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1126

General Software Discussion / Re: On free speech in forums

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 10, 2009, 03:57 PM »

@trianglos

I get what you're saying that's why I added: "I'm not saying it's optimal" in my post.

That said, if my Linux was crashing, I'd have to be pretty darn lucky to even get to a forum. (as opposed to irc)

On the other hand with political threads, most people who are new to politics gets easily discouraged. It's not like politics is not famous for being a flame war thread. Every little gem of a thread helps.

(Remember politics may seem less important because of all the crap there is but at best, in an equal world of quality threads, politics is just as important as tech in that it also influences the world.)

Yes, most times it can wait for newbies but most times, it also brings less benefits. We shouldn't just factor the wait. We should factor the benefits of the system as a whole.

In the case of politics, while I've seen some political forums adapt graduated permission, I haven't seen where such methods have improved the threads or the concept of freedom of speech in them.

In the case of tech support, if we are to assume that a certain tech support is being a troll magnet for some secret agenda, graduated permission does help and not only will a problem eventually be posted if the tech support forum is literally the main place to get the answer but it sends the ideas to newbies to take the plunge and try to help others and trash newb posts are much harder to come by but it also reduces the drive by trolls.

Basically, the former worsens or at best has no effect gained from graduated permission while the latter while not wholly benefitting from the system does at least improve certain aspects for that type of forum.

I have been a recipient of some form of this and I would respectfully disagree.

-Paul Keith (October 10, 2009, 03:21 PM)

Don't blame you a bit Paul. It bugs me to no end too.

But being a former dialup BBS operator, and current forum moderator, I've seen this issue from 'both sides' so to speak. And despite my many misgiving, I was eventually made to conclude that there are times when posting and comment policies do become necessary. And this was as true way back in the late 80s as it is today.

I don't advise setting conditions like that right out out the chute. (I greatly prefer letting things work rather than making them work. But that's mainly because I'm lazy pragmatic...)

But still, sometimes it's unavoidable.

The key is to avoid it until you can't.

And just how long you do avoid taking certain actions says as much about the kind of person you are as it does about the amount of abuse your website is experiencing.

 

-40hz (October 10, 2009, 03:42 PM)

Agreed 40hz but in my reply to trianglos, I was referring specifically to the application of graduated permissions in opinionated forums and tech support forums.

(I'm not sure you understood that so I just repeated what I said.)

To be honest though and with all due respect to you and trianglos, I don't really get my hate for graduated permissions but I absolutely abhor it. Maybe because it's a system that punishes all the newbs of the internet from the first time internet surfers to the casual people -- more than it punishes the trolls -- and that just irks me and at the same time, I guess the idea that we live in a world where our opinions are not as valuable as the giving away of support also irks me. I'm not saying one is superior to others but I just hate the thought that one is treated as inferior to the other but maybe it's not even that...maybe I'm so fanatical about this inequality that I react strongly to it because it seems like a case where tech-intelligent people sacrifice fully analyzing the cons and pros of the system in favor of the perception that the internet is not this global way to communicate but this global way to "control" those of lower peons and lesser talent to learn the ins and outs of being a great admin with a great forum that it just makes me react strongly against graduated permissions.

At the very least, I apologize to both of you if my post came off strongly to the point of offending.

1127

General Software Discussion / Re: On free speech in forums

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 10, 2009, 03:21 PM »

1) Require registration in order to post comments. This gets rid of virtually all the 'drive-by' flamers, and most 'feedback spammers.'

2) Limit the amount of anonymity for participants.

-40hz (October 10, 2009, 01:48 PM)

You can also have a system of graduated permissions: first you are allowed to comment on others' posts, later you can create top posts yourself.

(Both of these policies aren't really suitable for technical support forums. But they're good for any kind of opinion-oriented debate.)

-tranglos (October 10, 2009, 03:07 PM)

I have been a recipient of some form of this and I would respectfully disagree.

Graduated permissions are bad for opinion-oriented debate because then it promotes topic trolling. (That is, instead of creating a topic, a drive-by would actually ruin a valid thread.)

This is much better for technical support forums where anyone can first prove their knowledge and desire to help and then report an issue because these are the forums most likely to have cheap easy to add replies threads like "Which browser is more secure Opera or Firefox?"

I'm not saying it's optimal but for an opinion-oriented forum, it's just frustrating because if you're a legitimate user, you're not there to join others' opinions in other threads. You're there to create a less common thread and to hear what others think about or can educate you about it.

