Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: mark smyth on January 30, 2012, 06:53:22 PM
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Dreaded blue screen ...
My desk top c10 years old keeps crashing. The end in near.
Who should I buy a new desk top from?
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I'll be watching responses carefully Mark, I'm on the verge of getting one too. Don't like laptops much. Did take a look at the all in ones today, but trouble with them is that if the screen goes, your computer has too.... so now I'm looking again. The marketplace isn't what it was a few years ago either, its Dell, HP or Compaq it seems. Not a lot of competition out there.
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Dreaded blue screen ...
My desk top c10 years old keeps crashing. The end in near.
Who should I buy a new desk top from?
Can you get Acer computers there?
They are well priced and usually reliable.
Unless of course you decide to get a Mac.
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I can vouch for Acer as well, very reliable and readily available here.
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I got a Dell Vostro all-in-one a couple of years ago and have been happy with it. Bought an all-in-one to save space and the Vostro because it was being sold as a business machine with Windows XP installed and a disc to upgrade to Windows 7 if and when required. I find XP is now a pretty stable OS and I can still use Outlook Express for my emails (Windows 7 doesn't have it).
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Just had to edit that last post as I kept referring to updating to Vista instead of Windows 7. The memory is going!!
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We had one made to our specifications by a local Computer firm. Cheaper than any advertised makes AND we can take it back in and shout at them! Not that we have had to so far (Bows to Hubris).
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I can also recommend Acer laptops. Reasonable prices for very good specs.
Mike
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A concern is Windows 7 doesnt have Outlook on it and cant run it. All my emails are mark@my web sites. I cant change to gmail or whatever now.
What do i do now?
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You can have mark@markswebsite.co.uk and still use Gmail as your inbox, I do that with all my addresses. You can apparently even export emails saved locally on your computer onto Gmail, although I've never tried: http://www.keenerliving.com/importing-outlook-into-gmail
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Windows 7 runs Outlook OK. The main problem is it is not in the cheaper forms of MS Office, and costs too much as a stand alone.
Does anyone know if I can mix up different versions of the parts of Office on the same computer, as I have unused copies of older MSOffice versions I could transfer Outlook from, onto my current win 7/ MSOffice computer.
Hope that makes sense.
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Speaking only of my own computer, I'm no expert.... I have office 2003 plus pieces of my office prof 2000 on mine.
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I have windows 7 and use Libre Office which is a free office suite.
http://www.libreoffice.org/
I use Sylpheed for my email client which is also free.
http://sylpheed.sraoss.jp/en/
Not quite Outlook Express but it is easy to use and does the job.
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I've had an Acer before and I wasn't very satisfied with it. After half a year it started to reboot by itself, often while I was typing something and/or writing an e-mail (which was very annoying >:(), got that fixed but it broke down again just after the warranty expired (2 years) when it was the motherboard which was fried, and that was way to expensive to repair. Probably just bought the bad one in the lot, though!
Bought a Dell inspiron two years ago and it works like a charm.
Not interested in a Mac, Mark?
I use Windows live mail (a free program from Microsoft) on Windows 7, which collects my mails from all 5 mail-adresses (Skynet (from my provider), Hotmail (which I almost don't use anymore), Gmail and the 2 mail-adresses of the VRV) I use. It's very similar to the former Outlook Express.
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Thanks Arisaema. I'll look in to it.
THanks Wim.
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I created a gmail account today. Can I set it to download my mark@marksgardenplants.com emails than are out there on the 'net?
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You can, just click on the options icon in the upper right corner, choose "Accounts and Imports", and go from there. That same page also lets you add and verify addresses, so that emails sent through Gmail still show as being from "mark@marksgardenplants.com".
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Any one run the newest version of AVG? It contains a one off Computer scan. I ran it and it came up with a list of 'errors'. However it does not seem to fix any of them (except perhaps if one pays). So if these 'errors' actually exist, what is the best way to remove them. Idiots guide please.
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:o :o :o 636 emails downloading :o :o :o my email address is working again
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:o :o :o 636 emails downloading :o :o :o my email address is working again
;D You'll have your work cut out for you during the following night/days ;D
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Any one run the newest version of AVG? It contains a one off Computer scan. I ran it and it came up with a list of 'errors'. However it does not seem to fix any of them (except perhaps if one pays). So if these 'errors' actually exist, what is the best way to remove them. Idiots guide please.
Eric, are you sure you've got the free version and not the trial version of the paid one? I finished up with that and had to scrap the whole download and start again.
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Dreaded blue screen ...
My desk top c10 years old keeps crashing. The end in near.
Who should I buy a new desk top from?
I assume you have sorted it out by now but it might be a hard disk problem in which case you could get a new one fairly cheap.
You put it in a free bay and transfer everything onto it. Problem is that you cannot use your OP to transfer itself but at least Seagate supply software that can do that for you.
It comes with the disk (at least where I bought it) and creates a perfect copy of everything on the old disk including the OP. If this does not help, you just move the disk into a free bay in your new computer and you have all your old data available. It is important to get the right kind of disk some interface by a wide flat cable and some by a cable with more oval shape. SATA and ATA if you like acronyms. Otherwise it is a quite simple process. The advantage is not so much the cost since a ten year younger machine is so much faster but that you are able to run your existing software easily. A new machie will have a new OP and may dislike your old software.
Göte
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I am just about going mad with our computers. I can do something several times without a response (or something unexpected) but then after I give in and ask husband, it performs perfectly. >:( Sometimes he only has to stand within 2m of it for it to behave itself.
Maybe it's something to do with my magnetic personality! ;D ;D
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Ian's proximity to a radio does terrible things to the signal.... you may be closer to the truth than you think, Anne :o
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Maybe it's something to do with my magnetic personality! ;D ;D
Ian's proximity to a radio does terrible things to the signal....
;D Isn't that what happens after an abduction by aliens ;) ::)
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Ian's proximity to a radio does terrible things to the signal....
It's probably fright on the radio's part. It thinks he's going to use it to cobble together a fan for the greenhouse or something! ;D
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You may be correct Annew. I used to work with a lady (sounds good!) who could not go near ANY technology. When she did it stopped working. TV, Video (shows how long ago it was) Computer (Ah good old 32k BBC machines) all sulked. She could watch TV from the back of the room, but any close and ...............blank screen.
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Should have had her pacemaker checked for interference. ;) ;) ;)
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I have a problem with my bedside radio. When I switch it on it performs perfectly but when I take my hand away the signal breaks up. If I want to listen to a program I have to lie with my hand outside the duvet touching the case. Either the radio must need reassurance that I am still there or that my dental fillings are deflecting the signal. Maybe a digital radio would be the answer !
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I have a problem with my bedside radio. When I switch it on it performs perfectly but when I take my hand away the signal breaks up. If I want to listen to a program I have to lie with my hand outside the duvet touching the case. Either the radio must need reassurance that I am still there or that my dental fillings are deflecting the signal. Maybe a digital radio would be the answer !
If it has a separate arial redirect it or connect it to something bigger nad metallic or try to position something metallic nearby some experimenting will solve the problem.
Göte
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I have a problem with my bedside radio. When I switch it on it performs perfectly but when I take my hand away the signal breaks up. If I want to listen to a program I have to lie with my hand outside the duvet touching the case. Either the radio must need reassurance that I am still there or that my dental fillings are deflecting the signal. Maybe a digital radio would be the answer !
Have a look here:
http://www.radioandtvhelp.co.uk/interference/rtis_radio
If you need to contact them, they are extremely helpful.
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Can some one please advise on a good photoshop download,since replacing our computer we do not have one .............thanks in advance for any input
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The Gimp program does everything that Photoshop does.
http://www.gimp.org/
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Help!!
I suddenly have a different lay out of my message index on my iPad. On the computer upstairs it is normal. So it is in connection with my iPad.
Does anyone know how to change this back?
Thank you for your ideas,
Lina.
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Problem solved! Don't ask me how.
Lina.
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Problem solved! Don't ask me how.
Lina.
;) That often happens to me , too, Lina. Almost as frustrating as the problem in the first place. :-\
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Correct, Maggi.
I could not see what the new messages were.
This is ok now.
But I still have a little bleu stripe at the right side, which I never noticed before.
But I can live with that. But is is not in the Belgian nor in the American forum.
Lina.
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I have just had a person with an Indian sounding accent cold call me suggesting my hard drive was sending information every time I clicked on to my emails. They asked me to click the Windows flag icon and the letter R and then type iexplore
www.ammyy.com into the space and then click Enter. At that point I hung up! :-\
edit by maggi.... do not follow their request! this will allow the scammer access to your computer.
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I had the same experience yesterday. However, I welcomed his helpful advice and was shocked to hear that Microsoft had detected malware on my computer. Could I please have the name and address of his company so that I could inform my anti-virus provider that their product was not up to the job. Surprisingly, he did not comply with my request and suddenly broke off the conversation. I was disappointed as it was enjoyable light relief from a boring morning. I did get his phone number 02092201908 which I will report to the Telephone Preference Service.
If you subscribe to this organisation, in the UK, it makes it an offence to be cold called from a business trying to sell you something or a phony market survey.
The latest calls are from solar panel companies who will sell you solar panels which will make you money immediately - in ten years time they will have paid for themselves
Two strikes against this:-
1) I will be eighty before I start getting my money back.
2) This is the West of Scotland - so far this year we have had 4 sunny days!!! No one can explain how to keep the panels clean and free of moss and lichen. I think some form of hydro electric power to harness the rain that keeps bouncing off my roof would be more applicable.
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I've had a flyer through the door suggesting I can get free solar panels installed. In fact they will be 'renting' my roof and I'll get 40% off my electric bill. They say in the leaflet that they maintain the panels too. It all sounds a bit too easy....
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Chris, just think of the problems that could cause if ever you decided to sell your house!
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Harry might sell the house, but he's not selling my garden!!!!
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;D ;D ;D
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My wife just had a phone call from the manager saying that my Windows operating system is sending error messages that I am not aware of. They obviously know my name and address and phone number. They are going to call back!
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It's a hoax, Anthony.
They're doing it heavily in Australia and NZ in particular at present. I have at least a couple of attempts a week at the moment. One I kept on the phone for a while asking her to verify who I was/details about my computer etc. Then last night's one I told had been rung the other day...... and it was a hoax. She actually argued. Both Indian women, and both have "Overseas" on the calling number display. Bear in mind that name, address and phone number can be got from a phone book, or online version thereof. When you say "manager".... manager of what?
I always check www.snopes.com for anything that comes up like this (or emails that are too good to be true etc) and they usually tell you whether true or not. The original version of the current scammers was that they were from "Micro$oft Tech Support" to make it sound more professional.
See....... Snopes report on Micro$oft Impersonation Scam (http://www.snopes.com/fraud/telephone/microsoft.asp)
Now they just say that they are from a tech company or some name or other and that they have detected a problem in your computer. A friend just asked "Which one, I own 10". That confused them a bit. Now I think I like to keep them talking, as it costs them more money and stops them pestering someone else for a while. Otherwise I just hand up. ;D There is a point where it has happened enough that I no longer feel I need to be polite to them, whereas I used to be polite. A bit like religious salesman knocking at your door. ;)
Don't waste your time with them, unless you're bored and feel like trying to confuse them..... then it can be fun. :P
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My son's like you Paul. He loves to waste their time, running the converation round in circles until they get fed up. Me, I just tell them thank you and then hang up.
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I just put them on to my two year old grandson ... he loves it! ;D
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Thanks guys. That puts my mind at rest. I wonder if next doors have a two year old grandson I can borrow? ;)
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Rob,
I only do that sometimes.... it depends what mood I'm in. Usually it is fairly short and sharp from my end. I haven't actually said "hang on a minute, I just need to finish something, I'll be back in a moment" and put the phone down on the table and left them to it. I wonder how long they'd hold on for before giving up? ;D ;D ;D
So Cliff, do they actually talk to your grandson, or just hang up?
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Rob,
So Cliff, do they actually talk to your grandson, or just hang up?
He usually signs them up for his nursery!! :D
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I have had a few calls saying that I could be having problems with my windows system and this could be very serious, the first time I panicked and then said I have a mac. The line just went dead. I hate having all these calls.
Years ago when there wasn't a day went past without getting a call from a double glazing company my brother in law got so fed up and agreed to have an appointment to get a quote for a conservatory. The company wasn't happy when they arrived at my brother in laws address. He never told them he was in a top floor flat ( four floors up ) they got really annoyed saying he wasted their time. He replied now you know how I feel.
Angie :)
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Good on him Angie.
As for cold calling religous people I love telling them about pagan rituals
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Just remember, Mark. If you want to go for authentic pagan-ritual-wise.... you can't include devil worship. No such thing as a devil in the pagan faiths. The devil is a purely christian invention, despite the fact that so many pagans end up termed "devil worshippers". ;D I always find it amusing when I hear that...... because it is the direct opposite.
I just thought I'd mention that, in case you were accidentally leading those poor christian door knockers astray. ;)
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Try one or more of these: (Only if you're bored of course)
Fun Things To Do To Telemarketers
* If they say they're John Doe from XYZ Company, ask them to spell their name. Then ask them to spell the company name. Then ask them where it is located, how long it has been in business, how many people work there, how they got into this line of work, if they are married, how many kids they have, etc. Continue asking them personal questions or questions about their company for as long as necessary.
* Say "no" over and over. Be sure to vary the sound of each one, and keep a rhythmic tempo, even as they are trying to speak. This is most fun if you can do it until they hang up.
* If a Telco calls trying to get you to sign up for the Family and Friends Plan, reply, in as sinister a voice as you can, "I don't have any friends, would you be my friend?"
* If they start out with, "How are you today?" say, "I'm so glad you asked, because no one these days seems to care, and I have all these problems. My arthritis is acting up, my eyelashes are sore, my dog has the gout..."
* If the company cleans rugs, respond: "Can you get out blood? Can you get out goat blood? How about human blood?"
* Tell the telemarketer you are busy at the moment and ask him/her if he/she will give you his/her home phone number so you can call him/her back. When the telemarketer explains that telemarketers cannot give out their home numbers say, "I guess you don't want anyone bothering you at home, right?" The telemarketer will agree and you say, "Me either!" Hang up.
* Ask them to repeat everything they say several times.
* Insist that the caller is really your buddy Leon, playing a joke. "Come on, Leon, cut it out! Seriously, Leon, how's your momma?"
* Tell them you are hard of hearing and that they need to speak up... louder... louder...
When the salesperson asks, "Is this the homeowner?" say, "Is this the salesperson?" and when they say, "Yes," hang up.
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Brilliant. ;D
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Not a computer "problem", but.....
Has the forum formatting changed for anyone else? I'm finding the font is a little larger, proportions are a little different, today when I've logged in? I think I noticed it late last night as well, but thought it was my imagination. No other sites I am visiting have this effect, so it must be something within the forum interacting with my computer? Slightly offputting, as I feel that everything is just a bit bigger and not as neat and tidy. No one else having this?
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That's odd, Paul. Might you have managed to hit the control button while scrolling on a page? That would explain a change. Do that myself from time to time to give my eyes a rest.
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So how do I change it back? Whatever it is, it's now like this for everything here on the forum?
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left mouse click on a page and hold the control button down, while scrolling the mouse wheel towards you.
Away from you makes the page, text etc larger, and towards you makes it smaller. Adjust to suit.
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Bingo!! We're back. ;D That was easy.
You learn something new every day. Thanks so much.
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Paul, I had the same problem a few weeks ago.
Solved it, but never knew how.
There must be a ghost in my iPad. :o
Lina.
