Re: [CGUYS] XP sounds question -
But one gets beeps at times from the POST, which says that the machine ROM BIOS can produce a sound. So if the cause of the sound uses that instead of a Windows API call, you are going to get the sound anyway, even when the Windows volume control has been turned down all the way or muted. Fred Holmes At 06:44 PM 3/21/2011, Jordan wrote: Turn the volume down all the way or set it to mute. On 3/21/11 11:37 AM, Tom Chambers wrote: List members - I hate computers that talk to me , so when I'm setting up a machine for my own use I always set it to no sounds in the control panel. That works for most sounds , but in XP I still get the standard beep when I change volume or get a new email (in this case in an old Netscape mail program). Anyone know how to shut these sounds off ? Thanks , Tom Chambers *** ** THIS LIST HAS MOVED TO YAHOO** ** PLEASE JOIN THE DISCUSSION THERE ** ** Info at http://www.cguys.org/ ** ***
Re: [CGUYS] more problems could be ahead for the iPad
At 01:47 AM 6/16/2010, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: Let's all try to be sarcastic as much as is possible, particularly when folks pose questions. Aren't questions supposed to be a primary reason for having the Computer Guy's List? If so, then why hand out s*** for doing exactly that? Do you wanna try to deep six the entire list, or just some of the folks on it? We already have too much sarcasm. Don't need more. Steve I think the answering of technical questions has gone by the wayside. A couple of recent questions I've posted have not generated a single reply, let alone an answer. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] The AOL LISTSERV is back up. Let's see if it works.
Not only possible, but it just works. You subscribe with a specified e-mail address that you provide to the subscription form. Messages are distributed to you at that specified e-mail address. It can be any e-mail address you like. It does not have to be a yahoo address. I don't even have a yahoo address. Note that I am using f...@his.com on both the AOL and the Yahoo LISTSERV accounts. Fred Holmes At 03:49 PM 6/13/2010, John Emmerling wrote: Not exactly. I meant to be signed up for the Yahoo group but be able to participate in discussion from the e-mail account I ordinarily use. The original announcement offered the option of signing up via e-mail but then foregoing the features made available when signed into Yahoo. I would like to have both capabilities, because I don't want to have to stay logged in to Yahoo all the time, just gmail, but I would want to log into Yahoo from time to time. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] The AOL LISTSERV is back up. Let's see if it works.
Well, if the AOL Listserv is back up, this message should be distributed. I've joined the Yahoo group, but have been only lurking. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] AOL ListServer is Back
At 03:45 PM 6/12/2010, tjpa wrote: I sent instructions to the old list about how to subscribe to the new list. Resend, maybe? (See http://www.cguys.org/) Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, 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] Cox Modem Troubleshooting
This has the indications of a classic case low signal strength, one cause of which is bad connection. Corrosion (oxidation) builds up in socketed connections, and affects electrical continuity. Unhooking and reconnecting all of the cable connections that are available to you is a place to start. Putting an amplifier in the cable to the modem is also a potential solution. Re-wiring the cable so that there is a first splitter that is binary (2x), with one half going directly to the cable modem and the other half going to a nx splitter to feed all of the TVs will increase signal strength to the modem. etc. Fred Holmes At 11:47 PM 5/8/2010, Richard P. wrote: During the last week, my cable modem for Cox Cable loses its Internet connection about once or twice a day. When troubleshooting, the light that indicates the cable connection on the Linksys modem, model BEFCMU10, is not illuminated. If I reboot the modem, it comes up fine and I get adequate speeds through the connection. After calling Cox, the only thing they can offer is a service call for which I will be charged if it turns out that the problem is after their connection. I have also noticed a slight degradation in the analog TV signal from Cox during the last week as well. Should I just go ahead and replace the modem to see if that makes a difference? It would be less than the service call. Suggestions please. FYI, my Visualware Speed Connection test is: Test Type: Application Speed Location: USA: Dulles, Virginia Download Speed: 24652 Kbps Upload Speed: 3380 Kbps Speed Consistency: 80 % Round Trip Time:15 ms Max Delay: 77 ms Average Delay: 5 ms Bandwidth: 24652 Kbps Max Route Speed:34952 Kbps Route Concurrency: 1 2 connection problems found, click the to learn more. MSTR01: The data flow for this test is too erratic Although the speed achieved may match expectation for the connection, a low data flow QoS score means that the data flow between the server and the workstation was not consistent. There can be several reasons for this such as data congestion along the route or data loss which invokes recovery. The lower the QoS percentage, the more erratic the data flow. Many applications can be severely affected by poor data flow quality regardless of data throughput speed, for example media applications such as video or voice may become jerky. Voice (VoIP) telephony will become garbled. If you suspect that the connection was in use by another application try running the test again to validate if the problem is persistent. MSMD01: TCP is waiting too long for data The test recorded a TCP maximum delay that exceeded the natural TCP forced idle delay as a result of the connection's trip time. This indicates that there may be problems with consistent data flow between the server and the client. A poor data flow QoS reading is also likely if the max TCP delay is much higher in comparisons to the trip time. Common reasons for this type of problem are packet loss and duplicates. The test graph view will show the TCP delay over the time of the test. Height and width of the 'orange' delay line shows the delay consistency. Thanks in advance, Richard P. * ** 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/ ** *
[CGUYS] Fwd: [Slashdot] Mac OS X Problem Puts Up a Block To IPv6
Fwd: [Slashdot] Stories for 2010-05-05 +--+ | Mac OS X Problem Puts Up a Block To IPv6 | | from the twenty-five-or-six-to-four dept. | | posted by kdawson on Tuesday May 04, @17:50 (OS X) | | https://apple.slashdot.org/story/10/05/04/2029255/Mac-OS-X-Problem-Puts-Up-a-Block-To-IPv6 | +--+ An anonymous reader lets us know of an experiment conducted in Norway to determine [0]real-world problems in using IPv6 today (Google translation; [1]Norwegian original). According to a Norwegian article in digi.no, Redpill Linpro did an experiment with regard to IPv6 on one of the largest online newspapers there (www.vg.no). They added a hidden iframe that pointed to an IPv6-enabled domain to test real-life problems about the reported IPv6 holes. The result was that mainly Mac OS X, older versions of Opera, and a few Linux distributions exhibited problems. For Mac OS X it took 75 seconds to time out before failing back to IPv4. From the [2]consultant's report: Mac OS X has a problem in that it will prefer 6to4-based IPv6 over IPv4-based connectivity, at least if its local IPv4 address is an RFC 1918-based private address as commonly found in NAT-ed home network environments. This is unfortunate, as 6to4 has shown itself to be much less reliable than IPv4. Discuss this story at: http://apple.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=10/05/04/2029255 Links: 0. http://translate.google.com/translate?js=yprev=_thl=enie=UTF-8layout=1eotf=1u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digi.no%2F841728%2Fvg-og-a-pressen-over-paa-ipv6sl=notl=en 1. http://www.digi.no/841728/vg-og-a-pressen-over-paa-ipv6 2. http://fud.no/ipv6/ * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] XP -- indexing of external USB hard / flash drives
How does one turn off *absolutely* (or so that it only occurs on demand, and never by default) the process that starts indexing any USB-attached external hard drive or flash drive in Windows XP? It is never useful to me; I am always looking for an explicit file that I know how to find, or I'm running a backup to that drive with third-party backup software. I suspect that this automated indexing (which presumably might proceed to automatically launching files) is the process that allows viruses to propagate on flash drives that are moved from one computer to another? Thanks, Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] It's here...God help us
At 01:46 PM 5/1/2010, tjpa wrote: Almost cool enough to convince me to buy a car. How do you visit clients [clients' sites] if you don't have/drive a car [or truck]? Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Some of you will find this tragic
I still use floppies for certain purposes, but I would never need to purchase any. Have enough old ones available that can be used at any time. Fred Holmes At 08:28 AM 4/26/2010, John Emmerling wrote: At the store where my wife works, they just replaced a Windows98 based POS system from which sales data was transferred on a weekly basis via 3.5 floppy to my 6-year-old computer from which I converted it to SQL and uploaded to a web site. Just in time, I guess. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Some of you will find this tragic
