Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2006 November 5

= November 5 =

Display Pictures
Hi all! I have a problem with my msn. When I put a picture as my display picture it becomes blurrier, I dunno what to do. It's as if it stretches, even when I put a picture of 100x100. I use windows live messenger if that helps. Hope you can help! Thanks in advance


 * Size the image to exactly 90x90 pixels, and try that. Also make sure the image itself isn't blurry. -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 01:29, 5 November 2006 (UTC)

Thanks, but no it won't work. I tried 96, 95, 94, 90...it keeps stretching! could it be that i use live messenger?

How do I get my browser to display unicode and foreign language characters?
The subject line asks it all. I am running firefox. I would also like to know how I get MS word to display foreign language characters too. Thanks for any help! 152.3.73.161 00:44, 5 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2006 October 28 has some relevant info. --Kjoonlee 02:46, 5 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Figured it out finally! I had to go to the control panel --> regional and language options --> languages tab --> supplemental languages support. Then check the two boxes let it install + reboot, ignore the request for the source CDs (cause I don't have 'em with me) and it works... HUZZAH and jazz! 152.3.73.161 03:43, 5 November 2006 (UTC)

Bittorrent Video Watching!
I wanted to watch a video but it needed BitTorrent, which I've never used. I downloaded the thing and added it to BitTorrent's downloady thing, where it downloaded the file. I'm not sure I get this but whatever. When I tried to open the file after it had finished, Windows Media Player wouldn't play it, saying there was an 'Error downloading codec'. Since it screwed up downloading the codec I can hear the soundtrack but not watch the video. What can I do? Vitriol 00:58, 5 November 2006 (UTC)


 * Videos come in all sorts of codecs. That it came from BitTorrent doesn't necessarily matter, though it is more common to find DivX or XviD videos there. The best thing you could probably do is download and use VLC media player, which plays just about everything. Otherwise, to play it in Windows Media Player you'd need to figure out which codec you need (using GSpot or info from the torrent), and download it. -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 01:26, 5 November 2006 (UTC)


 * Try CCCP. --Wirbelwind ヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 01:32, 5 November 2006 (UTC)


 * I have soem old videos that are quite large and were ssave using ATI Rage II TV/video card codecs. When I tried to play the videos using Windows media player only the sound would play and instead of video I only got visualizations. I tried CCCP but it did the same thing. Any more ideas? Adaptron 16:44, 5 November 2006 (UTC)


 * Get the codecs you need for the video, use GSpot to identify. Splintercellguy 04:48, 7 November 2006 (UTC)


 * VLC media player -- Consumed Crustacean (talk) 02:15, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

Implants and Artificial Intelligence
what is the difference between implants and artificial intelligence —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 74.236.186.16 (talk • contribs).


 * I am assuming you are talking about Human implants and their relationship to AI. In this area I think the difference is that implants can only add functionality. Implants may be able to add a new sensory input to the system, and they may be able to process it, however, unless they take over the upper cerebral functions, they are not in any way removing real intelligence in favour of an artificial rules based intelligence. Ans e ll  05:51, 5 November 2006 (UTC)


 * Sounds like you've been reading/watching too much Cyberpunk. Right now, the field of AI has nothing to do at all with these implants or these implants. —Mitaphane talk 21:31, 5 November 2006 (UTC)


 * But hopefully not too far away. Vespine 00:50, 6 November 2006 (UTC)

TI-89 auto-Data
Is there any way to automatically write numbers into a "DATA" thing on a TI-89 using an automated, user defined program? And can the program read the numbers? Or is there any way to simply make a list of different numbers that can be read and written into by a program?--elpenmaster

Windows video capture API function
I'm able to capture video from a web cam in Visual Basic by sending messages to the capCreateCaptureWindow function. However, even though the camera is capable of 640 by 480 resolution it appears that the default resolution setting is only 320 by 240. The camera application software and Windows Movie Maker allow the current setting to be changed but not the default setting such that you have to reset the resolution back to 640 x 480 every time either program is used. I looked for the default setting in the registry and in the INI files with no luck. If I can't change the default because it is probably embedded in a DLL is there a way to at least change it programmatically using a Windows API function from code? Adaptron 09:12, 5 November 2006 (UTC)

