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Saturday, September 10, 2011

Nuclear Coffee VideoGet 2011 v5.0.2.60 Portable

With VideoGet you can simply download YouTube videos and from more than 600+ other video websites. It supports such websites as YouTube, MySpace, Google Video, Yahoo Video, MetaCafe and a lot more.

Most of these video websites store video in the FLV format. A lot of people don't know how to playback these files. VideoGet provides you with ability to convert each video into most popular formats for more comfortable video playback. VideoGet supports AVI, MPEG1, MPEG2, WMV, FLV, MP4, 3GP, MP3 file formats, so you will be able not only to view it, but also put it into your iPod Video, iPhone, Zune, PSP, mobile phones or any other portable device. Furthermore you can customize video/audio quality, video frame rate, width / height and audio sampling rate.

VideoGet features
Downloads video from YouTube and other 600+ video websites. Click here to see full list of supported websites
Converts video to variety of video formats (*.AVI, *.MPG, *.WMV, *.FLV, *.MP4, *.3GP, *.RM, *.MOV, *.MP3, *.WAV)
Converts video to any portable video device (iPhone, iPod Video, iPod Nano, iPod Touch, PSP, Zune, iRiver Clix, AppleTV)
One-click-download-convert. Plugins for Internet Explorer and Mozilla FireFox browser
Script auto-updater allows you to be always in touch with latest version
Download works through WinInet API, which is used by Internet Explorer, allows easy and fast download of Flash movies
Allows to download in batch mode with ability to save / load batch
Allows to pause / resume download process
Can resume broken download instead of downloading file from the beginning
Ability to login on YouTube due to inappropriate videos for which we need to prove we are 18+ years old
Automatically detects which online video service you are attempting to download from
Ability to setup width / height, video / audio quality, video frame rate and audio sampling rate of encoded video

Small and compact
Designed with "Easy-to-Use" concept in mind, extremely easy to use
Works with all types of Internet connection
Supported languages: English, German, French, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Turkish, Bulgarian, Romanian, Hungarian
Which websites does VideoGet support?
VideoGet currently supports download videos from:
* YouTube,
* Google Video,
* Yahoo Video,
* MySpace,
* DailyMotion,
* AnimeEpisodes.net,
* DumpALink,
* Glumbert,
* MetaCafe,
* PhotoBucket,
* Break.com,
* Uncut Video AOL and a lot more...

System Requirements:
Windows NT4.0/2000/XP/2003/Vista/Windows 7 and above.
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How to Lowering Cholesterol

Have you ever witnessed someone eating one of those fast food meals with a triple-burger sandwich, an extra-large order of French fries, and an even larger serving of soda and reflected - either to yourself or out loud - on how you could "hear their arteries clogging?"

Of course you have. In fact, you might have even heard your own arteries clogging as you consumed a meal filled with animal fat, simple sugars, and processed foods. Both Western and Chinese medicine alike recognize the importance of diet when battling high cholesterol, and eating improper foods such as these can trigger the digestive system to build up the amount of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) - which are also known as bad cholesterol - in the blood. This can then lead to life-threatening illnesses such as heart attacks, strokes, and, of course, clogged and hardened arteries.

Cholesterol, however, is a tricky condition. A person with high amounts of LDL cholesterol in their blood may have inherited the condition from a genetic predisposition, and it may not seem like changing the diet can help in any way. Happily for your health, this isn't true, and I have had tremendous success treating patients with very high cholesterol who simply needed a change to their diet and lifestyle to improve their health. Keep in mind that this change in diet does not have to be an all-or-nothing overhaul of deprivation and starvation. If you have high cholesterol, start simple!

Try incorporating the following five foods into your diet. They are high in fiber and low in cholesterol. They will not only help to lower your LDL cholesterol levels, but also benefit your body's health in general.

  1. Apples: A study was conducted in Finland to determine whether or not eating apples can lower cholesterol. The results of this study determined that eating three apples a day for three months can help you drop your cholesterol level by twenty points. This is a result of apple's high amount of pectin, which is a source of dietary fiber that will draw LDL out of your system. Also, quercetin, an antioxidant, helps to inhibit the amount of LDL in the bloodstream. As autumn is a time for apples, be sure to take advantage of all of the tasty varieties that the season offers.
  2. Spinach: Spinach, along with other green leafy vegetables, contains a carotenoid known as lutein. Lutein has been associated with the prevented buildup of cholesterol in the blood. With a little help from one or two helpings of fresh spinach, you'll be on your way to low cholesterol levels in no time!
  3. Oats: There are few things as satisfying as a warm bowl of oatmeal in the morning. Whole grain oats, like whole wheat, are a high-fiber grain. While whole wheat is helpful in lowering cholesterol, oats contain more soluble fiber and therefore are more likely to reduce the levels of LDL cholesterol in your system. When eating foods containing oats, however, be sure to always eat whole grain oats, because the oats found in processed foods like granola bars often don't contain soluble fiber.
  4. Homemade orange marmalade: Who would guess that this delicious fruity spread would also be good for lowering LDL cholesterol? Orange marmalade includes orange rind - which contains compounds known as polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs). PMFs are found in the pigment of orange peel and are responsible for lowering bad cholesterol -yet not reducing good cholesterol. You can use orange rind in your cooking as well.
  5. Green tea: Green tea is beneficial for many conditions and ailments, and LDL cholesterol is no exception. Drink one cup of green tea daily and you may find that your high LDL cholesterol levels will say their final farewell.

Lowering your cholesterol starts with the foods you eat - and the foods you choose not to eat. Be sure to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Eating the right foods can help you on the way to a long, healthy life. As always, talk to your physician before beginning a new health regime.
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Friday, September 9, 2011

AVS Video ReMaker v4.0.5.135 Portable

Edit video files without reconversion. Cut unwanted scenes from videos recorded with various PVR, DVR & DVD camcorders. Insert DVD and Blu-ray menus.

Edit Video Files without Reconversion
Cut, delete unwanted parts, change scene sequence in MPEG, AVI, DVD, Blu-ray, WMV, etc. with AVS Video ReMaker . Save videos without reconversion.

Work with Various Video Formats
Edit AVI, VOB, MP4, DVD, Blu-ray, WMV, 3GP, FLV, TS, DVR-MS, MOV, MKV, H.263/H.264 codecs, etc. See a full list of supported video formats

Edit HD-Videos
Edit AVCHD, MOD, MTS/M2TS, TOD, etc. video files recorded with camcorders and video cameras.

Create DVD and Blu-ray Menus
Split video into chapters, select between a number of menu templates. Burn video files on to DVD- or Blu-ray discs with AVS Video ReMaker .

Capture Video
Transfer video from camcorders and video cameras to hard drive, edit files and create home video DVDs with AVS Video ReMaker . Capture video from Web cameras and DV cameras.

Multilingual Support
AVS Video ReMaker interface and tech-support are available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Polish.

All key formats are supported
Read: HD Video (inc. Blu-ray video, AVCHD, MPEG-2 HD and WMV HD), AVI (DivX, Xvid, etc.), DV AVI, MP4 (inc. Sony PSP, Apple iPod and Archos), WMV (MPEG-4 codec only), 3GP, 3G2, QuickTime (MOV, QT), DVD, VOB, VRO, MPEG-1, 2, 4, TOD, MOD, MPG, DAT, VCD, SVCD, ASF (MPEG-4 codec only), ASX (MPEG-4 codec only), MJPEG, H.263, H.264, DVR-MS, MKV, DV, FLV, TS, M2TS, M2T, MTS, DPG, NSV.

Write: HD Video (inc. Blu-ray video, AVCHD and MPEG-2 HD), AVI (DivX, Xvid, etc.), MP4 (inc. Sony PSP, Apple iPod and Archos), 3GP, 3G2, QuickTime (MOV, QT), MKV, DV, FLV, DVD, MPEG-1, 2, 4, MPG, MJPEG, H.263, H.264.

Platforms: Windows 7, XP, 2003, Vista (no Mac OS/Linux support)

Minimum System Requirements
Processor:  Intel / AMD compatible at 1500 MHz or higher
RAM:  512 MB or higher
Sound:  Windows compatible sound card
DirectX:  Microsoft DirectX 9.0c or later
Administrative permissions for program installation and activation
Internet connection to activate

Windows 7 Recommended System Requirements
Processor:  Intel / AMD compatible at 3 GHz single core/1.8 GHz dual core
RAM:  1 GB or higher
Video: Windows 7 compatible video card
Sound: Windows 7 compatible sound card

Note: System requirements may differ depending on the Windows 7 version installed and increase when Windows Aero interface is enabled. 
digest video maker portable
Size: 66.4 MB
Download here
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Thursday, September 8, 2011

AVS Video Editor v6.0.2.183 Portable

Create your movie with a few simple drag-and-drops. Enhance your videos so that they have professional look.

Features Overview
Manage Various Video Formats
AVS Video Editor supports all key video formats. Edit & save video files in AVI, VOB, MP4, DVD, WMV, 3GP, MOV, MKV, H.263/H.264 codecs, etc. See a full list of supported video formats

Edit Your Video with Fantasy
Trim, cut, split, merge, rotate and mix videos with AVS Video Editor . Select between 300 innovative video effects and transitions. Insert menus, audio, text comments and subtitles. Stabilize video camera shaky recordings.

