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Filed under: Security, Text, Utilities, Windows

Doc Scrubber removes hidden data from your documents

Every Word file can contain a fairly large amount of metadata. This is stuff like the revision logs (for tracking changes), name of the author, last time edited, and last time printed. All that information is there for a reason, but embarrassing incidents have been known to occur when people don't realize what they're sending in their metadata. If you want to avoid that, you could delete it all by hand, or you could get Doc Scrubber, a free metadata-removal app.

Doc Scrubber can quickly tell you what all the "hidden info" on your docs says, or just delete it for you. It'll handle multiple docs at once, and is compatible with Word 97, 2000 and XP files. It doesn't do DOCX files, but those also don't handle metadata the same way, so they're less likely to expose your info.

Filed under: Photo, Utilities, Windows, Microsoft, Freeware

Easily access your photo's EXIF data

With the recent release of Microsoft Photo Info, your photo's EXIF data is just a hover away. This little software add-in allows you to view, add or modify common metadata that is stored in digital photos. Once installed you'll find a new "Photo Info" option when you right-click supported image files in Explorer. Microsoft Photo Info lets you work with individual or groups of images, which is a great time saver if you want to add copyright info to a large batch of photos. But my favorite feature is the ability to hover over an image file and have EXIF data display without launching the app. Great for those times when you just need a quick bit of info.

The software currently supports JPEG, TIFF, WDP, HDP, NEF, CR2 and CRW image files. Check out the FAQ for more details and specs. Microsoft Photo Info is available as a free download for 32-bit Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista.

[via CodeProject.com Daily Developer News]

Filed under: Security, Windows, Microsoft

Vista metadata is a security risk

Windows VistaAccording to CNet News.com, Gartner is warning that the advanced metadata functinality in Windows Vista, intended to allow users to better organize their files, could pose a security hazard. The leader on the story pretty much sums it up: "Windows Vista will improve search functionality on a PC by letting users tag files with metadata, but those tags could cause unwanted and embarrassing information disclosure." How's that? Well, to steal their example, if you organize files with tags like "good customers" and "bad customers" then send a file to such a customer the metadata would be sent with it and some snooping would reveal what you really think of them. Vista will ship will a basic metadata removal tool, but the number of business users likely to use it (much less know that it's there) is, I think we can safely assume, close to zero.  The article cites Merc and SCO, both companies who have been burned by sticky metadata in the past.

Filed under: Audio, Photo, Text, Utilities, Windows, Productivity, Freeware

Master batch renames with Rename Master

renamemasterShould we really trust a guy named Jackass JoeJoe? Well I did, and was amply rewarded. Anyone working with digital media assets for one reason or another winds up with gaggles of files. Renaming those, or changing anything en masse is a total chore. Thus, we have a slew of renaming utilities out there. I tried Rename Master, which is totally free (Windows only), and loved it.

Version 2.5 was just released and fixes a few bugs, but more importantly gets thumbnails working properly. Rename Master has a nice number of features but excels in ease of use as well. A nice balancing act. You can change metadata in MP3's or change names based on properties. Lots of nice little touches that all make sense. The source code is even available upon request. See a swanky movie of it in action here. Tell 'em Dingus McMoeMoe sent ya.

Featured Time Waster

Forumwarz - a potentially offensive time waster

I pwn UAfter spending the better part of an hour on Forumwarz I still can't decide if it's just sick or if it's kind of fun. It's a bit like a car wreck on the highway. I know I shouldn't be looking but I can't quite turn away.

It's sick, it's twisted, it's the internet on it's worst level and darn it, it's kind of fun. At least for a little while.

Forumwarz is a parody role-playing game that takes place on the internet - or at least the Forumwarz version of it. Your goal is to complete missions that are given to you through a mock up of GoogleTalk called Sentrillion.

Your first "friend" is ShallowEsophagus who begins giving you missions to pwn various forums by being a troll. Depending on the character type you are assigned at start up, you have tools like drooling on the keyboard or bashing your head on the keyboard that you can use to destroy forum threads and eventually, pwn a forum.

Future missions involve buying illegal software from the Russians, pwning more difficult forums and other internet oddness.

Completing missions gives you cash, called Flezz in game, and items that you can pawn or use in other missions. The game is NOT for those easily offended. It's crass, coarse and there are frequent f-bombs in the fake chat sessions.

This is also a game for a more mature audience as it requires you to shop at the Drugs R Fun store to get various concoctions to improve your playing, engage in certain cyber activities to get more Flezz and just generally use a more adult perspective.

If you can get past that, here are the more enjoyable and time-wasting aspects.

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