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2201

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Flash Renamer free on Giveaway of the Day today, 2007-09-20

« Last post by Armando on September 20, 2007, 09:50 AM »

I use BRU too, in general. It's my favorite. But I like Flash Renamer's presets and "preset manager", and its "Visual Assist" feature (allows you to quickly copy selections in the right fields, etc.). I also like its "Free Select tool". I find the interface clear and well thought for fast changes.

I use BRU for more complex simultaneous changes on file names. If you use BRU, it's certainly not essential...

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Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Flash Renamer free on Giveaway of the Day today, 2007-09-20

« Last post by Armando on September 20, 2007, 08:55 AM »

One of the best IMO. Really worth it!

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General Software Discussion / Re: What linux needs?

« Last post by Armando on September 20, 2007, 12:00 AM »

Unfortunately I think the Linux community is too much in love with its own product. Ultimately, the users of Linux are mostly those who wrote it - the ultra knowledgable geeks. They will not feel the pain. They cannot, no matter how hard they try to look at from another point of view.

-MrCrispy (September 19, 2007, 11:41 PM)

It's true. But as you know, huge efforts are made to reverse the tendency. Look at PCLinuxOS, Ubuntu, Mandriva, or even Pardus (a very promissing distro from Turkey, funded by the Turkish government). They all have the same goal : everything has to be simple, obvious, easy to configure, compatible, etc., while being much cheaper than windows and while retaining the features that make Linux interesting. I'm still not using Linux on a day to day basis, and I probably won't soon... Unless Vista really messes everything up. That said, I find it extremely healthy for the software world that the Linux community is so alive and growing. "Linux" is truly an amazing phenomenon. And I don't think it will disappear, on the contrary. To repeat what I suggested in another thread: with fast developing countries like India and China (not exactly pro-Microsoft), Linux is probably here to stay fairly popular for a long while.

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General Software Discussion / Re: General brainstorming for Note-taking software

« Last post by Armando on September 19, 2007, 10:23 PM »

It is the information manager that I use for the last 2 years (replacing Ecco), for note-taking, time-management, contact-management, billing, todo-lists and so features have and will be added, in part, because I need them for my own information management!

-PPLandry (September 19, 2007, 09:03 PM)

...a very good sign. 

Plus unlike just about all other 'innovative software' the SQLNotes data is not locked up in some proprietary format. It now uses JET and could use another (SQLServer, mySQL, SQLite, SQLServer Express) eventually. So if dev. stops (it won't happen, but let us suppose), all your data is completely accessible.

-PPLandry (September 19, 2007, 09:03 PM)

Now, this is very positive. Cnewtonne emphasized this aspect in the General brainstorming for Note-taking software and I totally agree with him :

[…]
- any given app must use an INDUSTRY known storage system or database. Do not let the eye-candy stuff distract you from how the app is storing data. Unfortunately, this information is not typically put on the front pages. Most of the time I have to dig deep in the web site to find it. But, I ALWAYS search this fact as the very first step. I can tell you at least of 5 apps I used where I lost my data in full or part.

- Do not use or invest in apps that are either dead of dying away. Unless you see and hear from the development team, do not even bother looking.
[…]

-cnewtonne (May 20, 2007, 08:11 PM)

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General Software Discussion / Re: How do you launch stuff?

« Last post by Armando on September 19, 2007, 06:50 PM »

[...]the gee whiz, neato factor [...]
[...] it's very comfortable and I am sentimental [...]

-Darwin (September 19, 2007, 06:45 PM)

These are good reasons ! Even a scientific like you needs to satisfy these needs.  

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General Software Discussion / Re: GemX - missing in action

« Last post by Armando on September 19, 2007, 06:33 PM »

The trouble is in trying to determine whether software will continue to be developed/maintained/supported for a reasonable time at least. With many other types of software I can usually change product or company fairly easily. But with 'organizer' software you can end up with your whole 'organized life' embedded in a single application. Even where export is possible this can still be a huge task!

