Looking like a beefed up version of MS Paint, Paint.Net is a joint endeavor between WashingtonState University and Microsoft to create a feature rich and free image editor. So, as well all the comforting features you’ve come to expect with Paint, you can also edit with layers, have an unlimited history, enjoy full transparent PNG support,  and benefit from an abundance of visual effects. However, best news is that it’s safely out of Beta so you don’t even have to put up with any unwanted bugs.

Get it here.

Desktop Earth cleverly uses NASA's Blue Marble Next imagery to display an almost real-time image of the earth on your desktop. It comes in two versions; a “snapshot” option which you can download into your browser and set as your desktop image, and another which, once downloaded, will automatically update an accurate representation of the Earth on your desktop. Based on the Sun’s overhead position, the end result can only be likened to watching one big, global lava lamp, complete with changing colours and trippy moving shapes.

Get it here.

Desktop Earth - Gorgeous Wallpaper Generator [via Digg]

MusicBrainz tagger is an application that automatically looks up albums and tracks in your music collection and then writes clean metadata tags (ID3 tags, Vorbis comment fields, etc) to your files. Once installed, you simply have to hit ”Search for Song Info" and it fills in all the fields, correctly tagging mp3's that you have, from whatever source. Although not entirely accurate (we found it left out just under a fifth of 3,000), the conversion rate is still impressive and could prove to be an essential tool for big music libraries in need of a little TLC. Linux users can also rejoice with the release of Picard, a cross platform tagger thats works much in the same way.

Check it out here.

Get it here.

Danish National Radio has kindly made 9 Mozart symphonies available for free download in celebration of the grand man's 250th birthday. Indeed, at 256kbps, the mp3’s are clearly showing the music the respect they deserve. Performed by the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, these are a joy to listen to and a fitting way to celebrate his great work.

Get them here, or simply type in "Mozart 250 år" in i-tunes's podcast directory.

The BBC, in association with the Met Office, has launched a screensaver experiment that lets you observe changes in the climate, whilst helping top climate boffins predict future weather patterns. The experiment uses a technique known as “distributed computing”, which harnesses the spare CPU power of those who have download the program. This effectively creates one big, super computer, and the BBC calculates that only 10,000 users would be needed to exceed the world’s fastest processors. Once installed, the programme runs calculations in the background, sending the results back to scientists in Oxford, who then combine everyone’s results. It requires no action on the user’s part, and the results will be aired on BBC 4 in May.

Do your bit and download it here.

Microsoft today unveiled Windows Defender, an improved and updated beta version of its all-in-on spyware destroyer. Praised for its no-fuss design and simple, straightforward protection, the beta two release claims improved detection and removal. Indeed, the screenshots certainly show promise yet there are problems if you choose to opt in. Despite presenting itself as the perfect answer for those still in the dark over PC security, Windows Defender will gladly disable any spyware or adware protection you have conscientiously installed on your computer. This is certainly not the end of the world but somewhat annoying when you’ve just shelled out hundreds for the latest Norton Anti-virus package. We say wait till it’s out of beta but for those who just can’t, you can get it here.

You have to be mightily bored to ever brave the dense and uninspiring landscape that is the download license agreement. However, if ending your life is too much of a bother and you really can’t think of anything else to do, then a quick skim may just yield the odd surprise. The above image is testament to such a situation, and, as you can see, provides more mirth than you could ever dream of expecting. Just think of all the other hilarious things you could find!

Check it out here.

Songbird is the highly anticipated open source media player, utilizing the XUL and Mozilla platform to create a cross platform, internet enabled player. This could prove to be the ideal solution for those hacked off with Apple’s resource-hungry iTunes player, and a saving grace for those who still think Windows Media player is where it’s at. Indeed, from the screenshots alone, you’d be forgiven for thinking this is just an iTunes rip-off with bells on. However, our first impressions were positive, finding a more intuitive interface and greater flexibility with tagging. As with all first beta releases, there are plenty of bugs, but expect this to rapidly go from strength to strength now that the geeks have got their dirty mitts on it.

Get it here.

Most of us understand the nature of open source software, yet, as we know, there are vultures out there who will try their best to make money out of unsuspecting and less knowledgeable surfers. The helpful findings from the SiteAdvisor Blog shows us how bogus sites are charging people for software that is free in the first place. Programs such as Firefox and OpenOffice are being offered for “Lifetime Full & Unlimited Access” for the megre sum of $37.95, each. One of the main offenders is FreeDownloadHQ.com, which is not only a misleading name but also the top sponsored result in Google when searching for “Firefox” and “free”. Unfortunately, until search engines and governments attempt to deal with this effectively, people will continue to be duped. Spread this message to the vulnerable and it will at least go some way to curbing this ridiculous malpractice.

How Much Does 'Free' Cost? [SiteAdvisor blog]

One of things that sets Firefox apart from other browsers is its fully customisable interface for optimised and personalised surfing. The staggering amount of extensions available can, however, be slightly daunting. Numerous attempts have been made to make a “definitive” top ten list, so rather than joining the many that have tried, we thought we’d be a little lazier and just give you our top three. Of course, well provide you with the appropriate links so you can make your own mind up. So, in no particular order….

ForcastFox – Get weekly international weather forecasts straight in your browser. Located in your toolbar or status bar, you’ll more detailed forecasts by simply hovering your mouse over the weather icons.

Adblock – Despite Firefox’s own ample ad-blocker, this handy extension makes sure you are in control when faced with annoying and obtrusive ads.

IE View – This extension does exactly what it says on the tin; simply right click and select “view this page in IE” and hey presto! Particularly handy for developers and websites still living in the dark ages.

 
Firefox Extensions » Popular [mozzila.org]
10 Useful Firefox Extensions That Don't Get Glamorised [via Digg]

The Mozilla community announced the release of Seamonkey 1.0 yesterday, one of its smaller but by no means insignificant projects. Geared more towards developers and the tech savvy, the suite comprises a web browser, email client, together with an IRC chat client, DOM inspector, and JavaScript debugger tools. Obviously its open source, aiming to maintain the functionality and speed that has made its older brothers Firefox and Thunderbird so popular. Oh, and the logo is just as cool.

Get it here. More info here.