Pinewood Design

 1. Organic 3D

Here’s something new for 2008: we will be seeing 3d effects in logo design that will reach different places and stimulate different viewers who are craving for a new, fresh look! Polish those lenses and see 3D escalate to a higher level!

Let’s take an example. You’re seeing the Silverlight logo for the first time. Your eyes are trying to absorb every feature and then-you suddenly react. What’s your first reaction? A breathless “WOW”? Do you find yourself saying “aha”? Does the Silverlight logo design trigger a feeling in you, arousing a desire to actually want to see the product that’s behind that logo? That reaction was what the creators of this corporate logo were aiming for.

The logo designer starts with a very basic shape that is applied to a simple transparency effect. This can lead to a more complicated process, but one thing you must remember is that the end result should look as organic as possible. Take your distortion tool for a good spin!

We welcome this type of logo design because it stands out and it tells us that it’s not “run of the mill.” You see, the 3d bubbles and transparency effects – which were overused – were getting really boring. There is just one downside: ”eye catching ” logos were appearing on the scene and becoming more sophisticated but they are not necessarily the easiest to print.

In fact, the capability to print the logo exactly as it looks on screen is a frequent request that stands at the basis of corporate logo creation. Is it possible that the constant technological development that now allows us to accurately reproduce a design on different surfaces will generate changes in the classic laws of logo design?

Technology organizations that produce and market groundbreaking products and services use this type of company logo design. By using the “organic 3d” effect, logo creators avoid that cold image look which is so typical of other companies’ logos in the technology field. This type of logo is not only eye catching, but is also friendly. And here’s a bonus: the lighting effect is fantastic!

2.  Waves – The New Swooshes

That’s it – no more swooshes! After years of being number one, swooshes have now been replaced by the so-called waves. Do you see these waves in the above logos? Top graphic designers use them to inject more flexibility and flow into the design. To highlight the idea of movement, logo designers execute a fade technique from one color to another for this type of logo design. It does not matter if a single wave is used or is incorporated into the design; the round shapes give it flexibility so that the viewer gets a sense of movement and of communication. “Waves” are a good strategy to suggest the feelings of movement, transfer, quickness and connection. They are not easy to use, but if you master the technique, you can produce and optimize the effect. “Waves” are now IN – they have replaced swooshes, swirls and other curves you find in logo designs everywhere. Could waves be the new swooshes? Will they dominate the scene in a few years? Long time ago we thought swooshes were trendy. Then they rose in popularity so much they become a big NO NO. And today, waves are hugging the limelight. Will this be the new trend? We shall see!

3.  “Web 2.0″ Logos

Designers often hear the term “web 2.0″ from their customers who ask for this specific type of logo. The term Web 2.0 actually refers to certain technologies (Ajax, Ruby, etc). The thing is, can we really say that there’s a new trend in graphic design, the web 2.0 design?

It seems to be the case these days. A web2.0 logo is now synonymous to a modern and trendy logo, and this is why we find an impressive number of tutorials on the Net that allow designers to transform existing logos into web 2.0 logos. What characteristics do web 2.0 logos have? They have bright colors, color levels, cute, icons, 3D effects, shiny surfaces, shadows and reflexions. The fonts are simple and most of them rounded. In some cases the color levels, shines and 3D effects are also applied to the lettering.

These effects must be used very carefully, because we have seen countless cases where the logo designer uses these elements to make a logo look good but neglects to give the concept the necessary attention it deserves.

Some of these logos are beautiful. They catch your eye instantly and give you the feeling of sophistication and technology. But is the web 2.0 logo design trend strictly related to the current popularity of web 2.0 technology? Will this trend fade when something else replaces web 2.0 technology?

Interestingly enough, we are sure that this type of logo can also be called the “apple type logo”. We are all familiar with the Apple logo; in fact we were astonished when in 1998, Apple gave up the “rainbow logo” and launched the “glass Apple logo “. This logo has turned out to be one of the most famous brands in the world, and it “stirred up the crowd” without any doubt when it was first launched. The fresh, innovative 3D technical image was one influential factor, but its bright and warm qualities contributed to the evolution of logo design and the way a brand should be perceived.

Today we are flooded with 2.0 web logos that unfortunately have become too common. We’ll have to wait and see whether they are here to stay or are just a passing trend. What do you think?

4.  Transparency in logo design

We’ll say this right away: transparency has always been fashionable. Designers often use transparency, thanks to the notion of elegance that it communicates. Transparency allows the combination of different design elements offering the viewer a special image. With the help of transparency you can create perspectives, suggest the ideas of growth, development, combination and connection.

Some famous designers are of the opinion that only inexperienced logo designers use transparency and color levels. We disagree. Transparency enables you to create some unique effects that definitely catch the attention of the viewer. Transparency makes the design brighter, and the subtle transition from one element of the design to another provides the illusion of a bright spot. Take a close look at the DarienLibrary logo. What better suggestion would you make regarding the existence of additional elements without the help of transparency?

5.  “Underground” Typography – Minimal Fonts

Examine the logos above. Have you seen similar ones before? These are logos that we have often found on the sites of Typographic Artists over the last few years. Who would have thought, however, that they would become mainstream by the year 2007?

These logos are based on minimal fonts that are achieved by using as few elements as possible such as basic shapes (e.g. a circle arch for the Wends logo). This technique is based on simple shapes, exact proportions, and a boundless love for minimalist design. This type of logo design will suit some people and companies perfectly but it continues to create confusion among conservatives.

Here’s a question: can this type of design lead to the development of a good logo? Most people would be inclined to say no, especially if the classic principles of logo design – Legibility and Readability – need to be considered. It’s true that logos based on the so- called Minimal Fonts do not provide immediate conveyance of the message. However, most agree that they do manage to catch the viewer’s attention, provoking a sentiment or desire to “figure out” what the message is.

Those who are looking at such logos will immediately want to find out the name of the company and to grasp the meaning of these logos. Furthermore, there is the element of shock when viewers see something new and very different from what is usually seen on the web.

You could even say that this type of logo often proves to be more efficient than a logo that merely conforms to classic rules. This statement is relevant to a discussion on the emerging new rule: the more a design is different to what is happening in the industry at a given moment, the better and more efficient a logo is. Logo designs based on minimal fonts require a long-term experience in graphic design and typography; they are also not yet suited for all kinds of customers. We see an increasing number of them being used on album covers of good electronic music, on web sites that target the indie audience, or on web sites of “cult” graphic design studios.

It is our opinion that this is so far the coolest trend for 2008. We hope to see more logos that are created using this particular trend.

6.  New Rainbow / Color Scale

We’ve seen a thousand rainbows in our lifetime. Yet, each time we see one, we can’t help but stare admiringly at the sky even for just a few seconds. We feel that sentiment of wanting to “chase rainbows” as the lyrics of a song go.

Classic rainbow-colored semicircles have been widely used in the last decade but alas, have quickly become pass�. However, the fascination with the full color scale continues. Lately, we have been seeing a lot of “rainbow colors” that are being manipulated in a variety of ways. Most designers will use transparency in order to highlight the visual effects and to enable the fusion of colors, thus obtaining an impressive shift from one color to another. Techniques like vivid colors, shifting from shades of red to blue facilitated by an entire spectrum of color, and especially the usage of a dark background to highlight each color lead to outstanding logos that will always be attractive to the human eye.

