7 Clever Google Tricks Worth Knowing

Below I have compiled a list of 7 clever Google tricks that I believe everyone should be aware of.  Together I think they represent the apex of the grand possibilities associated with Google search manipulation tricks and hacks.  Although there are many others out there, these 7 tricks are my all-time favorite.  Enjoy yourself.

1.  Find the Face Behind the Result – This is a neat trick you can use on a Google Image search to filter the search results so that they include only images of people.  How is this useful?  Well, it could come in handy if you are looking for images of the prominent people behind popular products, companies, or geographic locations.  You can perform this search by appending the code &imgtype=face to the end of the URL address after you perform a standard Google Image search.

    Examples (notice the differences in each URL):
        Image Search for Google vs. Faces Behind Google Image Search
        Image Search for Digg vs. Faces Behind Digg Image Search
        Image Search for California vs. Faces Behind California Image Search
        More info.

2.  Google + Social Media Sites = Quality Free Stuff – If you are on the hunt for free desktop wallpaper, stock images, Wordpress templates or the like, using Google to search your favorite social media sites is your best bet.  The word “free” in any standard search query immediately attracts spam.  Why wade through potential spam in standard search results when numerous social media sites have an active community of users who have already ranked and reviewed the specific free items that interest you.  All you have to do is direct Google to search through each of these individual social media sites, and bingo… you find quality content ranked by hundreds of other people.

    Examples:
        site:digg.com free “desktop wallpaper”
        site:reddit.com free “wordpress templates”
        site:del.icio.us free “stock images”
        site:netscape.com free “ringtones”
        site:stumbleupon.com free icons
        More info.

3.  Find Free Anonymous Web Proxies – A free anonymous web proxy site allows any web browser to access other third-party websites by channeling the browser’s connection through the proxy.  The web proxy basically acts as a middleman between your web browser and the third-party website you are visiting.  Why would you want to do this?  There are two common reasons:

    You’re connecting to a public network at a coffee shop or internet cafĂ© and you want privacy while you browse the web.  You don’t want the admin to know every site you visit.
    You want to bypass a web content filter or perhaps a server-side ban on your IP address.  Content filtering is common practice on college campus networks.  This trick will usually bypass those restrictions.

There are subscription services and applications available such as TOR and paid VPN servers that do the same thing.  However, this trick is free and easy to access from anywhere via Google.  All you have to do is look through the search results returned by the queries below, find a proxy that works, and enter in the URL of the site you want to browse anonymously.

    Examples:
        inurl:”nph-proxy.cgi” “start using cgiproxy”
        inurl:”nph-proxy.cgi” “Start browsing through this CGI-based proxy”
        More info.

4.  Google for Music, Videos, and Ebooks - Google can be used to conduct a search for almost any file type, including Mp3s, PDFs, and videos.  Open web directories are one of the easiest places to quickly find an endless quantity of freely downloadable files.  This is an oldie, but it’s a goodie!  Why thousands of webmasters incessantly fail to secure their web severs will continue to boggle our minds.

    Examples:
        Find Music: -inurl:(htm|html|php) intitle:”index of” +”last modified” +”parent directory” +description +size +(wma|mp3) “Counting Crows”
        Find Videos: -inurl:(htm|html|php) intitle:”index of” +”last modified” +”parent directory” +description +size +(mpg|wmv) “chapelle”
        Find Ebooks: -inurl:(htm|html|php) intitle:”index of” +”last modified” +”parent directory” +description +size +(pdf|doc) “george orwell 1984″
        More info.

5.  Browse Open Webcams Worldwide – Take a randomized streaming video tour of the world by searching Google for live open access video webcams.  This may not be the most productive Google trick ever, but it sure is fun!  (Note: you may be prompted to install an ActiveX control or the Java runtime environment which allows your browser to view certain video stream formats.)

    Examples:
        Axis Webcams: inurl:/view.shtml or inurl:view/index.shtml
        Cannon Webcams: sample/LvAppl/
        MOBOTIX Webcams: control/userimage.html
        FlexWatch Webcams: /app/idxas.html
        JVC Webcams: intitle: intitle:”V.Networks [Motion Picture(Java)]”
        More info. - More info.

