Tuesday, 02 February 2010, 07:34:41 EDT
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Here is a tip for people using Windows 7 without any system sounds. If you turn off system sounds, then a system beep will still sound for certain events. For example, if you are typing in an instant messenger window and try to backspace without any text to erase. This is very annoying to me. When I disable system sounds I don't want any sound effects for system events.
Solution:
Right click "Computer" (in the Start Menu or on the desktop) and choose properties.
Click "Advanced system settings."
Click the "Hardware" tab.
Click "Device Manager."
Select "Show hidden devices" from the "View" menu.
Expand the "Non-Plug and Play Drivers" node.
... (view rest)
Thursday, 22 January 2009, 00:10:14 EDT
When I first tried Mac OS X I found the window manager to be extremely frustrating. I couldn't figure out why most applications would continue to run after closing the last window, and only a few would behave as I expected. Over time I've come accept (actually, prefer) the way OS X does this, but I don't think I ever fully understood it until today. Ars Technica, in reviewing the new taskbar in Windows 7, has clarified this for me. The description of each operating system's window management is the best I have ever read:
The fundamental distinction between OS X and Windows is that, in general, windows on Mac OS X represent documents; on Windows, they represent applications. This conceptual difference motivates many of the UI features of both OSes, and understanding it is key to understanding the two operating systems.
Before reading Ars's review, I felt like Microsoft was copying OS X's Dock system. Now, I see that they are superficially similar, but functionally different. Yes, Windows 7's taskbar shows large icons for each program running. And yes, it allows you to always display a program's icon — even when the program ... (view rest)
Saturday, 09 July 2005, 15:46:53 EDT
Every time I use Windows I hate it just a little bit more; okay, maybe more than a little bit. I recently purchased a wireless print server. I had become frustrated trying to get my Powerbook to use my printer shared via my Ubuntu desktop. For some reason OS X just refused to work with the printer and I was tired of fighting with it. The print server was on sale, actually on sale, no mail in rebates, at CompUSA and my local store had some in stock. The device isn't what I would call quality hardware but it works. I can print to my printer, connected to the print server, via OS X and Ubuntu by using the LPD protocol; each OS uses the Gimp-Print system so I don't have to track down drivers for my printer, they are just there.
So, why does all of this make me dislike Windows even more? Well, the print server is technically designed to work with Windows just like 98% of all the hardware out there. Since it is designed to work with Windows one would assume that it should be insanely easy to set up the printer in Windows, right? Not the case. The print server comes with some software for Windows that is supposed to search the network for the print server and automatically configure a new printer port on the system and then walk the user through configuring the printer drivers. The software does not f ... (view rest)
Thursday, 17 June 2004, 22:35:37 EDT
In the middle of composing the previous post I was called over to my boss' office. It seems that tomorrow will be my last day, at least for a while, working at the CCSU help desk. Starting Monday I will be working for the networking department. My job will be to help install the wireless network in the new University Center with the goal of achieving the maximum coverage area possible. Once that is done we will be going back and re-working the current wireless network across campus to make it better. I am very excited about this progression; I think I am going to have fun with this project and hopefully something more permanent can come of it. I just figured I would mention that before getting in to the real post – CD reviews!
Last week I went to Best Buy to pick up the new Velvet Revolver album; it seems I was a little too early as it was not on the shelves and would not be until the next day. So, I wandered around the store for a while and eventually made my way to the techno music section. Looking through the CDs I found that Dieselboy just release a new album a couple weeks ago and that has tracks from Josh Wink, BT, and Tiësto. How could I resist? One of my favorite acid house artists, one of my favorite break beat artists, and, basically, the only trance artist I like all on the same album and remixed to wicked drum and bass (which I am slowly deciding not to call jungle - just ask if you think you can stand the explanation). I must say, this album rocks! The Wink track is very identifiable and makes me remember why I love that acid sound that comes out of well tweaked Roland TB-303. The other two tracks are not so easily picked out but if you listen you can hear them. Another cool thing about this album is that it was produced as a sort of tribute to the DJ's AD&D buddies and the whole game in general. The album runs just like a campaign; it goes from real dark and evil to ever so slightly melodic all the while being narrated by a dungeon master. If you like d&b and DnD then you should pick this album up.
Since I wasn't able to pick the Velvet Revolver album that day I went back last Saturday and picked it up. After having listened to it for almost a week I can safely say this is an excellent album. At first listen it is rather bland but after listening to it a couple of times the style grows on you. I guess I was just expecting a Guns N' Roses type sound since three-fifths of the band is old GNR band members but the sound is quite different. The music is really mature and is definitely not heavy metal; I would say that it is straight up hard rock. My favorite tracks from the album are Big Machine (#3), Headspace (#7), Superhuman (#8), Slither (#11), and Dirty Little Thing (#12). Quite a few out of thirteen tracks but I ... (view rest)
Wednesday, 18 February 2004, 12:41:01 EDT
Have you heard about the recent leak of the Microsoft Windows 2000 source code? No, I did not download it - nor would I. I don't want to have anything to do with it. I did, however, wonder what the comments would be like. Well, I received my ... (view rest)
Saturday, 14 February 2004, 23:07:44 EDT
The one thing, in my opinion, that Windows has over Linux is software installation. On Windows you have two or three standard installers that you basically just click "Next" several times and your new software is installed. While this can be a bad thing, a standard user should not be able to modify system files, it is also the key thing that makes Windows easier for 99% of the computer users out there. Well, the tide is starting to shift. A day or two ago I read a statement that said something to the effect of "Linux will get a standard installer with-in the year." I was a bit leary of that statement but I also know how possible it is.
Lo and behold Bitrock. Bitrock is a GTK2 based installer that aims to create a standard, eas ... (view rest)
Wednesday, 17 September 2003, 00:39:42 EDT
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It seems the Orson Scott Card, the novelist, has some rather insightful remarks about the RIAA suing everyone in the nation.
I decided to install Litestep on my Windows machine again today. I perused LSThemes until I found this really cool theme called ... (view rest)
Monday, 25 August 2003, 00:34:03 EDT
It sounds to me that a journalist at the Washington Post got a little agitated with the last batch of viruses to hit Windows. Basically he is pissed off that Windows is designed so poorly while other operating systems, which are at least based on the theory of a true multi-user environment, are chugging along without worry. He tosses in a few terms, ... (view rest)
Thursday, 21 August 2003, 15:42:12 EDT
If you are visiting this site from heXum's page I would like to make one thing very, _very_, clear: the server that these pages are hosted on WAS NOT INFECTED BY THE LATEST WINDOWS WORM.
There will never be a Windows virus that can affect any of the servers I run. The worm did, however, affect the network that this server is hosted on. You can thank all of your Windows brethren for that.
By the way, patch and scan your machines!:
... (view rest)
Monday, 18 August 2003, 18:30:13 EDT
Damn Windows machines. Every machine brought on to campus today must have had the fucking MSBlast virus. It brought the campus' network to its knees right about lunch time, a.k.a. when everyone was on campus.
I am actually stunned that I am able to write this post right now. I am shocked that my bootleg server even has a connection.
If you, the person reading this page, are a Windows user and have not already done so then apply the patch found here. You would do the rest of the world a huge fucking favor by not sucking up all the damn bandwidth.
That or ins ... (view rest)