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8826
N.A.N.Y. 2011 / Re: NANY 2011 :: The Event Closes
« Last post by Renegade on January 01, 2011, 12:45 PM »
A "NANY" installer would be interesting. Something to install all NANY software.

But that's probably a bad idea unless people all create an installer that installs to */NANY 2011/author/program name.

8827
Living Room / Re: Are You Ready to Switch to GNU/Linux?
« Last post by Renegade on January 01, 2011, 12:36 PM »
Development in Java takes more time than in C++ because you'll have to work around all its misconceptions.

Go back and read.
8828
Living Room / Re: Are You Ready to Switch to GNU/Linux?
« Last post by Renegade on January 01, 2011, 12:21 PM »
C++ is not "slow". Compare the startup time of a C++ and a Java application and shut up.

I meant development time.
8829
N.A.N.Y. 2011 / Re: NANY 2011 Release: Duplicate Photo Deleter
« Last post by Renegade on January 01, 2011, 12:20 PM »
I thought I did it right... but didn't match (can you remind me later for the files?)

It matches folders only. Not individual images... Design flaw considering the UI. I'll need to update that. But I will remind you tomorrow to send me the pics.
8830
Living Room / Re: Are You Ready to Switch to GNU/Linux?
« Last post by Renegade on January 01, 2011, 12:16 PM »
I hate these lists precisely because of the controversy they engender, the snarky remarks, the outlandish claims, the smug retorts, the arguments that go on and on and on and on...


If the lists had something intelligent to say, it would be different. However, they're invariably written by tech authors with no good ideas.


Use Windows if it works for you.
Use Linux if it works for you.
Use both if it suits you.


Interesting how you never mention OS X. ;)


Yeah, this dead horse has been beaten to a bloody pulp already.
Malware is not inherently Windows fault, it's the fault of the malware purveyors being aware of their market and how to exploit it.
Linux users are not completely immune to (for example) Flash and Java exploits that harvest data, but there are 90-99% more Windows machines with much more delicious data stored in the same place on every machine, which makes them an irresistable target.
Sorry.

Good point, and one that is lost on many in the *nix community, especially their bastard, inbred cousins in the OS X community. :P (Sorry, couldn't resist that one -- heard the "Macs can't get viruses" BS once too often.)


BUT... once I figured that out, I discovered that ~90% of the time there is no real reason to muck about with the root filesystem, so I made myself cozy in /home/edvard and occasionally /opt and I'm doing much better.
Incidentally, the same goes for Windows; it took me just as many years to figure out that the less time I spent in C:\windows\system32 and more in C:\Documents and Settings\edvard the happier I was.


Good point.


BTW, in Linux you can set up multiple drives in more ways than I even know how, and I've actually found it WAY more flexible than Windows.
Just sayin'...


How so? I'm curious.


Dude, you've thrown this gauntlet down before and I've thrown it right back at you but you obviously didn't catch it.
There are MANY legitimate reasons why NOT to write games for Linux, but it HAS NOW BEEN PROVEN that profit (or lack thereof) is NOT one of them.
http://www.hemispher...3/linux-the-numbers/
http://jeffhoogland....for-linux-games.html


Sorry, but this is a bad argument... At the moment.

There simply aren't that many games out there for Linux (which may mean it's a good time to get into the market), so those that are in the market take up greater profits. Limited surveys... Bad data.

Even when you look at the game revenue, Windows sales are more than double Linux. What would any sane developer do? Develop for Windows of course!

I just don't see the revenue thing as an attraction for developers... Yet.

e.g. I'd rather get $1 from 1,000,000 people than $100 from 100 people. (Exaggeration intentional.)

It is getting better now, but I am not sure that it's there. Well, let me qualify that.

I think that it's there for large developers that can sink the money in and wait. It's not there for 1-man-bands. Windows is.


9. You Want to Be in Control
I'm in control.
I'm sure you are, especially if you're a half-decent system administrator, which I'm assuming is true.
Personally, I've never felt more in control of a computer than the day I fully grasped the implications of running Linux instead of Windows.
It's not just GUI vs. command line, it's not about dealing with registry corruption, fiddly permissions, malware/viruses/etc, it's not a question of hating Microsoft or Apple or Adobe or any of that nonsense.
It's something quite nebulous and intangible that only comes with the experience of being a long-time Linux user, the moment you know you'll never turn back, that moment...
I'm sorry, I can't go on...
Inspirational music just started playing in my head and it must now stop. 
:P


Freedom perhaps?

