Recent Posts

276

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Acronis True Image 11 Home for US$ 9.99

« Last post by tinjaw on January 28, 2009, 11:12 AM »

The discount code is no longer working (Jan 28 2009).

I have TrueImage version 9 and 11. I just purchased a new HDD for my laptop and am going to move from XP to Vista. I am trying to decide if I want to shell out another $30 for this years version (TrueImage Home 2009). I know that there will inevitably be another version out next year as well.

TrueImage is a *wonderful* product. It has a lot of nice features and is very easy to use. I am thinking that I should just consider it as a yearly subscription and pay the $30/year to get the upgrade.

Anybody else been in this situation? What were your thoughts? What did you end up doing?

277

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Longer list of recently opened documents

« Last post by tinjaw on January 23, 2009, 09:09 AM »

Check out RecentX.

278

Living Room / Re: Obama staffers find no Mac love among White House computers

« Last post by tinjaw on January 22, 2009, 04:06 PM »

It has always been my opinion that computers, the internet, private emails, etc. are (almost completely) no different than legal pads with pens or telephones or people with mouths. You can NEVER insure that no information will be "leaked", and you can always take reasonable measures that information won't be improperly be accessed. With proper system/network administration there shouldn't be any more of a chance of a leak than sombody walking out the building and dropping a file folder with important papers.

I am a privacy advocate, but when you are "on the clock" and using government/employer equipment they should be allowed to monitor your usage.

279

Living Room / Re: Obama staffers find no Mac love among White House computers

« Last post by tinjaw on January 22, 2009, 03:24 PM »

If I was the U.S. CTO I would mandate use of FOSS. I would mandate the use of Linux. I would then take (most likely the vast majority of) the money formerly spent on proprietary operating systems and software and create a federally funded program for open source developers that work on FOSS to fill the government's needs. I would then work with the EU and the United Nations to coordinate with other such organizations throughout the world.

I also think that access to things like personal email accounts and social media sights should be allowed *but monitored*. If certain flags are raised, like certain bandwidth limits on social network usage or such similar metrics, then there should be process whereby the user must justify that usage to their boss. If it turns out that it isn't harmful to doing their job or harmful to the government department, then it should be allowed. If it turns out to be somebody abusing the privilege, then their usage should be limited.

As with any job, IMNSHO, you should be judged by your ability to complete your assigned tasks in the time allotted. If you can do that while also spending time on Facebook, so be it.

280

General Software Discussion / Re: DVD to iPod Touch in 48 hours

« Last post by tinjaw on January 14, 2009, 11:33 AM »

maccolar,

Thanks for the links. That looks like good info and freedvdripper.net looks like it has a lot of good info.

281

General Software Discussion / Re: DVD to iPod Touch in 48 hours

« Last post by tinjaw on December 19, 2008, 12:55 PM »

So far, it looks like I am going to use a combination of DVD Decrypter, DVD Shrink, RipIt4Me, and Quick Media Converter. It's not a one-click solution, but it is FOSS and working. Tonight will be a ripping fest for me as I leave tomorrow on my trip.

Thanks for the tips folks.

282

General Software Discussion / DVD to iPod Touch in 48 hours

« Last post by tinjaw on December 18, 2008, 07:36 AM »

I have borrowed an Apple iPod Touch 16GB for my overseas trip. With the permission of the owner, last night I did a factory restore of the unit and upgraded the OS from version 1.1.4 to 2.2. I now can put movies on it for the transatlantic flight. The problem is that I don't do iPods -- I've been a Creative Zen guy for the past few years.

I know how to take a DVD, strip off the Macrovision and get just the movie into a nice set of VOB files.

What I don't know how to do is to get it properly formated and loaded on the iPod touch for viewing. I might just spring for a set of SlySoft programs, but if there is some FOSS stuff out there, I would prefer that.

I am looking at Quick Media Converter, but there seems to be a billion tutorials on converting from SWF to everything under the sun, but didn't yet find a DVD to iPod Touch how-to yet.

Anybody got any guidance for me?

283

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Intro

« Last post by tinjaw on December 16, 2008, 09:51 AM »

home for holidays?

-Perry Mowbray (December 16, 2008, 07:22 AM)

Nope. But in a good way.  I will be visiting with my girlfriend's family and friends in the Czech Republic.

284

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Intro

« Last post by tinjaw on December 16, 2008, 07:14 AM »

I'm out. 

Life has overtaken me. I am just too busy. I didn't get an early start like I hoped and I leave for Czech this Saturday. Sorry folks. My ToDo list is just to full right now. I'll see you folks again after I return from vacation.

Happy Holidays.

285

General Software Discussion / wanted: way to batch/script manipulate image (ICO) files

« Last post by tinjaw on December 05, 2008, 09:40 AM »

I have a bunch of icons (.ICO) files that I need to create various colored set of. For example, all the icons are black on cyan and I need to make a black on red set, a black on green set, etc.

I am looking into the following:

• python using Python Image Library (but it only handles ICO read-only)
• python controlling Paint Shop Pro (but I don't own a copy of PSP)
• using MS Paint, Ritalin, & caffeine

I was wondering if there is some magic tool I am overlooking.

[update]
It looks like GIMP is scriptable with python.

286

Developer's Corner / Re: PHP function sorting/reorder utility?

« Last post by tinjaw on December 05, 2008, 09:34 AM »

As a user of IDEs with the ability to jump to functions in a matter of a few keystrokes, I am curious why you want such functionality. Is it simply for readability purposes?

287

General Software Discussion / Re: Best Python IDE

« Last post by tinjaw on December 01, 2008, 12:56 PM »

I haven't read it myself, but there is a tutorial on the NetBeans Wiki on using NetBeans with Python.

