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CD Audio Ripper
- Exact Audio Copy.
If quality (not speed) is your #1 ripping concern, look no further.
EAC features a *secure* mode that guarantees flawless rips (at
the expense of increased rip time).
If your CD-ROM drive doesn't support C2 error correction, EAC
will rip everything twice, and compare the two extractions, to
ensure that your audio files are ripped perfectly. (My Plextor
CD-ROM supports C2 error correction.)
SatCP (Sid) at The
Coaster Factory has posted a comprehensive EAC
Tutorial that will explain it's features and help you configure
the program. Or check out Chris
Myden's EAC guide. See the Radified Guide
to Ripping CD Audio & MP3 Encoding for additional info.
EAC allows you to configure a variety of encoders (not just MP3)
to launch automatically, after a song is done ripping. It may appear
as if ripping & encoding are accomplished together, but actually,
it's done in two separate steps.
EAC will also burn standard audio CDs from MP3 (source)
files, featuring the excellent MPG123 decoder library. Props
to Andre
Wiethoff for coding such a rad (freeware) program. You'll find none
better.
I also heard great
things about PlexTools
(includes ripping software) used with a Plextor
drive. But my Plextor drive is too old to support PlexTools. I noticed
that the download for PlexTools isn't available from their
American site. 'Sup with that?
Okay: Plextor Support says
this software is only shipped with European drives. If you live here
in the States, you'll have to get an original copy from one of your
friends in Europe. Only updates are posted on the website.
You can download
a manual here.
Feurio also makes a great ripper. It
can be faster than EAC at extracting data from badly-scratched CDs.
Feurio is the best program for burning audio CDs. It has many
features which make it more complicated to configure than other programs,
but it's worth learning. Shareware, nagware.
I recently heard rumors that the current version of Feurio is now able
to copy CDs that employ the latest copy-protection schemes. Have not
verified this.
CDex is also a good ripper, and
easier to configure than the two programs previously mentioned. Some
people claim that CDex offers a secure rip mode, similar to EAC's,
but I haven't confirmed this. It's also freeware.
If you want/need a ripper that's stupid-easy, quick & free, check
out CD
DAE. I must admit that I like the way it generates a color-coded
wave file.
I should also mention Audiograbber,
which is one of the better, and probably the most popular, shareware
ripper (US$20).
MP3 Encoder
- LAME - an acronym
for LAME Ain't an MP3 Encoder. (Don't you
believe it.) SatCP
at the Coaster Factory and Chris
Myden have the best LAME tutorial. LAME (compiled) binaries are
posted here (at Dmitry's). See
the Radified Guide to Ripping CD
Audio & MP3 Encoding for additional info.
LAME can be used as either a stand-alone encoder (e.g. with RazorLame),
or as a plug-in with EAC, or one of the other rippers, such as
CDex.
Dibrom's
alt presets at his Project Mayhem site are on the bleeding
edge of high-quality MP3 encoding (with LAME). You will find no better
guidance. These presets use short code words, such as:
--alt-preset standard to represent more elaborate encoding schemes
(called arguments or switches). You can copy-n-paste Dibrom's
presets right into LAME.
If you need something more user-friendly, and don't mind paying for
it ($35), Audioactive
makes a nice product based on the Fraunhofer codec (not LAME). Audioactive
also offers a feature-rich Pro version (~$150).
After many listening tests, the MP3 encoding gurus
have concluded that Xing makes the absolute worst MP3 encoder.
The Xing encoder comes with products such as AudioCatalyst, which
is very popular. I used to use AudioCatalyst myself .. before I saw
(uh, heard) the light of LAME.
MP3 Player
- Winamp is the definitely way
to go. They've been playing MP3s longer than anyone else, and offer
frequent updates. Developed by Justin Frankel (Nullsoft),
later acquired by AOL/TimeWarner. In other words, a financial powerhouse
is behind Winamp, which means it's not going away anytime soon.
