Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2008 March 8

= March 8 =

Strange XP Problem
I have this problem with XP that it seems to crash after 20 minutes or so of video chat, on both Live Messenger and QQ. The network would die off and pinging give "Destination host unreachable", then launching new applications would give an error of "not enough quota", or sometimes even "xxxx.exe is not a valid W32 programme". Disabling and then enabling my ethernet connection doesn't help, nor does the "repair connection" button. The only way to fix this is to restart (logging off and then back on doesn't work), but it will come back in another 20 minutes or so.

I have reinstalled Windoze but came to the same problem, and the problem only occurs while doing video chat, as XP is perfectly stable for hours of TF2 or others. My Ubuntu is as stable as ever so I doubt it is a hardware problem, and as reinstalling didn't help I am thinking it's a driver error. But before I go on reinstalling all the drivers I want to see if there are any other leads that I could follow to solve this problem other than hours and hours of driver trial-and-error. --antilivedT 10:48, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
 * It sounds like it's an issue with your video drivers. I wish I could help you more: perhaps you could try to find the drivers somewhere on the net (reinstalling Windows, BTW, was the right move IMO, even if it didn't work). The Evil Spartan (talk) 18:18, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
 * We have a similar problem, except just IM (W/Windows Live Cam X3000) crashes whenever I'm on too long. It's really annoying, but the only thing I could suggest would be to have your calls in 15 minute segments, close out, then redial. Andrew Kanode (talk) 20:13, 8 March 2008 (UTC)

Google advanced search
I've just noticed google's advanced search has changed. How can I view the old search form? xxx User:Hyper Girl 12:26, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
 * I don't imagine you can, if they've changed it. Why do you want to? A le_Jrb talk  12:37, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
 * I wanted the feature where you can search for a page within a specific time period. Ahh! *hits self on head* Just realized it is there, its just hidden under the "Date, usage rights, numeric range, and more" heading. Stupid me. xxx User:Hyper Girl 12:53, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
 * Glad you found it! :D A le_Jrb talk  12:55, 8 March 2008 (UTC)

PartitionMagic alternative for Vista
Does anyone know a program for resizing, moving and creating partitions without data loss for Windows Vista? PartitionMagic has compatibility problems, apparently. --Taraborn (talk) 13:26, 8 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Gparted? A brief googling doesn't turn up any strong complaints of incompatibility. --98.217.18.109 (talk) 14:52, 8 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Our article PartitionMagic says that... no idea whether it's wrong or not. Thanks to both. --Taraborn (talk) 16:39, 8 March 2008 (UTC)


 * I also thought of Gparted, but decided to wait someone wiser to answer. Respect. --82.141.92.211 (talk) 15:33, 8 March 2008 (UTC)

iPod to PC
hello,

does anyone have any suggestions for good software that will enable songs to be taken from an iPod and put onto a PC (windows XP).......

thanks, --81.76.41.242 (talk) 14:15, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
 * Try iDump. It's worked well for me before. Hpfreak26 (talk) 16:25, 8 March 2008 (UTC)

Police Simulator
My brother is looking for a computer game in which the player is a police officer (preferably in the US), fighting criminality. He would like the game to be a Vista compatible modern 3D sandbox styled car game. Is there any such game? --Andreas Rejbrand (talk) 14:47, 8 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Modern 3D sandbox? How about GTA:SA in vigilante mode? --antilivedT 20:57, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
 * "Taxicab missions got old fast; if I wanted Crazy Taxi, I'd dust off my dreamcast" ... the SA minigames are borrrinnggg, especially Vigilante mode. He should try out SWAT 4. D\=&lt; (talk) 19:41, 9 March 2008 (UTC)
 * The closest I can think of is The Getaway, where (for part of the game) you are a police officer fighting crime, but it's set in London, and is only on the PS2 (and backwards compatible PS3s. The best "police" type game is SWAT4, although this deals only with on foot SWAT operations, and isn't really sandbox. The game focuses on the LA SWAT team, and you play through a variety of scenarios that are sort of realistic, and therefor quite challenging. By the way most modern games are Vista compatible. TheGreatZorko (talk) 15:03, 12 March 2008 (UTC)
 * The game you want is CRACKDOWN for XBOX360 and Windows, Its not at all realistic but its hell fun :)

