Recent Posts

6126

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

« Last post by Darwin on January 30, 2007, 10:25 AM »

I am always AMAZED by TexNotes Pro's power. The developers, via the forum, are incredibly receptive to criticisms and suggestions. They are not quick to release, though, so don't expect issues to be dealt with quickly. Just know that they will be addressed eventually.

6127

General Software Discussion / Re: MOVAVI,avoid this company like the plague

« Last post by Darwin on January 30, 2007, 10:20 AM »

I think the issue isn't so much charging for upgrades as transparency - at least where policies surrounding upgrades/updates are concerned. As I said above, the developer can do as s/he pleases with respect to charging or not and the grace period that they set post-purchase. However, in order to avoid problems with disgruntled customers, these policies need to be crystal clear and clearly posted so that the customer can find them. I find that more often than not these policies are not prominently displayed on a developer's website and it is up to the customer to make enquiries. I accept this is my responsibility but I think that it's in the developer's best interest to make this information as easy to access as possible...

6128

General Software Discussion / Re: MOVAVI,avoid this company like the plague

« Last post by Darwin on January 29, 2007, 11:26 PM »

Well... Renegade runs a series of forums in which you can vent about shitware - be it hardware, software, or support.

www.shitware.net

Very funny reading!

Anyway, I have a number of shareware apps that I've bought that have fairly short (i.e. 15 - 90 day) periods following initial purchase during which a free upgrade will be provided to a major release (if one comes out during that time). I don't have a problem with it EXCEPT I wish these policies were always well explained to prospective purchasers in the form of a blurb on their purchase page. No one can complain if policies are understood beforehand. Problem is, often these kinds of policies are very difficult to find on an application's website.

6129

Living Room / Re: try my new experiment with HotOrNot pictures!

« Last post by Darwin on January 29, 2007, 09:38 AM »

Hey! My post didn't "make it"... Just to report, I'm seeing the same thing here running Maxthon (uses the IE engine). I don't even get the red progress bar, though, just a long beige rectangle...

6130

Find And Run Robot / Re: Humanized Enzo

« Last post by Darwin on January 26, 2007, 08:42 AM »

Wow. Visited the website. Watched the videos. Read the review. YAWN...

The website is slick, the app looks pretty, the ideas are nothing new. So, while it was a pleasant viewing experience, it was not compelling and frankly I found the attempts to make me go "ooh, aah" about spending $64.95 for a suite with functionalities that have been available  for YEARS for far less or for free mildly offensive. Ditto the Wall Street Journal review, which insults one's intelligence. The reviewer should be fired for being so sloppy - hasn't this joker heard of any other keyboard launcher or spellchecker? How does he or his employer justify his continued employment? Are they really  paying him to warm the seat that he occupies in his office?

Going back to the app itself, I'd say that what the lead developer learned from his late father's experience at Apple has a lot more to do with hype than innovation...

6131

General Software Discussion / Re: IMAP Account

« Last post by Darwin on January 24, 2007, 05:30 PM »

I'm  looking mostly for features where I can manage my account folders and  probably be able to create rules.

Doesn't Yahoo already let you do this? Granted the beta version doesn't allow you to set up rules, but you can switch back and forth between the beta and classic and use rules. I've had no trouble with folders, either. But then, perhaps you are looking for something far more robust than I am envisioning?

6132

General Software Discussion / Re: Are any icon editor & manager decent priced?

« Last post by Darwin on January 23, 2007, 07:46 AM »

Ha ha... this is a technique that I have been learning to try when trialling/buying software - uninstall before buying and/or cancelling an order before it's complete. Often I'll be offered a (sometimes big) discount or a freebie to complete the purchase or to keep using (and buying) the application.

Anyway, I'm glad that it worked out!

6133

Find And Run Robot / Re: New FARR v2 Icon Design Needed

« Last post by Darwin on January 22, 2007, 07:50 PM »

it never ceases to amaze me how some people can be so expressive with so few pixels.. 

... And it never ceases to depress me how little I can express no matter how many pixels I use... all the more reason for my mind to be blown by the efforts of people posting their icons in this thread. Well done!

