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2676

Living Room / Re: Surface Pro 4 (etc); observations from long term use?

« Last post by wraith808 on October 19, 2016, 10:04 AM »

Microsoft Microsoft has a 5-year $400 million sponsorship deal with the National Football League to provide Surface tablets to all teams for coaches to use on the sidelines during games, along with supporting IT infrastructure.

Yesterday, Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots, the most successful coach in the league for the past two decades, demoted the tablets to the bench, saying they were not reliable enough to use during games.

-xtabber (October 19, 2016, 06:46 AM)

Yeah, I think the title is more sensational than the news actually is:

Belichick goes on to note that because the league manages the tablets (which sit on Microsoft-branded carts during game days) the team's own IT department is unable to troubleshoot any problems with the hardware during the week and the coaches only get access to the tablets "a few hours" before game time.

Looks more like an IT and ownership problem than a hardware problem.  Or maybe a tablet problem in general, from other quotes that aren't as sensational:

Another news outlet used more direct quotes from this coach when reporting this story, in which he said it wasn't the Microsoft Surface per se that didn't suit his work flow, but all tablets.
That's not too shocking; designers such as Marc Newson and Jony Ive are known for known for preferring pen and paper for parts of their work flow.

There was also an episode of Have I Got News For You, when Jeremy Clarkson threw a pen at Ian Hislop. We do not know if Clarkson would have preferred to have thrown a 2lb computer at Mr Hislop instead.

A good quote from the comments:

Wrong form-factor, wrong application
On the touchline, what do electronics give you that a whiteboard does not - apart from cost and unreliability?
Backup solution is an extra pen and a paper towel. With planning, you have a play book, which everyone has memorised and the coach may have printed out.
As in smartphone maps, proper planning means they aren't really required. IT is often used when people don't know stuff.
IT is not the solution to everything.

2677

General Software Discussion / Re: What Android Apps Do You Use?

« Last post by wraith808 on October 18, 2016, 10:16 PM »

I find the same thing.  I have more apps than you, and every time I pick up my Nook, there's a swath of updates.

2678

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 10 Announced

« Last post by wraith808 on October 18, 2016, 07:24 PM »

That's incorrect.  Type cd "\program files\" at the prompt in the regular cmd.exe, and it works.  Or just type cd \progra~1 and it works, which is what I stated above.

-wraith808 (October 18, 2016, 03:30 PM)

If it could handle the spaces you would not need the quotes.  As I said, the space should be either a valid path character or a separator character, but not both.  Why don't we just require double quoting any file path that contains an 'e' ??  It's just as valid to do that as to quote around the spaces.

-MilesAhead (October 18, 2016, 05:53 PM)

I'm sure they could have done a lot of things.  But they didn't.  But that doesn't mean malice.  And you ignored the second part of that.  If you don't want to quote, and don't want to use spaces... guess, what.  You don't have to.  And the translation is built in.

And why do we want to be forgiving of Microsoft?

-MilesAhead (October 18, 2016, 05:59 PM)

Perhaps because I contracted for them, and know that in a lot of cases that people say that they are evil, they're just misguided or made the wrong decision.  Or one of many other reasons that are not a huge conspiracy.  They're a company like any other.  Except for working for them sucks more than a lot of other places, which is the reason that I'm glad I was just a contractor.

As you said, you're entitled to your opinion, and nothing I (or anyone else) will say will convince you otherwise.  But you'll have to hold yourself to your moratorium, because if you respond, I will likely do so also.  Onward! 

2679

DC Website Help and Extras / Re: Editing a post is creating a new post?

« Last post by wraith808 on October 18, 2016, 04:04 PM »

i've never seen that happen before!

-mouser (October 18, 2016, 03:56 PM)

I'd never seen that either.  And when it happened, I was flummoxed, and of course thought it was me.  But the two choices are (a) I hit quote, or (b) modify is doing something strange.

So I clicked quote, and even in that case, it didn't give the same results, i.e. I got

First post

Cursor is here... so in post, it should be outside of quote.

However, the behavior in the post was...

First Post

Second Post

Very strange.  And interesting!

2680

DC Website Help and Extras / Editing a post is creating a new post?

« Last post by wraith808 on October 18, 2016, 03:34 PM »

In the thread https://www.donation...ndex.php?topic=39119, I noticed that another poster had a strange post in which they quoted my post twice.  Then, I tried to edit my post (am sure I clicked modify) and when I saved, it created a new post.  I'll keep a look out for the exact behavior (it doesn't happen all the time), but wanted to at least put up the symptoms I've seen.