Me too! Fred Holmes It's actually up and running on a working, plugged-in DOS machine. But then, I'm a total pack rat. At 05:42 AM 4/26/2010, Rich Schinnell wrote: I still have a dual 5.25 and a 3.5 drive that supports 360/1.2/1.4 meg diskettes. Maybe I should keep it for nostalgia or when someone comes up to me with some cherished data on an old 5.25 1.2meg floppy diskette that they want to convert. Ah, progress.. Rich * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] McAfee antivirus program goes berserk, freezes PCs
More info: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9175928/The_McAfee_update_mess_explained http://service.mcafee.com/faqdocument.aspx?id=TS100969 Fred Holmes At 09:07 AM 4/23/2010, tjpa wrote: So I restored the missing svchost,exe file and restarted. All the many missing functions immediately started working again, but after about a minute the PC again announced that it was going to restart itself. The count down timer gave no option to cancel. After restart the PC was back broken again. McAfee had once again deleted the svchost.exe file. Fortunately the link Fred posted had more information. It had instructions on how to disable McAfee first. I followed this with a forced update of McAfee and all was well again -- and stayed that way. The link was... http://brianseekford.com/index.php/2010/04/21/how-to-fix-the-mcafee-svchost-crash-from-the-virus-definition-update/ * ** 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] Seek advice about removing programs
At 11:42 AM 4/23/2010, Michael S. Altus wrote: What are your opinions about retaining or removing the following? Apple Software Update (Does it have useful downloads for a Windows XP computer?) Do you have QuickTime (for Windows) installed on your computer? Some video is encoded for it, and, apparently for IP reasons, other video players won't play it. Your Apple Software Update likely keeps it current. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] McAfee antivirus program goes berserk, freezes PCs
This evening's Slashdot offering provides the following: http://brianseekford.com/index.php/2010/04/21/how-to-fix-the-mcafee-svchost-crash-from-the-virus-definition-update/ http://bit.ly/cbg4rm Fred Holmes At 06:45 PM 4/21/2010, tjpa wrote: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hADm2LTOJUNBSPziYG0KGH7jTUVwD9F7M9HG1 I spent several hours troubleshooting this one before the news got out. Looks like it blew away a good chunk of the Registry. The computer had no Task Bar or Start button. Desktop icons could not be moved. The network connection and WiFi were gone. Many Control Panels displayed just an empty window. The McAfee application would not launch. System Restore says System Restore is unable to protect your computer and then exits. Worse of all, it blew away the Administrator account. I had the client running in a limited-rights account, which she was able to log into, but almost everything I might want to use to fix things can't be run from the limited-rights account. When I try to log into the Administrator account the screen turns blue briefly and then returns to the login screen. Arrgh! Any suggestions about how to get this sick puppy back together? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Wing Nuts Oppose Better Broadband
At 03:36 PM 3/15/2010, Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote: Anyone want to talk about New Orleans and the aftermath of Katrina. (Problems essentially caused by fouled up Corps of Engineers projects.) And substantially all of those foul-ups were caused by lack of Congressional appropriations to fund the maintenance and improvement of the levees. The congresscritters wanted to spend the funds elsewhere, where they would engender better political payback. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] noPad4me
At 10:02 PM 3/15/2010, b_s-wilk wrote: This is easy. The iPad is a giant iPod Touch. We can open up the Touch to change the battery. Why not the iPad? The biggest problem is finding a source for the right battery, instead of a cheap copy. The battery could cost $50 [the $5 one is worth 90% less], spudger is less than $5, and you save the rest by doing it yourself, just like any other computer repair. We'll have to see who has OEM batteries. That leaves you with $52 for a nice dinner and a bottle of wine. The $50 battery is making money on the blades. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] PDF creation application
At 07:30 PM 3/15/2010, Wayne Dernoncourt wrote: I shoulda mentioned that she's firmly stuck in the 1980's and uses WordPerfect. She's talking about moving to Word but _really_ doesn't want to. She uses WP for everything including file management. WordPerfect is a far superior product to Word. WordPerfect was very late migrating to Windows and had very poor marketing. Thus MS already had the market share. And Word is good enough for 99% of the people, so they didn't consider trying something new. /RANT A good virtual PDF printer (puts print to PDF as an additional printer on the print menu) is CutePDF Writer. Freeware. http://www.cutepdf.com/products/cutepdf/Writer.asp The most recent version (3.xx) tries very hard to put ask.com as your default search engine and do other stuff. You gotta keep saying no persistently during the installation. See if you can download version 2.28 (2.xx). However, the one that I have is from back when it was issued. They may have added the annoyware to it since. Works like a charm once installed. You have to also download ghostwriter from the same web page. It's the actual .pdf file renderer. GPL licensed. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] PDF creation application
Later versions of WordPerfect have a print-to-PDF function built into it. I'm not sure which version that started with. It's certainly true of the most recent version. Fred Holmes At 07:32 PM 3/15/2010, Wayne Dernoncourt wrote: Valerie insists on a PC with WordPerfect. Me, I use a Mac that includes PDF creation as a service. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Your house is a dump!
At 10:25 PM 3/14/2010, Robert Michael Abrams wrote: http://vpike.com Each of the [two] addresses I have typed in, both with odd street numbers, show the house across the street instead of the numbered house??? I can get to the house I've selected by using the mouse to rotate the view by 180 degrees. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
At 05:06 PM 3/1/2010, Robert Michael Abrams wrote: And, since we don't live in a culture that's wandering in the desert for 40 years, Are you sure of that? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Evil people [Was: Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability]
I suspect that the government overhead is not properly counted, e.g. the real estate occupied by the program administrators, etc. If it really is only 3%, no wonder government health care is so bad. What is there about government administration that is so marvelous that the private sector can't do? Fred Holmes At 07:13 PM 3/1/2010, tjpa wrote: Bad math. Government run heath care (here and abroad) has overhead of around 3%. Private insurance companies in the US have overhead of around 30%. That difference is 27% of total premiums. Quite a big chunk of change. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Evil people [Was: Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability]
At 07:18 PM 3/1/2010, tjpa wrote: If bad doctors and hospitals were closed down, insurance rates would go down (provided that the insurance companies did not simply pocket the money). And the _government_ is going to do a better job of closing down bad doctors and hospitals? They could do that now, without changing healht insurance at all. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
At 11:28 PM 2/28/2010, Jeff Miles wrote: How long has that taken? Legality is one thing, changing a mindset is something completely different. When you try to change a mindset you often run up against facts. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
The problem with regulation is that the regulators are humans just like the regulated. They are as corrupt and as incompetent as the regulated. Moreover, there is no good way to judge the performance of the regulators, so they tend to stay in the job forever, protected by civil service rules. Judging the regulators by the number of cases brought and/or won just leads to additional corruption. To get promoted, the regulators must have wins, so they create some. And then regulation bring rules such as the Delaney clause which requires that suspected carcinogens must be eliminated from products down to infinitesimal levels of presence, no matter how much good the product is doing nor how costly the elimination is. There is no presentation of the science to the user and allowing the user to decide his own risk tolerance. Fred Holmes At 08:34 PM 2/28/2010, tjpa wrote: On Feb 28, 2010, at 8:10 PM, mike wrote: It's frightening to think there are some out there who believe all regulation is inherently good. No body wrote that. There are certainly a percent or two of regulations that are not beneficial. Those will, of course, be the only regulations that the neocons will want to talk about. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
At 01:07 AM 3/1/2010, t.piwowar wrote: Lest we forget, the Ten Commandments is regulation. But, at least in this case, the regulator is divine. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Evil people
The law that was cited by the guy that drove his airplane into the IRS building in Austin, Texas. At 01:23 AM 3/1/2010, b_s-wilk wrote: Examples please. Except sometimes the regulation is used to do the screwing. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Evil people [Was: Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability]
At 02:14 AM 3/1/2010, Jeff Miles wrote: And I'm sure you're not one of those uneducated who will bring up the lack of tort reform as a reason for high insurance costs. So how much does liability insurance / damage claims add to the cost of healthcare? As a percentage of overall costs? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Evil people [Was: Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability]