Believe me, it's much much easier to drive-by troll post in people's threads than creating one from scratch. All you need is to call the OP a newb or tell them to read the FAQ (even after someone already has mentioned it.)

1128

General Software Discussion / Re: On free speech in forums

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 10, 2009, 02:53 PM »

Plus, how do you know someone is giving you his real identity? Yet another major problem of the internets

-urlwolf (October 10, 2009, 02:38 PM)

Well... with IMDB it uses your Amazon account, cellphone # or credit card information.

OpenID also claims to be the future.

Also many sites can allow Twitter and Facebook logins and while they are not real information, they can often be real enough for those who fear losing followers and being painted as a troll with their main accounts. (They could create a fake Twitter account but they might as well have created a fake mail account if they are going that route)

1129

General Software Discussion / Re: On free speech in forums

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 10, 2009, 02:49 PM »

Well I have no experience with such sites because I like to keep my anonymity but judging by the way the IMDB forums are, I would say the system of real identity looks only good in theory. 

-Paul Keith (October 10, 2009, 02:21 PM)

True. But that's because they're movie buffs. You can't shame somebody who's shameless to begin with.

-40hz (October 10, 2009, 02:39 PM)

 

1130

Living Room / Re: What's the Ultimate How to Be Steve Jobs Guide?

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 10, 2009, 02:47 PM »

The sad and unfunny part is that it sounds like the general anecdote of any guy who got hired as a manager and got himself promoted faster than the people more suited for being promoted.  

Still; you have to be at least impressed by how this guy was able to understand enough without being a programmer and a designer and how he got back to Apple after being fired but the thing that still really impresses me and the thing I still don't quite understand is how he managed to maneuver through with the whole Pixar and Disney thing.

In fact, I don't quite understand what Jobs adds to Pixar but man... there has to be some huge amount of luck involved with getting all those circumstances or there is still some secret Jobs technique that is yet to be unearthed.

1131

General Software Discussion / Re: On free speech in forums

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 10, 2009, 02:21 PM »

Well I have no experience with such sites because I like to keep my anonymity but judging by the way the IMDB forums are, I would say the system of real identity looks only good in theory. 

1132

General Software Discussion / Re: On free speech in forums

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 10, 2009, 12:59 PM »

Agreed app but it's a special case with Steve Pavlina.

I didn't check the date of the post but this isn't the first time he's made a post like this.

In fact, one of his core strategies before having a forum was that he experimented with removing comments and is one of the popular bloggers who popularized that concept of "commenting does not add much to your popularity and only opens you up to negative insults."

I know you weren't just referring to him but I'm just trying to be a devil's advocate and providing extra context to how he gets away with it.

He is also one of the pioneers of "attract a community"; drop comment system; provide a forum linked to your blog. Instant trick to justify to your subscribers that you're not against them speaking about.

Even guys like Seth Godin does this. The idea being that "I'm too busy to respond to your comment so I'm not going to allow you to comment. Instead, just link back to me so that you get more hits to your site if people like your comment/blog post enough. At the same time, I benefit too because people from your blog click to my blog. It's more win-win for both of us than having a comment system."

Another reason why Pavlina's product doesn't suffer much is related to something I mentioned before in GOE: "In general, productivity groups tend to not criticize each other."

If you combine this thinking with Steve Pavlina's advise that one should surround yourself with positive minded people then his actions are further justified to his audience. This is just a new twist on an old post.

He basically just made a good headline that would eventually cause people to talk about it somewhere.

In the end, I'm agreeing with your post, it's just that I'm trying to show that it's possible to game the perspectives of others.

There are lots of critical posts in the internet about the WWE, the UFC, Obama, Microsoft, Apple, Starbucks, McDonald's, A-list bloggers, Facebook, Twitter -- but it's all PR fixable as long as you're selling a decent and above decent product as opposed to a totally horrible product.

Incidentally a horrible product need not wait for negative reviews. Most horrible products are perceived as being spam, scam, phish and sales pitch-y.

Basically, as of today, the only likely victim of backfire here are those who don't know how to hold and point the gun. The rest are home free unless they made a major major mistake and Pavlina has made some major ones like losing some of his subscribers when he went spiritual instead of productivity guru with some of his articles and so far he's still standing and existing.

1133

General Software Discussion / Re: On free speech in forums

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 10, 2009, 10:54 AM »

What we desperately need is a reputation mechanism that sticks.

The concept is already out there. It's just not designed with forums particularly in mind.

CoComment, Disqus, OpenID, etc.

