Software

UCLA discounted software is purchased through CDW-G; use Microsoft Select licenses, not Open. To see our licenses, log in and go to "My Purchases", and lick on the links in the bottom-left.

Adobe Acrobat

You can remove the Adobe toolbar from Word/Office.

Backup and Synchronize

I've tried several programs (Handybackup, AllwaysSync, etc etc) and the latest I am fond of is SyncBackPro - there is a free version too. The Pro version is OK for use with the ~13TB of data, although it uses a bit of memory. The Pro version can also sync with an SFTP server like out share drive, which is fantastic. The tools that come with Windows (XP SyncToy or Vista Sync center) are completely useless. I have some details in a separate SyncBackPro tutorial page.

For database backup, I have found a free backup program DTM ODBC Manager, which works well. I've got instructions on testing the backup/restore sidata backup-restore.

2016-06 Disk cloning

Macrium Reflect is currently a great poduct: http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx

Browser

Firefox used to be my current favorite, especially with the "Adblock Plus" add-on, and more recently the "NoScript" security add-on. Google's Chrome, which is fast and simple, and now has extensions like adblock as well.

DTI

BioTensor
Chris Rorden
http://lbam.med.jhmi.edu/ Johns Hopkins]

MedINRIA

Email

I like Thunderbird, and a great add-on for signatures is QuickText.
The message filters are in a file "msgFilterRules.DAT" in the Application Data (XP) / AppData (Vista) folder, e.g., C:\Users\Paul\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\e1kk2o2i.default\Mail\mail.mednet.ucla.edu

If you are saving all your messages, set the automatic compacting option:

If you're having trouble with large folders, read more on compacting.

To move or backup the email, you can use MozBackup, but I found this fails with large IMAP folders. An alternative is to copy the profile link to profile backup.

To show attachment file names, use the "Attachment options" add-on (TB5).

Email Backup

I started using "IMAPSize" (Feb 2011), which backs up IMAP emails to a local folder. Seems to work. IMAPSize

Endnote

(web) If you are receiving an "Invalid Class String" error when trying to use EndNote from within MS Word on Vista: First, go to the EndNote website and check the FAQ's for this error. There's at least one FAQ on this topic with several possible solutions. If that doesn't work, shut down MS Word and EndNote. Go to the Program Files location for Endnote. Right-click on the EndNote.exe program and select "Run as Administrator", just once. Once EndNote has run at least once as an Administrator, I suspect the class information in the registry is properly updated. After this, running as the current user should be fine. I've tried this and it solved my problem when all the suggestions up on the FAQ did not work.

Graphics

Simple bit-map editing IrfanView - I use this for copying and cutting out screenshots ("Prt Scr" keyboadr button copies screenshot to clipboard). If you install the plugins, you can also view DICOM files. UCLA network as some trouble witht he file so I downloaded it from home and saved it to the share drive

Edit EXIF with EXIFTool

Inkscape is usefule for dealing with transparent patches exporting from MATLAB.

Hard Drive Recovery

I used the free Recover My Files with success.

iPod

Sync with Windows Median player: MGTEK dopisp

Mind Maps

MindManager from Mindjet; get the map link add-on.
Object model

Statistics

Power analysis can be done in more statistical packages, but GPower3 is a complete, easy to use program, especially if you have an idea about your effect size.

Surveys

I used an asp-based survey, but SurveyMonkey looks like a good option; I just completed a UCLA technology questionnaire using it.

System Admin

Acronis has produced excellent ghosting/backup software. I currently use Handybackup and SyncBackSE. I have tried AlwaysSync, a free sunchronization program, which is so-so.
copSSH or bitvise for SSH server; openSSH for key generation

Information on cloning

Various

AVI file editing, re-encoding avidemux (XviD codec is excellent encoding scheme, creating mpeg4 video files).

Codecs - see what is installed on your pc sherlock

Geotagging - GPicSync

JPEG Header editing - ExifToolGUI

Windows zip/tar/gz manager: 7-zip works really well: 7-zip web page. There is a native 64-bit version, and you get an Explorer context menu (right-click menu), which is the easiest way to run it.

Burning *.iso images to CD or DVD - ImgBurn

Mount ISO as virtual CD/DVD drive - MagicISO (don't use Daemon Tools as installs spyware)

Screen capture (inluding video)  CamStudio

Voice recording... Audacity

WIKI (this web page): ProjectForum is very easy to install.