Saturday, May 16, 2009
Windows Photo Gallery
This is an excellent quick touch-up and printing program for your photographs and it comes with Vista. It works well with all installed printers and its response is quick. The tools for enhancement are basic -- crop, removal of red eye, exposure and colour adjustment, but it has a nice interface for printing on different sized paper and for different sized pictures on standard A4 paper. The only thing that it lacks is the ability to resize photos and to change the quality of images.
Making 2 VCDs into one DVD
Fed-up with having to remove the first and insert the second VCD of a very popular Disney movie that my grandchildren loved, I decided to combine the two VCDs into one DVD.
Well I read that VCD files have the extension .DAT and that you needed to rename this to .mpg before you could proceed further since most DVD burning programs did not recognise .dat as a video file. I tried renaming the two .DAT files that I extracted from each of the VCDs I wanted to combine into one DVD, but my Windows Vista would not allow me to do this and the renamed files looked like this filename.mpg.dat. This meant it was still a .dat file even after the renaming. Scouring the net I discovered that you had to use tools to change how Windows Explorer displayed file names. For some reason or other Windows Explorer by default hides the extension names when displaying contents of folders (at least it did on my machine), and I had to change this before I could effect any change of extension names. How to do so? Click on "Computer" then left click on "Organise" and go to the option "Folder and Search Options" then go to "View" and unclick the option that says "Hide extensions for known file types". Now you will see file names with extensions and these can be renamed easily.
The next step was simple: import the two .mpg files into a DVD burning program -- the one I used was Magix Goya BurnR which I got when I purchased the wonderful Magix Movie Edit Pro 12 for $50 at Challenger last year -- and burn your DVD just as you would your home movies. Just make sure that you burn the files in the correct order and this you can do by giving them the same file name except for the numerals 1 and 2 for example mymovie1 and mymovie2.
Well I read that VCD files have the extension .DAT and that you needed to rename this to .mpg before you could proceed further since most DVD burning programs did not recognise .dat as a video file. I tried renaming the two .DAT files that I extracted from each of the VCDs I wanted to combine into one DVD, but my Windows Vista would not allow me to do this and the renamed files looked like this filename.mpg.dat. This meant it was still a .dat file even after the renaming. Scouring the net I discovered that you had to use tools to change how Windows Explorer displayed file names. For some reason or other Windows Explorer by default hides the extension names when displaying contents of folders (at least it did on my machine), and I had to change this before I could effect any change of extension names. How to do so? Click on "Computer" then left click on "Organise" and go to the option "Folder and Search Options" then go to "View" and unclick the option that says "Hide extensions for known file types". Now you will see file names with extensions and these can be renamed easily.
The next step was simple: import the two .mpg files into a DVD burning program -- the one I used was Magix Goya BurnR which I got when I purchased the wonderful Magix Movie Edit Pro 12 for $50 at Challenger last year -- and burn your DVD just as you would your home movies. Just make sure that you burn the files in the correct order and this you can do by giving them the same file name except for the numerals 1 and 2 for example mymovie1 and mymovie2.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Canon iP4680 Printer
Having lots of fun with this printer. It cost $199 and its attraction is that it prints on CDs and DVDs directly. Printing on CDs and DVDs is as easy as printing on paper or photographs and the result is very good. The colour reproduction is close to the original in terms of sharpness and colour -- I would say about 85% accuracy. I suppose if I had a better scanner I would be getting something close to 95% accuracy. The only thing is that on original CDs and DVDs the printing covers almost the whole of the DVD surface but when printing my own using this printer, there is a larger non-printed inner circle. And this is primarily because the DVD blanks I buy at retail outlets have this larger non-printable inner circle. It seems that there are hub printable CDs and DVDs out there but so far I have not come across these in Challenger where I do my shopping -- mainly to enjoy the discounts as a member.
Disk with printable hub
Disk with non-printable hub
While printable CD and DVD blanks are easily available they come at a slightly higher cost than normal blanks. The Maxell DVD -R printables cost me $24 whereas the non-printables cost $20 for a cakebox of 50. I hear that in Australia I would be paying something like AU$17 for 50 printables.
Monday, May 4, 2009
PDF Files
Been playing around with PDF files this week. Mainly because I have this internet fax service that will fax out only files that are in PDF format. I have no problems with creating text documents and then saving them as PDF files because OpenOffice, that wonderful free software that emulates Microsoft Office, can convert or export text files to PDF with one click. The problem I had was with graphics. When I scanned a page as PDF to retain all the layout and positioning of the orginal graphics the resultant file was enormous... as big as 4 meg. Now, my Internet fax service will not allow me to fax out PDF documents that large, so I had a problem.
The software I used to scan and save graphics as a PDF file was software that came with my Epson which I bought several years ago. Rather than search for newer or updated versions of the software, what I did was to save the graphics as a JPG and then import into a OpenOffice document and save it as a PDF file which was very much smaller than the one created directly from the scanner. This I could fax out.
