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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 02, 2010, 08:05 AM »

E.g., double-clicking a thumbnail, as in most image/photo apps, opens a window with a larger view of that image. This worked the first few times I used it but then all of a sudden I was getting what appeared to be a blank window - no image at all showing in it. After I stopped muttering all kinds of unkind words to the program (Yes, I do talk to programs when they drive me to it!) I noticed that the window was actually a "recipe" window; turns out that whenever you open a large image view like this it usually has a recipe sidebar (for lack of a better way to put it) on the right-hand side. Well for whatever reason the blank recipe window (since I have created no recipes) had taken over that whole window, squeezing the actual image window down to about 2 pixels wide. Once I grabbed the left edge of the blank recipe pane with my mouse and drug it over to the right I could see the image. Why did it do that?

-J-Mac (April 02, 2010, 12:51 AM)

Not sure what is going on here. There's a lot of panels that open on the right side, but they have always stayed where they are put for me.

If you are having a few problems where the program isn't working normally (always difficult to know when it is a new program for you), then you would really need Hert to address it, and he does seem to be away at the moment. Even if you don't, I will keep an eye out for his return (after Easter maybe?) and then direct him to the relevant threads. I've always found himvery responsive (well, I've only made one request to him directly - asking for a feature to be added - and he had a script for it within a few days).

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 02, 2010, 07:53 AM »

Of course, that is when you do the View Details view.
Further down the View menu, there is Show the Image Details, which brings up the whole EXIF panel on the right hand side - which does include the dimension details amongst a host of other stuff if you have the Full Exif or with just a few bits of basic info if you have the Exif Summary. This only applies to the chosen image of course - but it comes up very fast.

You can also sort the image display by dimensions (amongst many other choices), if that would be helpful.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 02, 2010, 07:38 AM »

Now see, I am not seeing that here.

-J-Mac (April 02, 2010, 12:51 AM)

This is what you should see:-

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 01, 2010, 03:25 PM »

I guess that you can see I can't really discuss this program right now without getting frustrated all over again! Not worth the aggravation!

-J-Mac (April 01, 2010, 02:06 PM)

I really feel your pain. And feel guilty, since I feel I tipped you in the IDI direction at the beginning.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 01, 2010, 03:23 PM »

Unfortunately they have made it complex needlessly in many areas it seems. Category labels and keywords should not be that difficult to assign! And "synchronizing with XMP" is just crazy! Took the program three full days and nights to "sync" my ~20,000 images - and I don’t use the XMP format!

-J-Mac (April 01, 2010, 02:06 PM)

I'm not sure about needlessly complex - there are always people that want and are using the extra complexity or ways of doing things that the program allows. It is slow to get stuff in, but I've found that to be the case with most of these complex image programs (simple ones tend to be very fast) - but once it is in, it has always been pretty easy and fast to keep up-to-date. Once you know what you are doing and how to make it work the way you want. And that is a burdensome learning curve.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 01, 2010, 03:18 PM »

Why didn't anyone in the forum there say so? IMO the forum for IDimager is not very helpful. The developer doesn’t respond there and other users, well, you see what answers/suggestions I received there.

-J-Mac (April 01, 2010, 02:06 PM)

I have no idea about this; I was really surprised to read the responses to your questions. I'm no virtuoso with IDI, and I'd've expected some of those who are to have answered these immediately. I can only assume that because they do things a different way, they didn't know it could be done in the way you wanted. Or maybe, I've just misunderstood your questions, or what IDI does, and have myself got hold of the wrong end of the stick.

Very surprised not to see more responses from Hert (the developer) - he always used to respond in most threads. Just checked: he has contributed over 22% of all the posts on the forum, but his last post was on 22nd March - before most of your problems. I assume he is away.

Maybe the forums have changed; they used to be very helpful. I'll start visiting again, and also going back a bit to see how different they seem to me.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 01, 2010, 03:12 PM »

For the record I have about 60% of my images labeled now but it's such a complex process to do what should be a very simple task.

-J-Mac (April 01, 2010, 02:06 PM)

It is very simple. All you need to do is to Select All files in a folder and then drag them to the appropriate Catalog label in the Catalog Explorer. Or, if you have the Media Browser open too, you can simply drag the folder you want to the label and it will label all the images in it. Or if you happen to be looking at the images somewhere else, eg in Explorer, you can just select them and drag them to the label. There's lots of ways of doing it and they tend to be pretty fast (as you would expect); just tested it - took approx 5 seconds to labe 750 photos in one folder.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 01, 2010, 03:03 PM »

And that is when I discovered that there is nowhere in the program that shows me the size in pixels; the size that I can easily see in any other image organizer or editor in the world, and even in Explorer. I have asked about it at the forum, I have read and searched their Help file, and I have read all Parts of Mike Buckley's ebook on IDimager 5.

Do you happen to know where/how I can see that info within IDimager?

-J-Mac (April 01, 2010, 02:06 PM)

On the View menu, put it into 'View Details' mode. That gives  a number of columns with simple info including Image Dimensions.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Why is it so hard to find a decent image organizer?

