Recent Posts

22351

Living Room / Re: Skimp or splurge?

« Last post by mouser on August 05, 2008, 05:53 AM »

Splurge:

Tape


I bought some bargain shipping tape recently -- and I don't think anything has come close to making me curse and want to smash stuff as much as that thing cheap bad quality tape -- an incredibly frustrating experience.  Scotch Shipping tape is much better.

22352

Developer's Corner / Essay: Why Free Software has poor usability, and how to improve it

« Last post by mouser on August 05, 2008, 04:12 AM »

I'm just making my way through this, but i like what i'm reading.. Not exactly mind-blowing stuff, but a very nice description of some problems and ways they can be ameliorated.

When I wrote the first version of this article six years ago, I called it “Why Free Software usability tends to suck”. The best open source applications and operating systems are more usable now than they were then. But this is largely from slow incremental improvements, and low-level competition between projects and distributors. Major problems with the design process itself remain largely unfixed.

Many of these problems are with volunteer software in general, not Free Software in particular. Hobbyist proprietary programs are often hard to use for many of the same reasons. But the easiest way of getting volunteers to contribute to a program is to make it open source. And while thousands of people are now employed in developing Free Software, most of its developers are volunteers. So it’s in Free Software that we see volunteer software’s usability problems most often.

http://mpt.net.nz/ar...e-software-usability

from http://delphi.fosdal...-poor-usability.html

22353

Find And Run Robot / Re: Alias score ???? Grrrrrrrrr

« Last post by mouser on August 05, 2008, 04:05 AM »

i made a uni alias and it showed up and searched fine and scored fine.  if you want to email me your myaliases.alias file i can have a look to see if i see what is wrong ([email protected]).

as for the scores in aplugins, you have found a bug -- it's not listing them properly on that list.

can you explain this more, i didn't understand:

you should also add a no alias search with a core alias  (ex !) 

22354

General Software Discussion / Re: Strategies for international travellers regarding new US Customs seizure policy

« Last post by mouser on August 04, 2008, 05:14 PM »

The question someone raised about how often confiscation actually occurs really is relevant (to me at least).  If this is one of those theoretical rules that they put in place for really unusual cases where they suspect your laptop is a bomb and it never really happens then that's one thing.. but if this is one of those rules that border guards use when they get in a bad mood that's something else entirely.

22355

Find And Run Robot / Re: [bug report] ? showmemo

« Last post by mouser on August 04, 2008, 05:01 PM »

did you customize it in the font overide section of options and make it red?

22356

Screenshot Captor / Re: LATEST VERSION INFO THREAD - ScreenshotCaptor - 2.41.01 - AUG 1, 2008

« Last post by mouser on August 04, 2008, 04:24 PM »

anyone notice any other weirdness with the new version?

22357

FARR Plugins and Aliases / Re: [Bug] Cannot edit plugin options

« Last post by mouser on August 04, 2008, 12:21 PM »

it just "seems" like the plugins come already installed but they dont -- those are just plugin info files that come installed.
to actually download and install those plugins, right click on farr tray and say check for updates.  then switch to the "available for installation" tab in the updater and choose which to install.

22358

Living Room / Re: What are your favorite gadgets and gizmos?

« Last post by mouser on August 04, 2008, 08:53 AM »

I want to add this, if you have wood floors its a cheap little miracle device:

Swiffer-Sweeper-Vacuum

http://www.amazon.co...r-Kit/dp/B000BYM8W8/

22359

General Software Discussion / Re: Scam? Regnow Extended Download Service

« Last post by mouser on August 04, 2008, 07:01 AM »

Thanks for that link josh, i remembered we discussed this before.

22360

Developer's Corner / Re: Quantity Always Trumps Quality - Short But True Blog Post

« Last post by mouser on August 04, 2008, 07:01 AM »

Another way to express what i was trying to say:

A lot of people (as the quotes deozaan found) might tell you:
You should focus on creating concrete stuff because that's how to make your company successful, etc.

From my standpoint, it's the bigger ideas and the theoretical stuff that is much more interesting and valuable, BUT that you should also focus on creating concrete stuff because that is an important part to helping you develop and refine and test your theoretical ideas.

22361

Developer's Corner / Re: Quantity Always Trumps Quality - Short But True Blog Post

« Last post by mouser on August 04, 2008, 06:55 AM »

Whenever i read some quote that makes its argument by comparing one method that makes tons of money and the other that doesn't, it send up flags for me.

Even though i do believe strongly in the general argument being made here, i think it needs to be said: The goal in life is not to make the most money.  Just because one path makes you more money doesn't mean it's the right path to take.

It's almost certainly true that in the software world, the "best" code is almost never the code that makes the money -- making money on software probably has more to do with marketing than anyone wants to admit.  Does that mean the best way to be a "successful" coder is to stop reading programming books and start reading marketing books?

There is sooo much to be gained by theorizing and trying to think about the bigger picture and to break free from the daily grind to get something done now.  Just as it's not a good idea to spend ALL your time theorizing and planning without ever putting your ideas into action, it's also not good to spend all your time with your head down soldering things without ever taking time to theorize, dream, plan, etc.

22362

General Software Discussion / Re: Tiny Watcher - a tool hosted at DC

« Last post by mouser on August 04, 2008, 06:25 AM »

Cool 

22363

General Software Discussion / Re: BeyondCompare 3 Released

« Last post by mouser on August 04, 2008, 06:24 AM »

I'm wondering if I purchase this today then a DC disount is available soon, would it be possible to be refunded the discount savings?

unlikely -- companies don't generally do this.