-Beth UK (September 19, 2007, 06:22 PM)

This one of the reasons why I still use Outlook 2003. At least, it won't die tomorrow. My data is way too important  to depend on a company's mood.

There are not that many organizer that have been (and will be) around long enough, and which provide all the functionalities I need, for me to justify moving my data and loosing some of it in the process. The only one I considered at some point were Info Select, Essential PIM, for Windows, and Kontact and evolution for Linux. But in the end I decided to stick with Outlook (and don't use Linux as much anymore...).

Now, SQLNotes might become an interesting alternative... Only time will tell!

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General Software Discussion / Re: General brainstorming for Note-taking software

« Last post by Armando on September 19, 2007, 06:23 PM »

On my personal quests I have found many decent programs for #1 and #2 - all of which have been mentioned somewhere on this thread. But for #3 I haven't found anything, tried many outliners and write-oriented word processors... and end up not using them after a first "burst" of activity. And I don't have a mac so I cant try the sexiest program in that category :S

-iphigenie (September 19, 2007, 04:08 AM)

Agreed. Completely. That's what the thread Working with (display+format+restructure) big amount of data (text+graphics)? ) was all (or almost all...) about.

I’m pretty satisfied with my actual system, but I feel that its lacking some kind of automated index. Something like the Chapter by Chapter Word plug in, but with more features, the possibility of constructing more complex hierarchies. Or maybe just something along the lines of Ultra Recall, but without the hassle of broken links with external documents (when you move-rename files etc.). (Tag2find has pretty much solved the broken link problem for NTFS, but its alternate data stream technology didn’t make it yet in notetaking software or outliners…)

This thread too  is tackling with a similar problem, I believe   : In search of a more structured Microsoft Word (for collecting documents & notes)

ANYWAY… just some quick thoughts...

2208

General Software Discussion / Re: General brainstorming for Note-taking software

« Last post by Armando on September 19, 2007, 06:09 PM »

Let the goose chasing continue for another 25 pages!

-superboyac (September 19, 2007, 04:52 PM)

Here's another one (SQLNotes) that looks worth looking at, especially that PPLandry (developer) has started to post here :

Thanks. Yes I'm a long time Ecco user and designer of SQLNotes (code name) which takes the Ecco outline/grid concept and improves on it. Currently SQLNotes is missing some PIM aspects, but it already is a great Note-taker, 1 or 2 pane outliner with grid, and overall flexible database. Everybody is welcomed to download a free copy at www.sqlnotes.net. (and please report any problems to help clean it up.). Runs on Windows and Mac under Parallels.

I have seen and read that thread with great interest, along with the summary at https://www.donation...oteTakers1/index.php :

Great work, perhaps it could be updated with some SQLNotes info 

Pierre

-PPLandry (September 17, 2007, 07:27 PM)

 

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General Software Discussion / Re: GemX - missing in action

« Last post by Armando on September 19, 2007, 06:04 PM »

I've just come across a very interesting contender to do-O - it's called Chaos Intellect and looks very cool - need to test drive it for a while but it seems promising as a PIM and email app but not a lot of functionality for note taking as yet.  http://www.chaossoftware.com/

-celtichare (September 19, 2007, 01:06 PM)

Yes, looks interresting. A kind of Outlook clone. Tell us what it's like.

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General Software Discussion / Re: How do you launch stuff?

« Last post by Armando on September 19, 2007, 05:59 PM »

Direct Acess for programs I use  often every day  
FARR for programs I use occasionally and for programs I know I have but don't always know where

-ljbirns (September 19, 2007, 12:38 PM)

Ditto. This is getting repetitive as I've had to say "ditto" about using the same workflow as ljburns in a different thread on the FARR boards 

-Darwin (September 19, 2007, 05:34 PM)

But can't you guys create specific aliases (or boost scores) in farr for those apps you use everyday? How is Direct Access more convenient? 

