Recent Posts

6926

Living Room / Interview with Adam Smith - Founder of Xobni

« Last post by Renegade on August 30, 2011, 09:13 PM »

Doc and I were lucky enough to interview Adam Smith of Xobni. I know there are a few people here that like, use, and recommend Xobni, so here's your chance to hear from the man himself~!

Some of the things we talk about include speech recognition and business models, amongst others. But, no spoilers here.

Ok... 1 mini-sort-of-almost spoiler... Adam talks about motivations for Xobni and what he was thinking of when he came up with the idea. He also talks about that same idea as it relates to speech recognition (and some more as well).

Show notes: http://thedocreport....-xobni-hackepreneur/
Feed: feed://thedocreport.com/feed/podcast/
Direct Download: http://thedocreport....bni-conversation.mp3

So, I hope you enjoy the show! Please do make sure to give us some feedback either here, in the show notes comments, or by email at loopback at the doc report dot com.

Oh... 1 last thing...

For the Dysfunctional Fractoid trivia question, Adam has a very cool one for you this week... and... just so that you know that we really do listen, the prize for whoever answers the question first correctly is a free license for Smart Diary Suite Home Edition! (Mahesh2k asked about GTD, so here's a little jump start for that.) So, thanks for that Dennis!

6927

Living Room / Re: Reporting myself to a moderator

« Last post by Renegade on August 29, 2011, 01:53 AM »

I've modified it -- can you give it a try and let me know if it's fixed?

-mouser (August 28, 2011, 07:28 PM)

I tested it in another thread and it's working.

6928

Living Room / Re: Mis-leading Online Advertisements - Have Your Say!

« Last post by Renegade on August 28, 2011, 10:57 PM »

+1.0 x 10^666

I LOATHE deception in advertising. No. Really. It's beyond that. Marketing. Advertising. Propaganda. I'm incapable of writing what I really think because there simply are not words strong enough to express it, and any attempt of mine would likely land me in prison.

With respect to false or misleading advertising offline, it's horrible here in Australia. Consumer protection is weak. Advertising here is often outright deceptive just like the examples you've posted. Companies purposefully, willfully, and intentionally set out to deceive people. (Anyone familiar with how telecommunications are advertised in Australia will know what I'm talking about.)

Being upfront and honest is NOT a part of modern advertising/marketing/propaganda.

Time for me to shut up before I say what I really think...

6929

Living Room / Re: Goodnight Irene

« Last post by Renegade on August 28, 2011, 10:45 PM »

The wife and I were discussing the insane level of hype this morning. Why the media thinks creating wide spread panic is helpful is beyond me... But being in Florida I'm rather use to it.

Glad to here you rode it out ok.

-Stoic Joker (August 28, 2011, 09:03 AM)

Insane media hype?

Which do you prefer:

Media Hyena Snipe
Media Hyena Penis
Media Hyena Spine
Meanie Hyena Dips
Aha Die Enemy Spin < I like this one.
Aha Die Semi Penny


Media hype is the norm. Everything is blown out of proportion. Except things that matter. And another 16,000 children under the age of 5 starved to death today...

6930

Living Room / Re: Centurylink is on CracK

« Last post by Renegade on August 28, 2011, 08:18 PM »

The two guys that came to the house Saturday, deserve a raise. The rest of the company should be immediately sterilized in defense of the gene pool.

-Stoic Joker (August 28, 2011, 02:25 PM)

Hahahaa~!

Sorry to hear about your nightmare, but you have a great way of ranting that is very entertaining~!

(I love the sterilization bit!)

6931

General Software Discussion / Re: Cnet's Download.com and the installer scam

« Last post by Renegade on August 26, 2011, 07:01 PM »

The best solution would be developer opt-in, with revenue sharing for those that opt-in, and a clear link to program homepage.

But as far as I'm concerned the only real bottom line thing that absolutely *must* be remedied as soon as possible is providing a cost-free way for developers to opt out of this installer wrapper.  Until that happens I think all of us are going to keep screaming bloody murder.

-mouser (August 26, 2011, 06:42 PM)

I went back and had a bit of a closer look at it. It's not actually a wrapper. It's a download manager that will download the program in the background and then let you install the program.

So, I think my previous comment about CNet violating EULAs and whatnot was out of line, i.e. wrong. They're not doing that.

Basically, they're injecting an intermediary step there, i.e. the download manager.

While we may not like it, I don't think that they're doing anything as bad as I thought before.

Now, the download manager DOES use graphics from (I presume) PAD files or whatever you've uploaded. But they are there for download sites to use to promote your software... However, this seems like a bit of a stretch as it brands the CNet download manager with your logo/image/icon, which seems to imply some sort of endorsement. Still, this hasn't been done before, so is this analogous to the Stephen What'sHisName that used to hijack PAD files all the time? Dunno.