These logos convey the concepts of sophistication, technology and freshness. With a nearly infinite number of possibilities for combining colors, the visual effect is invariably special. What is really spectacular is that although the classical rainbow representation has come to an end, the message still remains the same: there are no boundaries – nothing is impossible. This trend proves that using classic elements will generate novelty and will also bring about up-to-date and striking directions.

7.  Sci-Fi Fonts

In logo design the font frequently serves to strengthen the message as conveyed by the image. But what about the typographic logos? In this particular case, choosing the right font is crucial. Many of these logos can be memorable. With the development of the number of personal computers per capita, we are now witnessing the rise of a new category of logos , using what the industry refers to as Sci-Fi fonts.

Whether they are the creation of famous designers such as RayLarabie and Wim Crouwel or are projects produced in the typography classes of some diligent students, we have seen an ever-increasing number of these fonts over the last few years.

In the beginning of 2000 and later, we remember graphic design teachers recommending infrequent usage of these fonts. Their reason was that it was just a passing trend. What happened was the opposite. It seems they’re digging their feet in.

The frequent use of sci-fi fonts, with straight edges and simple shapes has imposed itself as a new trend in logo design. We’ve seen various designers “play” with these fonts in their logos: they either change the font shape or create a new one in programs such as FontLab.

Let’s take a look at the example of Compaq. Compaq chose this type of font for its company logo redesign project in 2007. It clearly conveys the company’s new slogan: “See why Compaq gets people talking”. See how that slogan is conveyed in the shape of the Q? See the Talk Box? That’s an example of a logo that clearly conveys the core message by means of wording only. After all, less is more, isn’t it?

8.  Leaves Logos

No matter which logo design collection you browse through, you will notice that they have all been “invaded” by leaves over the last few years. Leaves here and there, leaves everywhere! You sit and wonder why. Could this be the result of a common concern for the environment and the harmful effects of pollution? Is it because green is trendy? Or are humans aching for nature because they sit all day in their office cubicles facing their computer screens making them crave for the natural outdoors?

Leaves have become synonymous with creativity, originality, and innovative thinking. We also find leaves in company logos even if the companies are not engaged in the business of nature or the environment. But the key notion here is that the use of leaves somehow “tames” the message conveyed.

Lots of web 2.0 sites feature leaves making spring-green the preferred web 2.0 color. We’re not talking about the classic image of the leaves themselves but about their stylization, especially under the form of rectangles with rounded edges – this is a modern representation in accordance with modern design trends.

These logos are usually simple and leave the viewer with a pleasant image. Another benefit is that these company logos are very catchy. The thing we have to be wary of is the overwhelming invasion of leaves – they are now overused. Tutorials have already appeared, showing how to create a leaf logo. Will this trend last or will it lead to the need for raking the leaves and sending them off to the dump site? What do you think?

9.  The “Ugly” 80′s

Take a look at the logo designs above. What’s your first reaction? They bowl you over and leave you speechless – and somewhat confused don’t they?

These logos don’t have beautiful shapes, shadows, mirrored reflections, warm colors, or icons that signify something; they look like the result of some kid playing around mindlessly. So why would anyone wish to have such a logo?

The explanation is simple: this type of logo design is very different and will definitely stand out by sheer reason of being totally different. But if we look back to the 80′s which was a period of strange geometric shapes and neon colors – these types of logos came about and earned the reputation of spearheading the invasion of “cute logos”.

The emergence of this trend can also be attributed to a mighty comeback of the 80′s in fashion ,interior and industrial design. Some consider these logos to be modern and futuristic; others think of them as plain ugly. But let’s not be too harsh in our criticism because the mere fact that they are so talked about is noteworthy enough.

There are numerous articles that picked apart the London 2012 logo. Although many agree that the 80′s have not demonstrated excellence in graphic design and people severely criticized this trend, we should nevertheless consider the advantages that this type of logo has to offer: first, it stands out and gets noticed; second, it’s totally different than anything we’ve seen before; and third, it’s never boring. In fact, we’ll even venture out to say that it’s outrageous, exciting and rude. Each of the colors symbolizes an explosion of energy, action and sound in accordance to our living present. The message is quickly and brutally conveyed and it doesn’t require thinking on the part of the viewer. In other words, an alluring and attractive no-brainer!

We’ll add that this trend has revolutionized logo design and fueled the process of creativity by imposing new rules and redefining what’s beautiful. Of course, there are still risks involved regarding this type of approach, the highest risk being the inability, on the part of the viewer, to understand the message. Companies that cannot afford an expensive publicity budget like the one for Wacom or London 2012 are particularly susceptible to this risk. So designers, pay attention! “It’s pure attitude, designed to intrude and degrade.”
(Tony Spaeth)

10.  The New Crest

New Crest logos have been around in the last few years. The year 2008 though will sound out the trumpets – New Crests go Mainstream!! With the clever combination of medieval symbolism and urban culture graphic elements, the New Crest logos appealed to the youth when they first appeared. Eventually, they were also adopted and embraced by the extreme sports and boarding communities everywhere. At the same time they were used by well known graphic designers for big clients like MTV etc.

Maybe it’s the contrast between the old and new – novelty fonts against medieval lions as an example; another example would be the ancient decorations versus modern objects.

Collage is the main process behind these emblems, blending the right elements to strike the right chord. And if you think about it, isn’t this what graphic design is all about anyway?

We tend to like new crests and think it’s a good experiment to try with the right client in 2008 and the years to come. One word of caution: new crest logos are not for beginners. Designers need to get some experience under their belt first before taking a crack at these logos. It takes a trained eye and oodles of creativity and imagination to take new crest logos into new highs!

From Logoorange

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Design, logo, logoorange

Lost in cyberspace: The best search websites

Searching the web is easy – when you know where to look, says Claudine Beaumont

The internet has revolutionised the way we live our lives. Information, news and comment from around the world are available at the click of a mouse. If you want to find out something, it’s the place to look.

	Bookmark this: There’s more to the internet than Google

But with billions of pages to trawl through, homing in on exactly what you need can be tricky. According to a new study from AOL, more than half of the British internet users it surveyed admitted to having got “lost” on the web. Our aimless meanderings in cyberspace as we hunt for what we’re after amount to around 15 days per person per year, it says.

More than a third of those surveyed blamed their confusion on the sheer volume of information available. Two thirds of people were bamboozled by the information they did manage to find and were unsure about its accuracy and reliability, going on to search fruitlessly for websites and sources they deemed more trustworthy.

The study found that most people used the internet to find information; about one third used it mainly for shopping, while 11 per cent used it primarily for social networking.

However, some people’s habits haven’t changed since they first started surfing the web. For many, “the internet” begins and ends with Google. While Google is undoubtedly an excellent one-stop shop for finding what you’re looking for, it’s not always the quickest or best, and because it’s a passive experience, it can’t help you with context or reliability.

So here’s our pick of 10 of the best websites that should be bookmarked on everyone’s internet browser. They will help you to search more efficiently and find what you’re looking for more easily. There’s no need to be lost in cyberspace.

Skreemr (www.skreemr.com)
Need to find a clip of a song, or an audio file of a famous speech? SkreemR trawls the internet and indexes music clips on publicly accessible sites. SkreemR doesn’t host any music files itself and is careful to suggest where you can buy the tracks or clips legally.

