Recent Posts

5526

General Software Discussion / Re: Wow: Microsoft Acquires WinInternals/SysInternals!

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 18, 2006, 12:36 PM »

Hmmm ... all sounds very positive but I can't say I am hopeful that this will lead to any benefits outside MS !!

5527

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Light Alloy limited-time discount

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 18, 2006, 12:14 PM »

Confused - if you click "Purchase Full Version" it costs $29.99, or if you click "Buy Now! $19" it is $19, did you have a link for $9.95?

5528

General Software Discussion / Re: A Warning about Thinkall.com

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 18, 2006, 05:37 AM »

Do you have consumer 'watchdog' type TV programmes in the US? (We do in the UK).

The way to attack this is for everyone to write to the same programme with their complaint - weight of numbers helps to get a response. Perhaps there needs to be a bit of coordination via this site but also get the word out to the freeware forums etc. and usenet groups who are likely to be quite proactive about complaining about this sort of thing.

5529

General Software Discussion / Re: A Warning about Thinkall.com

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 17, 2006, 06:00 PM »

Can I recommend that you contact the authors of the software you received from Thinkall.com

Most software (even freeware) explicitly forbids distribution for profit and so Thinkall.com are probably breaking the rights of the authors. By getting software writers to explicitly forbid the distribution by Thinkall.com may be a good way to put them out of 'business'.

5530

Borland C++ Builder Contest / Re: Entering SMIRF 8x8 + 10x8 Chess Program

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 17, 2006, 03:33 PM »

Thanks Reinhard

5531

Borland C++ Builder Contest / Re: Entering SMIRF 8x8 + 10x8 Chess Program

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 17, 2006, 01:19 PM »

Strange - I have never installed an earlier version and I just ran the installer to install.

-Carol Haynes

Thank you for sending a feed back to that problem! I have discussed the only one error case I have been able to cause myself. If there are other cases, I need help and details from those having that problems, but also from those who have none. SMIRF as donationware is intended to run under a recent 32 Bit Windows OS definitely without any need for special keys.

first (if having any problem):
1) uninstall every installed SMIRF
2) delete the ChessBox folder (in your program files directory)
3) clean install the current SMIRF version by starting "SmNewSetup.exe"

-Smirf (July 17, 2006, 12:19 PM)

Did all of those because there was no installation to remove.

then report:
a) which OS has been used?

Windows XP SP2

b) which SMIRF version is shown? (menu -> help -> about ...)

1.4.0 - 304 beta

Strange because the version I donwloaded (yesterday) said it was BC-163c (the link under the paypal icon)

c) what is the engine's version (shown in SMIRF's caption)

163c

d) has any SMIRF version been installed ever before?

No

e) is SMIRF executed within its installation folder as the default directory?

I presume so - it is from the desktop shortcut installed by the installer.

"C:\Program Files\ChessBox\Smirf-Don-BDS\SmirfGUI.exe"

f) what in your opinion is wrong or ok?

Don't know - the keys fields are clear and each time I start the program or start a new game it asks for keys to be entered.

finally (if SMIRF still is requesting a key set) try following license keys:
User:    Donationware Version - donate !
GUI:     5e1df0d6 58658371
Engine: 342f6f5e 026b3179

Those keys seem to solve the problem.

5532

General Software Discussion / Re: Article: Microsoft Withdraws Private Folder App - wtf?!?!

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 17, 2006, 01:04 PM »

If anyone wants to grab a copy before it disappears for good try:

http://download.micr...c3c265/MSPF10ENU.msi

5533

Borland C++ Builder Contest / Re: Entering SMIRF 8x8 + 10x8 Chess Program

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 17, 2006, 06:11 AM »

Normally (correctly installed) SMIRF will never ask for keys. Nevertheless I will think it over how to handle conflicts when installed over earlier limited beta versions, which moreover have had a different installation folder name. Thus reported conflicts could be generated only "by intention".

-Smirf (July 17, 2006, 01:17 AM)

Strange - I have never installed an earlier version and I just ran the installer to install.

How do I 'correctly' install the program to avoid the 'missing keys' problem?

5534

ProcessTamer / Re: ForegroundLockTimeout Value

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 16, 2006, 08:30 PM »

LOL - shocking but true

I think the best approach Mouser is to ask if earlier versions have been installed (or detect old INI files) and make the change once only after asking permission or use the registry files as you suggested.

5535

Borland C++ Builder Contest / Re: Entering SMIRF 8x8 + 10x8 Chess Program

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 16, 2006, 07:28 PM »

I have just downloaded the latest build of SMIRF and installed it for the first time. Every time I start the program or try to start a new game it goes to a page asking for license keys (all the fields are blank on the license key page).

You said above that new users should not see this page as license keys are included???

If I try to start a new program and click on "Continue to test" it ignores any options I chose when starting a new game and just seems to load the default game set up.

How do I get the program to work properly?

Looks very nice by the way.

5536

ProcessTamer / Re: ForegroundLockTimeout Value

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 16, 2006, 06:35 PM »

Does anyone know if, or how this value relates to information bubbles that pop up when
hovering over taskbar objects?

My bubbles sometimes get into a mode where they come up behind the taskbar, making
them difficult or impossible to read.

Oddly though, it doesn't happen all the time -- seems to be working ok now, but wasn't last night.

