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1876

General Software Discussion / Re: Maybe Vista doesn't suck?

« Last post by Armando on December 03, 2007, 12:11 PM »

This sounds wacky, but imagine if the porn industry had taken the same tack as the music companies toward online file sharing, bittorrent, usenet, etc. The music industry's only idea is to sue, which doesn't stop copying, and costs you and your artists a fortune. (Ask Apple how much money there is to be made with cheap music — billions!) Instead, the porn industry has always been on the cutting edge of web tech, adopting and assimilating everything.

-zridling (December 03, 2007, 09:56 AM)

True.  But... I wonder if that comparison holds all the way down though. Ahem.

One would of course have to consider porn as a specific depicted content (a certain type of music/video, having a particular signified and referent),  rather than a specific medium-form-code (and the pornography categorization is of course conditioned by the socio-cultural context).  So a better comparison to start with would be : pornographic music industry (never heard a piece…) —>  children song music industry. Otherwise the logic would a bit… skewed.
In other words, to be fairer, you'd have to compare "pornographic videos" too some other kind of videos and ask at least two questions : why do “pornographic music" (or… sonic porn?) succeeds where other types of "musics" fail ? Or, more likely, why do " pornographic video " succeeds where other types of video content... fail ? Which marketing strategies are transferable to other types of music/videos,… Considering the specific psychophysical, psychosexual, socio-cultural, etc. arousing mechanisms inherent to the experience of pornography. (Sorry, this is bad English… am doing my best while I’m eating my sandwich  — hey, because of you Darwin, everything I say now sounds like crude puns)

Anyway, in yet other words, there are some lessons to be learned from the porn industry, maybe, but one also has to take into account the specific experience of interpreting pornographic content, which powerfully takes advantage of certain structures and tendencies of man's biology and psychology... to put it simplistically.

I have no idea if I was able to convey my “ideas” here… Don’t worry, I won’t quote Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn now. Back to my sandwich.

1877

Living Room / Re: How do you tag (or even organize) your files?

« Last post by Armando on December 02, 2007, 02:26 PM »

Thanks for sharing your experiences.
 
Like you said, taging is currently problematic, and without any complete and satisfying solution (for Windows).
 
On another note, I'd be surprised if tag2find just disappears... IMO, the "New Generation" is eventually going to be released but they might got into more complexity than what they foresaw...
 
Your Outlook strategy seems interesting but a bit constrictive to me... Why not use a "proper" database like asksam, General knowledge base, etc. The color thing is interesting but I don't think I'd choose outlook PST files just for that feature.  Especially that tags in names can be associated with colors with certain file managers (as noted by nosh here  https://www.donation...69.msg82651#msg82651 ) like Xplorer2, and probably others like XYplorer.
 
Personally, I'm not crazy about usual databases to store documents. I prefer to just use the NTFS as a big database, using proper names, etc.

As I wrote somewhere else:

[...]

I could certainly store files in the database, but am relunctant to do it. If someone gives a good reason to do it perhaps...

-PPLandry (October 31, 2007, 09:53 PM)

I share the same point of view : I don't like to store files (different file types) in one database. I've always disliked it, for many reasons.
- One of them is backing up -- while some will advocate that it facilitates backup**, I find that it makes it cumbersome and harder to manage : backing up a 2gb database is not as convenient as backing up a 34kb file.
- Another reason is that most stored files lose some of the features tightly linked to their specific format in the first place (why edit a word document in rtf????).
- Another one is that, usually, not all file types can be stored and managed in a database (so what's the point?? If I'm going to put files in a database I want to be able to put any file I want. Not only *.doc, *.txt, *.rtf, *.pdf., *.jpg and *.bmp).
- Another one is the fear of data corruption. Often, when a database is corrupted, and it happens, chances are you'll loose quite a bit of data.



**"you just have one file to backup", etc. . But I don't care, personally: I have a good backup program.
[...]

-Armando (October 31, 2007, 10:13 PM)

And as justice wrote before:
 

we need a document management solution for the desktop.
make my documents a database,
with tags, versoin control and notes about where files are copied to out of the system.
I admire your persistance but in the end its just abusing a crap system (the concept of filenames and organisnig by folders).

-justice (October 20, 2007, 08:28 PM)

Still, as it is now, I find that tags in names are easier to use and manage (delete, change, etc.) than other tagging system… Maybe it's just a matter of habit. But it’s so practical to be able to use my tags anywhere, and with any searching app.

1878

General Software Discussion / Re: i've outgrown keepass, whats next?