Speed Up HD-Videos Editing
Manage AVI HD, WMV HD, TOD, AVCHD, MOD, MTS/M2TS, etc. with AVS Video Editor . Due to the integrated video cache technology, HD-video editing becomes faster.

Process Blu-Ray Videos
Open and edit your Blu-ray videos with AVS Video Editor . Apply effects and add specially designed menus. Add audio, video and images to your videos. Save files in any key video format. Or burn videos on to Blu-ray discs.

Capture Your Video
Transfer video from DV-, web- or VHS-cameras and save video on hard drive or burn DVD discs. Or record media files from your PC screen and create video guides, training videos or demos.

Share Your Video
Upload newly made video files to all popular video hostings such as Facebook, Flickr, MySpace, etc., directly from AVS Video Editor interface.

Multilingual Support
AVS Video Editor interface and tech-support are available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Dutch.

All key formats are supported
Read: HD Video (inc. Blu-ray video, AVCHD, MPEG-2 HD and WMV HD), AVI (DivX, Xvid, etc.), DV AVI, MP4 (inc. Sony PSP, Apple iPod and Archos), WMV, 3GP, 3G2, QuickTime (MOV, QT), DVD, VOB, VRO, MPEG-1, 2, 4, TOD, MOD, MPG, DAT, VCD, SVCD, Real Video (RM, RMVB), ASF, ASX, MJPEG, H.263, H.264, DVR-MS, MKV, OGM, FLV, AMV, MTV, TS, M2TS, M2T, MTS, DPG, NSV, FLI, FLC, CDG, GVI, SVI, PPT, PPTX.

Write: HD Video (inc. Blu-ray video, AVCHD, MPEG-2 HD and WMV HD), AVI (DivX, Xvid, etc.), MP4 (inc. Sony PSP, Apple iPod and Archos), WMV, 3GP, 3G2, QuickTime (MOV, QT), SWF, FLV, DVD, MPEG-1, 2, 4, MPG, MJPEG, H.263, H.264, Real Video (RM, RMVB).

Minimum System Requirements
Processor: Intel / AMD compatible at 2500 MHz or higher
RAM: 1 GB or higher
Sound: Windows compatible sound card
Display: 32-bit color depth
CD recorder: for importing from CD
DVD recorder: for importing from DVD and creating Video DVD
Video capture device: required for capturing
Windows Media Player 11 or higher for WMV video playback
DirectX: Microsoft DirectX 9.0c or later
Administrative permissions for program installation and activation
Internet connection to activate

* Windows Vista Recommended System Requirements
Processor: Intel / AMD compatible at 3 GHz single core/1.8 GHz dual core
RAM: 1.5 GB or higher
Video: Windows Vista compatible video card
Sound: Windows Vista compatible sound card

Note: System requirements may differ depending on the Windows Vista version installed and increase when Windows Aero interface is enabled.

Size: 171 MB
Part1
Download here

Part2
Download here
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Wednesday, September 7, 2011

AVS Audio Editor v7.0.2.418 Portable

Edit your audio files with AVS Audio Editor . Cut, split, merge, record, apply various effects. Save output files to all key audio formats.

Features Overview:
- Edit Audio
Cut, join, trim, mix, delete parts, split. Use Timeline for maximum precision and accuracy. Multichannel audio files are supported.
- Enhance Audio
Over 20 built-in effects and filters including delay, flanger, chorus, reverb, and more. Full support of VST effects and DirectX filters.
- Remove Background Noises
Use specially designed filters to remove irritating sounds like "vuvuzelas", roars of football fans, hisses, etc.
- Mix Audio
Blend several audio tracks, apply effects and save the output file in any popular format. Overlay your voice on audio while playing it back.
- Microsoft Windows 7 Support
AVS Audio Editor is compatible with the latest version of Microsoft Windows.
- Export Audio from Video
Choose and edit audio from your video files. Save them on PC or external hardware. See a full list of supported formats here
- Use Batch Editing
Select effects and settings and apply them to several audio files.
- Save Audio in Key Format
Edit and save audio files in MP3, WAV, PCM, WMA, M4A, Flac, OGG, etc.
- Record Audio from Any Input
Edit your audio recordings, apply effects, save them as separate audio files.
- Create Ringtone for iPhone
Edit an audio file and save it to M4R format for iPhone.
- Work Fast & Easy
Make your Favorites panel. Select the most frequently used features and add them to your panel.

All key formats are supported
Read: MP3, WMA, WAV, M4A, M4R, AAC, AMR, OGG, MP2, FLAC, AIFF, AU, AVI, IVF, DIV, DIVX, MTV, AMV, MPG, MPEG, MOD, MPE, MVV, M2V, WMV, ASF, DVR-MS, DAT, IFO, VOB, VRO, M2TS, M2T, MTS, TOD, TS, TP, DV, MKV, OGM, OGV, OGA, OGX, RM, RMVB, RAM, IVR, MOV, QT, M4V, MP4, 3GP2, 3GPP, 3GP, 3G2, FLV, SWF, MKA, RAW, PCM, GSM, MID, MIDI, KAR, APE, QCP, MPA, RA, SHN, VOC
Write: MP3, WMA, WAV, M4A, M4R, AAC, AMR, OGG, MP2, FLAC, AIFF, AU, AVI, IVF, DIV, DIVX, MPG, MPEG, MOD, MPE, MVV, MTS, TOD, MOV, QT, M4V, MP4, 3GP2, 3GPP, 3GP, 3G2, FLV

Minimum System Requirements
Processor: Intel / AMD compatible at 1500 MHz or higher
RAM: 512 MB or higher
Sound: Windows compatible sound card
DirectX: Microsoft DirectX 9.0c or later
Administrative permissions for program installation and activation
Internet connection to activate

* Windows Vista Recommended System Requirements
Processor: Intel / AMD compatible at 3 GHz single core/1.8 GHz dual core
RAM: 1 GB or higher
Video: Windows Vista compatible video card
Sound: Windows Vista compatible sound card


Size: 50.2 MB
Download here
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Tuesday, September 6, 2011

AVS Video Converter v8.0.2.493 Portable

Rip and burn personal DVDs, convert video, create HD Video, split, join, edit, apply effects, copy to mobile devices! ALL KEY FORMATS ARE SUPPORTED!

Features Overview
Convert All Key Video Formats
Encode HD Video (inc. AVCHD, TS, TOD, AVI HD, M2TS, etc.), AVI, MP4, WMV, Blu-ray, 3GP, DVD, VOB, MPEG, H.263/H.264 codecs, DVR-MS, MKV, FLV, etc. with AVS Video Converter . See a full list of supported video formats

Manage HD-Camera Videos
Convert AVCHD, MPEG-2 HD, AVI HD, TOD/MOD, M2TS/MTS, etc. Edit HD-videos, add menus, subtitles, etc. and convert them to any video format supported by AVS Video Converter . Burn DVD/Blu-ray discs.

Convert Video for Various Devices
AVS Video Converter includes ready presets to convert video for iPod, iPhone, iPad, PSP, Zen, PS3 (HD support), XBox (HD support), Nintendo, mobiles, Android devices, portable media players, etc.

Create Personal DVD/Blu-ray Videos
Convert from/to Blu-ray or DVD formats. Cut, apply effects, add colorful DVD/Blu-ray menus. Split your movie into chapters and burn DVD/Blu-ray discs with AVS Video Converter .

Convert & Share Your Videos on Web
Convert video to FLV, F4V, etc. with AVS Video Converter . Create HTML pages with embedded FLV/F4V videos. Upload videos on your website, Facebook, Flickr, MySpace, etc.

Multilingual Support
AVS Video Converter interface and tech-support are available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Korean and Polish.

All key formats are supported
Read: HD Video (inc. Blu-ray video, AVCHD, MPEG-2 HD and WMV HD), AVI (DivX, Xvid, etc.), DV AVI, MP4 (inc. Sony PSP, Apple iPod and Archos), WMV, 3GP, 3G2, QuickTime (MOV, QT), DVD, VOB, VRO, MPEG-1, 2, 4, TOD, MOD, MPG, DAT, VCD, SVCD, Real Video (RM, RMVB), ASF, ASX, MJPEG, H.263, H.264, DVR-MS, MKV, OGM, FLV, F4V, AMV, MTV, TS, M2TS, M2T, MTS, DPG, NSV, FLI, FLC, CDG, PPT, GVI, TRP, GIF.
Write: HD Video (inc. Blu-ray video, MPEG-2 HD and WMV HD), AVI (DivX, Xvid, etc.), MP4 (inc. Sony PSP, Apple iPod and Archos), WMV, 3GP, 3G2, QuickTime (MOV, QT), SWF, FLV, F4V, DVD, MPEG-1, 2, 4, MPG, MJPEG, H.263, H.264, MKV, MPEG1 DPG, AMV, MTV, GIF, TS, M2TS.

