Recent Posts

3351

Living Room / Dumb question but ...

« Last post by MilesAhead on March 11, 2014, 08:38 AM »

Dumb question but I'm wondering why when I run Camera on my Laptop I get the same perspective as when I look in the mirror?  In other words, since it's video and not a mirror I would expect the display to show me as others see me, not reversed.  If I pick up my right hand and wave, it shows in the video as my "left hand" just as if it were a plain reflection.  Strikes me as strange.

3352

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Simple Application to set all tray icons to always hide

« Last post by MilesAhead on March 10, 2014, 02:59 PM »

I was a long holdout on windows XP, but after finally moving to windows 7, my advice is that the best solution to managing system tray is to migrate to Windows 7, which lets you choose which icons to show in system tray.

-mouser (March 01, 2014, 03:25 PM)

I wish they would enhance the interface a bit.  The only way to avoid clicking a drop down box per icon is to set them all on with the check box.  There should be an option "only hide the annoying preloaded bloatware icons" or something. 

3353

General Software Discussion / Re: Best (free?) Sandbox?

« Last post by MilesAhead on March 10, 2014, 12:56 PM »

Speak of the devil.  An update was released March 7:
http://www.toolwiz.c...e-freeze-change-log/


Edit:  I gave it a quick try.  I didn't notice anything different.  It's okay to have for free I suppose if I ever get a crazy impulse to surf in shark infested waters. 

3354

General Software Discussion / Re: Best (free?) Sandbox?

« Last post by MilesAhead on March 09, 2014, 07:51 AM »

^^ Thanks for the explanation + info. Very interesting.

-IainB (March 07, 2014, 05:42 PM)

Sure thing.  Maybe this will work better on a desktop.  But lately no matter how careful I am about shutting down, it seems to hose my Tray Icon settings and lose the toolbar.  Also now and then I notice a lag, then "unresponsive plugin" in Pale Moon.  It would be nice if it worked effortlessly.  But the added boot times and other side effects make it a distraction.  For now I'm disabling it.

3355

General Software Discussion / Re: Best (free?) Sandbox?

« Last post by MilesAhead on March 07, 2014, 08:58 AM »

@MilesAhead: Where you say:

"... when next time it comes up the program comes up enabled instead of requiring me to start it."

Could you be more precise please? Which program are you describing?
I am very interested in how you are getting along with ToolWiz Time Freeze. Depending on your experience, I may trial it myself.

-IainB (March 06, 2014, 07:36 PM)

I'm talking ToolWiz Time Freeze.  So far I like it.  One thing though, MBAM scans are slower with it enabled.  How I'm running it so far is to come up disabled in the tray.  I start it, then connect to WiFi etc..
If I want to do a scan or make an image backup I reboot.  It comes up disabled again.  Now I can do scans or whatever.  I have another partition for data.  I can just download to that without setting any exemptions.  It only protects the system partition.  When shutting down the Laptop I hold down shift to avoid sleep mode.  That way when I bring it up next time Time Freeze is in tray disabled again.  The boots aren't as fast as coming out of sleep.  But using Time Freeze is pretty much a no brainer.  I just accepted the defaults.

As I get used to it I will probably run fewer scans.  I guess I should run MBAM scans on the unprotected partition as well as the occasional quick scan.  So far when I've rebooted out of Time Freeze and done a scan with MBAM and SuperAntiSpyware everything has been clean.

Edit: The main confusion in using it so far for me is the shutdown.  If the program is active I need to hold shift on shutdown. If it is inactive in the tray I need to just click shutdown which is a form of sleep.  Like just awhile ago out of habit I shutdown holding shift.  When it came up my tray icons were all hidden.  I had to reset all the settings.  But as time goes on I should remember.  

Edit2: As I was getting accustomed to using Time Freeze it did come up active one time.  Clicking in the tray icon to turn it off was a pretty slow reboot.  That's one of the main reasons I have it start disabled.  But others may just choose to have it come up running.

3356

Living Room / Re: Evernote, the bug-ridden elephant.

« Last post by MilesAhead on March 06, 2014, 01:45 PM »

Speaking of Evernote, has anyone been able to download it?  I've been trying to download 5.20 for 3 days.  No matter what link I start with I end up with "waiting for cdn1.evernote.com"  and it just hangs.

Edit: One last try and I got it.  Not sure I want it.  But I am a bit curious.

Edit2:  After all that I downloaded into the folder on the system partition.  Which means it went into the ToolWiz Time Freeze shadow cache.  Unbelievable! 

