Facebook is getting a bit of a face-lift, the social network announced Thursday. The big news this time around involves the “news feed” system of profile updates. Instead of having to wait for an “activity stream” to update the profile list, users will now be able to see both site and status changes as they happen. Users will also be able to update the streams to suit their personal tastes. The new update system is the latest in a series of changes designed to give the company an edge in a rather competitive marketplace. The new changes are expected to go live March 11th.

In other social networking news, MySpace fans now have a credit card to call their own. The specially branded Visa card is the latest in a line of incentive-based card, designed to give users “points” for every dollar they spend. Said points could then be redeemed for a variety of rewards, from movie tickets to music downloads. Not everyone is thrilled with the move, however. Many within the financial sector question the logic of marketing a high-APR credit card to college students, many of whom are already dealing with student loans and other collegiate-related debt. Those in the tech industry also have their doubts, saying that the network officials should be focusing more on containing the runaway freight train that is Facebook than giving a twenty year old a line of credit that he or she may not need. The new MySpace Visa is available now.

Elsewhere, many Twitter users believe that they have found the culprits behind the service’s latest crash … and it’s not who you think it is. As far as these users are concerned, the latest round of problems can be blamed upon two distinct entities — respected journalist and talk show host Barbara Walters and Skittles manufacturer M&M/Mars. The story goes like this: Last Monday, Ms. Walters mentioned Twitter by name on her popular daytime program The View. At the same time, M&M/Mars decided that it would be a good idea to replace Skittles web page with a link to a Twitter Search results page for the keyword “Skittles.” According to the conspiracy theorists, the usage spike caused by fan of both The View and the fruit-flavored candy essentially overloaded the servers, causing them to literally cave under the pressure. Unfortunately, the real-life answer is a bit more mundane. In an email sent to tech site ArsTechnica, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone says the outage was nothing more than a routine server error. “Casual on-air mentions do not affect the site nearly as much as [major global events],” he writes. “[The two incidents had] nothing to do with the site degradation experienced earlier this week.”

Next: It seems as if the so-called “green” movement is trying to get a top-level domain of their very own. Spearheaded by Al Gore and a company called “Dot Eco LLC,” the proposed “.eco” TLD would be billed as the premiere domain for all environmentalists, global warming activists, and everyone else who claims to be Mother Nature’s biggest fan. All proceeds generated from the new TLD would go to a bevy of environmentally-friendly and socially conscious charities. Still, not everyone is on board with the idea of creating the world’s greenest suffix. “I’m [writing off] this .eco top level domain right now,” writes TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington. “Not because it’s global warming/eco related… I just don’t think the world needs another top level domain.”

And finally: Every great scribe has a bout with writer’s block every now and again. Each one of us has had his or her own way of dealing with it, usually with mixed results. (My method entails pacing around nervously, scaring the cats.) If you’re in the mood for a modern, distinctly “web 2.0″ solution to your problem, we here at the Free Line suggest giving Plinky a once over. Plinky is a new social network that gives you a list of helpful little “conversation starters,” all designed to get your mind up and running on all cylinders. After you finally have your stroke of genius, you can post it directly on their site, sharing your new idea with the world. The service is also compatible with all of the major blogging platforms, making it simple to get that extra dose of inspiration without ever breaking your concentration. Easy to use and extremely helpful, Plinky is an excellent way to get past what ails you. Your readers — and, if you’re like me, your cats — will thank you.

The folks at Facebook are expanding their ad count. The popular social network and current “it” trend has added specialized advertisements to the “Pages” section of its site. Like the other Facebook ads, the new ads are designed to be completely unobtrusive and more importantly, fit the user’s tastes. “One of our goals at Facebook is to be sure our advertisers can reach the right audience anywhere on the site,” writes the Facebook team on their official blog. “We thought it was important to expand the opportunities for your ads to be shown across another popular section of the site.” The new ads are up and running now.

In other news, Google CEO Eric Schmidt has a few interesting things to say about Twitter. Speaking at the Morgan Stanley Tech Conference Tuesday, Schmidt says he sees Twitter as “sort of [a] poor man’s email system.” He also questions the microblogging service’s ability to grow and change with the times. “To me, the question about companies like Twitter is: Do they fundamentally evolve as sort of a note phenomenon, or do they fundamentally evolve to have… all the [tools] that traditional email systems have?” Doubts aside, he still feels that the base Twitter idea is a solid one. Says Schmidt: “Twitter’s success is wonderful, and I think it shows you that there are many, many new ways to reach and communicate, especially if you are willing to do so publicly.”

