Messages

76

Living Room / "GoogleSharing" FF plugin for anonymity

« on: May 07, 2010, 05:22 PM »

We had several threads here lately dealing in one way or another with the power of Google and the potential misuse of their gigantic data collection.
I just came across a Firefox plugin which promises to provide more anonymity for web searches: GoogleSharing .

GoogleSharing is a system that mixes the requests of many different users together, such that Google is not capable of telling what is coming from whom. GoogleSharing aims to do a few very specific things:

   1. Provide a system that will prevent Google from collecting information about you from services which don't require a login.
   2. Make this system completely transparent to the user. No special websites, no change to your work flow.
   3. Leave your non-Google traffic completely untouched, unredirected, and unaffected.

GoogleSharing seems to work fine for me so far, although I got once directed to the Spanish language Google site.  Generally, I am now using Cuil and Duck Duck Go for web searches and Google and Bing only for shopping "advice" - thanks to some recent discussions here.

77

General Software Discussion / Re: Vipre Antivirus Premium-Save 20

« on: May 06, 2010, 04:33 PM »

Thanks for the tip,

the premium version comes down to $19.95, the plain "Vipre Antivirus"  (w/o firewall) is $9.95 with the coupon.

78

General Software Discussion / Re: DuckDuckGo - new search engine

« on: April 23, 2010, 01:32 AM »

Since you reminded me of Cuil, I had to try it again - an I like it.  The search results very often more helpful than Google searches.

Since this post hit, I've been using duckduckgo as my primary search, on a trial basis--and I'm sold on it. I try every search engine that comes along, but this is the first one that's really drawn me away for more than a few hours. I absolutely love it.  I still use google for deeper, more intense(ive) searches but for general queries, it's faster and far more to the point than google. Plus, keyboard support is excellent, !bang makes it easy to get out and the zero click / disambiguation features are brilliant.

It is exactly the opposite of that over-hyped, entirely useless cuil crap that claimed to be a google killer a year or two back.

-allen (April 21, 2010, 07:42 PM)

79

General Software Discussion / Re: Alternatives to AnVir Task Manager

« on: April 19, 2010, 12:11 PM »

The Chameleon task manager works great for me. And it is still available at a beta phase price.
http://www.chameleon...indows-task-manager/

It is not a startup manager though.

80

Living Room / Re: Stephen's Weekly Tech News - Edition 9

« on: April 18, 2010, 10:52 PM »

Thanks for the news!
I really liked this idea:  How to print from an iPad!
"picture from theregister"

81

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Sagelight Image Editor - pay what you want promo (Apil 2010)

« on: April 15, 2010, 12:31 AM »

Oshyan, I could contribute some images.  It sounds interesting.     Unfortunately, I am not a coder or website designer. But what do you intend to compare specifically? The default conversions ? (since some converters have soooo many tools and options?) 

82

General Software Discussion / Re: DuckDuckGo - new search engine

« on: April 15, 2010, 12:25 AM »

Thanks for this tip!  DuckDuck looks really good so far.

83

General Software Discussion / Re: updating Firefox plugins sucks!

« on: April 14, 2010, 07:07 PM »

I am usually using SRWare Iron and Opera myself  - speed is no luxury  .
Just wanted to mention that there is now an Iron alternative in the Comodo Dragon Browser, which claims to have similar benefits as Iron.  I have not tried it myself.

84

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Sagelight Image Editor - pay what you want promo (Apil 2010)

« on: April 14, 2010, 05:19 PM »

I do not know how the author did the comparisons for the previously mentioned blog post (http://sagelightedit...bout-raw-converters/ ).  RAW converters usually have a lot of optimization options.  It is a great read however.

I did my own comparisons of the highlight recovery tools in several RAW converters a while ago with a challenging test picture from a German blog: Ansichten eines Sturkopfs.  I have added Sagelight to this comparison and the highlight recovery performs as good as indicated in the authors blog post (one has to use the  ">> File >> Open RAW file with Highlight Recovery Options" menu).  In my eyes Sagelight is one of two converters with superior highlight recovery (together with Scarab Darkroom).  Please note that for this test I did focus my efforts only on the best highlights. The images are rendered quite differently in all other aspects by most converters.
The test images can be downloaded in full size from here.  The Sagelight example is the last one.

85

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

« on: April 12, 2010, 01:21 AM »

Did you try to disable your "security software" (antivirus etc..) during the install process?
No problems here on XP SP3.

86

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Sagelight Image Editor - pay what you want promo (Apil 2010)

« on: April 09, 2010, 11:15 PM »

I believeTomos assessment is right on.   Helicon Filter seems to be the much more mature program (and the UI is more straightforward), but Sagelight sees a lot of quick progress and has some excellent tools.

87

T-Clock / Re: T-Clock 2010 (beta - download)

« on: April 08, 2010, 01:05 AM »

Wow! Have a good rest!
Just wanted to say thanks for this great program.   

