Messages

101

General Review Discussion / Re: Daemon Tools

« on: March 09, 2010, 03:46 AM »

D-T is a great app, I use it for archiving as well. Really rocks when I need to machines on the museum where I work, I don't need to carry a case of CDs around but can just mount images from our server.

I'm still using 3.47, and I don't need the "piracy features" (ie: protection emulation). Any reason for me to upgrade to more recent version?

Also, you don't need D-T for VMware, since VMware can mount ISOs itself

-f0dder (September 22, 2006, 02:33 AM)

I was advised to stick with ver. 3.47 as the later versions have spyware  and no-one has told me of any great feature I am missing so why change!

102

What's the Best? / best virual cd/dvd maker and image mounter?

« on: March 09, 2010, 03:39 AM »

I have Deamon tools (free) but anyone use something else?

103

General Software Discussion / looking for program to convert wav or mp3 to .omg (sony Atrac3)

« on: March 09, 2010, 03:36 AM »

Its strange but there doesnt seem to be a good program to convert wav or mp3 to .omg (sony Atrac3) and then put it on a netmd external device (minidisk player).    I have looked in several forums and the advice was that The sony "Sonic Stage" program was rubbish and Beat jam not much better but there doesnt seem to be a less bloated simpler alternative.  am I wrong? I did read that some people have had success with using nero to convert and simple burner to put it on the player but simple burner wont install on my machine.

104

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows XP Alternative shells

« on: February 18, 2010, 01:09 PM »

I am currently using Talisman desktop 3 (I used to use BBclean and before tht Aston 1.9)
I use alternative shells because they are lighter on resources, if they arent I dont use them (ie Sharpe E and emerge)
also my alternative shell has to  be easy to configure (so out goes litestep)
Talisman, Aston (Not ver 2) and BBclean are all good and light on resources. I have found VERY little in the way of incompatibility with these shells

105

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: XYplorer File Manager

« on: January 08, 2010, 10:19 AM »

One of the things that attracts me to a program is whether it is under active development. Xyplorer definately is! The betas (available for registered users) come out more than once a week. whenever the developer thinks of a new idea of adjustment.

106

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: XYplorer File Manager

« on: January 04, 2010, 06:42 AM »

just to let you all know its still under rapid development and I am now using ver 8.8 there is also a script written by Jacky that will update it automatically for you.

107

General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« on: December 02, 2009, 05:48 AM »

well I tried most of the progs mentioned and a few more I came across.  I wanted somthing that was good at viewing pics, with different options for viewing and hopefully customisable. I also wanted something that would enable tagging and searching of the pics etc.
my favourites:
PhotoManager 2008 by Proxima, very good for viewing in full screen mode you get thumnails along the top. Can add tags and assign categories too. Easy to use
Coded color pro 5.8.2
lots of viewing options, can make catalogs, assign keywords and a nice calender view.
Idimager 4.2
easy to make virtual collections and fast collections, has calender function. iptc/xmp tagging, good healthy forum
SnapAct
Free, and for viewing I thought this was the coolest. You can make Albums of collections. ITs quick at drwing thumnails. Easy to tag and then search. Can upload and sync with the web. This prog is fairly new and doesnt have as many functions yet as the others but was kind of cool.
anyway out of all the progs I tried out these are my favs.

ps If you want a simple way to edit your exif/iptc data just install the xnview shell extension
http://www.xnview.co...n/downloadwin32.html   then select a file or files and rightclick and choose from the menu, which also includes resize, rotate etc.

108

Living Room / Re: What are you waiting for?

« on: December 02, 2009, 02:51 AM »

computer to force you off now and then for your own good
The spring, hate the dark of winter, hmm a L.E.D lined hat?
Tasty food that is also healthy
exercise routine you love to do!
The world to "get over" homosexuality, whats the big deal
the end to soaps on tv

109

Living Room / do you know good photo collection hosting site

« on: December 02, 2009, 02:30 AM »

At the moment I am using FlickR, just because I heard about them 1st, but anyone had better experience of other sites where you upload your holiday snaps so that family and friends can easily view them.  Should be free and easy to use. 

110

General Software Discussion / Re: Any XP users switching to Windows 7 yet?

« on: December 01, 2009, 04:12 PM »

For me its all about maximum program compatability. This is why I am using xp and not a mac os or umbuntu or whatever.

