Recent Posts

751

Living Room / Re: Steve Jobs is dead.

« Last post by mwb1100 on October 26, 2011, 04:22 PM »

apparently his 'reality distortion field' goes both ways, as it seems that some can't see the negative, and some can't see the positive.

-wraith808 (October 26, 2011, 03:13 PM)

Now that's probably the most insightful thing I've seen on this thread!

752

General Software Discussion / Re: Does This Drive You NUTS?

« Last post by mwb1100 on October 24, 2011, 06:04 PM »

This kind of thing drives me nuts even though I'm not a gamer. I don't reboot very often, and it seems like nearly every time I want to reboot - especially if I'm in some sort of hurry, Windows wants to update a bazillion things.

Or maybe I'm impatient, so it always feels like I'm in a hurry when this happens.

And Flash wants to update so often, that I'm pretty sure I'll think my machine is hosed if I ever reboot and not get the request to update Flash. On the plus side, at least it's pretty quick.

In any case, it drives me nuts.

753

Living Room / Re: Tests Related to Recent Increase in Bandwidth Loss Through Router

« Last post by mwb1100 on October 21, 2011, 11:39 PM »

What's the router model?  Do you have an opportunity to test with another router, like by borrowing one from home or something?  Has the router had it's firmware updated recently (if so, maybe that's the cause; if not, maybe an update might help)?

754

General Software Discussion / Re: Software Hall of Fame

« Last post by mwb1100 on October 21, 2011, 05:09 PM »

Visicalc!
I didn't realise that it is time for: Celebrating VisiCalc's 32nd birthday with the inventors of the spreadsheet

-IainB (October 21, 2011, 04:31 PM)

Don't forget to get a copy  (as indicated on the linked site) of the MS-DOS version from Bricklin's site: http://bricklin.com/...ory/vcexecutable.htm

I think it'll work on most or all 32-bit Windows systems (did Vista or Win7 remove 16-bit compatibility in 32-bit installs?), but probably won't work on any 64-bit OS (you'll need to fire up a VM with MS-DOS or an earlier version of Windows in the guest).

755

General Software Discussion / Re: Fairware: an interesting experiment in getting paid for Open Source

« Last post by mwb1100 on October 16, 2011, 12:51 PM »

I'm very confused by the direction this thread has taken. What does bundling unwanted software - I assume you're talking about toolbars or spyware and such - have to do with "Fairware" (or DC for that matter)?

756

Living Room / Re: Can anyone help? Windows 7 permissions

« Last post by mwb1100 on October 13, 2011, 06:55 PM »

A repair install; isn't really an option as it is a preinstalled HP installation without disks and I am not 100% sure the license key on the box will work!

-Carol Haynes (October 13, 2011, 05:55 PM)

Doesn't HP generally provided an option to create installation media from their own repair utility? I thought I had done that for my daughter at one point (not having installation media is very irritating).

Since I don't really know much about activation, I can't make any promises, but my recollection is that a repair install doesn't ask for a license key (but maybe it will if it thinks activation is one of the things that's broken?).  But I certainly don't want to goad you into doing something you can't undo, so perhaps I should just quit now...

757

Living Room / Re: Can anyone help? Windows 7 permissions

« Last post by mwb1100 on October 13, 2011, 04:14 PM »

Strange. I just tried creating a folder in my System32 folder, and it let me (its owner was/is also TrustedInstaller).

-Stoic Joker (October 13, 2011, 03:36 PM)

On my system (Win7 x64), Adminstrators have pretty nearly full access to C:\Windows\System32 in general, even if though it's owned by TrustedInstaller. The security settings for objects under the C:\Windows directory is quite a mish-mash because historically it's been used as a dumping ground for all sorts of files - many of which had nothing to do with Microsoft. But MS still feels the need to maintain some level of compatibility with those historical mistakes/oversights.

So for example, many folders and files may have stricter permissions.  c:\Windows\winsxs (note - it's not under System32 on my machine, maybe it is on some?) has only read permissions for everyone other than TrustedInstaller. And on my machine, c:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository is pretty much read-only for everyone except "SYSTEM", even though it's owned by the Administrators group.

758

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Softmaker Office 2010 discount

« Last post by mwb1100 on October 13, 2011, 03:14 PM »

Shucks, missed it by a day. Today it is $59.99 with the upgrade being $4.99.  Maybe next time.

-bob99 (October 13, 2011, 02:21 PM)

It looks like this link will still get you the deal:  http://r.ashampoo.com/r.php?id=77029

No idea for how long it will work.

