Re: [CGUYS] USB hub question
On Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 10:25 PM, t.piwowar t...@tjpa.com wrote: USB, being a PC technology picked up by Apple during its dark days, is technically a mess. One can have no reasonable expectation about what can and can't be successfully powered. I carry a portable drive with me that works fine with FireWire. To connect it using USB I have to carry an extra cable. First I have to plug in one cord into the drives power socket and plug that into one USB port. Then I plug in a second USB cord to carry data and supply additional power. The drive won't work unless it is getting power simultaneously from two separate USB connections. I see that as pretty shameful engineering. i have such a USB drive. I wound up jumping a diode on the circuit board within the USB drive that is related to power supplied from the USB port on the computer. Jumping that diode allows the use of but one USB connection for both data and power. Mediocre engineering corrected by the user. Steve * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Netbooks vs. Notebooks
The first one I installed Fedora on it. I then purchased a second to install Mac OS X. So far no complaints and they work well if you understand the limitations. (Not a gaming platform or heavy graphical machine) They are not laptops; so no mobility. For typical everyday/net experience they work great. Both of mine were obtained for less than $315 including taxes/shipping. I installed a terabyte drive in each nettop so I have lots of space that my other systems can rsync their data. On Wed, Sep 23, 2009 at 04:37:24PM -0400, Reid Katan wrote: Quoting Ranbo ran...@gmail.com: But from the responses, guess a netbook can't be a full substitution for a desktop (what I have now) or a laptop, if it doesn't have CD or DVD drives. I was hoping to be able to substitute a laptop (which I don't think I can afford presently) or netbook for a regular Dell desk top, but sounds like netbooks would be more of a supplement. Other than the lack of drives and maybe keyboard size, sounds like it could do most of what I would need, though. How about a nettop? MSI's got a barebones for $150 at Newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856167037cm_re=msi_wind-_-56-167-037-_-Product. Add a drive, a burner, and memory and you're out the door for probably less than $300. I'd bet you have a mouse, keyboard and monitor floating around (maybe even an extra drive and/or burner). * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** * * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Server settings and password
Maybe some clarifications are in order to start: Bill L'Hommedieu wrote: I've my hi-speed broadband with Comcast and I cant access the Mac Mail through the server settings now set. Mac Mail meaning the Mail program on your Mac, or mail from Mobile Me, or what? The techies at Comcast seem to be flumoxed and cant help me reset or change my pass word. So you or they lost your password? And the usual methods of resetting or recovering won't work? Can you access your email via web mail? Don't you need the password to do that? They've done it several times over the years.They recommended contacting Apple!!!? And without knowing the answers to the above: if you do have and access to your account, I would try setting it up with Thunderbird or another program. That should help eliminate the possibility that your Mac is at fault. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] overdrive for mac
To access remotely my public library's online catalog, specifically electronic resources, I am trying to download overdrive.com for mac. It starts to download as ODMediaConsoleSetup.dmg, but I get the message Mounting failed Overdrive.com suggested that if I have google desktop installed, I should disable it. Huh? With thanks in advance ... * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Portable Word Processors w/full-size keyboards
I've had experience with the AlphaSmart and the Dana. The AlphaSmart will go 2+ years on one set of ordinary alkaline batteries. It's practically indestructible; a friend of a friend backed her car over one, and it still worked, although one key had to be replaced. The downside: when you're typing, you can only see one or two sentences as you write, because the screen is so small. That's fine for taking notes, but for serious writing, that just won't cut it for most users. Also, the AlphaSmart gives you eight moderate-length files for text, period. This is great if you are writing a couple of letters on the bus on the way home; not so good if you're trying to write a long article or a novel. The Dana is more sophisticated and versatile. It takes a charge of 4 to 8 hours on a built-in rechargeable battery, and the screen shows a paragraph or so of text, which makes it much more viable for serious writing. It's durable and light (2 pounds or so--about the same as the Dana). The latest models come with Word to Go, which is a not- quite-full-service word processing program. The downside: the model I had has another mini-word processing program that I couldn't use, and even when I bought and installed Word to Go, there were still severe compatibility problems with my Mac. The Dana has the same eight permanent files for text as the AlphaSmart; the permanent files did work OK with my Mac, but having only 8 files limited the amount of stuff I could carry on the Dana to work on. The instruction book, BTW, is almost indecipherable, which makes the extra functions of the Dana hard to access. The Neo is similar to the Dana but with a smaller screen. With both the Dana and the AlphaSmart, it's fairly easy to get text OUT of the machines, but not at all practical to get text BACK IN. Which means you work on the text on the bus or the train, download it and work on it on your main machine at night, and then--if you want to work on the same project the next day--you print out what you've done and carry it with you the next day so you can start a new file where the old one left off. This is a lot less convenient than working on a project on a full-service laptop or even a netbook. That having been said, the AlphaSmart and the Dana are cheap, light- weight, durable, and easy to use. And you don't have to worry about your $1600 top-of-the-line laptop crashing to the floor, with unfortunate results, if the bus makes a sudden stop. --Constance Warner On Sep 23, 2009, at 3:11 PM, J. Hoverman Stanley wrote: Constance cawar...@his.com -- [... hoping for a portable word processor I could use on the subway or in a car . . . Recommendations, anyone?] Several companies offer portable word processors (sometimes called portable keyboards) with full-size keyboards. (The designs aren't as beautiful, but for functionality and portability, these are to laptops kinda what Olivetti Letteras were to IBM Selectrics. Or something like that g.) I used the AlphaSmart 2000 for writing lengthy queries when I edited on hard copy; it's also great for taking notes in meetings and while on the phone. Folks I know have used the AlphaSmart to work on novels or school papers. These devices are primarily marketed for use in schools, but are great for writing on the go. They typically have small text-only displays, which means l-o-n-g battery life (many use AAA batteries); power up quickly; weigh in the 2 lb. range; are far less fragile than laptops or netbooks; and can easily transfer text files to and from Macs and PCs. (Some of these companies also offer devices that go beyond word processing, such as the StudentMate -- color touch screen, WiFi.) Older and discontinued models are often available on eBay and other online auction/sales sites. www.neo-direct.com -- Dana, Neo (company used to be called AlphaSmart -- old models are AlphaSmart 2000 and 3000) www.quickpad.com -- QuickPad Pro www.calcuscribe.com -- Calcuscribe www.perfectsolutions.com -- Laser PC6, Ultra Win-98 Notebook www.writerlearning.com -- Fusion, The Writer www.one2onemate.com -- StudentMate Cheers, Jan - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Jan Hoverman Stanley Writing, Proofreading, Editing janstan...@earthlink.net - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ** *** ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http:// www.cguys.org/ ** ** *** * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] overdrive for mac
On Sep 24, 2009, at 7:36 PM, One Man wrote: To access remotely my public library's online catalog, specifically electronic resources, I am trying to download overdrive.com for mac. It starts to download as ODMediaConsoleSetup.dmg, but I get the message Mounting failed Run DiskUtility and verify/repair the DMG file. If the DMG is okay, try mounting it using DiskUtility's mount command. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