3357

General Software Discussion / Re: Best (free?) Sandbox?

« Last post by MilesAhead on March 04, 2014, 04:40 PM »

I remember reading about SD awhile back.  I don't remember if I tried it though.  The technical write-up was impressive.  On the Laptop one "hazard" I'm running into is if I forget and do a fake shutdown (sleep) then next time it comes up the program comes up enabled instead of requiring me to start it.  I can either reboot or hold down shift during shutdown to get it to act as expected.

This slows down the boot up a bit.  Can't have everything I guess.  So far I haven't found any complaints about Time Freeze.  I'll run it a bit longer.  I don't like to use av "shield" software as it doesn't seem as smooth as just using the shadow mechanism.

When I had 2 desktop PCs I figured I could use the working machine to fix the broken one if one got hosed.  Now with just the Lappy I should be a bit more cautious. 

3358

General Software Discussion / Re: Best (free?) Sandbox?

« Last post by MilesAhead on March 04, 2014, 02:29 PM »

-  Applications that don't need to reboot - 'Toolwiz Time Freeze' is an excellent choice.

I'm just trying this out now.  For what it's worth, it seems to run as advertised on my Windows 8 x64 Laptop.  I just tried a simple test.  Download a file to desktop, then reboot.  File was gone after logon.   Seems nice and simple.

Only thing with these Returnil type utilities I absently tweak things, then remember changes are discarded.  Supposedly if you quit the app from the tray the changes are kept though.

3359

General Software Discussion / Re: Firefox Portable back off minor updates?

« Last post by MilesAhead on March 03, 2014, 02:08 PM »

I found 27.0 portable and managed to overwrite stuff. I have 27.0 back and Password Dialog Begone seems to work.  Anyway I made a post on PortableApps forum bitching about them pulling the .0s as soon as they have a .01.  Especially with FF it's a royal pita.   

3360

General Software Discussion / Firefox Portable back off minor updates?

« Last post by MilesAhead on March 03, 2014, 01:06 PM »

For some reason sites like PortableApps.com when they update Firefox 27.0 to 27.01 then obliterate the link to 27.0.  Now I find Password Dialog Begone that worked in 27.0 does not work in 27.01.  But now I'm in a hunt for the 27.0.  I don't know why there isn't an "undo last update" button on these by now.   

3361

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

« Last post by MilesAhead on March 02, 2014, 11:25 AM »

The Guard

I think I mentioned this flick in another thread.  But I enjoyed this film quite a bit.  It's in English.  You may want to watch with the English subs on though.  The humor is all in the dialog.

3362

General Software Discussion / Re: XP to Windows 7 advice

« Last post by MilesAhead on March 02, 2014, 11:03 AM »

I don't know about the Office programs installing.  But I'd say if you have 2+ GB Ram you should run W7 fine.  Thunderbird should be no issue.  In fact I tried updating to the new TB awhile ago.  I saw no need for multi-tab interface.  I returned to the 2.x version as it was essentially the same without the tabbed interface.  TB should just import all your settings and mail folders.

The only annoying thing for me with W7 was the snap stuff.  If the mouse gets near a border while dragging it resizes etc..  But that can be disabled.  The progress bar in taskbar button stuff is great.  You don't have to worry about which window is on top if something is downloading etc..  I find it way more polished than W8.

3363

General Software Discussion / Re: Software longevity

« Last post by MilesAhead on March 02, 2014, 08:56 AM »

I haven't used it in a while, but in the past I used a separate standalone machine with little important data just to mess around with stuff like that.

I agree. Too often I've parked perfectly working PCs on the curb just for lack of room.  Next time I want to do it right with large benches.  Nothing on the floor.  Network the oldest PCs, perhaps running Linux, instead of trashing them.

My setup was 2 PCs on the floor and a small table with CRT and keyboard/mouse with kvma switch.  Usually one PC was running with internet access to bail me out of problems or new PC setup on the other.  Now with just a Lappy I don't want to take any risks.

3364

General Software Discussion / Re: Software longevity

« Last post by MilesAhead on March 02, 2014, 07:39 AM »

If you want I can sent you a WinAmp v1.91 installer that actually comes from 1998...which still works fine on Windows 7 (I tried it myself).

About 600Kbyte of goodness 

-Shades (March 01, 2014, 01:39 PM)

Sounds like it would be fun to try. 

