Post #99
This is the 99:th post in my blog. Quite cool, since I wasn’t quite sure this blog would ever get off from the runway! It’s thanks to you, my trustworthy readers, that I keep going! Someday I’ll actually refine what this blog is all about, but until that day I’ll keep posting what I happen to be experiencing or thinking about at the moment.
Right now I’ve been immersed with the endless possibilities for configuring your Windows XP system. I’ve downloaded the following applications:
These applications help me with a number of tasks. The major thing I’ve tried to achieve is easy access to programs, folders and files. SlickRun offers this accessibility. It’s a little command line application that allows you to specify MagicWords that will allow you to run any command or open any file or folder you want with a easy combination of keys. The activation key for SlickRun can be configured. The default is windows+q, I changed it to alt+q instead, since I was more comfortable with it.
Invoking SlickRun with alt+q I can specify a MagicWord for any application, folder or file I have specified. I quickly added all my common application to it, like emacs, The journal, Hälsovakten, Opera, Windows Mediaplayer, Process Explorer, Acerose Password Vault, Samurize, VLC and Word. SlickRun offers you autocomplete which means you will only have to type as many letters as it will take to make your MagicWord unique. Once you’ve installed it and begun to use it… you can’t live without it!
I know that I’ve been implementing hotkeys and such to be able to start applications without using the mouse, but they all have failed due to two factors:
1) I could never remember the key I assigned to a specific task
2) There was no easy way to document and expand on the hotkeys I used
So… I use a combination of Samurize and SlickRun. Samurize is an application that allows you to create your own custom layout of things you wish to monitor on your system. I’ve chosen to monitor three files and the Windows mediaplayer (see attached screenshot). The three files are GTD-paradigms.txt, shortcuts.txt and slickrun.txt. GTD-paradigms remind me of which Getting Things Done items I still have to conciously apply. shortcuts are the keys I can use in different applications so I do not have to use the mouse so often. slickrun is a legend of strings that activate different things. I keep the legend so I will not forget the proper shortcuts and commands to alleviate me from mouse clicking throug the system to find a specific file.
The other problem is maintaining the lists, namely shortcuts.txt and slickrun.txt. I added them as MagicWords to slickrun. Like, ’shortcuts’ will run the command ‘C:\Program\emacs-21.1\bin\runemacs.exe’ with the argument ‘D:\Filarkiv\Q-R-S-T\Samurize\shortcuts.txt.’ And the same goes for slickrun.txt.
Now I can, with samurize, easily see which shortcuts and magic words I have to use. And with the SlickRun MagicWords I can easily access the files and changing them so they reflect the current status of shortcuts and slickrun magicwords!
There, the 99:th post. Hope it gave you something 
Next post I will try to do something spectacular. Otherwise I have the following programs to promote during fall and next summer:
FindeXter - which allows you to customize your windows, so the sidebar show something interesting
PlaceBarEditor -allows you to configure the maps shown when you get a save-file message or such
AutohotKeys - How to make custom programs that do the tasks you wish to have done.
TaskSwitchXP - To switch easily between programs, it gives a little preview of the window you wish to switch to.
Here’s a screenshot of my current desktop
I didn’t have Windows mediaplayer running, or else the fields to the right of ‘GTD PARADIGMS’ would have shown the current song being played, it’s total running length and how much was left of it. Very practical information to have!
JenEriC wrote,
“TaskSwitchXP - To switch easily between may tasks.”
Isn’t there an updated version for your july tasks?
July 21st 2007 at 13:45 (1:45 pm) — Using
Firefox 2.0.0.5 on 
Windows XP
Mari wrote,
Oh, sorry (feigns interest for a short while, then starts to snore with her eyes open. It worked in high school, back then her sinuses were young and unblocked. Took her through endless technology classes without too much damage).
July 21st 2007 at 23:33 (11:33 pm) — Using
Internet Explorer 6.0 on 
Windows XP
Mika Perälä wrote,
D’oh! Eh, I mean no! No, there isn’t! It’s just for may tasks! Ehehe, ehehehe…
Snoring with your eyes open helped you through technology classes!? Cool!
July 23rd 2007 at 12:07 (12:07 pm) — Using
Firefox 2.0.0.5 on 
Windows XP
Mari wrote,
Bah. Btw, another idea for your 100:th entry is to list the weirdest/funniest/angriest etc, comments you’ve gotten.
July 24th 2007 at 10:22 (10:22 am) — Using
Internet Explorer 6.0 on 
Windows XP
Hannes wrote,
Is that a virtual desktop switcher I see in the top right corener?
July 31st 2007 at 11:17 (11:17 am) — Using
Internet Explorer 6.0 on 
Windows 2000
Mika Perälä wrote,
Mari: That would be a good idea, if I had ever gotten such comments :P I use Akismet spamdetector which effectively removes everything that even slightly resembles spam. So I don’t get to read the ‘fun’ stuff’
Hannes: Aye, it is! Enable Virtual Desktop, can’t live without ut
July 31st 2007 at 11:38 (11:38 am) — Using
Firefox 2.0.0.6 on 
Windows XP
Mari wrote,
WHAT? EDon’t Nyou Lconsider Amy Rcomments Gto Ebe Ythe Oheight Uof Rwit Pand Ewisdom!?! NI’m Ibadly Sdisappointed.
July 31st 2007 at 13:03 (1:03 pm) — Using
Internet Explorer 6.0 on 
Windows XP
Mika Perälä wrote,
Oh! I meant to write “fun” not ‘fun’! Irony! Irony! Please, my gonads… could you… release them?? Ufff!
And besides, you’re already an approved commentator
, so your messages aren’t processed by Akismet !
July 31st 2007 at 13:33 (1:33 pm) — Using
Firefox 2.0.0.6 on 
Windows XP
Mari wrote,
Hm. And I thought my cleverishness let me slip in the hidden spam in the last comment…
July 31st 2007 at 14:24 (2:24 pm) — Using
Internet Explorer 6.0 on 
Windows XP
Hannes wrote,
I like virtual desktops as well (though my desktop environment, as you well know, enables them by default
) but I use them far to little.
August 2nd 2007 at 09:23 (9:23 am) — Using
Internet Explorer 6.0 on 
Windows 2000
Mika Perälä wrote,
Mari: Yeesh, I guessed that was what you tried to do
Unfortunately the software is partial to you and allows you to write almost anything, unfortunate that is that you can’t trick yourself into the SPAM-filter, fortunate that we can actually read all the enormous tidbits of your vast wisdom!
Hannes: I designated certain areas for certain windows. Space 1 has my putty, space 2 contains Firefox and other browsers, space 3 has Outlook and the calendar, space 4 is usually Windows Media Player and The Journal, space 5, different folders I work on, space 6 - whatever ends up there. Since I know where a specifik window probably will be, I have great use of the application. I also mapped ctrl-<up>, ctrl-<down>, ctrl-<left>, ctrl-<right> to move around between the virtual desktops, so it’s really easy to change context
August 3rd 2007 at 11:22 (11:22 am) — Using
Firefox 2.0.0.6 on 
Windows XP