10. You’re One of a Kind
Hehe... Yeah, this one is kind of subjective.


Very~! :D


Just because one runs Linux doesn't make one any more or less unique.


But if you "think different" and have an iMac or iPhone just like everyone else, then you ARE unique~! :P

"I'm not~!"


Hell, a few choice DC apps and a new desktop wallpaper and my Windows machine at work can be pretty darn unique. ;p


:D

Don't forget to find your duplicate photos with... Errr... Ummm... Blatant self-promotion has been interrupted to bring you these messages: :)


BTW - depending on the task at hand, a few "scripts on command line" can take your 2 clicks to the mat any time.
Seriously, keep count of how many mouse clicks and menu options you have to go through to do an average administration task.
I bet it's more than you realize, but since you're more familiar with the process, you experience it as "easier".
Since getting familiar with common tasks in Linux that require command line operations, I've found that to be much easier and more powerful.
It's all in the familiarity...


Agreed. Still...

I drop to the command line all the time... BUT... That requires knowledge.

Knowledge comes at a price. Time and effort. How many people want to spend those?

THIS is a core problem with so much of the Linux community.

People do not care about anything except making their life easier. They'd rather spend 2 minutes doing something rather than solve the problem with a bit of knowledge and typing a bit. People are LAZY beyond all human comprehension.

The ease scale goes like this:

1) Apple
2) Microsoft
3) null
4) null
5) Linux

Apple is at the top because they only let you do so many things.

Microsoft lets you do anything if someone solves the problem for you.

Linux lets you do anything if you want to solve the problem yourself.


Well, that's an exaggeration, but it's close. It's a perceived thing. Truth is, a lot of what you get on Linux is easier than what you get on Apple.


Core issue: People are lazy and don't care to learn squat. :(


Mahesh, I fully support you in your efforts to develop software intended to provide superior functionality for an equitable price that will hopefully provide for as much of your livelihood as possible.
I understand that most often such an endeavor requires developing for and with Windows, and freeware/open source simply cannot promise to put food on the table; nobody can argue that.
However, I cannot stand by the perception that developing for Linux with commercial intent is inherently a losing proposition because "Linux users will not pay for software".
It is a flat myth that has been proven false many times over, and the sooner this misconception is put to death, the better off both worlds will be.


The problem is that Linux software development is still too expensive for most software for most small developers.

Your average small developer just can't afford it.

It is profitable for larger developers and development houses. They can afford it now. That's a good thing.

I mean to exclude server markets though as we're really talking about the desktop and not servers.



In fact, why not do as others have and just try developing a commercial software project that is cross-platform; something that fills a need for Linux users as well as Windows and Mac.
Something that either has no Linux software equivalent or is sufficiently advanced to render existing software patently inferior by comparison.
See if you don't profit more than you foresaw, even if it is only a small percentage compared to Windows sales (Linux is, after all, only 1-5% of desktop market share, right?).


THIS is the reason why I'm such a fan of Mono. I've been watching Mono since it first came out, and it's prime time now.

A lot of people here have serious reservations about Mono, but I don't see any decent alternative.

C++? Slow.

Python? Interpreted.

Objective-C? Muahahahahahahahahahahah~! (Ridicule intended.)

C? Any masochists around?

Java? Hasn't worked very well so far.

RealBasic? Better.

OR... Some language like...

#S | #Smalltalk | A# | Active Oberon | APLNext | AVR.NET | Boo | C# | C++/CLI | clojure-clr | COBOL2002 for .NET Framework | Cobra | Common Larceny | Component Pascal | Delphi.NET | Delta Forth .NET | DotLisp | dylan.NET Launchpad·Gitorious | EiffelEnvision | F# | Fantom | Fortran .NET | Gardens Point Modula-2/CLR | GrGen.NET | IoNET | IronLisp | IronPython | IronRuby | IronScheme | J# | Ja.NET | JScript .NET | L# | LOLCode.NET | Managed Extensions for C++ | Managed JScript | Mercury on .NET | Nemerle | Net Express | NetCOBOL | Oxygene | OxygenScheme | P# | Phalanger | Phrogram | PL/IL | PowerBuilder | sml.net | Synergy.NET | VB.NET | VBx | Visual COBOL | Windows PowerShell | X# | Zonnon

Ahem. Which of the 55 flavors do you like?