While researching on the Internet some solutions that other users employed, I chanced upon several interesting free online services that others were using to convert to PDF or from PDF to editable text. Many users were doing the latter because unlike DOC files or TXT files PDF files cannot be edited nor can one incorporate portions of it into text files.
If you are converting text files to PDF files or vice versa there is a free online service at http://www.pdfonline.com/convert-pdf/ which I tried with success. When converting text files to PDF the online software converts and emails you the link to your converted file. Fast and reliable. When converting PDF files to text (RTF) files the conversion is done online and there is no email for you to open. Why the procedures differ I cannot tell.
The software I used to scan and save graphics as a PDF file was software that came with my Epson which I bought several years ago. Rather than search for newer or updated versions of the software, what I did was to save the graphics as a JPG and then import into a OpenOffice document and save it as a PDF file which was very much smaller than the one created directly from the scanner. This I could fax out.
While researching on the Internet some solutions that other users employed, I chanced upon several interesting free online services that others were using to convert to PDF or from PDF to editable text. Many users were doing the latter because unlike DOC files or TXT files PDF files cannot be edited nor can one incorporate portions of it into text files.
If you are converting text files to PDF files or vice versa there is a free online service at http://www.pdfonline.com/convert-pdf/ which I tried with success. When converting text files to PDF the online software converts and emails you the link to your converted file. Fast and reliable. When converting PDF files to text (RTF) files the conversion is done online and there is no email for you to open. Why the procedures differ I cannot tell.
Another useful site is http://www.pdftoword.com/. This has an online service to convert PDF files to editable text files as well as a download for converting text to PDF files. I tried this and found it easy to use, reliable and fast.
The third service I tried was youconvertit.com. (http://youconvertit.com/convertfiles.aspx) Which claims to be able to do a variety of conversions -- from one format to another but I seem to have very little success with this one. For some reason or other it was fraught with error messages. Perhaps it is the configuration of my browsers or my computer that is the problem because there seem to be many testimonials extolling its virtues.
The last service I tried the one provided by http://www.zamzar.com/. This seemed to be a very popular site judging from the many mentions of it on forums. It worked OK for me but it sure took a long time for the files to be converted. Perhaps because it is popular, demand for its services is high and thus the delay.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Adam's Sin
A friend once commented that God was unfair to Adam because He did not fully explain to Adam the consequences of disobeying His command not to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. My friend's point was that if Adam knew what terrible consequences would follow his act of disobedience, he would not have done it. Adam was at a disadvantage because he did not have full knowledge.
I pondered over this and came to the conclusion that knowledge of consequences and fear of consequences should not be the basis of good or bad behaviour. Most animals behave in an "approved" way because they fear the consequences. Man should obey his God because He is God. Man should obey God out of love for his Creator and not because his Creator wields a big stick.
I wondered if Adam's sin was a grave sin and came to the conclusion that it was. Adam was enticed by the idea of being as knowledgeable as God. He wanted to be a god and so his was a sin of pride. So just as Lucifer fell, do did Adam. But Adam was the lucky one because he was given redemption and entry into Heaven through the Sacrifice of the Son.
I pondered over this and came to the conclusion that knowledge of consequences and fear of consequences should not be the basis of good or bad behaviour. Most animals behave in an "approved" way because they fear the consequences. Man should obey his God because He is God. Man should obey God out of love for his Creator and not because his Creator wields a big stick.
I wondered if Adam's sin was a grave sin and came to the conclusion that it was. Adam was enticed by the idea of being as knowledgeable as God. He wanted to be a god and so his was a sin of pride. So just as Lucifer fell, do did Adam. But Adam was the lucky one because he was given redemption and entry into Heaven through the Sacrifice of the Son.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Lesson from the Book of Job
Just finished browsing sections of the Book of Job which is an epic poem on the meaning of and and explanation for suffering under a just and good God. Read some commentary on it which makes the meaning of the Book clearer. I have concluded that one needs to be an optimist in the face of all the suffering that human beings are subject to. And one of the things that can make one an eternal optimist is Faith.
But being an optimist is not as easy. I mean, how can one possibly believe in a good and just supreme being who has our welfare as his priority? How can he be so mean and helpless? Mean because he is allowing us to suffer so immensely -- wars, famine, disease, natural disasters. Helpless because he is not using his powers to punish the wicked or prevent the natural phenomena from being so destructive. But the Book of Job tells me something about the nature of the God. He is so wise, so powerful, so great that our limited understanding cannot cope with a complete understanding of Him. I mean, if He were to allow us to see more that what our limited logic and understanding can bear ...our minds would be blown. And Job's challenge to God to explain Himself, gets the retort from the Almighty..."Who are you?".