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Lina,
Maybe it was the Great Goddess Maggi that fixed it? You know that she sees all and fixes all!!?? ;D
All hail the Great Goddess Maggi. :-*
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I don't think either the Great Goddess (who I like the sound of better than the Fattest Fairy) or the FF is that powerful really..... she's just a trier! :D
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Maggi,
Yes, GG is definitely better than FF. 8)
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ROTFL ;D
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left mouse click on a page and hold the control button down, while scrolling the mouse wheel towards you.
Away from you makes the page, text etc larger, and towards you makes it smaller. Adjust to suit.
Or you can just press CTRL+0 which will set zoom thingy to default
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How can I adjust printing of documents (using various programmes) so they are not cropped at the right hand edge? My daughter is using a programme called Comic Life and while everything is centred, she loses almost 1 cm from the right hand edge of her page. The paper is correctly inserted into the printer.
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How can I adjust printing of documents (using various programmes) so they are not cropped at the right hand edge?
Web pages have always been a nightmare to print, Google Chrome seems to be the best bet. Anthony, you say "various programs", so the answer is "various ways".
If you were looking for a single solution, or if everything is getting it wrong, then one might wonder if the paper size set up on the printer driver matches the paper size inserted in the printer.
On Win, Start->Settings->Prints and Faxes-> right click on the printer driver of interest.
Then something like Advanced -> Printing Defaults will let you set the paper size the printer driver defaults to.
Usually you'll hit ctrl-P and get the standard Windows print dialogue when printing, there is usually a button on that 'Preferences' which will let you control the printer settings like page size.
Some software shows you were the printer margins lie on your document - that might be a way of investigating.
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Ctrl + and Ctrl - can be used to change font size too. (You can ignore the shift key)
Ctrl+Alt+down arrow is quite fun too. Use Ctrl+Alt+up arrow to reverse. Not tried it in a presentation for upside/down slides yet.
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Brian,
I of course just HAD to try that last one, didn't I. That is so disconcerting. It would be an interesting way to "lock" your computer if you didn't want someone else reading your email when you leave your desk..... flip it upside down and wait and see who asks why......so you know who's looking. ;D
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"Word" is fine and printing photos is fine too. It is just when we use other programmes, the latest being "Comic Life" (http://plasq.com/products/comiclife/win) it cuts off the right hand edge. Maybe I should contact them?
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Anthony,
When printing within comic life, are you given a page setup option? If so, you may need to change the margin settings in there? Word and the photo printer may be taking their settings from somewhere else than comic life, so if you can change the page setup within the program it should work. If there is no page setup function, no idea how you'd go about it. It has to be inheriting the settings from somewhere, but whether you can modify those if they're stored withing the game I'm not sure.
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Here is their response:
Hello there Anthony,
Thanks for contacting us.
Is it Comic Life 2.2 for Windows version that you are using?
Could you please try exporting out as an image, and then printing that?
File > Export > Export to image(s) - and choose something like PNG @ 300 dpi.
Then try printing out the exported image.
Hope this helps,
Mark | plasq
It did! ;D
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Computer + shredder = ?
I'm going to weed something instead.
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More of a Photobucket thing really. I uploaded a set of images, and when I then posted them on a Forum I noticed one picture was wrong. So I went to PB, deleted the said picture and uploaded the correct one. I then changed the link to the correct photo. The problem? Well it continues to show the incorrect photo, even though it no longer exists, except in my Recycle Bin. Try as I might I cannot get the correct photo to appear. Anyone had this experience?
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Palustris,
Have you done a hard reload of the page? It might be picking up the old version from your cache in your computer memory. It might appear fine to anyone else loading it, just not to you until your cache updates. Try holding down the shift key then clicking on the refresh/reload icon in whatever browser you're using. I think that the shift + refresh is universal for a hard reload (i.e it completely redownloads the page, not using the memory cache). If it doesn't work, let us know which browser you're using and maybe there is a different method of forcing a complete refresh for that browser?
Good luck.
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Hi,
on sunday evening my new dell laptop with full mcafee protection was 'taken over' by a malware called 'windows problem stopper'. I've spent hours trying to sort this out. It has been a nightmare for someone who isn't a 'techie'.
It produces hundreds of pop ups that tell you your computer is full of trojans/viruses etc and directs you to a page where you can insert your credit card details to sort this out. There were so many pop ups that connection to the net was disrupted every few seconds.
I've finally managed to disable the virus enough to get connection through using a free Mcafee product called stinger. I jad to introduce this through a stick as the download took too long and the virus stopped it. Even now, mcafee security centre is off line and the computer is at risk.
Support from Mcafee when I got through has been very disappointing. They just want more cash to sort out the problem. Is this typical for them or the industry? Can anyone recommend a course of action? Should I replace Mcafee? I have a 'senior technician' calling me back tonight. What should I say?
many thanks,
David
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Hello,
The problem is very nasty indeed.
To prevent such things happening again do the following:
Remove McAfee.
Install free virus protection from AVG or Avast.
I have been using it for many years successfully.
Install also Advancend System Care also free.
Run this program now and then to remove any malware.
Only one button to push,scan goes automatically then.
Henk (Lina's husband)
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Thanks PaulT. that is what seems to have happened. This morning the correct photo is showing.
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This makes interesting reading for anyone with Windows stopper.
http://www.myantispyware.com/2012/03/19/how-to-remove-windows-problems-stopper-virus/
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Yes I really wish computer suppliers didn't bundle McAfee on new machines, and agree that it's best replaced immediately with Avast or equivalent.
Henk, thanks for recommending Advanced System Care too. It looks useful.
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Lena( and others),
Many thanks for the advice.
Since jumping up and down and sending out several e mails expressing my disappointment with McAfee,
they have come back to me and sorted the problem without charge.
My view is that this should have been their first response, not last.
It is the first time I've had a known virus attack get through the security software.
It was definitely up to date.
What are the general thoughts on other security providers?
I've heard that uninstalling McAfee can result in other problems due to incomplete removal of programmes.
I don't want to jump from the frying pan into the fire.
Thanks,
David
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I got a new laptop at work last autumn. Immediately AVG was virus-checking so I assumed it was included with the computer. Several weeks later it advised that it was a trial. I deleted all AVG files and switched to Avast which I was using on my previous laptop. Everytime I turn on the laptop a huge AVG window appears asking me to sign up; there is no X to close the window although I can close it by right clicking in the upper lefthand corner of the window though there is no indication of that function. Wonder how to get rid of this annoyance.
Hopefully Avast has this Advancend System Care function. If so I'll add it as I very much like Avast.
johnw - everyone in summer attire and downright hot tomorrow...24c maybe / 27c inland. Normal is +4c on the coast!
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Hello David,
I recommend to install advanced system care first.
Use this program to uninstall McAfee.
All references to it will be removed from the register and drives.
To do this go to the tab utilities,uninstall programs.
Henk.
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Hello John,
Install advanced system care.You will find the download site cnet download com usefull and a reliable source for software.
On the tab utilities you will find uninstall programs.
Use this and look for avg.
Uninstall it and use powerfull clean up as well.
All references to avg will be removed from the registry and hard drive.
Henk
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Have to say that we use Microsoft Security Essentials and with a bow to Hubris, have had no trouble with Viruses etc. Mind we also have AVG and Spybot and a lovely little program called WinPatrol. The latter stops anything from altering anything on your computer without your permission.
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My desk top is scrolling up or down in a starnge way. It's not smooth and looks like the screen is running behind and has to catch up as I scroll up and down. I just tried catching it in print screen but it shows nothing wrong
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Mark, have you accidentally pressed down on the scroll wheel of your mouse? That activates a different kind of scroll feature that runs about with a mind of its own. Ian uses it to browse... I don't know what its called.
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Its been happening for a few days now. I shut down every night.
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As Maggie says, if you press the scroll wheel down, then the mouse movement acts in place of the scroll wheel. The screen can race up and down at the slightest movement of the mouse.
To check if you are doing this inadvertently, look for a small circle on the screen with a centre spot and two up/down arrows above and below them. If this is the case, then press down on the scroll button, release and this should bring you back to normal scrolling using the wheel.
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Mark,
I seem to recall in the past somewhere where I accidentally changed the scroll rate of the screen to slower, which gave that same effect. It always looked like it was trying to catch up. Was years ago, and no idea how I did it (or fixed it). Might give you somewhere to start looking?
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Mark, have you accidentally pressed down on the scroll wheel of your mouse? That activates a different kind of scroll feature that runs about with a mind of its own. Ian uses it to browse... I don't know what its called.
I know what I call it. >:(
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Computer geeks may like Google Maps April fool "game" this year. Don't know how long it will stay there but load GM as usual and click on the Quest button, top right on the map. It all works but uses 8-bit computing instead of 32/64 bit as we now use.
Ah those were the days or real computers, except there seems to be more colours on this than I remember ;)
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memory stick not opening
My Sandisk memory stick has stopped working on my PC, XP, but works OK on my laptop which has Vista. I have changed nothing. All my lectures are on it.
I want to update a lecture for Monday but when I try to open the memory stick I either see nothing or see everything but nothing opens.
Any ideas?
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Mark. Try another USB port on your computer. If the one next to it works fine, it may be as simple as this.
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I've tried the two at the front and one at the back ???
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What happens when files refuse to open - do you get an error message? Same question if you try copying files off the stick. I'd probably be right clicking on files and disc icons and seeing what the 'properties' had to say for themselves.
As to "all my lectures are on it" (implying not having dozens of back up copies on DVD etc.) Eeek!
:)
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Mark,
I'd be suggesting copying it all onto your laptop, then back onto a new memory stick. It sounds like something is slightly corrupted, but your laptop is capable of dealing with it while the other things aren't. I'd definitely back it up to the laptop immediately at the very least (if you haven't already).
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I bought a new memory stick today
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Not knowing anything about this subject, ::) are all memory sticks ' much of a muchness', or are some better that others?
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Not knowing anything about this subject, ::) are all memory sticks ' much of a muchness', or are some better that others?
I have read reviews which found big differences.
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I've got three memory sticks and found out that you can buy ones that you encrypt and password, rather than having to buy a programme to do that job, so that if you lose it while travelling, it can't be used or broken into by anyone else. They are not expensive on Amazon either, they were all under 10 quid, the brand I've got is called Data Traveller.
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Very true David
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I have recently updated with a new laptop and windows 7 from XP on the old laptop but now I cannot process slides to digital on my Canon MP810 pixma printer. Has anyone found a programme that I could download to let these two speak the same language or is it a case of updating my printer ....once again?? :(
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Hi Pat,
I took a quick look and there are W7 drivers available for your printer. If you download and install the appropriate driver you should be good - there's no reason at all why the printer should need replacing.
Thanks,
J.
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Thanks John I downloaded from the Canon site with help from a friendly Canon person on the phone. All works well now.
Thanks for prompting me to persevere in fixing the problem
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??? ??? ??? Please help!!!!
I cant post pictures - the "Additional Options..." section shown below dosnt open up to show the way to do it!
Aaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!! :'(
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??? ??? ??? Please help!!!!
I cant post pictures - the "Additional Options..." section shown below dosnt open up to show the way to do it!
Aaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!! :'(
Lampwick, have a look here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8989.0;topicseen
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Hey I have only been away from the forum for a four days ( Tummy bug ) and I see there are some changes to the layout. Only thing is I was looking forward to seeing you all again but some of your lovely faces are gone, just a ? instead. Is it just me and my computer.
Angie :)
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Hello Angie, good to see you are feeling a little better.
There are some issues to be worked out with the new forum and its move to a new server. We can't post pictures directly at the moment only by linkins or from flickr etc.
Fred is working on it... he'll get us sorted in the end!
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Thanks Maggi was just missing some of those lovely faces. Fred is doing a good job, just wish I was able to do what he can do.
Feeling a bit better now, eating a little but still can't face my white chocolate buttons. When they go I will know I am back to normal ::) ;D
Angie :)
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I have recently updated with a new laptop and windows 7 from XP on the old laptop but now I cannot process slides to digital on my Canon MP810 pixma printer. Has anyone found a programme that I could download to let these two speak the same language or is it a case of updating my printer ....once again?? :(
If you have Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate you can install an XP virtual machine. It works, runs in a separate window and when you are in it you are in fact running XP.
This comes with W7 Ultimate and can be downloaded from Microsoft if you have W7 Professional. If you have any of the "Home" editions I don't think this is available.
I have used it myself and it works really well. It allows me to run programmes that will not work with W7
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Thanks for the info but yes I am running a home edition only but that is interesting
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I use Outlook Express for emails. In my In Box I keep a lot of folders containing stuff I might want to refer to again at some time and it is where I keep my correspondence filed in client folders connected with my duties as the Club's advertising manager. So the latter is particularly important stuff. The former is me not liking to chuck stuff out (you should see my garage!).
The thing is how do I stop Windows (I use XP) constantly asking me if I'd like to "compress" my folders, where "compress" appears to mean dumping them in the Recycling Bin. It does so annoy me, how can I stop it doing that please?
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David,
I don't think "compress" moves anything to the Recycling Bin.
Paddy
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I use Outlook Express for emails. In my In Box I keep a lot of folders containing stuff I might want to refer to again at some time and it is where I keep my correspondence filed in client folders connected with my duties as the Club's advertising manager. So the latter is particularly important stuff. The former is me not liking to chuck stuff out (you should see my garage!).
The thing is how do I stop Windows (I use XP) constantly asking me if I'd like to "compress" my folders, where "compress" appears to mean dumping them in the Recycling Bin. It does so annoy me, how can I stop it doing that please?
David, I don't think compacting your folders puts anything in the recycle bin.
One thing, if you have important mail you are keeping in folders, you really need to back them up outside of OE.
Another thing is, when compacting folders is in operation do not try to stop it until it is finished, if you do you can get corrupted mailbox.
Last thing, with OE, it can crash if it gets too big.
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Mmmmm. Well it certainly does on my set up!
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David, when you delete mail and then empty the deleted folder, the mails are still on disc.
When you compact, I think those deleted mails are then deleted for good to make space. Maybe those are what you see in the recycle bin?
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David, are you sure the compressed files aren't still in your OE folders? OE does regularly dump inbox, outboox, sent items etc files into the recycle bin but only the uncompressed files after they've been replaced by compressed files. You can back up the OE folders with your emails in them by locating the dbx files containing them in your local settings and saving them to a flash drive or other externam device, then you can re-import them into OE if you lose them.
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Thanks Martin and Helen. The answer is I don't have a clue I'll have to check the next time I get the message. The older I get the less I seem to understand anything!
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Is what's worrying you that you keep seeing OE inbox, outbox, sent items, and other such folders (as dbx files) in your recycle box after OE has compressed files? That's nothing to worry about, just the uncompressed old files being dumped. So long as you can still see your emails in the folders in OE then you still have them all.
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Martin I have never checked what was actually in the files in the recycling bin I only checked the file name and assumed that the file contained what was in that file in my Inbox. The next time I get the meassge I will check. Many thanks for your help.
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If they say thnigs like Inbox.bak then there's no problem. You won't be able to open them by clicking on them as they're dbx files that won't open.
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Yesterday Vivienne had her iPhone 4s stolen at school. It was switched on late last night and we are now tracking it on "find my iPhone". Vivienne and James are now sitting in a car near its current location awaiting the police. In the last half hour it has changed to someone else's iPhone. I wonder how accurate the GPS is, as it keeps moving between about three addresses?