2211

General Software Discussion / Re: CCleaner 2.0 Beta Released - Clean the Crap off your Computer

« Last post by Armando on September 19, 2007, 12:55 PM »

Oh well... As you say. Thanks Grorgy. I'll be even more careful next time.
There should be some tooltips or other indication of what the different settings do -- it feels incomplete, and the help file is not very useful. Anyhow

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General Software Discussion / Re: How do you launch stuff?

« Last post by Armando on September 19, 2007, 11:31 AM »

Farr almost exclusively. Easier, and overall quicker than any other solution (except for the other similar solutions, like Launchy, etc.). I've timed myself.
Sometimes i'll use the start menu -- to start farr if I had to close it for some reasons. 

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General Software Discussion / Re: CCleaner 2.0 Beta Released - Clean the Crap off your Computer

« Last post by Armando on September 19, 2007, 11:25 AM »

One needs to be careful though. After using Ccleaner, yesterday, many settings in office 2003 were reset. I'm afraid other stuff was changed too... I could not find any detailed explanations in the on line help file about the "application" tab settings. I've also got other problems, but I don't have enough evidence to think they're due to CCleaner. Wondering if anybody experienced problems here? (BTW, didn't use the registry cleaner. Not crazy enough for that)

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General Software Discussion / Re: 13 Reasons Why Linux Won't Make it to a Desktop Near You

« Last post by Armando on September 19, 2007, 01:55 AM »

I won't fight on behalf of Linux tonight...  There's no need for it anyway, and we all know it's not starting to replace windows tomorrow. Not even in 2 years, most probably.

Think about it, what percentage out of say 360 million potential users really care about tweaks and searching for drivers?

-Cpilot (September 19, 2007, 01:29 AM)

The thing is... Even with windows it's not that simple. For example, last week I bought a Canon camera and it took me 3 hours (and I consider myself a power user) to have the software-driver functioning properly — and I’m not alone! Isn't that tweaking? The same thing happened with my scanner (which BTW, worked instantly under Ubuntu).
Anyway, it's true that there is usually some tweaking involved with Linux, but my past experiences showed me that it all depends what you're trying to achieve. If all you want is what you described in your other post, well, there's generally no problem. As we all know, it'S the latest piece of hardware that’s usually problematic… And, well, yes... some proprietary media format are/will become problematic too , especially with the Microsoft heavy involvement in DRM. Nevertheless, let’s also not forget that abig part of planet earth is not using the latest hardware and software, and that not every country intend to respect DRM the Microsoft way (to not mention the existing methods to bypass DRM and countries like China that don't seem to be willing to play the game according to occidentals rules).

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General Software Discussion / Re: 13 Reasons Why Linux Won't Make it to a Desktop Near You

« Last post by Armando on September 19, 2007, 12:43 AM »

casual users can get online, chat, surf, write blogs, play games, share media and view porn without tweaks or complicated instructions.

-Cpilot (September 19, 2007, 12:25 AM)

I'm surprised you say that. Casual users? Pick any of the top distros, they can ALL do that, as easily as windows (except for games, I admit -- but then Mac OSX is not exactly a gaming platform either...). On install. Even with a live CD. I understand the money idea in your argument, but is there something else I don't understand in what you're trying to convey??

To me, the problem with Linux is not about satisfying the casual user, but about satisfying businesses and the power users. The ones who absolutely need specific apps. The casual user doesn't care if it's OpenOffice or MS Office, firefox or internet explorer, Nautilus or Explorer, Totem or Windows media player, Gnome Deskbar or Windows Desktip Search, etc.  : as long as it approximately does what she's expecting.

BTW, without being overly pessimistic, I don't think that michael shuttleworth is behind Ubuntu for the sake of Africa and poor countries well being. So... I'm not an expert in the economic aspects of Linux, but I'm sure some people see money making opportunities there...

