Recent Posts

3476

General Software Discussion / Re: eBook Reader alternate to Acrobat?

« Last post by app103 on March 06, 2009, 11:37 AM »

Foxit Reader doesn't do that and you can use the portable version if you'd like, just to make sure.

3477

General Software Discussion / Re: Another Curve-ball For You Guys!

« Last post by app103 on March 06, 2009, 10:25 AM »

I used to use an application specific to ebooks called My Ebook Library, but the developer and his site have disappeared and I can't install it on my new PC and add my books.

It's an ebook library management and cataloging application that has the ability to look up info online based on the book's ISBN, and can rename files according to the correct name of the book and its author. The application made you find the ISBN yourself, either within the book or on amazon.com, and then it would pull the rest of the info from the developer's cached database (which is now gone).

Since then, another developer, that was also a user and lover of the same software, has decided to recreate its functionality (and then some) in his own application.

His is supposed to have the ability to automatically scan the books to find the ISBN contained within the books themselves, and then pull the additional data directly from amazon, thereby making it that much better. (it also has backup/import/export options the original didn't have)

I have not tried his app, but I may plan on it at some point. I am just waiting till he finishes it first.

His alpha/beta/whatever it is, is currently free, but he plans on charging for it once it's finished. That's why I am waiting. I don't want to try it, fall in love with it and get hit with a surprise price tag that I can't afford, when the final version is released.

But if you would like to give it a try, it's called Home Library

3478

General Software Discussion / Re: eBook Reader alternate to Acrobat?

« Last post by app103 on March 06, 2009, 09:52 AM »

The toolbars are optional. I certainly don't have them and won't add them.

3479

General Software Discussion / Re: djvu files?

« Last post by app103 on March 06, 2009, 07:33 AM »

I have been using WinDjView. It's quite nice. Kind of feels like a PDF reader.

3480

General Software Discussion / Re: Acrobat bug can lead to malware installs without even opening an infected file

« Last post by app103 on March 06, 2009, 04:31 AM »

it turns out that, due to how the bug is integrated into the software, it's possible for malware authors to still get into your system, even if you never actually open an infected file.

The bug affects only Windows computers running Acrobat version 7 or later. Because the program doesn't correctly read PDF files containing a certain type of compressed image, a specially-crafted PDF can at once crash Acrobat and inject its own code into the system, beginning a malware installation.

i wonder if Foxit is also affected by this bug.

-lanux128 (March 06, 2009, 03:50 AM)

I believe this is the thumbnails that Adobe Reader displays in Explorer, which Foxit doesn't. So you could be safe from this, unless it also affects the other data displayed such as author & title.

Without Adobe Reader on your system (I uninstalled it awhile back because I got totally fed up) Foxit doesn't display pretty little image thumbnails of PDF files. You get the default Foxit icon and nothing more.

With Adobe Reader on your system, even though Foxit is your default reader, you still get those pretty exploitable thumbnail images in PDF files showing in Explorer.

Something similar happened awhile back with HTML thumbnails, and this is why you don't see them in Explorer any more. Microsoft removed the ability to render thumbnails of html pages located on your hard drive with one of the service packs in Win2k, and XP SP2. The only versions of Windows still able to render HTML thumbnails in Explorer is 2k & XP that hasn't been updated and Win9x.

Incidentally, there are other applications using Adobe's PDF technology, including their thumbnail rendering stuff...namely digital magazine & textbook readers that have licensed the technology from Adobe, like Zinio Reader (Adobe Reader on steroids, with special DRM stuff). So even if you uninstall Adobe Reader from your system, if you have Zinio installed for automatic delivery and ability to read your magazines & textbooks offline, it's quite possible that you could still be vulnerable. So if you get magazines from Zinio, it might be in your best interest to uninstall their reader and use their web reader to read your magazines online. (I am not about to install their huge bloated reader to test if it restores the pdf thumbnails in Explorer, or just their magazine thumbnails)

If you have textbooks from Zinio, I am not sure if they allow online viewing of those, so I don't know what to suggest for you to do.

I am starting to get suspicious of anything that can render thumbnails of images in Explorer, because I think the vulnerability has it's roots in Explorer itself. I am wondering if I should turn off Explorer thumbnails in Paintshop Pro (for .psp & .tub files), before someone figures out how to exploit that too.

3481

Site/Forum Features / Re: Dc Member Blog Idea - Feedback Requested

« Last post by app103 on March 05, 2009, 05:50 AM »

I still like the idea of your blog mod and giving everyone their own blog page, which can be combined to create a members mega-blog (or have editors that can pick & choose posts for it), as well as act as mini-websites for coding snacks authors where they can display all the threads about their applications.

