General Computer Thread

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  • THIS MACHINE KILLS FASCISTS
    Economy of scale, perhaps? I remember back in 1990-1991 or so, $50 for a single 1 MB 30-pin SIMM was a huge deal, and you were more likely to see around $75. If you had 4 MB them, you were stylin'.
  • THIS MACHINE KILLS FASCISTS
    So I decided to skip ahead a bit with PC Mag and see how it looked in 2006. It's weird how I feel more comfortable with the old crap from the early 1990s than I do with the more recent "check out life before the iPhone" days. God, 2006 was weird!
  • THIS MACHINE KILLS FASCISTS
    Here's a thought: Years ago, in the supplement to the 1992 printing of Life with UNIX, I saw Microsoft complared to McDonald's. If that's the case, then I wonder what software companies would be Burger King, Wendy's, etc.

    Apple would definitely be a place like Starbucks or Panera. The big database vendors would be like the cafeteria outsourcing companies; they're expensive, yes, but you're "feeding" thousands of people a day if you're dealing with them. I'm not sure about everyone else. 
  • READ MY CROSS SHIPPING-FANFICTION, DAMMIT!

    i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
    Spent part of my daily walk with Lain in a Best Buy...

    Kinda sad that my several year old Laptop is a Solid State Hard-Drive and a couple of high-rez monitors to being one of the best PCs on the market.

    That being said, I'll probably nab a Tablet or super-thin PC once Uncle Sam realized he stole too much money from me this year...maybe both,
  • Slackware 14.0 just came out. It's really "retro" as far as GNU distros go. I really recommend it, it rocks! 

    Some familiarity with *NIX is recommended. A wireless network manager called WiCD is included in the /extra directory on the install DVD; install it with "installpkg". Repartition your disc in advance if you plan to dualboot, because the installer is pretty simple.
  • You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
    The scroll wheel on my mouse is starting to go, it seems. It's getting harder and harder to scroll without accidentally pressing it down and activating the middle-button feature of whatever I happen to be using.

    I'm wondering if I could clean it somehow. I'd take it apart, but the screws are hidden under those little pads that make it not scrape up the desk...
  • You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
    Why do all the screen-sharing programs like Skype and Google Hangouts assume you want to be on webcam and/or voice call with whoever you're sharing with?

    I just want to use text chat...
  • You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
    You know, I don't understand why tech blogs and websites made such a big deal out of the Start button being brought back in Windows 8.1. It's little more than a cosmetic change; it does the exact same thing as clicking the bottom-left corner in Windows 8, it's just a bigger, prettier target for the mouse.

    Adding the shutdown and logoff options to the Quick Access Menu was a nice touch, tho
  • READ MY CROSS SHIPPING-FANFICTION, DAMMIT!

    i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
    I still just use Pokki.

    It's actually kind of an improvement of over previous incarnations of Windows' start menu.
  • You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
    I've avoided using any sort of third-party Start menus so far, to be honest

    Largely because I don't want to become so reliant on it that I can't use a stock Windows 8 or 8.1 setup down the road when I'll inevitably have to do so...at school or work, or when helping someone else with their computer
  • it's kinda stupid, but i agree w/ all the reviews that say that making the start screen background the same as your desktop makes windows 8 about 500 times more pleasant to use.
  • You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
    I went ahead and switched it so the Start button pops open the full Apps list instead of the Start screen. I found I don't really have any use to fuss with all those tiles and stuff if I don't have to, and I could never arrange them in a way that satisfied me anyway.
  • THIS MACHINE KILLS FASCISTS
    I finally got the replacement keyboard for the T30, which means my 5 works again! 

    The new keyboard is an NMB, whereas the old one was an Alps. I've never been crazy about Alps' dome-switch keyboards; Apple had two versions of the AppleDesign keyboard, also built by Alps and NMB, and the Alps models are just huge piles of mush compared to the NMBs. 

