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Topics - Darwin [ switch to compact view ]

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1
This morning I awoke to a new reality - my scroll wheel mouse R-E-F-U-S-E-D to scroll in, as I eventually determined, any html window (ie any web browser, e-mail message formatted in html, etc.). It worked like a charm in all other applications that I tried it in. I tried three other mice, same result (Wacom Bamboo mouse, a Kennsington mobile mouse, and two Microsoft optical units, one wireless the other USB). Very consistent behaviour. I then spent hours disabling IE 8 and rebooting, re-enabling IE 8, messing endlessly with the Mouse applet in Control Panel, removing drivers for my main mouse (MS Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 v.2) and rebooting, uninstalling and re-installing MS Intellipoint 8, etc, etc, etc,...

Absolutely no f&@!#>]{ joy! The best I would get is a couple of seconds of normal operation and then all scrolling would disappear again OR the scroll wheel would either jump to the start of the page or the end.

Finally, about 30 minutes ago I installed Wizmouse and everything worked immediately. WTF?

I'm running Win 7 64-bit but live in a 32-bit browser. I did try both Firefox and Opera before determining that the problem is related to html pages.

Any thoughts? I'm happy enough with Wizmouse, but I'd rather not be running a separate process just to get scrolling in my browser!

EDIT: added "RESOLVED" to the title...

2
Newsletter for March 8th, 2010
"March Madness"





1. Newsletter Editorial

Hi all, Darwin here with the latest DC newsletter. It's been a month since our last edition and there has been a lot of activity at DC and on the forum.  We've got a software giveaway and drawing to tell you about and our usual newsletter content - DC software updates and forum highlights from the past month.

Last newsletter mouser told us that ehtyar is taking some time off from writing his Tech news letter (see last section of this newsletter for links). Stephen66515 stepped into the breach to keep the newsletter coming. Now I'm writing to let you know that Stephen is the new official discount coordinator at DC. You can read Mouser's official announcement via the link below.  This month's discount is on True Launch Bar, an application dock/launchbar.  Thank you VERY much, Stephen!

Mouser also recently started a thread about Flattr, which is a new micropayment system. Read mouser's introduction and the discussion that follows here and perhaps weigh in with your opinion. Remember, DC credits function in a similar way, you can always send a poster some credits to let them know that you enjoy reading their posts or to thank them if they've posted something that has helped you out in some way.



2. User-to-User: Your Input Requested

DC is a user centred community. There are over 200,000 registered members, and yet only a fraction are active. We welcome everyone's participation on the forum, no matter what your level of computer knowledge or how long you've been a DC member. So, if you're still waiting to make your first post, check out the links below for some good places to jump in.



3. DonationCoder Software Updates

Mouser has released a new version of FARR (Find a Run Robot), and the CircleDock team is busy as always; plus ewemoa continues his FARR plugin coding marathon..



4. Website Discoveries, Debates, and Discussions

Check out some of the latest web finds that people have posted on the forum. You'll find tech news and discussions about software, technology, and tech issues.



5. Fun, Games and Amusements on the Web

Congratulations! You've made it half way through the newsletter! Take a breather and check out some of DC's lighter side. Included for your enjoyment are some links to games and a link to a mini-review of a Nintendo DS title, "Zelda Spirit Tracks".



6. General Software Discussion   

This is one great resource if you're trying to solve a software or hardware related problem. We get so much traffic on this board that we've split the recent content into two sections in the newsletter - general software and specific software and hardware discussions.



7. Specific Software and Hardware Discussion

Here are some discussions about specific software and hardware issues and finds.



8. Developer's Corner

The Developer's Corner, sounds scary, doesn't it?! However, it is not. You'll find all sorts of subjects being discussed in here - everything from what programming language to use for a particular project to how to market a product on the web. In short, there's more to this corner of DC than you might think. I bet you'll find something relevant to you, even if you can't code your way out of a paper bag.



9. News You Can Use

Thank you again, Stephen, for taking over the reins from ehtyar while he enjoys a much deserved break from TechNews.


