Recent Posts

1451

General Software Discussion / Cyberfox / Firefox updated to 41.0x

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 23, 2015, 08:31 AM »

Firefox stable updated to 41.0

Cyberfox stable updated to 41.01

With Cyberfox in Help About check for updates it will bring you to the page for download without auto doing anything. At least that is how it goes for me.  Perhaps I have Autoupdate disabled. 

In Firefox I get the installer and run it rather than using the updater.  The Mozilla page has that installer stub.  I prefer the whole installer.  Got mine here:
http://www.snapfiles.../get/phoenixmoz.html

1452

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Auslogics Disk Defrag Pro [free]

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 23, 2015, 07:06 AM »

I guess I am done with communicating with Auslogics Support.  They request all this unnecessary information about my system when all that is required is for the programmer to call SystemParametersInfo() API with SPI_GETWORKAREA to account for the size and position of the Taskbar.  This has been around since Win9x if not earlier.

1453

Living Room / Re: Movies you've seen lately

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 23, 2015, 06:59 AM »

After (came out 2012) was a B+ movie that could have been grade A if it'd had better production/casting.

Though not a movie per se, I've been enjoying the sci-fi series "Extant", featuring Halle Berry.

-kyrathaba (September 22, 2015, 08:50 AM)

While checking out Extant on the CBS site I noticed they came out with Limitless.  I enjoyed the movie.  But it was yet another great premise where the implementation does not deliver all it could.  Just from the trailers from the Limitless TV series I can tell it is an action show where somehow the guy's super intelligence allows him to do unusual stuff with his body.  It does not make sense.  Muscle stamina is built up through training.  You do not become bionic just because you got smart.

A really super intelligent person would not be caught dead jumping in front of trains or down fire escapes.  He would manipulate some Special Forces guy with big muscles into doing it for him. 

But it still may be interesting to watch if I am smart enough to see it for free.  The CBS watch online for $6 a month might not be such a bad deal except they explicitly exempt NFL games.  The "all" in "all access" should be "quite a bit of the stuff we've got access but not the stuff you really want most.. for $6/mo")

Edit: apparently if you wait until the next day you can watch some stuff for free.  Anyway I watched the Limitless pilot.  It was interesting.  Often the pilot is good even if the series isn't.  I hope they have some good writers because it is an interesting premise.  Are there any script writers left since Reality TV?  Or maybe they are using the AI from writers long dead captured in some cave like Landru or something.

1454

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Auslogics Disk Defrag Pro [free]

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 22, 2015, 02:57 PM »

I got an email from Auslogics Support asking for a screen shot and explanation of the problem.  I always liked their free defragger.  I must say I am impressed they followed up the next day after the form letter reply.

Now it remains to be seen if they will allow the window to be resized. 
Here is the screen shot I sent if anyone is curious.

Note: I tried inserting it inline but it gets cropped at the bottom.  So it goes. 
Reading Slaughterhouse 5 I can't stop saying "so it goes."

So it goes. 

NOW it decides to work.  So it goes.

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Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Auslogics Disk Defrag Pro [free]

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 22, 2015, 09:13 AM »

After using this a couple of days the main thing I like over the Free is the fragmentation analysis gives percentage fragmented to 2 decimal places.  If less than 1% fragmented the Free analysis shows 0% fragmented.  But in my experience with it I fragmented anyway because there was no way to tell how close to 0 the fragmentation actually was.  I noticed a speed up often after defragging a "0% fragmented" drive with the Free version.

The Free version is actually a bit faster if used frequently.  But for free I'll use the Pro until the license expires. 

1456

Developer's Corner / Re: Ethics in Technology

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 22, 2015, 07:24 AM »

It sounds like this system automated what we used to do manually when emissions tests first became part of the Safety Inspection(at least in Massachusetts anyway.)  If set to pass the emissions test even new cars would run like crap.  So when a customer came in for a safety inspection, we did the safety part, checking front end components, floorboards, windshield etc..  then we would hook up the emissions tester(a diagnostic scope with a probe that went up the tailpipe.)

We would lean out the carburetor, run the emissions test, pass the car and put the sticker on.  Then enrich the mixture to stop the engine from stumbling.  In addition to the sticker charge we charged the customer for a carburetor adjustment.  Eventually most cars switched over to fuel injection.  But perhaps the same problem persists.  The car just won't run right adjusted that lean.

The insanity in Florida was that cars would wait in line at emissions inspection stations with their engines running to get tested.  Finally somebody in government in Florida saw the light and just cancelled the emissions tests altogether.  There was more pollution produced by cars queued up for the test than saved by enforcing the standards.  Also it was a real drag sitting in line breathing exhaust fumes for an hour every year.

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Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Auslogics Disk Defrag Pro [free]

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 22, 2015, 07:06 AM »

But usually the guy running the page reads those. If it isn't about the site being broken likely it gets chucked in the bit bucket. )

-MilesAhead (September 21, 2015, 11:00 AM)

I did get a pro forma reply from Auslogics Support about allowing user resize of the main window.  Even if they insist on making it fixed size they should at least get the desktop work area to account for the taskbar.  As it is there is plenty of wasted space in the information display.  I don't see why resizable with a vertical scrollbar would ruin things.