I believe this is the perfect extension of user profiles.

3482

Living Room / Re: resuscitating old PC cases

« Last post by app103 on March 04, 2009, 04:42 PM »

More fascinating than the fact it works, is why it works. Great reading on that site.

This will probably work on more than just computer parts & cases. Probably on any white/gray plastics from that era that have discolored and become yellow/brown.

I'll have to wait till summer and look around for some yellowed plastic to try it out on and see.

Now if only someone could figure out how to reverse the brittling of plastic that has been exposed to too much UV light (like the externally facing plastic grill cover on a window fan)

3483

Developer's Corner / Re: Want to develop the greatest alarm clock software of all time.

« Last post by app103 on March 04, 2009, 08:31 AM »

Hi,Are there alarm clocks that do not have annoying or jarring sounds that jolt a person awake?

-MarshallOrtiz (March 03, 2009, 01:41 PM)

There are a great many alarm applications that allow the user to set their own sounds, and as long as you have a file you prefer, you can use it. It usually just has to be in the correct format (some need wav, some mp3, some will use either)

3484

Living Room / Re: The Making of The Petaminx - Rubik's Cube Cubed and Made by Insane People

« Last post by app103 on March 04, 2009, 07:59 AM »

holy crap! I can't even solve the regular 3x3x3 cube. I would hate to try solving that one

-nite_monkey (March 03, 2009, 06:44 PM)

I can handle 3x3x3, except for the final 2-3 blocks sometimes, same with 4x4x4 or theoretically 20x20x20 or 100x100x100 (I still would only have troubles with those last 2-3 blocks)...

But when you get into a shape like this puzzle is, I completely lose my abilities for 3 dimensional thought. 

3485

Living Room / Re: Twitpay.me comes out of beta and is live - send people money via twitter

« Last post by app103 on March 04, 2009, 06:47 AM »

It's very similar to tipjoy, which also has a twitter payment option.

It's up to the person sending the promise to make good on it, and up to the one the page belongs to, to claim it once they do. Tipjoy sends you an email to remind you to pay, once the amount you have donated reaches $5. (you still have no legally binding obligation to pay it though). If you don't pay, the people you tipped can't receive the funds.

The main difference between the 2 services is that tipjoy allows tipping on any website or blog...not just twitter. And you can tip anyone...not just people with tipjoy accounts or those having buttons on their site. One could create their tipjoy account and register their sites and find money there waiting for them already.

3486

Site/Forum Features / Re: Dc Member Blog Idea - Feedback Requested

« Last post by app103 on March 04, 2009, 06:28 AM »

I think revisiting this idea might be a better one...and members could post direct to their page through their personal area...and the posts from these individual blogs not already appearing as regular forum posts (placed in a special member blog section of forum, instead) could optionally be combined (if the member opts in) to a big blog page of member posts, separate from the main DC blog....or if it's a really great post that would be of interest to all, pushed to the main blog, as well.

This would also give others the option to subscribe to just an individual member's blog, or the whole thing.

3487

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Google Translator Tray App

« Last post by app103 on March 04, 2009, 03:01 AM »

That is actually what I had planned for Fried Babelfish, some day.

3488

Post New Requests Here / Re: REQ - Tiny taskbar clock for secondary screen

« Last post by app103 on March 03, 2009, 07:05 PM »

I keep my taskbar hidden, so I wouldn't normally have a clock onscreen at all, and I am a real clock nut. This is why I made the original DClock and I kept it located at the top of my screen.

Since DClock2 can't work on a 2nd monitor, I would still recommend the original one that I mentioned before. It might not look the same as your taskbar clock, but you can locate it anywhere on the screen that you want...and it's small.

I think the blue on white one would look nice with your particular desktop.

I hope you did not put too much effort in.
BTW: I made a donation, not much, cos I'm just a student and I can't afford 38 dollars.

-Coeluh (March 03, 2009, 05:35 PM)

Don't worry about it. Most of the complicated stuff was code recycled from another project. And I am sure someone will find a use for it, even if you can't.

And don't worry about how much you can afford to donate. The fact you donated at all makes you much more generous than most. Thank you.

3489

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by app103 on March 03, 2009, 09:56 AM »

A Completely Unscientific (Yet Accurate) Look at Social Sites

 

3490

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by app103 on March 03, 2009, 09:48 AM »

If you don't get it, see here and here.

