Topics

1

General Software Discussion / Firefox Quantum - I miss my old Speed Dial Add-ons

« on: August 18, 2019, 07:33 PM »

Ever since I upgrade to latest Firefox Quantum (FireFox 68.0.2), my favorite Speed Dial extension has become incompatible!

I really miss it!
1) It can open multiple pages with 1 click on an individual dial
2) I can set different background (wallpaper) on a per Dial Group basic

As at this writing, the few active and hot Speed Dial Add-ons are all downgrades and inefficient... 
Have I missed an Firefox Speed Dial Add-ons that does the above?

2

General Software Discussion / Warning: Buying new copy or upgrading to Genie Timeline Pro 2014

« on: January 05, 2015, 11:03 PM »

I code in Visual Foxpro under Win7 x64 and I am a long time user of Genie Timeline program.
There was no problem with previous version of Genie Timeline Pro until I upgrade to Genie Timeline Pro 2014.

I can't save my VFP file if Genie Timeline Pro 2014 put it on its pending queue (about to backup).
Basically it either brutely close my opened VFP file (the one which I have opened and am working on) or make file invisible to VFP (VFP was complaining on missing file).

In brief Genie Timeline Pro 2014 is useless for VFP programmer and I seriously doubt that its serious bug might cause problem far beyond VFP scope, because it seems that the program can't work correctly with the shadow copy mechanism.

The reason why i raise this warning:
1. After several email discussion with their support, my complain was passed to the developement team
2. More than 2 months later, I urge for at least a hotfix, and guess what I got in reply?

The support advise me to buy their other product particularly their Zoolz program which is in no way similar to Genie Timeline Pro 2014

It seems to me there will be no hope at least in the near future and I have to go back to earlier version.

3. Today I saw their Genie Timeline Pro 2014 promotion email, selling it at USD 9.95 instead of its original price USD 59.95

Man, it seems they are hunting one more round for more potential victims...

3

General Software Discussion / Is it possible to speed dial group of tabs in Firefox?

« on: April 04, 2014, 12:21 AM »

Hi,

In Opera, I assign the local address of a saved session (open tabs) to its speed dial slot and I am able to open all tabs as stored in the session by a single click on the speed dial entry.

In Firefox ver 28.0, I have installed the "Speed dial 0.9.6.16" extension, I am aware this add-ons allows user to assign multiple URLs (splited by '|') to a single slot, but I find that extremely troublesome, esapecially when it involves lot of tabs.

So, is it possible to bind a saved session (of opened tabs) to a single speed dial entry in Firefox?

I am also aware that the "Tab Mix Plus" extension has its own session manager, anyone know how and where it stores session of tabs?

4

General Software Discussion / I need recommendation on WYSIWYG web page editor

« on: January 06, 2014, 08:56 PM »

Hi,

I need to trim quite a number of web pages which I have saved as mht file (by Opera).

1. Most of the time, I want to be able to easily select a single table from a web page, copy it and paste it as a totally new page. I found web page could be quite complicated in term of nesting tables. In this case, my objective is to keep one table (could be deeply nested) which I am interested and remove the rest of the web page contents.

2. I might also need to resize tables on a web page stored as mht.

I need to do the above VISUALly and my intention is to shape them nicely before saving them as my personnel notes and yes, i absolutely don't want to work with codes at all.

So, could anyone recommend a good free WYSIWYG editor? (Or do I really need a WYSIWYG HTML editor? I was thinking if there is sort of browser function that will let me easily mark a deeply nested table content on a web page, then I probably don't need to save the page into mht then work with it...)

5

General Software Discussion / How do I control font size in PDF?

« on: November 14, 2013, 01:14 PM »

Hi,

I am not familiar with how fonts are used in a PDF document, but quite often, I do need to convert MS WORD docx documents to PDF (for reading purpose).

I notice that I can save a docx file as a PDF document from MS WORD 2010 and its save option also lets me control how the PDF file is being generated, but it seems that I can't control:

1. The font type in the output PDF
I suppose I can embed the font as used by the source docx file into the PDF, but I just couldn't figure out how to do that?

