Messages

301

General Software Discussion / Re: file-by file set backups to the cloud - good tools needed

« on: February 20, 2015, 09:12 AM »

I'm going to say, tentatively, that DriveHQ is the leader here.  It has a separate Online Backup program that is quite good. Not as sophisticated as a dedicated backup program, but quite fine. Gives you things like excluding specific file types and folders.  More later as I try to use it a bit more.  This is auxiliary to also having an excellent file manager.

If other programs, related to cloud backup, have something similar, it would be good to know.  I would probably like to have two backup programs running to the cloud with my daily data.

This could be from either direction.  The cloud says .. "use this backup ..". Or the backup program says "we support cloud a-b-c".

One reason that DriveHQ might be the leader is the fact that it has the professional level two-pane file manager built-in as well (separate download). I've found that quite helpful over the years.

Steven

302

General Software Discussion / Re: email notifiers (whew)

« on: February 20, 2015, 06:38 AM »

I'll try the two main Firefox extensions.  Since I always have Firefox open, it may work well, however for the biz there are other individuals with different habits.  Plus, Firefox extensions have a bit of a quirkiness history with new releases. (Note: Gmail Watcher got into a little disagreement with Mozillazine.)

Here is the earlier discussion. 2012-2014

Good Multi-account (GMAIL included) email notifier
https://www.donation...ndex.php?topic=30417

The three I mostly reference are in the thread.

Steven

303

General Software Discussion / email notifiers (whew)

« on: February 20, 2015, 02:27 AM »

Email notifiers seem like an unnecessary luxury, or obstacle.  However, in some businesses there are applications with real critical needs to know about the incoming mail, even quickly.

I thought this would be easy, that a few apps would fit, and I could choose one. However, it turns out that the quirky quotient is high, and things can be a bit puzzling.  Also I really wanted a program that still had support, even a forum, as this was going to be used by compatriots and I did not want it to flatten out 6 months later on new software versions, etc.

There are many features in some programs that I did not care about at the moment.  Working with one gmail account, I bypassed whether they handled a dozen accounts, or a dozen other email vendors, or calendar notifications, etc.

About 5 programs were tested that simply were not ready for prime time.  The best of this bunch was Spiffy.  Others were Kwerty, Popman, Gmail Notifier Plus, Mail Notifier. Another 10 programs were bypassed because they were clearly defunct or had a major disqualification.

I ignored gadget based programs. Multi-Email Notifier from India might be a good program.  However, the surrounding info was too sketchy. And now I see the comments here: https://www.youtube..../watch?v=dTYbgqXnkLY . Google discontinued some program they had.

====================

One neat feature is when the email notifier responds to particularly "labels" within the gmail account. That is a bit of a sleeper consideration for existing accounts.
(My gmail account had already been designed to handle only this important mail.)

Tablet is another issue.  I would like a good one for Androids and Airpads.

====================

3 Programs were left for Windows

Gmail Notifier Pro - Patrik Engstrom - http://www.gmailnotifier.se/
Forum - http://gmailnotifier...c.php?f=4&t=1875 (my post)
Cost - http://www.gmailnotifier.se/register.php
This may be the richest in overall features.  The post explains why it is currently out of consideration, which for many would be a minor issue.

Pop Peeper - Jeff Meier - http://www.poppeeper.com/
Pro - http://www.esumsoft....ucts/pop-peeper/pro/  (license required for biz use)
Forum - http://www.esumsoft.com/Forums/index.php
Plugin - Skin Notifier Plugin - needed for flexibility
This is very nice, with skins, the architecture can be a bit puzzling, since the skin sort of replaces the traditional notification. I have an email to Jeff about the best set-up.

PopTrayU - Jessica Brown - http://poptrayu.sourceforge.net/  - Free
Forum - https://sourceforge....poptrayu/discussion/
Plugin needed for Gmail - https://sourceforge....iles/latest/download
Extension of PopTray - http://poptray.org/index.php - many of the Poptray plugins should work.
Rather plain.  It was a little difficult to set up at first, because of the plugin need to get gmail to work. And also changing some settings. Used the forum.
At this time it is the leader as it is free (we will have 3 or more users) has support and can handle the specific need.

That is the overview, at this time.  The cost is modest for a small business of the first two.  All three have strengths, limitations and weaknesses.

Steven

304

General Software Discussion / Re: taskbar clutter - back to the virtual desktop GoScreen

« on: February 19, 2015, 09:12 AM »

SE Tray-Menu has become mildly indispensable.  Really does solve the problem in a minimalist way.  The light bulb icon is easy to find and remember. Nicely done.

Should look at the other programs.

SE-SOFT.COMFree windows software for common everyday tasks
http://www.se-soft.com/

And sent the author a note with the idea of a second menu for the non-shown "notification only" icons that come up when you hit the little pointer on the left and it says "customize".  I put a lot there that I would similarly like to see listed.

I put GoScreen on hiatus for a bit.  Planning a note to the author Andrei Gourianov on a couple of things, or a post in the Yahoogroups forum. I'm not quite groking how it starts up, and where it picks up the remembered setup.  (I have a special shortcut to the data being on the d:/ ),

Steven

305

General Software Discussion / Re: OneNote is now free

« on: February 19, 2015, 03:10 AM »

.
If Onenote with desktop functionality was a $49 program, with upgrades every couple of years, I would be very interested.