2681

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 10 Announced

« Last post by wraith808 on October 18, 2016, 03:31 PM »

Editing a post is creating a new post?

2682

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 10 Announced

« Last post by wraith808 on October 18, 2016, 03:30 PM »

The "old" software that cannot handle the spaces in filenames is Windows cmd.exe.

-MilesAhead (October 18, 2016, 03:17 PM)

That's incorrect.  Type cd "\program files\" at the prompt in the regular cmd.exe, and it works.  Or just type cd \progra~1 and it works, which is what I stated above.

Afa doing things deliberately goes, the fact that various Windows programming books were published under variations on the title "Undocumented Windows" is proof in itself.  The programmers on the buddy list got a cheat sheet of undocumented calls.  The other programmers got to trial and error it.

-MilesAhead (October 18, 2016, 03:17 PM)

That doesn't prove anything other than programmers put in code that wasn't officially sanctioned.  Happens all the time.  I've done it to get back doors to what I need.  Some of them are still out there in commercial software that I've done.

In my opinion, you're calling malice when there are many other explanations (incompetence, missed testing, programmer shortcuts, etc).  But that would require that you take a more forgiving interpretation.

2683

General Software Discussion / Re: Beyond Compare 20th anniversary

« Last post by wraith808 on October 18, 2016, 02:19 PM »

11/22/2002 

-jpfx (October 18, 2016, 02:15 PM)

Why the frowny face?  You should have easily made it.

2684

Living Room / Re: If not Cubby, then what?

« Last post by wraith808 on October 18, 2016, 01:30 PM »

I just sent a question about LogMeIn Pro (the replacement for Cubby), and I was astonished at the reply.

With LogMeIn Pro, you will have the 1 TB of cloud storage where files can be passed back and forth within the computers associated with your account. Unfortunately, the files will no longer be automatically synced but you can still have those files shared between all of the computers. Files and folders can be accessed through LogMeIn Pro. If you do need the files to automatically sync, that feature will be lost during the migration. Let me know if you still have further questions or concerns about what will happen with the switch. Have a great day!

If we have answered your question, we will send you an email in the next few days asking for your feedback. We value your opinion and thank you in advance for taking the time to click on the survey link and let us know how your experience was with our team.

2685

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 10 Announced

« Last post by wraith808 on October 18, 2016, 10:48 AM »

You haven't given any argument otherwise, other than that you were inconvenienced by it.  While I've given many counter examples.

There used to be a trend in blaming Microsoft for everything bad, and that it was intentional, rather than unforeseen.  That's what this feels like. 

In all honesty, I wish they would move ahead, and not take older Windows 3.1 16-bit applications into account when developing the file system.  Not worry about legacy compatibility.  Anything that can't handle spaces in the name in this day and age is either (a) old, or (b) not developed correctly. 

Windows wouldn't be so much of a mish mash if they quit taking into account old legacy applications.  But they don't.

But we do agree on something.  If you can't look at the arguments and links I provided above, and see how it explains away the fact that they were using spaces to booby trap the file system, then nothing I say will convince you otherwise.

2686

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 10 Announced

« Last post by wraith808 on October 18, 2016, 09:32 AM »

I was only talking about way back when they changed the name of the folder where programs were installed to "Program Files" including the space between. 

-MilesAhead (October 17, 2016, 05:45 PM)

That was because of upgraded capabilities in the OS, IIRC.  Before that, there wasn't any equivalent.  And that was introduced in Windows 95?

https://blogs.msdn.m...00/?p=8153/#10279251

-wraith808 (October 17, 2016, 06:09 PM)

If they were not deliberately throwing in a monkey wrench all they had to do to avoid the path error I noted was to name the folder ProgramFiles without the space.  Since they went out of their way to include the space one has to assume creating the launch errors was intentional.  It broke some of their own software so it is impossible for me to believe these errors did not show up during testing.

-MilesAhead (October 18, 2016, 07:42 AM)

How did it break anything other than 16-bit applications?  The capabilities of Windows 95 allowed for spaces.  Before that, there were no central locations.  Also, applications that would have been running on 16-bit windows would see PROGRA~1 no matter what as directories had a limit of 8 characters (ah the 8.3 days).  The space makes literally no extra difference for those applications.  There were errors, sure because of the change.  But the change that you're referring to has literally no difference to any legacy program that would be affected by it.