Download (www.download.com)
If you’re looking for a good piece of software to improve your computing experience, try Download, part of the Cnet Networks family of technology blogs. Thousands of programs are available, many free or at little cost. Software is in easy-to-search sections, and people are able to rate and review programs. There are also lots of tips about how to optimise your online life.

World Factbook (http://tinyurl.com/2b2kg9)
This CIA-hosted website provides a huge range of statistical information and data on almost every country in the world, along with flags, maps and history.

Summize (www.summize.com)
“Information aggregation” sites such as Summize are nothing new – Metacritic (metacritic.com) already collates reviews of games, films, books and TV shows. But Summize also allows you to search for reviews of gadgets and a multitude of other things.

Fabsearch (www.fabsearch.com)
Don’t have time to read glossy mags for all the latest gossip, views and opinions about the best places to stay, eat and be seen? Fabsearch pulls all the best bits from magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Tatler, Vanity Fair, Vogue and Wallpaper*, and then divides it by city.

Lyrics Freak (www.lyricsfreak.com)
Until the music industry can come up with a fully licensed, artist-approved database of song lyrics, sites such as Lyrics Freak will fill the void, with its database of songs from thousands of bands and solo artists.

Trip Advisor (www.tripadvisor.com)
Trip Advisor remains the undisputed king of holiday and travel review sites. Never book a hotel before checking this site first; users can leave honest, impartial reviews and participate in lively forum discussions to suggest the best things to see and do in various cities across the globe and offer tips and advice.

Answers (www.answers.com)
This website allows you to ask any question and it will trawl the web for the answer. It will even suggest related questions you might like to know the answers to, and provides hyperlinks to all the sources from which it got its answers. Yahoo! Answers (http://answers.yahoo.com) is another great site.

Turbo Scout (www.turboscout.com)
Use Turbo Scout to search a host of leading search engines simultaneously for a single query. Click on the links to see the results returned by each one.

Librarian’s Internet Index (www.lii.org)
Sometimes, it’s not just a case of struggling to find the right information online, but information you can trust. While sites such as Wikipedia divide opinions as to their accuracy and reliability, this US site, run by librarians, provides a database of what they consider to be reliable, unbiased sources of information on the web. Very helpful for topics such as health and wellbeing, or objective information on key historical figures.

From : Telegraph Newspaper

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Answers, best searching websites, Download, Fabsearch, Librarian's Internet Index, Lyrics Freak, Skreemr, Summize, Trip Advisor, Turbo Scout, World Factbook

Extremely useful free utilities that do specific jobs really well and save time and money. 

Anti-Spyware/Anti-Virus/Anti-Rootkit Freeware Utilities : I want to …

1. protect the computer against viruses : ClamWin Free Antivirus

2. protect the computer against viruses : The OpenAntivirus Project

3. protect the computer with a firewall : PktFilter

4. protect the computer with a firewall : Winsock Firewall

Audio/Music/MP3/Real/Wav Freeware Utilities : I want to …

1. adjust sound volume of mp3 files : MP3Gain

2. backup a midi file : MIDI Backup Utility

3. burn an audio CD : Easy Burning

4. burn an audio CD : cdrtfe

5. burn an audio CD : jCDWriter

6. copy an audio CD : CDRDAO

7. correct/edit tags of mp3 files : Mp3 Tag Tools

8. correct/edit tags of mp3 files : MP3 Book Helper

9. correct/edit tags of mp3 files : MusicBrainz Tagger!

10. correct/edit tags of mp3 files : MP3-Info Extension

11. cut/edit/mix/record/remix sound files : Audacity

12. dj with the mp3 collection : Mixxx

13. manage CD collection : Ant Movie Catalog

14. mix audio files : Mixere

15. play an audio file : Coolplayer

16. play an audio file : LongPlayer

17. play an audio file : SnackAmp

18. play an audio file : NotifyCD

19. play an audio file : musikCube

20. play an audio file : Delphamp

21. play an audio file : Zinf

22. record save/ audio/video from screen : Krut Computer Recorder

23. record/save an internet audio broadcast : Juice

24. record/save streaming music : ASFRecorder

25. record/save streaming music : Streamripper for Winamp

26. record/save streaming music : StationRipper

27. rip music from a CD : MediaCoder

28. rip music from a CD : CDex

29. rip music from a CD : CD-DA X-Tractor

30. sequence midi files : JAZZ++

31. split an mp3 file into smaller parts : Mp3splt

32. split an mp3 file into smaller parts : split3pm

33. stream audio files on the web : GNUMP3d

34. stream audio files on the web : PeerCast

35. tag and upload creative commons audio : ccPublisher

36. turn PC into a media center : MediaPortal

37. update firmware on mp3 device : Rockbox

38. wrap mutiple mp3 files into one playable album file : Alba

39. wrap mutiple mp3 files into one playable album file : Mp3Wrap

Business/Office/Access/Excel/Word Freeware Utilities : I want to …

1. administer a database : FutureSQL

2. annotate a pdf : Jarnal

3. automatically speak the powerpoint slides : PowerTalk 1.2.4

4. capture screen action into SWF file : Vnc2swf

5. capture the screen : ScreenCopy

6. convert .doc files into pdf files : PDF Tools

7. convert a pdf document into html : pdftohtml

8. create PDF files : PDFCreator

9. create PDF files : qvPDF

10. create/edit html file : Bluefish

11. design a database : DBDesigner

12. display a desktop calendar : Sunbird from Mozilla

13. manage (merge/split/fill) PDF files : Pdftk

14. manage customer relationships (CRM/ERP) : Compiere

15. manage customer relationships (CRM/ERP) : ERP5

16. manage customer relationships (CRM/ERP) : GNU Enterprise (GNUe)