3491

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by app103 on March 02, 2009, 04:26 PM »

Now i'm seriously concerned about the economy.

-Shook (March 02, 2009, 04:08 PM)

Gosh, I wonder which datatypes the Vista sidebar translator uses... I knew the inflation was pretty bad, but getting overflow? Woop.

-f0dder (March 02, 2009, 04:12 PM)

Zimbabwe had an official inflation rate of 231,000,000% in July 2008.



$100 000 000 000 banknote with three eggs, a sample of what it could purchase on 2008-07-21, its release date

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Zimbabwean_dollar
http://en.wikipedia....nflation_in_Zimbabwe

3492

Official Announcements / Re: MARCH 2009: It's the 4th Anniversary DonationCoder.com Fundraiser

« Last post by app103 on March 02, 2009, 10:39 AM »

Aniversary

Good luck, and maybe you'll need it...:
 (see attachment in previous post)
 

-TucknDar (March 02, 2009, 06:38 AM)

mouser's probably hoping you'll contribute once per anum.

-cranioscopical (March 02, 2009, 07:42 AM)

mouser is just being frugal.

Times are tough. Extra N's are expensive.

3493

Living Room / Re: Another Silly Meme: Put your music player on shuffle!

« Last post by app103 on March 01, 2009, 05:12 AM »

Everything on my current playlist are all free downloads from last.fm, so if you want to hear it, click the links. Some is really great stuff, some is crap that I will soon delete, but hey...it's all free! 

I am not going to interpret these...I'll let you do that. 

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
T-sonic - IF x$="" THEN @start ELSE END ENDIF

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Benjamin Ann - Heavy Machinery And Fine Mechanics

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
All Angels Gone - Stephen H.
(As in Stephen Hawking)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
The Starving Time - Overcorrection Into Oncoming Traffic

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
California Guitar Trio - Echoes

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
tale of diffusion - arab

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Scraps of Tape - Hands Are Tied

WHAT IS 2+2?
Markus Pitzer - Sleep Satellite

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Nezumi - Rozmowa

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Mike Eubanks - Where's My Banjo

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Radius System - Far From Truth

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Vision Tunel - malditos

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Brokenkites - We The Nameless

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Killflavour - the one, the rat, the snake (aka mandingo 11)

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
t_error 404 - Phantom Eyes [Your Eyes Version]

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Nezumi - Nowhere

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Josh Woodward - The Bottom

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Tom Fahy - The Hidden Tax

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Final Light - Epilogue - I Know Now Why You Cry

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Mesh Gear Fox - Stage Fills

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Secret Garden Project - Spanish trilogy

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Push Sophia - Gold Medal

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
A Troop of Echoes - Dr. Andronickus

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
T-sonic - Singularity

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Moya - Die Hard

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Forrest Fang - Birds Fly Into The Sun

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Josh Woodward - The Parade

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
wecollectskies - We Collect Skies

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Flint Blade - My Favorite Things

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
The Nothingdoers - Things We Should Forget

3494

Post New Requests Here / Re: REQ - Tiny taskbar clock for secondary screen

« Last post by app103 on March 01, 2009, 02:36 AM »

I hope this is what you meant:

IE Clock:

This is a deskbar/IE Toolbar that will display the current date & time on an extra toobar you have on your desktop, in IE (time only), and in Explorer windows (time only).

After installing, right click your toolbar, Explorer bar, or IE bar, and select "Clock". If you don't see it listed, wait a few seconds and check the menu again.



This is what it looks like on a classic toolbar:



What it looks like in IE:



What it looks like in Explorer:



It does support themes, providing you don't use it on your main taskbar. The taskbar already has all of this information, so it would be a bit silly to use it there.

I don't know how well it will work with specialty theming packages like Window Blinds, so if you test it with that, please let me know the results.

Download it from here.

3495

General Software Discussion / Re: Open File Security Warning (Firefox)

« Last post by app103 on February 26, 2009, 06:40 PM »

Mind telling me which search string you used, oh google-fu master?

-f0dder (February 26, 2009, 08:56 AM)

firefox run program warning downloads (I also have it set to show 100 results per page, found it at #31)

3496

General Software Discussion / Re: Open File Security Warning (Firefox)

« Last post by app103 on February 26, 2009, 08:22 AM »

Some day I'll get to earn a living doing Google searches. 

http://blog.case.edu...aded_with_firefox_30

3497

N.A.N.Y. 2009 / Re: NANY 2009 Release: Trout (audio player)

« Last post by app103 on February 23, 2009, 12:16 AM »

    + Added a "Remove track after playback" option to the View menu.  This will make Trout act
      in a sort of queue mode.  [Thanks, app103]

-skwire (February 22, 2009, 09:48 AM)

Yes, thanks app, and thanks skwire for adding it! I can see this might come in handy.