In the case of forums, it's basically the profile on your account and what website you associate it with.

Even the situation with admins is tech idiot fixable as long as you can convince a blog authority to link to your article on why x author's reputation is horrible.

It's still your community vs. the site's fans and controversy could just increase pageviews for said person's site but if the criticism is valid and enormous and it is spread correctly through the different social media services and voted by a group of bloggers, it's a reputation mechanism that's better than the best reputation mechanism because it's socially constructed and not technologically constructed.

Not to mention that any technological construct if it aims to be open and neutral is just as open and neutral to the "tyranny of the majority" and any closed system is no different from what Pavlina and Curt alludes to except the cheek is turned. Won't really stick or if it does, still not really credible.

Edit: Most importantly groups already put their votes in Digg, Reddit, Slashdot, Stumbleupon and other mini-sites like RateitAll that it's not that there's no reputation mechanism that doesn't stick from a technological perspective.

It's that the technological reputation mechanisms have no mind reading filter that warns you: "this site is not a phishing site but it's admin is a douche that is 80% incompatible with your free, independent and passionate personality"

1134

General Software Discussion / Re: how to kill / restart Google Chrome?

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 10, 2009, 10:43 AM »

@brotherS,

Well, I'm not knowledgeable with any kind of testing but you could just use Iron Portable or Chromium Portable and you should be able to have a replica Google Chrome without it touching your actual Google Chrome files.

1135

General Software Discussion / Re: Google steals the Web

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 09, 2009, 03:04 AM »

@BlockSide Wiki

True, but unfortunately that's the pay-off with using such terms that can be perceived as sensational and adding to a sales pitch.

It's too late now anyways but it was just a suggestion.

Maybe you can ask mouser to move your comments in the Deals section so it comes off as less spammy for future readers.

1136

Living Room / What's the Ultimate How to Be Steve Jobs Guide?

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 08, 2009, 09:36 PM »

After reading this link, the thought went to my head that I hate clicking on linkbaits on "How to Be Steve Jobs" but I just have to because it might be awesome.

That's why I give up and just decided to create a thread here in the hopes that whenever there's a worthwhile "How to Be Steve Jobs" article, maybe someone will post it here.

(Besides, I'm starting to think I should type less and just talk like everything's a sales pitch    )

Btw the content of the article is:

By Carmine Gallo, Author of The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience

1. Create a “holy smokes” moment.

Every Steve Jobs presentation has one moment that leaves everyone in awe—the water cooler moment. These “moments” are scripted ahead of time to compliment his slides, the Apple Web site, press releases and advertisements. In 2008, Jobs pulled the MacBook Air out of a manila, inter-office envelope to show everyone just how thin it was. Bloggers went nuts and it was the most popular photograph of the event. On September 9, 2009, the “water cooler” moment wasn’t a product at all. Instead, it was Steve Jobs himself walking onstage after a long, health related absence. He told the audience he now had the liver of a mid twenties person who died in a car crash and was generous enough to donate their organs. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for such generosity,” he said.

2. Stick to the rule of three.

The Rule of Three is one of most powerful concepts in writing. The human mind can only retain three or four “chunks” of information and Jobs is well aware of this principle. A Steve Jobs presentation is typically divided into three parts. During the September 9th event, Jobs outlined the presentation into three areas: iPhone, iTunes and iPod. Jobs has even been known to have fun with the principle. At Macworld 2007, he introduced “three revolutionary products;” an mp3 player, a phone, and an internet communicator. After repeating the three products several times, he disclosed the big announcement—all three would be wrapped up in one, the iPhone. The rule of three turned into a water cooler moment. Ask yourself, what are the three things I want my audience to know? Not twenty things, just three. You can get away with more points in written form (like an article) but stick to three in public presentations and verbal conversations.

3. filler

4. be a douche

5. Think visually.

Apple presentations are strikingly simple and visual. For example, there is very little text on a Steve Jobs slide. While the average PowerPoint slide has 40 words, there were far fewer than forty words in the first dozen slides of the September music event. When Jobs talked about the popularity of iPhone around the world, his slide showed 23 flags of different countries instead of country names. When said the iPhone app store was celebrating its first anniversary, a slide appeared with a birthday cake holding one candle. When he talked about lower iPod prices, the new price was accompanied by photos of the iPods. This is what psychologists call “picture superiority.” It simply means that ideas are more easily recalled when presented in text and images than in text alone.

