Demystify Cookies With IECookiesView

If you want to get more information about the cookies used by Internet Explorer on your PC, give IECookiesView a try. This small, simple, free utility shows you details about every IE-related cookie, and gives you a variety of tools for better managing them.

The program lists every cookie, and shows you each cookie's values. You can sort the cookies, delete cookies you don't want, and even find individual cookies by search for a Web site in the program. It will then list all the cookies associated with that site.

If you know a great deal about cookies, you can even edit them. True, few people know what values to change, but if you're one of those, you'll appreciate this program.

 

Source: Pcworld

Find Duplicate Songs

There are plenty of good programs for finding duplicate files--based on file name, size, and checksums--but finding duplicate songs can be trickier. After all, if you have the same recording in .mp3 and .m4a formats, you've got duplicate songs that are not duplicate files.

So you need to search by metadata--the extra information that defines the contents of a file. Specifically, you need a program that can matches songs with the same title and by the same artist (because Smash Mouth's "I'm a Believer" is not a duplicate of the Monkees' original.)

You'll also have to remember that no list of duplicate songs generated by software will be perfect. A program may not realize that Beatles and The Beatles are the same group. Nor can it always differentiate between the original studio recording and the live concert version. (I've known Dead Heads with probably ten versions of "Brokedown Palace.")

But the right program can give you reasonably accurate lists to work through. Here are three I can recommend:

iTunes: Well, no, I wouldn't recommend you download and install iTunes just for this purpose, but if you're already using it, you've got a pretty good search tool. Just select File • Show Duplicates. If you have the same song as an .mp3 and a .m4a, iTunes will list both, but it won't find any .wma versions.

Duplicate Cleaner: This free duplicate finder from DigitalVolcano has some worthwhile musical features. Once you've pointed it to your music folder, select the Music Search option. Underneath that, I recommend you check Artist and Title and uncheck Album, then click Go. But there's a serious flaw: Duplicate Cleaner doesn't consider songs duplicate if they're in different formats. In my tests, a .wma and an .mp3 of the same song didn't turn up together.

Abee MP3 Duplicate Finder: If you're willing to shell out $20, and all of your music is in .mp3, .wma, and/or .ogg files, this is your best choice (or at least the best one I know of). Abee lets you search for duplicates or "similar files," and with the later option, you get some very smart choices. You can control the degree of Artist and Title similarity (that Beatles vs. The Beatles issue) and set how much of a time difference is allowed. Once it gives you list of likely duplicates, it offers plenty of options for playing, deleting, or moving the files. (Click the image for a closer look).

 

Source : Pcworld

Delete the Contents of a Folder Without Even Opening It

Delete the Contents of a Folder Without Even Opening It

Okay, but what if you want a quick and easy way to clear out a folder while leaving the folder itself intact?

Sure, you can open the folder, tap Ctrl-A to "select all" files, and then hit the Delete key. But for fans of right-click context menus (you know who you are), there's another way. By making a simple change to the Windows Registry, you can add a function called Delete Folder Contents. It's great for those times when you want to empty a folder without trashing the folder itself--and without even opening it first.

One word of caution: Any time you monkey with the Registry, there's a risk of messing up Windows. It's a tiny risk, and I've performed this hack myself with no problems to report, but I just wanted you to be aware.

Here's the process:

1. Click Start, type regedit in the search box, and then hit Enter.

2. In Regedit, go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell

3. Right-click on shell, choose New, Key, and name it Delete Folder Contents.

4. Right-click on the new Delete Folder Contents key, choose New, Key, and name it command.

5. In the right pane, double-click on the Default string value, and then copy/paste this text: cmd /c "cd /d %1 && del /s /q *.*

6. Click OK, exit the Registry, and you're good to go.

Now you can right-click on any folder (without actually opening it first) and you should see the new Delete Folder Contents option.

 

Source: Pcworld