Computer to Computer

I thought I'd share some sites and programs used for accessing a computer without being at the computer (cryptic, huh?).

ShowMyPC: Greatest remote assistance tool since sliced bread, if sliced bread did that sort of thing. Simply download and run a small executable, click a button, and provide an automatically generated number. Now the other person (the person you trust to fix your computer) can enter the number and remote control your computer. It's free and it works. Wow. Oh yeah, they just added a feature where you can share files over the 'net. Double wow.

Edit: ShowMyPC now has a Windows service that can be installed to connect to your remote home or work PC, also free. Triple wow!

SkyFex: This is sorta like the above site, but no download. Just load the plugin for Internet Explorer and provide the code to the person helping. If you're the one that's going to be helping, you can create a free account. You can only watch the person's screen for thirty minutes and control the computer for five, so it's not as useful, but it's there as a backup.

LogMeIn: Use two computers, one at work or home, and one on the road? You can use LogMeIn to access them remotely as if you're actually there. Just install the software and set it up. Keep in mind that it does require an always-on internet connection. It doesn't connect with magic, you know. Useful for looking at an important document you forgot to put on your USB drive or as a VPN connection (access your other network resources remotely).

MojoPac: Ever wanted to take your computer to a friend's house, but it's too freakin' heavy? Or how about trying to run programs from a USB drive, but they have to be installed to work? Answer: MojoPac. It's like a virtual PC you take with you. I'm very tempted to install some games, Outlook, and some cool software to take with me for use in the myriad of computers I use everyday (I do fix computers for a meager living).

Mozy: Sort of like being at your computer. With Mozy (free edition), you install a program, set it up, and it backs up your files online. EVERYONE USE MOZY NOW. They give you 2GB of free space. If you've ever had your computer crash (or stolen), you know how it feels to lose everything. The best part of it is that it works automatically. Everyone knows to keep a copy, but no one does it because of the hassle. And if that day does come when you lose everything, install Mozy again or login to the site to restore all those files. This should be the one thing you check out, if nothing else.

Woot's Awesome 30-Day Shipping Policy

So after lurking on Woot.com, one of the most popular deal-a-day sites, for awhile, I decided to buy something. Well, what address to send it to? My PO Box, of course. I mean, I move so often, why keep updating my mailing address when I check it every few days. My only frustration is getting packages there, since it's not actually owned by me, but by the USPS. But alas, Woot sends to PO Boxes! They say so right in the address form!

That's when things went horribly wrong. First, they delayed shipping it out for a few weeks. I want my new TV tuner! The day finally comes for arrival. I'd been checking the tracking number every day. But hmm... they shipped it out using FedEx. FedEx doesn't deliver to PO Boxes. Why would Woot be so silly and do that? I called FedEx to change the address to my work one, but only the sender could do that. So I emailed Woot (absolutely NO phone support), but they didn't respond for a day. When they did, they said they'd redirect it.

Then I find a postcard from FedEx in my box a couple days later. They're holding it, so I can just pick it up! Yay! The only catch is that they close at six, I get off of work at five, and they're all the way out in downtown Tampa (rush hour!). My brother and I speed all the way out there, detour around an accident right before the final turn, and pull into the FedEx building (well, in front of and then walk in). "Uhh, yeah, you need to go to our other FedEx building with the warehouse full of trucks down the road." Well, we get there late, but they nice lady at the checkpoint station says they really stay open until eight.

"Umm, yeah... let my get my hands on your physical package (lol, shipment)." We wait, and wait, and wait, only to find out that they sent my package back to the shipper because the shipper didn't update the address. Maybe they did. Who knows. But they did give me that elusive Woot phone number to call! Too bad they whole thing is automated and hung up on me. So I went through their directory and got connected to who might have actually sent the package. "Oh, the support people already left for the day, but copy me on your next email and I'll make sure we get this straightened out."

Come to find out, Woot only uses FedEx. If the package has to, it gets handed handed off to the USPS location nearest to you for the last leg of the delivery. They call it SmartPost. Too bad they didn't use it. And apparently, Woot only uses SmartPost for certain orders, mostly smaller and lighter packages. So, why the hell don't they explain that on the address input page?!

My packages goes back to its home in TX. Bye bye! The outcome of another flurry of emails to Woot: they'll send it back out once they get it. A week goes by, and Rob is very sad. But a few days later, it arrives!

The whole experience kinda put me off to ordering things online. I won't even talk about the fiascoes with my textbooks for class, my replacement MP3 player, and a string of shitty, broken USB drives, plus problems not in recent memory. So, if you'd like a headache and would like to receive your packages a month after ordering, Woot is the place to go.

Email Rules!

I use email everyday for work and home use, so I thought I'd post on some email related sites.

GishPuppy: Hate spam? Who doesn't. This is probably the coolest site I've found in awhile. What you do is when you go to enter your email address to signup for something online, don't. Go to GishPuppy (I have a JavaScript bookmark setup in my browser), register a new email forward, and paste it into the field on the signup page. Tada! One minor downside is that many sites have replaced usernames with your email address, so try to make your keywords easy to remember and remember that random 3-digit string they add to the address. Or just click on your GishPuppy link to scan through your registered forwarders. I love GishPuppy!

2Prong: When you just need that confirmation email for signups and nothing after that, try 2Prong. The domain (@whatever.com) changes weekly so there's a much smaller chance of having your email address rejected (like Mailinator), plus it automatically scans for new emails, so no need to keep refreshing the page. You can even create a custom string before the @ or just get it randomly. The best site for what it does.

Edit: No longer available.

HideLinks: I haven't used it yet (besides testing), but this site seems pretty cool. Just enter the URL you want to go to (or have others go to) and add a password. It give you a new address and hides the destination. Possibly useful for preventing unwanted access to your bookmarks or giving out to certain friends (Blogs, porn, whatever). Just a shame that it shows the actual URL after you put in the password, so anyone can save the address from there.

KickNotes: Create a message here and email the link. You can set how many times it can be viewed or for how long. Interesting.

Oh, and use Gmail. It's free, gives you lots of space, and who knows what other Google feature you'll want to use with the account.