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9151

General Software Discussion / Re: a copy of Motherboard Monitor?

« Last post by wraith808 on May 24, 2010, 01:26 PM »

http://en.wikipedia..../Motherboard_Monitor

Motherboard Monitor is a utility designed by Alexander Van Kaam for Microsoft Windows that provides live information about the state of a motherboard and other hardware, including temperatures, voltages, fan speeds, and more.

On July 6, 2004, it was announced that development on Motherboard Monitor has been stopped. However on September 13, 2006, a new update (Update 2) was released adding slightly more compatibility with new motherboards.

Current alternatives to Motherboard Monitor include SpeedFan and Core Temp.

9152

Living Room / Re: Apple acquires music service Lala

« Last post by wraith808 on May 22, 2010, 06:34 PM »

But when they do it, don't they have to give you the chance to opt-out?

-wraith808 (May 19, 2010, 01:47 PM)

No, because the words Stoic Joker just typed are usually followed by words that mean essentially: We reserve to change this EULA without having to notify anybody of anything anytime anywhere.

-Innuendo (May 22, 2010, 05:32 PM)

Well then why do certain services pop up the EULA to get you to agree to additions/changes, and other don't?  iTunes does it quite a bit... it would seem that if your agreement was in perpetuity that they wouldn't have to show you; it would fall to you to read it periodically or something (which seems quite wrong).  Somehow, I get the feeling that it's not as black and white as that (though I could very well be wrong).

9153

Living Room / Re: Pac-man at Google Search...

« Last post by wraith808 on May 21, 2010, 02:14 PM »

It's to celebrate the anniversary, and the fact that I only found out about 10 minutes to go shows how little I use the google homepage now, I suppose.  But well done, Google!

9154

Living Room / Re: GPS Unit Recommendations?

« Last post by wraith808 on May 21, 2010, 07:37 AM »

This is a real problem. GPS as a driving navigation device needs to live up to the kinds of standards set in the automotive industry. While you can't expect 100%, expecting more than 50% of trips to be trouble-free isn't unreasonable.

The main problem I see is that for unfamiliar places, this is where you need the GPS to be accurate and need it to to be responsive. You just can't stop in the middle of traffic because your GPS unit is slow and you've already missed 2 turns because of it. You'd quickly find out what road rage is like on the receiving end. Steering you wrong is simply a hazard. Especially in heavy traffic where you need to be paying attention to the road, and not constantly glancing at the GPS while you wait for it to update because you're now hopelessly lost.

Common sense can't help you in some of those driving situations (I take it that you mean you need to use common sense to know that the unit will make mistakes for things like out of date maps, etc.). The only thing you can do is to make sure that you prioritize your driving and get ready to suck up the GPS unit's mistakes. I'm just tired of sucking it up for half all the trips I need it for.

-Renegade (May 21, 2010, 06:31 AM)

It really also depends on where you are- GPS reception isn't 100% accurate and maps can be out of date, or just not cover areas, or have inbuilt mistakes in them (at one time, the GPS wouldn't even take you to my house, but to another place).  It's just like cell service in a lot of ways, where you have to make allowances to use the service (or not) in areas until the technology gets better.  And sometimes, while our expectations may seem reasonable to the user, they aren't reasonable given the technologies, IME.

9155

Living Room / Re: Apple won't take cash for iPads

« Last post by wraith808 on May 20, 2010, 03:29 PM »

The iPhone works the same way. The only app I knew that let you circumvent iTunes and load files directly was Stanza. The last update to Stanza removed that capability "to comply with Apple's app policies."

-40hz (May 20, 2010, 03:12 PM)

You can work with the iPhone without using iTunes- my wife never synced her phone until she needed to upgrade the OS, and she had tons of music and apps on there.  She just connected via WiFi (had to use an appstore account, but no itunes).  I also use a few apps that let you load files directly currently- they just temporarily turn the device into a webserver/ftp server.

