Recent Posts

7326

General Software Discussion / Re: Just how bad is IE?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 07, 2005, 08:24 AM »

There is a lot of hysteria about IE but I think that so long as you take sensible precautions (AntiVirus/Firewall and set IE to at least default security settings) you shouldn't have any problem with IE.

The problems arise when users allow websites to install unwanted rubbish. If a website asks me to install something I simply close the window and move on - unless it is for a specific reason and from a well known/predicatble source.

OK there are secuity issues with IE, but there are with all browser and all software that access the internet. The only truly secure way to be online is to unplug your modem!

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General Software Discussion / Re: Just how bad is IE?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 07, 2005, 08:01 AM »

Acrobat Reader works fine in FireFox.

By the way if you want tabs in IEplorer now just use the MSN toolbar - that offers tabbed browsing within standard IE

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General Software Discussion / Re: nitroPDF half price offer ... but be quick offer ends on 15th October

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 07, 2005, 05:55 AM »

Have just started playing with this. The interface is nice and clear with lots of options. Here are a couple of imteresting features ...

One of the nice things is to have all the file properties instantly available and editable in the navigation bar:



Another nice feature (which I haven't seen elsewhere) is the ability to edit graphics within PDF documents ...

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Screenshot Captor / Re: v2.00.14 - some nice fixes and features

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 07, 2005, 05:16 AM »

Looking good ... it's getting slicker with every version.

When are some of the browser issues going to be sorted (or are you still putting off the grim job).

One oddity that grates slightly is when you delete a screenshot from the browser the preview window is not updated. This means that if you delete a shot that you are currently previewing then it will be deleted but remain in the preview window !! Disconcerting ...

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General Software Discussion / nitroPDF half price offer ... but be quick offer ends on 15th October

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 07, 2005, 04:29 AM »

I haven't actually used this product yet (but I am going to try out the trial version).

I received a special off from VCOM today to purchase at half price (~$50) see here

From what I can see from web reviews and its own website it looks like a really comrephensive toolset for PDF files. It isn't just a 'printer driver' to generate PDF files but rather a workflow soltuion to PDF creation and modification and includes features such as PDF form design.

You can see the full product details here: nitroPDF

There are some interesting reviews too try here and here (half way down).

NitroPDF seems to do just about everything the full version of Acrobat 7 does and then some.

Here are some of the more interesting things you can do to PDF files:

#  Mark up and review documents. Add feedback to PDFs with the full range of PDF commenting tools: note, text box, text highlight, text cross-out, text underline, pencil, eraser, rectangle, line, oval, polygonal line, polygon and cloud. Modify comment color, position, author, subject and opacity, and lock or unlock position.

# Include files as attachments. Include any external file in an existing PDF document as an attachment. For example, attach audio files to PDF documents, or use a microphone to record audio comments directly.

#  View and edit document properties. View title, author, subject, keywords, creator, producer, PDF version, number of pages, base URL and file optimization information; modify title, author, subject and keywords.

# Add custom metadata. Add an arbitrary number of additional metadata fields and values to a PDF.

#  Search collections of files. Search entire folders of PDF documents, or search all PDF files on the computer. Searches for a text string in any combination of full text, bookmarks, comments, author, title, subject, keywords, creator, producer, creation date and modification date.

# Index collections of files. Create indexes of PDF documents for faster searching. Use advanced search tools: choose to match whole words or use stemming, and use Boolean logic.

7331

General Software Discussion / Re: Usenet/NewsReaders — suggestions?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 06, 2005, 07:49 PM »

OE craps html into usenet and should be banned.

-jpfx (October 06, 2005, 07:30 PM)

Not on my machine it doesn't.

Granted the default for posting should be plain text.

The only thing I think OE really needs are a bit more flexible rules and views - otherwise so long as you stick to text only, and block scripts (run it in restricted mode) and run in newsreader only mode it is fine for most people. There is also a lot of great support out there too via the MS usenet groups and site like www.tomsterdam.com

7332

Living Room / Re: Copyright legislation - Copying to an MP3 player becoming illegal !!!

