Messages

201

Note Taking Software / Re: Preview Version of SuperboyAC's Notetaking Software Roundup Now Onlline

« on: September 15, 2006, 01:05 PM »

I think CyberArticle deserves a place in the review, here is the link to the English version:
http://www.wizissoft.com/

202

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: XYplorer File Manager

« on: August 31, 2006, 07:08 AM »

Now, after rereading your post, I think your idea is to quickly type some folder names plus indents (or so) into an editor and feed that chunk of text into the app to let it create a corresponding folder structure. Sounds easy to do. Still interested?

-DonL (August 31, 2006, 03:43 AM)

My idea is I can mark folders with XYplorer and optionally tell to include (or exclude) their subfolders then let XYplorer generates either a BAT file or Windows script file. Before the creation of that BAT/SCRIPT file, XYplorer should allow me to place "action" on to all selected items, so this action can be "MD" which means create the folder or if I put "RD" means delete the folder and so on...

I miss the "Batch Enhancer" or BE as found in Norton Utility 8 in the old DOS day ...

203

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: XYplorer File Manager

« on: August 31, 2006, 12:46 AM »

Ok, let me do a little pitch for my app... Your dream has come true. It's already built into XYplorer, only in a far better way! 

...

You put in there whatever you want, just a one-time work, and XYplorer will list it in the "New Items" menu, ready for 1-click-creation

-DonL (August 30, 2006, 03:38 PM)

Hi, I have not yet tried XYplorer, but may I know what do you mean by "one-time work", does that mean I have to create (once) every folder and all its subfolders (if exist) manually as the "New Items" mentioned? If the answer is YES then I don't think it is practical, because my initial request/dream feature is to avoid that kind of creation. i.e. it is the work of creating folder-tree-structure that I wish I can save, not the easy of repeating the same creation...

I think a script or batch is still a better way because it is flexible to be used else where...

204

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: XYplorer File Manager

« on: August 24, 2006, 10:33 PM »

Here's another neat feature.

The ability to copy a whole folder structure, including all subfolders, to a different location, without copying the files inside those folders is a great time-saver.

-zridling (August 24, 2006, 06:04 PM)

My dream function/greatest time-saver is:

Instead of just copying the "folder tree structure", user may opt to generate a "batch file" or "Windows script" that when run will create that "folder tree structure"

205

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: XYplorer File Manager

« on: August 21, 2006, 08:04 PM »

But TucknDar's right, TC's renamer has regular expressions, and even has a  section on them in the help file.

-rjbull (August 21, 2006, 10:59 AM)

I must have missed this one, may be I should try it again.

206

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: XYplorer File Manager

« on: August 21, 2006, 08:42 AM »

Hi rjbull,

Even nowadays, I still use MultiEdit for DOS programming and it uses regular expression intensively for its search and replace function. However the syntax is definitely diff from the DO's. I am not sure whether there exist an international standard of regular expression which supposed to be used by everyone. I can pick up very quickly if there is a reference of the regular expression syntax used by DO, unfortunately I couldn't find one when I evaluate DO.

Another thing I can still remember is about the "rename" function, TC has the most intuitive and easiest to use interface. When I first try renaming files with it, I spontaneously know how to use it - and it is powerful. Unlike TC, DO allows regular expression which I supposed can do more than TC, but what is the point if newcomer find no way or very hard to learn the syntax of regular expression?

207

General Software Discussion / Re: Scot Finnie finally decides on an antivirus solution...

« on: August 20, 2006, 12:31 PM »

Another point worth considered:
A persistant database stores results of past scanning.
1) When should be the right time to bypass scanning based on this past result
2) and when should be the time to rescan and reconfirm the past result

Let say there is a 1 hour gap between a XXXX virus/trojan/... is found on the web and the delivery of latest virus signature database to the end user. If you happen to be online during that hour, do you find the need to re-examine the "persistant database"?
Do you rescan every entries found in the database or simply zap the database so that it is rebuilt from scratch?

208

General Software Discussion / Re: Scot Finnie finally decides on an antivirus solution...