Minimum System Requirements
Processor: Intel / AMD compatible at 1500 MHz or higher
RAM: 512 MB or higher
Sound: Windows compatible sound card
DirectX: Microsoft DirectX 9.0c or later
Administrative permissions for program installation and registration
Internet connection to register

* Windows Vista Recommended System Requirements
Processor: Intel / AMD compatible at 3 GHz single core / 1.8 GHz dual core
RAM:  1 GB or higher
Video:  Windows Vista compatible video card
Sound:  Windows Vista compatible sound card

Note: System requirements may differ depending on the Windows Vista version installed and increase when Windows Aero interface is enabled. 

Size: 82.3 MB

Download here
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Monday, September 5, 2011

AVS Audio Converter v7.0.2.479 Portable

Convert between most known audio files: WAV, OGG Vorbis, MP3, MP2, Microsoft ADPCM, WMA, VOX, AAC, M4A, AMR and other well-known media formats according to your wish.

Features Overview
AVS Audio Converter. Now with multi-core support.

AVS Audio Converter.
AVS4YOU Online Help. Find answers to your questions. Click here to read.
AVS4YOU User's Guides. Click here to read detailed step-by-step guides.
Read AVS4YOU Programs Online Help in Adobe PDF format. Click here to download.

Convert Audio Files between:
MP3, WMA, WAV, M4A, AMR, OGG, MP2 and other formats.

Minimum Converting Time
With the support of multi-core processor conversion time is almost halved!

Set Custom Parameters
Specify frequency, number of channels, bitrate and other parameters of output files before conversion.

Apply Fine Tuning of Parameters
Available for conversions of MP3 and OGG formats.

Edit Text Info of Audio
Modify extra text information in existing audio files such as Title, Artist, Album, Comment.

Multilingual Support
AVS Audio Converter interface and tech-support are available in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian.

All key formats are supported
Read: MP3, MPEG3, WMA, WAV, M4A, M4B, M4R, AAC, AMR, AWB, OGG, MP1, AC3, MP2, FLAC, AIFF, AIF, AIFC, AU, VOX, MPC, MP+, MKA, RAW, PCM, GSM, AVI, IVF, DIV, DIVX, MTV, AMV, MPG, MPEG, MOD, MPE, MVV, M2V, WMV, ASF, DVR-MS, DAT, IFO, VOB, VRO, M2TS, M2T, MTS, TOD, TS, TP, DV, MKV, OGM, OGV, OGA, OGX, RM, RMVB, RAM, IVR, MOV, QT, M4V, MP4, 3GP2, 3GPP, 3GP, 3G2, FLV, SWF, MID, MIDI, KAR, APE, QCP, MPA, RA, SHN, VOC
Write: MP3, WMA, WAV, M4A, M4B, M4R, AAC, AMR, AWB, OGG, MP2, FLAC

Platforms:  Windows XP, 2003, Vista, 7* (no Mac OS/Linux support)

Minimum System Requirements
Processor:  Intel / AMD compatible at 1500 MHz or higher
RAM:  512 MB or higher
Sound:  Windows compatible sound card
DirectX:  Microsoft DirectX 9.0c or later
Administrative permissions for program installation and activation
Internet connection to activate

* Windows Vista Recommended System Requirements
Processor:  Intel / AMD compatible at 3 GHz single core/1.8 GHz dual core
RAM:  1 GB or higher
Video:  Windows Vista compatible video card
Sound:  Windows Vista compatible sound card

Note: System requirements may differ depending on the Windows Vista version installed and increase when Windows Aero interface is enabled. 

Size: 115 MB
Part1
Download here

Part2
Download here
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Sunday, September 4, 2011

SPlayer v3.7 Build 2283 Portable

SPlayer is a simple and yet practical media player, which supports all the popular media formats, including DVDRip, HDTV, RMVB, QuickTime, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, AC3/DTS, VP3/6/7, Indeo, XVD, OGG/OGM, APE, FLAC, TTA, AAC, MPC, 3GP/AMR, and subtitles.

Low consumption Optimization of a variety of creative techniques, smooth playback. Maximize the efficiency are always our mission ...

Easy to use Crafted user experience design. Up to more than 150 unique, small features. "devil hidden in the detail" is our motto

Extreme compact World's smallest and most sophisticated players, complete installation package only 4M, still as powerful as ever ...

Subtitle matching SPlayer's smart matching can automaticly download the highest quality in English and Chinese subtitles

Exquisite beauty Designer Raven from Milan created a set of interfaces. Beautiful skin can let you feel more comfortable while playing

HD
* ShaderEngineTMimage enhancement engine,reduce screen noise, sharp picture quality rendering
* LiveColorTMcolor enhancement algorithms, the picture is more colorful colors
* SmartAmplifyTMIntelligent sound field balance of technology, sound is even more shocking

Low consumption
- FastMotionTMoptimized to significantly reduce CPU and memory footprint. Optimization for multi-core SSE2 SSE3 MMX GPU etc
- PowerTravelTMpower-saving mode of travel, reduce energy consumption, increase the cruise time for notebook
- EyeCareTMtake care your eyes for long time watching, health is the most important

Intelligent
- Anti-SillyTMSmart, hand-free configuration, hundreds of branch logic automatically selects the best mode based on the hardware configuration.
- CloudMatchingTMIntelligent Display subtitles technology, foreign language film is no longer a need to find matching subtitles

Delicate beauty
After a number of enthusiastic users of professional advice and design, SPlayer interface adhering to simple, stylish, functional integrity without affecting the general use. Buttons novice twist, the cure that is to go

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Saturday, September 3, 2011

E3 2011: Super Mario 3DS World

The results are unimpressive:
Nintendo is using the same Mario sprites, engine from New Super Mario Bros. and updating it into 3D. Level design looks awkward.

Gameplay looks slow.

Nintendo! We would have bought New Super Mario Bros.

Add some new power-ups and think of some new environments and the fanbase loves you!

I don't get them.



Reggie's a little confused in the trailer, saying that this is the first "mario platformer created from scratch on a handheld."

Clearly he just forgot about New Super Mario Bros., my favorite Mario game--of all time, I said it! Yes, I think it actually improves on SMB3 and SMW and is a worthy successor. 3DS, of course, is using textures and everything else from NSMB!

Anyway, best of luck to Mario 3DS, I never really enjoyed this kind of 3D platformer, but I'll try it out on a store display hopefully.

Watch the official Trailer on IGN if you want.
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Friday, September 2, 2011

Super Castlevania IV Nintendo Power Scans


Scans from the January 1992 Nintendo Power covering Super Castlevania IV.

I still love the layouts and the artwork they worked into their magazine spreads.

Super Castlevania IV is the shit, what more can I say? It's got the smoothest whip action in any 2-D Castlevania, a ridiculous amount of levels, great difficulty curve, amazing music, and if you haven't played it you should probably do so immediately.

Don't even read the last paragraph, you could be playing Super Castlevania IV.
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Thursday, September 1, 2011

Why the Academic World is a Steaming Pile of Shit

This is exactly why Academica is worthless for people in my field: Complete lack of perspective and field experience. If I walked up to my boss and said, "Hey, Boss! I'm going to re-do the work that Sun Microsystems already did for me by re-writing perfectly good API calls because I don't want to feel lazy! Oh, and you'd be paying me for these extra hours!", he'd fire my ass on the spot (and rightfully so).

Here's a cool academic exercise: Write a simple Twitter app (Using the given APIs), then make it work on Android. Its cool. Its relevant. Its academic. Its learning and experience.
Don't make me re-invent the wheel, college... Some motherfucker did that for me so I wouldn't have to. I'm not paying you gobs of money to duplicate the work that others have done before me, I'm paying you gobs of money to stand on the shoulder's of giants and build into the sky.
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Sunday, August 21, 2011

Building Browser Games Quickly With Flash Game Source Code

Developing games is an involved and skilled process. Competence in a number of skills is required - programming, graphics, audio, design and more. Even building a simple puzzle game can be extremely time consuming, requiring design, development and testing phases.

While Flash allows for rapid development, even Flash games take a considerable amount of time and skill to create, but there is a shortcut. Using pre-made and editable Flash game source code means that you can have your new game developed and published in hours, not weeks!

Flash source files consist of an FLA file, and possibly one or more AS (Actionscript) files. These source files, unlike published Flash games (SWF files) are editable which enables them to be rebranded, reskinned, and republished as new and unique content.

Editing existing Flash game source code can be as simple as changing the in-game logo and links to the developer website. On the other hand, entirely new games can be created by changing the in-game graphics, and making changes to the game source code, affecting the gameplay.

All styles of game are now available as editable source code. From puzzle games to arcade games, there is a style to suit everyone. Just find a good source of Flash game source code, make the required changes (or hire a freelancer to make the changes for you) and you can deploy your new game on your site or blog within hours.

Once your newly edited game is ready you have a powerful tool for promoting your brand and website, and increasing your web traffic. Not only will a fun and unique game on your site attract visitors, and keep them returning, but you can also have your visitors promote your site for you.

By allowing your visitors and customers to embed the game on their own sites and blogs, you introduce a form of viral marketing, which can dramatically increase your traffic and exposure. Every time a new visitor copies your embed code to place your game on their website you get extra exposure, and a new link back to your site.