Elsewhere, YouTube has found themselves in a bit of a pickle. Each week, millions of videos are watched by millions of users. And yet, the handy little tools and gadgets that accompany these videos are cast aside by the public. This is where the new “Adopt-a-Feature” promotion comes in. Similar to the famed “Adopt-a-Highway” program found on many of America’s roadways, Adopt-a-Feature connects caring users with features that would have otherwise been ignored. The process is simple: all you have to do is pick a topic, make a video based on said topic, and send it in. If your video is chosen, it will be featured prominently in the YouTube Help Center for all to see. Only together can we make sure that these features get the respect that they so richly deserve. Deadlines for the videos are March 17^th.

 Next: Everyone has at least one application that they simply cannot live without. You know everything about your favorite app, from its quirks to its special features and everything in between. There comes a time, however, when you have to leave your digital friend behind. After all, just taking it with you to school or business functions isn’t possible … right? It is now, and it’s all thanks to Xenocode. Xenocode is an interesting new service that allows you to access versions directly from their site. All of the major players are available, from the usual suspects (Firefox, Opera) to programs that would normally be ignored by a service like this (Internet Explorer). Xenocode also lets you load the program directly to a flash drive, allowing you to essentially ignore “pointless” little things like installation and OS-related slowdowns. While Xenocode is an extremely handy service, don’t expect the experience to be perfect. Newest version of the software in question is usually not available, and the actual program speed is sometimes dictated by the speed of your flash drive or Internet connection. Minor foibles aside, Xenocode is a great way to bring your favorite programs with you where ever you go.

And finally: From Nintendo DSes that are programmed to run Linux to GPS devices that can run the classic computer game Doom, we’ve seen our fair share of technological ingenuity come down the pike. It all fairness, however, this one easily takes the proverbial cake. Thanks to a team of hobbyists that call themselves “Apple on iPhone,” Apple’s System 7 operating system is now supported by the iPhone. The OS has all of the features that Mac users have grown to love over the years, including support for file sharing, the first appearance of Quicktime, and MacDraw. While a good portion of the work is finished, those who want to turn their $300 phone into a nearly twenty-year-old Macintosh will have to wait a bit longer. “We hope to be launching the code soon, but we are wanting to complete something before fully releasing stuff,” writes the team. The actual launch is unknown at this time.

 The short battle between Amazon and the Authors Guild over the text-to-speech feature found in the Kindle 2 has finally come to an end. In a statement, the world-famous bookseller announced that control over the feature has been handed over to the publishing houses. By transferring power to an outside source, Amazon not only successfully avoids a lawsuit, but allows both the union and the publishers to have more control over the published work. As we have previously reported, the Authors Guild aren’t exactly fans of the new tool, claiming that it essentially allows users to “steal” the audio book. Many within the tech industry question the union’s position, calling it “petty” and “not thought out.” The National Federation for the Blind has also spoken out against the Guild, saying that their position is “shameful” and “harmful to blind people.”

Elsewhere, it seems as if someone from Microsoft has contracted a bad case of “loose lips.” On Twitter over the weekend, Microsoft search guru Barney Pell casually mentioned that he “played… with Live search upcoming (to be rebranded) launch pre-beta (sic).” Needless to say, this admission caused the industry to stand up and take notice and caused Microsoft to pull some emergency damage control. Aside from deleting the “rogue” Tweet, the folks at Redmond have completely ignored the incident. As of now, there is still no time table for when the change will happen.

In other news, Flock, a former Free Line favorite that attempts to combine social networking and web browsing, is switching allegiances. The company has officially announced that they are dumping the Mozilla code the browser is currently based upon for that of Google Chrome. While the actual reason for the change is unknown, many speculate that it is due to the unwillingness of the Mozilla community to embrace newer protocols and tools. While the switchover to Chrome is coming, don’t expect for it to happen overnight. Due to the nature of browser development, many feel that Flock will be dependent upon at least some of Mozilla’s code for the foreseeable future.

Next: Hulu fans have yet another place to go to get their video fix — Dailymotion. “Dailymotion is delighted to partner with Hulu,“  Dailymotion General Manager Joy Marcus said in a statement. “We’re confident that our audience will benefit not only from the addition of such an impressive line-up of content, but also from the premium entertainment experience offered by Dailymotion’s advanced technology.” Those close to the deal are surprised that it even happened at all. The folks at Hulu aren’t exactly making any friends at the moment, and the France-based Dailymotion isn’t necessarily a known entity in the US. That being said, officials are hopeful that the deal will help to both improve a reputation and raise a profile, respectively. As always, the Hulu/Dailymotion partnership is a US-only venture.

