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3051

General Software Discussion / Re: slideshow to dvd making

« Last post by rjbull on January 05, 2006, 05:25 AM »

I tend to avoid anything made by Microsoft, even if it's "free," simply because it's Microsoft.  The point about buying Ulead is well made.

Is IrfanView on its own not up to the job?  I don't think it can burn DVDs directly but assume most people will have freestanding software for that anyway.

3052

General Software Discussion / Re: slideshow to dvd making

« Last post by rjbull on January 05, 2006, 04:57 AM »

The Royal Photographic Society's Colour Group has just distributed its annual exhibition CD-ROM (I have not looked at this) made with Pictures-to-Exe;

PicturesToExe has simple and intuitive interface, so creating of a presentation is very easy. All you have to do is choose some pictures (in JPG, GIF or BMP format). PicturesToExe will produce single EXE file, which contains all images inside. No additional programs (including PicturesToExe itself) are needed to run resulting presentation - only that stand-alone EXE file. And it will work under Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, 2000 and XP. If your demands are a bit higher, PicturesToExe allows you to make much more attractive presentations, than simply changing slides. You can customize each slide by specifying background color or picture, adding comments, sounds, objects. Moreover, it's possible to use different cinematographic transition effects between slides, add background music (in MP3, WAV or MIDI format). And ability to exactly synchronize show of slides to music, placing points on the time-line. If it is necessary, you are able to protect your presentation by password and assign expiration date. Presentations can be automatic (by timer) or controlled manually, run once or continuously. If you prefer, you can create SCR files (instead of EXE), and use your presentations as a standard Windows screen savers. Ability to prepare DVD-Video disc. The program has multi-language interface (19 languages are supported now).

More here  http://www.wnsoft.com/apr/index.html

Various registration options from $24 for private, non-commercial use up to $59 for corporate use.

3053

General Software Discussion / Re: Free Anti-phishing toolbar for Internet Explorer

« Last post by rjbull on January 05, 2006, 04:36 AM »

I couldn't easily see the cost from their Web site, but the PC Magazine link they have said its $39.9x per year.  I'd prefer a cheaper alternative that supported other browsers...

3054

Official Announcements / Re: Change to Official License Key Policy

« Last post by rjbull on January 03, 2006, 04:16 AM »

Google adsense?  EGG DONORS?

<sigh>

3055

Official Announcements / Re: Change to Official License Key Policy

« Last post by rjbull on December 22, 2005, 04:17 AM »

They believe that software should be free, 100%, always, forever as in Free Beer and Freedom of speech.

-cembree (December 21, 2005, 07:35 PM)

Strikes me the people in alt.comp.freeware only believe in free beer.  In all their whining, I never noticed anything about free speech, i.e. source code availability.

3056

Find And Run Robot / What's the correct abbreviation?

« Last post by rjbull on December 21, 2005, 03:53 AM »

Mouser,

Is there an official abbreviation of Find&RunRobot's name?  I've seen it written FARR, FaRR, F&RR, f+r, etc.

Just wondering...  the more so if the forum software's search feature is global, in which case using the "wrong" abbreviation might not retrieve what you were looking for.

3057

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: My new favorite pen

« Last post by rjbull on December 20, 2005, 03:49 AM »

I use fountain pens too, but I'm in the cheap-pen camp.  This is partly because of cost/loss/breakage/theft, of course, but only partly.  The other part; it seems to me that the pen/pencil you write best with is the one that wants to help you write, so in my case, I want a barrel that's not too thin in a pen that's light in the hand, and not cold to the touch.  That rules out most quality fountain pens because they're often metal and therefore heavy.  My current choice in fountain pens is the Sheaffer No-Nonsense range, which meet the above criteria and seem to have pretty good nibs.  The latest bottle of their black ink isn't to my mind as good as the last one, though.  Meanwhile, I keep casting sheep's eyes at Lamy pens.  They look very modern, but have what look like very ergonomic barrels.  I see the author Garth Nix now uses Waterman fountain pens to write his fantasy novels:  http://members.ozema...arthnix/writing.html
He adds some notes on why he likes to write in longhand.

3058

Post New Requests Here / Re: auto website loginer

« Last post by rjbull on December 14, 2005, 05:29 AM »

Why is Roboform so much better than the Saved Passwords system in Mozilla Firefox, or a freestanding thing like KeePass?