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 06, 2005, 07:19 PM »

totally ridiculous and stupid and seems a clear infringement on free speech.

-mouser (October 06, 2005, 07:12 PM)

I agree but how many webhosting services will take the risk? The music industry has been singularly unsuccessful in courts so far but the legal expenses are enough to make anyone think twice - especially as they seem to specialiase on picking on the little people who can't afford to fight!

You can already see what has happened with StreamBox, SmartRipper etc. Do we really want all the useful software to become stagnant and only only available from dodgy Russian pron sites? That's the way it seems to be going!

In the UK the government have already tried to make encrypted email illegal because they like to snoop emails (so much for democracy). I am not sure if it has made it into legislation yet but they were certainly suggesting that sending encrypted emails or attachments would become a criminal offense - trouble is many ISPs already respond to a lot of these issues in a very defensive way.

What I find amazing is that ultimately it seems that we will be forced to buy DRMed download versions from the web if we want to use MP3 players because you can bet your life that protected CDs are going to grow in number! So we buy inferior quality downloads, and in the case of classical music a very much reduced catalogue.

What we need is a worlwide campaign to publicise all protected CD's and boycott them en masse ...

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Living Room / Copyright legislation - Copying to an MP3 player becoming illegal !!!

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 06, 2005, 03:20 PM »

A really interesting article on AfterDawn about the new European legislation:

Basically using, owning or even discussing techniques on how to circumvent copy protection on DVDs or CDs would become illegal under this legislation.

Mentioning software on a website could be considered advertising such products and hence illegal!

Read and weep ...

Comments?

7334

UrlSnooper / Re: Finding exact URL

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 06, 2005, 02:10 PM »

Try downloading StreamBox and using that to download the files to your hard disc. You can integrate it into URL Snooper so you just right click on a URL and hit StreamBox.

7335

Screenshot Captor / Re: [.13] there is no CANCEL in Settings dialog

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 06, 2005, 02:08 PM »

  Glkad I am useful for something 

7336

Post New Requests Here / Re: IDEA: Morse Code as You Type

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 06, 2005, 02:00 PM »

Hey what a fun idea - how about extending the idea to display semaphore, sign language (US and UK), braille etc.

These are all available as fonts, though the sign language would be good animated (GIFs ?)

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Screenshot Captor / Re: [.13] there is no CANCEL in Settings dialog

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 06, 2005, 01:55 PM »

As a simple way to add this feature (an interim cludge) how about forcing the program to backup the INI file when options are launched, delete the backup on OK and restore it on Cancel or Close ??

7338

UrlSnooper / Re: Finding exact URL

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 06, 2005, 12:28 PM »

What software are you using to try and download the file ?

On some sites you need to use the URL with arguments (not just the URL). In URL Snooper you can right click on the link and copy to the clipboard with arguments.

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UrlSnooper / Re: Finding exact URL

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 06, 2005, 09:55 AM »

Since it hasn't actually linked to the file yet I can't see how you can find out what the URL is without the 'upgrade'.

If you don't like the way MTV works then my adivce is don't use it.

Presumably MTV have grown wise to people avoiding their advertising byt using sniffing software to download the file!

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General Software Discussion / Re: anyone know a commandline tool to add a line of text to end of a text file?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 06, 2005, 06:53 AM »

How about good old edlin (built in to DOS and WinXP Command Windows)

See Edlin Command Help

There is also mouse driven DOS command Edit

7341

General Software Discussion / Re: Usenet/NewsReaders — suggestions?

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 06, 2005, 05:16 AM »

I know it usually receives howls of horror but I still use Outlook Express, mainly because I can use it purely as a newsreader from OutlookXP.

I tried Mozilla for a while but didn't really get on with and I have downloaded various clients but never really seen any reason to pay for one.

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General Software Discussion / Re: LogMeIn

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 06, 2005, 04:56 AM »

I love the spelling mistake on the first page ...

UltraVNC is an easy to use, fast and free sotware

Anyone fancy a drink ? 

7343

Living Room / Re: Worst Band Photos. Ever.