« Last post by Dormouse on April 01, 2010, 08:10 AM »

What a rotten image organizer! I have spent so much time trying to work through their endless mazes of toolbars, panes, and menus trying to get the most basic things done with it only to find out that "you can't do that in IDimager".

-J-Mac (March 27, 2010, 10:28 PM)

Just a quick note to say I've only just seen this & will get back to you later today, if it would still be helpful.

I didn't realise you were having any problems - I don't often visit the IDI forums.
Have just had a quick look & the stuff you want to do can be done fairly straightforwardly. Can see all the info you want in IDI; can apply labels to all images in folder by drag and drop.

There's no getting away from the fact that it is a highly complex prog with lots of options & it is very easy to get lost in it. Surprised you didn't get responses that told you how to what you wanted on the forums..

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Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Ad Muncher On Sale at Bits duJor Wednesday, March 31, 2010

« Last post by Dormouse on March 31, 2010, 03:36 AM »

Hey, anybody know which subscription level the Bits promo covers?

-J-Mac (March 31, 2010, 02:40 AM)

Anything and everything. Basic, Premium, Multiple, Extra Years, Lifetime. Seems even to be upgrades (may need to contact them direct for these).
You want it, they'll give you the BdJ discount on it.
 

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Found Deals and Discounts / Re: WinPatrol PLUS at 50% off until April 7

« Last post by Dormouse on March 29, 2010, 02:30 PM »

I think VERY highly of WinPatrol PLUS

-cyberdiva (March 29, 2010, 01:20 PM)

Agreed.
I think VERY highly of Bill too. Feels so much nicer to buy software when you fully approve of the developer.
Has to be a good deal at 50% off.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Question - Does anyone know of such a program? - Data organizer

« Last post by Dormouse on March 29, 2010, 05:35 AM »

I use Ultra Recall.
Comparison between editions.
Manual
On BitsDuJour a few days ago - but that might not help you now (though always worth asking).

I'm sure InfoQube could do this too. Or will be able to do what it doesn't do now.
Ultra Recall is pretty complex, but I've not yet got to grips with InfoQube (previously SQLNotes).

Development of Ultra Recall was (very briefly) suspended which introduces a slight questionmark about the future if the income it produces does not hold up. But that will be true for other programs too whether they say it or not.

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Living Room / CanSecWest- Iphone, Safari, ie, Firefox hacked

« Last post by Dormouse on March 25, 2010, 05:45 AM »

Day One hacks at CanSecWest

As promised, the iPhone did get hacked, along with the usual suspects.

Nice to see one of the successful hackers uses Opera for their own browsing 

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General Software Discussion / Re: Dell: No refunds for Linux users who reject Microsoft's OS EULA

« Last post by Dormouse on March 23, 2010, 06:05 PM »

Dell's contract with the purchaser is 'Give us some money, we'll give you this computer with W7 on it'. Dell would only be responsible if they'd got an agreement with MS to underwrite these returns.

-katykaty (March 23, 2010, 05:26 PM)

Dell have a contract with the purchaser. If the computer, as sold and advertised, does not have a working copy of W7 because the purchaser won't accept MS's EULA then that is Dell's responsibility not MS's. Dell, of course, do have a contract with MS and being prudent and aware of the EULA it seems reasonably likely that there will be some soft of comeback at MS if they do have to pay out.

1290

General Software Discussion / Re: Dell: No refunds for Linux users who reject Microsoft's OS EULA

« Last post by Dormouse on March 22, 2010, 03:45 AM »

Dell does sell machines without Windows, at a cheaper price, so you are being charged for Windows when you buy a Windows machine. That being said, if you don't want Windows, don't buy a Dell with Windows, and save some money and not deal with the hassles of fighting with Dell to get a refund on the unwanted OS.

-app103 (March 21, 2010, 11:35 PM)

The original article was about someone in the UK who bought a netbook. Presumably he did not have an option to make that purchase without Windows (if there was it would have been very straightforward for him to be refunded any difference in price or to reject the goods and get the one he really wanted). Dell had previously refunded $115 to someone who bought a notebook.

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Living Room / Re: Which is better windows mobile or android os or iphone os?

« Last post by Dormouse on March 20, 2010, 04:11 PM »

I don't want to unlock it, I want to jailbreak it. Two different things.

-Musubi (March 20, 2010, 04:07 PM)

Accepted: I used the wrong word; not concentrating. - but what you are wanting to do is to change the experience away from the one that Apple have designed. And Apple would argue that if they allowed people to do that, they would no longer have the smooth OS experience that makes the iPhone popular.

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Living Room / Re: Which is better windows mobile or android os or iphone os?

« Last post by Dormouse on March 20, 2010, 03:59 PM »

The massive number of apps only came later. First came the OS/hardware (very much designed as a single unit). Then they rigidly controlled the apps that got through so that the OS/hardware experience always worked the same. It is this bit that MS see (and probably correctly) but it isn't something that MS has ever really done/enforced before. But doing it massively restricts freedom. Why do you want to unlock the iPhone if you get one>

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Living Room / Re: Which is better windows mobile or android os or iphone os?

