7-zip

7-Zip is a open source file archiver/dearchiver predominantly for the Windows operating system. It also features integration with the Windows shell environment. The 7-Zip program supports a variety of archive formats (.zip,.rar,.cab......) , the default being its own 7z format. By default, the program creates 7z archives, with file extension .7z, using the LZMA algorithm for compression. Both the file format and 7-Zip's implementation are publicly available under the GNU LGPL licence. 7-Zip supports a number of other compression (and non-compression) archive formats. On the whole, a very good archiver that is extremely useful for desktop users.

Social Networking Sites

Orkut and its cousins Meetup, Friendster, LinkedIn and Ryze are social networking sites. Social networking sites focus on making connections, whether they be of a business, friendship or romantic nature.
Especially since being acquired by Google, orkut has been making a lot of waves. I have recently joined Orkut myself and found it a great way to meet old friends.
Warning : Everyone , especially women should be careful with what information they leave on the sites.

Looking for Source Code ????

Don't we all love to get our hands at the source code of all those programs? For Sample Code, API and Tutorials , here are a few links to look at :

• Sourceforge - The best site to find open source programs.
• Koders - Source Code Search Engine.
• Codase - Another Source Code Search Engine.
• Code Archive - Source Code Archive
• Source Code Planet - Lots of Source Code

Copy & Paste !!

The best browser - Firefox

Firefox is without doubt the most secure, stable and functional browser available today. Firefox blocks viruses, spyware, and popup ads. The setup file is only 5MB and can be easily setup.

Firefox was downloaded 5 million times in a fortnight and received reviews such as "The browser is an absolute joy to use — smart, fast and very user-friendly. Once you try Firefox you'll wonder why anyone uses any other web browser." from Wired Magazine.

I love the tabbed browsing feature that it offers. I invite you to read about this and other features and try out this excellent piece of software for yourself. Version 1.5 is now available for download. Go get it !!!

Top Search Engines

Search engines for the general web do not really search the internet directly. It searches a database of the full text of the web pages .

Search engine databases are selected and built by computer programs called spiders which find the pages for potential inclusion by following the links in the pages they already have in their database. People can also submit links to search engines.

Google (Google India) has the largest database and is the best search engine. However Google may not always get you your results. Use these :

• AllTheWeb
• Teoma (Now Ask.com)
  
• Yahoo! Search

or meta-search engines (engines that get results from other search engines) like

• Dogpile
  
• Clusty.

Pages that are excluded from search engines are referred to as the "Invisible Web" -- what you don't see in search engine results. The Invisible Web is estimated to be two to three or more times bigger than the visible web!!!

The first links

Let's start with doing a bit of good.

• Bhookh.com : A website which donates a cup of food to hungry children in India courtesy a single click!!! What are you thinking ... go and click on that button !!!
  



• Indianblooddonors.com is a Wireless (SMS) and Email based alert System for voluntary blood donors.



• CRY - Child Relief and You, a premier Indian Child Rights organisation which attempts to provide poor children food, clothing, shelter, and education.
  

Welcome

'NeonOrbit' was a small startup software company that my friends and I had founded back in 2002. We ended up shutting down as we all moved on with our lives. That's where the name of this blog comes from.
I am starting this blog in an attempt to entertain as well as inform readers. The internet is a huge minefield of information. I will attempt to find cool stuff. Nothing personal , just the best links from around the web.
I am a software engineer located in Pune and I am expecting people of a similar profile mostly to read this blog.
I hope more people will join and make this blog a success !!!