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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: It's Geek to me: Translating computereze
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Jahlove
Tied to the mast
# 10290
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Posted
Don't know if anyone has any ideas (I've tried googling various sites for answers but none works). I have a mac, running OSX Lion 10.7.5 - my skype allows video; I can see and hear my correspondents; they can see but not hear me - they can, however, hear any *tapping* noises (e.g. tapping a biro on the screen or on the desk my computer sits on but not my voice).
![[Confused]](confused.gif)
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“Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.” - Mark Twain
Posts: 6477 | From: Alice's Restaurant (UK Franchise) | Registered: Sep 2005
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Jahlove:
I can see and hear my correspondents; they can see but not hear me - they can, however, hear any *tapping* noises (e.g. tapping a biro on the screen or on the desk my computer sits on but not my voice).
I have no idea about Macs or Skype. But if the people on the other end can hear tapping but not your voice, it suggests that only certain frequencies are being relayed - which might be a microphone problem. If you have an external one and can change it for a spare maybe that might make a difference?
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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the giant cheeseburger
Shipmate
# 10942
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Jahlove:
Don't know if anyone has any ideas (I've tried googling various sites for answers but none works). I have a mac, running OSX Lion 10.7.5 - my skype allows video; I can see and hear my correspondents; they can see but not hear me - they can, however, hear any *tapping* noises (e.g. tapping a biro on the screen or on the desk my computer sits on but not my voice).
Assuming you're using an iMac or a MacBook Air/Pro with a built-in microphone, this is probably as simple as the standard input volume setting from the factory being too low. The fact it's picking up tapping noises would tend to indicate it's not a hardware issue, I can easily make my 21.5" iMac's input level max out by tapping on the desk as this is picked up as being a fair bit louder than my normal speaking voice (due to sound being transmitted better by the rigid aluminium chassis of the computer).
To solve this, open System Preferences, go to "Sounds" (end of second row) and hit the "Input" button. First check that "Internal Microphone" is selected rather than the line in. Now start talking as you would when you're on Skype, and see how high the input level meter. Raise the input volume until you're regularly getting it as high as about three quarters of the way across.
See my image here for a view of the settings mentioned above.
If you are using an external mike, do everything the same except for checking that "Line in" or "USB audio input" is selected instead of the Internal microphone.
To tell if it works before using Skype again, try making a movie of yourself speaking in Photo Booth. You'll need to hit the "movie" mode button which is the third one in the group of three on the bottom-left. Once you've recorded it and stopped, you can play it back again to hear the result.
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
If you have an external one and can change it for a spare maybe that might make a difference?
Just about everybody using a Mac less than six years old would be using a built-in mike. If this is not working it should be covered by Apple's standard warranty, but it's a relatively major service job that would need a large amount of disassembly to replace. In my experience a defective built-in mike is extremely rare, in the three years I worked at an Apple Authorised Service Centre we didn't even have one job with a dead microphone outside of user-caused damage from water or cigarette smoke* - and in those cases the microphone was of the least concern.
* just about the nastiest thing you can expose a computer to, and a great way to void your warranty.
[ 26. December 2012, 11:58: Message edited by: the giant cheeseburger ]
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If I give a homeopathy advocate a really huge punch in the face, can the injury be cured by giving them another really small punch in the face?
Posts: 4834 | From: Adelaide, South Australia. | Registered: Jan 2006
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Jahlove
Tied to the mast
# 10290
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Posted
Thanks Ariel & TGB - much appreciated. Even with the input setting up to 11, nothing happens ![[Frown]](frown.gif) Machine is a refurb and warranty is expired now. I have ordered a Logitech desk mic which I hope will resolve the problem.
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“Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.” - Mark Twain
Posts: 6477 | From: Alice's Restaurant (UK Franchise) | Registered: Sep 2005
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Karl: Liberal Backslider
Shipmate
# 76
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Posted
Chaps and chapettes;
This may surprise you, as I'm a musician, so should have accurate fingers, and an IT pro, but fact is I struggle with mobile phones. I struggle with navigating their menus. I struggle with accurately using the silly little keys. I turn into a clumsy technophobe the moment one is in my grubby mitt.