I wonder would it be possible to jailbreak from the start, and never use itunes or an apple account at all... I know the phone is useable without an apple id, as I used it after I purchased it from best buy before I ever synced it...

9156

Living Room / Re: Apple won't take cash for iPads

« Last post by wraith808 on May 20, 2010, 02:11 PM »

^ I didn't see the part about the activating online account (it wasn't in the ABC article).  Where is that?  And why do you need any online account to use an iPad?

9157

Living Room / Re: GPS Unit Recommendations?

« Last post by wraith808 on May 20, 2010, 12:20 PM »

Yes. I want one for the car. The TomTom is just garbage. It's simply unreliable and dangerous to use.

-Renegade (May 20, 2010, 10:16 AM)

Why do you say that?  I'm just curious... we've had a garmin and now a tomtom, and my wife has had no problem with either.

UPDATE: Never mind.  I read the review (duh).  But, like I said, my wife loves her new TomTom.

9158

Living Room / Re: Apple won't take cash for iPads

« Last post by wraith808 on May 20, 2010, 10:45 AM »

And Apple has reversed its stance.  And gave her one for free, even...

"We heard about this, you know... we all would love people like Diane [Campbell] to get an iPad, so I called her up and she was very excited and we're actually on our way to deliver an iPad to her house," said [Apple Sr. Vice President Ron] Johnson.

That's right. The folks at Apple wanted to thank Campbell for bringing this issue to their attention, so two employees from Apple visited her home Wednesday and brought her a brand new iPad for free.

9159

Living Room / Re: Sexual harassment taken too far...

« Last post by wraith808 on May 20, 2010, 10:44 AM »

Well, the disingenuous thing about the president's stance is the fact that all witnesses were not interviewed- even the person that he said that was in the room was not questioned.  It seems at this point he's riding the wave of internet created cause célèbre, but he could be brought down to earth quite quickly if he's linked to any of the leaks.  He could also be cited for the fact that he linked to the location of the leaked documents, even if he didn't actually link them.

9160

Living Room / Re: website maker?

« Last post by wraith808 on May 20, 2010, 07:49 AM »

There's a site that tracks a lot of CMSes. Try searching for it.

-Renegade (May 20, 2010, 07:40 AM)

This sounded interesting, and I tried to google it, but my google-fu failed.  Do you have any other information which might help me to find it?

9161

Living Room / Re: Sexual harassment taken too far...

« Last post by wraith808 on May 20, 2010, 07:40 AM »

I read a bit more about it- and this thing is becoming larger than is proportionate to the incident.

First, it does seem that this might relate to his field of study, though I'm not so sure.  He's a Lecturer in Behavioural Science, School of Medicine.  (from http://www.dylan.org.uk/).

Some other articles- including the complaints and responses.
http://www.huffingto...politi_b_576597.html
http://felidware.com/DylanEvans/
http://www.newscient...dal-in-academia.html
http://www.irishtime...9/1224270655043.html

And I'm not so sure that this public revelation will do him any good:
http://www.corkstude...t-abuse-scandal-6477
http://www.corkstude...of-fruitbatgate-6575

And in fact he's been censured for releasing confidential papers, even though he said he didn't:
http://www.corkstude...tation-to-press-6535
http://www.corkstude...st-bat-lecturer-6521

Like I said... it's being blown way out of proportion at this point, and I don't think anything good is going to come of it on either side.

9162

Living Room / Re: website maker?

« Last post by wraith808 on May 20, 2010, 07:21 AM »

Also, a lot of CMS have the name at the bottom of the page as a (c). Many people remove this, but it's also an easier first option.

9163

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: TBS Cover Editor - Create virtual boxes and covers for your software

« Last post by wraith808 on May 20, 2010, 07:13 AM »

I noticed it's on Bits du Jour today for $32.00.

9164

Living Room / Re: Sexual harassment taken too far...

« Last post by wraith808 on May 19, 2010, 06:29 PM »

Okay (seriously) ...Zoologists aside ... How many of the guys here would feel comfortable sharing the fruit bat BJ article with a female coworker?

