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1451

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: xplorer² file manager - $14.95 - Bits Du Jour 6/17/2009 - WEDNESDAY

« Last post by Dormouse on June 18, 2009, 01:19 PM »

I think it's a good program and was very good value at half price. A neat and efficient program to use.
Not quite so worth it for me personally with the portable extra not being reduced (and already having DO, Q-Dir and Shellless) and only really wanting portable programs.

1452

General Software Discussion / Re: calendars - remembering the almond milk and sea moss smoothies

« Last post by Dormouse on June 07, 2009, 08:18 PM »

Yet I agree that ToDoList is very kewl (it really LOOKS like a todo list, with a real earnestness) .. have you been able to filter and then use the calendar plugin very effectively ?

-Steven Avery (June 07, 2009, 10:31 AM)

TDL is just so much more efficient to use. All the others require completing the input forms. TDL  allows fast input of task titles with Ctrl N and then clicking the dropboxes below as required. Plus filters, Plus sophisticated searches. I've checked the calendar and the filters do work with it. It doesn't show times (I think), but I don't use it as a calendar at all. The calendar is certainly not an input area, just a way of viewing some of the data. It wouldn't make me view TDL as a PIM with calendar, but it is a calendar and it does work.

With AAO the month-at-a-time view is a symptom of its general calendar weakness, yet, like the anemic linear only printout function, still potentially sufficient.  I looked at the forums and saw only modest activity, with little discussion of this aspect. A bit of an oops.  If many folks were really plugging away with the program, you would expect a clamor, a unified cry ... calendar !

-Steven Avery (June 07, 2009, 10:31 AM)

Yes, it just doesn't really do anything I want, and its not obvious why it would be better than Outlook. And I share your attitude to Outlook.

Caliminjaro .. first I heard of it.. looked nice but its master view is too "planner" oriented for me (my days are largely free-lance)
http://www.prweb.com...ndar/prweb447911.htm
And with the defunct aspect as well, no real consideration.

-Steven Avery (June 07, 2009, 10:31 AM)

I wouldn't have recommended Calimajaro on the basis of your described wants (and didn't). OTOH, it doesn't have to have a planner view. There are 4 tabs at the top, in each of which you can define the precise view you want (approximating to day, week, month, year); which you have on view is up to you - or you can choose just to have a listing of events. You can have hierarchical categories (called calendars) and filter as you want. And it communicates with iCal. So easy views of almost any range from 1 day to 2 years, good filtering, pretty easy input and reasonable import/export - and effectively now free. Works fast and quite pretty; visuals good with the colour coding.

Essential PIM .. does it have sub-tasks, and such, categories and assignees like in AAO ? I never found the PIM softwares like Time & Chaos (now Intellect) and Essential PIM quite up to what I wanted on the ToDo list aspect.  (I am looking for a ToDo-Calendar-Reminder balance, everything else auxiliary).

-Steven Avery (June 07, 2009, 10:31 AM)

I've never really used it except as a portable prog that has a year planner view that can be useful for other people. Most functionality is really on the Pro version rather than the free one. The Pro version does have sub-tasks etc and categories (IIRC) but no assignees; not the easiest linkage with the Calendar. You'd be better off with comments from someone who does use it.

Do_Organizer might be better from that perspective, yet they had that funny aspect of multiple products and uncertain future, if I recall properly.

-Steven Avery (June 07, 2009, 10:31 AM)

Well, I daresay DO will do what you want. Possibly not as smoothly as some other progs, but probably with a lot more functionality available. Surprisingly close to being a totally brilliant program, but with lots of interface tweaks, & some function changes to actually get there. Will it happen? I don't know.

a) Agenda at Once
b) Active Desktop Calendar
c) ToDoList with the plugin
None is in the lead, all seem to have strengths, and possibly a major weakness or two.  I would actually spend a few hours on a 3 to 5 program shootout .. since my decision would hopefully last a while.

