Recent Posts

2301

Living Room / Re: No way out? SecureBoot's latest wrinkle for non-Windows users.

« Last post by Stoic Joker on June 03, 2013, 06:40 AM »

Apparently this will also eliminate the right to request a refund for any unused and unwanted copies of Windows that come pre-installed on most PCs. Because the catch always used to be you couldn't agree to the EULA or start the setup if you were going to ask for a credit. You had to  install an alternate OS before you ever booted into Windows at all to qualify.

-40hz (May 29, 2013, 08:52 AM)

Just out of curiosity ... On a typical OOBE first boot the system goes straight to an accept the EULA page...what happens if the user simply selects no to reject the agreement? I've never thought to try it - But does/will/can the system then unclench?

2302

Best Text Editor / Re: EmEditor Professional v13 New Features - EmEditor Free is back!

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 31, 2013, 11:56 AM »

@Mouser, would it be possible to organize a discount?

-urlwolf (May 31, 2013, 09:56 AM)

I'll second that request! EmEditor has been a favorite of mine for years.

2303

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 31, 2013, 11:52 AM »

(see attachment in previous post)

-wraith808 (May 31, 2013, 10:51 AM)

...and number 6 Gets A "Winner" Every Time! That is just so wrong...I love it!

2304

Living Room / Re: Market Waiting For Windows Blue

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 30, 2013, 11:45 AM »

So Windows Blue is to replace Windows Blew ... This should be fun to watch.

2305

General Software Discussion / Re: Opera 15 Preview

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 30, 2013, 11:33 AM »

When the practice of faster browser updates started it made me think of a row of little boys standing in line trying to see who could get it highest up the wall.

-pilgrim (May 30, 2013, 03:28 AM)

  ...I've stayed away from said contest for the exact same reason ...(Never trust a rush job)... But then again I'm one of the few remaining fools that actually like IE.

2306

General Software Discussion / Re: Help needed with computer problem

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 25, 2013, 01:54 PM »

They won't ... but just like back when they should (Beep!) complain about the missing memory.

2307

Living Room / Re: English as it is spoke.

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 25, 2013, 11:36 AM »

By the way, I liked the jokes.

-IainB (May 25, 2013, 06:08 AM)

Just when I was beginning to think that everybody was a critic.

-pilgrim (May 25, 2013, 07:06 AM)

Just remember that the highest complement one can expect from a really good pun is an exasperated groan.

Frankly when I fist started reading some of your post I thought for sure that Douglas Adams had been resurrected ... Love your style man.

2308

Living Room / Re: Google Buys A Quantum Computer

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 25, 2013, 11:27 AM »

Should mean more jobs for quantum mechanics.

-pilgrim (May 25, 2013, 10:15 AM)

*Double FacePalm* Somebody find Cranioscopical...we've found his match!

2309

General Software Discussion / Re: Help needed with computer problem

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 25, 2013, 11:23 AM »

Can check the battery with any voltmeter ... If it reads less than 2V toss it.

Quick idiot test I use (for when it's in dead mode) is to remove the memory completely and start the machine. If it cant get (/boot) far enough to generate a memory error... You're looking at MB or CPU as the issue.

Note: test does assume you have a speaker to beep the memory error with.

2310

Living Room / Re: The DonationCoder.com 30-Day Healthy Eating and Exercise Challenge!

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 24, 2013, 03:48 PM »

At 48 I still have a 32" waist ... Which is entirely a genetic accident as I've never been "athletic"..

However, much as I'd like to join in I just screwed up my ankle trying to (wife's idea) run a 5K (like an idiot) a few weeks back. It took me 44 minutes, but for as a guy that smoked for 30 years ... I'd say getting to the end of the thing without dropping dead means I won.

So... I'll just have to go with tomos' stein curls this time.

2311

Living Room / Re: Google Buys A Quantum Computer

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 24, 2013, 11:42 AM »

Just when you thought computers were complicated enough ... Now they really are trying to piss you off.

C:\> Find Report
        File not found (hehe)

2312

Living Room / Re: EU president and IT staff don't understand democracy maths truth.