Update: phone recovered, minus Sim and cover, but with the perpetrator's name on the phone and loads of photos and video, some of which has already been uploaded to Facebook!!! He says he was given it by a former student, which begs the question, how could a former student wander into the work base and find a hidden phone? Answer: Friday was mufti, so kids not in uniform. Difficult to identify intruders. :(
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The thing is how do I stop Windows (I use XP) constantly asking me if I'd like to "compress" my folders
Since Outlook Express and the associated "compress" question was discontinued after Windows XP then buying a new computer would cure the problem. But actually you need to do the same thing on some other older email programs, you're just not pestered about it.
The thing about compressing folders is that you are damned if you do and damned if you don't. If you don't then the size of the folder (which is actually a file) that contains your Inbox messages can become very large because when you delete or move a message from the Inbox the folder doesn't get any smaller until you compress it. If you let your Inbox folder swell to giant size then your email program will run very slowly and the chances of the folder/file becoming corrupt causing you to lose the entire contents increases.
But if you opt to compress the operation is fraught with danger, particularly if you ask the computer to do something else that it finds effort-intensive or switch it off whilst the compression is going on. If it goes wrong then you can lose all your emails - but that situation is usually recoverable if you know how. At which point you might be glad of those old email files you can salvage from the recycle bin.
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Thanks for that Alan. I think I shall continue to do what I do now-When the message comes up asking me to compress files I shall indicate yes, this deposits a range of files in the recycling bin from where I restore them. Daft, init!
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David, unless the process has gone badly wrong there is no need to restore the files that end up in the recycle bin. They are most likely temporary files created as a safeguard whilst the compression process is running then deleted once it has finished.
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[quote author=Lesley Cox link=topic=3537.msg245947#msg245947 date=1336425341
I still can't get whole enlarged pictures. Johnny is sitting in solitary state while Clare is separate when I scroll along. The picture itself doesn't seem too big, judging from the info at the bottom so I don't know what the problem is. I did what Maggi said, clicked outside the pic then rolled the centre button towards me but that made the whole page smaller, not just the picture, so the problem remained. This never happened before the change so maybe something in my settings has gone wrong. I have to scroll across with a lot of pics now.
[/quote]
Lesley, I have resized the John and Clare photo to the recommended 760 pixels wide format... can you see it properly now, when you click to enlarge it?
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Thanks Maggi, it helps but still not enough. Without scrolling I can see Clare's hand and wrist and a little of her front but not the rest. It seems as if I will somehow have to make the whole page smaller, as a setting, because it happens with many or most topics. I don't know how to make the page smaller. The method you gave me before makes the page smaller but the pics are the same COMPARATIVE size, on it, i.e. they are still too big. When I open any topic, the whole page sits there nicely with about 1.5cms outside each side of the page, as background so I don't think it's a matter of moving everything over to the left. It all just needs shrinking a little. Changing settings and other technical matters are not my strong point I'm afraid.
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Thanks Maggi, it helps but still not enough. Without scrolling I can see Clare's hand and wrist and a little of her front but not the rest. It seems as if I will somehow have to make the whole page smaller, as a setting, because it happens with many or most topics. I don't know how to make the page smaller. The method you gave me before makes the page smaller but the pics are the same COMPARATIVE size, on it, i.e. they are still too big. When I open any topic, the whole page sits there nicely with about 1.5cms outside each side of the page, as background so I don't think it's a matter of moving everything over to the left. It all just needs shrinking a little. Changing settings and other technical matters are not my strong point I'm afraid.
Lesley,
at the bottom right hand corner of your screen, just above where your computer shows the time is a little thing that looks like a magnifying glass. It will have a number% showing next to it. What is yours showing please?
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David, that's excellent information except my computer doesn't seem to have that magnifying glass you mentioned.
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Anne, I'm running Windows XP, if you are not then that may be the reason the little zoom indicator isn't there.
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I'm running Windows XP as well, David... I haven't got that doofer either. Ian has it on one of his machines.
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Maggi, mine is in a line immediately above the bottom bar which I think is called the Task Bar. On the right hand side of the bar it shows the address of the web site and page I'm downloading and when it has fully downloaded it says "Done". Further on the line is a little symbol and if I hover the curser over it it says "Privacy Report". A little further on still is the globe Internet Symbol and if I hover over that it says "Double click to change security settings". Further still another symbol with a padlock and arrow which is something to do with security settings for blocking content; and the final symbol is the zoom setting. I'm using Internet Explorer Version 8 so maybe you are not?
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That's the difference, David... I'm using Firefox. Ian just told me it is there on IE.
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But in any case, it enlarges or makes smaller, everything, doesn't work on say, the picture alone, so the scroll problem remains. I think I'll have to live with it. Only making the picture smaller yet again, would work, and that's hardly fair to everyone, in order to fix my problem. ???
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Lesley, you could give this a try:-
Go into "Control Panel" (press your Start button and choose control panel from the menu). Lokk through the items that come up and choose "Display"
Choose "Settings" look for a block towards the bottom that says "Advanced". When that comes up look for the reading under the heading "DPI Setting". Mine shows 96DPI and it would be interesting to see what what yours says. You don't have to make any changes at this stage so you won't cause any damage.
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Find Control Panel David? You're asking a lot of me there! (Only joking. ;D)
I did all that and mine is 96DPI too which equates, it says, to a font size of 12. I made it smaller, down to 75%, which was the next option, at, it said font size 10 but when I rebooted, it was so small I couldn't read anything at all, It looked like a font size of about 2, so I had to reverse everything. Anyway, it didn't make a difference to the picture, as above.
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That's all my (technical!!) suggestions Lesley. I'm sure David Pilling will have some ideas.
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Errm. size of the text in the browser? - but which browser is Leslie using.
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The Zoom in and Out feature on Fiefox is in the top right hand corner, a plus and a minus sign. But as Leslie says that just affects the whole page not just the Images.
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OK, Firefox. On the view menu, there is an option Zoom->Zoom text only, if you have that ticked then you can get strange effects with picture size relative to text. So Leslie, is this ticked?
I'm a bit late here, that's because I've had no email notifications for this topic for a few days...
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Lesley will still be in bed or having an early breakfast but I don't think she uses Firefox. I could be wrong of course and no doubt she'll tell us before our evening comes to a close.
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Well Internet Explorer, has View menu->Text size, and again if you get the text size set small, compensate by increasing the general zoom value you'll end up with pictures that are 'too big'.
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Help Please,
I am trying to post a link on the forum, using the insert URL button, and I would like to associate a single word like "method" with the really long address of the link. Ho do I do that, Please?
This is probably in the wrong place, but I couldn't find anywhere more appropriate. :'(
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Maren, to the ears here at the minute.... try this, using square brackets [ instead of the curly ones
{url=http://somesite/}
descriptive link
{/url}
Thus :
{url=http://www.srgc.org.uk}srgc main website{/url} with square brackets, becomes....
srgc main website (http://www.srgc.org.uk)
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I think most of you knw that I am nly semi literate when it comes to computers. My problem as you can see is that my keyboard has suddenly started sticking it only works when i thump down on thekeys ad it is taking me ag to do things because I have to keep oing back and putting thigs right It is arecent problem and seems to beaffecting all keys. Any suggestions.
I have deliberately not corrected this syou can see my problem hpw you cnead it.
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1) ask Brian if he spilt his coffee and didn't tell you.
2) try unplugging it and plugging it in again (a;ways worth a try.
3) buy a new one
See you Saturday
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1. No
2. Done t
3. can't aford it.
See you Saturday, I gather Cecelia is coing with a removal van ;D
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Hi Shelagh,
Keyboards cost as little as £15 these days - if Brian gave up his alcohol at Southport Show you could afford one! ;D
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Amazon, £8.67 and free delivery! Brian could still have a half pint ;)
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Turn upside down and shake. The keyboard not Brian........oh I don't know though!
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Check out the local charity shops, and hope it has the right plug on.
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Interesting that all keys are affected - a lot of muck drops between keys, if you ever pull a keyboard to bits it is fairly unpleasant. You can usually do that, pull the key caps off, get your toothbrush and clean things up. However as they've said above, keyboards are super cheap these days, that is why they don't last.
The all keys affected thing may go along with something like the panel inside the keyboard that holds the switches coming loose.
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Thanks foradvice but ts a laptop.
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Ooh hard lines Shelagh. If you have the right plug holes, you might be able to buy a cordless keyboard to use instead. It works for my mouse, so might for your laptop, though I've never tried it, never needed to actually.
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Get a USB keyboard (maybe borrow it off a desktop machine) plug in to your lap top. You can tell it is a USB keyboad by the plug fitting (USB - flat rectangular plug, PS/2 round).
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Give it a vacuum. Other idea is that most of the keys can unclip and you can see what is happening ie dirt, soil, dog hairs etc. I have 2 keys that are removed completly, you just have to remember which ones.
Susan
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USB connection keyboard will work. I use one all the time as laptop keyboard drives me mad. The Amazon £8.67 is a USB unit.
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On the other hand, a new keyboard for a laptop typically costs £20 to £30. Some keyboards are easy to disconnect and refit, others less so. It depends on your particular laptop make and model.
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Thanks all I'll ty he hoover first.
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My router has been playing up. I got disconnected regularly so, I bit the bullet and called for technical assistance -TalkTalk ! They have call centres in India, Philippines, South Africa and the UK. It is a matter of pot-luck which one you get.
Please let it be a native English speaker as Scottish accents can cause problems. The Indian gentleman was called "John"- likely ? I told him I had a dud router but had to go through the "take the cables out . etc, reset the router" rigmarole and after 20 minutes I was told that I had a dud router.
As an extremely "valuable" customer, they would supply me with a free WiFi replacement if I signed up for an 18 months contract at the same price
As it was not costing any more, I said OK. Then the next crunch, It would take up to 10 working days before I would receive it. I then asked for a refund of my monthly fee as they were not supplying the service for which I was paying. Then I was referred to another dept. which just happened to be closed at that time.
As I had spent about 40 minutes over this I gave up for the night.
I disconnected the router and then had a bright idea. I wrapped it in a polythene bag and put it in the freezer. Next morning I reconnected it and it worked flawlessly for a week. It failed again so I gave it the same treatment and it worked fine until the replacement router arrived. I let it run for another 2 weeks and then I replaced it with the WiFi model.
I don't know the technical reason why this worked - my initial thought was that electrical circuits don't like heat.
The moral is that if your router is giving problems, try this temporary cure.
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Ah reminds me of happy days putting hard discs in the fridge - didn't work but worth a try. All electronics is susceptible to temperature variations, even if it is only bad contacts being shifted by thermal expansion.
Tech support on ADSL has not been happy for me (demon), the folk far away are effective but they're working to a script, no explanations just orders. And one real effect of distance they're often cut off. Last time I had problems I bought a new router/modem, it seemed easier than putting in the effort on the phone being told to buy one.
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Kids who stole car radios put them in the freezer to jigger the code mechanism! :o
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happy days putting hard discs in the fridge - didn't work but worth a try.
I've got this to work a few times; less often than not however.
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BTW Shelagh, over on ebay USB keyboards inc carriage are under 5 quid.
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Wll I hve hovered nd shaken but t no avl. So wonderful Dianas lentme a radio controled searte kyboad nd this is th resut. I think my problem must be something o do with the new SRGC website. Either tat or somone is trying to conine me I m mad.
I am fedup I hae pitures to pst tf Edingurh otnic and also Gasgow Boanic bu no way cn I do it wit this problm.
It's noughto diveyou tdrik.
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Shelagh - does typing in to something else work OK. For example your usual tool for writing text - e.g. a word processor.
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Yes Dvidwritng letters o emals i not aproblem. Only prble is the Forum You see I touch type ad probalby do it fastr than mot peole using keboards but this is jus drving me mad.
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I recently had my computer taken back to ear zer because the C driv was o fullit was slow and wouldn't let me do things butthat was 3/4 weeks agoad tis problem has only ju stated so Idon't think I can blame that.
I do hope that at least soeof you can deipher this gobbledegook.
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OK, if it is just the forum, then forget all the previous keyboard related stuff.
One thing you could do, is type the text into your word processor, select it, copy (contorl+C) and then paste (control+V) in to the forum. Maybe a bit tedious to do every time but a test.
The other thing that springs to mind, is browser, which one are you using, and has it any modifications (add ons) that might upset text entry. Easy enough to get another browser and try that. Google Chrome would be my choice.
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I agree with David, if its only the forum its likely to be something related to your browser. If you use IE try using Mozilla Firefox perhaps and see if that works. Worth trying before you try to fix something that may not be 'broke'...
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There are many reports on the internet of a missing keystroke problem in Internet Explorer; probably the same problem that Shelagh is experiencing. There are also multiple solutions; different thing worked for different people. A popular means of getting round the problem is to use an alternative web browser such as:
Firefox http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/ (http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/)
Chrome https://www.google.com/chrome (https://www.google.com/chrome)
or even
Safari http://www.apple.com/safari/ (http://www.apple.com/safari/)
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A popular solution to the missing keystroke problem is this one (I'm quoting but have slightly modified the original):
1) go into Internet Options, Programs, Manage Add-ons (or Alt key in IE to show the old menu, Tools, Manage Add-ons), disable Shockwave Flash Object (choose to SHOW ALL ADD-ONS to see it if necessary) under Adobe Systems Incorporated.
2) shut down all running instances of IE
3) open one IE, go to www.adobe.com (http://www.adobe.com), update the Adobe Flash Player to the latest version
4) close IE, reopen it, re-enable Shockwave Flash Object (you need it for such streaming BBC iPlayer), close IE
5) re-open IE, test on SRGC forum.
I like this solution because not running the latest version of Adobe Flash Player leaves your computer open to virus infections so updating it is really something you should do anyway, whether or not this cures the problem.
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Thank you, thank you, I am now on Mozilla and as you can see back to my normal well spelled self. This is bliss I was beginning to talk like I was typing. OK so now I can post my pictures from the Scottish Botanic Gardens.
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Hooray, Shelagh. Glad the problem's solved. I stay away from Microsoft products as much as I can.... not always possible, but I try to use alternatives when available. Firefox is very stable for me so far....
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Forgive me if it's been asked before somewhere, but I haven't followed this thread - is there someone out there who is used to using Adobe Dreamweaver who could give me some advice? I've spent the last week trying to learn from tutorials, and now have a basic website ready but I have a couple of problems I need help with. Thanks.
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Anne I've just spent some time on what I take it to be your new website, and I think its excellent, ;D ;D.
For me it covers everything I require, as a customer, from a website of this kind. 8) 8) Congratulations, I take it you've done all the work yourself? 8)
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This evening Outlook Express has dumped years worh of emails from my inbox. I didnt do anything. Does anyone know where they might be?
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This evening Outlook Express has dumped years worh of emails from my inbox. I didnt do anything. Does anyone know where they might be?
In your recycle bin?
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I'm talking 3000 emails. They arent in the deleted folder or spam box. They disappeared
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Mark
do you not have them backed up and can recover them from there?
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I'm talking 3000 emails. They arent in the deleted folder or spam box. They disappeared
I don't mean the deleted folder, I mean have you looked in your computer's recycle bin where dumped files are stored until you empty it. There may be a dumped inbox folder in there from the last time Outlook Express compressed your files.
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You could also try checking in your applications data file. If you can navigate to local settings, application data, microsoft, outlook express and see if the inbox file is there.
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If you had a large number of email messages the file that stores them may have grown very large and unwieldy. This file is called inbox. I think the regular extension is .dbx and a backup copy has the extension .bak. If you're on XP you need to search for inbox making sure you have selected the additional option of including hidden (/system ?) files. In later versions of Windows you have to search the entire computer, not just the indexed locations. If you look "manually" make sure you can view hidden and system files.
