There's nothing more frustrating when you have to work on a temporary computer when you are working away from the office. If you had your own way, you'd probably spend an hour re-configuring the computer, installing your favourite apps, before you even start to use the PC. However, you probably won't be able to install software, make system changes, so you're restricted to the basic installed apps. One solution is to take your own portable USB drive, with installed applications, and use this on the host PC.

Opera 9.61 USB Edition is the portable version of the web browser that will enable you to install it on a portable drive (or even your iPod) and then connect this to the host PC and use the apps in a self-contained environment without them leaving a trace on the host PC. It means you can use your own configured browser, with all your favourite bookmarks, without it leaving a web trail when you remove the USB device. Ideal.

Opera USB Edition link.

Sticky notes are great for taking notes or ideas, perhaps when your're on the phone. Place them around your monitor screen and after a short period, they start to lose their stickiness. If they fall off and land on your desk or the floor, you may find the cleaners have removed your notes when you return to your desk the next morning. It's too easy to do. The other option is to ditch the sticky notes and place similar computer-based notes on your desktop. Safer for the environment, too.

PNotes 4.0.112 is free sticky notes software for your PC that enables you to place the notes on your desktop. You can use various skins to spruce up your notes so that each note looks different. You can have different notes between your home and work based 'to do' lists. Of course, you might want to take these 'to do' notes on the road, so there's also a portable version of PNotes.

PNotes and PNotes Portable link.