Yes. Mono only supports so much right now. But it's the right direction.

I love choice and freedom, and there are some great possibilities out there right now.


Prove me wrong.
I DARE you...


I wish I could. I can't. I'm too small to develop for the Linux market. I'd starve to death. And my wife would be really pissed too. Then force me into some kind of slavery. Then I'd be really sorry that I'd ever tried. And I would cry. And look like a little girl. Which would be very embarassing. So I'd probably pee my pants making the situation worse. And cry more. The probably shit my pants to boot. Not good. I'm scared now.

:D :P

8831
N.A.N.Y. 2011 / Re: NANY 2011 Release: Duplicate Photo Deleter
« Last post by Renegade on January 01, 2011, 11:05 AM »
Oh, I should mention that's for the second comparison method. The first is file size only. Check the top combobox there.
8832
N.A.N.Y. 2011 / Re: NANY 2011 Release: Duplicate Photo Deleter
« Last post by Renegade on January 01, 2011, 11:04 AM »
If you're going to continue adding features... one I'd like to see is the ability to test just the image data, not the whole file (which will include EXIF data too)... once I've geotagged my images it messes the matching up  :(

The current feature set hashes the image, and not the file.

Here's the source:

Code: C# [Select]
  1. List<UInt32> hash1 = new List<uint>();
  2. SuperFastHashUnsafe sf1 = new SuperFastHashUnsafe();
  3. Bitmap bmp1;
  4. ImageConverter converter = new ImageConverter();
  5.  
  6. ...
  7.  
  8. bmp1 = (Bitmap)Bitmap.FromFile(fi1.FullName);
  9. byte[] bytes = new byte[1];
  10. bytes = (byte[])converter.ConvertTo(bmp1, bytes.GetType());
  11.  
  12. // Add the has value to the list.
  13. hash1.Add(sf1.Hash(bytes));

And the relevant MSDN article:

http://msdn.microsof....imageconverter.aspx

If I'm not mistaken, only the pixel data is considered, which results in a safe comparison.

I COULD be mistaken though.

If you could send me 2 files to test, I'd appreciate it.



8833
General Software Discussion / Re: In need of security advice ...
« Last post by Renegade on January 01, 2011, 10:47 AM »
    * Tell search engines to ignore you.
    * Make selected galleries private. Your friends can visit them without entering passwords, but only if you give them the address.
    * Make your entire SmugMug site private. Your friends can visit without entering a password, but only if you give them the address.

All of those are empty promises and massive security holes. They make things harder for amateurs, but experienced people can hack through them.

If things are sensitive, then it's not worth it.

It's better not to put anything on the net that you don't want there without serious security. That isn't serious security. But then again, that may be all you need. It's probably more than most people need.

8834
Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: iDeparted - For when you die.
« Last post by Renegade on January 01, 2011, 09:25 AM »
Sorry to sully the thread... but it's related and on topic.

I found a YouTube video of my friend here:



It's pretty bad quality and in no way does him justice. He's "Mean Steve Piano" there. He'll be missed.
8835
Living Room / Re: Are You Ready to Switch to GNU/Linux?
« Last post by Renegade on January 01, 2011, 07:14 AM »
As Linux is GPL, how does any distribution NOT become GPL? That violates the license. And if it's GPL, then it's GNU.
Unless I'm really mistaken, licensing something under the GPL does not make it GNU.

There's a lot of software in every linux distribution not written by the GNU project people.

And there's a fair amount of opensource projects that aren't under the GPL license, and are included in most/lots of distributions.

Insisting on calling a distribution GNU/Linux imho equals downplaying the importance on non-gnu/non-gpl projects, and I find that rather distasteful and self-important of the GNU guys.

I wasn't aware of some loopholes in/interpretations of the GPL that allowed use with non-GPL code. I'd then made another assumption and made an ass out of u and me. :) It happens. :P

Personally, I also find the OSI somewhat arrogant. I have source licenses for software, but they're not OSI approved.  :-\

8836
Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: iDeparted - For when you die.
« Last post by Renegade on January 01, 2011, 06:10 AM »
While it is the last thing you will ever use,
it is the first thing you need to do!

- Melanie E.

:up:

Young people always think they are going to live forever, but I have actually lost quite a number of friends and relatives when they still were young, and I don't think I am going to live for long myself. $10 / $15 / $19 per year seems reasonable ( https://www.ideparte...hart-comparison.html ) for the provided services, but how can the customer feel assured the company will still honour the deal if iDeparted.com gets into financial problems in the future? Or when the owner has died...?