Start benefiting from your own Flash games today. Grab yourself some template files, rebrand them with your link and logos, and see for yourself the power of Flash games as viral marketing tools.
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Why Are Flash Games So Popular Online?

Computer games can be traced back to the early 1950s and were getting popular after PCs were invented. People came into stores to buy PC games and installed to their local machines to play. After Internet came into our lives, people could buy the games online easily. The game developers were trying to find a way to create games on internet by using Java or other languages. But they were all not fit for game development because of the hard-coded or low efficiency.

Flash was introduced in 1996 and is currently developed and distributed by Adobe Systems. It is a vector animation software, originally designed to create animations for display on web pages. Vector-based language is so lightweight that it is ideal for the web. With more and more controllable in flash, software programmers developed many online games and lots of flash game websites were created. People like playing them online without any download.
In summary, there are 7 reasons to make flash games popular.
  • Vector based language makes the flash files small. Majority of them are only several Mega bytes.
  • Adobe Flash is a multimedia platform and the games are easier to be developed.
  • No downloads and installations are needed for players.
  • They are always free on the internet.
  • The SWF files are easily transferred and embed in web pages.
  • It is diversity and fit for all ages.
  • It is always a trial version of a full game and it is easy to be converted from a full game.
By now, there are hundreds of thousands of flash games playing on the websites. These websites are profitable and supported by many advertisers. People eventually find an easy way to relax after a whole day work.
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How To Find The Best Strategy Flash Games

While there are tons of games out there that are graphically rich and meant to take advantage of your computers hardware to render realistic characters, environment and special effects, not a lot of us have the money to spend on gaming rigs to even be able to play these games. Fortunately though, there are also games that have been developed that you can play within your browser, making use of flash which doesn't need quite as much video processing power for you to play. Strategy flash games are one of the most popular genres today, requiring strategy and critical thinking similar to playing a game chess. A popular variation are tower defense flash games which is similar to chess in that you defend against attack, as well as launching attacks of your own. Strategy flash games generally require just a keyboard and mouse to interact with the game and can be played straight from the browser. There is no need to install them once it has been fully loaded.

Strategy flash games provide endless opportunities for fun and challenge for hours at a time. One can typically go online and look for websites that feature flash games. They are typically segregated into different genres and sub-genres. These can include puzzle, shooting, arcade, strategy, RPG (role playing game), Sports and action genres. Some sites can feature hundreds or even thousands of games, and one can probably find them on several different sites. Some websites sometimes pay for exclusivity or at least semi-exclusivity, so you may find the same version of a particular game across several sites, but only one site would probably give you access to special bonuses and levels. Some sites will often encourage you to play particular titles across different genres, sometimes offering in-game rewards and boosts that you can use to your advantage while playing tower defense flash games. Playing on a site focused on flash games also allows you the opportunity of reading through the forums where you can learn and exchange ideas and strategies. It also allows you to meet players with similar interests not necessarily limited to gaming.

Another great place to find strategy flash games are at the sites of the designers themselves. Designers often make more than one game and use their site as a portal for players to experience playing the games directly from them. Many of these developers can be accessed and found on online gaming distribution.

These websites allow website developers and gamers to sample and even download these online games, usually in a 'SWF' file format. If you have enjoyed a particular game, you can try out many other games that the developers have made with the likelihood of being able to experience the same level of polish across all their titles. In addition to playing strategy flash games and various other genres, you can also provide feedback that can actually influence upcoming titles or even future versions of the same game. Normally, you will be able to rate or comment on a game that you like. Sometimes there will be a link to the game developer's website where you can contact them directly to share your opinion.
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Saturday, August 20, 2011

Classification of Computers

Computers are available in different shapes, sizes and weights, due to these different shapes and sizes they perform different sorts of jobs from one another.
They can also be classified in different ways. All the computers are designed by the qualified computer architectures that design these machines as their requirements.

A computer that is used in a home differs in size and shape from the computer being used in a hospital. Computers act as a server in large buildings, while the computer also differs in size and shape performing its job as a weather forecaster.

A student carrying a laptop with him to his college is different in shape and size from all the computers mentioned above.
Here we are going to introduce different classifications of computers one by one. We will discuss what are in classifications and what job they perform.
Super computer
The biggest in size, the most expensive in price than any other is classified and known as super computer. It can process trillions of instructions in seconds. This computer is not used as a PC in a home neither by a student in a college.
Governments specially use this type of computer for their different calculations and heavy jobs. Different industries also use this huge computer for designing their products. In most of the Hollywood's movies it is used for animation purposes. This kind of computer is also helpful for forecasting weather reports worldwide.

Mainframes
Another giant in computers after the super computer is Mainframe, which can also process millions of instruction per second and capable of accessing billions of data.
This computer is commonly used in big hospitals, air line reservations companies, and many other huge companies prefer mainframe because of its capability of retrieving data on a huge basis.
This is normally to expensive and out of reach from a salary-based person who wants a computer for his home.
This kind of computer can cost up to thousands of dollars.

Minicomputer
This computer is next in he line but less offers less than mainframe in work and performance. These are the computers, which are mostly preferred by the small type of business personals, colleges, etc.

Personal computers
Almost all the computer users are familiar with the personal computers. They normally know what the personal computer is and what are its functions.
This is the computer mostly preferred by the home users. These computers are lesser in cost than the computers given above and also, small in size; they are also called PCs in short for Personal computers.
This computer is small in size and you can easily arrange it to fit in your single bedroom with its all accommodation. Today this is thought to be the most popular computer in all.

Notebook computers
Having a small size and low weight the notebook is easy to carry to anywhere. A student can take it with him/her to his/her school in his/her bag with his/her book.
This is easy to carry around and preferred by students and business people to meet their assignments and other necessary tasks.
The approach of this computer is also the same as the Personal computer. It can store the same amount of data and having a memory of the same size as that of a personal computer. One can say that it is the replacement of personal desktop computer.
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Guide to Choosing a Computer System for Your Child

Before going further into choosing computers for children, I believe that you would like to know the answer to the following question:
Why do children need computers?
The easiest answer for this one is: "A child needs a computer so that he can play computer games". Everybody agrees. Nevertheless, let's not just limit on the short term use of the computer... Let's analyze a little the world we live in and see what can acomputer do for children.

Computers are starting to have more and more importance in our daily life. Almost everywhere you go, you find computers. At office or at home, a computer is almost indispensable.

Not knowing to use a computer, you find many difficulties. Moreover, things will not get easier in the future, because the world is getting more and more computerized. That is why your child should get accustomed and work with computers from an early age. If your child does this, it will be much easier for him to adapt to the ever-changing technology.

Educational products are nowadays released mostly on computer CD's.
More and more educational products for children are now released in the form of programs and electronic encyclopedias and can only be viewed with a computer, somehow forcing you to buy a computer for your child. Unlike the traditional learning methods, learning with a computer has the advantage of interactivity. Children love to learn with computers, because they can control the way they learn and what they learn.

Of course, a child will use a computer mainly to play computer games. At first, the computer will be for your child like a more expensive toy. The computer will be his favorite toy. Your child will play computer games the entire day. However, after a while, the child will settle down and start exploring the other sides of the computer.

At first, the only thing I was doing at my computer was playing. Then, as time passed, I started being interested in how computers work, the internet, 3D modeling and so on. Now I can say that I know a lot about computers.

The disadvantage of computers as toys is that it is a lot more expensive than other toys for children, but on the long term, the money you spend will come back multiplied many times in the form of knowledge for your child. That is why I do believe that a computer is a very good investment on the long run for you and your child.

Which computers for children to buy?
Since the main use of the computer for your child will be to play games, you should choose a fast system on which modern games will run smooth. Also, because modern computer games use lot's of space, a high capacity hard drive is recommended. The computer you choose for your child should be equipped with a DVD, because DVD's are starting to replace CD's as main data transport medium.

Now that you have chosen a computer system for your child, all you need is a monitor. You can choose from two types of computer monitors: CRT and LCD. LCD monitors are the ones you usually find in a office. They are flat and do not produce radiations. However, they are not recommended for the purpose your child will use it, because of the slow reaction time. CRT computer monitors are bigger and cheaper. They are more indicated for children who like to play computer games a lot.
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Wednesday, August 3, 2011

study recognized that factors such as depression

An underappreciated but scientifically substantiated fact is that getting a good education, challenging your mind, maintaining friendships and staying socially active can also help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's Dementia in later life. A new report in the American Medical Association journal, Archives of General Psychiatry, now compliments those findings in showing that simply having a sense of purpose in life can help to reduce this risk.

This new study was performed by Patricia Boyle, Ph.D and her group at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. The participants in the study were 951 men and women with an average age of 80.4 years, who had normal cognitive function at the start of the study. That is, none had yet shown signs of developing Alzheimer's Dementia. In the study they defined purpose in life as, "The psychological tendency to derive meaning from life's experiences and to possess a sense of intentionality and goal directedness that guides behavior." In other words, that your life means something and that you have a sense of control of it. They measured the sense of purpose in life by tallying up scores from a 10 item questionnaire that was given to the subjects in the test.