3
General Software Discussion / Software support - am I losing my mind?
« on: January 28, 2010, 03:33 PM »
OK, I need a sanity check here. Below is the text of an open support dialog that I have started with tech support for a well-known password manager. I'm going to let the text speak for itself (note: it is in reverse order - my original message appears at the end)...

You wrote (2010/01/28 04:25 pm EST)   

Yes, the CAPS lock is off, as noted in my original message. To summarize:

1. Passwords are rejected when typed into the Master password field using either of the physical keyboards available to me.
2. I have confirmed that both keyboards DO work AND that I can type in the Master Password field)..
3. Caps are not turned on
4. Passwords entered via virutal keyboard ARE accepted.

******replied (2010/01/28 04:06 pm EST)    

Thank you for your message.
Please make sure that Caps lock is off. The Password is case sensitive.

You wrote (2010/01/28 03:11 pm EST)

Yes! I am aware of the button to the right of the password field and its use for toggling the virtual keyboard on and off. Enabling/disabling the virtual keyboard is not an issue. The issue is that ******* will not accept passwords entered using a physical (ie REAL) keyboard.

****** replied (2010/01/28 01:52 pm EST)   

Thank you for your message.
You can toggle on or off by clicking the button to the right of the field where the master password is entered.

You wrote (2010/01/28 01:43 pm EST)

Thank you for your reply,******. However, I am not clear on what you are trying to tell me! I am using the virtual keyboard now but would like to use a real keyboard, which is how I have entered the master password for the past 7 or 8 years.

I had also meant to ask if this is a known bug/conflict/issue? If it is, fine, if not I can keep troubleshooting it from my end.

Cheers,

Mike

****** replied (2010/01/28 11:32 am EST)

Thank you for your message.

KEYBOARD:

This is called the "Virtual Keyboard" which you can toggle by clicking the button to the right of the field where the master password is entered.

You wrote (2010/01/28 10:52 am EST)   

After upgrading to 6.9.98 AND patchined IE8 this week on a system running Windows 7 64-bit, I am no longer able to enter my Master password successfully via the physical keyboard - I have to use the virtual one. Caps are NOT locked and I have tried two different keyboards (one wireless with fresh batteries and the other the built-in notebook keyboard). In other respects, the keyboards work flawlessly. If I try to enter my password via a physical keyboard, ******* tells me that the password entered cannot open *******. If I keep trying, after the fifth or sixth attempt it will work; I find it quicker to simply use the virtual keyboard.

EDIT: cleaned up the quote formatting (?)

4
Title says it all... Nuance has new versions of PDF Converter, OmniPage and PaperPort out and is offering some big discounts on upgrades/new purchases. I'm not interested in upgrading PaperPort 11 or OmniPage 16, but there is functionality in PDF Converter Professional 6 that I crave. However, Nuance has a rocky release history and PDF Converter Professional 5 is rock solid on my Windows 7 system. Just wondering if anyone has tried any of the new releases out yet...

5
Title says it all (or most of it, anyway) - I applied to host a Win7 launch party and was "selected". WTF?! Now what do I do?! Anyone else in the same boat? I figure that there must be at least a couple of other hosts out there in Cody-land and I'd like to hear from you.

6
Living Room / Geek gadgets - Calculators...
« on: April 17, 2009, 04:04 PM »
I love 'em and have a small collection. Anyone else? What are you favourites?

For those that care I have:

HP 50g
HP 35s

Radio Shack EC-4044 (the TI 68 in RS clothing)
Radio Shack EC-3035 (Casio fx-580 in drag)

Casio fx-115w
Casio fx-570w

Sharp EL-W516b
Sharp EL-546WBBK
 
TI-65

TI= Texas Instruments
HP= Hewlett-Packard

7
Living Room / Cody has been moonlighting!
« on: February 17, 2009, 05:12 PM »
The damning evidence may be viewed in its entirety here: http://www.theglobea...ry/PersonalTech/home

Cody moonlighting.png

8
Living Room / My 5000 posts commemorative DC mug
« on: February 17, 2009, 05:05 PM »
I took delivery of my 5000 posts DC mug yesterday and thought I'd post a picture of it here:

IMG_0002-small.JPG

Unfortunately, my notebook is sitting on my desk in my office* and there is a window just above and to the left of it, so I had to use the flash to bring out the text on the mugs. The one on the left is the 5000 posts commemorative mug and the one on the right is my membership mug.

