I have discovered true phatness in web browsers. I use a potpourri of web browsers from Mozilla 1.0 to IE 6.0, but not Netscape (Nut-Scrape) because A., It’s shit, and B., I hate Mark Andreson. Oh, and don’t forget Opera too.

Well, while WanderLust‘ing, I came across a site that mentioned what browsers it looked good in. One of the browsers listed was Crazy Browser. This thing is the shit.

Long story short, Crazy Browser is a freewar web browser based on IE for the Windows platform. The developers subclassed, BHO’ed, and wrapped the shit out of IE. Therefore, with IE as the core, it’s still the same rendering engine that you would have if you had just launched a naked IE. Ok, so why do you want IE on ‘roids? Three reasons: features, features, features!

The first and foremost feature that I like is tabbed windows. This is the same as Opera and Moz 1.0. When I’m doing hardcore development work, I tend to have a large number of IE windows running, so to be able to consolidate then into one MDI interface is extremely handy. You can also lock tabs and then close unlocked ones when things start to get really busy.

Continueing with cool features, Crazy Browser has autocompletion in the address bar. For example, if I type “chocolate” and then hit Alt-Enter, the next thing I know, I’m at http://www.google.com/search?q=chocolate. This particular feature is what allowed me to use the browser, because there’s no support for the Google Toolbar, and everyone knows how I feel about the GT!

Crazy Browser also has intelligent Popup Blocking. I’m assuming it works, but I can’t be too sure. Some other features include starting the browser where you left off and language translation proxy support.

The current release version is 1.0.5, which was released on 4/4/2002. According to the FAQ at the Crazy Browser site, a new version is expected sometime around September or October. As with any other browser on the market, I suggest that you try them all. Lotsa browsers for lotsa folks.

🙂

So, I installed a recommened XP patch from Microsoft, something having to w/ CD-RW’s. Now, granted it said it was for people having trouble, and I wasn’t, I said what the heck. Can’t do any harm? Right?

You would think that after all this time I would have learned my lesson. But noooooooo! Ok, so here’s the skinny on what happened. The first time I went to use Nero was tonight. Nero kept telling me to insert blank media. Third times a charm? Nah, the third Maxell that went into the drive came up NG.

With Google toolbar in hand, I searched the newsgroups for other unfortunate souls. What I was able to come up with was that perhaps my CD-RW needed a firmware upgrade. This is where shit really turned downhill.

After I installed the firmware, which BTW, went w/o a hitch, the drive proceded to open and then close. Upon closing, the drive started to make a God awful racket. Long story short, a phone cord dangling below the desk was caught between the lip of the tray and the faceplate. Of course I wasn’t quite sure if this noise was supposed to be happening, but as it turned out, this was not by design. So, now the fun part.

After rebooting several times, the drive started to make some really horrible sounds, much worse then the cord stuck in the door. Oh, and BTW, it also no longer worked. I journied upstairs to explain to Meg why it had now taken over an hour to dupe one CD. I told her what was going on and that I had to perform some cyber-surgery. In other words, I was goin’ in.

I proceded to expose the dust filled innerds of my machine to some fresh air. I picked it up off the floor and off to the bench in the garage it went. Once on the bench, I headed right for the drive. Ya know, it’s kinda neat inside there. Anyhow, when I popped the cover off, a part fell out, but luckily I was able to figure out where it went.

Since at this point the drive couldn’t be more broken then I though it was, what would be the harm in applying some juice? So I powered it up! Yes, that’s right, real raw dawg stuff. And ya know what? No more noise.

So I reinstalled the drive, twice. Once w/o the CD audio cable and once with. Brought that baby back downstairs, reconnected the myriad of cables, and presto change-o, a-la peanutbutter & jelly sandwiches, everything worked.

So there ya go, install software patches from XP with extreme prejudice. 🙂

My new best friend is George Sheperd’s WinForms FAQ at SyncFusion. It’s become an indespensible resource. I would recommend it to anyone of means. 😉

Don’t you just love it when you have your tunes on random and a great tune comes on?

So I helped some folks setup PHPNuke tonight. They didn’t realize that PHP is CaSe sensitive. Once we fixed a config value, they were in business. I just seeing people say things like “thankyou!!!!!!”, “woo!!!”, and “I got in!!!!!!!!!!1”. This is what helping is all about.

🙂

A little something from the .net Server world.

Boy, things have been busy at work. I’m developing my first full scale .net application. It’s chock full of .net keywords, such as Strongly Typed DataSets, Remoting, Windows Services, Imaging, to name a few. Thank goodness I can find help on the #C# channel on EfNet. The conversion volume tends to ebb and flow, so I can usually ask or answer a question each time I switch to my IRC client.

Why does DeviantArt have to be so slow. I’m thinking of asking them if they’d like a mirror. I made a cool background w/ Tux and I want to upload it, but I used another “Deviant’s” work, so I need to give him credit, but finding it is painful to say the least. I mean I do understand that it is a free service, but if your going to provide a service, provide the service. Urgh! It’s killing me.

Brain Dump Complete. 🙂

Very funny: http://www.apple.com/trailers/miramax/comedian.html

I just wrote an article on mod_rewite. Check it out here.

I just remembered, well my Amex bill reminded me, that I registered jerseybloggers.com. I gotta get on that.