Re: [CGUYS] Some of you will find this tragic
I still have some important punch cards. Most of them are in the right order. Paula Minor wrote: s actually up and running on a working, plugged-in DOS machine. But then, I'm a total pack rat. I'm a pack rat too. I'll be holding on to my zip and floppy drivesjust in case. They don't take up much space. Paula Minor raven880atindy.net * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** * * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] NEF plugin for Irfanview
I was premature in thinking that Irfanview couldn't view NEF files with the latest plugin package. The problem is that when opening a file in Irfanview, the default file type Common Graphic Files and All Graphic Files in the file type drop-down menu doesn't display either NEF or RAW files in the window showing files that may be opened. One must select specifically DCR/DNG/EFF/MRW/NEF/ORF/ .../X3F as a file type for these files to appear in the open window. The second problem is that Windows XP does not have a link to open Irfanview when a NEF file is double-clicked in a Windows file list. Clicking on a NEF file transfers to a browser pointed at Microsoft which says that the file type is unknown. I haven't worked yet to see if I can associate the NEF file with Irfanview. Contrary to information posted about RAW, or NEF, not having advantages over jpeg, this is not true if one post-processes a digital image in a photo program such as Adobe Photoshop. (And all digital images except snapshots need post processing.) There are quite a few operations that can be done in Photoshop to the image only if it is in RAW (or similar) format. Bottom line: snapshots from simple digital cameras ought to be in jpeg format. For high-quality photography, RAW may be preferred unless there is a specific reason for choosing jpeg. chad evans wyatt wrote: Should have added that I suspect the impulse toward raw and NEF comes mostly from those of us who came to photography in the film era. We remember that stepping up filmstock quality led to greater adjacency, overall sharpness, evenness of gradation. raw does not answer that quest in digital, especially when using puny DX sensors (let alone the even smaller sensors in point-and-shoots and mobil phones). The real answer for those of us seeking the qualitative result of film is to graduate to FX sensors, or simply to capture in rollfilm or 4x5, or even 35mm, as Ken Rockwell demonstrates convincingly on his website http://www.kenrockwell.com/ . If digital end result is desired, then high-end scanning gets us there; there are several labs that process film with scans. --- On Mon, 4/12/10, Robert Carroll carrollcompu...@gmail.com wrote: From: Robert Carroll carrollcompu...@gmail.com Subject: [CGUYS] NEF plugin for Irfanview To: COMPUTERGUYS-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM Date: Monday, April 12, 2010, 10:22 PM I want to be able to view the NEF files that are stored on my PC. According to Irfanview, there is a plugin for NEF files (these are similar to RAW files), but I downloaded the plugin executable from the Irfanview web site and, after installing, Windows still does not recognize NEF nor does Irfanview. The list of plugins: http://www.irfanview.com/main_formats.htm My Irfanview version: 4.23 My plugin version: 4.25 Question 1: Where to obtain the plugin for NEF? Question 2: If plugin not available, what free program will let me view NEF files? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] NEF plugin for Irfanview
I want to be able to view the NEF files that are stored on my PC. According to Irfanview, there is a plugin for NEF files (these are similar to RAW files), but I downloaded the plugin executable from the Irfanview web site and, after installing, Windows still does not recognize NEF nor does Irfanview. The list of plugins: http://www.irfanview.com/main_formats.htm My Irfanview version: 4.23 My plugin version: 4.25 Question 1: Where to obtain the plugin for NEF? Question 2: If plugin not available, what free program will let me view NEF files? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] My download speed
Reading the Broadband Speed Map message, I checked my speed at http://www.wugnet.com/myspeed/speedtest.asp Download Speed is 10.0 Mbps Upload speed variable for 3 tests: 0.76 Mbps, 1.51 Mbps, and 1.6 Mbps. Don't know if this is good or bad. Advice, please. I have Verizon FIOS in Vienna, Virginia. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] what DVD-R to buy
Twenty minutes per burn on best is about right if you are burning an image that fills the entire surface, from center to edge. However, if your image is smaller the burn time is smaller as well. For example, if you burn just a title in 36-point font and bend it to a circular curve, the burn time will be about 3 or 4 minutes. The length of the title plus artwork doesn't matter, only the height measured along a radius. chad evans wyatt wrote: I have no trouble getting an image, but a crisp and dark one takes two burn cycles; there is a registration problem sometimes, cycle to cycle. Plus, optimum image cycle (best) is 21 minutes; 42 minutes to make a good label is a lot of time. The memorex CD has an ok one-cycle burn; memorex DVD, with its different surface, burns very light for one cycle. And a two-cycle burn of DVD label sometimes smears. My burner is laCie, although I believe it actually is a Panasonic. I guess the bottom line is that I like a nice, dark and crisp image; it's a matter of what is acceptable to each of us. Perhaps I should try another brand of disc. --- On Sat, 3/27/10, Robert Carroll carrollcompu...@gmail.com wrote: From: Robert Carroll carrollcompu...@gmail.com Subject: Re: [CGUYS] what DVD-R to buy To: COMPUTERGUYS-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM Date: Saturday, March 27, 2010, 5:46 PM I'm not sure that I can help you. I have never had any trouble labeling lightscribe disks for any brand of DVD. I assume that you have a lightscribe-capable DVD burner. I turn the DVD over in the burner tray, use Nero to make a lightscribe label (in the special lightscribe label section of Nero), click on the lightscribe print button, select best quality, and it begins. It is possible to get a slightly darker label if the disk is burned twice without removing the disk after the first burn, but doing this probably is not needed. You must have the lightscribe label software such as comes with Nero, or whatever software that came with your burner. Trying to make a lightscribe label using regular label software that is intended to print on paper will not work. You could try a different brand of DVD. If the same problem occurs, I would suspect either that your burner is at fault or that you are not using lightscribe software to make the labels. Can't think of anything else. chad evans wyatt wrote: Robert, may I tag along here? I have had some real problems labeling Memorex lightscribe DVD's. Any thoughts? --- On Fri, 3/26/10, Robert Carroll carrollcompu...@gmail.com wrote: From: Robert Carroll carrollcompu...@gmail.com Subject: Re: [CGUYS] what DVD-R to buy To: COMPUTERGUYS-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM Date: Friday, March 26, 2010, 5:57 PM There are differences in quality with DVDs. Some brands will not play on older DVD players as well as other brands. What this means is that if you are making a lot of DVDs, some brands will have more duds in a box than will other brands. For single-layer DVDs, I recommend the Taiyo Yuden brand. For dual-layer DVDs, Verbatim has done well for me. I usually buy from http://www.meritline.com/ but there are a lot of listings on eBay. rleesimon wrote: I will need to make DVDs from AVI to watch on a typical TV DVD player both in the US Region I and in Belgium Region II where I have a built in DVD Region II player and a stand alone DVD player region free. What disks should I purchase to have the greatest ease of both recording the DVDs and playing them .what I am looking for is DVD-R or DVD+R or DVD-RW or DVD+RW .I will NOT archive with them for the most part, but will watch and re-record, but I may make a few to give to family members who do NOT have a DVD recorder so I will want some record once types for that. Advice? I have IBM DVD recorder and WinDVD creator etc. that came with it.tia! * ** 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/ ** * * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] what DVD-R to buy
I'm not sure that I can help you. I have never had any trouble labeling lightscribe disks for any brand of DVD. I assume that you have a lightscribe-capable DVD burner. I turn the DVD over in the burner tray, use Nero to make a lightscribe label (in the special lightscribe label section of Nero), click on the lightscribe print button, select best quality, and it begins. It is possible to get a slightly darker label if the disk is burned twice without removing the disk after the first burn, but doing this probably is not needed. You must have the lightscribe label software such as comes with Nero, or whatever software that came with your burner. Trying to make a lightscribe label using regular label software that is intended to print on paper will not work. You could try a different brand of DVD. If the same problem occurs, I would suspect either that your burner is at fault or that you are not using lightscribe software to make the labels. Can't think of anything else. chad evans wyatt wrote: Robert, may I tag along here? I have had some real problems labeling Memorex lightscribe DVD's. Any thoughts? --- On Fri, 3/26/10, Robert Carroll carrollcompu...@gmail.com wrote: From: Robert Carroll carrollcompu...@gmail.com Subject: Re: [CGUYS] what DVD-R to buy To: COMPUTERGUYS-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM Date: Friday, March 26, 2010, 5:57 PM There are differences in quality with DVDs. Some brands will not play on older DVD players as well as other brands. What this means is that if you are making a lot of DVDs, some brands will have more duds in a box than will other brands. For single-layer DVDs, I recommend the Taiyo Yuden brand. For dual-layer DVDs, Verbatim has done well for me. I usually buy from http://www.meritline.com/ but there are a lot of listings on eBay. rleesimon wrote: I will need to make DVDs from AVI to watch on a typical TV DVD player both in the US Region I and in Belgium Region II where I have a built in DVD Region II player and a stand alone DVD player region free. What disks should I purchase to have the greatest ease of both recording the DVDs and playing them .what I am looking for is DVD-R or DVD+R or DVD-RW or DVD+RW .I will NOT archive with them for the most part, but will watch and re-record, but I may make a few to give to family members who do NOT have a DVD recorder so I will want some record once types for that. Advice? I have IBM DVD recorder and WinDVD creator etc. that came with it.tia! * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] what DVD-R to buy