22364

General Software Discussion / Re: Scam? Regnow Extended Download Service

« Last post by mouser on August 04, 2008, 06:24 AM »

i consider this very scamish.. preying upon people who don't know any better.  not cool.

22365

General Software Discussion / Re: Frink - Multi skilled converter-math application

« Last post by mouser on August 04, 2008, 06:21 AM »

ha! it worked! nice.

22366

Find And Run Robot / Re: FARR alias: Quick Outlook Task

« Last post by mouser on August 04, 2008, 06:12 AM »

you do not have to make this a plugin to take advantage of the update feature.  you can simply make an update file for your alias+do.exe combo, not a problem.  basically you would just put an update in your alias directory.
have a look at one of the .dcupdate files for plugins and see what it looks like.  i can help if you get stuck.

22367

Living Room / Re: Idea: "DC Member Book X - Volume 1" - Request For Volunteers

« Last post by mouser on August 03, 2008, 07:20 PM »

I would really like to revive this idea as something fun we can do during the upcoming fundraiser.  does anyone feel like taking over managing it?

22368

General Software Discussion / Re: Strategies for international travellers regarding new US Customs seizure policy

« Last post by mouser on August 03, 2008, 07:18 PM »

it was inevitable that this thread would get political, but let me remind people that we avoid all political party discussion here.  MrCrispy and everyone please refrain from such stuff, there are plenty of places to discuss politics and we try to keep this board free of it.

Discussing specific technology related policies is completely fair game -- but getting into an arguement about political parties is not appropriate here.

22369

Find And Run Robot / Re: [suggestion] delete aliases from results list

« Last post by mouser on August 03, 2008, 07:06 PM »

new version improves this, will be released shortly.

22370

Developer's Corner / Re: Quantity Always Trumps Quality - Short But True Blog Post

« Last post by mouser on August 03, 2008, 05:14 PM »

The counterpoint caution that probably needs to be said also is that:  if all you do is practice with your intuitive gut level skills, you will get very good at what you are doing but you might also pick up and ingrain in yourself some unhealthy habits that are a constant source of inefficiency and harm, and that you find very hard to break yourself from.

It's quite important that mixed in with practice is a healthy dose of caution and humility and appreciation for being taught new and better ways to do things.

22371

Developer's Corner / Re: Quantity Always Trumps Quality - Short But True Blog Post

« Last post by mouser on August 03, 2008, 04:45 PM »

Don't get me wrong, it's not that a project doesn't need planning -- I've written before about how that can often be the funnest part.

I think the main point could be phrased simply: Be productive.  Create things.  Don't just think+talk about making the perfect thing.  Create imperfect things, and in doing so you will learn to make better things.

It's not that you shouldn't plan and learn, and theorize -- it's that you have to know when these activities are becoming and excuse and a hindrance to actually getting something done.

And most importantly, you have to realize when you are at the inflection point where actually jumping in and starting to work on the imperfect version (perhaps just a prelude and a planned throwaway first version) is the faster road to learning than trying to solve the problem before you begin.

22372

FlipSuite and Flipbook Printer / Nice youtube tutorial of how to use Flipbook Printer

« Last post by mouser on August 03, 2008, 01:26 PM »

Came across this nice short video tutorial demonstrating the use of Flipbook Printer.  Thanks to the author who made it!

http://www.youtube.c.../watch?v=DbHAXzxUUHI

Author's homepage with more tutorials: http://www.tinkernut.com

22373

Find And Run Robot / Re: [bug report] error when toggling "Hide StatusBar completely" on + off

« Last post by mouser on August 03, 2008, 07:07 AM »

i've decided to remove the option to hide the statusbar.. it's much too troublesome to get working right and i think on reflection it's probably important that that mechanism for providing feedback is visible.

22374

General Software Discussion / Re: Strategies for international travellers regarding new US Customs seizure policy

« Last post by mouser on August 03, 2008, 06:51 AM »

Clearly the only rational thing to do is go buy 5 laptops, and keep them always in sync.
Then on they day of your travel start each one on its way using a different route to your destination:

• One laptop stays on your person and may be confiscated by a border agent who doesn't like your attitude.
• One laptop gets packed into your luggage where it may be destroyed during inspection of your bags.
• One laptop gets sent via normal mail where it will likely be smashed during trasnport.
• One laptop gets sent via express mail where it will probably be misdelivered.
• One laptop stays hope where you can remotely connect into it from an internet cafe.

22375

Living Room / Cybernetnews Looks at Wikimedia Projects: Wikiversity, Wikiquote, and more

« Last post by mouser on August 03, 2008, 06:24 AM »

Nice summary of some new wiki related projects.

When you think of the Wikimedia Foundation, what comes to mind? For us it’s immediately Wikipedia and Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales who started the foundation. It’s based in San Francisco, and the foundation operates several wiki projects including the ever-so-popular Wikipedia. Wikipedia is obviously the most popular site that’s part of the foundation, but there are other projects that are gaining some ground. Today we’ll be taking a look at some of the Wikimedia Foundation Projects that are currently going on, aside from their most popular, Wikipedia. They include: Wikiversity, Wikiquote, Wiki Books, and Wikispecies.

http://cybernetnews....foundation-projects/