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 24, 2013, 11:38 AM »

...A few hundred Emails about this new law is good/bad legislation OTOH is (the) people trying to tell you something.

-Stoic Joker (May 23, 2013, 11:57 AM)

Yes, but the point would seem to be that their views  apparently are (or would be) irrelevant in an undemocratically appointed governmental structure.

-IainB (May 24, 2013, 07:32 AM)

Yes, but this is still their own fault ... Once they dropped the shoot people for asking policy it kicked the door wide open for this kind of shit. Commoners thinking they posses the intelligence to run their own lives...perish the thought!

 

2313

Developer's Corner / Re: GoogleCode announces removal of file download feature for hosted projects

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 24, 2013, 11:20 AM »

How is google drive any different?  Are the abuses then space related?  That's the only difference I can see.

-wraith808 (May 24, 2013, 10:25 AM)

That was my first question as well. They supposedly have acres of servers for storage so re-provisioning a few here or there can't be that big a deal. But then again they're really vague about the nature of the infractions that are so rampant...which makes me wonder what they're hiding not saying.

I'm pretty much straight Bing these days ... But still occasionally use Google (accidently) out of reflex. Rest of their service I won't touch with a 10' pole.

2314

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Start8/ModernMix discount (expired)

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 23, 2013, 06:39 PM »

Just got home and have the same Email in my inbox which took me to a working (buy now) shopping cart. However your posted link didn't work for me at the office either. I believe the "Email Only" link in the Email is (the only way to access the deal) just enforced with a bit of encoding.

2315

Living Room / Re: EU president and IT staff don't understand democracy maths truth.

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 23, 2013, 11:57 AM »

A few hundred emails is excessive?

-kyrathaba (May 23, 2013, 08:53 AM)

A few hundred emails about rectal itch is excessive. A few hundred Emails about this new law is good/bad legislation OTOH is (the) people trying to tell you something.

2316

Living Room / Re: Geoguessr. I'm addicted.

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 22, 2013, 11:22 AM »

I'm too embarrassed to mention the scores.  

-pilgrim (May 22, 2013, 07:34 AM)

Oh go for it...there's nothing wrong with a little good natured ribbing for a truly Epic Failure... ...I got a 158.

But I got the PLANET right every time.  

-pilgrim (May 22, 2013, 07:34 AM)

Me Too!!

2317

General Software Discussion / Re: Recommendation for mosaic/tiled live screensaver that reads folders of pictures?

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 17, 2013, 11:39 AM »

(Mosaic Screensaver...) Where you at somebody's house and saw the screensaver on their Mac?? The neighbor had a (Mac Leopard) mosaic screensaver running that was positively mesmerizing. A quick Google search turned up these (for Windows):

http://www.animosaix.com/
http://mosaicinfinite.com/

...I'm thinking of trying out the second one.

2318

General Software Discussion / Re: 'Home' and 'End' and 'FN'.

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 17, 2013, 06:45 AM »

But I very much hope that some expert here could give an answer WHY there is not a single such program that that just intercepts the pressings of 1 or 2 specific keys, then sends particular scancodes - because technically, this should be possible, and with additional keys, it is. So from a logical point of view, some spcified keys should be taken OUT of this automatic processing of all keys present (by what Windows routine?), and be processed then by tiny, particular software just working for these keys that without this particular treatment would be "dead" now.

-evamaria (May 16, 2013, 06:49 AM)

Hotkeys come in two flavors, application hotkeys and (registered with the Windows shell) system global hotkeys. So unless you're planning to write a driver for extremely low level access to the keyboard input, you're going to be looking at hooking into one of the myriad of message loops that comprise Windows. When you hook into a loop you have to either handle or pass on (to the next hook) any and everything that comes to you. So while you can filter out only specific keys to respond to...you must at the very least pass the unwanted keys to the next hook. Otherwise nobody handles the key press...and that sort of behavior tends to make users very cranky.