The questionnaire included questions such as: "I have a sense of direction and purpose in life", and " I sometimes feel as if I have done all there is to do in life." Participants answered questions on a scale of one to five, and agreement with optimistic, positive questions such as the first, added points while disagreement with the more pessimistic questions, such as the second one, also added points. They found that individuals with a sense of purpose at the start of the study were less likely to develop Alzheimer's Dementia over the following seven years. In fact, it was shown that people with the lowest sense of purpose in life were more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's Dementia than those with the highest sense of purpose. The authors of the study recognized that factors such as depression, education, number of friends and family, gender, and race can and do affect ones risk for developing Alzheimer's Dementia. These factors were measured and analyzed in the study. They determined that even when all of these other important social and psychological factors were considered, a simple sense of purpose in life made its own unique, and statistically significant contribution to reducing the risk of Alzheimer's Dementia.
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Monday, August 1, 2011

Relaxing elements such as aromatherapy and music

With its focus on full, cleansing breaths, deep breathing is a simple, yet powerful, relaxation technique. It’s easy to learn, can be practiced almost anywhere, and provides a quick way to get your stress levels in check. Deep breathing is the cornerstone of many other relaxation practices, too, and can be combined with other relaxing elements such as aromatherapy and music. All you really need is a few minutes and a place to stretch out.

How to practice deep breathing
The key to deep breathing is to breathe deeply from the abdomen, getting as much fresh air as possible in your lungs. When you take deep breaths from the abdomen, rather than shallow breaths from your upper chest, you inhale more oxygen. The more oxygen you get, the less tense, short of breath, and anxious you feel. So the next time you feel stressed, take a minute to slow down and breathe deeply:

  • Sit comfortably with your back straight. Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
  • Breathe in through your nose. The hand on your stomach should rise. The hand on your chest should move very little.
  • Exhale through your mouth, pushing out as much air as you can while contracting your abdominal muscles. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand should move very little.
  • Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to inhale enough so that your lower abdomen rises and falls. Count slowly as you exhale.
  • If you have a hard time breathing from your abdomen while sitting up, try lying on the floor. Put a small book on your stomach, and try to breathe so that the book rises as you inhale and falls as you exhale.
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Monday, July 25, 2011

What a shame spring only comes once a year!

Have you ever stopped to notice the effect the coming of spring has on you? And on everyone? There's something about the lengthening days and the soft bright light, the burgeoning flowers and trees, the busy nest-making of the birds, the arrival of lambs and calves in the fields and daffodils in the city parks that lifts the spirits out of the winter blues.

We all feel a surge of new life, new hope, new potential, new energy. Why spring affects us the way it does Which is just as well, because life can sure drag you down. Even the most enthusiastic and positive person can become jaded in the daily struggle to juggle the different demands of life. If you're weary from all the effort you are putting in to make your life what you want it to be, or finding getting out of bed in the morning an uphill struggle, the arrival of spring can put a new 'spring' in your step.

Suddenly, life seem easier. What a shame spring only comes once a year! How to make spring more 'regularly available' Wouldn't it be great to be able to fill yourself with spring energy whenever you needed it? Imagine what it would be like to feel that burst of new life again while the baking hot days of summer are taking it out of you? Or what about when it's dark and cold and the sky is gray and the actual spring is still a long long way away? Or just when you are feeling low and need an injection of hope and inspiration? Spring meadow relaxation is an audio hypnosis session which will allow you to do just this. Relaxing comfortably at home, this session will teach you how to relax really deeply and use the powers of your imagination to create a spring experience that you can draw on any time. And that's not all.
More benefits you can get from relaxing in a spring meadow Listening to Spring meadow relaxation regularly will allow you to effortlessly practise the art of visualization. Visualization and relaxation are two key tools for enhancing health and well-being and improving your creativity. It's rare that something which feels so good to do is actually so good for you.
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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

always optimistic

Important aspects in optimizing the potential that we have is how we can identify, control and utilizing the power of our minds (money, power management). Often we are not aware that the success of our life entirely depends on what we think and how we utilizing the power of our minds that.

There are at least two important paradigm to lead us towards the achievement of the goal or aspiration we live, whether it is the form of financial freedom, a beautiful relationship with God and each other, health, happiness, and prosperity. The first is the paradigm of your mind Determine your success (Your Thinking Determines Your Success), and the second is a habit you Determine Your Future (Will I need to know determine Your Future). This means that the customs our day-to-day and what we think and how we use the power of mind is very determine what happens in the future.

Yates, the second paradigm is described in the management techniques themselves, namely: techniques associated with the behavior (behavioral Techniques) and engineering techniques Utilizing mind (cognitive Techniques). In the book self-management is defined as psychological techniques to solve personal problems (personal) and interpersonal (relationship antarpribadi), and to achieve the objectives of career and life. Although of course this is according to our definition, which is part of management of ourselves.

Indeed, our ability to utilizing the power of mind is very much determined by a series of practices that we do with our minds. Controlling and control our minds we can only do through a series of ongoing exercises self-discipline and a strong, so that eventually we can utilize the tremendous strength of mind we automatically. This is exactly like learning process when we drive the car.

The first lesson is how to harmonize the gas pedal and clutch pedal so the car can run with the smooth. If we release the clutch too quickly, the car will jump. If we hit the gas with fast while we hold foothold clutch, the car will not run and the engines roar. Sometimes the car-clogged walk stagnant as parents sputter.

But after training continuously, now we finally drive the car is not thinking clutch and the gas again - is automatic. Even we can steer the car while jabber in our mobile phone. Similarly with the way our minds work that we can analogikan as a car that can bring us wherever the purpose of life that we impikan.

Working with the mind (mind power), should not need to understand the function and how to work the brain and nervous network - and the laws of quantum physics and physiology nervous (the two disciplines of this is used by experts to explain how our brain works that way with the identical work universe). Like the analogy was a car - to learn driving (read: control) cars (read: mind), we do not need to understand how to work and how carburettor spark plugs can cause the fire to burn the driving engine. Only a few of us understand the machine, but this did not hamper us to be able to drive a car.
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Monday, July 11, 2011

Hypnotic

Are You Looking for Motivation Self Help?
Assistance With Self Help Motivation?
Do You Need Help Learning Motivation?
Develop an Effective Self Motivation Technique
Gym Motivation is Necessary to Start An Exercise Program
Where Can I Get the Self Improvement Motivation I Need?
Personal Motivation Depends on Individual Situations

Boost your self motivation and achieve your goals, ambitions and dreams
These days, everyone has come across goal-setting and self motivation 'teachers', personal motivation techniques and systems to plan your goals, and other achievement-oriented skills training.

But what happens when you just don't feel motivated to do something, even when you know it is important?

Develop powerful self motivation - feel compelled to achieve your goals

Hypnosis can help you boost your unconscious motivation to move towards the things you want to achieve in life. This way, self motivation becomes almost effortless - you feel driven, rather than dragged.

You may have experienced those times when you just can't stop yourself from doing something. Well how would it feel to behave like that towards your important dreams, desires and targets?
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Tuesday, July 5, 2011

friendster inovation ?

Today, Friendster is in a unique position to take advantage on the growth of social gaming. Through its relationship with MOL, which has a 10 year history in working with gaming companies, Friendster has both the experience and track record to make innovations in this space.
Today, as Friendster reinvents itself as a social gaming destination that enables its users to create multiple avatars, play games and enjoy rewards; I hope that all of you will wish us luck and continue to support us in our new reincarnation. The new Friendster is not perfect and we will continue to add new games and features such as localization and rewards over the next few months. Our team is working hard on adding these features and welcomes your suggestions and comments on how we can better serve your needs as a social gaming and entertainment destination.
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Monday, July 4, 2011

Some of those with fabulous IQ scores were doing poorly in life

A lot of emphasis has been put on certain aspects of intelligence such as logical reasoning, math skills, spatial skills, understanding analogies, verbal skills etc. Researchers were puzzled by the fact that while IQ could predict to a significant degree academic performance and, to some degree, professional and personal success, there was something missing in the equation. Some of those with fabulous IQ scores were doing poorly in life, one could say that they were wasting their potential by thinking, behaving and communicating in a way that hindered their chances to succeed.

One of the major missing parts in the success equation is emotional intelligence, a concept made popular by the groundbreaking book by Daniel Goleman, which is based on years of research by numerous scientists such as Peter Salovey, John Meyer, Howard Gardner, Robert Sternberg and Jack Block, just to name a few. For various reasons and thanks to a wide range of abilities, people with high emotional intelligence tend to be more successful in life than those with lower EIQ even if their classical IQ is average.

This emotional intelligence test will evaluate several aspects of your emotional intelligence and will suggest ways to improve it. Please be honest and answer according to what you really do, feel or think, rather than what you think is considered right in this test. Nobody is there to judge you, just yourself... and besides, there are many trick questions.

Read every statement carefully and indicate which option applies best to you. There may be some questions describing situations that you may feel are not relevant to your life. In such cases, select the answer which you would most likely choose if you ever found yourself in such a situation.

