Yes, a new version is ready with some important changes:

Version 1.0.0.2 (never released)
- Added ability to add multiple tunnels

Version 1.0.0.3
- Added ability to use private key file
- Added string escape code for User, Password, PrivateKeyFile, CommandFile
- Fixed bad process exit handling
- More intuitive minimize to tray. Close button now prompts for exiting of
  program and minimize button hides window
- Main window no longer hides itself in tray when process is started
  (annoying behaviour?)

Download PTray 1.0.0.3 (Requires Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 and Plink)

Instructions

1. Install the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
2. Place plink.exe in somewhere, I recommend C:\WINDOWS so the chances of it going missing is low
3. I apologize for not having an installer because I'm using Visual C# Express to build this
4. Unzip the PTray files and copy the files to somewhere, e.g. create a folder and place in C:\Program Files\PTray
5. Create a shortcut for PTray.exe on your Desktop
6. If I ever release a new version, simply delete the old and copy the new files over again

I've just started at my new job and things are going a little slow, including the office's Internet link. I suspect that the router's probably fubar'ed - SingTel SpeedTouch taking on an office of about 10 IT guys is just about overwhelming for it's connection state table. Since I don't have access to the router, I had to make do with my own temporary solution for all mankind - reduce the number of connections for the router to handle.

I used PuTTY to create a SSH tunnel back to my personal bastion host at the datacenter and then tunnel all my web request through that one single connection. I also enabled SSH compression so that should help with the laggy office broadband a bit. But one thing was annoying me still... the PuTTY window is taking up space on my taskbar.

So I wrote an app called PTray. What PTray does is that it uses the nice little command line tool Plink and calls it in the background. It also hides in the system tray so it reduces taskbar clutter. A simple UI allows you to manage the connection profile and it saves it to the registry automatically in HKEY_CURRENT_USER, so its Vista compatible too!

PTray's Main Control Window

PTray Configuration

So far this is excellent! Just what I wanted - reduce clutter on my desktop. It also gets rid of you having tonnes of screens to alt-tab around.

PTray running as a Tray Icon

I found a tool on the Internet called PuTTY Tray. It's super feature packed and looks awesome but I didn't quite like it because it was not an add-on; it is actually a fork of the original PuTTY code. So if there's any bugs in the original PuTTY, I'm sure it will take some time before PuTTY Tray gets updated. PuTTY is a prominent tool used by security professionals for encryption, so this will be quite a concern.

Do give some feedback on my little application. It's a little rough, I know. Especially the console - it's just a pure console with no terminal emulation, i.e. you will see all the gibberish that is being sent by the terminal for cursor movement and colors.

PTray's Native Console (No Terminal Emulation)

Finally, here's a tip for those who use VMware Server. The console's very, very slow over a non LAN connection. In fact, anything less than 1mbps is almost unusable. Use PuTTY and enable SSH compression, then tunnel your VMware Console through SSH. Turn off your VMware Console's encryption so SSH can actually compress your data. Once you've done that, you will see significant improvement in your VMware Console session.

Download PTray 1.0.0.1 (Requires Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 and Plink)

Instructions

1. Install the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
2. Place plink.exe in somewhere, I recommend C:\WINDOWS so the chances of it going missing is low
3. I apologize for not having an installer because I'm using Visual C# Express to build this
4. Unzip the PTray files and copy the files to somewhere, e.g. create a folder and place in C:\Program Files\PTray
5. Create a shortcut for PTray.exe on your Desktop
6. If I ever release a new version, simply delete the old and copy the new files over again

Looks like we have a new member in the family.

It's a hamster! So cute right? Before I ramble on, let me clarify I am straight and I am not gay. So, here's how a big macho *aheem* guy ended up with a little rodent in the house - I found this thing running across my house carpark one night and decided to grab him.

So cute this little thing is!

Ferren was the first person who came to my mind when it comes to Hamsters. I vagely recalled she loves these freaking rodents, and so yes, I called her and she gave me a nice cage for the hamster the very next day... and the week after she gave me an even BIGGER cage. Now I have 2 cages in the house.

So today me and dear spent some time cleaning up the cage and I gave it a little renovation by placing wooden boards (actually balsa wood I bought for R/C stuff) on the uncomfortable wire platforms.

Little one peeking out of the sand bath.

And then I took Ferren's small cage, popped open the small hole, and bingo. This dude now has a huge ass condo.

Cages facing each other with open doors to allow little one to climb around.

So far so good. I'm enjoying the company of a little Rodent. Weird, ya?