Recent Posts

3901

Living Room / Re: When children design laptops

« Last post by Darwin on November 21, 2007, 08:56 AM »

Or put another way, the designs stand as much chance of making sense as do some of the latest offerings from the laptop manufacturers. Tangentially, WTF? I've never understood this issue of making a laptop a lifestyle choice - it's a freakin' computer! A tool! (Darwin wipes spittle from his monitor and tries to calm the pounding in his chest... The zealous light fades from his eyes...).

3902

Living Room / Creepy crawlies that could crush you like a bug! Er, they are bugs! Oh f*&^!

« Last post by Darwin on November 21, 2007, 08:53 AM »

As the article suggests, don't worry, these have been extinct for hundreds of millions of years.

http://www.guardian....21/dinosaurs.fossils

3903

Living Room / Interesting article on homeopathy - from a medical perspective

« Last post by Darwin on November 21, 2007, 08:49 AM »

Here's an interesting read about the myths surrounding homeopathy. I'm an agnostic when it comes to homeopathy relative to modern western medicine, but I live in an area with a lot of practitioners and do find myself wondering about some of the claims that they make in the local newspapers. Makes you think, which is never a bad thing - even if you don't agree with the argument presented.

http://www.guardian....ov/16/sciencenews.g2

3904

Living Room / Re: DonationCoder.com Yearly Fundraiser for 2007 - Advice Requested Please

« Last post by Darwin on November 21, 2007, 08:35 AM »

I like that, app - it makes sense. I can't offhand think of what this is reminding me of specifically, but a "how do you want your donation spent" survey would be a good idea. Once the drive is over, the survey could be analyzed and the results posted.

The PayPal issue is one that I hadn't considered - like Ralf, I am plannning on dumping my DonationCredits into the kitty and then buying more to top it back up. I've never spent less than $10 on PayPal so hadn't considered what PayPal fees would do to the amount that DC actually receives... Let me re-phrase my original challenge: all supporting members with money in their DC accounts divert at least one DC credit into the common fund and all current non-supporting members donate whatever the sweet spot is (be it $1, $3, $5...).

3905

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: XYplorer File Manager

« Last post by Darwin on November 21, 2007, 08:28 AM »

True, very true, Nosh. I have both XYplorer and FileLocator Pro so this doesn't apply to me, but all things considered, XYplorer's search is good enough that unless those extra 15 secs are of vital importance you don't need to spend the extra $30 on FileLocator Pro! Having said that, I use FLP myself - I bought it before XYPlorer...

3906

Found Deals and Discounts / RecoverKeys on Givewayoftheday today (November 21, 2007)

« Last post by Darwin on November 21, 2007, 08:24 AM »

Title says it all - this one might be of interest to people looking for a solution to the problem discussed in this thread.

Disclaimer: I've not tried this one out yet...

3907

Living Room / Re: Man uses Wii Calendar Function to Catch His Cheating Wife

« Last post by Darwin on November 21, 2007, 08:22 AM »

Dianetics - very interesting stuff. I used to talk about Scientology in class when we covered religion (Intro Socio-cultural Anthropology) without knowing anything about it. I went on a binge two summers ago reading everything I could - talk about the truth being stranger than fiction! I'll look forward to it, Ralf (but secretly doubt that you can cover it in a 600 part series, though I'll applaud the effort!).

3908

Living Room / Re: Pet Peeve: I will never buy a rechargeable mouse again for as long as i live

« Last post by Darwin on November 21, 2007, 08:14 AM »

If you want the lightest battery free wireless mouse.......(Yes - no batteries)....

http://www.a4tech.co...DM1H7ECL769S263G78OO

 

-CleverCat (November 21, 2007, 12:50 AM)

Interesting, but if you're going to add another wire to your desktop, why not make it a USB wire and plug a Wacom Bamboo Fun tablet into your computer? Then you get what has proven to be a very good and precise wireless and battery free mouse and as a bonus a Wacom pen for drawing as well  ... Of course $29.99 vs. $99.99 might be an incentive to go the A4Tech route... As I've already got the Wacom I'll pass, but has anyone tried one of these things?

3909

Living Room / Re: Man uses Wii Calendar Function to Catch His Cheating Wife

« Last post by Darwin on November 21, 2007, 08:05 AM »

No - you're not in denial fodder (at least about posting the kudo to Ralf    ) - I was WAY off with my "guesses". A little searching and the winner is:

Lashiec

who said "Ralf, you are on fire these days. You really took to the heart mouser's plea for collaboration with the site".

3910

Living Room / Re: Man uses Wii Calendar Function to Catch His Cheating Wife

« Last post by Darwin on November 20, 2007, 08:51 PM »

Seriously, I'd like to echo (Deozaan, Fodder? Can't quite remember who) in thanking you for posting these great links 

3911

Living Room / Re: Man uses Wii Calendar Function to Catch His Cheating Wife

« Last post by Darwin on November 20, 2007, 08:44 PM »

Right, mum's the word... (make it ten then?).

3912

Living Room / Re: Man uses Wii Calendar Function to Catch His Cheating Wife

« Last post by Darwin on November 20, 2007, 08:39 PM »

Courtyard in 5 minutes, Ralf?