Yeah, but how **significant** a difference? Quantitative measure is what I'm looking for. Surely some think tank has run the numbers? Fred Holmes At 08:44 AM 3/1/2010, Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote: Enough to make a difference in cost and practice. Stewart At 07:32 AM 3/1/2010, you wrote: At 02:14 AM 3/1/2010, Jeff Miles wrote: And I'm sure you're not one of those uneducated who will bring up the lack of tort reform as a reason for high insurance costs. So how much does liability insurance / damage claims add to the cost of healthcare? As a percentage of overall costs? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
At 10:45 AM 3/1/2010, b_s-wilk wrote: The genius of the Ten Commandments--whether intentional or not--is that there are ten proscriptions, and everything else is OK. The Bill of Rights is similar, providing protections, but needed elaboration, hence the current number of Constitutional Amendments to protect the rights of individuals and minorities. For those who aren't familiar with the rest of the commandments, there were actually over 600. We're lucky that K.I.S.S. weeded out most of the noxious ones, mostly from Leviticus. Or Moses got tired of chiseling into stone when he got to ten. Now there's a real scholar! Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Evil people [Was: Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability]
At 11:18 AM 3/1/2010, b_s-wilk wrote: The main problem with high insurance costs for consumers is that medical practitioners are not policing themselves, and states don't police them either until too many patients are harmed. In too many cases, incompetent doctors who maim or kill patients, and bad hospitals, are still in business when they should be shut down and have medical licenses taken away. That could reduce insurance costs for everybody. This says to me that real-world regulation doesn't work. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Evil people [Was: Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability]
At 11:18 AM 3/1/2010, b_s-wilk wrote: After all, it's immoral to profit from others' illnesses and misfortunes, so why do many health health insurance executives have multi-million dollar salaries and benefits, and insurance companies have billion dollar profits? Let's do [some of] the math on this one. The other day the CEO of one of the health insurers said before Congress that she received $10M in compensation, something like $1M in salary and $9M in stock options. More or less. Well if it's a major medical insurer, surely it has 10 million policyholders in a country of 300 million citizens. So it cost about $1 per policyholder to pay the CEO compensation package? Even if it were $10, that's not much. And if the CEO makes the organization of that size work well, I would think that she's worth it. Huge enterprises are very difficult to make work well. So the government wants to trade in ten(? or more) insurance companies for one huge organization that covers everybody, and pay the CEO of that how much? Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
Without even watching the video, of course only two will do. Jesus said so. 1. Love thy God. . . 2. Love thy Neighbor. . . Fred Holmes At 11:27 AM 3/1/2010, Reid Katan wrote: You don't need ten. Apparently Two will do. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkRYaMiP4K8 * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Time for a Nation Defense Internet Infrastructure Project?
Isn't that just handing victory to the attacker? Isn't the attacker trying to limit Internet access so that commerce and banking shut down? I can't do my banking because my Internet access is denied during an emergency. Retailers lose all their business because their potential customers can't read the advertising? Fred Holmes At 10:36 AM 2/25/2010, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: Sounds lIke a case could be made not to implement any expansion of internet access, and even to curtail, limit or eliminate a lot of what already exists. I'd have to think that were any evidence to come to light that a cyber attack was occurring, that internet access would be shut down for all but necessary systems. Steve * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Time for a Nation Defense Internet Infrastructure Project?
At 08:12 AM 2/26/2010, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: Hey, just yesterday I was informed by the credit card fraud squad that my card had been compromised and that a bunch of stuff related to accessories for BMW automobiles had been purchased with my card number. That could only have happened through my use of that card on the internet as that was the one and only manner in which I had ever used that particular card. Likely some hack into the files of an on-line retailer. I had not used that card in over six months and it was all paid off as well. Steve Welcome to the club, Steve. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] This is worth a look
Q'est-ce que c'est? ?? At 10:41 AM 2/23/2010, Stewart Marshall wrote: Quis que se? At 08:21 AM 2/23/2010, you wrote: On Feb 22, 2010, at 6:45 PM, Eric S. Sande wrote: Everybody would be required to learn Chinese and French. We plan to export this. Why French? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] win7 to phone home - comments?
Maybe that was the purpose of the patch? Fred Holmes At 12:53 AM 2/21/2010, John Duncan Yoyo wrote: Word is that this patch may have unmasked a rootkit that casued the BSOD. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2450052/posts -- John Duncan Yoyo ---o) * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
At 10:25 PM 2/20/2010, Chris Dunford wrote: They will *try* to sell you fiber optic phone service. You don't have to take it. I have FiOS broadband (which I love) and copper phone service. Where are you located? Who is your POTS supplier? I'm in Annandale, VA, and Verizon is my POTS supplier. Cox cable came to my 1950's subdivision two miles from Annandale center in the early 1980's. Verizon has just in the last few months put FIOS in the neighborhood -- they started last fall and are presumably finished, but may just have suspended fiber installation operations for the winter. It's a nominal middle class suburban Washington neighborhood. Full of 50 x 25 ft ranch houses with full basements that have been built out over the years. Some of the houses are smaller, 40 x 25 ft or even 30 x 25 ft, but most are 50 ft wide. Cox Cable now gives me 20 mbit/sec service, which is mostly server limited, not local network limited. What do you get from FiOS, where? I think the real difference is the Cox vs. Verizon corporate culture, not whether the medium is coax or FiOS. I suspect that coax is now obsolete, except perhaps for the house drop, and all new installations will use glass fiber, not coax. I suspect that some parts of Cox Communications' local network is already fiber. Cox doesn't block any service that I actually use, and I haven't tried to find out what the total blocking list is. Will Verizon block my Skype, Magic Jack, or other independent VOIP that I install? Other bandwidth-limiting practice? Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Password Keeper == Login King -- thoughts?
At 03:38 PM 2/20/2010, tjpa wrote: For anything financial or attached to a credit card I use better passwords and I keep this list on paper. It is a short list. I've heard that, at least in the past, it's better to do a secure copy/paste of a password than to type it in with the keyboard. Apparently the clipboard is more secure. Keyloggers abound. Anybody have the real scoop on this. One of my banks requires the password to be entered on an on-screen graphic of a keyboard, using the mouse to press the keystroke. I guess they figure that this is even more compromise-proof. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
At 05:29 PM 2/20/2010, tjpa wrote: Actually I think the term conservative has been hijacked by people with entirely different interests. They want low taxes and small government as a means to achieving their own greedy ends. E.g. they want to close down the SEC so they can all become a Madoff. Regulators like the SEC will never stop a Bernie Madoff. It's like expecting the police to intercept the burglar before he enters your home. Doesn't happen very often. Everyone who invested in Bernie Madoff's deal should have known that it was too good to be true. Everyone who invested in Bernie Madoff's deal should have insisted on a real audit of his books, independent of any government oversight/regulation. The only way for government to stop the likes of Madoff would be for it to perform a real audit of 100% of financial firms. That would cost too much. You wouldn't want to pay the bill. Simple fact of life. With the potential rewards of such a scam, and with the probability of detection being much less than 100%, there are many folks who would take the chance. Anyone on the board of any charitable organization. How well is the audit performed. Even a professional auditor only audits something like 10% of a year's transactions. And the audit is not focused on detecting fraud. The audit is focused on presenting a financial statement that fairly represents the true financial status of the organization. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
At 07:13 PM 2/20/2010, Eric S. Sande wrote: Don't kiss me now, mike, just be glad your freaking phone works. Yeah, but when they come to sell me FIOS, they will at the same time sell me VOIP, which dies four hours after the power grid goes down [frequently]. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Password Keeper == Login King -- thoughts?