Once you find the file (and there will be at least one, even if not the one you want) make a copy to another location. You may need to do the same for your sent items in a file called sent.
Meanwhile, don't empty your recycle bin and don't defragment your hard drive and get out your backup media.
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Alan, I've forgotten how you put the inbox .dbx or .bak file back into outlook express when you retrieve it (from backup media or your computer). Would you just open outlook express and drag and drop the .dbx or .bak file into the inbox folder?
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Anne I've just spent some time on what I take it to be your new website, and I think its excellent, ;D ;D.
For me it covers everything I require, as a customer, from a website of this kind. 8) 8) Congratulations, I take it you've done all the work yourself? 8)
Thanks, Ron. It does the job now, but it's hardly exciting to look at. I've sorted out the problem I had through serendipity, which is how we are supposed to learn computer software, seemingly - keep pressing buttons at random until something happens. The trouble is, it's hard to duplicate if you need to do it again. :-\
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Alan, I've forgotten how you put the inbox .dbx or .bak file back into outlook express when you retrieve it (from backup media or your computer). Would you just open outlook express and drag and drop the .dbx or .bak file into the inbox folder?
Martin
I think you would search for Inbox.dbx and then you would have to move it in the correct system folder which in my case on XP is
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Application Data\Identities\{532BB0B8-6877-4865-9C40-9131A397B668}\Microsoft\Outlook Express
this would have to replace the new file created by Windows if the original had been deleted. I do not believe it has been deleted and will be there somewhere.
My first option,I would search for unique known word which I knew occurred in an email (e.g. jeffersonia)and see if it finds it ( there may be several files but easy to identify an email) then open the containing folder which should disclose its location. Then it is easy to move them back to the inbox.
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Thanks Tony. That's the route I take to locate the OE .dbx files, so I guess it makes sense if you've lost a file to move your backup file back into the same system folder then OE can find and display it. Just had a feeling that dragging and dropping the backup .dbx file into the appropriate folder on the OE display also worked the last time I had to bring in a backup file to OE (when I was moving emails across to a new computer).
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Personally I have never seen the need to keep emails when their purpose is finished and I delete them.
I think of more importance is to safeguard my address book and I use
Cobian Backup 10
to save a copy of the address book file and also my Outlook Express files with those emails I want to keep on a daily basis
My 'My Documents' folder is also saved daily on a Seagate backup drive.
Both these run automatically at 9pm and 10pm each evening
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Since last week Internet Explorer is refusing to open PDF files. Can't see last week's Bulblog for one. Microsoft tell me I need to install Vista Service Pack 1 which I have been reluctant to install as it means disabling my virus protection. I tried a few times way back but gave up. I have not had problems up till now. I've been checking through this thread and it seems most of you would recommend changing my internet provider.
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Firefox and Chrome are both better than IE. However, you really ought to download Service Pack 1 as it does remove a lot of vulnerabilities in Windows Not sure if one can Download and Save it. then go off the Internet, turn off your Anti-virus and Install it. Then put back the Anti virus. If not then turn off the Antivirus, Install the Service pack, then do a full Scan. I think that is what we did and had no problems.
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Twice when I didn't have automatic updates for Windows turned on, I had my computer wrecked by going to websites which exploited shortcomings in Internet Explorer or Flash or whatever. Keeping everything up to date is important.
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I must be approaching 100 installations of Vista Service Pack 1. I have never disabled virus protection whilst doing this and I have never had a problem; although the installation would probably run a bit faster if I did.
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Well I've successfully installed Vista Service Pack one without disabling virus protection. It did have a problem restarting between parts 2 and 3. I have tried several times before in the last three or four years since it became available but without success.......but still not opening PDF files >:(. Next move new browser.
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Try Google Chrome...
https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/ (https://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/browser/)
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...yes, Anne, and if you press the wrong button, the unexpected result may not be what you wanted or what you can recover from, having forgotten which button it was. Been there.... :'(
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On Firefox now. Seems a lot faster than IE and can read the Bulblog again ;D I do get automatic Windows updates but checked for new updates last night and without me doing any more 66!!!!! updates were downloaded and installed.
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Now that you have installed Vista Service Pack 1 you need to move on to Vista Service Pack 2! For some reason you won't be offered this as an update until you have no other less-major updates pending.
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Well done Roma. Now ,unless you already have don't forget to add Do No Track Plus to your Firefox browser. And possibly Ad-block. Both stop all unnecessary popups very effectively.
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Well done Roma. Now ,unless you already have don't forget to add Do No Track Plus to your Firefox browser.
Hmm. I work on a (non-profit) web site and one of the motivations to keep going is how many visitors Google Analytics shows.
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I hope this hasn't been posted before, but thought it was worth the risk of possible repetition:
ARE COMPUTERS MEN OR WOMEN?
A language teacher was explaining to her class that in French, nouns unlike their English counterparts, are gramatically designated as masculine or feminine.
“House” in French, is feminine - “la maison,” “pencil,” is masculine - “le crayon.”
One puzzled student asked “What gender is computer?” Before she told them, for a bit of fun she split the class into two groups appropriately enough, by gender and asked them to decide whether “computer” should be a masculine or feminine noun.
Both groups were required to give four reasons for their recommendation.
The men’s group decided that computer should definitely be of the feminine gender (la computer) because:
1. No one but their creator understands their internal logic.
2. The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else.
3. Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long term memory for possible review later.
4. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheque on accessories for it.
The women’s group, however, concluded that computers should be masculine “le computer” because:
1. In order to do anything with them, you have to turn them on.
2. They have a lot of data but still can’t think for themselves.
3. They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they are the problem.
4. As soon as you commit to one, you realise that if you had waited a little longer you could have got a better model.
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;D ;D ;D
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Maureen thats pretty good, my computer is male for sure. Its always changing what I want to say or do and its always runs out of power when I need it ::) ;D
Angie :)
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Hello I'm back. Don't know what gender my computer is but it got indigestion after I installed SP2 followed by another 59 updates and refused to start. I had to seek professional help. Got it back today so have a bit of catching up to do.
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I love it. both are so true.
But as we all know, computer in French is l'ordinateur m. ;D ;D ;D
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Hello I'm back. Don't know what gender my computer is but it got indigestion after I installed SP2 followed by another 59 updates and refused to start. I had to seek professional help. Got it back today so have a bit of catching up to do.
It would have to be male, Roma, given all the trouble you've had with it!!!
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I think you are right, Maureen.
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Personally I think of computers as akin to pets - because they age and die so much more rapidly than we do.
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OK, I'll probably regret this question as there are probably as many answers as there are forum members! To reduce domestic conflict a laptop is going to be purchased to supplement this ageing desktop.
Any helpful suggestions, recommendations, do's, don'ts etc. gratefully received.
As everything in the house is Windows no Apple recommendations please.
Oh, and quick....planning a trip to the Laptops Direct Warehouse tomorrow.
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I toyed with the idea of a 17" laptop, but bought a 15.6" one and have not regretted it.
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As everything in the house is Windows no Apple recommendations please.
It's never too late to change Martin. An Apple a day keeps the PC Doctor away!!!!!! and I'd go with the 17". Nothing quite as tasty as a Big Mac. *LOL*
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Don't expect it to last a long time Martin. The smaller they are the smaller the components and the quicker they breakdown it seems to me.
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I wanted one of those all in one computers with everything in the screen, but my techy guru talked me out of it for that very reason David. Laptops are another matter, a necessary evil I reckon, but much more difficult to sort out if they malfunction.
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Don't even consider anything but an Apple, Martin ... from Cliff and Sue STILL in the beautiful and sunny Dolomites.
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Don't even consider anything but an Apple, Martin ... from Cliff and Sue STILL in the beautiful and sunny Dolomites.
Balance - I mostly use Linux on my Samsung laptop. So one can escape the Windows devil at no cost.
I suppose you need to decide are you going to carry it around a lot and will you actually use it on your lap when thinking about size.
Battery life in my experience has been a joke. It is almost always tethered to the mains socket.
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Cliff, stay in the Dolomites...it sure as heck aint sunny and dry here!
Sorry we had to leave you behind.
[attachimg=1]
I knew you'd say Apple, Apple, Apple but as I said this is a Windows house with lots of Windows compatible software I'm not going to spend money replacing. Don't have a problem with Windows (internet explorer is another topic!)
Alan, that Big Mac joke was terrible ::) ps have you got humidity to match the termperature just now?
David P, I've already reached the 15.6" decision, our desktop has a big screen if I need one and portability is quite important. Today's machines, if chosen wisely, will give 4-5 hours from a battery charge unless you're doing intensive stuff. My last work supplied Dell would last 5.5 hours doing MS office programmes, e-mail and web surfing.
David N, they last longer if you refrain from using them as a Frisbee :o
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Hi,
The life of a programming man is always intense... respect to Dell if you can get that long out of the batteries.
Probably there are machines with ARM chips that will run for a lot longer, and the likes of Chromebook
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......................................
David N, they last longer if you refrain from using them as a Frisbee :o
Oh! Didn't know that ;D
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Alan, that Big Mac joke was terrible ::) ps have you got humidity to match the termperature just now?
When did you ever know me to tell a joke that wasn't terrible Martin?
No.....thank goodness, the humidity has stayed relatively low. We've just got back from the 4th July parade in Lexington and it hit 98 degrees and was HOT!!!! but no issue with the humidity. ......but it's coming so they say :-(((((
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If your car is an Audi then your computer should be an Apple.
If you want a Windows computer then for heavens sake don't wait until Windows 8 comes out because it isn't Windows as we know it. Most people find Windows 7 pleasant to use. Right click and use the 'Pin to task bar' and 'Pin to Start menu' options to place your program icons conveniently.
For security software, Microsoft Security Essentials is perfectly fine and free.
The best ordinary laptops I have seen use an Intel Core™ i3 processor. If you shop around you should be able to find a decent one for around £400. There may be an option of paying a premium for a long-life battery pack. For a more premium product step up to Core™ i5
In my opinion Sony Vaio models tend to be overpriced. Acer tend to be competitively priced but their reputation for build quality is not too good. Advent is an imaginary brand being the name given by PC World (and their associated companies) to computers bought-in from other manufacturers so any form of technical support can be problematic. I would probably go with Toshiba or HP, possibly Lenovo or Samsung if buying for myself.
For improved performance and robustness (at the expense of reduced storage capacity) consider a solid state hard drive (SSD). You might need to retrofit this (or get someone to do it for you) as computer manufacturers still seem to regard these as something that should only be fitted to their top-of-the-range models; this despite the fact that now they are not that much more expensive than a standard hard drive.
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http://windowssecrets.com/top-story/some-ugliness-installing-an-after-market-ssd/ (http://windowssecrets.com/top-story/some-ugliness-installing-an-after-market-ssd/)
Here is an article by an expert on trying to fit an SSD to a laptop computer.
I'm sorry but I do not know how to make this a direct link. I just cut and pasted it.
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I have just checked it and it seems to work. The wonders of modern technology!!
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Terrible article! Purportedly about SSDs but the conclusions are:
- Crucual disc transfer software is duff.
- Acer computers are badly engineered.
oh and
- If you've got more money than sense you can void your warranty by taking the case off an SSD and still get it to work!
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Two computer questions
1. any secrets to improving Google ranking?
2. I need to buy a new desk top computer. What should I look for?
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Mark,
1. I have no idea.
2. I quite like this one http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/lenovo-h330-desktop-pc-11875742-pdt.html (http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/lenovo-h330-desktop-pc-11875742-pdt.html) if it is available where you are. The reason I like it is that it has a good quad-core Intel processor (Core™ i5) which would cost in excess of £140 if you bought it by itself yet the price you pay for this computer is similar to the price you would pay for one with a less dual core processor (Core™ i3). It has a compact case but the innards are not cramped. It runs good old Windows 7, has enough memory, good big hard drive. Lenovo is quite a good brand and they seem to be trying hard at the moment. What's not to like? Just be careful you buy the right one as there are other models with lesser specifications sold under the same name ("H330").
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Thanks Alan. I'll phone my local PC World tomorrow
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You'll save £10 if you order online and then collect in the store. This process will tell you if it's in stock locally and if not you can order one for delivery.
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Here's one for the
geeks experts. Ive got a desk top running Windows XP connected by an Ethernet cable to a BT Home Hub and a laptop running windows 7 connected to said Hub by WiFi. Is it possible to set this up, securely, as a home network to allow file sharing between the 2 machines?
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It's perfectly possible to network an XP and a Windows 7 computer (I have such a network here at home) but it may be a bit fiddly.
Firstly you need to set the network name to be the same on both computers. By default it is MSHOME on XP and WORKGROUP on later versions of Windows. On XP there is a Wizard you can run to walk you through this process.
Then you may need to change the default setting to allow file sharing on the Windows 7 machine
Then there may still be problems if one or both accounts don't require a password to log on.
This guide http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-7/share-files-and-printers-between-windows-7-and-xp/ (http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-7/share-files-and-printers-between-windows-7-and-xp/) gives the details.
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Thanks Alan, I'll have a go when I can sit still for 3-4 hours :-\
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I am a member of several email discussion lists, some with daily digests. 2 have an index at the beginning of each email, which used to act as hotlinks to the individual postings, down the page. Recently although they still appear to be hotlinks I can click, they no longer page down to the individual messages. This happened at about the time these cookie regulations came in. Is this the reason they no longer page down, or just a coincidence and it is my setup?
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It's the program you use that is responsible for making the hotlinks work. If you use an email program then it is that. If you view your emails online using a web browser then it's the web browser. You have to be very careful clicking links in emails because they don't necessarily link to what they say and can take you to a web site that will then try to infect your computer with a virus. So perhaps hotlinks have been blocked as part of a tightening-up of security policy? I doubt that cookies or their regulation have anything to do with this.
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What cookie regulations?
I must have missed that, can someone explain please.
???
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Cookies only for UK websites
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18194235 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18194235)
I am using BT/Yahoo webmail with Explorer. Noticed it has also affected my birdguides.com weekly email.
Cheer yourself up with http://taxi.ba.com (http://taxi.ba.com) (if you have a UK postcode) (needs flash)
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Thanks, Brian.
Thinking it is too little too late for that.
Wonder what they will bring in to protect privacy on social networking sites. :-X
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Hi all ,
I need a suggestion for a Backup software ..can anybody help ?
Since two years I have portable hard disk for my backup from Samsung- it runs well under XP ...now since few month I have Windows 7 and now I have a problem that the software is not compatible with W7 ...grrr
Samsungs has in meantime given this part of production to Seagate ....and they make no updates
So I need now a other software for my external disk ...which software use other members ?
Maybe has a other member from Germany a advice for me ?
Thank you in advance
Hans
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Windows 7 has its own built-in backup software. Have you tried that?
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Thank you Alan !
I know that this software exist and i have asked my PC- Doctor ...he is not so happy about it...
Hans
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The Windows 7 built-in backup software is perhaps not the ultimate but it works and it is free. Can your PC-Doctor recommend anything better?
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I have found in the internet a lot of Backup software ( some for free ) :
http://www.chip.de/Downloads-Download-Charts-Top-100-der-Woche_32368489.html?xbl_category=39018 (http://www.chip.de/Downloads-Download-Charts-Top-100-der-Woche_32368489.html?xbl_category=39018)
Sorry in german ...
I would like to hear a opinion from other members about her expierience ...but it seems no members here use Backup software ...I think this is very danger because it anything happens with a PC is all lost ( all pics )
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I backup files by hand to DVDs - advantage no back up software to go wrong. It's a fair point to say that you don't know if your backup software works until you do a full restore from it. Backup software is notorious for bugs.