-Steven Avery (June 07, 2009, 10:31 AM)

I wouldn't use Active Desktop Calendar myself as it is too invasive. And no view longer than a month - but that doesn't seem to be a problem for you. I doubt that the ToDoList plugin presents enough information in a controlled enough way for you. AaO is what it is.

I don't know of an Ultra Recall plugin. InfoQube will have a steep learning curve and may not be quite there yet in terms of Calendar functionality (I've not investigated that side in even minor detail), but would otherwise do the job probably.

I've not found what I consider to be a really good solution - but then my needs and preferences are quite different to yours. I'll certainly be interested in your further investigations and any review.

1453

General Software Discussion / Re: calendars - remembering the almond milk and sea moss smoothies

« Last post by Dormouse on June 07, 2009, 09:37 AM »

I tried MLO once. I really liked it. Worked well. Reliable at link with PDA. But it didn't do what I wanted. And very little ability to adapt it. Very tied to GTD & contexts. I found contexts a persuasive idea but time consuming to implement and unnecessary. So, have positive feelings towards it, but don't use it at all.

I installed Agenda at Once nearly 18 months ago. I still have 12 days of my 15 days evaluation period to go. I have a look at it, decide it's not for me, stop it autostarting, and then some months later something makes me think "why is it I don't use that?" and I load it again etc. So I've just reloaded & updated it. The ToDo component isn't as good as abstractspoon's ToDoList. Nice that you can d&d tasks on to the Calendar. But the Calendar only goes up to a month's view; no good for me; nothing like the flexibility of views in Calimanjaro (now defunct but free key available on Calimanjaro site if you have a copy of the prog) or do-Organizer, or even Essential PIM; so I don't look much further. Import/export with csv & ical (but never tried it) but no PDA linkage.

1454

General Software Discussion / Re: What is your favorite program to listen to internet radio?

« Last post by Dormouse on June 06, 2009, 04:44 AM »

RadioSure (freeware) is the best for casual listeners like myself, because it's easy to use and has enough radio stations included to suit all the tastes.

-muntealb (June 06, 2009, 02:00 AM)

RadioSure ...it has 12,000 radio stations.

-GeorgeH (May 31, 2009, 05:41 PM)

Yes, I think that would be enough for me.

1455

General Software Discussion / Re: Sticky Notes - Freeware Roundup

« Last post by Dormouse on June 05, 2009, 07:25 PM »

Amongst its very many components, doOrganizer also has a sticky note module.

1456

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: NoteZilla

« Last post by Dormouse on June 05, 2009, 06:40 PM »

OK. So, if I think that Stickies is a (slightly) better pure-text sticky note program, what do I use NoteZilla for? And what has it taught me about ways in which it might be improved.

Well, one of things I have to do is to keep track of jobs of a relatively repetitive nature, with multiple processes but without a fixed path. (One example [just for illustration, not what I'm doing] of such jobs would be if running an auto repair business where there is  a tyre/exhaust shop, an engine shop, a body shop and a paint shop.) Many details of each individual job will be needed (customer, task etc), and it will be important to know what stage each job is at - partly to track the job and partly to spot an overload building up in any area.

Now there are many ways of doing this. Project type software (but high overhead to put stuff in and overkill for the job), and various to-do lists. But though I'm very happy using these in other ways (I use AbstractSpoon's ToDoList a lot - but actually mostly as a database and for tracking other people's progress), I've never sustained any use for tracking my own to-do's. Over time I've come to realise that it is because the way you use them does not match the way I think naturally (a bit of a surprise to me since I find these progs easy to get to grips with and I'm good at using them for other tasks). Some people like a very tidy desk with everything put away. I like a very very big and very messy desk with everything out (either in view or beneath other things that are in view with history deciding its place in the layers); with this I always know exactly where everything is. This suggested a preference for a visual way of thinking (again a surprise because I'm very good verbally).

So I reasoned that a visual analog of my very big messy desk(s) might work better. And it does. Most attempts to do it have been using MindMap type progs, but they have quite a few deficiencies for this approach. And when I first looked at NoteZilla, it came to me that I could use it for this job. I can cut and paste into the note; being able to do images too is important since not all my sources are in text format. Using the example above, I can have one menuboard for the engine shop, one for the body shop etc; and, having a note for each job, just move the note to the board it needs to be in at the time (with all info needed on the note).