Mine's up for renewal, which is just as well as it's knackered, but given my above inadequacies, what am I best going for? Touchscreen? Conventional buttons? Am I better with a big as screen as possible to get bigger buttons that I can actually press accurately? My particular bugbear is large multifunction buttons - you know the sort of thing, press the top to do one thing, the bottom to do something else, the middle to delete everything you've just entered into the text field...
Nothing pricey; I send about 50 texts a month and make/receive about half a dozen calls. Internet and camera functions I'm totally meh about.
[ 27. December 2012, 08:30: Message edited by: Karl: Liberal Backslider ]
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Might as well ask the bloody cat.
Posts: 17938 | From: Chesterfield | Registered: May 2001
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Wesley J
Silly Shipmate
# 6075
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Posted
Just a quick, first reply here: I've only had 2 mobile phone models in my life, so guess I'm somewhat of an exception.
I started with a SonyEricsson j300i, prepay, and only as it was on special sale back then. This is one of those you and me both hate: teenytiny keys, and very fiddly. No internet or camera. I still have it as a backup phone, but rarely use it.
The 2nd model is a SonyEricsson smartphone, with internet access, pressure-sensitive screen and a superb camera, the fabulous Vivaz, from 2010. I upgraded the microSD memory to the max of 32 GB (!), which is huge, and still 2/3 unused. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
To your question: I chose mine after going to several phone shops, taking my time trying out and fiddling with the phones, and getting an impression of how they feel in my hand, and when making calls. This was, and still is, the only phone of those I looked at that perfectly fits my hand and has no sharp edges (quite unlike the current Sony Xperia range...!).
IMHO, if you're planning to use your phone reasonably often, and are perhaps less into all the latest gadgets and features, the most important thing seems to be the handling, which you can only find out if you go to a phone store and hold them in your hand and compare.
I'm very happy with my choice, as I can do as good as everything I want with it - and mainly it snuggles very nicely into my hand. Smartphones tend to get bigger and bigger, and I feel, thus strangely somehow less practical.
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Be it as it may: Wesley J will stay. --- Euthanasia, that sounds good. An alpine neutral neighbourhood. Then back to Britain, all dressed in wood. Things were gonna get worse. (John Cooper Clarke)
Posts: 7354 | From: The Isles of Silly | Registered: May 2004
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
I struggle with navigating their menus. I struggle with accurately using the silly little keys.
Do not get a Blackberry. I'd been wanting one, as they have one key per alphabet letter, but when it came to trying it out in the shop, the keys were so small and the lettering so tiny that it was very easy to mistype unless you have nimble fingers and really good eyesight.
My priority when getting a new phone recently was to find a phone that didn't have a touchscreen (you have to be spot on with these and the menu interface can be a bit confusing), and which did have a sliding front which reveals an average-size keypad. I've had non-sliders, and if the phone knocks against anything in pocket or bag there's a likelihood that it'll dial something without your knowledge. This has happened quite a bit.
It also needed to have clear, easy to read displays. My new one lets me change the font size.
Have a look round in your local phone shops and see what takes your fancy. As a basic rule the less you pay, the fewer options you get so if you don't want lots of fancy functions and complicated menus, adjust your budget downwards. There are some inexpensive ones (i.e. under £35) which will do the job - including some with larger buttons - but you really need to see them for yourself to know whether you'd get on with them.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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lilBuddha
Shipmate
# 14333
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Posted
I'll second Ariel on havin a look. All our suggestions are for naught if they don't fit your preference.
However, if I my offer a suggestion, I would say give the Windows phones a thought. There interface is my favourite at the moment. If I did not have so much invested in apps, it'd be what I would use. May yet heave iOS and go that way regardless.
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I put on my rockin' shoes in the morning
Hallellou, hallellou
Posts: 17627 | From: the round earth's imagined corners | Registered: Dec 2008
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BroJames
Shipmate
# 9636
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
<snip>I send about 50 texts a month and make/receive about half a dozen calls. Internet and camera functions I'm totally meh about.