17. manage customer relationships (CRM/ERP) : Open For Business Project

18. manage customer relationships (CRM/ERP) : opentaps

19. manage customer relationships (CRM/ERP) : SugarCRM

20. manage customer relationships (CRM/ERP) : webERP

21. open DjVu documents : WinDjView

22. open PDF files faster : Xpdf

23. replace Microsoft Word : AbiWord

24. store data in a database : Firebird

25. store data in a database : InterBase

26. store data in a database : Ingres

27. store data in a database : MySQL

28. store data in a database : MaxDB

29. store data in a database : Base

30. store data in a database : PostgreSQL

31. store data in a spreadsheet : Gnumeric

32. track support-desk trouble-tickets : SimpleTicket

33. track time spent on a project : Time Stamp

34. type faster (auto-finish words) : LetMeType

35. use a business intelligence package : Pentaho BI

36. use a desktop publishing package : Scribus

37. use a dictionary : Babiloo

38. use a dictionary : jDictionary

39. use a dictionary : Podo

40. use office suite (writer, calc, impress, draw base) : OpenOffice

41. view html source code for documents/emails : IESpy

Communication Freeware Utilities : I want to …

1. add different signature/quote/funny lines to email messages : Kookie Jar

2. chat on IRC (internet relay chat) : BoxedIrc

3. chat on IRC : X-Chat 2

4. chat on IRC : HydraIRC

5. chat on IRC : KVIrc

6. chat on IRC : ChatZilla

7. chat on IRC : SeaMonkey

8. chat on IRC : savIRC

9. chat with MSN Messenger clients : aMSN

10. chat with a white board : Coccinella

11. chat with different messenger clients : Ayttm

12. chat with different messenger clients : LLuna

13. chat with different messenger clients : Exodus

14. chat with different messenger clients : Gabber 2

15. chat with different messenger clients : Gaim

16. chat with different messenger clients : BuddySpace

17. chat with different messenger clients : Centericq

18. chat with different messenger clients : Psi

19. chat with different messenger clients : SIM-IM

20. chat with different messenger clients : Tkabber

21. chat with different messenger clients : Spark

22. chat with different messenger clients : Miranda IM

23. filter spam in email/outlook : Internet Junkbuster

24. filter spam in email/outlook : Mailfilter

25. filter spam in email/outlook : SpamBayes

26. filter spam in email/outlook : Spamihilator

27. monitor email from multiple accounts : Magic Mail Monitor 3

28. phone free using the internet : SIPp

29. phone free using the internet : Speak-Freely

30. phone free using the internet : Asterisk

31. phone free using the internet : Shtoom

32. phone free using the internet : Ekiga

33. phone free using the internet : PhoneGaim

34. phone free using the internet : sipXphone

35. phone free using the internet : SIP Communicator

36. read/send email : Althea

37. read/send email : Sylpheed-Claws

38. read/send email : Mahogany

39. read/send email : RoundAbout

40. read/send email : si.Mail

41. read/send email : Unixmail for Windows

42. read/send email : Thunderbird

43. read/send email : Mutt

44. read/send email : Polarbar Mailer

45. send email : Blat

46. send email to multiple people : MailReactor

47. sort email and check for spam : POPFile

48. telnet/ssh to a site : Mssh is 2.1

49. telnet/ssh to a site : PCMan

50. telnet/ssh to a site : PuTTY

51. use POP-3 to access hotmail account : Blue HttpMail

52. use POP-3 to access hotmail account : HTTPMail

53. use POP-3 to access hotmail account : JHTTPMail

54. use POP-3 to access hotmail account : HotPOP3

55. use POP-3 to access webmail account : MrPostman

56. use POP-3 to access webmail account : FreePOPs

57. use a better AOL instant messenger : TerraIM

58. use groupware application : Evolution for Windows

Desktop Freeware Utilities : I want to …

1. connect two different destops on two systems : Win2VNC

2. display a desktop calendar : Rainlendar

3. display a desktop calendar : Sunbird from Mozilla

4. launch applications with shortcut names : Dave’s Quick Search Deskbar

5. launch applications with shortcut names : Launchy

6. run a collaborative screensaver : Electric Sheep

7. see an active desktop : Vital Desktop

8. see desktop objects thru a magnifying glass : Virtual Magnifying Glass

9. synch clock to exact time : NetTime

10. synch clock to exact time : NIST Internet Time Service

11. use virtual desktops in windows : Virtual Desktop

12. use virtual desktops in windows : Virtual Dimension

13. use virtual desktops in windows : VirtuaWin

14. write sticky (post-it) notes on the desktop : A Note

15. write sticky (post-it) notes on the desktop : HandyNotes

16. write sticky (post-it) notes on the desktop : e7NoteIt

Editors/Notepad Replacements Freeware Utilities : I want to …

1. edit gettext catalogs : poEdit

2. edit programming source code : Notepad++

3. edit programming source code : SynEdit

4. edit programming source code : jEdit

5. edit programming source code : Jext

6. edit programming source code : SciTE

7. edit rich text : Turbo Pad

8. edit rich text : LyX

9. edit scientific text : GNU TeXmacs

10. edit text : Jarnal

11. edit text : UniRed

12. edit text : Emacs

13. edit text : Vim

14. edit text : WinVi32

15. edit/view/analyze executables : HT

Files and Folders Freeware Utilities : I want to …

1. archive (zip) files : BiGZiP

2. archive (zip) files : Zzip

3. archive (zip) files : 7-Zip

4. archive (zip) files : jzip.org

5. backup files and folders : Amanda

6. backup files and folders : BackupPC

7. backup files and folders : NasBackup

8. backup files and folders : Abakt

9. compare/differentiate/merge different files/folders : KDiff3

10. compare/differentiate/merge different files/folders : WinMerge

11. convert ASCII files between Win and Unix : Tofrodos

12. copy a data CD : CDRDAO

13. display size/space of folders on a drive : WinDirStat

14. encrypt a file : AxCrypt.

15. encrypt a file : Blowfish Advanced CS.

16. encrypt drives/folders/files : TrueCrypt

17. grep in windows : GREP for Windows

18. rename multiple files : Ant Renamer

19. search HTML and office documents : DocSearcher

20. search file/text on the computer : The File Seeker

21. search file/text on the computer : Wilbur

22. search file/text on the computer : Wilma

23. search files on the computer/intranet : MaxFisher

24. search text within files : AstroGrep

25. securely exchange files via p2p : Waste

Financial Freeware Utilities : I want to …

1. manage business financial accounts : Quasar

2. manage business financial accounts : SQL-Ledger

3. manage personal finances : TurboCASH

Graphics/Images/Photographs Freeware Utilities : I want to …

1. add copyright bar on images : CopyRightLeft

2. convert .png file into .ico format : png2ico

3. convert bitmap to vector graphics : AutoTrace

4. convert bitmap to vector graphics : Potrace

5. convert scanned text into text : GOCR

6. create a flash based photo album : zphoto

7. create an html photo album : Thotor

8. create schematic drawings : XCircuit

9. create schematic drawings : gEDA

10. create/edit 3d graphics : Irrlicht Engine

11. create/edit 3d graphics : Nebula

12. create/edit 3d graphics : Art of Illusion

13. create/edit 3d graphics : Blender

14. create/edit 3d graphics : Jahshaka

15. create/edit 3d graphics : OGRE v1.2 [Dagon]

16. create/edit 3d graphics : OpenFX

17. create/edit 3d graphics : POV-Ray

18. create/edit 3d graphics : Wings 3D

19. create/edit 3d graphics : Xara Xtreme

20. create/edit bitmap images : ImageMagick

21. create/edit diagrams : Dia

22. create/edit graphics : GLE

23. create/edit vector drawings : Skencil

24. draw circuit diagrams : TinyCAD

25. edit an image (for kids) : Tux Paint

26. edit an image : GIMP

27. edit an image : Paint.NET

28. edit an image : GIMPShop

29. edit vector graphics : Inkscape

30. extract useful imformation from digital photographs : jhead

31. hide information in a picture : Hide In Picture

32. model using computer-aided-design : BRL-CAD

33. model using computer-aided-design : Sailcut CAD

34. model using computer-aided-design : PythonCAD

35. organize photos in albums : ctPhotoBook

36. restore an old image/painting : restoreInpaint

37. stitch panoramic photographs : hugin

38. view images in an album folder : IMGV

39. view images in an album folder : Cornice

Information/Fun/Misc Freeware Utilities : I want to …

1. chart planetary movements : ORSA – Orbit Reconstruction, Simulation, and Analysis

2. see 3d space simulation : Celestia

3. see the sky/stars/planets : Stellarium

4. write an outline : Tkoutline

5. zoom onto the Earth from space : World Wind by NASA

Internet Freeware Utilities : I want to …

1. add ecommerce to website : osCommerce

2. add mouse gestures to Internet Explorer browser : Mouse Gestures for Internet Explorer