Another option is to have a second hard disc and synchronise files on to it - there is a lot of free disc synchronising or mirroring software available - probably the least sophisticated/worst from my web site (got a mention at last).
Presumably one should distinguish sync'ing files to mirroring the contents of disc sectors. Sometimes, one can have an operating system running from a file which emulates a disc - Linux using wubi would be an example. I can't bring to mind how one does it these days for Windows (vmware?) - getting to the point, if you can do that all you have to backup is one big file.
This crosses into the area of what are you backing up data or the complete installation - I've only bothered about data, but when Windows has destroyed itself along with all the restore points - how I wished I'd got the whole system.
There are many amusing stories about the loss of the only copy of great manuscripts - fire, over zealous cleaners etc. those who don't have backups are relying on the theory that the second draft was always better.
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Opinions sought on Cloud or Cloud derivatives please folks?
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I personally use Acronis True Image for backup but I have the 2010 version; subsequent versions have received very poor reviews. If all my computers had Windows backup I would probably use that. Perhaps more important than your choice of software is the backup location. If you backup to an external hard drive and keep the hard drive with the computer then both would be lost in the event of fire or theft.
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Thank you David + Alan !
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I have found in the internet a lot of Backup software ( some for free ) :
http://www.chip.de/Downloads-Download-Charts-Top-100-der-Woche_32368489.html?xbl_category=39018 (http://www.chip.de/Downloads-Download-Charts-Top-100-der-Woche_32368489.html?xbl_category=39018)
Sorry in german ...
I would like to hear a opinion from other members about her expierience ...but it seems no members here use Backup software ...I think this is very danger because it anything happens with a PC is all lost ( all pics )
Hi Hans,
I use two solutions to ensure I have multiple real-time and time-delayed backups both at home and remotely. GoodSync is a program that runs on my main computer which backs up files to several external hard drives and other computers on my network - I've had very good experience with this. I also use MozyHome to back up files to an online resource, so that if my whole house burns down everything is still safe somewhere else. With Mozy you pay depending upon the amount of remote storage you need, but it is good value and works really well.
In addition to backing up images and other data files, I back up system settings which are specific to individual programs, like Photoshop Actions etc., but I don't bother with making disk images. My Windows installation and internal drives use a RAID 0 configuration spread over 3 x 1TB internal hard drives, to maximize performance, so if one HD goes bad I have to reinstall everything anyway. I generally do a clean install of Windows every year or so anyway, and getting my main computer fully back up to speed takes only a few hours with most programs being available by download. With all my data files already backed-up on other drives it is a simple matter of copying them back across.
Best,
J.
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Thank you John for your interesting informations !
Hans
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Re backups - We use Chronosync on our mac, which seems very good.
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Many thanks, Anne ... I will investigate.
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A black, black day yesterday - our Mac has gone belly-up.. :'(
We can't blame everything on Bill Gates.
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A black, black day yesterday - our Mac has gone belly-up.. :'(
We can't blame everything on Bill Gates.
How strange Anne. Condolences. I hope your backup has held up.
At least there is plenty of room in the Mac graveyard for a decent burial, I hear the other is at capacity. ;)
It has been so humid here for more than two weeks everyone is worrying about their computers.
johnw
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A black, black day yesterday - our Mac has gone belly-up.. :'(
We can't blame everything on Bill Gates.
My condolences Anne. What happens when a Mac goes belly-up? It just stops working? I remember many years ago my first Mac died gracefully - the screen just got smaller & eventually turned blue.
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"belly up" - as long as it is not the disc, you'd easily get your stuff back. Obviously still cost, inconvenience.
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My Windows auto update is failing to reconfigure on startup.
It asks as normal for a shut down. Behaves normally until it restarts when the reconfigure on startup fails at 15%, so restores to the old/previous settings, then restarts again without a reconfigure.
It has been doing this since 16th so has failed several times. All seems to work otherwise, just not all updates are taking place. if I look at the update list just an odd one seems to have been ok since the 16th. and it keeps re-attempting the failed updates.
Ideas please.
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The repeated updates rings a bell, I think I had something like that a few months back, eventually Googled it, and removed the component the updates were for.
If you can see what updates are being downloaded and failing (or repeating) that must be a good clue.
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Go to Windows Update and manually run the updates one at a time. Restart the computer after each update completes. At the very least you will identify which update is causing the problem (my bet - something to do with .net). You might even find they all work if installed this way.
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If I check the error code on each of the 9 updates that fail, it is allways 80071A90. The MS help on this suggests to me that Norton, which I currently use, is locking up something that MS wants to access on startup.
Mr Fixit seems to correct something but if I run it and then install updates again it still fails to reconfigure after a restart, and does another restore.
Never tried a "Clean Start" which MS suggests.
??
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The "Clean Start" is mostly about temporarily disabling Norton, and anything else of that ilk that might be interfering with the update.
I'd still go with my advice of one update at a time, not all 9 together.
If necessary you can temporarily uninstall Norton. Use the removal tool here https://www-secure.symantec.com/norton-support/jsp/help-solutions.jsp?docid=20080710133834EN&product=home&pvid=f-home&version=1&lg=english&ct=us . This will work very well provided you don't have a very slow or expensive internet connection because it's quite a big file download when you come to re-install. You might even find your Norton software is out of date and you get a free upgrade to the latest version as a side-effect.
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I have got so used to autoupdate doing things for me I cannot remember how/where to find and do 1 at a time. Assuming I ever knew. I see someone elsewhere has found this routine to work in pairs so would like to try.
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If you have Vista or Windows 7 (and it sounds as if you do) then it's:
Start > All Programs > Windows Update
Start is the big round icon at the bottom left of your screen and you may need to scroll through the list of programs to find Windows Update. All the important updates will be selected by default so click in the ticked boxes to remove the tick until you only have one or two remaining then click okay.
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Thank you Alan. 10 updates in ones and twos and no problems. Just 1 did not require a restart so took some time, so I was glad to have a reasonably fast computer.
Brian
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Another problem; MS Word 2010 this time.
I am trying to create a map from a screen dump, with instruction labels and arrows etc. on. I can add multiple arrows, and the 1st text box alongside the first arrow OK. But when I try and add a second text box alongside the 2nd arrow it insists in overlaying the first text box. So far I have failed to reposition the 2nd text box where I want it. Is this something to do with layers?
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Brian,I'm passing this message from Ian ....
he says double click on the text box you want to move....... and on top tool bar go to "wrapping" and choose "square"... this should allow you to move it .
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Hi Maggi. I can see lots of options to wrap text around pics etc. but nothing that relates to moving a text box on top of a pic in the text wrapping area. I normally just drag and stretch them around 'till they are what I want, but adding a second text box to the same pic has never come up before.
I must be missing something?
I suspect the answer is don't use Word.
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I suspect the answer is don't use Word.
Agreed. Things like this are possible in Word, but far easier to do in Excel - just ignore the cells and use it as a canvas. You've got all the same tools, but the text boxes and pictures don't jump around like they do in Word.
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You could also do it in Powerpoint, if you have that, and then save the whole thing as a jpeg, pdf, or in some other format to use it in other applications.
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Surprising that Excel and PowerPoint have come up. Many years ago I used PP for oddities but never thought of Excel.
I frequently use a screen dump {Alt Prt Scr] into a Word doc, and trim it back to the picture. Docs are fairly standard to send to contacts, Excel and PP files less so. Not all of my contacts have the software to open them.
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You should be able to select the text box then drag it to the position you want. To select the test box I think you need to click on or just inside the edge of the box. When it is selected you should see markers at the four corners of the box.
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Amazing. No matter how many times I tried previously I could not find the exact spot to get the 4 arrow symbol in such a small box relative to the display. If I enlarge the display several times I can find it and move the box as I expected to do the first time I tried. Thanks for making me try again.
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I frequently use a screen dump {Alt Prt Scr] into a Word doc, and trim it back to the picture. Docs are fairly standard to send to contacts, Excel and PP files less so. Not all of my contacts have the software to open them.
As I mentioned, you can save a powerpoint as a jpeg, pdf, tiff, etc. and send that, so that your contacts don't need to have Powerpoint to open it. Or you could put the jpeg, pdf, tiff, etc. into a Word document and send that if the annotated picture was part of additional text. You can also copy an excel spreadsheet and put it into a word document, and it will not require that someone have Excel to open it.
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At Last! While my husband was talking to the Mac people on the phone, it performed beautifully, despite it refusing stubbornly to work beforehand. Now he knows how I feel when it suddenly starts to work OK as soon as he walks into the room. Mac is now fine after installing Mountain Lion and re-installing all the software from scratch (several days).
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As I understand it Word in the newer versions of Microsoft Office produces docx files whereas in the older versions it produces doc files. My version is Office 2000 (that produces doc files) but an SRGC advertising client has sent me an advert on a docx file and I am not able to open it. I did a bit of research and it seems Msoft produces a compatibility pack which I have downloaded but I haven't a clue how to use it. Can anyone help please (in words of little more than one syllable!)
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Message sent, David!
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Many thanks Maggi.
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Hidden words to boost Google rankings.
I'm almost ready to launch a new web site to promote my bat survey work and need to make sure when someone in N Ireland Googles for a bat survey I come up tops or nearly. I was told years ago, possibly by Fred, that I can hide key words that are visible to search engines. Does anyone know how to do this or is it down to how I descrice myself?
What really annoys me is I'm very often the third or fourth point of call for a survey quote. Architect A needs a bat suvey for his clients turbine application so he asks his architect friend B. He then asks his survey friend for a quote but he is busy and asks me. I give the quote and everyone adds on to make some money. By the time it gets to the client the survey quote has tripled or quadrupled.
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Mark - the trigger phrase is "SEO", search engine optimisation. Google it for advice.
A black art, do you not want to rise to the top of the Google ranking by fair means. It is a battle people work out clever ways to get up Google, and Google spots what they're doing and sends them back down to the bottom.
Go to the SRGC home page, right click, select view page source, and we see:
<meta name="KEYWORDS"
CONTENT="rare plants,himalayan
...
">
add your own tags, Britney Spears, whatever you think will get peoples attention.
Getting people to link to you, getting happy Googlers (people go to your web site and don't come back), unique content, I guess all help.
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http://www.irishgardenplantsociety.com/ (http://www.irishgardenplantsociety.com/)
This is the website of the Irish Garden Plant Society and its care is being passed into my hands. To date, any updates were done by a person who used html but I have absolutely no experience with this.
It is my hope that you can recommend an easy to use website editing programme for me. I don't mind paying for one - the society will pick up the tab.
Adobe Dreamweaver was recommended. Frontpage was mentioned also. I don't know which might better suit my needs.
My little background reading to date indicates that it would be a help to know what programme was used originally to create the website. I don't even know who made it never mind what programme was used. I realise that people experienced in web design might be able to identify the programme used.
My intention is to add material to the site - descriptions of plants with photographs, book reviews, notes on garden visits with photographs, photo albums of events.
The hope is that the site might attract new people to the organisation as well as inform present members though, and I don't think I will hurt any feelings by saying this, the age profile of present members is certainly on the old side and they might not be the most regular users of websites. Also, it is fair to say that little material has been added to the site since it was first made.
Any help/comments/advice would be most welcome - I can already hear a "I'd scrap what you have and start again" coming but that would simply pose another set of problems for me. So, if you don't mind, advice on making the most of what I have for the moment.
My thanks if you have had the patience to read this far and I look forward to your comments.
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Paddy - I've had a look at your web site. Looks good to me. I'd guess it is hand crafted html and javascript. It is nice and simple.
Personally I'd carry on with it, both the design and the format.
I'm a programmer (so well capable of writing html), yet I ended up using a web page creator, and it was harder to understand than html. I don't think html is a big deal, you want a word in italics, you write:
<i>italics</i>
what's hard about that.
You have more of a problem with the javascript, because that is a real programming language - I'm not sure what any web page editor software will make of it, probably it will leave it for you to sort out.
As ever with learning to program, change something small and see what the effect is.
Over to the dream weavers to say how easy that is...
(someone had done a good site using it and mentioned it here a few weeks back).
As regards efficiency and being able to do absolutely anything you will never beat hand code.
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Photobucket....................Again
Over the last week or so, I have been trying to use the PB Bulk uploader. I know I can use the single upload facility and with Ctlr whatever can choose as many pics as I want. BUT that presupposes that the pictures are in the right place and order in a File. With the Bulk option one can choose the pictures. (I mention this as every one immediately tells me how to upload using the simple method).
The Bulk one goes to Loading, then to Initialising and that's it. Zilch. The really annoying thing is that now Firefox has crashed and the Computer has to be restarted to get out of the problem. Strangely this also happens in Chrome. IE though asks for a version of Java which went out of use a long time back.(Java 10).
If I allow Java to display what it is doing, it seems to get half way through the 'program' then hang fire.
I have asked on Firefox and PJ and neither of them has responded.
Anyone any suggestions as to what I can try to do? Simple answers for a simple man please.
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Just read your eloquent introduction in the IGPS Newsletter Paddy.
Congratulations on taking over the Chair and very best of luck with it.
Sorry I can't help with the website.
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I believe I'm guilty for irishgardenplantsociety.com and did it using Front Page
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Many thanks for your kind comments, Ashley. I had feared you might never talk to me again !!!
My taking on the chair came after a trawl of potentially suitable people for the position drew a blank, I believe. It was a case that the position had to be filled and I was pushed forward/cajoled/coerced/bribed with false promises etc but I accepted gracefully, felt honoured to be honest.
The society has been on the downslide for a few years but the committee is very hard working and there is hope for the future. So! Hope to see you attending in Cork over the winter.
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Mark, the website was designed by Ian Campbell whose mother was on the national committee for many years. Paddy
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I had feared you might never talk to me again !!!
??? ??? :)
... the committee is very hard working and there is hope for the future. So! Hope to see you attending in Cork over the winter.
I hope so too Paddy. The programme looks excellent and great credit is due to those responsible.
Unfortunately over the last couple of years I took on too many other things so lapsed from IGPS meetings through negligence and tiredness rather than lack of interest :-[
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Something most odd has happened and I don't seem to be able to find a way to correct it! In Outlook Express whenever I try to spell check a message I'm writing I'm getting a choice of words in French. This started to happen last evening and has never happened before. I've gone into Tools-Options-Spelling and the Language is given there as French and I can't see a way to change this. HELP please.
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In the task bar at the bottom of the screen is there an icon for the default language? Mine shows "EN". If you have such an icon and click on it, it should give you the option of changing the language settings.
On the other hand, you may be using Internet Explorer 9 and, as announced by the IT people of the German government today, you are simply totally f...ked.
Paddy
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No, there is no default language icon at the bottom of my screen that I can I see.
This is driving me off my trolley, every spell check now entails looking at nearly every word
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Having spent a bit of time poking around the OE tools etc last night, to no avail, I decided to see whatthe internet had to say on David's problem.
It seems this is a recognised glitsch.....
http://www.outlook-tips.net/tips/tip-379-office-2007-and-oe-spell-check (http://www.outlook-tips.net/tips/tip-379-office-2007-and-oe-spell-check)
http://help.wugnet.com/office/Outlook-Express-spell-checker-stuck-French-change-ftopict1052576.html (http://help.wugnet.com/office/Outlook-Express-spell-checker-stuck-French-change-ftopict1052576.html)
http://blog.chron.com/helpline/2007/04/outlook-express-language-setting-stuck-on-french/ (http://blog.chron.com/helpline/2007/04/outlook-express-language-setting-stuck-on-french/)
and so on......
- Ihaven't yet fully read how to fix it but it seems that there is a remedy out there, David!
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this page may help.....
