App for the Milk is a cross-platform Adobe Air-based desktop client version of the extremely popular online task management application Remember the Milk. One of the unique aspects of Remember the Milk is that it lends itself well to various user interface interpretations. There are already a number of different UIs for RTM, including the classic web interface, the embedded Gmail interface, the Gmail gadget interface, and the iPhone interface. Each has common elements, but differs in the details.

In other words, each new interface is a new take, and not just a copy of the web interface. This holds true for App for the Milk as well. Instead of a full-screen approach, App for the Milk takes a decidedly pared-down task list approach. Most (but not all) of what the web version can do is still available, though sometimes hidden in unlabeled buttons in the app's toolbar. In fact, there are more than a few aspects of App for the Milk's interface that seem a little rough around the edges. On the upside, it looks like App for the Milk, while not officially designated a beta version, is in active development, and the developer admits that some functionality like smart lists is still to come.

If you like having a list of your outstanding tasks handy, App for the Milk will probably be a welcome addition to your desktop. If you prefer to have the full suite of functionality, including offline availability, Remember the Milk's web interface is still your best bet.

As kids the world around get ready for "that time of year" and the sense of dread excitement builds, we find ourselves looking for ways to make this school year a little easier than the one before it. Being nerds, we turn to software. This year, Download Squad has hand-picked some promising shareware/freeware tools for that should come just as handy as the mandatory two boxes of tissues required by the school of each student.

The first is a crossword-puzzle generator for Mac and Windows called Crossword Forge. Now, crossword makers have been around for a while, but this one gets an A+. It does crosswords and word searches (complete with accidental profanity filter--a must) and a spelling checker. It will even spit out a Flash-drive online puzzle so your students or kids can go the paperless route.

Check out the rest of our picks after the jump.

Next month a California-based startup plans to release an application that will allow Windows, Mac, and Linux users run Linux binaries without any modifications. Lina is a Linux virtual machine that allows users to run applications with the native look of their host operating system. It also lets you install applications with a mouse-click, no need to compile software from source code.



The idea is that developers will be able to create programs for one platform, and they'll be able to run on three different operating systems. This could both expand the market for open source Linux applications, and cut down work for developers. Lina will be free for open source developers, while a licensing fee will apply to commercial developers.

Lina is still a work in progress, with no support for GTK+ or USB peripherals yet. The virtual machine takes up less than 40MB when installed.

[via Slashdot and Linux Devices]

Microsoft Silverlight, in Microsoft's wording, is a next-generation, cross-platform, cross-browser web client runtime. In other words, a Flash competitor.

This is a runtime that will allow the playback of files using various forms of interactivity on both PC and Mac platforms. Silverlight will essentially deliver rich interactive applications for the web that incorporate video, animation, and interactivity. It also has the ability to run in fullscreen HD video mode while supporting 720p video, and through mobile devices.

Will this be a flash killer? Only time will tell, but Microsoft sure looks like they are pushing the whole rich and compelling web experience angle. There are more details as to Silverlights capabilities in an MSDN blog post. No word as to whether Microsoft will add support for Linux as of yet.

Check out the competition which also just launched this past weekend, Adobe Media Player, a standalone flash video player.

CrossOSS is a web site for people who want to be able to use the same programs on their Windows machine, their Linux box, and their Mac. It's a database of applications--open source, free, and commercial--that will run on at least two of the above platforms. At the moment the database is fairly small--less than 100 apps--but there's some great selections in categories ranging from Database to Multimedia, and programs are identified clearly according to platforms and cost.

Remember those cool lenticular images, back in the days before holograms and Magic Eye posters? Well I do. Lenticular images use a special plastic cover (sorta like a bunch of prisms on a page) to show your eye one of two or three images on one page. Usually they simulate a limited 3d effect, or show simple animations. My daughter has a Disney Princess cup with lenticular printing on it. There are only a couple of programs out there that'll ease the generation of lenticular images, and most are pretty pricey. Luckily the open source community has (once again) tried their hand at a tool: Lentikit. It's a Java application for creating and adjusting lenticular images. Lenticular screens not included. Unfortunately, Lentikit has a long way to go, but it's open source, so feel free to help the lone developer out if you think it's cool.

Venerable open source text editor Vim has reached a new milestone today with the release of Vim 7. New in version 7 are as-you-type spellcheck, document tabs, intelligent tab completion, branching undo/redo, and more. Linux.com has a nice overview of some of the new features, or you can head straight to the Vim web site to download it for just about every platform.

[Via Slashdot]

According to Slyck News, popular BitTorrent client will soon be getting a "content layer" to help users "share, discuss and interact with media." The article is a bit vague on exactly what that will entail, but it says "anybody will be able to post content to the new platform and promote it within social or interest groups," which suggests something like Digg or Newsvine but for torrents and integrated with the open source, cross-platform Azureus. Azureus' developers hope to solve the "Ok, I installed the thing, where do I find some good content for it?" problem, and though initially there will be no payment system, they hope eventually to offer paid content, but "No DRM if we can get away without it." The new content layer will be open source and "will not affect the functionality of the BitTorrent layer." The new Azureus will be previewed at the OnHollywood conference this week, followed quickly by public testing and a full release sometime this summer.

While everyone knows that DOS programs can be run in any version of Windows in the command prompt, if you've ever tried to play a classic DOS game on your modern system you may have been disappointed.

If you're really intent on getting that classic version of Out of this World (Another World for our European friends) from 1991 working on your Windows XP box (or Mac OS X, Linux or even BeOS machine), check out DOSBox.

DOSBox can emulate 286 & 386 processors in realmode and protected mode, handles extended memory managers like XMS and EMS, emulates a myriad of graphics subsystems including Tandy/Hercules/CGA/EGA/VGA/VESA graphics, and of course the obligatory SoundBlaster emulation.

It's a pretty simple idea, and not unique. According to Hamachi's site: "With Hamachi you can organize two or more computers with an Internet connection into their own virtual network for direct secure communication." But the devil is in the details... And the details are good. Hamachi is very, very slick. Available right now for Windows and Linux (OS X promised "soon"), Hamachi sets up a VPN between to machines lickety-split. Just as advertised, it's a zero-configuration VPN. What's more, it can simulate up to 5 network cards, and gives you an IP starting with 5— allowing you to pass through a firewall. It's like your LAN on the internet, all with as little fuss as possible. Take it for a spin and let us know what you think in the comments. [Thanks to Fred for the tip]