2. I also don't know how to control the size of a font in PDF when it is being view at 100% document size.

Could anyone recommend a utility, sort of WORD to PDF converter that can do the above mentioned?

I don't mind paying a shareware price (definitely don't want to pay high price like Adobe Acrobat) for it, but I do require the converter program to be hyperlink aware. i.e. it must be aware of hyperlinks in a docx source and make sure they also exist in the output PDF (like what MS WORD save as PDF does)

6

Living Room / Anyone from German, I have a question for you.

« on: September 18, 2013, 11:43 AM »

I read an article on newspaper, saying that in German there is law prohibiting pre-school education (education on kids younger than seven), is that true?

7

General Software Discussion / Folder protection

« on: March 22, 2013, 05:46 PM »

Hi,

I have some confidential data which I need to store in a folder.
I am aware that there are quite a number of utilities that help one to encrypt and protect data in a folder, but I am thinking of minimize my effort in looking for a good software to do the below:
1. Password-protect a folder from being access.
2. Auto-lock back folder after certain period of PC idle time.
3. The protected folder has to be a real folder so that I can further restrict access by my Outpost firewall. i.e. I can control what are the programs that will be allowed to access that folder and files inside it.

and I don't want
One that strictly required the encrypted storage to be a virtual drive. (Occupy a drive#), it ought to be a folder that I can easily work on with Total Commander once I unlock the protection with a right password.

So, I am here to ask for good recommendation, any suggestion will be very much appreciated.

8

General Software Discussion / Problem with my Gmail account...

« on: March 14, 2013, 11:17 PM »

I change my Google account password, turn on my phone verification and then...
I can only access my GMail server through browser...

MS Outlook 2010 and MailWasher both fail to access pop.gmail.com (incoming server) and smtp.gmail.com (Outgoing server)
The error was Bad username or password... man, I am sure I input them correctly.

This guy has the same problem but none of the clues in the discussion works for me

Has anyone come across the same problem as me? Any help?

9

General Software Discussion / What exactly is a "Windows idle time", anyone?

« on: September 18, 2012, 09:27 AM »

Hi,

I have very little knowledge about Windows idle time... I don't know if I leave my PC alone (while switching on) for a long time and if I use program like MacroExpress or AutoHotKey to periodically send a keystroke (say a space character simulating pressing spacebar), does that prevent it from entering sleep mode?

I have problem under the below conflicting situations:

1. I want my PC to go asleep if it is idle for an hour or more, so I don't want to turn off or change my current power plan of my Win7 x64

2. However, if I use IDM (or any other downloader program) to download something really big which might take hours (while I am sleeping), I don't want my PC to enter sleep mode because that will stop the download.

Please, any suggestion or clue will be very much appreciated!

10

General Software Discussion / Looking for something close to Evernote Ver2.xx

« on: July 24, 2012, 09:45 PM »

Hi,

I have tried and then gave up upgrading to Evernote ver 4.xx the latest version (Why?) and I am now stuck with Evernote ver 2.xx

Evernote ver 2.xx has:
1. Tag notes and the tags can be arranged in a tree structure.
2. Super-fast search on notes.

but not the below:
3. Ability to further search inside a note itself or navigate through found items within a note.
4. Highly customizable user interface, e.g. user defined fonts, background color etc.

I know this forum has been a hot place for many to discuss about note-taking programs... could anyone suggest another utility for me to replace Evernote ver 2.xx? I mean it ought to have at least 1., 2. and 3. as mentioned.

11

General Software Discussion / Looking for free scientific calculator

« on: July 06, 2012, 11:03 AM »

Hi,

I am tired of trying to seek and test...

Could anyone recommend a good scientific calculator for Win7 (No online-calc, thanks.) which at least supports MOD ... (Just in case) e.g. 8 MOD 3 gives 2
 
It will be better still if it is a 64 bits program.

t.s.lim

12

Living Room / May the old memory be with you

« on: June 14, 2012, 01:22 PM »

Today,

I bootup my 8088 PC (with a CGA monitor), play some old games... I feel younger.

https://hotfile.com/dl/159837680/e929cd6/Alley_Cat.mp4.html

13

General Software Discussion / Buying cheap Vmware from this site, what do you think?