88

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: [Freeware] BatchBlitz - batch process digital photos

« on: April 04, 2010, 10:27 PM »

Is it possible to perform sharpening with BatchBlitz after the resizing?
This is one pretty important option that is often missing.
Thanks in advance.

89

Living Room / Re: Stephen's Weekly Tech News - Edition 7

« on: April 04, 2010, 10:21 PM »

Thanks for the news!
The Prefab project looks very interesting.

90

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Sagelight Image Editor - pay what you want promo (Apil 2010)

« on: April 04, 2010, 09:46 PM »

Thanks for the tip.  I own the predecessor,"Lightbox", and was not even aware of the new version (and I am eligible for the update  ). 
This is a very capable single document editor for enhancing photos.  The UI is not exactly straightforward but very responsive making it a very fast editor.  There seem to be lots of new tools in the new version - will need some time to play with them.

91

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: (another) Linkman Review

« on: March 24, 2010, 10:40 PM »

The review is very much appreciated.     More motivation to spend some time learning how to use the somewhat complex beast that is LinkMan.

92

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X5

« on: March 24, 2010, 10:37 PM »

Don't you appreciate it when some body tries to rip you off ? 
Seems like a good pricing policy to drive potential Corel customers away though.

93

Living Room / Re: Stephen's Weekly Tech News - Edition 5

« on: March 15, 2010, 06:39 PM »

Thanks for bringing me up-to-date, again!     

94

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: Web-Browser Review: Opera 10.00

« on: February 27, 2010, 09:21 AM »

I am currently using the Opera 10.5 beta - and it has become my new favorite browser.  I previously used FF and then the Iron version of Chrome.  The Opera beta has been absolutely solid for me and shines with its responsiveness.  The best aspect is, the new design  gets-out-of-your-way nicely.  The space saving is especially appreciated on notebook screens but pleasant also on the desktop.
http://www.opera.com/browser/next/

(BTW, we have read it frequently before: still no extensions and no roboform [I don't need it]; other than that I am a very happy camper   ).

95

General Software Discussion / Re: Which Linux For Non-Techie Windows Users?

« on: February 23, 2010, 05:45 PM »

Is there a Linux distribution in which the drives can be accessed without a code like:
/dev/fd0 ; /dev/scd0 ; /dev/hdb ;/dev/sda3 ; root & home ???
This distro would then qualify automatically as the easiest for windows converters.  The standard Linux device name system will simply deter the majority of curious windows users immediately.

96

Living Room / Re: Stephens Weekly Tech News: Feb 14, 2010

« on: February 17, 2010, 05:54 PM »

Thanks a lot for the news!!!

What is this futuristic communication device on the picture?

97

Living Room / Re: Buzzzzzzzzinggggg - Google Buzz - Gmail with facebook features

« on: February 10, 2010, 10:36 PM »

...... but at the same time I wonder whether people actually like the separation between Gmail/email in general and something like Facebook. I think I do...

-JavaJones (February 10, 2010, 04:49 PM)

This is my sentiment, too, somehow.  I like the functionality otherwise. Not as cluttered as other offerings.

98

General Software Discussion / Re: Batch photo filter software?

« on: February 09, 2010, 10:28 PM »

Yes, ...... but there is a huge difference between "handling .8bf flters" (about 30  or more programs will do this) and applying PS plugins to a batch of 1800 pictures.  Few people would want to do this via the usual plugin interface one by one as it would be required by PhotoFiltre or by PhotoBrush.  
Anyhow, the OP has solved his problem already.

You might try ThePluginSite. Here's a link to much of the Free stuff, but it's a big site  covering most everything "Plug-in".

< http://thepluginsite...reeplugins/index.htm >. And it's a CLEAN site.

PhotoFiltre Studio handles .8bf filters, but  the Free version "PhotoFiltre" does not..
Photo Brush by Mediachance.com also handles all .8bf filters.

-snapshooter87 (February 09, 2010, 10:14 PM)

99

Living Room / Buzzzzzzzzinggggg - Google Buzz - Gmail with facebook features

« on: February 09, 2010, 08:12 PM »

Google Buzz - Gmail with facebook features:

http://www.google.com/buzz    Check the video there.
And this article: http://technology.ti...b/article7021156.ece
It seems to have nothing to do with the previously presented Google Wave service.

And I just read previously today that facebook is going to start a freemail service. (http://news.softpedi...Service-134212.shtml). Looks like they might be a little bit late to the battle.
Buzz does not seem to work for me yet.  The website says the roll out is ongoing.

100

General Software Discussion / Re: Batch photo filter software?

« on: February 09, 2010, 07:56 PM »

The only programs that I know of, that support PS plugins (8bf filters) for batch processing are, of course photoshop, and PhotoPerfect or its original German version FixFoto.
http://www.arcadiaso...ct-introduction.html