Topics

26

Living Room / Shipping outside USA not an option - workaround?

« on: May 25, 2008, 07:41 PM »

Frequently, companies such as Amazon don't offer shipping outside the USA for a variety of reasons.
 (example: I want to buy a scanner from there but they won't ship this item to australia)
I know there's a company that will provide a USA shipping address for Singaporeans and forward goods to them, but don't know of anything similar for Australia.
Does anyone know?
Failing that, is there a regular DC member who would consider acting as a trans-shipment point for a reasonable fee? I'm not 100% committed to the purchase yet - finding out whether I've any options at this stage.
thanks
tony

27

General Software Discussion / Search GT .... how can this be?

« on: May 20, 2008, 06:57 AM »

Today I thought I'd give SearchGT a try, so duly downloaded whilst at work, installed and played. Noted that it was unregistered, 30 days remaining.
This evening, after downloading and installing the daily GOTD offering, I thought I'd have another play with Search GT to see agin how fast it was.
 It was fast, so I thought about whether I'd register or not.
 Then it struck me...where was that 30 day trial reminder? Looked again, it's registered to GOTD. Huh? I never downloaded from there (it was offered on march 31).
Checked the dates of the files in the Search GT directory - they're today's date.
 Would be funny (as in odd) if that was a reproducible event. Of course it poses an ethical dilemma now. Perhaps I should cross post this to some recent threads.

28

DesktopCoral / docking problem...

« on: May 04, 2008, 07:55 PM »

is this behaviour normal?
1. I move the small "drag to border of screen to dock" window to top of screen.
2. I right click/dock... it docks to top of screen.
3. I right click/undock
4.  move the small "drag to border of screen to dock" window to left of screen.
5. I right click/dock... it docks to TOP of screen.
6. I right click/undock
7. I right click the small... then choose "options" and set dock position to left of screen, click apply/ok
8. I right click/dock ... it docks to TOP of screen

Once, I'm sure I made it dock at left (not today)... Ive NEVER got it to dock on right.
Display set on Nvidia Quadro NVS 110M if its relevant
tony

29

General Software Discussion / Paint Shop Pro X2 - installation from hell ...

« on: November 05, 2007, 07:43 PM »

here's a summary of upgrading from PSP X to PSP X2..
1. install X2 trial to see if I like it... at end of install, x2 launches and I play with it awhile (liking it)
2. Hour later, try launching it again... language error. Try several times, same error.
3. Re-install, new problem - not admin (incorrect!) Try several times, same error.
4. Re-install. New error - trial has expired  (this is same day as 1st download!!!)
5. Re install, same error. Send various requests for support corel support site (replies are no help)
6. Delete using special uninstaller from corel site, re-install, same error.
7. Scratch head... make BAD decision - if I buy x2, can't possibly give trial expired error.
8. delete trial, purchase x2 and use their download link to get (I thought) a non-trial version.
9. Install new version, use supplied key, launch it - expired!!!!!!!!
10. Think .. maybe the X version is causing this. Delete X2, delete version X
11. re-install x2 - expired.
12. delete x2, reinstall X, reinstall X2. Expired.
13. Delete both again, run reseeker looking for all paint shop pro references in registry. There are a LOT! Deep breath.. delete all the buggers!
14. Re-install X and X2. Same old expired trial message.
15. Get new message from corel support - we can't help via support site, you need to phone corel.
16. Use corel's link to find where to phone, phone corel.
17. get told over the phone that they (who-ever was on the end of the phone) can't help, I need to EMAIL corel for help.
18. email corel, anticipating a reply email that says I need to phone for support.

Is it time to ask for a refund? Since I'm going to asia for xmas vacation, I'm sorely tempted to not get a refund, but to buy a pirated X2 copy to resolve this monumental waste of time.

30

Living Room / How to get data from dead flash drive?

« on: October 29, 2007, 10:49 PM »

A student at my school had to pass up a major assignment today - 2 months of work.
She saved it to her flash drive (usb drive), but later, found that the drive couldnt even be recognized by windows.
Tried on various school computers today -it IS dead. Probably the data is there, but there's a break in the circuitry or something similar.

The question is, is it possible to get the data off the drive with any equipment likely to be owned by someone accessible (ie not the research centre at sandisk etc).
Are there any other things to try (eg gentle heat to expand solder tracks or sticking in icebox as with hard drives)?
thanks
tony

BTW, she's bringing her computer in tomorrow in the hope that files can be undeleted from there - but she's got 6 (SIX) kids who use her computer.

31

General Software Discussion / software for copying colours from one image to another

« on: October 16, 2007, 05:40 PM »

Hi,
within the last 6 months or so, I came across a program (freeware) which claimed to let you make any of your images have the "look" of another image.
In particular, if you had an image of say a Rembrandt painting, you could copy that look to one of your own images. No doubt photoshop experts can do that sort of thing, but I haven't got photoshop.

