Recent Posts

101

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Alan Wake Sunset Sale - 90% off during May 13-15.

« Last post by mwb1100 on May 13, 2017, 03:41 PM »

Thanks for the heads up!

This is probably an oversight

-worstje (May 13, 2017, 02:24 PM)

Maybe not - the announcement says that American Nightmare isn't affected by the music licensing that is forcing Alan Wake from being sold in the near future.

Additionally, both Gog and Humble stores are also offering 90% off (probably other game stores, too).  Gog's offering is DRM-free and Humble's gives you DRM-free downloads *and* Steam keys. Also, the separate "American Nightmare" is 90% off at both Gog and Humble.

102

Living Room / Re: 1986 dial-up bulletin board system has brought the old Web back to life

« Last post by mwb1100 on April 18, 2017, 11:56 PM »

I wrote an automated system to collect all the new Forum messages, log off, let you reply to everything offline, then connect up and post it as fast as possible.

-x16wda (April 13, 2017, 07:45 PM)

Was that something like OzCIS/OzWin?  I had forgotten all about that.

103

Non-Windows Software / Re: Ubuntu will be switching back to GNOME for Ubuntu 18.04 LTS

« Last post by mwb1100 on April 07, 2017, 02:08 AM »

Truth is, all Canonical would need to do to go back to the top distro slot is to embrace Cinnamon. Do that and they could suck the wind right out of Mint's sails. Because all Mint did was take Ubuntu and give the users the desktop experience they actually wanted rather than try to pull a Steve Jobs move and try convince them Cannonical's  corporate "vision" of unity was what they really wanted.

If Cannonical offers a better Cinnamon based interface, Mint becomes superfluous.

-40hz (April 06, 2017, 09:09 PM)

I think you're right, but I'll probably stick with Mint because the Unity thing just left me with a bad taste for Ubuntu (even though I realize that Mint is based on Ubuntu).

104

General Software Discussion / Re: Python 3 - advice required on installing appropriate system/interpreter.

« Last post by mwb1100 on April 07, 2017, 12:47 AM »

I have only done a bit of Python.  I found the PyCharm IDE to be helpful, though it might be overwhelming for someone just getting started.  There's a free "Community" edition and an "Edu" edition (also free), but I'm not sure exactly how it differs from the Community edition.  It claims to be tailored for novices.

  - PyCharm Edu
  - PyCharm Community Edition

105

General Software Discussion / Re: Unknown packet

« Last post by mwb1100 on April 06, 2017, 01:37 PM »

A reverse DNS on 90.181.227.232 resolves to a site in the nos-avg.cz domain.

That has something to do with AVG (the antivirus company).  You might want to ask them about it, or try turning off any automatic update functionality for a while and see if it stops.

106

Living Room / Re: File Encryption - now effectively outlawed in the US?

« Last post by mwb1100 on April 04, 2017, 07:47 PM »

^ That's the comic I was referring to!

-wraith808 (April 04, 2017, 12:40 PM)

That reminds me of when I bought a safe and at one point I had a bit of a lapse and asked the salesman, "What do I do if someone's robbing me, points a gun at me and tells me to open the safe?".

The salesman gave me a stare and said, "Open the safe!"

107

General Software Discussion / Re: Multiple LastPass Vulnerabilities Discovered Recently

« Last post by mwb1100 on March 30, 2017, 03:15 AM »

I have chosen to use a smaller password manager, SafeInCloud, that synchronizes the database by storing it on a configurable cloud storage provider such as Dropbox or Google Drive.  I figured this was safer than or preferable to LastPass for a couple reasons:

  - the manager allows you to select from one of several storage providers - if one got compromised, it would be easy enough to move the database to another
  - if the manager's vendor went away, I'd be stuck without updates, but the software would likely continue to work as long as the cloud storage provider didn't change their API  (that problem happened to me with an earlier password safe vendor - the database was synchronized using their servers, and when they stopped operating, the sync no longer worked. Who knows what happened to the databases?)

Someone has even posted a python script that will decrypt a SafeInCloud database (you have to provide the master password, of course): https://github.com/e...ilsocket/SafeInCloud.  This should make it so there at least some possibility of verifying that the database is in fact fully encrypted using the standard AES algorithm.  I imagine that you could also use it as a starting point for providing access to the password database on Linux (which the vendor does not support as far as I know).  If you have too much spare time on your hands.

SafeInCloud relatively recently started supporting using your own WebDAV server for database storage/sync.  However the instructions for setting it up were more complicated than I wanted to deal with.  So mine is still on Dropbox.

I don't use any kind of browser integration. It's supposed to be support it, but I have no idea how well it works.