« on: January 21, 2012, 02:06 AM »

I google and find this: http://cheapsoftware...rsion_p478.html#show

But I wonder whether it is safe to purchase from them.
Is there anyway I can verify before buy, to ensure I am buying a genuine license of VmWare Workstation 8?

Have anyone here bought anything from that site? What is your opinion?

14

General Software Discussion / Media player and system volume

« on: December 22, 2011, 04:23 AM »

Hi,

I normally use Media Player Classic to play video.

While watching video, if I mute sound, change volume level (normally this means the WAV volume level is changed), the program actually achieves volume adjustment by adjusting my system volume. What frustrate me a lot is, it never restores my system volume levels as when the program is started. So I must manually adjust the volume level back after I close the player.

Is there any video player which won't change my system volume even if I adjust volume level while watching movie with it?
Or alternatively, is there any utility that I can run to restore my system volume to some preset levels (say something I save in a config file)?

15

General Software Discussion / I need advices on SSD and PerfectDisk 12.

« on: June 15, 2011, 05:28 PM »

Hi,

My boot disk was a SATA HDD with 3 logical drive C:, E: and F:.
C: has WinXP installed on it.
E: holds data required by programs to start running and temp folders.
F: is the drive I install all my applications or programs.

I just replace that SATA HDD (I found it developing bad sectors) with a 120GB OCZ Vertex 2 SSD and because I am rather busy nowadays, I have decided to simply restore the HDD's recent image to the SSD and start using the SDD as my boot disk.

For all info and knowledges that I have collected about SSD, I now have some questions and am seeking for advices/answers:

1. Can partitioning a SSD drive decrease its lifespan?
(I mean am I actually cutting short the lifespan of my SSD unnecessarily by keeping the 3 logical drives structure)
For my case, E: > F: or C: in term of file changes. (E: has temp folders, whenever a program has an option for me to specify its temp folder, I will set it to a folder in E:). Since I has restricted many creation and deletion of temp files to only take places in drive E:, it seems that I am forcing higher frequncy of file changes to occur only at a limited area of the SSD (the scope of drive E:)... so is the above concern of mine really matter?

2. I am glad to know that PerfectDisk 12 has a SSD optimization that specially designed to catter for SSD defragmentation and I have read their idea of creating continuos free space blocks to increase SSD writing rate. I plan to buy a license for the Pro version of PD. But after thinking for a while it seems that something is not right about creating few big block of free space on SSD... it seems that PD12's idea of free space consolidation is simply a shift of time to erase area of SSD that could be written later. I mean, it is just a matter of erasing an area on SDD on-the-fly while writing data (without using PD12's SSD optimization at all) or pre-erase (using PD12) that area for future writes... and the amount of changes (thus the time they required) to the SSD are actually the same either way. Am I right that, PD12's SSD optimization should always be done with its Stealth Petrol scheduling mode? Because otherwise it forfeit the "increase write performance" claim!

3. If I choose to let PD12 does the SSD optimization for me with Stealth Petrol mode, how do I determine a reasonable fragmentation threshold percentage for PD12 to start that optimization? Or does that percentage setting field has become meaningless for SSD optimization since we are now talking about free space fragmentation instead of occupied space fragmentation... Or, may be I should ask this another way, when SSD optimization is concerned, if I place a non-zero value in fragmentation threshold percentage field, will that affect when to start optimzation, if the answer is yes, does the % apply to free space or occupied space?

4. I think the author of this article is too much http://www.speedguid...sd-speed-tweaks-3319, is a bit paranoid in elongating the lifespan of a SSD until he forgets the purpose of using a SSD is mainly for higher performance (otherwise I see no reason why one will not go for a HDD instead). Is there anyone here have any idea how long my SSD can last if I simply use it as I were using a SATA HDD and do not do anything as suggested by that article?

