Recent Posts

626

DC Gamer Club / Re: Free Humble Bundle 3 for Android for the first to PM

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 19, 2012, 06:39 PM »

OOPs sorry - thought I sent it as a PM to cthorpe! Thanks for catching it - appreciated

cthorpe let me know if you have a problem redeeming it - but I guess Stephen caught it quickly enough.

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DC Gamer Club / Re: Free Humble Bundle 3 for Android for the first to PM

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 19, 2012, 06:26 PM »

This is your link for Humble Bundle 3 for Android:

(Removed link as someone can steal it) {Stephen66515}

That is a permanent link for you so keep a copy of it.

You can sign up for an account on Humble Bundle and attach that pack to your account so you can download easily in the future (And combine any other HB packs you have). It is also the easiest way to install the Android version as there is a HB app for Android and when you login it to your HB acount with it you can install all the Android versions easily.

All the games can be installed in Steam using the Steam codes but there are also full non-DRM downloads if you prefer.

Enjoy ;-)

Carol

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DC Gamer Club / Re: Free Humble Bundle 3 for Android for the first to PM

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 19, 2012, 06:22 PM »

'Tis yours - I will send by PM.

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DC Gamer Club / Free Humble Bundle 3 for Android for the first to PM

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 19, 2012, 03:55 PM »

Free "Humble Bundle for Android 3" to the first person to reply here and ask ;-)

Full gift license - includes all keys and versions of all the games (Windows, Mac, Linux and Android).

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Living Room / Re: Windows 8: Yes, it's that bad

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 16, 2012, 03:34 AM »

Having played with not-Metro I can't really see the attraction (even for not-Metro apps). It is pretty ugly and annoying to use on a desktop.

As for the desktop - so long as you don't mind pinning all your apps to the taskbar you probably never have to see not-Metro.

Couple of points you can turn off the lock screen (who thought that was a good idea on the desktop?) and if you put the Desktop tile as the first tile in not-Metro you only have to press return when not-Metro appears to go to the desktop.

My problem is even with 3 x 24" HD monitors in AMD Eyeinfinity mode my task bar is stll not big enough to pin all my applications - presumably I will now have to start filling all the screens with shortcut icons to start apps.

I just hope they managed to sort out the ridiculous shutdown routine in pre RTM versions otherwise there will be a lot of unhappy people who resort to pulling the plug!

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DC Gamer Club / Re: Humble Bundle 3 for Android Live

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 15, 2012, 04:52 PM »

SpaceChem is nice game

632

General Software Discussion / Re: Steam set to become app store

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 15, 2012, 07:36 AM »

Just went to my Steam Workshop page to look at Portal 2 maps I uploaded and all my maps have disappeared. They are still listed publicly if you have the direct links but my profile is bare!!!

Yeah - I am going to trust Steam with cloud data.

Just to say I regularly get can't connect on first attempt to steam - second attempt is usually fine - but I di have it set to start with windows so maybe there is a connection issue sometimes at startup.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Windows Updates has hosed my system... Help!

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 13, 2012, 07:11 AM »

I don't think LKGC works if System Restore is switched off - might be wrong but I thought it was tied to SR ?

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General Software Discussion / Re: Windows Updates has hosed my system... Help!

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 12, 2012, 04:42 PM »

+2 

Actually I have come across this issue a number of times and booting into safe mode and then restarting often seems to reset something. Failing that System Restore can be a really good fall back.

Unless you make daily image backups turning off SR is asking for trouble!

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General Software Discussion / Re: Steam set to become app store

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 12, 2012, 02:15 PM »

IMHO a slightly worrying development - the Steam servers barely cope with what they are doing now without adding loads of cloud-based app type stuff.

I have no problems with the internet at all but I frequently get 'Cannot connect to steam' on first attempt to open Steam when it is trying to login - and when opening pages in the Steam browser windows I could sometimes go and make a cup of coffee in the time I wait for the page to actually appear. (They never open immediately and the Steam browser make IE look positively whizzo - which is strange because as far as I can tell it is an IE shell ???)

The other issue is that when Steam feels the need to update stuff they never ask your permission and unless you have a very fast broadband (and Steam in a good mood) you could easily find yourself waiting for a couple of hours (or even days) bfor you can open an app depending on the size of download. (I have a customer whose son plays Steam games and on average it takes him between 7 to 10 days to get new games installed - even when he buys it it on DVD). Of course you can't amuse yourself in the meantime by playing another game because that suspends the download!

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Living Room / Re: Raspberry Pi's $35 Linux PC

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 09, 2012, 11:57 AM »

If anyone is interested in a plastic case for the Pi I got one of these:

http://www.lmw.co.uk...e=index&cPath=28

Nicely done, with a click fit shell (no tools) so it is easy to take apart and put back together.

If you want to use the IO pins on the board they are not exposed but all the sockets fit well and it feels a lot less like you might break something than using the bare board!

UPDATE: They do seem to have a red version which has the main IO port exposed - but I have a black case which is fully enclosed.

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Living Room / Re: Apple's Marketing Mindset

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 07, 2012, 07:45 PM »

There are more women than men on this planet.

Forget apple. Reading this makes me feel like there is some hope for this planet. 

