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876

General Software Discussion / Re: Dopus file names are cut

« Last post by 40hz on December 09, 2014, 06:29 AM »

@Ennovy - By "license checks" (as in plural) do you mean DO is one of those products that periodically or regularly "phones home" for a license verification even after initial installation?

-40hz (December 09, 2014, 01:29 AM)

Already been discussed from about this point here.

-4wd (December 09, 2014, 04:03 AM)

Ok...my apologies for asking about it again. Not being a DO user, the previous answer (back in March in a different thread) went in one synapse, got relayed to the client who had asked me about it, and then went straight out the other. Having forgotten, I asked about it a second time.

FWIW, the concluding comment in DO's FAQ about it struck me as being rather defensive and somewhat accusatory. But that's probably just me.

The times that Opus attempts Internet access are:
.
.
.

• When verifying the integrity of the program.

This last item involves the various methods Opus uses to protect against viruses and illegal use of the software (DRM). You can block these using a firewall if you wish - Opus does not attempt to "evade" or "get around" your firewall in any way. Legitimate users have no reason to be concerned by this activity, and none of your personal information is ever transmitted in this way.

877

General Software Discussion / Re: Dopus file names are cut

« Last post by 40hz on December 09, 2014, 01:29 AM »

@Ennovy - By "license checks" (as in plural) do you mean DO is one of those products that periodically or regularly "phones home" for a license verification even after initial installation?

878

Living Room / Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?

« Last post by 40hz on December 09, 2014, 12:51 AM »

But there was no way to get pictures of anyone back then.

-TaoPhoenix (December 08, 2014, 10:42 PM)

There's some truth to that. Unless you were reading the "alternative" paper or magazine that covered the local music scene (Boston-The Phoenix/B.A.D.; NYC-The Village Voice, etc.) or Rolling Stone, there weren't that many pictures available. There were album covers and liners, concert posters and...that was about it. Music was far less 'visual' not too long ago. People went to concerts to listen. ("We went to hear XYZ.") Today people more often say they "watched" a concert. ("We went to see XYZ.")

It's a small but significant shift in perspective that reflects a very different expectation about how a musical performance is to be experienced.

Sometimes tiny changes in colloquial expressions indicate seismic changes in perception.
 

879

Living Room / Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?

« Last post by 40hz on December 08, 2014, 09:27 PM »

Would everclear (95% grain alcohol) work in place of denatured alcohol?

-theGleep (December 07, 2014, 04:40 PM)

Yup! For shellac it does. IMMO it's preferable (far less toxic). Also a good excuse to hit the package store.

-40hz (December 07, 2014, 05:05 PM)

I actually have a few bottles to help adjust the proof of my vodka for vanilla extract.  I'm looking for the *perfect* extract recipe.  I doubt I'll ever find it

-theGleep (December 08, 2014, 02:48 PM)

I'd be interested in buying some off you if you ever do. I've yet to find a vanilla extract I absolutely am in love with. Luck!

880

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Free until Dec 24: Softmaker FreeOffice (Win&Linux) and Office Mobile (Android)

« Last post by 40hz on December 08, 2014, 07:23 PM »

I've been mostly using Libre, but since this nets something for charity - why not?

Besides, Softmaker Office is a very good suite.

881

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by 40hz on December 08, 2014, 07:06 PM »

I used to wonder about this myself...

Yup! Works for me.

882

Living Room / Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?

« Last post by 40hz on December 08, 2014, 07:01 PM »

@ginger - welcome to the thread!

883

Living Room / Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?

« Last post by 40hz on December 08, 2014, 02:16 PM »

^Right up there with the semi-deranged street person in early-70s Cambridge MA that used to play a mean "hand-ocarina" like so:



He'd occasionally show up at club jams, and announce "I'm gonna play my hand tonight." He'd then do his little schtick about "taking it out of its carrying case" (i.e. a glove). However, the concerned "Who is this guy?" looks and giggles soon got replaced by OMG!!!s once he stepped up to the microphone and joined in on a jazz or blues number. He knew them all. And man could he play!

