Topics

1

General Software Discussion / Key Combinations That Suddenly No Longer Work

« on: April 01, 2021, 12:44 AM »

I'm hoping someone can help me with the following. A week ago, I upgraded my computer from Windows 7 Pro to Windows 10 Pro. All went well, and amazingly almost all my programs continued to work. That includes HyperSnap, a wonderful screen capture program that I've used for a zillion years or so. Today, when I started my computer, I saw a message on my screen that said that the following key combinations no longer work: CTRL-Shift-C, H, R, and X. The message also said "They may be in use in another program." The only one I'm concerned about is CTRL-Shift-R, which Hypersnap uses to capture part of a screen. I use it a lot, and I've used it several times since upgrading to Windows 10. But today it no longer works. When I use CTRL-Shift-R, nothing happens.

I'm wondering how best to deal with this. Can I re-set things so that HyperSnap controls CTRL-Shift-R? If so, how? Is there a way to find out which program currently has usurped that key combination? Though I'm very reluctant to switch to a different key combination after using the same one for many years, I'd like to know how to do that if I have to. Which is to say, how do I find out which key combinations AREN'T currently being used by anything on my computer? With so many possibilities, trial and error doesn't seem very practical. I've googled (or, rather, Duck Duck Goed) and have found lots of lists of Windows 10 shortcuts and one site that listed 12 programs that use CTRL-Shift-R, including HyperSnap. A few are programs I have on my computer (e.g, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Thunderbird, Firefox), but none of them were added in the last couple of days, and none of them interfered with HyperSnap's using that key combination when I used it up through yesterday.

I should add that I ran my daily security scan with Malwarebytes, and it came up clean.

I'd be most grateful for any suggestions/information you're able to offer.

2

Android Apps / Problems getting started with Checklist DC

« on: December 22, 2018, 02:44 PM »

Hi mouser. I decided to give Checklist DC a try on my Android phone. What I'd like to do is have a shopping list that includes several stores, such as Safeway, Trader Joe's, etc., or perhaps several lists, one for each store.  For each store, I'd like to have a list of things I want to buy. I'd like these things organized into sections, such as Produce, Dairy, Meat, etc. And then under each section, I'd list the things I want. Under produce, I might list tomatoes, butternut squash, grapes, etc.

I tried to set Checklist DC up to handle this, but I got nowhere. I couldn't figure out how to add anything. I could create a category, but that was about it. I had difficulty figuring out whether produce belonged under category or vice versa (esp. since label was in a larger font than category). At no point, could I figure out how to add, say, tomatoes as an item under Produce, which I want to have as a section under Safeway.  I'm beginning to suspect that the app simply isn't designed to do this sort of thing. Then again, even more likely it's my mind that isn't designed to follow instructions.  I should note that I found the instructions confusing in at least two ways: they didn't make clear the relationship between label and category (and how those related to item), and they talked about sections, without making clear how sections related to labels or categories. 

I'd be most grateful for your help.

3

General Software Discussion / Check your browser before accessing the Donation Coder site??

« on: July 27, 2018, 06:54 PM »

I'm not sure whether this is the right place to post this, but I didn't see a more appropriate section, so... I just clicked on my link to the DC site. Instead of going directly there, my browser showed a large box that said something like "Check your browser before access the Donation Coder site."  The box soon brought me to the DC site. I exited,  tried again, and this time there was no such box.  I don't recall ever seeing such a thing before.  Is it related to the ddos attack I read about a day or so ago? 

4

Android Apps / One category doesn't sync - v. 1.84

« on: March 23, 2015, 04:21 PM »

UPDATE: I posted the message below yesterday, having tried unsuccessfully several times to get the one item I mention in the message to sync.  However, today I synced again, and this time everything synced, including the one that wouldn't do so yesterday.  So I think the problem was short-lived.

