Computer Problems

[windy_miller]

IKWYM but I still watch my linux friends posting about recompiling kernels because they bought a new bit of kit....

I think it just depends so much on what you want to do with it and how much patience you've got for sorting it on some kinda scale from apple > windows > linux

It seems much tidier than 7/Vista so far, but still first steps. Seem to have lost that MADDENING multiple control panels bollocks from 8 which was the only bit that really got my goat.

I've used Linux for over 10 years and have never once had to re-compile the kernel.

[eFestivals]

That's the bit that stops me in the end. I'll reach for Photoshop or something and find out it's simply not there anymore...

I dunno if PS is on Linux now, was just an example of the top of my head

Wimpy really lol but got better things to do perhaps

As far as I'm aware there isn't a photoshop for linux. I guess that Microsoft pay Adobe to not make one.

But I'd also guess that photoshop is waaaaaaay beyond your actual image processing needs (cos it is for most folk who use it, including plenty of image professionals), and that for what you do there's an alternative out there (for both win & linux, tho perhaps not the same for both platforms).

 

There's really only two things that have me tied to windows now, and I bet one of those has a free linux alternative if I bothered looking (the other is a windows programming tool, so that one is a bit of a circular argument I'll have to break out of at some point).

[frostypaw]

But I'd also guess that photoshop is waaaaaaay beyond your actual image processing needs (cos it is for most folk who use it, including plenty of image professionals), and that for what you do there's an alternative out there (for both win & linux, tho perhaps not the same for both platforms).free linux alternative if I bothered looking (the other is a windows programming tool, so that one is a bit of a circular argument I'll have to break out of at some point).

There kinda is in various forms, but the problem is I spent ten reasonably intimate years with photoshop and I can still pretty much tickle CS's belly and make it fart hail mary if I stop to think - I can't face learning all that again on something else.

Basically I'm sounding old and grumpy, but I'm fine with it. Bah change!

And OpenOffice is shit.

Edited July 29, 2015 by frostypaw

[eFestivals]

Security and performance are too good reasons.

 

are you trying to suggest that Microsoft have upgraded their OS and made it run faster rather than bloated it?

 

It would be a first.

 

Security is not a problem, it's still supported and more tested for flaws. It's safer than win10 right now.

[eFestivals]

There kinda is in various forms, but the problem is I spent ten reasonably intimate years with photoshop and I can still pretty much tickle CS's belly and make it fart hail mary if I stop to think - I can't face learning all that again on something else.

Basically I'm sounding old and grumpy, but I'm fine with it. Bah change!

... tho what you'll discover is that there's no learning curve with anything else, because only photoshop makes you do a headstand to carry out the most simple task.

(I've never learnt to use photoshop ... i looked at it for a few hours once and gave up ... and i've been able to do anything graphic I've ever wanted to do without need of photoshop)

 

And OpenOffice is shit.

 

yep, but so is MS Office. It's been shit since the one beyond Word 2.

[eFestivals]

7 was.faster than vista

8 is faster than 7

8.1 is faster than 8

You sure? Or is that due to better hardware?

I bet if I were to look, they'd recommend higher minimum specs as the versions progressed.

[Spindles]

I've been using the beta for months, no issues at all. 7 still had stability issues with some games (gta v and bf4) which were resolved with 8.1 and 10 is just as stable.

I've left my machines running a Web install overnight while at work to finish in the morning when I get in.

[frostypaw]

... tho what you'll discover is that there's no learning curve with anything else, because only photoshop makes you do a headstand to carry out the most simple task.

(I've never learnt to use photoshop ... i looked at it for a few hours once and gave up ... and i've been able to do anything graphic I've ever wanted to do without need of photoshop)

I think that's a YMMV statement - GIMP made me want to tear my eyes out in frustration, but it might be like whether you learn breaststroke or front crawl first, you're stuck that way

[eFestivals]

I think that's a YMMV statement - GIMP made me want to tear my eyes out in frustration, but it might be like whether you learn breaststroke or front crawl first, you're stuck that way

 

I was thinking about alternatives to Photoshop for use on the PC. I always used to use Paint Shop Pro - which is a breeze to use compared to Photoshop and does almost anything you're likely to want to do - tho I've not had it installed for a few years now, as I have an alternative called 'Scott' ()

[Spindles]

Ah, I used to love PSP, as you say, good for everything that the average user would use PS for and more besides.

