Recent Posts

826

General Software Discussion / Re: looking for...a wiki?

« Last post by Armando on September 16, 2008, 10:19 AM »

There's a new web app in beta that might do what you're looking for : http://wiggio.com/

Welcome to Wiggio!

Wiggio is a totally free, online toolkit that makes it easy to work in groups.

As seniors at Cornell, we started wiggio out of our own frustrations with unnecessarily clogged inboxes, using five different websites for five different functions, and all the other hassles associated with working in groups. We were tired of sending eleven emails back and forth just to set a meeting time. We were tired of that guy who just never knows where and when to be there. We were tired of list-servs, contact lists, phone-chains and incompatibilities. We wanted everything to be in one place, and we wanted it simple. So we created wiggio.

827

General Software Discussion / Re: Volume Shadow Copy : how do you get this damn thing to work!

« Last post by Armando on September 16, 2008, 12:24 AM »

 

828

Coding Snacks / Re: codename: CopyCap - a tool to copy caption text

« Last post by Armando on September 15, 2008, 04:18 PM »

I wonder why captions tend to always return to their previous name with Word windows... And this is exactly ehere I'd need different names for my windows. Strange. Apart from that, nice scripts.

829

Living Room / Re: You might want to skip the whole Blu-Ray generation

« Last post by Armando on September 15, 2008, 11:56 AM »

File formats (and their associated programs...) are the real headache.

-f0dder (September 15, 2008, 06:48 AM)

That's why one shouldn't use obscure formats, and especially if they're closed.
Could be handy to keep a few old machines (like old laptops) still running old software, just in case...

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General Software Discussion / Re: Volume Shadow Copy : how do you get this damn thing to work!

« Last post by Armando on September 15, 2008, 11:02 AM »

Thanks mwb1100. 

I already went through the list you pointed out to me, but it might be really worth trying again. Who knows.

Like they say, if VSS doesn't work well "we recommend you contact Microsoft Technical Support and not 2BrightSparks"... 

Thanks!

831

General Software Discussion / Re: Mathematics symbols OCR

« Last post by Armando on September 15, 2008, 09:56 AM »

Thanks Eóin and Darwin.

Eóin : from the screenshots, sciWriter looks like MathType and other similar software. Might give it a try but I'm afraid your "putting together a jigsaw" comparison is probably pretty accurate.

So for now, it seems that the OCR app solution "which only OCRs what it understands" is probably, effectively, the best option.

As for annotating with a tablet -- should pretty close to hand writing --, well... Darwin might be able to tell us at the end of the day.

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General Software Discussion / Volume Shadow Copy : how do you get this damn thing to work!

« Last post by Armando on September 15, 2008, 03:23 AM »

 

I'm tired of closing all my apps everytime I want to make a backup with SyncBack SE -- older version, maybe, but still...

I think it used to work in the past. Tried to have it work gain, not able to.

The service is enabled, everything should be okay. WHY are some files still locked ? Is it because I'm using XP Home? 


I searched the web and saw that some people have a "shadow copy" tab in the drive properties window. I don't. Should I?

Anyhow... Any help with the VSS service would be appreciated...

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General Software Discussion / Re: Mathematics symbols OCR

« Last post by Armando on September 15, 2008, 12:07 AM »

Hadn't thought of using it for annotations, but now that you mention - fabulous, I may give it a try 

-Darwin (September 14, 2008, 11:07 PM)

You think that would work? I was going to ask you. I might try to get an older version of acrobat or something. And was wondering if I could annotate PDFs.

I think I've also heard Word 2007 was tablet friendly. Word 2003 might be tablet friendly as well, bu haven't tried.

That would be very cool : keep my math manual in pdf or doc format and insert/handwrite annotations on the pages (ie : solve the equations etc. directly on the pages, without the need for paper...)

Heck, I could even enter my equations in my MS word notes with my tablet, instead of using mathtype or something like that. Don't know how well that would work though.

Any experiences worth sharing? 

834

General Software Discussion / Re: Mathematics symbols OCR

« Last post by Armando on September 14, 2008, 05:36 PM »

about InftyReader; If you  don't, you really don't want to know about the price.