While OCR (I use Abbyy screenshot reader) and audio integration are nice techie things, I like the rectangle format, eliminating white space.  For me this is the feature that could make it happier than other programs like Rightnote.  Since, so far, I have only found that function in Notezilla in the desktop programs.  (However, for that to have full functionality, the rectangle should be optionally boxed and/or colored.)

I agree that the current situation is somewhat convoluted.  

Desktop
Am I supposed to fake out as a corporate user?   While I am affiliated with some companies that have some Microsoft products, the actual license very possibly would not apply, by the letter of the letter.  Anyway, I am tempted to go that route, to use the latest desktop version, but I have 2007 anyway, but only on my main PC.  Convoluted to the max.

Web
The problems you say above apply.  Plus I like desktop assess.  Its quicker and always with the puter, even while driving on Amtrack! The programs are better.

=========

Evernote.  
Some of the cloud complications.

And I am a big fan of a non-hierarchical approach for bookmarks (Linkman).  However, I have never understood trying to use a mass of glob of notes in that manners.

Steven

306

General Software Discussion / Re: stickies Notezilla memoboard as full-blown personal note system

« on: February 18, 2015, 07:23 AM »

Hi,

Yep, Notezilla is the only desktop sticky I have found that has a real memoboard implementation. And it can work quite well.  Maybe you have some ideas to add to (1)-(5) above.  Those are the big picture items, I am going to add separately a number of lesser comments and requests.

=======================

General Major Wish List -

(1) May be Too Difficult to Bother

(1) The ability for browser window stickies to work by the url of the specific page, as done by Internote for Firefox  - If you go by what often works, e.g. a site or company name, you can easily find that your needed window has a generic names like "Client Logon". Which you really can not relate to the site or company. If it could be done for Firefox especially it would be neat.   This is as much a vision and wish than a request, as it may not be time-practical.  And it hits the snag of changing browsers and versions and APIs.

On the other hand, one change above that might be relatively easy is a  File-Open capability that brings forth a different set of notes.  Then you don't have to cram every type of business and personal and research note on one tree. Right now this can only be done externally (macro, autohotkey, etc) where you would switch the files outside of Notezilla.

=======================

Here are some general requests:

"Undue" feature

note "Title" centered capability (you can put in dot to create the result now)

Right Click on Context Menu for "New Note"

Reduce the hot area on a url .. it is too easy now to accidentally load a page
  (and/or give a button to turn on/off clickability)

Notes Browser memoboard header (Title, Due, Tags, etc.) layout - default global setting

In that column for the header that is "memoboard", allow full Notezilla path (folders-->subfolders)

Skins be less than global .. e.g. for memoboard

browser back-arrow forward-arrow style navigation within Notezilla memoboard (since it can great crowded in tree)

=======================

Steven

307

General Software Discussion / Re: OneNote is now free

« on: February 17, 2015, 10:28 PM »

Hi,

I'm comparing the Onenote 2007 that is incidentally on my system with the new Onenote 2013, now fully free.

2007 can be run fully in a home-base desktop mode, while the 2013 free is a cloud item with no home-disk access (other than a type of backup).  
Is there a 2013 paid that is architecturally more like the 2007?  What would be the most economical way to do that, ignoring the rest of Office.

The color is more vivid in the 2007. This might be a question though of modern cloud thinking, and able to be adjusted. (Style-sheet?). Or simply a style preference.

2007 has dropdown menus, the 2013 has the ribbon interface.

2007 comes with three built-in notebooks, one a Onenote 2007 Guide, the other two function as templates, and are rather decent, personal and work.  I might make copies of these and actually use the notebooks.  Is there any equivalent in the cloud ?

Related to this, and also a general question ... can 2007 Notebooks be exported to the 2013 cloud with no difficulty?  
(This leads to a few questions as to whether you are trying to synch, or simply allow external web viewing.)

2007 has each notebook as "tab on left" type of indexing, while 2013 set up an index page that acts as like a cover book.  While I prefer 2007 for speed of switching, the 2013 might have some nice aspects. Oh, the two tabs on bottom left 2007 "All Notebooks List" and "Unfiled Notes" are nice, I don't see an equivalent in 2013.

2007 has a very nice toolbar implementation, which is apparently quite limited within the ribbon interace in 2013.

If you do have the 2007 available, and prefer working from the desktop file, what advantages are there in 2013?
And is there an inexpensive way of having the 2007 home-base utility in 2013?

===========================

From the pictures here:
https://www.donation...ex.php?topic=31755.0

I see the "Page List" sidebar, yet the word sidebar does not appear in the Onenote help.

The small tabs on the left.
Are those pages moved over from the starting spot on the right? Or something else.

==========================

Additional questions.

Is there any way to get a box line around rectangles on a page? (when it is not in focus.)
Same question about background color inside the rectangle?
Can a whole Onenote page have a background (e.g. corkboard, cream color?)

==========================

Overall, I am rather impressed, I still like the way that you can avoid the white space problem with multiple boxes.
Though I see it has, overall, lots of nice stuff.  I'm not sure I would like it to be too cloud oriented.

Steven

308

Living Room / Re: two-factor entrance authentication

« on: February 17, 2015, 09:16 AM »

 
The main application under consideration is currently an ecommerce application, that runs under Wordpress.

