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6226

Finished Programs / Re: DONE: Check folder and tell me which PDFs are images (non-searchable)

« Last post by IainB on July 22, 2011, 11:30 AM »

@vevola: You might be interested in this.
I see you use Foxit and the "reference management" programme Mendeley Desktop.
I have recently started using another reference management programme called Qiqqa, having tried Zotero and Mendelay - I found the latter two did not meet my requirements.

I was blown away by Qiqqa though - it scans and indexes text-searchable PDF files and PDF files containing images - i.e., it OCRs any text in the images in the PDF files. I let Qiqqa loose on my library of about 650 PDF documents, and left it scanning and indexing the lot overnight.
It successfully OCRed and indexed all the imaged PDF files too. It seems quite intuitive to use and has lots of good features.

There's a good list and comparison of "reference management software" here: Comparison of reference management software

On the Qiqqa website, there is a good comparison between Qiqqa, EndNote, Zotero, and Mendelay, :  Qiqqa Features
The OCR capability stands out as a strength for Qiqqa.

6227

General Software Discussion / Re: In search of an alternative to InfoSelect ...

« Last post by IainB on July 22, 2011, 02:44 AM »

I was just cleaning up my Program Files directory and I realised that after uninstalling KN, there was still a Railo directory. I read through the install log and discovered that it was a set-up of the Railo/Resin Web Server. Now I think I understand a bit better how KN works - it is indeed a web-based wiki provided on a local (127.0.0.1) host or web server (my laptop, in this case).
I ran the uninstall file in the Railo directory, and it declared itself to be the Railo 3.1 Server uninstall. It removed itself very tidily.

6228

Finished Programs / Re: Host Editor 7 - Hassle free host editing for Win7-XP

« Last post by IainB on July 20, 2011, 10:51 PM »

Nice solution if you want a bit of extra functionality!

-justice (July 20, 2011, 03:21 AM)

@justice: Yes, it's pretty specialised.
I came across it a while back whilst experimenting to see if I could use the hosts file to get the same level of anonymity, targetted ad-zapping, cookie avoidance/spoiling, and reduced bandwidth utilisation as I had been able to get with JunkBuster years ago.
No go though.     

6229

Finished Programs / Re: Host Editor 7 - Hassle free host editing for Win7-XP

« Last post by IainB on July 19, 2011, 05:08 AM »

You could also try HostsMan. I have used it a bit.
The Help file is well worth a read. The program is full of handy features - e.g., restore the Hosts file to an earlier version or the system default if you've really mucked things up.

This is from the Readme file:

HostsMan 3.2.73
© 1997-2010 abelhadigital.com

Website: http://www.abelhadigital.com/
Forum  : http://forum.abelhadigital.com/
Email  : [email protected]

Portions of this software are Copyright (c) 1993-2004, Chad Z. Hower (Kudzu)
and the Indy Pit Crew - http://www.nevrona.com/Indy/
Portions of this software are Copyright (C) 1999-2003 Mathias Rauen,
www.madshi.net, All Rights Reserved
Portions of this software are Copyright (c) 1999-2006  Jan Goyvaerts,  All
rights reserved. - http://www.regular-e...ons.info/delphi.html
Portions of this software are Copyright (c) 1999-2006 Mike Lischke, All rights
reserved. - http://www.delphi-gems.com/
Portions of this software are Copyright (c) 2008, Primoz Gabrijelcic

SUPPORTED OPERATING SYSTEMS:
----------------------------

     Microsoft Windows 98 SE
     Microsoft Windows ME
     Microsoft Windows 2000
     Microsoft Windows XP
     Microsoft Windows Server 2003
     Microsoft Windows Vista
     Microsoft Windows Server 2008
     Microsoft Windows 7
     Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2


LEGAL DISCLAIMER:
-----------------

     Please read license.txt.


Unzdll.dll AND ZipDll.dll INFO:
-------------------------------

     Author  : Chris Vleghert and Eric W. Engler
     Website : http://www.geocities...Valley/Network/2114/
     Email   : [email protected]

6230

General Software Discussion / Re: In search of an alternative to InfoSelect ...