There are differences in quality with DVDs. Some brands will not play on older DVD players as well as other brands. What this means is that if you are making a lot of DVDs, some brands will have more duds in a box than will other brands. For single-layer DVDs, I recommend the Taiyo Yuden brand. For dual-layer DVDs, Verbatim has done well for me. I usually buy from http://www.meritline.com/ but there are a lot of listings on eBay. rleesimon wrote: I will need to make DVDs from AVI to watch on a typical TV DVD player both in the US Region I and in Belgium Region II where I have a built in DVD Region II player and a stand alone DVD player region free. What disks should I purchase to have the greatest ease of both recording the DVDs and playing them .what I am looking for is DVD-R or DVD+R or DVD-RW or DVD+RW .I will NOT archive with them for the most part, but will watch and re-record, but I may make a few to give to family members who do NOT have a DVD recorder so I will want some record once types for that. Advice? I have IBM DVD recorder and WinDVD creator etc. that came with it.tia! * ** 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] LCD HDTV
I bought a Sony 50-inch 1080p LCD HDTV about 6 months ago. The only thing that I regret is that I should have bought a larger screen. By positioning myself around in my viewing room, I guess that a viewing distance of about 8 feet is best for my 50-inch screen. Much farther from that and the high resolution is not easily seen. Thus, dividing the screen size by 6 gives a good viewing distance. In principle, an LCD screen with an LED backlight will outperform the fluorescent backlight and the set will last longer. Practically at this time, I don't know which is better. mike wrote: We may be on the cusp of a breakthrough ladies and gentlemen. I may be in the market for an HDTV. Any thoughts will be considered...who to stay away from, brand and or seller..who to go to first. We are looking for something LCD in type, not LED...42 or perhaps 46 inches. We are budget conscious...read CHEAP. I've heard things like...vizio is a solid inexpensive brand and others say stay far away. I'm neither an audiophile or videophile, I'm just looking for something solid and reliable. * ** 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
I use WordPerfect also. She ought to upgrade to the latest version, X3. It has an excellent PDF creator built in. WP has had this capability for the last several versions, but the X3 version is most complete. Wayne Dernoncourt wrote: John Duncan Yoyo Open Office lets you print directly to PDF and it is free. 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. * ** 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
I previously wrote the wrong latest version for WordPerfect. The latest version is X4, not X3. I have both X4 X3 as well as many earlier versions for WP. The last several versions of WP has PDF conversion built-in, but X4 has the most extensive capability. For example, WP X4 can create editable PDF files and edit *any* PDF file created by any other application. The size quality of the PDF file creation can be chosen in the latest version, X4. I have MS Word also, but I much prefer WP because it is less error prone. Even if the capability of Word and WP were the same (they are not by a long shot) except for the Reveal Codes capability in WP, that alone would persuade me to choose WP instead of Word. As a rule, I open Word documents in WordPerfect and edit there. These as well as those that I create from scratch in WP can be saved in Word format when need be. Much easier faster to do it this way. So I think your wife is a wise woman -- whatever version of WP that she has is a good choice. BTW, I have PDF995 also and it is good. But it can't do all the things that WP PDF can do. 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. I wrote in previous message: I use WordPerfect also. She ought to upgrade to the latest version, X3. It has an excellent PDF creator built in. WP has had this capability for the last several versions, but the X3 version is most complete. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] TinyURLs [Was: Re: [CGUYS] FCC wants to measure]
John Emmerling wrote: What real purpose does tinyurl really serve nowadays? Don't up-to-date mail readers handle URLs of any arbitrary length with no problem? I'm using Mozilla Thunderbird for email. Very long web addresses are broken when they wrap around to the next line. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Recommendation for laptop computer advice sought
Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote: I have had good luck with Dell laptops. But I stick with the Vostro or Latitude series. Had an Compaq this summer. Not bad. Stewart Am I correct in thinking that these Dell series are no longer being made? The Dell website shows Inspiron, Studio, Studio XPS, Alienware, and Adamo. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Recommendation for laptop computer advice sought
Please advise: what is too cheap? Is the Dell Inspiron priced at $659 too cheap? Snyder, Mark - IdM (IS) wrote: You said you were cheap (and did not tell us what you want to use the computer for), so that should be fine. A netbook would be even cheaper. Don't be so cheap, though, that you buy junk and ask us a barrage of questions when things break. I am not inclined to advise someone who says they are cheap to buy a decent computer, but portable computers need to take more stress than a desktop, so caveat emptor! Thank you, Mark Snyder -Original Message- This listserv is so oriented towards social issues, I am almost afraid to ask a computer question. But, here goes: I have always had a PC with Windows, if I exclude the Apple IIe computer. I have never owned or used a laptop, only a desktop. I think now that I need to buy a laptop because wife has decided to use the desktop many hours a day for her new-found hobby of photography: this leaves me without access to a computer, particularly the internet or other simple tasks. If I get a laptop I will need a simple cheap one only since wife goes to sleep early, thereby freeing the desktop computer. Starting with the Dell web site, I find that a laptop with: Processor Intel TM 6600 Duo, 2.2 GHz, 800 MHz bus, 2 MB cache Memory 4GB 800 MHz RAM 500 GB 5400 RPM hard drive 6-cell battery Intel Link 5100 N wireless modem 8X CD/DVD burner (dual layer) costs $659 before shipping. Questions: Is this laptop a good choice? Is it a good price? Are there other brands or options that I ought to consider? Specially: I want good performance at the cheapest price. I am very stingy by nature! === P.S. Please don't say to buy a Mac laptop instead of a Windows machine. I bought my daughter a MacBook Pro and she likes it very well, but I am more comfortable with a Windows OS because I already have a large number of Windows programs that I can install on a laptop, plus I don't want to start a new personal learning curve to use the Mac -- i.e., sharing data between computer might be hard -- and I want to go cheap(!!) to buy a laptop. * ** 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] Recommendation for laptop computer advice sought
betty wrote: Dell notebooks are heavy and clunky, but not too bad. Toshiba makes excellent notebooks. If I were buying a Dell, I'd get the new Alien notebook. Alien finally has a smaller, still powerful notebook for a reasonable price. Apple also makes excellent PC notebooks, in case you forgot that they run both Windows and Mac OS X natively. The weight of the Dells won't matter as long as you don't plan to carry one around. Sony makes computers, so I hear, but I've owned a lot of Sony products and the only one that didn't die before its time was the Trinitron CRT display--never again. Maybe I am expecting to get a laptop too cheaply. I looked at the Alienware laptops on the Dell site and they are as expensive as the Mac. Cheapest is $1200 going up to $1800. * ** 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]
Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote: Moderation in all things is good. Stewart I always liked this quotation. Particularly since it means that moderation in following the advice of the quotation is tantamount to permitting excess in all else. * ** 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]
Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote: I really much prefer Augustine of Hippos comment. Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet Stewart At 06:25 PM 3/1/2010, you wrote: Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote: Moderation in all things is good. Stewart I always liked this quotation. Particularly since it means that moderation in following the advice of the quotation is tantamount to permitting excess in all else. There you go! A man of wisdom, Augustine, I say. Chastity and continence (I assume from the latter word, maybe being similar to the former word: meaning to refrain from sexual intercourse instead of a second meaning of peeing or pooping involuntarily) comes with the development of wisdom for those who actually develop wisdom with age. Lucky is the man (or woman) who gains wisdom before gaining chastity continence. In my opinion, very lucky are those who survive long after developing their chastity and continence. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Are USB Drives Dangerous?
