23-VIII-2011.
On 22nd discussing logins in Feds - there are three kinds, the regular with the dialog, the automatic (assuming windows username is the same as inside the app) and another automatic (same user as last time on this machine). There was some confusion among the users, so we talked amongst ourselves (Jan and I) about how to document this on our wiki (hosted by George). Never managed to talk Laura into actually using this wiki, it was too complicated for her. And Feds 5.3.3.31 has been released for testing.
Did bunch of stuff on validation etc for Belrap. It's nothing complicated in there, just that there are so many fields with so many sets of similar names, my mind is buzzing after an hour of it.
So I'm 56 and Go is 32 now... We visited Lena, and she showed her some of her schoolwork. Her 3d somehow jumps out, it really feels in-depth. I know she employs the same tricks that painters always used, but wow - she's still in this preparatory class, still needs to pass the exam to qualify, and she does stuff like this. Picked our jaws off the floor and went to _pahuljica for dinner. Nice summer evening, perfect for sitting out.
On 24th had another exchange with Škrba about 26 vs 30 characters, and the ambiguity introduced when the šđžčć are haircut. This time he noted a case that I missed on sGradlj.com, that 'sala' doesn't mean only sala (hall, as in concert), genitive of salo (tallow), šala (joke) but also šala (genitive of šal, i.e. shawl). Duly noted and fixed on the spot.
Looking at opened tabs... First one is, as always, UA. Next, playing bejewelled2. Next, Facebuk aka fejs, where I was probably watching what videos of Raja has Nina posted, or perhaps the longer work by Ender on how to dismantle and reassemble the gear shift on his Honda VFR motorbike (still the same one he used to tether to a hook behind our backyard), with special emphasis on synchro rings. Then ppp and finally sGradlj.com with the case in point.
In status bar, AdBlockPlus, NoScript (as per advice of George), and FoxClocks showing time in the UK, Seattle, VBeach and India. These four timezones sufficed for more than 90% of my needs. Perhaps once or twice a year I'd have to be in sync from someone down under, which I'd usually do in my evening, their tomorrow morning.
Had lunch with dad on sunday. He brought another fluffy cake with artificial whipped cream from Brižita, had some wine from dad and mine's common partner (not at the same time, though, and I really think he was mentioned enough) and that was it.
And the blogue:
...and the dumbing down of Skype
As usual, Skype just installed a new version on me. Somewhere along the way, probably during one of the reinstalls of everything that Windowses treat me to, the loading of new versions was set on autopilot, and it doesn't even ask anymore, just tells me that it loaded the new version.
And, as usual, the GUI has changed a bit. The news: missing buttons in the video call window. The button with a slider to set the sound level came quite handy, and now it's gone. Sure, I can reach for the system tray and set the level, but that sets the level for everything on my machine. If I lower the level there, then my browser, mp3 player, movie player - everything will go down for that much. I know, I can get that from Skype's options dialog, but that's several clicks away. Or I could reach for the sound box's physical knob, but that's a cheapo box and the knob produces loud cracks whenever I touch it. Worse, different people on Skype have their microphones set differently, and I had to adjust the sound practically every time. Now I only have the global slider (how fast can you find your system tray when you have two HD monitors?). I want my slider back!
Worse, the top bar is gone. The bar where a few options were, related to how you want your window to behave (which I didn't use, I've found my favorite setting long ago), and the snapshot button. I loved the snapshot button. I have a grandchild in the US, and taking snapshots gave me a chance to get hundreds of excellent (low rez, though) pictures. Now the button is gone, and to take a snapshot I have to click on Call/video/snapshot in the menu. At three clicks plus some down-right-down motion away, catching a moment is unfeasible. It's just as if you had to push three buttons on your camera to take a shot, but don't know where the 2nd button is until you click the 1st.
But maybe there is a button somewhere that I wasn't looking. If nothing else helps, RTFM, right? Well... the help is actually a search page on Skype's website. First, I mistakenly searched for "screenshot". Now this isn't Skype anymore, it's m$. First, it mentions m$ Paint, just like it did 20 years ago in any m$'s manual. It does not mention that you can paste a bitmap into pretty much any software which accepts text - your text processor, email client, even the fuckin' Excel. And for Mac and Linux it doesn't mention any app in particular, only for the latter it says "you can then paste into your graphics software"... right, only graphics, sure. Guys, that text is 20 years old. This is what we got when m$ bought Skype? Shouldn't have bothered.
Searching again, "snapshot" this time. The actual place where one needs to go is under "What is a video snapshot", where it describes how you can take a picture of yourself, and then of others on a call. Except it's a bit of a misnomer - you are taking a snapshot, not a video (which you can actually do by using SnagIt - tried and it works). But then, the text there is related to the previous version, it says "During the video call, at the top of the calling area click Snapshot."... guys, the button is not there! Would you just be so kind to put it back?
Update: found the button, it's under the "+" button where they crammed a few other options. So OK, I don't really have to dive into the menu. It was the last place I looked (of course - I won't look after I found it); it runs counterintuitive to experienced users, because it's where the "add people" button was, and plus sign means "add" in my book, and the old button did have a plus on it. And it's still two clicks... get that button back, guys.
Mentions: Bejewelled2, blogue, Ender Aquila (Ender), Feds, George Whiteley, Gorana Sredljević (Go), Gradivoj Škrbić (Škrba), Jan Brenkelen, Jelena Sredljević (Lena), Laura O'Hare, Majkrosoft (m$), Nevena Sredljević (Nina), _pahuljica, ppp, Ryu (Raja), sGradlj.com, UbiquAgora (UA), in serbian
1-I-2023 - 8-IV-2026