+++++

I've been using WhenLast and loving it.  Today, however, I noticed a small glitch.  Most of my categories have several items, but one category has only one.  The category is called Tablet and the item's label is "Unchecked permit sideloading."  I sometimes install apps from outside the app store, and to do that I have to check a security setting that permits sideloading.  After I've installed the app, I need to be sure I've unchecked that setting.  Today, I did a manual sync between my tablet and my smartphone.  The tablet a few changes.  All apparently were uploaded to dropbox, but when I did the manual sync with the smartphone, all were synced except the "Unchecked permit sideloading" item.  I looked at the history of syncs involving this item, and it's the same on both devices until today.  I tried again to sync, first between the tablet and dropbox and then between the phone and dropbox.  But that item remains unchanged.  The WL date on the tablet is 03/21/2015, while that on the phone is still 02/09/2015.  I can't think of anything else that might be relevant, except that the Tablet category is the fourth of four categories on the phone, but the third of four categories on the tablet.  I wouldn't think that would matter, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.  I should add that I'm using v. 1.84 of WhenLast on my tablet running KitKat 4.4.4 and my phone running KitKat 4.4.2.  If there's any other information you need, please let me know.

Thanks in advance for your help.

5

General Software Discussion / Article about Duck Duck Go search engine in Washington Post this weekend

« on: November 11, 2012, 10:33 AM »

Hi.  The front page of the Business section of today's Washington Post (Nov. 11, 2012) has an interesting article about the search engine Duck Duck Go and its attempt to provide a better alternative to the increasingly commercialized Google.  The article is at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/ducking-google-in-search-engines/2012/11/09/6cf3af10-2842-11e2-bab2-eda299503684_story.html (or, if that doesn't work, try http://tinyurl.com/cm6zk2t).

6

Found Deals and Discounts / Linkman 8 and Cacheman on BduJ today (Sept. 28)

« on: September 28, 2012, 08:29 AM »

Linkman is my favorite bookmark manager and one of my very favorite pieces of software.  I see that it and Cacheman are both featured on Bits du Jour today (Sept. 28, 2012).  A 2-computer license for Linkman is available for $14.99, which is 62% off.  That's a great price for a terrific program. 

7

General Software Discussion / Do I need O&O DiskImage?

« on: August 30, 2012, 03:13 PM »

Oops, sorry.  I just figured out why I may have this on my computer.  Simple answer: I don't need it and will remove it.  I would have removed this message had I been able to figure out how to do so.    Since I couldn't figure out how to delete the message, I've just deleted what I originally wrote and replaced it with this apology.  (If someone has the power to remove it completely, I'd be most grateful if you'd do so.)

8

Found Deals and Discounts / Surfulater 50% off on BitsduJour today 6-26-2012

« on: June 26, 2012, 07:36 AM »

The subject header says it all.  More info at http://www.bitsdujour.com/software/surfulater/.  Surfulater is one of my favorite programs.  It's normally somewhat pricey, so 50% off is a real help.

9

General Software Discussion / Chrome permits bad websites to send spam from one's email account???

« on: June 18, 2012, 08:07 AM »

Hi, all.  I'm trying to get more information about something I've just been told about Google Chrome.  Yesterday, I received a spam message from someone I know.  I assumed that her email account had been hacked, and I wrote to her to let her know.  Today, I received a reply from her, saying that "Actually, there is some kind of security gap in Google Chrome that allows a bad website to send out spam from my account."  I'm highly skeptical of this explanation.  I'd imagine that 1) if there were so serious a flaw in Chrome, there would have been mention of it in lots of places that I read, and 2) Google would have quickly found a way to fix it.  I don't use Chrome, but if I did, I'd drop it like a hot potato if it had such a flaw.   Has anyone here heard of or experienced this flaw?

10

General Software Discussion / Software to watch the Web for specific words to appear

« on: January 15, 2012, 09:15 PM »

I'm wondering whether anyone knows of free or moderately inexpensive software that will watch the Web and let me know whenever a specific word or name or title appears.  I don't want to specify a specific web site; rather, I'd want the software to search the Web and let me know whenever it finds what I've asked for.  I can imagine a number of uses for such a program: watching for mention of a particular piece of software, or a forthcoming film, or anything involving my favorite actor or author.  Or me. 

I thought such programs would be easy to find, but a very quick Google search turned up only Orbiscope, and from what I can tell, I'd have to tell it what web pages to watch.  That's not what I want.  I already own an old copy of Website Watcher, which is fine for monitoring a specific page or pages.  But my problem is that I don't know where the mention will appear.   Does anyone know of software that will do what I want?