After finishing the test, you will receive a Snapshot Report with an introduction, a graph and a personalized interpretation for one of your test scores. You will then have the option to purchase the full results.
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Thursday, June 30, 2011

MediaCoder 2011 R6 build 5166 Portable


MediaCoder is a free universal batch media transcoder, which nicely integrates most popular audio/video codecs and tools into an all-in-one solution. With a flexible and extendable architecture, new codecs and tools are added in constantly as well as supports for new devices. MediaCoder intends to be the swiss army knife for media transcoding in all time and at this moment, it already has millions of users from 170+ countries all over the planet.

Features In Brief
    * Convert to and from many audio and video compression formats and re-multiplex into various container formats in batches
    * Full control over transcoding parameters, you can learn about audio/video encoding and play with various codecs
    * Strong decoding capability for partial or corrupted contents
    * Simplified UI for popular mobile devices (e.g. PSP, iPhone/iPod)
    * Fully standalone, no dependance on system codecs/splitters
    * Extension (scripting language) infrastructure to expand user interfaces and improve user experience

Typical Applications
    * Improving compression / reducing size for audio/video files
    * Converting for audio/video playback devices (digital audio player, MP4 player, mobile phone, PDA, PSP, VCD/DVD player etc.)
    * Extracting audio tracks from video files
    * Ripping audio/video discs
    * Reparing corrupted or partial downloaded video files

Supported Fomats
    * MP3, Vorbis, AAC, AAC+, AAC+v2, MusePack, Speex, AMR, WMA, RealAudio, mp3PRO*
    * FLAC, WavPack, Monkey's Audio, OptimFrog, AAC Lossless, TTA, WAV/PCM, Waveform
    * H.264, XviD, DivX, MPEG 1/2/4, Theora, Flash Video, Dirac, 3ivx*, RealVideo*, Windows Media Video
    * AVI, MPEG/VOB, Matroska, MP4, PMP, RealMedia*, ASF, Quicktime*, OGM*
    * CD, DVD, VCD, SVCD, CUESheet*, HTTP*, FTP*, RTSP*, UDP*

* supported as input only

Hardware Requirements
    * A modern and decent CPU with SSE instruction set
    * Multi-core processors recommended
    * At least 512MB system memory, 1GB or more recommended for HD encoding

Supported Platforms
    * Windows XP/2003/2000
    * Windows XP/2003 x64 Edition
    * Windows Vista x86/x64
    * Windows 7 x86/x64
    * Linux with Wine (most features work)
    * Mac OS X with Darwine (most features work)

2011-R6 (build 5166) - 6-11-2011
    Add muxing state and progress display
    Fixed MP4Box path bug in x64 version
    Fixed some minor UI issues
    MEncoder r33574
    FFmpeg r30698 

Size: 49.9 MB

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Monday, June 27, 2011

What is Yoga ?

Yoga assists one with controlling various aspects of the body and mind. Yoga helps you to take control of your Central Nervous System (CNS) and more. Enjoying yoga on a daily scale will build you up, which you will notice changes (Good changes), such as a boosted self-esteem. Your body will feel stronger also. For more than 5000 years, people have enjoyed yoga. Yoga derived from the India nations, which many believed that the act has helped millions of American citizens take control of their body and mind. Yoga has proven to reduce stress, which promotes the nervous system helping it to stay strong. Yoga when enjoyed on a regularly scale is a great method to help you with many pressures. Yoga combines spirituality, exercise, positive thinking, breathing and so on to help you enjoy healthy aging.

The Pros and Cons in Yoga:
Yoga is a valued practice for many people worldwide. Yoga incorporates fitness, health, gymnastics, and training in a set of rules. Yoga helps you to maintain or loose weight. Yoga is a stress reducing machine. Yoga will train your mind, since it teaches you to control your thoughts through meditation and breathing. Breathing right is essential to yoga’s creators. When you practice yoga, it keeps you in contact with your inner self. You learn to balance your mind and body, which leads to good health. Your emotions are controlled as well, which means fears, doubts, and other negative influences will not take control of your life. Rather you will have control. As you practice yoga, you will feel comfortable with you and the people around you. The world will become yours, since you learn to communicate effectively and stop sweating the small stuff. The cons in yoga, includes that some types of yoga training is not right for everyone. Another con inside yoga is that you sometimes have to modify the workouts to benefit your body type and to withhold the workout suited for your strengths. This is not a con necessarily, but it can be if you have to figure out where beginners start.

How to get started:
The first thing you should do is see your family doctor. Make sure you are able to enjoy the type of yoga you choose. When your doctor approves of your choice of yoga steps start out slowly. Guide your way into mediate exercising. Yoga will put you in connection with your spiritual side, so prepare to find a new you. When you first start yoga, perhaps you would benefit from joining groups that practice yoga. The group sessions may inspire you to continue your journey to healthy aging. Having support is essential for all of us, which yoga groups can become your support team. If you cannot find a group in your area, visit your local library. You can also purchase books that train you how to enjoy yoga. Videos are available as well.
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Sunday, June 26, 2011

Tips to create happiness

Are you truly happy?
Do you even know what it means to be happy and what it takes to achieve happiness? These are important questions for anyone who is seeking happiness to ask themselves. I live my life to maintain my own happiness while trying my best to not cause unhappiness to anyone else. If you want to be happy you need to understand that you can be happy and that you should be happy. Many people make the mistake of believing that they don’t deserve happiness and accept their unhappy state as their destiny. The truth of the matter is that happiness, like anything else in life, needs to be nurtured. The following are a few tips that I follow to create happiness in my life.

Understand what it is that will make you happy. Everyone has unique requirements for attaining happiness and what makes one person happy may be very different from what makes someone else happy. Revel in your individuality and do not worry about whether or not your desires are comparable to those of your peers.
Make a plan for attaining goals that you believe will make you happy. Your mood will very likely increase as your pursue your goal because you will feel better about yourself for going after something you value.

Surround yourself with happy people. It is easy to begin to think negatively when you are surrounded by people who think that way. Conversely, if you are around people who are happy their emotional state will be infectious.
When something goes wrong try to figure out a solution instead of wallowing in self pity. Truly happy people don’t allow set backs to affect their mood because they know that with a little thought they can turn the circumstances back to their favor.
Spend a few minutes each day thinking about the things that make you happy. These few minutes will give you the opportunity to focus on the positive things in your life and will lead you to continued happiness.

It’s also important to take some time each day to do something nice for yourself. Whether you treat yourself to lunch, take a long, relaxing bath or simply spend a few extra minutes on your appearance you will be subconsciously putting yourself in a better mood.

Finding the humor in situations can also lead to happiness. While there are times that require you to be serious, when it is appropriate, find a way to make light of a situation that would otherwise make you unhappy.

Maintaining your health is another way to achieve happiness. Being overweight or not eating nutritious foods can have a negative effect on your mood. Additionally, exercise has been known to release endorphins that give you a feeling of happiness.
Finally, it is important to understand that you deserve happiness. Those who believe that they are not worthy of happiness may subconsciously sabotage their efforts to achieve happiness. If necessary, tell yourself each day that you deserve to be happy and remind yourself what steps you will take to achieve the happiness you desire.
Happiness is hard to define but most people are aware of whether they are happy or not. Many people believe that happiness is a form of luck and that some people are destined to be happy while others are destined to be unhappy. I try to incorporate the tips above into my life and have had great success in achieving happiness. The tips in this article are small but meaningful steps that you can take each day to lead you to true happiness.
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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Meditation for parents

Elderly people who practice the Transcendental Meditation technique may drastically reduce their medical costs, according to findings presented by faculty member Robert Herron at the 91st Annual Canadian Public Health Association Conference last month in Ottawa, Canada.

The study found that 163 people from Quebec - aged 65 and over - reduced payments to physicians by a cumulative 70 percent during the five-year period after they learned the Transcendental Meditation technique.

The retrospective study evaluated a sample of 326 Quebec health insurance enrollees - 163 who practiced the Transcendental Meditation technique and 163 who did not. Using statistical analysis, researchers compared the groups' expenses for treatment by physicians, both during the nine-year period before the Transcendental Meditation technique was introduced and for five years afterward. Data for the study was provided by the Regie de l'Assurance-Maladie du Quebec, the province's health insurance provider. Figures were adjusted for inflation using the Canadian government's Consumer Price Index.

The study's findings were dramatic. Researchers found 70 percent cumulative expenditure reduction for the group who practiced the Transcendental Meditation technique for five years. In contrast, the control group's expenses continued to rise. Both groups showed steadily rising payments to physicians during the nine-year period before the meditating group learned the Transcendental Meditation technique.

"These findings suggest that there is a relationship between the Transcendental Meditation technique and improved mental and physical health for senior citizens," said Dr. Herron, lead author of the study. "The proven health benefits of this preventive technique could have significant implications for the reduction of medical costs for people of all ages."

This research is an extension of previous studies of the effect of the Transcendental Meditation technique on aging. One study, for example, showed that a group of individuals who had been practicing the Transcendental Meditation program for more than five years were physiologically 12 years younger than their chronological age, based on a standard measure of "biological age" that evaluates blood pressure, near-point vision, and auditory discrimination.
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Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Emotion

Common representation of angry emotion experience: "steamed up" with hot glowing eyes, and uncontrolled appearance. Is it the same across people? Interpersonal aggression in the form of instrumental behaviors produced by skeletal muscles is often a concomitant of anger.

