See the complete list of features.
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StationRipper -- Internet Radio Station Mp3 recorder
http://www.stationripper.com/ or http://sourceforge.net/projects/stationripper/
more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/StationRipper
Want to Record Internet Radio? Get thousands of sounds every few hours? Record your favorite Shoutcast Radio or TV show? Record Last.fm, iTunes radio, or Podcasts? Then download the latest version of StationRipper now!
It will save streaming internet radio as mp3 files on your pc
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Smacki.Com
http://www.smacki.com/mp3%20search%20using%20google
How to Search for MP3s using Google - Automated!
Recently a site has been making the rounds with instructions on how to find MP3 files using Google. Unfortunately, the instructions are a bit cryptic. So I present here a more automated experience.
Type in the name of an artist or song here, and then click search. All of the various parameters will be automatically added for you.
Smacki just formats an advanced google search for specific files based on the word(s) you provide for you, it then opens that search up in google.com
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PowerStrip --- Because sometimes the "dark" in DarkAgeOfCamelot shouldn't be taken literally
http://www.entechtaiwan.com/util/ps.shtm
I use this tool to hot-key brightness controls .. so I can make darkage less, er.. um.. dark.. on my screen its almost unplayable with the default brightness settings and unfortunately DarkAge lacks any sort of gamma controls in the game itself.. so.. its powerstrip to the rescue.
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Fida's Template Optimizer -- you've heard the Ads in vent.. now get it for yourself!
http://www.theblackcompany.org/fida/
Ask me in vent about FIDA'S!
Only thing is FIDAs hasn't been updated in a while so it lacks the new Mauler class and mythirians ..etc. but otherwise its a nice (and free) alternative to LOKI.
BONUS PROGRAM IF YOU ACT NOW!! -- KORTS Spellcrafting Calculator --> http://sourceforge.net/projects/kscraft
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Also .. System Restore in Me/XP/Vista is your friend.. learn about it and how to use it to recover from many ills.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/getstarted/ballew_03may19.mspx
System Restore is a part of windows since ME ,,.. this is not the "CD restore discs" that come with your system, its a calendar like program that acts like a time machine to let you go back in time to a day when your PC did work.. {note: it wont help much with viruses and most spyware as they are very virulent and difficult to remove by design} .. but System Restore helps with a myriad of other problems and issue.

KEYBOARD TIPS: - Copy hit Ctrl key and C at same time - DRAG mouse to include all content When ready to PASTE the content somewhere else hit Ctrl and V at the same time. then you will see the content that you selected in the copy key strokes. ________________________________________________

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