And it works very well. I can go to a board and see everything instantly instead of having to read a list. I can move notes around as I decide what to do or do bits of work on those tasks. I can set reminders/alarms if I need. And I could never do this with Stickies because it does not have the menuboards and (to some extent) because it doesn't take images.

What it has also shown though, is lots of ways in which NoteZilla can be improved. And, more generally, how non-visually adept sticky note programs are despite the whole raison d'etre of sticky notes being  visual. What I would like to see (in no particular order):-

• the ability to have different shaped notes; this would be a better/quicker visual trigger to that note's identity; some other sticky note progs (including Stickies) have this; instructions to design own skins would also be good;
• the ability to zoom in and out with the mouse wheel; would make it much easier to work with a large number of notes on a single board;
• furl/unfurl is good but is needed to work for width as well as height (currently notes that are very wide because of containing a wide image are either incredibly long when furled or they have to be shrunk manually);
• to work visually, the categories/tags need to have icons attached and not just be words; and these should be visible on the top menu line;
• it would be nice to be able to move notes to a different board from the note view as well as the note list; if you are working in note view, having to go to the note list to do this wastes time;
• the ability to right click on a top toolbar item and then use the mouse wheel to switch between options would be good (eg this could be tags, note colours/skins etc)
• more control over the size of the board. Wouldn't be a problem if there were zoom, but currently it starts the size of available room in the NoteZilla window and gradually gets longer as new notes are added; doesn't shrink again if a few lines in the middle are moved up to overlap others and can mean having to scroll down past a big empty space;
• a more eyecatching alarm would be good (at least as an option). Stickies alternates border colours and wobbles from side to side when the alarm goes. NoteZilla just sits quietly in the corner. I need something more obvious if it is time to get something out of the oven (and I can't have the sound switched on if everyone else has gone to bed), though at for other events I might prefer not to have my concentration disturbed by something too intrusive;
• it would be good to detach menuboard panels from the browser window and to able to view as many as wanted at the same time
• the sticker view should revert to the last user arranged layout after switching to another view, instead of the original default
• you can mark a note as completed; this strikes through the title on the list of notes; it would be better if it also struck through the title on the note itself.
• the toolbar cuts of with an icon for more buttons; on my monitor this happens only 1/4 of the way across the screen; the bar should autosize to the window
• • I may add a few more here as they come to mind.
  
  Other things that would make a big difference include
  a forum
  Properties button (as mentioned by Steven) so that attached items & links are easily seen in list
  multi-tagging (as mentioned by Steven)
  Adding duration to the reminders would allow proper events and export to ical etc. Would make it much more powerful for todo list.
  Allow export of single memoboards with notes filtered

1457

General Software Discussion / Re: calendars - remembering the almond milk and sea moss smoothies

« Last post by Dormouse on June 04, 2009, 03:43 AM »

I've tried pretty much all the calendar progs that I have been able to find. None of them really come anywhere cloe to doing what I want (wrote about that here once). But what you want appears to be completely different.

Most calendars have a variety of views going from the day to months and a listing of events within them. If the latter is sufficient, a lot of programs can do what you want. Or similar.

Since you are already using it, you could try NoteZilla. It has Priorities, Categories (Tags) and hierarchical folders. It has contacts and links to email or the network. You can get it to produce lists of notes in date order. Assuming you put (or cut and paste) details of the events in the notes, you can switch all the notes for a period into a temporary menuboard and see details of all those events at once (actually works as a copy rather than a move). At least trying something like this that you already know will give you a clear idea of what is important that it doesn't do, which could inform your further search.

1458

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: NoteZilla

« Last post by Dormouse on June 03, 2009, 08:12 PM »

The Stickies equivalent of the memoboard isn't really equivalent. It gives the list, but you can only view one sticky at a time on it. Accurately described I think as a Manager for the stickies, just as NoteZilla's use of memoboard is accurate.

