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10051

General Software Discussion / Re: What's your preferred File Manager

« Last post by wraith808 on September 13, 2007, 04:07 PM »

At tinjaw's urging, I'm creating this poll to try to get a sense of what File Management solution(s) DCer's are using. So, cast a vote and let the numbers tell their tale!

-Darwin (September 12, 2007, 12:25 AM)

Links?  Or are they in the other thread?

10052

General Software Discussion / Re: Stay Away From Microsoft VISTA

« Last post by wraith808 on September 09, 2007, 03:45 AM »

Mouser- the "feature" that you complain about has actually been around for a *long* time- it's just that most users don't run afoul of it in general use.  Try running a program over remote desktop that uses the windows directory or the registry.  I dare you...   You'll run into the same problem, because Terminal Services virtualizes the registry and the windows directory.  It's not as aggressive with the whole keeping the old versions, which I'm sure is a pain.  But it's been around for a while and too few people made waves over it- I've coded around it *at least* three times.  But that's what you have to do in the end- code around M$'s mistakes ^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H  designs and be ready to remove your hack when they get things right... 

10053

Living Room / Re: I wanna hurt this guy!

« Last post by wraith808 on August 28, 2007, 11:07 AM »

Actually, there is a way to stop this, though it's painful.  I had the same problem with my domain.  Basically, they are using a legitimate address to lower their spam score in spam filters- that's the major reason they want to use your address.  So, the easy way to make it not worth their time is to switch e-mail addresses (like I said- painful).  I started using a different address on my domain as my primary address and dropped that old one.  When I recreated that e-mail addy a month later, I wasn't getting any of these bounces.  Since it was no longer a valid e-mail address, it no longer helped them reduce their spam score, so they stopped using it!  But yeah, that's the only way.  I even tried tracing the guy's ip and notifying his isp- he's in russia, so they did nothing about it!

10054

Developer's Corner / Re: Recommended/Best/Most Useful IDEs for Language *insert language*?

« Last post by wraith808 on August 07, 2007, 01:17 PM »

I used to think that SlickEdit was overpriced too.  But then I really got into it and started using it.  And the time it saves for me as a contractor more than justifies the price.

10055

General Software Discussion / Re: Anyone actually use windows system restore if so,does it work.

« Last post by wraith808 on July 31, 2007, 02:57 PM »

Same here.  System restore has saved my bacon too many times to count!  Even with backups, it's still a pain to get to the exact point that you are with your system.  Being able to recover without having to resort to a backup has been a lifesaver.

10056

Living Room / Re: The top 10 dead (or dying) computer skills

« Last post by wraith808 on June 06, 2007, 10:45 AM »

I am about to learn C for the purpose of developing software for my pocket pc. I can't do it in Delphi. 

-app103 (June 05, 2007, 01:43 PM)

No, but you can do it in C#.  Why baseline C?  Does it even deploy to the Compact Framework?

10057

General Software Discussion / Re: Outlook 2007 - a rant

« Last post by wraith808 on June 06, 2007, 10:08 AM »

Speaking of .PSTs... I just found out that even 2k3 does some stupid things.  My .PST was 1.5GB, and I decided to split it into a current PST and an archive PST.  I made the archive PST in 2k3 format and it ballooned to 2.6GB(!).  I created a new 2k2 compatible PST and copied everything from the 2k3 one and it went back down to 1.5GB.  That's advancement for you!

10058

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: Microsoft OneNote 2007

« Last post by wraith808 on June 04, 2007, 03:44 PM »

See:
http://www.paulgraham.com/microsoft.html
http://www.paulgraha...com/cliffsnotes.html

-urlwolf (June 02, 2007, 03:12 PM)

Ummm... what does this have to do with the discussion at hand?  Not saying it doesn't... I just can't see the correlation to a review on OneNote.

-wraith808 (June 02, 2007, 08:50 PM)

I was talking about vendor lockin and Microsoft, and Graham says that the business model of M$ is dead. So I was wondering if anyone has found anything that comes close to OneNote (I have read the long notetaking thread, mind you) but is not using a proprietary format.

-urlwolf (June 03, 2007, 06:47 AM)

I still don't see where just posting those URL links implied that, but that's neither here nor there, I suppose.  As far as a note taking application that doesn't use a proprietary format, I think that *most* if not all organizational tools for notes are going to use *some* sort of proprietary format- that's just the nature of the beast, and I don't think it's a bad thing.  What *is* bad is having no way to easily export the information that you input into something that can be used elsewhere, i.e. pdfs, rtf, etc.  And most of the ones that I have used have this in one form or another.

10059

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: Microsoft OneNote 2007

« Last post by wraith808 on June 02, 2007, 08:50 PM »

See:
http://www.paulgraham.com/microsoft.html
http://www.paulgraha...com/cliffsnotes.html

-urlwolf (June 02, 2007, 03:12 PM)

Ummm... what does this have to do with the discussion at hand?  Not saying it doesn't... I just can't see the correlation to a review on OneNote.

10060

Living Room / Re: Why don't you pay for software?