« Last post by Armando on December 02, 2007, 01:08 PM »

You could also Use SQLNotes (free while it's still beta). It has great flexibility, power, and, as far as I know, the database can be encrypted. PPLandry, the developer, is open to feedback, discussion, etc.

IMO, it would do exactly what you want and much much more it you wish. But you'd need a separate password generator which is no big deal.


Here on DC :
https://www.donation...ex.php?topic=10432.0


You have to register to download it :

http://www.sqlnotes.net


Some tutorials, etc. :

http://sqlnotes.wiki....com/Getting+started

1879

Living Room / Re: When you make your 100'th Post

« Last post by Armando on December 02, 2007, 12:43 PM »

Go, Darwin, Go... 

1880

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: Archivarius

« Last post by Armando on December 02, 2007, 12:10 AM »

Even more file types I never heard of. 
Wonder if the author is after a "world record"...

1881

General Software Discussion / Re: Hard Drive Diagnostic Software

« Last post by Armando on November 28, 2007, 04:43 PM »

When I rebooted, it started to perform the chkdsk, but on the C: drive. I went to bed. When I woke up Windows was booted and I can't tell if it even did a chkdsk on the external USB drive.

So I have shelved this until the weekend when I will put the drive in a sled and stick it in a box so it is connected to a proper IDE controller.

-tinjaw (November 28, 2007, 05:01 AM)

Really ? Not mentions of anything in the event log ?

1882

Living Room / Re: Interesting article on homeopathy - from a medical perspective

« Last post by Armando on November 28, 2007, 04:22 PM »

The reason is because people already know that vegetables aren't miracle healers, nor chocolate.

-Deozaan (November 28, 2007, 03:06 PM)

That was more a joke than anything else. But I still don’t think that using the "placebo" or the "power of belief" argument to justify a questionable action/behavior/plan (that would normally be considered dishonest) is… acceptable.

 Knowing that  a piece of software  is EXACTLY the same (or even worse...) than another one, would you buy it even if it’s 4x the price… Only based on  what it SAYS on the package (that it's better, etc.) or based on what “fake” reviews tell you ? (I'm not saying that it doesn't happen though...)

yet off the top of my head I can think of a few possible "scenarios" for clinical trials that could take into account the different approach of homeopathy.
Which begs the question why arent these happening or being organised...
(no smart answers to that one please )

-tomos (November 28, 2007, 06:43 AM)

Well  James Randy has been offering 1 million dollars to anyone who can prove that homeopathy is better than a placebo. Some tried. No one ever suceeded.
http://www.randi.org...deodirectlink/id,22/
http://www.bbc.co.uk...omeopathyrandi.shtml

Common guys : 1 million !!!! If you think it’s worth it…

1883

Living Room / Re: Interesting article on homeopathy - from a medical perspective

« Last post by Armando on November 27, 2007, 07:40 PM »

Armando: ah, rara avis in terris nigroque simillima cygno...

For some 1500 years the black swan existed in the European imagination as a metaphor for that which could not exist.

-nontroppo (November 27, 2007, 07:33 PM)

Thanks nontroppo. 

Darwin must be a Jesuit Priest

-tinjaw (November 27, 2007, 07:37 PM)

I suggest creating a poll to sort that one out.

1884

General Software Discussion / Re: How to: Pimp your Ubuntu!

« Last post by Armando on November 27, 2007, 07:30 PM »

I rather liked this one.

-Renegade (November 27, 2007, 03:45 PM)

I was expecting that one... 

1885

General Software Discussion / Re: SQLNotes...what is it exactly?

« Last post by Armando on November 27, 2007, 07:26 PM »

This sounds really really nice.

1886

FARR Plugins and Aliases / Re: Locate32 Plugin for FARR by Okke

« Last post by Armando on November 27, 2007, 07:17 PM »

Me too. 

1887

Living Room / Re: Interesting article on homeopathy - from a medical perspective

« Last post by Armando on November 27, 2007, 07:07 PM »

You're right! it was nontroppo. Bad nontroppo.  And bad BAD me, of course 

edit : (in light of what Darwin just wrote) that white/black swan mix-up is actually quite funny ...

1888

Living Room / Re: Interesting article on homeopathy - from a medical perspective

« Last post by Armando on November 27, 2007, 06:55 PM »

[OUps : erased my post by mistake — trying to clear up the mess now…]

You guys...  Wow, this thread is taking quite a turn...

First - I think that jumping from a “debate” about the efficacy of homeopathy as a remedy (ie : better than a placebo) to a discussion about evolution theory and then… Christ resurrection…  is quite a leap...!!!