Guy was awesome.

Let's not forget Moondog either.

884

Non-Windows Software / Re: NIX: Douane - An application aware personal firewall

« Last post by 40hz on December 08, 2014, 02:02 PM »

Keep in mind that the auto-recompile done by the DKMS system uses the same source file that was already compiled for the kernel you were using - so the auto-recompile won't introduce any malicious code that wasn't already there.

-mwb1100 (December 08, 2014, 01:24 PM)

@mwb - Doah! (You're right. What was I thinking? )

885

Non-Windows Software / Re: NIX: Douane - An application aware personal firewall

« Last post by 40hz on December 08, 2014, 01:54 PM »

Not sure I understand what is so special about this. I thought things like - for example - Windows 7 Firewall Control, were "application aware" - i.e., pretty much just as you describe above - no?

-IainB (December 08, 2014, 01:24 PM)

I didn't think it was 'special' so much as it was easy and convenient. Firewall configuration on the Linux platform isn't all that user friendly. Especially for innocent newcomers. Even the 'easy' GUI tools to do it are decidedly geeky.

As far as what Windows own firewall does, I don't have much to say other than it doesn't run on Linux - so it didn't enter into my admittedly limited thought process when I did the original post.

UPDATE: Ah! I see Shades has already chimed in. To which I say: this! 

886

Living Room / Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?

« Last post by 40hz on December 08, 2014, 01:22 PM »

This just showed up on Guitar World's newsletter under the heading: WTF Video: Street Musicians Play Handmade Broom Guitar and Shovel Bass — and it Sounds Good! — Yes? No?

I guess they never took a look at some of the videos posted on www.cigarboxnation.com 

Here's the video:

Here's more proof it's not what you have, it's how you play it.

Guerilla music performance! Love it!

887

Non-Windows Software / Re: LINUX - Mint 17.1 (Rebecca) ISOs are now available for download

« Last post by 40hz on December 08, 2014, 01:12 PM »

I didn't locate info regarding restoring one's software selection when it contains things from repositories that one might have added.

Any hints on this?


For reference, it looks like at least one file gets created containing at least package names (if I had to guess I'd guess it's the result of something like dpkg --get-selections).  I don't see any information about additional repositories...

One of the comments at the 'instructions' was:

But I have to say, the main advantage of the "Package upgrade" is missing: you don't have to redo all the customization and re-install all the software that is not available in the repositories.

In particular, with a fresh install you loose all the settings in /etc and all the software in either /opt or /usr/local.

Hmm...IIUC under /etc/ somewhere is where which repositories are used is stored...I guess that can be done manually...and before restoring software selections.


Ah, here's something:

If you were using PPA or other repositories and if some of your previously installed packages are not found by the present system, these packages will appear in the list but you won't be able to select them. If that is the case, update your APT sources using the Menu -> Administration -> Software Sources tool to add the missing repositories, then click on the "Refresh" button in the Backup Tool.

Note: The "Refresh" button refreshes the list, not your APT cache. If you update your /etc/apt/sources.list manually, make sure to run "apt update" in the terminal.

I guess I better make note of extra repositories

-ewemoa (December 03, 2014, 07:35 PM)

You could just install Aptik. It should be in the Mint repos.  I haven't tried using it in conjunction with an upgrade yet. But at the very least it would allow you to get a solid backup and pretty easily go back to your previous installation.



 

888

Non-Windows Software / NIX: Douane - An application aware personal firewall

« Last post by 40hz on December 08, 2014, 12:48 PM »

UPDATE: Major problems with this app. See this post below.


Just saw a reference to this over on Distrowatch.

Looks like somebody coded a personal firewall (Douane) that is "application aware." First time something goes to connect to the web, it affords you the opportunity to allow or deny it. Your answer then becomes a rule that's stored for future use.



