Recent Posts

5126

General Software Discussion / Re: Converting DRM protected music files: software recommendations

« Last post by Curt on December 11, 2008, 04:43 AM »

Ghacks is offering Media Converter today, Thursday 11th 2008:
http://cybernetnews....rks-with-drmd-media/

–The Giveaway–

We have 10 licenses to Daniusoft Media Converter (valued at $34.95 each) to giveaway today! All you have to do is drop a comment below providing both your name and email address in the appropriate fields. We obviously need your email address for contacting you in the event that you should win. Believe it or not we’ve actually had winners in previous giveaways get randomly selected, but since they didn’t provide an email address we had to pick someone else.

Just as with all of our giveaways we will be using a random number generator to determine the winners. For this round here is how we’re going to give out the licenses:

    * 1 winner will be picked from comment numbers 1 through 5
    * 9 winners will be picked from comment numbers 1 through however many comments there are.

Entries for the giveaway will be accepted up until December 11th at 7:00PM Central Time.

+

... I ... used the occasion to upgrade to PRO, for $9, and used this PRO to the purchase an extra license of PRO for $3.

-Curt (November 21, 2008, 06:27 PM)

5127

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: EDraw Max on Giveawayoftheday (8/19/08)

« Last post by Curt on December 11, 2008, 04:36 AM »

Ghacks is offering Edraw Max today, December 11th 2008:

http://cybernetnews....max-diagram-creator/

–The Giveaway–

We have 10 licenses to Edraw Max (valued at $95.00 each) to giveaway today! All you have to do is drop a comment below providing both your name and email address in the appropriate fields. We obviously need your email address for contacting you in the event that you should win. Believe it or not we’ve actually had winners in previous giveaways get randomly selected, but since they didn’t provide an email address we had to pick someone else.

Just as with all of our giveaways we will be using a random number generator to determine the winners. For this round here is how we’re going to give out the licenses:

    * 1 winner will be picked from comment numbers 1 through 5
    * 9 winners will be picked from comment numbers 1 through however many comments there are.

Entries for the giveaway will be accepted up until December 11th at 7:00PM Central Time.

http://cybernetnews....max-diagram-creator/

5128

General Software Discussion / Google 411: USA yellow pages & fast forward: 1-800-goog411

« Last post by Curt on December 11, 2008, 03:47 AM »

An acquainted (not remembering that I don't live in USA) mailed me this today:

-----Inline Message Follows-----

My compliments to Google!

Here's a number worth putting in your cell phone, or your home phone speed dial: 1-800-goog411.  This is an awesome service from Google, and it's free -- great when you are on the road.

Don't waste your money on information calls and don't waste your time manually dialing the number.  I am driving along in my car and I need to call the golf course and I don't know the number.  I hit the speed dial for information that I have programmed: 1-800-goog411 (= 1-800-466-4411). The voice at the other end says, "City & State."  I say, "Garland ,  Texas"  He says, "Business, Name or Type of Service."  I say, "Firewheel Golf Course"  He says, "Connecting" and Firewheel answers the phone! How great is that?  This is nationwide and it is absolutely free!





Click on the link below and watch the short clip for a quick demonstration:
http://www.google.com/goog411/

clickable thumb:

It really is awesome. Congratulations, America! 

5129

General Software Discussion / Re: UNISON - Outlook alternative.

« Last post by Curt on December 09, 2008, 07:16 AM »

- really impressive!


As I understand the text, I will need my own server, though?

5130

General Software Discussion / Re: Music files 101

« Last post by Curt on December 09, 2008, 03:14 AM »

The time has gone,

-Curt (December 08, 2008, 02:54 AM)

actually the time has come

-SKesselman (December 08, 2008, 05:03 PM)

 

-----

Everything seems very complicated right now in all facets of computing, so I've backed off quite a bit, hoping that, in time, things will become simple again.

-SKesselman (December 08, 2008, 05:03 PM)

Yes, this is so sad, isn't it. New programs and new systems are all meant to make things even easier. But somehow the sum make things get more and more complicated. Strange! The symptom is a little like when I was young and we all should adopt quadrophonic sound. Everybody cheered, but the manufacturers couldn't agree on one system only, so we ended up with several systems, until people gave up understanding the differences, and quadrophonic sound became a failure. The list of similar examples is long, and may include computing itself.