And finally: Like most people, we here at the Free Line have a well-known “love/hate” relationship with ZIP files. When it comes to storing pictures or packing programs, the ZIP file type is a godsend. When it comes to loading a printer driver, on the other hand … well, let’s just say that that is when the good tidings end. After all, nothing says “fun” like spending twenty minutes loading a gigantic file when all you need is one or two components. Luckily for us, there’s WobZIP. WobZIP is a handy little web app that actually opens a ZIP file before it ever loads. Once the file is open, the user can pick and choose the pieces that he or she needs. The result is a clean download of files that you actually want. Easy to operate and indispensable in certain situations, WobZIP takes the “hate” out of the love/hate relationship mentioned above.

All of us need a word processor every now and again. It’s a fact of life. Now, when most people hear the words “word processor,” one name immediately comes to mind — Microsoft Word. There’s only one problem with that: Word costs money. Buying a $250+ software package just to get one program really doesn’t make sense in this day and age. Loading that twelve year-old version of Word that you have hidden in your sock drawer or digging out that ancient copy of WordPerfect 6.1 your business partner copied for you on floppy disk isn’t much better. Simply put, you’re stuck.

This is where we come in. On today’s episode of Showdown, guest beta-tester Angela Smedley and I take a look at the six latest and greatest word processing programs out there. All of these programs were tested on a system running the Windows 7 beta. Like the last time, each program was tested for ease of use, learning curve, and overall experience. With that said, here we go:

App #1: OpenOffice.Org Writer (Novell Version)
Type: Download
Site: http://download.novell.com/Download?buildid=Gf6kpM5liDs~
Programmer: OpenOffice Team/Novell
Backstory: A few years back, Novell and Microsoft signed a “patent agreement” which allowed the two companies to trade technologies and ideas back and forth without risking a lawsuit. The agreement annoyed many Free Software fans, who felt that Novell was essentially making a deal with the devil. Many of those users said that they would boycott the Novell-funded OpenOffice.org project if any of the Microsoft tools were used. In an effort to make nice with its critics, Novell split the software package in half. OpenOffice.org would comply completely with the GNU Public License, while the newly formed “Novell Edition” would include all of the bells and whistles given to them by Redmond. Since the ability to access the .docx file type is becoming more and more important, we have chosen to take a look at the Novell version of the program.
First Impression: “It’s taking forever to load.”
Learning Curve: None
Ease of Use (Out of 10): 7
Overall Rating (Out of 10): 7
Notes: It takes a while to download from the Novell site, which can get frustrating if you need the software suite “right now.” As far as the actual program goes, it has a lot of the “visual appeal” of Word 2003. Aside from a few “Microsoft-approved” tools and file extensions, there really isn’t that much of a difference between this version and the “regular” OpenOffice release. Unless these tools matter to you, it’s probably best to stick to the more mainstream, GNU-friendly edition.

App #2: AbiWord

Type: Download
Site: http://www.abisource.com/
Programmer: SourceGear Corporation
First Impression:  “Very clean.”
Learning Curve: None
Ease of Use: 9; Extremely easy to install and use
Overall Rating: 8; Nothing fancy, but has a small footprint.
Notes: It has everything a “normal person” would use from Word. The spell check is still less than great, but it’s much better than it used to be. OpenOffice .odt and Microsoft OpenXML file types are only usable after loading the available plugin. The new .docx file format is not compatible at all. The program looks big on a large monitor, and resizing things can be a bit tricky. While it isn’t necessarily “bad,” there really isn’t anything that stands out.

App #3: Lotus Symphony

Type: Download
Site: http://symphony.lotus.com/software/lotus/symphony/home.nsf/home
Programmer: IBM/Lotus Software (Based upon OpenOffice.org)
Backstory: This suite was designed to be the “perfect hybrid” of OpenOffice and the Lotus family of productivity software.
First Impression: “Pretty.”
Learning Curve: Slightly difficult, mainly due to how the file menu is arranged.
Ease of Use: 7
Overall Rating: 9; “I might keep this one and uninstall OpenOffice. I like it that much.”
Notes: The Java downloading service is a nice idea, but doesn’t work properly. Although it’s a pain to load, it’s definitely worth the wait. It has a style all its own — a welcome change from the button-down appearance that most word processors seem to have. All of the text-related options (fonts, size, etc) are located in a pane on the right hand of the screen, making the ability to make on-the-fly changes child’s play. A simple but extremely useful web browser is also included. No .docx support, but it does take some really, really old Lotus file types.