There's also a control panel that allows you to start and stop the firewall plus enable/disable/delete rules you've already created. This is very similar to how a Windows firewall called ZoneAlarm used to behave. Very convenient for a newbie user. It's also occasionally eye-opening when you see just which apps are seeking web access. And when.



Very handy IMO.

Douane is not in any repo so far. And the only semi-packaged version seems to be for Arch. Everybody else gets to "Git" and compile it. Not a big challenge as the devs published a very detailed page with all the steps necessary. Even a novice should be able to do it.

Lack of a distro specific package isn't an issue for me. And I have no problem doing a compile. But my concern is that part of the installation process creates and installs a DKMS kernal module. This makes perfect sense for an app like a firewall. But I'm a little leery of allowing that when I don't know much about the app or its developers. Especially when it's a security app and includes a DKMS module which will auto-recompile when/if a new kernal gets installed. (Note: that last concern isn't valid - see mwb1100's post below.)  Because what's benign and on the 'up & up' today may not be tomorrow.

So. Anybody have any direct experience or heard more about this thing or the folks behind it?

889

General Software Discussion / Re: POSTING 101

« Last post by 40hz on December 08, 2014, 12:09 PM »

I can't seem to view any spoilers here.  Is it a DC Personal Preference or my machine?  

my info:  Windows Vista   Home Premium-SP2   Intel Core 2 Duo CPU    T6400 @ 2.00GHz    4GB RAM    64-bit        Windows Internet Explorer 9

I presume it is something i have turned off somewhere because they used to work.

-crabby3 (December 04, 2014, 07:58 AM)

 ... so no one has any   ?

-crabby3 (December 08, 2014, 08:10 AM)

Not ignoring you.  But (in my case) I'm so out of touch with Vista and its security model (it has been awhile) that I doubt I could offer much in the way of useful advice for a machine still running it. There's bound to be another holdout here that can suggest something.

You might try reposting your query in the Living Room or General Software section. Posting 101 is a bit of a backwater at DoCo. It doesn't get a lot of technical questions.

 

890

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by 40hz on December 08, 2014, 12:03 PM »

Don't use HTTPS to view DonationCoder not don't use it in links

-4wd (December 08, 2014, 12:20 AM)

Also good to know. I wasn't aware of that either. Thankee!

891

General Software Discussion / Re: antivirus and web defense

« Last post by 40hz on December 08, 2014, 06:48 AM »

I've been very happy (so far) with BitDefender. I've got it deployed as the site standard for several clients as their secondary line of defence. (The first line will always be to use your head.) To date there have been zero infections or complaints about performance. But I could have said the same thing about Avast and Kapersky at one time or another, so take this for what it's worth.

Luck!

892

General Software Discussion / Re: Hardware - Disk Drive and/or Fan struggling and testing

« Last post by 40hz on December 08, 2014, 06:30 AM »

Could you better describe the unhappy noises?

A high pitched whine sort of sound ("eeeeeeee") usually means a spindle is starting to seize. That could either be a fan or a disk. Steady rattling sorts of sounds can often be a fan.

Clunky mechanical noises - especially a sound like a marble being dropped in a small glass ("kah-plonk-kah-plonk") or distinct repeated bursts of clicking usually mean a drive is on its way out.

Either way I'd follow Mouser's suggestion and copy everything you want onto an external drive pronto. Once your stuff is in a safe place you can start to fix the problem.

You also don't need an outside tech. You can create a system restore image from within Windows along with a boot floppy or USB key. Create those and just restore your machine to a new hard drive if that's what's needed. But copy off your data first.

893

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by 40hz on December 07, 2014, 10:59 PM »

^Good to know. I wasn't aware of that. But I just checked and I used http not https so it wasn't that.

894

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by 40hz on December 07, 2014, 05:59 PM »

@Miles - There was an embedded YT video using the YT tag, not the URL tag. I don't know if that's what you mean.

