Experiment: Faster Windows startup

My laptop took about 5 minutes 22 seconds to fully startup before doing any optimization.

After taking the following steps:

• Stop automatic startup for unused programs by disabling the auto start from the programs themself.
• Elinimate some programs from Start>All Programs>StartUp. Result: 4 minutes 22 seconds
• Ajust screen appearance by going to Desktop>Right click>Properties>Setting>Color qualities>16 bits.
• Avoid visual effects in Start>Control Panel>Performances and Maintanence>System>Advance>Performances>Setting> Select best performances. Result: 4 minutes 9 seconds
• Download and run Autorun to deselect some programs on logon. Result: 3 minutes 55 seconds

There is an improvement of 1 minute 27 seconds.

LaTeX softwares comparison

I have been spending three days searching and trying softwares to write my assignment. Below are the results of my finding.

• Scientific Workplace 5.5 is for those who don't know and it is a true WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) kind of document processor. However, the final output (pdf file) is quite dissappointing. The font is too small!
• LEd (LaTeX Editor) is a freeware but not for beginners. Users need to work with mathematical syntax.
• TeXnicCenter is quite identical with LEd. It is free but not intuitive for beginners.
• LyX is the kind of document processor which I was looking for. It is free and doesn't require users to know the syntax beforehand.

Finally, I also found a useful website with a collection of other related websites which provide solution to publish equation on web page or blog.

Invisible Javascripts Popup

A simple javascript code to put on your landing page or whatever web page you have to load automatically, for example, an affiliated site once a visitor visits your page as if the visitor clicks on your affiliate link to keep your referral id in his computer's cookies.

<script type="text/javascript"> str="<iframe src='http://anysite.com' width=1 height=1></iframe>"; document.write(str); </script>

By doing so, you can send your visitor to any of your merchant's pages without worrying not getting paid when the visitor buys from the merchant that you are affiliated with.

Empire Earth III - Cheat Codes

Here you are: The cheat codes in red for Empire Earth III.

• icheat - Enable ability to cheat
• convert - Convert unit selected
• era up - Go to next epoch
• give tech - Plus 50 points to Tech
• idontcheat - Disable any active cheat
• loot - Gain an additional 10,000 gold
• max pop - Change the capacity of population
• play god - Units and structures can't be destroyed
• punish - Unit selected loses twenty HP
• recharge me - Unit selected regains all power
• super cheat - Turn off Fog of War, gain lots of gold, building and population bonuses
• taxes - Minus 100 to resources
• toggle fog - Turn Fog of War on or off
• win - Automatically win any scenario
• sea monkeys - instant build toggle
• cheat cheathor - Opposite of "super cheat" code
• reinforcements - Additional 100 troops
• cheatonite - Disable super cheat code

To apply these cheats, hit 'Enter' when in battle mode and type the cheat code and rehit 'Enter'.

Drawing board

I learn this trick from Craig Campbell. You can draw on the white board but you can't erase it. Let your imagination goes wild and have fun!

Here is the source code:
drawing_board.fla

Empire Earth III - Great Game!

I downloaded Empire Earth III (Empire.Earth.III.CLONEDVD-AVENGED) from isohunt yesterday and it took me almost one day to install it on my laptop.

You need to follow exact steps to install the game or else you can't run the game!

First, download the game (about 4.6 gb) from isohunt with any torrent software that you like (for example, bitcomet). It took me less than 24 hours to download.

Second, download the Daemon Tools version 4.06. You need this exact version. You can get it here DaemonToolsv4.0.6.exe. If you go to the Daemon-Tools website, they will provide you with the latest version of the daemon which we don't want.

Third, download AND unzip the YASU_1-4-7080.rar (virtual driver hider for Daemon Tools v4.06).

Fourth, install the Daemon Tools that you have just downloaded, and mount the image file of the Empire Earth III (avd-ee3.mds). Copy the YASU.exe into the Daemon Tools' directory and execute it. Then click 'Cloak...' from the YASU interface.

Finally, you can install the Empire Earth III by selecting 'Install Game' if the dvd autostarted or by double clicking setup.exe in the mounted dvd folder. Enter the key provided to you from the downloaded file and wait for about 15 minutes for the game to install.

Enjoy your new game!

Have a laugh!

Battery level indicator for Nokia S60

My Nokia N95 drains a lot of battery power quickly so I need a precise battery level indicator to tell me how much battery power left on my phone. I found a flash file created by Samir which does exactly that!

Below is the screenshot of the flash file:

I had modified the file a little bit so that you can read clearly the words "Battery Level: xx%". You can download and try this flash file here . (Right click and select "Save file as...")