Me no, because the content is way to easy to misinterpret, intent wise.

-Stoic Joker (May 19, 2010, 06:05 PM)

If it wasn't in my field- no.

9165

Living Room / Re: Apple acquires music service Lala

« Last post by wraith808 on May 19, 2010, 01:47 PM »

That's why most EULA's contain the line "We (the evil corp) reserve the right to update, modify, completely rewrite this agreement at any moment based entirely on our own whim.

-Stoic Joker (May 19, 2010, 01:43 PM)

But when they do it, don't they have to give you the chance to opt-out?

9166

Living Room / Re: Another wierd lawsuit...

« Last post by wraith808 on May 19, 2010, 01:44 PM »

I have personally been "awarded" $500 in court for stolen property, of which only $25 was collected. That's when I lost my faith in the American Court of Law.

-Deozaan (May 19, 2010, 01:24 PM)

At least you've been on that side.  I lost my faith in the American Court of Law the first time I stepped into it at 16.  I proved without a doubt that there was no way that I could have been speeding, but because the officer was an officer, the judge made it stick.  I even had the officer doubting himself in the end because I was determined not to get a ticket, by having him tell me when he clocked me and when I stopped... and proving that the distance was less than 100 feet and that a civic couldn't go from 65 to zero in 100 feet on wet pavement.  And it's only gotten worse, as I've been in court 5 times, and the other person has lied in each case- blatantly.  And won.

9167

Living Room / Re: Sexual harassment taken too far...

« Last post by wraith808 on May 19, 2010, 12:26 PM »

I agree completely that sexual harassment is a minefield that's too easily abused. And of course without more details it'd be impossible to ever know the truth, but something about the circumstances as they're being reported has me leaning towards him being a slime-ball rather than her crying wolf.

-Eóin (May 19, 2010, 12:22 PM)

That's funny- I'm leaning towards him having been interested in the past, but this being an innocent incident that made her think that he didn't get the hint.  Especially from (1) the part about her 'giving him the benefit of the doubt' before, (2) the fact that the university didn't truly cite him, and (3) the fact that they didn't say anything about colleagues speaking up that he didn't show them the same article.

I think the uni is in CYA mode.  He made a possible misstep before, and they see that.  They also see that this incident doesn't stand up as sexual harassment.  So they send him to some training class and put him under watch to satisfy her without censuring him so that neither side really has a foot to stand on.

9168

Living Room / Re: Sexual harassment taken too far...

« Last post by wraith808 on May 19, 2010, 12:16 PM »

I was reading about this, I suspect the scientific community is being too one-sided. The Daily Mail article sheds a little more on light on the back story

[Dr Rossana Salerno Kennedy] also says it was not the first time [Dr Dylan Evans] had raised sexual subjects with her and said he admired Casanova.

-http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1279338/Dr-Dylan-Evans-harassment-claim-showing-sex-life-bats-paper-female-colleague.html

Sounds to me like he's now hiding behind the screen of "academic debate". If anything is being diluted here it's the distinction between professional and personal interactions.

-Eóin (May 19, 2010, 11:31 AM)

Hmmm... so lets say that he did make advances previously, that she shunned.  Then he showed her the same article that he had shown other colleagues... she might have taken it the wrong way after his advances before.  But I'd think it would be easy enough to check- did he indeed show others?  And were there others present when he showed her?  If so, then this incident shouldn't be the one that gets him reprimanded.  And what was the nature of the other incidents? 

That's why I have always stayed away from workplace romances (and to a certain extent friendships).  If you make an advance, and the person isn't interested- is that sexual harassment?  At what point does it become sexual harassment?  That line is pretty gray on some subjects, and varies from environment to environment.  And whether the person will even take it that way varies from person to person.  Too much to deal with - especially when you're talking about your livelihood.