-delwoode (November 24, 2009, 07:16 AM)

I did the "I'm going to run the less popular, but infinitely more cool OS" thing a long time ago. It was the Amiga & to this day modern OSes could learn a thing about it's elegance and grace. AmigaOS could pre-emptively multi-task very well with just 512K of RAM. Installing device drivers was a simple matter of copying one or two files into a certain directory on your hard drive. Remove the device later? Just delete those two files & you're done. Independent file formats ensured that any word processor could load a file written with another. Same with images and graphics programs. Just try to tell me that wasn't elegant.

I moved to a PC when I realized that, for me, a computer isn't about it's OS. It's about the apps.

I tried Win7 for a couple of weeks. Too many of my  apps didnt like it or would not work. I tried work arounds.  So I will stay with xp for a couple more years until the apps catch up with the operating system.

No offense, but your problem isn't a case of your apps not catching up to the operating system. That's already happened. Anything that can work on Vista (a two year old OS) can work on Win7. Anything that can't needs to be upgraded or replaced. Any apps still in development will work with Win7. If yours don't then chances are development stopped a long time ago and you need to start searching for a replacement that'll do what it did.

-Innuendo (November 24, 2009, 09:14 AM)

well to be honest I cant now remember which progs I could not get to run. I just know they were ones I wanted to use!  I especially had problems with some portable apps.  Anyway in the end I thought, hmm not a bad os but I will come back to it in a couple of years, by then the  current progs will all work, at least I hope!  Since I moved back to xp I cant say I missed anything about Win7.  To be honest the only reason I moved from win98 to XP was because my favourite program at the time Adobe Photoshop stopped making their app compatible with 98 so I was forced to change.

111

What's the Best? / Re: good and free spelll checker

« on: November 30, 2009, 09:33 AM »

a couple of people over in InfoQube forum using TinySpell (dont use one myself)

I'm evaluating the free version of "tinyspell". First impressions are good.
The review I started with is http://www.techsuppo...ee-spell-checker.htm

http://tinyspell.m6.net/#features

Thanks , tiny spell seems good and I have just downloaded it to tost it owt as I thonk I nood it!

-tomos (November 30, 2009, 07:08 AM)

112

What's the Best? / good and free spelll checker

« on: November 30, 2009, 06:39 AM »

I would like to find a free utility that would allow me to spell check a block of text. I know when you are working withing some software like Word, this is available but when i am in my favourite diary program it doesnt have a spell checker built in also some email programs dont. 

113

What's the Best? / Re: What's the best Journal (Diary) software?

« on: November 25, 2009, 12:03 PM »

As a mere female, not particularly computer literate, my favourites are:
iDailyDiary http://www.splinterware.com/ for journaling. Love it. By far the best after testing quite a few others;
ReadyNotes which is fantastic for writing- I use it for writing poetry as you have endless (literally) pages and categories, Derring Technologies, and
Evernote, which is great for when you are surfing.
I also us Ywriter and Chrysanth for other writing projects.

-Catkintails (May 26, 2007, 01:37 PM)

had a look at idiary on the web site
The free one doesnt have a spell checker, that is so impootant for mee

114

What's the Best? / Re: Whats a good, free stock price checking software?

« on: November 25, 2009, 11:40 AM »

there is a tool called AceStock. it sits in the system tray and check the prices for you. haven't tried it though..

-lanux128 (November 25, 2009, 06:46 AM)

Thanks for taking the time to reply, I have downloaded it and will try it out soon.

115

What's the Best? / Whats a good, free stock price checking software?

« on: November 25, 2009, 05:14 AM »

Hopefully reasonably easy to use too.
I mean if you dont want to go to a web site but have the info on hand on your desktop with a program.
I dont like the idea of a Widget like a google widget on my desktop running all the time as it uses up memory.

116

Finished Programs / Re: DONE: automated mp3 rip from video clip

« on: November 25, 2009, 02:26 AM »

I run Blackbox as well and see the tooltips just fine.     It should show up right at your mouse cursor.

-skwire (November 24, 2009, 04:13 PM)

Well darn me, it is working as you say.  Cant see why I didnt see that yesterday, must have been half asleep.

117

What's the Best? / Re: best macro making program with scripting

« on: November 24, 2009, 01:45 PM »

you mean apart from Autohotkey? it has a companion program called AutoScriptWriter which allows one to record mouse movements and keystrokes.
 (see attachment in previous post)

-lanux128 (November 24, 2009, 09:01 AM)

Thanks will look into that
I just think the simple macro recorders are limited as you cant add script to refine the macro, at least not with the simple ones.