At 09:56 PM 2/20/2010, Tony B wrote: Because people really hate that. I don't know what banks you're talking about, because none of mine have ever used 2 passwords or any type of 'pictogram' (whatever that is?). One bank uses a pictogram -- picture. After entering only your username, a different/succeeding page loads that shows a picture and queries your password. This picture is individual for each customer. You get to pick it out of a huge library of pictures when you sign up for an on-line banking account. If the proper picture doesn't show, then the user concludes that the site has been hijacked and the page is invalid. Therefore the user does not enter his password and the thief page doesn't capture his password. The virtual (graphic) keyboard that I mentioned earlier could be used for the only password required, or it could be a second, additional password. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
At 02:01 PM 2/18/2010, tjpa wrote: False! Do your homework before you start betting with my money. Don't understand. I'm not betting and I'm not touching your money. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
At 07:31 PM 2/18/2010, b_s-wilk wrote: We, the people, are the government of the United States. Yes, that's the way it is **supposed** to be. But it isn't, really. The federal government does all sorts of extra-constitutional things, and gets away with it. Who is doing anything about it? Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
At 11:30 PM 2/18/2010, b_s-wilk wrote: I've been amazed at the obscure locations outside the US where I get all bars on my cell phone, even in Mexico near the Belize border, or on remote Greek islands. Similarly, broadband is so fast and pervasive [and cheap] in much of Europe, high in the Pyrenees mountains, miles from the closest small village, with WiFi on nearly empty beaches in Portugal. Cell networks have been the build-out for under-developed countries to increase overall telephone access. And they likely are profitable, since you can add subscribers to a wireless network much cheaper than to a wired network, I would think. But adding cell phone towers to a sparsely populated area that is already served with a telephone land-line network likely isn't profitable. And cell phone circuit bandwidth isn't nearly real broadband Internet, I don't think. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
At 07:31 PM 2/18/2010, b_s-wilk wrote: We, the people, have our representatives appoint regulators to keep corporations under control. Not really, I don't think. The president appoints the top regulators, with the advice and consent of the senate. But even the top regulators don't have a whole lot of influence. The dirty work of the regulators is done by unelected bureaucrats. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
At 07:31 PM 2/18/2010, b_s-wilk wrote: That's what unregulated corporate power does. From your comments, that's what you want. You are either an unrepentant corporatist, or very confused. That's your strawman. It's not what I said. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
At 04:54 PM 2/18/2010, tjpa wrote: You need to take a class in logic. You're probably right. I've been a global warming denier since day one. Which text book to you recommend? Is there an on-line class? Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Creepy or what?
At 08:53 PM 2/18/2010, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: Parents: school used webcam to spy on our kid at home By Jacqui Cheng | Last updated February 18, 2010 12:23 PM I don't pay a whole lot of attention, but I don't think I've ever seen a laptop/notebook with a **built-in** webcam. I think I'd be very suspicious of a school system that issued computers with them. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
At 10:07 AM 2/18/2010, b_s-wilk wrote: I never told you to emigrate. What I said is for you to look at countries that are doing better than the US both financially and socially, and you will find a balance between social good and corporate support through effective but not stifling regulation and partnerships. Instead, we're stuck with dominant corporate representation in Congress, conservative corporate media, and a general public that seems to accept that as being OK. It's not. But the other countries have totally different circumstances, so it's an apples/oranges situation. Other countries don't have a real military, don't have the expenses. Other countries own oil that they drill for and sell. We prohibit drilling on federal lands. . . . There are lots of complaints about the socialism in other countries. The comparisons are drawn by folks with a score sheet which is not the same score sheet that folks use when deciding where they want to make their permanent home, here or there. . . . If you like their socialism better than our capitalism, please emigrate. It would be a terrible world if every country were a clone of the next one, and all of the countries were perfect. We are the best country in the world in terms of ability to create wealth. Everything done to redistribute wealth seems to stifle incentive, and thereby reduce total wealth as well. Each country picks its own point on the curve. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
At 10:07 AM 2/18/2010, b_s-wilk wrote: So, you don't want universal broadband--admit it--or you have a better idea that works. Unregulated capitalism doesn't work; never did; never will. I'm not advocating unregulated capitalism. We sure **don't** have unregulated capitalism here in the U.S. But regulation breeds corruption, whether in the form of corrupt regulators themselves, or in the form of corrupt legislators who write the laws providing the regulation. Degree of regulation is the issue. And how you regulate the regulators. I'd love to see universal broadband. I'd love to see the government require that the companies that string coax and fiber provide service to everyone -- mandated in the same fashion as universal telephone service is. But that hasn't happened yet. We've also pretty much mandated universal availability of electric power, except maybe in the deep woods. Make the power companies string cable along with their powerlines? Figure out how to do it in a fair way. Or just let the government build it the way they do highways? I'll bet the universal broadband in other countries really doesn't cover everyone. Does it? Even those in very sparsely settled areas? The percentage in some countries is likely higher because a greater portion of the country's population lives in a high-population-density area that in the U.S. We have a huge fraction of the population that live in the country, where it is very expensive to provide broadband on a per drop basis. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
Not a false premise at all. It's a corollary to Power corrupts . . . The power to regulate is the power to destroy. People appointed as regulators are very powerful. Fred Holmes At 02:00 PM 2/18/2010, tjpa wrote: On Feb 18, 2010, at 11:31 AM, Fred Holmes wrote: regulation breeds corruption There you go. You start with these totally false premises and use them to reason to totally wacky conclusions. That's exactly how the neocons brought the American Century to its premature close. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
I suspect that socialist countries simply decide (legislate) that the government will provide the infrastructure and the government goes ahead and does it. Tax rates are a whole lot higher in most other countries. In the U.S. it was legislated that everyone gets a phone at a reasonable rate. The phone company that does business in a geographic area must provide/offer phone service to everyone in that geographical area at a reasonable (price controlled) rate. We haven't yet done that with Internet access. Fred Holmes At 06:15 PM 2/17/2010, tjpa wrote: On Feb 17, 2010, at 4:36 PM, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: Are we lagging because certain principles of capitalism must be strictly adhered to? Are we victims of our own system when our standing amongst the nations that are the best at broadband delivery keeps slipping? How can the United States catch up without some public funding and keep the cost affordable? Should government, local and/or otherwise, get financially involved? We are deeply into corporate capitalism run amok. Company and national infrastructure gets threadbare as profits are directed into the pockets of top managers. In some European countries there are laws that set the ratio of highest to lowest paid within a corporation. That might fix it. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] FCC head calls for broadband availability
At 10:49 PM 2/17/2010, b_s-wilk wrote: Leave the country for a while and go where people enjoy a better standard of living--and it's not the US. Why don't you leave the country and emigrate to one of the socialist countries where life is so much better? I'm doing just fine here. A few countries can be good socialists because they nationalize and sell North Sea Oil etc. But one has encourage production. Do these socialist countries really out-produce us, or are they living on a windfall that will some not-too-distant day be exhausted. We could easily legislate that ISPs provide physical service to everyone in their geographical area at reasonable rates. Feel free to start an interest group to make it happen. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS]
But how does a spam filter catch this (referenced) message? There was no subject to the message. The only content to the message was a URL. The text of the URL was entirely cryptic, i.e., it gave no hint whatsoever of the content of the web page that the URL links to. The only way that a spam filter could evaluate the link would be for the spam filter to open the link and evaluate the content found at the link. Do any spam filters do that now? If so, it must be a very time consuming process for the spam filter. I suppose that the spam filter could evaluate a link once, and then react to each appearance of the link (in many messages) IAW a stored evaluation of the link. Could the spammer generate a different link for each message, or at least many different links to the one page (through redirectlon)? This is the first spam message of this type (having the above-listed characteristics) that I've seen. It could have had a benign/misleading subject, rather than no subject, and still the spam filter would have nothing to work on without opening the link and evaluating the web page's content. Fred Holmes At 09:26 AM 2/15/2010, tjpa wrote: On Feb 15, 2010, at 7:23 AM, John Emmerling wrote: Is this a first for ComputerGuys-L? Spam is indeed rare around here -- thanks to AOL's filters. Jack has been subscribed since 1999 so I suspect that his PC is pwned. If we get more of this I will put him on moderation. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS]
I didn't recognize Jack Hand (the sender) as a poster to the list. I keep everything stored in my Eudora mail client. I find only five postings from him since 2005, and the most recent prior post being on 9/4/2006. He made several postings in 2004, but not a whole lot. Fred Holmes At 09:26 AM 2/15/2010, tjpa wrote: On Feb 15, 2010, at 7:23 AM, John Emmerling wrote: Is this a first for ComputerGuys-L? Spam is indeed rare around here -- thanks to AOL's filters. Jack has been subscribed since 1999 so I suspect that his PC is pwned. If we get more of this I will put him on moderation. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS]
No, and I made no such allegation. At 12:53 PM 2/15/2010, tjpa wrote: So you think this was a deep cover spammer who has been plotting since 1999 to send us this one load of crap? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Snow Removal and disposal.