2216

Living Room / Re: Flowchart and Diagramming Review

« Last post by Armando on September 19, 2007, 12:24 AM »

A couple interesting links :

RadiantThought (blog)


Cayra.net (software)

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General Software Discussion / Re: 13 Reasons Why Linux Won't Make it to a Desktop Near You

« Last post by Armando on September 18, 2007, 11:55 PM »

I have Ubuntu installed on a computer and PCLinuxOS on the other. PcLinuxOS is really really working well. But I prefer Gnome over KDE (one silly reason being... well I love the Gnome Deskbar applet, sort of a "farr for linux"... But it's nothing like farr... yet), so I end up in Ubuntu  most of the time. There's a gnome project for PCLinuxOS (http://www.mypclinux...m/index.php?board=68) but not very active. Anyway : PCLinuxOS is the only distribution I've installed on 4 different machines with NO manual hardware configuration to do what so ever; I'm not including peripherals in that assertion... Printers etc. are generally okay, but scanners and other fun devices are, of course, a different story... better to check before buying. Impressive nevertheless.

Like you, I remain tightly attached to windows. I've invested so much time and money, it would be stupid (and incredibly time consuming…) to dump everything… now. I'll eventually use Linux more when there's a way to use  my favorite apps on top of Linux (I’m of course talking about the one without true Linux alternative). As you say there's Wine, sure  but… I really doubt it will progress fast enough to accomodate apps written in the future (for vista — I mean, even Microsoft is having trouble to make its Oss compatible with applications designed for it !), etc.  Wine is certainly impressive, but since my first steps in Linux World — in 1996-97 — the progress has been (predictably) somewhat slowish. Vmware Fusion for Linux (???) might one day be a much better answer to my compatibility needs.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Stay Away From Microsoft VISTA

« Last post by Armando on September 18, 2007, 11:19 PM »

I can tell you right now that Vista SP1 is going to underwhelm a lot of people  Most of the major updates it contains have already been released as part of the 2 packs recently, and it has no new features that'll fix the common Vista complaints. Waiting till 2008 for that is going to be a disappointment!

-MrCrispy (September 18, 2007, 10:57 PM)

Well... It might certainly make all the hard core XP users pretty happy... Yet another reason not to upgrade now and wait.

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General Software Discussion / Re: 13 Reasons Why Linux Won't Make it to a Desktop Near You

« Last post by Armando on September 18, 2007, 11:16 PM »

haven't decided on a distro yet

-Darwin (September 18, 2007, 09:14 PM)

Which one have you tried?

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General Software Discussion / Re: Help! My computer has lost the hibernation feature!

« Last post by Armando on September 18, 2007, 08:57 PM »

I guess you're talking to urlwolf ? (Just for the record : I got the problem upgrading from 1gb (2x512mb) to 1.5gb (512mb + 1gb), the patch fixed the hibernation problem --> Go figure.)

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General Software Discussion / Re: Help! My computer has lost the hibernation feature!

« Last post by Armando on September 18, 2007, 08:39 PM »

that's it! Exactly. I got the  problem after installing more ram.

http://www.asisuppor...rosoft_hibernate.htm

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General Software Discussion / Re: Help! My computer has lost the hibernation feature!

« Last post by Armando on September 18, 2007, 07:05 PM »

a year ago, I had a hibernation problem with XP. Can't remember exactly what caused it, but remember I had to install a patch from Microsoft to fix the problem.

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General Software Discussion / Re: GemX - missing in action

« Last post by Armando on September 18, 2007, 11:34 AM »

Totaltext seems interesting... Wonder about the support, etc.

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General Software Discussion / Re: GemX - missing in action

« Last post by Armando on September 18, 2007, 11:25 AM »

Actually, you can now trial Info Select, but have you have to supply them with your Name + Email address.

http://www.miclog.co...rodmap_product_id=17

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General Software Discussion / Re: GemX - missing in action

« Last post by Armando on September 18, 2007, 11:06 AM »

Nice! Thanks for the quick feed back, Pierre.