I got a phone call just a short while ago after posting that: another good friend of mine is gone. Sudden and unexpected. What a completely shitty way to start the new year... Quite honestly, the topic is pretty morbid, but it's very real. Steve could certainly have used iDeparted. He's got significant assets that I know are going to be stolen from him/his heirs now. Long convoluted story that and I'll leave it at that.

I know Nick and wouldn't hesitate to put my faith in him or his services. He does business with integrity, and those that know him will tell you the same. I'm sure he's thought about things well enough for the site to stick around. He's already made his money, and doesn't have to work, so it's not like the site is in any danger of going out of business.

8837
Official Announcements / Re: HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011 FROM EVERYONE AT DONATIONCODER!
« Last post by Renegade on January 01, 2011, 01:20 AM »
 :up:
8838
General Software Discussion / Re: In need of security advice ...
« Last post by Renegade on January 01, 2011, 01:12 AM »
It can't be done.

If you make the image available, it's available. Period. You can make it difficult for someone to get the picture, but not impossible.

The only thing you can do is to have people make accounts and then authorize them, then only serve up the pictures to those people that you want to see them.

For that, you're better off just going with something like Flickr though. It's easier. Well, that is if you want to just have a gallery.

If anyone tells you that they can protect pictures 100%, they are lying.

The closest that you can come to it is to have a custom ActiveX, Java or Silverlight (maybe) plugin to serve the pictures and then have it black out the picture if someone tries any screen recording. However, I doubt that would even work. (Flash might have some capabilities there, but I am not sure.)

Once it's on the web... It's on the web. There's no going back. If you don't want pictures there, don't put them there.
8839
Announce Your Software/Service/Product / iDeparted - For when you die.
« Last post by Renegade on December 31, 2010, 11:15 PM »
iDeparted is a friend of mine's new project and it's just officially launched today~!

https://www.ideparted.com/

Screenshot - 2011-01-01 , 4_12_41 PM.png

It's for you to keep all your passwords and accounts safe online in the event of your death, so that they can be passed on to your executor or whoever.

A friend of mine died prematurely and unexpectedly a little over a year ago, and this would have solved a LOT of problems for his wife.

It's something that I know everyone could use.
8840
N.A.N.Y. 2011 / Re: NANY 2011 Release: Duplicate Photo Deleter
« Last post by Renegade on December 31, 2010, 11:04 PM »
I've updated the software to v1.1.

Changes:

* Image previews now 25~35% faster
* Image load times displayed
* New JPG icon for images
* Selected folders now highlighted in folder browsers
* Press F1 for a nice "About" screen :)
* Refactored some code
* Added massive amounts of comments to code, complete with stupid humor :p
* Released source code YAY~!

I've commented the source extensively for anyone that wants to have a look or perhaps learn some stuff in C#.

Please note that I've done some very bad things in there (e.g. Application.DoEvents() to maintain a responsive UI). I know that. However, in the interests of getting things done I had to sacrifice in places. e.g. No threading there.

However, there are enough comments there and the really bad things are mostly marked.

8841
Living Room / Re: So, when you're working, do you...
« Last post by Renegade on December 31, 2010, 10:46 PM »
Anybody else in the same boat?  :)

For a very long time.

I regularly go for paper or print outs instead of staring at a screen. I'll print out 10 pages of code to mull over for a few minutes to help give me some clarity if I need.

Digital is not always a good substitute for physical.

Similarly, I like reading physical news papers rather than online. I like programming books rather than PDFs. etc. etc.
8842
Living Room / Re: Are You Ready to Switch to GNU/Linux?
« Last post by Renegade on December 31, 2010, 10:21 PM »
Glad to help you out! :)
The GPLv3 allows peaceful coexistence with non-free parts, written for exactly that reason: to allow Linux to get proprietary drivers.

Ah... Got it. I was still living in GPLv2-land.

But I thought that GPLv3 was meant to be MORE restrictive due to Tivo, and to force opening of hardware in line with the GPL...
8843
Living Room / Re: Are You Ready to Switch to GNU/Linux?
« Last post by Renegade on December 31, 2010, 10:10 PM »
It is the most obvious source, isn't it?
Somewhere in the Debian docs, the Blobs are explained more detailedly. But I guess "binary large objects" is quite self-explaining.