I have been very impressed with the Doro range of phones. (In the UK they are recommended by RNIB for those with sight impairment, and for this reason we looked at them for my M-in-law.) What impressed me about them, however, was the thought that had clearly gone into the arrangement of menus etc. to be intuitive and easy to use. If you are really only going to use your phone for telephony functions (voice calls and texts) then I wouldn't wast your money on paying for the capabilities of a smart phone which you will not use.
HTH
Posts: 3374 | From: UK | Registered: Jun 2005
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Snags
Utterly socially unrealistic
# 15351
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Posted
I second the Windows Phone recommendation, and am typing this on a WP7 device. I use most handsets through work, and for general purpose use I reckon Windows Phone has it cracked. It is worth getting the higher end handsets though.
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Vain witterings :-: Vain pretentions :-: The Dog's Blog(locks)
Posts: 1399 | From: just north of That London | Registered: Dec 2009
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Karl: Liberal Backslider
Shipmate
# 76
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Snags:
I second the Windows Phone recommendation, and am typing this on a WP7 device. I use most handsets through work, and for general purpose use I reckon Windows Phone has it cracked. It is worth getting the higher end handsets though.
Yeah, but for the usage I get out of it (very little ) it makes no sense to go for anything above the cheapest contracts.
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Might as well ask the bloody cat.
Posts: 17938 | From: Chesterfield | Registered: May 2001
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Karl: Liberal Backslider
Shipmate
# 76
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by BroJames:
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
<snip>I send about 50 texts a month and make/receive about half a dozen calls. Internet and camera functions I'm totally meh about.
I have been very impressed with the Doro range of phones. (In the UK they are recommended by RNIB for those with sight impairment, and for this reason we looked at them for my M-in-law.) What impressed me about them, however, was the thought that had clearly gone into the arrangement of menus etc. to be intuitive and easy to use. If you are really only going to use your phone for telephony functions (voice calls and texts) then I wouldn't wast your money on paying for the capabilities of a smart phone which you will not use.
HTH
I know where you're coming from there, but I'm struggling with coming to the conclusion that I actually need something designed for the elderly, at least going by the testimonials.
Am I really that hamfisted?
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Might as well ask the bloody cat.
Posts: 17938 | From: Chesterfield | Registered: May 2001
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
I have Pay As You Go. There wasn't much point in having a monthly contract for infrequent use - though the internet bit is useful for traffic/train alerts. I probably only need to top up with about £10 a month. Sometimes more, sometimes less.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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Karl: Liberal Backslider
Shipmate
# 76
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Posted
My current contract is £8 a month and the new one I'm looking at would be £7.50. The only problem I have with PAYG is the upfront cost of the handset. Oh, and navigating the menu system to add credit to it, of course.
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Might as well ask the bloody cat.
Posts: 17938 | From: Chesterfield | Registered: May 2001
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lilBuddha
Shipmate
# 14333
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Posted
Perhaps, Karl, there is the perception that if you were not, ahem, challenged, you'd not be having an issue in the first. ![[Biased]](wink.gif)
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I put on my rockin' shoes in the morning
Hallellou, hallellou
Posts: 17627 | From: the round earth's imagined corners | Registered: Dec 2008
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Karl: Liberal Backslider
Shipmate
# 76
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by lilBuddha:
Perhaps, Karl, there is the perception that if you were not, ahem, challenged, you'd not be having an issue in the first.
Yeah, I imagine so. Thing is, I'm not old, not disabled, can play various musical instruments, can do things with my hands, appear pretty normal, but I find smartphones and, for that matter, standard mobile phones, a frustrating process of hitting the wrong button, finding myself in the wrong place, inadvertently deleting the whole bloody lot, and wanting to slowly and painfully kill the person who made "switch off" the default option on the menu of my current phone. Why, for feck's sake? Why?
Part of it is possibly that I can type at 70wpm+ on a standard keyboard, and I'm a pedantic bastard who loathes textspeak, so I find myself using the poxy numeric keypad to type things out properly, in full, with punctuation, and it's S.....L......O......W...... even without my dyslexic fingers.
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Might as well ask the bloody cat.
