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19501

Developer's Corner / Re: I would like to know your opinions / thoughts on a few things...

« Last post by mouser on May 18, 2009, 09:54 AM »

Welcome to the forum lachjames    This is the right place to post.

The ideas you are working on sound nice.  The main general piece of advice i would give is one that many programmers have a hard time doing -- which is to spend some time at the beginning of each project searching the web for similar programs.  Take a look at what others have done -- the good and the bad.  In this way you will know what pitfalls to watch out for, and you'll know what kind of functionality is already out there.  Sometimes the result of such investigation is confirmation that there is indeed a need for the program you have in mind.  Sometimes the result is you realize that the project is bigger than you thought and that you have bitten off more than you can chew.

You have a line in your post i don't understand:

What software do you with that you have that you don't?

19502

DcUpdater / Re: Installed programs not recognized

« Last post by mouser on May 18, 2009, 09:28 AM »

LBC isn't showing as installed, and there is nothing on the "available for installation" tab when launching DCU through Trout's menu (only shows Trout & DCU in installed list), but everything shows fine when launching it from shortcut in Start menu.
Shouldn't it always show if it is/isn't installed no matter how it's launched?

This is by design -- the idea being that when you launch it from a program, it shows only applications and addons related to that program.

But it has been the source of much confusion and is being changed for the next version of the updater, so that the user can easily toggle between showing all items or just those related to the specific application that the Updater was triggered by.

19503

Find And Run Robot / Re: Oversized icons when using large icon setting (DPI)

« Last post by mouser on May 18, 2009, 09:26 AM »

I get non-cropped icons if I activate program options > settings > display options > report columns > SlideNum.
But as soon as I deactivate it (since I don't want the numbers) the cropping is back.

that's a good clue -- i'll look into it.

19504

FARR Plugins and Aliases / Re: Looking for current vesion of Console (FARR2 Plugin): get version failed

« Last post by mouser on May 18, 2009, 02:53 AM »

actually i have a few more improvements i did today to these functions.. will upload later.

19505

General Software Discussion / Re: What the hell is OpenCandy?

« Last post by mouser on May 18, 2009, 12:34 AM »

I don't mean to be picking on you Kartal -- everyone is entitled to their opinion. 
Furthermore, i've said it before and i'll say it again -- all of us are better off because of the people who are always keeping an eye on and calling out companies when they try to go too far.

Wraith's point though is a good thought experiment for those who are up in arms about the OC DLL.  Think about this:

*ALL* of the major installers (Installshield, Wise, Inno (which i use), NSIS, etc.) can *ALREADY* do what OC is doing.. That is.. they have the functionality to show billboards (adverts) and links to download and install an additional program if user requests it, and even send information over the network.  And all of these tools put a helper .exe that gets installed with the program that aids in uninstallation.  So i'm really not sure why putting these functions into a DLL rather than the main installer helper exe would be something to get upset about.

Again -- if you want to get mad about what an author chooses to *DO* with the OC tool, and you are upset about information being sent over the internet, fine.  But i just don't think it makes sense to get upset about the fact that there is an extra DLL that got installed in the program directory.

19506

General Software Discussion / Re: What the hell is OpenCandy?

« Last post by mouser on May 17, 2009, 11:38 PM »

The thing is that OC installs itself (in the program directory as dll and in the registry) and does not tell the user about it

I don't mean to keep posting here, but a couple more thoughts:

• First, if you are unhappy about something -- it's not OC you should be upset with, it's the author of the program who decided to use the OC library/api for his or her installer.
• Second, the standards you guys are asking for would amount to all authors "warning" people about all the DLLs and helper libraries every used in any of their programs and installers.  That is just plain silliness.  There is something inherently bad about programs that silently install background processes/toolbars/etc., but this is *not* anything like that.
• Third, what you could possibly *reasonably* focus your ire on is the idea that the OC DLL sends info to their server about the users decision to install or not install the recommended program.  As i've said it seems pretty trivial to me on the privacy invastion scale -- but at least one could make a case for the fact that the user should be warned about this beforehand and given a choice.

In other words -- I really think its misdirected energy to be complaining about the abstract concept of using a DLL in an installer -- there is just nothing to complain about regarding such a trivial everyday thing.  And I don't see why anyone should care if an installer makes an opt-in recommendation to a user about another program that the author wants to recommend.

I do think this thread may be helpful to OC in one way -- it's clear there is some resistance to the concept.  Andrew it may make sense to talk to OC people and find out how badly they really need that information sent back to the server (especially when user chooses not to install), and drop that feature (or make it opt-in) if it's not so essential an aspect of the idea.