6.  Judge a Site by its Image – Find out what a site is all about by looking at a random selection of the images hosted on its web pages.  Even if you are somewhat familiar with the target site’s content, this can be an entertaining little exercise.  You will almost surely find something you didn’t expect to see.  All you have to do is use Google’s site: operator to target a domain in an image search.

    Examples:
        Digg in Images
        Wired in Images
        Reddit in Images
        More info.

7.  Results Based on Third-Party Opinion - Sometimes you can get a better idea of the content located within a website by reading how other websites refer to that site’s content.  The allinanchor: Google search operator can save you large quantities of time when a normal textual based search query fails to fetch the information you desire.  It conducts a search based on keywords used strictly in the anchor text, or linking text, of third party sites that link to the web pages returned by the search query.  In other words, this operator filters your search results in a way such that Google ignores the title and content of the returned web pages, but instead bases the search relevance on the keywords that other sites use to reference the results.  It can add a whole new dimension of variety to your search results.

    Examples (notice the added variety between search results):
    allinanchor:”google hacks” vs. basic search for Google hacks
    allinanchor:”wordpress exploits” vs. basic  search for Wordpress exploits
    More info.

Bonus Material:

Here is a list of my favorite Google advanced search operators, operator combinations, and related uses:
    link:URL = lists other pages that link to the URL.
    related:URL = lists other pages that are related to the URL.
    site:domain.com “search term = restricts search results to the given domain.
    allinurl:WORDS = shows only pages with all search terms in the url.
    inurl:WORD = like allinurl: but filters the URL based on the first term only.
    allintitle:WORD = shows only results with terms in title.
    intitle:WORD = similar to allintitle, but only for the next word.
    cache:URL = will show the Google cached version of the URL.
    info:URL = will show a page containing links to related searches, backlinks, and pages containing the url. This is the same as typing the url into the search box.
    filetype:SOMEFILETYPE = will restrict searches to that filetype
    -filetype:SOMEFILETYPE = will remove that file type from the search.
    site:www.somesite.net “+www.somesite.net” = shows you how many pages of your site are indexed by google
    allintext: = searches only within text of pages, but not in the links or page title
    allinlinks: = searches only within links, not text or title
    WordA OR WordB = search for either the word A or B
    “Word” OR “Phrase” = search exact word or phrase
    WordA -WordB = find word A but filter results that include word B
    WordA +WordB = results much contain both Word A and Word B
    ~WORD = looks up the word and its synonyms
    ~WORD -WORD = looks up only the synonyms to the word
    More info.

Want more info on Google Hacking?  These 3 books are must reads:
    Google Hacks: Tips & Tools for Finding and Using the World’s Information
    Google: The Missing Manual
    Google Hacking for Penetration Testers

ONE STORY THAT EXPLAINS LIFE!

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS which he got due 2 infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983.

He received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed: "Why does God has to select u for such a bad disease?"

...to this Arthur Ashe replied: 

50 million children started playing tennis, 

5 million learn to play tennis, 

5,00,000learn professional tennis, 

50,000 come to the circuit, 

5,000 reached grand slam, 

50 reach Wimbledon, 

4 to the semifinals, 

2 to the final 

and 

when I was holding the cup I never asked God 'Why Me?' 

and now in the pain I should not be asking God 'Why Me?'

What is the best operating system and why?


Note: Both Mac OS X and Windows have come out with newer versions as of the writing of this answer. Some details may be different from what is written below, and the answer should be updated accordingly

The best desktop operating system to use depends on what its intended use will be and who will be using it. There is no specific operating system which can be called "the best" overall, and since most current operating systems share most common and advanced features there is much debate on the topic. A few of the most popular operating system, their pros and cons, and some of their best uses are described below. 




Pros:
  • The largest library of programs and applications.
  • Some commercial games work only with Windows and DirectX.
  • Almost all hardware has drivers which are compatible with Windows.
  • Most widely used.
Cons:
  • Prone to viruses, spyware, and adware if proper steps not taken such as installation of internet security software, which reduces performance speed.
  • Requires regular maintenance to avoid system errors and reduced performance.
  • Even with maintenance, issues can slowly accumulate requiring a re-installation of Windows to restore performance and fix software issues.
  • Purchasing a Windows license/install disk can be relatively expensive
  • Windows Vista, the most recent version of Windows, has high system requirements.