Posts: 17938 | From: Chesterfield | Registered: May 2001
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Karl: Liberal Backslider
Shipmate
# 76
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Posted
p.s. - having similar issues with the trackpad on my W8 laptop - I want to turn off everything except "move the cursor around when I move my finger" and "only clicking the buttons is a click." options to disable the gestures and the tap to click thing, both of which I routinely do accidently, but SWMBO won't let me, even though she has the same issues, because she's sure they must be useful once you get used to them.
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Might as well ask the bloody cat.
Posts: 17938 | From: Chesterfield | Registered: May 2001
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
My current contract is £8 a month and the new one I'm looking at would be £7.50. The only problem I have with PAYG is the upfront cost of the handset. Oh, and navigating the menu system to add credit to it, of course.
Yes, I never bother with that or the top-up card, I just do it at cashpoints. I like the idea of £7.50 a month, which provider are you looking at?
There is the upfront cost of the handset, but there are some for about a tenner to be had at present and you can get deals with credit thrown in. If you don't upgrade phones a lot, a decent one will last you for a few years.
To be honest, I think there's a surfeit of choice, and it doesn't make it easy trying to compare deals.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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Gracious rebel
Rainbow warrior
# 3523
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Posted
someone else here with similar requirements who would be interested in a £7.50 contract ... details please?!
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Fancy a break beside the sea in Suffolk? Visit my website
Posts: 4413 | From: Suffolk UK | Registered: Nov 2002
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Karl: Liberal Backslider
Shipmate
# 76
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Posted
Unfortunately it's Talkmobile. Owned by TalkTalk. Proceed at your own risk. I've had no problems with the mobile provision, but their tech support for broadband utterly sucked.
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Might as well ask the bloody cat.
Posts: 17938 | From: Chesterfield | Registered: May 2001
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lilBuddha
Shipmate
# 14333
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Posted
Talkmobile are a virtual network, they operate on Vodafone's network. The potential positive about this is you might be able to find a used phone on ebay or Amazon. This would broaden your choice without spending too much. I would suggest a phone with a slid-out keyboard in the horizontal layout.
Side note:
Your being a musician and IT person might actually be part of your issue. Look at your keyboard, it requires very little precision, the keys are HUGE. And most instruments have built-in leeway for finger placement without affecting tone.
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I put on my rockin' shoes in the morning
Hallellou, hallellou
Posts: 17627 | From: the round earth's imagined corners | Registered: Dec 2008
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BroJames
Shipmate
# 9636
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
I know where you're coming from there, but I'm struggling with coming to the conclusion that I actually need something designed for the elderly, at least going by the testimonials.
Am I really that hamfisted?
Yes (meaning I know what you mean - not that you are hamfisted!), I can see the issue about the phone 'saying' that you need an 'old person's' phone. It wasn't so much the big buttons I was thinking of as the well-designed user interface. If I weren't, for other reasons committed to a smartphone, I would think of a Doro - not least because I might be able to use it without my glasses. Currently a SMS tone on my phone sends me reaching first for my reading glasses before I get the phone out. Likewise with sending texts.
Posts: 3374 | From: UK | Registered: Jun 2005
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Adeodatus
Shipmate
# 4992
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Posted
Has anyone any thoughts on currently available (in the UK) tablet computers?
The reason I'm asking is that I wouldn't be surprised if my laptop - currently my only computer - dies on me this year, as it's showing signs of advanced old age. I thought that I might then replace it either with a PC and a tablet, or just with a tablet.
Cost is a factor, especially if I'm going to be buying two machines. Also, as well as being somewhat Applephobic (okay, very Applephobic), I think I'd prefer an Android operating system as I also use an Android phone, and like it very much.
(If anyone's wondering why I'm thinking of two machines, it's because with the artwork I do now I do a fair bit of image processing, and the laptop is a bit limited on screen size and general clunkiness. Hence the PC. But of course, I also need something portable - not least because since David Hockney started doing it, everybody is using their tablets as a painting tool!)
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"What is broken, repair with gold."
Posts: 9779 | From: Manchester | Registered: Sep 2003
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lilBuddha
Shipmate
# 14333
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Posted
Depends on what programs you use and their availability on the platforms you are considering.
