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11
Living Room / Re: Do You Freelance?
« on: November 01, 2011, 03:30 AM »
I translate software (GUI and Help) mainly for two software developers, translate tutorials and snippets to be put on websites, and occasionally ask a developer, if he wants help with his sometimes adventurous translations.
Additionally, I am the usual Mr. FixIt, when computers in my vicinity (friends, family) are broken or have to be replaced by new machines.
Via mouth to mouth  propaganda, friends of friends ask for my service, so that's where serious money (fixed sum per hour) comes from.
As I have a fulltime employment, all this freelancing is done after hours, but gives enough additional income to make it worth the time.
Employer and IRS are informed about my status, so I have a go from my boss and taxes are paid from the freelance income, too, but in a very complicated calculation.

Thomas
Berlin, Germany

12
General Software Discussion / Re: Software Hall of Fame
« on: September 15, 2011, 04:26 PM »
Oh, the olde days. It all comes back to me now.

Started around Dos 2.x and MS Word 3.x something.
First thing I needed was a zip tool - the first there was, as my dad's word files didn't fit on 360 kb disks.
And then I found all those gems
Desqview and Quemm - spent hours configuring my autoexec.bat and config.sys to fit everything in 640 + 384 KB
PCToos, of course, and Xtree (Gold)
Norton Utilities, when the consisted of two letters to start
Fastback and PCbackup. STill have the disks, but no pc in the world is slow enough to start the program. It dies from speed overload instantly.
MS Word over WordPerfect in ANY release
Lotus Manuscript for long texts. Lost gem.
Turbo Pascal occasionally. Never was a coder.
Getting online into mailbox systems with 300 bd, later with a lightspeed modem at 1200 bd and a software that somewhat sounds like Qemm, don't ask
Oh yes, Harvard Graphics, before there was Power Point. Vector Graphics in slideshow software.

Windows came and I tested v2.0 and 3.0. Not impressed. 3.1 / 3.11 impressed the hell out of me. Many things got easier.
Word for Windows - a dream come true for a guy who created and edited 100 - 500 page documents - PRINT READY.
Office - every incarnation. Never could get myself to the other Office lines.
HyperSnap since 1997. MY screenshot app. No other ever got close.
When the Internet became www for all, I just found everything I needed somewhere.
Download it, test it, delete it or keep it. Some things stay forever, most don't.

My favorites over the last years
MS Office
Vista's own Mah Jong - only game I really play.
IrfanView
IZarc
Teamviewer - makes support fun again, believe me
ditto - clipboard manager. Even blackmailed my company in installing it. Threatened to quit. Worked.
Webshots - for recreation and beautiful pictures
CompareIt
Handy File Tools from Heatsink
Lupas Rename

pretty much the tools that are installed first on ANY computer I get my hands on.

Thanks for sharing and bringing back fond memories with this thread.
Thomas
Berlin, Germany

13
General Software Discussion / Re: PDF to Word converter comparison
« on: June 15, 2011, 09:04 AM »
Hell Curt,

you are referring to the OCR scan option of the PDF tools.

You are right, it doesn't work with Office 2010 anymore, as Microsoft removed something called MODI. This routine was used by SolidTools to create the OCR layer over PDF documents.

There is a workaround to install MODI from Office 2007 onto Office 2010. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/982760
Solid confiremd that the tools would work with office 2010, too, if MODI was installed.

Don't take MY word for it, but installing MODI and then running a trial version should give you the needed confirmation.

The normal pdf tools work with Office 2010 without any problems.

Thomas

14
General Software Discussion / Re: Your most used SPECIAL programs
« on: June 15, 2011, 01:32 AM »
Hello all,

I just looked at pages 7 and 8 of the thread, no time to read everything, but here are my two bits:

Compare IT 4.0 for comparing two files side by side.

chmZoomer to zoom chm files. They are sometimes to small for my weakening eyes.

I usually google for programs that fit one or more special needs. If they work, I buy them. And if I need something really special, I will never trade a good program for almost as good freeware, just because it is free.

The most special programs, alas, are from two donationcoder members, who programmed them just for ME and after my specifications. You can't get more special than that.

Thomas
Berlin, Germany




15
General Software Discussion / Re: PDF to Word converter comparison
« on: June 15, 2011, 12:44 AM »
Hello all,

When I was in need of a PDF->Office converter, I found after some testing the program SolidConverterPDF from www.soliddocuments.com.

 :-[(and yes, this is the text I posted to another thread in September 2010. But I still work with the program and I am very content with the output.)

I have no idea, how they do it, but the results are simply stunning. Of course, not everything is possible, but I converted manuals for devices like TV sets, DVD-recording machines, scientific books and whatnot. Just incredible.

The trial lets you convert 10 percent of the original document, max. 10 pages and adds a watermark.

I think, this is ok for testing. Prices start with $ 80 for a single user license.
The support is great, very personal and really able to solve problems.

Give it a try and no, I am not connected to them.

Thomas
Berlin, Germany

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