Get better organized with the Maple flat-file database application

The other day one of my coworkers mentioned that he needed a flat-file database tool that was easy to use and ran in Microsoft Windows 7, and he asked me if I could make a recommendation. (I love being asked questions like this when I already have an answer.) I quickly responded Maple! To which he replied, what? Like the Tree? I said, yes, just like the tree. I then explained that was the name of the tool that combined the power of a word-processing application with the organization structure of Windows Explorer to make one of the best flat-file database tools that I have ever used. Read more.

Customize folder backgrounds in Windows Vista and Windows 7

If you used Microsoft Windows 98, chances are good that you remember that operating system’s Customize This Folder wizard, which allowed you to customize your folders by setting different backgrounds and choosing a text color. A friend of mine was reminiscing about that capability the other day and asked me why this feature wasn’t one of the many bells and whistles in Microsoft Windows 7.

He really liked to be able to customize certain folders back then, as it helped him to organize content. I told him about Windows 7’s Content view, which makes keeping track of multimedia files easier. He quickly replied that Content view wasn’t the same as the Windows 98 feature, and I knew he was right. Since I had no quick comeback, I sulked off.

Later, while doing a bit of researching on the Internet, I encountered a nice little program called the Windows 7 Folder Background Changer, which was developed for The Windows Club website by Krishna Bagaria. This neat little program runs as a standalone application and works in both Windows Vista and Windows 7. Read more.

Move your entire Windows XP installation into Windows 7 with Zinstall XP7

If you are still using Microsoft Windows XP but thinking of moving to Windows 7, you’re probably feeling a bit apprehensive about the project. What if I told you that you could convert your entire Windows XP installation (data files and applications) into a virtual machine that you could then run inside Windows 7? Well, you can do just exactly that by using a unique product called Zinstall XP7.

Zinstall XP7 is a product designed to make it possible for Windows XP users to migrate/upgrade their existing systems to Windows 7. With Zinstall XP7, you can move your Windows XP installation, intact, from an older computer to a newer computer already running Windows 7 as well as revive your Windows XP installation after performing a Windows XP to Windows 7 Custom installation procedure on your existing computer. Zinstall calls this latter method an in-place migration, and it employs a truly unique process, which I’ll describe in detail. Read more.

Manage network logon credentials in Microsoft Windows

As you may know, Microsoft Windows 7 provides a new and improved version of a tool that also appeared in Windows Vista and Windows XP and is designed for managing network-based logon credentials (i.e. user names and passwords) from sources that adhere to Microsoft credential management standards. The Windows 7 tool is called Credential Manager and is more advanced than the simplistic tool called Stored User Names and Passwords that came with Windows Vista and Windows XP.

With credentials stored in these tools, you will be able to automatically log on to a server/site without first being prompted to provide a user name and password. For example, Windows 7’s Credential Manager can store credentials and automatically log you in to Windows Live services such as Hotmail and SkyDrive, Microsoft Office services such as Outlook Web Access for Exchange Server as well as Windows servers and Remote Desktop connections. Read more.

Quick Tip: Disable Snap in Windows 7

As you know, with the introduction of Snap in Microsoft Windows 7, we now have a completely new way of managing open windows. This feature allows you to arrange open windows, including maximizing and resizing, just by dragging and dropping a window to different edges of the screen. When a window is dragged to the correct position, a ripple effect will emanate from the cursor and you’ll see an animated outline of the window instantly appear in its new position. As soon as you release the mouse button, the window will snap to that position.

While many of us think that Snap is an awesome feature, many others think that it is annoying. For those in the latter category, I recently discovered that you can disable Snap. Read more.