Anyways, just trying to clear up what IS going on vs. what ISN'T going on. We seem to have the wrong impression there. Seems like CNet corporate communications are about as good as Microsoft's. (I think they would have been better off to give people a clear heads up on this before running off and doing it.)

(BTW - Please don't take anything that I said there for what it isn't. I've simply tried to look at what is and isn't happening. I'm not trying to comment with an opinion on it, well... beyond the corporate communications thing. )

@Seth - Good to see someone from CNet chime in!

6932

General Software Discussion / Re: Cnet's Download.com and the installer scam

« Last post by Renegade on August 25, 2011, 09:49 PM »

Check out JoS:

http://discuss.joelo....asp?biz.5.839442.24

A fair number of people are pulling their software from CNet.

I don't know if it will make a difference though, as it's only the top few hundred programs that drive things, and the rest is all just long tail. Being in the long tail is like screaming at the sky from the bottom of the ocean. Useless.

6933

Living Room / Re: Seriously, Youtube is becoming impossible!

« Last post by Renegade on August 25, 2011, 09:37 PM »

Have you tried Vimeo?

As for YouTube... Sigh... Yeah... They're becoming more and more obnoxious.

I've noticed that Google's ads are becoming more and more deceptive in different contexts.

6934

General Software Discussion / Re: Cnet's Download.com and the installer scam

« Last post by Renegade on August 25, 2011, 09:39 AM »

I have to disagree with you there Renegade.

Not having a having a prominent link to the program homepage is unacceptable for a download site.

-mouser (August 25, 2011, 09:20 AM)

Seems like everybody is getting me wrong today...

I'm not disagreeing with you at all. I just don't think that CNet will put links to developer sites there. They really have no incentive to do it, and every incentive to not link to developers. Acceptable or unacceptable isn't what I was talking about -- I merely wanted to point out that I don't think that it is likely that they WOULD do it. I wasn't trying to comment on whether they SHOULD do it.

It simply makes for a much better page to have links to the original source. So, yeah - I'm agreeing with you about the "should" part.

6935

General Software Discussion / Re: Cnet's Download.com and the installer scam

« Last post by Renegade on August 25, 2011, 09:05 AM »

This really needs to be mandatory -- and not a link to some generic developer home page -- but a link to the PROGRAM home page.  This is something that should not be optional.  Any site not doing this is purposefully and unreasonably trying to make it hard for you to go get the latest original download and information about the program (probably in an ill-advised effort to avoid you "leaving" their site).

-mouser (August 25, 2011, 08:16 AM)

I think that's kind of unrealistic. They want to keep you on their site so that there's a higher chance that you click an ad. If they "leak" visitors to developer sites, that's money down the drain.

Granted, I'd like to see that, both from a user and a developer perspective. I quite often want to visit the developer site for more information. Download sites typically have crap for basic info. As a developer, I like links to me~!

6936

General Software Discussion / Re: Cnet's Download.com and the installer scam

« Last post by Renegade on August 25, 2011, 12:10 AM »

The bigger you are, the more evil you can be and get away with it. So, that's why I am not sure about the practical upshot for pulling software from there,

-Renegade (August 24, 2011, 08:47 PM)

                                         (see attachment in previous post)
Rolling over and playing dead has never been a good response to 800lb gorillas misbehaving.

At the very least, standing up to them makes it very clear that their behavior is not being given your tacit approval. Because there's a great deal of truth to the old saying "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem."

In the end I think it all comes down to how much respect you have for yourself and what you believe in. If you allow yourself to knuckle under without firing a single shot, you were already defeated before the conflict even began.

Just my tuppence.

-40hz (August 24, 2011, 09:27 PM)

True. Luckily I don't have to deal with it directly.

It's just one of those additional things that I don't want to think about. I devote enough energy elsewhere.

NSFW

The world is a fucked-up shit hole, and this is just another steamer on the pile.

I simply cannot get myself worked up about it. I'm tired. I don't have the energy to scream about every problem. Eventually, my voice gives out. This is something that other people need to scream about. I'll throw in a +1, but I'm not going to scream.

6937

Living Room / GOD IS DEAD~! =P

« Last post by Renegade on August 24, 2011, 09:02 PM »

GOD IS DEAD! GOD IS DEAD!

Ok, well, enough with allusions to The Gay Science. It just was begging for it:

http://news.cnet.com...le-with-their-faith/

Apple announced Wednesday that CEO Steve Jobs is stepping down. With the news, many Apple fans are questioning the future of the company, while others feel it will be better than ever.

6938

General Software Discussion / Re: Cnet's Download.com and the installer scam

« Last post by Renegade on August 24, 2011, 08:47 PM »

I suspect you *may* have a different perspective from some here due to your use and support of OpenCandy, which we've previously established is a bit controversial.