For myself, I purchased an ASUS Republic of Gamers 17 in laptop. Not amazingly high in the portability area, but still luggable. I tuck it and a Wacom into my rucksack and go. I did not wish to buy two systems, so this is a good balance for me.
The problem with most tablets is they are extremely underpowered. I do know people who use the Samsung Slate, but it is low on spec IMO. And fairly expensive for what you get. As an adjunct to a main computer, it is fairly nice, but a tad expensive for that.
I am looking at the Microsoft Surface Pro, when they finally launch, as a secondary computer as they appear to be more reasonably priced.
No real help on the android end, I am afraid.
Note for comparison: I use Photoshop, Illustrator, Painter, Premier,etc. quite heavily.
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I put on my rockin' shoes in the morning
Hallellou, hallellou
Posts: 17627 | From: the round earth's imagined corners | Registered: Dec 2008
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chive
Ship's nude
# 208
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Posted
Another question from the one who knows nothing. Is there such a thing as a decent free word processing package that I can download from the interwebs?
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'Edward was the kind of man who thought there was no such thing as a lesbian, just a woman who hadn't done one-to-one Bible study with him.' Catherine Fox, Love to the Lost
Posts: 3542 | From: the cupboard under the stairs | Registered: May 2001
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Jengie jon
Semper Reformanda
# 273
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Posted
I have not used it personally but I know of several people who have used Open Office quite effectively.
Jengie
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"To violate a persons ability to distinguish fact from fantasy is the epistemological equivalent of rape." Noretta Koertge
Back to my blog
Posts: 20894 | From: city of steel, butterflies and rainbows | Registered: May 2001
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lilBuddha
Shipmate
# 14333
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Posted
I use Open Office and would say it is quite capable.
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I put on my rockin' shoes in the morning
Hallellou, hallellou
Posts: 17627 | From: the round earth's imagined corners | Registered: Dec 2008
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Alisdair
Shipmate
# 15837
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Posted
'Open Office' is currently somewhat in the doldrums and out of favour (long story -- see below). Much better trying the forked version known as 'Libre Office', which is 'Open Office' much improved, slimmed down, and attracting a lot of developer interest.
http://tinyurl.com/aw9p6d4
A good, and much lighter weight alternative, but focussing just on word processing is 'Abiword'.
http://abisource.com/
+ For those who want to know a 'fork' is what happens when a group of software developers get a bee in their bonnet over some application, or get fed up with the way the leadership is taking the project and decide to go off on their own, with the code, and develop it in the way that they think is best. This can happen with 'open source' software as no one technically 'owns' the code.
In Open Office's case a lot of the developers got so fed up with Oracle who had bought Sun, who historically controlled Open Office, that they forked the code, set up the 'Open Document Foundation' as an organising body, and created 'Libre Office'. The pace since has been pretty hot with a lot of long-standing bugs, etc. dealt with, redundant code ripped out, and long wanted features put in place. IMO LO is well worth the monetary price of 'free'!
Posts: 334 | From: Washed up in England | Registered: Aug 2010
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the giant cheeseburger
Shipmate
# 10942
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Posted
If you like it, it's also worth a donation to keep the project rolling on.
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If I give a homeopathy advocate a really huge punch in the face, can the injury be cured by giving them another really small punch in the face?
Posts: 4834 | From: Adelaide, South Australia. | Registered: Jan 2006
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Alisdair
Shipmate
# 15837
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Posted
An excellent suggestion.
Posts: 334 | From: Washed up in England | Registered: Aug 2010
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the giant cheeseburger
Shipmate
# 10942
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Posted
Request for help here:
My sister has a Windows 7 laptop, and on the newest version of Firefox has tabs opening to advertising sites about every 15 minutes or so. Microsoft Security Essentials and AVG Free Edition both found nothing when full scans were run.
It's not something I want to experiment with on my iMac's Windows (Boot Camp) installation which I keep thoroughly locked down, so does anybody have any ideas on what I could do to get her machine sorted out? A general search has not been of much use, there are people claiming they've had it and fixed it by doing everything from changing DNS settings, deleting .dll files or fiddling about in the Registry.