Second -  I hope that those who want to discuss and question Darwinism (or neo-Darwinism for that matter) are well read because it's an immensely complex subject -- not one you can pretend understanding in all its important subtleties in a few days of reading... or even a couple years of intense study!! Are you guys prepared to talk about intelligent DNA auto-reorganization under environmental stress ? Genomic transformations in response to the environment ? the difference between genetic mutations and normal gene behavior ? Etc. I’m not… it’s not just about a “bunch of dead bones” anymore.

Third - Darwin (our darwin  ) and nontroppo remind me how very very few people seem to understand what a hypothesis, a theory, a law, a thesis, etc. are. And maybe even less know what "the" essence of the scientific method is. I'm confronted to that fact almost every week. I wouldn’t care too much  about that situation if I was only talking about everyday life here (talking to my brothers, father, mother, friends…), but what  I consider "alarming" (and almost painful) is that I’m talking about masters and PhD level students (granted, most of them are in the arts field, but still!).   

Fourth - As far as many are concerned... scientific inquiry, scientific method is still the best known way to disclose "valid" or "invalid" knowledge. And, even in everyday life, it just makes more sense to apply a hypothesis that works (worked) 99% of the time, than a hypothesis that works only 80% of the time (assuming you’re using it for the right purpose)… And it makes complete sense to follow a law that works 100% of the time (until proven false), than a hypothesis that works only 90% of the time…

Fifth - Tomos nontroppo : your black swan image is nice, but it doesn’t say much without any contextualization. What proposition are we trying to refute here : “all swans are white” ? “most swans are white” ? etc.  In the same manner, if there should be any meaningful debate about homeopathy, evolution, etc., it should always be about precise aspects, and IMO it should be backed up with serious studies (preferably multiple) ..

Sixth - Back to the validity of homeopathy as a medical treatment… I don’t want to beat a dead horse but… Why would one pay for a tasteless and “nutritionless” placebo ? My (and most probably other’s…) main problem with homeopathy is not only the absence studies showing that it actually “works”, but ALSO the absence of regulation around their selling (the fact that it’s sold under false propositions). It’s a serious issue, it’s unethical (I’m aware that some other medication fall in the same category, but I’m talking about homwpathy here).

I’d rather have vegetables instead… Or fine chocolate… While imagining it’s a miracle cure for my chronic disease.

BTW : some stuff is identified as being homeopathic when it’s not even that. Here, some highly concentrated herbs or vegetable extracts (like Echinacea) are sold under the homeopathic “tag” — No wonder “homeopathy” works!

1889

General Software Discussion / Re: SQLNotes...what is it exactly?

« Last post by Armando on November 26, 2007, 11:03 PM »

Cooool !!
multi-database value-based alarms...OOoooh! sounds REALLY nice. Now that's something Outlook doesn’t have to my knowledge. Or does it?

1890

FARR Plugins and Aliases / Re: Locate32 Plugin for FARR by Okke

« Last post by Armando on November 26, 2007, 11:01 PM »

Same thing here. I might just revert to previous locate version in the mean time... If the index allows me to!

1891

General Software Discussion / Re: File synchronization: moving away from incremental backup (HELP!)

« Last post by Armando on November 26, 2007, 10:58 PM »

There were some stuff about Tivoli there :
https://www.donation...40.msg61084#msg61084

Here you can a comparison between the different Tivoli products :

http://www-111.ibm.c...C02=C136879G75391P17

Here are the details for Tivoli Storage Manager :

http://www-306.ibm.c...roducts/storage-mgr/

And the pricing :

https://www-112.ibm....=none&S_CMP=none


Seems interesting... It's even multi-platform : Windows, Linux, HP Unix, Sun Solaris, AIX.

1892

General Software Discussion / Re: SQLNotes...what is it exactly?

« Last post by Armando on November 26, 2007, 10:51 PM »

I can already see that ! The problem is that I still rely on my Outlook/Palm for so many things that when/if I make a move, it'll have to be worth it. 

But that doesn't mean I won't try SQLNotes again and again ! Just because I believe that there must be a way out of Outlook. (I've actually installed a bunch of "daily builds", just for the sake of seeing the progress -- all I can say is that everyday it's getting closer to what I -- and probably others too -- need...)

1893

General Software Discussion / Re: SQLNotes...what is it exactly?

« Last post by Armando on November 26, 2007, 10:36 PM »

Thanks Pierre! Really haven't got the chance to "play" with it lately... 
I must admit that I'm kind of postponing real testing  for when the calendar (and maybe even palm synchronization) will be ready.