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932974 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932974)
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Thanks for all your help Maggi. I did in fact replace my ancient Microsoft Office 2000 with Office Home and Student 2010 on Monday evening and it was after I had done the update that my spell checker problems started. Here is an extract from the Microsoft Site Maggi posted a link to above.
"When you upgrade an earlier version of Office to a 2007 Office system or Office 2010, the old spelling checker files are removed for the following languages:
English
Spanish
German
These files are replaced with newer versions that are included in the 2007 Office system. The new files are incompatible with Outlook Express.
You can resolve this issue by installing Windows Live Mail.
Windows Live Mail is downloadable from http://download.live.com/wlmail (http://download.live.com/wlmail) "
I despair of Microsoft! >:(
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And, Windows Live Mail takes a few days to get used to.
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what's this that has been popping up on lots of web sites I use. First time seeing this today.
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In the next few weeks I'll be buying my new computer. Because I have programmes on my old hard drive that no longer come with computers, office, front page and Outlook, can my hard drive be installed in the new one?
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You should certainly be able to install your (reformatted) existing hard drive as additional storage in your new computer, assuming you have spare HD bays and the format is compatible with the new machine. Depending on the age, specifications and capacity of the HD, it may not be worth it though. Assuming the HD you are talking about is your current boot drive, you will lose all of the programs installed on it - they were installed on the computer in the registry, various folders and other dark places. To use the programs on your new machine you will need to re-install all of them from the original media or a download, and need all the serial numbers where necessary. In short - back up all the data from your old computer and find/buy all of the programs you will need to re-install on the new machine.
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Thanks John and there is the problem. I no longer have the discs I need. I suppose I can get them on Ebay
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I have programmes on my old hard drive that no longer come with computers, office, front page and Outlook ...
These programs never came free with computers. A version of Office that included FrontPage would probably have cost several hundred pounds so if you no longer have the discs that was quite a bit careless of you, Mark. If your old hard drive still forms part of a working computer you need to download and run Belarc Advisor http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html (http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html) and record the product key(s) so that you can re-install these programs if you can track down the installation discs (or copies thereof). It's the actual product keys that have a monetary value.
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5+ years is a long time to lose and find discs again
Anyone offering ;)
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I might (and it's only a might) be able to track down the installation discs if you can identify the exact version of Office you were using BUT you will still need the product key codes to actually get the software to run and (AFAIK) you can only extract those from your old hard drive if your old hard drive still forms part of a working computer.
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Thanks for all your help Maggi. I did in fact replace my ancient Microsoft Office 2000 with Office Home and Student 2010 on Monday evening and it was after I had done the update that my spell checker problems started. Here is an extract from the Microsoft Site Maggi posted a link to above.
"When you upgrade an earlier version of Office to a 2007 Office system or Office 2010, the old spelling checker files are removed for the following languages:
English
Spanish
German
These files are replaced with newer versions that are included in the 2007 Office system. The new files are incompatible with Outlook Express.
You can resolve this issue by installing Windows Live Mail.
Windows Live Mail is downloadable from http://download.live.com/wlmail (http://download.live.com/wlmail) "
I despair of Microsoft! >:(
In case there are others with the same problem Google "Vampireinfo Spell Checker for OE" Be careful when downloading as you will be offered other sofware that you might not want!
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With a name like 'Vampireinfo' I'd run that one past your security software in case it has a hidden agenda of sucking all the email addresses, passwords, credit card data etc. out of your computer.
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Mark,
If your new computer has a bay for the old disk you can install it. There is a snag, however. Old disks are run from flat cables with a large number of leads (IDE) whereas new disks run from narrow cables with few leads (SATA). This means that perhaps you cannot install the old disk in the new computer except possibly if you can find a controller card that matches it. Discuss this with your computer supplier.
You should NOT format the old disk. That will make you loose all the programs and data.
You can make your computer re-start from the old one when you need to use programs that you only have there.
If you are happy with your old operating system you could make it start from the old one permanently.
If the old disk is old it will be approaching a disk crash. You can buy a new one including software that faithfully copies the complete old disk onto the newly bought. (I got it from Seagate) You can than retire the old one as a backup of today's state.
It is quite possible to have two virtual computers on the same disk. If you have XP and install W7 you might need to re-install programs from your missing CDs and it is not certain that your old programs run under the new operating system. You can, however install W7 so that XP is still there and you will choose system at start or re-start. I assume W8 has the same feature.
Göte
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I got round this problem by buying an external hard drive case. This has its own power supply and is connected to the computer by an USB port.Your old HD is removed from your old computer - along with connectors and case fixing screws. It is then put into the new casing, connected to the power supply and off you go. When you click computer on the menu, it should appear as a new Hard Drive. You can open this and click- drag pictures etc. on to your new computers hard drive. It can also be used in reverse by sending items from your new computers HD to the external drive. The only downside is that it transfers data slower than an internal HD. However, the external cases are now supplied with USB3 connections.
I bought mine from PC World but they are available on-line from other suppliers.
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Collect all your data to an external harddrive. Then, if you choose to reinstall software on the old computer or buy a new you have it all. If you get a new one, get it without an OS or anything. But first get UBUNTU, a free OS based on unix. After that there are free programs to avoid the high cost of Windows or Mac items. Libreoffice or Openoffice all work with the same functionality as Word (and include paint, excel, powerpoint, etc., like programs). Both can open windows files as well. You could also use these on your old computer if you choose to keep it.
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New desk top purchased yesterday and just beginning to get used to it and transfer stuff across from old computer before bringing it online and into full use. Windows 7 operating system. On my XP system I had it set to one click operation but don't seem to be able to find this facility on XP. Have I missed something?
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The external drive / drive cabinet is a good idea. Our problem is however not data. We can back up data and move them around with little problem. The main problem lies in what John has pointed out. Modern program need auxiliary files/data which are stored in areas that are (nearly) solely under control of the operating system. We thus need somehow to install the whole C-disk (or a copy of it) and run it. I am somewhat doubtful that it is possible to boot a computer from an external hard disk. I do not really know. It would presuppose that the software that connects the external disk is available in the BIOS and can run before the boot disk starts. It is possible to run from a CD, however.
Göte
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David,
It should be in Control Panel, Folder Options.
Cheers
Mick
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Thanks Mick I'll have a look.
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Or Computer > Organize > Folder and search options > General tab > Click items as follows ...
Check the option 'Single click to open an item ...'
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Found it, many thanks. At my age energy saved by using single click is important. :D
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What you are meant to do is to right-click the icons for all frequently-used programs and select 'pin to taskbar' or 'pin to start menu'. Then you only need one click to launch the program regardless and you don't have to search through the clutter on your desktop to find the program icon.
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I originally posted this on the Member's Board. Perhaps someone here has suggestions.
For the last 3 or 4 days I have found scrolling the forum pages quite difficult; movement is very jerky & erratic. Has anyone else noticed this? I'm using Firefox on a Mac. I've never had this problem before & it seems confined to this site; I don't experience it with sites such as Amazon or the BBC.
I have no problems when I switch to Safari.
Edit: I have just discovered that my Firefox 3.6.28 is "out-of-date" & that I need a new computer to run later versions. I suppose Safari will go next. Wonderful!
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Gerry:
My Firefox says it's version 16.0.1
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That is the problem Arnold, I am too.
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Marvellous how computers & software become "out of date" when they still work adequately.
As I type this I have the radio on in the background. It is coming from a 30 year old FM tuner (Sansui) - which sounds rather better than one acquired more recently - & it is playing through loudspeakers (Spendor) of a similar age which are as good or better than ones acquired 2 years ago.
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I have just discovered that my Firefox 3.6.28 is "out-of-date" & that I need a new computer to run later versions.
New computer or newer version of your Mac OS?
By the way, if you cannot get digital radio on your 30-year old FM tuner then that is out-of-date too.
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I usually get prompts when a newer version of Firefox is available.
Although I've had the same slow motion on the forum the last month or so.
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The 'Reset Firefox' option often fixes problems for me.
How to start Firefox in Safe Mode
At the top of the Firefox window, click the Firefox button, go over to the Help menu and select Restart with Add-ons Disabled.... Firefox will start up with the Firefox Safe Mode dialog.
For Windows XP, click the Help menu and select Restart with Add-ons Disabled....
Note: You can also start Firefox in Safe Mode by holding down the shift key while starting Firefox.
Safe Mode window
You now have two options:
Clicking the Start in Safe Mode button will temporarily disable your extensions and themes, turn off hardware acceleration and reset toolbar and button customizations. When you leave Safe Mode and start Firefox up normally, your extensions, themes, and settings will return to the state they were in before you entered Safe Mode.
Clicking the Reset Firefox button will restore Firefox to its factory default state while saving your essential information.
From http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-firefox-issues-using-safe-mode (http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/troubleshoot-firefox-issues-using-safe-mode)
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New computer or newer version of your Mac OS?
By the way, if you cannot get digital radio on your 30-year old FM tuner then that is out-of-date too.
I neither need nor want digital radio. There is enough crap on FM.
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Re: Windows 7, Pictures Folder views.
My preference is that when I open my Pictures Folder I will see the "Small Icon" view of all the folders stored there. Then, when I open each individual folder I like the "Extra Large Icons" view. This was possible with Vista.
However, with Windows 7 a view applied to any folder is automatically applied to all folders so when I view photographs in the individual folders in the "Extra Large Icons" view and then return to the Pictures folder I find this is in the Extra Large Icons view also.
With Windows Vista it was possible to apply a view to all folders but here it is being applied without any prompt and there doesn't seem to be any way to prevent it being applied.
Has anybody come on a solution to this situation?
Paddy
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Re: Windows 7, Pictures Folder views. Paddy
Paddy, the Folder view options are still there, it's just not so easy to find them! This link shows you how to do it
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/295-folder-options-open.html (http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/295-folder-options-open.html)
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I am given to understand that this is a feature of Windows 7 libraries. So if you created a folder like C:\Users\Paddy\Photographs and put all your photographs in there (and perhaps create a short-cut to give you rapid access to the folder) then you could organise the views as you wanted. But so long as your photographs are in the Pictures folder then I think it's one view fits all.
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Many thanks, Diana and Alan.
Diana, I have been through these sections, folder options etc but there is nowhere it give the option of NOT applying a view to all folders. I think it is as Alan describes and is a nuisance.
Paddy
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Paddy, I use icons in my folders too.
I just checked mine and some are large and others are extra large.
I set the size in the more options dropdown box on the right, if you use that the icons will stay whatever size you choose there.
It's much easier to use the drop down menu, especially if you are doing a search for a pic and need to find the location, you can switch easily to details, see where it is and then switch back to whatever size you want to use.
There is a change your view on the left of the more options where you can change the sizes but I don't know if they stay put doing it that way.
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The SRGC website remains the only one which gives problems with my "out-of-date" version of Firefox. Curious.
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I think Windows 8 is launched tomorrow with someone from Microsoft making a Skype call to my kids' school tomorrow?
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I hear tell that Windows 8 is a fundamental change to Windows that will involve people having to relearn how to do things from scratch. From what I have heard it is not at all straight forward. ::)
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Someone described it like throwing the baby out with the bath water.
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Re photo view difficulties: I have done what Alan advised - well, after a manner.
Put simply: I went to Start - "Paddy Tobin" - My Pictures - I then right clicked "My Pictures" and from the menu clicked "Create a Shortcut". I then right clicked the shortcut icon - cut - and pasted it onto the desktop. Now, my pictures folders behave as I wish them to - small icons to show all the folders stored in it and each folder open to give a large view of the photographs and the view of one folder is not applied automatically to any other folder. Success!
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Hi,
all of a sudden I cannot post pictures.
When I click on the 'additional options' to open this facility, all that happens is that I get sent to the top of the page.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
David
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It seems to be working fine here David, it could be your browser, try closing it down and reopening it again that often resolves problems.
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Hi Ian,
thanks for the advice - I've tried to post photos once last night and then twice today at different times.
Still the same problem. The computer has been off inbetween times.
I cannot open the 'attachments and other options'.
Any other possibilities?
Thanks,
David
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Hi David,
Which browser and version are you using?
Does the pointer change to a little hand (or whatever) when you mouse over 'Attachments and other options'?
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Hi,
Thanks for all the comments - I've managed to get round the problem by refreshing the site and page several times,
Regards,
David
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Good to hear that David. It's odd how these things just happen at times. Similar thing happened to me at work today- only had the problem with one newspaper site, no idea why!
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I hear tell that Windows 8 is a fundamental change to Windows that will involve people having to relearn how to do things from scratch. From what I have heard it is not at all straight forward. ::)
I have to learn Windows 8 but I'm not finding it an enjoyable experience. If in future you find yourself forced to buy a computer with Windows 8 then if you pay a little extra for the "Professional" version then you get "downgrade rights"; the option to install Windows 7 instead at no extra charge. I think that is a worthwhile insurance policy. Please note that downgrade rights are not available with the Home Premium version of Windows 8.
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What's so different about it, Alan?
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Paddy,
From what I've heard elsewhere on the Net.... just about everything.
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Challenging for an old chap like me so.
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Here's a link to a demonstration and review of Windows 8, on the BBC Click programme (it's right at the beginning, one minute in to the programme):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01nr47n/Click_27_10_2012/ (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01nr47n/Click_27_10_2012/)
Looks like the main problem is that Windows 8 is designed for tablets and mobile phones, which Microsoft obviously sees as the future of consumer computing.
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Thanks Martin, I don't think I'll be rushing out to upgrade/downgrade* anytime soon.
* delete as appropriate
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But when your old computer gives up the ghost and you are obliged to buy a new one, if you want a PC you are liable to get whatever version of Windows is around at the time.
Paddy, basically the new version of Windows tries to do-away with windows so all the new headline programs run full-screen. Access to many of the controls is achieved by poking the mouse/cursor into the corners of the screen. But if you fiddle around a bit and buy some cheap ancillary software you can set it up to look and act like the cheap basic "Starter" version of Windows 7, which I suppose isn't too bad. If you had a touch screen or a gesture-sensitive touch pad then you would have access to a host of other controls and it wouldn't seem so bad.
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I got a new laptop at work last year and it came with Windows 7 and I am ready to toss it into the ocean. It's a pleasure to come home to a Mac.
johnw - a bit of a breeze here, drizzly.
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I got a new laptop at work last year and it came with Windows 7 and I am ready to toss it into the ocean. It's a pleasure to come home to a Mac.
johnw - a bit of a breeze here, drizzly.
I thought with the east coast storm raging you'd be suffering worse than that, and be in danger of having the ocean come in to grab you and the laptop? :o ::)
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My new desktop from Dell bought about three years ago was chosen because it came as a business machine with XP installed and an upgrade disc for Windows 7 as and when required (which I haven't - XP does everything I need it to).
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Martin, on Windows XP, right click the Task bar (that's the bar that usually resides along the bottom of the screen). Click Toolbars then click 'Quick launch' if it does not already have a tick against it. That gives you a small selection of icons towards the left of the Task bar that can be used to launch programs with a single click. Once you get used to that then Windows 7 should hold no terrors.
I also find the look and feel of Windows 7 very similar to that of Apple's OSX. Windows 7 generally runs promptly and trouble-free so I can only assume that JohnW's employer cut costs to the bone and gave him an under-powered laptop whereas with Apple (at their prices) there is no such thing.
Maggi, according to the latest map, Sandy should miss JohnW's part of the east coast. That is just as well; they have had several direct hits over the last few years.
