Recent Posts

7001

General Software Discussion / Re: Alternatives for creating Powerpoint animations?

« Last post by Curt on May 14, 2007, 01:03 PM »

I guess you are not talking about some little gif-animation, but you know that PP will take various kinds of material (video, flash, pictures, a.m.m.), so maybe others are thinking like me and would be more enclined to answer if they knew a little more on what kind of result you want: What kind of animations?

7002

General Software Discussion / Re: Must-have apps in the System tray?

« Last post by Curt on May 14, 2007, 12:22 PM »

... to see it if I want to check the history of a process.

-cthorpe (May 14, 2007, 12:01 PM)

- makes good sense.

..'if i cant see it its not there ..

-Grorgy (May 14, 2007, 12:01 PM)

yeah; it sounded that way, I can see now.   

I'm not sure about the effects of grading a program as a 'system process'. I was just thinking that when I am using Process Explorer as my Task Manager then it actually is a system process, and deserves being treated as such. The consequence can't be higher CPU usage!

7003

General Software Discussion / Re: Must-have apps in the System tray?

« Last post by Curt on May 14, 2007, 11:25 AM »

I thank you all for the suggestions 

I think I have found an even better way.

First of all: my Process Explorer has "always" replaced TaskManager, so it is not going to be replaced by CPU Monitor, even though this seems to be very fine indeed.

Next: Inside Process Explorer I have disabled the graph-windows (I am surprised by the way cthorpe have chosen to do this; one may want to just right-click and click Select Columns), so Process Explorer is not using more than 1½% CPU with the window open, and of course a lot less when minimized to tray icon.

Finally: Inside Startup Delayer I right-clicked Process Explorer and clicked Classify As... System Process. So now Process Explorer is not displaying the CPU usage of Process Explorer!  ;-) and so must be using even less CPU.

7004

General Software Discussion / Re: To cut or not to cut - The lousy MS Office ribbon

« Last post by Curt on May 14, 2007, 10:38 AM »

Ribbon haters should read Computerwold's article about  pschmid's RibbonCustomizer (Free or $30 Pro versions) and Addintools' Classic Menu (several versions at $15-$30).

7005

General Software Discussion / Re: Any freeware alternatives to Instant ThumbView?

« Last post by Curt on May 13, 2007, 07:18 PM »

You can also do it using Tweak UI

-Nighted (May 13, 2007, 01:56 PM)

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/tweakui.htm may be better. The other is from before XP.
I haven't yet had time to test. Thanks for the links 

7006

General Software Discussion / Re: Any freeware alternatives to Instant ThumbView?

« Last post by Curt on May 13, 2007, 07:17 AM »

- my English vocabulary is too limited. Will someone give me the essence?

---

...the "King of Beers" was originally brewed by a Czech immigrant ... probably never dreaming that it would become so successful!

-Darwin (May 13, 2007, 12:21 AM)

They tried to launch it big time in Denmark as well, and in order to succeed they handled it to Carlsberg to do the marketing. For some time, a couple of years or five I guess, they had success. But slowly the interest has died. And that is okay with me; because there are many things from USA that I actually like, but the Bud is not one of them...
But, you know, some prefer brunettes, and some prefer blondes 

7007

General Software Discussion / Re: Any freeware alternatives to Instant ThumbView?

« Last post by Curt on May 13, 2007, 04:41 AM »

XP or whatever OS you may be high on has the built-in capability to display thumbnails/icons at what ever size you should choose for each particular folder and the OS remembers it?

-WhiteLion (May 13, 2007, 03:32 AM)

"What ever size"? Now that is new to me! I plead you to teach me how to do it - when your eyes can see straight again... :-) The big thumbnails one can have will not display date or file size, but I like those infos to be shown at all time when I am searching for some picture. So until someone teaches me how to view thumbnails at what ever size I would like, I will have to settle with the smalller ones only.
Talking of beer...: Hope you enjoyed your 'evening'!

7008

General Software Discussion / Re: Must-have apps in the System tray?

« Last post by Curt on May 13, 2007, 03:57 AM »

Process Explorer only eats CPU when the CPU history graph column is onscreen, and only then is it noticible when the System Idle process graph is scrolling.  Put that column all the way to the left and resize columns so it is off screen, and you will see PE take less than 1% of CPU.

C

-cthorpe (May 12, 2007, 10:24 PM)

I knew it was too bad to be true. Of course Process Explorer will not use too much CPU - if you set it right. :-) But what you are telling me implies that PEx only uses this much CPU when it is displaying the window, not when it is merely an icon in the tray. I have removed all the fancy displaying of this and that, and will now again set PEx to start with Windows, because it really is an must have app in the system tray.
And I will relax, knowing that Process Explorer of course not uses too much CPU. :-) New link: https://technet.micr...ysinternals/bb896653

Thanks, Carl. 

[Edit: Process Explorer's CPU usage is now 1½% when the window is open]

Process Explorer  

-f0dder (April 26, 2007, 05:48 PM)

-Curt (May 12, 2007, 06:48 PM)

7009

General Software Discussion / Re: Must-have apps in the System tray?