« Last post by wraith808 on May 29, 2007, 12:00 PM »

Always remember, any company is only a group of people with more strictures, and more fiduciary duties/responsibilities- a company is *not* strictly an entity.  Therefore, if you deal with the company as people (or in particular a person), then you're likely to get better results.  I have taken the same stance with larger companies, and have received similar results.  In fact, in one case, the salesperson from the company extended the trial on one product because near the end of the trial I started to evaluate another product they sold and wanted to buy them both at the same time.

10061

Living Room / Re: Why don't you pay for software?

« Last post by wraith808 on May 29, 2007, 10:04 AM »

I usually just indicate to the developer that I have nearly decided to purchase the software- the included features met my requirements.  But I didn't want to buy it without seeing the other features.  I've had four responses:

1. No response.  So I don't get the software.
2. A 'No' response.  So I don't get the software.
3. A 'sure' response- and unless the added features don't work, I always buy it.
4. A 'buy it and you can get a refund' response, in which case, I usually buy it and have (so far) never taken them up on the refund bit.

10062

Living Room / Re: Why don't you pay for software?

« Last post by wraith808 on May 28, 2007, 09:52 AM »

I don't think most people associate pirates with the extreme negative connotations you bring up.  I mean, look at the top movie of the Memorial Day weekend... is it Coders of the Carribean?  I think not... LOL

10063

Living Room / Re: Why don't you pay for software?

« Last post by wraith808 on May 28, 2007, 09:25 AM »

It's just a term... some people do say unauthorized duplication/usage.  But pirate is a bit more catchy than unauthorized duplicator

10064

Living Room / Re: Why don't you pay for software?

« Last post by wraith808 on May 27, 2007, 08:47 AM »

I know coders have to eat, but other than the forums here, where are most people going to meet one? You’re just some abstract entity working all hours on caffeine and pizza.

-mikiem (May 26, 2007, 10:58 PM)

This is actually a very interesting point.  Though times are changing, it is still all too common that when someone asks me what I do, and I say that I'm a software developer, or even a computer programmer or coder, they say "huh?  so what is it you do then?"

People *are* pretty divorced from the process that creates the software that they consume, and its become not just some sort of black box, but more akin to storks bringing babies or babies appearing in cabbage patches- they just don't know, don't care, and have the notion that it's *just there*.  I don't really know how to combat this, or to cause the layperson to realize that software *does* have value, which I think is one of the reason that the average person *is* so ready to engage in casual piracy if someone offers them a 'copy' of the software.

10065

Living Room / Re: Why don't you pay for software?

« Last post by wraith808 on May 26, 2007, 04:33 PM »

I'm not saying there should be no reward for the effort, i'm saying giving the reward shouldn't be ENFORCED upon the user.

-Gothi[c] (May 26, 2007, 02:23 PM)

But that's just it.  It's not forced on you.  Just as the developer chooses to spend his time making software for whatever rationale, then chooses to price it at what he thinks the price should be, the user has a choice of paying what the developer chooses to charge, or not use the software.

I made a nice little piece of software one time, just for me, but decided to make it available to the public.  I spent the money on bandwidth for them to download it (this was before these freeware sites became prevalent) and didn't put any controls on the software.  All I asked was that people who downloaded the software send me a short e-mail saying what they liked or didn't like about it... or even just their location if they wanted to.  I just wanted to get some feedback and metrics.

Do you know how many e-mails I received over 6 years of hosting it?  3.  Believe me, that was a *lot* less than the number of downloads.  It's not just naive to depend upon the good will of users to support you in what you work at for a living, it's also IMO fiscally irresponsible, for most people, given a choice, will *not* donate.  And that's just the plain facts.

10066

Living Room / Re: Why don't you pay for software?

« Last post by wraith808 on May 26, 2007, 02:17 PM »

In the end, all forms of mercantile transaction is based on ideas.  There was some idea that created whatever asset is being traded.  If there were no rewards for ideas, then pretty soon the people who were making the more banal items would find that they had no basis for new goods.

10067

Living Room / Re: Why don't you pay for software?

« Last post by wraith808 on May 26, 2007, 11:37 AM »

I like to think if microsoft charged $100 for Vista, more people would think it was worth it and not try to steal.  I don't pirate, but I also don't like making the richest man in the world - richer!   

-Padlock6 (May 25, 2007, 10:23 PM)

So... just because someone is the richest man in the world, he has no right to make more money?  It just seems that a lot of people have a funny attitude towards someone that is a success.  And once their contemporaries become successes, they accuse them of selling out- but that position is, in most cases, envy, because when they have an idea or business that succeeds, they don't limit themselves in how much money or proceeds they get from their venture.

10068

Living Room / Re: Why don't you pay for software?

« Last post by wraith808 on May 26, 2007, 11:31 AM »

No one should make money off software. Work at mc donalds and code / contribute to projects in your spare time. (or use a donationware model, don't FORCE payment and ownership) it is a BASIC right to copy/modify/run software as you wish, because software is NOT property, software = ideas and creativity, and limiting ideas and creativity with ownership is always a bad idea. That is the ethical truth.

The practical truth is, that sometimes it's nice to get paid for what you like to do (and if you don't like to do it, you shouldn't be doing it). But that doesn't make it ethically correct. I'm sorry but I just don't believe in ownership of software.