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Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 21, 2015, 11:12 AM »

Has anyone here eaten Girl Scout brownies?


 

Spoiler

[ Invalid Attachment ]

-Arizona Hot (September 21, 2015, 10:32 AM)

There was a guy on Death Row(tm) because he was a convicted serial sex offender.  The evening before the execution, as was the custom, he was allowed to order anything he liked for dinner.  The Warden asked him what he wanted.  The guy looked at the Warden and said, "Girl Scout Cookies..  DUH!"

1459

Living Room / Re: Recommend some music videos to me!

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 21, 2015, 11:03 AM »

Danny and the Juniors "At the Hop" (1958):

-mouser (September 20, 2015, 05:42 PM)

Funny.  I was just thinking about this tune the other day.  I didn't know who did it.

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Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Auslogics Disk Defrag Pro [free]

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 21, 2015, 11:00 AM »

I installed this and registered it without issue.  I ran a "simple defrag" and it took just about 10 minutes on my system.  Evidently even using the simple defrag the Pro version takes a more thorough approach than the Free.  Usually if I do analyze and it shows less than 1% fragmentation the defrag takes about 5 minutes. ( Edit: Just for grins I did a simple defrag by pushing the defrag button.  Just the analysis took 7 minutes whereas on Free it is more like 2 minutes.)

The one thing I do not like so far is the application's main window.  They disable the size box and assume you have a normal height Taskbar.  Well I have a triple height Taskbar and even though there is nothing written in the bottom section of the window that is obscured by the Taskbar, it will not let me resize the window.  The Free version lets me size the window as I like.  I don't understand the insistence on the window size.  (Edit:  I sent a suggestion about it via "Contact Us" on the web page.  But usually the guy running the page reads those. If it isn't about the site being broken likely it gets chucked in the bit bucket. )

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Found Deals and Discounts / Auslogics Disk Defrag Pro 4.7.0.0[free]

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 21, 2015, 10:13 AM »

http://sharewareonsa...disk-defrag-pro-sale

15 hours and change as of post time.

Edit:  This is a registration key for the full version for one year no updates.  I see it is on several of the freebie sites today.  I think it is all the same deal.  One license key fits all. 

Regular product page:
http://www.auslogics...are/disk-defrag-pro/

1462

Living Room / Re: I Hate IHeartRadio

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 21, 2015, 08:46 AM »

If I find the play button directly on the radio station page they all time out after 30 seconds.  Even if the page will play a previously recorded show, it will not play a live stream.

Edit:  @Stephen66515 that seems to work for some.  Thanks for the link. 

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Living Room / Re: Movies you've seen lately

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 21, 2015, 06:58 AM »

@MilesAhead I don't know any of those websites you name, so I'm unfamiliar with them.
That would be a cool idea, any kind of an Asian films thread.
The way I often find good Asian films is to start with a good film I already know, and see what other films were done by the same Producer or with any of the same actors.
Or sometimes a film by a western company may be cloned by an asian one, or vice-versa, which often works out quite well.
Or I'll see a review linking to a trailer and then check it out with rotten tomatoes or asian wiki.

-bit (September 20, 2015, 07:45 PM)

I have started one here:

Quirky Asian Movies

I put "quirky" because they are often the most interesting.  What you were saying about finding movies.. what I liked about the Stephen Chow films is he used an ensemble cast.  The guy who plays a gambling promoter in one flick may be a soccer coach in another.  Speaking of which, Shaolin Soccer is one of my all time favorite flicks.  But you have to get the 112 minute version.  Several of the American releases chop off the beginning where the soccer star takes a bribe to throw the match.  Without that the whole basis of the plot is messed up.  Also a very funny scene featuring the girl who sells the rolls at the street stand is cut out.  They really butcher it.

1464

Living Room / Re: I Hate IHeartRadio

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 21, 2015, 06:46 AM »

Maybe they want you to (sign up and) use their app? http://news.iheart.c...iheartradio-app-240/

-Curt (September 20, 2015, 07:12 PM)

I have W8.0.  It comes with the app.  There is no way to just enter the call letters.  You have to endlessly page through the pictures of the stations until you can click the one you want.  High school kids retire before they get all their stations added.  I see more and more of this on radio station sites.  It used to be you clicked "listen live" and then it may give a choice of player and that was that.  Now there is nothing to click on at many of these radio sites main pages.  It's like they designed it to see how long it takes you to figure out it is unusable. To play put the square peg in the round hole, but there is no hole.

1465

Living Room / I Hate IHeartRadio

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 20, 2015, 06:04 PM »

Is it just me or is it set up deliberately so that it is impossible to just directly enter a radio station's call letters and listen to it via IHeartRadio.? Because in 1/2 dozen attempts several hours long each, across several years I have never figured out how.

