Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2007 August 17

Welcome to the Wikipedia Computing Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

August 17

Dual monitors and fullscreen games

When I play a full screen game on one monitor and have, say, an MSN conversation or a browser window on the other, I can read the conversation or text on the browser fine. However, upon switching to inputting (clicking the window on the other monitor), Windows switches to that window as active and minimizes the game on the other monitor (even though I have both monitors configured in Windows). Does anyone know of a utility or something that can overcome this stupid, stupid UI flaw? -Wooty [Woot?] [Spam! Spam! Wonderful spam!] 02:59, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

I have exactly the same problem, never found a way around it. I think the problem is that the game is still tecnically "full screen" even though you can see what's on the other monitor, it's as if the other monitor is letting you peek behind the game, but as soon as you change focus from the game to any other application, the game says "well I don't have full screen anymore, so off to minimize I go." Vespine 04:47, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

Well, what's even odder is that when I use a command line switch for Rise of Nations to play it windowed, it STILL minimizes it. Windows' focus system is sort of messed up as far as dual monitors go, I guess. I just want to use my dual monitors for what I intended them to do - be able to talk in another window between Counter-Strike rounds or something without using stuff like Xfire. :/ -Wooty [Woot?] [Spam! Spam! Wonderful spam!] 05:21, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

I find it very hard to believe that there isn't a fix for this. Hmmm Capuchin 08:24, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

Dual monitors + full screen apps = hell, I don't care what your OS is. This is why I intend to buy a Big Ass Monitor^TM for any gaming computer, or use something like synergy --Lucid 08:49, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, but I got both of these for about $150 each, and they're 19" with a 5 or so ms refresh rate. Can you get a 40" LCD with a under 5ms refresh rate for $300? ;) In addition, a big monitor wouldn't help you much anyway, because you'd still have to worry about running everything in windowed mode at weird resolutions. -Wooty [Woot?] [Spam! Spam! Wonderful spam!] 09:57, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

40 inch monitor is more than four times the size of your 19 inch monitors... --antilived^{T | C | G} 23:24, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

Uh, the side panels take up about an inch on either side at the most. I have about 17" total screen real estate x 2 = 34" then. Price challenge still on. Unless you're talking about the extra space vertically which is thrown off by the fact they're wide screen anyway. -Wooty [Woot?] [Spam! Spam! Wonderful spam!] 01:53, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

The area of a rectangle is proportional to the square of the diagonal so if you have two screens with same aspect ratio, the one that has 2x diagonal length will be four times as big as the one with x as the diagonal length. --antilived^{T | C | G} 05:44, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

Question and issues concerning software/hardware firewalls

Dear Sir/Madam,

I have recently installed Zone Alarm Pro (version 7.0.362.000) along with PeerGuardian (version 2.0 Beta 6C) on my computer. Considering my network was already and currently still is protected by the hardware Firewall of my U.S Robotics router (model USR8054 802.11g wireless turbo with 1.67 firmware), have the previously mentioned applications actually strengthened the security of my computer or I should consider proceeding to uninstall them ?

Furthermore, I don't know which application is at fault, but I have experienced the following slowdowns since the installations (I am quite sure that my router is not at fault, it had already been previously configured and I had no issues with it for years): 1) MSN file transfer protocol is presently faster than the rise of democracy in North Korea. 2) The µTorrent no incoming connection triangle o' doom appears in the aforementioned program's tray - files are still downloaded but the speed seems at first sight limited (false positive?).

I made an half-arsed (I hope it's no too confusing) collage with the steps I undertook to unsuccessfuly remove the no incoming connection triangle o' doom warning.

Sincerely,
Thanks in advance considering I expect the Wikipedia help desks to be as useful than always,
Matt714 06:21, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

First question - nay. I think you'll see that if you open up ZA Pro, it will say something on the order of five or six intrusions stopped, and those intrusions are usually just programs trying to call home. I've ran my computer with no AV software and no firewall except for the router's for at least two years now (on a open network, no less! I like to surf dangerously) vwithout a single "hack attempt", virus, spyware, etc. Running no firewall is a quick recipe for disaster but being behind the router's should suffice. Uninstall your ZA.

I have had both of your other problems before as well. MSN file transfers are always slow. I have heard MSN throttles large file downloads over Messenger - I would not send anything important and large over it simply because if someone signs off you're screwed anyway. Instead of MSN, why not use a file host like MegaUpload or Yousendit? It's probably not your problem, it's Microsoft's.