-mahesh2k (August 07, 2012, 07:13 PM)

You'd think - just a shame a large proportion of them have absolutely no say in anything - even how to dress!

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Living Room / Re: Apple's Marketing Mindset

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 07, 2012, 12:43 PM »

Yes. But you're unique and marvelous. And we cherish you for being that way. 

(Maybe I should have qualified that a little better and said American women?  )

-40hz (August 07, 2012, 11:55 AM)

LOL - how do you know I am not a Yank living in the UK? Actually all the American women I have ever met are too bright to fall for the 'oo its shiny' approach - now some of my English friends .... (no names ....)

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Living Room / Re: Apple's Marketing Mindset

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 07, 2012, 10:40 AM »

But show them almost anything Apple related and their faces light up like it's Christmas morning.

-40hz (August 07, 2012, 06:47 AM)

Not this one ...

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General Software Discussion / Re: Outlook.com

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 06, 2012, 09:14 PM »

Hey - if that came up I would turn off adblocker!

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Living Room / Re: Curiosity Mars rover - live feed from NASA

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 06, 2012, 06:54 PM »

Nice image here:

http://science.nasa....012/06aug_parachute/

Seriously impressed with an awesome bit of engineering and science!

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Living Room / Re: Apple's Marketing Mindset

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 06, 2012, 06:50 PM »

Apple = "Last week's technology, nicely packaged, and available today -  at tomorrow's prices."

Microsoft = "Trust us. We're much cheaper. And we'll get it right no later than the third try."

-40hz (August 06, 2012, 02:08 PM)

LOL

Actually I think there is a much simpler mind set:

Apple - give us your money, next year give it again, continue ad nauseam

MS - whatever works for Apple ...

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General Software Discussion / Re: Outlook.com

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 06, 2012, 06:49 PM »

Carol, I just noticed your ads in the screenshot look more like "user tips," mine looked more like Groupon type discounts, they seemed so far to be all from restaurant dot com iirc. I supposed they roll things out differently based on region.

-daddydave (August 06, 2012, 04:52 PM)

I think it looks like the ad space but they haven't got the UK ads to fill it yet - and I defy them to find relevant local ads where I live!!!

The reason I assume this is the ad space is the link at the bottom of the panel to Ad Choices.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Outlook.com

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 06, 2012, 12:00 PM »

I just wish Microsoft would stop calling everything Outlook!

Spent some time today trying to resolve an issue with a customers email - turns out the ISP had changed ot using Office365 for email and consequently she had been moved to new servers - pop.outlook.com and smtp.outlook.com - they do not seem to relate to the public outlook.com being discussed here.

Talk about deliberately clouding the issue and causing confusion - 90% of the time you look for support for Outlook searches still turn up mostly irrelevant information from Outlook Express days or the wrong version of Outlook ...

It isn't as though they need the outlook brand to be carried forward - I would have though MS would want to drop it as the Office version is pretty universally slammed by anyone who has to troubleshoot it!! It seems to me an ideal opportunity to come up with a anew mail brand ... Metro Mail (oops no can't have that), Windows Mail (oops been there done that), ditto Live Mail ... how about Bing Mail ? Now that would draw the crowds for sure!

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General Software Discussion / Re: Outlook.com

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 04, 2012, 09:34 AM »

Interesting - I get a block of Google-style text ads down the right margin of the screen. As soon as I activated AdBlock plus they disappeared.

Maybe it depends on your APB subscriptions (I use EasyList, Fanboy and "Recommended filters for Google Chrome"). I also have the Extension "Ad-blocker for Gmail™ 2.7" installed in Chrome.

Also just tried it in Firefox 14 with and without AdBlock Plus enabled (again using Fanboy and EasyList subs but it doesn't make any difference if unobtrusive ads are ticked or not in filter preferences):

Without ABP:



With ABP:

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General Software Discussion / Re: Outlook.com

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 04, 2012, 08:19 AM »

Adblock plus blocks all ads in outlook.com on my system

There is an Ad bar down the right when adblock plus is disabled

(using Google Chrome)

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General Software Discussion / Re: Outlook.com

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 04, 2012, 07:25 AM »

AdBlock Plus works well with outlook.com

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Living Room / Re: Windows 8 Metro has gone ...

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 03, 2012, 08:31 AM »

Maybe they were waiting to see if the Paris Metro or the Tyneside Metro were going to take first crack!

Still hilarious. Can you imagine all the marketing materials that are currently being redesigned!

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Living Room / Windows 8 Metro has gone ...

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 03, 2012, 07:17 AM »

Not really - but the name has!

http://www.bbc.co.uk.../technology-19108952

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General Software Discussion / Re: Outlook.com

« Last post by Carol Haynes on August 01, 2012, 04:49 PM »

Actually while I see the security and privacy issues with recovering deleted emails there are a couple of good points to it too.

I have had a number of customers with hacked Hotmail (and Yahoo) accounts who have lost everything. OK they were stupid to rely on an online service as the only copy of their email but they would have killed for that feature.

At the end of the day privacy on any service is illusory - any provider can access all of your email. If they want to waste server space storing it for a while after deletion I can't really see it is a cause for too much concern.