Does anybody think that, given MSE and AVG* both found nothing even after full scans, that maybe there's nothing wrong and it's actually just that the new version of Firefox has advertising included? If so, I won't be updating from the version I run just for the purpose of reliably handling YouTube uploads, that's disgraceful.
* I'm no fan of AVG with its inability to do anything meaningful in the background, but I do recognise that a full system scan should work for a known infection.
[ 01. January 2013, 05:20: Message edited by: the giant cheeseburger ]
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If I give a homeopathy advocate a really huge punch in the face, can the injury be cured by giving them another really small punch in the face?
Posts: 4834 | From: Adelaide, South Australia. | Registered: Jan 2006
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Alisdair
Shipmate
# 15837
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Posted
My version of Firefox is 17.0.1 and there are no unsolicited tabs/pages/adverts popping up here. Does it happen if she uses IE or Chrome?
Posts: 334 | From: Washed up in England | Registered: Aug 2010
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:
Does anybody think that, given MSE and AVG* both found nothing even after full scans, that maybe there's nothing wrong and it's actually just that the new version of Firefox has advertising included?
No, Firefox doesn't do that of its own will. Your programs will pick up viruses, but not necessarily spyware or adware. I'd suggest you try Spybot, and see if that helps.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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Ricardus
Shipmate
# 8757
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Posted
Yep, Firefox 17.0.1 is ad-free for me, too. Has your sister installed a dodgy toolbar?
quote:
Originally posted by lilBuddha:
I use Open Office and would say it is quite capable.
I use LibreOffice, and I'd say it's usually good (and on occasion superior to MS Office), but IME if the document is complex and you save it in .doc or .docx format, it sometimes won't display properly if someone else opens it in MS Office.
I don't know what causes this, but I've had problems with documents that contain a lot of large images* or documents that use fields more complex than 'page number' or 'date'.
* In fairness this is probably because word processors aren't really designed to be used as desktop publishing tools. Certainly I find the wrap / positioning of images using both Word and LibreOffice Write to be very annoying ...
[ 01. January 2013, 09:07: Message edited by: Ricardus ]
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Then the dog ran before, and coming as if he had brought the news, shewed his joy by his fawning and wagging his tail. -- Tobit 11:9 (Douai-Rheims)
Posts: 7247 | From: Liverpool, UK | Registered: Nov 2004
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lilBuddha
Shipmate
# 14333
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Posted
TGC
Antivirus don't always keep up with spy/adware, especially not those which have been user installed. ( toolbars and the like)
Also, if they are running concurrently with an infection, it is more difficult for them to detect. If her antivirus has a mode in which it will scan before booting Windows, run it that way.
I second running an anti spyware program such ad spybot.
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I put on my rockin' shoes in the morning
Hallellou, hallellou
Posts: 17627 | From: the round earth's imagined corners | Registered: Dec 2008
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the giant cheeseburger
Shipmate
# 10942
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Posted
I got to spend a bit of time looking through her machine last night, Googling everything I didn't recognise or was recently modified. It looks like there were at least two trojans, one rookit, some rogue .dat files in Windows/System32 and some files named Google_Malware in the Firefox folder.
I didn't want to wait a few days to see if this poor computer would also receive twelve drummers drumming on top of all that, so I went for the nuclear option of formatting it and reinstalling Windows. It's now happily whirring away as it downloads every update under the sun.
I have an idea of the source of all these maladies now, I think she should limit her adventures in the world of piracy to buying dodgy DVDs in Bali.
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If I give a homeopathy advocate a really huge punch in the face, can the injury be cured by giving them another really small punch in the face?
Posts: 4834 | From: Adelaide, South Australia. | Registered: Jan 2006
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lilBuddha
Shipmate
# 14333
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Posted
TGC,
Your experience may vary, but I have found installing massive amounts of updates in small batches to be more effective than all in one go.