    Also, the nipple mouse on this is nicer.
  • You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
    The stable release of CyanogenMod 10.2 (Android 4.3) is out.

    I'm debating whether to switch my phone back to Cyanogen now or wait until they put out something based on 4.4...
  • BE ATTITUDE FOR GAINS
    Nipple mouse > Touchpad
    IMO

    Also, I think I might switch to a new distro when I have a new computer. But I don't know which yet, I really would love to use xmonad as a window manager, using a keyboard for almost everything is just too convenient.
  • What's a proper and (financially) free antivirus solution for someone running Windows 7?
  • You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
    I use Avast! Free Antivirus, but that's just me. It's effective but admittedly it is annoying at times.
  • READ MY CROSS SHIPPING-FANFICTION, DAMMIT!

    i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
    Pokki still works with Windows 8.1

    Now I have two icons in the lower lefthand corner, a shitty, useless one, and Pokki.
  • kill living beings
    my library has an archive of old computer mags. no idea why. here's a bit i scanned http://imgur.com/a/3XdPg

    i'm gonna get a real computer over christmas with a decent GPU to OpenCL on. i haven't used windowws regularly for years so thath's exciting right. can't believe i have to buy it smh

    what else

    i dunno i like the idea of fpga pci
  • Well, it wasn't easy, but I managed to get root access working on my Xperia Z1. I have officially gone from liking my new phone to loving it.
  • Pokki still works with Windows 8.1


    Now I have two icons in the lower lefthand corner, a shitty, useless one, and Pokki.
    does Pokki not replace the Win8.1 Start button on its own?

    My best friend bought Start8 for me, and that one does. It's also pretty much flawless.
  • You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
    This might sound weird coming from me, of all people, but...I don't really find myself wanting a third-party Start menu

    Most of the stuff I do on my computer is stuff I have pinned to the taskbar anyway, and the Apps screen isn't that intolerable on the occasions I want to launch something else
  • honestly i am totally cool with windows 8.1
  • TreTre
    edited 2013-12-13 01:32:11
    image

    This might sound weird coming from me, of all people, but...I don't really find myself wanting a third-party Start menu

    nah, not that weird

    you seem to be a fan (or at least appreciative) of user experiences as their creators intended them to be

    except Samsung's, because TouchWiz is a crime against humanity
  • TouchWiz sounds like CheezWiz
  • TreTre
    edited 2013-12-13 01:37:29
    image
    it's also just as good for your health
  • You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
    I know it's a little thing, but somehow the ability to log in straight to the Desktop instead of the Start screen makes Windows 8.1 33.3% more tolerable than the original Windows 8.

    Combined with the ability to have the Start button go straight to the "All Apps" screen instead of the Start screen, I almost never have to see the bloody thing


    Tre said:

    except Samsung's, because TouchWiz is a crime against humanity

    Even TouchWiz has certain things I appreciate--its Camera app seems much nicer than the stock AOSP camera app, for starters--but when it comes to Android I find the regular Nexus-style AOSP interface hard to beat.

    It's funny, really, one of the biggest draws of CyanogenMod is the the stuff they DON'T add or modify!
  • TreTre
    edited 2013-12-13 01:52:22
    image
    CM is kickass, I wish it worked with Safestrap on my S4

    Unfortunately AT&T has made my recovery image its bitch, so I've been using workarounds to get just the Google Play 4.2 ROM on mine
  • You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
    I am a dumbass who had CM 10.2 on my phone, then went back to stock and installed the dreaded Knox bootloader before flashing CM again, thus tripping the "Warranty Void" bit in the bootloader :V
  • TreTre
    edited 2013-12-13 01:51:35
    image
    Nyeh, I doubt it'll matter that much, it's not like manufacturer warranties really help these days anyway unless there's a defect in the phone

    If you broke it on your own, you'd have been SOL anyway because they really kind of leave you in the cold
  • You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
    Pretty much.
  • THIS MACHINE KILLS FASCISTS
    And even if you do get the insurance, half the time the deductible is more than the phone is worth. *beentheredonethatgrumble*
  • You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
    GRATUITOUS SCREENSHOT TIME

    image

    image

    I never get tired of those
  • “I'm surprised. Those clothes… but, aren't you…?”
    This thread has descended into a variety of jargon that I legitimately do not understand.