« Last post by Dormouse on March 20, 2010, 03:35 PM »

then the iphone would be paradoxically the most 'open" system because of the most developed jailbreaking community, and it's more popular = more crackers and hackers are  will try to hack and crack it.

-Musubi (March 20, 2010, 01:58 PM)

I very much doubt that. Apple control the hardware, the OS and the software and their whole philosophy is about their having total control of everything. This level of control will be new for MS & they have to carry developers with them to have a chance of getting real market share. And the carriers? - they've never shown any ability to control anything except your ability to connect. I can't see them being able to lock phones, though  you might have to access other stores through your computer rather than your phone. And their only interest is in maximising the revenue they can get - they don't really care about what you do if they get more revenue. MS and the carriers are envious of the revenue Apple get from their store, and that is what the carriers are really after. MS are wanting control because they think that is what has given Apple the usability that makes the iPhone popular.

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Living Room / Re: Which is better windows mobile or android os or iphone os?

« Last post by Dormouse on March 20, 2010, 09:08 AM »

I don't know that I would worry about the law. I'd think the chance of any prosecution would be nil. What it does do though, is give Apple complete justification for providing you with no support.

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Living Room / Re: Which is better windows mobile or android os or iphone os?

« Last post by Dormouse on March 20, 2010, 08:56 AM »

Not just the US; the article does include the EU. Poland is in the EU so it applies. Some variations in implementation between different EU countries but the fact that it is common practice somewhere does not mean it is legal there.

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Living Room / Re: Which is better windows mobile or android os or iphone os?

« Last post by Dormouse on March 20, 2010, 08:33 AM »

Breaks copyright.

See here

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Living Room / Re: Which is better windows mobile or android os or iphone os?

« Last post by Dormouse on March 20, 2010, 08:16 AM »

Is modding a ps2 also illegal?

-Musubi (March 20, 2010, 07:32 AM)

Yes.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Dell: No refunds for Linux users who reject Microsoft's OS EULA

« Last post by Dormouse on March 20, 2010, 08:03 AM »

Simple solution is to return the whole system to Dell and say you want a full refund because you don't agree to the license.

Certainly under UK (and EU) consumer law you have the right to return any items bought from Distance Sellers (ie online or by telephone) for a full refund for any reason within a limited period after purchase.

-Carol Haynes (March 20, 2010, 07:33 AM)

And he'd have a right to do so anyway if he doesn't want to accept the terms of the MS licence. This would probably be pretty effective as the cost of the return to Dell would be greater than anything they would need to refund him for not using Windows.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Dell: No refunds for Linux users who reject Microsoft's OS EULA

« Last post by Dormouse on March 20, 2010, 08:00 AM »

What abuse is occurring here? The customer is attempting to get money back for something he was not charged for in the first place

-Josh (March 20, 2010, 07:26 AM)

Not so. The cost of Windows is not nil. Therefore the cost is bundled in the whole package and he will be paying more than if Windows were provided free to Dell.

If the cost to nil were nil, then MS would be potentially subject to anti-monopoly legislation.

Dell is not selling very many desktops with Linux because the demand simply is not there. These linux distribution makers could work with dell to get it included on their systems, as they have the netbook/notebook sector, but they apparently aren't working hard enough. It should not be a hard sell given that Linux is free from the start thus negating the cost or "monopoly abuse" factor, it just appears that the consumer does not want/care for Linux. They want what they are used to.

-Josh (March 20, 2010, 07:26 AM)

It is probably largely true that most of the public will pay the extra cost of Windows rather than use Linux. But this is very much affected by the difference in price. The netbook market showed that people were happy to buy computers with Linux when their was a large price difference but switched away when the difference became very small. As things stand, the consumer does not get the chance to consider a difference in cost as a factor since Windows is included 'free'.

, this gentleman seems intent on trying to get money back that he did not spend. He is NOT paying for Windows, he is paying for the hardware.

-Josh (March 20, 2010, 07:26 AM)

Not so. He is paying for a hardware/software bundle. He would have paid less if Windows were not bundled.

But basically it is an issue about monopoly. MS don't maintain their power and profit by being best, but by being ubiquitous. This is just one small consumer's attempt to say that they shouldn't be able to get away with these business practices free of challenge.

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Living Room / Re: Which is better windows mobile or android os or iphone os?

« Last post by Dormouse on March 20, 2010, 07:16 AM »

Jailbreaking isn't that hard I heard it takes like 10 minutes or so....

-Musubi (March 20, 2010, 07:06 AM)

It's not that it is that hard, but that it puts you into conflict with Apple.
It means stuff may get disabled or you can't get an update. And then you will need to jail yourself and jailbreak again when the issue is dealt with. Not that hard, but you have to stay alert and in touch with the jailbreaking community.
And not risk-free - as the ikee virus proved - attention to all detail and settings is required not just following a simple 10 minute guide.

Also see here for predictions of security risk.