19507

General Software Discussion / Software or Websites for Printable DayPlanner Pages/Calendars? Recommendations?

« Last post by mouser on May 17, 2009, 10:46 PM »

Related to my post here, i'm looking for some tool that will allow me to design a custom planning page/calendar with tables like todo list, etc.

You know, like to make my own custom DayPlanner stuff for printing.

Im interested in hering from people who already have a solution for this that they are happy with.

19508

The Getting Organized Experiment of 2009 / Re: My assignment: The ToDo List of Doom

« Last post by mouser on May 17, 2009, 10:23 PM »

Just read the tea approach idea -- sounds like a good idea that might actually work.

As for a todo list ever present on your desktop/monitor -- i'm curious to hear how that works out for you.  I've concluded that I absolutely cannot have these todo items in front of me on my monitor constantly -- it's much too distressing and distracting.

One of the things i love about my index card approach is that i can simply pull out the ONE item i am going to work on at any given time and clear my entire workspace of everything else.  Much more calming and less stressful to know that i can just reach in and find 1 thing manageable if i feel like i need to be productive.

19509

Find And Run Robot / Re: Oversized icons when using large icon setting (DPI)

« Last post by mouser on May 17, 2009, 08:59 PM »

though i do wish that in large-icon mode, the numbers are more aligned to their respective icons

i should be able to fix that -- do you want them top aligned or center aligned?

19510

Find And Run Robot / Re: Oversized icons when using large icon setting (DPI)

« Last post by mouser on May 17, 2009, 08:50 PM »

in this case, the desktop icon is not set to 'large icons' and have restarted Farr as well.

that's normal -- this setting only affects the MAXIMUM icon size, and if large icons are not enabled in system then you will get 32x32.
it only kicks in when system icons are in large mode.

19511

Find And Run Robot / Re: Oversized icons when using large icon setting (DPI)

« Last post by mouser on May 17, 2009, 08:32 PM »

what if you change to 32x32 mode in options (and restart farr after).

19512

General Software Discussion / Re: What makes an application "useful"?

« Last post by mouser on May 17, 2009, 02:32 PM »

I have a hair trigger threshold for frustration.. so i find more and more that my primary requirement for a program is that is not get in my way and frustrate me.  I don't mind using different programs, so it's ok with me if i have to use 2 programs instead of 1 do-everything tool, as long as i can get in, do what i want to do, and exit, without stumbling around and getting lost.

19513

Find And Run Robot / Re: Oversized icons when using large icon setting (DPI)

« Last post by mouser on May 17, 2009, 01:56 PM »

damn it -- i'm afraid i re-broke it in latest version.. lanux can you confirm?

19514

The Getting Organized Experiment of 2009 / Re: Something I want to try this Year.. Daily After-action Reports

« Last post by mouser on May 17, 2009, 11:53 AM »

Nice.

One thing that needs to be said for what i am interested in -- i'm not actually very interested in ever looking at these reports after i write them -- they aren't meant to document something or serve as a lasting record.

Basically i'm thinking of this more as a way of forcing myself to take each day more seriously, and force myself to spend a bit of time at the end of each day asking myself how well i spent the day.

19515

The Getting Organized Experiment of 2009 / Something I want to try this Year.. Daily After-action Reports

« Last post by mouser on May 17, 2009, 11:09 AM »

I was thinking that one thing i would really like to start doing this year is to prepare a kind of one page "after-action" report form that i would fill out after each day, to record what i did each day.
I think it would help ensure I am making good use of my time.

Somewhat counter-intuitively, one thing i suspect might be important is to set aside some time at the end of each day to fill it out, rather than writing it as the day goes on.  I think filling it out at the end of the day would make it more useful as a contemplative experience -- rather than a mindless log of minutia.

Thoughts? Anyone already do this? Any suggestions for what the form would look like?

19516

Living Room / Re: Wolfram Alpha - Impressions On Launch

« Last post by mouser on May 17, 2009, 11:00 AM »

just saw this:

http://negatendo.net...and-screen-scraping/

Perhaps the oddest thing about Wolfram|Alpha is that the text that appears in query results is not text at all, but is in fact made up of dynamically generated GIFs

I didn't notice this the first time but sure enough.. you can't select and copy text in the results!!

The article goes on:

Perhaps the oddest thing about Wolfram|Alpha is that the text that appears in query results is not text at all, but is in fact made up of dynamically generated GIFs:

The Wolfram|Alpha FAQ claims:

All output content is rendered as images, for consistency.