Please feel free to tell me anything about SSD that you think is crucial even if it isn't answering any of the above... thank you.

16

General Software Discussion / Macro Express Pro user, anyone?

« on: May 18, 2011, 02:08 PM »

Hi,

I plan to upgrade my Macro Express 3 to Pro version but few posts in Macro Express forum scare me... (those posts are from WinVista and Win7 users who run Macro Express)

Is there anyone using Macro Express Pro here? Do you find it OK with WinXP?

17

General Software Discussion / I just want to play my mp3 songs nicely with my car studio...

« on: February 01, 2011, 10:44 PM »

Hi,

Anyone has experience using one or more of these MP3 utilities:
MP3 Doctor, MP3 Doctor Pro, SuperMp3Normalizer and MP3 Gain PRO. Please kindly share with me your opinions in them.

The below are two of the emails that I have sent to the author (I suppose all the programs are from the same author)

I try Mp3Doctor PRO and I have questions:

Since I can't find single mode in the program:
I have a folder contains about a hundred mp3 files which I want to normalize
and among them there are few (3 of them) that I want to boost the singer's
vocal using the "Equalize" feature (the musical instruments sound too loud).
So how do I normalize all the files and only have that 3 mp3 files processed
with "Equalize" switch ON?

Hi,

I have tried the mp3Doctor Pro with few songs.
I purposely selected songs from my collection with varying volumn (one
particular mp3 song obviously sounds louder than the rest)
It seems that mp3Doctor Pro does not make them even in volumn. A songs which
sound louder than others remain louder after processed!
(Though mp3Doctor Pro's "Equalize" feature works as I have expected)

I am really disappointed for you can't even explain to me what tool should I
buy. I don't mind to buy more than one tools if I really need them.

Here: http://www.mp3doctor.com/buy.html I am presented with screenshot of
MP3 Doctor and MP3 Doctor PRO and I got special offer to buy both Mp3Doctor
PRO and SuperMp3Normalizer together.

Here: http://www.supermp3n...com/screenshots.html I found screenshot
of  SuperMp3Normalizer.

Here: http://www.mp3gain-p....com/screenshot.html I found screenshot of  MP3
Gain PRO which seems to be the same as SuperMp3Normalizer.
and its purchase page http://www.mp3gain-pro.com/purchase.html is offering
me to buy MP3 Gain PRO together with mp3Doctor Pro at a discounted price.

I mean, who in the world should I refer to, to distinguish the different of
the 3 programs. I am serious in getting tools I need, should I instead get
MP3 Gain PRO since I also want to make even all my songs volumn so that I
can play them nicely with my car studio.

I have mix feeling as should I buy a license of one or more of the programs:
1. The program quickly expired after I try it with a few songs... So, I can't really come up with a conclusion about its quality.
2. The websites of the programs are so poorly made. e.g. up to this point of writing, I am still unsure whether MP3Doctor PRO normalize (permanently even out all my MP3 songs volumn level).

Again, please kindly share with me your experience (if any) with the above.

18

Clipboard Help+Spell / Is there no way to keep My Favorite clips?

« on: September 29, 2008, 11:13 AM »

Hi,

I enable all the 3 "Automatic filling" option under  Backup/Maintenance tab, but I want clips that I click as "Favorite" to be exempted, is it possible?

19

General Software Discussion / Anyone uses MediaMonkey? I need your advices.

« on: August 28, 2008, 08:15 AM »

Hi,

I need a wav and mp3 files management software
1) Unicode aware
2) Powerful mp3 tag info edit
3) Rip Audio CD and convert to MP3 format.
4) Normalize volumn levels of a group of MP3 files and burn a MP3 CD/DVD so that I can play in DVD player at home or in my car (which support MP3)

I have difficulty navigating (very slow) the mediamonkey website and I can't register as member for their forum.
Any mediamonkey user? Is this software good?

Or do you have a software better than MediaMonkey to recommand?

20

General Software Discussion / In search of ideal backup utility

« on: August 20, 2008, 09:19 AM »

Hi *.*,

I have been looking for years but still I am unable to find a backup utility that fulfill all the 7 requirements as listed below:

----------
START LIST
----------
1. A modern and fast backup engine - supports multi-core cpu and 64 bits O/S.