3. block IP addresses : PeerGuardian 2

4. block IP addresses : PeerGuardian Lite

5. browse the web anonymously : Tor

6. browse the web fast : K-Meleon

7. browse the web safely : Firefox

8. browse the web safely : SeaMonkey

9. browse the web safely : Opera

10. conect via a VPN : SSL-Explorer

11. conect via a VPN : OpenVPN

12. distribute large files over the web : Jigsaw Download

13. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : Ares

14. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : Azureus

15. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : BT++

16. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : Cabos

17. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : eMule Morph

18. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : eMule Plus

19. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : G3 Torrent

20. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : HeavyMole

21. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : Krimpy

22. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : MLDonkey

23. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : MUTE File Sharing

24. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : MyNapster

25. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : Phex

26. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : ABC

27. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : Qtella

28. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : TorrentSpy

29. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : BitTornado

30. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : BitTorrent

31. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : eMule

32. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : FreeWire

33. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : Gnucleus

34. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : LimeWire

35. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : Shareaza

36. download a file via a torrent / p2p site : XNap

37. download all files on a webpage : leech

38. download an entire website : Getleft

39. download an entire website : webfetch

40. download an entire website : HTTrack

41. download/upload files via FTP : FileZilla

42. download/upload files via FTP : JFtp

43. easily install Apache/MySQL/PHP/Perl : XAMPP

44. edit html files : SeaMonkey

45. edit html files : Amaya

46. encrypt email : Stunnel

47. encrypt email messages : WinPT

48. encrypt email messages : GnuPG for Windows

49. kill popup ads : AKiller

50. manage bookmarks : Bookmark Manager

51. manage download from the web : TrueDownloader

52. manage download from the web : WackGet

53. manage download from the web : FlashGot

54. manage passwords : Password Safe

55. manage passwords : PINs

56. read rss feeds : Feedreader

57. read rss feeds : RSSOwl

58. read usenet / newsgroups : Mahogany

59. read usenet / newsgroups : MicroPlanet Gravity

60. read usenet / newsgroups : Pan

61. read usenet / newsgroups : slrn / s-lang read news

62. read usenet / newsgroups : AmphetaDesk

63. read usenet / newsgroups : SeaMonkey

64. read usenet / newsgroups : XanaNews

65. run a jabber server : ejabberd

66. run a jabber server : jabberd

67. run a jabber server : Wildfire

68. run a jabber server : Java Jabber

69. run a java/xml server : Enhydra.org

70. run a proxy server : DeleGate

71. run a proxy server : Privoxy

72. run a server on any windows : Uniform Server

73. run an application server : Zope

74. run an ftp server : AnomicFTPD

75. run an web/http server : Apache

76. run an web/http server : Savant

77. run an web/http server : MyServer

78. run an web/http server : Jigsaw

79. run an x window system server : WeirdX

80. search for open-source code : Koders

81. synch bookmarks between browsers : BookmarkBridge

82. use a content management system (CMS) : Drupal

83. use a content management system (CMS) : eZ publish

84. use a content management system (CMS) : Plone

85. use a content management system (CMS) : OpenCms

86. use pretty good privacy : GnuPG

87. view html documents : Amaya

Keyboard Freeware Utilities : I want to …

1. automatically send defined keystrokes : Qliner hotkeys

2. use a single keybord/mouse for multiple systems : Synergy

Performance/Recovery/System Freeware Utilities : I want to …

1. access ReiserFS partitions in Win : rfstool

2. analyze network traffic : Analyzer

3. analyze network traffic : BO2K

4. analyze network traffic : Show Traffic

5. analyze network traffic : Ethereal

6. analyze network traffic : WinDump

7. analyze server log files : Analog

8. analyze/audit network security : Nmap/Network Mapper

9. audit computer software and configuration : OCS Inventory NG

10. change directory fast : WCD

11. check md5 checksums : MD5summer

12. clone a hard disk : g4u

13. completely wipe/delete a hard disk : Darik’s Boot and Nuke

14. completely wipe/delete a hard disk : Eraser

15. display free RAM : RAMpage

16. display system information : CoolMon

17. display system performance metrics : Rainmeter

18. display system process information : Process Trace

19. graphically view linux partitions and files : Explore2fs

20. graphically view linux partitions and files : YAReG

21. log network traffic : daSniff

22. monitor internet connections from applications : Winpooch

23. monitor smart hard drives : smartmontools

24. partition a hard disk : Partition Logic

25. recover lost partitions : TestDisk

26. recover lost partitions on a drive : TestDisk

27. remotely access event log information : Snare Agent for Windows

28. remotely control another computer : EchoVNC

29. remotely control another computer : UltraVNC

30. remotely control another computer : TightVNC

31. remotely see network properties : NetBIOS

32. run a linux-like environment in windows : Cygwin

33. scan TCP security ports : Knocker

34. search network traffic : ngrep

35. synch files between win and unix : Unison

36. test memory : Memtest86

37. use a dynamic DNS / fixed hostname address : Dynksys Dynamic IP Updater

38. use a dynamic DNS / fixed hostname address : MyDyndns

39. use a dynamic DNS / fixed hostname address : DeeEnEs

Productivity Freeware Utilities : I want to …

1. be notified when email arrives : PopTray

2. keep multiple html-free snippets in the clipboard : HovText

3. listen to text in a file : Sayz Me Text

4. manage a project : GanttProject

5. manage a project : dotProject

6. manage a project : Open Workbench

7. mind-map an idea/subject/project : FreeMind

8. mind-map an idea/subject/project : vym

9. store/manage my passwords : KeePass

10. use a personal information manager : TreeLine

11. write notes : Notebox Disorganizer IIe

12. write notes : KeyNote

Programming Freeware Utilities : I want to …

1. create installation programs : NSIS (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System)

2. create installation programs : Ultimate Packer for eXecutables

3. create installation programs : Inno Setup

4. create self-extracting archives : FreeExtractor

5. create xml installation programs : Windows Installer XML (WiX)

6. maintain version control : CVSNT Open Source

7. maintain version control : TortoiseCVS

8. maintain version control : CvsGui

9. program .NET applications : DotGNU Portable.NET

10. program .NET applications : Mono

11. program applications : Suneido

12. program in Ruby : Ruby

13. program in c# : SharpDevelop

14. program in c++ : Dev-C++

15. program in c++ : Code::Blocks

16. program in visual c# : C# Open Source

Video/TV/DVDs Freeware Utilities : I want to …

1. backup a DVD : AutoGK

2. burn VCD : cdrtfe

3. capture video : Virtual VCR

4. convert DVD into RealMedia : FilmShrink

5. convert a DVD to VCD or DivX : DVDx

6. convert AVI to MPEG : TMPGEnc

7. convert video files : AVI-Mux

8. display AVI file information : YAAI – Yet Another Avi Info

9. edit an AVI file : VirtualDub

10. edit video files : AviSynth

11. encode DivX/XviD : Gordian Knot

12. join/slice MPEG files : mpgtx

13. manage DVD collection : Ant Movie Catalog

14. play multimedia files : GPAC

15. play multimedia files : Vitessa

16. play multimedia files : Media Player Classic (MPC)

17. play multimedia files : MPlayer

18. play multimedia files : VLC media player

19. play multimedia files : xine

20. repair corrupt divx files : DivXRepair

21. rip a DVD : MediaCoder

22. rip a DVD into MPEG format : HandBrake

23. stream video files on the web : PeerCast

24. tag and upload creative commons video : ccPublisher

25. watch internet TV and Video shows : Democracy Player

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Anti-Spyware, Anti-Virus, Freeware, IRC, MP3, Office, Opensource, Software

From BBC

Hollywood actor Heath Ledger has been found dead at a residence in downtown Manhattan.