Winamp offers an overwhelming selection of plug-ins
and skins. I prefer the no-frills
Ampesizer Blue-Gray
skin, which you can download here
(put it in your /Winamp/Skins folder).
I've tried all other MP3 players, such as Sonique,
which offers cool visualizations, but always come back to Winamp. Sonique,
which is the second most-popular MP3 player, had problems crashing on
me. Perhaps recent versions are more stable.
MP3 players fight over the right to play your MP3s. This can generate
quirky conflicts. So it's best not to install more players than you
actually need (one).
MP3 Manager
- Media
Jukebox features powerful data-basing functions. Click a single
button, and it will search your drives and find and catalog all your
MP3s. The more MP3s you have, the better you'll like it. Actually, Media
Jukebox will catalog *all* your media files (including .wav, .mpeg,
.ape, etc.), not just MP3s.
MJ works best when your MP3s contain ID3
tags. Freeware, but offers premium features, such as the ability
to burn at full speed, for $25.
Another (freeware) favorite is Jurgen's MPEG
Audio Collection (MAC), which sports a clean interface.
Some prefer Music
Library, but I can't see paying US$25 for an MP3 manager, when MJ
and MAC are free. Likewise, Helium2
claims to be The ultimate MP3 management system. Tall words.
Nice interface, but $35 is a lot of money for an MP3 cataloger.
CD Burning
- Nero offers the best combination
of features with ease-of-use. It will also burn VideoCDs (MPEG-1), and
Super VCDs (MPEG-2).
There's not much Nero can't do. It's the Swiss
Army Knife of burning applications. If you were stranded on a deserted
island, and could only have one burning program, Nero would be
it. =) German company (Ahead). Good support.
When it comes to burning, software is more important than hardware.
I read the entire Nero Help file. It was a worthwhile and educational
experience into how burning works.
There is a known driver conflict between Nero and Adaptec's (now Roxio?)
burning software. Over a year ago, I wrote to each company's support
groups. They both acknowledge the issue. Their solution was simply avoid
installing the other's product (duh).
Since Nero's burning is more powerful than Adaptec's I have never even
installed Adaptec's. I hear it is good for beginners. There are ways
to circumvent the driver-conflict, but they aren't worth the trouble
(for me). If you prefer Adaptec's software, don't install Nero (and
vice versa).
A close second (and some say better than Nero) is Jeff Arnold's
CDRWin (goldenhawk). These
two programs (Nero & CDRWin) are head-and-shoulders above the rest.
I find CDRWin to be a little less user-friendly than Nero, but every
bit as powerful (maybe more so).
CDRWin is used by tech-savvy people, who know what they're doing. CDRWin
is the best program for creating & burning .bin/.cue files. Some
people think that Jeff Arnold invented the cue sheet (which you
can view/edit with any text editor, such as Notepad). Nero will also
burn bin/cue files.
You can get a student discount for CDRWin, but not for Nero. CDRWin
also offers excellent support. Most burning gurus use both these
programs, each for different things.
For example, I use CDRWin to create ISO image files (click the button
labeled File Backup and Tools, the one with the picture of the
wrench).
Fireburner offers a lean burning
program. Easy to use, but without the manifold features of either Nero
or CDRWin. It's a good program to use when you're in a hurry, and don't
need the robust features of Nero or CDRWin. For example, I use Fireburner
to burn (drag-n-drop) ISOs. Nero is a little more complicated for this.
Fireburner tutorial posted here.
Feurio is the best program for burning
audio CDs. It offers many features which can seem complicated
to the newbie, but worth learning. A User manual (PDF) is posted here.
Actually CD Architect (by Sonic Foundry) is the best audio
mastering software, but SF discontinued it. I heard they weren't making
money on it, which is surprising, cuz it retailed for a whopping $395.
It's one of the finest pieces of software I've ever used, and offers
ultimate control for creating CDs of perfectly cross-faded songs ..
just like DJ's make. You can actually *see* the beats (waveform), and
lay one on top of the other. Perfect for making that party-mix CD.
