Recent Posts

3576

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

« Last post by 40hz on April 23, 2013, 08:10 PM »

Riders of the Storm   A counter-culture gem from 1986 Starring Dennis Hopper.



This little political sci-fi comedy posits a post-VietNam war psychological warfare unit who somehow managed to commandeer a fully equipped 'psy-ops' B-29 which they've kept almost continuously airborn (for over 10 years) in order to operate the ultimate pirate television station: SMTV!

Dennis Hopper and Michael J. Pollard (Doc Tesla) lead a crew of misfit Vietnam veterans highly trained in psychological warfare and armed with a B29 equipped as a flying pirate TV station creating havoc for the broadcast networks and authorities as they fly the country on a crusade to bring radical philosophies and classic audiovisuals to a conservative and media brainwashed viewing public

There are several moments in the film that anticipate such things as torrents and the activities of Wikileaks and Anonymous.

It's available to watch (in true pirate fashion) in 10 minute chunks up on YouTube if they haven't pulled it already. First ten minutes below:

Renegade would have loved this flick!

 

3577

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: activate Windows (7) mapped network drives

« Last post by 40hz on April 23, 2013, 07:31 PM »

I ain't givin' that up without a fight.

-Stoic Joker (April 23, 2013, 05:30 PM)

Don't blame ya - and for exactly the reasons you've given. It is easier.

Especially when you discover that a share on a server named SVF01 sometimes works when it's called: \\SVF01\share - and sometimes only when it's called: \\SFV01.internal.mycompany.com\share - and this within the same domain depending on which client machine you're on!

Drives me nuts every time...

LM/NTLM vs. NTLMv2? There was mention of that in one of the articles a ran across in a quick google (For Mapped Drive Red X), it also stated that a VB script (and I suspect a .cmd) would execute more reliably than a standard batch file would.

It had something to do with that. You needed to set the DWORD LmCompatibilityLevel (in HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa) equal to "1" [See here.] Basically you needed to dumb down the default authentication and session security in Win7 so it wouldn't insist on NTLMv2. This applied when using old Win2k servers as well as when connecting to some Samba boxes.

But there were also two related policy settings that needed to be adjusted depending on which version of the Win desktop you were running. There was one for 32-bit and two for 64-bit. Got it in my KB somewhere but I can find it just right now.

Now where did I file the notes about those GPO changes?

3578

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: activate Windows (7) mapped network drives

« Last post by 40hz on April 23, 2013, 11:18 AM »

At this point I think the issue is likely being caused by a group policy setting.

Usually when you're having trouble connecting to a share it's caused by an encryption or other security setting. You'll run into that problem with Win7 connections to old Win2K servers sometimes.

Take a look at the connection specs and details on your server. If you gave an old version if Samba, the increased security Win7 looks for might be the problem.


 

3579

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: activate Windows (7) mapped network drives

« Last post by 40hz on April 23, 2013, 07:10 AM »

Also +1 w/4wd when he recommends using UNC. Mapped network drives can be fussy at the best of times. And with the advent of ActiveDirectory and their new security model, Microsoft now recommends that you use UNC for accessing network shares rather than mapped drives.

-40hz (April 23, 2013, 06:28 AM)

That strikes me as quite odd, considering a single GP mapped drive letter to a domain DFS root makes a myriad of problems vanish instantly. Why would anyone want to go back to the administrative overhead of tending multiple (saved UNC) shortcuts...it strikes me as the worst of both worlds.

-Stoic Joker (April 23, 2013, 06:58 AM)

The time I called MSoft's tech support with a similar issue I was told mapped drives were considered "legacy" and were kept mostly for compatibility reasons. UNC and FQDNs were where it was going. So I assumed that was MSoft's official position rather than just the tech's opinion - but maybe it was? Have you heard otherwise?

3580

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: activate Windows (7) mapped network drives

« Last post by 40hz on April 23, 2013, 06:28 AM »

That can also happen with a Samba share if you have the offline files option enabled in the W7 Sync Center control panel. Try disabling offline files and you should be ok. Unless, of course, you use that feature.

Also +1 w/4wd when he recommends using UNC. Mapped network drives can be fussy at the best of times. And with the advent of ActiveDirectory and their new security model, Microsoft now recommends that you use UNC for accessing network shares rather than mapped drives.

3581

Living Room / Re: The Coffee/Caffeine Thread!

« Last post by 40hz on April 22, 2013, 03:48 PM »

-superboyac (April 22, 2013, 03:26 PM)

Is one cup of good, black coffee in the morning all that harmful?
[/quote]

Supposedly, that's almost ideal from what I've heard.