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I am a bit of a dinosaur and when I got my latest PC last year, it came with Windows 7, which I didn't like because it forces me to submit a password every time I use email. So I had a virtual player installed and am back to using Windows 2000, yes, really, and I love it. No messing about with passwords and it saves me splashing out on software upgrades of much loved applications which currently run happily under W2K.
The only trouble is with permissions; I still haven't cracked that. When I download pictures from my camera, they go onto the C: drive of my W2K partition, which is OK. But my picture library is on the shared drive, and the moment I put them there, I can no longer modify them in W2K. Then I have to go poking about in W7 to try to give permission to modify. It's hit and miss and wastes a lot of time and nerves. I wish I knew a definitive method of giving unlimited permission to anyone to modify the data on my shared drive. Any ideas of the steps I should go through?
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johnw was able to pick any laptop as long as it was with Windows. It's speedy but a horror. I am going to have our tech man switch me back to an older Windows version or give the laptop to someone else and use my old one.
johnw
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I am puzzled by this aversion to W7. We have it and had Vista before it and XP before that and one before that. I cannot see any major differences betwixt what I do now and what we did before.
Certainly do not have to enter a Password before using an Email program and I have 3 of those. The only Password I have to enter, and that is by choice. is one when I switch the machine on in the first place.
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Maren - right click the shared drive ->Properties->sharing...
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... Windows 7, which I didn't like because it forces me to submit a password every time I use email.
That's not generally true but there is a bit of an issue with Outlook XP (2002) running on Windows 7. In fact you have just reminded me that I promised to fix this for a client and have not yet done my research. Let me know if this is your problem and I will post how to fix it when I know.
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I am puzzled by this aversion to W7. We have it and had Vista before it and XP before that and one before that. I cannot see any major differences betwixt what I do now and what we did before.
I'm inclined to agree but then I know lots of tricks to ensure any computer is configured to my taste. Anyone who feels that is's a big step from XP to Windows 7 should not go near Windows 8.
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Probably the main reason I've stayed with Windows XP is that I want to continue to use Outlook Express for my email.
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Well, after many months I solved one problem with W7. I mainly work in Excel and the toolbar changed drastically from XP, not more efficiently. So to use the old toolbar I had to click Home which would take me there. A few weeks ago things changed as the old toolbar would disappear with every use of a function, thus requiring me to hit Home again - for instance if I highlighted a row and want to change it to bold and increase the font size I had to hit home hit bold, hit home, hit font size and home again if I wanted to print but printing's another story. Solved by the use of a strange little icon to the upper right called a pin which of course is not there until one hits an upward-facing arrow, now the old toolbar stays up but where did set gridlines get to?
Not a version for sloppy ancients who tend to hold keys, click mouses inadvertently and then wind up in uncharted waters....................I bet there's a manual that explains all as opposed to the Help button which in Windows has never solved a single problem, if only it would just scream for me.
johnw
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I mainly work in Excel and the toolbar changed drastically from XP, not more efficiently
Sorry John, nothing to do with Windows 7. You bought Office 2007 or 2010 with the new revised toolbar. Incidentally, the team that did this went on to create Windows 8.
What you need is here http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/dont-ms-office-ribbon-bring-back-proper-menus.htm (http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/dont-ms-office-ribbon-bring-back-proper-menus.htm) . This will restore the old toolbar to these later versions of Office. You only had to ask.
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Probably the main reason I've stayed with Windows XP is that I want to continue to use Outlook Express for my email.
Fair enough, but what do you do when Outlook Express prompts you to compact the folders? If you don't do it then they are liable to get corrupted and you'll lose all your emails. If you do do it then accidentally turn-off or distract the computer whilst the process is taking place then the folders get corrupted and you are liable to lose all your emails.
Outlook Express, and other contemporary email programs, were never designed for the sheer volume of emails we get these days. If they get too full they just cannot cope.
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That did happen to me once - a power cut while OE was compacting messages and I lost them all but managed to recover back ups from the recycle bin I think, or some other back up. Now I have them backed up to an external hard drive with all my other files via Norton Backup. And I never touch the keyboard while OE is compacting out of sheer paranoia and fear :)
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I thought that too Martin but I'm now happily using Mozilla Thunderbird but I didn't like the Mozilla browser and continue to use Goggle Chrome with Internet Explorer just as a back-up reserve
Whoops, missed a page this refers to martin's reply 899 on the previous page.
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I like W7, but from what I have seen of W8 it is definitely a no go for me. The chances of us getting a Touchscreen type gadget are fairly small.
Still puzzled by the aversion to W7. I have just finished, at the same time, Backing up the Computer to an External Drive, Playing Patience (Spider) and Reading various Internet pages. The Computer coped with no trouble at all. Now I am about to run Spybot, AVG and Windows Defender, usually manages all three together.
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Still puzzled by the aversion to W7.
Maren has a bug which she has lived with and resented rather than seeking assistance.
JohnW dislikes the user interface on newer versions of Microsoft Office. Now I happily run good old Office 2003 on Windows 7 and you could end up with Office 2007 or 2010 running on XP but for JohnW the two came together so he thinks he dislikes Windows 7.
Martin likes the user interface on Outlook Express despite the fact that he knows from personal experience it can be flakey. There was good reason to ditch Outlook Express in favour of something that works better but the cosmetic changes to recent equivalents (like Windows Live Mail) are mostly about change for change's sake. Although you cannot run Outlook Express on versions of Windows later than Windows XP, you can run Windows Live Mail on XP and that is a good idea if you can cope with the cosmetic differences, because it is much less likely to crash and lose all your emails.
In general, many people like their new computer to look and behave as much as possible like the old one. It does not matter if what is going on under the surfaces is radically different so long as the surface looks familiar. Apple grasped this when they brought-out OSX but Microsoft have abandoned its conservative clientèle with Windows 8.
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In general, many people like their new computer to look and behave as much as possible like the old one.
Very true. To me the worst fault of all the machines and systems we have used is the lack of documentation which comes with a new machine and the technobabble in which Help is termed. I am fortunate in having a son who designs micro-circuitry for a living and other offspring who use computers all day every day and a grandson who can do anything with the machines. Also helps to have begun computing with a ZX81 and a Tandy machine so many years ago I shudder at the thought. ;D
Ah, the good old days of DOS and 1 k memory eh?
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Maren has a bug which she has lived with and resented rather than seeking assistance.
Oh no, she hasn't, and assistance has been sought everywhere without success. I must agree, the Help jargon does not help me at all, however, I will persevere. ;)
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Maren, are you the administrator?
You can check this in control panel, User accounts, Change your account types.
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... assistance has been sought everywhere without success.
You have not asked me. I'll do my best to help if you would like me to try. If so, please begin by telling me what the name of your email program is.
Maggiepie is correct in that the problem probably stems from access rights to different areas of the computer. But it is probably more complex than just making yourself an Administrator. If you are not already an Administrator then who is?
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Fair enough, but what do you do when Outlook Express prompts you to compact the folders? If you don't do it then they are liable to get corrupted and you'll lose all your emails. If you do do it then accidentally turn-off or distract the computer whilst the process is taking place then the folders get corrupted and you are liable to lose all your emails.
Outlook Express, and other contemporary email programs, were never designed for the sheer volume of emails we get these days. If they get too full they just cannot cope.
I lost all my incoming mail between April and October when compacting. Fortunately I found the lost ones in the recycle bin so there was no loss that I am aware of. It could have been a problem however since there was nothing to signal that files were lost. I found out when searching for an (important) earlier mail. Had I emptied the recycle bin the mails would have been lost for ever.
As far as I understand, the prompt to compact has nothing to do with the size of the folder. It is a counter running since you did it last. It is possible to turn it off. I have presently 2415 mails in my inbox and that represents ca 0.9 G. The maximum allowed size is 2G.
If the size of the box is approaching the limit, it is not difficult to create a new local folder, name it say Inbox11 and move all mails received last year to that. This may be a better way than compacting - especially since there is a possibility that also a compacted box gets perilously close to the limit.
We once had Volovo 445 that had the choke (pull) to the left of the light switch (pull) When we changed to a newer one the choke had moved to the right. In those days Ferraris and Fordson small commercial vehicles used to have the accelerator to the left of the brake pedal. RR and Bentley had the gear lever at the door - not in the middle. Today we would never accept confusing design in a vehicle. so why should we have to re-learn every time Mr Macrohard changes the OS? I want to use the computer for doing things not for re-learning how to turn the wheel.
Today I am running XP and W7 on the same computer. A couple of very expensive well working program cannot be run under W7. To replace these would cost me five times what I gave for my latest computer. W7 is faster than XP but I have not found a way to have two W-explorer windows open at the same time and that complicates sorting and reshuffling.
Cheers
Göte
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Tongue in cheek (but only a little ) ...
Oh how you must all envy the pure simplicity, beauty and intuition of a Mac.
Duck!!! Here come the arrows of the injured. LOL.
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Oh how you must all envy the pure simplicity, beauty and intuition of a Mac.
Oh but the poor things can't help it. Still now they are all buying iPads and iPhones they will realise what they have been missing.
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Well, that's true for me, David - I've been pleasantly astounded by the charms of an iPad since Ian got one ...... I have plans!! ;)
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Well, that's true for me, David - I've been pleasantly astounded by the charms of an iPad since Ian got one ...... I have plans!! ;)
And another PC bites the dust! Just got my new iPad. Wizzy. That means we could do Facetime then! There's a thrill for you. Well may be not!
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Oh how you must all envy the pure simplicity, beauty and intuition of a Mac.
That is like saying that your sports car is more stylish than my Peugeot 206. Well, yes; but that is because you have paid two or three times the price for your car(/computer) than I paid for mine.
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Well, that's true for me, David - I've been pleasantly astounded by the charms of an iPad since Ian got one ...... I have plans!! ;)
The danger of these Ipads is that you wake up and go to sleep with it. If you both got one than that is not a problem. If not...... well I expect my wife to start complaining soon ;). The forum in the morning, the forum in the afternoon, the forum in the evening and sometimes the forum in the night.
I think I'll understand, if she does..... ;D
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That is like saying that your sports car is more stylish than my Peugeot 206. Well, yes; but that is because you have paid two or three times the price for your car(/computer) than I paid for mine.
... It's certainly relative Alan ... but who wouldn't indulge themselves once in a while?
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I have presently 2415 mails in my inbox and that represents ca 0.9 G. The maximum allowed size is 2G.
That depends entirely on the email program. Older programs were not designed for the volume of emails we now tend to receive. You could move to a program like Windows Live Mail and you wouldn't have any problems of this sort.
If the size of the box is approaching the limit, it is not difficult to create a new local folder, name it say Inbox11 and move all mails received last year to that. This may be a better way than compacting
It is certainly quicker. But most people don't know their Inbox has a limit (because it doesn't necessarily) so don't know if the limit is being approached.
why should we have to re-learn every time Mr Macrohard changes the OS?
We shouldn't - but it took car manufacturers at least six decades to figure out that it was a good idea to standardise the dashboard layout so you may be in for a long wait with computers!
W7 is faster than XP but I have not found a way to have two W-explorer windows open at the same time and that complicates sorting and reshuffling.
That really must make life complicated but I work with multiple Explorer windows all the time under W7. What goes wrong for you?
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That is like saying that your sports car is more stylish than my Peugeot 206. Well, yes; but that is because you have paid two or three times the price for your car(/computer) than I paid for mine.
I don't believe I said anything about style [although of course they are] and if you compare on a fair like with like basis, which most people don't, there isn't a great deal of difference in price. Macs have most things you could want included and all the software integrates seamlessly.
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I don't believe I said anything about style [although of course they are]
I was quoting Ranunculus, who said
Oh how you must all envy the pure simplicity, beauty and intuition of a Mac.
I took "pure simplicity, beauty" to indicate he thought they had good style and I agree. But I'm used to PCs and I don't find Macs at all intuitive. When working on Macs I waste tons of time searching for the menus I need and I keep trying to click a right mouse button that isn't there. Truth be told when we become familiar with something then it seems intuitive.
Now...
and if you compare on a fair like with like basis, which most people don't, there isn't a great deal of difference in price. Macs have most things you could want included and all the software integrates seamlessly.
That makes about as much sense as saying that your sports car is worth two to three times my Peugeot 206 because it goes two to three times as fast (top speed). The truth is that Apple products are priced as premium/luxury goods. They are very nicely finished but if you want a car to take you down the shops then you don't need a sports car and if you want a computer for word processing, emails and surfing the web then you don't need an Apple.
As for "all the software integrates seamlessly" see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19664487 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19664487)
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Oh boy, this might be a good time to have a whole new thread on Mac vs PC! ;D
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Isn't religion off limits ;) ;D
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We have two cars. The indicator and lights on our Renault are on the left of the steering wheel; the indicator and lights are on the right in our Toyota. That's confusing. The indicator lights are now orange coloured bulbs that fade, and in some cars are so close to the headlamps you can't see a car indicating when it's coming towards you at night. My wife has an iPhone and the kids have iPods. The children were sent iTunes gift vouchers for their birthdays but we can't use them as they require a New Zealand credit card. How does that work? I don't like the ethos behind Apple (isn't that the Beatles record label?).
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Isn't religion off limits ;) ;D
Should be, I think ......
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Apple (isn't that the Beatles record label?).
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Corps_v_Apple_Computer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Corps_v_Apple_Computer)
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Perhaps Mr Jobs should have done his homework first? ::)
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The children were sent iTunes gift vouchers for their birthdays but we can't use them as they require a New Zealand credit card. How does that work? I don't like the ethos behind Apple (isn't that the Beatles record label?).
Anthony,
If your kids have an Itunes account created in Scotland, than they can use this account only in the Itunes UK store. If they have received a NZ Itunes Gift voucher, than it can only be used in the NZ store. With their UK account they can't buy anything from the NZ shop and NZ gift vouchers cannot be redeemed with an UK account. All of it has got go do with music/movie copyright and other legal issues.
If the kids want to redeem their NZ gift vouchers, than they will have to create another Itunes account, but now a NZ one in the Itunes NZ shop. You can switch shops in the Itunes store. Scroll down and you'll find a flag on the bottom right of the site. Click on it and choose the country you want. It is now probably the Union Jack you'll see.
I use the NL and USA shops frequently, using different accounts. Itunes gift vouchers from the US don't work here and vice versa.
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That depends entirely on the email program. Older programs were not designed for the volume of emails we now tend to receive. You could move to a program like Windows Live Mail and you wouldn't have any problems of this sort.
It is certainly quicker. But most people don't know their Inbox has a limit (because it doesn't necessarily) so don't know if the limit is being approached.
We shouldn't - but it took car manufacturers at least six decades to figure out that it was a good idea to standardise the dashboard layout so you may be in for a long wait with computers!
That really must make life complicated but I work with multiple Explorer windows all the time under W7. What goes wrong for you?
I agree. It is sloppy programming not to put in a warning that pops up when the limit is approached.
I do not know what went wrong with my second explorer window. It migh have been hidden under something. It did not pop up in the same way as it does under XP. Since you are able to do more than one I will make renewed attempts. Thank you very much for the tip. I thougt that the multiple explorers had gone with the compatibility with my profesional programs and outlook express.
Göte
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Can't upload images today, just text. Images are within the given size limits.
Receive message 'Server Error'.
Any remedy?
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Just been lovely batch of pix loaded from Tasmania, Armin, so I don't know what is happening. :-\
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now it works again - no idea what was the real cause.
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My daughter has done something to my computer. Now when I click the Google Chrome icon it comes up with "mystart by incredimail" and I can't find where it is to destroy it. It's not in my programmes or on the desk top and a search fails to find it. It comes up with these nauseating "congratulations your our 10 gazillionth winner, click accept to win an iplod". I click the X button and it just ignores that and takes you to the accept page.
