Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2011 January 8

= January 8 =

Restoring a Windows XP user profile
I have a problem with a computer (running Windows XP), which is a member of a domain. After a system restore following by an undo of the restore, the user's profile is "lost". Actually it's not lost, it's still in the file system, but Windows has created a new profile for the user. When the user logs onto the domain, the user's settings are loaded from the new profile folder, not the previous one. It is in principle possible to copy the user's files from the old profile folder to the new one, but the pathname references in the user's application settings (whether in config files or in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER branch of the registry) will become invalid. What is a good way to restore the previous user profile folder for the user? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.49.14.169 (talk) 00:39, 8 January 2011 (UTC)
 * If you log in as an admin, you can use advanced system properties to copy user profiles from one user to another. This may do what you want.--Phil Holmes (talk) 11:27, 8 January 2011 (UTC)

3G
Is 3g as insecure as wifi? 62.255.129.19 (talk) 01:07, 8 January 2011 (UTC)


 * 3G; by default, probably not, but they both have the same potential security. ¦ Reisio (talk) 02:12, 8 January 2011 (UTC)

Eh, where am I?
This may be a supremely stupid question, but can the internets tell me where I am exactly? I am on a train and have absolutely no idea. Is there some service for triangulation of signals or some shit? 78.40.152.129 (talk) 09:00, 8 January 2011 (UTC)
 * Is Google Latitude what you had in mind? Dismas |(talk) 09:04, 8 January 2011 (UTC)
 * Possibly, but seems to only work for mobiles? I'm working off a laptop... 78.40.152.129 (talk) 09:18, 8 January 2011 (UTC)


 * If you're using your laptop on a train, then it's using a mobile phone signal which can be triangulated. Another option would be to get a cheap GPS navigation device which is not dependent on a mobile phone signal.--Shantavira|feed me 10:16, 8 January 2011 (UTC)
 * Most trains offer WiFi nowadays. Presumably the train gets it from a satellite connection or something, but I'm not sure you'd be able to geo-locate that.
 * Surely the best way to pin-point your position would be to estimate your speed and the time since you left the last station? APL (talk) 22:08, 8 January 2011 (UTC)


 * Congratulations, you made it to the UK in less than 4 months. -- 78.43.71.225 (talk) 22:09, 8 January 2011 (UTC)

What is Binary Package?
In many of the Linux distros, there are Binay Packages available to be downloaded. What are these Binary Packages? How can they be used? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 122.164.51.244 (talk) 09:32, 8 January 2011 (UTC)


 * Computer programs exist in at least two forms. They are generally written by humans in various specialised languages.  This form is called "source code".  It cannot generally be used directly by a computer.  Then they are passed through another program called a "compiler" to produce code which can be used by a computer.  This form is called "binary" (for historical reasons; it has little to do with the number base).  Linux distributions are free software, which some call open source, and are therefore required to offer you not just the binary forms of the programs but also the source code.  This is useful for programmers because they can modify the program to do what they want more exactly.  If you are not a programmer, the binary packages are the only packages you are likely to need. Marnanel (talk) 15:12, 8 January 2011 (UTC)

You could be talking about a few different things.

There are distributionss whose package management systems are aimed at building of source directly to make the compiled, binary files for a computer to run (these typically exclude programs written in interpreted languages, but often not the interpreters themselves); source code is often distributed in some form of tarball, or copied directly from a VCS. This approach gives an advantage in the ability to customize, and availability of current code.

For most distros, however, the bulk of binaries are built by developers to ensure a certain quality/continuity, and then distributed to end users — they basically end up merely copying a program to where it should be on a system, and it's ready to run. This has the obvious advantages of being fast and reliable, particularly for those unfamiliar with compiling source code (which is most people).

Distros following either approach can utilize the other approach also, but usually only one is preferred.

There are also  files and the like, which are usually built and distributed by upstream and not by distribution maintainers, usually for the purpose of protecting a certain quality in their product, or because the package contains non-"free" parts, or for a perceived "ease" of installation, or any of the above, etc..

¦ Reisio (talk) 15:14, 8 January 2011 (UTC)

The binary packages are the packages that contain the program's executable file, as opposed to containing the source code. If a package in the repository is not identified as a source package in its description, then it is a binary package. Unless you are a programmer, binary packages are the only packages you should worry about. --Nat682 (talk) 18:54, 11 January 2011 (UTC)

Video
I have a video encoded in h264 at 5fps. I need the video to be 25fps, but I want it to remain the same speed and duration. What Windows programs (preferably free) can do this? 82.44.55.25 (talk) 14:51, 8 January 2011 (UTC)


 * It sounds like you want to do tweening to fill in the missing frames. I can tell you right now that this isn't going to look very good, with 80% of the frames being made to fill in the gaps, because there's just not enough "information" to start with.  I think 50% or fewer frames "tweened" in this way might look OK. StuRat (talk) 15:03, 8 January 2011 (UTC)
 * Yes, that's exactly what I want. I'm not too worried about quality 82.44.55.25 (talk) 16:15, 8 January 2011 (UTC)
 * FFmpeg can do this sort of video conversion. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 20:45, 8 January 2011 (UTC)
 * ffmpeg can adjust the frame rate of a video, but only by duplicating or dropping frames, not interpolating. In this case each frame would be followed by 4 exact copies of itself, so the result played at 25fps would exactly like the original at 5fps, not smoother. ffmpeg is too simple for such a complex job. 67.162.90.113 (talk) 22:28, 8 January 2011 (UTC)

You could use FFmpeg to dump to JPEGs, then use ImageMagick (and a for loop) to make filler frames morphed from adjacent ones, then FFmpeg again to go from JPEG to . ¦ Reisio (talk) 03:47, 9 January 2011 (UTC)

How to make a "clean link" to a video on youtube.com ?
When I have found a really nice video at youtube.com, that I want my friend to see, how do I link to it in a "clean" way?