[frostypaw]

Yup, entirely right for normal folks but for me it's just like being used to racing a thoroughbred then retiring onto a donkey though. It'll get me there but....

It is funny how overspec people like to be generally though. The mind boggles at some of the gaming solutions now - no one needs that many polygons surely.... or that big a screen?

Edited July 30, 2015 by frostypaw

[viberunner]

It is funny how overspec people like to be generally though. The mind boggles at some of the gaming solutions now - no one needs that many polygons surely.... or that big a screen?

 

There are diminishing returns for up-close models, be it close quarter battle, game-rendered cutscenes, player model, etc., but very high resolution makes a genuine substantial difference for far distance fidelity and quality. (You need native support though, otherwise you start to suffer upscaling issues).

 

Ask anyone who has experienced 4K gaming if it's worth it, yes yes it is. Developers who have experienced 4K gaming on the PC are wanting 4K gaming on the 9th generation of MS/SONY consoles (a common industry estimate is a 2020 release date) but realistically being able to process 4K monitors on near-future console-level hardware is looking unlikely at the moment, but of course things could change.

 

Do you remember the old broadcast type TV? Notice how much different a BluRay film looks these days compared to an ITV-broadcast film in the 90s? Well, the step-up to 4K from BluRay is absolutely as impressive.

 

The trouble is on the TV front there's no content and there's not likely to be any content any time soon. Cinema wise there will be 4K BluRay discs, but you're going to have to buy them, you probably don't want to be trying to get 50-100 gig downloaded from "the usual sources" per film.

 

But PC gaming? Yep, much easier to use out of the box. And yes, it really does show. Lot of money though. You need that 4K monitor and you need a very, very powerful rig to work it properly. I mean the sorts of money you could buy a 2nd hand tidy little motorcycle for.

Edited July 30, 2015 by viberunner

[frostypaw]

I think you're right when you're close to the screen, but you can only resolve so much detail with a certain screen size at a certain distance.

Does depend on how you're using it - the world of professional gaming amazes me by existing

[viberunner]

I think you're right when you're close to the screen, but you can only resolve so much detail with a certain screen size at a certain distance.

 

Most PC gaming is done with a monitor directly in front of the gamer, not from a telly at a dozen yards. (I also have my Xbox setup like that, deliberately so).

 

Does depend on how you're using it - the world of professional gaming amazes me by existing

 

 

Video game competitions have always been a thing since the 80s, so I guess it shouldn't surprise us that adding better games and broadband - and thus advertising streams - would lead to professional gaming any more than television money (read: large-scale advertising money) should create professionalised sports teams and people. Long gone are the days your favourite professional footballer might also be a milkman too. 

 

I guess we're conditioned to expect change, in theory, but in reality it always surprises us.

Edited July 31, 2015 by viberunner

[frostypaw]

I guess we're conditioned to expect change, in theory, but in reality it always surprises us.

You're entirely right, it is just as you say surprising. There's the feedback effect too where as people get faster machines and bigger screens to pick out smaller targets that the draw distance has got to increase yet further, the targets that much harder to hit to keep the challenge towards the limit

Personally I've kinda written-off the monitor size/resolution race and am just waiting for Oculus etc - in the end as the screens get bigger it's just trying to simulate wrap-around vision to start with. Though I do hope they include some kinda quick-release for those being-disemboweled-by-aliens moments

[5co77ie]

anyone know how to get Norton to work on Win10?

[viberunner]

Personally I've kinda written-off the monitor size/resolution race and am just waiting for Oculus etc 

 

I don't think it's either/or, VR is going to be a great experience for some games, and probably in time-limited sessions, but 4K+ monitors are clearly the future for standard gaming. Not that 4K is an inherent limit. Some people are making 5K monitors to give visual artists a 4K at full zoom but a border for tools and utilities to work on image processing.

 

But PCs have been going image-silly for forever, we've had the era of multi-monitor gaming for a long while, etc.