Looking at the two as pure text sticky note apps, I'd say Stickies is probably superior. Stickies does have a component that allows other progs to create stickies, so it gives an option for very good import. DoOrganizer appears to use it.

Stickies search is OK, but I wouldn't describe the application as a PIM (though Stickies can be grouped in categories and subcategories), whereas NoteZilla does have the beginnings of development in that area. Stickies can import/export in csv whilst NoteZilla has tab delimited; at a guess, csv gives more options for exporting to calendar programs.

1459

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: NoteZilla

« Last post by Dormouse on June 03, 2009, 06:50 PM »

I don't think it is really accurate to describe Stickies as a light version of NoteZilla. It's more that it has a different feature set.

For instance-
It has a skin design program and 14 pages of skins available for download, not all of them rectangular.
It has a version for PPC & Palm, rather than relying on passing notes through Outlook.
It has an API and an option for other programs to create stickies.
It also has a forum where the developer is very active.
It's alarm is much more eyecatching than NoteZilla.
And it does have a top bar, just with different buttons. And some of the skins have a large number of buttons on the top bar.

What it doesn't have is images in the note (and Tom says they are definitely not on the roadmap).
Nor does it have menuboards.
And no tags.

In effect, Stickies is more of a pure sticky note program than NoteZilla.
And there are things you can do in NoteZilla that you can't do in Stickies. And a lot of ways in which NoteZilla can be developed to do these things better. More of that anon (possibly a day or two).
(btw, I like the NoteZilla way of doing the note title)

1460

General Software Discussion / Re: calendars - remembering the almond milk and sea moss smoothies

« Last post by Dormouse on June 02, 2009, 04:42 PM »

I'm not completely sure what you are looking for, or even whether you really are looking for a calendar.

Nearly everything you describe can be done through a todo list  with all the bells and whistles.
The key is a) what you expect from your screen view, and b) whether you expect your input driver to be the events themselves or the available space on the calendar; if it's the latter then you really will be wanting to input into the calendar. ToDoList will do it; NoteZilla almost does it but hasn't got a calendar view. IQ will probably do it once the Outlook integration is up and running.

So what is it you are wanting as calendar functions rather than timed event functions?

1461

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Online Armor on Giveawayoftheday (May 26, 2009)

« Last post by Dormouse on June 02, 2009, 06:52 AM »

I downloaded Online Armor on May 26th from Giveawayoftheday.  While attempting to clean up my PC I accidentally deleted the program.  I did manage to re-install the program but my license is missing from my PC too.  Can anyone help with this problem?

-ohiocrochetgranny (June 02, 2009, 06:22 AM)

How about contacting Online Armor?

1462

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: Ad Muncher: keeps the brain intact while surfing the Net - beats AdBlock!

« Last post by Dormouse on June 02, 2009, 05:43 AM »

Ad muncher is cool.

-superboyac

Yes...cool enough to have the development pace of a glacier. 

-Innuendo (June 01, 2009, 10:52 PM)

Of course, with global warming, glaciers are gradually disappearing 

1463

General Software Discussion / Re: A linux adventure: A Blog for linux newbees by a Linux Newbee...

« Last post by Dormouse on June 02, 2009, 05:28 AM »

Have to agree with Mouser.

I don't have a clear view on what is best, but would like more Linux posts/threads than we get now. Maybe that will happen with time anyway and what we have is just a reflection of what we are all using.

1464

General Software Discussion / Re: TB! Connection to host broken... "DELE 414", "RETR 423" over and over??

« Last post by Dormouse on June 01, 2009, 03:01 PM »

I've only just installed AntiSpamSniper and it has substantially slowed my downloads. Of course, I'm only downloading a few at a time, so doesn't really matter to me.

1465

General Software Discussion / Re: A linux adventure: A Blog for linux newbees by a Linux Newbee...

« Last post by Dormouse on June 01, 2009, 01:05 PM »

Thanks for summarising the thread.