-Dormouse (September 14, 2008, 02:26 PM)

?@#$%!

-Darwin (September 14, 2008, 02:54 PM)

C'mon Darwin... The license says : "you can use InftyReader on two computers"...  eheh.

Thanks for the input Dormouse and Eóin.

It's actually not that important... I just like the idea of scanning stuff instead of carrying big books around, sheets, etc. That's what I usually do with other types of texts/documents -- and I realize it's not as easy with scientific/technical stuff.

So I'm looking at the "available ( ) solutions.


--------

---> slightly tangential...

I'm also contemplating buying a wacom tablet -- bamboo, maybe. Doesn't seem tooooo expensive -- to annotate scanned equations  (jpg, pdf format or whatever will be available) etc.

Because... well... writing maths equations with a computer (e.g. : latex style...) doesn't seem like the quickest and most intuitive option (sure, there might be some collateral prestige to be gained, but....).

There are other software like MathType and  and Scientific Notebook which seem interesting. Will have to try them and see if they are actually usable in a class-notetaking environment

835

General Software Discussion / Re: Mathematics symbols OCR

« Last post by Armando on September 14, 2008, 02:24 PM »

Thinking of it, could be that the best of both world would be to 1- scan math stuff with acrobat, 2- and then let acrobat do the ocr without destroying the original layout. Of course that would take a significant amount of disk space. And it would also mean... buy Acrobat. 

836

General Software Discussion / Mathematics symbols OCR

« Last post by Armando on September 14, 2008, 01:54 PM »

I wonder if anyone knows of software capable of recognizing mathematical symbols... Properly.
The free OCR soft that came with my scanner a while ago certainly can't...  Mostly garbage

This would probably be one costly app (judging by the price of top notch OCR software).

But I'm wondering if it exists, and if it performs well. 

837

General Software Discussion / Re: Looking for a an application that can test my rams.

« Last post by Armando on September 13, 2008, 12:37 PM »

When I had memory problems, I also used prime95. Recommended in some computer geeks circles... This will stress the CPU more, but RAM too.
http://en.wikipedia....e_for_stress_testing

838

Find And Run Robot / Re: Find & Run Robot rocks!

« Last post by Armando on September 13, 2008, 12:32 PM »

  Darwin, you're the one.

839

General Software Discussion / Re: Mouse Gestures

« Last post by Armando on September 13, 2008, 12:03 PM »

Thanks yksyks. Will have a look at it later on. 

840

General Software Discussion / Re: How do you manage your email?

« Last post by Armando on September 11, 2008, 10:46 PM »

My guess is that, in a few years... paper won't be supported anymore.

-Armando (September 11, 2008, 06:17 PM)

Got a specific date in mind by any chance?

-40hz (September 11, 2008, 09:49 PM)

Of course : Nostradamus talked about December 12, 2012. When we'll hit that day, you won't be able to find a single post-it.

Personally, I think that's about as likely as a Paperless Bathroom. 

-40hz (September 11, 2008, 09:49 PM)

In many countries and regions the paperless bathroom is very real, my friend. 

Possibly incarcerated if it's tax information. Definitely something to cry about should that happen.

-40hz (September 11, 2008, 09:49 PM)

Really...? don't think that Canadians are that crazy... yet. We're getting there though, slowly but surely. 

841

General Software Discussion / Re: How do you manage your email?

« Last post by Armando on September 11, 2008, 09:42 PM »

I understand why you'd do that, Darwin. I think it's a perfectly valid/legitimate way of trying to bring more safety to the whole preservation/backup issue. Only... I don't do it.
Check it out : tomorrow I'll lose everything and I'll cry and wish some of it was printed... or maybe I'll just seize the occasion and make a fresh existential start.  what would I become...?

842

General Software Discussion / Re: How do you manage your email?

« Last post by Armando on September 11, 2008, 06:17 PM »

This is my point of view too. I believe that if you've got sufficient redundancy (good backup system), these things (loose all emails/files etc.) should absolutely not happen.

-Armando (September 11, 2008, 12:13 AM)

One reason for not trusting electronic means of storage is for long term stuff, as the medium may no longer be supported.