-JavaJones (August 24, 2011, 08:13 PM)

You're way off there. I didn't express any opinion one way or another about CNet's wrapping installers as it wouldn't add anything to the conversation. (It's pretty much all been said. But it looks like I need to clarify what I think there.)

Flat out, I see CNet wrapping installers as an obvious violation of author trust, IP, and in most cases, their software EULAs.

There are fundamental differences between what CNet is doing and OpenCandy. OC starts with respect and consent. CNet is starting off by hijacking installers without consent.

I wanted to install some software (ALToolbar), but it's hosted at CNet now. When I saw the file name, I stopped. If CNet is screwing authors, what will they do to users? (Who are probably less likely to care about the issue...)

Now, my installer hasn't been affected. CNet simply links to the file on my server. (It's a ZIP file.) So I've not been affected that way.

But CNet is one of those gargantuan beasts that can basically do whatever it wants, just like Apple, or Google, or whoever. The bigger you are, the more evil you can be and get away with it. So, that's why I am not sure about the practical upshot for pulling software from there, or whether or not it will matter to users (regarding opinions about authors -- I fully expect it to have a negative impact on users whether they perceive it or not).

Anyways, that's just my $0.02.

6939

General Software Discussion / Re: Cnet's Download.com and the installer scam

« Last post by Renegade on August 24, 2011, 07:55 PM »

Pulling his software does not have to negatively affect CNet at all for it to be worthwhile. Mouser is protecting *his* reputation and customer relationships by doing this.

-JavaJones (August 24, 2011, 07:24 PM)

That's the thing -- I'm not sure it will. Are the people that download from CNet likely to notice? Would it adversely affect an author's reputation? Would it improve it? After all, having a CNet wrapper could be interpreted as a CNet endorsement and could elevate some authors' software in some user opinions. Dunno.

I know what I think, and I've read what others here think, but seriously -- we're not representative of the larger public. Most people here are way too technically savvy to be considered 'regular users'.

6940

General Software Discussion / Re: Cnet's Download.com and the installer scam

« Last post by Renegade on August 24, 2011, 07:14 PM »

To be honest, I don't know if they'd change. Dissent is likely to come from the long tail, and they simply don't care about it. The top few programs drive traffic and revenue, so...

Mouser, I hate to say it, but in some ways I think pulling your software from there is like pissing into the wind. Not that I disagree or anything with you. I just don't know what the practical effects will be, and I have a hard time seeing CNet budge on the issue, especially if it's profitable, which it probably is.

6941

General Software Discussion / Re: Dr. Explain Help Editor

« Last post by Renegade on August 23, 2011, 11:00 PM »

Paul, did you try out Help & Manual? I'm curious as to why you chose Dr. Explain. (I use H&M.)

6942

Living Room / Re: "Upgrade" Button is Patented -- Trolls Come Out of Sewers...

« Last post by Renegade on August 23, 2011, 10:50 PM »

Go Samsung 

Samsung cites Stanley Kubrick's '2001: A Space Odyssey' movie as prior art against iPad design patent

http://fosspatents.b...y-kubricks-2001.html

-rgdot (August 23, 2011, 10:06 PM)

That is AWESOME~!

6943

Living Room / Re: Doc Report Ep. 1 - Interview with Nico Westerdale of Bits du Jour

« Last post by Renegade on August 23, 2011, 11:51 AM »

Sorry for the late review. Just downloaded and listened to it and I like it.

Few suggestions -

1) PDF transcript please (ya know speed of my USB data card ryan  )
2) Interviews of developers from codecanyon (envato) or other freeware/shareware authors
3) GTD stuff (interviews or resources?)
4) Audio goes up and down, that's the only problem. So please fix that.

Keep up with the podcast 

-mahesh2k (August 23, 2011, 10:51 AM)

Ah! Good to hear that you liked it! We've got a fantastic show coming up next that you won't want to miss!

RE:

#1 - Remember that thread I started about speech to text? That was one of the reasons...

Neither Doc nor I have time to do full transcriptions right now. So... Let's hope for some wild success for it, and maybe we can change that.

#2 - Thanks for the suggestions! I'll make sure to talk to Doc and we'll look into it.

#3 - Hmmm... I really haven't read about GTD (only GDT ), so I'll need to think about it and talk to Doc.

#4 - We were rushing to finish the show, and I probably should have spent more time in post-production fixing levels. The next one is much better though. I spent a good amount of time on cleaning, levels, and all that.

Anyways, no spoilers for the next show, but are interviewing a rock star.

6944

Living Room / Re: "Upgrade" Button is Patented -- Trolls Come Out of Sewers...