If you can find an old copy somewhere, you can still use CD Architect
as a Sound
Forge plug-in. Simply output a wave file, and burn the wave file
with your favorite burning software. CD Architect forums here
(that's all that's left of a great program).
Update 20oct2002 - Great news! Sound Forge is re-releasing CD Architect.
See here.
The quality of CD-R discs can affect burning quality. I heard that Taiyo
Yuden made the best CD-Rs. Notice where it says here
(under Taiyo Yuden) that it is "One of the best CDR Media on
the market."
CD Copy
- CloneCD
rules at copying CDs that employ sophisticated copy-protection schemes.
Copying is different from regular burning. As copy-protection
schemes continually get more sophisticated, copy programs must adapt
(which they do).
Before buying this program, make sure that CloneCD supports both your
burner & reader. You are legally allowed to make a back-up copy
of your CDs (and you should). The Clone
CD forums can help if your run into a problem. Psycho posted a Quick
Reference settings guide here.
If you're unable to copy a CD on-the-fly, you can usually succeed
by first copying the contents of your CD to your hard drive (which involves
a small, added inconvenience).
Another powerful Copy program is BlindRead
/ BlindWrite. Actually this a suite, comprising two
programs, which work together as a team. They support some burners that
CloneCD doesn't.
But they don't excel at copying on-the-fly, like CloneCD does.
Rather, BlindRead is designed to dump the contents of your CD
to your hard drive. BlindWrite then burns the CD from the 'image'
stored on your hard drive. The suite does its job well, cuz it's designed
specifically for this purpose.
If Clone CD or the BlindRead / Write suite can't copy your CD, you'll
have to find a crack, which
is even more inconvenient than having to copy the contents of your CD
to your hard drive first.
I like the BlindRead / Write suite a lot. It's never failed to copy
a CD for me .. even those employing the most sophisticated copy-protection
schemes (knock on silicon). WebGhost posted a BlindRead
tutorial here; BlindWrite tutorial here.
Trojan Horse Scanners
TDS. See here.
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Web Development
- Dreamweaver
by Macromedia (what I'm using right now) is a solid favorite. Rarely
does the community agree so completely on anything. 12 quick tips posted
here.
Dreamweaver FAQ site here.
Macromedia also makes an industrial-strength version of Dreamweaver
called UltraDev,
which features support for dynamic scripting languages, such as ASP
(Active Server Pages), JSP (Java Server
Pages) and CFML (ColdFusion Markup Language).
Some Mac users prefer Adobe's GoLive,
probably cuz it was originally developed as a Mac-only product .. before
Adobe bought it & ported it to Windows.
The big boys seem to prefer ColdFusion,
which was originally developed by Allaire .. before they merged
with Macromedia. Although you can code ColdFusion with UltraDev, it's
best to use ColdFusion
Studio. Unlike most other products, ColdFusion was developed from
the ground up as a web language.
Macromedia now combines both UltraDev & ColdFusion Studio into a
single package. If you need ColdFusion, you know more about web development
than I do. A ColdFusion User's group is here.
Web dev gurus frown upon FrontPage,
cuz it rewrites and mucks up your code. I heard one guru refer to it
as the Spawn of Satan. Yet it's probably the easiest HTML generator
to learn, and fine to use for small-scale stuff.
Old-school types still prefer hand-coding,
using an HTML/text editor, such as Notepad, EditPlus,
or HomeSite.
Some claim that the Dreamweaver / HomeSite combo
is the ultimate web-dev package.
Hand-coding gives you the greatest control, but involves a steeper learning
curve. An understanding of HTML
tags is helpful for small-scale work, but increases in importance
as your projects grow larger.
Dreamweaver offers a split-window option called Show Code and Design
Views, which allows you to see the code being generated (in upper
window) as you design your web pages (in lower window). This can help
you learn HTML.
