Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2014 December 31

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December 31

Blender

Is the v2.6 user's manual still the latest and greatest, even though the product is past that? 75.75.42.89 (talk) 00:53, 31 December 2014 (UTC)

The Blender manual is always a pain. Google throws up results for a version that is almost certainly not the one you were looking for, no matter which version you were looking for. Note, also, that Blender 2.6 is ancient; what you almost certainly mean is Blender 2.60. That's not Blender 2.6.0. The version before 2.60 is 2.59 and the version after is 2.61.

You can always find the most recent version at https://www.blender.org/manual/. At least parts of it have been updated for version 2.72 (like the revision history) but I've no idea how much the actual content has been updated to reflect the latest software. GoldenRing (talk) 01:26, 31 December 2014 (UTC)

Lost scripts

In the course of an enforced change to another computer I've lost three useful functions which I can't reinstall because I don't remember whether they are Firefox add-ons or Greasemonkey scripts

1. If I hovered above an image it was automatically magnified. I thought this was a built-in Firefox feature, but it seems to have gone, so I don't know how to get it back
2. I had two functions that enabled me to save (as image files) Google Book pages and Amazon "Look Inside" pages respectively. This was really useful for storing searches temporarily while working articles up to FA. I know I used Greasemonkey to install the scripts but I can't find the actual scripts

I'd be grateful for any help Jimfbleak - talk to me? 15:00, 31 December 2014 (UTC)

For #2, can't you just take a screenshot? --65.94.50.4 (talk) 09:04, 1 January 2015 (UTC)

Yes, but the script is much neater and will download multiple pages simultaneously (the whole book if it's an out-of-copyright free ebook) Jimfbleak - talk to me? 16:00, 1 January 2015 (UTC)

Smart/Wi-Fi alarm clocks

Surprised that such products (Sony Dash Alarm Clocks) were discontinued in the early 2010s, and I can't seem to find any matching products from competitors that weren't discontinued as well. What's I'm talking about: http://dash.dash.sel.sony.com/

Thought about buying a cheap tablet with dock, but that would be relatively expensive.

Are there any recent alternatives? Matt714 (talk) 19:12, 31 December 2014 (UTC)

It would help if you could list just what features you want, but here are some alternatives:

1) Clock radio. Set it on a news/weather/traffic station and that gives you all the info you need to start your morning. Set it on a music station if you like to wake to music. Disadvantage: They aren't very portable and don't handle power failures well (the battery backup keeps it from flashing 12:00, but they seem to keep terrible time on battery power and there may be no alarm until the power returns).

2) Cell phone alarm. Advantage here is how portable they are. I have an extra cell phone I keep plugged in all the time, and use it just as an alarm, so I never have to worry about if it's charged.

3) PC alarm. They can fire up some app at the appointed time, but I've had some just fail to work for no apparent reason. Has anyone else had this problem ? You'd need to have the PC or laptop in your bedroom to have this be an effective alarm.

4) Watch alarm. Disadvantage: Might run down battery to use it often. StuRat (talk) 23:15, 31 December 2014 (UTC)

• Dear @Matt714: 1. What features do you want? 2. Do you own a smartphone -- even a cheaper, older model like the (2010) iPhone 4 or the (2012) Samsung Galaxy S III? 3. Have you checked eBay for some new old stock of the alarm clock you want? (One aside. Whenever you mail-order or online-order anything from outside of your country -- watch out. If you order a parcel from outside your country, then certain courier services will charge you unbelievable fees to fill in customs paperwork for you. Try to ask the courier company before the item is shipped. If you don't like the fees, request a different courier service, or hire a cheaper customs broker, or tell them you want to fill in the forms yourself ["self-clear"]. If they have decided to charge you the unbelievable fees anyway, do not sign for the package. As soon as you sign, you agree to pay the fees for this service which you did not want.) 4. Could you just go to bed early and wake up with the dawn's light or when you're no longer tired? :) Cheers, —Unforgettableid (talk) 04:33, 4 January 2015 (UTC)