Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2010 July 8

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July 8

creating new language associations in Win7; viewing dead keys

I just created an IPA keyboard using MS Keyboard Layout Creator. Works great. However, I only know how to associate it with an existing MS language setting, which isn't the best fit. Is there a way to create a new language ("IPA") that I can associate with the keyboard, so that when I go to "Add Input Language" (under "Text Services and Input Languages"), IPA will show up with my new keyboard?

Also, the on-screen keyboard that comes with Win7 shows the characters selected with shift, alt, & caps lock, which I can take screen shots of for reference when I forget where characters are. But it does not show the characters triggered when I use dead keys. Anyone know of an on-screen keyboard that, when you press a dead key, visibly changes the characters on the rest of the keys appropriately?

Thanks, — kwami (talk) 06:46, 8 July 2010 (UTC)

Import text from text file into Powerpoint slides or OpenOffice Presentation slides

I'm making an interactive presentation and I would like to make different versions where the text on certain slides is different. Ideally, I would like to just make one template set of slides, and then have text files with different versions of the text and import these into the presentation and have it go to the correct slides. e.g. imagine I had a template that on the first ten slides would display text. I could then have separate text files, Moby Dick, the Bible, etc. and text from these works would appear on the first ten slides. (I would delimit the text in the text file so that it knew which text went on which slides.) Has anyone ever heard of this being done or know/imagine of any way to do this? Thanks. --Rajah (talk) 13:01, 8 July 2010 (UTC)

I would suggest a macro tool that you can setup with a simple text script (where you can include your text), then activate the macro playback with a hotkey so that it would run within powerpoint. There are lots of these tools available for download e.g. hotkey. Sandman30s (talk) 04:42, 9 July 2010 (UTC)

Thanks, I will look into that. --Rajah (talk) 15:36, 9 July 2010 (UTC)

Losing AOL Internet Connection

Hi folks, I hope someone here can advise as I seem to be getting nowhere by asking AOL. I signed up for their Platinum Broadband and telephone package a few months ago - I live in the UK. It seemed a great deal and broadly speaking it has been. But lately, I am experiencing sudden internet disconnections without any warning other than a female announcing, "Goodbye". I have reported this to AOL who have helpfully advised me to reload the software - renew the ADSL filters - and reboot the PC adjacent to the main telephone input socket. And then all is well for a while until she yet again says, "Goodbye".

I have discovered that when this happens, I can switch off the AOL-supplied router, and after switching it on again, reconnect to AOL, which makes me suspicious I was supplied with a dodgy router, and AOL have promised to replace it on 2 occasions, but no replacement has materialised - as yet.

But I also have a sneaking suspicion that as I am retired, and use the internet quite a lot, though I don't tend to download movies or music etc., I may be being "timed-out" by AOL. By the way, the router feels quite hot to the touch when it disconnects. So do you folk think it will be a faulty router, or am I being timed out? I know you can't be specific, but a few clues would be appreciated. Thanks. 92.30.173.26 (talk) 15:24, 8 July 2010 (UTC)

It's possible that you are being timed out, although from memory, it's more likely that the AOL software will "kick" you, if you have been inactive for some time. Past experience suggests that it could well be a problem with your router, but you can also try ruling out problems with the AOL software. You can access the Internet without signing into the AOL software by simply opening a browser window (if you use one of the Windows operating systems, you should have Internet Explorer; you can also download Firefox or Google Chrome). You can access webpages independently of the AOL software using one of these browsers, so that might be worth a try to make sure it's not a software problem.

I'm not sure what the AOL tech support meant by renewing your ADSL filters - you should have one of these plugged into every wall socket you use except the one you plug your router into. They have a lot of problems with faulty routers - the ones they supply are often poor-quality. It's not unusual for a router to get warm during use, but if they are too hot to touch, that often indicates a problem. I have found AOL tech support to be excruciatingly, headbangingly awful, having dealt with them over an 18-month period with a problem identical to yours. The problem will likely only get worse over time, and whenever you contact tech support, they will probably run you through the same steps you have already performed, and which did not fix your problem. If they have actually agreed to replace your router, and it has not arrived, I would call them again. Navigate through their phone tree to the "I want to cancel my account" option, and explain that you have been waiting on not one, but two replacement routers, and that you are frustrated enough with their service to go elsewhere. Astonishingly, after a year and a half of being told the problem was on the client end, 10 minutes on the phone with the charming cancellations specialist got the account holder a new router within a week. These CSRs can also arrange for actual technicians/engineers to look at your account in case the problem lies elsewhere, but a replacement router can frequently solve the problem. Hope this helps! --Kateshortforbob _talk 14:57, 10 July 2010 (UTC)