Thank you, mouser!

*and I am too lazy to move it...  :o

9
Just to note - twice now I’ve gone back and edited a post after more than a minute had passed since posting and the result is not tagged ‘Last edited by... at... ‘. Don't know if this is by design or not!

OK it IS working but there is a greater "grace" period than I recall. What is the interval, as noted in the subject line?

10
Subject line says it all... but to clarify, I'm wondering if anyone has any real-world experience with this application and can recommend it? I have PaperPort Pro 11 and am not sure I need this. However, I am intrigued by its tagging abilities (which PaperPort lacks). I don't think that 8 hours will be enough for me to make a decision, however, so here we are...  :-*

11
Living Room / Please tallk me off the ledge... Intervention needed!
« on: February 06, 2009, 08:42 AM »
I'm seriously tempted by some attractive deals on notebook CPU's that are floating around on the web.

Unfortunately, I've discovered that the T5750 (65nm Memron) chip in my Gateway notebook is easily upgraded to a 45nm Penryn chip (T8xxx or T9xxx series). There is something wrong with me... I can't help jonesing for more speed and a larger cache. On paper, going from 65nm to 45nm and newer technology will yield greater battery life and cooler operation = (slightly?) longer hardware life and a 2.0Ghz to 2.4-2.6GHz boost should noticebly improve overall performance.

The reality is that, while I do some amateur level photo editing and vector/raster illustration, my usage of this machine is pretty average: e-mail, internet, and Office applications, and the rational part of my mind (which sadly is quite a small slice of the pie) doesn't quite see how this upgrade will do more for me than lighten my wallet (or burden my credit card  :o) and give me bragging rights ( :)).

Specs on the notebook:

2.0Ghz T5750 (2MB cache 667FSB) - motherboard will limit me to 667Mhz FSB regardless of the chip that I install, and yes I understand that I am limited to 800Mhz chips, so T8100 and T8300 and the T9300 and T9500 - sweet spot would be either the T8300 or the T9300.
7200 rpm harddrive (Sata-III)
4GB RAM at 667 Mhz

This upgrade would cost somewhere between $300 and $450 depending on what chip I choose and where I source it...

So, what do people think?

12
Starburn is back on GiveawayoftheDay. It receives strong ratings on the Giveaway forum and has been discussed on DC in the past, particularly after StarBurnShark 9.5 was given away this time last year.

So, just a quick note to let everyone know that it's available and to solicit updated experiences from anyone who has used it in the past (or, obviously, who is using it in the present)!

13
Find And Run Robot / FARR mentioned on the Download Junkie
« on: January 02, 2009, 08:50 AM »
Just thought I'd direct DC'ers to a short review of the latest FARR release at VUNet's Download Junkies. Very general, but favourable, review. Congratulations, mouser  :)

14
Newsletter for December 1st, 2008
Codename "Winter Wondercode"


"If you read nothing else on our site, read our blog!"
(new rss feed with images)




1. Newsletter Editorial - NANY 2009

Greetings and welcome to winter!  It sure is getting cold out there, so why not bundle up and stay indoors and catch up on the DC forum discussions?

There is one major thing I want to tell you about in this newsletter's editorial, and that is our yearly N.A.N.Y. ("New Apps for the New Year") software celebration.

The NANY 2009 event looks like it will have more participants than ever before.. Let's review the basic ground rules:

We encourage all programmers, of any skill level (many are just beginners), to write a new, small, free program to be released on or around December 31st.  You'll find that some submissions are silly, some are horrific, some are quite useful.  It's a really fun event for the coders and the non-coders alike, and there are always some interesting surprises.

