Recent Posts

4551

General Software Discussion / Re: GemX - missing in action

« Last post by Darwin on September 16, 2007, 08:36 AM »

sigh - I  check four or five times a week. I run Maxthon 2 and have a "notetaking" group that opens the GemX forum page along with the forum pages for other notetakers. "Maintenance Mode" has gotten very, very old! It's funny you asked this question as just this morning I was wondering why I bother keeping the GemX forum link activated in that group - it's not looking like it's every coming back 

4552

General Software Discussion / Re: GemX - missing in action

« Last post by Darwin on September 16, 2007, 07:12 AM »

I'm from Vancouver Island so we're getting a healthy number of Canadians in this thread.

My parents live at Bracebridge, about 150 miles north of Toronto, so can I count (by proxy) ?

-Carol Haynes (September 16, 2007, 03:50 AM)

Sure! Welcome, eh?

4553

Living Room / Re: Prelude to request for help for distributed pc cycles help from dc community

« Last post by Darwin on September 16, 2007, 07:09 AM »

Cool, mouser, I'd love to help. I have four notebooks that will be at your service when the time comes.

4554

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Office 2007 Ultimate for $59.99 (if you're a student)

« Last post by Darwin on September 15, 2007, 03:42 PM »

Hmm... just noticed this article in PCMag online that confirms that this is a download only offer and that it was "piloted" in Australia. Those anitpodeans are a progressive lot, arent' they? This line struck me:

Although Microsoft didn't specify, the Web address – "the ultimate steal" – may be a reference to illegal piracy.

4555

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Office 2007 Ultimate for $59.99 (if you're a student)

« Last post by Darwin on September 15, 2007, 01:47 PM »

Eóin, as far as I can tell, this is an online offer - you download the trial and purchase a key to unlock it, which makes it even more bizarre in my books.

Armando, like you and Eóin, I am still using Office 2003. There isn't really any compelling reason that I can think of to upgrade. I am tempted by the offer but I am technically a student in the UK - so UK prices. I have a valid Canadian college e-mail address but I'm an instructor, not a student - if them came after me looking for proof I'd be up the creek either way as my student card for the UK is expired and I'll have to fly over there to renew it. Cheaper to just buy Office! So, I suspect that I *could* make this work and take advantage of it, but I'm not sure I can see the point. I have Office 2003 Pro so am pretty much set. I am unaware of any compelling reason to upgrade. Can anyone chime in here and suggest a reason to upgrade?

4556

General Software Discussion / Re: What's your preferred File Manager

« Last post by Darwin on September 14, 2007, 10:00 PM »

XYplorer for me,i check the forums daily,always progress being made.

 

-tinyvillager (September 14, 2007, 08:30 PM)

Yes, it is very exciting and about the most impressive developmental pace I've ever seen!

4557

Found Deals and Discounts / Office 2007 Ultimate for $59.99 (if you're a student)

« Last post by Darwin on September 14, 2007, 07:19 PM »

Microsoft is offering Office 2007 Ultimate to students for $59.95 through April 30, 2008. Note the links in the upper right of the screen - similar offers are available in Canada, the UK, France, Spain and Italy...

EDIT: removed Australia from the list of countries the offer is available to... I was free associating at that point, I guess 

4558

General Software Discussion / Re: Real Player 11 is actually quite good!

« Last post by Darwin on September 14, 2007, 06:41 PM »

Can't fault you Carol! I use WMP 11 and iTunes myself. I'm trying to fall in love with MusicIP Mixer and have given up (more or less) on XMPlay. I love XMPlay's small footprint and sound but it's a bit counterintuitive to use... I mostly transfer mp3s to my external player so don't listen to music through my computer that much anymore.

4559

General Software Discussion / Re: interesting blog, productivityHacks: Productivity is overrated

« Last post by Darwin on September 14, 2007, 04:44 PM »

Give me some hope at the very least  Thanks for posting this urlwolf - worth a considered read... I'll do that now.