Of course, a sentiment like that would make any web designer jump off a bridge. Considering all the other nice UI nuances that Wolfram|Alpha has, I call bullshit. It’s not about visual consistency.

I think it’s an attempt at preventing what is quickly becoming the bane of any informative website’s existence: screen scraping.

Screen scraping is, of course, using a script or bot to extract data from the visual output of a page. A web screen scraper digs out the needed data from the HTML source and formats it accordingly. This technique is used to subvert APIs, feeds, etc. when these “legally provided” methods of access don’t give you what you need. Of course, it’s also a way to really piss the people who run the website off, because screen scraping is typically immune to throttling and data control, unlike an API or feed, which can be monitored and cached.

And notably, it appears that this kind of control is of the utmost interest to Wolfram|Alpha, as it’s part of their “Step 3: Profit!” plan (also from the FAQ):

Subscriptions will be available in the near future with enhanced features for large-scale and commercial use.

What ridiculousness.

19517

FARR Plugins and Aliases / Re: Looking for current vesion of Console (FARR2 Plugin): get version failed

« Last post by mouser on May 17, 2009, 09:58 AM »

ah yes, ok will do.

19518

FARR Plugins and Aliases / Re: Looking for current vesion of Console (FARR2 Plugin): get version failed

« Last post by mouser on May 17, 2009, 06:35 AM »

i made a mistake in my paste above, it should be:

[Select]

showmemo Output of Ping:;;;appcapappendmemo c:\windows\system32\ping.exe donationcoder.com

OR in export/import format:

[Select]

1000>>>test>->showmemo Output of Ping:;;;appcapappendmemo c:\windows\system32\ping.exe donationcoder.com

Without that original showmemo part, FARR was getting confused about what to do, that's why it closed right away.

19519

Screenshot Captor / Re: "Explore at Screenshot directory" opens C:\Program Files\ScreenshotCaptor

« Last post by mouser on May 17, 2009, 05:57 AM »

Ok i think i found out when this happens - if you ask to explore screenshot dir from system tray menu before main screen has been shown.. working on it.

19520

Screenshot Captor / Re: LATEST VERSION INFO THREAD - ScreenshotCaptor - 2.55.01 - May 18, 2009

« Last post by mouser on May 17, 2009, 05:07 AM »

new version out:

v2.55.01 - May 17th, 2009

• Fixed annoying beep on restoring window from minimization.
• Fixed bug where SC could crash when capturing windows who have client maximized outside normal window area (Photoshop full screen mode).
• Tried to fix errors when SC is trying to save a blank filename or an illegal filename; now SC will try to shorten a filename which is too long, or add a default filename if the constructed one is blank.
• Improved error and instructions if file failed to save.
• Starting adding icons in program menus.
• Option to open SaveAs folder after doing a save as.

19521

General Software Discussion / Re: What the hell is OpenCandy?

« Last post by mouser on May 17, 2009, 02:02 AM »

i think it should be pretty clear by now that if OC start to make some evil changes  -- you can be we will all be screaming bloody murder here on this forum

19522

General Software Discussion / Re: What the hell is OpenCandy?

« Last post by mouser on May 17, 2009, 01:15 AM »

lol -- it's not enough to criticize what they are doing -- you have to invent predictions of what evil stuff they are going to be doing in 2 years and criticize that? 
i think we are getting carried away here.

19523

General Software Discussion / Re: What the hell is OpenCandy?

« Last post by mouser on May 16, 2009, 11:32 PM »

i'm inclined to view the toolbar bundles as much much worse.  first, they are often opt-out (that is, checked by default) -- which is EVIL.  second, these toolbar things incorporate themselves into other programs (browser, etc.) and can be more difficult to uninstall.

19524

General Software Discussion / Re: What the hell is OpenCandy?

« Last post by mouser on May 16, 2009, 11:03 PM »

well i agree in general with what you are saying -- i don't want to see desktop applications start to do all kinds of tracking like websites do.. that would be horrible.

but it's just hard for me to get upset by the idea of an installer telling a server when a user chooses to install a recommended additional program or not.. of all the privacy concerns this is just really really low on my list of concerns.

having said that, like i said before i personally wouldn't use an installer that connected to a remote server to send information -- just because regardless of how harmless it is, i wouldn't want to risk alienating users.

19525

ProcessTamer / Re: Links to Review and Comments - Add yours!

« Last post by mouser on May 16, 2009, 09:35 PM »

A very nice detailed write up at dottech.org by Ashraf 

http://dottech.org/tipsntricks/7015