I am talking about IHR affiliated stations.  Not just entering any old call letters.  In fact I have never found an input for the call letters.  They make you scroll through endless pages of everything but what you want to hear.

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Living Room / Re: Quirky Asian Movies

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 20, 2015, 10:18 AM »

Fallen Angels

Quirky or not.  Anything with Michelle Reis is worth a look.

Edit:  And the classic Stephen Chow flicks such as Shaolin Soccer

1467

Living Room / Re: Quirky Asian Movies

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 20, 2015, 10:09 AM »

The Japanese films seem to be easiest to remember.  Eventually I will post some Hong Kong quirkies. 

Full Metal Yakuza

1468

Living Room / Jaco Pastorius Documentary

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 20, 2015, 08:45 AM »

I watched this documentary yesterday.  It is a real shame Jaco got dropped into the meat grinder of success.  I knew he was "address deprived" after his fall from grace.  But I didn't know all the gory details.  I only saw him perform once live.  It was at the Berkley Performance Center in Boston.  I never saw anyone before or since do the stuff he did solo between sets.  It was Weather Report touring in support of the Heavy Weather album.

The strange thing is, the show was sold out.  I went to see Al Dimeola at a club nearby and headed to the performance center just because it was within easy walking distance.I had never been there before and followed a woman who was headed into the place.  It turns out she went into the entrance for the employees and talent.  I guess the guys watching the entrance assumed I belonged there because I walked in like I owned the place, not knowing what I was doing.  To add to the serendipity, two people did not show up and I slid into one of the open seats.  I am glad that happened otherwise I never would have witnessed this genius.  Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter are not boiled spinach either.  But Jaco was from some oher planet.

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Living Room / Quirky Asian Movies

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 20, 2015, 06:02 AM »

I am thinking along the lines of "quirky" feature length Asian movies but I suppose funny shorts are not forbidden in this thread.  Speaking of funny shorts in a feature length film, my first nominee is Big Man Japan.

My second nomination is anything directed by Sabu

Thirdly I recommend The Bird People of China

Edit: Yet another fun Yakuza flick, Yakuza Demon

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Living Room / Re: Movies you've seen lately

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 20, 2015, 05:47 AM »

@bit it is too bad LoveHKFilm only updates a few times a year these days.  It seems that many of the asian review sites have shut down recently.  Kung Fu Cinema and Kung Fu Cult Cinema are both gone. LoveAsianFilm never seems to update anymore.  They just change the picture periodically.  The good old days of Hong Kong Cinema when Shu Qi was a teenager will never come again.

Afa LoveHKFilm goes it is not so much the reviews being right as done with humor.  Also in addition to hating Wong Jing the site owner was an early Shu Qi supporter when she was being criticized for getting by on her looks and having no acting skills.  She has come full circle from demonstrating her acting abilities to silence the critics to being so popular she can now "phone in" many of her parts.  She is cranking them out to get the bucks.  Approaching 40 she may as well while the looks last.

I was thinking of starting a thread of quirky Asian films, if I can think of more than two. 

1471

General Software Discussion / Re: Pls recommend 32-bit software for old WinXP machine I'm giving an elderly woman

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 19, 2015, 08:28 PM »

This poor old lady is going to have to attend college nights to learn to use these 500 programs. 

Just kidding.  But inertia can lead to program bloat. 

1472

General Software Discussion / Re: Looking for White-on-Black or Transparent Menu-Less Text Displayer

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 18, 2015, 02:38 PM »

@MilesAhead - Thanks for that heads-up.  It looks like a good resource, but I probably need to learn AHK better so I can ask intelligent questions.

-CodeTRUCKER (September 18, 2015, 02:27 PM)

They have no problem helping newbs to the language.  About the only things that annoy the regulars there are things like saying "it doesn't work" without telling what happens when it doesn't work or "I get errors" without specifying the errors, or refusal to post a test case that shows the problem.

Everyone has a bit of trouble with AHK syntax when starting out since it mixes old and new syntax styles.

But in any case it's up to you. 

1473

Clipboard Help+Spell / Re: Clipboard Help and Spell - New Name?

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 18, 2015, 01:45 PM »

How about Magic Spell?

-MilesAhead (September 18, 2015, 01:13 PM)

  that's a good one

-tomos (September 18, 2015, 01:40 PM)

I googled it with "Windows software" and the closest was "Spell Magic."  So the name should be open.   

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General Software Discussion / Re: Weird Firefox hangs since 40.x?

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 18, 2015, 01:22 PM »

I disabled uBlock Origin and installed AdBlockPlus instead.  So far it hasn't gone unresponsive.  It still fights me when I try to scroll.  But at least it works. 

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Clipboard Help+Spell / Re: Clipboard Help and Spell - New Name?

« Last post by MilesAhead on September 18, 2015, 01:13 PM »

ToddWC inspired me to think of a catchy name.  How about Magic Spell?

Edit: If you change it to this and get rich I want 5% of the gross.