1894

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: Archivarius

« Last post by Armando on November 26, 2007, 04:18 PM »

For those who haven't upgraded yet :

November 11, 2007 – Archivarius 3000 (Version 3.94)

RNC, ArtiPack, Aldus, STK, StuffIt, PackIt, AmiPack, Squish, MARC, Splint, ESP, ASD, DWC, AR7, CrossePAC, Crush archives are now supported (.rnc, .pak, .stk, .sit, .pit, .ampk, .mar, .spl, .esp, .asd, .dwc, .ar7, .pac, .cru).
DirectDraw Surface images are now supported (.dds).
Minor changes.

Some older info for those who are really late  :

October 03, 2007 – Archivarius 3000 (Version 3.93)

Rocket eBook books are now supported (.rb).
SquashFS, Dzip archives are now supported (.sfs, .dz).
ACiDDRAW, ASC2COM, BSAVE screens are now supported (.com, .bsv).
DC++, CF10 JPEG, TsiLang, Arvid, YACAT, Dirty Little Helper formats are now supported (.xml, .jpg, .sib, .tdr, .dlm).
Minor changes.

September 14, 2007 – Archivarius 3000 (Version 3.92)

FPAK archives by FoxPro are now supported (.pak).
Java classes are now supported (.class).
Minor changes.

http://www.likasoft.com/news.shtml

1895

General Software Discussion / Re: Why the Windows Registry Exists

« Last post by Armando on November 26, 2007, 02:57 PM »

If the registry was only used for OS matters, wouldn't it fulfill its purpose better ? But what is that "windows" OS exactly... Like tinjaw said :

I think the whole crux of the issue is that Windows is *not* just an operating system (ie a kernel and basic services) but is basically a whole suite of middleware on top of and operating system. As such, it needs to do much much more, and thereby causes the need for all of the stuff that cause problems.

-tinjaw (November 26, 2007, 02:05 PM)

1896

Find And Run Robot / Re: Very very simple suggestion

« Last post by Armando on November 26, 2007, 01:00 PM »

Cool! Yes, that would indeed be a good idea, especially since these kinds of abbreviations (mso --> Microsoft Office) are more likely to be used for frequently launched files/programs.

1897

Living Room / Re: Interesting article on homeopathy - from a medical perspective

« Last post by Armando on November 26, 2007, 12:56 PM »

Don't worry Lashiec : here in Canada it's sold everywhere and one of my friend is actually a naturopath using... homeopathy. 

As nontroppo said earlier : "As someone who has very close friends who believe in homeopathy, I find it an incredibly delicate area to engage in."

(Now... I'm opened to anything. If homeopathy is more than a placebo, fine. Great. But there's no evidence what so ever.)

1898

Find And Run Robot / Very very simple suggestion

« Last post by Armando on November 26, 2007, 12:44 PM »

Hi mouser, I was wondering if increasing the default value for the "max. files to keep in launch history" could be a good idea.

I don't remember the exact number of the default value, but I do remember it was quite low, and since stuff already in the history is found much much faster (especially if the system is low on ram), I believe it would do no harm and wouldn't slow down anything to increase it to 500 or something like that (mine is at 999 -- so it's almost like an index...). I'm not sure how much new users realize how much this speeds up the search.

my 

1899

General Software Discussion / Re: Why the Windows Registry Exists

« Last post by Armando on November 26, 2007, 12:35 PM »

Yes, I was also asking the question because so many ini files on my system seem to exceed the 32kb limit (farr being one of them...)

1900

Living Room / Re: Interesting article on homeopathy - from a medical perspective

« Last post by Armando on November 26, 2007, 12:28 PM »

Homeopathy makes claims to scientific verification, but really sits as a belief system and thus debates about it cannot function as they may do for plate tectonics or aviation engineering.

-nontroppo (November 25, 2007, 02:31 PM)

That's it.
There's also plenty of money involved and a lot of screwed people who are just unaware of the scam. That always bugged me and still does.

Homeopathy is very big in France and other countries like spain, and is even tought in universities.

http://www.boiron.co...ation_mede_homeo.htm
http://chf.lautre.ne..._des_enseignants.htm

Go figure. I think it says a lot about the quality of universities in general, the power of money, the power of pride (i.e. : too proud to admit ones mistakes), the pervasiveness of the "magical mindset" in modern/postmodern times, and even, maybe, the (deliberate or not) misunderstanding of some fundamental scientific principles...