Thanks Kate for your kind and helpful response. I really appreciate that. I did in fact re-call AOL (in India) again yesterday and did as you suggested which was to threaten to cancel my account on the basis of their breach of contract/their failure to deliver satisfactory service and performance - and I have been GUARANTEED a new router by Monday (tomorrow). I will let you know how I get on, but thanks once again for your interest. 92.30.192.124 (talk) 09:31, 11 July 2010 (UTC)

Oh good - I will keep my fingers crossed that your router appears and solves your problem!--Kateshortforbob _talk 20:29, 12 July 2010 (UTC)

Typing in romanized devnagari

Help me find solution for typing in romanized devnagari script. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 113.199.138.142 (talk) 16:01, 8 July 2010 (UTC)

Hmm. Do you want an input method, so you can use a roman-style keyboard to enter Devanagari characters? Or alternately, if you want to type using one of the Devanagari transliteration methods, which one did you want to use? Indeterminate (talk) 22:45, 8 July 2010 (UTC)

computer

question 1. where is computer science in the tree of knowledge. question 2. can man be said to be a collection of running algorithms

I don't think there is a standard tree of knowledge, but I'd place parts of it as applied mathematics and parts of it as engineering. As for 2, strictly speaking no. My foot is not an algorithm. In general, algorithms are immaterial. In the deeper sense of "is the human mind the result of a set of algorithms running on wetware", I'd say "probably yes". No doubt others will say no. ;-) --Stephan Schulz (talk) 16:25, 8 July 2010 (UTC)

(1) I'm not sure what you mean by "tree of knowledge", but computer science is a formal science (but that article feels a little iffy to me), like mathematics. This means that computer scientists are primarily concerned with deriving and proving results that ultimately come from some set of formal rules.

(2) If you are a functionalist, you believe that a person's mind is the structure of (or, equivalently, the computation performed by) their brain. If, on the other hand, you believe John Searle's Chinese room argument, you believe that a person's mind is (at least partially) the substance of their brain. Paul (Stansifer) 16:28, 8 July 2010 (UTC)

Actually, I should acknowledge that computer science is a huge collection of disciplines, some of which (like human-computer interaction) are actually observational and empirical, like what we usually think of when we use the word "science". Paul (Stansifer) 16:33, 8 July 2010 (UTC)

computer science starts where the tree of knowledge ends: at the base of the tree, ie touching the grass next to it. Then, get this, computer science forms a tree growing DOWN, where every branch is deeper in the ground than the last. 84.153.202.156 (talk) 13:22, 9 July 2010 (UTC)

Does ReadyBoost increase RAM?

I just plugged a 4GB flash drive into Windows 7 and told it to use for ReadyBoost. My RAM is not reporting an extra 4GB, and the system is still slow. What exactly is readyboost doing with the extra 4gb? I read the article but it's confusing 82.43.90.93 (talk) 17:25, 8 July 2010 (UTC)

No, ReadyBoost does not increase actual or reported RAM. The flash drive is faster than your hard disk for certain types of operations (like seeking between lots of small files), and ReadyBoost lets Windows use the flash as a cache for that kind of operation, so that some operations can be done on the flash, instead of the hard disk. The performance benefits of ReadyBoost are generally modest, especially on newer computers with more than 1 GB or so of RAM. -- Coneslayer (talk) 17:51, 8 July 2010 (UTC)

So, if you never want to use this feature, is there a way to stop Vista and 7 from asking if you want to use ReadyBoost every time you stick a flash drive in your PC? Astronaut (talk) 08:28, 9 July 2010 (UTC)

The Ultimate Windows Tweaker for Vista claimed to disable ReadyBoost; you could try the Windows 7 version to see if it has the same capability. However, I've seen other forum posts say that ReadyBoost and SuperFetch are tied together so you may lose SuperFetch, and there may be other "issues" with disabling ReadyBoost. -- Coneslayer (talk) 12:38, 9 July 2010 (UTC)