Shortly, that will be replaced by a dedicated ecommerce platform that is hosted on the server, without the Wordpress middle layer, written largely in PHP/Zend. A more robust ecommerce implementation (something that the Wordpress program, WooCommerce, tries to get around with a gazillion addons.)  Magento is the more robust one and the techie programmer support is stronger.

Both have 1000s of installations.

===========

Thanks for the cpanel and related information.  I will be looking it over.  

"We really need two-factor authentication ...  will even make password theft useless. If this is too much, then the absolute easiest way to this is to require email verification ...."

Basically, I was simply seeing the problem and offering an unusual alternate implementation.   I have notified our website developers that we would like there to be some sort of special admin security.

===========

"the fact that your server is not hardened against such attempts."

We recently switched to Nexcess as a host largely because they seem to be very attuned to techie stuff, quickly.
This has worked out very well.

===========

Steven
 

309

Living Room / Re: two-factor entrance authentication

« on: February 17, 2015, 08:19 AM »

Hi,

Not yet a techie on this stuff. Basically, I was going by a discussion I read yesterday that said that this was a vector of mass malware distribution.  As I remember, they specifically indicated index.html but we can also talk about any admin hacking of the site.  

On index.html the idea was that, after a bad guy gains entrance as an admin, the visitors could be mauled, unknown to either the site itself (for awhile) and, unless well defended, the visitor.  I didn't bookmark this well, although I will go back into Firefox history and see what I can find.

The first part of the discussion I was reading about was simply how easily Filezilla sending passwords can be hacked and the blase approach of the developer.  The discussion of malware distribution might have been a separate topic and website. I was simply following the logical implications.

Notice how you say that the cumbersomeness of the extra certificate-signed approach ends up meaning that it is simply not done.  And this would be true also for hardware keys, great ideas infrequently implemented (putting aside banks, etc.)  

What I am suggesting is a hack-resistant method that is relatively strong yet informal and might be easy to implement, although it may need the control panel people allowing a hook.  A second-factor entrance software implementation to stop an improper admin (whether or not they can get to index.html.)  One that would be complementary to IP checking.  If the admin signing in fails x times to hit the secret dot, then alarm bells ring to the web host and to the real admin's cell phone, tablet, etc.

If there is something that accomplishes this end already ... great!  Tell me how it is done.  

What damage can a false admin do? And how is it prevented? Is it not the equivalent of the root for your site?
We agree, I think, that no matter how strong the passwords and secretly guarded, that has a significant gap of safety below 100%.

As to why this came up, I am informally handling some aspects of security for a small business.  We had changes of programmer comparnies and workers and changed admin passwords. (Nothing hacked.) I was thinking about the simple fact that I really, really don't want false admin signons, this was prodded by the reading I mention above.

=================

To summarize my understanding, this is how I understand the basic scenario that is more sophisticated than simply hacking and taking data or changing things (forcing downtime and restore from backup). Remember, they could change things like pricing that could cause tremendous problems.

a) bad guys get hold of admin password for a site
b) bad guys get in there under the assumed name and make the site a vector of transmission for malware like a trojan
c) bad guys go home and wait
d) dozens of visitors get infected with a trojan (malware of some type) thinking they are visiting a safe site

Is this wrong?  If so, where.

And also the scenario where they simply change the site or get access to the data. (Understanding that there are internal standard that should prevent any credit card type of availability of information, any data breach remains embarrassing and can be very difficult for a business in many ways. )

Thanks!

=========================

Note, IP checking is nice.  Maybe, in many cases, sufficient.  Not sure how that works in practice.  There has to be flexibility when you are on the move.  Also there is an issue of unauthoized access to a puter that is a registered ID.  Thus, I mention this idea as complementary.

Steven

310

General Software Discussion / Re: Process Explorer now includes VirusTotal integration | 404 Tech Support

« on: February 17, 2015, 08:10 AM »

I'm glad to see them finally get with the program and implement this. System Explorer has had it for at least a couple years. I'm actually a little surprised it took the SysInternals team so long to catch up. Having said that, for every day use, I still prefer System Explorer. As much as I love Process Explorer, IME it has a tendency to crash frequently on some machines, my current desktop being one of them.

-Vurbal (February 17, 2015, 06:04 AM)

I'll have to see if I have any stability problems.  And I can see these now as the two best Task Manger replacements (although I do like Daphne for simplicity and color.)

I would say they are complimentary and they work differently.

System Explorer tests more .dlls and stuff, for better or worse.  System Explorer has their own database, that uses the community input.  They also left me with 48 unknown files (20 from DriveHQ, 6 from Priprinter, mostly .dll ) and then, e.g. gave information.  (e.g They identified the monitor.exe as coming form "Chameleon Monitor" actually Chameleon Startup Monitor .. with info on the program, author, etc.) So you can run through the unknowns reasonably effectively, even if it starts at a couple of dozens.  I have not checked yet whether you can comment or mark them as ok for the next run.

However, for a quick check of all files, Sysinternals shows them all (allowing that they don't do the .dlls) automatically, with the VirusTotal result easily available. So, even if it took them some time, it is a very good implementation.

Steven

311

General Software Discussion / Re: OneNote is now free

« on: February 17, 2015, 07:09 AM »

Thanks!