I still have lots of little-used ones stored in Passpack though I have to remember to switch ClipCache off before I use it.  KeePass avoids sending clips, and with Firefox they're irrelevant.

3059

Post New Requests Here / Re: auto website loginer

« Last post by rjbull on December 14, 2005, 04:03 AM »

I haven't tried Roboform, but took a quick look at the Roboform site a while back.  They seem to try so hard to entice you with add-on desirable doodads that you could easily spend $70.

3060

Find And Run Robot / Re: TalkAboutShareware thread

« Last post by rjbull on December 12, 2005, 06:09 AM »

Thanks, Mouser - you're too good for this world    Forget postcards, we should send you extra-virgin beeswax to buff up your halo...

3061

Official Announcements / Re: Change to Official License Key Policy

« Last post by rjbull on December 12, 2005, 03:57 AM »

Minor point you haven't made yet - anyone who is a committed user of one of your programs would probably want to come back at six-monthly intervals anyway, in case there's an updated version?

3062

Find And Run Robot / Re: TalkAboutShareware thread

« Last post by rjbull on December 12, 2005, 03:42 AM »

I'm truly sorry I started this, though I suppose someone had to draw attention to the alt.comp.freeware thread.

Was reading "Survivor" last night, an SF story by Charles Stross.  Found this apposite:

They're pigs in cyberspace, wallowing happily in the mudbath of their own limited cognitive bandwidth.

3063

Find And Run Robot / Re: TalkAboutShareware thread

« Last post by rjbull on December 09, 2005, 11:19 AM »

Whew, what a futile firestorm from greedy people.  I suppose now I can see the suspicions.  It's certainly right to put the full license details on the front page - that's one of the good things about DoubleKiller, Jan put license and price details where you can see them before downloading.  So many shareware programs make you click the "Buy Now" link before you can see how much they cost.

I see Azzman got a free key from you, so that should show your "bona fides" to people who haven't been here.  Of course, maybe you'll get so many requests that you'll have to change the system...

3064

Find And Run Robot / Re: TalkAboutShareware thread

« Last post by rjbull on December 09, 2005, 05:54 AM »

Mouser,

Most of these people are shameless parasites, but part of the problem may be that the donation concept is new.  How's this post as a start towards a succinct definition?

Mouser's idea of Donationware -requests- money, but does not -require- it.

Shareware -absolutely- requires money, often with threat of legal action.

Mouser seems to have hit on a new paradigm between freeware and shareware.  OK, I see that the nature of the "requests" irritates some people, but they still don't have to pay anything, and payment's what I take to be the prime criterion for shareware or commercial software.
[\quote]

3065

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: My new favorite pen

« Last post by rjbull on December 09, 2005, 04:11 AM »

Personally I'd swear by my Fisher space pen.  Pros: Small and light in the pocket, writes on almost anything (whilst upside down!), looks good and has a
http://www.spacepen.com/usa/index2.htm

-Sentinel (August 07, 2005, 07:09 AM)

I can't remember where I saw this - maybe the fisher Web site - but it is/was possible to obtain Fisher space-pen refills that fit other brands of barrel, like Papermate or Parker.

3066

Find And Run Robot / TalkAboutShareware thread

« Last post by rjbull on December 08, 2005, 04:10 AM »

Mouser,

TalkAboutShareware has had a thread on FARR and equivalents in the last couple of days, with several sour comments about the licensing, as if some people think they have a moral right to have free software.  You and others might like to put them to rights...

3067

General Software Discussion / Re: Managing Favourites

« Last post by rjbull on December 07, 2005, 04:49 AM »

In his "smallwares" list, MarkTAW notes that he used to use Powermarks, but now uses a Wiki instead:
http://www.marktaw.c...voriteSmallware.html

but keeping annotated bookmarks on your own PC (and preferably on something you can carry about on a USB stick) is still very appealing.

3068

Best Dialog Extender / Re: Review updated: File-Ex added to best-in-class list (and discount avail.)

