Just a few minutes ago I was thinking about content for a couple of new pages on one of my sites when it occurred to me to ask, “Of the dozens of products and services that I use every week, which do I use most?”

Now I don’t have details statistics but a few moments’ reflection led me to two, so I thought I’d tell my blog readers about them.

Roboform
I guess the most-used has to be Roboform, but actually I’m not highly aware of using it very much at all. That’s because it takes away from me the need to remember and enter passwords into software and sites both on my own computer and online. Its ability to encrypt and store all my passwords and personal data, to enter them automatically into form fields when they’re needed, and then to “press the button” to enter a site (even one that I may not have visited in months) is an enormous time-saver as well as setting my mind at ease about security. If you don’t already use Roboform for password encryption and to autofill forms on your browser then you should look into it now.

Cloak & Tracker
If you take a look at one of the links in the above paragraph you’ll see that it does not look especially like an affiliate link … and yet it is. The link is cloaked (and often shortened considerably), plus when anyone clicks on it my tracker statistics are updated so that I can see where the clicks are coming from. For a long time I used to subscribe to a third-party tracking service, but why pay out monthly when a modest initial outlay can bring one’s tracking in-house? That’s when I turned to Jay Jennings and his “Cloak and Tracker” utility. After more than a year of using it I’ve no plans to change. This easily installed utility also helps protect me against commission thieves.  Take a look at “Cloak and Tracker“ now.

That’s all for today.

Remember:

For encrypted password storage and to autofill forms:  Roboform

To hide affiliate links and track where your visitors come from: Cloak and Tracker

- David Murray -

A news item that caught my attention this morning was one on Slashdot (the news blog for geeks, nerds and anyone else who likes to be diverted by bits and pieces of techie news).  Apparently an update of the popular AVG anti-virus software identifies a key Windows file as a virus.  See “AVG Virus Scanner Removes Critical Windows File“.

I don’t myself use VG, but thought it might be helpful to include a mention of it.  What also caught my attention, though, was the rather pedantic debate that followed in the blog comments about what should be the plural form of ‘virus’ -  virii?  viri?  viruses?  I think probably the last of these – in spite of my having learned Latin at school and having a tendency toward ‘i’ endings.  Have I nothing better to spend my time on?  Let’s get back to the serious stuff.

Anyone like firesales?  I’m not sure where the fire was, but there’s an interesting collection of good things at Firesale Inferno.  Now I’ll be honest; I have not bought into it myself.  I already have too large an accumulation of things waiting to be read and used, and just have to draw a halt somewhere. However, I did read through a lot of the site and was impressed.

I recommend you take look.  There may be something there – either the full collection at an extremely attractive price, or some individual part of it – that just hits on what you need (“scratches your itch” so to speak).

Have good day.

Much work these days is done away from the office desk on a portable computer. I live in England and, as I’m still involved in the management consultancy business I started in 1991, am often on the inter-city trains to and from London. I see dozens of men and women, young and old, typing away at reports and building spreadsheets on their screens, shoulders still stressed from the weight of their carry cases.

It’s now some years since I last joined them in this travelling ritual. Does this mean I don’t work on the way home? Not at all.

There’s a difference, though. I don’t have a dinge in my shoulder from the strap of a 20 pound bag, nor do I have to apologise on the train to the woman sitting opposite for taking up more than my fair share of table space.

Why not? Because my computer is little more than two inches wide by four inches high, and I carry it almost unnoticed in my pocket. I’m writing this on it now. Why carry pounds when a few ounces will do? Oh, and by the way, it’s a phone and a camera too.

Ever since we launched BrunleaBooks onto the Web last year we’ve had in mind to include a “department” on computing and the Internet. We’re not quite ready to go for this in a big way, but a day or two ago I put up a page containing my article, “A Handheld Day“. Take a look at it. With or without a built-in phone to avoid carrying two separate small items in your pockets, I’m genuinely convinced that an investment in a PalmOne handheld computer or smartphone can improve your productivity as it undoubtedly has mine. I’ve included some recommended software also, most of which I use myself on a daily basis. Oh, and I mustn’t forget, there are some links to books full of advice on using these amazing machines to best advantage.

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Finally for today, apologies to the gardening enthusiasts who have been waiting for our promised new stock of books on eBay. I’m afraid that the entry of these into the online database was delayed a little. Coming shortly! I promise. We’ll have to get it done as our visible-on-line level of book stock is falling; people keep on buying them!

Yours bookishly,

- David -