Another password manager that allows similar choices in cloud storage is Enpass (https://www.enpass.io/).  I haven't tried Enpass - I'm happy enough with SafeInCloud.

Finally, if you're adventurous, SpiderOak has an open-source password manager that syncs via the cloud somehow, but I have no idea what makes it better (or worse) than other options - other than open source can give you some freedoms and possibility of someone being able to vet the code.  I haven't tried it.

  - https://github.com/SpiderOak/Encryptr

108

General Software Discussion / Re: Multiple LastPass Vulnerabilities Discovered Recently

« Last post by mwb1100 on March 21, 2017, 08:52 PM »

Just installed LastPass yesterday and deleted logins from my browser.  What now?

-fredemeister (March 21, 2017, 08:19 PM)

you could export your data from LastPass (https://lastpass.com...=showfaq&id=1206) and put it into something else?

109

General Software Discussion / Re: Multiple LastPass Vulnerabilities Discovered Recently

« Last post by mwb1100 on March 21, 2017, 08:49 PM »

Nothing about LessPass?  Surprisingly little activity on that thread, and that's what I'm looking at switching to.

-wraith808 (March 21, 2017, 08:11 PM)

LessPass uses very interesting ideas, but I don't plan to move to it because I have an old-fashioned password manager program that runs locally (though it does sync the encrypted database via dropbox - or maybe it's google drive). I manually copy/paste my passwords instead of using any browser integration.  I'm happy with that solution.  I believe it's safe enough for me because even though the database is in the cloud, it's not in a centralized database with a lot of users - anyone compromising it would be someone targeting me specifically rather than collecting passwords for thousands or millions of people.

Though I would be quite interested in hearing about anyone else's experience - maybe it'll convince me to switch.

110

General Software Discussion / Re: XYplorer is not responding.

« Last post by mwb1100 on March 18, 2017, 02:56 PM »

FWIW, I use XY and do not see this problem.  Also even though there's obviously no obligation to do so, I think it's completely reasonable for a vendor to suggest that problems with the software be discussed in his forum rather than some other random place on the internet.  If nothing else, the XY forum has a number of very dedicated users who might be able to help in addition to Don.

I think everyone should be aware the Don is a software vendor who puts his money where his mouth is when it comes to support.

111

General Software Discussion / Re: Malwarebytes goes full Anti-Virus

« Last post by mwb1100 on March 17, 2017, 11:32 PM »

I got a pop-up saying there was an upgrade. My willingness to be bleeding edge is gone now - so I declined. I have a policy of letting others take the arrows before I dive into new system software (OS, anti-malware, drivers, etc).

More like Malwarebytes Malware at this point.

-wraith808 (March 17, 2017, 10:08 PM)

It seems to me that this kind of thing happens to so many anti-malware tools.

112

DC Gamer Club / Re: XCOM: UFO Defense free on Humble for next 18 hours (until 10am Pacific time)

« Last post by mwb1100 on February 28, 2017, 01:17 PM »

Note to self: when obtaining a free game from Humble, make sure to go all the way through to getting the key into steam promptly.  Free keys expire (at least some of them do) if you don't do that.

I did the free 'purchase' of XCOM on Humble, but never collected the Steam key.  When I went to do that over the weekend (a sale on XCOM at GOG reminded me), Humble had expired the key.  Oh well - can't complain about losing something that I got for free due to neglect on my part.  I just need to remember for next time.

113

DC Gamer Club / Eschalon I free on GOG

« Last post by mwb1100 on February 28, 2017, 10:09 AM »

GOG is giving away the RPG Eschalon: Book I:

    - https://www.gog.com/game/eschalon_book_i

I'm not sure if this is a permanent 'price drop', or if it's only lasting until current RPG sale is done (March 5).

114

General Software Discussion / Re: Download manager

« Last post by mwb1100 on February 20, 2017, 09:20 PM »

I've been using JDownloader 2 for a few months and really like it. Give it a shot!
http://jdownloader.org/

-htimsnivek (January 25, 2017, 01:12 AM)

I like that it's open source and stand-alone.  Downloaded but Panda AV neutralized many of its files during installation so I canceled. Do you think they're all false positives?

-Midnight Rambler (January 25, 2017, 09:31 AM)

Apparently JDownloader's default installers are infested with adware.  There's a post with a link to installers that are supposed to be adware-free:

    https://board.jdownl...4861&postcount=1

I haven't tried anything to do with JDownloader, so I can't vouch for the link in the post. I'd suggest taking whatever precautions you might think are appropriate.

115

DC Gamer Club / XCOM: UFO Defense free on Humble for next 18 hours (until 10am Pacific time)

« Last post by mwb1100 on January 31, 2017, 06:01 PM »

XCOM: UFO Defense is free at the Humble Store for the next 18 hours (until 10am Pacific time on Wed, Feb 1).