Notes: 
  • Windows Vista has relatively high system requirements compared to its Windows XP and other operating systems. This has caused many individuals and businesses to continue using the older Windows XP.
  • The two most common versions of Windows are Windows XP and Windows Vista. Vista, although it has some issues, does have some new features such as search-as-you-type search and a 3D-accelerated desktop, features up until now only found in Mac OS X and some versions of Linux.
  • With the introduction of Virtual-machine software, Windows has become a popular add-on for Mac and Linux in order allow those computers to support Windows-only software or hardware when needed.
  • The Windows market share has seen some decrease in recent years and months.

Best uses:
  • Gamers
  • People who must use Windows-only software for work or school.
  • People or businesses looking for an inexpensive computer yet do not have the ability to use Linux.
  





Pros:
  • Relatively simple and intuitive interface with many advanced features.
  • Not a target for virus or malware attacks, generally: there are no Mac OS X viruses in the wild, and with its UNIX base, it is fairly resilient. There are a small number of trojans (malicious software) which have been known to take effect through applications running in Mac OS X, though they are almost always found on illegal-content-based websites and are not of significant concern. Apple has begun integrating malware blacklists into Mac OS X to prevent infection.
  • Second-largest selection of software, with many high-quality Mac-only programs in existence, such as those found in iLife. Although at one point software for certain tasks were not Mac-compatible, most software is now either Mac-compatible or has an equivalent that is. Most advanced games have also recently became compatible with Mac OS X.
  • Reliable and high performance.

Cons:
  • Limited to Apple-manufactured hardware.
  • Some hardware does not have Mac-compatible drivers, though the number of this hardware has recently become small and negligible.
  • In some cases, it may be difficult to do cross-platform network hardware sharing for a Mac OS X based computer in a Windows network or visa-versa. For example, a printer's Mac driver may not support cross-platform printing to a Windows-connected printer, and replacement drivers may or may not exist.
  • Smaller library of applications in comparison to Windows.

Notes: 
  • Macs occupy the medium-range to high-end computer market and as such are not sold for the same prices of some low-end PC brands (e.g. the low-end Mac Mini costs $600 USD yet many mainstream low-end PC brand desktops can be purchased for around $400-500). As a result, Macs are popularly considered to be more expensive than PCs, however Macs have been shown to have competitive pricing to comparable PCs (e.g. the Lenovo Thinpad X300 costs about $2,500 while the MacBook Air runs between $1,800 and $2,700 and outperforms the Thinkpad, or the Dell XPS One prices at about $150 higher than a comparable iMac. Additionally, the following factors can cause the total price of owning a Mac to be even less compared than that of a PC: Apple iWork is relatively inexpensive compared to Microsoft Office, PCs experience hardware or software failures more frequently than Macs, increasing service and replacement costs, Macs do not require the frequently expensive internet security software subscriptions.
  • Though Mac OS X suffers from relatively very few real-world hacks, security holes in Mac OS X do exist, just like in any other operating system. Also like in other operating systems, they are fixed with software updates upon their discovery.
  • With a relatively low market share compared to Windows, there are still individual programs which are only Windows compatible. However, virtual machine software with a Windows installation or compatibility layer software can allow those programs to run even on a Mac.
  • The Mac has seen significant market share increases in recent years and months, something which has also increased the amount of Mac-compatible software.
Best uses: 
  • Students who are not required to use Windows-specific software (though Windows can easily be installed to use Windows software). A recent study indicated that the number of American students intending to purchase Macs has neared that of Windows-based PCs.
  • Home users looking for an easy and reliable computing experience who are willing to pay more than low-end PC prices.
  • Graphic designers and photographers.
  • Scientists. 


Linux and other UNIX-based

Pros:
  • Low number of viruses and other malware, similar to Mac OS X
  • Usually free
  • Large selection of Linux distributions to choose from.
  • Has a large amount of free and open source software equivalents to commercial Windows and Mac software
  • More easily customizable
  • Can run many Windows programs with the use of a compatibility layer such as Wine. (Programs such as Cedega can be used to run many Windows games)
  • Reliable with good performance and low requirements.
Cons:
  • Advanced use and installation of some software may require more advanced knowledge than is required for use of Windows and Mac.
  • Many commercial programs do not support Linux
  • Small commercial game library
Notes: 
  • There are a few main types of Linux: Debian, Fedora, Red Hat, and SUSE. Ubuntu, a type of Debian, is highly popular among home users, as is SUSE, to a lesser extent. Fedora is more popular among businesses.
  • There are many other (non-Linux) UNIX-based operating systems (with the same UNIX base as Linux), including Mac OS X and SunOS (which are based on Free-BSD). There are also some UNIX-like operating systems.
  • Through customization and software like Beryl, Linux can be made to have advanced desktop effects similar to Aero on Windows Vista or Aqua on Mac OS X.
  • "Dependency hell" can make installation of certain programs on Linux difficult even for advanced users.