Of course now that I want to play with it for a particular purpose, I can't for the life of me remember where I saw it or what it was called. Does anyone know of it?
thanks
tony

32

General Software Discussion / Geogebra - (free software) Calling all maths teachers!!!

« on: February 12, 2007, 06:43 AM »

Here's free software for maths teachers and students which is really top stuff.

What is GeoGebra? 
GeoGebra is a dynamic mathematics software for education in secondary schools that joins geometry, algebra and calculus.
On the one hand, GeoGebra is a dynamic geometry system. You can do constructions with points, vectors, segments, lines, conic sections as well as functions and change them dynamically afterwards.

On the other hand, equations and coordinates can be entered directly. Thus, GeoGebra has the ability to deal with variables for numbers, vectors and points, finds derivatives and integrals of functions and offers commands like Root or Extremum.

These two views are characteristic of GeoGebra: an expression in the algebra window corresponds to an object in the geometry window and vice versa."

So what does it actually do? It lets you construct elements listed in the quote which can be manipulated by the student. Not only can you manipulate the "geometry", but you can also see values of variables changing. Your construction can be exported to an applet embedded in a web page.

Rather than posting a screenshot, if you're in theis field, have a look at:
Home page: http://www.geogebra.org/cms/
Links to some examples: http://www.slu.edu/c...sses/maymk/GeoGebra/
See a webcast of these being constructed (instructions plus the final product): http://math247.jot.c...and%20Use%20GeoGebra

tony

[edited to hyperlink links and add picture]

33

Living Room / PZIZZ power napping software

« on: June 09, 2006, 05:35 AM »

"Featured software" on http://bitsdujour.com/ today is Pzizz, sleeping, relaxation and concentration software.
a. Has anyone any knowledge of this or similar?
b. Does the discount only work for USA or is the discount code wrong for everyone?
tony

34

Living Room / A USA company doing it right ...

« on: June 07, 2006, 05:52 PM »

A few times I've seen posts bemoaning the fact that offers were valid for USA residents only.
Here's a company that knows how to do it right. An excerpt from their last newsletter:

Yes, you heard it right. Despair, Inc. is extending to our domestic
customers a special father's day coupon code, granting the American
user TOTALLY FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $15*. All you
have to do to get it is to be willing to type in the following
coupon code: "yesasamatteroffactireallyamthischeap" (NO QUOTES).

(OR, if you're just as lazy as you are stingy, "imcheap" works, too, but
man, I just have to let you know that if you type this in, you are so not
the kind of customer that marketing people want to target. Just so we
understand each other.)

Yes, those of you outside the United States are excluded from this
promotion. But because we feel sorry for you, we are offering an
alternate coupon code, which will grant the user 15% off their order.
All you have to do is type, "iwishilivedinamerica"(NO QUOTES).

The company is despair.com, and they're right into the art of DEmotivation. Worth a look.

35

General Software Discussion / Firefox url entry problem ...

« on: February 09, 2006, 05:11 PM »

I type a url into the address bar, press return (enter) and then nothing happens. Searched on google, no joy. Is it a bug, is there a key combo to use (tried ctrl+enter,shift+enter etc)?
I dont want to click any sort of "go" button. All help appreciated.
thanks
Tony

36

General Software Discussion / slideshow to dvd making

« on: December 30, 2005, 08:49 AM »

Hi,
on holidays in Singapore, taking plenty of family type photos and as a result I'm thinking about the best slideshow on dvd making software.
I can already do nero show time and Ive had a bit of a look at photodex's proshow gold and memoriesontv (havent burnt any dvds with either of those 2 though)
One reviewer suggested memsontv pics were a bit blurry - apart from that I liked the extra control it gave over panning and zooming.
On the other hand, photodex strikes me as producing quality products.
Any expert out there with ideas to set me straight?
thanks
tony

37

General Software Discussion / Wanted - .mov (quicktime) to swf converter ...

« on: November 07, 2005, 03:01 AM »

I'd like anyone's recommendations on a mov to swf converter - freeware would be nice  if possible.
Have sighted a few shareware ones, but I'm a bit put off by the prices I'm seeing (can't really afford / justify it) Maybe there's a good cheapie out there!

38

Screenshot Captor / Crosshair colour options request

« on: September 14, 2005, 11:26 PM »

Mouser, would it be possible to have a choice of cursor/crosshair colour (for capturing a region? Today I was capturing, but the backgound of where I was capturing matched the crosshair colour perfectly so I couldn't see where I was placing the top left of the capture rectangle.
Hafta say what a nice program it is to use!!!
thanks
tony