Messages

1

Living Room / Re: 10th Anniversary - long time member check-in thread

« on: March 23, 2015, 08:13 AM »

Hi everyone! I haven't participated much in years because I've been off doing other things. Too much internet, too little sunshine. Among other things, I've friended many top performance photographers around the world and started G+'s first ballet community, Ballet Every Day. I even had nude ballet photos for a while until Google (and facebook) shot that down -- you know, any American social site can't handle a phucking nipple or slit! I don't know jack about photography, except that if I were a photographer I'd be raiding the local ballet company for photos, since you can tell a ballerina to do anything, and she can actually do it, unlike professional models.

Still using Linux (openSUSE), Android, Chromebook, but am delighted to see what Satya Nadella has done so far with Microsoft. Nadella seems also to have halted Microsoft's relentless patent-trolling, letting Apple take that lead, for, after all, Steve Job did invent hydrogen, helium, and nitrogen, and therefore everything in the goddamned universe is owned by Apple. Hope you guys are doing well; I'll be in and out.

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Living Room / Re: What are Your Favorite YouTube Channels? Here are Mine for Board Games

« on: October 02, 2014, 07:53 PM »

Hands down, the atheist comedy channel DarkMatter2525:
https://www.youtube....tZqdkjshgq8TqwIjMdCQ

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Non-Windows Software / Anyone using SnagIt for ChromeOS?

« on: August 06, 2014, 06:20 PM »

Although it's quite basic, it's a start and will get better. Members from the Techsmith team take the first 25 minutes of this podcast to discuss why they felt they needed a ChromeOS/Linux presence for the app:
http://www.practical...tical-chrome-21.html

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Non-Windows Software / Re: LINUX: Linux Lite - viable 1st Linux alternative for XP and Vista users

« on: June 05, 2014, 05:53 AM »

Love their choices of software. Well worth recommending to friends.

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Non-Windows Software / Re: NIX: KDE anyone? First thoughts.

« on: May 28, 2014, 09:02 AM »

I've been a KDE fan for the simple reason that I like their software, mainly Gwenview image viewer and Dolphin file manager. But your attempts at Mint are similar to mine -- the distro is often too heavy for my hardware, and I just don't need all that stuff. To your point, I still say openSUSE has the best implementation of KDE, and like all distros, some swear by it, others can't stand openSUSE.

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Living Room / Re: Stop NSA Spying!

« on: February 12, 2014, 04:02 PM »

What Stoic Joker said. Before SOPA failed the first time, they were already readying 20 more measures to do the same thing. No one could keep up because idiots like Rand Paul are still talking about penis and Bob Costas's pinkeye. After so much battle fatigue, no one knows what they're fighting, especially when they know that even if you passed the law, they could easily say, "It doesn't apply to us," and just do what they're going to do anyway. That's why there was no outrage today.

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Living Room / Re: A Table Tennis match turns into an amazing display of playfullness

« on: January 27, 2014, 02:53 PM »

Definitely one of the best videos I've seen in a year!

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Living Room / Re: Manning Verdict in: guilty on all counts but one

« on: August 15, 2013, 09:16 PM »

From Nuremberg to Manning, the US government/Justice Department just made the case in favor of the Nazis. "I was just following orders! I had no duty to report human rights crimes that I witnessed or was ordered to participate in."

Slow clap for the evil bastards. You can now rewrite the history books and explain how the world was wrong to oppose the Nazis. Manning's a hero, as is Snowden. That's the people's verdict, and always will be.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Are you going to wait for Windows 9?

« on: July 29, 2013, 07:58 AM »

And to think, all this fuss and frustration is why I moved to Linux seven years ago. It's fun to read it, but I don't have to live it.

 

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General Software Discussion / Re: Shift to Linux

« on: June 11, 2013, 04:27 PM »

First, welcome Tosim, to Linux. You're going to love it. Made the switch myself almost 7 years ago(!) and have blissfully side-stepped all the weeping and gnashing of teeth that a life lived among Microsoft products brings. Every once in a while I'll visit that dinosaur site called ZDNet and see all the thunder and fury guys like Ed Bott scream while trying to [still] accept what Microsoft gives them before the next VP who was in charge of the update dashes for the exit door (Sinofsky).

