What will happen when websites go under?
When will this happen? nobody knows. They like all things are impermanent.
content such as webpages, blogs, posts, forums, photos, pictures, videos etc... exist on the web and may be affected at one time or another.
This has already happened with many sites such as Geocities. Geocities was once a host for webpages primarily created by the average internet user/surfer. It has stopped operating due to a corporate reason.
Angelfire is very much alive, but recently it has wiped out my email address from their program and the software refuses to let me log in. Ironically though, my webpage is still being hosted at Angelfire. It just can't be altered by me.
Many sites and many services, even large companies may have the possibility of shutting down (involuntarily).
The moral of the story: Hope for the Best but do not be surprised if your site/content disappears.
In summary: (Your) web content may not be as permanent as we all think.
Written Dec.2010 by Carpediem2100
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
luddite-archive20101110c
Using "SecureIM - modified by baloo 1.0.9.16" plugin for Miranda-IM
===================================================================
written by Carpediem2100
2006-09-12 updated on: 2006-09-12
Impetus
-------
My interest in this plugin was sparked by my desire for a small
portable windows Instant Messaging client with the ability for
secure (encrypted) chat. I chose "baloo's" plugin because it was
ranked high in popularity and seemed quite recent.
I am writing this because there is lack of documentation on setting
up and using this plugin. I searched online Forums and searchEngines.
I configured it via trial and error.
What is required
----------------
SecureIM - modified by baloo 1.0.9.16 (plugin)
Date updated 18/08/2006
http://addons.miranda-im.org/feed.php?dlfile=2445
Crypto++ dll by baloo 1.0.0.5 (plugin)
Date updated 18/08/2006
http://addons.miranda-im.org/details.php?action=viewfile&id=2669
What else is needed but not readily evident
-------------------------------------------
I looked up other secureIM plugins & they needed a "popup" plugin.
SecureIM 1.0.4.4c by johell needs "PopUp Plugin v.1.0.1.9+"
Secure IM - modified by __alex 1.0.4.5 needs "PopUp Plugin v.1.0.1.9+"
Therefore, you need one; I found these available for download and they
both work with SecureIM by baloo (you can use either one):
PopUp 1.0.2.1 by hrk
Date updated 18/05/2005
http://addons.miranda-im.org/feed.php?dlfile=299
PopUp Plus 2.0.3.8 by zazoo
Date updated 22/09/2004
http://addons.miranda-im.org/feed.php?dlfile=1170
version of Portable-Miranda (from PortableApps.com)
---------------------------------------------------
I discovered SecureIM by baloo works with PortableMiranda 0.403Beta.
It does not work with MirandaPortable 0.51 (ansi nor unicode)
With version 0.51, the right-mouse click option "Create SecureIM
connection" is not displayed & thus cannot be activated.
Using your im-client
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
You and your im buddy both need a copy of Miranda with SecureIM by baloo.
(If your buddy doesn't use Miranda, he/she will receive the session's Key,
but the message will Never be encrypted.)
1. enable plugin
go to Options; Plugins and check the SecureIM & Crypto & Popup boxes
2. enable plugin protocol
go to Options; Plugins; SecureIM; Protocols tab and checkmark the
protocols to use (i checked them all). [note - My buddy and i used this
with Yahoo. I didn't try it with any of the other protocols]
3. enable plugin options
go to Options; Plugins; SecureIM; General tab and
checkmark these (my personal prefs) options:
Enable Secure Offline messages
Enable Secure File Transfer (I couldn't exchange files)
Always show status icons in contact list (didn't work)
Miranda Client Detection
Status in Context Menu
on the same tab, (under User List) right-mouse click on your buddy's
nickname. Available choices :
Status - enable/disable you & your buddy's secure connection
here if you want.
Pre-shared key (PSK) - Set key or Delete key
you don't need a set key. But if you do set a key, both
you and your buddy need identical ones. If you don't
set a key, your buddy can't set one neither. Keys can
vary between buddies.
After logon, right mouse click on your buddy. There should be a green
arrow next to "Enabled". If it is Disabled, change it.
Next, on the same list click the "Create SecureIM connection" option.
When you do this, a key exchange will take place with your buddy & this
is confirmed in the system tray popup window(s). It will indicate if
key exchange is successful or has failed. You really must pay attention
to this as there are only a few ways to tell if you are encrypted.