"The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it which the cheering influence of the afternoon or evening cup of tea cannot be expected to reproduce."   ~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.,

3582

Living Room / Re: The Coffee/Caffeine Thread!

« Last post by 40hz on April 22, 2013, 03:45 PM »

^App - yes I did. I didn't really care for it, but I think that's what I'll eventually end up doing once I start the recommended detox routine. That takes about a month of gradual weaning to avoid unpleasant side effects and sleep disorders.

The trick will be finding some blends I like as much as Gevalia's. (I tried many brands btw.) I'll start my day with their Traditional Blend, switch to Cafe Sperl in the afternoon, and usually wrap up the day with their German Chocolate Cake.

Their Royal Vinter blends are a possibility since I liked the decaf version of those. But their cost is a little prohibitive for heavy consumption. Hmm...maybe that might help me cut down on total daily intake? It would very likely increase my overall enjoyment since any satisfaction that's limited or delayed always tends to be sweeter.  

3583

Living Room / Re: The Coffee/Caffeine Thread!

« Last post by 40hz on April 22, 2013, 03:21 PM »

Well, it's late afternoon here and I'm now sitting quietly sipping a fresh cup of my favorite afternoon blend: Gevalia's exquisite Cafe Sperl while reluctantly thinking that I really do need to cut down on my coffee consumption in general - and my caffeine intake specifically.



'Problem' is I don't do drugs. And I don't even drink that often. Plus, I no longer smoke (clean for 13 years this year!) ...so right now a good cup of coffee is about the only physical indulgence I still permit myself.

I'm afraid if I curtail coffee too much I'll risk losing my main rationalization for living.


(Note: Switching to a decaf blend isn't the simple answer either. I've tried many, and there's a noticeable difference in flavor. And unfortunately, on blindfold tests (I told you I tried! I really did!) I've ended up favoring the caffeinated blends almost single every time.)

3584

Living Room / Re: Do not read this.

« Last post by 40hz on April 22, 2013, 02:40 PM »

@kyra - Wasn't that discussed in a previous (and rather long) thread? I seem to recall participating in that even though I can't find it now that I'm looking for it.

3585

Living Room / Re: Google forbids resale or lending of Glass

« Last post by 40hz on April 22, 2013, 02:31 PM »

This is about Google's always-on spectacles, right?  Which allow users to video anything and upload it, regardless of privacy concerns?

A writer in a UK magazine suggested that users should be termed "glassholes..."

-rjbull (April 22, 2013, 02:21 PM)

Privacy aside, it has it's good uses. Police have an uncanny record for dashboard camera failures and not having a 'videoing' officer around whenever some illegal or overzealous enforcement activity occurs. Look at the Occupy Wall Street cases where independent observers and news reporters have numerous videos of police officers acting in an illegal manner (and obviously videoing the event) where the police have later claimed (in court) that there were no police videos being recorded at the time of the incidents.

Now imagine a live upload from somebody who has been illegally stopped and is being harassed by the police...That POV footage would sure clear up any questions about what was done or said in a courtroom. Especially if the video were being uploaded in realtime so that taking the glasses away from the victim suspect wouldn't matter.

Wonder how long it's going to take US police agencies to demand a mechanism be inserted that allows the police to shut Google's glasses down in areas where there is an ongoing "police action." Purely for the usual "officer safety and security" concerns, mind you.

It will also be interesting to see if Google goes along with such a demand voluntarily.

3586

Living Room / Re: Google forbids resale or lending of Glass

« Last post by 40hz on April 22, 2013, 02:22 PM »

Did they find a way around the First Sale clause? "You can sell your hardware but we'll turn off the service and service isn't sold etc etc"?

-TaoPhoenix (April 22, 2013, 02:14 PM)

This isn't the consumer release so I don't think the "first sale" rule applies here. This is an advance test/dev release. Since the product isn't being sold as a regular consumer product at this point, I think they're probably well within their rights to put restrictions on the device.

Besides, it all depends on what you agreed to. If you voluntarily waived some legal right as a condition of getting one you're SOL. (At least in the US you are.)

3587

Living Room / Re: Google forbids resale or lending of Glass

« Last post by 40hz on April 22, 2013, 02:16 PM »

+1 and agree w/f0dder. AFAICT that restriction was put on the "Explorer" group's hardware since they're intended for devs.

I can't see them trying to do the same for consumer purchased sets - although being Google, they might be that crazy - since it would be virtually impossible to enforce. Unless...they're planning on keying the hardware to the user's retina pattern?