As usual, I get only some of the posts on this listserv. I did not get the original post, only a replay that included two previous posts, none that were original as far as I can tell. I think the post involves trying to get secrets from organizations that keep secrets by littering the parking lot with USB flash drives that have a virus or rootkit installed, in the hopes that someone will pick one of them up, put into their computer, and subsequently many secrets flow forth. I remember years ago when I worked for a very top-secret agency that went to great lengths to protect secrets. Many of the secrets were not of much use to anyone because they were classified when in doubt -- if in doubt, classify it so no one later could complain. I suggested that the best way to protect these secrets was to Xerox all, stand on the street corner, and pass the secrets out to any passersby who would take them. There were so many that the effort to sort out which secrets were valuable to a foreign agency and which were wastes of time would take so long that our national secrets would be declassified by the time that the foreign agency were to determine which were which. Needless to say, my suggestion was not well received. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Science Friday: Facial Recognition
I am dubious about facial recognition by computer in regard to accuracy. For some reason, I can recognize faces that I have ever seen -- those that I don't know that sit in a restaurant, those who pass by in a food supermarket or on a sidewalk, those that I see at a large concert, etc. -- even for decades later after they age. Not an advantage at all for me: I can't remember the place that I saw their face, nor can I remember names of anyone even those that I know well (example: my mother, my best friend, etc.). Yesterday I was playing a concert in a local church and was obliged to sit looking at the congregation. I will always remember the hundreds of faces that I saw there, but several I have seen somewhere before. One was a woman that I was unable to decide whether or not I had seen her face before or whether her face was an identical copy of a movie actress. Her face not only looked like a face that I remembered, but also her facial expressions (E.g., she didn't turn her head all the way to look where she gazed, but tilted her head a bit to the side and shifted her eyes.) I stared at her face for so long, trying to decide, actress or not, that she became aware of my stares, and I endeavored to avert my eyes for the rest of the service. My point is: even with the best of facial recognition software for the foreseeable future, there will always be a false identification; and following a false identification there will be much anguish. There will be errors especially if the software uses only a still image for recognition, not a movie that shows changes in facial characteristics in real situations. John Duncan Yoyo wrote: On Thu, Feb 11, 2010 at 11:40 AM, Snyder, Mark - IdM (IS) mark.sny...@ngc.com wrote: Depends on what database is used to check the face; if FaceBook, I can see an iPhone app for that. Thank you, Mark Snyder -Original Message- On Mon, Feb 8, 2010 at 11:56 AM, tjpa t...@tjpa.com wrote: Science Friday recently had an interesting segment on facial recognition. snip And eventually being able to use it to get an instant ID for anybody you meet on the street. I think that last one is pretty much out of the question for normal folks. Law enforcement and homeland security interests will see to that. Given Google Picassa's facial recognition which works ok and facebook tags there is a decent chance that a face can be recognized. * ** 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
Marcio wrote: I started with the Argus C3. Anyone remember? Marcio I remember, although I never owned the C3. I had an Argus C44, and still do. This was followed by my first SLR, a Topcon RE Super. It had a removable prism to change the view screen, and was the only camera that could be fitted to the periscope in a US Navy submarine. Still have it also. Also have a Mamiya SLR and a Pentax Super ME. All still work. * ** 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
Marcio wrote: I used Panasonic X film had smal grains. Then we had Plus X. Good old days. When color came in I no longer could work in the lab.What a pain. Marcio I think the fine-grain BW film was Kodak Panatomic. Speed ASA 25. Plus X had speed 100, Tri-X speed 400. I like shooting with BW but wanted large grain film to give an illusion of pointillism. I used Kodak 2475 film with speed 1600, pushed to 3200. It was intended for police surveillance. It had a sensitivity to infrared light, so that portraits of people tended to show skin blemishes. Worked well for portraits of old people since the portrait was imbued with the concept of old age. 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. My daughter three years ago took photography in high school. There they still use BW film in cameras and learn to develop and print in a darkroom. I loaned her my Pentax Super ME to take the class. * ** 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
Roger D. Parish wrote: At 11:47 AM -0500 1/24/10, Robert Carroll wrote: [snippage] 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. I don't remember the name, either, but I believe it was an infrared film. After the first roll of snapshots using this strange film, the novelty was gone. But the challenge was to make a good image that just might cause the viewer to first linger, then puzzle over, the altered colors of the film. For example, a photo of a red rose would be rendered as a yellow rose -- not remarkable. If one carefully planned the photo, the altered colors would at first appear normal until the viewer noticed a small portion of the image that wasn't right. This, hopefully, would lead to a careful examination of the photo to see more and more colors that were unexpected. The goal was to make the viewer be completely puzzled about the meaning of the photo. In my youth, I liked to do things like that with the photos that I took. For example, I searched for and bought a chess set that had the chess board with black squares white squares. The chess pieces were ivory-colored plastic, so I painted each of them with gray paint. Putting the chess pieces on the board illuminating with photo lamps (this was long ago) so that there was no shadows, I photographed the black, gray, and white image with color film. First image was as described, second image was same but my hand wearing a bright red long-sleeved shirt reaching for a chess piece, third image was of the chess board with one piece moved. When printed, all three images were displayed in a row. The viewer must puzzle how a color image (shirt hand) appears in a BW photo. These images can now be done easily with Photoshop, but when I was doing this the Apple computer was a decade away from being invented. * ** 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
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 Small point-and-shoot cameras, those the size of a deck of cards, do not have the ability to focus manually nor do they have aperture-priority mode. Shutter lag has improved some with these cameras, but the newest models still have a significant delay as well as digital SLR cameras. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Dump adobe reader
D Freye wrote: I want to dump adobe reader and replace it with a program that NEVER calls home or even asks unless I suggest it. Any ideas? Be at Peace. I use Foxit Reader. PDF documents with many pages are better view by Adobe, however. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Canon i9900 prints reds and pinks where gray should be.
rocky lee wrote: I have a Canon i9900 that is printing reds and pinks where it should be printing grays. I tried flipping and switching color space and profiles, but what it came down to was paper selection. If 'plain' paper is chosen, the colors print pretty close to what I see. If any other choice of paper, photo, photo glossy, photo matte, etc. is selected, the images get a rose colored tint. I suspected a bad color profile, but then I switched the printer to another computer and it repeated the tinting. On plain paper, it was fine. On the others, the color was skewed. Any thoughts or ideas? Thanks, Rocky Did you simply switch paper (only), did you switch the media type in the properties section without changing paper, or did you match the media type with the actual paper being printed upon? If the media type doesn't match the kind of paper in the printer, a slight change in color may be expected. If the color change is large, then probably the print head needs cleaning. Use the maintenance section of the printer properties to print first a nozzle check, then followed by cleaning or deep cleaning if warranted. You may have to clean several times before more drastic action is required. The nozzle check will surely tell you if the print head is clogged. If not clogged, or the colors appear right on the nozzle check then suspect some other problem than the nozzle. There is a possibility that something else is wrong with the printer other than the nozzle, either hardware or software. Investigate this before proceeding. If the printer is under warranty, try to get a replacement from Canon. Be sure to remove all non-Canon ink cartridges and replace with Canon cartridges before taking/sending for warranty repair. If not under warranty, you will have to remove the print head and clean. Observe how it fits in the tray so that you can replace it after removal. Do the removal as a last resort, and be gentle.Try a bottle of compressed air first; don't blow too close to the print head, and blow into the nozzles from the nozzle side, not the ink side. Replace see if the problem is fixed. If needed soak the print head by putting several paper towels, folded, on a plate and wet them well with water. Place the nozzle area onto the towels and let them soak for one or two hours. Let head dry completely, and see if OK. If not, then add some Windex Original Formula to the water and try soaking again, using a new paper towel. If this still doesn't work, you likely need to buy a new print head, so you can throw caution to the wind. Repeat the soaking but with some household ammonia added to the water in the towels. If this still doesn't work, there is probably no hope for the print head. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] MagicJack: a VoIP question
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/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Here we go again....