“He was found unconscious at the apartment and pronounced dead,” the New York Police Department said, adding that pills were found near the body.

Police are reportedly investigating if the Australian actor, who earned an Oscar nomination for Brokeback Mountain, died of a drug overdose.

The 28-year-old was found dead in the flat at 1526 (2026 GMT).

Police said they did not suspect foul play and that his body had been discovered surrounded by pills.

‘Pills’

“We are investigating the possibility of an overdose,” police spokesman Paul Browne told Reuters news agency. “There were pills within the vicinity of the bed.”

The BBC’s Matthew Price in New York says the exact cause of death was still being investigated, but suicide has not been ruled out.

Police, journalists and crowds of fans are outside the Broome Street apartment in the fashionable SoHo area.

Investigators said Ledger had been due to have a massage at the flat.

Police officers removed Ledger’s body from the New York flat

The housekeeper went to tell him the masseuse had arrived and found him dead on Tuesday afternoon.

The medical examiner’s office said an autopsy would be carried out on Wednesday.

In September the Perth-born actor split from his girlfriend Michelle Williams, with whom he has a two-year-old daughter, Matilda.

Williams played his wife in the 2005 film Brokeback Mountain.

Hollywood mourning

Hollywood’s hierarchy were quick to offer their tributes and mourn Ledger’s death.

“I had such great hope for him,” said Oscar-winning actor-director Mel Gibson. “He was just taking off and to lose his life at such a young age is a tragic loss.”

In 2001, Mr Gibson had cast Ledger to play his son in the American war of independence epic, The Patriot.

“What a terrible tragedy. My heart goes out to his family,” said fellow Australian actress Nicole Kidman.

American actor John Travolta, who was in Australia at the time of Ledger’s death, said the young actor had been one of his favourite performers.

“His abilities are rare…it’s a tremendous loss,” said Mr Travolta.

Brokeback breakthrough

Ledger had split up with fellow Brokeback star Michelle Williams

Brokeback Mountain director Ang Lee said Ledger’s performance had been a “miracle” of acting, echoing a young Marlon Brando.

He won an Oscar nomination for his role as a gay cowboy in the film but the award went to Philip Seymour Hoffman for his role as Truman Capote.

Ledger starred in I’m Not There, as one of several actors in a role representing singer Bob Dylan.

He also plays the Joker in yet-to-be-released Batman film, The Dark Knight.

Ledger also starred in A Knight’s Tale and The Patriot, and played a suicidal son in Monster’s Ball.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7203797.stm

written by Pinewood Design

Using Light & Shade to Bring Text to Life

The best book I’ve ever read on drawing is one called “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain”. After reading it, I’m still pretty bad at drawing, but I did learn a lot about light and shade. In this tutorial we are going to take some very basic principles of light and shade to make a rather impressive looking text effect.

Light Sources

So before we start the tutorial, here is a little diagram about how light might hit an object. Here we have a square object in the middle with light coming from the top left. You can see that where the light hits the object, a shadow is cast on the other side. Note that the shadow is not a Photoshop “Drop Shadow” which makes the object look like it’s hovering above the canvas. Here we want the object to look like it’s a three dimensional thing stuck on the canvas, extruding if you like. Now tell me what other Photoshop tutorial site gives you diagrams? It’s like being back in school!

Step 1

We begin the tutorial by drawing a subtle Linear Gradient from dark grey to darker grey. Note that because we want our light to come from the top left, that’s where the lighter part of the document is.

Step 2

Now we place some text, I’ve used a very cool font called Agency FB which has a condensed, hard edge feel to it. You should make the text a grey-ish blue colour – #c2c8d4 to be precise.

Step 3

Next CTRL-click the text layer and create a new layer above it. In the new layer, with that selection still held, draw a linear gradient of #495a79 to transparent from bottom right to left. So in other words you are darkening the bottom right as shown.

Step 4

Set your foreground colour to Black (you can do this by pressing the letter ‘D’ on your keyboard which restores the defaults).

Now CTRL-click the text layer again and create a new layer beneath the text layer. Now press the down arrow on your keyboard once and the right arrow on your keyboard once. Then press ALT-BACKSPACE to fill it with black. Then press down and right again one time and fill with black. Each time you will be moving 1px right and 1px down. You should repeat this process about 30 times (which is why it’s important to use Alt-Backspace instead of the Fill tool).

Note also that to move the selection but not the fills when you press your arrow keys you have to have one of the Marquee tools on. If you switch to the Move Tool (V) when you press down and right you will actually move the black fill as well as the selection and will just be filling the same pixels over and over.

Step 5

Here’s what you should now have. Now deselect and make sure you are on the shadow layer, then go to Filter > Blur > Motion Blur and use values of -45 degrees and a distance of 30px.

Step 6

Set your shadow layer to Multiply and about 40% Opacity and then hold down SHIFT and press the down arrow and then the right arrow. This will move your object right and down 10px each (Shift tells photoshop to go 10px at a time instead of 1). Now you may have some of the blurred parts of the shadow sticking out to the top and left of the object. If this is the case grab a small soft eraser and gently erase away anything which shouldn’t be shaded (remember the diagram at the beginning).

Step 7

Next duplicate the shadow layer, hold SHIFT and move it down and right again. Then run the Motion Blur filter again with a distance of 50px this time and set this layer to Multiply and 20% opacity. This is just to give our shadows more of a trail off.

Step 8

Now create a new layer above all the other layers, hold down CTRL and click the main text layer to select its pixels and back on your new layer fill the selection with White. Don’t let go of the selection just yet though, instead press down and right one time to move 1px away and then hit Delete.

Set this thin white line layer to about 80% Opacity.

Step 9

As you can see the thin white line gives a sort of highlight effect where the light source is hitting the text and gives the impression that the text is more three dimensional.

Step 10

Next we want to create some streams of natural light. Create a new layer above all the others and draw four or five white rectangles approximately similar to those shown (i.e. getting fatter as they go down).

Step 11

Now press CTRL-T to transform and rotate and enlarge the rectangles as shown. Now normally you’d press Enter when you’re finished, but this time don’t let go just yet. Instead right click and you will get a pop up menu showing you other types of transforms you can do. Choose “Perspective”. The reason it’s important to do this in one step is so that you don’t lose your bounding box. So take the top left two points and bring them closer together so that the light appears to be coming from one place and spreading out.

Step 12

Here we have our four strips of “light”. Now set the layer to Overlay and 20% Opacity and then go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and give it a blur radius of 6px.

Step 13

You should now have something that looks like this.

Step 14

Now since those thin strips are meant to be light it would make sense if our highlight layer only showed up where the light was hitting right? So CTRL-click the light layer and then click on the highlight layer from earlier, then while the selection is still on click on the Add Layer Mask button (it’s the one down the bottom of the layer palette to the right of the ‘f’ icon). This will create a Mask that only shows the highlight layer where the light overlaps it.

Step 15

So you could stop here, it’s already looking pretty good, but we’ll finish this effect off by adding some warm lighting.

