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Really Real Windows XP Powertoys!!
Well, they've been out for nearly a month now, but it's the first I've heard of them. I accidently ran across them while updating my MS AntiSpyware. I haven't even installed them yet, but I did notice a fresh version of the old favorite TweakUI in the list! :D I also noticed that a couple of them are designed to play catch up with Linux. Expect to see those in the next Win version.
This is the first set that MS has actually released FOR windows XP. That I know of. For those of you that have no clue what I'm talking about, Powertoys are a whole bunch of programs that expand the functionality of windows. They are written by actually Microsoft windows developers in their spare time. MS will release the progams free of charge, but they generally won't support them.
Unlike previous powertoy distributions, these are all seperate little install packages. So, here is a list of the current selection, ripped directly from the webpage. :)
Color Control Panel Applet
Professional-level photographers and designers know that getting consistent, accurate color from file to screen to print and beyond is a requirement for great results. This new tool helps you manage Windows color settings in one place.
SyncToy
With new sources of files coming from every direction (such as digital cameras, e-mail, cell phones, portable media players, camcorders, PDAs, and laptops), SyncToy can help you copy, move, and synchronize different directories.
RAW Image Thumbnailer and Viewer
Are you a serious photographer? Now you can organize and work with digital RAW files in Windows Explorer (much as you can with JPEG images). This tool provides thumbnails, previews, printing, and metadata display for RAW images.
ClearType Tuner
This PowerToy lets you use ClearType technology to make it easier to read text on your screen, and installs in the Control Panel for easy access.
HTML Slide Show Wizard
This wizard helps you create an HTML slide show of your digital pictures, ready to place on your Web site.
Open Command Window Here
This PowerToy adds an "Open Command Window Here" context menu option on file system folders, giving you a quick way to open a command window (cmd.exe) pointing at the selected folder.
Alt-Tab Replacement
With this PowerToy, in addition to seeing the icon of the application window you are switching to, you will also see a preview of the page. This helps particularly when multiple sessions of an application are open.
Tweak UI
This PowerToy gives you access to system settings that are not exposed in the Windows XP default user interface, including mouse settings, Explorer settings, taskbar settings, and more.
Version 2.10 requires Windows XP Service Pack 1 or Windows Server 2003.
Power Calculator
With this PowerToy you can graph and evaluate functions as well as perform many different types of conversions.
Image Resizer
This PowerToy enables you to resize one or many image files with a right-click.
CD Slide Show Generator
With this PowerToy you can view images burned to a CD as a slide show. The Generator works downlevel on Windows 9x machines as well.
Virtual Desktop Manager
Manage up to four desktops from the Windows taskbar with this PowerToy.
Taskbar Magnifier
Use this PowerToy to magnify part of the screen from the taskbar.
Webcam Timershot
This PowerToy lets you take pictures at specified time intervals from a Webcam connected to your computer and save them to a location that you designate.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx External Link
This is the first set that MS has actually released FOR windows XP. That I know of. For those of you that have no clue what I'm talking about, Powertoys are a whole bunch of programs that expand the functionality of windows. They are written by actually Microsoft windows developers in their spare time. MS will release the progams free of charge, but they generally won't support them.
Unlike previous powertoy distributions, these are all seperate little install packages. So, here is a list of the current selection, ripped directly from the webpage. :)
Color Control Panel Applet
Professional-level photographers and designers know that getting consistent, accurate color from file to screen to print and beyond is a requirement for great results. This new tool helps you manage Windows color settings in one place.
SyncToy
With new sources of files coming from every direction (such as digital cameras, e-mail, cell phones, portable media players, camcorders, PDAs, and laptops), SyncToy can help you copy, move, and synchronize different directories.
RAW Image Thumbnailer and Viewer
Are you a serious photographer? Now you can organize and work with digital RAW files in Windows Explorer (much as you can with JPEG images). This tool provides thumbnails, previews, printing, and metadata display for RAW images.
ClearType Tuner
This PowerToy lets you use ClearType technology to make it easier to read text on your screen, and installs in the Control Panel for easy access.
HTML Slide Show Wizard
This wizard helps you create an HTML slide show of your digital pictures, ready to place on your Web site.
Open Command Window Here
This PowerToy adds an "Open Command Window Here" context menu option on file system folders, giving you a quick way to open a command window (cmd.exe) pointing at the selected folder.
Alt-Tab Replacement
With this PowerToy, in addition to seeing the icon of the application window you are switching to, you will also see a preview of the page. This helps particularly when multiple sessions of an application are open.
Tweak UI
This PowerToy gives you access to system settings that are not exposed in the Windows XP default user interface, including mouse settings, Explorer settings, taskbar settings, and more.
Version 2.10 requires Windows XP Service Pack 1 or Windows Server 2003.
Power Calculator
With this PowerToy you can graph and evaluate functions as well as perform many different types of conversions.
Image Resizer
This PowerToy enables you to resize one or many image files with a right-click.
CD Slide Show Generator
With this PowerToy you can view images burned to a CD as a slide show. The Generator works downlevel on Windows 9x machines as well.
Virtual Desktop Manager
Manage up to four desktops from the Windows taskbar with this PowerToy.
Taskbar Magnifier
Use this PowerToy to magnify part of the screen from the taskbar.
Webcam Timershot
This PowerToy lets you take pictures at specified time intervals from a Webcam connected to your computer and save them to a location that you designate.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx External Link
posted by - T at 19:59
2 Comments:
As a Microsoft consultant I’m always amazed that there is a great deal of free downloadable software that is “hidden” on their website.
Well I was bored and collected them all here in one place:
http://spaces.msn.com/members/bhandler/Blog/cns!1pt1v0Q4vD8jSvNS4lqdAuug!340.entry
Very nice little collection, thanks for posting it here. :)
Just for ease of use, here that is in link form:
http://spaces.msn.com/members/bhandler/Blog/cns!1pt1v0Q4vD8jSvNS4lqdAuug!340.entry
I think my absolute favorite MS freebie is WSUS. Of course, it's for a server, not XP. I was tickled PINK when I discovered I could automate windows updates within my LAN (saving TONS of bandwidth) AND automate office updates at the same time! I am currently petitioning them to add in Office 2000 though. Don't know why they allow Win2000 and not Office 2000, but what are you gonna do? Here's the link for anyone that's interested:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/updateservices/default.mspx
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