« Last post by Curt on May 12, 2007, 08:37 PM »

Of course i sometimes like to watch the little graph for fun,

-Grorgy (May 12, 2007, 08:08 PM)

I like to be able to see why the PC sometimes is very slow when I expect it not to be, and for that I find it most useful to have PEx staying in the tray / TNA so I can just point at it and be told what app is taking the most CPU at the moment. But otherwise I must agree with you: what is not useful, must die... at least until it is useful again :-)

--

You changed your avatar into (another) shark? 

7010

General Software Discussion / Re: Must-have apps in the System tray?

« Last post by Curt on May 12, 2007, 06:48 PM »

Process Explorer  

-f0dder (April 26, 2007, 05:48 PM)

Do I dare to make a statement that will not be popular in this forum?
Ohh, my stomack is uneasy now, but here it comes:

"Process Explorer uses too much CPU" !!!


Well; now I have said it. Are you going to mock me? Stone me (if you could)?

When absolutely nothin is going on inside the PC, Process Explorer (PEx) will use some 4-5% CPU. This is by itself maybe a little too much, but not the real problem. But if you have PEx placed to start with Windows, as I used to have it, you can watch the most of the PC starting procedure and see how much CPU each program will use. And you can see how they all battle each other to have the little power most machines have available. And see how some programs still uses a lot of CPU after they seemed to have done opening, because they must configure or whatever. If you watch this procedure and then notice the CPU usage of PEx watching over them all, then you may understand my point: Normal machines with many programs cannot afford to have a program like Process Explorer being placed early in the starting procedure, because it uses some 25% CPU during the entire startup! There is no reason to give these 25% to PEx, because the program is really not needed during start, only after the procedure have finished - and you can hardly spare so much CPU at this crucial moment.

But there is more: Even when PEx is resting and using less than 5%, if you scroll the PEx window's tab up and down, the CPU usage will rise to 15-30%. Just to scroll the window!! If this had been any other program but Process Explorer we would have rejected it and called it names. Am I right, or am I right   not?

I still have Process Explorer placed in Start, but now I have placed it to start late, second last, and this has been very beneficial to the entire starting procedure!

7011

General Software Discussion / Re: Any freeware alternatives to Instant ThumbView?

« Last post by Curt on May 12, 2007, 05:23 PM »

Ha ha... not unlike Budweiser in the States...

-Darwin (May 12, 2007, 05:10 PM)

You did right to specify Budweizer "in the States". I have tasted the original Budweiser from the old Czechoslovakia and it is one of the best beers you can have. At all. And a lot older than Budweizer. But they never thought of protecting their name, so the Americans banded it. You can still have it, of course, but with a different name: Budvar. http://www.budvar.cz/en/index.html

[Edit: Oh; I see the American is also with a "s", Budweiser. Sorry!
Info: The original Czech Budweiser is in English pronounced 'Boodvaisor'.]

7012

General Software Discussion / Re: Any freeware alternatives to Instant ThumbView?

« Last post by Curt on May 12, 2007, 05:06 PM »

Xentient Thumbnails (Freeware)A utility for replacing the generic icons of image files with thumbnail icons of the actual image. [Windows 98/98SE/ME/2000/XP] xentient.com/products/thumbnails/

-WhiteLion (May 12, 2007, 12:05 AM)

This is excellent! And the combination with QTTabBar's new thumbnail popups accellerates the pair to the absolute excellence, because now you don't have to 'search' for the right picture, but can see in a glance what might be the right one, and then just point at it, and up comes the BIG thumbnail from QT.

Sadly I cannot show you a screenshot of the QT thumbnail, but here is one (thumb) of the Xentient picturized icon thumbnails. Even though they are small it is a lot easier this way to locate what you are looking for:



http://xentient.com/products/thumbnails/

In that case, can I come over too?  Pilsners are the best, and so are blonds. :-)
Sometimes I really miss Germany, but Pittsburgh has a German certified brewer, so I am doing better than most. If you are ever this way, you MUST try Penn Pilsner and/or Penn Dark (the two best brews he puts out).  They are just as good as the Euro-beers I had when living in Bitburg.

-steeladept (May 12, 2007, 02:01 PM)

If you have easy access to Penn Pilsner you need not go anywhere...
- except for a blonde :-)


By the way; Carlsberg and Tuborg are by far the two most sold beers from Denmark,
but by far not the two best... How come marketing is so more important than quality?

7013

General Software Discussion / Re: pls recommend a good benign keylogger

« Last post by Curt on May 12, 2007, 12:16 PM »

...When I'm finished (and have reconsidered all that I've said! -lol) ...

-BigJim (May 12, 2007, 08:45 AM)

- I could take lesson from this...    ... I might not even be the only one! 

7014

General Software Discussion / Re: Must-have apps in the System tray?

« Last post by Curt on May 11, 2007, 11:33 PM »

Oh, I almost forgot.  Here is my tray.
From left to right:
(...)
ClipMate 7 - Clipboard manager (sorry again)

-cthorpe (May 11, 2007, 08:15 PM)

The $35 ClipMate will be on sale at Bits du Jour at Thursday

7015

General Software Discussion / Re: Must-have apps in the System tray?