« Last post by IainB on July 16, 2011, 10:52 PM »

As an update and in case it is of use to someone, I have revisited something that I think we have not discussed in this thread so far, but which was discussed a while back in DC forum - KN (KnowledgeNotebook):
https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=22336
https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=22592

I had previously found KN to be restrictive and a bit kludgy.
Having reinstalled it and having played around with it a bit, I think it is a lot better, but it still seems a rather odd kind of tool to me. It's a sort of Wiki, I think. I don't think I have discovered all of it's potential in my brief look so far. There is a version for "business" use and one for "student" use. I only tried out the former. I did watch the associated tutorial videos, and saw that the student version apparently has some handy study aids - e.g.,  simple mind-mapping charts, flash cards (as an aid to rote learning), and a very rough method for comparing your own notes to those of your tutor to see how well-aligned they are.

The KN website is here, if you want to download and try it for yourself: KnowledgeNotebook

For this latest install of KN, I looked at what the KN installation puts onto the disk, and it seems it's based on Railo - an Open Source ColdFusion Markup Language (CFML). It uses a lot of Java scripts, and, I'm not sure about this, but the installation batch files seem to require .NET Framework and MS Access(?). The data files seem to be buried in the C:\Program Files directory in Win7. KN will not install properly except to that as its root directory, and it leaves loose files in that root, which I think is a bit untidy on the developer's part.

So, it looks interesting, but I don't know how well it might meet the user requirements of different potential users.
The point about requirements made above by @Armando is not insignificant:

The subject of the perfect information management software can be discussed endlessly and yet... No magic formula will emerge for at least 3 terribly banal and cliché reasons : users' needs are often different, users come/are from/in various contexts, users possess various degree of geekiness... That's why you'll have people immensely enjoying Compendium while others will find that TiddlyWiki or oldish Ecco are the best things since slice bread... While I'll just be left scratching my head

Each PIM user will have different, and usually unspecified requirements - may not even know what they are or may not be able to articulate them coherently to others. These "requirements" will form the paradigm or lens through which they look to see whether any given PIM is "perfect" for them. This is obviously a complete lottery and therefore it would be highly unlikely that any PIM will meet your needs under such a scheme.

As an aside: Perhaps little wonder therefore that the Info Select developer has been given such a hard time by his users in their Yahoo forum. However, it is probably his own fault to a large extent as he did not seem to engage in or own up to any systematic gathering, cataloguing and publishing of user requirements before going into redevelopment. He seemed to be entirely focussed on "features" which are not at all the same thing as "user requirements". A lot of the users followed his lead and became focussed on features as well, thereby missing the opportunity to better understand and define their own requirements.

6231

General Software Discussion / Re: DOS Batch Functions Tutorial

« Last post by IainB on July 15, 2011, 09:57 PM »

Batch Compiler 1.0.1 By Ricardo Arias
Oblivion kindly emailed me the batch compiler and I have put it in box.net for downloading from here: BatchCompiler.zip

6232

Found Deals and Discounts / BumpTop - last free version BumpTop-2.1-6225.exe

« Last post by IainB on July 15, 2011, 09:51 PM »

I was just reviewing my box.net files for something unrelated to this, when I realised that I had not provided the DC forum with a link to the last free version of BumpTop. I'm not sure if there is already a link to download this version elsewhere on the DC forum, but here it is anyway: BumpTop-2.1-6225.exe
EDIT 2013-05-20: Quite a lot of people have been downloading this file recently. Could you post a comment in the discussion thread below as to why you got the file and what you thought of BumpTop? It would be interesting to know what use people might be putting it to and what problems it may have or help overcome. (Thanks.)
________________________
This version was made available for a while on the BumpTop website: http://bumptop.com/ in May 2010, shortly before it was announced that Google had acquired BumpTop, a short while after which the last version became no longer available.
You can read more about it on Wikipedia - BumpTop

6233

Living Room / Re: Looking at Cameras

« Last post by IainB on July 13, 2011, 01:38 AM »

@tomos: I did a comparison between your Olympus E-PL2 and my Sony DSC H-55, and thought it's probably comparing apples and eggs, the E-PL2 looks rather nice.

