Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2014 February 6

= February 6 =

Google chrome censors email
A couple of years ago, the Firefox browser ceased to be able to display my email on gmail.com, so I started using Google Chrome. This afternoon my computer went through a series of bizarre episodes in which various things didn't function. I was unable to see anything on the web via Google Chrome, so I tried the Firefox browser and found that I still had internet connections. I found that I was getting notifications from Quora and some other sites, about which I had wondered why they ceased a few months ago to send me notificatins. Those emails are not visible on Google Chrome, either in my inbox or in my spam filter. Google Chrome is failing to show me all my emails received on gmail. I would never have suspected this if Google Chrome had not entirely ceased to function for several hours.

Does anybody understand this? What can be done about it? Is it dishonesty on the part of Google? Michael Hardy (talk) 05:02, 6 February 2014 (UTC)


 * That sounds like extremely odd behaviour. I don't understand why that would be. Are you certain that the two browsers are logged into the same Gmail account? Check by clicking the small profile picture in the top right hand corner and looking at the email address that is displayed. If the two browsers really are showing different mail for the same account, I can't imagine why that would be. It certainly doesn't sound like something Google would do intentionally—for one thing, what would be the point? —Noiratsi (talk) 09:17, 6 February 2014 (UTC)


 * I suggest you carefully compare the urls in the address bar of each browser. The only explanation I can think of is that one is pointing to your inbox, and the other is pointing to "all mail" or one of your other labels.--Shantavira|feed me 14:12, 6 February 2014 (UTC)


 * Thank you, Shantavira.
 * The URLs I get when I read gmail in Internet Explorer and Google Chrome are different. In Internet Explorer I see emails that I don't see in Google Chrome --- mostly mailing list items --- for example when someone comments on one of my reviews on amazon.com I get an email notice visible in Internet Explorer but not in Google Chrome.  With Internet Explorer I get a notice at the top that says "Some important features may not work in this version of your browser, so you have been redirected to the Basic HTML version. Upgrade to a modern browser, such as Google Chrome."  When I paste the URL from that version into Google Chrome, then the censored emails become visible and that same notice appears.
 * Conclusion: The "Basic HTML version" shows emails that are hidden by the "modern" version. Why is censorship of my incoming email an "important feature"?  And how can I normally view the "Basic HTML" version from the Google Chrome browswer? Michael Hardy (talk) 03:32, 12 February 2014 (UTC)
 * Conclusion: The "Basic HTML version" shows emails that are hidden by the "modern" version. Why is censorship of my incoming email an "important feature"?  And how can I normally view the "Basic HTML" version from the Google Chrome browswer? Michael Hardy (talk) 03:32, 12 February 2014 (UTC)

Acrobat reader default paper size
At present, when printing from Acrobat Reader (not from a browser) the system defaults to A4 paper size. I want to change this to A3. I do not want to change the printer options for any other program.

Is it possible? How? -- SGBailey (talk) 10:53, 6 February 2014 (UTC)


 * I don't think so. Our Portable Document Format article states, "Each PDF file encapsulates a complete description of a fixed-layout flat document...".  In part, that means that the page size and layout are fixed when the PDF document is created.  My computer is set to U.S. standards, and I find that most (but not all) U.S. documents tend to have letter size (8.5 x 11 inch) paper layouts.  However, when I accessed a couple of documents off the BBC web site, one opened with an A4 paper size, and another as A5, as shown in File > Properties.  Even if you could force a different paper size, the layout would likely not change and you would either end up with a zoomed view or very wide margins.  I suggest that you experiment with the View > Page Display options.  "Enable Scrolling" eliminates that annoying jump between pages, and I just discovered that the "Two Page Scrolling" option provides a good way to maximize screen usage. --  Tom N  talk/contrib 03:03, 7 February 2014 (UTC)


 * I'm specifically referring here to printing the document, not viewing it. In particular I have a lot (several thousand) documents that get printed on A3. I have no idea what they are created for (other than landscape), but the print option "Fit" works a treat. However EVERY time I print one (in a new execution of A.R.), the PRINTER is set to A4 and has to be changed to A3. This printer paper setting has nothing to do with the document page size that I have ever observed. A.R. does remember the setting until all instances of that execution are closed. Thanks though. -- SGBailey (talk) 16:59, 7 February 2014 (UTC)
 * Right click on the printer icon and select Printing Preferences. The settings vary by printer driver, but you should be able to set the default paper size here and possibly and option to resize the document. --  Gadget850talk 13:46, 8 February 2014 (UTC)
 * If I right click on the printer icon in the ribbon, I don't get a printer preferences option. -- SGBailey (talk) 11:37, 10 February 2014 (UTC)


 * Gadget is talking about the "Devices and Printers" part of the Control Panel, from what I can tell. -- 140.202.10.134 (talk) 15:20, 11 February 2014 (UTC)

Laptop models with a focus on the display
Are there any laptops on the market that have a nice display and cut costs on everything else? I don't need battery life or performance. My dilemma is that my old laptop broke, and now my I'm choosing between getting just a beefier laptop and getting a desktop/"home server" plus a cheap laptop (which might work out nice since the most graphics intensive thing I do is watching videos). --81.175.238.65 (talk) 22:12, 6 February 2014 (UTC)
 * ChromeBook Pixel? --Navstar (talk) 03:14, 7 February 2014 (UTC)
 * Another option would be to get a laptop and an external monitor. I have several friends that do this, essentially using the laptop as a desktop while at home (setting it to display only on the external monitor, and using an external keyboard and mouse).  This lets you get a nicer display, without the expense of a second system.  MChesterMC (talk) 09:50, 7 February 2014 (UTC)