Now uTorrent. First, shut off/uninstall your ZA to make sure it isn't that. Second, go to preferences -> network (or connection or whatever it is with the port) and make sure the port there is the one you opened in your router. Also, make sure the 'randomize port' checkbox isn't checked. Restart and try again, post results here. -Wooty [Woot?] [Spam! Spam! Wonderful spam!] 09:54, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

Please excuse my late reply. As for my file transfer speed issues, they seem to have bene fixed after resetting the Zone Alarm program access options. I am still wondering if I should keep it but according to my research the general opinion seems polarized. After searching through internet security message boards however the opinion is highly polarized in a dichotomy of either seeing the software/hardware combination as invaluable or a inutilel computer resources hog. Additional opinions would be highly appreciated.

I have noticed that the aforementioned firewall has changed the test results of my ports on the Shields Up leak test from "closed" to "stealth", which in my interpretation is a positive thing.

Sincerely, Matt714 07:07, 21 August 2007 (UTC)

ZoneAlarm I've known to do things even if you explicitly tell it not to. I don't recommend it. That said, if you forward your port, disable ZA (quit it completely and stop the service) and run the program on that forwarded port, does a web-based port scanner show it as open? 68.39.174.238 21:51, 21 August 2007 (UTC)

Web accelerators

At home I have a slow internet connection, and I was wondering: if i download multiple download accelerators onto my computer, will they all have a cumulative effect on each other? So will downloading 4 accelerators increase my download speeds by 2^4 times? I've tried this on my computer but it doesn't seem to be making much difference after the first one, can somebody please explain this to me? Thanks

"So will downloading 4 accelerators increase my download speeds by 2^4 times?" No. -Wooty [Woot?] [Spam! Spam! Wonderful spam!] 10:28, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

No, your best bet for better performance is a better Internet connection, and if that's not the issue, perhaps an AV/spyware checkup? Splintercellguy 12:19, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

With internet speed, you get what you pay for. It's all about bandwidth. No "accelerator" can squeeze more speed out of your line if you are downloading compressed files. Accelerators can help if you do a lot of web browsing for example, but only one will help. You cannot get an accumulative or, heavens forbid, an exponential benefit with accelerators! Sandman30s 13:31, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

The first constraint is the speed of your line. For example if you're on a 56K modem then you'd be lucky to get more than say 6KBps download speed. No matter how many accelerators you use, or no matter the quality of the connection between your computer and the webserver you connect to, you won't be able to exceed that speed. The same is true for much faster connections like cable or ADSL. So consider that your upper limit. Download accelerators won't have a cumulative effect, especially considering that each download accelerator manages its own downloads, and has no way of knowing what the other download accelerators are thinking. You should consider a faster connection. Another hint for you is to use google's cache of websites and webpages sometimes for faster loading (when you search on google click the 'cached' button next to a search result (if it appears) and that will load a copy of the page that google has in its memory, usually on your country's server. Rfwoolf 15:02, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

A "web accelerator", if it works at all, is probably a lot like a file compressor. And no compressor/accelerator can improve everydata stream/file, just some of them. Among the ones that won't ever be improved are those that have already been compressed/accelerated/whatever.

If it were possible to accelerate an already-accelerated web connection, or compress an already-compressed file, then it would be possible to apply arbitrarily many compressors or accelerators in succession to achieve arbitrarily (infinitely!) great compression or aceleration. But that's clearly impossible (except in the eyes of "snake oil" compression vendors). --Steve Summit (talk) 17:13, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

CD Drive exploaded with cd spin

Recently I was using my friends PC to burn one CD using his samsung CD-RW drive.Using nero I burned some mp3 files, but unexpectedly it happened that the disk inside the drive was broken into several pieces with loud sound after some 10 to 15 seconds since it started burning disks...Didn't expect in my dreams..The drive never ejected...We replaced it though....I guess this isn't any software problem, but it couldbe some exceedings in physical limits while spin up\down..The drive was a new one purchased less than a month... What could've gone wrong?..Any idea?..Thanks

Look for reruns of Myth Busters. They covered this specific topic: CDs breaking at high spin speeds. The conclusion was that a wobbling CD could hit something inside the drive and break up. -- Kainaw^(what?) 12:00, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

This happens occasionally with weak/damaged CDs (the easiest way to weaken them is probably to leave them in sunlight or heat, such as inside of a car) at high speeds (40x+ usually), It's not exactly common, but it's not unheard of. They just don't have the structural ability to cope with the stresses from spinning that fast, the above mentioned wobbling. It's just something that happens, just take care of your disks and hope for the best --Lucid 12:12, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

Expanding on what L said, the centrifugal force imposed on CDs by high-speed CD-ROM drives is near the theoretical breaking strain of the discs. As a result, discs with minor pre-existing damage will often fail explosively when run at high speeds.