11

General Software Discussion / Chrome feature: How to Pronounce English Words

« on: January 06, 2012, 03:57 PM »

Martin Brinkmann has a piece on ghacks.net today about an extension in the Chrome browser called "How Do You Say" that will pronounce English words, phrases, and even sentences that you either add manually or highlight on a web page.  As far as I can tell, the feature is available only for English.  Brinkmann was moderately enthusiastic about it, though it's limited to just the words it has in its database.  Still, since Donation Coder has a large international membership, I thought this might possibly be of interest.  You can find the article at http://www.ghacks.net/2012/01/06/learn-how-to-pronaunce-english-words/ (and yes, pronounce is misspelled in the URL    ). I don't use Chrome, so I wasn't able to try it out.  I might add that I first did a search of the forum to see if this has already been mentioned.  I searched on pronounce English words and received no hits, but the forum search software did provide the following feedback:

Adjust Search Parameters
You may have meant to search for pronounce Englisher words.
 

12

General Software Discussion / Software Shows How Much an Image Has Been Photoshopped

« on: December 01, 2011, 03:29 PM »

According to an article in PC Magazine, a pair of Dartmouth researchers have developed software that reveals the extent to which images have been altered via programs like Photoshop.   The article also contains a link to the research team's Dartmouth web site, which contains some compelling before and after images.

13

General Software Discussion / Firefox 7 is out

« on: September 27, 2011, 04:26 PM »

Hi, all.  I just got notified that Firefox 7 is available.  As usual, I responded "remind me later," since I always like to have some feedback first from those braver or more foolhardy than I am. 

14

Found Deals and Discounts / WinPatrolPLUS for $9.99 this week (starting Aug. 22, 2011)

« on: August 22, 2011, 08:21 AM »

A lifetime license to WinPatrolPLUS, normally $29.99, is available for $9.99 this week (starting today, Aug. 22, 2011).  WinPatrol's developer, Bill Pytlovany, announced this on this blog, along with an observation that CNET, which also has WinPatrolPLUS available, now tries to include a Download Manager if you get WinPatrolPLUS from CNET's downloads.com.  Bill assures people that if you download from his site, you won't have to deal with unwanted software inclusions.  Links for downloading or upgrading are included in the blog.

I have used WinPatrolPLUS on all my computers for years.  I highly recommend it.

15

Found Deals and Discounts / Linkman 8 Pro and Cacheman 7.10 62% off on Bits du Jour 8/15/2011

« on: August 12, 2011, 01:56 PM »

I just received a notice that Outertech is offering both Linkman Pro 8 (2-computer license) and Cacheman 7.10 (2- computer license) on Bits du Jour this Monday, August 15, 2011.  Each will sell for 62% off.  Here are links to the specifics:

http://www.bitsdujour.com/software/cacheman-7/saf=503646/

http://www.bitsdujour.com/software/linkman-pro-8/saf=503646/

With the discount, each program will be available for $14.99.

16

General Software Discussion / Question about Listary Pro

« on: July 30, 2011, 04:10 PM »

Several messages on the Donation Coder forum called my attention to Listary, a program designed to extend and enhance file browsing.  I downloaded it, liked it, but wanted some features available only in the Pro version, so I bought it.  I'm not unhappy with the program, but I can't figure out how to get it to show a Listary toolbar.  Both the screenshot in the first message in this thread and a video on the Listary website show such a toolbar.  I've attached a screenshot from the video and have put a red arrow (well, it was red on my computer) pointing to the Listary toolbar.  

I'd be most grateful if someone could tell me how to get that toolbar to appear.  I'm using Windows 7 64-bit with Directory Opus 10 as my file manager.  Listary claims to be able to work with Directory Opus, and, just to be doubly sure, I've also put Directory Opus in a list of programs I want Listary to work with.  But nothing seems to produce the toolbar.  

17

Found Deals and Discounts / SoftMaker Office 2010 20% off until July 31

« on: July 24, 2011, 08:23 AM »

SoftMaker, a German company that makes an excellent, lower-priced alternative to Microsoft Office, is offering a 20% discount on SoftMaker Office 2010 (versions for Windows and for Linux) through the end of July.  Normally, SoftMaker Office sells for $79.95, but through the end of July the price is $63.95.  The 20% discount is actually on all SoftMaker's products, which I think includes upgrades.  Thus, if you've taken advantage of the opportunity to get SoftMaker Office 2008 (currently offered for free!), you can upgrade to the current version for $31.95.

