A slick and fun online mind-mapping (diagramming) tool.

http://bubbl.us/edit

Our friends at ghacks.net have found another gem of a game - multiplayer mayhem in this free top down shooter. Let's play!

The game could almost be a clone of Quake 3 Arena or Unreal Tournament in 2D. All the classic weapons like the minigun, rocket launcher and lightning gun are available and can be used to vaporize the enemy. Even game modes that I do not like this much (Deathmach) are pure fun because the game is fast and intense and respawn is almost instantly.

You can fall of the edges so beware those positions, it happens often that a grenade explodes near you and the detonation pushes you into the darkness counting as a suicide, bad if you play team deathmatch.

Article: http://www.ghacks.ne...eekend-bloodmasters/
Direct Download: http://www.bloodmast...om/index.php?p=about

Question:

A long time ago I decided to catalog my complete software collection. Therefore I tested (benchmarked) nearly all existing catalogers, read user opinions at shareware-sites and saw that there are very much useless features included, the most important functions were not working the way I expected and so I now want to code a new disc cataloger software. I made a list what I could implement or miss in other programs, but the best helpers are people that have experience with one or several of these programs and can help me. What functions do you like or dislike - use often or never.

Mark Russinovich started some days ago a series of articles explaining the new features included in the Windows Vista Kernel on Microsoft's TechNet. The first one looks at changes in the CPU cycle counting, a new scheduler for multimedia applications (which, hopefully, will solve the current problems affecting music players and resource-demanding applications) and file-based symbolic links (a welcome addition), among other things.

The articles, as it's often happens with Mark Russinovich, are interesting, educational and entertaining, and everyone won't have no trouble understanding them. If Mark was not working for Microsoft, the most renowned colleges in the world would be fighting to dead for his services as a teacher

http://www.microsoft...aKernel/default.aspx

Here are several very good mostly freeware utilities for providing useful information about your hardware, OS, and software from DC member Veign's blog.

1. Autoruns: The most comprehensive knowledge of auto-starting locations of any startup monitor, shows you what programs are configured to run during system bootup or login, and shows you the entries in the order Windows processes them. These programs include ones in your startup folder, Run, RunOnce, and other Registry keys.

2. Everest Home: EVEREST Home Edition is a freeware system information, system diagnostics and benchmarking solution for home PC

3. Application Monitor: A very small API monitor that allows the user to monitor the APIs called by the given application.

4. Shell Extensions Manager: The ShellExView utility displays the details of shell extensions installed on your computer, and allows you to easily disable and enable each shell extension.

5. Win Updates List: Displays the list of all Windows updates (Service Packs and Hotfixes) installed on your local computer.

6. Index Dat Spy: Index.dat are files hidden on your computer that contain all of the Web sites that you have ever visited. Every URL, and every Web page is listed there. Not only that but all of the email that has been sent or received through Outlook or Outlook Express is also being logged.

7. Why Reboot: Displays a list of "pending file operations" (rename, delete, etc) that will occur after rebooting your computer.

8. Process Monitor: An advanced monitoring tool for Windows that shows real-time file system, Registry and process/thread activity.

9. Start Up List: A simple tool that lists all and every auto starting program on your system. (from the developers of Hijack This)

10. Ethereal: Ethereal is used by network professionals around the world for troubleshooting, analysis, software and protocol development, and education...

http://www.veign.com...ning-more-about.html

Here's Microsoft's latest security issue.

Microsoft's security response team has launched an investigation into reports of a zero-day attack against a previously unknown vulnerability affecting its ever-present Microsoft Word program.

The Redmond, Wash.-based software maker said it's aware of "very limited attacks" exploiting the reported Word flaw. If the vulnerability—and attack—is confirmed, the company is likely to issue a pre-patch advisory with workarounds or suggested actions or vulnerable customers.

The vulnerability was discovered during an actual live attack by anti-virus vendor Symantec. It affects multiple versions of Microsoft Word and can be used in successful code execution attacks against users of Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP.

According to an advisory from Symantec, the flaw is unrelated to the three previously known Word bugs that remain unpatched...

http://www.eweek.com...,1895,2087554,00.asp