TinyChat

Setting up a live video, audio, and screen-sharing chatroom for up to 12 people at once seems like something that might require a dozen software installations and point-by-point walkthroughs. If you aren't pitching a client so much as just trying to get folks talking, TinyChat handles the task admirably, and nobody has to do a thing but follow a link and turn on a mic or webcam. The rooms aren't password-protected unless the chat owner has a paid account, but you can require chatters to sign in with a Twitter handle to verify identity, and control just who gets to jump in with their video or audio feeds. Pretty impressive stuff for a free web service. (Original post)

Website: www.tinychat.com

ScreenToaster

Your boss asks you to demonstrate exactly how "that thing you do with that program works," but you're at work without screen recording software installed. Fire up ScreenToaster's site, load its Java-based applet, and you can record surprisingly decent quality screencasts and demonstrations, with audio voice-overs, at the push of a single button. When you're done recording part of your desktop or the whole thing, you can have ScreenToaster upload the finished product to YouTube or ScreenToaster's own site, download your screencast as a QuickTime or Flash file, and re-record audio if you didn't hit it the first time. Here's our own quick ScreenToaster test. Tell your viewers to hit the full-screen button for your screencasts and it's like you're hovering right over their shoulder, semi-patiently showing them just how it's done. (Original post)

Website: www.screentoaster.com

PDF to Word

The Most Accurate PDF-to-Word Converter

Using our PDF-to-Word conversion technology, you can quickly and easily create editable DOC/RTF files, making it a cinch to re-use PDF content in applications like Microsoft Word, Excel, OpenOffice, and WordPerfect.
Best of all, it's entirely free!

Website: http://www.pdftoword.com/

5 Ways to Retrieve Data Off a Crashed Hard Drive

The hard drive has the shortest life expectancy of all components, but when it inevitably fails it's always when you least
expect it.

It's an inevitability, and it always happens when you're least prepared - the hard drive crash. Sure, you might notice it's taking a
bit longer to boot, or there's an occasional click that just doesn't sound right, but it's still a surprise the day your computer fails to
boot.

How do you get your data off that hard drive once it's no longer able to boot? Is it still possible? This depends on what exactly went
wrong with your drive. It is safe to assume, however, that will the proper method, you will be able to retrieve at least part of your lost
data.

Below are five different methods for getting documents, pictures, and other important files off a crashed hard drive.

1. Use an External Case

This method is the most simple available, and for many people it is also the solution they need. Simply purchase an external hard drive
case that allows you to plug your hard drive into a computer with a standard USB cable. Remove the crashed hard drive from your computer and carefully insert it into the external case (make sure you ground yourself before touching it), then plug it into a different system and try to open the drive. There's a good chance you'll be able to navigate into your documents and other folders and copy them onto a different hard drive.

2. Use a LiveCD

Don't have access to a second computer for doing as you please? This
method will be ideal, then. You'll need to get temporary access to a
computer with Internet and a DVD burner. Download a Linux LiveCD - Damn Small Linux is the smallest, but also has issues mounting hard drives. The most simple for an average computer user would be Puppy Linux. It has a larger file size, but should recognize your drive.

Burn the Live CD ISO to a CD and insert it into your computer (the one with the crashed hard drive). Restart the computer and when it the computer logo appears, press F2 (or whatever key for your system) to enter BIOS. Change the boot sequence to CD first, Save and then Exit.

The Live CD will start, simply follow the directions on the screen--don't worry, nothing is being done to your hard drive. The OS
will start, and you should see your hard drive mounted on the desktop--something like "60GB", etc. Plug in a second drive and copy
and paste the folders over.

3. Data Recovery Software

Do the above solutions have your head spinning? If you want something a little less complicated, you may want to give recovery
software a go. There are a number of different free recovery tools available, and you may be one of the lucky users who have success with the programs.

There are a large number of programs available, but the quality of each varies. A good place to start would be Data Disc Recovery--it's
free, easy to use, and works on crashed drives (it can also retrieve deleted files and others). If one doesn't work, try a different one.

4. Freeze It

This method surprises many, but it actually does work (depending on what happened to the drive). The idea is that freezing it will
constrict loose parts long enough for the drive to work properly. Make sure you have a computer ready to plug the drive into and an external case. Place the hard drive into a baggy, seal it tightly, and put it in the freezer overnight. The next day, remove it from the baggy and put it in the external drive case. Transfer the data from the drive before it warms too much and crashes again.

5. Get a Pro

If all else fails, you either have to accept that the data is gone or, if the data is really important, take the hard drive to a
professional. It will be expensive, but there's a good chance a pro will be able to retrieve some of the data for you. 

Source: http://laptoplogic.com/resources/5-ways-to-retrieve-data-off-a-crashed-hard-drive

Questions That Will Free Your Mind

These questions have no right or wrong answers.

Because sometimes asking the right questions is the answer.

1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
2. Which is worse, failing or never trying?
3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
4. When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?
6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
11. You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire.  They
    all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your
    friend.  The criticism is distasteful and unjustified.  What do you do?
12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?
13. Would you break the law to save a loved one?
14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?
15. What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
16. How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?
17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do?  What’s holding you back?
18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?
19. If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?
20. Do you push the elevator button more than once?  Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?
21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
22. Why are you, you?
23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?
24. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?
25. What are you most grateful for?
26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
27. Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first?
28. Has your greatest fear ever come true?
29. Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset?  Does it really matter now?
30. What is your happiest childhood memory?  What makes it so special?
31. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
32. If not now, then when?
33. If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?
34. Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?
35. Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?
36. Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?
37. If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?
38. Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?
39. Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?
40. When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?
41. If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
42. Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?
43. What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
44. When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?
45. If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?
46. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
47. When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?
48. What do you love?  Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?
49. In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday?  What about the day before that?  Or the day before that?
50. Decisions are being made right now.  The question is:  Are you
    making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?

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