Recent Posts

3651

Living Room / Re: PCWorld recommends DonationCoder.com and says: "Give a Little, Get a Lot"

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 12, 2011, 06:03 PM »

Well, there is a case where the refund would not be possible.. If the donation was specifically sent by the donator to an author, and the author cashed out the donation after 30 days, and the author didn't have enough donations in their credits to handle a refund, we wouldn't be able to refund it.  This has never happened but it is possible.  I suppose I should add some asterisk to the refund statement about this.

-mouser (September 11, 2011, 07:15 AM)

Maybe if it's within 30 days of the donation - any donation.  So if I donate X today, then Y some days later, 30 days after X donation, I couldn't get it back, though I could still get back Y within it's 30 day window.  I think that's more than fair.

-wraith808 (September 11, 2011, 09:17 PM)

I think the key point here is, its never happened. Once you start down the slippery fine print slope...It tends to end in lawyers (which is never safe for anyone).

3652

Find And Run Robot / Re: FARR noshow when focused window is admin (UAC @ top level win7)

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 12, 2011, 11:47 AM »

Run as Admin & the UAC prompts run in a different session than the locally logged on user. These sessions are isolated for security purposes ... So trying to get them to interact (like handing a file from one to the other, etc.) is AFAIK futile.

3653

General Software Discussion / Re: Case of the missing partitions when downgrading from W7 to XP

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 12, 2011, 11:31 AM »

I just don't see the peek-A-boo partition as an alignment issue. That and I think that the whole partition alignment thing is getting a little out of hand. Unless you're going to/from SSD/machanical drives.

It sounds more like in the process of flopping the OS back and forth between machines, you picked up a script/policy/startup command that is trying to hide what it thinks is a recovery partition.

3654

Living Room / Re: Thoughts in remembrance of 911

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 11, 2011, 08:28 AM »

I would like to thank steeladept for his tactful refrain. It affords me the chance to simply agree, and move on.

My son was at the Pentagon that day.

3655

Living Room / Re: Apple and users' privacy

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 09, 2011, 05:13 PM »

Speaking on things that crack me up...



(Isn't that kinda back on topic..?)

3656

Living Room / Re: Apple and users' privacy

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 09, 2011, 05:07 PM »

(see attachment in previous post)

-Jibz (September 09, 2011, 12:14 PM)

That one cracks me up every time!  

3657

Living Room / Re: Apple and users' privacy

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 09, 2011, 11:57 AM »

That's better.

-Stoic Joker (September 09, 2011, 11:42 AM)

Much Welcome



**edit**

Look at this picture for more than 10 seconds without laughing or smiling...Go on...I dare you!

-Stephen66515 (September 09, 2011, 11:52 AM)

Are acts of painful self-mutilation allowed?

-Renegade (September 09, 2011, 11:54 AM)

Not in front of the puppy ... Turn around first!

3658

Living Room / Re: Apple and users' privacy

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 09, 2011, 11:42 AM »

That's better.

3659

Living Room / Re: Apple and users' privacy

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 09, 2011, 11:35 AM »

...   ...  

-Stephen66515 (September 09, 2011, 11:24 AM)

No... The correct response would have been:

3660

Living Room / Re: Apple and users' privacy

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 09, 2011, 11:18 AM »

O_o ...When did we become 4chan?

Did I miss a memo?

Mouser...Did we get hijacked or something??

There's weird pictures in my happy place...

3661

Living Room / Re: Six Levels of Apple Fandom

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 09, 2011, 11:12 AM »

-Stephen66515 (September 09, 2011, 09:33 AM)

LOL Now that's funny.


@Renegade - Go ahead and laugh...It's a mercy killing.

3662

General Software Discussion / Re: insightful post on gui design, and why it can be faster than the command line

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 09, 2011, 06:42 AM »

Thank you.

3663

General Software Discussion / Re: Building Windows 8: I need longer arms!

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 09, 2011, 06:41 AM »

Isn't windows 8 the mandatory rubbish o/s that microsoft have to release after each decent o/s?

I think we can all safely ignore 8 and just wait for 9 to come along, though, by then, it will be named windows solo or something in an attempt to distance the numbered name 8.