The laws of physics tell you that you can't afford the necessary energy to significantly change the path of a storm, even if you were to invent a convenient mechanism for implementing it. Fred Holmes At 12:15 PM 2/13/2010, Ranbo wrote: *Whatever happened to the efforts to (somewhat) control weather? Will we ever be able to, say, disrupt a snowstorm enough to change its course to, for example, miss land and go off over the ocean? Or is this science fiction that will never be possible? Randall * * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Snow Removal and disposal.
At 03:18 PM 2/13/2010, b_s-wilk wrote: Interesting though, Pennsylvania has much more snow than Maryland, yet the PA snow crews were sent to MD to learn how to clear snow quickly and effectively. Go figure. Maybe southern PA has gotten a lot of snow. Sullivan County, PA (upper-right intersection of a tic tac toe pattern drawn on the state) has gotten only a nominal amount of snow, and one of their big storms was all rain. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Snow Removal and disposal.
What you missed is than it's not environmentally sound to dump snow in the river. Ask the greens for the logic. Has to do with the sand and salt mixed in with the snow. Fred Holmes At 07:55 AM 2/12/2010, Rich Schinnell wrote: FWIW: I still can't figure out why the local leaders are missing the best place to dispose of all of the snow removed from streets. There appears to be some sort of River running between VA/DC/MD that carries a lot of liguid to the sea that might possibly accept all the snow that is being dumped on a large parking lot in DC. What did I miss on this low tech solution to a high tech problem?? Even though I heard that our snow was the Mullah's praying for it. :) Rich * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Gigabit Broadband To Your House?
Gee, you can't plan ahead *four hours* BTW, what is the resolution and time duration of this four-hour download? 760p? two hours? Who is your ISP? On Cox Cable in Annandale, VA I get 20 mbs if the server can provide it, i.e., on occasional downloads. Fred Holmes At 11:40 PM 2/10/2010, t.piwowar wrote: Today, suffering from cabin fever, I ordered up a video on demand from Amazon. It took close to 4 hours to trickle down the wires. At such a data rate I'm not likely to give the service much business. Google claims their network would have delivered this video in 5 minutes. That would make VOD quite appealing. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Gigabit Broadband To Your House?
If you took all of the corporate bonuses and threw them in a pot, it would be minuscule in comparison with the deficits governments are running. While I have a problem when corporate managers get bonuses from failing companies, I have no problem with bonuses from successful companies. We do a better job of running industry in this country than anywhere else. At scale. A big factor is corporate management reward systems. The liberals just want to make everyone equally miserable. Fred Holmes At 10:47 AM 2/11/2010, tjpa wrote: If it is liberal to notice that corporate managers are holding the nation hostage while paying themselves huge salaries and bonuses then I'm happy to be a liberal. This corporate attitude is not unlike that of the Greek Communist labor unions who are currently striking to warn their government that they expect to be paid top dollar even as the Greek nation collapses under the financial burden. Should I call you a Communist apparatchik? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Gigabit Broadband To Your House?
I don't give much credence to picks by judges. The judges generally give different weighting factors to the quality of life attributes. What's the relative emigration / immigration between the U.S. and France? Fred Holmes At 02:42 PM 2/11/2010, tjpa wrote: The liberals just want to make everyone equally miserable. Like this... http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/02/11/france.quality.life/?hpt=T2 * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Gigabit Broadband To Your House?
I don't know how to evaluate it, but it's often been said that the quality of life statistics are apples and oranges among different countries. The classic example is that most countries simply let preemies die, they don't try to save them. Since they die at birth, the are _not_ recorded as an infant mortality statistic. The U.S.'s infant mortality statistics are high because we do try to save preemies, but don't always succeed. Dunno if this is true, but I'll bet there are a lot of things like this. And, I'll bet most government cook these kinds of statistics. Fred Holmes At 03:38 PM 2/11/2010, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: It often surprises me that the Internet does not really seem to have done all that much to broaden how well a lot of people in the United States understand and view the rest of the world and how our nation fits into the mix. So much information is available, yet so many of the same and tired old myths and misperceptions abound. We are not the top dog in many areas that are commonly used to determine quality of life, yet so many in the United States continue to maintain that we are. Yet, these same people, a lot of them in influential positions and claiming to be experts, are quite computer literate and routinely ply the ether of the Internet. They must have very powerful filtering algorithms at work in their computers that prevent them from discovering what so many others can easily find and plainly see. Steve * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Gigabit Broadband To Your House?
At 05:22 PM 2/11/2010, tjpa wrote: viz. previous comment on brainwashing. Why did you not bring up death panels? That's the surest way to keep costs down. The death panel is a Democratic Party concept. Only the name came from the Republicans. The Democrats had the concept buried in the Health Care bill in very obscure language, but they didn't succeed in hiding it from the public. The best way to keep costs down is to have the lifestyle police prevent everyone from doing anything at all risky, including eating too much and eating the wrong foods. Prohibit all red meat, all starches, . . . Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Gigabit Broadband To Your House?
