Topics

76

Living Room / Slim but not Fast?

« on: April 02, 2016, 04:28 PM »

Hmm, I didn't think they had graphical web browsers when I was in high school!

77

General Software Discussion / Koolest name in quite some time

« on: March 29, 2016, 08:58 AM »

I don't know anything about this software other than that it has the coolest name I've seen in quite some time:

http://www.softpedia...ools/Keymosabe.shtml

Edit:  I just hope Tonto doesn't get his ass kicked every time it runs. 

78

General Software Discussion / Scroll Lock as system volume mute toggle

« on: March 21, 2016, 08:16 AM »

Using AutoHotkey and nircmd makes it easy to use Scroll Lock key to toggle the master volume muting.

NirCmd download site

AutoHotkey download site

There is a built in functionality in AHK to send the volume mute key.  But it may not work on all systems.  More likely to be universal is the nircmd method.  If you run the script with Scroll Lock off then the Scroll Lock indicator LED on the keyboard should serve as the mute indicator.  This gives another visual cue to go with the system tray speaker icon with the line through it.

Here is the script

Edit:  The GetKeyState addition should sync the state of ScrollLock and the volume muting on script startup.

Code: Autohotkey [Select]

1. Sendmode Input
2. ;
3. ; any other settings here
4. ;
5. ; sync ScrollLock LED and volume muting on script start
6. ;
7. If (GetKeyState("ScrollLock","T"))
8.   Run, nircmd mutesysvolume 1
9. else
10.   Run, nircmd mutesysvolume 0
11.  
12. ; Global Hotkey
13. ;
14. ~ScrollLock::
15.    Run, nircmd mutesysvolume 2
16. return

The tilde('~') character stops AHK from "eating" the keystroke.  This way the Scroll Lock LED should toggle as you press the key and mute/unmute the volume.  To avoid lighting the LED just delete the tilde.

To access nircmd from anywhere on your system it is recommended to copy it to the Windows directory.  If that is undesirable then copy the executable to a directory in your Path.

79

General Software Discussion / Start Menu 10 Pro "skip start screen"

« on: March 20, 2016, 02:28 PM »

I had a giveaway for Start Menu X Pro.  The "skip start screen" feature never worked.  Recently GOTD had a giveaway of Start Menu 10 by the same publisher.  At least on my Laptop running Windows 8.0 the "skip start screen" feature works consistently.

Also it is slightly different than Start Menu X in appearance.  I like it better.  I think the skip start screen is not limited to the Pro edition.  So it should work on the freebie if anyone wants to check it out.

It should pop up on another giveaway site soon.
Start Menu 10

80

General Software Discussion / Softpedia suggestions/feedback?

« on: March 13, 2016, 12:17 PM »

Anyone know how to send suggestions/feedback to softpedia.com?

Every software description starts with "a simple and reliable software to..." so that it does no good to view the description snippet in the list.  You have to open every unfamiliar entry to get a clue what it does.  A lot of wasted effort.

I see no feedback or suggestion button anywhere.

81

General Software Discussion / Firefox 45.0 released both x86 and x64

« on: March 08, 2016, 11:26 AM »

http://www.softpedia...-Firefox-Final.shtml

I guess these beta release notes will do until the stable release notes are posted:
https://www.mozilla.....0beta/releasenotes/

I am running the x64 Firefox now.  Nothing weird has happened yet.   

82

Site/Forum Features / Sent Messages?

« on: February 25, 2016, 02:10 PM »

Since the access to Messages interface has been changed I cannot figure out how to access my Sent Messages.  If I click on Messages it gives me Inbox with no way I can see to read the message I just sent(I do have it set to automatically save a copy of sent msgs.)

Is there something there that I am just not seeing perhaps? 

83

Living Room / Zany Zinio

« on: February 23, 2016, 06:25 PM »

I am totally helpless with Apps on my Windows 8.0 Laptop.  All I am trying to do is read a magazine free from the library.  I downloaded the Zinio App and it is there, but every time I search the magazine I want and try to download it, it only wants to let me download yet another app that has an .apk extension.  Of course when I open it I get an Open With mess.

Anyone have a clue how to use this stuff?  Trying to read these magazines directly in a browser is totally useless.

Man I hate everything that happened after W7.  It is all designed to drive you nuts!

84

General Software Discussion / Anyone using Blackbird?

« on: February 16, 2016, 06:44 PM »

I noticed Blackbird on Start64.  I am just curious if anyone is using it and, if so, what are your impressions?

I have the feeling it uses Windows Update to update, which would be a deal breaker for me right there.  But I am curious.

Right now I am running without RollbackRX.  The system just seems smoother without it.  Otherwise I would be more inclined to stick it on and see what happens. 

