Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2008 December 25

= December 25 =

Full form of PMT
What does PMT stands for in Microsoft excel? I mean the full form of PMT. —Preceding unsigned comment added by S shaanu (talk • contribs) 03:52, 25 December 2008 (UTC)


 * A Google search for finds this — Matt Eason (Talk &#149; Contribs) 04:05, 25 December 2008 (UTC)
 * According to PMT: "PMT is a financial function in Microsoft Excel, to compute fixed payments under a fixed interest rate" --wj32 t/c 08:36, 26 December 2008 (UTC)

Laptop video driver problem
I have a Dell Inspiron 1501 with Microsoft Windows XP Media Center. I had to reinstall XP and then my screen was blurry and looked like it had been stretched horizontally. So I installed the video driver off of dell.com. The computer became super-slow. So I System Restored and tried again, only to gain the same result. Try a third time, only to get the same result. I am trying to keep this laptop until Windows 7 comes out, so should I replace my graphics card or what? mynameinc 15:40, 25 December 2008 (UTC)


 * The "blurry" horizontal stretch is likely a result of the software using a standard 4:3 aspect ratio while the display is widescreen. Since windows generally will not allow you to change these settings without a proper driver installed, you need to update the video/display drivers. Installing the correct driver should *not* cause the system to slow down. I would suggest searching for alternative drivers (such as the original driver CD, if available, older/alternate versions on dell.com, or more generic/specific video drivers). You might also check that you have hardware acceleration enabled (Start->Control Panel->Display->Troubleshoot). Finally, you can adjust some visual performance settings in windows to minimize the slow down (Start->Control Panel->System->Advanced->Performance->Settings->Visual Effects). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.11.230.33 (talk) 18:09, 25 December 2008 (UTC)

Proprietary Programming Language
Are programming language copyrighted or patented? --Melab±1 &#9742; 19:58, 25 December 2008 (UTC)


 * Copyright law is not applicable to programming languages, as they cannot be copied. How would you create a copy of "c"? However copyright is applicable to compilers, standards or manuals which are protected by default. Their authors may relinquish copyright explicitly (put them into the public domain), or they might spread them using free licenses like bsd which effectively disables copyright from a practical point of view. The actual situation on compilers and runtimes is mixed, even for the same language. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.187.72.95 (talk) 01:19, 26 December 2008 (UTC)


 * That's not true. Adobe claims that the Postscript language is copyrighted, though it has not sued anyone yet. Wolfram Research claims that the language of Mathematica is copyrighted and has threatened to sue the University of California. SteveBaker (talk) 01:51, 26 December 2008 (UTC)


 * Until a couple years ago, Sun maintained a copyright on Java. 67.184.14.87 (talk) 14:38, 26 December 2008 (UTC)


 * The question was not if anyone claimes a copyright on a programming language, but if there actually is one. I the case of java, take a look at the classpath project and guess why they were never sued. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.187.81.80 (talk) 00:36, 27 December 2008 (UTC)


 * The point is though that if someone claims a copyright and its never been tested in court then really the only answer we can give is maybe. It's always a bit dubious to say "Well they never sued so they can't have really believed they were right since 1) Particularly if your talking about open source software the gains from a lawsuit have to be weighted up againt the PR disaster 2)) Ditto if its propriety but a small company 3) The nature of copyrights means you can if you want allow people to use something so it gains in popularity then start the lawsuits once it has. If the Mathematica thing goes ahead, we may have the first case law which could help us give a better answer Nil Einne (talk) 09:11, 27 December 2008 (UTC)


 * That's absurd. How can languages be copyrightable? Kushal (talk) 21:19, 26 December 2008 (UTC)


 * Intel used to claim it owned the instruction mnemonics for x86 microprocessors. As a result the manuals for the binary-compatible NEC V20 used different mnemonics describing all the same instructions. 81.157.237.68 (talk) 00:15, 27 December 2008 (UTC)


 * Likewise Intel's 8080; though there exists (or existed in 1979) a Z80 assembler that used Intel mnemonics with extensions in similar style for Zilog's extensions to the 8080 instruction set. I wonder whether I still have the chart somewhere in my files... —Tamfang (talk) 20:44, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

On the original question, there are *patents* covering programming languages, look for example at Mono_(software) "Mono and Microsoft’s patents". However the validity of software patents in general is in constant debate. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.187.81.80 (talk) 01:13, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Camera review
Can anyone suggest good unbiased websites on camera reviews based on user experiences or similar? I know of DP Review and Steve's Digicams. —Preceding unsigned comment added by In particular i want to find out about the Casio Exilim EX-Z19.
 * David Pouge (from the New York Times) does reviews on just about everything electronic. That includes cameras. The only thing I don't like about his reviews is that they're all videos. No text. flaminglawyerc 20:39, 25 December 2008 (UTC)
 * Amazon's user reviews are pretty good too. Just don't go by the 5-star scale. Reviewers seem to star rate products either too high or too low ("I don't like the color of the box -- 1 star!" or "Best camera ever in the history of the planet -- 5 stars!!". Read the review text to get a more contextualized viewpoint. --71.158.216.23 (talk) 02:03, 26 December 2008 (UTC)
 * Judging by the amount of material that goes out under his name, David Pogue is most likely an organization. The organization has put out some useful books on computer use. Its gizmo reviews in IHT, when I bother to read them, aren't so impressive. Pogue is fond of reviewing cameras and the like, but there's little or no suggestion that Pogue is more than the most casual photographer. Yes, what I want to see are reviews based on user experience, and more particularly the experience of people who are willing to read instructions and put some effort into following them, but who don't imagine that photograph-worthy scenes will hold steady while the would-be photographer futzes around in some menu system for the appropriate options. I've found that reviews worth reading are often found among the dross, boosterism and backbiting within the forums at photo.net. But there doesn't seem to be anything interesting there about this particular camera. You could of course ask there or at some other forum: say what interests you, and be tolerant of answers that miss your point. Morenoodles (talk) 09:11, 26 December 2008 (UTC)
 * Try dpreview for photographic cameras. --Ouro (blah blah) 10:48, 28 December 2008 (UTC)
 * I think the OP already did. At least thats what I presume he/she meant when he/she said I know of DP Review and Steve Digicams Nil Einne (talk) 11:42, 28 December 2008 (UTC)


 * Could this "David Pouge" be David Pogue? —Tamfang (talk) 20:46, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

Computer Problem
Hello I have a computer problem and I was wondering if somebody could help me? The internet page is not popping up and if it does it will only show for a few seconds before it disappers. I know I have internet connection so that can't be the problem. Then I thought about a computer virus but I ran three different programs and neither came up with anything. Any help? Thanks PS the computer is a Dell with Micorsoft XP —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.157.6.85 (talk) 20:45, 25 December 2008 (UTC)


 * Which three programs did you run? Were they up to date? --98.217.8.46 (talk) 21:04, 25 December 2008 (UTC)


 * Try another browser, like Firefox or Opera. StuRat (talk) 03:48, 26 December 2008 (UTC)


 * What do you mean by "internet page"? Is it any website you try to go to, or is it your homepage? How does it disappear? Does your internet browser (like Internet Explorer) crash, or does the browser just close and not display an error message? --wj32 t/c 08:38, 26 December 2008 (UTC)