Speaking personally, it does not matter to me if TV broadcasting is ended. With the switch from analog to digital, I am able to receive only two local digital broadcasts despite having a very large VHF-UHF antenna mounted 10 feet above the roof of my 2-story house. I dwell in Vienna, VA, which is on the Capital Beltway only 10 miles from the transmission towers. Prior to the switch, I could receive at least 14 TV broadcasts. Effectively, TV broadcasting is ended for me and I must rely on cable for TV viewing. I don't know how important TV broadcasting is in smaller cities or in rural areas. Perhaps it is more important there. phartz...@gmail.com wrote: Broadcast television is likely to undergo yet another major change similar to what was seen as it transitioned from analog to digital about a year ago. Cellular providers are arguing for yet even more bandwidth, and this time they want TV broadcasters to give up spectrum yet again. Cellular providers argue that digital TV transmissions are preventing them from using adjacent frequencies that could be made available for mobile data devices, commonly referred to as cell phones. ATT, Sprint, et al, say that TV broadcasts from single locations upon tall towers radiate spurious signals that can mess with cellular transmissions on nearby frequencies. They want TV broadcasters to switch to low power antennas that are scattered throughout the coverage area of the various TV stations. The FCC earlier had given tacit approval to such a scheme, but because of serious technical difficulties associated with such a plan, along with much higher cost, such a plan was, for the most part, not employed when TV switched from analog to digital. However, cellular providers now have their undies in a knit because they are finding they they are promising much more than they can actually deliver with the situation as it currently stands. If broadcast TV is forced to undergo yet another transition, this time it could have quite an impact upon that industry. Viewers have been through this once already, and will probably react unfavorably is they have to go through it yet again. Multiple transmission sites will create a lot of problems for both the stations as well as viewers. Signals that arrive at a TV receiving antenna from multiple directions, which would be the case in most scenarios where a number of separate transmitters are being used, will cause multipath interference, resulting in ghosting of images, echo effects, even loss of signal when out-of-phase signals collide. In many markets, dependent in great part upon the lay of the land, the expected quality of digital broadcast can be severely eroded, and there will not be much that can be done about it. Broadcasters can make some signal adjustments at the various broadcasting antenna sites that they would be using, but those adjustments would basically be of a one size fits all type that could fix problems for some viewers while leaving others still dealing with a mess. An awful lot of consumers have sunk a lot of money into new digital televisions, and they want and expect to get the quality images that they have paid to be able to receive. Many viewers re going to be plenty upset if this change comes to pass, and cable and satellite TV companies are already salivating and licking their lips in anticipation. Steve * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Correct way to burn a video DVD
Sounds like the DVD player isn't able to read the DVD disk. Some older players are not compatible with some kinds of computer DVD disks. Best advice for older players is to use a DVD+R disk. The brand of DVD disk also might be important. I had an older DVD player for which some brands of DVDs could be read only on about 20% of the burned disks, whereas other brands could be read nearly 90% of those disks that were burned. My advice for brand: for single layer DVD, use the Taiyo Yuden brand. For dual layer, use Verbatim. Richard P. wrote: A friend sent a video DVD on which he had put some home movies. It wouldn't play in the DVD player/TV set, but played OK in the computer. What's the correct way to burn a DVD video so that it can be watched on either a computer or stand-alone DVD player? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Windows XP DVD read only disc 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/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] STRANGE VIRUS?
Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote: I remember way back when memory sold for $60 a MB. (We sold a custom machine where the man wanted 16 MB of ram, cost him $640 a lone for the ram.) Stewart I remember when memory was $450 per MB. I had a Zenith PC and it had proprietary memory. Some time later I found a used MB for sale for only $75 so I bought it, but the machine died before I installed the memory. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] Shopping advice needed -- keyboard mouse
My daughter wants a wireless keyboard and mouse for her desktop computer (Windows Vista) at Xmas. Quite a number of these at Newegg. Question, for a separate purchase of wireless RF keyboard RF mouse, will the two interfere with each other? Looking at Logitech K350 keyboard and Microsoft optical mouse 2000. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] Critical battery warning for Windows XP
This happened just now, and has happened a few times before. Immediately after switching profiles on my DESKTOP computer using Windows XP Pro, I get a balloon with a critical battery warning saying that I must soon switch to to electrical power. There is no power battery in my desktop, and it is connected at all times to the electrical outlet. Naturally, I have Googled the message and see only links for laptops. Does this warning pertain to some actual battery in my desktop PC, or is it totally ignorable? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] ATT keeps whining, Apple attacks
My aunt, who smoked, favored a corn-cob pipe. The tobacco (which she grew) never hurt her, and the pipe greatly enhanced her image with the students that she taught. Jordan wrote: John Duncan Yoyo wrote: On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 2:43 PM, mike xha...@gmail.com wrote: I know plenty of smokers who didn't get lung cancer, doesn't mean smoking doesn't cause it. Yep, My point was that smoker's smoke may have caused lung cancer in people who never smoked. Or more likely emphysema. My grandmother never smoked, but my grandfather did and it likely caused emphysema that killed her. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Dead desktop computer -- what is likely the matter?
Update on dead computer -- a HP desktop with Windows XP Home. Daughter bought a power supply for $20, installed it, and the computer runs. She mentioned afterwards that a downloaded iTunes video would play only very slowly. I asked her about her antivirus software -- she had none. I advised to download AVG and Malwarebytes. She did, found some viruses with AVG; Malwarebytes wouldn't install. Soon after removing viruses, computer boots only to a blank screen but with wallpaper. Safe mode shows only black screen but for safe mode in four corners. No start button. Task Manager shows many processes running including b.exe which might be a virus. Because HP, no Windows CD available. Tried boot to last good but failed -- same result. Tried everything else can think of short of the HP recovery program. The recovery program starts from C: drive and says that all applications will be deleted, OS repaired, but that data will be retained. She worries that she will loose Dreamweaver, which costs $500 but she got free when she was in a class at Eastman School of Music two years ago. (Her full backup to external HD was a year ago.) By now, she might have tried the HP recovery program, don't know. Any advise? b_s-wilk wrote: BIOS battery? Bad RAM? There's some amazing deals coming up next week and for Christmas. BLACK FRIDAY! YES!! Or she can buy $1100 worth of software with $1450 in rebates and use the difference to get a free computer. Betty * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Dead desktop computer -- what is likely the matter?
Second follow-up on daughter's HP desktop: She ran the HP recovery program that said that programs would be deleted but data saved. After running, programs were saved but data deleted. Per my advice, she tried to download AVG antivirus. MS Internet Explorer wouldn't download; she installed Firefox. With this, AVG program would download, but not install. Trying to install simply returned her to the AVG download website. She successfully downloaded Malwarebytes and is now running same. It was finding numerous problems as of a few minutes ago. I'm thinking that the only way to fix her computer is to reformat reinstall OS. But since HP didn't include a Windows XP disk when purchasing her computer, I will have to offer one of mine to her. Is there a copyright issue here? Some of my Windows OS disks were bought for computers that I once had but are discarded now so that the same disk OS would be installed on only one computer at the same time. Robert Carroll wrote: Update on dead computer -- a HP desktop with Windows XP Home. Daughter bought a power supply for $20, installed it, and the computer runs. She mentioned afterwards that a downloaded iTunes video would play only very slowly. I asked her about her antivirus software -- she had none. I advised to download AVG and Malwarebytes. She did, found some viruses with AVG; Malwarebytes wouldn't install. Soon after removing viruses, computer boots only to a blank screen but with wallpaper. Safe mode shows only black screen but for safe mode in four corners. No start button. Task Manager shows many processes running including b.exe which might be a virus. Because HP, no Windows CD available. Tried boot to last good but failed -- same result. Tried everything else can think of short of the HP recovery program. The recovery program starts from C: drive and says that all applications will be deleted, OS repaired, but that data will be retained. She worries that she will loose Dreamweaver, which costs $500 but she got free when she was in a class at Eastman School of Music two years ago. (Her full backup to external HD was a year ago.) By now, she might have tried the HP recovery program, don't know. Any advise? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Antivirus software
No help can I offer, but to say that I have installed AVG on Windows XP and used for years without any problems. Perhaps you ought to try a free virus scan of your computer -- the free scan won't fix the problem but can detect if one exists. I would also search the web for a forum that specializes in virus scan problems to see if this problem has happened to others. Christopher Range wrote: I tried AVG and, Avast. Neither one of them finished installing. So I had to get rid of both of them. I tried McAffee Security Suite via Comcast. It never properly installed. I went back to Norton Internet Security and, every time I try to do a full system scan, I get a BSOD(Blue Screen Of Death). Yet, I can do a quick scan without any problems. I know the Windows Installer is working. Because I wouldn't have been able to install Firefox or, Thunderbird. All ideas appreciated. Christopher * ** 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] Plain English, please...