« Last post by Curt on May 11, 2007, 08:42 PM »

Links to every program   


But what are these arrows telling?

7016

General Software Discussion / Re: IE7Pro : An ultimate Add-On for IE7

« Last post by Curt on May 11, 2007, 08:10 PM »

Pentium III; of course! 


I drove that for some seven years. 500 MHz. My new station is 3.33, but is so filled with errors that it is not any faster... 
 

7017

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: New Raxco Product : Defragmenter - Optimizer ; $9.99 until 2007-05-13

« Last post by Curt on May 11, 2007, 05:52 PM »

Always nice to know a bit about the people that comprise the community

-Darwin (May 11, 2007, 04:35 PM)

Yes, you are right. Though I had to read your post twice. At first I thought you were saying it is nice to know about the people that compromise the community... 

 

7018

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: New Raxco Product : Defragmenter - Optimizer ; $9.99 until 2007-05-13

« Last post by Curt on May 11, 2007, 05:48 PM »

DiskKeeper (sorry about the typo before )

-Carol Haynes (May 11, 2007, 03:55 PM)

No, Carol; you were right  Diskeeper it is! One 'k' only.

A search for 'diskkeeper' will show that more than 100.000 have spelled it wrong (kk), but the company is called Diskeeper. (k)



Diskkeeper (kk) might take you to this awful dreadful site:

7019

General Software Discussion / Re: IE7Pro : An ultimate Add-On for IE7

« Last post by Curt on May 11, 2007, 02:24 PM »

Hi, Amabel, next time you post this somewhere else, plz make sure you customize text so that it appears less like spam. http://www.google.co...mp;sa=N&filter=0

-Wordzilla (May 10, 2007, 04:59 AM)

He is too busy posting to ever come back here...

7020

General Software Discussion / Re: IE7Pro : An ultimate Add-On for IE7

« Last post by Curt on May 11, 2007, 02:17 PM »

What is this P3 ??   

7021

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: New Raxco Product : Defragmenter - Optimizer ; $9.99 until 2007-05-13

« Last post by Curt on May 11, 2007, 01:57 PM »

Yeah, of course . Carol's typos

EDIT: Your signature is hilarious!

-Lashiec (May 11, 2007, 01:40 PM)

Carol is forgiven. 

Glad you like the sig' - it is brand new, though it has been for a long time in my Profile, under "Biography of this user". But I finally realized that hardly no-one would ever see it there... Did YOU (: anyone) ever check this feature on DC?
 

7022

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: New Raxco Product : Defragmenter - Optimizer ; $9.99 until 2007-05-13

« Last post by Curt on May 11, 2007, 01:37 PM »

Is DiskKeeper and DisKeeper one and the same, in this debate?

 

7023

General Software Discussion / Re: Excel plugin to quickly export selection to text file (csv, tab-delimited, etc.)

« Last post by Curt on May 10, 2007, 08:07 AM »

superboyac;
I took the liberty to write the author of ASAP, quoting your first post as if it was my problem. Of course that is not the right way to do it, but I did. The answer came today:

Hello Curt,
Thank you for your email.

This is an Excel-specific problem, by default Excel converts all unicode characters to question marks (?) when you save the file in text format.

In Excel however there is also the option to save the file as a tab delimited text file (Save As and then choose Unicode Text). I will incorporate this in the new version of ASAP Utilities. Can you perhaps send me an example file I can test it with? I just ran some tests with russion text and that worked okay.

Kind regards,
Bastien Mensink
www.asap-utilities.com

If you will "answer" this mail by sending an Excel file with lots of Unicode characters to bastien at asap-utilities com, please - or perhaps send it to me, curt at webspeed dk? I have never used Excel myself, it was just part of this Office thing I thought I would need...

Some Unicode characters from my part of the world: æøå ÆØÅ ß

7024

General Software Discussion / Re: Irfanview4 released

« Last post by Curt on May 09, 2007, 06:16 PM »

On my XP FastStone won't save - and I have no idea what might be wrong. No other program has this problem. I also tried to reinstall.
  
 

7025

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Free computer help online (tune-ups, customization, etc)

« Last post by Curt on May 09, 2007, 05:36 PM »

...  you can have another 512MB of RAM, but Crucial ... have an area where you can fill in your computer info so they can ensure that they have the correct RAM available:
"Our System Scanner was able to find some of the data we need to make a recommendation, but we need more information to ensure a compatible match."
If you want to try that, you can go back to your system scan results here: http://www.crucial.com/(...)

-wreckedcarzz (May 06, 2007, 12:45 PM)

I gave the info, and today I received an e-mail from Crucial offering me a 400 MHz  twin 512 MB set, making it 1 new GB RAM. But must I buy a twin set, or can I settle with a single new 512 MB and still keep the old 'slow' 512 at the same time?
 


[After-edit: I found the answer to this elsewhere. (they will follow the slowest)]

Is it the right RAM type?