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I put on my rockin' shoes in the morning
Hallellou, hallellou
Posts: 17627 | From: the round earth's imagined corners | Registered: Dec 2008
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the giant cheeseburger
Shipmate
# 10942
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by lilBuddha:
TGC,
Your experience may vary, but I have found installing massive amounts of updates in small batches to be more effective than all in one go.
I totally agree, because when M$ f*cks it up I like to be able to "upgrade" to the previous version which worked fine and didn't need "fixing."
However, in this case real life didn't allow that. I had to go out early this morning and the owner needs her machine back again tonight so the time to babysit it through many restarts just wasn't there.
This experience is a great advertisement for me to stick with my Mac. Apple have at least learned how to do cumulative updates properly, if I restored my iMac to factory condition the process of getting it up and running would be far less painful.
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If I give a homeopathy advocate a really huge punch in the face, can the injury be cured by giving them another really small punch in the face?
Posts: 4834 | From: Adelaide, South Australia. | Registered: Jan 2006
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lilBuddha
Shipmate
# 14333
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by the giant cheeseburger:
This experience is a great advertisement for me to stick with my Mac. Apple have at least learned how to do cumulative updates properly, if I restored my iMac to factory condition the process of getting it up and running would be far less painful.
It is not really about learning, it is about control. Apple have a control over their entire ecosystem that Microsoft cannot. Apple likewise have a greater control over their users.
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I put on my rockin' shoes in the morning
Hallellou, hallellou
Posts: 17627 | From: the round earth's imagined corners | Registered: Dec 2008
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the giant cheeseburger
Shipmate
# 10942
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Posted
If being "controlled" is what it takes to avoid the "freedom" of faffing around like this, I'll keep taking the real freedom of the controlled system so long as Apple keep doing it well.
And before anybody mentions Linux, it's not even a remotely viable option for me until there is an industry-accepted equivalent to Final Cut Pro available.
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If I give a homeopathy advocate a really huge punch in the face, can the injury be cured by giving them another really small punch in the face?
Posts: 4834 | From: Adelaide, South Australia. | Registered: Jan 2006
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mousethief
Ship's Thieving Rodent
# 953
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Posted
Have any of the Linuxheads made the leap to Ubuntu Precise Pangolin (12.04)? I'm moving from 10.04 to 12.04 and the new "Unity" GUI and bloody stupid and completely unpersonalizable "Launcher" and greatly complexified app menu are driving me to fits. It appears to be a zillion times less amenable to user-pleasing personalization than Lucid Lynx.
Is Canonical taking "fuck you, user" lessons from Microsoft?
I've read that if I just stick with it, I'll learn to like it, but I'm ready to jump back to Lynx, or completely jump ship to Mint, at the moment. Any reason I shouldn't?
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This is the last sig I'll ever write for you...
Posts: 63536 | From: Washington | Registered: Jul 2001
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Alisdair
Shipmate
# 15837
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Posted
I have to say Ubuntu and I parted company three or four editions ago. After a joyful, but time consuming, period with Arch I settled on Mint, with the Cinnamon desktop (which is really coming on now), and am very happy as it's low stress, but mainline Linux without being fundamentalist about proprietary codecs, etc.
There is a 'gotcha' with Mint though, which some may find off-putting: the distributors recommend doing a complete system reinstall when upgrading to a new version, and they don't support anyone who simply tries getting apt to do it via 'dist-upgrade'. Basically they don't want to be dealing with people moaning when some things get broken through doing it that way; so in a way they are keeping things simple, but by making a bit of extra work for the end user.
To be honest I don't find it a bother, and it's nice to have a clean installation every so often.
Posts: 334 | From: Washed up in England | Registered: Aug 2010
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no prophet's flag is set so...
Proceed to see sea
# 15560
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Posted
I don't know anyone who's using Unity. I installed one of the 'buntus in the past, and went over to Mint because its business model made more sense. There's clearly a fork in the development. Shuttleworth says that Canonical is targetting mobile users, which is obviously what Unity is about.