mike wrote: I really wouldn't start telling these old folks about the cloud... On Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 3:46 PM, Fred Holmes f...@his.com wrote: At 05:25 PM 10/15/2009, Sue Cubic wrote: I want to know---what is the cloud? Why not? Old folks are simply old, not stupid. Some are stupid -- might have been all their lives -- but most are not. A few have mental or emotional problems, as do younger people. Old folks have more wisdom than younger folks taken as a whole. When you're old (best outcome that you can ever hope for), do you want some young stranger telling you that information should be withheld from you because you're too old to think straight? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Snail Mail
No, but I know who coined the term snail mail. Edward Lear, who depicted a letter written on a snail's shell in 1864: http://www.nonsenselit.org/Lear/snail.html Tom Piwowar wrote: An email I sent October 7th just showed up on the List. Has anyone else noticed this kind of thing? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Finding web stores overseas
b_s-wilk wrote: Go to amazon.fr and search on plume waterman. Let me know if it works. In France you're likely to get more returns at Kelkoo, same search terms, http://tinyurl.com/ylyt7qr. Many of the items are in Amazon marketplace, but many are elsewhere too. Try http://www.touslesprix.com/papeterie/cherche-stylo-plume-waterman.html What's the difference between the 800€ pen and the 10€ pen besides price? Thanks for help. To answer your question in the last sentence, a $10 fountain pen probably is ugly and may not write well. The nib is made of base metal, usually is offered in one width, and probably uses pre-filled ink cartridges (that I don't like, since I write so much). Ink flow is problematical. An expensive pen is made for a presentation gift or for a jewelry collection. One example (not the most expensive) is the Caran d'Anche Harmony pen priced at $6800 http://www.joonpens.com/Caran%20d%27Ache_Harmony%20Limited%20Edition_pens I do not buy such expensive pens since I can't afford them, so I can't say how they might feel in the hand or how they might write. Other expensive pens might have a gold body, a jeweled body, or simply a famous designer name attached to it. One intermediate-priced pen that I have is the Montblanc model 149, once called the Diplomat but now called the Meisterstuck pen. The current cost is just under $800. http://www.joonpens.com/Montblanc_Meisterstuck%20Collection_pens It is fat like a cigar, has a gold nib with platinum overlay, and does not use ink cartridges. I own the earlier Diplomat, which has a higher content gold nib than the Meisterstuck -- meaning my nib is more flexible. It does not write so well -- the nib is a bit scratchy altho the ink flow is good if the right brand of ink is selected. I carried the Montblanc in my shirt pocket for 10 years but I began to worry that I would loose it so now it stays at home, used infrequently. Plus, Montblanc has one of the worst repair policies among all pens. Since I want a good writing pen at a modest price, I settled on the Waterman Phileas pen with a medium nib. Selling for about $35 overseas with shipping, or about $69 domestically with shipping, it is reasonably attractive, uses either a pre-filled ink cartridge or is refillable, comes in several colors of plastic, has a gold-plated nib, and most samples write well with Waterman ink. A few do not measure up to my standards but the price is such that I can throw that few away. I have other brands of pens as well, and I like the older ones. I have have several Shaeffer snorkel pens with life-time warranties that I like very much but these are subject today of being subject to failure, and there are no repair parts available except for cannibalizing other snorkel pens for parts. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Finding web stores overseas
I started this thread by asking how to find fountain pen stores in France. For many products made overseas, an importer will make an agreement with the manufacturer to be the sole importer of that product. This means that a contract is struck: the manufacturer agrees not to sell its product to any person or group within the importer's region, and the importer agrees to take on some part of the cost of importation (such as, warranting the product within the region, or assembling parts, or quality-control inspection and correction at no cost to the manufacturer). As a result of the contract, the importer has a monopoly on sales of that product and can charge a price that is unrelated to the cost of manufacture, up to the maximum price that the market will bear. In some cases (such as the Waterman fountain pen made in France that I sought), it is cheaper to buy the product in another country and ship it to the US than it is to buy the product at either a local or a web store that must abide by the importer's restriction: no discount from list price is permitted upon penalty of being denied supply of the product. In effect, the old fair trade price fixing scheme has been revived by contract. Finding stores in other countries via the web that are outside the monopoly contract is a way that consumers can bypass unnatural elevation of prices. This is why I asked for a way to find overseas fountain pen web stores. Thank you for suggesting that there are regional Googles to search. ( To be fair, there are some products for which the maximum price that the market will bear is a narrow range of prices and for other products there is a much wider range. In the case of a fountain pen, these are sold for as little as $10 and as much as $20,000 each, with a surprising lot being in the $2000 to $5000 range. This creates confusion in consumers as to a reasonable price of a fountain pen. If one wants a good serviceable pen but not a presentation item or a jewelry item, how much should it cost? Unknown except for those, like me, who use a fountain pen exclusively and has tried many makes and brands and learned from experience.) * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] Finding web stores overseas
Below is a Background section -- it explains only my motivation for my question, so skip it to the actual question following unless you like to read stuff. BACKGROUND = I am a devotee of the fountain pen since my second grade in public school. Write a lot, tried many brands models of all prices, settled on a moderately-priced pen made in France. Since I write so much, I keep 6 to 8 pens in rotation so that I don't have to fill ink from a bottle so often. Problem is, I lose pens fairly frequently (I believe in my house but maybe not), so I have to buy more. Recently I found that my favorite web store increased the price by 1/3. Turns out, the sole U.S. importer has demanded that all stores, including web store, can't offer the pen lower than its list price. I found an eBay store in France that offers both a Buy It Now price and an auction for that pen. The Buy It Now price with both shipping insurance is about half price of the U.S. stores. The auction price is a bit less. But before finding the eBay store, I searched on Google for stores in France, Germany, Italy. Of course, I used the advanced search to specify the domain but there were very few stores listed on Google. My eBay store (a large one) from which I bought my pen was not found on Google. Why does Google not list links to overseas stores? BTW, there are a lot of examples of many different kinds of merchandise that are artificially increased in price because of exclusive contracts for importation into the U.S. by a domestic company. So far as I know, buying from an overseas company via the web is not a violation of any exclusive contract by a U.S. company. END BACKGROUND Finding web stores sellers from other countries on Google search in the U.S. produces unsatisfactory results for me. Specifying the Google search domain from other countries has proved for me to produce a limited number of links. Question: Is there a good way of finding web stores internationally? From Google, or from other web searches? Is there a way to access a web search that is primarily directed to an overseas country? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Google Chrome add-in for IE: Speed demon or big, fat security hole?
Ok, changing the subject about Google Chrome: I am webmaster of a site that offers download playing of music for those who want to hear it. I have tested the web site on all major browsers, but only Chrome fails to open the music for playing. I sent a complaint to Google about this when it first came out as a beta, but so far no change from them. The website is at http://riversidesax.info/ Go to Listen page to try it. Any suggestions? John Duncan Yoyo wrote: On Thu, Oct 1, 2009 at 12:46 PM, tjp t...@tjpa.com wrote: http://blogs.computerworld.com/14797/google_chome_add_in_for_ie_speed_demon_or_big_fat_security_hole Google's just released Chrome add-in for Internet Explorer can speed up IE by as much as 10 times, tests show. But if you listen to Microsoft, it also leaves you more vulnerable to malware and Web-based attacks. Who should you believe? This is a variation on Google trying to take over and reengineer the iPhone with GoogleVoice, except this time it is going after M$. My first reaction is holy cow, are M$ programmers such jerks that Google can so easily speed up IE by ten fold. Then I wonder if our WFBs will so vigorously defend Google now that the shoe is on the other foot. Apparently google's programmers were frustrated by IE's lack of HTML 5 that they wrote the chrome plugin as a work around the backward nature of IE. This was to allow a new google beta release to work in IE. My guess is part of the speed up is them by passing IE's security filters. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Vista -- Help Needed with Read Only Flag
Based on my experience, I would advise against trusting a thumb drive or a memory chip to store data over the long run. A month or two, probably OK. I had a SD card with student grade spreadsheets for two or three years of classes plus other data. The card was in a pocket PC. One day the SD card indicated that it was not formatted. I tried to retrieve the data with several data retrieval programs but there was just too much data and too much unknown code on the SD card to be intelligible. Fortunately, I had backed up the SD card to my hard disk so that only a small portion of the data on the card was lost. (BTW, I reformatted the SD card and it has functioned well since then.) In another case, I used a 2 GB SD card to take pictures with a digital camera during an European vacation. After copying them on return from the vacation, I removed saved the SD card, switched it to read only, and stored it in a desk drawer. Two years later, I found that about 2% of total number of pictures on the SD card were no longer recognizable as jpg files. All the copied pictures were still good when viewed from the hard disk. So far, I have not had any trouble with a USB flash drive but then I don't store data there for archiving -- mostly to transfer from one computer to another over the short run. mike wrote: I think at this point I'd just keep some cheapo thumb drives around. You can get 8 gig drives that size of chiclets. Format them in a manner that can be read by any system. On Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 9:01 AM, Rev. Stewart Marshall popoz...@earthlink.net wrote: Thew reason Windows changes the flag when you move a file to a writable media, is that when you write it to a CD/DVD it becomes readable only. Once it is put on a media it must change the flag otherwise it would error out all the time when you try to change or write a file to your CD/DVD I think the only way to change that is if you used your CD/DVD as a harddrive and have the programs loaded to do that. Stewart At 10:48 AM 9/18/2009, you wrote: I never said it wouldn't store the attributes. That's exactly what it is doing. If you zip the file and then burn it to cd, it only locks the zip file. Windows xp and vista/7 seem to decide that since you are moving a file to a cd, it will lock the file from being changed. Tom's problem is even after moving the files from cd to HD he can't change that back. So you zip the files you want to move, then burn it to cd, it only locks the zip file. Rev. Stewart A. Marshall mailto:popoz...@earthlink.net Prince of Peace www.princeofpeaceozark.org Ozark, AL SL 82 * ** 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/ ** * * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Guys and GPS