====

How to Back Up Your Notebooks in OneNote 2013
http://www.solveyour...oks-in-onenote-2013/

====

The Houston Chronicle small business section
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/

seems to specialize in short articles that tackle individual tasks.
I made this list using the google advanced search on the domain, saving urls to Linkman with a spot of cut-and-paste keyword specialty, and then OCR with Abbyy Screenshot Reader.

Can You Link Excel With OneNote?
Collaborating in Office 365
Connecting Android to MS OneNote via MobileNoter
Deleting OneNote Pages on an iPhone
Embedding YouTube in OneNote
Evernote Vs. Microsoft OneNote
Here's What You Need To Know About Office Online And OneDrive, Microsoft's Latest Alternative To Google Docs (MSFT)
How to Access OneNote for Android
How to Add to OneNote in Firefox
How to Align Text in OneNote
How to Back Up OneNote
How to Change Note Names in OneNote for iPhone
How to Change OneNote Files to Evernote
How to Convert a PDF to OneNote
How to Create a Calendar in OneNote
How to Create an RTF Document From Microsoft Office & Word
How to Create Company Letterhead in OneNote
How to Disable Microsoft OneNote
How to Edit a Scanned Document in Word
How to Enable Add-Ons in OneNote for a Printer Driver From Outlook
How to Export OneNote to OpenOffice
How to Format Normal Paragraphs in OneNote
How to Import Word Into OneNote 2007
How to Make Address Labels in OneNote
How to Make OneNote Make Text Note Card Size
How to Open an EMF
How to Open an MDI File
How to Open OneNote on a Mac
How to Print a DOS Screen (Onenote used for OCR)
How to Protect From Editing in Shared OneNote
How to Resize Inserted Printouts in OneNote
How to Restore From Back Up on OneNote
How to Retrieve Files From Microsoft Office OneNote
How to Save Lost Data in Microsoft Office OneNote
How to Save OneNote to Google Docs
How to Scan a PDF Into Word
How to Scan Documents & Save in Word
How to Send Gmail to OneNote
How to Send to OneNote 2007 From Outlook
How to Start Microsoft Side Note
How to Sync a OneNote and iPod | Chron.com
How to Sync Notes Between an IPad & an Android Device
How to Transfer From Livescribe to MS OneNote
How to Use a Scanner to Read Comma Separated Values
Microsoft Prepares Its Attack On Evernote (MSFT) - Houston Chronicle
Syncing OneNote on an iPhone With a Computer
The Advantages of Using Both Evernote & OneNote   - **
What Microsoft Product Is Good for Outlining a Business Plan?
Why Does Microsoft Office Give Me Such a Hard Time With Spacing?
Zoho vs. OneNote

Steven

312

General Software Discussion / Re: Process Explorer now includes VirusTotal integration | 404 Tech Support

« on: February 16, 2015, 10:48 PM »

Thanks for pointing this out!  Great feature.

When you say ok to virus total, it automatically gets the hash and tells you the status of every file based on previous submsissions.

Four of my files were not totally clean, having one or two of the 57 or so results negatory.  Those can be pursued more depending on my interest.  The general reason would be using a toolbox or function that operates on some low-level that an AV considers off.  This would understandably apply to SuperAntiSpyware. The other three were RightNote, Notezilla and Splinterware's System Scheduler. Splinterware has a forum, a bit dormant now, but they would discuss the occasional false positive.  So none of these are of concern.

Then I had three files that were unknown, no previous submission, so I submitted them.  Currently it says "scanning file". Perhaps there is a queue. Ok, done, Allmyapps had four not real happy.

===============

A first-tier security addition.

And I would recommend it for the small business client to be on every one of the fifteen PCs. (Then you might want to check about occasional remote start and view.)

===============

Here is Mark Russinovich discussing this stuff, in 2013.  (I have to listen for awhile to see if this VirusTotal feature had been implemented.)

License to Kill: Malware Hunting with the Sysinternals Tools
http://channel9.msdn...a/2013/ATC-B308#fbid

===============

Steven

313

General Software Discussion / Re: stickies Notezilla memoboard as full-blown personal note system

« on: February 16, 2015, 09:43 PM »

Just to show that I am not the only person in the universe who likes the Notezilla memoboard personal note idea:

How I Set Up My Development Machine on Windows
Zack Wallace
http://www.sitepoint...ent-machine-windows/

April
http://appsapps.info/about.php
Apps Apps
http://appsapps.info/

"And among my payware tools, you'll find Beyond Compare: http://www.scootersoftware.com/
and Notezilla (every project and website gets its own memoboard): http://www.conceptworld.com/Notezilla"

=====

That is how I use Notezilla .. dividing various projects and concept-blocks so that each gets its own memoboard, with the sub-board implementation.

Steven

314

Living Room / two-factor entrance authentication

« on: February 16, 2015, 05:23 PM »

Hi,

Two factor-authentication can help a lot when you wonder what is your password and contact the company.

Often they call back your cell phone and you use a one-time number.  I appreciate the method as adding a lot
of security pizazz.

========================================================

What if you have a mission critical website?   I was reading how passwords get hacked (one discussion related
to programs like Filezilla not having encryption, but there are 1,000 ways.)

Then the bad guys can sign in.  One thing they do is place some sort of malware into index.html, which then
affects future entrants to the site.