85

Living Room / Touchy touch screen rubs me the wrong way

« on: February 10, 2016, 05:53 PM »

After a lot of web searching I found an MP3/FM radio with 8GB storage for less than $40.  So I was very curious how it would go when I picked it up from Walmart today.  I have never owned or used any touch screen type of device.

After today's experience I feel my worst fears were justified.  I got the thing to play a few mp3 tunes.  Didn't sound bad.  But the touch screen business drove me crazy.  I could not try the FM radio because instead of just disabling the Bluetooth automatically it pops up a message I have to do it.  But it won't let me.  Scrolling of files in a folder as well as settings jumps all over.  As soon as you take your thumb off the screen the scrolled list of files starts to scroll back in the opposite direction.  After about 15 minutes or more of fiddling I got the Bluetooth setting back to Off.  But the setting will not "stick."  No matter what I do it stays set to "on."  I even tried resetting factory settings.  That did not work.

Nearly all the user reviews for this player were  very positive except for the note that the screen seems to require an abnormal amount of pressure to "click" it and that there is a time lag.

In my case I think the touchscreen software was corrupted as I could get it to do almost nothing.  Pressing the menus at the top did nothing at all.  I guess I am still in the market for something with more than 4 GB storage to play my tunes.  Maybe I'll fish around and see if I can wangle a free government issue smart phone or something similar. 

Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny so that will give me an excuse to get more treats to eat while I am at Walmart returning the item. 

86

General Software Discussion / Explorer Favorites Macro hotkey thingie

« on: February 01, 2016, 08:20 AM »

I finally got this Explorer Favorites macro hotkey thingie to work the way I want.

The idea is you have a folder open and you want to do some drag and drop between that folder and one that is in your favorites list.  Alt right click the mouse on the favorite and that folder should end up on top after the current folder is opened in a new window.

I haven't done anything with spacing them on the desktop(yet.) (Edit added MoveIt code to do it)
The hotkey is only active if Explorer is the active window.

Code: Autohotkey [Select]

1. DetectHiddenWindows, On
2. SetTitleMatchMode,2
3. SendMode Input
4. SetWorkingDir %A_ScriptDir%
5. CoordMode,ToolTip,Screen
6. CoordMode,Mouse,Screen
7.  
8. GroupAdd,ExplorerGroup, ahk_class CabinetWClass
9. GroupAdd,ExplorerGroup, ahk_class ExploreWClass
10.  
11.  
12. #IfWinActive ahk_Group ExplorerGroup
13. !RButton::
14.   MouseGetPos, , ,AWindow , control
15.   If (control != "SysTreeView321")
16.         return
17. Send,^n
18. Click
19. Sleep 1000
20. WinActivate,ahk_id %AWindow%
21. ;those running MoveIt will have folders
22. ;staggered automagically
23. Process,Exist,MoveIt.exe
24. If (ErrorLevel)
25.     Send,^+e
26. return

87

Found Deals and Discounts / NTFS Recovery Wizard [free]

« on: January 31, 2016, 03:38 PM »

As of post time 2 days 10 hours to download NTFS Recovery Wizard.

I am not familiar with this program.  It claims to fully automatically recover data files on any NTFS formatted partition.  I thought it might be worth trying for cases such as accidentally purging the recycle bin etc..

I am going to try installing it, then deleting some files from the recycle bin.  Let's see if it can get them back easily.  Hopefully if it messes things up RollbackRX will bail me out. 

Edit: Never mind.  The installer tries to put crap on your system and the "skip all" to bypass the crap seems not to work.  Looks like I will snapshot back to my baseline just in case.  I could not get the install to complete so to hell with it.

88

General Software Discussion / Winkey g Google Search ahk quickie

« on: January 14, 2016, 03:27 PM »

Here is a quickie hotkey for when you don't have anything open to type into to select text etc.. and want to type in a string to search Google with the default browser.  If the InputBox is closed via OK Button it sounds a tone as indication the browser is being launched.

I just added the snippet below to my general purpose ahk hotkey script.

Code: Autohotkey [Select]

1. ;Winkey g to search Google using default browser
2. #g::
3.   InputBox,SearchVar,Google Search,Enter String for Google to Find
4.   If (ErrorLevel)
5.     return
6.   ;MsgBox I would search Google for %SearchVar%
7.   Run, http://www.google.com/search?q=%SearchVar%
8.   SoundPlay,*64
9.   return

89

Found Deals and Discounts / Auslogics bitreplica 2.1 [100% discount]

« on: January 11, 2016, 11:12 AM »

I have a data partition that I was backing up using Total Commander's sync function.  But I was curious about this bitreplica since it is designed to back up data and I saw it free.

http://www.windowsde...iscount-coupon-code/

As of this posting there is 1 day 11 hours and change left to download and activate.  But it is around on several sites.  I am sure I could set up one of the free sync tools to save the data on my partition to a USB stick.  But this looks like something designed for a lazy person.  For $0 I am sold!! 