More on topic: Paying for software should be done out of sympathy, goodwill, brotherhood with the developer, not because you have to, just to have the 'privilege' to use the software.

-Gothi[c] (May 26, 2007, 03:09 AM)

In your opinion.  There is nothing "ethical" about not charging for software, just as there is nothing "ethical" about not charging for ideas.  It's my right to do as I want with the ideas I come up with.  And if I'm not getting paid, then I'll move on to something I am getting paid for, in regards to things that don't interest me.  This moral high horse about all software should be free is laughable.  Is my time worth nothing?  Is my effort worth nothing?  You're paying for a license to use the software, just as you pay for a license to use a book, or anything else that doesn't have a tangible part.  You have no *right* to anything that *I* create.  For you to force your idea of "ethics" on someone else using the guild trip argument is no different than someone who says that your idealogical stance is incorrect because they have a different one.

And what do you do for a living?

10069

Living Room / Re: Why don't you pay for software?

« Last post by wraith808 on May 25, 2007, 03:15 PM »

I think many people miss the fact that there are those out there who live off the money from software, and the functionality of the software does enrich the computing experience, making the time spent developing it worth money.

Personally, to me it's all about the pricing of software in relation to the value, especially when the software is from an individual or small firm.  An example is the special this month.  There were specials on different software: ED for windows, SynchronizeIT and ZuluPadPro were the  ones I was interested in.  After comparing ED to windows to my other alternative, even at the discounted price, I paid more for the editor I wanted.  Because in the end, the time it saved me was worth the increas in price.  SynchronizeIT I gladly used the discount for.  I thought at the regular price it was overpriced for how much use I would get out of it, but at the discounted price, I could afford to pay for the minimal use I'd get out of it.  ZuluPadPro I paid full price for.  Why?  Because the original price wasn't *that* much, and for the functionality, it was worth it.

I guess in the end it comes down to three questions.

• What is your software worth to you? 
• How much time does it save? 
• If it wasn't available because the developer couldn't afford to make it, how much would that hurt your productivity?

10070

Best Text Editor / Re: best text editor was killed by Borland

« Last post by wraith808 on March 20, 2007, 11:10 AM »

Oh, as a developer, I understand.  I think that you have to have a roadmap, and don't integrate suggestions unless they are a part of that roadmap.  Sure, X may be a good idea, but is it along your primary purpose for the app?  Is it a logical upgrade?  Or is it just something that will be good to have?

If you set out to make a simple text editor, just to edit text... and a user complains about lack of FTP capability, is that part of your mission statement?  Sometimes, you have to just direct users to an app that will satisfy what they need- because your app doesn't serve their purpose.

But, of course, money is an overriding factor, and noone wants to lose a paying customer...

10071

General Software Discussion / Re: Vista: Download Disaster?

« Last post by wraith808 on March 13, 2007, 11:09 AM »

Heh...that's one of the reasons I *just* bought a new laptop.  So I could get XP on it (not to mention the sales now that M$ is pushing the retail channel to get rid of any XP machines).  I got a sony vaio SZ that was sitting right next to a vista one... the last one they had.  The Vista one was 2279.00.  The XP one was 1519.00.  What a deal! LOL!

10072

Best Text Editor / Re: best text editor was killed by Borland

« Last post by wraith808 on March 13, 2007, 10:36 AM »

As far as I can tell, it hasn't been degraded.  Left in the wind with no updates, yes... but as I state in another thread, I still use Multi-Edit 8 because it had all of the features that I wanted.  Too many times, I think, good software becomes bloat ware because too much gets added to it- companies don't know when to stop.  IMO Delphi is a good example of this- they tried to become Visual Studio, and now the new versions are bloated, and take forever to compile.

10073

Best Text Editor / Some more editors of mention...

« Last post by wraith808 on March 11, 2007, 11:05 AM »

I've used Multi Edit for years.  They don't have lifetime upgrades, so I still use an older version, but as a person who tries every text editor out there, even the older version is excellent for programmers.

http://www.multiedit.com

For lightweight editing, I also use notepad++.  It's open source, it handles most anything I throw at it, and it's light weight.  What else can you ask for?

http://notepad-plus....orge.net/uk/site.htm

I also use raize scratch pad.  I just like the interface on this one- and the price wasn't too bad on it.

http://www.raize.com...ratchPad/Default.asp

10074

Best Text Editor / Re: best text editor was killed by Borland

« Last post by wraith808 on March 11, 2007, 10:57 AM »

For something dead, it sure is kicking around...

Amazon: http://www.amazon.co...173628486&sr=1-1

Digital river Borland shop:
http://www.digitalri...GRP=0&CACHE_ID=0

It's very expensive though...

10075

Living Room / Re: OK - lets get to know each other... who are you, what do you do, where from?

« Last post by wraith808 on January 23, 2007, 02:15 PM »

Hello everyone!

I'm wraith808, a computer programming consultant from Atlanta, GA.  I've been freelancing about 13 years now, and have been in the field for about 16 years.  Hope to be a good dc contributor!