Vfat Volume Label (Linux)
How do I change the volume label of a vfat file system under Linux? I need to do it from the command line. Thank You! --192.94.73.2 14:34, 5 November 2006 (UTC) It's an USB stick. Can I use mlabel? --192.94.73.2 15:02, 5 November 2006 (UTC)


 * Will the Linux version of FDISK do that ? StuRat 21:30, 5 November 2006 (UTC)
 * It won't :( --192.94.73.1 13:21, 6 November 2006 (UTC)

Yes you can use mlabel from the mtools project/package. First you have to either edit the configuration file /etc/mtools.conf or make a copy of it in your home directory called .mtoolsrc. In this file are all the options for mtools. There should be an entry that says something like: drive c: file="/dev/sda1"

This maybe commented out with a "#" at the beginning of the line if it is then remove the "#" and any spaces following it so that the line appears as above. Now make sure that the device pointed to in the file="" portion of the line is pointing the device that you wish to change the label for. The above statement points to /dev/sda1, which is the first partition of the first SCSI device (in my case it's the first USB disk that I've inserted).

Save the file, make sure that the device is not mounted, if it is then unmount it, and then execute the following from the shell (I didn't need to be the superuser to do this either): mlabel c:[new_label] to set the label directly or: mlabel c: at which point you'll be told the original label and given the option to enter a new one. Pressing [ENTER] without entering anything will clear the existing label.

To confirm that the volume label has indeed been changed execute the following: mlabel -s c:

You'll need to remount the device before the new label will be recognised by the system. Usually this involves either unplugging and pluggin the device back in.

Hope this helps.

Transfering PDF bookmarks
Is there an easy way to copy the bookmarks in one PDF to another PDF, assuming (a) perfect page correspondence between the two and (b) a known page offset? Neon   Merlin   15:53, 5 November 2006 (UTC)

What is the minimum screen size of a laptop you would accept
Imagine you would like to have a laptop and imagine that it should be as smaller as you would be comfortable with it. What size would you choose?

For example, 10" screens are available. But you may never want 10" screens. But you may say that 12" is perfectly okay but not smaller than that. Or you may say 13.3" is okay but not smaller that.

Just tell me what screen size you would prefer?

As for myself, I like 13.3" widescreen.

Thanks


 * I'm attracted to the ones that are large enough to be called laptop, but not much larger. That is, those in the range of 10" to a little above 12". I don't like the low resolution (1024×768) they sometimes have, though. That might be enough for grandma (due to poor eyesight), but definitely not for me! —Bromskloss 17:02, 5 November 2006 (UTC)


 * Grandma?? I'm 21 and I've been using 800x600 on a 17 inch monitor. I recently switched to 1024x768 to make program windows display properly but I can't go far from the screen.. :( --Username132 (talk) 18:00, 6 November 2006 (UTC)

Two timezone display in a PC
I need to work for two different timezone. I need this to be visible in the right side down corner of my computer. Currently it shows only one time.

Can anyone help me. Slmking 16:33, 5 November 2006 (UTC)slmking


 * I just recently downloaded example code for getting the time zone from the system as a displacement value from UTC. Once you have the value you could create another displacement for your other time zone and drop into the system tray as a time formatted icon. 71.100.6.152 16:50, 5 November 2006 (UTC)

Thanks, I am not that familiar with computing language. can you explain in simple terms. I was hoping to do something with control panel. :) Slmking 16:57, 5 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Hi, I think you can search Google for "system tray timezone" for that. As User:71.100.6.152 pointed, out, that part's called the system tray. :) There seem to be many programs for the job. --Kjoonlee 17:36, 5 November 2006 (UTC)

Thanks 80.127.145.90 16:54, 6 November 2006 (UTC)slmking

The 'World Clock' app in desktopsidebar.com allows multiple time zones, dates, etc.

Web pages
What is the total number of web pages? Can anyone give me a recent number?