Design principles are also important. Often overlooked, they can
make a big difference.
Text/HTML Editor
- EditPlus - Notepad on steroids.
EditPlus sports a clean, well-designed interface, with many custom User
files available for download for various programming languages.
Sometimes referred to as a Syntax editor. Colored syntax highlighting
makes debugging much easier. Edit+ User's Group here
(Yahoo, registration req'd to post questions).
HomeSite
is the granddaddy of HTML/text editors. Originally developed by Allaire
(same people who developed ColdFusion). Allaire has since merged with
Macromedia, who have taken over HomeSite.
HomeSite could easily be called the best HTML/text editor, cuz it offers
more features than competing programs. But it's significantly more expensive,
and some people characterize it's features as nothing more than bloatware.
There are several other favorites in this category, depending on personal
preference .. such as TextPad. If
you're a Christian, you might want to support Dave's UltraEdit,
which has made believers out of many. After HomeSite, it is probably,
the most highly regarded of the bunch.
EditPad is freeware. Did I mention NoteTab
yet? Notetab also offers a FREE
lite version. If you prefer a minimalist approach, MetaPad
might be right for you.
I don't know any serious web dev people who use Notepad
(not that they aren't out there). Of course, for certain non-HTML related
work, there is no finer program. Some people (not me) can work miracles
with it.
FTP Client
- CuteFTP.
You can download a demo at Download.com.
CuteFTP is the original graphical/GUI FTP client. Heidi at WebMonkey
discusses it here.
CuteFTP also offers a Pro
version ($60) for the security-minded FTP'er. CuteFTP tutorial posted
here.
There are many capable FTP clients to choose from. It's a matter of
personal preference.
SmartFTP is the best freeware
FTP client. It offers a full plate of features
.. unlike WS-FTP
LE, which is a stripped-down (freeware) version of WS-FTP
Pro ($40). WS-FTP home page is here.
I suggest you try SmartFTP before paying for a shareware version. I
like it a lot. In fact, I'm going to upload this web page with SmartFTP
after I finish updating it.
FTP is an old protocol. SmartFTP has a modern Windows
Explorer GUI. It's very different from other FTP clients that I've tried.
Some people feel that it's the best FTP client, bar none. I haven't
used it enough to say that. The SmartFTP support forums are here.
Bulletproof FTP ($30) has many fans
and a cool name. AbsoluteFTP
is another favorite ($30). I've never tried FTPVoyager
($40), but have heard good things about it.
The interface design is of secondary importance (merely personal preference).
What matters most is: does the client reliably transfer files?
FTP Server
- FTP Serv-U offers the
best balance of features and ease-of-use ($40). I didn't even have to
read the manual. The only problem I had was failing to add Directory
Access Rules. After I did that, it worked like a charm. Serv-U offers
three different versions,
one of which (the Personal version) is FREE. If you're like
me, this free version is likely to work just fine for you. Thier Standard
versionn costs US$40, Standard Secure $70,
and Professional $250. Upgrade protection
costs extra.
WarFTP is not only
powerful, but freeware. The downside is that it's more complicated (most
powerful software is complicated) to configure than other FTP servers
.. but it's not too bad. It will help you install & configure WarFTP.
I use a combination of both FTP Serv_U and War, just in case someone
has a problem with one of them. Here is a tutorial
for War.
Some of my friends swear by LeapFTP
($30). Bulletproof FTP Server
(formerly Gene6) is also a solid favorite ($30).
Windows 2000 comes with its own FTP server, when you install Internet
Information Services (IIS), which is not installed
by default. You install IIS by: Start > Settings > Control Panel
> Add/Remove Programs > Add/Remove Windows Components (button
on left) > put check mark in the box labeled Internet Information
Services (IIS) Have your Windows 2000 CD ready.
People can access your new IIS FTP server by entering:
ftp://your_ip_address/ in their browser, or (better) by using
an FTP client, such as CuteFTP. More configuration info is posted here.
