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3126

Living Room / Re: We Drove a Car While It Was Being Hacked

« Last post by MilesAhead on June 03, 2014, 03:00 PM »

Like last night the radio stopped working. pull over, twist three wires together behind the radio, tape it up, and rock out.

-SeraphimLabs (June 02, 2014, 12:20 PM)

I just remembered my father bought this old Toyota pickup truck.  I forget the year and model but it was a little 4 cylinder rear wheel drive.  The brake would go to the floor.  It needed a master cylinder.  I was a mechanic at that time.  I had rebuilt calipers and wheel cylinders but never a master cylinder.  At work we just ordered rebuilts from the parts house.  My dad asked me to rebuild it.  I suggested he not be so cheap and just buy the rebuilt.  But we decided to give it a try.  About $3.50 worth of O-rings, some brake fluid and fine emery paper was all it took.  That was a fun little truck.  I think he paid $150 for it.  Nowadays everything that used to be "used" is a "classic."  Picking something up for a song and fixing it is like a lost art. 

3127

Living Room / Re: We Drove a Car While It Was Being Hacked

« Last post by MilesAhead on June 03, 2014, 05:35 AM »

God damn cretins piss me off.

-Stoic Joker (June 02, 2014, 06:15 PM)

Just so I have it clear... would you recommend this product to your friends? 

Sometimes I wonder how many people driving around could even start their cars in the first place if not for the computer?  Used to be you needed at least a bit of feel, unless the car was finely tuned.  Now you can't even start the damn things with your foot on the accelerator.  So we are all in Park with parking break set, foot on the brake, in a car that's not running.  Next thing is Denver Boot before you can engage the starter.

Then these morons text while driving.  Apparently they can dual thumb messages expertly. 

3128

Living Room / Re: We Drove a Car While It Was Being Hacked

« Last post by MilesAhead on June 02, 2014, 05:29 PM »

Now them^ were the good old days!

My 2002 Dodge Dakota with all the EFI crap, close to the same size engine (5.9L), and a probably half the weight only gets 12 MPG. Last time it had an issue I had to go and get the error codes read to find out what was up its ass. And that diagnosis was clear as mud...It appears it could be 1 of 4 different $80 parts.

-Stoic Joker (June 02, 2014, 02:59 PM)

When I took my first diagnostic class on the way to becoming a mechanic the Chrysler Corp. line just went to the electronic ignition hybrid.  No computer yet, just electronic pickup in the distributor, dual ballast resister, and electronic voltage regulator.  I was working in a gas station during the day.  The boss was playing with this car that would catch, but as soon as you dropped the key, it would die.  Classic ballast resister behavior.  But the boss had his trusty test light telling him he had current across the resister.  My father was in Electronics and let me have one of his old multimeters.  I brought it into work and checked the resistance at the ballast resister stage that engaged during the normal running of the engine(after you dropped the key when staring.)  I think the spec was 5 Ohms.. something like that.  It showed 1/2 Million Ohms.  The boss was not happy.  But the next time the SnapOn Guy came in he bought a multimeter.   

What a half-assed system that was!  Nearly everyone just swapped out components until the car started.  The honest shops took out the unneeded ones and only charged for diagnosis and R&R of the necessary one.  It was even worse when they adopted that "lean burn" computerized crap.  It was a brilliant concept.  Generate waste heat deliberately.  Like start a small fire in your house to discourage the mosquitoes.  Crazy man!! 

3129

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Image Append - Batch

« Last post by MilesAhead on June 02, 2014, 05:41 AM »

Others may chime in.  I'm not very experienced with graphical editing.  But it's my impression Gimp may be designed for graphics manipulation more than most.  Also it's free.  While persuing this thread it may also be fruitful to search and post here:
www.gimptalk.com

Windows port:
www.gimpshop.com/gimp/?gclid=CPyr59GC274CFcEDOgodbkcACw

3130

General Software Discussion / Re: Forget about resume if Pale Moon crashes

« Last post by MilesAhead on June 02, 2014, 05:33 AM »

Perhaps it's because I'm using the 32-bit version of Pale Moon on my Win 7 64-bit computer, but I simply haven't had problems with downloading files of any size with DSB.  I don't even think about it, that's how unproblematic my experience has been.  (For a while, I had both the 32-bit and the 64-bit version of Pale Moon on the computer, using the 64-bit except when some software wanted the 32-bit.  I finally decided it was silly to have both, and I chose to keep the 32-bit, but I don't recall encountering any download problems while I was using the 64-bit version.)

-cyberdiva (June 01, 2014, 09:30 PM)

I believe you.  That's why I was unpleasantly surprised I suppose.  Usually if I get the faded look to Pale Moon I wait a couple of seconds and it catches up.  This particular time it just gave the dialog and closed.  Pretty weird.

I have had some weird things with DSB if I pause and try to resume later though.  If the next time I load the browser and click resume it doesn't make the connection, it's like saving the file.paart etc does me zero.  I tried feeding into FDM also.  Pretty strange it wouldn't pick up next time I could connect.  It just fills in the progressbar for the file and after that nothing can be done with it.  Pretty funky for a resume methodology it seems to me.    Like a David Letterman Weird Net Trick. 