Oops.

This type of corruption can have a huge effect on the trust of a website and company.  It is a huge problem
on an individual company level, as well as the general individual malware issue.

So there really should be a way to prevent someone who simply has a password from doing real damage.  Some
sort of two-factor entry.  

A thought.  The second-factor could be something arcane like hitting one of a couple of dozen
little places that are only known by you and the host.

Is this done?  If not, why not?
Seems simple enough.  You add a check about limited number of errors, checking the ip, stuff like that.

I'm not saying its foolproof.  A screen recorder on your pc might pick this up.  However, that is 100 times
more sophisticated than simply a password hack.

Your thoughts?

Granted, possibly the best security is simply ip security only allowing specific places to enter.  However,
sometimes we are on the move. So the two ideas are complementary.

Steven

315

General Software Discussion / stickies Notezilla memoboard and the Onenote alternative implementation

« on: February 15, 2015, 09:30 PM »

Tonight I looked a bit at Onenote, which I had previous sort of ignored. The fact that it became totally free helped.

Onenote does seem to be the one software that has a similar capability to the memoboard, since every note can be enclosed in a type of box. Nice.

Now, in comparing with NoteZilla for this memoboard purpose you have some interesting comparisons.  

Notezilla has the colored background, with a clear border for each note and with distinctive backgrounds for notes possible.
Onenote has a better editor with many extra features and can use space better overall.  Even tables and spreadsheets. Sensible printing.

So far I have not seen a border or background color method with Onenote, a bit of a surprising lack (if it really is not there.)

Notezilla has the pop-up integration with url pages and with programs (with additional memoboards in the note browser that relate to those notes.)
Onenote has integration with SkyDrive to allow usage from multiple puters.  And in this version is forced to the cloud for storage.

Notezilla has a tree structure on the Y-axis with subfolders.  Then it has individual notes titled within each individual page.  This does allow for very quick page-note switching.
Onenote has tabs on top, X-axis, combined with multiple pages on the right, Y-axis, for each tab.
Onenote also has multiple Notebooks, and the possibility of multiple accounts off the same drive.

(So far, the only Notezilla extra utility I have thought of would be to have a hand-utility that moves various .db files that are renamed back and forth to Notes8.db.)

They both have auxiliary features.  

Notezilla has a special network and lan messenger aspect. And it has a due date aspect.  Also an Android app.

Onenote has Onetastic with a calendar implementation and macros.  Tools for drawing. It can be much more of a word processor. A big plus for certain uses.
And it even has screen capture clipping and OCR (I generally use Abbyy Screenshot Reader for that so I don't know if it is much of a practical difference.)
Ok, the web clipping may be a good feature to be using, possibly. All sorts of integration and extension possibilities, including a Firefox extension.

This is all sketchy, and I might be missing a lot.  
And I was surprised that the Onenote aficionados did not point out that it avoids the white space problem with the box entry focus.  

Are there others?  Your thoughts?

==============================

It is clear that as a research and complex writing tool, Onenote is loaded with helpful features (and I like the architecture more than anything I have seen from Evernote and others, allowing that it is from Microsoft!)  However, for the personal notes memoboard system, I think it is a close call, with Notezilla still holding its own.

==============================

Added:  The cloud implementation of OneNote can lead to issues like the file architecture and synching being cumbersome.
This Spiceworks thread is an example of that discussion.
http://community.spi...nenote-users-in-here


Steven

316

General Software Discussion / file-by file set backups to the cloud - good tools needed

« on: February 15, 2015, 07:17 PM »

Continuing from:
https://www.donation...ex.php?topic=40144.0

Rather than the image backup, the question here is the simpler backup, the data and config files and documents and stuff like that.  A backup that you independently design and it may be a small quantity of data. (If you have huge volume, like with email or video or iso, it may get its own special time and method attention.)

There are two main backup places:

a) local drive - Mybook, USB, local server etc.
b) cloud drive - (gazillion spots)

For the local drives, you have inexpensive hardware and solid software easily available, such as:

Personal Backup
Backup Maker - Ascomp
Cobian
Comodo
FBackup (free) or Backup4All (paid)
Syncback
FreeFileSync
Areca

Best Free File-Based Backup Program - Aug 2014
http://www.techsuppo...e-backup-program.htm

[Windows] Best free file backup, drive backup (aka imaging), and system backup software - Feb, 2013
http://dottech.org/9...kup-programs-review/

And many others.  This allows flexibility (Preference, I would like one allows flexibility in the drive assignment of the target drive, to be overridden at the time of backup.)  Since the quantity of data here is often small you have lots of flexibility in timing, target folder, multiple sets, etc.  In many cases, you can even bypass incremental and simply do full backups of this volatile data.

=================

What about the cloud?  In earlier days we talked a lot about drive mapping, WebDav and tools like ExpanDrive and similar tools.  Now I want to ferget about all those.  Services don't see mapped drives anyway, some of the drive mapping tools are quirky, some are $$ for multiple puters, etc.  Today, with the cloud sophistication, those could be more pain than gain for the home user.

Let's just find the best tool for user-defined backup to the cloud that has:

a) Good file-by-file backup software design (like Cobian, Backup4All, etc) with include/omits, specified files, folders, scheduling (can be triggered externally) etc.
b) Total Commander style file manager for looking at the target location and the home base.