-PPLandry (September 11, 2008, 03:23 PM)

My guess is that, in a few years... paper won't be supported anymore.

I agree with some your points, of course. That would be a great subject for another entire huge thread... Preservation and transmission of digital info is a fairly active field of research ; in arts, for instance, it poses a significant challenges (some work of art depend on obsolete media...). (I studied that, a bit...)

To simplify the matter extremely, my take is that in general, for the typical computer user, overcoming this problem is mostly a question of keeping up with technology (as much as possible -- feasible nowadays as technology tends to be cheaper and cheaper), and transfer data as soon as another medium becomes mainstream and cheap (that's usually referred as "refreshing/copying" in the preservation/transmission of digital info research field) and as the previous one starts to become obsolete. (Some past formats are not that easy to transfer : analog recordings, video tapes (VHS...), etc.. This is in part due to the fact that "we" -- human beings -- were a bit less sensitive and aware of that transmission problem 20 years ago than what we are now, and mostly also because digital coding was not yet mainstream.)

One has to keep track of what data is where and centralize it as much as possible to facilitate backup and migration. Then he/she shouldn't loose anything significant. I never did (well... nowadays there's the metadata problems, etc. But if one is careful, it shouldn't be to much of a problem). Well... i think so...

(5" disks... yeah...  Aren't there any readers still around)

Migration poses challenge, certainly. But what's worse? slightly different formatting of a (very readable) word document, or a letter you forgot you had because, well, it's in a box, buried under other boxes -- it's basically lost. Inaccessible info is lost info, right? With a computer , it takes maybe a few seconds to find it, even if the format is not perfect. And your hands are not even dirty.

There are so many different articles on that matter : here's one that I remembered reading a while ago. Interesting.

843

General Software Discussion / Re: How do you manage your email?

« Last post by Armando on September 11, 2008, 12:15 PM »

superboyac : I edited the post where I explained how I manage my emails... Your post reminded me of 3 categories/folders I almost  never use. 
The fact is : I don't have much to delegate, not much to refer to (I use x1)... I do use the "waiting for..." one quite a bit though.
For important emails that I need to respond to but need to defer I'll often just create a special task/todo. I like to have all important stuff in ONE and only ONE place... OK, maybe 2 : Task-todo list (containing next actions, really), and calendar.

-Armando (September 08, 2008, 11:35 PM)

Yes, it seems like you and I think alike about a lot of things!  But I thought you were a big fan of Archivarius?  How come you are using X1?  I haven't used X1 in over a year, but I totally preferred Archivarius over it.  Let me know, because I totally forgot that I can use an indexer, so I'm probably going to set one up soon to use with Outlook.

-superboyac (September 09, 2008, 12:47 PM)

Missed that post....
I use Archivarius mostly for deeper searches/research, if I may say so. I don't find it as well thought off in terms of filtering and work flow. I like it because it's fairly fast, nice with my CPU and RAM and pretty thorough. But, In general, I prefer X1 : Outlook indexing is much much better, its UI allows more flexibility (the filtering through columns is actually very SQLNotes like), and you can organize your different searches into virtual/search folders -- and that is great. The only aspects I dislike about X1 : consumes more resources than Archivarius, is slower to appear when you invoke it, misses some data (like the notes-comments in Word documents... and the end of Huge documents don't even get indexed!!).

I find that setting filters in X1 for OUtlook or whatever stuff you need daily is quite handy. You can even create one grid per filter if you wish. And with AHK, I got all my keyboard shortcuts working nicely...

Aram and Armando - either you misunderstood 40hz or I did!

-Darwin (September 11, 2008, 08:20 AM)

no no... I understood perfectly well.  And I also understood why one would not trust HDD and computers 100% . I don't either.  That's why I have, multiple backups, DVD archives of incremental backups, etc. I mean, if I'm going to loose something, I'd have to be so unlucky that paper wouldn't save me anyway. I mean... paper can get burnt, soaked, lost, or whatever, too... right? It's also harder to encrypt and protect.... unless you put it in a safe.

(E.g. : A PST file might not be the most robust database in the world, but I actually don't really care if my PST becomes corrupt. I'll just start a new one, or bring back to life one of my backups. No? And if I'm dealing with something so important -- right now -- that I can't afford to loose, I'll back it up right away, on 3-4 different HDD.)