:)

No problem!

(So what about changing the topic title now?  :P)

Topic changed: Are You Ready to Switch to Linux?

I'm still curious as to HOW non-GPL stuff slipped into the kernel.

Reading this again:

The combination of GNU and Linux is the GNU/Linux operating system, now used by millions and sometimes incorrectly called simply “Linux”.

It makes sense now. It just seemed somewhat misleading before.
8844
Living Room / Re: Are You Ready to Switch to GNU/Linux?
« Last post by Renegade on December 31, 2010, 09:52 PM »
http://www.gnu.org/d.../common-distros.html

Interesting. Haven't seen that before. Thanks.
8845
Living Room / Re: Are You Ready to Switch to GNU/Linux?
« Last post by Renegade on December 31, 2010, 09:40 PM »
And if it's GPL, then it's GNU.
Linux (the kernel) is not even GNU due to the driver BLOBs. No-one said that the whole distribution must also be.

Do you have any references? I'd be interested in reading more on it.
8846
Living Room / Re: Are You Ready to Switch to GNU/Linux?
« Last post by Renegade on December 31, 2010, 09:22 PM »
As Linux is GPL, how does any distribution NOT become GPL? That violates the license. And if it's GPL, then it's GNU.

I don't get how any Linux distribution *can* be not GNU (without violating the terms of the GPL anyways).

8847
Living Room / Re: Are You Ready to Switch to GNU/Linux?
« Last post by Renegade on December 31, 2010, 08:29 AM »
Hmmm... Better than the last time I had to eject a DVD on my Mac. Ended up taking it in for repair... Only had about 20 or 30 disks in it too. :(
That might have been your problem; I think they're meant to accomodate only one.
-cranioscopical (December 31, 2010, 07:55 AM)

But there were really really really small DVDs...
8848
Living Room / Holy Pirates~! =p
« Last post by Renegade on December 31, 2010, 08:26 AM »
I found this humorous. 2 pirates in the Vatican:

AVAST Software: Over 770,000 pirates plus 2 in the Vatican

http://www.avast.com...nt=en-au_online_news

What started as a 14-user license for a small firm in Tucson, Arizona issued on June 30, 2009 quickly mushroomed to 774,651 active users by late 2010. The license has been used in over 200 countries ranging from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe – even the Vatican City. Phenomenal growth yes, but except for the original 14 users, all of the others are pirates.

...

Top Dirty Dozen*

   1. Russia
   2. Mexico
   3. Brazil
   4. Italy
   5. Spain
   6. USA
   7. India
   8. Philippines
   9. France
  10. Ukraine
  11. Argentina
  12. Thailand
8849
Developer's Corner / Re: Any EASY Windows Forms Skin Kits for C#?
« Last post by Renegade on December 31, 2010, 05:56 AM »
Renegade, please don't fall for the "skins" lure. It pisses us power users off. Either you go for native look-and-feel, or you go way overboard and do a Really Fancy(TM) in WPF.

But skins? It's so damn tacky.

Don't worry. I've got a level head enough to not use a skin for the sake of using a skin. :)
8850
Developer's Corner / Re: Any EASY Windows Forms Skin Kits for C#?
« Last post by Renegade on December 31, 2010, 05:55 AM »
@Ath -- thanks for those! The Code Project one looks interesting from a glance (working on something else right now -- didn't expect fast responses). I'll be checking them out very soon.

Just my two cents: skin kits are overrated and the bane of the normal user.

It means you have to relearn an interface. That it looks different from the rest of your OS. That it acts different. If you are colorblind, maybe the new colours make the interface unusable. If you're fully blind, there's a good chance your screenreader ceases working. And if you are a poweruser, there's a good chance you'll get really piffed with all the extra memory and sluggishness the skin brings along, as it is never going to be as good as what the OS offers by default.

I think that as long you make sure to use the Visual Themes support Windows offers (as opposed to the old Windows Classic look) you have made it look more than pretty enough.


Yes and no.

If you look at all high-end audio editors, they all mimic hardware because that's the standard. MP3 players do the same -- they mimic stereo systems.

So it really depends on what you're doing. You need to judge things carefully and go with what makes the most sense for the software and the target audience.

e.g. It wouldn't make much sense to do a line of business data entry form in a skinned way, unless it suited the industry.

I just want something to help expand my capabilities and the type of software I can produce quickly.
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