4560

General Software Discussion / Re: General brainstorming for Note-taking software

« Last post by Darwin on September 14, 2007, 02:26 PM »

There was no formal review of TreeDBNotes per se - just comments posted in this thread and a summary of this thread posted as a roundup here. The summary in the roundup states this about TreeDBNotes:

TreeDB is another EATKS* software.  It does everything, and is more of a PIM than a notetaking program.  Just its toolbar is enormous!  So many buttons!  It is pretty powerful, but it does way too much for me to say that it's a good notetaking software.

*EATKS = "Everything and the Kitchen Sink"

4561

Living Room / Re: Microsoft patches applied - EVEN WHEN AUTOUPDATE IS OFF

« Last post by Darwin on September 14, 2007, 12:39 PM »

I also really object the growing amount of blatant advertising in the paid for version.

Yes this is getting on my nerves as well... Perhaps an e-mail campaign to them is in order?

Ralf - great analogy re: the plumbing! You've summed up my feelings exactly, and far better than I could have to boot! 

4562

General Software Discussion / Re: What's your preferred File Manager

« Last post by Darwin on September 14, 2007, 11:29 AM »

Thanks for answering, Josh - fair enough. That's too bad, but entirely understandable. The category is so broad - we have so much choice - that you are bound to find an acceptable and affordable alternative.

4563

General Software Discussion / Re: What's your preferred File Manager

« Last post by Darwin on September 14, 2007, 11:26 AM »

I wonder why SPEED COMMANDER is not among the top three. XYplorer, Speed Commander and Total Commander are all great tools!

-boxstar (September 14, 2007, 10:20 AM)

Probably because I gave everyone the option of selecting multiple file managers instead, so people like JohnFrankC only had the option of voting once (for the "variety" option) instead of for each individual app. I sort of regret this now, but can't change it (just checked!). This will still give us an interesting look at FM useage. With that in mind:

If you select "other" please post and let us know what alternative you are using. The list is by no means comprehensive!

4564

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: Direct Access - text expander and application launcher (and much more)

« Last post by Darwin on September 14, 2007, 11:23 AM »

Yes - I use FARR as well - just as ljbirns describes 

4565

General Software Discussion / Re: What's your preferred File Manager

« Last post by Darwin on September 14, 2007, 09:29 AM »

Josh - are you not using Dopus out of protest over their upgrade fees/you have DOpus 8 but run Vista/to avoid being tempted to upgrade at those prices in the future because you HAVE to upgrade (the next time windows is changed to the point that it breaks third party apps)? I'm just working it through... Lots of people are still using DOpus 6 with XP happily - the authors really do aim for as close to perfection as they can get, so the last point release of a major release is usually AWESOME. Example, my wife is still running DOpus 8 while I am running 9. I feel right at home using her computer and half the time wonder why I rushed to upgrade! Anyway, if you have a licence for version 9 you'll be able to use it for YEARS - until MS releases another version of Windows that requires software to be rewritten to run under it. The last time this happened was when they rolled out Win95 so 12 years ago (I guess a few legacy apps got stranded by XP so you could argue that it was closer to 6 years, but still). Anyway, I *think* I understand why you are not using DOpus, but I think you can use it without worry! By the time the next version of Windows that breaks third party software ships you will have gotten your money out of your current version of Dopus and might not mind paying to upgrade at that point. Of course, too, Windows Explorer will have changed too, maybe to the point that you won't miss Dopus at that point.

4566

General Software Discussion / Re: XP or Vista user — take the poll!

« Last post by Darwin on September 14, 2007, 09:08 AM »

Astralman! Fantastic post - thank you for posting your experiences here. 

4567

Living Room / Re: Microsoft patches applied - EVEN WHEN AUTOUPDATE IS OFF

« Last post by Darwin on September 13, 2007, 07:28 PM »

Microsoft's response How Windows Update Keeps Itself Up-to-Date. Also read the comments!