6. Create Twitter-friendly headlines.

Apple makes it simple for the media to talk about their products—the company writes the headlines for them. Now, reporters will tell you that they like to come up with their own headlines, but why then did hundreds of them use “World’s thinnest notebook” to describe the MacBook Air? Because that’s the way Steve Jobs described it, and frankly, it’s hard to come up with a better way of saying it. Jobs always describes a new product with a concise phrase that fits well within a 140 character Twitter post. What’s an iPod? “One thousand songs in your pocket.” What’s Genuis Mix for iTunes? “It’s like having a DJ mix the songs in your library.” If you can’t describe what you do in one sentence, go back to the drawing board.

7. Sell dreams, not products.

Steve Jobs is passionately committed to changing the world and his passion shows in every presentation. Anyone can learn the specific techniques he uses to create visually creative slides, but those slides will fall flat if delivered without passion and enthusiasm. When Jobs introduce the iPod in 2001, he said that music was a transformative experience and that in its own small way, Apple was changing the world. Where most observers saw a music player, Jobs saw an opportunity to create a better world for his customers. That’s the difference between Jobs and the vast majority of mediocre leaders—Jobs is genuinely committed to changing the world and he’s not afraid to say it.

 

1137

Found Deals and Discounts / CreatingFame Marketing Course Discount (offer until Monday, October 12th)

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 08, 2009, 09:12 PM »

Expires: until Monday, October 12th at 11:59 PM pacific time

Direct Link: http://join.creatingfame.com

Current Cost: $597

Source: http://74.125.153.13...amp;client=firefox-a

Free Webinar Direct Link: http://www.creatingf...awt_m=JtB3qnzx8S8eim

Home Url Video: Title: How to Create Fans out of Thin Air

1138

General Software Discussion / Re: Google steals the Web

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 08, 2009, 08:54 PM »

random comments of unknown others spray-painted on my fence, or the window of my business

Bwahaha! Somebody pull him out of his cave!

I like the concept - (no more signing up every time I want to say something, no more "We're Lifehacker - you can't just comment here, you need to qualify first!") - but how the hell will they moderate this monster? An easily abused system will not just be bad for the site owners, it'll hurt Google too... or will it?...

Reg. blocking toolbars: how long before Google/whoever comes up with a solution that isn't browser-based?

-nosh (October 08, 2009, 08:46 AM)

I don't think it's completely no sign-up. From what I understand, you still need a Google Toolbar.

Why is it that so many people who want to sell you something web related always seem to feel the need to wedge the child molester bogeyman someplace in their sales presentation? Are there that many frightened and technologically challenged parents and school officials out there that people still get away with using this argument?

-40hz

Shush! This guy's the next Steve Jobs.  

@BlockSide Wiki

I'm kidding but IMO this is normally the wrong audience for these kind of comments. It really does come off as a sales pitch.

A specific link would probably help when making such grand accusations. (Social proof and all that)

Not saying I understand the entire DC community though. Just my ignorant guess.

1139

General Software Discussion / Re: Google steals the Web

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 08, 2009, 04:38 AM »

The thing I don't get is whether most of the issue of theft comes from it not being opt out and because it's Google or is there an additional major problem that I just don't understand?

The concept of commenting on sites have always existed. Even Social Media does it to an extent and there are sticky note programs like Diigo where any attacker can bookmark and post a sticky note with a critical message.

It seems hypocritical from marketing people who have utilized and took advantage of all forms of social media to better market their products to suddenly say it's a bad thing if anyone can comment on their site.

...or maybe I just got caught up by all the sensationalistic themes and comments that I ended up over-thinking the article and the comments that followed. I understand it's a grave issue but I personally feel more worried about Google Docs, Google Bookmarks, Google Notebook and Google Wave than SideWiki.

 

1140

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Forum Posting Contest for the month of October 2009

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 06, 2009, 12:08 AM »

Well...this is semi-ingenious. Just the wrong forum/broadcasting platform I think.

Nevertheless, I hope this thread doesn't get closed because I would like to see the outcome of this attempt from a marketing attempt perspective.

1141

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows vs. Mac: I'm starting to change.

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 05, 2009, 11:06 PM »

I only got 2 out of 10 

Who said it: Gates or Jobs?

Source: http://holykaw.allto...jobs-from-bill-gates

1142

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows vs. Mac: I'm starting to change.

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 05, 2009, 09:57 PM »

I guess that's because your outliner is about as personal a choice as your favorite brand of single malt scotch

...or your favorite kind of Apple Hardware?  ...I kid the Mac fanbase.