My advice follows that of 40hz. And for those still on the fence, I suggest you simply load distros onto your old machine and use it for your daily tasks. Immerse yourself. And no, don't expect it to be a gaming machine for your Windows games or run Photoshop. But now that Photoshop is a cloud subscription, you no longer can use that excuse.

I use openSUSE because it's very liberal when it comes to software choice and it's uber-stable. Try Mint if your machine can handle it and you'll see all the endless things a Linux distro can really do. Good luck.

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Living Room / Re: Worth Reading: Trevor Pott's editorial on NSA PRISM and its real ramifications

« on: June 11, 2013, 04:10 PM »

Hate to tell you so, but Richard Stallman said that all your computer data belongs to them:
"One reason you should not use web applications to do your computing is that you lose control," he said. "It's just as bad as using a proprietary program. Do your own computing on your own computer with your copy of a freedom-respecting program. If you use a proprietary program or somebody else's web server, you're defenceless. You're putty in the hands of whoever developed that software."

And then there is Paul Craig Roberts:
The presstitute media handled these stories in ways that protected the government’s lawlessness from scrutiny and public outrage. The usual spin was that the public needs to be safe from terrorists, and safety is what the government is providing....

There is no longer any doubt whatsoever that the US government is lawless, that it regards the US Constitution as a scrap of paper, that it does not believe Americans have any rights other than those that the government tolerates at any point in time, and that the government has no fear of being held accountable by the weak and castrated US Congress, the sycophantic federal courts, a controlled media, and an insouciant public....

Demonization is the US government’s technique for discrediting Bradley Manning for complying with the US Military Code and reporting war crimes and for persecuting Julian Assange of Wikileaks for reporting leaked information about the US government’s crimes. Demonization and false charges will be the government’s weapon against Snowden.

If Washington and its presstitutes can convince Americans that courageous people, who are trying to inform Americans that their historic rights are disappearing into a police state, are espionage agents of foreign powers, America can continue to be subverted by its own government.

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Living Room / Re: Movies or films you've seen lately

« on: May 28, 2013, 06:16 AM »

Cloud Atlas (2012)
The message is great, but the method is not, bouncing back and forth among six stories. Most of the movie the cast is in horrible rubber masks and heavy makeup to make them look old or weird and that alone is distracting for three hours. But sometimes they will stick with a story line for only a few seconds before bouncing to the next one taking place 150 years earlier. More aggravating than entertaining.

Jack Reacher (2012)
Tom Cruise plays yet another unbelievable super man/hero where he beats up five guys with his pinkie and spits bullets. It was okay because I like Cruise, but man, the dude is getting long in the tooth to play these roles. This is the only movie Cruise has ever played where he didn't have an extended running scene!

Out of the Past (1947)
Very fine film that the 1984 Against All Odds was a remake, but not entirely true to the original. Had several of the same cast members between both, though. Kirk Douglas in his second film and he was good. Mitchum smoked a lot and got his deaf and dumb employee to kill the bad guys. Mitchum got the girl in the end, but the wrong one! Jane Greer never looked better here.

Macao (1952)
Robert Mitchum at his best, lighting a cigarette every 16 seconds. And then there's Jane Russell in that white dress. Your jaw will hit the floor when you see it. The movie ended quickly, but Jane Russell was too hot even for Hollywood. Even her fellow actors couldn't help but turn their heads and go, "OH. MY. GAWD!"

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Living Room / Re: Internet Sales Tax Passed

« on: May 08, 2013, 09:48 AM »

But in the case of software, I'm rarely ever buying it, only licensing its use in a specifically limited way.

Republicans have been fighting since the first Clinton administration to get an internet sales tax. I guess Walmart.com is hurting Walmart sales, is that the argument?

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General Software Discussion / Re: Goodbye OpenOffice, Hello LibreOffice

« on: April 25, 2013, 09:44 AM »

My problem with LibreOffice is how resource intensive it is (and OpenOffice before it).

-Darwin (April 25, 2013, 09:04 AM)

Open with a 3-sheet spreadsheet open, LibreOffice is using 128k of memory on my openSUSE Linux machine. I don't know what it would do on a Windows machine, which I assume you're using?