Atlant 12:20, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

There is no centrifugal force. :p --antilived^{T | C | G} 23:20, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

Pointless pedantry that would only complicate an otherwise-simple explanation..

Atlant 13:05, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

I didnt believe the above until I found this: [1]--SpectrumAnalyser 02:22, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

MSN Messenger

Is it possible to pause the webcam when I lock messenger using MSN PLUS!? Thanks

In short, no. JoshHolloway 16:06, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

Password protecting VLC http interface

How can I password protect the VLC http interface?

I'm not sure if you can, though I suppose if you're planning to access it over the Internet have the HTTP interface listen on loopback and SSH in to connect? Splintercellguy 00:55, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

Nice. Thank you, great solution.

Yeah that was a really good idea, props to splinter --froth^t 04:40, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

looking for a blank, dual-layer, double sided DVD

do these even exist? I know they sell single sided, but I can't find a double sided for sale.

As best I can tell, there is not such thing (yet). DVD-18 has been used for some commercial releases, but it looks like for blank media, you can have either dual-layer or double-sided, but not both. This article seems to support that theory. I also checked at a couple of manufacturer's sites, and found no trace of such media. --LarryMac | Talk 20:19, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

Recursively compare files in two directories on Linux

I'm sure someone has done this before (or it's in a system utility I don't know). I want to be able to compare two directories, a and b, which, in theory should be identical to find any differing files between the two of them. Any pointers on this? I'm not simply looking to see what files are in directory a and not in b (or vice versa), but also files which might be in both, but have differing contents. Donald Hosek 18:20, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

Use diff with the -r option to recursively compare directories. -- Kainaw^(what?) 18:42, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

and -q to show only whether the files differ, rather than the differences themselves (which may be voluminous). —Tamfang 18:42, 19 August 2007 (UTC)

A far quicker comparison might be on the sizes and possibly creation and lastmod dates, if those are supposed to match. Of course, some very suble diffs, like a single bit error, might escape this quick check. StuRat 21:32, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

That's only "far quicker" if there's a standard or readily-available program for doing it, but there's not! Also, as you noted, it's only reliable in the case where it disproves your hypothesis that the directories were identical.

In practice, most of the time, plain old diff is quite adequately efficient. —Steve Summit (talk) 21:45, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

Launch external process with ruby on windows

Windows script host has a function something like this:

   ShellRunWait("calc.exe");   //  run external app
   WScript.Echo("all done");   //  indicate we are done

The example above will run calc.exe, wait for the user to close the app, and then continue on with the rest of the script.

The next example does the same thing, except it doesn't wait for the user to close the external app.

   ShellRun("calc.exe");        // run external app
   WScript.Echo("app started"); // execute this immediately after running the app

Question: what is the Ruby (programming language) equivalent to the "ShellRun" command? It seems I cannot use system, because that operates the same way as "ShellRunWait". NoClutter 18:21, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

I don't know, but do you need to fork and exec?

Kernel::system("calc.exe") returning true or false for success or failure. The Kernel:: part is not needed because the Kernel module is in use everywhere, so system("calc.exe") works just as well. Documentation here. --h2g2bob (talk) 04:23, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

Game Networking Shop

Sunnypabla 18:35, 17 August 2007 (UTC)Hi, I'm new to wikipedia its helped me a lot.Could U b kind enough to let me know the basics of how to start , setup a game networking shop or where could i get this information from??, any links or advice would be highly appreciated. Thanks. Sunnypabla 18:35, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

help with recommending an improvement to the wikipedia front page

Hi - I was wondering how to contact your technical people?

I would like to suggest an enhancment to the front page

- namely the focus of the "search" box - so that we can all start

typing straight away?

Hi, welcome to Wikipedia. There's a sort-of-relevant discussion on this over at the MediaWiki bugzilla here. Apparently the search box doesn't get focus when the page is loaded as this would remove the ability to scroll with the up/down arrow keys (at least until the user removes focus from the textbox). If you don't need that functionality, giving the search box focus might be possible with a Greasemonkey script if you're using Firefox (or user script if you're on Opera). — Matt Eason ^{(Talk • Contribs)} 19:34, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

More relevant discussions are here and here, which offer more potential solutions. Algebraist 00:44, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

http://www.wikipedia.org/ has the search box ready focused. Or you can add Wikipedia to your web browser's search box, if it has one. --h2g2bob (talk) 04:09, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

That's a good idea. Also, with google, you can customise your google page which where you can add a box that searches Wikipedia for you. That way, technically, you can have both google and wikipedia on your home page. Another idea is to make wikipedia.org your home page, and using Internet Explorer 7 you can make Google your default search engine, and thus use the search box at the top of your browser for google queries, and wikipedia.org for your wikipedia queries. Of course, some of this is assuming that you like Google, or want to make Wikipedia your home page. Rfwoolf 14:19, 23 August 2007 (UTC)