Step 16

So first of all create a new layer just above the background and fill it with a pinkish colour – #9d506c.

Step 17

Now set the pink layer’s blending mode to Colour and the opacity to 20%. This gives our background a nice reddish-warmth. Over the top of this we can now mix in some yellows. If we don’t put in the reddish cast underneath the result comes out looking overly yellow and not particularly real.

Step 18

Now set the pink layer’s blending mode to Colour and the opacity to 20%. This gives our background a nice reddish-warmth. Over the top of this we can now mix in some yellows. If we don’t put in the reddish cast underneath the result comes out looking overly yellow and not particularly real.

Step 19

Now set the pink layer’s blending mode to Colour and the opacity to 20%. This gives our background a nice reddish-warmth. Over the top of this we can now mix in some yellows. If we don’t put in the reddish cast underneath the result comes out looking overly yellow and not particularly real.

Conclusion

Finally we duplicate the top lighting layer one more time and set it to 65% opacity, then click the Add Layer Mask button on the layers palette again and draw a linear white to black gradient from top left to bottom right. This makes the extra lighting layer fade off as it goes down right.

Download the PSD for this tutorial

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: photoshop, text, Tutorial

Large papercut installations

 You can find more from this link:

http://www.petercallesen.com

http://absolutg.blogspot.com/2006/12/large-papercut-installations.html

http://pinewooddesign.co.uk/

White Hand, 2007Acid free A4 115 gsm paper and glue

Little Erected Ruin, 2007
Acid free A4 115 gsm paper and glue

Little Erected Ruin (detail), 2007

Half Way Through, 2006
Acid free A4 115 gsm paper, pencil, and glue

Half Way Through (detail) , 2006

Traces in Snow,

2005Acid-free A4 80 gsm paper and glue

Traces in Snow (detail), 2005

Single Double Bed, 2005
Acid-free A4 80 gsm paper and glue

Fall, 2005
Acid-free A4 80 gsm paper and glue

Fall (detail), 2005

The Impossible Meeting, 2005
Acid-free A4 80 gsm paper and glue

The Impossible Meeting, 2005
Acid-free A4 80 gsm paper and glue

Bridge Over Troubled Water, 2005
Acid-free A4 80 gsm paper and glue

Butterflies Trying to Escape Their Shadow, 2005
Acid-free A4 80 gsm paper and glue

http://pinewooddesign.co.uk/

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Art, installations, papercut

Source: http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Iran_drops_dollar_from_oil_deals_re_12082007.html

Don’t know how known/reliable rawstory.com is, so here’s another site validating the same news:
http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=158 … 

Major crude producer Iran has completely stopped carrying out its oil transactions in dollars, Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari said on Saturday, labelling the greenback an “unreliable” currency.

“At the moment selling oil in dollars has been completely halted, in line with the policy of selling crude in non-dollar currencies,” Nozari was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency.

“The dollar is an unreliable currency, considering its devaluation and the oil exporters’ losses,” he added.

The world’s fourth largest oil exporter, Iran has massively reduced its dependence on the dollar over the past year in the face of US pressures on its financial system.

The United States has successfully encouraged major European and Asian banks to cut their dealings with Iran in a bid to make the Islamic republic give way on its controversial nuclear programme.

Washington has also blacklisted major Iranian banks for alleged support of terrorism and seeking nuclear weapons, charges denied by Tehran.

Iran has reduced its assets in dollars held in foreign banks and urged OPEC to take collective action to price oil in other currencies such as the euro, instead of the US currency which is used across the world at present.

The fall of the dollar, which has weakened considerably against the euro and other currencies in the past 12 months, has affected the revenues of OPEC members because most of them price and sell their oil exports in the US currency.

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: currency, dollar, Iran, oil

Livingstones, cushions

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: cushions, Livingstones

Ever since Google first let people scour the planet from the comfort of their computers through the Google Earth software program, fans have been on a virtual scavenger hunt from the North Pole to the South Pole looking for anything interesting, unusual, or unexplained. From shipwrecks to crop circles, from ads big enough to be read from space to a giant pink bunny nearly the size of a football field, we’ve collected just a few of the odd and spectacular sights. You can see the same images in Google Maps by clicking the links we provide–but you’ll get a better view by copying the coordinates in parentheses after each link and pasting them into Google Earth’s ‘Fly To’ box. Enjoy the trip!

Only From the Sky

Dubbed The Badlands Guardian by locals, this geological marvel (Google Earth coordinates 50.010083,-110.113006) in Alberta, Canada, bears an uncanny resemblance to a human head wearing a full Native American headdress–and earphones, to boot. Of course, The Guardian was produced naturally. For a more synthetic wonder that can be truly appreciated only from above, check out the giant man-shaped lake (-21.805149,-49.089977) near Bauru, Brazil.

Huge and Unique

Finding huge and unique things via Google Earth is one of the most popular activities within the Google Earth community. This giant pink bunny (Google Earth coordinates 44.244273,7.769737) in Prata Nevoso, Italy, was built by a group of artists from Vienna, according to published accounts. It’s 200 feet long and answers to the name “Hare.”

Crop Circles

Without a doubt, the best thing that ever happened to crop circles is Google Earth. This circle in the desert just outside Beatty, Nevada (Google Earth coordinates 37.401437,-116.86773), is one of hundreds spotted with the software.

Celebrity Obsession

As if Oprah Winfrey’s celebrity weren’t big enough already, an Arizona farmer built a 10-acre homage to the talk show host (Google Earth coordinates 33.225488,-111.5955). Visitors can tell their friends, “I got lost inside Oprah’s head.”

Open Secrets

If you’re in the intelligence business, Google Earth makes hiding big things nearly impossible. This image is believed to be of a 1.8-square-mile scale model of a disputed region on the border of China and India. Google Earth spotters found it in a remote area in north central China (Google Earth coordinates 38.265652,105.9517). One theory on why this model exists comes from the Australian publication The Age, which reported that the scale model is used to train tank drivers.

Bikinis From Space

Spend enough time on Google Earth, and you start thinking that the world is a pretty low-resolution place. But Google Earth is steadily updating its maps with high-resolution pictures. Zoom in on this Google Earth satellite shot of Australia’s Bondi Beach (Google Earth coordinates -33.892351,151.27538), and you can almost read the designer labels on the bikinis.

African Break Time

National Geographic partnered with Google Earth on a project called Africa Megaflyover. The magazine has made more than 500 high-resolution images accessible through Google Earth, including this close-up view (Google Earth coordinates 15.298693,19.429661) of camels and their caretakers taking a water break in Nigeria.

Auto Antics

Think parking is tough where you live? In Westenbergstraat, Netherlands, drivers apparently have to park on the sides of walls (Google Earth coordinates 52.069207,4.3139865).

Big Commute

Google’s satellites sometimes catch the Earth’s inhabitants on the move, like these ten African elephants (Google Earth coordinates 10.903497,19.93229).

Virtual Sightseeing

Nothing can replace hopping in a plane and going somewhere, but Google Earth gives you a small taste of what you might see when you visit some of the world’s tourist destinations. This spectacular shot shows Victoria Falls (Google Earth coordinates -17.925511,25.858223) on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Other virtual destinations worth flying over are Mt. Everest (27.985866,86.92844) and Mt. Kilimanjaro (-3.0726042,37.343093).