Who heard stories about 4 HDD in different places (eg : the one in my laptop, the one on my desk, the one in my bag, and the one at my parent's place) getting corrupt or broken bad all at once? I'm not saying it's not possible... but...

844

General Software Discussion / Re: How do you manage your email?

« Last post by Armando on September 11, 2008, 12:13 AM »

This is my point of view too. I believe that if you've got sufficient redundancy (good backup system), these things (loose all emails/files etc.) should absolutely not happen.

845

General Software Discussion / Re: Font managers reviews and opinions

« Last post by Armando on September 11, 2008, 12:07 AM »

Nice input from many DCers! I'll have to try some of these in the next few weeks.

The *best* font manager IMO, at least a year ago, after I spent lots of time looking at the available options, was FontExpert by Proxima:

-nontroppo (September 10, 2008, 03:07 PM)

Interestingly, when mouser edited my (a bit... dry?) first post and added a screenshot, he added the FontExpert one. Coincidence?

846

Living Room / Re: Hard Drive electrical failure... trash it?

« Last post by Armando on September 10, 2008, 10:31 PM »

So my amended directions would be:
1. Remove it.
2. Measure the resistance between the two pads it came off.  If it reads zero then the HDD is not worth the trouble.
    NOTE: There will be some resistance just hopefully not a dead short.
3. Connect it to a REAL ATX PSU as found in a desktop PC.  DO NOT connect the data cable - just the power cable.
4. Turn it on.  If it spins up let it run for 30 minutes.  If it doesn't spin up, turn it off immediately and forget about it.
5. Assuming it spun up, turn it off.  Connect the data cable, turn it back on and see if it's identified at the POST screen.  If it is, you might be lucky and get your data off of it, (assuming the power spike didn't scramble everything).

-4wd (September 09, 2008, 11:37 PM)

Thanks!    I'll find a used ATX PSU somewhere... And, after removing the diode, I'll just plug it in and see. If it spins up I'll see what I'll do then...

Thanks again 4ws and Edvard. That's all very very informative! That's one field I certainly know nothing (0) about.

847

Living Room / Re: Hard Drive electrical failure... trash it?

« Last post by Armando on September 09, 2008, 03:56 PM »

quote]But personally, I wouldn't bother replacing the diode.  Remove it, power it up on a real ATX PSU, get your data off and then toss it if you don't want to live with it like that.

-Edvard (September 09, 2008, 11:22 AM)

I agree. But wouldn't you want to bridge the diode pads after removing?
[/quote]

So does that mean just... removing it... like with tweezers?  And not doing anything else except plug the HD? I must be misunderstanding something, am I not?

848

Living Room / Re: Hard Drive electrical failure... trash it?

« Last post by Armando on September 09, 2008, 05:45 AM »

Very interesting 4wd. Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge and experience. 

849

Living Room / Re: Posture in sitting/standing ideas, tips & tricks

« Last post by Armando on September 09, 2008, 05:31 AM »

In case you cared, looking up material on "rolfing" is what led me to Mary Bond's book... then I found Esther's about three weeks later.

-kfitting (September 07, 2008, 04:59 PM)

Has anyone reading this thread been rolfed?

I was rolfed about 10 years ago, and can still feel its effects. Not only was it a tremendous help for pain, but my posture was changed for the better, with really no effort on my part...and those were the minor changes  .

-SKesselman (September 07, 2008, 07:02 PM)

Nope, but I often wanted to try. Maybe I will... 

850

General Software Discussion / Re: How do you manage your email?

« Last post by Armando on September 08, 2008, 11:35 PM »

superboyac : I edited the post where I explained how I manage my emails... Your post reminded me of 3 categories/folders I almost  never use. 
The fact is : I don't have much to delegate, not much to refer to (I use x1)... I do use the "waiting for..." one quite a bit though.
For important emails that I need to respond to but need to defer I'll often just create a special task/todo. I like to have all important stuff in ONE and only ONE place... OK, maybe 2 : Task-todo list (containing next actions, really), and calendar.