This piece of software, I have been using for over a year now. I used it mainly because I do a lot of web coding and a little web programming myself. Yes, I used it to replace Microsoft’s ridiculously useless and featureless notepad. But I guess Microsoft’s Notepad does what it is suppose to do, do simple editing of text files. Well, if you do web coding, I am sure that you will need something more powerful than that. You definitely need proper formatting because web coding can be very messy and confusing at times. You need highlighted syntax for easily identify mistakes or errors in your coding because you need to save time when doing troubleshooting.

And for the web coding, there is even more! PsPad comes with Colour Selector and Colour Translator for you to choose your site’s colour scheme. And it comes with an eye dropper so that you can get the correct colours for your site. For all you CSS freaks, it comes with a solid CSS editor. Time to perfect that very cool web2.0 site you have and make it even more web2.0.5 or whatever.

PsPad supports opening multiple files in one window. Works pretty well if you have a wide screen monitor. It’s actually kind of cool to be editing two files at the same time, kind of like those hackers you see in the movies. And you can always impress your boss with that trick. Two slave workers for the price of one. And it supports synchronization between the files.

PsPad is free for all but I don’t think it is open source. Anyway, for most of us, it doesn’t really matter right? If it is free, it is free. We just use it. Of course, don’t forget to support the project either by telling your friends and relatves about it or you can give a little donation. I am sure the authour of the software will be glad.

If you are using an older version of PsPad, I would recommend you to upgrade to the latest version. The older version seem to have a bug which prevents PsPad from opening when you open a file directly. It gives an error. Upgrading solves it.

Well, not exactly in real life but when I was playing Civilization IV! I have this computer controlled civilization whose leader is called Boudica and who is supposedly very friendly towards me. But I guess friendship doesn’t mean much to computers, so when I was fighting against some rival group, instead of helping me when I need the help most, she declared war on me. I had thought that she was going to be my best ally! And I had to fight a battle on two fronts. Damn computers, how evil can they be? Ironically, Boudica was the Celtic Queen who rebelled against the Roman invaders but was later defeated in one epic battle.

Anyway, this is a game and I guess Boudica was programmed to be a backstabber and backstab me she did. Her actions nearly had me defeated but with some luck and some brilliant thinking, I managed to hold off both my rival and her armies. However, I suffered massive losses to my units and my economy was in bad shape. Worse for me, my science rate was way down and I am losing my lead in technology. This is rather bad because once you lose the technology lead, your rivals will start looking for an excuse to plummet you into oblivion with their high tech toys. But that was sure fun! That’s what I like about playing Civilization, it’s so very fun. You will never know what will happen in the next turn. One moment you could be smashing into your enemies, the next, you could be fighting for your very survival.

This sort of mimic the real life too. History is full of evidence of backstabbing and betrayals. If you were to pick up any history book and read, you will agree with me completely. Perhaps it is just human nature to try to get ahead, but I think backstabbing is the worse of the lot. Or perhaps it is because I nearly had to quit the game because of the backstabbing Boudica. I am a bit pissed with that Boudica. Next time, I will bash her up first before I turn my sights on others! Backstabbers deserve a taste of their own medicine. And I plan to deliver it in the most painful manner possible! wuhahahaha!