    Help...?
  • You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
    Let's see if this helps any

    TouchWiz = Samsung's customized user interface for Anrdoid devices. It's kind of clunky and not very nice.
    AOSP = Android Open Source Project, the underlying open source parts of Android, which includes the default interface used on Nexus devices
    CyanogenMod = a customized version of Android based on AOSP, installable on a bunch of different devices if you're willing to void some warranties
    Knox = Samsung's new "security" feature, which tattles on people who've put custom software on their phone by tripping a flag if you flash custom firmware

    ...Does that help?
  • “I'm surprised. Those clothes… but, aren't you…?”
    Yes.

    Although how one actually instals such things or tinkers with them still eludes me. I don't understand programming very well.
  • edited 2013-12-14 16:34:20
    READ MY CROSS SHIPPING-FANFICTION, DAMMIT!

    i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
    Tre said:

    Pokki still works with Windows 8.1

    Tre said:


    Tre said:

    Now I have two icons in the lower lefthand corner, a shitty, useless one, and Pokki.


    does Pokki not replace the Win8.1 Start button on its own?

    My best friend bought Start8 for me, and that one does. It's also pretty much flawless.
    It sits next to it, but shaded darker so the Window 8 icon knows that Pokki is better than it.

    Not a huge deal, really. I just found it interesting.
  • edited 2013-12-14 13:42:25
    READ MY CROSS SHIPPING-FANFICTION, DAMMIT!

    i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
    formating

    wat r u doin?

    formating

    stahp
  • THIS MACHINE KILLS FASCISTS
    It looks a little better now, but for reasons I haven't had time to determine, CLEditor is really allergic to Chrome. Firefox may be a better bet until I can get it fixed.
  • READ MY CROSS SHIPPING-FANFICTION, DAMMIT!

    i get so angry sometimes i just punch plankton --Klinotaxis
    ^ Thanks.
  • The one time I upgrade a browser and expect it to look different, Internet Explorer 11 looks the same as Internet Explorer 9.
  • edited 2013-12-15 02:57:31

    Apparently Sony is one of many smartphone manufacturers who have Microsoft's permission to integrate exFAT filesystem support into their custom Android builds.

    Hm.
  • THIS MACHINE KILLS FASCISTS
    exFAT has always struck me as kind of a joke. FAT32 is "good enough" for most things, and everything can read and write NTFS these days, so what's the point? It's not like digital cameras have to rely on cut-down ARMv5 or even 16-bit processors these days.
  • and everything can read and write NTFS these days
    OS X doesn't have native NTFS write support, and I've yet to see any decent free-of-charge solutions.

    Sure, there's more support overall for NTFS because it's more common, but OEMs seem to have an easier time getting official licensing for exFAT because of what Microsoft intended it to be.
  • You are the end result of a “would you push the button” prompt where the prompt was “you have unlimited godlike powers but you appear to all and sundry to be an impetuous child” – Zero, 2022
    I never saw much reason to use exFAT myself. My devices are all either small flash drives and SD cards (like 4 or 8 GB at the most), for which FAT32 is perfectly usable, or larger external hard drives for which NTFS is more suitable anyway.
  • My family really needs a new router. The one we've got at the moment needs to be power cycled, like, five times a day on average.
  • I think this applies to my landlords' router.
  • Also, our Wi-Fi signal caps out at 802.11g speeds and it seems to have a lot of trouble reaching my sister's desktop computer 10 meters away. The router is that old.
  • edited 2013-12-16 07:34:09
    Isn't 802.11b old, 802.11g somewhat new, and 802.11n very new?

    Or am I behind the times again?
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