Best uses: 
  • Experienced computer users looking for a good, free operating system.
  • Businesses looking for reliable and affordable computing, so long as they do not need Windows-only software and have a competent IT manager.


Bottom line

Though there is no one clear best operating system, each does have its advantages and disadvantages, and different people will be best using different ones. Microsoft Windows is the most common operating system and is a reasonable choice for most people. Mac OS X is second-most popular (and gaining market share) and is an excellent operating system for those who can purchase a Mac. Linux is a very good advanced operating system available for free and is recommended for experienced users. 


Mobile Operating Systems

Aside from the main question of which OS to use in your home or work computer, lightweight mobile operating systems are also used (and almost always pre-installed or even hard-wired) in mobile devices such as cell phones, smartphones, PDAs, and Internet Notebooks/Superportables (which are similar to downsized laptops with low specifications). There is not a great deal of choice among these, and features differences are based more on the mobile device itself, and less on the operating system. Windows Mobile is usually used in Pocket PCs and Smartphones; iPhone OS (based on Mac OS X) is used in the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch; Symbian is used in Nokia, Sony-Ericsson, and other cell phones; and Linux-based mobile OSes are common both on cell phones and small Internet Notebooks.

Install Mac OS X Snow Leopard in VMWARE Windows 7 Edition

How to install Snow Leopard in VMWARE 7 and Windows host ? Virtualization of Snow Leopard (Client) is not officially supported/allowed by any virtualization solution. However a few modifications to the .vmx file and use a modified install disk as this will save a lot of trouble. Let me clear Apple licensing does not allow for the virtualization of OSX Client on any hardware and only allows for the virtualization OSX server on Apple hardware. Anything else is in violation of the license agreement. This article is for informational purposes only, you can never achieve full utilization of Mac OS X on VMWARE. So if you like the Mac then go ahead and buy a Mac.







Requirements
  • VMWARE 7 and Windows XP, Vista or 7
  • Retail DVD of Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6
  • Intel Based Machine, AMD isn’t supported.
  • Patience, a Cup of coffee or Energy drink whatever you like.
  • A pre-made Snow Leopard VMDK, dariwn_snow.iso Download (Rapidshare), (Mediafire) Or (Megaupload) 

Instructions
Step One : Launch VMWARE Workstation and load the .vmx that came with the package you downloaded above. Now edit virtual machine settings for advance options.


 

Step Two : Edit the VMWARE settings eg: Memory, Processor, Networking Adaptors etc. Select CD/DVD drive options and in Connection select Use ISO image file and browse the Darwin_Snow.iso


 
Step Three : Now power on the virtual machine and keep your finger on F8 key.
 
Hit F8 very quickly on your Keyboard you will be prompted with the following screen





Step Four : Like Boot 132 method now you need to replace the boot cd with the Snow Leopard Retail Install DVD. Right click on the CD icon in bottom of the VMWARE windows and click on Settings option.




Now change the options from ISO image to use physical drive and make sure you have Retail DVD already installed.



Save and Exit

Step Five : Now navigate to boot screen and press “C” on your keyboard to select “Boot DVD”, again press F8 for advance options and type -v at the boot prompt then hit enter for booting with verbose mode.

Step Six : Now wait for 2-3 minutes and your Installation screen will appear. Now you can install Snow Leopard as usual.  Before choosing the destination open Disk Utility and erase your Vmware HDD in to “Mac OS Extended (Journaled)” format type. Under customization deselect printer drivers and language translations for trouble free installation.Once installation finishes your virtual machine will reboot automatically.

Step Seven : Follow Step Two again “Select CD/DVD drive options and in Connection select Use ISO image file and browse the Darwin_Snow.iso” now you can boot in to Snow Leopard you may need to force restart 2-3 times if Kernel Panic happens, once machine boot successfully you can set your preference etc.



That's it.  Comments encouraged.