In fact why don't we just call it Windows "Hate" right now as everyone is going to despise it.

-nudone (September 09, 2011, 02:35 AM)

I too am trepidatiously trying to reserve judgment, but am quite leery of the touchy feely UI idea. So just in-case it is necessary... Lets make it's nickname a bit triendier (ick), and call it Windows H8.

3664

Living Room / Re: It's alive, it's alive!!! mwahaha! - WinButtons and 7" touchscreen works

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 08, 2011, 03:51 PM »

I got an exopc. The touch screen is sort of ok. I wonder if it could be used as a remote controller for another pc...

-urlwolf (September 08, 2011, 02:24 PM)

I'd not heard of that before... how is it?  And how much is it?

-wraith808 (September 08, 2011, 03:08 PM)

Not sure, but the devices page also lists a Motion Computing CL900 ... And those start at around $2,000

Correction - Two more clicks found this:$699

3665

Living Room / Re: Apple and users' privacy

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 08, 2011, 11:48 AM »

IMO, there really isn't much difference between this and the fact that you can usually easily recover "deleted" files from a hard drive, the Windows Recycle Bin, etc.

-skwire (September 08, 2011, 08:08 AM)

If someone forgets to empty the trash, or isn't astute enough to E-shread sensative files that's one thing. For the OS to inaccessably store changes made to any document for the next four forevers in a secret database ... Is quite another.

MS Word has the change log/crash recovery files true ... But they get auto-deleted by default, and are easy to see/access/delete on a case by case basis if they happen to straggle.

3666

General Software Discussion / Re: insightful post on gui design, and why it can be faster than the command line

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 08, 2011, 11:33 AM »

It's a totally different story in the server room. But everybody knows BOFHs like me and JJ are evil six-fingered mutants. So they don't allow us to have our own GUIs. For obvious reasons. (see above)

-40hz (September 08, 2011, 09:30 AM)

Forget somebody?

My version of the BOFH DIY Excuse Generator:

Step One. Generate Excuse.
Just run Excuse.exe (CLI...) For particularly unintelligent users, adding (any switch) the optional fourth
parameter may help to clarify that this isn't a situation that should be celebrated...

Example: Inherent Software Corruption
Dumb Example: Inherent Software Corruption - Error

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Step Two. Compose a story to backup this Excuse.
Remember, the more outrageous the story, the more likely
the user is to NOT understand it - and therefore believe it.

Unbelievable Explanation (for above excuse) "Well it appears that part of our
software is corrupted - possibly because of some hardware error"
Believable Explanation:
"It seems that the Inherency of the Software is corrupt - not the actual software
itself. We're looking at getting some artificial Inherency in to solve the problem..."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Step Three. Get the user to become part of the problem.
Example "..But the Artificial Inherency costs about 50 bucks a user.
If you could just send us the money, we'll get you sorted out"
Another Example "..But the Artificial Inherency isn't Right Hand User Compatibl
e - I dunno, it's Welsh or something - so you're going to have to type with your
left hand for the next 2 hours.."

-usage

Have fun with it (I have).

 

3667

General Software Discussion / Re: insightful post on gui design, and why it can be faster than the command line

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 08, 2011, 07:02 AM »

I think CLIs have a definite place, so for me it's more a matter of "what's the rite UI for the job?". The issue I have really is anyone casting one or the other as *the* better solution *all the time*. I just don't see how that can be true.

-JavaJones (September 07, 2011, 09:25 PM)

+1 - I do 99% of any network trouble shooting from a command prompt. Configuration OTOH is all via GUI, which is due to the article's point of being able to scan past (see) all the other settings involved and assess their correct-ness.

The right UI for the job varies based on the job most assuredly

3668

Living Room / Re: Building a home server. Please help, DC!

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 07, 2011, 06:47 PM »

OK, forget the unraid thing.  I'll just go with a normal windows server.  I'm close guys, I'm close!!

-superboyac (September 07, 2011, 04:12 PM)

@StoicJoker - Aw man! Now look what we've gone ahead and done. We wore SBoy out!

