Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2010 December 25

= December 25 =

RAM
I would like to limit the amount of RAM available to a program (.exe) on Windows 7, sort of like providing a sandbox of RAM which it can use, but nothing more no matter what. I remember reading that this was a feature of one of the server editions of Windows, but I don't have that, so I would like a way to do it on Windows 7 if possible. I cannot code or alter the program I want to limit the RAM of myself, and I am aware that limiting the RAM a program can use might cause it to crash (these were issues raised the last time I asked a similar question). Thanks 82.44.55.25 (talk) 16:11, 25 December 2010 (UTC)
 * The best sandbox would be an outright virtual machine. Have you investigated that option?  A lot of virtualization software is free to use and/or free/open-source software.  Hardware virtualization explains how this technique works.  However, it will incur an overhead; you will need a virtual operating system and a little bit of a time-investment to set it up; but this will guarantee absolute control over the amount of RAM, CPU, and other hardware resources.  Nimur (talk) 16:34, 25 December 2010 (UTC)

Popular articles
Is there a list, or can one be made, of the top 100 popular Wikipedia articles that are viewed.--LordGorval (talk) 16:55, 25 December 2010 (UTC)


 * See WP:DBR/MWP. -- Wavelength (talk) 17:44, 25 December 2010 (UTC)


 * That was not quite correct. See CAT:POP and WP:POPT. -- Wavelength (talk) 17:47, 25 December 2010 (UTC)


 * The most recent data at http://stats.grok.se/en/201012/ are for December 2009. For months previous to that, you can edit the web address.
 * —Wavelength (talk) 20:14, 25 December 2010 (UTC)


 * I just tested my suggestion of editing the web address, and I was not able to see data from those previous months, as I remember having done.
 * —Wavelength (talk) 20:18, 25 December 2010 (UTC)


 * You can suggest a new report at Wikipedia talk:Database reports. -- Wavelength (talk) 21:20, 25 December 2010 (UTC)

"Stretch histogram" command in Irfanview
While I can make a guess at what the stretch histogram menu choice does, does anyone have more precise information about the algorithm used? Searching has found nothing, nor does the Help tell you. Thanks 92.15.28.86 (talk) 19:32, 25 December 2010 (UTC)


 * I don't know the algorithm, but in general I would guess it to be something like the "auto correction" setting in Photoshop. I believe it takes the darkest color and makes its brightness equivalent to "black", takes the lightest color and makes it "white", and then rearranges the values in between to maintain the original ratios, with the goal of giving the overall photo a more "full" spectrum of colors between shadows and light. On a histogram of the brightness values, if the values were bunched up at one end (e.g. no truly dark shadows or bright whites), it would cause it to be "stretched" along the base of the graph. But this is just a general guess based on what these programs seem to do usually; I don't have any experience with Irfanview. --Mr.98 (talk) 19:49, 25 December 2010 (UTC)

Qualitative description of Gamma correction for digital photos
The Wikipedia article about gamma, and its links, give descriptions of the maths involved. But this is not helpful when adjusting the gamma by eye with programs like Irfanview.

Can anyone describe, for example, how to adjust the gamma and/or contrast and/or brightness to show details in the shadows while still keeping the rest of the photo looking natural? Thanks 92.15.28.86 (talk) 19:47, 25 December 2010 (UTC)