Recent Posts

4551

DC Member Programs and Projects / Re: Drive Policies Management Toolkit BETA

« Last post by wraith808 on August 05, 2014, 07:54 AM »

@wraith808 and Stoic Joker:
Your suggestions are valid, but I think I get the programmer why he chose this layout. We are in agreement that this interface is not as nice and tidy as it can be, but I find it also a pain in the donkey to continuously select an item from a list, configure it and continue with the next item on the list. Especially when I want to do that for all possible drive options. And keep an overview of what I have set.

-Shades (August 04, 2014, 10:41 PM)

Both control options suggested offer multi select which would allow the same work to be done with less clicks. Wraith's is more compact, and mine allows for the birds eye overview of which you speak. Either would be less intimidating for the user than opening with what appears to be a zillion options.

-Stoic Joker (August 05, 2014, 06:52 AM)

+1

4552

DC Member Programs and Projects / Re: Drive Policies Management Toolkit BETA

« Last post by wraith808 on August 04, 2014, 02:38 PM »

Just my opinion, but that interface looks a bit too busy for what it does, especially for the Drive Letter policies.  I know I wouldn't use it personally because of that.  Just feedback...

-wraith808 (August 04, 2014, 08:23 AM)

+1 - I was trying to find a tactful way of saying that this morning, but ran out of time.

Maybe a ListView control with an options panel might be nice.

-Stoic Joker (August 04, 2014, 11:26 AM)

Or maybe a combobox with the drives and the options below would also be an option.

4553

DC Member Programs and Projects / Re: Drive Policies Management Toolkit BETA

« Last post by wraith808 on August 04, 2014, 08:23 AM »

Just my opinion, but that interface looks a bit too busy for what it does, especially for the Drive Letter policies.  I know I wouldn't use it personally because of that.  Just feedback...

4554

Living Room / Re: Does anybody seriously think an e-book is still the better option most times?

« Last post by wraith808 on August 02, 2014, 05:20 PM »

Not by coincidence, he had also spent about 3 years moving all his investment money away from the US (he's from New Zealand and currently lives in Denmark) because he saw the collapse coming.

-Vurbal (August 02, 2014, 08:51 AM)

JOOC - which collapse are you referring to?

-40hz (August 02, 2014, 03:52 PM)

Real Estate and Banking, I'd assume... though it was more of a bubble bursting than a wholesale collapse.

4555

Living Room / Re: Does anybody seriously think an e-book is still the better option most times?

« Last post by wraith808 on August 01, 2014, 10:42 PM »

You mean like when a bank forecloses? Yeah, you don't actually own your home until you have finished paying the bank for it, plus interest. In essence, as long as you still have a mortgage, you are renting the house from the bank, who is the real owner.

-app103 (August 01, 2014, 08:25 PM)

Except one difference is that the bank can't just say, "we don't want to service this loan anymore so we're foreclosing".  You have to actually not pay them for some period of time before they can kick you out.

Of course, there's the government, who will be wanting you to pay property taxes in perpetuity... or else.

-mwb1100 (August 01, 2014, 09:10 PM)

Since when?  I've seen more that a few people lose homes since the bank crisis that were paying in good faith.  Some got them back.

4556

Living Room / Re: Does anybody seriously think an e-book is still the better option most times?

« Last post by wraith808 on August 01, 2014, 05:05 PM »

^ You've got it!   And a great idea too!

4557

Living Room / Re: To Hell with Net Neutrality: Sprint to charge extra for Facebook access

« Last post by wraith808 on July 31, 2014, 09:11 AM »

It strikes me more as what they see as a way to put a partial "unlimited" data plan in place.

AFAIK, Sprint doesn't offer new subscribers across the board unlimited data plans any more. I'm grandfathered in on one with AT&T. Which unfortunately makes getting a discounted new phone - or changing any of my existing services a lot of fun since I have to walk through a minefield of fine print and customer 'service' doubletalk to avoid 'accidentally' relinquishing my unlimited data plan when I do. (They almost got me last time.)
 

-40hz (July 31, 2014, 07:28 AM)

I have one too... and am about to give it up.  I don't use anywhere near 2GB... and the family plan gets us all 10GB to share for a lot less than holding on to my unlimited I never use.

4558

General Software Discussion / Re: jv16 PowerTools - using Indiegogo to 'fund'' open-sourcing it

« Last post by wraith808 on July 29, 2014, 03:39 PM »

I had the feeling that this would be the end of this story.  And another blow is dealt to the idea of crowdfunding in the minds of the masses.