App #4: Adobe Buzzword

Type: Online
Site: https://buzzword.acrobat.com/#o
Programmer: Adobe
First Impression: “I like that I can get on and just start typing.”
Learning Curve: Small due to the Flash-based nature of the program.
Ease of Use: 7
Overall Rating: 8
Notes: The antithesis of Photoshop Express. It’s easy on the eyes and doesn’t make our collective heads hurt. The ability to share with others is a plus as well. It supports all of the mainstream formats, including .docx, PDF, .odt, and zipped HMTL. Since it runs in Flash, a right-click will bring up a Flash menu. While it isn’t a big deal, it can be slightly annoying to anyone who uses the “right-click context menu” found in most word processors.

App #5: Google Docs

Type: Online
Site: http://docs.google.com/#
Programmer: Google
First Impression: “Easy to access, provided that you have a Google account.”
Learning Curve: None
Ease of Use: 9
Overall Rating: 9
Notes: It’s like Buzzword, only without Buzzword’s sense of style. Unlike the other “sign in” programs, getting into Google Docs is easy — just enter your Gmail name and off you go. It takes a variety of files, but nothing really cutting edge. Docs also gives you the ability to start a document via email, which is nice for those who want to get things done quickly.

App #6: SoftMarker Office

Type: Download
Site: http://www.softmakeroffice.com/
Programmer: SoftMaker Software
Backstory: The folks at SoftMaker are fans of the Free Line concept: Get them hooked on the older, “free” version, then get them to buy the newer one.
First Impression: “Looks kind of like AbiWord.”
Learning Curve: None
Ease of Use: 8
Overall Rating: 8.5; “It makes me want to take a look at the new version.”
Notes: Ahead of its time, both visually and otherwise. TextMaker has the unique ability to create a database — great for anyone who doesn’t want to learn how to use another program. On the downside, the sheer fact that it’s older software means that many of the new formats aren’t supported. TextMaker rivals OpenOffice in many ways, which is really something when you consider that it’s a nearly five year old program.

And the Winners Are: Without question, Lotus Symphony and Google Docs. An honorable mention goes to SoftMaker, who somehow turned the idea of “free software” into a rather ingenious marketing scheme.

Final Thoughts: Some of you are no doubt wondering why KWord and Zoho Writer were left off of this list. Simply put, neither would run on our test system. KWord is still dependent upon the KDE for Windows, a software package that isn’t exactly “user friendly.” Zoho Writer, on the other hand, had a few problems with our testing environment and refused to load. As soon as these programs become compatible with Windows 7, we will give them the review they so richly deserve.

When it comes down to it, all of these programs are worth checking out. While Lotus Symphony and Google Docs were our favorites, it doesn’t mean that the others were “bad.” Each program brought something special to the table. If it appeals to you, try it.You might find something that you like. And if your favorite wasn’t covered today, tell us. We’re always interested in hearing what our readers have to say.

 Google has started to add advertisements to its news search engine. According to published reports, the new advertisements only appear when the conditions are right. A search for Apple, for example, received one ad, while Facebook results appeared ad-free. Many within the industry say that the ads, which are nothing more than a small AdWords box on the right hand side of the screen, were a long time in coming. “Google needs more ads,” says tech industry blog Network World. “[A]dding more screen real estate probably seems like a logical way to do that.”

 Moving more towards the “social” end of things, Digg is planning to broaden its horizons a bit. The undisputed king of the social news frontier has secretly been working on a toolbar that would bring several different social tools together into one easy-to-use package. In addition to the traditional “Digg it/Bury it” function that users have grown to love, the toolbar allows users to perform StumbleUpon-esque “random moves” with ease. It also shortens each web address to its bare minimum, similar to TinyURL. The actual release date for the Digg toolbar, as well as the reaction of its competition, is unknown at this time.

 Elsewhere, Box.net has released something special to go along with its file storage service — a word processor. Called Web Documents, the new web app allows users to create and edit a variety of documents without ever having to leave the comfy confines of Box.net. Thanks to a variety of partnerships and licensing deals, bringing your newly minted files to the likes of Twitter and Picnik is an incredibly simple thing to do. The only real drawback the service has lies within the service itself. Despite its big aspirations, Web Documents seems better suited for “lighter” work, such as note taking or a quick edit job. Still, once you can get past its shortcomings, Web Documents is a nice service to have on hand. The Web Document service is available now for all Box.net users.