6234

Adventures of Baby Cody / Re: Baby Cody needs a place to visit!

« Last post by IainB on July 11, 2011, 06:37 AM »

@gjehle: If we really wanted to aggravate Cody's carbon footprint, we could do worse than pop him on board with every flight that Al Gore goes on...         

6235

Adventures of Baby Cody / Re: Baby Cody needs a place to visit!

« Last post by IainB on July 11, 2011, 05:59 AM »

@gjehle: I got a different message to this post(?).
No problem whenever baby Cody wishes to head off to NZ will be OK for us. It's winter here at present, so summer might be better anyway - if he prefers warmer climes.
We live in Auckland, which is warmer than the more southern parts of NZ. A bit sub-tropical - e.g., warm enough for banana plants to grow in people's gardens. If Cody arrives here before we (my family) go for a trip to Thailand (where my wife comes from and where Lily was born), he can come with us. We will be going to the NE part, in a changwat (district) called Khon Kaen. According to the Lonely Planet guide, not more than 7% of tourists head in that direction - nothing much of interest for the usual tourists. The area is rather flat and is mostly rice and some other agriculture, very peaceful and safe - well away from the Muslim killings of the non-Muslims in the much more picturesque far south.

6236

Finished Programs / Re: Foreground wallpaper

« Last post by IainB on July 03, 2011, 06:06 AM »

@skwire: It probably needs to have options to change in sync with wallpaper changers - e.g., the Windows 7 Personalise/Desktop background changer:

• Fill
• Fit
• Stretch
• Tile
• Center

Otherwise it seems to override the changer and you may get stuck with a single, fixed and undesirable/distorted image.

6237

Living Room / Re: Sita Sings the Blues - A FREE Movie

« Last post by IainB on July 03, 2011, 03:43 AM »

@Renegade: Thanks for this. I am downloading it now. Looks like a creative development in the movie and on the licencing front.

Edit: Just finished watching it. What a superb movie. Thanks again.   

6238

Finished Programs / Re: Foreground wallpaper

« Last post by IainB on July 02, 2011, 11:54 PM »

@skwire: Interesting effect. I tried that (Lucidity) out. That's quite a nifty little app you made there, though I won't be using it myself (I dislike having my screen visually cluttered).

6239

Adventures of Baby Cody / Re: Baby Cody needs a place to visit!

« Last post by IainB on July 02, 2011, 08:54 PM »

My daughter, Lily (aged 9¾), would like to invite Baby Cody to New Zealand. She's pretty good with babies - and a camera. She took this, for example, not long after I bought a Sony HDR-CX110 camcorder:
     Baby Brian won't stop laughing

6240

Living Room / Re: Looking at Cameras

« Last post by IainB on July 02, 2011, 05:18 AM »

@Renegade: After your suggestion (above) about the SLR route, I thought of recommending the Olympus E-620, but then I did a comparison with your Nikon D5000:
Comparison: Nikon D5000 vs Olympus E-620

The Nikon D5000 seems to win hands down with a score of 54:22.
I had bought my daughter (per above) the Olympus E-410 in 2007, and she said it was superb and that the clarity of its pictures seemed to be far superior to some  higher spec cameras. This is apparently attributable to Olympus employing the newer "four-thirds" technology and lenses, which ensures less diffracted light "noise" falling onto the sensor array.

The Olympus is just an SLR and does not do video though, unlike your Nikon, it seems.

6241

Living Room / Re: Looking at Cameras

« Last post by IainB on July 01, 2011, 07:36 AM »

@tomos: I too have been looking at cameras lately, and ended up buying a couple a few months back:

1 x Sony DSC-H55 Cyber-Shot camera: NZ$286 - refer Sony DSC-H55 Cyber-Shot camera - handbook (GB).pdf

1 x Sony HDR-CX110 camcorder: NZ$408 - refer Sony HDR-CX110 camcorder - handbook.pdf

I had also looked at the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3, and that was very good, but I have been unable to get it or a more recent model at a significant discount, let alone at ½ price.