As with all of our previous NANY events, this isn't a contest to see who can write the best program. It's mostly a celebration of creating something new.  So, in that spirit, we don't really award prizes, but we will be sending out a special commemorative DonationCoder.com coffee mug featuring our cute bird/duck mascot Cody to all participating programmers.  If you know a programmer who you think would get a kick out of participating, please let them know!



2. Official DC Software Updates

OK, a few minor updates to DC software has come out over the past month:



3. Your Participation Requested

No matter what your level of computer knowledge, or how long you've been a DC member, we'd love your input! See the links below for some good places to jump in and make your first post.

Let me also point you to a revived thread on the forum about suggested changes to the DonationCoder.com approach to raising money.  We haven't had a fundraiser in a few years and depend entirely on donations from users to keep this site running.  With the worldwide economic crisis, things feel a little scary.. so we need to make sure that we continue to provide a service to the community that people feel is worth supporting, and provide a mechanism for them to do so that they don't find alienating.



4. Help and Advice from Member to Member

If you need get some input on tech related issues and decisions, the DC community is a great place to turn. Read on for some recent discussions and feel free to join in the conversation or post an issue of your own.



5. Fun and Games

If you've read the newsletter up to this point, take a break and check out some of the lighter fare from the forum - humour, videos, and games..




6. News You Can Use

DC Member Ehtyar has taken to producing wonderfully weekly summaries of important tech/computer/security news articles that he comes across on the web.  A big hit on the forum.



7. The Weird Wide Web

Here are some recent items from around the web that Donationcoder forum participants thought were noteworthy. As always, your input is encouraged, so if you come across something interesting while you're surfing the web, feel free to post a link to it on the forum.




8. General Software Discussion

Below are some threads of interest about categories of software posted to DC since the last newsletter:



9. Specific Software Discussion

Here are some threads of interest about specific applications posted to DC over the past month:



10. Member Contributions and Coding Snacks

Each newsletter we highlight some of the quality software coded by DC members that is available on Donationcoder. Read below for some recent announcements about new applications or updates to applications.  Pay special attention to our Coding Snacks section.  Coding snacks are lite treats for the software afficiando. If there is some tool that you've been looking for, without success, you have nothing to lose by asking... Post a clear description of what you're looking for and one of Donationcoder's resident coding gurus might just take up the challenge.



11. Developer's Corner

If you're not a developer, don't be put off by the title. There is likely something of interest to you on the Developer's Corner. It's more than just a forum for the discussion of software development, it's also a place in which entrepreneurial issues, how the current direction of hardware and software development will impact on end-users, how current DRM models affect developer and consumer alike, and much more are discussed.  Looks like after a period of slowdown, discussions have picked up again in this section.


15
Found Deals and Discounts / WaggleImage on Bits du Jour (Nov 18 2008)
« on: November 19, 2008, 12:16 AM »
Bits du Jour are offering WaggleImage tonight at 62% discount.

This looks interesting - in the same category as Nuance's PaperPort. Anyone heard of/used it before? The price is certainly attractive at that discount.

Developers website is here.


16
Living Room / DC first! A work of collaborative poetry!
« on: November 13, 2008, 04:07 PM »
I proudly present DC's first co-authored work of poetry (see this thread to see its development):

There once was a man from Nantuckett
Who kept all of his change in a bucket
He went out to sea...
When he turned twenty-three...
And caught a King penguin, to pluck it.

TAF2000, Darwin, Deozaan, 40hz, and Cranioscopical.

 :P

17
Living Room / Donationcoder in a timezone of its own?
« on: November 06, 2008, 06:23 PM »
Here on the (very) wet coast of Canada, we came out of Daylight Savings time at 2 am on November 2... Up to that point, all postings on the DC forum were sycned to the time where I am. However, since that time, I'm an hour behind  :( But then, I've always been a bit backward..

18
Mouser's Zone / FARR and Screenshot Captor featured on Download Junkie
« on: November 04, 2008, 01:33 PM »
Download Junkie

Congratulations, mouser  :Thmbsup:

19
DcUpdater / "get version failed"
« on: November 01, 2008, 05:40 PM »
Anyone else having difficutly getting DCUpdater to retrieve information from the web? All I've been getting since last night is a "get version failied" error message for each application/plugin in the list. Occasionally, I'll get three or four "update needed" messages but I cannot download them. Is this a server problem, settings problem, or a "darwin" problem?!