 As you have probably guessed, there is no new edition of Browser Extension Friday this week. Still, that doesn’t mean that the world of web browsers are taking a holiday from the Free Line. According to a few reliable sources, a secret options menu has been discovered in the beta for Safari 4. The hidden menu activates a ton of interesting options, including the ability to reactivate the famous “status bar in the URL bar,” move the page tabs to the top of the screen, and turn off Google Suggest. Sadly, since these options involve doing a little bit of editing in the Terminal prompt, Windows users are unable to work with these changes at this time.

 And to finish out the week, allow us to present you with something a bit different. As most of your know, a big component to success is creativity. With that, we bring in the proverbial “Exhibit A” — Pizzashare. Pizzashare is a new social service that uses Google Maps to show you where the pies in town reside. In addition to its map capabilities, the service allows you to vote for your favorites. Next to the contact number and address sits a share button. If you’re a fan of the parlor in question, hit it. The more votes (”shares”) it gets, the bigger the on-screen bubble gets. An interesting combination of originality, GPS, and pepperoni, Pizzashare is great for the times when all you want is that perfect slice of pizza.

 The Authors Guild is still having problems with the Kindle’s new text-to-voice feature. As you may remember, Guild Executive Director Paul Aiken has recently questioned the legality of the feature, saying that it effectively lets a user “steal” an audio book. In an op-ed piece in the New York Times, Guild President Roy Blount, Jr. says that he supports Aiken’s view on the matter, claiming the situation is bigger than most people realize. “[P]eople who want to keep on doing creative things for a living must be duly vigilant about any new means of transmitting their work,” writes Blount. “What the guild is asserting is that authors have a right to a fair share of the value that audio adds to Kindle 2’s version of books.” Blount is quick to point out, however, that the Kindle complaints have nothing to do with non-commercial “live readings” and text-to-speech services for the blind. “For the record: no, the Authors Guild does not expect royalties from anybody doing non-commercial performances of ‘Goodnight Moon.’ If parents want to send their children off to bed with the voice of Kindle 2, however, it’s another matter.”

In other news, Microsoft has announced that it will be rolling out yet another “experimental” search engine in the next few weeks. Seen by many as the successor to URank, the new Viveri system will once again use cutting edge ideas to get the best results possible. Unlike URank, which relied on a variety of social media tricks to attract users, Viveri is focused on how the information is delivered. The engine is built upon Silverlight, Microsoft’s new Flash competitor. Once a search is performed, two columns appear — one with the traditional results, and one with small “previews” of the sites in question. Microsoft hopes to have Viveri up and running by the summer.

Elsewhere, Intel seems to be taking an interest in Facebook. The processor giant has announced that they will be sponsoring a handful of projects in the Developer’s Garage, the “beta center” of the Facebook universe. The deal is just the latest chapter in the Facebook/Intel mutual admiration society. A few months back, the Facebook team announced that they plan on adding a fleet of brand-new Intel servers to their operations. Intel responded by creating a specialized Facebook app that allows employees to give gifts to one an other. The first meeting of the new, Intel-friendly Developer’s Garage will meet March 5th in Ireland.

Moving to the realm of microblogging for a moment, we have Ginx. Ginx is designed to be the “Sunday morning talk show” of the Twitter world, with facts, opinion, and spin flying around with reckless abandon. Each Ginx topic (or “room,” if you will) features a panel of experts that live and breathe the topic at hand. When the user decides to join the group, they immediately gain access to every post those experts have ever written, no matter if it’s on-topic or not. The logic behind this is that it allows the user to view the panel as real people, rather than as a group of one-dimensional know-it-alls. There are currently eleven topics available, ranging from topical (China) to specialized (the state politics of Arizona) to the just plain weird (fly-fishing). Interesting to use and fun to read, Ginx is perfect for all of those who feel that the news of the day can be boiled down to 140 characters. Ginx is available now for those lucky enough to have Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket an invitation code.

And finally: We here at the Free Line present you with the enigma that is Google Shared Stuff. It’s a Google service, but no one has actually heard of it. It’s been open to the public since September 2007, yet it barely registers in search results. When it came time to close the little service, no one mourned the loss … mainly because no one has heard of it. But thanks to our research staff, we have solved the mystery of the lost service. Shared Stuff was designed to be Google’s answer to Delicious — a place where you could share links, pictures, and even YouTube videos. Unfortunately, it was never “officially” launched thanks to a lack of focus, a few ill-timed security flaws, and the dreaded “experimental” tag. It had a few die-hard fans, but other than that, it never really “went” anywhere. Even the usually ignored Google Lively had more of an impact. At press time, Shared Stuff will be completely deactivated March 21st.