At 06:48 PM 2/11/2010, John DeCarlo wrote: You used to occasionally try to keep close to reality. I'm getting to old to worry about that any more. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] popoz...@earthlink.net has shared: Apple iPad's Tiny SIM Is Just There to Mess With You
At 07:46 PM 2/11/2010, Steve at Verizon wrote: On Feb 11, 2010, at 1:16 PM, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: I should have said, Never RUSH OUT and buy version 1.0 of anything. Many of us are quite happily running Windows 7 V1.0. Of course, many will say this is Windows Vista V3.0 :-) Nah! It's clearly Windows NT V. 7.0. That's exactly what it is named. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] WinXP BSOD
For those who may be experiencing the BSOD that some have acquired after applying Tuesday's WinXP patches, there is a discussion of how to uninstall these patches using the Recovery Console at: http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/thread/73cea559-ebbd-4274-96bc-e292b69f2fd1/#e9b28c45-635c-4adf-8d24-817bf39c207b http://bit.ly/9cU7jJ Be sure to read the whole thing. The first (manual) script contains syntax errors (typos) that are corrected in later posts. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Source for Cell Phone batteries
Whatever makes you comfortable. The lower the price, the higher the risk that the product will be unsatisfactory. I've had good luck with third party batteries. They have all worked, and none has been returned. I haven't run any quantitative test of battery life. Charge lasts long enough for my use, which is admittedly very light. Fred Holmes At 01:22 PM 2/8/2010, rocky lee wrote: I have a cell phone battery that is gasping it's last. What do you suggest as a source for replacement? It's a motorola razr v3 (part is BR50) Through the phone's vendor web site their retail price is $41.00 The various vendors on Amazon carry the equivalent part for $12.00 or so shipped. However, from reading the comments sections, quality control and counterfeiting are a problem. Should I take my chances and buy a couple online with a good return policy, find and price a local source, or bite the bullet and pay the vendor price? Thanks, Rocky * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] The Other Digital: Radio
My interpretation of the sentence is that digital radio is truly digital, and that in conjunction with their analog signals means in conjunction with their legacy AM/FM signals. The sentence isn't clear, clearly. They are likely using a single transmitter for all of the signals, with all signals being in a narrow band around their legacy signal. But I haven't seen a real engineer's description of the signal content anywhere. I can (or once could) give you the full math for AM and FM signals -- learned about it in college engineering in the '50s. I have no idea how actual digital signals work, other that a general understanding of digital sampling. One could take the digital audio from an MP3 (or other digital audio format) and transmit it digitally, with the digital to analog conversion occurring in the receiver. I think that's likely what they are doing. The following from the later portion of the earlier-cited Wikipedia article: If digital signal reception is lost, the HD Radio receiver will revert to the analog signal, thereby providing seamless operation between the newer and older transmission methods-ONLY for the primary HD(-1) signal (The extra HD-2 and HD-3 streams are not simulcast on analog, thus are totally lost when digital reception is gone). Alternatively the HD Radio signal can revert to a more-robust ~20 kilobit per second stream, provided the broadcaster has that setup as well. Datacasting is also possible, with metadata providing song titles or artist information. would seem to indicate that the primary (HD-1) channel's audio is broadcast digitally as a copy of the legacy (POFM) channel, and the HD-2 and HD-3 channels are broadcast with different audio content only in digital mode. iBiquity Digital claims that the system approaches CD quality sound and offers reduction of both interference and static;[9] however, some listeners have complained of increased interference on the AM band (see AM, below). Fred Holmes At 06:55 AM 2/7/2010, Mike Sloane wrote: Read the sentence again: the audio is still analog, but there is a digital data stream along with it that is used for station ID/playlist/etc. information. This is different from digital TV, where the entire signal is digital. Mike Art Clemons wrote: I think you are under a misunderstanding. HD radio is NOT digital. It is a proprietary format analog signal with a digital adjunct. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD_Radio Both IBOC signals are truly digital although on AM, it's a Hybrid Digital system. Please note that your quoted source to rebut the claim that HD is digital states: HD Radio is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel (IBOC) digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals.' * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Wireless vs. wired, just a thought to chew on
So that the government can snoop more easily? Fred Holmes At 09:43 AM 2/2/2010, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: Why would we want to go from megabits to nanobits per second, in a comparative sense, along with lost packets and lots of RFI for everyone, everywhere? I can think of but two reasons at this moment, a potential for convenience and money. Perhaps others can come up with additional reasons. Steve * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] UNIX help needed
I know this isn't Windows, but can you _move_ the file via drag/drop to a miscellaneous unused flash drive, and then reformat the flash drive to really kill it? Think out of the box. Maybe the OS (or some invidious hacker) really doesn't want you to remove the file? Fred Holmes At 09:22 AM 1/27/2010, tjpa wrote: I'm stumped. The dear folks from Adobe have produced a file on my Mac (OS X.5) named Icon\r which I can't delete or rename. rm -i * does prompt me with the file name, buy when I reply y it says no such file or directory. Any suggestions for deletion? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Ban mobile computing
At 12:01 PM 1/28/2010, George Carr wrote: But even here I bet there will be a tech solution to preventing car collisions with ANYTHING, humans, animals, trees, ice patches. Even now there are (infrared?) sensors that can pick out warm people on a dark night, warning a driver of their presence. But I agree that at present people should not be using their devices while driving. Such may be possible as long as some combination of steering, brake, (accelerator) can do the job, but only within the stability limits of the vehicle. If a human, animal, vehicle moves in front of the vehicle too close to stop with brakes, the only option is to swerve, which may not be an option at all if the swerve is into something else. One needs to be observant and slow down if one's mind determines that there is an increased potential for a bad situation to develop. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] digital camera shutter lag
Had one of those myself. ca. 1950. Marvelous camera. Took lots of good pictures on Kodachrome, Ektachrome, and B/W. B/W was called Pan-X, Plus-X and Tri-X IIRC, but I'm having trouble really remembering it. Fred Holmes At 08:28 PM 1/20/2010, Marcio wrote: Back thereI received several prizes in photo contests with the Argus C3. Marcio * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] digital camera shutter lag
At 09:19 AM 1/24/2010, Tony B wrote: none of them even know how to resize a digital photo for posting, much less how to adjust a lens. What is the best process for resizing a digital photograph? What application does one use? I presume that the high-end photo-manipulators all do a good job, but what if someone doesn't want to spring big bucks for CS and its ilk? Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] digital camera shutter lag
I don't recall its name, but there was an infrared film that was used to detect camouflage (or items that were being camouflaged). While the camouflage fooled the naked eye, it didn't fool this film. It could also be used for special effects. Fred Holmes At 11:47 AM 1/24/2010, Robert Carroll wrote: I can't remember the name of a Kodak color slide film that rendered false colors. For example, a blue sky would appear reddish pink, and nearly every color was replaced by a greatly differing color. This was way before Photoshop which can do the same thing to a normal image. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] digital camera shutter lag
But manual focus, etc., is a matter of using menus to get to the function, and then using some control to run the lens motor that focuses the lens, etc. Not a quick process if you are trying to take extemporaneous photographs. My ideal camera would focus and zoom using old-fashioned lens-barrel-twisting sensed by the rangefinder split image, and then use automation only for ISO, aperture and shutter speed. I don't think any such camera exists, although I haven't really tried to search for one. While I haven't actually tried it, I presume that manual focus is like manual zoom -- overshoot, overshoot, overshoot, or if there is a speed control on the motor, approach the setting very slowly. I'm taking pictures at a wedding and I want to photograph the couple as they leave (the recessional, if it's called that). Focus at say, 6 feet, or 10 feet, and snap the picture immediately when the couple comes into the zone. And not have to keep the shutter button half-pressed while waiting for the shot to develop. Twisting a lens barrel to match an index marked 6 is easy. Remembering how to navigate the menus is not. Fred Holmes At 06:00 PM 1/19/2010, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: On Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 5:18 PM, Sue Cubic scu...@earthlink.net wrote: Shutter lag is a problem with my Nikon Coolpix. But I bought it in 2001, so I can't complain too much. I've had much fun with it over the years. Shutter lag can be compensated for in many instances by switching to manual focus, setting and holding the exposure required for a given scene, and using a small aperture so as to be able to keep a lot of the subject matter in focus if there are some distance changes. One should then be able to fire away without having to wait of the camera to reset itself for each shot. Steve * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] digital camera shutter lag
What are they called? How does one determine if a particular camera is one of them. Spec sheets seem to be short on such information. Fred Holmes At 07:20 PM 1/19/2010, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: You are, at a minimum, mostly correct. There are a number of other cameras, those that are in between point-and-shooters and DSLRs, can be controlled in a fashion that often can be used to avoid shutter lag problems. Steve * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Better than a UPS
At 08:36 PM 1/19/2010, Art Clemons wrote: The truth is that we need some method of rapid charging said batteries on the go. Ten minutes charging for let's say 200 minutes of driving would be reasonable presently (not much longer than filling up with gasoline), but we as a nation don't have the electrical distribution for either battery exchange or fast charging, leaving electric cars as something for local commuting. But if the electric car is only good for local computing, it then must be (in most cases) economic as an _additional_ car, not as a replacement for a car currently owned. Liquid fuels aren't going to go away for a long time yet. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] digital camera shutter lag
But a single time measurement doesn't properly describe shutter lag, since the lag time includes the time for the camera to perform autofocus and declare itself ready. That varies with light level, scene contrast, and other factors. The multiple-photo time presumably includes the time required to write the picture to the camera memory (actually storage but that's another story) card and, perhaps, recharge the flash, etc., and is measuring something different. They ought to measure ready time between pictures. Fred Holmes At 09:35 PM 1/19/2010, chad evans wyatt wrote: Here is some concrete data. Point Shoots have shutter lag. Even some prosumer models have it, although greatly lower. My first DSLR, a Nikon d200, was a sliver slow, much to my surprise. http://www.cameras.co.uk/html/shutter-lag-comparisons.cfm --- On Tue, 1/19/10, Fred Holmes f...@his.com wrote: From: Fred Holmes f...@his.com Subject: Re: [CGUYS] digital camera shutter lag To: COMPUTERGUYS-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM Date: Tuesday, January 19, 2010, 8:22 PM What are they called? How does one determine if a particular camera is one of them. Spec sheets seem to be short on such information. Fred Holmes At 07:20 PM 1/19/2010, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: You are, at a minimum, mostly correct. There are a number of other cameras, those that are in between point-and-shooters and DSLRs, can be controlled in a fashion that often can be used to avoid shutter lag problems. Steve * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] digital camera shutter lag
At 11:19 PM 1/19/2010, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: While I haven't actually tried it, I presume that manual focus is like manual zoom -- overshoot, overshoot, overshoot, or if there is a speed control on the motor, approach the setting very slowly. Manual focus can be achieved through, as the word says, manually altering the focus, bypassing normal motor control over the lens. On many cameras, manual focus seems to mean merely not autofocus. I.e., no camera sensor determines when the camera is focused. But you still have to use the motor to move the lens elements. There is no way to just twist the lens to change the focus. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Obsolete consumer products...