There's also a problem with Ubuntu's business model in my opinion. Privacy in Ubuntu 12.10: Amazon Ads and Data Leaks. You can turn it off, but it should be opt in, not opt out. The problem is that when wearching for something in Dash, your computer makes a HTTPS connection to productsearch.ubuntu.com, sending along your search query and your IP address. If it returns Amazon products to your display and your computer insecurely loads the product images from Amazon's HTTP server. This means that an eavesdropper, someone sharing a wireless network with you can see what you're searching for based on Amazon product images. This is not good and looks like something M$ would do.
I've trashed Mint several times, and no worries because reinstall takes maybe 20 mins. You actually can apt-get dist upgrade but you may have to force it. No need to bother. Best idea is to partition off a section for the OS and another for data IMHO.
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Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety.
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Posts: 11498 | From: Treaty 6 territory in the nonexistant Province of Buffalo, Canada ↄ⃝' | Registered: Mar 2010
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Rosa Gallica officinalis
Shipmate
# 3886
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Posted
Another request for help from friendly geeks.
I've just received an email from my boss which includes the word 'advertising' highlighted as a link- which goes to a site that she would not use (it's in a foreign language). I'm 99.99% certain she did not add the link herself. (I will check when I speak to her later) It was sent from an ipad using BT ISP. What is likely to be going on & does anything need to be done about it?
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Come for tea, come for tea, my people.
Posts: 874 | From: The Hemlock Hideout | Registered: Jan 2003
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jbohn
Shipmate
# 8753
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by mousethief:
Have any of the Linuxheads made the leap to Ubuntu Precise Pangolin (12.04)? I'm moving from 10.04 to 12.04 and the new "Unity" GUI and bloody stupid and completely unpersonalizable "Launcher" and greatly complexified app menu are driving me to fits. It appears to be a zillion times less amenable to user-pleasing personalization than Lucid Lynx.
Is Canonical taking "fuck you, user" lessons from Microsoft?
I've read that if I just stick with it, I'll learn to like it, but I'm ready to jump back to Lynx, or completely jump ship to Mint, at the moment. Any reason I shouldn't?
You might try Xubuntu - Ubuntu under the hood, but with the (to me) far more usable XFCE window manager.
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We are punished by our sins, not for them.
--Elbert Hubbard
Posts: 989 | From: East of Eden, west of St. Paul | Registered: Nov 2004
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lilBuddha
Shipmate
# 14333
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Rosa Gallica officinalis:
Another request for help from friendly geeks.
I've just received an email from my boss which includes the word 'advertising' highlighted as a link- which goes to a site that she would not use (it's in a foreign language). I'm 99.99% certain she did not add the link herself. (I will check when I speak to her later) It was sent from an ipad using BT ISP. What is likely to be going on & does anything need to be done about it?
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I put on my rockin' shoes in the morning
Hallellou, hallellou
Posts: 17627 | From: the round earth's imagined corners | Registered: Dec 2008
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lilBuddha
Shipmate
# 14333
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Posted
Sorry RGo,
It is possible her system or her e-mail have been compromised. You should speak to you IT dept. They need to check. As for you, besides not clicking the link, you should ask your IT dept. to make certain you e-mail client does not allow scrips to run in your preview.
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I put on my rockin' shoes in the morning
Hallellou, hallellou
Posts: 17627 | From: the round earth's imagined corners | Registered: Dec 2008
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lilBuddha
Shipmate
# 14333
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Posted
That was indeed funny,
DT. Unless it was aimed at my unfortunate post, in which case it was not at all amusing.
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I put on my rockin' shoes in the morning
Hallellou, hallellou
Posts: 17627 | From: the round earth's imagined corners | Registered: Dec 2008
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Sandemaniac
Shipmate
# 12829
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Posted
Just to ring the changes, a DAB digital radio query.
This morning the power dipped, and my DAB radio went silent. On investigation it seems that it has suddenly decided to stop receiving a range of signals - we can pick up 13 channels, but the entire BBC set have vanished. The other DAB radio, in the room next door, still picks them up fine so it's not the transmitter.
Any ideas what we should try before stumping up for a new radio?
Thanks,
AG
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"It becomes soon pleasantly apparent that change-ringing is by no means merely an excuse for beer" Charles Dickens gets it wrong, 1869
Posts: 3574 | From: The wardrobe of my soul | Registered: Jul 2007
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