Earlier version of MS Office 2007 had “Save as pdf” feature, which allowed users to save Office files in pdf format. But later this feature was removed after a dispute with Adobe, the originators of pdf format.

But now “Save as pdf” feature has again been made available by Microsoft as a separate add-on for Office 2007. You can download it free at Office 2007 download center, but it requires you to validate the Genuine Microsoft Office requirement.

Remote desktop sharing is basically accessing a computer from a remote location as if you were present on the same PC. You can write, read or delete the files, run applications and even see the same screen as if you are on the host computer. Your host computer generally remains locked and nobody can see the work you are doing remotely. Such a facility is particularly useful if you, or say your salespersons, travel frequently and require data from a host computer from remote locations.

If you access Internet through a dedicated line using static IP address (i.e. your IP address remains same then you can use this tutorial), otherwise you can use any of the various remote desktop sharing programs available on Internet (I recommend CrossLoop).

You can easily do desktop sharing through your own Windows XP Professional via Internet or your local virtual private network. The remote computer must be running on Windows 95 or later Remote Desktop Connection client software installed. Windows XP has it built in.

How to do that:

On the host computer…

1. Sign in as Administrator in your host computer.
2. Go to Start > ControPanel
3. Open Windows Firewall. Click on the General tab.
4. Click on the On (Recommonded) Radio Button
5. Uncheck Don’t allow exceptions check box.
6. Click on the Exceptions tab and select the Remote Desktop check box.
7. Click OK, and close the window.
8. If your host computer and remote computer are on a Virtual Private Netwrok, follow step 8, 9 and 10, otherwise note down the actual IP used by the host on Internet and jump to step 12.
9. Now return to Control Panel as in step 1.
10. Open System > Click on the Computer Name tab.
11. Note down the full Computer Name on a piece of paper. This step is required if
12. Write down the full Computer.
13. Leave the host computer connected to Internet.

From the remote computer…

1. Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > Communications > Remote Desktop Connection.
2. In the Computer box, write the computer name (if you are on VPN) or the IP address of your host computer.
3. Enter the administrator usrname and passwords of the host computer and VOILA, you are through. The host computer is before your screen.

Recently my UPS, supplying power to my PC, gone faulty and I didn’t had a replacement, while it had gone for repair. Yesterday, while I was writing a report in MS Word, the electricity got interrupted and the file I was working on, got corrupted. When the power resumed and I started back, I was not able to access that file as it was corrupted due to sudden failure of power.

This was a new thing to me, because in my earlier PC, whenever such a thing happened, I was able to recover my corrupt file, thanks to the Autorecovery feature of MS Word. I was intrigued, why it has not happened this time.

On further exploration, I found that the autorecover feature, which is set to ON by default, was OFF in my machine. So, I decided to write a post on this so that the readers of this blog may not find themselves in a situation like me.

How to set the AutoRecover feature in Word:

• Go to Tools menu, click Options.
• Click on the Save tab.
• Check the “Save AutoRecover info every” check box.
• Set the time to 5 minutes (or any time period as per your liking)
• Click on OK, and you are through.
• 

But remember, Autorecovery function is not a replacement of Save function. For that you have to use the usual procedure, or Ctrl+S.

Most of us are aware of the OpenOffice.org, which is open source software and a free alternative to the ubiquitous Microsoft Office. I have had used it and found it to be a useful deterrent against the Microsoft hegemony.

OxygenOffice Professional is an enhanced version of OpenOffice.org, which contains many extra features, templates, cliparts, samples, fonts and VBA support.

• They have just announced the latest version, which is 2.3.0.
• More than 3,400 graphics have been included, both in the form of clip art and photos.
• Several new and stylich templates and sample documents have been integrated.
• More than 90 new fonts are bundled.
• OOoWikipedia, a new feature for searching the free on-line encyclopedia Wikipedia.
• The help menu has been upgraded with more entries.

I don’t know why Microsoft is able to enjoy so much monopolistic powers, when such a features rich suite is availale free.

Many messaging services today use SSL, the secured Service language, so as to protect the privacy of your messages. But still, most of them are prone to be easily tapped by simple web tools, which are freely available on the Internet. You messages are specially risky to be sent at the Wi Fi Hotspots.

Here enters Lockbin, a special and free web tool, which promises to deliver your message to its recipient with total secrecy.

How does it work:

You have to go to their website, write the message which you want to send and provide a code word with which the message is encrypted. Like an online financial transaction service, Lockbin uses HTTPS / SSL / Secure Sockets to communicate between browser and server.

Then it sends an email to the recipient as declaerd by you, which contains a link to the encrypted message. The recipient can click on the link and decrypt the message with the same code word, with which it was encrypted by you. Now, it is upto you to how you send that code word to the recipient. For that, you can use a telephone call, or IM, or chat or for that matter, another email.

It basically encrypts your message with a code words supplied by you and sends an email to the recipient along with a link to retrieve the message. However, the recipient can read the message only if he enters the code word, with which you had encrypted the message. Now it is upto you how you send the code word to the recipient, it can be through IM, chat, email or phone.

Simple, but still a powerful application.

FileZilla is arguably the most popular FTP program in use today. It is safe, versatile and quick with easy user interface.

But you have to download it and run as a separate application. It is sometimes irritating to open another application, while surfing through your browser.

Now, firefox users can FTP files from their browser window itself. You just have to download FireFTP, a firefox addon, and install it. After installation, you can drag teh FireFTP icon to your toolbar. Whenever you need to do FTP, just click this icon, a separate tab will open, where you can transfer your files. You can choose to operate in Binary Mode, ASCII Mode or Automatic Mode.

The interface is very similar to FileZilla with easy drag and drop facility available.

Many of the websites require registration before you can use see the contents. During this registration process, you have to think of username, a password and give your email address, to which they send a confirmation link.

This whole process is time consuming sometimes very irritating and is prone to spamming. Many times, this process is useless also because many users not only give fake geographical information but also use dummy email addresses just for the registration purpose.

Here enters BugMeNot.

It is a website, which allows you to access a huge database of login and passwords maintained by them. You can use these for accessing he content of such sites for free. For this purpose you have to visit the site BugMeNot.com and enter the link where you are being asked to get registered. They will provide you the username and password.

But it is again troublesome to find time to visit this site.

So, here comes their bookmarklet.

It just sits in your browser’s bookmark toolbar. and you just have to click it from the same page, where you are being asked to get registered.

Now, this is simple, and useful. Isn’t it.