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Living Room / Re: Movies or films you've seen lately

« on: March 28, 2013, 05:30 PM »

Tall in the Saddle
Surprisingly good story about a man who's framed for murder, but the good guys prevail in the end. Ella Raines takes charge and is hot from the start! Lots of famous people here, but this was Wayne at his best, even though I wasn't that fond of the actor.

also:

Drive Angry
Nicolas Cage is so bad an actor that I actually look forward to seeing what he'll do next, especially since he makes about ten movies a year. Cage escapes from Hell and comes across the smoking hot Amber Heard, and the two of them tear up the roads and the screen from there on. Lots of ass-whuppin, insults, broken bones, and even the cops get smashed and shot up.

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Living Room / Re: Google Reader gone

« on: March 17, 2013, 10:27 PM »

Sorry guys, but I've got to agree with Dave Winer on this one. By Google killing its own RSS, suddenly there's new competition for that software space again, and one less space that Google won't control or censor: "People will be well-served by a newly revitalized market for RSS products, now that the dominant product, the 800-pound gorilla, is withdrawing."
http://www.zdnet.com...e-reader-7000012687/

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General Software Discussion / Re: Is RedHat willing to concede too much to Micorosoft? Linus Torvalds thinks so.

« on: March 07, 2013, 04:01 PM »

Thanks for the Reddit clarification, 40hz, that did help. I did see the part where "anyone with a credit card can bypass UEFI."

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General Software Discussion / Re: From Canonical's drink the kool-aid dept: Unity - sign on, or sign out

« on: March 07, 2013, 03:58 PM »

Shuttleworth has long written checks his company couldn't cash on his Ubuntu claims. Forget his desktop products, which I think are mostly silly. Did get a chance to play with Ubuntu Touch (mobile) and while it's no Android killer, it's very nice. It needs work with bars disappearing too quickly and learning which type of swipe -- or tap -- opens what. But at least it's the first promising thing Canonical has offered IMO since 2006.

19

Living Room / Re: 25 ways technology has changed our lives

« on: March 07, 2013, 03:44 PM »

In most of the examples given, we're still doing the same tasks, but with digital versions of it. Technology gets its revenge (see Revenge Theory) when what was designed to save you time/money actually costs you dearly.

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Living Room / Re: Seriously 'funny' idea - what if DRM was applied to physical objects?

« on: March 04, 2013, 05:49 PM »

Apple is considering this "feature" with their upcoming watch -- you can only look up the time 99 times before it requires you insert your credit card again.

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Living Room / Re: Show us a picture of your.. CAR!!!

« on: February 27, 2013, 11:06 AM »

Because interest rates are at a record low, we bought a 2013 Ford Taurus in November. It's the most enjoyable car to drive I've ever owned, though I've mainly had sports cars for the past 20 years.



As others note, the problem with car ownership is the cost -- of taxes, licensing, INSURANCE! (ripoff!), high cost of gas, tires, and yes, maintenance. Unless you have cash to burn, get the most reliable car you can afford, viz., a Honda, Toyota, or something else that's nice and boring. You'll thank yourself every month once it's paid off. Just make sure to take it in once a year and have it diagnosed and serviced.

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General Software Discussion / Re: It's official - Linux Foundation Secure Boot System Released

« on: February 09, 2013, 03:58 AM »

Now that MS has both feet in the manufacturing business, it should limit its boot schemes to its own hardware, not the entire PC industry's. I had no problem loading openSUSE last Fall, but I shouldn't even be allowed to buy a UEFI-enabled motherboard when building my own system.
http://freedesktop.o...i/Software/gummiboot

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Living Room / Re: I did not realize how bad Google has become

« on: February 04, 2013, 09:19 PM »

G+'s "social search" results only appear among your ordinary search page results if you check that option in your account settings. It's not turned on by default, and even though I follow thousands of people, it's still rare to see anyone appear there.

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Living Room / Re: Name 1 Technological Feature That You Think Is Good

« on: February 04, 2013, 09:14 PM »

The Automotive Diagnostic Computer, which when hooked to your car, tells you almost everything that is currently wrong with it and needs to be fixed.

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General Software Discussion / Re: XYplorer ends Lifetime License

« on: January 24, 2013, 08:59 AM »

It was one of my favorite Windows programs of all time. But that seems a lifetime and another OS ago!