288

General Software Discussion / Re: Mockups ...

« Last post by tinjaw on November 25, 2008, 07:53 AM »

Looks nice. I have mentioned a similar tool, Mockup Screens, before.

289

General Software Discussion / Re: Best Python IDE

« Last post by tinjaw on November 21, 2008, 03:13 PM »

well, netbeans 6.5 was released and there's no support for python.

-urlwolf (November 21, 2008, 12:33 PM)

Wait! I read something different today. Stand by....

[update]

Here you go...

Pyton In NetBeans
http://www.sauria.co.../python-in-netbeans/

290

Find And Run Robot / Re: [bug report] FARR is putting two entries in Startup folder

« Last post by tinjaw on November 19, 2008, 09:46 PM »

I think I figured out what is happening. Now I need to test my theory. I think I somehow moved my personal startup folder with the All Users startup folder. My personal one is missing. I am about to check the registry. I bet they are both pointing to the same folder and if I split them up again, all will be fine.

Now I need to research how to test and fix this.

291

Find And Run Robot / Re: [bug report] FARR is putting two entries in Startup folder

« Last post by tinjaw on November 19, 2008, 06:34 PM »

I do not know the cause yet, but it is not a but in FARR. I have been seeing this same behavior with several other programs recently. It is obviously something wrong with my Windows configuration.

292

General Software Discussion / Re: Want to add a subtle embossed watermark to a couple hudred photos

« Last post by tinjaw on November 18, 2008, 10:37 PM »

We have a winner !!!

I found Bytescout Watermark. It has tonnes more features that the other programs I looked at and it's very reasonably priced. I purchased a copy already and should have the watermarked photos up on the site in a half hour.

293

General Software Discussion / Want to add a subtle embossed watermark to a couple hudred photos

« Last post by tinjaw on November 18, 2008, 09:41 PM »

My girlfriend's online retail business has a couple hundred photos. Most of them she took herself. They are showing up in other online retail stores. I want to add a subtle watermark to all of the images on her site.

I am looking for a program that will allow me to easily add a subtle transparent embossed watermark. I want to be able to tinker with it until it looks the way I want it to, and then apply it proportionally to a bunch of images. I want to be able to use a GUI to tweak it and then a batch mode to apply it to all images.

A search of these forums doesn't provide any candidates. The only thing that came close was picture-shark, but it only works with a fixed-size watermark.

I will try to find some examples that look like what I want our images to look like and add them to this thread.

Thanks, as always, for your help.

Added:
Just after I posted this, I remembered GiveAwayOfTheDay having something like this and did a search. I found Watermark Factory 2. I looks good, but it priced a bit steep for our needs at $150 (business license). I'm hoping there is something free or low(er) cost.

Added:
As I suspected, Googling for "Watermark Factory" would cause ad-words to pony up some competitors. :-) I found a business license of WinWatermark is only $50. I'm getting closer. ;-)

FOUND!!!
Bytescout Watermarking

294

General Software Discussion / Re: phraseexpress: how does it work?

« Last post by tinjaw on November 18, 2008, 08:56 PM »

If I type a word a few times, it still doesn't predict it.
It offers no predictions whatsoever.

-urlwolf (November 17, 2008, 12:46 PM)

Have you gotten an answer to this? I remember PE working out of the box for me when I tried it, oh, maybe a year ago.

Personally I use Typing Assistant. I purchased it over a year ago and recently upgraded to the latest version.

295

General Software Discussion / Re: [looking for] Custom questions revision software for windows mobile PPC

« Last post by tinjaw on November 18, 2008, 07:22 PM »

What problems are you having? Have you emailed their support folks?

296

General Software Discussion / Re: Windows Countdown Timer Showdown

« Last post by tinjaw on November 18, 2008, 03:49 PM »

I wish there was an application that would remind me to do something at certain times annoyingly like WorkRave.
For example, something that would annoy me to go to sleep early would be great .

Anyone knows anything like that?

-vitalyb (November 16, 2008, 03:16 PM)

I haven't used it, but I have this bookmarked.


http://www.dnsoft.be...c_shutdown/index.htm

297

General Software Discussion / Re: [looking for] Custom questions revision software for windows mobile PPC

« Last post by tinjaw on November 18, 2008, 03:28 PM »

For testing:

You answer the question in your mind then you hit the play button [>] to reveal the answer. If you got it correct, you click the green checkmark. If you got it wrong, you click the red 'X'. You go through all of the cards and it will grow a red bar from the left and a green bar from the right until they meet in the center.

In your case, if you want multiple choice, you will have to include the multiple answers with the question. Then have A, B, C, D... provided as the correct answer.

p.s. I suggest you don't study using multiple-choice answers. For anything. Just use the question and the correct answer. You will understand the topic better. With multiple choice, you might never learn the correct answer as you spend time and energy memorizing incorrect answers.

298

General Software Discussion / Re: [looking for] Custom questions revision software for windows mobile PPC

« Last post by tinjaw on November 18, 2008, 11:59 AM »

I use MCards and find it works well. It is freeware. It also uses Leitner’s system. (It has both an English and a German UI)



Additionally, I use FlashcardExchange when online. It also used the Leitner system.

299

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Intro

« Last post by tinjaw on November 14, 2008, 01:52 PM »

a yearly contribute to F/OSS thing too then

sounds like a good idea actually.

-mouser (November 14, 2008, 01:38 PM)

I second that.

I am not sure which is better: 1) Having it during summer recess for students or 2) half-way through the calendar year to balance out with NANY.

I am not sure if being on summer break will increase or decrease participation.

300

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Intro

« Last post by tinjaw on November 14, 2008, 09:09 AM »

Additionally, it wouldn't count if it was in Ruby.  Python progams get extra credit!