To a software developer, tech blogger or a software reviewer, screencast can be very helpful in demonstrating a software feature or even a tutorial. No amount of words can give a better picture than an animated demonstration captured using a screencasting software.

However, for a short screencast lasting just for several seconds, it is not worth the hassle to upload it on YouTube or Blip.tv, then embed it and require viewer to click on the “Play” button. A better choice is to convert the video into an animated .gif.

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I consider myself a loyal user of Windows Live Messenger. In fact, I started it using before it is renamed from MSN Messenger. I had once tried Digsby and Pidgin, and recently once again re-try Digsby, but they are just nothing near to my liking.

Another reason is that most of my contacts are using Live Messenger as well, therefore there is no need of a multi-protocol IM for me, and that I had tweaked Live Messenger so much to my liking.

Windows Live Messenger 2009 RC 1 had been released and made available for download in mid-December 2008. These are a few of the obvious changes from WLM 8.5 to WLM 2009:

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To watch a YouTube video in high quality on YouTube website itself, it is as easy as clicking the “watch in high quality” link, provided it’s available. Even when it is not available, you can use the &fmt=18 trick, which will work on most videos.

But how do you embed a YouTube video in high quality? You can do so by using the HQ Embed Code Generator. Just paste the YouTube video ID of the video you want to embed in high quality into the input field and click “Create Code“—an embed code of high quality video will be generated.

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With TabCloser, you can close all tabs of a specific domain in just 2 clicks. After installing the Firefox add-on, there will be a ““Close all example.com tabs” option when you right-click on a tab.

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Time is running out and you have not even started a bit on your project work? Then File Destructor might be able to help.

File Destructor allows you to fake a file of any size in almost any formats, ranging from .doc to .zip, .txt to .pdf and .swf to .htm. All you have to do is to specify the file name, file size and the file format of the file you want to fake, and you will be able to download it.

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Question: I’m subscribing to a 1Mbps package from my local ISP. Why didn’t my download speed get anywhere near there?

Answer
Most ISPs quote download speed in kilobit(kb) or megabit(Mb). In contrast, download speed displayed in internet browsers or P2P programs are displayed in kilobyte(kB).

1 byte = 8 bits

Therefore, if you are subscribing to a 1Mbps (1000 Kbps) package from your local ISP, your download speed would be at 122.07 kB/s. If you’re unsure, you can use an online converter to determine your real download speed.

Now stop swearing or cursing your ISP whenever you see only 120kB/s download speed when you are subscribing to a 1Mbps package. You are indeed getting what you are subscribing for.