« on: August 20, 2006, 11:58 AM »

If I understand you and "persistant database" correctly:
1) There is additional activity/work to do in order to maintain or update the persistant database
2) There is additional time to search for a file being launched (before checking for virus pattern) if that file is not yet in the database.

It is intersting to me to find out how much time it actually save...

Anyway, lets say a user wants to scan through a HDD for possible hidden threats, does KAV use that "persistant database" to bypass "this file is clean" files during this "on demand scanning" process? Or instead, it builds and updates the database during that process?

209

General Software Discussion / Re: Scot Finnie finally decides on an antivirus solution...

« on: August 20, 2006, 11:08 AM »

I use NOD32 mainly because of its excellent performance and powerful protection.
It has saved me quite a few times these years.
I am so happy that I even help to sell copies of NOD32 to many of my customers, so far more than 50 copies (newcomers+renewal).

Scot Finnie's emphasis on scanning outgoing mail is "hard to understand", at least for me...
If the best 2006 antivirus can secure one from being attacked, isn't that means his/her PC is always clean, so why scan mail going out from a known "clean PC" ?

210

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: XYplorer File Manager

« on: August 19, 2006, 02:42 AM »

Hi,
It has been quite some months ago when I tried Explorer replacement applications, for what I can still recall right now:

1) DO is relatively weak in handling archive files (compare to Total Commander)
2) Total Commander is the ugliest among all. (But lifetime license)
3) xPlorer2 has the best help document but it fails me in searching PDF files

I am a programmer (since the DOS time) but I find DO search difficult to learn, particularly its regular expression syntax (which is also used in renaming files), and there seems to have no detail documentation on this.

211

General Software Discussion / Re: General brainstorming for Note-taking software

« on: August 03, 2006, 06:29 AM »

Hi doublewitt,

You might find do-Organizer not suitable to be classified as "Bloatware" or "Fatware" due to its application nature or your personal feel, however, that is not an appropriate reason to deny the fact that some "Bloatware" or "Fatware" do exist in the market.

Widen the scope or adding features/functions of an application from its initial objective does brings side effects, generally speaking it:
1) Cuts down performance or raises hardware requirements
2) Makes documenting more difficult - harder for newcomers to master
3) Lifts the price of the application - those who need only few features will feel not worth it.

In fact, from a software developer point of view, increase in #features or raise in hardware requirements is something inevitable along the evolution of an application, however, blindly/simply adds whatever requested by users is not always a SMART idea.

As a user, if A and B are 2 software which offer the same set of functions at the same price and both do well in what they have to offer except that A does everything more slowly than B, which one do you prefer? This is corresponding to 1) above
If A offers just the set of functions which you need at a lower price than B which has more to offer (which you don't need), which one do you choose? See 3)

IMHO, whether a software is "BLOAT" or a fatty, it all depends... it is more personal feel than an objective issue.

212

General Software Discussion / Re: General brainstorming for Note-taking software

« on: July 27, 2006, 03:14 PM »

Greeting to everyone,

It has been quite a while since my first attempt to look for a note-taking program which uses a mechanism like that used by ACDSee to categorize image files (I have tried that mechanism in ACDSee ver 7 and I really like it).

Here is how I look at the "Organize" feature of ACDSee, which I think is a very powerful feature (effective and systematic):
1. Categories in that mechanism can be analog to "preset keywords/tags" made by user
2. The tree-structure which holds the categories provides a "visual map" to organize "keywords/tags"

1. and 2., are in fact "organize the organizer" just like "learn how to learn" before start learning.
That mechanism provides a chance for user to first set and organize "keywords/tags" then use them to organize "notes"

The same tree of categories (with checkbox on each category) can then be used to mark what categories a particular note belongs to. Just tick with a mouse at the checkbox of a category to mark a note for that category.

3. That saves repeating keystrokes for the same keywords and avoids spelling error
4. A note marked for a sub-category is automatically marked for all the parent categories (save a lot more effort in organizing)

Of course, when trying ACDSee 7, I notice that mechanism can still be improved in many ways.

IMHO, that mechanism is a "must have feature" for note-taking program when categorizing "notes".
Please kindly inform me if there is such a note-taking program (which provides the something close to the above mentioned)


t.s.lim