Converting files types

With the development of so many different types of software especially when it comes of office document editors, it can be a real pain, when your software package cannot read the desired file type. This was a particular problem with the .docx format.

I would encourage people to upgrade to Microsoft Office 2007, but if you still use 2003, then you can use this tool to convert your office documents from .docx or .xlsx etc. back to the original formats i.e. .doc or .xls.

If you use Office 2003, and do not want to purchase Office 2007, then I would suggest you use OpenOffice.org. It is a great Office package, which I will do a more detailed post on. Its free, and its very simple to install. It can read all sorts of formats from Microsoft Office to Corel’s Word Perfect!

Another thing, that often bothers us, is for example when we download a podcast or a learning video and we want to put it in our multimedia device(e.g. iPOD or PSP) and you cannot put a video or an audio file, because of the format. To solve this problem, we have audio and video converters.

My personal favourites are Any video converter and Switch Audio File converter.

Often, people ask me how to convert a .pdf into a .doc. I always advise people to stick to Adobe Acrobat when it comes to these things. But, this site allows you to do so. If you do not have Adobe acrobat, only then do I suggest that you use the free alternative.

Enjoy converting!

Microsoft Expression

Often in schools, we have to create web-pages for exams, homework or even our personal use. The IGCSE specification for ICT has a web development part in the specification. Often, people have moved on to Adobe Dream Weaver, which is a web tool, that I find inadequate for students studying web development, it has a complex user interface, and having used Microsoft Office applications all my student life, it seems difficult to handle. So, I started looking for an alternative.

Microsoft is not know for its design software. But the new Microsoft Expression Suite offers a rich tool for building web-pages. There are four parts to the package:

• Expression Web
• Expression Blend
• Expression Design
• Expression Encoder

After the announcement, that Microsoft was to discontinue Microsoft FrontPage (the part of the office suite that designed web-pages) it had different plans for web designing. Microsoft Expression web is the main part of the Expression package, being the HTML and CSS editor.

Expression is aimed at web developers and that is why it comes with a basic Design tool, that can help you design logos, templates etc. I do not find it as detailed as Adobe’s products, that are used for high end graphics, I personally find this a far better tool for the web. However, I am talking about Microsoft Expression 3; the next version may see many changes.

What is also great about is that there is not CD Key or any other hassle, so its a very easy install.

If you are in an American Public school, you can also get your hands onto the product for free.

But for serious web developers, there is something very special. Microsoft Expression can be used to make Silverlight applications, a very lightweight and powerful tool, like flash, but a lot more stable and a lot more capable of different applications.

Flash has many glitches as well as potential weaknesses for hacker, but Silverlight is a powerful piece of technology synthesised using both C++ and Microsoft’s latest language C#.

With this, you can create several applications as well as video footage of things like a camping trip etc.

This package also has a SuperPreview mode, that can show you, how a webpage will look in different web browsers, so that you can spot any potential problems users may face.

In all, I find this a superb piece of software for students as well as web developers. To learn more, simply click on the image at the top.

Microsoft Word 2010

The Microsoft office suite is a must need for every student. But the latest edition is practically the same if you have already bought the 2007 version.

Here is a comparison

The honest truth is that buying this package is simply money being wasted. The only programmes that have undergone viable changes are Outlook and Publisher. Other than that, upgrading to 2010 is the word idea you could have.

I would suggest people to stick to their Office 2007 for the time being.

Another problem with the new versions, is that it regularly freezes, writing this post, it froze once at the beginning , and popped up an error message saying “not enough space of task”; having 1 GB RAM still free as well as 60 GB HD free, I profoundly questioned that error message. I had to save the file and then restart it.

Take my advice, do not upgrade.

Graph paper

A lot of the times, the graph paper I buy, just does not seem to be what I want, and shops these days (the normal ones) have such a limited array of graph papers. In south Asia, the graph paper is often in inches rather than centimetres.

So, I cut all the hassle, and simply went to the web for a solution.

This website it one that I really like. Click here to visit!

Sitmo Latex code editor

Often, one of the problems I have when posting a math solution or question on a forum, or a site, I need to use a variety of symbols. Just typing math in plain text can often be hard to read, and what more, it feels awkward to me.

When there is a large amount of text in it as well, the formulas and working is hard to distinct.

To solve that problem, SITMO has developed a WYSIWYG(What You see Is What You Get) programme on the web, unfortunately, there is no offline version.

It is called the SITMO Latex Editor, and I find it does wonders when trying to express your mathematical formulae on the web.

Below is a sample of what a formula from the SITMO Latex editor would look like

What I was most impressed by is their vast collection of symbols.

I find it very useful, I hope you enjoy its features as well!

You can click on the image or you can simply click here to visit the website.

Enjoy!

A great website for the SAT, ACT and GRE

One of the best websites, that I found after browsing the virtual corners of the internet is a site called “number2.com”. The site is free, and gives you ample resources to practice these tests from, as well as having a comprehensive word bank.

Enjoy!

The SAT

I often find, having to learn the same thing again to be something demeaning. I mean, doing the SAT is just a repetition of an inferior version of the IGCSE, with no subject oriented tests, the SAT exam only poses a potential problem at its word list.

The 2000 word list, is something that is not only a bore to learn, but also something, that I find has rather obsolete words. I mean, if I were to use those words in public, people would assume I somehow crash landed from the 18^th century.

So to help with the SAT, I believe that I have a very good collection of resources that you may be able to use.

Click on the icon file!