-40hz (September 07, 2011, 06:30 PM)

Yeah, at this point I'm afraid the poor guy's close to impersonating a Ping-Pong ball. 

I had to be quiet for a bit while you and Lotus went over the media stuff, as that ain't my bag.

3669

Living Room / Re: Building a home server. Please help, DC!

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 07, 2011, 05:01 PM »

OK, forget the unraid thing.

-superboyac (September 07, 2011, 04:12 PM)

Well that frees up my evening ... Now I can work on the local Humane Society's website.

3670

Living Room / Re: Building a home server. Please help, DC!

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 07, 2011, 02:58 PM »

The registration is tied to the serial number of a flash drive?? Yeesh. It was interesting until I got there.

3671

Living Room / Re: Six Levels of Apple Fandom

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 07, 2011, 02:25 PM »

Kill me now. I'm surprised Steve Jobs hasn't filed copyright suits against these folks.

-zridling (September 07, 2011, 09:59 AM)

I really like those haircuts.

Makes for nice, clear, "bullet goes here" markings.

-f0dder (September 07, 2011, 12:31 PM)

(and I tried so hard not to say that) It would qualify as a retroactive sterilization.

3672

Living Room / Re: Six Levels of Apple Fandom

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 07, 2011, 11:23 AM »

I'm still pulling to have sterilization brought back...

-Renegade (September 07, 2011, 10:37 AM)

+1,000 Yes, Please, (for the love of DOYC), this should be done immediately ... and retroactively for extreme cases!

3673

N.A.N.Y. 2012 / Re: NANY 2012 Pledge & Early Beta: Got Space?

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 06, 2011, 07:06 PM »

I usually just reset permissions on the .ini file

So I could have the EXE create the INI file while the EXE resides, say, on my desktop.  Then, copy both EXE and INI to a Program Files subdirectory, perhaps?

-kyrathaba (September 06, 2011, 06:26 PM)

Sure, or just create a text file in the program directory named GotSpace.ini ... The key is the give yourself (and therefore GS) write access to the file. That way you can update it later without running into nagging permissions errors.

I'll still see what I can do about an AppData .ini Just to see if I can do it without breaking the programs intended behavior. But the idea was to be able to (semi-transparently) let the app have two independent sets of settings; home base (stored in registry), and portable (stored in the .ini) file.

At work I keep it in the top right hand corner if a 22" WS monitor.
At home I keep it in the top right hand corner of the right monitor (dual 17" monitors).
In the field I like it to use the default behavior of jumping to center screen so I can find it while dealing with random client equipment.

All of which I can do with the same ThumbDrive copy and its .ini because the registry super-cedes the .ini file.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the other front, I'm having zero luck trying to get this damn thing to hang (how's that for an odd complaint...). I set the auto update to 1 sec, and then left it running while running a series of formats on an old ThumbDrive. Added some extra test code to flag/catch a stumble ... Then sat there watching the statusbar update timestamp to see if it would freeze at any point.

Can you reproduce the behavior?? or is/was this a one-in-a-million fluke type bugg?

I wanna fix it, but I can't find the little mother er.

3674

N.A.N.Y. 2012 / Re: NANY 2012 Pledge & Early Beta: Got Space?

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 06, 2011, 08:25 AM »

I'm still working on/trying to replicate the format caused app hang bugg. But I can add it to the todo list.

I usually just reset permissions on the .ini file because I hate to have to go hunting for stuff. *Shrug* ...But I've also never been normal.

 

3675

General Software Discussion / Re: Cnet's Download.com and the installer scam

« Last post by Stoic Joker on September 06, 2011, 08:13 AM »

e.g. Alternative Screenshot Captor download from an external server (availability not guaranteed by Softonic)

This bolded part is traffic leak and it's like discouraging users to go to developers website.

Quote from - http://screenshot-ca...oftonic.com/download

The program you want to download will be downloaded through the Softonic Downloader, making the download process much faster, showing a progress bar and ensuring the program is virus-free.

-mahesh2k (September 06, 2011, 08:02 AM)

I get the same thing. Safe way vs. Beware the abiss ... They're trying to heard the cattle through their own DM.