People tend to have bad things to say about IIS, especially regarding
security. I still feel that it's fine for one-on-one stuff.
I like the way that IIS allows you to easily configure virtual FTP directories.
Say you have 25 different directories containing MP3s, and you want
to give your friends access to all these directories with a single log-in.
IIS allows you to configure this the easiest.
IIS also lets you run a web server & a mail server, which is pretty
cool. But if you need to run a web server from your Linux machine, it's
best to use Apache
for Windows (free). I had a conflict
with my ZoneAlarm firewall that you should be aware of. More info on
FTP servers is posted here.
File Archiving
- WinRAR is the best. $35,
nagware when you launch the program. WebGhost posted a well-organized
WinRAR tutorial here.
WinRAR is best for breaking up large files into smaller, bite-sized
pieces .. altho the latest version of WinZip (v8.1) has made strides
in this direction.
Altho you can use WinRAR as your sole archiving program, most people
use it in conjunction with WinZip,
which is by far the most popular Windows archiver. In fact, I don't
know a single person who doesn't own a copy of WinZip. But WinRAR can
do many things that WinZip can't.
A less-naggy program (only when you create archives) is StuffIt,
which is probably the easiest archiver use. Clean, intuitive interface.
Great support.
WinACE is a favorite
of many. I don't run across as many .ace files as I do .rar files, but
WinACE is certainly a capable archiver.
Powerarchiver is freeware. I
prefer to see if a freeware version will meet my needs before opting
for shareware. Give it a whirl, to see if it meets your archiving needs.
Oops, with v7.0 PowerArchiver became shareware ($20). Dang. You can
download the last freeware version (v6.11) of here
(German FTP, 2.04MB). I heard some people complaining that PowerArchiver
screwed up their context menu. Not for me.
M any good freeware archiving programs are available. You can find most
of them posted
here. Of these, I have only tried UltimateZip.
More people seem to prefer ICEows.
IZArc is also very
popular.
Web Search Engine
- Google has an uncluttered
interface. No annoying advertising banners. I like Google so much that
I put it on my home page.
Most importantly, Google yields the most relevant results to
your search queries. In other words, you have the greatest chance of
finding the information you seek when you search with Google. And that's
what a search engine is all about.
Thinkers have referred to the Internet as the greatest invention
of our age. There is virtually no subject for which you cannot find
detailed information - instantly. Search engines are the tools that
enable you to tap into a vast database of information .. on a scale
never before assembled in the history of mankind. The ability to search
shouldn't be taken lightly.
At one time, Yahoo was the overwhelming
favorite. But times have changed. Yahoo has a staff of ~300 people who
review and hand-enter only the best sites into their search engine.
But it's becoming impossible to keep up with the web's geometric growth.
I heard rumors that Yahoo is going to begin selling (out) search results.
In other words, your searches will first yield links to the highest
bidders (businesses, trying to sell you something you probably don't
want). You'll have to dig deeper to find the information you seek.
I have recently begun seeing pop-ups for gambling casinos at Yahoo.
That's stooping pretty low. It's sad to see what was once the world's
greatest search engine relegated to serving pop-ups for casinos.
I recommended the Google Toolbar,
which allows you to search from your browser. It offers advanced features
that you can't get any other way. You can learn a lot about how search
engines work at these forums here.
Copernic
is a program that searches using multiple search engines in concert.
Copernic offers a freeware program, and two professional shareware versions,
with powerful search features.
I heard that the search engines of the future will scan your bookmarks
(favorites directory) and rank pages based on aggregates of sites/pages
found there. The theory behind this approach is that people only bookmark
pages they feel are valuable. This is why I've included a bookmark button
in my most popular guides.
No discussion of search engines would be complete without mentioning
Fravia's search tips,
where the master shows you how to put the search mojo to work. [When
you have time, click a few links
at Fravia's. You can spend a week there and still not glean all that
his site has to offer.]
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