 

 

anyone know how to get Norton to work on Win10?

 

Is this a trick question? Unless you are required to use it, e.g. your company is demanding it, I'd avoid it like the plague.

 

There are many better antivirus products than Norton, AVG is free and fully functional, BitDefender and Kaspersky are good commercial alternatives. If it's for support utilities, Glary Utilities is worth a look - free and commercial versions available.

 

But if you insist on Norton, well, they have dedicated helplines and forums.

 

If you’re using Windows 7 or 8, you may have already reserved an upgrade to Windows 10 before its July 29th release. After doing so, Microsoft’s app compatibility checker may show that your Norton product is incompatible with Windows 10. Not to worry- you’re still protected with the best in-class security for your PC. There will be an update available for a Windows 10 compatible version of your Norton software coming in the next few weeks.

 

 

https://community.norton.com/en/blogs/norton-protection-blog/windows-10-compatibility-norton-products

 

The Register are reporting on an ongoing fuckup with Norton and Windows 10 and previous versions.

 

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/07/20/win10_norton_snafu_update/

Edited July 31, 2015 by viberunner

[5co77ie]

I don't think it's either/or, VR is going to be a great experience for some games, and probably in time-limited sessions, but 4K+ monitors are clearly the future for standard gaming. Not that 4K is an inherent limit. Some people are making 5K monitors to give visual artists a 4K at full zoom but a border for tools and utilities to work on image processing.

 

But PCs have been going image-silly for forever, we've had the era of multi-monitor gaming for a long while, etc.

 

 

 

Is this a trick question? Unless you are required to use it, e.g. your company is demanding it, I'd avoid it like the plague.

 

There are many better antivirus products than Norton, AVG is free and fully functional, BitDefender and Kaspersky are good commercial alternatives. If it's for support utilities, Glary Utilities is worth a look - free and commercial versions available.

 

But if you insist on Norton, well, they have dedicated helplines and forums.

 

 

https://community.norton.com/en/blogs/norton-protection-blog/windows-10-compatibility-norton-products

 

The Register are reporting on an ongoing fuckup with Norton and Windows 10 and previous versions.

 

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/07/20/win10_norton_snafu_update/

it's the wife's machine - I wouldn't put 10 on mine yet - mainly because it says I can't

"Unfortunately this PC is unable to run Windows 10" - because one or more things are uncompatible

[windy_miller]

anyone know how to get Norton to work on Win10?

My advice would be to not use Norton at all.

[frostypaw]

But PCs have been going image-silly for forever, we've had the era of multi-monitor gaming for a long while, etc.

That's mostly my thinking - same old same old just bigger numbers as it's been for a long time. the actual gameplay/experience leaps happen elsewhere on the whole

Kaspersky issues all resolved here now. Their old-version removal tool was tucked somewhere kinda odd.

[viberunner]

it's the wife's machine - I wouldn't put 10 on mine yet - mainly because it says I can't

"Unfortunately this PC is unable to run Windows 10" - because one or more things are uncompatible

 

In that case try to convince her you can get better antivirus and better utility tools, including for free.

[LondonTom]

It is funny how overspec people like to be generally though. The mind boggles at some of the gaming solutions now - no one needs that many polygons surely.... or that big a screen?

You can never have enough screen real estate!

 

Windows 10 install for me has been crap so far, I set up my gaming PC when SSD's were just about becoming affordable so only have 60GB SSD, most stuff is in other folders but with updates etc its pretty hefty now. Anyone it seems the Windows 10 upgrade root, doesn't like folder junctions (for the installer/program data and users folders ).

 

Just keep getting an annoying message "We can't if you have enough space" when I have 21GB free!

[frostypaw]

Just keep getting an annoying message "We can't if you have enough space" when I have 21GB free!

It'll be calculating in a shitload extra for the backup of what you already have etc - bit of an arse but the rollback options are well... complete.

[5co77ie]

In that case try to convince her you can get better antivirus and better utility tools, including for free.

Her machine's manufacturer have now emailed her to say they recommend not installing 10

[frostypaw]

Did they suggest buying a new one from them instead perhaps?