DriveHQ definitely has (b).  
Question: what web backup has the strongest combination of (a) and (b)?  A is more critical, since it actually gets the data there.

Does not have to be free.  Especially since this is being used for smaller volumes of data.
Does not have to synch in any way, but it can be a synch tool used in backup mode.

In the basic iteration of this question, you are including all Windows Desktop programs. e.g. DriveHQ's excellent file manager is
a Windows download and install.

In another iteration of this question, you wonder if there are any cloud-based tools that can do even a decent job.  

The main purpose of mapping would be allow the desktop tools to be used to the external cloud.  The question here is,
what is the next best way, without the mapping complexities and costs and another set of problems.

Steven

317

General Software Discussion / Re: bandwidth manager

« on: February 15, 2015, 06:32 PM »

There are some forums for which this might be more of a specialty.  

e.g  DSLReports .. Linksys .. TomatoUSB .. ArsTechnica .. AnandTech

For more, just put a bunch of the keywords of the discussion into google, and then see which forums have similar discussions.

The DC crew knows a lot of techie stuff, but not quite everything.

318

General Software Discussion / file-by file set backups - finding specific locale with tools for ongoing backup

« on: February 15, 2015, 11:32 AM »

Here is another question,

On the simpler backup, the data and config files and documents and stuff like that.  A backup that you independently design and it may be a small quantity of data. (If you have huge volume, like with email, it may get its own special time and method attention.)

There are two main backup places:

a) local drive - Mybook, USB, local server etc.
b) cloud drive - (gazillion spots)

For the local drives, you have inexpensive hardware and solid software easily available, such as:

Personal Backup
Ascomp (nag screen to professional on startup)
Cobian free

And many others.  This allows flexibility (Preference, I would like one allows flexibility in the drive assignment of the target drive, to be overridden at the time of backup.)  Since the quantity of data here is often small you have lots of flexibility in timing, target folder, multiple sets, etc.  In many cases, you can even bypass incremental and simply do full backups of this volatile data.

=================

What about the cloud?  In earlier days we talked a lot about drive mapping, WebDav and tools like ExpanDrive and similar tools.  Now I want to ferget about all those.  Services don't see mapped drives anyway, some of the tools are quirky, some are $$ for multiple puters, etc.  Today, with the cloud sophistication, those could be more pain than gain for the home user.

Let's just find the best tool for user-defined backup to the cloud that has:

a) Good file-by-file backup software design (like Cobian, Backup4All, etc) with include/omits, specified files, folders, scheduling (can be triggered externally) etc.
b) Total Commander style file manager for looking at the target location and the home base.

DriveHQ definitely has (b).  
Question: what web backup has the strongest combination of (a) and (b)?  A is more critical, since it actually gets the data there.

Does not have to be free.  Especially since this is being used for smaller volumes of data.
Does not have to synch in any way, but it can be a synch tool used in backup mode.

In the basic iteration of this question, you are including all Windows Desktop programs. e.g. DriveHQ's excellent file manager is
a Windows download and install.

In another iteration of this question, you wonder if there are any cloud-based tools that can do even a decent job.  

The main purpose of mapping would be allow the desktop tools to be used to the external cloud.  The question here is,
what is the next best way, without the mapping complexities and costs and another set of problems.

Steven

319

General Software Discussion / Re: OneNote is now free

« on: February 14, 2015, 07:50 AM »

At the $10 commercial home use option though, MS Office is a steal, and it includes the OneNote Client and integrates brilliantly with with it. Makes it a no-brainer as far as I am concerned.

-IainB (February 14, 2015, 06:03 AM)

That sounds good even if the main use is the OneNote Client.  Do you have the url or more info? I looked around a bit.

Right now, my main PC has licensed Office 2007 (Craigslist Dell purchase) which has a OneNote 2007 implementation with tabs both on top and left side, a bit unusual.  Nice looking.  However, I don't want to bother if I can figger out how to get the new free one and it is better.  For OneNote I don't mind cloud-based. I'll look around for that url and download.

Ok, I found this:

Home Use Program
http://www.microsoft....com/hupus/home.aspx

Maybe it is dependent on your working with a biz that has Office?
"You need a program code from your employer to be eligible."

==============================================

Here is MakeUseOf going through hoops, jumps and swirls to try to get free Office.

Use Microsoft Office for Free with Microsoft Web Apps
http://www.makeuseof...-microsoft-web-apps/

That is one of the problem of looking for fully free.  Sometimes the very best is low-cost, not free, and you would waste time and effort.

===============================================

and the busy Onetastic "forum" for add-ons and macros

-IainB (February 14, 2015, 06:03 AM)

I found the Onetastic site, didn't find a forum.  And the Office forum apparently dances around Onetastic. Are you actually referring to a forum or to a "forum" ?

Steven

320

General Software Discussion / Re: publishing notes to the net

« on: February 12, 2015, 01:16 AM »

I would like to like Google Sites.  Sometimes it seems to be awkward by the Google signon motif.  I tried to inaugurate Google Sites for PureBible, one of my more social Gmail addies.  When I went in there, and asked to set up google sites, it dropped me out to :

"Sign into a different account to access Google Admin."

This google sign-on merry-go-round is one concern.  And I see that for building a site they fall back on partnerships with Weebly and Wix, which would incorporate their weaknesses and limitations.