VB6 Question
I'm going to feel like a total idiot posting this, but... I've got to learn Visual Basic 6 in one week, and I have to know a couple of things. Could someone tell me how to work out the problem V = A * (1 + R)Y when V is the end value, A is the original amount, R is the annual interest rate, and Y is the number of years of gained interest; and the user inputs A, R, and Y. I have the form written in the editor, but I don't know how to get the values or make it calculate with the click of a button. Thanks A WHOLE LOT!!! Andrew Kanode (talk) —Preceding comment was added at 17:32, 8 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Add a few text controls on your form. Give them names like "txtOriginalAmount" and "txtAnnualInterestRate" and etc. Then add a button. Give it a name like "btnCalculate". Double click on the button and you should enter into the code editor and you want to edit/create the function btnCalculate_Click (there should be a little drop-down menu where you find this). Dimension your variables (Dim A as Single, etc.), then assign them the values from the text controls (A = Val(txtOriginalAmount.Text). Then do your calculaton (V = A * (1 + R)^Y) and then display the final value somehow (e.g. Msgbox V). Does that help? There's more to getting it right (what if they forget to fill in a value? what if they put invalid information in?) but that's the basic process. --98.217.18.109 (talk) 17:54, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
 * THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Andrew Kanode (talk) 18:04, 8 March 2008 (UTC)

Best Program for Web Pages
Now that Frontpage is discontinued, what is the best software to create web pages with? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.126.131.115 (talk) 17:46, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
 * I use Mozilla Thunderbird. (Do you get it?  That's an email client)  In reality I use kompozer, which I ironically found using Wikipedia earlier in the year (maybe last).  We have some pages on them, look at the WYSIWYG article, and follow links. Andrew Kanode (talk) 17:54, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
 * Even better: List of HTML editors Andrew Kanode (talk) 17:55, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
 * If you want to stay with Microsoft, see Microsoft Expression Web (the successor to FrontPage). Xenon54 17:59, 8 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Note that "best" is a matter of opinion. In my opinion, if it is a WYSIWYG editor, it is garbage.  Anything more than a text editor is a waste of time.  Your opinion will surely vary.  So, instead of asking for the "best",  you should ask for specifically what you want your software to do. --  k a i n a w &trade; 19:42, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
 * Myep. I prefer Notepad2, but any text editor is good as long as you type the actual code and don't use WYSIWYG ("Design" mode). -- grawity talk / PGP 13:39, 9 March 2008 (UTC)
 * I of course code by hand but I understand that it's very hard for a lot of people to learn how to join the very skills of graphic design and good coding. They're two very different worlds. Computer people tend to think "good coding" should be valued above all else, but of course the real world doesn't work that way — your end goal is not always to impress computer people, but people who just want something that "looks good." So there's some place for a WYSIWYG editor in the world, I think, though I don't use them. --98.217.18.109 (talk) 20:03, 9 March 2008 (UTC)

Personally, I code websites by hand, but I find that the code-view in Dreamweaver is helpful. It offers syntax highlighting and auto-completion which just speeds up the process of coding a site. Acceptable (talk) 17:02, 9 March 2008 (UTC)
 * Syntax highlighting is helpful but total overkill for writing something as simple as a web page. Just use notepad/notepad2/vi/mousepad D\=&lt; (talk) 19:49, 9 March 2008 (UTC)
 * Eh, it's pretty useful when you make typos (is there shame in that, now?) and you can't figure out which errant tag has gone crazy. I use TextWrangler which is wonderfully bare bones (so to speak) but has nice and subtle syntax highlighting. And recommending vi to someone who wants advice as to which WYSIWYG editor they should use is pretty silly. (I've never understood the modern fetish with ages-old programs like vi and emacs, personally. I guess it must have some sort of retro appeal, the equivalent of insisting on using eight-track rather than CDs much less MP3s.)--98.217.18.109 (talk) 20:03, 9 March 2008 (UTC)
 * Personally I've never understood the backward fetish with bloated programs like emacs D\=&lt; (talk) 15:53, 10 March 2008 (UTC)