759

Living Room / Re: Can anyone help? Windows 7 permissions

« Last post by mwb1100 on October 13, 2011, 03:00 PM »

Unfortunately DriverSweeper also removed the packaged drivers from MS for ATI and nVidia and SP 1 now wnon't install because preinstalled drivers are missing (even thoigh they aren't being used).

-Carol Haynes (October 13, 2011, 02:52 PM)

Have you tried to perform a 'repair' installation of Windows to get the packaged drivers back?  I think that's the course of action that Microsoft would suggest.

760

General Software Discussion / Re: Which programming IDE for Web development?

« Last post by mwb1100 on October 12, 2011, 01:04 PM »

Regarding Visual Studio: PHP only via e.g. VS.PHP and for plugins in general (e.g. github) you can't use the express version so that will be quite expensive.

-highend01 (October 12, 2011, 06:05 AM)

VS.PHP also supports running in the "Visual Studio 2010 shell", so it's not necessary to actually have a purchased version of Visual Studio.

Note: I haven't used VS.PHP so this isn't any kind of endorsement - I'm just saying that it's not necessary to own a non-Express version of Visual Studio in order to use VS.PHP.
 

761

Developer's Corner / Re: Deep C Fishing

« Last post by mwb1100 on October 10, 2011, 02:43 PM »

That's a pretty nice explanation of some topics that are difficult to teach. But, I have some comments/nit-picks (I think nit-picks are valid, since the slide deck mostly seems to be about being precise with the behavior and semantics of the language).

On page 24:

a declaration `int f();` says there is a function `f` that takes any number of arguments.

Might be more accurately:

a declaration `int f();` says there is a function `f` that takes an unspecified number of arguments. The caller is required to make sure the function is called with the correct number and type of arguments.

Page 243:

They use the `auto` keyword in its pre-C++11 incarnation!  I don't think I've ever seen it used outside of some old, old textbooks.  In fact, given its overall uselessness and that the keyword has been repurposed in C++11, I think the old use of the `auto` keyword should be stricken from tutorials, except perhaps to explain that you shouldn't ever use it.

Page 245:

I wish they identified which compiler gives a warning about using an uninitialized variable only in an optimized build - that seems to be a poor behavior for a compiler. I'm not saying this doesn't happen, but I'd like to be aware of where it does.

Page 255:

I wish they provided a reference for Stroustrup's self-assessment.  Just out of interest and in case anyone ever asks for my self-assessment, then I could provide some context.

762

General Software Discussion / Re: The confusion about the term "lifetime license"

« Last post by mwb1100 on October 07, 2011, 05:17 PM »

Most of these debates swirl around the EXACT definitions and interpretations of the following words:
update
upgrade
major upgrade
minor upgrade
lifetime

-superboyac (October 07, 2011, 04:19 PM)

That's exactly right. And that's why what you've quoted from the DOpus site is an example of what should be done by every vendor - spell out the license policy clearly.  Unless your business plan is based on deception or fraud, the more clearly, the better for everyone because there's less chance for misunderstanding.

763

Living Room / Re: work bathroom story

« Last post by mwb1100 on October 07, 2011, 12:49 PM »

I'm just curious about who's so anal that they're keeping track of where people using the restroom are coming from?

764

Living Room / Re: Death and the net: How to log off gracefully for the very last time

« Last post by mwb1100 on October 03, 2011, 08:48 PM »

I'm not a hunter, but if I were I think this would be a great way to commemorate.

I'm all for people having a blast at my funeral - I wouldn't want it any other way!

765

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: XYplorer Lifetime License 51% discount on BitsDuJour on Monday 8 Nov 2010

« Last post by mwb1100 on October 02, 2011, 09:44 PM »

Coming again soon to BDJ: http://www.bitsdujou...er-lifetime-license/

766

Living Room / Re: You Selfish E-books! (Contains the F word)

« Last post by mwb1100 on September 21, 2011, 04:10 PM »

After seeing the latest Conan the Barbarian in a 3D cinema, I really wished there were a way get my money back.

-vlastimil (September 21, 2011, 01:15 PM)

Did you ask? 

I've known people to do this.  I'm not saying that it's a sure thing, but it can happen (though you're more likely to get an offer of a pass than actual cash back).  At least in some places.

You might have to be insistent; you might have to be more assertive than you might like. And you might not be succeessful.  But I can guarantee that it won't happen unless you ask.

767

The Getting Organized Experiment of 2009 / Re: Looking for people willing to do a simple exercise

« Last post by mwb1100 on September 20, 2011, 07:40 PM »

What's a "CTA"?  Call to action?