118

Finished Programs / Re: DONE: automated mp3 rip from video clip

« on: November 24, 2009, 12:49 PM »

The only small thing i could think of would be some sort of message popping up when it was finished - as it works unseen in the background, but hell, people shouldnt fall asleep! they can easily see the extra file appear!

-delwoode (November 24, 2009, 10:02 AM)

Hmmmm....I did use a tooltip to show that the app is processing the file and when it's done.  Do you not get the tooltip?

-skwire (November 24, 2009, 10:23 AM)

Oh fine, sorry my computer isn't average! I use a blackbox interface shell, not explorer so tht will by why I didnt see the popup. My Sister will though as she hasnt gotten around to trying alternative shells!!!   She'll kill me if she ever sees this post.
so ignore what I said abt popups.

119

Finished Programs / Re: DONE: automated mp3 rip from video clip

« on: November 24, 2009, 10:02 AM »

I used the MEncoder executable from the MPlayer package here: http://www.mplayerhq.hu

The command line that I used is similar to: mencoder.exe somefile.flv -of rawaudio -oac mp3lame -ovc copy -o somefile.mp3

I could tweak the MP3 settings if you'd like (bitrate/cbr/vbr) but I was trying to make this as simple as possible for your sister.  About the only other thing I can think to add would be to handle multiple files dropped on the executable (it only handles one for now).  Let me know what you want...

-skwire (November 24, 2009, 09:11 AM)

no you made i good job, best to keep it simple as possible.
The only small thing i could think of would be some sort of message popping up when it was finished - as it works unseen in the background, but hell, people shouldnt fall asleep! they can easily see the extra file appear!
thanks for telling me the converter you used etc.

120

Finished Programs / Re: DONE: automated mp3 rip from video clip

« on: November 24, 2009, 07:30 AM »

Thanks Skwire, I will download it now and try it.
I was mainly thinking of flv files mostly from youtube!
This sound great, I couldnt find any exisiting program to do this. I tried writing my own batch file to be able to do this with media coder but it didnt work!

Ok tried it out.....  Fandabbydozzy!  I threw a .mwv on it and then tried a .flv   converted both and FAST!
I noticed the resulting mp3 was 160kbps which I think is a good middle ground.  This is just the trick. If my sister cant use this I think she ought to give me her computer!
I am curious of course as to what you used! and how you did it and so Quick.
I think most of the apps out there assume you are competent on puters!  But starting a new app up and finding out about its menus and settings etc is too much for some. Therefore this sort of thing has a place.

121

General Software Discussion / Re: Any XP users switching to Windows 7 yet?

« on: November 24, 2009, 07:16 AM »

For me its all about maximum program compatability. This is why I am using xp and not a mac os or umbuntu or whatever. I tried Win7 for a couple of weeks. Too many of my  apps didnt like it or would not work. I tried work arounds.  So I will stay with xp for a couple more years until the apps catch up with the operating system.

122

What's the Best? / best macro making program with scripting

« on: November 24, 2009, 06:53 AM »

I know there are some simple and FREE  macro recording progs but I would like to know opinions/experience of More powerful macro making progs that can alter the macros by simple scripting, is there a good  one? free or not

123

Finished Programs / Re: DONE: automated mp3 rip from video clip

« on: November 23, 2009, 12:24 PM »

yes it was posted elsewhere I said so at the top of my post ,sorry

If anyone knows of existing software that can do this let me know, thanks

124

Finished Programs / DONE: automated mp3 rip from video clip

« on: November 23, 2009, 09:19 AM »

I posted this in the wrong section earlier (finished section!)

Here is a challenge.
Drag a video clip onto an icon on your desktop
a program is automatically activated and rips the sound from the video and saves the .mp3 on the desktop
Dont really mind what the program is (but free!) media coder, mencoder/mplayer,whatever

I am really asking this for my sister who is computer phobic. If I told her to just startup this certain program and then use these settings and then....   she would have a panic attack.

125

General Software Discussion / Re: Anyone actually use windows system restore if so,does it work.

« on: November 19, 2009, 11:31 AM »

never worked for me when i really needed it too!  to be honest I have also used Acronis and maybe something else I forget, none of them were any good. I had to do a fresh instal