4559

General Software Discussion / Re: Is Antivirus Software a Waste of Money?

« Last post by wraith808 on July 29, 2014, 01:32 PM »

Given the popularity of the technology, and ease of blending in...those things can be a real bitch to spot. And as a card carrying BOFH, it truly pains me to say it ... But it's damn hard to blame the user for missing one of these.

-Stoic Joker (July 29, 2014, 11:36 AM)

That's the sad thing.  My wife was apologizing about falling for it, and I was saying that they're getting smarter, and it's harder and harder to tell the difference.

4560

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

« Last post by wraith808 on July 29, 2014, 01:31 PM »

4561

Living Room / Re: What about Condaleezza Rice and Dropbox?

« Last post by wraith808 on July 28, 2014, 07:33 PM »

Very similar to Truecrypt and why its sudden attempted assassination was all the more ridiculous.

-wraith808 (July 27, 2014, 02:13 PM)

Attempted assassination? You mean TrueCrypt survived?

Sorry for going off-topic.

-Deozaan (July 28, 2014, 04:19 PM)

Why yes.  It is hosted in several places, and a branch project has begun.

4562

Living Room / Re: Director wants his film on The Pirate Bay, pirates deliver…

« Last post by wraith808 on July 28, 2014, 04:12 PM »

4563

General Software Discussion / Re: Is Antivirus Software a Waste of Money?

« Last post by wraith808 on July 28, 2014, 04:07 PM »

Where to store the "critical data" then?

-Tuxman (July 28, 2014, 04:04 PM)

Dumb Terminals/Thin Clients connect to your own servers.  That's been a concept for a while...

4564

Living Room / Re: I'd like to get a Windows Tablet: help me decide.

« Last post by wraith808 on July 28, 2014, 02:57 PM »

I got a hot dog on a stick and left.

-superboyac (July 28, 2014, 10:35 AM)

I still say you got the better value for what you're looking for. 

4565

General Software Discussion / Re: Is Antivirus Software a Waste of Money?

« Last post by wraith808 on July 28, 2014, 02:56 PM »

I hope "store your critical data on machines you don't own" wasn't serious either...

-Tuxman (July 28, 2014, 08:28 AM)

He didn't say that.

Rule 0: No critical data is ever to be stored on a workstation.

-Stoic Joker (July 27, 2014, 10:39 PM)

Precisely. Store it in the Cloud!

-Tuxman (July 28, 2014, 05:40 AM)

That's the whole of that exchange.  Which isn't what he was saying, ergo, your response was... either sarcastic or asinine.  Or maybe both.

4566

General Software Discussion / Re: Is Antivirus Software a Waste of Money?

« Last post by wraith808 on July 28, 2014, 08:27 AM »

Store it in the Cloud!

-Tuxman (July 28, 2014, 05:40 AM)

Generally speaking, how much do you trust Cloud? I know that even Cloud is (as expected) under attack.

-Giampy (July 28, 2014, 08:13 AM)

That wasn't a serious statement nor contribution to the thread.

4567

Living Room / Re: Does google have to be *everywhere*?

« Last post by wraith808 on July 27, 2014, 08:53 PM »

But to actively cripple something that people paid for?  And release a less robust version?

-wraith808 (July 27, 2014, 12:43 PM)

Wait a second... Is this a push to cripple the app? I also bought QuickOffice, but rarely use it. I simply bought it for that one rare occasion in the future when I'll "need it right bloody now!"

Updating software to cripple it is below low. It's kind of hard to believe. Is that right? Am I reading wrong?

-Renegade (July 27, 2014, 08:14 PM)

Nope, you're not reading wrong.  And yes, they crippled it.  Look at the review page for the google version of QuickOffice.  QuickOffice Pro HD isn't available anymore.  And I was in that same boat... I rarely used it, but when I needed it, it was good.  Not anymore.

4568

General Software Discussion / Re: Is Antivirus Software a Waste of Money?

« Last post by wraith808 on July 27, 2014, 02:19 PM »

The conclusion that I think I'm drawing is that I should have long ago switched to the paid version of spybot if I want AV...

4569

Living Room / Re: Director wants his film on The Pirate Bay, pirates deliver…

« Last post by wraith808 on July 27, 2014, 02:14 PM »

What a lack of effort. The director is of course not a nincompoop, I hope, so maybe he is a stranger to computers, the Internet, YouTube and such? I mean, the movie he has uploaded is merely 320x240 pixels - I will not watch 81 minutes in such a microscopic format - and the dialogue is all in Dutch and not subtitled!

Who is he uploading for?