PS XP Pro Sp-3 (32-bit), Windows Firewall enabled, Webroot Internet Security Essentials.

20
Living Room / Fred Langa's back!
« on: October 09, 2008, 07:20 AM »
Just got my Windows Secrets newsletter for October 9th, and the lead story is that Fred Langa is out of retirement and back to writing for the newsletter  :Thmbsup:

Fred Langa has come out of retirement Fred edited the LangaList Newsletter for nine years and then wrote for Windows Secrets from November 2006 to May 2008 before he retired. Now he's returned! Fred's new LangaList Plus column will appear weekly, only in our paid content.

It's a bit sad, actually, as he's coming out of retirement because he is getting divorced after 35 years of marriage and needs to money  :o I guess that solo four month trip across Canada and the US should have been a bit of a warning!

EDIT: added some detail

21
Newsletter for October 7th, 2008
Codename "Tech News Weekly"


"If you read nothing else on our site, why bother to read this?"
(new rss feed with images)




1. Newsletter Editorial

Greetings! We hope that this (tardy) newsletter finds you well. We'd like to start by reprising our reminder from the last newsletter about the new "Member Map". Follow the link below to take a look at it and, if you haven't already done so, add yourself! This is a fun way to see where everyone is - putting places to names, so to speak.

A month or so ago, mouser and veign awarded an MSDN Visual Studio Bundle to longtime DC member Eoin O'Callaghan. It was a very tight race, though, and they almost awarded it to new DC member VideoInPicture. Another bundle became available and they have recognized the contributions that VideoInPicture has already made in such a short time by awarding it to him. See the link below to read mouser's announcement and join us in congratulating VideoInPicture (Eric Wong).

We'd also like to highlight DC member Ehtyar's Tech News Weekly threads, posted in the Living Room section of the forum. He highlights interesting technology and software stories and is seeking input on refinements that he has made to the layout. While you're reading the thread, check out 40hz' cool graphic and weigh in on the suggestion that a dedicated child board be started!

Finally, in the northern hemisphere we welcome with mixed feelings the arrival of fall. For our southern friends spring is here!



2. Your Participation Requested

Jump right in, go on, you know you want to... If you need some inspiration for your first post, look no further than the following threads. We'd love your input!



3. Help and Advice from Member to Member

No, this is not an agony-Aunt column! However, if you need get some input on tech related issues and decisions, the DC forum is a great place to turn. Read on for some recent discussions and feel free to join in the conversation or post an issue of your own.



4. Fun And Games

Work, work, work, work... Yawn! We can't be serious all the time... Let's have some fun!



5. The Weird Wide Web

Here are some recent items from around the web that Donationcoders thought were noteworthy. As always, your input is encouraged, so if you come across something interesting while you're surfing the web, feel free to post a link to it.



6. Software Discussion

A love of software is the glue that binds us together at Donationcoder. Here are some recent threads of interest:



7. DC Software and Member Contributions

There is a lot of quality software available on Donationcoder, all of it coded by our members. Read below for some recent announcements and discussion.



8. Coding Snacks and Member Contributions

Coding snacks are lite treats for the software afficionado. All you have to do is ask... Post a clear description of what you're looking for and one of DonationCoder's resident coding gurus might just take up the challenge.



9. Developer's Corner

The Developer's Corner is more than just a forum for the discussion of software development, it's also a place in which entrepreneurial issues can be discussed.


22
General Software Discussion / Installers Hall of Shame
« on: September 18, 2008, 06:21 PM »
Courtesy of Bill Pytlovany's blog, here's a link to a listing of program installers that insist on installing "extras" by default, such as toolbars and the like.