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 06, 2005, 04:52 AM »

Ah, maybe I'm not as ignorant as I thought then 

7344

Living Room / Re: Acronis TrueImage version 9 now available - but be warned ...

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 06, 2005, 04:52 AM »

I agree with Carol. I licensed Acronis, too, and was disappointed in the original 9.0 release. Now they're three builds later and everything seems fixed on the surface. But that's a bad practice. Executive Software did this with their Diskeeper 8.0 release. 7.0 was solid, but 8.0 was a flake. In no time, they fixed everything and offered 9.0, which confirmed my theory that every other major version of most software programs is good.*

*I should write an article on that phenomenon.

-zridling (October 06, 2005, 01:22 AM)

I was thinking of writing that too ...

Actually I always assumed it was a Microsoft phenomenon ! Except in the case of MS it seems all new builds are full of holes and that service packs alternate in quality ;-)

7345

Living Room / Re: Sarah McLachlan CDs cheap ...

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 06, 2005, 04:49 AM »

It seems if you're not hipping and hopping, or being a cookie-cutter teen pop singer, then your music doesn't exist anymore. Maybe she'll do a cover album of Sammie Davis, Jr. songs one day! 

-zridling (October 06, 2005, 01:15 AM)

True

Actually when you see her in concert with other people she really seems to enjoy sing other types of music and dancing. Did you see her in Santana's "Supernatural" show.

My regret is that it is really difficult to see her over in the UK. I visit Canada regularly (my parents now live in Ontario) but I haven't been able to get to a concert duing a visit.

7346

Living Room / Re: Acronis TrueImage version 9 now available - but be warned ...

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 05, 2005, 09:10 PM »

Most of the 'bugs' seem to have been fixed now (well of sorts).

I have had a LOT of correspondence with their Tech Support over the last couple of weeks. I really can't believe they released a new version in that state. They boasted new functions which didn't work at all - not even vaguely!!

Do commercial companies really release ALPHA software to the general public (the first version 9 download couldn't be consider even a beta release because so many of the functions didn't even have a stab at working).

There are still a few oddities in the interface - especially with the file archives (a new feature). Basically they have tried to add file based backup to the existing partition based backup software but the file backups really were incomplete when the software was released (like you couldn't restore a single file from a file backup).

The trouble is backup software is a tool that has to be 110% dependable - all the bugs, missing code, poorly thought out new 'features' leave you wondering if it is safe to use this software for critical backups.

If/when all the problems are finally resolved (incluing adding a proper browser for file backups - which tech support says is impossible) they will have a really good product but for now I would suggest people would be better staying with version and using MS Backup for file backups.

The one facility they have added is 'differential' backups in addition to 'incremental' backups. I haven't dared try it yet but for most purposes this will be a really good addition.

They have also added a very scary Snap restore facility - again I haven't tried this becase I haven't needed to. The idea is that you can start using you system while a partition is being restored - including data on that partition (if I have got that right) !!! This strikes me as the ultimate in scary facilities ...

7347

Official Announcements / Re: Free commercial licenses of ALZip for DonationCoder.com charter/honorary mem

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 05, 2005, 08:56 PM »

Thanks Renegade

7348

Living Room / Re: Worst Band Photos. Ever.

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 05, 2005, 07:02 PM »

Hmmm ... must be a US thing, I don't seem to know many of the bands on 'show'.

Some truly bad photography though!

For really BAD pictures you still can't beat some of Freddie Mercury's early photos (and I am a dedicated fan of all things Freddie!).

7349

Living Room / Re: Sarah McLachlan CDs cheap ...

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 05, 2005, 06:55 PM »

Glad I am not alone as a fan. I discovered her through the DVDs of Lilith Fair and then bought the concert DVD of Mirrorball.

I really like her music (though occasionally I wish she would sing something a little more up tempo).

Only just discovered she has a new CD just out ...

7350

Living Room / Re: Stupid IE question

« Last post by Carol Haynes on October 05, 2005, 02:09 PM »

There is an option I found when I took the trouble to look.

In Tools > Maxthon Options

Select Tab -> New Tab -> Activate New Tab