 According to the world of television and movies, everyone has their very own copy of Photoshop. Need to edit that picture for your website? Use Photoshop. Need to scan an image? Use Photoshop. Need to make it look like a coworker is shaking hands with Barry Bonds? Use Photoshop. Photoshop has become so ingrained in this culture that it has become a widely accepted verb (”to photoshop”). You, however, know that things aren’t really that easy. Despite what the popular culture might be telling you, actually using Photoshop isn’t really the easiest thing to do. After all, like AutoCAD and Flash, Photoshop is meant to be a tool for professionals. Even if you are a pro, getting hold of the program can be rather difficult in its own right. New copies of Photoshop can cost upwards of $1000, and those pirated copies from those sites in Sweden can be less than trustworthy.

So what do you do? You want something a bit more powerful than MS Paint, but you don’t necessarily want to go through everything listed above. This is where we come in. On today’s award winning episode of the Free Line, we take a look at eight free image editors that will give you the power you need without making your wallet cry or your head hurt. Helping us today is Angela Smedley, a freelance graphic designer with considerable Photoshop skills. Each program was tested for ease of use, learning curve, and overall experience. With that said, here we go:

App #1: Artweaver

Type: Download
Site: http://www.artweaver.de/index.php?en_version
Programmer: Boris Eyrich
Plugins: Yes
First Impression: “It’s Photoshop 6!”
Learning Curve: Slightly intimidating at first, but easy to get into.
Ease of Use (Out of 10): 5
Overall Rating (Out of 10): 6. “It’s everything you need, provided that you can figure it out.”
Notes: The overall presentation and layout is said to be “oddly similar” to Photoshop 6. There are apparently several interesting features, but are rather difficult to use. The brushes are interesting, however, and the “help” file is actually helpful.

App #2: Phoenix

Type: Browser-based
Site: http://aviary.com/home
Programmer: Aviary
Plugins: No, but works well with other Aviary products
First Impression: “The pre-loaded image [a cat in a cat costume] is disturbing.”
Learning Curve: Easy to pick up and use.
Ease of Use: 8; Easy to use, but limited.
Overall Rating: 7
Notes: Only JPEG, GIF, and PNG files can be loaded. Very fast; perfect for quick editing. It’s also very straight-forward. The lack of a zoom tool hurts the overall presentation. Works well with Firefox.

App #3: GNU Image Manipulation Program (aka GIMP)

Type: Download
Site: http://gimp.org/
Programmer: The GIMP Team
Plugins: Yes
First Impression: “It’s Mac-like.”
Learning Curve: Easy to use once you get all of the “basics” down.
Ease of Use: 7; Lots of options available, but nearly all of them are easy to figure out.
Overall Rating: 7
Notes: A major improvement over the previous versions. It does nearly everything that the baseline Photoshop CS3 does with ease. A little difficult for those new to image editing, but those with a little bit of experience will have absolutely no problem using the program.

App #4: Photoshop Express

Type: Browser-based (Free registration required)
Site: https://www.photoshop.com/express/landing.html
Programmer: Adobe
Plugins: No, but is designed to work hand-in-hand with Photoshop.com
First Impression: “No sir, I don’t like it.”
Learning Curve: Insanely difficult.
Ease of Use: 2; “Provided that you can get in, of course.”
Overall Rating: 2; “It stinks.”
Notes: Actually getting to the program is a bit of a pain. Existing accounts have to be verified, and website names have to be handed out. Afterward, you are greeted with an error message. Only JPEGs can be uploaded to the program, though Flickr compatibility is available. There really isn’t much that you can do. Good for light work, but not much else.

App #5: Picnik

Type: Browser-based
Site: http://www.picnik.com/
Programmer: Picnik
Plugins: No
First Impression: “Finally… something that takes a variety of file formats.”
Learning Curve: Very small.
Ease of Use: 8
Overall Rating: 6
Notes: Very fast, easy to just pick up and use, and generally straightforward. On the negative side, it doesn’t actually “do” much. It’s made for those who are interested in simple photo manipulation, but not much more. It’s okay, but not even close to something like Photoshop.

App #6: Picasa

Type: Download
Site: http://picasa.google.com/
Programmer: Google
Plugins: Yes
First Impression: “Oh Lord, it’s scanning my hard drive for every picture that I have. This is going to take forever!”
Learning Curve: Fairly easy, once the scanning stopped.
Ease of Use: 6; “The scan didn’t even find every file on the disk.”
Overall Rating: 6
Notes: First time you run the program, it scans your drive for acceptable files … whether you want it to or not. Once the program stopped scanning, a few error messages followed. The desired file was not added to the library, but other “forgotten”files were added. Out of those files, many had the creation date of “1970.” It does everything Picnik does, and not much more. “It’s no GIMP.”