I want to send my friend a link to a webpage where the video may be seen, but I do NOT WANT want ANY of the "suggested further viewing"-links that youtube.com automatically adds around, below and following all the videos. (What I have got is a URL looking like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STRING What I want is some "clean" URL based on the same STRING ).

The reason why I don't want it, is that I have no control over those suggestions and they will often totally destroy an otherwise pleasant viewing experience. Or they may slightly frame the video in such a way that it distorts or adds a subconsciously perceived intention behind my sending of the link. Is there any way out of this problem? --178.232.73.66 (talk) 18:22, 8 January 2011 (UTC)


 * There's an icon third from the right that looks like the traditional maximize window icon, if you hover over it, it says 'Pop out'. Also if you hit the 'Embed' button underneath the video, the value of the src attribute of the embed element or the value of the value attribute of the param element with name attribute with value 'movie' (they are the same/redundant) will work as a fullscreen link of the Flash player with video only.  You will of course still get suggestions when playback finishes. ¦ Reisio (talk) 18:28, 8 January 2011 (UTC)

Like this http://www.youtube.com/v/QQrWTQBZPo4 Replace "QQrWTQBZPo4" with the video id of your choice 82.44.55.25 (talk) 18:30, 8 January 2011 (UTC)
 * Yes, (thank you!) a link on the form:  http://www.youtube.com/v/STRING  is very close to what I wanted, but I really want to avoid ALL the suggestions about further viewing that, now, still pops up below my video after it is finished runnig through the first time.--178.232.73.66 (talk) 19:11, 8 January 2011 (UTC)
 * I found a way; append &rel=0 to the end of the url, eg: http://www.youtube.com/v/STRING&rel=0 82.44.55.25 (talk) 19:20, 8 January 2011 (UTC)
 * Perfect! Thank you! :-) --178.232.73.66 (talk) 20:41, 8 January 2011 (UTC)

Restoring iPod touch Firmware without iTunes
Is there any way that I can restore my iPod touch's firmware to an arbitrary version, bypassing the SHSH signing process—in other words setting my iPod touch to any firmware version in such a way that iTunes is not used? --Melab±1 &#9742; 19:31, 8 January 2011 (UTC)

QIF to CSV conversion
Is there any free straightforward offline (not online) no-hidden-catch way of converting the QIF format to comma separated values please? OpenOffice cannot do it. Thanks. 92.15.7.205 (talk) 20:37, 8 January 2011 (UTC)


 * Other than checking the obligatory http://www.google.com/search?q=%22qif2csv%22, this looks half promising (sorry if you don't Perl, you should! :p). ¦ Reisio (talk) 04:31, 9 January 2011 (UTC)

BBC
According to this one needs a tv license to watch live programs on the iplayer, per "Anyone in the UK watching or recording television as it's being broadcast or simulcast on any device - including mobiles, laptops and PCs - must, by law, be covered by a valid TV licence." That seems pretty clear, and the iplayer site warns you when you start to watch. However, what is the policy concerning the news section of the bbc site offering a live broadcast of breaking news, for example the live BBC News coverage of the US Congresswoman shooting? There is no mention on that page that one needs a license, nor is it part of the iplayer section. They're also enticing people to watch it with big banners across the news section saying "Watch live!". —Preceding unsigned comment added by 91.146.188.190 (talk) 22:30, 8 January 2011 (UTC)


 * Are you interested in knowing the policy, or viewing the programs? If the latter, there are so many ways to do so from anywhere, you need only seek out the solutions. ¦ Reisio (talk) 04:32, 9 January 2011 (UTC)


 * And if the former, we don't give legal advice... AndyTheGrump (talk) 06:51, 9 January 2011 (UTC)


 * It's not legal advice to ask why some policies look inconsistent, or to ask about the relative application of laws. There is no request for legal advice in the above whatsoever. --Mr.98 (talk) 14:46, 9 January 2011 (UTC)


 * I would imagine its because the iPlayer is available to UK users and people who pay a subscription outside the UK only, whereas the news site is available for free internationally. This requires different T&Cs. -- Q Chris (talk) 09:58, 10 January 2011 (UTC)

radiant
ben bu bılgısayar sıstemınızden sipariş vermek istiyorum ş yerım ıcın bana bu konuda yardımcı olur musunuz —Preceding unsigned comment added by 88.226.180.103 (talk) 22:53, 8 January 2011 (UTC)
 * Google translate (from Turkish): "Job I'd like to place an order for the location of this computer system helps me to do about it". Not very helpful... AndyTheGrump (talk) 23:00, 8 January 2011 (UTC)


 * http://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ana_Sayfa. AndyTheGrump (talk) 23:03, 8 January 2011 (UTC)


 * Radiant Systems? 213.122.40.179 (talk) 01:44, 9 January 2011 (UTC)