A bright idea can bring a pleasant emotion, or pleasant emotions can foster bright ideas.
The component that seems to be the core of common sense approaches to emotion, the one that most people have in mind when talking about human emotions, is the feeling component, i.e., the passion or sensation of emotion. For example, people generally agree that the state of mind during anger is different from that when one is happy. This component is also one of the most contentious in scientific discussions of emotion, raising many questions such as:

  • what extent are such feelings, especially the claimed differences in quality, based on real physical differences?
  • is the feeling quality of a particular emotion shared among people?
  • what is the nature of the differences in quality among emotions?
  • what underlies or produces these feelings?
  • what importance or function do such feelings have?

Another obvious descriptive component of emotion is the set of behaviors that may be performed and observed in conjunction with an emotion. These behaviors are produced by the striated muscular system and are of two general types:

  • gross behaviors of the body effected by the skeletal muscles and the so-called emotion expressions. These categories shade into each other because any behavior can be interpreted as expressing emotion. 
  • The gross body behaviors may have no apparent adaptive value, e.g., 
  • wringing and rubbing the hands or tapping a foot, or they may be directed towards a goal, e.g., 
  • striking something or running away. 
  • In the field of animal behavior, discovering the adaptive function and organization of behaviors in situations analogous to human emotion, and speculating on the evolutionary patterns of these behaviors is an established endeavor. 
This emphasis has not typically been given to the study of human emotions by psychologists. The facial and bodily behaviors called "emotion expressions" are indicators of emotion, as opposed to effecting some action or achieving some goal. These expressions can differentiate one emotion from another. The most widely discussed and investigated emotion expressions are the emotion faces (see the examples of emotional expressions).

Adrenalin is a secretion that affects many organs and may contribute to the felt quality of emotion.
A less obvious component of emotion is the set of internal bodily changes caused by the smooth muscles and glands. Chemicals secreted by the body's various glands are activated during emotion and spread to other parts of the body, usually by the blood, to act in diverse ways on the nervous system and other organs. Smooth muscles of the digestive system, circulatory system, and other bodily components can shift from their typical level or type of operation during emotion under the effects of chemical and neural action. This component includes some behaviors that can be observed, such as the constriction or dilation of the iris of the eye, possibly piloerection, and sweating, blanching, and flushing of the skin, and other responses that are relatively hidden, such as heart rate, stomach activity, and saliva production.

Computers often elicit frustration and anger Another less observable component in emotion consists of the ideation, imagery, and thoughts that occur during emotion. These aspects of emotion are also cognitive activities, and can both give rise to an emotional event and be affected by it, e.g., thinking about a lost pet may evoke feelings of sadness, which may in turn evoke memories of a romance now finished. Since thoughts and other cognitions, like feelings, cannot be directly observed and are hard to measure, there is less understanding of how they fit into the emotion picture than other components.
The circumstances that give rise to emotions comprise another component, called the "elicitors" of emotion. These elicitors might be internal or external to the organism, e.g., a frightening pain in one's chest or a frightening dog at one's heels. Some events seem to activate similar emotion in people of all cultures, for example, the death of one's own child typically elicits sadness. Other things, such as what foods are relished or rejected with disgust, vary widely according to acculturation.

Finally, the neural processes that underlie much of the preceding activities can be considered a component of the emotion process, especially how the neurons and their emotional concomitants are organized centrally in the brain. Many contemporary research studies, and thus a lot of the research money, is focussed on anatomical and functional aspects of brain activity in regard to emotion
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Saturday, June 18, 2011

Public Key Authentication in SSH or Passwords

In this Server-Bits tutorial, I'll show you a real time-saver when it comes to SSH and anything connected to SSH. To put it simply, public key encryption in SSH is where you don't need to log into an SSH account because the public key (stored on the server) matches your private key (stored on the client machine), and it logs you into your account. Because anyone with your private key can appear to be you and gain access to your account, it is extremely important to guard your private key with your life. The public key can float around the internet for all time without any danger to yourself, your accounts, or your private key, as public/private key encryption is very secure.


What this all translates to in layman's terms is that public key encryption allows you to securely log into your server without using a password. If this freaks you out at all, don't worry, you aren't alone. But don't worry, as long as you're creating keys from your user account and not from root, the risk of huge damaging effects is minimized, as you still need a sudo password to do any serious damage (provided that your server is properly configured).
Of course, to take full advantage of Public Key Authentication, you will be using two computers, but all of the key generation and even the copy will be performed client-side (The computer you want to have remote, password-less access).

The first step to generating a public/private key pair is to run this command (which we will break down into detail):
ssh-keygen -b 4096 -t rsa -f ~/.ssh/id_rsa -C "Your Comments"
This is how the command breaks down:
-b: This is the number of bits to be used in the key. This number can be as low as 768, but since we're running a server, lets be overly-paranoid and use 4096.
-t: The type of algorithm we will be using. In this example, we'll be using RSA for our key generation, but you also have the choice of DSA, but in that case, you will need to make your key exactly 1024-bit.
-f: This option specifies the file in which the key will be saved.
-C: This allows you to specify a comment to go at the end of each key. This is important because you will most likely have several keys floating around (we will go into the why this is a good idea later) and if you need to void a key, it is very hard to distinguish which key is which.
You can specify a passphrase for each key if you wish. To log into the server with this key, you will need to type in the passphrase before the key will be unlocked. The downside to this is that by using a key, you are trying to move away from having to use a password, but the upside is that you can leave this key on a less-secure network (your office/school network) with greater ease-of-mind. You do have the ability to use a blank passphrase, but that is only recommended for systems you completely trust (your completely encrypted laptop, for instance).
 
Next, you need to make sure that no one else on the system can read your private key.
chmod -R 700 ~/.ssh/
Now that we have a key on our client machine that is readable by us, we need to pipe it over to our username on the remote server.
cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub | ssh username@server.address.com 'cat >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys'
This is how the command breaks down:
cat: This command just spits out any data in a file to the terminal. You can redirect the output to other files, however, which is exactly what we are doing here.
The ssh login bit logs us into the remote server under our remote username, then gives a command to the terminal on that end. Our previous text output from the client machine is being redirected through 'cat' server-side, then it is appending the new text to the end of the file located at '~/.ssh/authorized_keys'.
Most of the time, when an SSH login is established, a key is looked for first, before the password. How does the system know who is who when using a key? It looks in the 'authorized_keys' file. Any public key located in that file is a match, and if is corresponds correctly with the matching private key, you are logged in using public key encryption.

For our server system, we don't really need any additional configuration, as most Linux distributions (including Ubuntu) automatically accept private keys through SSH. The really cool part about this is that you can now mount remote directories without having to put in a password, making bash scripts endlessly useful. For instance, you could set up a completely encrypted backup system over SSH (I'll be writing about this later).
To learn more about Public Key Cryptography, head over the Wikipedia page on it. Very wonderfully written article.
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Friday, June 17, 2011

The Perfect Middle Ground

I really really like Kubuntu 10.04. Out of curiosity, I loaded up Kubuntu 10.04 onto my external hard drive to give it a spin. Other than loving the fact that I have my own personal encrypted Linux install bootable at all times on just about any computer I happen to be near, I really really like the new KDE. Take the easy-to-use mentality of standard Ubuntu and mix it with the endless-options power-user mentality of KDE and you get Kubuntu. First impressions went something like this:
Oh! Its the ease of Ubuntu! But wait... all of these options.. all of these rolled in configuration options, right up front? This is made for power users! But it is still Ubuntu? I'm confused... and happy...
Kubuntu seems like the perfect middle ground for those not yet happy to jump to Fedora, SuSE, or Debian proper. Kubuntu still contains some helpful Ubuntu-centric additions (read: training wheels) for the Linux newcomers, but maintains the features and customizations that power-users crave. To add to the list of things I really like about Kubuntu, it is absolutely beautiful.
If I were to pick one Linux distribution to deploy to a mass enterprise environment, it would be Kubuntu. Debian backend, Ubuntu ease-of-use, and KDE power and flexibility. It could possibly be one of the best general office use distributions yet. 

The only problems I can see with KDE is operating within a current Microsoft-rich environment (and this is more of a general Linux /OpenSource problem than a KDE/Ubuntu problem) is the total lack of Exchange support. Whether it is with Evolution or Kontact, it just kills me when I find amazing open source applications that don't work with the biggest force in business today. If running a business on open standards and open technologies is interesting to you, consider Kubuntu a powerful choice.
I highly recommend Kubuntu for those who are ready for more Linux power in their hands, while not quite ready to take the full plunge.
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Thursday, June 16, 2011

Facebook Added Transparency


Today Facebook has announced two major changes that directly combat issues that power users of the site have  had since the website's inception:
  1. The ability to export your data. 
  2. The ability organize friends into groups.
The most important of these is the ability to export user data. Every comment, picture, post, and status update, rolled into a ZIP file, given directly to the user. This is a game-changer. Facebook can no longer be called a walled garden. With the ability to take your data elsewhere, users don't have to feel "stuck" on Facebook. Want to leave and take your data elsewhere? Go to a social network that will allow you to upload your Facebook ZIP file. Just like that, you've left Facebook for (hopefully) greener pastures. Personally, I'll feel safer using Facebook, now that I know my data isn't forever locked away in the vaults. Facebook was one of the largest bastions of data lock-in, and now that they've changed, they've set an example that will (and should) be followed throughout the tech community.