It was for this video: http://www.youtube.c.../watch?v=-B8k1kyPJVQ

It works fine in my browser. The video preview even shows up and works in your quote of my post.

895

Living Room / Re: What books are you reading?

« Last post by 40hz on December 07, 2014, 05:43 PM »

@Mouser - if you enjoyed that, check out fellow Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood's: Ronnie: The Autobiography



Fascinating guy. And one of the best known underrated guitarists out there.

Here's the opening

--------------------------------------------------

But even more fascinating is Levon Helm's personal (and band) autobiography. (In case anybody's wondering, Levon was most well known as the drummer and a vocalist for The Band.) Check out This Wheel's on Fire: Levon Helm and the Story of the Band



It's not only interesting from a musical perspective. It's also fascinating because he illuminates a period in American history where the South was transitioning from it's agricultural heritage into the 'something else' we know it as today. Levon was there for the dawn of Rock & Roll. Recommended!

sample

896

Living Room / Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?

« Last post by 40hz on December 07, 2014, 05:05 PM »

Would everclear (95% grain alcohol) work in place of denatured alcohol?

-theGleep (December 07, 2014, 04:40 PM)

Yup! For shellac it does. IMMO it's preferable (far less toxic). Also a good excuse to hit the package store.

897

Living Room / Re: Do we have any musical people on DC?

« Last post by 40hz on December 07, 2014, 05:03 PM »

I think you will find alder has a bad rap as a paint only wood, but I've found that to be misguided.

-tjbray (December 06, 2014, 02:52 AM)

It is the most popular choice of wood for sunbursts however. But those often range from translucent to transparent so I don't know if that would be considered the same thing as a painted finish.

898

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by 40hz on December 07, 2014, 04:59 PM »

Is it just me or are posts missing links lately?

-MilesAhead (December 07, 2014, 04:43 PM)

Can't say I've noticed that.

Anybody else?

899

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by 40hz on December 07, 2014, 01:12 PM »

This is a fun one from Stevie Riks.

A respectful - yet refreshingly light-hearted version of one of the most popular (to say nothing of self-righteous and somewhat condescending) Christmas standards of them all. Hey...Bob Geldof had a hand in writing the song. What can I say?

How many pop stars can you identify?

900

Living Room / Re: The Old City

« Last post by 40hz on December 07, 2014, 08:28 AM »

Yeah, an impulse buy, not something I usually do with games/software, and for good reason.

-app103 (December 07, 2014, 03:52 AM)

@app - Ain't it the truth?

I recently bought Kentucky Route Zero (Season Pass) for the same reason. The story concept was intriguing. The design and artwork are quite beautiful and evocative IMHO. Possibly some of the best I've ever seen. And their non-spoiler sample download impressed me to no end.

I've been through the first part of what is promised to be a 5-part story. You get parts 1 through 3 with parts 4 and 5 promised for later release this year.

This is one of those situations where I really really want to like this thing. Hopefully it will pick up a bit as it goes forward. Because right now I'm getting a sinking sensation there may be less here than originally appeared. Or promised... (More on that shortly.)

There's a lot of odd and unnatural conversations that seem to go nowhere, and which the characters engage in for no obvious reason. People do not, in my experience, respond to an innocuous question about where a certain highway goes by immediately launching into a philosophical speculation about the region and their family's history. With luck, it will all find it's place into the story later on. But I'm worried this will become yet another case of a writer creating deliberately obscure passages in the hopes they will be mistaken for being profound.

Another niggle...

Right now there's some concern in the gaming community about the last two instalments. Both had been promised for release "later this year." AFAIK, there hasn't been anything said about a definite release date yet. And we're almost out of days for "this year." Which raises the possibility (KRZ being an indy game) that they either won't be delivered - or they'll be rushed out just to get them completed. And if that's the case, we may be better off not seeing them at all.

Anyway...I own it. I'm playing it. And I remain hopeful.

I also resolve this will be my absolute last impulse game buy. And this time - I really mean it.