9169

Living Room / Re: Apple acquires music service Lala

« Last post by wraith808 on May 19, 2010, 12:06 PM »

What I don't get is if you gave your money for credits under the old EULA, would you be bound by the EULA of itunes now?  It would seem that they would have to give you an opt out option- thereby making them liable to you for the money that you have tied up in the service.

I smell a class action lawsuit here...

9170

Living Room / Re: Apple won't take cash for iPads

« Last post by wraith808 on May 19, 2010, 12:04 PM »

Yes, that I'd agree with- I think it's legal, if dodgy.

9171

Living Room / Another wierd lawsuit...

« Last post by wraith808 on May 19, 2010, 10:58 AM »

Woman sues phone company for revealing affair

http://www.tgdaily.c...revealing-her-affair

A Canadian woman is suing her local phone carrier for invasion of privacy and breach of contract - because her itemized bill let her husband find out she was having an affair.

The ability to bring suit against anyone for anything is waaay out of control...  as is the idea that "my actions are not my fault- let me find someone else to blame".

9172

Living Room / Re: Apple won't take cash for iPads

« Last post by wraith808 on May 19, 2010, 10:55 AM »

I asked Visa.  Here is their reply:                Note the second paragraph.

-ljbirns (May 19, 2010, 10:51 AM)

This is in reference to them accepting plastic, not cash.  Apple won't accept cash... the only governing body to go to for that would seem to be the government, i.e. can they refuse to accept legal tender.

9173

Living Room / Sexual harassment taken too far...

« Last post by wraith808 on May 19, 2010, 10:53 AM »

http://www.tgdaily.c...-fruit-bat-sex-story

When Dr Dylan Evans showed the article (Fellatio by fruit bats prolongs copulation time) to a female colleague, she promptly accused him of sexual harassment.

The president of UCC, Professor Michael Murphy, accepted that Evans had meant no harm, but ordered him to undergo a two-year period of monitoring and 'special training'. Evans fears his application for tenure may be turned down as a result.

I'm very glad that there are rules governing relations between sexes, races, etc., because there are quite a few @$$hats out there that need such things to keep them in line.  But cases like this dilute the effectiveness of such rules because they're just so ridiculous.

9174

Living Room / Re: What annoys you to no end?

« Last post by wraith808 on May 18, 2010, 03:22 PM »

wraith, I posted this as MY annoyance; why are you soo annoyed by my annoyance that you find it necessary to post your own annoyance with my annoyance here in the Annoyance thread?  (Let's see someone diagram THAT sentence!)

I don’t see other folks counter-posting against other members' annoyances! This is my own personal, petty, seething annoyance! Let it be already!!  

Jim

-J-Mac (May 18, 2010, 02:11 PM)

Ok... my annoyance is with annoyances that are others annoyances that are not aimed at the root of the annoyance but actually another source that gets away with creating annoyances that no one really knows are they annoyance creator.

There!

(Really, I have the same annoyance, which causes me to re-arrange my program files to get around it or choose to change the default install directory.  And on that note- I'm also annoyed with people installing to the start menu in the same way!  And *both* are the root of installshield being the default windows installer!)

9175

Living Room / Re: What annoys you to no end?

« Last post by wraith808 on May 18, 2010, 02:06 PM »

Soo... a software developer can create a program that we trust to run on our computers but he/she cannot figure out how to make the installer work? Hmm... Makes one wonder...  

Jim

-J-Mac (May 18, 2010, 01:12 PM)

My thoughts exactly.

-Josh (May 18, 2010, 01:23 PM)

I'm not talking about cannot figure out.  I'm talking about default settings.  If you are just cranking out an installer (especially with installshield), you simply take the default settings and put in the information you need to, and add the files.  But I suppose it's an area where we'll have to agree to disagree.  It used to be the new Microsoft standard to put company name/software name.  Over the years since Windows 95 first premiered, installations have gotten away from that standard- partially because customers didn't like it, especially for one product companies.  If one installer company still sticks to an outdated standard, it seems like they should be the one to take the brunt of the blame.  If you use the IS wizard, this setting will never come up.