-Astara (July 16, 2006, 06:19 PM)

I think that is a bug in windows - the way I get round that is to set windows taskbar not to always be on top - then balloons are on top. I find I can then set the taskbar to be on top again (if that is required) and the balloons still come on top - until the next time.

It is nothing to do with ProcessTamer (I don't have it installed any more since I reinstalled windows but I still get this bug).

5537

Living Room / Re: My girlfriend says I am just being paranoid

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 16, 2006, 10:00 AM »

Simple way is to send all sensitive data encrypted and let you friends know how to decrypt the files you send to them - though how you do that if your telephone is bugged or they are opening paper post ?

5538

Living Room / Star Wars III(.5) Darth Vader meets Monty Python's King Arthur ...

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 16, 2006, 09:48 AM »

Fun video for MP and SW fans (or not!)



http://youtube.com/watch?v=leEsz9ci5XE

5539

Living Room / Re: memory faulty? why some programs work on one comp. but not another

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 15, 2006, 07:14 AM »

Can't hurt to run a memory check program ... just let it soak test over night.

Make sure you use one that runs outside Windows so that it can check all the memory.

I have used http://www.memtest86.com/ with some success in the past (if you view detecting faulty RAM a success!).

If you want a bootable CDROM version download http://www.memtest86...emtest86-3.2.iso.zip unpack and burn to CD the reboot from the CD - it all runs pretty automatically.

5540

Living Room / Re: Firefox 2.0 beta available

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 15, 2006, 06:03 AM »

It currently has a bug too when used with Ad Muncher

5541

Living Room / Re: Sensual Massager for Women that comes with Programable Software

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 14, 2006, 12:38 PM »

Something a bit pervy about downloading an erotic massage !!!

Next thing is people will be getting turned on by rubbing a mouse over their nether regions 

5542

Site/Forum Features / Re: reply from simplemachines about search issues on the forum

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 13, 2006, 04:54 PM »

And hard work for you given the number of mods and tweaks you have set up !

By the way where has the search button gone from the button bar?

5543

Living Room / Firefox 2.0 beta available

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 13, 2006, 10:57 AM »

See: http://www.vnunet.co...irefox-beta-released

and to download it go to http://developer.moz...-milestone-released/

Looks like the war has stepped up a notch

5544

General Software Discussion / Re: Office or Vista: Pick one in 2007

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 13, 2006, 09:31 AM »

Interesing set up MS updates this morning - included a set of updates for Office XP and 2003 so that they can interact with OpenXML (Office 2007) formats.

I have installed them but can't see how they work in Office XP (there still doesn't seem to be the option to save in OenXML format) maybe they just allow importing of OpenXML format ???

5545

Living Room / Re: Microsoft: End of support for Windows 98 and Windows Me

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 13, 2006, 09:27 AM »

Thanks April - actually I managed to find the missing files on the soundblast driver site (for some reason the 2, 4 and 8Mb sound banks were not provided with the driver but were downloadable under the Ensoniq drivers) Having download those and reinstalled the AudioPCI drivers including those sound banks it all seems to work OK.

5546

Living Room / Re: Zidane's head butt mashup videos

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 13, 2006, 06:12 AM »

Hilarious ... mind you anyone who uses their head as a weapon deserves all they get!

5547

Living Room / Free alternative for Windows/Microsft Update

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 13, 2006, 06:04 AM »

This looks interesting http://windowssecrets.com/comp/060713/ particularly if you want to more than just MS Windows and Office products and you want to avoid the recent Genuine Advatange paranoia of MS.

5548

Living Room / Re: Microsoft: End of support for Windows 98 and Windows Me

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 13, 2006, 04:59 AM »

WOW - you are a loner I think you are the only person I have ever heard say anything nice about ME - even MS didn't rate it (how long did they take to withdraw it?)

5549

Living Room / Re: My girlfriend says I am just being paranoid

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 13, 2006, 04:55 AM »

Was it ever thus ...

Trouble is that modern government (on either side of the pond) seems to think that the only way to tackle a problem is to hit everyone .... some other examples from the UK ...

Problem: Schools are struggling in deprived inner cities
Solution: Impose a restrictive curriculum and targets on all schools
Results: Good schools get frustrated with restrictions, struggling schools .... struggle

Problem: There is no way to easily identify terrorists
Soultion: Impose a national identity card collecting the largest amount of personal data on citizens possible and insist that visitors to the country provide the evidence before they are allowed in.
Result: There is no way to easily identify terrorists (they won't bother with the cards) and we destroy tourism (nobody will want to provide the level of personal info required for a 2 week holiday).

Problem: It is difficult to collect evidence on terrorism
Solution: Allow the police to imprison 'terrorist suspects' for 3 months without charge, trial or reference to a lawyer (thankfully this idea was chucked out)
Result: Labour party activist chucked out of party conference and arrested under new terror legislation (just for shouting one word in the conference - "Rubbish").


This is what we choose to call democracy ... the main difference is that in western democracy I can say these things reasonably confident that I won't be dragged away in the night ... just don't say 'rubbish' in public ... it is obviously a code word.

5550

General Software Discussion / Re: VMware Server Now Available

« Last post by Carol Haynes on July 13, 2006, 04:30 AM »

Also

https://www.donation...39.msg16643#msg16643

and

https://www.donation...61.msg20106#msg20106

<Grin>