2687

General Software Discussion / Re: mystery icon

« Last post by wraith808 on October 18, 2016, 09:29 AM »

Hi holt,

I will suggest you install winpatrol It is one of my MUST_HAVE.

It will give you list of "startup Programs" and you can easily disable which you do not want, like "Glarysoft updater" here.

Regards,

Anand

-anandcoral (October 18, 2016, 05:50 AM)

+1 for WinPatrol.

2688

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 10 Announced

« Last post by wraith808 on October 17, 2016, 06:09 PM »

I was only talking about way back when they changed the name of the folder where programs were installed to "Program Files" including the space between. 

-MilesAhead (October 17, 2016, 05:45 PM)

That was because of upgraded capabilities in the OS, IIRC.  Before that, there wasn't any equivalent.  And that was introduced in Windows 95?

https://blogs.msdn.m...00/?p=8153/#10279251

2689

Living Room / BleepingComputer being sued for a bad review

« Last post by wraith808 on October 17, 2016, 12:51 PM »

I went to Bleeping Computer today, and was met with this popup:



It's crazy that people try to censor bad reviews instead of getting better...

2690

Living Room / Re: If not Cubby, then what?

« Last post by wraith808 on October 17, 2016, 12:48 PM »

I found out that it doesn't affect me until my sub runs out.  They'd tried to sell me on LogMeIn Pro before, but it appeared to not have the same features.  I'll be looking into that.  If it's LogMeIn + Cubby, then I'll be staying.  If it doesn't have the features that I use in Cubby, I'll just be going to OneDrive.  I already have 1TB there from O365.  The only reason I haven't been using it is the ability to put a cubby anywhere, and make any folder into a Cubby.  Without that feature, it's not worth it to me.

2691

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 10 Announced

« Last post by wraith808 on October 17, 2016, 12:44 PM »

And you stated that you didn't know why they get these ideas that break programs.  I was just telling the reason.  Access to the Program Files directory can be just as injurious as access to the system directory.

-wraith808 (October 17, 2016, 08:32 AM)

But people who run single folder portable type programs that were designed to install in the program files folders and write to their own install folder are not going to uninstall and reinstall just to satisfy MS.  The will run a Take Ownership utility and have done with it.  So what good does it do except to be a pita?

There are hundreds of little XP utilities that still work fine if not broken by MS.  Since they have such good reasons for all they do I would still like the explanation why they allowed spaces in file paths if not to deliberately break code?  Yet again another Program Files gimmick to move there from Programs to break all the programs of all the coders who weren't given a heads up to wrap the path in double quotes.  They deliberately set out to make non MS affiliated coders look bad.  There's no other possible motive.

-MilesAhead (October 17, 2016, 10:29 AM)

Most people aren't in that category.  This was no intended slight from my estimation; it was a desire to make things more secure.  If programs by default can't store things in the program files directory, then you get less in the way of being able to alter other programs.  Basically, by separating them, they've ensured that the installation is static to what was actually installed by the program and authorized by the user at that time, rather than it just being anything that is written there.  ProgramData/AppData make sure that anything that is to be changed has a place.  If it is something to be portable, then you do as you did- install it somewhere else.

Personally, though it was a pain when I first started to work with it, I find it now more intuitive.

2692

Living Room / Re: If not Cubby, then what?

« Last post by wraith808 on October 17, 2016, 12:14 PM »

So now that Cubby is pulling the rug out from under it's users, what sync service et al are you moving to?

I was getting all ready to try it based on recommendations from Donation Coder.

-Daleus (October 17, 2016, 10:04 AM)

Where did you get this information from?  I have a paid subscription, and have received no indication that they are terminating the service.

2693

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 10 Announced

« Last post by wraith808 on October 17, 2016, 08:32 AM »

You only install to the Program Files.  There is a program data, where all of the data for the programs should be stored.  You can also use the expedient of installing to the user's profile.

-wraith808 (October 16, 2016, 02:18 PM)

I know.  But MS likes to change this stuff around every couple of releases it seems.  I like to set up so that my stuff works the same from XP to W8.  If on a multi-user machine it's a different story.  But for a true single user setup I see no reason not to make a folder C:\Utils like I have been doing for years and make a subfolder for each utility that needs to be in a folder.  For command line stuff I just copy to C:\Utils and have it in the path.  Also it makes it easy to copy shortcuts to other machines.  For example after a custom install my programs in C:\Utils only need to have shortcuts copied on to be back in business.