I tried doing a Macrium backup but there is no incremental on file by file backup and backing up to a partition image actually increased the size since all the stuff is binary, like OS iso images, mp3 etc..

There are many backup schemes in bitreplica.  I chose the incremental.  It just does a straight copy.  No compression is attempted.  The first time it just copies everything.  After that it only copies new or changed files to the destination.  It seems like it will keep multiple versions on the destination storage.  It will also use the Cloud such as OneDrive but I think it suffers from the same problem the one drive sync client has. Namely it wants to have the sync folder on your system partition, which kind of defeats the idea of having a separate data partition.  There may be some way around this but I haven't searched that hard to find it.  I'm looking to hit the button once a week while the USB stick is in the port and that's that. 

I can tell you it installed and activated ok.  After it sends the registration info it still says you only have 5 backups or whatever.  Just close the program and reopen and then it shows as activated.

It is the usual deal.  No support.  No upgrades.  No cost. 

90

Found Deals and Discounts / UnhackMe 7.90 [gotd]

« on: January 05, 2016, 10:31 AM »

About 15 and a half hours left if you wish to get UnhackMe 7.90 free from GOTD.

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/

I have never used it.  Apparently it has expanded the things it looks for when scanning the system.

91

Living Room / USB TV tuner for W8.0 Laptop?

« on: January 01, 2016, 07:24 PM »

It occurred to me instead of struggling trying to find streaming sources to watch stuff that is on local broadcast TV on my Laptop I might search for a TV tuner.

Does anyone have experience with inexpensive "self contained" tuners? Ideally I would like to plug a stick into a USB 2.0 or 3.0 port and see the TV show on my Laptop screen. I'd rather not buy portable DVD. Not due to expense but I don't want to accumulate more stuff to lug around until I have an apartment or whatever.

I see some stuff at the egg quite cheap but I am not sure if I can view the output on my Laptop built-in screen in HD.

92

Found Deals and Discounts / Shadow Defender 1.4.0 [gotd]

« on: December 28, 2015, 10:22 AM »

GOTD is offering Shadow Defender again.  I am trying to find more detail how it is implemented.  If it uses a cache file and VSS like Toolwiz Time Freeze or some other method.

As of this post there is 15 hours and change left on the GOTD download.
If anyone has experience with this or even knows of in depth review(s) please follow up.

I uninstall RollbackRX so often, to get a macrium image backup of the current state, defrag etc.. that it may be cool to install this at times, esp. since it is free. 

93

General Software Discussion / Why I am done chasing AV scanners

« on: December 25, 2015, 07:08 AM »

OK.  I am done chasing AV scanners.  They can create new scanners and malware db way faster than I can try to divine what the problem may be in 54 downloads in 60 some odd scanners.

Here is an illustration of what can be flagged as malware.  This program has three executables.  The reason is AHK can do the job really easily(recursively copy files) but it cannot compile genuine console(command line) programs.  AutoIt3 can do such compiles.  So I created an AutoIt3 console program that determines if you are on an x86 or x64 PC and runs either a 32 bit or 64 bit version of the exe that will actually do the copying.  The slave program issues an exit code with the number of files copied.  The launcing program reports this on the command line.  Simple.  Here is the AutoIt3 source.

[Select]

#NoTrayIcon
#Region ;**** Directives created by AutoIt3Wrapper_GUI ****
#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseUpx=n
#AutoIt3Wrapper_Change2CUI=y
#EndRegion ;**** Directives created by AutoIt3Wrapper_GUI ****
#include <WinAPI.au3>

$slavePath = ""

If @OSArch = "X86" Then
$slaveProg = "rcopy_slave.exe"
Else
$slaveProg = "rcopy_slave_x64.exe"
EndIf

$slavePath = _WinAPI_PathFindOnPath($slaveProg, @WorkingDir)
If @error Then
ConsoleWrite("Required program: " & $slaveProg & " not found!" & @CRLF)
ConsoleWrite("For best results put rcopy.exe and " & $slaveProg & " in a folder in your PATH." & @CRLF)
Exit
EndIf
$result = ShellExecuteWait($slavePath, $CmdLineRaw)
ConsoleWrite($result & " File(s) Copied")

If I check this with VirusTotal the MBAM there clears it.  But on my Laptop I run MBAM, update the db and scann a folder full of downloads.  It does not like rcopy.zip.  I split out the zip file and run MBAM on that folder.  It does not like rcopy.exe the source of which you see above.