-Curt (July 27, 2014, 12:42 PM)

If it's an older film, there probably is *not* HD footage in existence.  So he uploaded what he had.

4570

Living Room / Re: What about Condaleezza Rice and Dropbox?

« Last post by wraith808 on July 27, 2014, 02:13 PM »

If MaidSafe "maid" it to Forbes (ha!) do you think its managed to magically go under the NSA's radar?

BTW, always wanted to be a "farmer" - hay fever stopped me.

-dantheman (July 27, 2014, 01:58 PM)

You don't have to magically do anything.  It's more a matter of resolve and transparency.  With the source being OSS, it's a bit harder to sneak things in.  Very similar to Truecrypt and why its sudden attempted assassination was all the more ridiculous.

4571

Living Room / Does google have to be *everywhere*?

« Last post by wraith808 on July 27, 2014, 12:43 PM »

... and in such a toxic fashion?

There was an app I used on iOS... QuickOffice HD Pro.  Paid good money for it too.  Allowed me to access and edit my documents from dropbox, google drive, one drive, webdav, etc.

Google bought them.  Then proceeded to 'update' the app so that it didn't have connectivity.  Then they released another one, for free... that only included links to google drive.

I have no problems with the purchase... it happens.  Or even a lack of support... like Amazon did with Stanza.  It sucks, but ... that's the market.

But to actively cripple something that people paid for?  And release a less robust version?

That's just underhanded.

http://www.pcworld.c...oductivity-apps.html

This has apparently been happening slowly... but since I use it only under certain circumstances, I'd not noticed it until yesterday.

*sigh*

4572

DC Gamer Club / Re: Anybody use or familiar with Roll20?

« Last post by wraith808 on July 27, 2014, 12:36 PM »

If money is no object, FG is the best.  The only downside at that time becomes you have to have it installed, and licensed,

-wraith808 (July 26, 2014, 05:55 PM)

Thanks! Money is less an issue than the fact FG has the Call of Cthulhu ruleset - and especially a Masks of Nylarthotep module all set up and ready to go.

The people who are interested in this simply want to play the Masks of Nylarthotep campaign. So having it available for purchase at a reasonable price makes it a no-brainer. Figure $149 for the FG-Ultimate license plus $15 for the CoC ruleset and $25 for the MoN module comes out to $189 - which when divided among 8 players comes out to just under $24 each. That's very doable.

They also need to move quickly since Masks has a very long story arc which will take (roughly) the better part of a year for the average gaming circle to complete. Because of that, it's hard to assemble a group of players who are willing to commit to doing it. So it's best not to keep them waiting too long to start.
 

-40hz (July 27, 2014, 12:33 PM)

One thing I will caution you about.  Try the trial first.  It has very specific needs as far as networking is concerned.  I still haven't gotten it flawlessly set up for some of my remote players.

They are very active on the forums and in help, and there's a lot of documentation there, however, as befits a premium product.  It's just premium, and using disparate networks for the transport... so it can be fiddly.

4573

DC Gamer Club / Re: Anybody use or familiar with Roll20?

« Last post by wraith808 on July 27, 2014, 11:58 AM »

I'd forgotten about that one... it falls more into the line with Battle Map 2 and/or 3D Virtual Tabletop, doesn't it?

4574

General Software Discussion / Re: Is Antivirus Software a Waste of Money?

« Last post by wraith808 on July 27, 2014, 11:56 AM »

Not only does common sense not get updated, I've found it is also prone to being disabled very easily. 

-x16wda (July 27, 2014, 07:55 AM)

Common sense isn't so common 

4575

DC Gamer Club / Re: Anybody use or familiar with Roll20?

« Last post by wraith808 on July 26, 2014, 05:55 PM »

Did you have a question?

-wraith808 (July 26, 2014, 04:42 PM)

Yes. This would be for RPG. Did you have a preference?

-40hz (July 26, 2014, 05:11 PM)

Fantasy Grounds is the rolls royce.  But at $40 a seat + the price for the modules, it's pretty pricey.

Screen Monkey works well, but you have to build everything, i.e. the rule sets are not included.

Tabletop Connect is not ready for primetime, and is too concerned with the bells and whistles..

Roll20 you have to build everything for if you're going to use it for free.  You can buy modules and stuff on the marketplace.  It's more limited than any of the desktop offerings, but it integrates with Google Hangouts and is the easiest and most reliable to connect to and get running.

If money is no object, FG is the best.  The only downside at that time becomes you have to have it installed, and licensed, where Roll20 you don't.

If money is an object?  I'd probably go with Roll20 over SM.