App #7: Pixlr

Type: Browser-based
Site: http://pixlr.com/
Programmer: Pixlr
Plugins: No
First Impression: “Oh… It looks like the new version of Photoshop.”
Learning Curve: Intimidating for beginners, but easy to get used to.
Ease of Use: 7
Overall Rating: 8; “I might actually use that. I didn’t have to install anything, and it didn’t scan my computer.”
Notes: Only three file formats are available, but other than that, it’s really nice. It has all of the features of Photoshop that a “beginner” would use. It runs pretty fast, all things considered. Slightly easier to use than GIMP.

App #8: Sumo Paint

Type: Browser-based
Site: http://www.sumopaint.com/web/
Programmer: Snap Group Ltd.
Plugins: No
First Impression: “It’s Photoshop on a Mac!”
Learning Curve: Somewhere between GIMP and Picnik.
Ease of Use: 7
Overall Rating: 8
Notes: Remarkably similar to Pixlr without being a ripoff. In many ways, it’s easier to use than the other programs listed. It is also the most Photoshop-like. It’ll take a bit of getting used to, but really shouldn’t be to hard to use. Those wanting to perform a few photo touch ups should look elsewhere.

And the Winners Are: Picnik (for simple edits); Sumo Paint (for a more Photoshop-like experience).

Final Thoughts: “While I don’t think I would use any of those permanently, I would give a few of them a shot if I was on another computer. Simply put, the perfect program is the one that fits your needs the best. For someone who just wants to remove red-eye, a program like GIMP is overkill. For someone who wishes to edit several  images for a website, apps such as Picasa will be frustrating. If it works for you, go for it.”

Due to a series of unforeseen circumstances, today’s action packed edition of the Free Line will be slightly abbreviated. Rest assured, everything will be right and normal tomorrow. With that said, here we go:

Another day, another horrible virus warning. Yesterday, it was a malware suite that disguises itself as a anti-virus program. Today, it’s Facebook. The “fun” begins the second you log into the service. You are first greeted with an “urgent message” that claims that several of your friends were unable to view your page. To correct the problem, the warning says, all you have to do is install a handy new app called “Error Check System.” When the app is installed, it immediately sends itself to all of your friends. Unlike most pieces of junk, this virus has a backup system. A quick search for “Check Error System” on Google will net you a site that supposedly warns you about the Facebook threat. When clicked, the site brings up a fake virus scan, which attempts to toss two Trojans onto your system. As always, watch what you load and take the proper precautions.

In other news, Microsoft has unveiled the Social Desktop, a system the company hopes will blur the line between the traditional user desktop and the Internet at large. The way that Redmond plans to do this lies within bowels of desktop-based file folders. Normally, these folders can only be shared through a private network or other similar setup. Social Desktop takes away that limitation by assigning each folder its own unique web address. The result is a system that’s closer to a web OS such as Eye OS than Windows Vista. Despite its early promise, it might be awhile before we see the feature on a system near you. According to Microsoft, the Social Desktop is merely a “proof of concept” at this point.

And finally: There’s a new search engine in town, and it’s coming from an unlikely source — The New York Times. Called the NYT Explorer, the new engine only does one thing (that is, search the New York Times), but it does it extraordinarily well. Articles can be searched by keyword, subject, date published, author, and even location. Each search is performed extremely fast and, at least judging by our tests, are extremely accurate. Easy to use and operate, NYT Explorer proves that even the oldest of the “old guard” can embrace change.

The Associated Press, the legendary news organization responsible for thousands of articles worldwide, has filed a lawsuit against digital news site All Headline News for allegedly stealing their headlines and stories.  The suit alleges that AHN is guilty of violating the “Hot News Doctrine,” a nearly 90-year old agreement that says breaking news is the property of whichever news organization reports it first. By linking to several of their hot news properties without paying the syndication fee, the AP argues that the AHN is violating the accepted Hot News Doctrine and therefore, guilty of plagiarism. Many reporters are openly questioning the merits of the lawsuit, saying that the hot news standard is, at best, a draconian concept that has outlived its usefulness. Neither the AP nor AHN have issued a statement on the matter.