mike wrote: I've heard this all my life, but I've never met a guy who refused or didn't like asking for directions. We haven't met. I remember vividly the day, decades ago, when I swore I would never again stop my car to ask directions. That story is too long to tell here, but the usual accusation that it is a macho thing that prevents males to ask for help from other males or females is not correct in my opinion. The problem is the accuracy of information one can obtain by asking. If a man asks for directions, the directions might be wrong and if so, it may be due to miscommunication, feigned knowledge, or deliberate misleading whether received from male or female. If a woman asks for directions from a man, the man will strive mightily to help the damsel in distress so that the information she receives is more likely to be accurate. If she asks another female, whether the information received is accurate or not, at least she has15 minutes of pleasant conversation. Since the outcome of asking directions is more likely to be negative for a man than for a woman, the man is more reluctant to ask unless all else fails. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Snow Leopard Review
Eric S. Sande wrote: Apple and MS both do this to make sure people do not complain that it makes their systems run like a dog not realizing that the hardware was never designed for it to begin with. Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. --Mark Twain Not Mark Twain, but Groucho Marx. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] Asking for prepaid cell phone recommendation
So far I have resisted getting a cell phone for myself. Wife daughters insist on having one, so that I am paying about $150/month for same. Don't want to add on to my plan since it requires another 2-year contract, plus wifey will be constantly calling me for help, for chitchat, and for no reason other than she's bored. (I don't like to talk on any telephone since meaning of words is ambiguous without visual communication.) Heard about prepaid cell phones on this Listserv, asking for recommendations. What I want cell phone for: for travel emergency and, possibly, for travel advice from friends while traveling Estimated monthly useage: 10 minutes/month What I would use: voice telephony What I wouldn't use: text or picture messaging, web browsing, picture taking, anything else. What I don't want: people text messaging me, or calling me to chitchat. What's not important: overseas calling, or long distance except during travel emergency My location: Northern Virginia and DC. Question: is a prepaid cell phone cost effective for me? Cheaper than adding onto a family plan? What prepaid plan is recommended? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Computer gadgets in cars
Speaking as a university professor of about 35 years, I don't want students in my classes to have guns. There have been several instances of disturbed students who have obtained a gun and threatened me and other faculty with being shot. We call the FBI who come quickly. So far none of the faculty in my department have been shot or killed by a student. On the other hand, my students study engineering and they tell me that engineering students don't go to Cancun during spring break for wet T-shirt contests. I haven't yet figured out the correlation between gun threats and Cancun. mike wrote: During the Virginia Tech shootings, the guy reloaded several times. Imagine being one of those still alive, standing next to your slain friends waiting for your killer to reload his guns to move on to you. We can trade anecdotes all day long, stats speak for themselves. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Computer gadgets in cars
Since I got a DVR from Verizon Fios, I have recorded watched old episodes of Maverick. Everyone (except some females) carry guns on that program and use them profusely. Seems to work for them, so why not for us today? Maybe every walk down a sidewalk -- better said, for today, a drive in my car -- ought to have a gun exchange. Of course I will win since I am the good guy, and besides I need to go to work tomorrow unlike the delinquents who fire at me as on the TV show. Jeff Miles wrote: I've always wondered why gun toting was disallowed in the first place. If I was a petty thief, the last person I'd try to mug is a gun toting person. On the other hand I have to think of the general common sense of the population. What happens when a person carries both a cell phone and a gun and the cell phone rings? Jeff M * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Computer gadgets in cars
Constance Warner wrote: As a pedestrian in the Washington, D.C. area, I'm in favor of anything that will improve my odds of survival, even by just a few percentage points. If windshield-mounted GPS units and similar devices make it more likely for pedestrians to get mowed down by vehicles, then I think that the windshield-mounted devices should be illegal. I'm aware that this might be less convenient for drivers, who might have to do something radical: plan their route before they get in the car. Once upon a time, this was SOP, and we used primitive devices called road maps and map books to do it. I have a hard time feeling sorry for people who think that it's a hardship not having a GPS stuck right in their field of vision on the windshield. Once upon a time I used road maps and map books too. Or rather, I drove while wife attempted to read a map. She doesn't read one and can't learn. Every 15 minutes or so as we drove, we would get into a terrific quarrel -- me asking for directions and she insisting that the map didn't have our road on it. As always, the quarrel ended with me pulling to the shoulder of the road (or stopping on the road if there was no shoulder) and glancing at the map for 15 seconds to find out where we were and how to make the next turn. By the end of the trip we despised each other. Since using a GPS, all our quarrels have ended. A wonderful marital aid. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Computer gadgets in cars
Constance Warner wrote: Great essay! I'd be in favor of ticketing drivers who mount GPS units and other such devices on their windshields, and I hope it soon becomes similarly illegal to mount laptop support brackets inside cars--a truly terrifying prospect. This is another black or white debate -- meaning that either all electronic devices such as GPS units or cell phones should be banned, or there should be no laws regarding their use in cars. Neither situation is helpful. First, there has not been a recognition in this debate that using the devices, particularly the GPS unit, improves driving safety. Who has not been driving behind an individual who is seeking a house or business address and weaving from side to side on the road, especially at night, to spy a posted address? Or seen drivers make U-turns in the road because they are lost? If they had a GPS unit, they would drive more safely. One anecdote: my grandfather-in-law drove from his home in Connecticut to my home. On the Capital Beltway he became lost and confused with our written directions and simply stopped in his lane of the Beltway during rush hour and awaited for someone to come to his aid. Naturally a large backup happened, but the highway patrolman who eventually came directed him to the right exit. Had he possessed a GPS, he would have not stopped and created a dangerous situation. Since the GPS device is a useful tool, some safe way must be found for it to be accommodated in a car. I would prefer that it be mounted on the dashboard either underneath the rear-view mirror or on the left side of the steering wheel. But most GPS units, including mine, are intended to be mounted on the windshield and can't be mounted on the dashboard because of its texture. I hope that future cars will provide a place to adhere a GPS unit to the dashboard as well as provide an electrical outlet there to avoid a long hanging wire. In my opinion, these units are here to stay so claiming that they are illegal and therefore must be banned is narrow-minded. Let us engineer better solutions, not ban all improvements. If drivers who mount GPS units on their windshields are ticketed as Ms. Warner recommends, very soon there will be a change in the law which permits windshield mounting. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Computer gadgets in cars
Sue Cubic wrote: I've not travelled much out of my area since my husband died, but I'm thinking I might like a GPS. Please tell me that I can get one that talks? You'd be surprised what you can stick on your dashboard. Sue As far as I know, nearly all GPS systems talk. I prefer to follow the spoken directions, and need to look at the map only occasionally. However, what the GPS systems say depends on the price of the system. Usually those priced less than about $150 -- $175 are not verbose. They will say such things as Turn right here or Take next exit. GPS systems in the $150 and above will be more verbose. They will say In 0.6 miles, turn right onto Windom Avenue, followed by In 0.2 miles, turn right onto Windom Avenue, followed by Turn right onto Windom Avenue now. Most of the above have menus that you can select to find (and go to) such things as gas stations in the area, lodging, restaurants, airports, libraries, recreational attractions, hospitals, municipal buildings, etc. In fact, I found some good restaurants near my home just by looking at my GPS, which separates lists of restaurants by the kind of food that they serve (i.e., American, French, seafood, Chinese, fast food, and many other categories). GPS systems over about $250 have additional features such as interactive traffic monitors that can warn you of traffic jams take detours to avoid same, Bluetooth availability for listening to music, and other things. If you are looking to purchase a GPS system, my advice is to check Consumers Reports before buying. You can find a good model on a web store at a good price. Generally, the Garmin and the Tom Tom brands fare well in CU Reports but check them all out. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Gubmint computer grab