Hmm...retina patterns...

Ok, maybe it isn't really impossible to enforce single person use after all?

3588

Living Room / Re: Show us a photo of your mutt or other creatures..

« Last post by 40hz on April 21, 2013, 09:10 PM »

@40hz - my wife would like to get you started on the horses!  Personally speaking, I know they are smart and wonderful creatures, but I am just intimidated by the size.

-x16wda (April 21, 2013, 08:06 PM)

  I've got 9 horses, and sometimes I think they're dumber than a box of rocks....  

-Tinman57 (April 21, 2013, 09:02 PM)

That pretty much matches my experience too.

Some are smarter than others. But as a collective group, they're not the world's smartest creatures as we measure smart. But that's just to us. As horses sans human involvement goes, they understand everything they need to understand to do what horses do. (Which is mostly: walk, run, look around, drink water, reproduce, sleep, eat, and secrete waste.)

But to their credit, horses certainly are interesting 'people' to get to know. And they sure are pretty to look at.
 

@X16wda - tell you what... why don't we just pair up the horse nuts and let them get started while the rest of us head out for drinks. They won't even notice we're gone.

3589

General Software Discussion / Re: ddownloads, one-stop list of popular software, simplified install

« Last post by 40hz on April 21, 2013, 08:39 PM »

It all comes down to who you trust to provide you with this type of service.

UK PCAdvisor did a review and seemed to like it. A similar review (which seems to be a condensed version of what was posted on PCAdvisor) was posted on PC World.

I probably wouldn't want to try it out on my main (or on a mission critical) PC at this point since the reviews indicate there are still some rough edges to it.

But it looks like something that might be be worth watching and possibly experimenting with on a VM.

3590

Living Room / Re: Show us a photo of your mutt or other creatures..

« Last post by 40hz on April 21, 2013, 01:10 PM »

@x16wda - I suspected as much. My hat is off to you sir!

Our past and present pet lineup included: eight cats + seven dogs (save for two who came from breeders) + one lop-ear rabbit who came to us as rescue animals. Please don't even get me started about the horses.

3591

Living Room / Re: Show us a photo of your mutt or other creatures..

« Last post by 40hz on April 21, 2013, 11:36 AM »

@x16wda - are all yours "rescue" greyhounds?

3592

General Software Discussion / Re: Problems after you install Microsoft's security update 2823324

« Last post by 40hz on April 21, 2013, 11:32 AM »

^Thx. I'll use any excuse to put Milla up on a webpage.

She's from Kiev originally too. Makes me happy to see a 'local girl' do well.

3593

Living Room / Re: Getting Things Done revisited

« Last post by 40hz on April 21, 2013, 11:18 AM »

5 Minutes! How are you that fast!
 :tellme

-TaoPhoenix (April 21, 2013, 08:12 AM)

Maybe because I don't have that much on my plate?

More seriously, it got shorter the more often I did it. It originally took about 15-20 minutes. Now (since I'm more focused) I don't feel the need to write as much down. I'm not compiling documentation for a biography. Or for somebody else. These are purely notes to help me.

I've found once you stop making notes for posterity they tend to be short and to the point. And not all of them are written. Little sketches, diagrams, my collection of purely personal hieroglyphs and symbols, etc. also make up a lot of my entries. The journal book I chose has 1/4" graph paper for precisely that reason. Next one I get will probably have blank pages to provide a psychological cue for me to keep it all loose and fluid.

It's also a daybook. I'll throw anything in there I think I should be attending to at various times of the day. The only rule is that I do at least one summary entry per day. The rest I play by ear. My GF refers to this book as my "other other head."   That's a very accurate description of the function it serves.
 

3594

Living Room / Re: Getting Things Done revisited

« Last post by 40hz on April 21, 2013, 08:06 AM »

I've tried a lot of things over the years (Franklin-Covey/Dayrunner/Sharkware/MyLifeOrganized) and came to eventually realize they made for more work and complexity than they're worth. At least when it comes to the sort of life I live.

Simple truth is: my life really isn't all that complicated or difficult to manage. Except when I decided to make it so. It took me a while to admit to that to myself. Because I somehow felt it should be.

That's when I finally tossed all those nifty software packages and fancy planner books I had.

These days I just take five or so minutes near the end of each day to jot down (in a very informal paper journal book) what's been happening with me, and what I've been thinking about.