2. Support Unicode / Unicode aware
   i.e. Able to backup/restore files or folders names in multiple languages, irregardless of how Windows language is set.

3. Efficient and easy backup job setup with filter.
   A backup job is typically a definition of what are the source items (folders and files) to be backup to certain target (a backup archive on certain storage).
   A filter in a backup job means a mechanism to define what are the source items (to backup) by file or folder name patterns.
   Backup job filter should:
   a) Support wildcards and/or regular expression - thus able to automatically include future folders or files which match certain name patterns.
   b) Support a way to easily define a "include all and exclude few" or the other way round "exclude all and include few" scheme.
   c) Or even a folder-treeview with checkbox on every tree-node. Just tick to select.
   The challenge here is not to simply provide the a), b) and c), but also integrate them and make sure they work together nicely. An intuitive user interface is very crucial such that user won't get confused when using more than one of the a), b) or c) at the same time.

4. Able to group backup jobs and act (backup/ restore) base on the group.
   For modern backup utility, the ability to backup/ restore base on a backup job is fundamental requirement, in practice, we need more powerful/ flexible feature - that is the feature which allows user to group multiple backup jobs and acts on (meaning to backup or restore) the group.

5. Efficient user interface.
   I understand that Wizards/ wizard-like interface are very helpful especially for newbies/ general PC users, but a more sophisticated and centralized interface, where one can do almost everything or access every feature is a must for serious/ power users.

6. Able to selectively backup registry key(s) rather than just backing up the whole Windows registry like an ordinary files.   
    i.e. besides folder and file, I think the registry should be treated as a collection of registry keys and individual registry key should be a candidate of a backup job.

7. Advanced Data Stream and folder junction aware.
   Able to backup ADS is so crucial for user with multimedia files that tagged with ADS.
   It should be user's choice whether folder junction should be treated just like other source item (say treat it like a shortcut LNK file) or as an ordinary folder (that contains folders or files).
---------
END LIST
---------

and I am very sad, I can't find a backup utility which does all the above...

If anyone knows any backup utility that fulfill all the above requirements, please kindly quote it here, and I thank you in advance!

21

General Software Discussion / Saleen Video Manager

« on: February 04, 2008, 09:31 AM »

For years, I have fail to find a video/digital clips manager software (especially one that catters for home-produced-digital video clips). The other days, after several hours of hard searching, I finally find one video manager program which closely meet most of my dreamed features -- Saleen Video Manager... unfortunately, it is still a beta (IMO,an alpha) version.

Like one of the poster in the program forum have stated:
"All other's are focusing mainly on managing/cataloging commercial movies and connection to IMDB, and downloading of covers from Internet, and neglect the documentation with own screenshots."

If anyone here are also keen on this kind of video manager software, please pay the site a visit and encourage the author to quicken the development. Here http://www.saleensof...om/VideoManager.aspx

22

General Software Discussion / Goodness! Is there NO Win utility to do "DIR /S/B C:\ZZZ\*.JPG > RESULT.TXT"?

« on: January 05, 2007, 12:03 AM »

What I want is just the "search result" on a folder-tree for certain type of files be printed (path+file or full filespec) to a text file! That simple!

WinXP's search can't be printed; I try (but never study in depth) and find that Total commander, xPlorer2 and D.Opus all just can't do exactly what I want????

I have to do it the DOS way, ah! ha! ha! ha!

t.s.lim

23

General Software Discussion / Is there utility to obtain optimal cluster size

« on: December 11, 2006, 02:23 AM »

Hi greating to everybody,

I have a 250GB SATA hard disk (full of data files but no O/S on it) under FAT32 format.
I am replacing it with a 400GB hard disk and is going to use NTFS, and yes I know the pros and cons of having bigger or smaller size cluster when formatting a hard disk... but I would like to be more serious this time, is there any utility/software which helps one to determine the best/optimal cluster size to use by analysing existing files on a hard disk?