FDR??? Herbert Hoover is closer to the mark for that one. But methinks, hiding in shrubbery, is a President who might be named that is more contemporary. OK, maybe choosing FDR is a satirical poke at someone's belief. Matthew Taylor wrote: FDR On Aug 2, 2009, at 5:36 PM, phartz...@gmail.com wrote: By the way, who was this last President who totaled our economy? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] GMail Warning about Betty's Post
b_s-wilk wrote: Yes, it's me, even when I send email from Spanish or UK servers or the United Transnational Republics, even when it's uʍop ǝpısdn. Betty How do you make text appear upside down? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Switching, and why
t.piwowar wrote: I know a newly-wed Mac user who switched to Windows because that is what his wife insisted on, he wanted to save money, and he figured it could not be as bad as the stories he had heard. Shortly thereafter he was screaming about how much worse it was than he had imagined. He switched back to Mac and has just bought a Mac for his wife. I think switching either way brings initial difficulty. I've used a PC for a long time but I bought my then college-aged daughter a Macbook Pro. She likes it and can use both PCs and her Mac. But I am at a total loss when I try to use her Mac, even for the most basic things. The programs are unrecognizable to me, and I even had to ask her how to delete a file. Knowing which audio video formats that can be shared between the two are a puzzle to both of us. How did your friend's wife like switching to a Mac? Without this info, the anecdote only suggests that one Mac user had trouble switching to Windows (?) and he doesn't care what his wife prefers. P.S. I've cursed the Windows OS ever since DOS, so I am not championing it. If I had a Mac, I imagine I would curse its OS also. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] New algorithm guesses SSNs using date and place of birth
SSN came way before zip codes. John Duncan Yoyo wrote: On Tue, Jul 7, 2009 at 6:09 PM, Chris Dunford seed...@gmail.com wrote: My dads began with a 0 means east coast. Not all east coast. I grew up in NY and mine starts with 1. My wife grew up around DC and hers starts with 2. I wonder if they match the first digits of the zip code. Sounds pretty close for the East Coast. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] New algorithm guesses SSNs using date and place of birth
My wife was born in Connecticut. SSN starts with 0. I was born in NC. My SSN starts with 2. Chris Dunford wrote: My dads began with a 0 means east coast. Not all east coast. I grew up in NY and mine starts with 1. My wife grew up around DC and hers starts with 2. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Bing FAILS on Big News
Don't forget ALGOL. Predecessor of Fortran. Contemporary of Cobal. Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote: That pretty much coincides with what I know. ATT came up with the big bear of them all UNIX. The first two popular ones I remember (and this is only from reading) was FORTRAN and COBAL. FORTRAN stood for formula translation and was used in the math and scientific community a lot. COBOL stood for Common Oriented Business Operating Language or something similar. This was used for a long time. I remember when the Veterinary Software Company I worked for used ACCUCOBOL for their program in the early 90's. Stewart At 01:24 PM 7/4/2009, you wrote: t.piwowar I bet Mozart's contemporaries said the same things about him. I also bet that long after Bill Gates is forgotten, people will still be thrilled by MJ. Could be BTW, without Googling it, who invented the transistor? the microprocessor? the 1st programming language? First transistor was by a team headed by William Shockley at ATT, Intel had the first microprocessor (depending on definition), the first programming language is also based on definitions - in some ways an assembler is a programming language (macro's, etc.) Rev. Stewart A. Marshall mailto:popoz...@earthlink.net Prince of Peace www.princeofpeaceozark.org Ozark, AL SL 82 * ** 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] myEarthLink News Article - Reception problems linger after DTV transition
I am in Vienna, VA. and can't get channels 7 and 9. I have an Antennas Direct model DB2 external antenna (UHF) as well as an amplified UHF/VHF rabbit ear antenna, plus several non-amplified ones. None provides any picture at all on the two channels. I was aware but paid little attention to the VHF carrier frequency of the two channels since I supposed that I was so close to the transmitting tower that any antenna would suffice. I think that OTA transmission must be a small and shrinking part of TV delivery so that the TV stations are not overly concerned about this problem. t.piwowar wrote: On Jun 17, 2009, at 8:34 AM, Richard P. wrote: Here's a local article from The Washington Post about the DC area losing 2 stations: Good story, but it did not help. I get 7 but not 9. If this were true and I had an antenna problem I would get neither station. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] DTV debacle
Of course I rescanned. I also entered channels 7-1 and 9-1 manually to the TV. There is not enough signal even to register on the signal strength meter on those channels. With the old rabbit ears, I can get a jerky picture on channel 7-1 and none on channel 9-1. Since I am only 10 miles from the transmitting tower, I guess that channels 7 9 have made a decision that over-the-air broadcasting is not a significant part of their audience and plan to rely on cable and satellite instead. Perhaps they are right. If I now buy yet another outdoor antenna, one that receives both VHF and UHF signals, the cost of antennas will exceed the cost of the digital TV and I still will be able only to receive local over-the-air stations. Better to keep old analog sets, pay the cable company for a few more tuners. t.piwowar wrote: They announced they were going to do that long ago. Using those lower-numbered channels will give them better range. This is why we are being told to rescan for channels after the switchover. On Jun 13, 2009, at 1:14 PM, Robert Carroll wrote: Latest problem with digital TV in DC area. Couldn't get local digital channels with a digital LCD TV using rabbit ears, so I got an outside digital antenna. Could get channels fine. Then when analog was shut off, digital channels 7 (WJLA) and 9 (WUSA) disappeared. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] formatting a USB external disk for use by Mac
P.P.S. The USB external hard drive that I want to give to my daughter is called either 500 GB or 465 GB, depending on who is doing the calling. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] DTV debacle
b_s-wilk wrote: We went from getting around 20 stations to 2. We have a new amplified antenna that doesn't help. This sucks. The switch to digital was a gift to cable, fiber and satellite companies, as well as electronics companies, and gives the customers no advantage with plenty to complain about. I feel like we've been mugged. I bought a digital LCD TV. Even tho I dwell on the DC Beltway and most of the local TV transmitting towers are about 10 miles away line-of-sight, I could get NO local digital TV at all with an amplified rabbit-ear antenna. Just bought an outdoor antenna, and can now get all but one of the local channels that I got with my analog TV using rabbit ears. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] Windows XP active partitions question
I have discovered that some of my external hard drives have been marked as active when I converted them from FAT32 to NTSC. Each drive has one partition only, and there are no OS on these drives. Will having active partitions on multiple drive cause me a problem? If so, is there a way to make them non-active? * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] Mac or PC laptop?
I'm considering buying a laptop. All my programs for my desktop are for PC, and these I will most likely use on a laptop. My question is: is it better to buy a PC to run PC programs, or a Mac to run PC programs? Please don't tell me that I can get as good as or better results using programs for Mac. Except for the odd example, running Mac programs is not going to happen with me. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Mac or PC laptop?
I take it that you are voting for my buying a PC laptop. Why, you ask? Many reasons, here's a few why. The reason for considering buying a Mac is the high regard that members of this listserv hold for the Mac. It seems that the OS is claimed here to be superior to that of a PC, as well as the Mac hardware. For the software: My work gives me free software for PC, none for Mac. If I buy the software for Mac, I must pay for it myself. Example (one of many): Matlab, with 13 toolboxes. Unfortunately, the Matlab web site doesn't list prices, but I estimate that the packages would cost around $1,000 to $2,000. There are quite a few other mathematical or scientific packages that are free to me for PC but for which I would have to pay for myself to get the Mac version. There are a number of other, more mundane, reasons: for example, just this week I upgraded to a version of a music notation program that is available only for PC. What music notation program is available for a Mac, and how much will I have to pay? It is the cost of switching many professional-quality programs to a Mac version that is a reason to avoid the Mac if it can't execute PC programs satisfactorily. Thus, my question: can a Mac run PC programs well enough to make a Mac laptop a desirable choice, or is there no reason to prefer a Mac laptop over a PC laptop? Please note that I am not a PC or Mac partisan. I've never owned a laptop nor a Mac, so I have no opinion at all about the differences between the PC and the Mac until I have tried both at some length. Jeff Miles wrote: On May 28, 2009, at 5:03 PM, Robert Carroll wrote: I'm considering buying a laptop. All my programs for my desktop are for PC, and these I will most likely use on a laptop. My question is: is it better to buy a PC to run PC programs, or a Mac to run PC programs? Please don't tell me that I can get as good as or better results using programs for Mac. Except for the odd example, running Mac programs is not going to happen with me. Then why are you even bothering asking the question? If you're dead set against running any Mac programs why would you even consider buying one? Jeff M * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Color Calibration?
Don't know about Spyder3Pro, but there are some free programs that might help. For info, visit http://www.normankoren.com/makingfineprints1A.html#QuickGamma For a free program to adjust gamma, visit http://quickgamma.de/indexen.html Alvin Auerbach wrote: I'd really like the group's advice on the following: I'm a not very knowledgeable, low end snap shooter picture taker. Still, I'd like to have my camera, scanner, monitor (iMac), and both printers agree on what colors in photographs are supposed to look like. There is a hardware-software combination called Spyder3Pro ($169 list, $130 street) which purports to be able to do this. 1. Will this thing really do this? 2. Can an amateur learn to use it get reasonable results with it? 3. If I send the file to a commercial printer, can the device still help? 4. Is there another model or another brand that would be better for me? Thanks for your advice, Alvin * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Color Calibration?