You may want to recast your votes and go for the beer option 

-PhilB66 (September 13, 2007, 06:59 PM)

No! Never surrender! But I will take a beer nonetheless... 

4568

General Software Discussion / Re: Stay Away From Microsoft VISTA

« Last post by Darwin on September 13, 2007, 04:49 PM »

You can't reformat a car.

You could try...

4569

General Software Discussion / Re: Real Player 11 is actually quite good!

« Last post by Darwin on September 13, 2007, 04:47 PM »

Go on. Pull the other one. This cannot be so - the order of my universe is under siege Still, you are not the first I've seen state this...

4570

General Software Discussion / Re: What's your preferred File Manager

« Last post by Darwin on September 13, 2007, 04:42 PM »

Sure, urlwolf... actually, it's difficult. It started in Windows 3.11 with FMStepUp (File Manager upgrade - added context menus and all sorts of useful stuff). Under Windows 98 I started experimenting with all sorts of File Managers - an early version of AB Commander was one of them (and the only one I can remember the name of). When I switched to Win2k I bought DOpus 6 and I've never really looked back. Being an idiot with money, I did buy DiskJockey 2000 because of its Stellent Viewers (the lunacy was in not realizing that there are much better File Managers out there that come with the same viewers for the same price, not realizing that I could buy QuickView Plus to get the viewers and finally doing this about 12 months before Yahoo! released Yahoo Desktop Search with the same viewers for FREE!). You know what they say about fools and their money... I like to think that I've learned my lesson, but am pretty sure that I have not...  as from there there followed giveawayoftheday acquisitions of Frigage 3 and AccelMan 3.6 (so no money lost), the purchase of XYplorer (courtesy of a DC discount), the purchase of ZTreeWin (during the summer sale), PowerDesk 6 for $9.99, and finally Total Commander.

PS Note how many DC members ARE happy Windows Explorer users - only one less than DOpus users! Also - my progressoin goes like this (to follow your format):

FileManager ->FMStepUp->Windows Explorer->DOpus.

In practical terms this is how things stand now (might change as I immerse myself in TC and XYplorer). Note that I still have FMStepUp loaded running on top of a WnNT 4 copy of winfile.exe!

4571

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: Direct Access - text expander and application launcher (and much more)

« Last post by Darwin on September 13, 2007, 04:26 PM »

Good point mouser, thanks - I've removed it!

4572

General Software Discussion / Re: What's your preferred File Manager

« Last post by Darwin on September 13, 2007, 04:12 PM »

At tinjaw's urging, I'm creating this poll to try to get a sense of what File Management solution(s) DCer's are using. So, cast a vote and let the numbers tell their tale!

-Darwin (September 12, 2007, 12:25 AM)

Links?  Or are they in the other thread?

-wraith808 (September 13, 2007, 04:07 PM)

I'm not following you on this one, wraith. Are you requesting links to the various File Managers posted here?

4573

General Software Discussion / Re: What's your preferred File Manager

« Last post by Darwin on September 13, 2007, 04:09 PM »

I doubt it. It may be the greatest thing since sliced bread but it's too expensive. Especially if you have multiple PC's.

It is pricey. Fortunately, there is a lot of bang for the buck AND they only update every two or three years. Still, I now have lifetime licnences for both Total Commander and XYPlorer and may not be so quick to upgrade Dopus next time around. I love it and am certainly most comfortable in it, but there certainly are lots of options out there.

4574

Living Room / Re: Microsoft patches applied - EVEN WHEN AUTOUPDATE IS OFF

« Last post by Darwin on September 13, 2007, 04:07 PM »

Or better yet, just - "don't care, let's get ripped!"...

4575

Activation/License/Language Help / Re: need license key

« Last post by Darwin on September 13, 2007, 04:06 PM »

Mouser, maybe we should consider editing the title of this board to reflect that fact that it is intended for people having trouble obtaining or entering a licence into a Donationcoder app? Don't ask me for a new title, though - I'm just an ideas man!