-MilesAhead (October 17, 2016, 06:58 AM)

They haven't changed this since Vista.

https://technet.micr...ibrary/ff716245.aspx

And you stated that you didn't know why they get these ideas that break programs.  I was just telling the reason.  Access to the Program Files directory can be just as injurious as access to the system directory.

2694

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows 10 Announced

« Last post by wraith808 on October 16, 2016, 02:18 PM »

When trying to update MediaInfo from 0.7.61 to 0.7.89 today, the update had problems and I had to reinstall the previous version I had. Has anyone here had this problem? 0.7.89 is the latest version and the installer could do both 32-bit and 64-bit installs. I was installing on my 32-bit machine. I tried to install on my 64-bit machine with the installer from SourceForge and had no problems. I downloaded the SourceForge version on my 32-bit machine and it still had problems so I aborted the install, but when I checked the version it said it was the 0.7.89 version and worked fine.

[ Invalid Attachment ]   [ Invalid Attachment ]   [ Invalid Attachment ]

-Arizona Hot (October 15, 2016, 08:39 PM)

Just for grins I would try installing somewhere other than the Program Files folders.  From Vista onward every Windows release has increased permissions needed to write files there.  I don't know why they get these ideas that break programs.  But many utilities cannot write to their own install folders unless run as administrator.  There is no good reason for it that I know of.

-MilesAhead (October 16, 2016, 06:35 AM)

For reasons of security.  It's annoying, but I don't think it's a bad idea, nor did they just do it out of the blue, and there is a way around it, if you follow application development guidelines.

You only install to the Program Files.  There is a program data, where all of the data for the programs should be stored.  You can also use the expedient of installing to the user's profile.

2695

General Software Discussion / Re: OneDrive Crashing in Windows 10

« Last post by wraith808 on October 14, 2016, 03:36 PM »

Junction Point, perhaps?

I, too, experienced problems with Dropbox and Junctions in the past:

I just tested out using Junctions to point "My Dropbox\Games\Diablo II\save" to "Games\Diablo II\save" and it appears to be working properly as far as the fact that it's the same folder and same files, unfortunately it doesn't work at all with regard to Dropbox recognizing the files are changing and synchronizing to the cloud or to other computers.

Has anyone else successfully gotten something like this to work with Dropbox?

-Deozaan (February 03, 2010, 05:21 AM)

Like Stoic Joker, I finally gave up on that.

-Deozaan (October 14, 2016, 03:03 PM)

Ah... duh!    I didn't actually use a Junction, I used a Symbolic Link- I mis-stated myself above.

i.e. mklink /d c:\users\username\folder1 d:\folder1

A really good document on the differences: http://www.2brightsp...d-Symbolic-Links.pdf

2696

N.A.N.Y. 2017 / Re: My NANY 2017 submission.

« Last post by wraith808 on October 14, 2016, 12:29 PM »

Format it like that.  I believe there is an empty template around here somewhere, but am not sure offhand where it is.

-wraith808 (October 14, 2016, 11:17 AM)

when you edit or create/preview a new post, there's a drop-down list in with the formatting icons: "Add preset text" --
there's a "Nany Submission" option there.

-tomos (October 14, 2016, 11:21 AM)

I didn't know that!  Thanks for the hint!

2697

General Software Discussion / Re: OneDrive Crashing in Windows 10

« Last post by wraith808 on October 14, 2016, 12:28 PM »

The JP route?

2698

N.A.N.Y. 2017 / Re: My NANY 2017 submission.

« Last post by wraith808 on October 14, 2016, 11:17 AM »

Here.  You can even turn this thread into your submission.

Take a look at the others, i.e. https://www.donation...ex.php?topic=43019.0

Format it like that.  I believe there is an empty template around here somewhere, but am not sure offhand where it is.

2699

N.A.N.Y. 2017 / Re: N.A.N.Y. 2017: Youtube Watcher - Linux only

« Last post by wraith808 on October 14, 2016, 11:15 AM »

This looks really neat, but I'm wondering why is this Linux only? Isn't Python cross-platform?

-Deozaan (October 14, 2016, 06:31 AM)

Theoretically, from what I've seen.  I have an issue on a Python archive in Github that it doesn't work on a Mac.  I wish I'd marked it as Windows compatible only, because I can't debug on the Mac.

2700

General Software Discussion / Re: OneDrive Crashing in Windows 10

« Last post by wraith808 on October 14, 2016, 11:12 AM »

It is to be a permanent drive to expand the internal capacity.