5131

General Software Discussion / Re: Music files 101

« Last post by Curt on December 08, 2008, 02:54 AM »

@ f0dder: I am sad to hear you have had such troubles. I guess there are differences between departments, or more important, between common problems and specialized ones.

@ f0dder: Are you  or  will you be  part of (a part of) project "Newspaper Library Denmark" (read Danish newspapers from year 1749 to 1900, free, on-line)? I find this project most interesting.

--

Hi,
I am in need of a quick and simple education in music files.
I mean, quick -

-SKesselman (August 14, 2008, 05:52 AM)

The time has gone, and Sarah took her stand, so I hope it is all right to use her thread for something less related now.

5132

General Software Discussion / Re: Music files 101

« Last post by Curt on December 07, 2008, 06:58 PM »

Curt: I've always found TDC to be somewhat expensive compared to the competitors. At least back in the days it was justifiable because they offered more stable connections, but that isn't really so anymore. And their tech support absolutely sucks

-f0dder (December 06, 2008, 08:33 PM)

I have both Webspeed and CableTalk (was a beta tester!), and I can assure you that the support I have been given has been superior to anything I have ever met elsewhere! Lift up the phone, wait for your turn, and be directed step by step. And No, the waiting line in the evening was never terrible long.

So of course you are right that their prices are higher.

I wouldn't even consider anything non-FLAC for paid digital-only music anyway, though.

-f0dder (December 06, 2008, 08:33 PM)

- nor would I, if I had a decent pair of speakers.... Forgive me for repeating: Their prices did not go up when they introduced PLAY, so I am paying the same per month today as then, and I originally paid for a fraction of the download speed I have now (256 kb for $29,- back then without telephone, against 16 MB for $59,- today, now including a telephone). That isn't too bad, I think.

Another great thing about all this DRM thing is, the fifteen hundreds bands I never would have heard about, hadn't I found them on PLAY. Now I not only have heard about them, but I actually have their music on my PC - and it didn't cost me anything more than I already was paying in the first place! That should not be too hard to appreciate.

5133

General Software Discussion / Re: DeviantArt or WinCustomize Wallpaper Rotator

« Last post by Curt on December 07, 2008, 06:22 AM »

John's Background Switcher will do ...

https://www.donation...ex.php?topic=13743.0

-y0himba (December 07, 2008, 02:29 AM)

Wow!
How on earth did I miss this the first time you wrote about it? This program totally rocks!!
Thanks for telling, y0himba 

5134

General Software Discussion / Spooler SubSystem App has stopped working

« Last post by Curt on December 07, 2008, 06:02 AM »

moved from another thread:

-Curt (December 07, 2008, 04:48 AM)

---

... I have upgraded ($20) from novaPDF Pro 5.5 to their brand new version Pro 6 - and it is was causing me a lot of troubles!!

As far as I (don't) understand, Vista has this bad habit of making Spooler SubSystem App stop working, when you have installed a virtual printer. At least, I have frequently been the victim of this error. But when I upgraded from novaPDF 5.5 to version 6, the problem got a lot worse: Every time I clicked "Print", Firefox would crash!! Internet Explorer 7 had no problems, though. So I used this temporary fix, I've found online:

I had "spooler subsystem app stopped working..." and found solution that may help you to fix your case.

I don't know some how vista turn off LDP port after installing new printer driver and leaves only Internet client port only. That why the printer spooler service failed to start. Solution is:

1. Go to Programs and Features in Control panel > click Turn Windows features on or off

2. click + sign of Print services

3. Select LPD and LPR. You should remove Internet Printing Client. > restart your PC to ensure there is no error of spooler service.

4. Add your printer driver again.

It worked for me.

