Since I tried on Evolution of Ubuntu, an email client just like Microsoft Outlook, with PIM (Personal Information Manager) features, allows using IMAP, and allows synchronization. I really like it. So I tried to install Evolution for Windows. However, Evolution for Windows cannot work properly on Windows 7. Then, I need to switch back to Thunderbird. Since I like the feature of PIM and the synchronization with GMail and Google Calendar, I have installed following add-ons:

I have tried both SRWare Iron and ChromePlus, though not using as primary web browser.

I compare the both software based on my personal preference:

Because of the WMA problem, I prefer SRWare Iron. But I think these features can all be integrated in future, because Chromium 4.0 is still in beta version.

Now, technology aims to cloud computing because of the importance of social networks. Especially the services like Facebook and Twitter. Besides, Google produces Chrome OS so that everything can be done through Internet. No installation of office suite, one can create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc.

Next, synchronization of the documents, bookmarks, personal profile or profile setting becomes important also. Google Chrome 4.0 provides built-in bookmark syncing.

Not only Google Chrome, but Opera 10.10 also provides similar feature: Opera Link and Opera Unite. Opera Unite allows file sharing; Opera Link allows syncing bookmark and other settings.

Previously on Allen’s Blog (I like this phrase), I talked about Google Chrome alternative.

There are more, Portable Chrome from PortableApps and ChromePlus. Now I am trying on ChromePlus, it uses Chromium 4.0. That means it can install with the extensions like Firefox. Maybe the extension developers will port the Firefox extensions to Chrome, then Chrome can act like Firefox.

If you like portable applications, surely you know about PortableApps.com. I think the most prominent projects of the website are OppenOffice Portable, Firefox Portable, and GIMP Portable. But recently, since I subscribed the RSS, there are more and more new applications in PortableApps.com, such as the game like “Frets on Fire”, the online game “The Mana World”, etc.

This is very interesting. Portability is a very convenient feature because this allows us to bring our applications by using a USB pendrive. And sometimes, we need administrative privilege to install the applications. But portable applications just let us extract it, then we can run the applications anywhere.

A very bad experience for me to upgrade COMODO Firewall. The update was slow. So I decided to download the latest version installation file.

Then tried to install from the latest version. And the installation detected the existing of the older version. I was asked to uninstall the older version. Right, I uninstalled it. Then I was asked to restart the computer. But I didn’t restart. (I know, this was my fault). Then I continued installing the latest version. Finally, restarted the computer.

I have tried Google Chrome. Sure it is nice, because it is clean and simple. But, I still prefer Firefox as the default web browser. So, if you are interested in Google Chrome, and still using other default web browser, you can try the followings:

Portable Chrome (Chromium)
SRWare Iron

I am now using Iron portable version. Very nice.

These days, I learnt to read the Gregorian chant music score. Then I tried to figure out how to play the music score through the PC (virtual piano). I used MidiPiano Suite before. It is quite nice. It can save and open the MIDI files.

Then, since open source cross-platform software development is very active currently, I tried to search some cross-platform music related software from the Internet. The followings are the software I found (including close source freeware), but I haven’t tried every software:

The followings are the reviews of several open source file synchronizers which I tried.

WebSynchronizer - Can work with network, FTP, etc. Delete the files to recycle bin, does not have backup. Use the synchronisation in order to delete the destionation file, but the source folder will download the newest file. Not very easy to use.

JFileSync - Interface is not good, cannot copy the hidden file as hidden file at the target, do not delete the file in recycle bin.

I prefer freeware rather than commercial software. However, since recently I needs to involve some 3D modelling, I am wondering which 3D modelling tools is better.

I have tried both Blender and Autodesk 3ds Max. There are other 3D modelling software. You can find the comparison of 3D modelling software from CG Society Wiki and TDT3D [from Wikipedia].

Blender can be said is the best of the other free 3D modelling software. However, the user interface for 3D modelling is quite different from other commercial software, such as 3ds Max, Maya, and MilkShape3D. For the usability perspective, Blender is difficult to use. If compare to the 3ds Max, 3ds Max is far more better than Blender. If Blender follows the interface as other software, I think it would be better during modelling.