6134

General Software Discussion / Re: Dexpot: Probably the best virtual desktop manager around

« Last post by Darwin on January 21, 2007, 02:28 PM »

I'm trying out Dexpot now. I'm really not feeling the love... I don't know if it's just me or if it is the way I have grown as a computer user, but I find that virtual desktops get in my way - it's an additional layer of complexity that, rather than making me more productive, hinders my productivity. Perhaps I am simply so stuck in my own way of doing things that I can't see past them. I'm glimpsing its power, and can appreciate why people who need to switch between different desktop resolutions might be attracted to it, but for my usage I don't find it particularly compelling. I'll keep playing with it and see if I can change that...

6135

General Software Discussion / Re: Dexpot: Probably the best virtual desktop manager around

« Last post by Darwin on January 20, 2007, 06:56 PM »

Hmm... rationale may have been a poor choice of word. I guess I meant I have trouble understanding WHY virtual desktops are so beneficial. jgpaiva and TucknDar are making the case well, though. I think I'll follow Curt's lead and learn the old fashioned way, by getting my hands dirty, so to speak. Right, I'm off to download dexpot.

NB I have played with the Stardock app that ships with Object Desktop but didn't really give it much of a workout. I'll be more diligent in putting dexpot through its paces!

6136

General Software Discussion / Re: Dexpot: Probably the best virtual desktop manager around

« Last post by Darwin on January 20, 2007, 05:28 PM »

Can 'you' explain to me what a virtual desktop really is? And why I would want such a thing? Do I need a manager if I have one virtual desktop only? - and then, why I would want more than one?

'Several monitors in one' - the purpose being? Forgive me if I am just plain narrow minded, but what can you do with more monitors in one, that you can't do with more windows open on that one and same screen?

Thank you Curt! Your channeling my thoughts exactly. I've always wondered about the rationale behind Virtual Desktops as well.

6137

General Software Discussion / Re: Direct Folders 3.2, Anyone Have This Version?

« Last post by Darwin on January 20, 2007, 05:24 PM »

This is weird. Unless I'm imagining it (could easily be the case), for a stretch there in the late summer, early fall, the author of DirectFolders was pretty active on these forums. I wonder what's happened.

Too bad, I hope the gets resolved for you soon!

6138

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Giveaway of the Day - HDDlife for Notebooks - Using your notebook on your bed ?

« Last post by Darwin on January 20, 2007, 05:22 PM »

Yeah, I was pretty sure that my experience with NHC was unusual. FWIW, it is more configureable and gives more information than does HDDLife Pro, so if anyone else installs it and doesn't see the resource problem that I did, you're lucky! It's free and it's powerful.

'nuff said...

6139

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Giveaway of the Day - HDDlife for Notebooks - Using your notebook on your bed ?

« Last post by Darwin on January 20, 2007, 01:39 PM »

I have also seen the praises of Notebook Hardware Control (NHC) sung on forums around the internet. Having tried it last week, though, I would advise anyone loading it to monitor its resource utilisation. On my system is was very resource intensive (no numbers recorded to back this up, though). HDDLife is very light on resources and does what I want it to. I don't know how long it will remain on my system because I am very meticulous about data backups (Genie BackUp Manager Pro) and disk imaging (Acronis TrueImage) and get the feeling that apps like HDDLife are more of a novelty. Who knows, though, perhaps I am wrong.

6140

General Software Discussion / Re: Paperless Home: Need document management software

« Last post by Darwin on January 20, 2007, 11:29 AM »

Thanks Cranioscopical! That pretty much confirms my suspicions. I'm still "feeling my way" with OmniPage - love it's accuracy and builit in text editor. I've been with ReadIris Pro for several versions (through 11) and find it very easy to use and light on resources (loads in about a tenth of the time of OmniPage) but it's not as accurate when converting pdfs into editable text.

6141

General Software Discussion / Re: Paperless Home: Need document management software

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

Hopefully this is on-topic: I have Omnipage Pro 15 and PDFConverter Professional 4 and I am trying to figure out why I need PaperValet or PaperPort? PaperPort is on sale at Staples for $49 so I am kind of tempted (and PaperValet is attractive because it's a small download with lots of features) but I can't quite see the point. I am meticulous about digital file organisation (sadly this doesn't equate to ANY organisational abiliity in the physical world  ) and I don't have, and do not intend to buy, a scanner with multifeed capabilities. Is there any benefit to be derived from use of an app like Paperport?

Sorry to be dim, but I keep getting the come ons from Nuance about PaperPort and can never quite understand why I would need such an application.

Thanks,

Mike

6142

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Giveaway of the Day - HDDlife for Notebooks - Using your notebook on your bed ?