-MilesAhead (March 01, 2014, 04:05 PM)

No thanks! Putting my system at risk is not my idea of fun. All of those old versions have exploitable security vulnerabilities...lots of them. 

-app103 (March 01, 2014, 11:47 PM)

But is any kiddie hacker old enough to remember them? 
You could always run it using Time Freeze or some other sandbox, for grins.

3365

General Software Discussion / Re: Software longevity

« Last post by MilesAhead on March 01, 2014, 04:05 PM »

If you want I can sent you a WinAmp v1.91 installer that actually comes from 1998...which still works fine on Windows 7 (I tried it myself).

About 600Kbyte of goodness 

-Shades (March 01, 2014, 01:39 PM)

Sounds like it would be fun to try. 

3366

General Software Discussion / Re: Software longevity

« Last post by MilesAhead on March 01, 2014, 12:21 PM »

The programs I can recall using the longest would be WinAmp, ERUNT, FreeCommander and EditPad Lite.  For programming, various versions of Delphi, and various Visual Studio versions since 6.  VB, C++, C# etc..

Of all the above I remember getting WinAmp first.  I'd say it goes back the farthest for me.

I'll leave out browsers because I've jumped around with those quite a bit.  For email I used Pegasus forever until I bit the bullet and accepted the fact people are going to stick html in their email.  Then I moved to Thunderbird. 

3367

General Software Discussion / Re: Clever color folder

« Last post by MilesAhead on February 27, 2014, 02:04 PM »

This was suggested before.  Skwire already wrote up a utility:
https://www.donation...ex.php?topic=28447.0

3368

General Software Discussion / Download Button should dowload the software not push some product

« Last post by MilesAhead on February 25, 2014, 10:24 AM »

Download Button should dowload the software not push some product.  It's getting to be on every page now.  You search some software, like SomeCoolFreeProgram, read the description and requirements.  You decide it's worth a try and push the Download Button.  Instead you get Free Gimmicky Fake Malware Scanner in the download.

Can we outlaw this crap?  It's driving me mad.   

3369

General Software Discussion / Re: Book Tracking

« Last post by MilesAhead on February 24, 2014, 03:33 PM »

@nickodemos I would post on the Coding Snacks.  It sounds like something Skwire may be interested in implementing.

3370

General Software Discussion / Re: create a new entry in the main contextual menu : a new txt file

« Last post by MilesAhead on February 23, 2014, 04:36 PM »

Ejem. The concept is clear after analyze. Applying
 

-Contro (February 23, 2014, 01:15 PM)

You don't have to go the macro route.  But I figured the mechanism is there and you don't have to mess with temp filename stuff.  Plus newer versions of Windows are finicky about creating files.  You could use a program that just calls CreateFile() but it may need to be run as administrator.

3371

General Software Discussion / Re: create a new entry in the main contextual menu : a new txt file

« Last post by MilesAhead on February 23, 2014, 11:36 AM »

This ahk should do it.

[Select]

Sendmode,input
Click,Right
Send,w
Sleep,200
Send,t

Compile it to exe.. maybe NewTextFile.exe.
In RegEdit go to
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell
create a key
New Text File
under that create a key
command

for default value put path to NewTextFile.exe
example C:\Utils\NewTextFile.exe

Since there is no window it should not block the mouse.  It's just a macro to right click to open menu, then sends 'w' and then 't'  the system does the rest.  It's just opening the New submenu.

3372

Living Room / Re: Why my Win7 suddenly goes amnesiac?

« Last post by MilesAhead on February 23, 2014, 10:53 AM »

You might find this useful:
Take Ownership Context Menu Shortcut

3373

General Software Discussion / Re: create a new entry in the main contextual menu : a new txt file

« Last post by MilesAhead on February 23, 2014, 09:00 AM »

Ok.  After the text file is created do you want to open it in an editor or just double click to open?

3374

General Software Discussion / Re: create a new entry in the main contextual menu : a new txt file

« Last post by MilesAhead on February 23, 2014, 08:49 AM »

Ok.  Let me get it straight.  You right click an empty space on desktop or folder and the command is in the menu?  Or you right click on a file and the command is there?  It would seem more logical to do the former if making new files.

3375

Living Room / Re: Why my Win7 suddenly goes amnesiac?

« Last post by MilesAhead on February 23, 2014, 08:04 AM »

I don't remember having that issue in W7.  But I don't drag urls on often.  I had my UAC slider all the way down though.  I believe I took ownership of the Program Files trees in W7 as I have in W8.  Otherwise it just hampers me too much.