3131

General Software Discussion / Re: Forget about resume if Pale Moon crashes

« Last post by MilesAhead on June 01, 2014, 07:24 PM »

Using Download Statusbar didn't help a wit.

-MilesAhead (June 01, 2014, 12:36 PM)

Yeah...Download Statusbar just shows the download information of your browser in a different format. It doesn't offer any download manager capabilities, but....you know that now.

-Innuendo (June 01, 2014, 06:48 PM)

The weird thing is it downloads as fast as FDM.  That seems peculiar but I tried it a bunch of times.  Oh well, it's more the instability of PM that was the problem.

Edit:  Likely it's because the WiFi provider is only allowing one connection.  When I was on a wired network FDM was worth using.

3132

General Software Discussion / Re: Forget about resume if Pale Moon crashes

« Last post by MilesAhead on June 01, 2014, 02:56 PM »

Got rid of Pale Moon and put on FF 29 32 bit as default.

Now FDM automatically is in use.  btw I like Theme Font and Size Changer.
https://addons.mozil...e-font-size-changer/

Having Tab and menu fonts in bold and a bit larger is much easier on the eyes. Also effects dialog box text.  Nice and simple.

Edit: The trouble with running Linux is, if nothing breaks there's nothing to fix.  Windows provides job security.   

3133

General Software Discussion / Re: Forget about resume if Pale Moon crashes

« Last post by MilesAhead on June 01, 2014, 01:43 PM »

and here's the wide-ass response...: use http://www.linuxmint...m/edition.php?id=158

I don't remember Pale Moon crashing, and I don't know how to make it do it at my command, so instead I restarted after 400MB of the 1.2GB Mint download. No problem, the download went on as if nothing had happened. Can I crash Pale Moon on purpose?

-Curt (June 01, 2014, 01:34 PM)

Evidently someone can.  I have FDM installed and used it for years.  But there was no speed improvement over DSB.  I just downloaded in FF Portable with no problem whatever.

I guess I should just go with 32 bit FF installed for default browser instead of being hung up on x64.  Every Mozilla FF x64 installer I tried the browser was a dog.

3134

Living Room / Re: Movies or films you've seen lately

« Last post by MilesAhead on June 01, 2014, 01:16 PM »

^^^ Just for the title alone Miami Dade Library should have a copy.  I love those plays on words.  According to their search though, he only has one short story in a compendium of African American Authors(wonder if they help out if you're stuck on the road?)  But seriously I think I saw this back in the day.  But likely edited for television.

He must have seen quite a bit the years he was stationed abroad.  Back in the old days when they installed governments to get the oil. 

3135

General Software Discussion / Forget about resume if Pale Moon crashes

« Last post by MilesAhead on June 01, 2014, 12:36 PM »

Subject line says it.  About a third through getting Mint 17 Pale Moon says it's not responding.  Window goes away and so does 400+ MB of download.  This is crap I'd expect from Windows 16 bit.  The more things don't really change...  

Using Download Statusbar didn't help a wit.

Edit:  Trying FF 27.0 portable with DSB.  See how it goes.

3136

Non-Windows Software / Re: LINUX: It's official - Mint 17 "Quina" released to distribution

« Last post by MilesAhead on June 01, 2014, 12:13 PM »

This time I'm downloading the x64 Mate version.  Just curious to see how it differs.

3137

Living Room / Re: We Drove a Car While It Was Being Hacked

« Last post by MilesAhead on June 01, 2014, 12:10 PM »

The last points and condenser car I owned was a 1990 Honda CRX.  A 3 speed automatic, it got about 30 MPG around town,  That car always ran great.  No fuel injection.  Everything nice and simple.  Only thing with that 1500 cc engine I made sure to have the timing belt replaced 10,000 miles ahead of schedule.  It was worth it for the piece of mind.  Other than that, a little water, a little oil, and a little fuel, and it was good to go.

3138

Living Room / Re: We Drove a Car While It Was Being Hacked

« Last post by MilesAhead on May 31, 2014, 12:39 PM »

These days the "OJ slow speed chase" would only last about 5 seconds as they kill the ignition and apply the brakes.  Of course the TV networks may lobby the cops in real time.  "Hey, you'll kill off our ratings unless you let the chase go on for at least 1/2 hour." 

3139

General Software Discussion / Re: Anyone using CherryTree for Windows, or Linux for that matter?

« Last post by MilesAhead on May 31, 2014, 11:58 AM »

I'll give Scapple a try.  I can't download on this particular WiFi.  But I should be able to get the trial later this afternoon.

3140

Site/Forum Features / Re: A Practical Guide to DonationCoder.com Forum Search

« Last post by MilesAhead on May 30, 2014, 01:14 PM »

What I find eating time is trying to find all my posts in a topic if any.  It seems a bit laborious to get the topic ID, then click into Advanced Search, then enter my user name, then try to figure out what term to search since '*' is not supported.