Don't know about Spyder3Pro, but there are some free programs that might help. For info, visit http://www.normankoren.com/makingfineprints1A.html http://www.normankoren.com/color_management.html For a free program to adjust gamma, visit http://quickgamma.de/indexen.html Alvin Auerbach wrote: I'd really like the group's advice on the following: I'm a not very knowledgeable, low end snap shooter picture taker. Still, I'd like to have my camera, scanner, monitor (iMac), and both printers agree on what colors in photographs are supposed to look like. There is a hardware-software combination called Spyder3Pro ($169 list, $130 street) which purports to be able to do this. 1. Will this thing really do this? 2. Can an amateur learn to use it get reasonable results with it? 3. If I send the file to a commercial printer, can the device still help? 4. Is there another model or another brand that would be better for me? Thanks for your advice, Alvin * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Revealed Truth
Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote: I do remember him saying render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and unto God that which is God's. . Unfortunately for the rest of us, I don't think he mentioned which was which ... * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Revealed Truth
Reverend, I respect you your religion. Not being a Christian myself, I have trouble understanding your reply. Can you elucidate? I know this is a computer -- whatever -- so if my question is out of line I apologize, and no response is necessary from you. Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote: He did but we often forget. He comes first everything else comes last. Stewart At 05:51 PM 5/13/2009, you wrote: Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote: I do remember him saying render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and unto God that which is God's. . Unfortunately for the rest of us, I don't think he mentioned which was which ... * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] CD differences (?)
It is my belief that there is no difference at all between a music CD and a data CD except the price. There is a royalty paid to ASCAP for each music CD sold because the intent is to store music on the CD that has a royalty attached. Whereas DVDs, in my experience, differ greatly in quality according to the brand, I have found no difference in recording quality of CDs for each brand. However, some CDs are vulnerable to physical damage on the side opposite to the playing side and should be avoided if you are archiving. chrper...@aol.com wrote: A friend recently posed the following question. Since I know nothing about this subject, I'm hoping for an answer from some of our forum geeks and guru's. - TIA! Question: Blank (writeable) CDs can be purchased either as DATA, AUDIO or (plain Jane) recordables. I'm in the process of transcribing my vinyl record collection onto CDs, and I discovered that one set of the blank CDs that I purchased is labeled DATA. So the question is 'What happens if I write an audio content to these purported data CDs ? Mical Wimoth Carton chrper...@aol.com * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Are old LPs worth anything?
My two cents: depends on what the LP is. A couple of years ago I bought an LP on eBay for over $100, recorded around 1953. Most don't sell for so much. They are like comic books: the rare and sought after comic book fetches a high price, most are not of much value even if they are old. Ranbo wrote: * A bit off-topic but have sense some here might know Someone my father met said he would come by and buy his LPs. I'm debating whether to take all my LPs for him to buy as well. I suspect we won't get paid more than a token amount. I have mostly LPs from 70's and think I've seen some of them on sale in record stores for $20-$30. Question is, would it be worth it to try to sell the records individually, or as a collection through some other means than this guy? I have maybe 35 records. Mix of rock, classic, a few musicals. Just thought I'd see what feedback I'd get. Thanks Randall* * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] First time computer buyer
b_s-wilk wrote: As an aside to your daughter, if she expects to work in video or graphic design, the good studios all use Macs or other Unix. Magazines and newspapers, good web developers, even credit card companies, use Macs. Local and national TV stations use Macs. Locally, JP Morgan Chase has been on a 'crusade' to get rid of Macs for the past few of years, to save money. They've changed their minds and just ordered 150 more Macs, on top of the 90+ they ordered last year for their Delaware location. Found out that Macs are more secure, easier to use, and need less tech support than Windows PCs. At the time she was attending a university that requires PCs. The video graphics department didn't have either Macs or Mac software. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] OT: Cable Digital TV
A minor correction: 3 db is twice power, not 1 db. The formula is: db = 10 log(P2 / P1) = 20 log (v2 / v1) where P is power and v is voltage. 12 db is an increase in power of about 15.8. Tom Piwowar wrote: SolidSignal.com has good info. Note new Channel Master model 4228HD covers down to channel 7. Channel Master 4228 has the highest gain of 12 db. Remember that 1 db = a doubling of power so 12 db is a lot. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] First time computer buyer
You don't say whether he wants a notebook or a desktop. I bought my daughter a HP desktop PC computer for Xmas this past year for about $350. It was not the cheapest: I wanted a dual-core processor. I am amazed at the quality and value when the mail-order computer arrived from HP. My daughter does video graphic design in college, needed a fast machine -- I decided to go with 4 GB DDRAM, a free upgrade then. Checking prices now at HP web site: AMD single-core processor, $300. Intel dual-core, $380. $300 computer comes with 250 GB hard drive, DVD burner, 2 GB memory, Eithernet card, card reader, optical mouse, 6 USB and one IEEE 1394 ports. Note: card slots limited to 3 besides video card slot. Wireless LAN, printer and monitor extra. Monitor likely costs the most, and wireless, printer, monitor together will probably cost more than $100 if bought new. (Seems like HP computer not as good a deal as last Xmas.) Some minimal software is offered for free, but heavy duty software will cost maybe as much as the computer. Notebooks run about 30% more than desktops. If he only wants to get on internet, get a netbook or perhaps a notebook mini computer. Latter is $280 at HP, but is a poor excuse for a computer for heavy-duty use. phartz...@gmail.com wrote: The brother of a good friend of mine wants to purchase his very first computer. This fellow just had his 48th birthday. I was asked to look into the question of what he should get, primarily just for e-mail, but who knows what he will eventually want to use it for over time. Being a Mac user, I was thinking Macintosh for various reasons based upon my own personal experiences and knowledge. However, he is insisting on a Windows machine, and I have now backed out of trying to help him make a purchase because I have little knowledge of what would be best for him on that platform. His sole reason for having to have a Windows machine is because, as he says, everyone else has one. What he really means is that he doesn't know anyone who uses anything else, except for me and my good friend, and he wants to be a part of the really big flock. His scope is limited. He does not need this computer for anything related to his work. I have said it before here, and once again it has happened. A computer purchase is being predicated upon the erroneous and paranoid concept that everyone else has one. Queried about this, he says that he fears not being able to get any help when he needs it if he gets anything but a Windows computer. and from what he hears and understands from others, he says he'll probably be needing a lot of that. This is a typical rationale I hear all the time. Additionally, he only wants to spend about $400 or so for everything, including the printer. He knows nothing of computer pricing, so this is not an issue of wanting a Windows machine simply because they are known to be initially cheap. This is no attempt to fan any flames, but merely a little peek into what I have always perceived to be a major selling point for a particular computer platform. Steve * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Windows Vista out?
Hear, Hear! Two months ago my boot disk on my PC failed, I opted to do a clean install of Windows XP Pro on a new disk instead of a disk image backup of the failed disk. Reason: the computer had become so slow to operate that I was fretting. With a clean install, the computer now has a rejuvenated life. So, what's the problem? Took a week to install the most used programs. Worse, some original disks application disks were gone missing, so I will have to buy same. Most expensive, a $600 application, followed by a $170 application, and more. If I had installed the backup image, I think that all programs would have been available as before. Just realized tonight that I haven't yet installed Microsoft Office -- been happily using the computer without it. Question for this group: is there a way of installing a program from a backup image (DriveImage, similar to Ghost image) onto a boot disk without the original program disks? Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote: I do but do you want to have to reinstall everything on your system? In these days of key#s and stuff it takes a couple of months to restore a system to what it was before when you have to reload stuff. Stewart * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] What to look for in digital converter box?
b_s-wilk wrote: The two converter boxes that I bought have a feature that it turns itself off after one hour of use (the box, not the TV). What this means is that you can't use a VCR to record a program later because the box will be turned off by the time of the recording. I don't know if all are like these, or just mine are. Please name the brand to avoid! This model is a Zenith DTT900. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
[CGUYS] Request recommendation for computer speakers
My Klipsch 2.1 computer speakers no longer work. Don't know why. Power is on, and cheapie speakers play OK when inserted into the same audio output jack that the 2.1 speakers use. Also, have checked Device Manager Play Control to see that all reports OK (Windows XP Pro). Two questions: (1) Is there some further test to do on the speakers before deciding that they have failed and need to be replaced? (They are out of warranty.) (2) Recommendations for a high-quality 2.1 speaker system, preferably under $200. * ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *
Re: [CGUYS] Norton revisited
OK, I using AGV free. What reason should I switch to Norton? Tom Piwowar wrote: Have to say that so far I am actually very impressed, and I had a big anti-Norton bias to get back over. I find the company's MO is to start with a great product (often obtained by buying another company) and then milking it for cash while investing zilch. I wonder what the reviews will be for NIS 2012? Do you think they have seen the error of their ways? * ** 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/ ** *