3913

Older Newsletters / Re: Newsletter for November 19th - Codename "Postcard Club"

« Last post by Darwin on November 20, 2007, 05:58 PM »

Heh, heh - I'm of two minds about the links in the section intros. It would probably result in a "cleaner" and easier to read newsletter if we avoided using them in the intros (a lot easier to edit, too  ). I have been doing it this way because I don't usually have a good handle on what each of threads in a section is about and sought to avoid listing comments next to some of them but not next to the majority of them, if that makes sense.

I, too, like this move toward having more sections with fewer links in each - it's not so daunting when you approach it (as a reader) and I think makes it more accessible! tinjaw's admonition to everyone to stop posting so that he can catch up really resonated with me because there are always so many interesting discussions going on at DC that trimming them down to 10 or so links per section is VERY difficult.

Anyway, I'd like some input on mouser's points as well. Paraphrasing Thomas Huxley, how silly of me not to have thought of posting something similar myself before this 

3914

General Software Discussion / Re: Animal Crossing Tragedy: File Under "The Emotional Power of Video Games"

« Last post by Darwin on November 20, 2007, 05:31 PM »

Once again, google is my friend - the story was written by a Korean and was originally published with Korean text and with different music. Link: http://www.krunk4eve...al-crossing-tragedy/

EDIT: to clarify - link directs you to a blog that discusses this, the link to the original story is here: http://dathvader.egloos.com/1158792

3915

General Software Discussion / Re: Animal Crossing Tragedy: File Under "The Emotional Power of Video Games"

« Last post by Darwin on November 20, 2007, 05:26 PM »

The link still opens fine for me and takes me straight to the, ahem, unadulterated video and music. This is a moving story -I viewed the video yesterday immediately before going in to teach a class and was feeling a bit choked up when I entered the room. I snapped out of it pretty quickly when I realized the danger I was in - you don't want to show any "fear" in front of a room full of 18 and 19 year olds!

As an aside, is the Korean text (Wa ru-ru or "in a hurry") indicative of this being a Korean game or is the author Korean?! Enquiring minds want to know!

3916

Living Room / Re: Graphics Tablets - opinions (nudone, hamradio, tomos etc. care to chime in?)

« Last post by Darwin on November 20, 2007, 05:16 PM »

Hi guys - I like the Bamboo a lot. After the first day of using the included mouse, I removed the batteries from my MS wireless mouse and mothballed both it and the mousepad. I've not really done much with the pen, but can't say that I am hugely impressed with it. I guess it comes down to expectations - whatever one may wish, using a tablet and a pen is NOT the same as drawing with a sheet of paper and a pencil. So, I would characterize my experiences with the tablet/Bamboo so far as good but qualified in the sense that I've not really "wrung" it out yet. I recognize that sketching with the tablet and pen may not be as intuitive as pencil and paper but I can see that retouching photographs and manipulating site plans (archaeology and palaeontology) will be much easier with the pen.

PS The Bamboo is very impressive in terms of build quality, finish, and feel  Despite the notes above, I feel that this was $99 well spent.

3917

Living Room / Re: About Rudeness in Forums

« Last post by Darwin on November 20, 2007, 03:39 PM »

Ha, ha - I'd forgotten about the Mac threads. Fodder kindly pointed to the single really heated thread that I can remember in over two years of visting the boards. That's the reason I voted "rarely" instead of never.

3918

Living Room / Re: About Rudeness in Forums

« Last post by Darwin on November 20, 2007, 12:48 PM »

Hmm... this thread is heating up nicely - not quite sure if qualifies as rude, but it is getting heated.

3919

Living Room / Re: To wide-screen or not to wide-screen

« Last post by Darwin on November 20, 2007, 12:44 PM »

Heh, heh - I intentionally didn't clarify what a Loonie is when I posted - well spotted Tomos!

3920

Living Room / Re: Your Tin Foil Hat Will Not Save You Now

« Last post by Darwin on November 20, 2007, 12:08 PM »

Damn! tinjaw - thank you for reminding me 

3921

General Software Discussion / Re: Google OS already here, with hardware?! Well, sort of.

« Last post by Darwin on November 20, 2007, 12:06 PM »

Heh, heh, 14 was a distant memory for me when I was playing with 3.11...  Anyway, the feature that "keeps all windows rolled up until you scroll over them" that you describe sounds fantastic.

3922

Living Room / Re: About Rudeness in Forums

« Last post by Darwin on November 20, 2007, 11:44 AM »

This'll get 'em, Ralf, watch:

GRUNTIES

Straight from the Helsinki Institute...

3923

Living Room / Re: To wide-screen or not to wide-screen

« Last post by Darwin on November 19, 2007, 09:05 PM »

You and me both, Lanux (waiting for the New Year's sales)! Of course, I might be shooting myself in the foot if the Loonie takes a nosedive, but so be it...

3924

Living Room / Re: Your Tin Foil Hat Will Not Save You Now

« Last post by Darwin on November 19, 2007, 09:01 PM »

Just to note, from perusing her CV it appears that Melanie is likely American of Dutch descent...

3925

Living Room / Re: Your Tin Foil Hat Will Not Save You Now

« Last post by Darwin on November 19, 2007, 08:28 PM »

There's a Dutch grad student - Melanie Rieback - who has worked on an RFID "Firewall" called the RFID Guardian. Crumb, can't remember if I heard about it first here or elsewhere... Apologies if I am stealing someone else's thunder with this! Anyway, it *might* be more effectve than a tinfoil hat, but not nearly so haute couture!

Thanks for bringing this to our attention, Ralf. I'll be spending my sleepless nights showering obsessively (people that know me will be cheering about his...)!