--196.202.92.86 17:13, 5 November 2006 (UTC)


 * By web pages, do you mean number of sites, or number of indiviual pages? Perhaps you're thinking of the recent Netcraft survey that states there are over 101 million web sites? If you mean indiviual pages, that would be impossible to count given there are a number of websites whose pages are dynamically created. —Mitaphane talk 18:23, 5 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Here is the link : http://news.netcraft.com/archives/2006/11/01/november_2006_web_server_survey.html --192.94.73.1 18:35, 5 November 2006 (UTC)

Wikia
Is there a way I can add a comment section similar to what armchairgm.com has to a site at Wikia? Wikipedia's  False Prophet   holla at me   Improve Me 17:30, 5 November 2006 (UTC)


 * Not sure quite what you mean. Every article has a talk page associated with it.  Do you mean adding a second page more for chat, leaving the existing talk page for discussions of edits to the main article ? StuRat 21:26, 5 November 2006 (UTC)


 * take a look at and click on any article, then go to the bottom.  That's what I'm asking if I can do.  Wikipedia's   False Prophet   holla at me   Improve Me 13:51, 6 November 2006 (UTC)


 * ArmchairGM appears to be running Mediawiki, but with an extension to add the forum function at the bottom. None of the Wikimedia properties use that extension, and I don't think Wiki does either - indeed, it may be a custom extension they've cooked up themselves.  As StuRat notes, Wikia pages have a talk page, but it's not displayed inline and isn't organised strictly like a forum.  So, in short, no. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 13:57, 6 November 2006 (UTC)


 * You can see what extensions they have at http://www.armchairgm.com/mwiki/index.php?title=Special:Version, I can't work out which of these does that extension. Looking at the code the have a template which transcludes  adding that seem to make a coments form. Intersting feature, I wonder if they allow is to be used. Actually they should as MediaWiki's GPL. --Salix alba (talk) 20:18, 6 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Digging further theres and extension mwComments which does the magic. --Salix alba (talk) 20:22, 6 November 2006 (UTC)
 * I take that back they use some ajax magic http://www.armchairgm.com/mwiki/extensions/Comment.js. --Salix alba (talk) 20:41, 6 November 2006 (UTC)


 * Thanks for the help, but I talked to someone over there, and they said they'd set my wiki up for free, but thanks anyways, I'm going to keep it in mind for when I decide to create another wiki Wikipedia's   False Prophet   holla at me   Improve Me 03:53, 7 November 2006 (UTC)

DVI Compatibility
Is it possible to use a DVI-D Single link cable with a DVI-I Dual Link connector? I presume that from an analog/digital POV it's fine because the connector is both Analog and Digital, but not sure about the single/dual link aspect.

I've recently been trying to buy a new monitor (my first DVI) and finding that retailers and manufacturers alike are very vague on the information they provide about DVI and its many forms. --Kiltman67 21:52, 5 November 2006 (UTC)

Resuming Downloads
There is a particular file I am trying to download. It has failed three times (the cause is not the issue I wish to persue with this question). The first time it failed Opera's 'resume' feature was not available. The second time it was. And the third and most recent, it is unavailable again. What is causing this variation in the ability to resume download? I would like to use emule to download the file but this program seems to interupt my internet connection (wireless from a router downstairs - why might it be that starting emule causes my internet connect to stop, even though the network connection is reported as unhindered?). --Username132 (talk) 22:15, 5 November 2006 (UTC)


 * In general, file resuming it set by the server that sends the file, so I'm unsure why it would fail to resume 2 out of 3 times. However, about eMule, you're most likely using an inexpensive router, such as a common D-Link or Linksys. From experience, cheap routers are not good at handles high traffic, such as the UDP sent by eMule clients and DHT on Bittorrent. You can try disabling the UDP option in eMule's setup and see if that causes the disconnections to go away, and it should. --Wirbelwind ヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 23:08, 5 November 2006 (UTC)


 * I've disabled UDP but I still lose my internet access when trying to connect emule. It comes back after abotu 5-10 minutes after shutting emule down. --Username132 (talk) 00:03, 6 November 2006 (UTC)


 * I have heard that it is the total number of simultaneous connections that causes some routers to fail, not the protocols being used. Try looking in emule for a setting that defines this and setting it to a lower number (eg 50). You could also chek to see if your router has any newer firmware available for it which could fix the problem.