My own perception is that this is a Windows forum with some Linux & Windows/Linux users. Don't see many posts on other OSs.

A Linux forum may encourage more Linux posters and Linux orientated posts. I think that would be good (if it is what happened). But then, I do use Linux.

1466

General Software Discussion / Re: A linux adventure: A Blog for linux newbees by a Linux Newbee...

« Last post by Dormouse on June 01, 2009, 12:24 PM »

The problem has been Windows 7 has been too good for me ot walk away from.

-Innuendo (June 01, 2009, 06:27 AM)

I agree. I'm pretty certain I'll have W7 on one machine, however MS price it.
OTOH, there's no reason not to have Linux on them all 

1467

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: AntispamSniper For The Bat!

« Last post by Dormouse on May 28, 2009, 03:35 AM »

someone should point out that versions of this tool also exists for Outlook, Outlook Express, and Windows Mail.

-mouser (May 28, 2009, 02:02 AM)

I thought they did.

The author also offers versions of AntispamSniper for Outlook, Outlook Express, and Windows Mail, but this review will be focused on the version for The Bat!

-Innuendo (May 27, 2009, 03:31 PM)

 

1468

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: AntispamSniper For The Bat!

« Last post by Dormouse on May 27, 2009, 06:45 PM »

I think the pictures are good. One way of keeping them, but reducing the space they take is to combine some of the adjacent screenshots into a single image and load that into the review.

1469

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Online Armor on Giveawayoftheday (May 26, 2009)

« Last post by Dormouse on May 26, 2009, 05:36 PM »

One nice thing about the offer is that there is no need to install it now, just need to 'purchase' it. Can then install it at a time of your own choosing.

1470

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: YourFonts - Generate a font based on your handwriting

« Last post by Dormouse on May 26, 2009, 05:06 PM »

looks like a pretty straight-forward answer to me . . in the big bad world it's called making a living 

-tomos (May 26, 2009, 02:36 PM)

maybe. There are also payments to affiliates at the rate of 60% (1st 2 months) or 40% (thereafter). So only approx half the money from customers arriving from many sites goes to the living. And I'm sure Mouser hasn't signed up for here, and I've not seen a discount mentioned either, so buyers from here might be paying twice as much to the living as buyers from elsewhere. Maybe the scanahand discount will work.

1471

General Software Discussion / Re: What is the currently best Desktop Search software?

« Last post by Dormouse on May 26, 2009, 12:47 PM »

You could do a review of Lookeen 

I had a look. Always searching for something to make Outlook barely functional.
Like many, I only have to use Outlook for work on work computers. 
So the problem is only there.
And solutions have to be portable to avoid having to make a fuss with IT to make them put something else on my computers.
And I don't think Lookeen is portable.

I can get everything into eml format through owa. But can't say that any of the solutions I've tried for searching them (Ultra Recall, Do-Organizer, DocFetcher) quite work as I want.  :(Either they're not fast enough, or they don't have a view showing a whole table of headings (From, To, Time etc) for all the emails found.

1472

Living Room / Re: Any ideas - expand a wireless network to a neighbouring house?

« Last post by Dormouse on May 26, 2009, 12:33 PM »

homeplug will do 300m

1473

Living Room / Re: Any ideas - expand a wireless network to a neighbouring house?

« Last post by Dormouse on May 26, 2009, 12:17 PM »

Why bother with wireless?

Two homeplugs on your side. One near your router, the other near the wall. Ethernet through the wall. Then whatever you want on the other side.

1474

Living Room / Re: Geek gadgets - Calculators...

« Last post by Dormouse on May 20, 2009, 01:57 AM »

faster than my friends can find the results with calculators!

-J-Mac (May 17, 2009, 01:54 PM)

I always find this a problem. Not finding the results with the calculator, but finding the calculator in the first place

1475

Circle Dock / Re: VIP MIA?

« Last post by Dormouse on May 19, 2009, 02:11 PM »

What are the possibilities of further development for Circle Dock?

-jschall (May 19, 2009, 05:59 AM)

It's open source, so you tell me