-brotherS (February 22, 2009, 10:43 AM)

This is a playlist style I have only seen in lala.com's online player and I really liked it. It turns the playlist into a queue. As I acquire new files I just add them to the list and they will eventually get played without me having to fuss with it or wondering "have I heard that yet?".

But what makes this better than lala's queue is that Trout lets you load more than 50 files, so I can throw my whole collection on it to start with, and just let it go till it's empty, and then repeat (if it ever actually gets empty).

3498

General Software Discussion / Re: What's your mouse of choice?

« Last post by app103 on February 22, 2009, 10:43 PM »

As I said, the newer model (v3 released in 2007) has detents on the wheel, so if you are looking for one without, you may have troubles as that model is discontinued (v2 released in 2004), except for the left-handed model is still available in v2 (there is no v3 for lefties yet).

It is an expensive mouse, and I received mine as a gift from a friend right before the v3 was released (he paid $65), otherwise I would probably never have owned one to be able to tell you about it.

If you want the left-handed model, Amazon.com has it available (only 1 left), and I suppose you can return it for a refund if you don't like it. Since it does take some getting used to, I would make sure wherever you get it from will allow you to use it for at least a week and still allow you to return it if you don't like it.

These are the 2 cheapest retailers I could find online, for both the right & left-handed v2 model:

Right-handed ($39.99) http://www.activefor...gonomic-mouse-2.aspx
Left-handed ($49.95) http://www.etech4sal...ouse2-left-hand.html

I just updated the driver software for mine (just found out about the new drivers)

It's got some new tricks!

This might be of interest to you (accelerated scrolling - I am not sure I like it):



And it seems to now come with it's own built in Instant Boss:



And you can now set not only a general default button configuration, but also application specific configurations. This could be a real productivity booster if you set the extra buttons to perform commonly used actions in specific applications.

I set my general defaults to use them for copy & paste, so I don't have to take my hand off the mouse for ctrl+c/ctrl+v or right click & select from menu...much faster and easier to use the programmed buttons for this.



Edit: New drivers corrects the zoom issue I reported previously! Yay! 

3499

General Software Discussion / Re: What's your mouse of choice?

« Last post by app103 on February 22, 2009, 07:04 PM »

Oh wait. Apologies app. When you were talking about scroll wheel feeling, I thought you were referring to a different model than the ergonomic one. Unless I'm mistaken, the reason it doesn't have bumps is because it's like a smaller scroll ball on the mouse right?

Something feeling like this if the size of the wheel was bigger and more exposed?

-Paul Keith (February 22, 2009, 04:04 AM)

I really can't tell you if it does or doesn't feel like that as I have never used something like that.

Mine is most definitely a wheel and not a ball, though, and a normal sized wheel at that.

Oh, one more thing I should mention about the scrolling behavior of my mouse, because some may find it quite annoying...

Without the drivers installed in Windows, or with the software closed, this issue does not occur, and with the software loaded it only occurs in applications where the mouse wheel serves a different function than scrolling, mainly software like Paintshop Pro, Photoshop, and maybe some games, where scrolling is used for zooming. I can't say if the same thing happens with the Mac drivers, but it's definitely an issue in Windows.

I noticed the problem in Paintshop Pro, since that's what I have and use. Normal scroll mouse behavior allows you to zoom in/out on an image when you hover your mouse over it and hit your scroll wheel. It allows you to zoom in on specific areas of the image by shifting mouse position & zooming. This is great for working on very large, highly detailed images or pixel-by-pixel work.

But with my ergo mouse's software loaded, it won't zoom if you are hovering over the image...it tries to scroll up/down the image instead. The only way you can zoom is to place your mouse over the titlebar of the image when you turn your wheel, and that is not the same kind of zoom at all.

When working on very large images, I usually close the mouse software from the tray and restart it when I am finished. It's the only way to be able to use the zoom features properly, in Paintshop Pro.

So, this ergo mouse might not be the best choice for artists & gamers.

Edit: I updated the drivers and this fixes the zoom issue.

3500

General Software Discussion / Re: What's your mouse of choice?

« Last post by app103 on February 22, 2009, 03:07 AM »

That's very different than what I have.

Mine never click-clicks. It can't click-click. It has no detents to do that click-clicking with.

There is no 2 modes. There is only no click-click.