One of the real problems with today's point and shoot cameras is shutter lag -- the time delay between pushing the button and taking the picture. Even if you press half-way and hold, there is still significant shutter delay. This is a real problem if you are trying to take ad hoc (un-posed, spontaneous) pictures. The subject moves during the delay time, and what-you-get is very much _not_ what-you-see. In days of yore (say the 1950's and the Argus C3), shutter delay was very small, because the aperture, speed and focus had been pre-set and were not automatically generated by a sensor. Supposedly (I don't have one to test), the shutter lag is very much less with DSLR cameras than point-and-shoot cameras. If you can get the timing correct, spontaneous pictures are much better than posed pictures. And manual settings, while possible on point-and-shoot digital cameras, are done with menus and buttons, and are slow and tedious to perform, unlike just twisting a knob or the lens barrel to match an index mark, which is quickly and precisely done. Fred Holmes At 09:29 AM 1/18/2010, Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote: I get a kick out of the folks who run around with DSLR's. It is a status symbol or like bling to them, it does not make their picture taking any better. Stewart * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Obsolete consumer products...
I'm not taking pictures of fast moving objects. I'm just trying to take a picture of unposed people at a wedding or some other party or gathering. By the time the shutter fires, good expressions have gone to bad ones, and heads have turned so that the face is no longer at a good angle or even visible. The objects (the people) are still in the picture, as they weren't moving their bodies to a new location, they were just repositioning the parts of their bodies. (a terrible description of the process, but a better one doesn't come quickly to mind.) I had a Ricoh Mirai from the early or mid 80's. 35mm film, but a good zoom lens. It had autofocus, and had the same problem because of the time it took for the autofocus to execute. Fred Holmes At 02:59 PM 1/18/2010, Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote: Because they do not know how to take pictures. I have taken my point and click cameras to Bristol and have gotten some nice shots without a hitch. You take pictures of fast moving objects a lot like you fire a gun at them, lead them I get a kick out of the films I see where you have a whole stadium of folks and all these flashes are going off. They have no clue to how a flash works and the limitation of them. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Obsolete consumer products...
At 07:56 PM 1/17/2010, tjp wrote: Newspaper magazine subscriptions Well since PC Magazine went to web only, I receive the e-mails but never read them. Just a subject line isn't enough to tickle my interest. PC World still comes as a magazine and I read it regularly -- in places where I wouldn't want to be bothered carrying an electronic device along. If the magazine gets lost, left behind, . . . I've lost little. Not so with a kindle. If there is an article I want to investigate further at a later time, I can turn down a page corner or rip out the page. What does a kindle do? I wouldn't want to carry something as expensive as an iPhone or Blackberry around. I'd just lose it. Mislay it anyway. If I mislay a magazine, I pick up a different one and read it. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] generic laser printer cartridges?
Your printer will be obsolete and unsupported by then-current software long before it actually dies. Or they just won't sell toner cartridges for it any more because the market is too small. (for home / home office use) We are getting more and more paperless as time goes bye. At 05:53 PM 1/9/2010, Ranbo wrote: *My Canon literature implies that getting the OEM Canon toner will extend the life of the printer. Anyone know if there is any evidence that this would be true? Randall * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Phones and guys, even Computer Guys
At 09:34 PM 1/7/2010, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: -- WARNING: Due to a Presidential Executive Order, the National Security Agency may have read this email without warning, warrant or notice. You got that right! Unfortunately, there are a whole lot of other folks besides the NSA who are doing it. Nothing you do on the Internet has any expectation of privacy. They do it whether it's legal or not, and no one (no law enforcement agency) cares a whit about stopping them. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] Fwd: [Slashdot] MagicJack Femtocell Gates Cell Traffic to VoIP
+--+ | MagicJack Femtocell Gates Cell Traffic to VoIP | | from the someone-is-gonna-love-that dept. | | posted by CmdrTaco on Friday January 08, @12:54 (Cellphones) | | https://mobile.slashdot.org/story/10/01/08/165231/MagicJack-Femtocell-Gates-Cell-Traffic-to| +--+ olsmeister writes MagicJack is demonstrating a [0]femtocell device at CES that will [1]allow any GSM phone (locked or unlocked) to place free phone calls over the internet using VOIP. The device costs $40 and includes free service for 1 year. It supposedly will cover a 3,000 sq ft house. Discuss this story at: http://mobile.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=10/01/08/165231 * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Cell Phone Radiation Good for Your Brain
This is a foul plot launched by the global warmists to demonstrate that scientists really do report what they find, even when it doesn't agree with expectations. Fred Holmes At 01:14 AM 1/7/2010, t.piwowar wrote: Could Your Cell Phone Help Shield You From Alzheimer's? - BusinessWeek http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/634709.html exposure to electromagnetic field prevented and even reversed brain impairment * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] new bank and a mint
Is that for one single purchase or for one short period of time? If I want to make three on-line purchases (three different vendors) in an evening, do I have to get three different temporary VISA Card numbers? Has anyone ever been able to learn specifically how a compromised credit card number was compromised? I.e., the specific transaction or vendor from which the CC number was stolen. I would like to reward the vendor that lost my number by not ever doing business with him again, but the CC company won't provide that information, apparently because they want me to keep spending. Thanks, Fred Holmes At 02:28 PM 1/6/2010, Rich Schinnell wrote: At BofA, I have their visa card and they offer ShopSafe® is their free service for Online Banking customers that allows you to create a unique, temporary account number for online purchases. You specify the max amount and the expiration date for the shopsafe card and you print out a replica of the card with all the data necessary to on-line shop with the safety of knowing that it can only be used to the max you specify and one time and it expires.. Rich * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] MagicJack: a VoIP question
I've been looking for a Skype phone that isn't cordless/wireless (has a wired handset, and connects to my router with an Ethernet Cat-5 cable). Last time I looked (a couple of months ago), I couldn't find one. Using Google. Or the specs available on the web weren't such that I could tell what I would actually be getting if I ordered the item. I have no real need for cordless / wireless, and if I don't use cordless / wireless I don't have to worry about whether the cordless / wireless link has been adequately secured. Fred Holmes At 02:24 PM 1/2/2010, tjpa wrote: You old folks may not have noticed, but a modern household is going to have a small computer sitting where the telephone used to sit. It will be running Skype 24/7. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Kill it!!!
At 02:27 PM 1/2/2010, tjpa wrote: It took 10 years for TV to go digital and, while not perfect, it transitioned pretty well. That's an unsubstantiated opinion. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Kill it!!!