Need a program to take a bunch of jpegs into a movie

I've been taking captures of a webcam once per day for a year or so, and I'd like to combine all these into a movie in avi or flash format. What would be the easiest way to merge them all into a video file? Corpx 19:15, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

I've used this shareware before, pretty simple, not fancy. designed for GIF, but I think it takes jpeg too

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,3499-order,1-page,1-c,alldownloads/description.html

If you have mplayer you can run a command like mencoder mf://*JPG -fps 15 -ovc lavc -o file.avi -- Diletante 19:57, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

Security on an open wireless network

I just started at an university which has a campus-wide wireless network - but one which has no security and is intentionally kept open for all users. What's the best/most practical way of securing my internet use while using this network? Are there any encyrption programs etc? (I'll have a Mac laptop, if that's of any relevance). >Thanks very much!!

VPN? Use HTTPS if it's available? --antilived^{T | C | G} 23:15, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

(ec)You may want to ask your university's help desk, to see what they provide. The problem with "securing your internet" is that it can't just be one-sided. If you hit a website which uses https, your connection to that webserver is encrypted, even though your physical network connection is not. Similarly, if your school provides VPN, this could secure your connection to the other end of the tunnel. Your question is a bit vague, so depending on what exactly you're trying to do, there may be other answers also. Friday (talk) 23:17, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

There are a bunch of answers, depending on what you're using the internet to do.

Me, just about everything I do that needs to be secure, I do over ssh connections. I'd be using ssh anyway, because I don't trust the open (wired) Internet, either. Since I always use ssh anyway, I can use unsecured wireless access points with impunity. For some things, and as User:Antilived mentioned, I use VPN, and again, this is just as good (and appropriate) for wired and wireless networks.

There are some other things you might worry about:

1. reading your email
2. browsing the web
3. logging in to websites where you have accounts (such as Wikipedia)
4. any other net services that involve private information such as passwords

For #1, your security depends on which of several protocols your mail software uses to connect with your mail server. Some of them have their own security built in, but if not, you'd be better off using VPN software (if applicable) to secure that channel. If you read your email via a web form, see #3.

For #2, the only concern is that snoopers might see which websites you've been visiting, which google queries you've been submitting, etc. If you're not worried about that, then, well, you don't have to worry about it.

For #3, if the website account you're logging into is at all sensitive, find out if you can use https. (Me, I don't tend to worry about this -- for example, I log in to Wikipedia over all sorts of open and unsecure networks, without using https -- but this is likely to be more of a concern in the future.)

For other net services, the issues are similar. If you don't want people seeing what you're doing, either make sure the service you're using has its own encryption, or use it only via a VPN, or else don't use it on unsecured networks. —Steve Summit (talk) 01:00, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

I suggest tunneling all your Internet connections through SSH. SSH dynamic port forwarding can tunnel any application that can use SOCKS. --Spoon! 01:39, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

Could you use Tor? I think that makes all HTTP to HTTPS. Also, see if your email supports encryption. See man in the middle attack for information on this type of problem. --h2g2bob (talk) 03:58, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

Yep, tor uses SSL --froth^t 04:27, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

Web logins are pretty much secure (NOT ftp, telnet, irc) since they're sent over SSL but once you're logged in your session cookies can be intercepted and they can log in to your account and possibly change your password. This is the best way to handle it IMO:

• Set up an external server with a line to the ISP (for example at home) and get a good service plan.
• My campus's draconian net admins have 'blocked' the pertinent documentation but I believe you can use stunnel on top of privoxy. Install privoxy and stunnel on your home server, and have stunnel listen on port "X" and forward to port "Y". Have privoxy listen on port "Y". Set up the privoxy configuration to just forward all requests to your ISP.. this is a very easy 1-line configuration.
• If you don't have a static IP address, get dyndns.
• Set up your browser to use homeIPorDYNDNS:X as a proxy server. .. for example 123.123.123.123:4567

It'll slow down your browsing considerably but unless you want to use HTTPS on every single website (and not a lot of them offer it) VPN is the only way.. --froth^t 04:37, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

Um, I thought HTTPS was used for connections from client to the Tor relays? Once it leaves the network its still plaintext. Splintercellguy 06:01, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

The concern is that it'll be intercepted by someone else on the open wireless network.. once it leaves tor it's wayy away --froth^t 07:24, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

Thanks to everyone for all the answers... um, is there an dummy's step by step guide to these solutions?