I already had:
2 x Samsung L100: (got these great little cameras a couple of years ago for myself and my wife, and they are due to be put up for sale on an online auction site) - Samsung L100 camera - user manual (English).pdf

The two Sony items were as new refurbished and priced at half normal retail price at the time I bought them.
The cyber-shot camera has some great features - e.g., 10x optical zoom, anti-shake, panoramic view capture (not stitched in memory, but taken by panning the camera in panoramic mode).

The handycam is small enough to fit in my hand and has tons of incredible features - e.g., 25x optical zoom, 300x digital zoom, face-tracking (no shake). It was priced retail at NZ$850 in Dick Smith at the time, but is now NZ$700.
My daughter - who has just got her Hons. in multimedia and graphics design studies - wants to borrow the handycam for its slow-motion feature alone as she reckons it is better than the cameras in her labs.

6242

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: Using Skype to Monitor Remote Systems

« Last post by IainB on June 28, 2011, 08:30 AM »

@timns: This seems redolent, to some extent, of the Tandem NonStop II (circa 1985) Guardian operating system. Each of the CPUs in a system group would keep broadcasting on a fast bus to all the other CPUs in the group an "I'm alive" message every 3.5 seconds or something very precise. If a processor failed to broadcast the message within the allotted elapsed time, then it was deemed to have failed and was excommunicated from the group, with subsequent transactions being rerouted/re-queued in the system to avoid the "failed" CPU.

6243

Living Room / Re: A New Twist in Wikipedia?

« Last post by IainB on June 21, 2011, 09:25 AM »

@40hz: Wot you said. Hear, hear.   +1          
(Whoops! That's a vote innit?)     

6244

Living Room / Re: A New Twist in Wikipedia?

« Last post by IainB on June 21, 2011, 07:20 AM »

I do not understand. This folly makes me want to rant.
How, exactly, could it be considered to be a "good thing" to give the people who read Wikipedia articles the opportunity to rate whether they think the articles are:

• Trustworthy
• Objective
• Complete
• Well-written?

This is just an opinion poll, there is probably nothing intentionally democratic about it, and it would be incorrect to say that opinion polls prove anything other than what a relatively narrow and non-random sampling of general opinion might be about a thing.
Therefore, unless you are attempting to forecast something like (say) election polling results, if you extrapolate the results of the poll in an attempt to indicate that it is significant - i.e., that it actually means/indicates a valid truth or argument - then you are on a hiding to nothing.

For example, surely millions of Germans couldn't have been wrong about their Austrian leader called Hitler - could they? Well, yes they could have been, and they apparently were - big time.

It is not possible to attempt to ameliorate the mediocre state of something written by the unqualified and uninformed in Wikipedia by saying "Well, it has the consensus of the majority of equally unqualified and uninformed readers (peers), so it must be true/correct."
That would be a non-sequitur.
You don't vote on a logical argument to prove whether it is right. The argument must be able to stand the hard light of scrutiny - of critical thinking and the test of reason - before it can be said to be correct/true.
"Nullius in verbo." Motto of the Royal Society, London. Take nobody's word for it; see for yourself.

I am embarrassed to admit that I had created a few Wikipedia articles and contributed to several more, before this epiphany hit me. Now I only create and update Google knols, with chosen collaborators (where I can find them) who are at least as qualified as I am in the subject in question. I became tired of the irrational, biased, self-important and ignorant edits and comments on Wikipedia, and the seemingly perpetual moronic or ignorant vandalism. In a knol there is stability and control. The quality of the result is likely to be as good as the minimum quality and depth of knowledge of the authors/contributors.

I was brought up to use and explore Grolier's Children's Encyclopaedia (a set of volumes), and later the Encyclopaedia Britannica (an even bigger set of volumes)       - from the age of 11 years.
EB could never have been able to achieve and then maintain its authoritative standing if it had not been meticulous and rigorous in its choice of academic contributors and the peer review of their contributions - and I don't mean the fatuous so-called "peer review process" of the IPCC climate material. "Scientific consensus"? Yeah, right. And I believe in fairies too.