While not as important as being able to leave, Facebook has also introduced a new Groups feature. Groups isn't just a resurrected "Friend Lists", groups will fundamentally change the way Facebook will operate. What if you want to post a message to your college drinking gang, but leave your family out of it? Before, it was convoluted. Creating the list, managing it, sending a message to the list. Friend lists never really felt like an A-List feature of Facebook. If groups work like they should, this will bring Facebook much closer to allowing users to separate their social networking actions to specific aspects of their lives. Want to create a Thanksgiving Dinner event for just your Family Group without your creepy Facebook-stalker seeing? Go right ahead. Like the title of the GigaOM article: New Facebook Groups Encourage Private Interactions. And it's true.


But what does this mean for startup projects like Diaspora? Hopefully not too much. The difference between Diaspora and Facebook is Diaspora is still an open project (albeit a very young one) and still has a chance of doing these things better than Facebook. Diaspora was created with the ideas of data-export and social-aspects from the very beginning, Facebook was not. What may very well happen, though, is drive much-needed developers away from the project, simply because they don't see the need for it anymore. Only time will tell on this last point.

In the tech world, today's events seem like part of a recent trend: Once super-closed companies are starting to tear down their walls. With Apple allowing a Google Voice and Facebook letting users take their ball and go home, it seems that walled gardens are finally starting to realize that open is not only better, but more profitable as well. At-ease users are happy users.
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Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Chrome OS Introduction

Welcome to Cloudbound! My brand new blog category dealing with all things Chrome OS and CR48. As some of you may know already (full disclosure here), I am now part of Google's official beta-tester group for Chrome OS and CR48. Before I get into the specifics, let me go over exactly what Chrome OS and CR48 are, just in case you are new to the game.

Chrome OS is a Linux-based operating system made by Google for cloud computing devices. My, oh my, what a buzz word. Cloud computing. What is it exactly? I can guarantee that most of you do some form of cloud computing each and every day.

Cloud computing is using applications and storage on the internet instead of on your local computer. Ever upload a picture to Facebook, Picasa, or Flickr? You’re using the internet to store those pictures, you are using cloud computing! Ever use Google Docs to type up a paper? That’s another example of cloud computing. Ever listen to music on Pandora, watch a television show on Hulu, or upload a video to YouTube? Those are all great examples of cloud-based media services.
So why make an operating system based entirely off of web services? Plenty of reasons! The biggest boil down to the following points:
  • No need to back up local data (for the most part) - Everything you need is already in the cloud!
  • No need to run cumbersome anti-virus software, as everything you are doing is online, you are only running a web browser (and plugins) on the local machine, nothing else.
  • This does, however, place a higher emphasis on staying safe from phishing sites.
  • Cheaper computers! If the only requirement is the ability to run a web browser, the hardware needed is relatively cheap to manufacture. No need for expensive components and upgrades. All the power you need is on the web.
The next post out will concern the hardware and physical feel of the CR48 notebook and my opinions on the design and build quality. Stay tuned!
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Tuesday, June 14, 2011

What is Holistic healing ?

Holistic healing means taking an holistic approach when seeking treatment for imbalances and choosing to live a more balanced lifestyle. What primarily distinguishes holistic healing apart from alternative medicine, complementary medicine, and integrative medicine is that physical health is not necessarily the main focus. Even so, it is often the experience of physical discomfort that will first prompt a person's pursuit of holistic healing.

It is true that our pains and other physical discomforts demand our attention. This is where the saying "sticking out like a sore thumb'" originated from. It is difficult to ignore the obvious when we are physically hurting. Common sense tells us that we should seek help to alleviate our discomforts. Holistic healing is not an "alternative" to conventional medical care. Sometimes going to a medical professional is the best solution to addressing a dis-ease.
Physical illnesses are the symptoms of a greater imbalance that may or may not have a root cause in the physical.

Holistic or "wholistic" healing addresses all parts of the individual, not just the physical aspect of a person where manifested illnesses are most apparent. Holistic healing is not intended to serve as a band-aid or a one time fix. It is an ongoing journey of discovery in search of more answers and ultimately; living better, being healthier, and striving for wholeness.
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Monday, June 13, 2011

Server-Bits Subversion

Subversion! One of the best ways to keep track of versions for code, homework, various essays, you name it. If it changes and you want the ability to roll back changes, Subversion is for you. In reality, Subversion is one of many types of versioning software out there, but its the one we are going to cover in this tutorial. If you're really interested in the alternatives, Google around for: Git, Mercurial, among many other smaller projects.

Why would anyone want to set up a software repository? Easy answer if you're a programmer of any sort. I'm a hobbyist programmer, and I constantly break my own code and projects when trying new things. I wanted an easy way to roll back any changes that I had made, while still retaining a history of some sort. I initially did this by copying different versions of the code into different folders, but this proved to be unmanageable in the long run. At the time, I was using 6 different computers to write my code, depending on which location I was in during that day. Manually copying this folder to a USB stick, then re-syncing the changes became a major hassle. Subversion allows you to create a repository in a folder and commit changes to it. Want to update a particular machine with the latest version of the code? Easy, subversion has an update feature that only pulls down the changes of the file since you last synced. Easy stuff, and I'll show you how to build your own subversion repository.


The very first thing you need to do is install subversion.
sudo apt-get install subversion
Yea, that easy.


Second thing, choose a place where your code will live. This shouldn't be your working directory at all, as you don't really directly interact with the subversion repository. I've made a directory inside my home directory called "SVN", and that's where all my projects live. The project I'm working on is called "Hax", so I'll create the Hax repository.
svnadmin create hax
Now I have a directory called 'hax' on my system.  If you browse to that directory and look around, it appears a little strange. That's because subversion creates a database system of sorts to manage, store, and compress your code. Again, you will not be interacting directly with this folder. You will write code elsewhere and commit (upload) the code to the repository.

Next, you need a username and password to be able to checkout (download) and commit code. Navigate to `your repository`/conf. So, in my example, I'd navigate to 'hax/conf/'. Use a text editor to edit the 'passwd' file. The default file should show you how to enter users. I'll go ahead and create my username and password:
sari = password
NOTE: Since this file contains all of the usernames and passwords to access your repository, make sure only you have access. You don't want people commiting code as you.
Now, I have a user, sari, and his password is 'password'.

The next file you have to edit is: `repository`/conf/svnserve.conf
Scroll down until you reach the part of the file that lists:
#anon-access = read
#auth-access = write
You want to change this to say:
anon-acces = none
auth-access = write
One last line to change, find the line:
#passwoord-db = password
And change it to:
password-db = password
The first changes you made told subversion that no one should have anonymous access to your code, and authenticated users should have write access to the repository. The second change you made is to let subversion know that we will indeed be using that password file to store users and passwords.

Now you have successfully configured your subversion repository. The next thing we need to do is get your server publishing your repository so you can access it from anywhere. The command for this is 'svnserve'. You can use 'man svnserve' to see all of the options. The easiest way to get your SVN server up and running is:

svnserve -d -r /home/username/path-to-repo

The -d option sets svnserve into Daemon mode, so it will accept TCP connections automatically.
The -r option sets the path you gave as the root of the SVN server.

If you want, you can make one directory to house all of your projects. This way, you can commit code to server.com/project1 and server.com/project2, all by running one instance of svnserve. Experiment to figure out which works best for you. For myself, I have one directory act as the root for svnserve, then all of my projects are then organized by category.

Now... This is how you use subversion to checkout and commit code:

To checkout your code:
svn co svn://hostname.server.com/project1
To add things to be committed:
svn add filename.txt
To delete a file (and delete it from the commit):
svn rm filename.txt
To commit your code to the repository:
svn commit -m "Comment your changes!!"
Now, a few lessons you need to take away from this:

  1. You must manually add files to be committed. Just committing code won't do anything unless you tell subversion that a file must be included in the commit. You only have to do this once per new file, after that, subversion remembers that this file is to be included in the commit.
  2. Likewise, if you would like to remove a file and have the repository reflect those changes, you must tell subversion that you are removing the file. Just deleting the file will leave it intact in the repository.
  3. When you use the commit function, please use the -m flag. This will allow you to comment your changes, this is important because if you ever want to roll back to a previous version, you can look through the svn log and see exactly when you made a particular change. To view this log, use the command 'svn log' when you are in your repository.
Now you have a basic understanding of subversion and how to set up your server to be a versioning repository. Have fun and happy coding!

If you want to pull your code into Windows to work on it, commit, and other SVN goodies, use the open source TortoiseSVN, it gives you access to all of the SVN power on your right-click menu. Enjoy!

About Server-Bits:

If you've ever wanted to get started building a server, right in your own backyard/kitchen/closet/mother's closet/mother's basement, then this is the read for you. Aimed at the not-so-technical-but-willing-to-learn, this will give you everything you need to build that monster-server you've dreamed of. My goal: To give you a working server, for free, that you can use daily.
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