The idea is good. Have a site where your largely google docs and related elements can feel at home, hosted by google or your own domain. With solid navigation for the visitor.  So if you have 20 documents, you at least quickly have a nice front page discussing each one.  I'm just not sure that practically it will be good.  If anyone has a "Google Sites" site that they want to share, to view, that might help.

===================

MyInfo is definitely a possibility. I wonder if there are any sites up, available, that could be compared to what we see in the url above from Treepad. ConnectedText I will pass on unless it incorporates editing in RTF.  From the products above, I added some notes, but still, other than Treepad, there seems to be a dearth of actual developed websites up and running using the tools.  Even for the limited applications like manuals and catalogs, where they should shine.

On Myinfo, I even have a license from 2012, ver 6, which I think is current to the latest release. So I can do a download without pressure.  At the time I was not thinking pub to web. Apparently, though, you will want to do some format tweaking, but that could be acceptable.  

OneNote, Evernote, Wiznote just never quite caught my interest. 

===================

Somehow my mind has never wrapped around being brain mapped. I'd rather have a memoboard (Notezilla, Listhings) that fills the note need at the same time that it acts as a sort of mapper by the tree and board layout.

===================

I do have an Airpad, and I like using it for Skype, Facebook, browsing, traffic and maps and various apps.  However, I can't see using it for notes with flavor and structure, or publishing or documents.  Maybe I am missing something.  Closer would be one of the Androids, a big Samsung tablet with a keyboard (quiet nice) and a wireless mouse. Also possible in this genre is the Chromebook.  While Ipad does not really support a mouse on the pixel level and I really don't intend to learn finger-pinching as a writing method.  Once again, I may be missing something.

===================

On the tablets, it seems like they make good extensions to an AT&T cell phone family plane.  I have been able to add the small LGs or Samsungs for about $10/month for two years (a good price for airtime, this is part of a shared data plan) with little or no cost for the actual hardware, which is owned officially by you after the 2 years.  Apparently they had one special with a big one for only $100, same basic idea. What's good there is that the modest incremental cost means that you don't have to use it a lot.  Saved me $15 parking in NYC the other day, when I quickly downloaded a parking garage app while at a traffic light!  (Just be careful not to get a $200 cell phone ticket, with possible points.)

Steven

321

General Software Discussion / Re: publishing notes to the net

« on: February 10, 2015, 06:16 PM »

The question for me was whether I had to write in markdown rather than RTF for ConnectedText.  
Am I taking a dilettante approach?  Are there wiki's with RTF?

The fellow Paul ended up liking Connected Text, and as a Wiki it is inherently web-enablable.
They claim that markdown is similar effort. I am skeptical.  Plus, I am very happy with RTF writing.

Steven

322

General Software Discussion / Re: stickies Notezilla memoboard as full-blown personal note system

« on: February 10, 2015, 09:09 AM »

Hi,

Continuing with Notezilla as a full-blown personal note system.

Here are the biggest improvements that I see that would enhance it greatly:

==========================================

1) Snap to Grid - some way to make the layout nice and organized. Note that scroll-bars, or the potential for them to arise as the setup requires, does impact this to some degree, in terms of notes being flush one to another.

Also worthy of consideration, in addition to having notes snapped next to one another, an internal box or tiles system within the memoboard would be nice.  Right now you could set up a cross note as a type of section header. Even a couple of tools within the memo-board like special section lines would help organization and visibility.

2) Tabs - the tree-structure combined with 5-10 notes on a page (you are trying not to have a scroll-down page) is reasonable, tabs on the top would be a huge enhancement, similar to various note programs.   (Another method used by note programs is to allow the opening of different named files, this would be another possible solution, not as elegant as tabs, that would give Notezilla more flexibility. There could be multiple names/locations of the Notezilla data file and you open one at a time. One for biz, one for personal, stuff like that. Best, though, is tabs.)

3) Full screen mode (or "almost" full screen mode). Maximize the space and be consistent as to the layout size (which varies a bit by the number of notes on a memoboard.)

4) Print feature - including print landscape natively  - One that keeps the formatting and, optionally, the color schema of the visible note. Or simply an alternative like line bars around each note.  As well as printing what comes out of the current exports HTML or txt. My current workaround is single page at a time print screens, possibly macroized.

5) Publish to web (this last may be asking a lot)

==========================================

A couple of esthetic things that I don't think are there
  1) a corkboard background look for wallpaper (Listhings and many others)
  2) a notepad lined writing mode look for paper (Listhings)

==========================================

Steven

323

General Software Discussion / Re: publishing notes to the net

« on: February 10, 2015, 07:31 AM »

We have done that type of thing with another business/client.  It works well for individual documents.  The thing is that I don't think and refresh and update in a document format, I want a little tree and/or tab mentality in preparation for organization.  When you have twenty documents on Google Drive it is a bit unwieldy to the reader as well as to the writer/updater.  The reader can especially lose interest.

Maybe Google Docs or Microsoft Word has some such features (or would that be Microsoft Publisher or Google Web Doodads?) but overall the web note paradigm we have gotten used to from Keynote and then Rightnote is rather comfy. And I want to retain some sort of similar organizational overview.  