Gee, if people were allowed to do without telephone service, how would the bill collectors get their work done? Fred Holmes At 02:35 PM 1/2/2010, tjpa wrote: On Jan 2, 2010, at 12:57 AM, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: My position is that they must FIRST be made to provide an alternative and reliable telephone system to every customer who would lose landline service BEFORE the wires are cut. No promises. They MUST do that FIRST. Why such rampant Socialism? If you live in a place that can be economically served you need to move. Do it now before property values crater. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Kill it!!!
At 01:08 AM 1/1/2010, Eric S. Sande wrote: I've never made a secret of the fact that an all-optical carrier network is what is desired. That has a downside in terms of edge device reliability, but in overall maintenance overhead it is way superior (read more profitable) than a copper based model. Why doesn't Verizon develop equivalent edge device reliability for VOIP/FIOS/...? Just way too expensive? I want the edge device reliability. I've been through too many extended power outages when a hurricane or ice storm came through. Maybe it will be unnecessary when all electrical distribution is underground, but we aren't there yet. I find edge device voice quality much better with land-line (I can actually tell who is talking to me all of the time.) and worth the extra cost of a land-line. I think CRT computer monitors are easier to read, but they are no longer available at all because of various reasons. I also think 4x3 monitors and TV screens are generally better. I purchase the widest screen I have room for on my physical desktop, and the widescreen monitor means I lose height and have to do more scrolling. Yes, I can rotate my monitor 90 degrees, but that doesn't really seem to work well either. Luddite? Yes! Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Kill it!!!
At 11:13 AM 1/1/2010, Tony B wrote: In fact there's really no news here. As the articles state, we're down to 1 in 5 households that only have a landline, and that number is dropping all the time. When, not if. Because of the word only in the above statement, it's not an interesting statement. What percentage of households have decided to rely entirely on other forms of communication than landline? Those who have both landline and cell phone presumably find their landline valuable. I for one don't want to depend on something that requires regular charging for emergency services. When a battery goes dead-dead, it takes a bit of time to replace it. And I may not remember to keep my phone charged. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Kill it!!!
At 03:50 PM 1/1/2010, Tony B wrote: A 9/11 event will clog all the services. But an accident in your bathroom can likely be handled via cell/voip as reliably as a landline. Maybe better if you have your cell phone with you and don't have to crawl to the nearest phone. But then, how many of us leave our doors unlocked, so you'll still have to crawl to the door to unlock it. Many folks have a cordless phone on their landline. Works as long as the electricity is on. One can carry the cordless handset into the bathroom, etc. The VOIP I've seen is copper inside the building. In fact, one connects the inside wiring to the VOIP box instead of the TELCO's copper junction box on the outside of the house. I live in Annandale, VA, and don't have reliable cell service (signal strength) in my home. VOIP is a great waster of electrical power. Lots of circuitry has to be kept powered, not required of a POTS telephone set. That's why a standby (UPS) battery for VOIP lasts only a few hours. Fred Holmes * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Kill it!!!
At 04:55 PM 1/1/2010, t.piwowar wrote: I think anyone who is tech aware has to to admit that the days of POTS (a switched telephone network) are numbered. I believe that POTS is entirely digital once the copper wire gets to the junction at the TELCO. No longer switched, except perhaps logically, but definitely not physically. Has been that way for a long time. I want my household connection to be as simple and reliable as possible -- a copper pair to a passive device. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Kill it!!!
At 04:55 PM 1/1/2010, t.piwowar wrote: We know how to perform this function much better and at lower cost. Better is in the eye of the beholder. My opinion is that it is accomplished at lower cost by cutting corners. I want the good stuff and am willing to pay for it. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] MagicJack: a VoIP question
I use MagicJack as a second phone line for making outgoing calls. It works fine for me most of the time, but sometimes the call breaks up like some cell phone calls do. Not as reliable as POTS. It also requires a running computer to connect to the Internet. If you leave your computer on 24x7, then you can use it for incoming calls. Leaving a computer on 24x7 is not being green. I'd love to see a low-power device to replace the computer; maybe a netbook would do it. I might get around to trying one. A flat fee of about $20 per year (discounted for a 5-year purchase) covers all US/Canada calling. You may have as good a plan with some other carrier/process. Bandwidth of the signal with a call in progress is about 80 kbs. For a small investment, you can simply purchase one and try it, leaving your POTS line in place and operating. Just plug one handset into the MagicJack and see how it works. Fred Holmes At 06:00 PM 1/1/2010, Robert Carroll wrote: In the 2010 February issue of Consumer Reports, there are tests of 15 items sold on TV infomercials that use hard-sell language. As one may suspect, most items did not live up to the claims made therein. But one got a favorable review, the MagicJack for connecting to VoIP. The review follows below. I have only a general knowledge of VoIP. Can someone point me to a source that offers specific info so that I may decide if having VoIP is advantageous for me? The CU review: *The claim.* MagicJack, a VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) phone device and service,makes your monthly phone bill disappear, an online ad says. Save hundreds, even thousands, of dollars and get no more poor reception. You plug MagicJack into a computer's USB port, plug the line cord of your own phone into the other end of the USB adapter, and MagicJack uses the Internet to make and receive calls. You need broadband Internet access, and the computer has to be on for you to make or receive a call. If it's off, messages go to voice mail. The charge: $39.95 for the device and one year of local and long-distance calling; then $19.95 per year. Details are at www.magicjack.com. *The check.* One of our electronics experts made dozens of calls over several days, sometimes while downloading files or playing online computer games. *Bottom line*. Shazam! Calls connected, and voice quality was clear, though not as clear as on a good corded phone on a regular line. When our tester downloaded a big file while playing an online game and making a call, there was some interference. But if you can live with a few limitations, it's a great deal. Vonage VoIP service can cost $216 a year; Skype, $95, and you must buy a Skype phone. * ** 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] MagicJack: a VoIP question
Yes and no. If you leave your VOIP (e.g. MagicJack) always at one specific premises and register that premises with that telephone number at 911 (there is a process for doing this), then you will have reliable 911 service, just as landline numbers are registered with 911 (but the registration is done by the telephone company). But one of the advantages of MagicJack is that you can connect it to your notebook computer wherever you may carry and use it. There is no way (except manually) to change the 911 registration at present. There may be some way to do a lookup on the i.p. address of your computer, to determine where it is actually connected, but such a system hasn't yet (to my knowledge) been set up. If you connect your MagicJack to your notebook computer that is connected to the Internet anywhere (e.g., Iraq), calls that you place to the U.S. are free (no call placement or connection time charges) (unless for some reason VOIP packets are somehow killed.) It's also nice that voice mail messages received on VOIP systems can be sent to you by e-mail as .wav file attachments. Nice to be able to keep and file them, and not have the message memory fill up and overflow. Fred Holmes. At 06:13 PM 1/1/2010, Judy Cosler wrote: does one have reliable 911 with VoIP? thought one needed a landline for reliable, available 911. Pls. help me with this issue! * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] MagicJack: a VoIP question
Cell phones with GPS can report their location exactly. Primitive cell phones can only report what tower they are currently connected to. The issue with 911 service is how to handle a phone that is mobile, i.e., is used away from home. MagicJack can be used away from home. Connect it to your notebook computer, connected to the Internet wherever you like. But there is no way currently available to have that setup report its current location automatically. Fred Holmes At 06:22 PM 1/1/2010, Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote: There was a FCC directive on this some time ago that required VOIP providers to give reliable 911 service. Check with the provider to make sure. I am pretty certain Vonage and them had to do so, or shut down. This even came up with Cell phone this year locally when it came out that some of the providers were not giving the local 911 office the info required for enhanced 911 coverage. Stewart * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] MagicJack: a VoIP question
At 06:39 PM 1/1/2010, Robert Carroll wrote: (1) Is there a source for info about VoIP in general, not just related to MagicJack. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VOIP Google VOIP. Google whatever terms you don't understand when reading about VOIP. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