The problem has gotten so bad over the past two years that I ALWAYS select Custom install if it's offered to me; not doing so virtually guarantees that I'll be uinstalling something, usually Yahoo toolbar. I'm taking my cue from Bill and bookmarking the list  :Thmbsup:

23
General Software Discussion / Corel PaintShop Pro Photo X2 Ultimate
« on: September 09, 2008, 02:42 PM »
I'm out of breath just reading the name of this latest offering from Corel. Where I think most PSPP X2 users were anticipating PSPP X3 be released about now, expecting it to be a paid fix for the problems in PSPP X2 v. 12.0.1 (note the version number: Corel have relesaed one fix in over a year and it's so bad, most users have stuck with the original release because of a number of new bugs introduced by the patch), Corel announced this today instead:

Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 Ultimate
Includes everything in Paint Shop Pro Photo X2, plus:

  • Enhanced! Support for more than 250 camera raw formats
  • New! Background remover plug-in to change the background of a photo
  • Enhanced! Creative content pack with 150 new photo frames, photo edges and Picture Tubes™
  • New! Certified for Windows Vista® for better performance and enhanced security
  • Bonus! 2 GB USB flash drive to store and transfer your digital photos
  • Bonus! Corel® Painter™ Photo Essentials 4 to turn photos into paintings in 3 easy steps
  • Bonus! Media recovery software to retrieve images, movies and sound files, even from reformatted memory cards

PSPP X2 users are offered this incredible upgrade for $59.99! Amazing! Product comparision chart here: http://www.corel.com...rsion-comparison.pdf

What's next? Corel PaintShop Pro Photo X2 Ultimater? CPSPP X2 was supposed to be the Professional version now we're being encouraged to upgrade to Ultimate because we'll have access to full professional power, rather than Standard. A$$holes. They've sunk to new depths. Usually, they are maligned for trotting out bug fixes and requiring their user base (read: dopes that have paid out of pocket to be their beta testers) to pay for them in the form of major upgrades. Now, as far as I can see, they're not even offering that, just the RAW support that people have been clamouring for since PSP X (and which was supposed to have been part of X1 and X2) and some crap they've thrown together. Ooh, aah! A 2GB thumbdrive! I can one for about $7 at Futureshop - name brand no less! Dumbed down versions of their other software that are bundled free with drawing tablets and such devices (in hope that buyers will pay to upgrade to the "full" version), etc.

Corel has hit a new low, in my opinion...

EDIT: grammar, grammar, grammar.

24
OK, cards on the table: the peon that can't understand the 4GB RAM limit is writing this post. 'Nuff said. What I'd like an answer to, if anyone cares to take a crack at it, is whether or not my computer will have access to 4GB of RAM (even if Windows can't see it). I've seen conflicting comments on this issue, hence my lack of comprehension. I'm hoping a hardware guru like f0dder can enlighten me a bit...

FWIW I could not resist a 2GB Kingston DDR2 SODDIM for $35. I have a Vista notebook that came with 512MB of dedicated graphics memory and 3GB of RAM (one 2GB SODDIM and one 1GB SODDIM). I swapped out the 1GB chip and put the new Kingston stick in and rebooted. Windows Customer Experience (or whatever it's called) reports that 4GB of RAM are installed. System Properties and Task Manager both report 3070MB... I had hoped I'd be one of those lucky people that gets 3.25 or even 3.5 GB of recognised RAM. C'est la vie. Unless there's a compelling reason to stick with 4GB of RAM in this machine (like it'll still be benefiting me in the background), I'll swap the new 2GB stick out. Coincidentally, I have a friend staying with us for two weeks with an XP notebook that takes DDR2 and it's only got a gig of RAM. 2.5GB of RAM should give XP wings!

Oh, one other thing. Enabling PAE on a 32-bit system - good idea or bad idea. Discuss.

My gut says bad idea, but I'd love to hear other opinions.

Darwin quits the field with apologies for a rambling and incoherent post...

25
Living Room / Posting time wrong since Forum update?
« on: September 08, 2008, 07:37 AM »
Is it just me, or does the time seem to be one hour earlier than it should since last night's forum upgrade? For example, I'm posting this at 5:37 AM PST (GMT -8 hours) but am willing to bet that it will show up on my browser as having been posted at 4:37 AM...

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