 * If you are looking for a WYSWYG editor, try Nvu. Even discontinued, it is still one of the best free editors for Windows. Personally I just use Vim the text editor, but that is not for everyone. -- ReyBrujo (talk) 20:07, 9 March 2008 (UTC)

"export" in OS X Terminal
I'm using OS X 10.4.11 (Tiger). I'm trying to install ImageMagick based on the instructions on this page.

My problem seems to be that the "export" command seems to only work for the session of the Terminal that I am running. When I close it down and open up Terminal again, it has forgotten everything. E.g., if I run  and then run echo , it'll tell me the right path. But if I close Terminal and open it again, when I run  then it gives me nothing.

What am I doing wrong? I hate bash. --98.217.18.109 (talk) 19:12, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
 * This is true in all shells. You need to add the command to your bash configuration file.  Doing a

echo 'export MAGICK_HOME="~/ImageMagick-6.3.9/"' >> ~/.profile
 * should do the trick. --Sean  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.134.115.242 (talk) 23:16, 8 March 2008 (UTC)


 * OK, thanks. Wish the ImageMagick instructions had said that and not made me go through all of those hoops for nothing first. Will give it a shot. Thanks. --98.217.18.109 (talk) 04:55, 9 March 2008 (UTC)

No Dial Tone
I have a scanner for work (one that scans UPC codes and keeps track of how many). It has to hook into a telephone line in order to send information and for me to receive it. For the past few nights it keeps giving me the message, Error: no dial tone. I tried two different telephone cords, my telephone is working. What could it be and how could I fix it? Any ideas/suggestion? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.126.131.115 (talk) 19:16, 8 March 2008 (UTC)


 * If the outlet works and the cord works, blame the scanner. It must be broken. --  k a i n a w &trade; 19:43, 8 March 2008 (UTC)

Help - AOL Instant Messager (AIM) will not allow my to sign in
Hi; I have two linked accounts on AIM. I tried to log onto one a few minutes ago, and it would not work. I tried logging into my AIMail for the same account, and it also did not work. I logged into the second account and it was fine; however, I noticed two things. The first account was not displayed above the second account (as it should appear and always has), and when I opened an IM and attempted to use the first account, it was offline and unusable (even though it was selectable). Does anyone know what is happening here? The screen name and password are correct; I attempted signing in about a dozen times. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. 70.105.164.43 (talk) 19:50, 8 March 2008 (UTC)

By the way, the error message displayed reads "Invalid Screen Name or Password". 70.105.164.43 (talk) 19:52, 8 March 2008 (UTC)
 * Sounds like an incident of hacking. Have you ever given out you passwords to anyone?  You may wish to change the other's password if they were the same.  I haven't used AOL since '00, but I think the master (or administrative whatever it's called...) has superiority over the other accounts, so was the other account your more important one?  It sounds like you should call AOL support, and get them to reset the other password, though they had horrible service when I used it.  Andrew Kanode (talk) 20:09, 8 March 2008 (UTC)


 * I've never given my password to anyone, but I do use the same one on other sites. Only two people know about the second account, and they are both completely trustworthy and aren't good enough with computers to hack/get my password.  I made the second one about two weeks ago, and have  used it maybe 3 times.  I made the first in June and use it almost every day.  One thing I forgot to mention was when I failed to login to AIMail, the message was "this action is unavailable at this time".  Does this mean the problem is just temporary, or is it insignifigant?  Thanks. 70.105.164.43 (talk) 20:22, 8 March 2008 (UTC)