« Last post by Darwin on January 19, 2007, 04:56 PM »

Thanks Carol - as luck would have it, I am runnning a WD drive in the notebook I described above. I'll keep a loot out for random readings.

6143

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Giveaway of the Day - HDDlife for Notebooks - Using your notebook on your bed ?

« Last post by Darwin on January 19, 2007, 07:28 AM »

patteo, you are not paranoid. My mother in law was staying with us two summers ago and did exactly what you describe - fell asleep with my notebook sitting on her duvet. In the morning it was as dead as a dodo - the hard drive was cooked. The next day I bought a notebook drive, a big tray, and ordered a cooling pad and it's been peachy ever since... The cooling pad is probably overkill but it's a six and a half year old notebook that shipped with a 4200 rpm drive that had been updated to a 5400 rpm one and I suspect that the cooling unit isn't up to the the job... Anyway, thanks for the heads up - I was disappointed the other day when HDDLife for desktops was offered instead of this. Now I have no reason to complain (don't worry about me too much, it won't take me long to find something else...   )!

6144

General Software Discussion / Re: Are any icon editor & manager decent priced?

« Last post by Darwin on January 18, 2007, 08:34 PM »

Also found LiquidIcon XP courtesy of Bear Bottoms Freeware...

EDIT: this is in the review too 

6145

General Software Discussion / Re: Are any icon editor & manager decent priced?

« Last post by Darwin on January 18, 2007, 08:02 PM »

I know next to nothing about icon managers and editors However, Bits du Jour is featuring aHa soft's ArtIcon and ArtIcon Pro on Tuesday the 23rd... aHa's products were reviewed favourably in the recent donationcoder review, but note the caveat about customer service response at the end of the review! If Bits du Jour lives up to its usual deals, you can expect 35%-90% off the price for the app (ArtIcon is $29.95 and the Pro version is $39.95). I have no idea if either tool will satisfy you need for a manager as well...

EDIT: just found this comparison table (courtesy of the review!) and note that icon management IS part of both ArtIcons and ArtIcons Pro, so there...

6146

Living Room / Re: HushedCrush: When Talking to Someone is the Wrong Thing to Do

« Last post by Darwin on January 18, 2007, 09:52 AM »

As the person who made the site, I can tell you it doesn't sell emails to anyone.

It was an exercise to figure out the simplest site I could make that would have viral potential.  There is a write up about it at:

http://mikeomatic.net/?p=120

  Thanks for posting to set us straight, Mike, and welcome to the site   

6147

Living Room / Re: HushedCrush: When Talking to Someone is the Wrong Thing to Do

« Last post by Darwin on January 17, 2007, 09:36 PM »

I've been noticing "you have a secret admirer" e-mails in my spam trap for years - this just looks like more of the same.

6148

General Software Discussion / Re: is there a slim text editor with a nice zoom feature?

« Last post by Darwin on January 16, 2007, 06:22 PM »

hmm... let's try GiveAwayoftheDay f0dder, your notation works and is different from what I was doing in ONE way: I was using <url>=http://blah>text</url>. That extra bracket after the first url was killing me! So simple a solution to a problem that has plagued me for months!

Thanks!

6149

General Software Discussion / Re: is there a slim text editor with a nice zoom feature?

« Last post by Darwin on January 16, 2007, 04:44 PM »

There's a notepad editor replacement on http://www.giveawayoftheday.com today - don't know if it is any good or not as I already have ultraedit installed. It's GridinSoft Notepad Pro, more info at their homepage: http://notepad.gridinsoft.com/

PS I am finding it IMPOSSIBLE to assign text to hyperlinks these days - has there been some change?

6150

The Getting Organized Experiment of 2006 / Re: Why I Stopped Using Five Strategies for Getting Things Done

« Last post by Darwin on January 15, 2007, 02:20 PM »

Sadly, this summarizes my experience with GTD in particular and other organization techniques in general. If I have someone else telling/advising me how to organize my space and time I get hopelessly mired in the thrill of "figuring it all out" and in the possibilities for trying out an endless list of software options to allow me to "maximize" my effectiveness and efficiency. Buffalo chips! My solution to getting things done for myself has beeen to knuckle down and get things done (pun intended). Period. Without any aid other than a calendar, notebook, and a pen. I combine this with the tasks and calendaring features of Outlook 2003. So far, I have been doing pretty well.

I'd LOVE to say that I benefit more from trying out various methods for organization, but they just distract me from whatever task I was hoping to get done!

Rant over, and out