================

btw, in some cases I might actually use a web picture snap from Notezilla as part of a note page in TreePad, etc.
Again you run into the desire to avoid the white space problem.

Steven

324

General Software Discussion / publishing notes to the net

« on: February 10, 2015, 05:30 AM »

Hi,

Does a note system == web publishing system?
Why or why not?

Take an example.  I have a client where I would like to make it reasonably clear what I have done for them,  what are our contacts, how and why we do backup, what are the projects and a number of other items.  I've worked for them many years and if I am away, or less available than the current 20-minute-drive dropin, they have a good body of information.

I want them to be able to print out a page and keep it handy and then get to it very easily a year or 3 years later.    A while back I thought about Ubernote.  Not visual enough. Today I am working with the Notezilla memoboard paradigm.  Not bad.  At least for personal ad hoc note use, excellent. Not, however, for a professional sharing approach.

However, what if you have a Rightnote style tree-note that publishes to the web?  Then (allowing a suitable parking space) you can really make it easy for them to find and read and study. They don't have to pass around a manuel, or a data file, they can read and print and see screen shots right from the web. You might get some nice advantages over the memoboard, like an indexed tree.  And you do an update or addition, you simply republish.

That is simply one example. Dozens of others can be added.  I have Bible textual studies that might do well on this type of publishing, more user-reader effective than blog or forum writing, more time effective than special book-outliner preparation.  (Scrivener, Citavi, Outline4D and many friends.)  Hybrid-city.

===============================================

This thread hopes to build on some of the discussions in the following three threads, with special kudos to DC Peter and remote Paul, if I have identities right.

Some outliners and the features Unicode, search in the tree, website publishing
http://www.outliners...om/topics/viewt/5203

stickies Notezilla memoboard as full-blown personal note system
https://www.donation...ex.php?topic=40122.0

Paul J. Miller - I used to be undecided, but now I'm not so sure.
https://pauljmiller....oftware/note-taking/

===============================================

Here are some that are noted for publishing to the web.  Some give examples of finished websites.
Others are said to be somewhat quirky in actual publishing.  Apparently this is a specialty area.
Some have been mentioned extensively on DC, some very little.

TreePad - http://www.treepad.com/webgenerator/ - many sample sites
"comfortable feature to create a website... no Unicode support" - Peter

Memobook http://www.memo-book.../en/overview-en.html
" possibility to export as a website with better results than MyInfo concerning the line spacing...  silly and unnecessary zoom..  Memo Book gave me the impression that the web version corresponds exactly with the “original” version." - Peter
Any comments on the zoom?

MyInfo - http://www.milenix.com/myinfo  - best on unicode
"easily and without problems but formatting is not fully retained in the web version" - Peter
Millenix has a forum, so here is a discussion about modifying .css either before or after export.
http://forums.mileni...c.php?f=1&t=4556

MyBase, UltraRecall and Web Idea Trea are also in the mix, with nuance. "

I think it would be good to see which program is actually succeeding in helping people make production websites.

Treepad may be the leader.
"Examples of Websites created with TreePad"
http://www.treepad.com/webgenerator/

"WIT user's manual, which has entirely been designed and built with WIT."
http://www.webideatr...u-en/text/index.html
"too complicated .. " Peter

===============================================

Mynoteskeeper - http://www.mynoteskeeper.com/

2/10/2015 correction -- this one does not belong

===============================================

Who else is solid in this mix?
Which one should I use (currently "none of the above" are in my toolkit.)
Is this the right way to go? Why or why not?

Anybody want to compare the finished products as well?
Which in some cases you might want to tweak.

===============================================

Steven

325

General Software Discussion / Re: taskbar clutter - back to the virtual desktop GoScreen

« on: February 08, 2015, 06:18 PM »

SE Tray-Menu can do the job, and is free.
http://www.se-soft.c...n/Products/TrayMenu/
Has columns but no groups == column titles, apparently you would have to ad-hoc columns of = number of entries.
Some modification .. e.g. set up a different colour for eah column.
Looks like you have to navigate to the executable for setup.. I thought I saw drag-drop, but apparently not.
Ok, you can take from the Start Menu.
Maybe best is alphabetical order, forgetting groups.

Hmmm... close.

Maybe what I am learning is that the sytem tray is redundant, to the start menu and desktop, and simply take
everything out other than actual special notifications.  See if you can bring anything you use a lot to pin to taskbar.
And simply hide everything else.  The whole issue is psychological.

============================================

PS Tray Factory looks similar. they talk of a $25 registration
http://www.pssoftlab...er_screenshots.phtml

Tray Commander - Ardamax
http://www.ardamax.com/tc/
Looks interesting as a $15, the website is hokey, in use by anyone?

Tray Icon Pro - Metaproducts
http://forum.metapro...m/Posts.aspx?topic=5
May not really exist anymore except on a download site, price listed as $0
Maybe I saw a pic somewhere with similar functionality as Captain Tray

Captain Tray - Almeza - $34
http://www.captaintr.../content/view/15/29/
moves form Taskbar to System Tray to Hideboard (no obvious creation of special list icon)

My System Tray Icon
http://www.rtmenu.co...System-Tray-Icon.htm
Some system functions in one button in the tray

================================

DC - Launchbar Commander
https://www.donation...dex.php?topic=2578.0
does a lot more, might have these functions embedded.

================================

Steven