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Anthony, did you try add/remove in control panel?
You should be able to uninstall it from there.
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Anthony, it has probably made itself your Home Page. You can check this in Internet Options and just delete it and replace it with whatever was your previous Home Page.
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Under (Add/Remove) Programs in Control Panel uninstall anything that mentions Incredimail or Conduit and all toolbars you do not recognise.
In Chrome select the Customise and Control option (3 horizontal bars near top right). then Settings. On sstart-up allows you to set your home page. Check also under Search that the default search option is Google (or something else of your choice). Then click Extensions (towards top left) and remove any that are associated with Incredimail or Conduit.
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It doesn't appear in the control panel so I'll have to the internet options way. Thanks.
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... I have myself had some problems posting recently- I found that my internet connection was appallingly slow. Trouble is, it can appear good enough a speed but i can fall suddenly and that is where he problem arises. I suppose that the fact that the world and his wife are online at this time of year doesn't help!
Not something I can do anything about, I'm afraid.
That's a popular misconception. Your internet connection is highly-strung and very sensitive to disruption. It doesn't like some Xmas lights, street lights, unfiltered Sky boxes, telephone extensions with too may wires connected etc etc. If you are trying to access a popular site then the number of other people trying to do the same thing can affect the speed greatly but that probably doesn't apply to the SRGC sites.
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... I have myself had some problems posting recently- I found that my internet connection was appallingly slow. Trouble is, it can appear good enough a speed but it can fall suddenly and that is where he problem arises. I suppose that the fact that the world and his wife are online at this time of year doesn't help!
Not something I can do anything about, I'm afraid.
That's a popular misconception. Your internet connection is highly-strung and very sensitive to disruption. It doesn't like some Xmas lights, street lights, unfiltered Sky boxes, telephone extensions with too may wires connected etc etc. If you are trying to access a popular site then the number of other people trying to do the same thing can affect the speed greatly but that probably doesn't apply to the SRGC sites.
You may be right about a popular misconception re busy internet use at certain times, Alan, but you certainly reinforce my comment on the fragile nature of individual internet speeds.
The vast fluctuations of speed, up and down in a short period of time must be responsible for a great many of the difficulties we face in this, or any other site.
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Can't you just move your mailbox to your own disk? then no limit applies. I keep my mail in a file server of a terabyte in my stair cupboard and no complaints. ;D ;D ;D
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OK, today's frustrating problem. For no apparent reason, since yesterday, when I click a hyperlink in an e-mail to go to a web address Outlook refuses to do it and displays the following message
"This operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in place on this computer. Please contact your ststem administrator"
Hunted high and low for a setting that controls this but can't find it. Anyone know where it's controlled?
ps I am the system administrator ::)
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Martin,
I Googled your problem and it seems to be a common one. Msoft have a "Fix It" here:- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310049 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310049)
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Thanks David. I was sitting drinking coffee in our local garden centre when it dawned on me I should google the message but you beat me to it.
And it worked :D
Mind you the question of how it happened still remains!
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I'm redoing my website….
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My wife's school laptop has had Windows 8 installed, so she thought: "must install this on my own machine". She went into the local (JB Hifif is usually the cheapest) store and checked the price. NZ$498 for the disc for single user licence. I've just checked www.windows.com (http://www.windows.com) and I can download Windows 8 pro for NZ$49.99! Am I missing something?
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I assume the cheap one is an 'upgrade' package but who knows!
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Cheaper to buy a new computer ;D
Or was the new computer inclusive ??
but serious
is your old computer fast enough to run Win 8 ??
enough memory and so
I still work with win XP
and I don't see any good thing in the newest Win 8 to spend money on
Roland
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When I looked at what 8 did it seemed to be of value only if you were using a touch screen and absoloutely pointless if using a keyboard. I'm sticking to 7.
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In the UK you can buy Windows 8 Professional upgrade for £24.99 if you download the software and create your own discs. With the installation discs included, the going rate is around £45.
What you are missing is that your local store is operated by a bunch of crooks - or people who don't know enough about the product to spot when it has been mispriced.
By the way, there isn't a "Retail" version of Windows 8. There is only an "Upgrade" version which you can use to upgrade from an earlier version of Windows or an "OEM" version which comes pre-installed or which you might be able to install yourself if building your own computer. Nor is there a more-expensive version boasting more features than the Professional version. So your local store really has no excuse.
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I'm inclined to agree with martinr that Windows 8 is best avoided if possible, unless you have a touch-screen device. But questioning the decisions of ones better half is probably not an astute move.
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I'm inclined to think it was mispriced. I was just going on what my daughter had read on the price label, which I now realise was hand written. My brother describes it as the Marmite of operating systems. Vivienne's school laptop has Office 2013 on it too, but when I asked a friend back home about this he just commented that it wasn't available to the retail trade yet and he only gets his from J. Sparrow, Captain J. Sparrow. ::)
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Does anyone know of a software program (preferably free) which will make a web photo gallery which shows the file name under the thumbnails? I'm using a mac and working with Dreamweaver on my website. I've spent several days fiddling with one way or another, with much wailing and gnashing of teeth, and would welcome any ideas.
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Does anyone know of a software program (preferably free) which will make a web photo gallery which shows the file name under the thumbnails? I'm using a mac and working with Dreamweaver on my website. I've spent several days fiddling with one way or another, with much wailing and gnashing of teeth, and would welcome any ideas.
Hi Anne,
I've used JAlbum for 10 years or so - http://jalbum.net/en/ (http://jalbum.net/en/)
Best,
John
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I have to say that for the last 6 months I've struggled try to access this forum.
During our daytime here it seems to work fine and at night it doesn't load.
I've tried three different browsers, Firefox, Safari and Google Chrome.
The pages seem to take forever to load.
Every other web page I access loads just fine.
I'm using Fios which is a very fast fiber optic connection.
Any ideas?
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I have to say that for the last 6 months I've struggled try to access this forum.
During our daytime here it seems to work fine and at night it doesn't load.
I've tried three different browsers, Firefox, Safari and Google Chrome.
The pages seem to take forever to load.
Every other web page I access loads just fine.
I'm using Fios which is a very fast fiber optic connection.
Any ideas?
Arnold,
I have exactly the same problem, and over a similar time period. The last week, other than in the mornings and early afternoons, the forum has effectively become unusable. I have no idea why, but it is not anything to do with my connection speed – that remains rock solid at 40Mbps down and 35Mbps up. It has nothing to do with my configuration, including browser, cache etc. - performance elsewhere on the web isn't affected. It is something unique to the SRGC forum.
It is worse now than ever and I'd love to see whatever it is 'fixed'.
Best,
J.
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John:
Even though I'm sorry to hear about your troubles, I'm glad it isn't a problem unique to my computer or provider.
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Sad to hear that Arnold and John are continuing to have this problem.
Thank goodness this does not appear to be widespread difficulty.
Fluctuating internet connection speeds are a wearisome hitch for too many of us, as I can vouch from my own experience.
I am assured by Fast Fred that this irksome trait described by Arnold and John it is not anything that is being done/not done by the Forum site.
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Does anyone know of a software program (preferably free) which will make a web photo gallery which shows the file name under the thumbnails? I'm using a mac and working with Dreamweaver on my website. I've spent several days fiddling with one way or another, with much wailing and gnashing of teeth, and would welcome any ideas.
Do you have iLife on your Mac Anne? If so do you have iWeb? I use that on my web site and it is very easy to use and would do what you want but it has been discontinued in new versions of iLife. Another way is to look on the App store as there seem to be plenty of web design aps, some free, some for a few pounds and some expensive. We use Freeway for the two organisations sites we run but that is more expensive although excellent, similar to Dreamweaver but designed for a Mac.
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Sad to hear that Arnold and John are continuing to have this problem.
Thank goodness this does not appear to be widespread difficulty.
Fluctuating internet connection speeds are a wearisome hitch for too many of us, as I can vouch from my own experience.
I am assured by Fast Fred that this irksome trait described by Arnold and John it is not anything that is being done/not done by the Forum site.
Maggie,
I am not sure what you mean by 'fluctuating internet speeds'.
Fred is right in that it is not restricted to the forum site - the entire srgc.net domain responds very slowly or not at all when the forum isn't behaving. Ironically the AGS web site remains lightning fast at all times - so it isn't water in the wires :)
J.
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John: I and others have problems with alarming and quite unpredictable fluctuations in internet connection speeds - one minute it can be bringing "stuff" in at 54 Mbps and literally seconds later this can fall to 2 Mbps - in which case I can forget about downloading photo files.
From what you say this is not a problem for you, but it is a difficulty with which many of us have to contend.
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Futher to my previous re web software, this site has plenty of free software listed and on the front page is a web design app called 'Sandvox'. Both Mac and other.
http://download.cnet.com/mac/?tag=vtredir (http://download.cnet.com/mac/?tag=vtredir)
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Thanks for your help, folks. I'm having a go with jalbum - watch this space!
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Thanks for your help, folks. I'm having a go with jalbum - watch this space!
I will be very interested in your feedback please, Anne.
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Arnold,
I have exactly the same problem, and over a similar time period. The last week, other than in the mornings and early afternoons, the forum has effectively become unusable. I have no idea why, but it is not anything to do with my connection speed – that remains rock solid at 40Mbps down and 35Mbps up. It has nothing to do with my configuration, including browser, cache etc. - performance elsewhere on the web isn't affected. It is something unique to the SRGC forum.
It is worse now than ever and I'd love to see whatever it is 'fixed'.
Best,
J.
This is an interesting problem. I am at work and have no issues connecting to the forum, but connected remotely to my home machine from work, my home computer won't connect at all to the forum. The ISPs are different obviously. Both Arnold and I have Verizon FIOS - maybe that is the common denominator somehow causing the problem. In case it was a DNS issue, I changed the primary and alternative DNS addresses from those automatically assigned by Verizon, to OpenDNS, but it didn't make any difference. It is a mystery. I haven't checked to see if it my Kaspersky internet security software, but I can't see how it can be that as the inaccessibility of the forum increases as the day goes on.
J.
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Thanks for your help, folks. I'm having a go with jalbum - watch this space!
Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions. J.
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This is an interesting problem. I am at work and have no issues connecting to the forum, but connected remotely to my home machine from work, my home computer won't connect at all to the forum. The ISPs are different obviously. Both Arnold and I have Verizon FIOS - maybe that is the common denominator somehow causing the problem. In case it was a DNS issue, I changed the primary and alternative DNS addresses from those automatically assigned by Verizon, to OpenDNS, but it didn't make any difference. It is a mystery. I haven't checked to see if it my Kaspersky internet security software, but I can't see how it can be that as the inaccessibility of the forum increases as the day goes on.
J.
A mystery indeed . It is true that at times - and these vary , since the website is very busy at different times due to the international nature of our visitors, the main site is being accessed by many thousands of readers and I can only assume that this will have some impact on speed, though I am told that this should not have too much adverse affect for most.
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A mystery indeed . It is true that at times - and these vary , since the website is very busy at different times due to the international nature of our visitors, the main site is being accessed by many thousands of readers and I can only assume that this will have some impact on speed, though I am told that this should not have too much adverse affect for most.
Maggi,
It doesn't appear to have anything to do with the number of users of the forum or the main SRGC site. I can connect perfectly on one machine with one ISP, and fail to connect at all at exactly the same time on another machine with a different ISP. There is something going on that appears to be unique to the SRGC website yet not be caused directly by the website or its user load.
J.
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So far so good, John. Cross fingers...
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Couldn't get on at all last night. Sat in front of the computer and couldn't get on with a mobile smart phone using the Wi-fi signal. I'll check the telephone connection later at work. This morning worked like the old days.
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There can be oddities like the wrong address for a site being present in some name servers. There are tools to sort these things out see:
http://network-tools.com (http://network-tools.com)
Maggi, there is something called 'pingdom' which (for free) will monitor the health of your site and send you alerts when it goes down. Which affords the chance to look at your phone, and say "I must reboot my server" and rush off...
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There can be oddities like the wrong address for a site being present in some name servers. There are tools to sort these things out see:
http://network-tools.com (http://network-tools.com)
Maggi, there is something called 'pingdom' which (for free) will monitor the health of your site and send you alerts when it goes down. Which affords the chance to look at your phone, and say "I must reboot my server" and rush off...
Thanks David. I have changed my DNS servers to several different primary and secondary servers and it makes no difference. There is a bottleneck somewhere that increases forum page load times as web traffic increases - but not necessarily forum traffic, more likely traffic over here somewhere. From 9am today I have seen SRGC forum page load times steadily increase until now, when the forum is becoming effectively inaccessible again. Previously it has been worse in the evenings here, but now with many folks on vacation we are seeing the effects earlier. It seems to be a problem restricted to the Verizon FIOS ISP that Arnold and I both use. The strangest thing is that only the SRGC site seems to be affected - all my other web activities are completely unaffected. Running a TRACERT wasn't very helpful either.
Best,
John
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John, a few more thoughts. Browsers all have developer tools in, they will show you what the browser is asking the host for and how long it takes to get it. Control+Shift+I in Chrome. On Safari you have to use preferences to enable the Developer menu.
Are there proxy servers, the sort of thing one uses to read web sites that are banned or if you don't want to leave a trail. In other words giving you a different route to the SRGC site.
I'd be looking up the ip address and trying ping - but can be a lot more complex if Verizon has inserted a cache. I wonder if you can configure things to not use caches.
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John: I and others have problems with alarming and quite unpredictable fluctuations in internet connection speeds - one minute it can be bringing "stuff" in at 54 Mbps and literally seconds later this can fall to 2 Mbps -
Your computer connects to a router. The router connects to the internet. Normally the speed bottleneck is the speed of the internet connection established by the router but if you have a wireless connection between your computer and your router then the speed of that connection can drop very low if the signal is weak.
The symptoms you describe are due to a weak wireless connection between your computer and your router. So one moment you get the full strength wireless connection at 54 Mbps but then something, interference possibly, causes you to lose reception and the speed of your wireless connection drops to 2 Mbps. You could move your computer closer to the router if practicable, or try moving the router higher in the room. Or you might get a better result by changing the wireless channel used by your router, if you know how to access the settings.
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Thanks Alan, interesting stuff.
I am using a wifi connection mostly these days but had similar problems when using the desktop and router direct. But the 'upside' is that I'm suffering fewer chilblains when working in the south facing sitting room than I was in the north- facing studio......... ::) ;)
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In the UK the speed of your broadband internet connection is fixed by negotiation between your router (or broadband modem) and the equipment in the telephone exchange. Once fixed, if you leave your router switched on (as you should) it should remain fixed for days or weeks or even months. If the connection is dropped for some reason then the speed may change but this takes at least 30 seconds of renegotiation during which time you have no internet connection at all.
Of course, particular web sites can be slow if they are too busy and if your Internet Service Provider has taken on too many clients in your area then the capacity of their connection from your local telephone exchange to the wider internet can get overloaded at busy times of day. But the usual bottleneck, which is the speed of the connection between your house and the local telephone exchange, is fixed for long periods at a time. My router tells me it has been running at its current speed for the past 167 hours.
Maggi, the speeds you mention are the instantaneous speeds of your wireless connection to the router. Maybe a Wireless Range Extender would help to give you a fast wireless connection in a warmer environment. This one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Netgear-WN3000RP-Universal-Range-Extender/dp/B0055Y6PUA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1356775039&sr=8-2 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Netgear-WN3000RP-Universal-Range-Extender/dp/B0055Y6PUA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1356775039&sr=8-2) is quite good and not too difficult to set-up.