Elsewhere, Italian outlaws have found a new way to communicate: Skype. According to a new report by the BBC, many criminals have turned to the software-based phone system in order to avoid the well-publicized wiretaps officials have on their landlines. In a wiretapping case in Milan, for example, police overheard a reported cocaine trafficker tell his accomplice to “switch over to Skype” before reporting on his dealings. Many within the government say that Skype, in its refusal to reveal its top-secret encryption technique to the authorities, is essentially helping the underworld commit its crimes. Skype officials have not responded publicly to the controversy at this time.

In the past few months, we have seen malware pushers do everything from manufacture phony .doc files to invade President Barack Obama’s social network in order to spread their brand of virus-laced terror. We can now add “product reviews” to the list of acceptable targets. The fun begins when the user installs Anti-Virus-1, a malware suite designed to look like security software. After everything is installed, the user starts seeing a variety of “errors,” including a screen saver designed to mimic the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.” To take care of the problem, the mark user is advised to buy AntiVirus2010 . He or she is then taken to what appears to be a reputable tech site such as PC World or CNet, where he or she is prompted to buy the program for $30. (The “reviews” found on the sites mentioned are fake, of course. What is actually being displayed is a modified review for Norton Anti-Virus hosted on the AV-1 servers.) After the money is paid and the file is loaded, the problems seemingly stop, In reality, however, the poor end user has just paid $30 for a malware program that does nothing but further infect the host computer. As always, stay away from anything fishy and keep those real anti-virus programs running. After all, the last thing anyone needs is for PC World to sell you on the merits of loading malware.

In other paranoia inducing news, programmers have discovered a flaw in Adobe Acrobat that could allow hackers to take control of your system. According to published reports, many have already worked out ways to simply overtake a “flawed” computer without the user even knowing. Adobe has pledged to take several drastic steps in order to alleviate the problem, and is currently working with various anti-virus manufacturers to make sure that a similar situation never happens again. Unfortunately, the patch will not be ready until the middle of March.

And finally: Those little applications for the iPhone might not be as popular as once thought. According to a new poll conducted by Pinch Media, only 25% of the apps are used the day after it is downloaded. Out of that numbers, only 1% are used on a regular basis. Many within the industry “blame” the poor showing on the iPhone Store, which gives users access to software that was once not available to them. The survey is also considered by some to be a “warning” to programmers, quietly urging them to focus on improving the longevity of their products. True long-term effects on the “load it/ignore it” system are unknown at this time.

 Every now and again, even the best of us have to take some time out and work on our sites. On today’s expanded edition of Browser Extension Friday, we take a look at sixteen add-ons that will let you do just that without abandoning the safety and comfort of your browser window.

Firefox:

• Server Switcher - Easily switch between the “live” version of your site and the “experimental” version that is still living on your desktop or development server. Think of it as object-oriented proofreading.
• Firebug - Edit a variety of files, including HTML, XML, and CSS without ever leaving the browser window.
• Pixel Perfect - This handy little add on for both Firefox and Firebug (that’s right, an extension of an extension) allows you to lay one page on top of another. Extremely useful when trying to spot the changes between two pages.
• Font Finder - Find the name and type of any style of font imaginable.
• Thai Line Breaking - This extension allows Firefox to “properly split Thai words.” While this might be considered a niche tool for some, it’s a bonafide lifesaver to others.

Opera:

• Vista Editor HTML - Adds a powerful, full-featured HTML editor to Opera. As the name implies, this widget only works in Windows Vista.
• The Colours of the Rainbow - Pick a colour, any colour. Not only will this widget tell you what that colour is, but it will also give you the CSS code for it as well.
• Site Validatior - Make sure that all of your links are working properly.
• Meta Tag Generator - Get a list of meta tags quickly and easily. While we wouldn’t suggest relying on this widget completely, it does give you a fine place to start.
• Binarizaton - …Because we all need to indulge in a few ones and zeros from time to time.

Safari:

• Dosera - A Javascript debugger that can be used with any program running the WebKit rendering engine. While newer implementations of Safari have a version of Dosera built directly into the browser, users of “legacy” browsers can still load the tool as a separate attachment.
• Safari Tidy - Check to see if your website (or anyone else’s site, for that matter) is both XML and HTML compliant.
• SafariSource - Add colored labels to the Safari source view. Each module, script type, and language has its own color, making it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for.
• SafariStand - A unique little extension that allows you to sort and view content by type. Extremely useful if you just want to study one type of code, such as HTML or Javascript.
• PithHelmet - A high-powered ad blocker that can make everything from Flash videos to midi loops disappear in an instant.

Internet Explorer:

• DebugBar - Instantly transform your average web browser into a web development dynamo. Despite the power of the editor, some in the audience might have some issues with the toolbar’s overly technical, Visual Basic-esque layout.