768

General Software Discussion / Re: Software Hall of Fame

« Last post by mwb1100 on September 16, 2011, 03:48 PM »

Exactly, the logic was kinaesthetic, not intellectual.

-rjbull (September 16, 2011, 03:25 PM)

It was a little more than just kinaesthetic (if I understand that term correctly) - at least for the 'core' navigation keys.  There was a logic to the command key layout that mirrored the desired navigation.  As Wikipedia puts it:

For example, the "diamond" of Ctrl-S/E/D/X moved the cursors one character or line to the left, up, right, or down. Ctrl-A/F (to the outside of the "diamond") moved the cursor a full word left/right, and Ctrl-R/C (just "past" the Ctrl keys for up and down) scrolled a full page up/down.

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WordStar

This idea of placing the commands to mirror the action works well enough that I could remember the actions of those particular keys even after not using the Wordstar layout for more than a decade (which I think is unfortunate, but I got tired of fighting to have to configure every last bit of software to respect the Wordstar commands).

769

General Software Discussion / Re: XP "Automatic Update" / "Restart Later" super annoying dialog

« Last post by mwb1100 on September 16, 2011, 02:42 PM »

I like the

Code: Text [Select]

1. net stop "automatic updates"

solution.

I'd get a notification that a reboot is necessary, but it would stop nagging.  After rebooting, automatic updates would be active again as normally configured.

Makes for a nice little one-liner batch file - maybe call it "stopnag.cmd" or something.  And no clicking about in some service management GUI, no mucking about in the register (or even worse, Group Policy editor settings that I can never find again 6 months later).  Best of all worlds as far as I'm concerned.

770

Living Room / Re: Thoughts in remembrance of 911

« Last post by mwb1100 on September 10, 2011, 10:39 PM »

I remember 9/11.  The memory brings a lot of emotions.

Mostly sadness.

771

General Software Discussion / Fairware: an interesting experiment in getting paid for Open Source

« Last post by mwb1100 on September 09, 2011, 02:27 PM »

While reading some forum postings at the Sublime Text Editor site, I came across a pointer to an experiment that the developer at hardcoded.net  is running in something he calls "Fairware": http://open.hardcoded.net/.

How does Fairware work? All hours developers invest in projects are public, as well as their hourly rate expectations. All contributions from fair users are also instantly made public (anonymously). When contributions are made, they are allocated to unpaid development hours (see the F.A.Q. for details). Everyone can thus easily know how many hours have yet to be compensated. Also, users are made aware that the software is Fairware with a dialog that pops up for users who haven't contributed yet, reminding them of expectations from developers. With enough fair users, such a system allows open source developers working on software for a wide audience to do so full time. I don't know about you, but I find that awesome.

-http://open.hardcoded.net/about/

Of course, since the software is open source, you could build a version without the nag.  But it seems most (or at least enough) people aren't interested in bypassing the nag that way.

It looks like hardcoded.net has been doing this for about a year, and it appears to be more or less successful.  The applications look interesting enough that I may give a couple a go.  Also, there's a bunch of information and statistics about the Fairware concept itself (including stats on hours spent working on the software and the donations/payments received in return).

Interesting stuff.

772

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

« Last post by mwb1100 on September 08, 2011, 05:06 PM »

maybe Ryan should "come clean" about a recent Appley event in his life (if he hasn't already).

-drapps (September 08, 2011, 04:38 PM)

He has - apparently he's getting a divorce as a result.

773

Living Room / Re: Lifehacker: Best and Worst Places to Buy Anything When You Need a Good Return

« Last post by mwb1100 on September 06, 2011, 05:41 PM »

Costco's return policy is quite good, too (Costco is not mentioned in the article).  While their selection of electronic items may be slim, if they have what you want they're a great place to buy if you're uncertain if something will actually fit your needs.  The policy (last time I checked - I believe it's still valid) on electronics is 90 days - no questions asked.

On non-electronics, they have an essentially unlimited return policy.

774

Living Room / Re: Even the best of us burnout on the things we love doing

« Last post by mwb1100 on August 30, 2011, 11:32 PM »

I'm a little surprised that the article didn't mention the incident with Alan Cox: https://lkml.org/lkml/2009/7/28/375

... I've had enough. If you think that problem is easy to fix you fix it.

Have fun.

-https://lkml.org/lkml/2009/7/28/375

Maybe because Torvalds is a large part of the burn-out cause in that case (or at least the stick that broke the camel's back).

775

Living Room / Re: Reporting myself to a moderator

« Last post by mwb1100 on August 28, 2011, 07:31 PM »

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)

Umm - aren't you supposed to be with family and friends?

(I'm not really trying to be rude - I just want something I can moderator away).