1143

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows vs. Mac: I'm starting to change.

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 05, 2009, 08:25 PM »

It's interesting to read all the reasons given in favor of using Windows. No problem with that. However, how come so very few people who switch from Windows to Mac or Linux never return? I contend that once you immerse yourself in the other side -- especially if you want to make a switch -- then you're no longer impressed with Windows, period. It looks pretty, comes with some nice fonts, but it doesn't have enough to lure you back. I don't count games as a reason because you can buy a console for those any day. I've never had time for more than a few minutes of solitaire or chess, so it's not a point in favor of Windows (for me).

Which is why that 12% figure will likely continue to grow, even if Linux forever remains in that 1% desktop range, ha!!  

-zridling (October 05, 2009, 04:18 PM)

Aside from the price issue, the thing with both is that they feel better "out of the box".

You have to consider the fact that most people who switch to both are the people most likely to not have a favorite exclusive software on Windows. (either because of ignorance or not exploring)

In those situations, it does become like a console situation.

However, for casual users who are on a budget and have a software that eventually becomes more of a priority to use than to tinker with installing on Linux and Wine emulation or hoping for it to be ported to Mac, then it's back to Windows.

Yes, I'm saying it. Aside from Flash problems and other killer app annoyances (Photoshop), Linux IMHO is more for the newbie these days than Windows. I'm sure the same thing holds for the Mac except it's the reverse. Paid programs are expected to work because they're a business but free alternatives are countable compared to the ones on Windows.

I will join f0dder in saying that I have had nothing but negative things to say about support when it comes to asking an open source community for help. If you do not read, and understand, the manual then you are laughed at, mocked, and on IRC banned from channels where you should otherwise expect help for your problems.

-Josh

To be honest, this has been improving, it's just that the kind support forums lacks proper knowledgeable users helping out while the famous ones like Ubuntu on IRC gets all the rude users. (Even then, it's more of a frustration of hitting on the wrong user than on the FOSS community at this point.)

For example, take Mint which had to stop support for paid support because there wasn't enough staff in it even when the idea was already started:

Erlik wrote: “Given how good Linux Mint is why would you install anything else? Well, there are a few caveat. First Linux Mint does not have a big support corporation behind it like Ubuntu. This means that it is more difficult to purchase paid support and that there is no software shop where you can purchase commercial applications like PowerDVD for Linux.”

–> This is very true. In brief, Linux Mint is still a very small project and it lacks the resources and structure necessary to offer adequate paid support. In comparison to Ubuntu, Linux Mint cannot support big corporations. We also recently stopped to offer paid support to small companies and individuals as our current structure wasn’t fitted for this activity and we could not guarantee satisfying response times.

http://www.linuxmint.com/blog/?p=900

I'm also not sure since I can't find it on a simple Google search but I could swear I read somewhere where the Sidux community is banned from using the acronym RTFM.

The Linux Questions forums seems also friendly enough.

The big problem is that none of the support here can often provide any workable "on the spot" advises except friendliness.

IMHO: Yes, it is.

-40hz (October 05, 2009, 06:01 PM)

I'm surprised you don't have much to say about the two. 

1144

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows vs. Mac: I'm starting to change.

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 05, 2009, 03:41 PM »

Ouch, this has become a Mac can't beat PC at anything thread. (aesthetics aside)

Let's see... well... is OmniOutliner better than OneNote?

That's the last category that I think Macs are praised for that the PC isn't (that hasn't been debunked): Notetaking.

1145

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows vs. Mac: I'm starting to change.

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 02, 2009, 08:15 PM »

Sorry if this comes off as spammy.

I just find it ironic that Apple can get away with this strategy even after they have hit it big with the Ipods and the Iphone:

Rule 6: Rare Doesn’t Always Mean Valuable
This principle states that the harder something is to acquire, the greater the value we place on its attainment. In
essence, we want what we can’t have and want what is hard to obtain even more. The key to avoid this rule being
used on you is to ask yourself this question: would I still want it if there were a million just like it and no one wanted
any of them?

...and turn some of it's followers into this:

Rule 7: I’m on Your Side

This technique is used to gain credibility. When used effectively, you would swear that you’ve just made a new best
friend who has your best interest at heart. For example, let’s say that you’re in a mattress store and considering
buying the Super Deluxe – a top-of-the-line bed. The salesman tells you that if you want it he’ll order it for you, but
he feels you should know something first. He tells you that while the consumer would never realize it, this
manufacturer uses recycled materials on the inside. He has thus gained your complete confidence. He’s risking a
sale to tell you something that you’d never find out otherwise. Now you’ll be inclined to trust anything he says

I know it's nothing new and it looks like I'm just kicking the Mac while it's down but I just find it ironic that no matter how compact a trick can be defined and (no matter how obvious it is), there's just no substituting what works especially if you're the company who can make it work.