It kind of worked for me as well. Firefox will print, and all is nice, and novaPDF Pro 6 is so clever and can do all sorts of things (it can even "add to existing file"! thumbs up, this is such a fine feature!) - but now Internet Explorer has stopped working!!! Personally I don't mind, I don't use IE any more, but it goes to show that the fix not is a wonder-fix or without problems. Maybe it all is about what Lashiec also wrote about on another thread:

... Those extras are those things pertaining to Vista features, like the printing system. As you know, Microsoft developed a new printing subsystem, that uses XML-based files for the spooler. The guys said: "hey, considering that this is, essentially, a readable file, what if we do a new format based on it?" And thus came XPS. Microsoft did something similar with the printing subsystem prior Vista, and those spool files were the basis for the dreadful WMF pictures. Well, .NET includes XPS reader and printer to produce your own XPS files and challenge Adobe and PDF . They introduce that without asking, but then they are always saying they can't make DirectX10 for XP because of architectural changes, and bla, bla, bla...

-Lashiec (August 04, 2007, 09:27 AM)

Maybe I really didn't ask a question, but do "you" have any comments?
 

5135

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: NovaPDF Professional Desktop on Bitsdujour today

« Last post by Curt on December 07, 2008, 05:54 AM »

post moved

5136

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: NovaPDF Professional Desktop on Bitsdujour today

« Last post by Curt on December 07, 2008, 04:48 AM »

Post moved to https://www.donation....msg141129#msg141129

5137

General Software Discussion / Re: Pop-up Stock Alert

« Last post by Curt on December 06, 2008, 05:59 PM »

http://www.snapfiles...rch.y=0&st=stock

5138

General Software Discussion / Re: Music files 101

« Last post by Curt on December 06, 2008, 05:39 PM »

- Left by the fatal and neglected English

Eh?

-Carol Haynes (December 06, 2008, 03:03 PM)

http://shakespeare.m...nryv/henryv.2.4.html

-Darwin (December 06, 2008, 04:05 PM)

Edited, ... cannot speak English today

5139

General Software Discussion / Re: Music files 101

« Last post by Curt on December 06, 2008, 06:29 AM »

.. it was a live 'boys of summer' by the eagles

-cmpm (December 04, 2008, 08:50 PM)

http://www.youtube.c.../watch?v=HhqsZo__rdc is in a fair quality, from:
http://www.youtube.c...agic&view=videos page 3, scroll down.
- a fine channel to listen to.

5140

General Software Discussion / Re: Music files 101

« Last post by Curt on December 06, 2008, 05:39 AM »

Why does Monty Python get it?

Would that the music industry take a cue from Monty Python. The Pythons decided the best way to combat piracy was to put up their own YouTube channel and provide high quality videos directly from their archives. ...

-40hz (December 04, 2008, 05:05 PM)

Just as an info: Always look at the bright side of life, www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DWlBiLNN1NhQ%26feature%3Dchannel&direct , lead me to Amazon.com where I could have a 6-discs set with 3 old movies (Holy Grail, Life of Brian, Meaning of Life) for (merely) $30

Curt: the music you get from TDC's yousee isn't free in any way... you already mention the DRM issue, but you should also keep in mind that you're paying for the music access through your internet subscription.

-f0dder (December 05, 2008, 10:57 PM)

Of course I am paying for it, but that is really not a problem as long as I also PLAY the music, is it. Furthermore the price did not go up when they added YouSee_PLAY (on the contrary; they raised my download speed to 16 mbps). 10.000 music files I have had from their site, which actually makes it extremely CHEAP. Why even be annoyed that they are good at making money? It hardly can be a surprise since they have done so ever since the company was founded. What can (DOES) annoy me is the total lack of bit-rate quality: Even if I should happen to purchase a file, it will only be available in 320kbps MP3. That really sucks!!! Edited: Naturally the DRM protected files are even worse: 192 kbps .wma 

----

regarding http://www.youtube.com/user/MontyPython :

whats this? they're making it legit??
kind of takes the fun out of it, dont you think???

-YouTube visitor "likegrace"

 

5141

General Software Discussion / Re: MaxThink

« Last post by Curt on December 05, 2008, 07:48 PM »

Have you tried looking at the TheBrain? It has many conceptual similarities to Houdini.
http://www.thebrain.com/#-50

-40hz (December 05, 2008, 03:36 PM)

Quite pedagogic, it seems. But expensive, if one cannot settle with the free version:

Compare versions (clickable thumb):





Watch the first tutorial (for the PRO version) in a line: http://www.thebrain....als/Part1/Part1.html :

5142

General Software Discussion / Re: New duplicate file finder... I am open to features suggestion

« Last post by Curt on December 05, 2008, 06:56 AM »

1. File name
----------->Location One
----------->Location Two
Etc.

-Darwin (December 04, 2008, 04:59 PM)

- maybe, but I would rather ask for two columns:

(clickable thumb):





It is important that the files are sorted according to their location, as in the photo, because in this example it was possible for me to just click once in the top of one of the columns and mass-choose doublets from one and the same folder only.