« Last post by rjbull on December 06, 2005, 05:48 AM »

Mouser,

Just to add to the spreading haze, I think the "response to Nudone's blog" thread mentions several more programs in this category that weren't included in the review;  e.g.  Nutty's post https://www.donation...=506.msg3333#msg3333
which mentions Folder View (freeware)

3069

Best Dialog Extender / Re: Review updated: File-Ex added to best-in-class list

« Last post by rjbull on December 05, 2005, 07:57 AM »

Mouser,

Nothing against File-Ex,  but aren't there rather a lot of "best-in-class" given that it's a pretty small class?

3070

General Software Discussion / Re: IBasic Professional - A Fantastic Bargain

« Last post by rjbull on December 05, 2005, 03:40 AM »

Until the end of the year, you can buy the complete package for $24.99, which

-mrainey (December 04, 2005, 02:22 PM)

I don't see that on their Web site, only Standard at $14.99 and Pro 1.3 at $49.99.  Discount discontinued?

3071

General Software Discussion / Re: Living without AutoHotkey - possible?

« Last post by rjbull on November 29, 2005, 08:30 AM »

Millions of people should not use AutoHotkey!

...too bad billions aren't.

-brotherS (November 26, 2005, 02:43 PM)

Shouting downsized...  <bewildered> what was all that about?

What's the best way to get started with AutoHotKey?  Is the Yahoo! Groups forum worthwhile?

3072

General Software Discussion / Re: Recommend directory tracker?

« Last post by rjbull on November 24, 2005, 04:42 AM »

I really, really need a clean list of filenames to use in another process, so it looks like I'll have to go the roll-your-own route with DIR and batch files, or perhaps Horst Schaeffer's CRCtool and batch files.  Horst makes good software.

http://home.mnet-online.de/horst.muc/

3073

General Software Discussion / Recommend directory tracker?

« Last post by rjbull on November 23, 2005, 11:17 AM »

Also posted in TalkAboutShareware;

Can anyone recommend a directory tracker, please?  I mean something that will take a snapshot of a directory now, then at a later date, compare it with a new snapshot, and show what's changed.  In particular I want it to give a clean listing of new and/or changed files, which disqualifies 2BrightSparks' FingerPrint utility, good though it is for other purposes.  Really, LFNs are needed too, which disqualifies certain old DOS programs.

I know, I know...  I suppose I could make one by redirecting DIR to a file, then using a DIFF utility...  but does a neat solution already exist?

(Mouser, is this the right area for this kind of question?)

3074

Best Dialog Extender / Folder View crash-prone?

« Last post by rjbull on November 23, 2005, 03:51 AM »

and don't feel shy about testing out tools and giving me your thoughts.

-mouser (November 22, 2005, 05:54 AM)

FWIW, I briefly looked at Folder View.  It crashed/hung my system so badly I had to promptly remove it again.  This might be an issue with this particular machine.  It's a Win2000 at work, and partially crippled by the IT Dept. on grounds of "security."  No direct access to CMD.EXE, for example, and some programs can't even "see" the C: drive because IT Dept. expect you to save everything directly on the server.

I've partially got round the need for a folder box extender by using <ahem> Total Commander.  TC has built-in "macros."  I have one attached to a button.  With the cursor on a file, or a directory, I click the button, and it sends the full UNC path+name to the clipboard.  If whatever program I'm using has a standard dialog box, I can paste it in and go straight to the file.

Neither Agent Ransack nor Bulk Rename Utility (BRU) seem to have standard dialog boxes, just dropdown lists of visible drives to pick from.   That means that, combined with the "invisible C: drive" problem noted above, I can't use either of them.

(Later) I should have added a link etc. for Folder View, which I originally heard of on Nudone's blog.  Quoting him:

Folder View  http://www.folderview.com/folderview/  is freeware, and enhances Explorer in several useful ways to help find often-used folders easier.  It's very configurable, and I've found it quite useful once I got used to it.

3075

Best Dialog Extender / "Rebound" to last file

« Last post by rjbull on November 22, 2005, 05:51 AM »

Direct Folders has this feature:

It "rebounds" back to the last item that you opened in a folder. You no longer have to browse through the file listing for a particular document you were working on before - the list scrolls to the last opened file.

That would be important to me.  If, for example, you need to use Acrobat Reader to print a long series of files, you wouldn't lose your place, and either miss files or repeat them.

Will the presence or absence of this feature be noted in the reviews, please?