Seems like it would be a real time saver if there was a button at the top of all topics "List Your Posts."  It sure would beat Control f on every page in the topic. 

Especially if someone adds to a topic that's been around awhile.  It's pretty easy to forget if you already made the comment you want to make if the thread is a few months old. 

-MilesAhead (May 30, 2014, 12:54 PM)

Heh Talk about a Necro Thread!

The way I do it is "last posts by this person" because I don't care much about anything more than a few months old. : )

-TaoPhoenix (May 30, 2014, 01:12 PM)

It doesn't do it though.  It only gives an MRP list.  Most Recently Posted.  I don't see any  shortage of space whee another button wouldn't fit.

3141

Site/Forum Features / Re: A Practical Guide to DonationCoder.com Forum Search

« Last post by MilesAhead on May 30, 2014, 12:54 PM »

What I find eating time is trying to find all my posts in a topic if any.  It seems a bit laborious to get the topic ID, then click into Advanced Search, then enter my user name, then try to figure out what term to search since '*' is not supported.

Seems like it would be a real time saver if there was a button at the top of all topics "List Your Posts."  It sure would beat Control f on every page in the topic.  

Especially if someone adds to a topic that's been around awhile.  It's pretty easy to forget if you already made the comment you want to make if the thread is a few months old. 

3142

General Software Discussion / Re: Anyone using CherryTree for Windows, or Linux for that matter?

« Last post by MilesAhead on May 30, 2014, 05:18 AM »

I was messing around with TreePad Lite for awhile just because they published the file format.  But the Lite version doesn't do much other than text.  To go t a link you have to select and hit Control h or something.

I have to start doing something to get organized.  There may come a day when I'm able to do more than one thing in 24 hours.  So I need to avoid mixing the two things up. 

Circles and arrows and a paragraph linked to each one explainin' what each one wuz may help. 

3143

General Software Discussion / Re: Firefox Extensions: Your favorite or most useful

« Last post by MilesAhead on May 30, 2014, 05:13 AM »

Also works in FF 27.0 portable.  That "about:config" stuff is almost as undocumented as the Windows Registry. 

3144

General Software Discussion / Re: Firefox Extensions: Your favorite or most useful

« Last post by MilesAhead on May 29, 2014, 05:23 PM »

Not really an extension and many of you may be aware of it already, but I just found how to do it today.  Jump to the last tab that had the focus by pressing Control Tab.  Just set about:config
browser.ctrlTab.previews to True

I love it because I always do a google search using the context menu.  Then I forget which tab I was typing into.

3145

General Software Discussion / Re: Anyone using CherryTree for Windows, or Linux for that matter?

« Last post by MilesAhead on May 29, 2014, 05:04 PM »

Thanks for the replies. If it runs without seeming flaky then I'll give it a shot.  Especially since it looks like at some level I'm going to start playing around with Linux again. 

3146

Non-Windows Software / Re: Linux Glass

« Last post by MilesAhead on May 29, 2014, 03:15 PM »

It's my supposition that life expectancy rises as the square of the distance from people in the health care business in South Florida.  I'm sure there are honest well meaning people in it. But just like when you fix your car, the guy in the overalls may be honest, but the management may push pressure sales tactics.

If it ain't broke I don't want to fix it.
If they don't find anything wrong with you they run more tests.
As Curly Howard used to say "If at first you don't succeed, keep
on suckin' 'til you do suck seed." 

I've had enough of the health care business after taking care of parents with non curable ailments thank you.

3147

Non-Windows Software / Re: Linux Glass

« Last post by MilesAhead on May 29, 2014, 02:02 PM »

@MilesAhead - Are you diabetic by chance? Frequent changes in vision is an indicator of diabetes.

Please don't say unlucky things. 
I'm perfectly healthy if you don't count boredom as a malady. 

3148

Non-Windows Software / Re: Linux Glass

« Last post by MilesAhead on May 29, 2014, 01:34 PM »

I'd probably like the transparency for something that's only going to be showing for a short time.  Like if I hit Winkey pause to get at advanced features or whatnot.

I actually surf the net quite often in a W7 VM just because W8 is so lame.  I have the Big Muscle transparency mod to keep me sane.  But I don't get using drab and flat unless I'm on some really tight ram allowance.  Like running TurboVision on Dos or something.  

Edit: with my eyes I don't think glasses will help.  They keep changing their mind what's wrong with them.  I know if I went to an optometrist they would change right after (s)he wrote the prescription.    They're probably pissed because I don't let them stare at hot chicks as much as they want to. 

3149

General Software Discussion / Anyone using CherryTree for Windows, or Linux for that matter?

« Last post by MilesAhead on May 29, 2014, 01:28 PM »

I'm curious if anyone has experience with CherryTree.  I've tried a few of these universal note utilities and nothing has really grabbed me.

3150

Non-Windows Software / Re: Linux Glass

« Last post by MilesAhead on May 29, 2014, 05:24 AM »

Thanks for the info.