  - https://www.humblebu...fo-defense-free-game

Steam key.

116

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: FoolishIT.com 50% off all products sale

« Last post by mwb1100 on January 18, 2017, 02:16 PM »

In the system requirements section it lists both x86 and x64 as supported architectures, so I think you're good to go.

117

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: FoolishIT.com 50% off all products sale

« Last post by mwb1100 on January 18, 2017, 11:15 AM »

There's a stand alone installer available here: https://www.microsof...etails.aspx?id=24872

118

General Software Discussion / Re: So, what are you now using instead of Outpost?

« Last post by mwb1100 on January 10, 2017, 01:34 AM »

more worried about malware than computer viruses

-Shades (January 09, 2017, 08:29 PM)

I really dislike this distinction that the vendors try to use.  I don't care if the malware is technically a virus, a trojan, a worm, or whatever - I want my anti-virus/anti-malware/anti-whatever to stop it and/or uninstall it.  For example I never really understood exactly what the difference was between Malwarebytes Anti-malware (MBAM) and Malwarebytes Anti-exploit (MBAE) despite trying to get clarification on their support forum.  I believe that in v3 those two products have merged.  That's the way it always should have been in my opinion.

119

General Software Discussion / Re: So, what are you now using instead of Outpost?

« Last post by mwb1100 on January 10, 2017, 01:23 AM »

Webroot.  Using a virtual machine I verified that it stopped some "PUP" garbage that had previously afflicted my wife's machine, so I decided it was the anti-malware for me.  Other AV's that I tested did not stop that particular malware from being installed.  For a couple years now (I stopped using Outpost before Agnitum gave up on it), I have paid $30 to get a 5 device 1 year license from:

  - http://www.webroot.c...me/affiliates/wsc-29

Since I essentially bought a new license after the first year instead of a renewal (which is something like $80) I had to jump through some hoops to get that license activated on my account.  But it worked, so I'm OK with it.  I have a couple months until I have to do it again...

120

DC Gamer Club / Humble Store giveaway for next couple days: Grid

« Last post by mwb1100 on December 22, 2016, 02:08 PM »

Humble Store is giving away a Steam key for Grid over the next couple of days (I think it ends Sat, Dec 24 at 2am PST).

  - https://www.humblebu...store/grid-free-game

I don't know if it's any good or not.  But it is free.

121

Living Room / Re: British companies to face big fines if data breaches occur

« Last post by mwb1100 on December 21, 2016, 04:42 PM »

Aren't both of these threads (this one and this one) talking about the same thing?

-wraith808 (December 21, 2016, 03:35 PM)

This thread is talking about a regulation that makes companies legally responsible for protecting against breaches (and disclosing them), the other thread is about a ruling that prohibits governments from requiring all emails for all users to be retained for 1 year.

Both of the threads have the common, uh...  thread... that the ruling or regulation is by the EU, so there is the question about whether they will apply to the UK.

122

Living Room / Re: Thank you Donationcoder!

« Last post by mwb1100 on December 11, 2016, 10:40 PM »

Josh is home!

-Josh (December 10, 2016, 04:51 PM)

Best wishes - take it easy.

123

Living Room / Re: Your Stuff Really Is Breaking Faster Than It Used To

« Last post by mwb1100 on December 11, 2016, 05:49 PM »

>  "The error occured in the warranty period? That's not supposed to happen!"

That would be funny if it weren't so deplorable.  I gave up on HP a long time ago when they retired support for a perfectly good printer of mine.

124

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: WinRAR: 1/3 off

« Last post by mwb1100 on December 05, 2016, 01:46 PM »

Your first link is for a $20 purchase (and you can add maintenance for about $4), the second link is for $29 (maintenance included).

Is there a reason to pay $5-9 more more with the the second option?

125

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Paragon Hard Disk Manager Pro 50% off at BDJ

« Last post by mwb1100 on December 04, 2016, 11:32 PM »

Anyone with expereince of P2V:
would I be able to create an image of my current install (Windows 7) and add it as a virtual machine to another machine, say when I move to a new one, say with Windows 10?

-tomos (December 04, 2016, 02:30 PM)

It was long enough ago that I'm not sure what Windows versions were involved (though I can guarantee that the new host for the VM was not Win 8 or newer), so I'm not sure how relevant my experience would be today.  But I did this kind of thing and it worked well enough.  I think the machine I turned into a VM was a WinXP machine.  I am sure it didn't have GPT partitions, just MBR partitions.

Again - it was long enough ago that I wouldn't feel right saying you'll have no problems. But it did work for me.

I'm sure that it goes without saying that you should not decommission the old machine until you've verified that things are working...