5143

General Software Discussion / Re: What's on your flash drive?

« Last post by Curt on December 05, 2008, 06:34 AM »

I've been putting together a flash drive ...

-CWuestefeld (November 07, 2008, 04:59 PM)

- would that be "flash drive" as in "USB stick", or as in "USB Hard Drive"?? Well, the stick, I guess. So my answer is "license keys.eml", "Receipts.eml" (".eml" being Thunderbird's format for emails), and a few purchased hard-to-get or impossible-to-replace installation files. If the answer was the portable USB hard drive, my answer would be "C:\Curt" ;-) If it didn't have to be all that portable, my answer is C:\*

5144

Found Deals and Discounts / Filter Forge Holiday Discount

« Last post by Curt on December 03, 2008, 06:44 PM »

The awesome filters from Filter Forge are all discounted for the seasonal holiday, -30%

http://www.filterforge.com/download/





At least get the 3 free stand-alone PhotoShop filter packs, from the same page (scroll down)

5145

General Software Discussion / Re: Best App to save whole webpage AND its linked pages?

« Last post by Curt on December 02, 2008, 03:34 PM »

- thanks, Crush - that was much much better! :-)

I tried to click "Register...", but nothing happened. Are there any reason to donate? Edited: I mean, will a donation make the annoying popup go away?

5146

General Software Discussion / Re: Best App to save whole webpage AND its linked pages?

« Last post by Curt on December 02, 2008, 01:50 PM »

I tested several ones and decided to use Webreaper during the last years. It´s still my favourite.

-Crush (December 02, 2008, 11:36 AM)

- not updated for 2,9 yrs, and still your favourite? It surely must be good; downloading it now! :-)

Edited:
- but I wonder why the installation file for version 10 is named webreaper_8892 ??

Edit2:
What kind of shitware is this?!! I am not too sure if it even tried to also install Webreaper, but there were so many other "programs" included that I of course aborted the installation. Webreaper may be a fine program, but the only version available today is from SimTell, and that one is full of it...

5147

General Software Discussion / Re: Help needed to alter partitions

« Last post by Curt on December 02, 2008, 09:25 AM »

The disadvantage about having (too) many programs is, that you ("I") keep forgetting about some of them when I need them! All I had to do was to open my Easeus Partition Manager and delete the unwanted partition, re-size the  other, and reboot. Everything seems to be in order, now. :-)



 

5148

General Software Discussion / Re: Help needed to alter partitions

« Last post by Curt on December 02, 2008, 08:10 AM »

Thanks, hpearce. The new "free" 310 GB partition is actually marked as "data", and the 157 GB partition is marked as "system". But I don't know if this labelling came from Vista, or when it came, and I don't know what to do with the information. I have looked my way arouned inside Vista, but have not yet found a way to tell it to move the entire \Curt\ incl My Documents, My music, etcetera, to another partition.

5149

General Software Discussion / Re: Help needed to alter partitions

« Last post by Curt on December 02, 2008, 07:50 AM »

Thanks, f0dder, and sleep tight   for a little while :-)

5150

General Software Discussion / Re: Help needed to alter partitions

« Last post by Curt on December 02, 2008, 07:43 AM »

Edited:
Or should I welcome this change, and start saving my files onto various partitions??
 

-Curt (December 02, 2008, 06:51 AM)

I would suggest that you make a "small" (considering your full harddisk size) partition for only Vista + Programs, and keep all your data files, documents, music etc. etc. etc. on separate partitions. This makes it much easier to do a clean re-install without having to back up stuff and such. Iirc you're a software junkie, so you'd probably want to reserve 64 gigabytes or so for vista+programs - do your own measurement of how much you need

-f0dder (December 02, 2008, 07:34 AM)

Can I simply move "Curt" (incl Documents, Music, etcetera) to another partition?
Will Vista automatically understand and remember this?