Yes, who are we? Sure we have education, sure we have rights, and sure we have a right to know what what our earthly governments and agencies are doing and sure we can demand answers from them. And these institutions must give us answers because they exist for our welfare. In fact, we have created these governments and these agencies, and we have given them power or mandate and so they are answerable to us. But God? Is he answerable to us? Did he not create us? So we give him explanations for our actions and not the other way around.
We cannot and will never be able to comprehend God's plan and the way his creation (this universe) works. Still one needs to hold fast to the believe that ultimately the good and the innocent will be rewarded in the life ever after. If we are rewarded in this life, it is an "bonus" that God has allowed us to enjoy. But beware of this "bonus" because it can make us complacent, soft, callous, inconsiderate and proud and forgetful of the One responsible for this good fortune.
The truth that suffering can be and often is evidence of God's love may be too bitter a pill to swallow for many. It is inconsistent with the human understanding of a good and caring god. For such people, faith is non-existent and their belief in God is based on human logic and evidence -- God rewards the good and punishes the wicked here on earth.
He does not.
....
But being an optimist is not as easy. I mean, how can one possibly believe in a good and just supreme being who has our welfare as his priority? How can he be so mean and helpless? Mean because he is allowing us to suffer so immensely -- wars, famine, disease, natural disasters. Helpless because he is not using his powers to punish the wicked or prevent the natural phenomena from being so destructive. But the Book of Job tells me something about the nature of the God. He is so wise, so powerful, so great that our limited understanding cannot cope with a complete understanding of Him. I mean, if He were to allow us to see more that what our limited logic and understanding can bear ...our minds would be blown. And Job's challenge to God to explain Himself, gets the retort from the Almighty..."Who are you?".
Yes, who are we? Sure we have education, sure we have rights, and sure we have a right to know what what our earthly governments and agencies are doing and sure we can demand answers from them. And these institutions must give us answers because they exist for our welfare. In fact, we have created these governments and these agencies, and we have given them power or mandate and so they are answerable to us. But God? Is he answerable to us? Did he not create us? So we give him explanations for our actions and not the other way around.
We cannot and will never be able to comprehend God's plan and the way his creation (this universe) works. Still one needs to hold fast to the believe that ultimately the good and the innocent will be rewarded in the life ever after. If we are rewarded in this life, it is an "bonus" that God has allowed us to enjoy. But beware of this "bonus" because it can make us complacent, soft, callous, inconsiderate and proud and forgetful of the One responsible for this good fortune.
The truth that suffering can be and often is evidence of God's love may be too bitter a pill to swallow for many. It is inconsistent with the human understanding of a good and caring god. For such people, faith is non-existent and their belief in God is based on human logic and evidence -- God rewards the good and punishes the wicked here on earth.
He does not.
....
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Which free map for my Garmin StreetPilot?
I recently switched from Malsingmaps (http://www.malsingmaps.com/portal/) to Malfreemaps (http://www.malfreemaps.com/) because I reckon that I can get the most up to date maps from Malfreemaps. Malsingmaps unlocked versions are few and far in between. Also, with the Malfreemaps I find that I can use the Address feature of my StreetPilot. The free Malsingmap did not allow me to do so.
Malsingmap's locked versions are up to date but one has to be a contributor to get these. Of course I would like to contribute to Malsingmaps but I find the instructions on how to make edits of maps very difficult to follow. Perhaps I need a one to one tutor to go through with me the steps of installing Mapsource etc. and using it to make contributions. It seems to be that this kind of "requirement" puts people who have little expertise with the software at a distinct disadvantage.
I downloaded patch.img ( http://www.malsingmaps.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64&sid=3a0f358ec8bde7bab9de679d4ebc3aac) and managed to stitch (combine) some free Australian maps to create a gmapsupp.img for a section of Australia - I did this just to see if I could use patch.img. This is as far as my expertise goes. I understand that Mapsource installed one can see maps on the PC and do editing but I haven't got that far yet.
If you are thinking of doing some simple things with maps you have to register at malsingmaps.com and malfreemaps.com to get access to advice and downloads.
Malsingmap's locked versions are up to date but one has to be a contributor to get these. Of course I would like to contribute to Malsingmaps but I find the instructions on how to make edits of maps very difficult to follow. Perhaps I need a one to one tutor to go through with me the steps of installing Mapsource etc. and using it to make contributions. It seems to be that this kind of "requirement" puts people who have little expertise with the software at a distinct disadvantage.
I downloaded patch.img ( http://www.malsingmaps.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=64&sid=3a0f358ec8bde7bab9de679d4ebc3aac) and managed to stitch (combine) some free Australian maps to create a gmapsupp.img for a section of Australia - I did this just to see if I could use patch.img. This is as far as my expertise goes. I understand that Mapsource installed one can see maps on the PC and do editing but I haven't got that far yet.
If you are thinking of doing some simple things with maps you have to register at malsingmaps.com and malfreemaps.com to get access to advice and downloads.
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