For these and other, lesser, reasons, it is difficult to see how Wikipedia could be regarded as being able to even approach authoritative credibility. If Wikipedia editors believe that there is some sound rationale for implementing such a poll, then they are compounding the folly. Deming would be rolling in his grave.

6245

General Software Discussion / Re: web clipping

« Last post by IainB on June 19, 2011, 08:05 PM »

@Dormouse: What about Scrapbook add-on for Firefox?    
It always seems to work without problem for me.
It would be nice if it were available for Chromium/Chrome too.

6246

General Software Discussion / Re: DOS Batch Functions Tutorial

« Last post by IainB on June 18, 2011, 09:24 PM »

@oblivion
@ewemoa:                Re: Batch Compiler.
From memory, there was a batch compiler in 4DOS (I referred to 4DOS in a post above), but I never actually needed to use it except to try it out, so cannot comment on it.
I did some googling using "Batch Compiler Ricardo Arias" search terms. I did find links/references to those terms - mostly in the Spanish language - but no download source for the Batch Compiler.
On one site Purebasic.com there was this "user opinion":

Ricardo Arias, Argentina
"I come from Visual Basic.
Then I was searching for something small, with no runtimes, speed and easy too.
Maybe PureBasic doesn't have that quantity of sourcecode available, but a great community that always help each other."

(By the way, reading about it on that site, I thought that PureBasic looked like a great Basic language + compiler. I might try it out,)     

I also found this link: a Batch to EXE Converter on F2K0.de
You can download it from there, but it's probably not the Batch Compiler from Ricardo Arias.

6247

General Software Discussion / Re: In search of an alternative to InfoSelect ...

« Last post by IainB on June 17, 2011, 03:15 AM »

Suggest you check out Compendium.
It was in my list in an earlier post, but I haven't used it for a couple of years. In the link provided above, it says this:

Personal Use
Many people use Compendium to manage their personal digital information resources, since you can drag+drop in any document, website, email, image, etc, organise them visually, and then connect ideas, arguments and decisions to these. Compendium thus becomes the 'glue' that allows you to pool and make sense of disparate material that would otherwise remain fragmented in different software applications. You can assign your own keyword 'tags' to these elements (icons), create your own palettes of icons that have special meanings, overlay maps on top of background images, and place/edit a given icon in many different places at once: things don't always fit neatly into just one box in real life.

If you're technical, you can exploit our XML scheme, the Derby or MySQL relational database, and public Java classes to connect Compendium to other databases and computational services. (If that sentence meant anything to you, then check out our developer website!)

There are informative links to follow if you go to the website.
Wikipedia have a good entry on Compendium.

6248

General Software Discussion / Re: DOS Batch Functions Tutorial

« Last post by IainB on June 17, 2011, 12:41 AM »

IMHO, the best thing to do with DOS batch commands is avoid using them.
Try Take Command from JP Software.
I used to use the precursor to Take Command, called 4DOS. It was superb. I gather from Wikipedia that 4DOS is pseudo public domain now.

6249

General Software Discussion / Re: In search of an alternative to InfoSelect ...

« Last post by IainB on June 16, 2011, 01:07 AM »

@barney: Ah, I see! I was using WikeNotes v0.2 not v0.4.
I had been confuzzled by their website (which is also kludgy). It took me three tries to download v0.4 from their WindowsLive website - without corruption errors.
When I started up v0.4, I immediately saw what you meant. Much better.
I take back my comments above. Still kludgy, and you need to take care.
Well worth following WikeNotes' development, but, since it's apparently still under development, I'd not recommend that you entrust your valuable data to it without lots of backup.

By the way, I noticed that it takes copy/paste of text and/or images from MS OneNote just fine - which some applications seem to have great difficulty with.

6250

Developer's Corner / Re: NetRexx is now free and open source courtesy of IBM

« Last post by IainB on June 15, 2011, 07:01 PM »

@40hz: Yes, I agree about it being a good thing.         
As I said above:

Better that than to just bury it.

Oh dear - you spotted some cynicism in what I wrote?!