I register and use configurable system global hotkeys in a program called T-Clock. So if you want an example of how the code is/can be done (assuming you can contend with pure C) you can download the complete source from my web site: http://www.stoicjoke.../TClock/Download.php

2319

General Software Discussion / Re: Proofed! Microsoft is actively scanning Skype traffic and uses the data

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 16, 2013, 07:16 PM »

When you consider that a lot of businesses are using Skype for communications between employees, handling their customer service, etc., and could be handling data that is supposed to be confidential, subject to NDA's, etc. this is not good.

-app103 (May 16, 2013, 05:32 PM)

Outside the rather brilliant sarcasm, I'm pretty sure that was f0dder's point. I've seen tons of different companies that use Yahoo Messenger for *FacePalm* "Internal Messaging"..

2320

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 16, 2013, 05:31 PM »

This story unlike the one above is real as far as I know.
 (see attachment in previous post)
Cops Bust Prostitution Ring ... at Senior Citizen Home - Neighbors, 75 and 66, are suspected masterminds

-Arizona Hot (May 16, 2013, 03:25 PM)

From the comments on that article:

This isn't surprising.   The Villages, a Florida retirement community, has the highest per capita rate of venereal disease in the country.   Those old folks still like to get it on.

Being that my wife works in the medical field, in the aforementioned "Villages" I can totally +1 the quote.

2321

General Software Discussion / Re: Proofed! Microsoft is actively scanning Skype traffic and uses the data

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 16, 2013, 05:21 PM »

...So you're saying I shouldn't (live) Tweet about tomorrow's bank robbery for at least a week then?

 

2322

General Software Discussion / Re: Every pdf document its own pdf viewer style?!

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 16, 2013, 11:37 AM »

  Adobe has always had too many problems, especially security problems.  I've experimented with several .pdf readers and the one that I took a liking to was PdfXchangeViewer.  Lots of bells and whistles, opens in a flash either in your browser or as an external viewer as I have mine set.

http://www.tracker-s...m/product/downloads/

-Tinman57 (May 15, 2013, 06:25 PM)

I've switched several clients over to PDF-XChange Viewer because Adobe's Acrobat/Reader kept crashing their practice management software (AmazingCharts). It's smaller, faster, and a hell of a lot more stable. Only down side is you have to watch their installer due to the bundled (opt-out) "funware".

2323

General Software Discussion / Re: 'Home' and 'End' and 'FN'.

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 16, 2013, 06:36 AM »

Not sure what your keyboard layout is, but some of those devices have a (BIOS) setting that allows the default (Fn key)state to be set between the usual function keys and the special device keys state. Because some people never use the F1-12 keys...and some depend on them.

Just a thought.

2324

General Software Discussion / Re: Raymond.cc compares antivirus memory usage

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 14, 2013, 10:41 PM »

I gotta go with barney on this. Hardening a system is more a matter of exposure mitigation ... Reduced user permissions, adherence to a patch policy, and removal of unused anything that could open a port. That is the armor. Weapons are user education so the guy on point isn't blind, deaf, and dumb (answers to Tommy/plays pinball ... Sorry..). These days securing a machine without AV is like going hunting without a waffle iron.

I keep MSE installed on my machine only to keep track of its resource usage and FP rate ... its yet to catch anything before I did.

2325

Living Room / Re: SSD's - How They Work Plus Tips

« Last post by Stoic Joker on May 14, 2013, 10:31 PM »

  No matter how you look at it, SSD's have a higher failure rate than hard drives, and until they get that problem fixed, I'll be sticking with my 7200 RPM drive......

-Tinman57 (May 14, 2013, 08:52 PM)

Amen to that!


@40hz - I hear ya man, I spent an absolutely insane amount of time agonizing over which way to do the arrays (IOPS...) on the new Hyper-V Data Center. Yes every time I called (HP) the distributer's support line I got a different guy with a different school of thought as I diced between RAID5 vs. 10 (I was trying to get away from 5 due to previous discussions - Yet nobody agreed). I ended up with dual 8 disc hot-swap controllers; mirrored set of 15,000RPM SAS drives for the host OS, and the guests all sit on an 8 disk 7200RPM Nearline SATA RAID 5 array. The system is stunningly fast, and I haven't seen the thread queue even get to 1 yet with 12 systems running on it.