Also, it's because I just recently chanced upon this article (Mixx link; PDF link) and it reminded me of 40hz's reply in this topic.

P.S. Yes, I know a much more succinct image has been posted in DC before but I just felt it bears repeating when even Microsoft doesn't get it.

1146

General Software Discussion / Re: I'm tired of being told.

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 02, 2009, 02:10 AM »

Ironically I just got my answer recently 

http://www.h-online....oblems--/news/114366

A "huge update" for Avira AntiVir anti-virus products led to issues for users of the free Avira AntiVir Personal when attempting to update to the latest virus signatures. According to reports, the issue even led the program to advise users that there were no additional updates available. It seems Avira's severs were overloaded.

Avira Technical Editor Dirk Knop has said that users of Avira AntiVir Premium, Avira Premium Security Suite and the Professional products, were not affected as they have "dedicated download servers and reserved bandwidth available". The issue should now be resolved, allowing users of the free version to update as normal. The company says that it hopes to deliver a new and faster system in two weeks, which should improve reliability of updates for the free version.

1147

General Software Discussion / Re: Complaint: FeedDemon is now adware, but does not disclose it

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 01, 2009, 06:37 PM »

Can anyone else confirm the Google Reader issue? Is it really slowing down?

I'm worried that every RSS Reader is bound to be abandonware after the downfall of NewsGator Online and it looks like FeedDemon has been one of the few stand-alone RSS Readers that still gets updated regularly.

Problem is, even some other rss readers with support for Google Reader earlier had issues with the sync speed and update. I'm not really sure if FeedDemon has this problem but if this is a majority case, maybe it's time to permanently use Google Reader direct to the browser.

1148

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows vs. Mac: I'm starting to change.

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 01, 2009, 11:14 AM »

Just do your research, but don't buy a Mac because of what Mac users tell you. It's been my experience they never talk about a bug or problem with Macs or OSX until after it's been fixed. It happened with the move to the Intel platform. It happened when the Macs finally got pre-emptive multi-tasking. And it's happened countless other times.

-Innuendo (October 01, 2009, 10:20 AM)

That it's something I completely agree with. Wise words, indeed.

-Lashiec (October 01, 2009, 10:29 AM)

There's another thing...what if I don't want to do research?  What will I pick then?  That's what a lot of people are doing.

-superboyac (October 01, 2009, 10:54 AM)

That's kind of an easy question to answer. Most people would choose/forced to use/settle on Windows and that's why they have the largest marketshare.

I think it's impossible to do no research. Even being prettified by OSX or preferring a Mac because of a bad experience with Windows is still some form of research.

Edit: Hell, even making a thread here is some form of research. 

1149

General Software Discussion / Re: I'm tired of being told.

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 01, 2009, 09:56 AM »

Yeah but that's where Avira separates itself I think. You could be right though about the weekly updates vs. the hourly updates. I haven't really cared since I'm more about it being scanning it weekly once anyways.

The paid users do still get the feel of added protection. Remember alot of paid antivirus software are banking on the fact that users aren't as technical as to know how useless an internet blocker is if you have a secure PC.

They also are the least likely to know how to remove the adware from the free version of Avira.

Avira also wouldn't be as highly praised as a free software if it uses the old engine trick. (As far as I know, AVG is the only top 3 free AV that used that trick)

None of these though should impact security at all. (An internet blocker for example is not a replacement for an Anti-spyware even if Avira's engine has added Anti-spyware capabilities)

You're right though that Avira has lots of false positives but many users do see that aggression as a good thing because every other software has false positives too and even 1 can be just as annoying as 10.

1150

General Software Discussion / Re: News: Diigo finally updated to version 4

« Last post by Paul Keith on October 01, 2009, 09:49 AM »

I know. My main issue with local saving though is that I'm still looking for a frugal but secure way of backing up these things.

Right now in my position, I feel much safer if my data is online but is also in a free service that doesn't need monitoring.

Of course the downside is that if the site goes down, I'm dead in the water. Still, I myself haven't completely switched to Diigo but I'm still left without any similar web clipper + highlights + annotation app that has an online sync for free but with the same ease as Scrapbook+ and Diigo.