If you are a teacher or student, you can qualify for SoftMaker's academic pricing--SoftMaker Office 2010 is available to teachers and students for $34.95 or €29.95.  I'm not sure, but I think the 20% discount may even apply to this price.

I've been using SoftMaker Office (primarily TextMaker, their alternative to MS Word) for a while now, and I'm very pleased.  I was never all that proficient with MS Office, so I probably can't describe the differences between MS and SoftMaker--except for the price  .  I can say that I went the route I describe above, first getting the 2008 version for free and then a while later taking advantage of a sale to upgrade to SoftMaker Office 2010 at a reduced price.  I did so because the 2010 version handles .docx files, whereas I think the 2008 version does not.  I find I can make and read and edit MS Office files very well in SoftMaker Office.

18

Found Deals and Discounts / WinPatrol PLUS: 50% off today at Bits du Jour

« on: July 23, 2011, 08:33 AM »

From the description: "WinPatrol PLUS provides an ironclad level of protection from unwanted system changes and malware installations. WinPatrol PLUS maintains constant vigilance over your computer, inspecting system resources, startup processes, background programs, browser toolbars and cookies with a critical eye."

I've used WinPatrol PLUS for many years.  It's one of the first programs I install on any new computer.  I'm under the impression that once you buy it, you have a lifetime license--certainly I've never paid for an upgrade in all the years I've used it.  The Bits du Jour offer can be found here:
http://www.bitsdujour.com/software/winpatrol-plus/.  I think the offer is good only today, Saturday, July 23, 2011.

19

General Software Discussion / ClipMate developer has returned

« on: July 20, 2011, 09:06 AM »

Good news for users of the excellent clipboard manager ClipMate.  The developer, Chris Thornton, who normally responds to many messages every day on the forum, suddenly disappeared a month or so ago.  Having an active imagination of disaster, I feared the worst.  But today he reappeared on the forum, responding to a number of requests for help.    No explanation about his long absence.

20

General Software Discussion / How necessary is the UAC in Windows 7?

« on: July 19, 2011, 02:12 PM »

I've come late to the Windows 7 party, and so it's only now that I'm starting to gnash my teeth over the UAC (before Win7, I happily used WinXP Pro, which didn't have UAC).  At first, I thought UAC was a minor annoyance that was probably worth putting up with for the added protection it provided.  Today, I turned it off, and my temptation is to leave it off.

It was annoying enough when I wanted to check Malwarebytes for updates, and each time UAC would pop up and ask "Are you sure you want to run this program?"  Having assured it that I was, I then checked for updates, after which I wanted to run a Malwarebytes quick scan.  Up popped UAC again, to ask whether I was sure I wanted to run this program.  Yes, I again assured the Alzheimers-ridden UAC, I am sure.  OK, I've learned to tolerate forgetfulness--that's an ailment I increasingly share with many of my friends, so why not the UAC?

What finally made me turn UAC off was my inability to use ActiveWords to insert blocks of text into html files in Dreamweaver.  I would type the ActiveWords shortcut I had set, hit the key to enable it....and nothing happened.  The same version of ActiveWords and Dreamweaver had worked fine in WinXP Pro, and each of them works fine in Windows 7.  But not together.  I decided to see what would happen if I turned UAC off.  Sure enough, I can now insert my ActiveWords into Dreamweaver.  I'd be happy to toggle UAC on and off, but apparently changing UAC's state requires rebooting the computer each time.  Thanks but no thanks.

So how much danger am I courting by leaving UAC off?  I managed to run WinXP Pro for many years without getting infected.  Then again, I used both a PITA firewall (Outpost Pro) and a PITA antivirus program (McAfee Enterprise Edition), whereas  I'm trusting my Windows 7 64-bit computer to the Windows firewall and Microsoft Security Essentials, plus Malwarebytes Pro.  So can I/should I live with UAC turned off?  I'd welcome some informed opinions.