« Last post by Renegade on August 21, 2011, 12:59 PM »

It is informative to see who has the most legal activity on the diagram. About sums up their attitude to innovation.

-Carol Haynes (August 21, 2011, 12:45 PM)

That pretty much damns Apple, but also places Kodak in a precarious situation.

6945

Living Room / Re: The Fourth Reich: Facebook's Like button banned in Germany

« Last post by Renegade on August 21, 2011, 12:57 PM »

While I may think that the Facebook privacy policies are dirtier than when I spray the toilet with a nice liquid explosive, I'm not sure that they're addressing the problem properly.

I had nothing but contempt for the European governments before, and my opinion has only sunk further into loathing.

I wish I could agree with the whole "4th Reich" thing, but I think they're actually in a long queue, and only likely to make the 666th Reich or something similarly stupid.

Yay for our wonderful governments that really are looking out for our best interests... (Yeah, right... are you high?)

6946

Living Room / Re: "Upgrade" Button is Patented -- Trolls Come Out of Sewers...

« Last post by Renegade on August 21, 2011, 12:30 PM »

Relevant to more than one thread.

Reuters creates an nice image of who’s suing who in mobile
http://mobilesyrup.c...suing-who-in-mobile/
 (see attachment in previous post)

-rgdot (August 21, 2011, 12:21 PM)

If that were sex, everyone would have AIDS and they be calling each other things like, "uncle, daddy, brother Joe".

6947

General Review Discussion / Re: recording phone conversations from a PC (skype, voip). What I have tried

« Last post by Renegade on August 21, 2011, 11:16 AM »

If TotalRecorder isn't working for you, you're likely doing something wrong -- there are now version for Skype. It's been THE best for complete recording for years before anyone else could do it at all - they were the first. (Unless something has gone horribly wrong... I used it years ago, and it worked perfectly.)

CONVOLUTED METHOD I USE

For The Doc Report, we use Skype. I use Samplitude (Producer Version 11.5) on my Windows box and Audacity on my Mac for only myself, and then everyone else on the other end records their audio on their own computer. Later, everyone sends me their audio, I load it all into Samplitude, sync it, and clean it up before starting post production. That's not really practical for end-user use though. (It's the same method as I used on the old .NET Preacher Show.)

However, that's for a podcast, and not casual data recording.

I'll see about testing Total Recorder sometime.

6948

Living Room / Re: Firefox fixes the version number problem

« Last post by Renegade on August 21, 2011, 09:48 AM »

And not one bad remark about Opera...need I say more?

-Stephen66515 (August 19, 2011, 06:22 PM)

Probably because most of us stopped caring about that years ago?

-f0dder (August 21, 2011, 08:56 AM)

I think many rather than most would be more correct.

Lately, I find myself using Opera more and more.  Especially when frequenting forums. 

-40hz (August 21, 2011, 09:31 AM)

+1

Though lately I've been using Opera and Chrome a lot. (I'm using Chrome for Travian. I don't like games in my main browser.)

6949

Living Room / Re: Patent Wars: Apple Hits Samsung in EU

« Last post by Renegade on August 19, 2011, 09:08 PM »

So... this whole thing was because it *looks* like it?  WTH?!?  That's just ... incomprehensible.  They aren't made out of the same type of materials.  The size is obviously different- and if it isn't, that means the bezel is.  And it doesn't have the same controls.  I don't see where this was even a case...

-wraith808 (August 19, 2011, 08:42 PM)

Don't see?!? What?!? How can anyone not see that Apple invented everything and it all belongs to Apple. We are all children of the mighty Jobs, and Samsung is the defiler of all that is good and holy~!

Yeah -- I think your choice of words - incomprehensible - pretty much nails it.

Apple needs to compete on those kinds of issues though -- you know... the ones with no real substance -- because they just don't have much substance compared to others. Their stuff looks cool. But not a lot more.

Like JFC! OSX just got the ability to resize windows on more than the lower right corner!!!

They're grasping at thin air, because that's what they are based on. Apple is not a tech company -- they are a cult. And their entire survival depends on supporting the beliefs that maintain that cult.

So, things like "we invented the black rectangle with beveled edges" are very much REAL in that belief system. They're every bit as valid as the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

6950

Living Room / Re: Google to Acquire Motorola

« Last post by Renegade on August 19, 2011, 08:13 PM »

I doubt that they want to kill off Samsung, LG, HTC and others from using Android.

-Renegade (August 16, 2011, 03:00 AM)

I imagine you're right about that.  However, if I were someone important at Samsung, LG or HTC I'd certainly be thinking about the possible drawbacks of depending on software from a company that competes in the same hardware arena.

-mwb1100 (August 19, 2011, 05:28 PM)

Samsung thought of that LOOOOONNNNNGGG ago...

http://www.bada.com/

They're positioned to drop Android at any moment.