Show Me a Sign

Google Earth doesn’t have advertising, unless you consider the corporate logos and trademarks big enough to be seen from space. This giant Ford logo (Google Earth coordinates 42.302284,-83.231215) is found near (where else?) Detroit, Michigan. You think that’s big? Check out the massive Coca-Cola logo (-18.529225,-70.25002) etched into a hillside in Chile with 70,000 Coke bottles. Haven’t they heard of recycling?

Airplanes in Flight

For aviation buffs, Google Earth offers the unique ability to spot airplanes in midair. One Google Earth Community has Placemarks for more than 3300 planes in flight, including this World War II bomber (Google Earth coordinates 52.336392,-0.1953462) flying over Huntingdon, England.

Floating Failures

The unblinking eyes of the satellites record not only human achievements, but our less successful moments as well. One example is this huge ship (Google Earth coordinates 30.541634,47.825445) floating on its side after a maritime accident in the waters of Basrah, Iraq.

Caught on Satellite

Sometimes Google Earth is lucky enough to catch things as they happen. Here Google Earth captures a truck that crashed (Google Earth coordinates 46.765669,-100.79274) outside of Bismarck, North Dakota. In another instance, Google Earth caught fishermen illegally bottom-trawling (28.102512,-14.265835) beaches near Spain’s Canary Islands.

Map Mysteries

Some of the sights you find in Google Earth are just plain mysterious. For example, why is a fighter jet parked (Google Earth coordinates 48.825183,2.1985795) in what looks to be a residential neighborhood lot near Paris? And why is this lake in Iraq (33.39845000,44.48416800) blood red?

To view the Blood red lake in Iraq, click here

Strange Buildings

The image is from from Chicago, USA. Why do the buildings lean in different angles? strange eh?

Nessie???

What is it in this lake over here?? Did I actually discover Nessie??

UFO??

I dont know bout you guys but it sure looks like a UFO is landing on that building.

Microsoft Obsessed with DirectX

Here is an Image of the Microsoft HQ, Are they so obsessed with Direct X that they designed their buildings in the same design as the logo?

Marry Me?

Its written ” Marry Me Tammy” This guy must really be desperate. Did she say Yes?

Firefox Cropcircles

This is one farmer who is a huge fan of firefox. I’m sure he hates Internet explorer with a passion

Where’d that come from

How’d they get that boat in there, there is no path ??

Source from: SoftMall
Some of the images are Courtesy of: PCWorld

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Earth, Google, program, Sights, Software, Strangest

1) Can you show me a mock-up to help us choose a designer/developer? No.

I fell for this once when I was young and naive. I made no money and wasted lots of time. Don’t do unpaid work for the chance to be paid — this wouldn’t fly in any other industry, so why web design? The best case scenario (though rare) is that you get a job with a client who knows that you’ll work for free when necessary. The worst case scenario is that they don’t pay you, and still use your stuff, knowing you don’t have the legal resources to do anything about it. Most likely though, you’ll just waste time.

2) Can you give us a discount rate? No.

There are A LOT of companies out there that do not see web design as a service worth more than $20 an hour. These should never be your clients. In my early post-college years, I used to value “getting the job” so highly, I would take on an inordinate amount of work for the pay. Let me tell you that it’s not worth it. Ever. Remember, you may be doing this company a favor, but on the flip side, you’re hurting your own future, and your family’s. Nowadays, I give my hourly rate immediately, and it weeds out many potential clients. It’s simple math really — if doubling your rate loses half your client work, then you’re still making as much in half the time. If you do excellent work, get paid for it – there will always be comparable “firms” charging double what you are.

3) Will you register and host my site? No.

Sure it seems like a good idea — free recurring revenue right? Well, maybe… if you can first get them to pay, and then if you can justify making $10 a month for the endless phone support you’ll have to give at all hours of the night. You see, once the client thinks that you are responsible for their email and website functionality, you WILL get called all the time when their email shows the slightest wavering or their website 404s for any reason on their home computer. Believe it or not, I’ve even known someone who had a client call about his cell phone functionality just because my friend hosted his site. Don’t do it…it’s not worth it. Give them a registrar and hosting company and let them sign up themselves.

4) Can you copy this site? No.

Now you may think that I answer “No” strictly from a moral standpoint, and although that is true, there are other equally important reasons. First, if they’re copying a site, they have shady ethics themselves and the chances of you getting paid on time and in the full amount are unlikely. Second, doing this type of work reduces you to a monkey, and although some of your work may be like this to pay the bills, why purposely pursue it? Third, if it’s a true copy, the only benefit you may receive is payment – you really won’t get to use it for a portfolio or example work, and furthermore, this type of client is one you do not want work from in the future.

5) Can I pay for my e-commerce site from my website sales? No.

I hate to be the pessimist, but when I am asked this, I want to tell them that they most likely won’t make any money so they might as well ask me to do it for free. Yes, I know there are exceptions, so sometimes I will ask them about their business, marketing, and revenue plans, which 99% of them don’t have. They just thought that selling t-shirts would a novel idea for the internet. I usually go into a spiel about having to support me and my family, and I can’t do it with speculative work — I then recommend Yahoo! Shopping or CafePress, and 9 times out of 10, they never get their site up anyways.

6) I have a great idea. Do you want to…? No.

Not much different from #5, but could be a much larger time waster if you buy in. Again, not trying to be a jerk, but if the person adds little to the potential business outside of speaking an idea, then any work you proceed to do is mere charity (which you may be okay with). But to be honest, I’d rather be charitable with my family and friends and make them partners for free versus a stranger. Trust me, if some really has a great idea, they’ll make you partners AND pay you as well.

7) Do you have an IM account? No.

I might give it out if it’s to a person I can trust during an intensive project, but as a general policy, I tell clients that it’s my general policy not to. The reason here is obvious — you have a life and other clients beyond them. Many clients see you as an on-call employee, and this is bad. This is why you quit your day job…

Can I just pay the whole amount when it’s done? No.

I require 50% up front (unless it’s a huge job — then maybe 33%). I need that assurance that they have “bought in” on this project, and that I can plan on the income, pay bills, and eat. People who want to pay at the end are much more likely to back out after you’ve done tons of work.

9) Is there any way you could get this done tonight or this weekend? No.

Once they know that you helped them out one time, they will expect it in the future. Now you might choose to get extra done at night (I do all the time), but don’t start making promises about getting things done at night or on the weekends/vacation. I know a lot of freelancers that charge night/weekend hours as well, so that might be a possible route to take as well. Because the reason you freelance is for the freedom, right? Right?

10) Can I be sure you won’t use this work in anything else? No.

This is a very sensitive subject because most clients misunderstand it (intellectual property is a tricky subject anyways). In my Terms and Conditions that I require all new clients to sign, I make sure they know that (1) their code has utilized code from other projects which I haven’t charged them for (2) I will probably use code from their project on other projects (3) the own the code and implementation of the project (finished website), but not the actual code pieces (login system, image uploader, etc.). I pride myself in productivity and speed, and I need to use other code all the time to accomplish this. Not to mention that I sell stock Flash which I may need old code to help build. They’re not paying you to create code that they in turn will sell, so make sure they know that it’s the implementation and not the coding that’s theirs.

» visit 10 Absolute “Nos!” for Freelancers

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Freelancers, web design, Weblink