21

LaunchBar Commander / problem with deleting nodes

« on: March 17, 2011, 01:34 PM »

Hi, Mouser.  I seem to have a problem deleting nodes from LBC that I no longer need.  Today I wanted to remove one child node.  I highlighted it and selected Delete Note from the right-click menu.  To my dismay, that managed to delete ALL the nodes!  Fortunately, I had a relatively recent copy of the .mcf and .mcp and .ini files on my flash drive, so I moved those over and all was well, except of course that I still had the node I wanted to get rid of.  I should add that I've had similar experiences several times before.  This time I wondered whether all the check marks in the boxes meant that I was going to delete ALL the checked nodes (see accompanying partial screen shot).  Just in case that was the problem, I unchecked all but the node I wanted to delete--unchecking 189 nodes, one by one.  I then tried again to delete the single node I had left checked.  That worked.  I closed LBC, only to be told that I had no nodes configured!  So apparently I needed those check marks after all.  So one by one, I checked 189 boxes.  Now all seems well, except that I'm totally confused.  How do I delete just one node? 

Once again, thanks in advance for your help.   

22

LaunchBar Commander / How to stop backups

« on: January 09, 2011, 03:48 PM »

Yes, Mouser, I know this is heresy, but I really do NOT want LBC to make daily backups, and I can't find a way to stop it from doing so.  (I'm using version 1.116.01 on WinXP Pro SP3.)  I'd also like LBC to keep its promise not to nag me all the time about the need to back up.  The box that appears with the nag message claims that I won't see it again, but apparently it means I won't see it again until next time. 

I back up the three key LBC files regularly to my flash drive, so I really do not need or want my directory cluttered with all this backup files.  It's hard for me to find the REAL files amid all the clutter.  I'm sure there must be a way to stop this from happening. 

Thanks in advance for your help.

23

Living Room / Is Apple patenting spyware?

« on: August 29, 2010, 08:35 PM »

Yesterday, I got an email message from a friend who asked me "Have you been following the story re Apple's attempt to get a patent for an app that will use photos, gps, sound (inc heartbeat) to locate a user surreptitiously?!"  I thought she was pulling my leg, but today she sent me this URL from the Electronic Frontier Foundation blog:
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/08/steve-jobs-watching-you-apple-seeking-patent-0. 

I don't usually believe stories like this, let alone post messages about them. However, this one troubles me more than most.  Even if one isn't concerned about what happens to people who use products illegally, the possibilities for abuse of technology like this seem overwhelming.  Does anyone know anything more about this?

24

LaunchBar Commander / Cannot make a visible window modal

« on: July 12, 2010, 03:00 PM »

I have no idea what the subject header means, but it's the error message I received today when I tried to go into Preferences to add new items to my LaunchBar.  I'm using version 1.112.01 on a netbook running Windows 7 Starter.  All was well, I was adding some new programs, I finished and got out of the right-click menu.  I then tried to go back into it (i.e., to go back into Preferences) and I got a LaunchBar message box pop up saying "Cannot make a visible window modal."  As far as I can tell, I can still use the LaunchBar, but I can't access Preferences and I can't close down the LaunchBar tab or box or whatever it's called on my Task Bar.  I tried rebooting, but that didn't solve the problem.  I should add that earlier today I ran both a quick Malwarebytes scan (which I do every day) and a Quick Scan from Microsoft Security Essentials, which I did for no particular reason, and all was well.  I'd welcome some advice about what to do.

Many thanks.

25

General Software Discussion / Helicon Filter won't work on my computer!

« on: April 11, 2010, 03:35 PM »

Having read some enthusiastic remarks about Helicon Filter on DC, and knowing that BitsduJour is about to offer a 50% off deal tomorrow (Monday, April 12), I downloaded both the last free version and the beta of version 5 (that will be offered on BdJ tomorrow) to try them out.  To my dismay, I can't get either of them to work on my computer.  I first tried the free version, but after the splash screen appeared, nothing else happened.  I couldn't get the program itself to show itself or do anything except close.  I uninstalled it and installed the version 5 beta.  That one is just as bad.  It apparently has a transparent splash screen that WILL NOT DISAPPEAR from the screen.  I think the only way I will be able to get rid of it is either to kill the process in task manager or just delete the entire program.  I can't imagine why this is happening.  I just took a screen shot of what it looks like as I'm typing this message.  

I should add that my computer runs WindowsXP Pro with SP3.

Has this happened to anyone else?  Any idea what's going on?  I can't recall ever having such a problem before.

Thanks in advance for any help.   Added note: I went to kill the process with Task Manager and saw to my surprise that there were TWO Helicon Filter.exe files actively running.  I can't imagine why.  I killed them both, and that got rid of the transparent splash screen that was blocking my view of everything else.  Still, I'm not sure how to proceed.  Uninstall and reinstall?  Scream at my computer?