I tested all 54 zips with MBAM yesterday and it liked them all then.  I did an md5 test on a folder of all 54 zip downloads from yesterday and a fresh download from today.  They have not been modified in the web site.  So all that has changed is which scanners like which files.

I am not doing this crap to give away software anymore.  It says use at your own risk. I think what I will do now is check the md5 of zips I have not changed.  If I find an issue I will deal with it. But AV scanners can scan in hell afaic.   

Do good deed goes unpunished. 


Edit:  A bit of a rant.  But I feel better now. 

94

General Software Discussion / Long Path Fixer

« on: December 18, 2015, 08:05 AM »

There were a couple of threads about "path too long" error in the past.  I noticed this freeware to fix path too long errors.  The page seems to have quality freeware so I thought I would mention it.

Too Long Path Fixer

64 bit Freeware Page

95

General Software Discussion / Firefox 50.0 stable release

« on: December 14, 2015, 06:04 PM »

Firefox 43.0 stable on Softpedia.  I can;'t find release notes that aren't about the 43.x beta though.

Supposedly this is the last FF that will let you opt out of signed AddOn enforcement by using the about:config setting xpinstall.signatures.required

96

General Software Discussion / MilesAheadSoftware source only future?

« on: December 07, 2015, 08:35 AM »

I got a complaint from my web hosting provider today about a download showing as malware.  I tried recompiling it with the latest version of AutoIt3 stable release.  It still trips VirusTotal.

Going through the list of zip files on my site it seems that quite a high percentage run afoul of one or more of the scanners that glom onto VirusTotal.  This leaves me with the choice to either chase my tail registering programs as false positives, in which case another scanner can just pop up out of the woodwork to make me endlessly submit this crap. Or I will have to only post source code.

The trouble with source code is include files.  If I use any routines written by someone else, now I am in the predicament of being dependent on their code availability, updates, breakage etc..

So the short of it is the handwriting on the wall seems to indicate the direction will be posting utilities in source code only written by myself that can be contained in a single file.

Since most people want to download things and use them, this will likely reduce to a fraction those who will use my programs.

Alternatively, I can continue to put stuff on Softpedia, and just chuck the web hosting.  But then I have no site of my own to point to.

Such fun giving stuff away ain't it?

It looks like as far as my own page goes, it will likely be that the surviving downloads will be single file source code in AHK.  I don't relish endlessly rescanning every executable I have hosted to see what passes VirusTotal that day.  More and more it seems the web is more hassle that it is worth.  It's nothing more than a shopping catalog it seems. 

97

Found Deals and Discounts / faxzeo still works

« on: December 05, 2015, 07:38 AM »

I had to send a fax yesterday and search turned up faxzero

I see it has been mentioned a couple of times over the years on DC.  Last mention I found was May this year.  Just thought I'd note it does still work.  The one stumbling block for someone with a Laptop and no phone is it will not send a fax unless you enter a valid phone number.

It does allow adding up to 3 pages.  Not bad for a free service.  I have no scanner but I used my Laptop webcam to take snapshots and convert the jpgs to pdf for faxing.

98

Found Deals and Discounts / Atlantis Word Processor [gotd]

« on: December 04, 2015, 07:41 AM »

Since wordpad switched to the ribbon interface I have been using Atlantis Nova, which is the free version of Atlantis Word Processor.  AWP is on GOTD today.  It installed and activated fine.

I don't use word processors much.  Mostly I use text editors for programming.  So I cannot critique this word processor's features, performance etc..  But what I can say is it has the traditional menu at the top.  If you just need something to dash off a quick rtf file then you may prefer Atlantis Nova.  It snaps open much faster. 

Atlantis Web Page

99

Found Deals and Discounts / Advanced Recent Access [free]

« on: November 25, 2015, 07:35 AM »

Advanced Recent Access 100% Discount

I thought I would try something third party that tracks recently accessed files/folders etc..

It does not seem to track programs that were run.  But folders documents and files etc..

The scheme seems to be read the Registry on first run to get a list of items to start.  Then the access count is incremented when you open something from the utility.  Opening a folder yourself using explorer does not bump that item up in the list or increase the count.

I'll try it for awhile and see how it goes. 

It does seem to be the current version 4.0 not a giveaway of the obsolete 3.x series.

Edit: There is according to the page, 28 days left to get it.  So no panic. 

100

Found Deals and Discounts / GOTD XYPlorer Pro 15.90 [free]

« on: November 06, 2015, 07:11 AM »

It seems like there is no time limit on install as long as the .gcd file is in the same folder when you run the setup.

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/

Edit: I activated the program and it came up.