That simple exercise provides all the focus I need. Although I suppose I do have an advantage in that I still have a very good memory - and probably more importantly, have always had a good idea of what I was doing, and where I wanted to go. (Most times, anyway! )

That journal plus my (paper) appointment calendar and (paper) list of contact information and I'm set to go.
 

3595

General Software Discussion / Re: Problems after you install Microsoft's security update 2823324

« Last post by 40hz on April 21, 2013, 07:41 AM »

^What can I say? Your case is unique!

I've probably dealt with a few hundred issues with NET Framework over the years. And with one exception (where Windows was already borked to begin with) one or more of the above three worked the charm.

Like the old song says: YMMV.

3596

General Software Discussion / Re: Problems after you install Microsoft's security update 2823324

« Last post by 40hz on April 21, 2013, 07:10 AM »

@pilgrim/T-man - um...I think you made a lot more work for yourselves than you needed to.



Microsoft has tools available to deal with NET Framework installation problems.



.NET Framework Verification Tool (download here)

The  .NET Framework setup verification tool is designed to automatically perform a set of steps to verify the installation state of one or more versions of the .NET Framework on a computer.  It will verify the presence of files, directories, registry keys and values for the .NET Framework.  It will also verify that simple applications that use the .NET Framework can be run correctly.

.NET Framework Repair Tool (info and download here)

Overview

The .NET Framework repair tool detects frequently occurring issues with the .NET Framework setup or updates. The tool tries to resolve those issues by applying known fixes or by repairing the installed version of the .NET Framework. The tool can also be used to repair corrupted installations of supported .NET Framework versions. This includes .NET Framework 4 language packs. The tool is wizard-based and is easy to use.

The .NET Framework repair tool follows a four-step process:

    

• Tries to troubleshoot setup issues.
•    Applies the fixes (with user consent).
•    Tries to repair the installed versions of the .NET Framework (the .NET Framework 4, the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1, the .NET Framework 3.0 SP2, and the .NET Framework 2.0 SP2).
•    Collects logs (with user consent).[

And if both the above fail, there's always the absolute last resort:




.NET Framework Cleanup Tool (Download link here)

This .NET Framework cleanup tool is designed to automatically perform a set of steps to remove selected versions of the .NET Framework from a computer.  It will remove files, directories, registry keys and values and Windows Installer product registration information for the .NET Framework.  The tool is intended primarily to return your system to a known (relatively clean) state in case you are encountering .NET Framework installation, uninstallation, repair or patching errors so that you can try to install again.

There are a couple of very important caveats that you should review before using this tool to remove any version of the .NET Framework from your system:

    

• This tool is designed as a last resort for cases where install, uninstall, repair or patch installation did not succeed for unusual reasons.  It is not a substitute for the standard uninstall procedure.  You should try the steps listed in this blog post before using this cleanup tool.
•    This cleanup tool will delete shared files and registry keys used by other versions of the .NET Framework.  If you run the cleanup tool, you will need to perform a repair/re-install for all other versions of the .NET Framework that are on your computer or they will not work correctly afterwards.

If you need to run the cleanup tool, I'd recommend you download a copy of the most recent version (currently .NET Framework 4 Client Profile) of the .NET Framework installer before you remove anything. In most cases all you'll need is the most recent version of .NET since there's a good amount of backwards compatibility between versions - although there are some poorly coded programs that will insist on a specific version of .NET. If that's the case, they can always be installed later.

You can find all the .NET redistributable download links here.



Hope the above is helpful.

3597

Living Room / Re: Recommend some music videos to me!

« Last post by 40hz on April 20, 2013, 07:52 PM »

Dana Fuchs doing Songbird Fly Me to Sleep. IMHO nothing more need be said. 

The lady is amazing. Looking forward to seeing her again on May 11th at StageOne!

3598

Living Room / Re: Recommend some music videos to me!

« Last post by 40hz on April 20, 2013, 04:14 PM »

One of my long time favorites: Suzanne Vega performing Small Blue Thing.

and Marlene on the Wall

....and an now for something completely different: an absolutely psychotic version of one of the (arguably) most psychotic songs ever written - Alanis Morrisette performing You Oughta Know live at the Nulles Part Ailleurs in 1995. (For best effect crank it up to "the threshold of pain" as Spinal Tap once put it. This version is meant to be played loud.)

 

3599

Living Room / Re: Bitfloor - 4th largest bitcoin exchange shutting down indefinitely?

« Last post by 40hz on April 19, 2013, 03:15 PM »

 

3600

Living Room / Re: Do not read this.

« Last post by 40hz on April 19, 2013, 02:58 PM »

Better dead than read I suppose?