Ways to tell if your connection is secure.
a) status icons (this didn't work for me)
b) right mouse click on buddy
or
hit the drop down menu in private message window
the red "Disable SecureIM connection" shield should
be visible. It means you are currently secure.
c) look for "enabled"/"disabled" in options list. *This has a
higher priority than b) above.
d) system Tray popup window.
e) occasionally the private chat window **(See Below)
** The private chat window will indicate one instance of a non-secure channel,
but only with the particular scenario:
during a secure chat, YOU change your BUDDY's green arrow "Enabled" to a
red arrow "Disabled" (note - I'm not talking about the red Shield). If at
that point, BUDDY types a line "...a.b.c...." and hits enter, YOU will
not receive that line. "...a.b.c...." will be lost to cyberspace. If your
BUDDY continues to type another line "...d.e.f...." for example, you will
receive that line, but it will be preceded by this message:
SecureIM received unencryped message: ...d.e.f....
Final criticism(s)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
So, SecureIM appears to work. However, I an not smart enough to use a
sniffer or other method to validate that the text is encrypted.
Have faith.
Epilogus
========
This may not be as elegant as some other bulky im-clients with secure chat.
But to be fair, here is the other side of the coin:
1) Miranda is freeware. SecureIM is freeware.
2) Miranda with this configuration is small and portable.
approx 1.7MB (1.2MB zipped)
3) SecureIM is a brilliant piece of programming. (Hats off to Baloo &
the original developers)
(I will keep you updated on other plugins that I test/use)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
using windows XP's (innate) zip program
=======================================
20060529 written by carpediem2100
I wrote this set of instructions, primarily for myself , because I am used to using "Winzip(R)" and its features.
Windows XP's own zip program doesn't appear to be as user-friendly, but alas
it is better than nothing.
Notice, that using windows xp "help & support" function will not reveal how
to use its password protection feature on a zipped archive. (I used keywords
such as: zip, compress, encrypt, & password).
Creating a zip file
-------------------
create a new zip file by using the "file" button on an explorer window and
next choose "new" ---> "compressed (zipped) folder".
[alternately, you can do this by right-clicking your mouse and
choosing "new" ---> "compressed (zipped) folder".]
rename this zip file to your liking, and then drag and drop file(s) or folder(s)
into the zip archive.
Another way of zipping a folder is to right-click the folder and selecting
"send to" ---> "compressed (zipped) folder".
[alternately, highlight the folder and right-click your mouse and
choose "send to" ---> "compressed (zipped) folder".]
When finished, rename the zip file as you see fit, or leave it as is.
Password protection
-------------------
you can password protect the zip archive by opening it and then choose
"file" --> "add a password"; or similarly, open the zip, and right-mouseclick
the explorer window and choose "add a password".
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Half-Life: Opposing Force Hints Guide
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
written by: Carpediem2100
date: March 29, 2006
updated: March 31, 2006
I purchased & played the whole single player game. It was difficult
& I couldn't consult hints/cheats (but I sure wanted to,) as I didn't
have access to the internet at the time. Another foolish thing was
that I went through the entire game the first time on the "hard" skill
setting. I got stuck & frustrated a lot. One of these times was due
to the fact that I played the game in a D3D (Video Acceleration) mode,
and this configuration wouldn't show details under water; I stumbled
on this solution when I switched back to Software mode.
I realize that the names of the monsters and equipment are not
accurate but they are descriptive enough to help other players who get
stuck in parts of the game. Please enjoy these hints.
I. WELCOME TO BLACK MESA
========================
You start at the lab. Get a POWER VEST. Go down to cop's room; he'll
let you through the door via retina scan.
Pick up WRENCH. Disable laser by breaking mirror. Go upstairs.
Go outside to terrace. Jump down and follow ridge to the top of the
other side. Then jump back over and end up on the same side you
started. Walk to the wall; get KNIFE from Alien. Superjump across
the ravine into the open door. This eventually leads to the outside
again.
There is a crashed plane here. Go inside hangar. Follow outside to
electric fence. Crawl in fan tunnel and exit another tunnel (be
patient!). You end up inside the fenced area. Turn off the power box.
Get your 357-GUN here. Return to plane. Get goodies. Go down the
rabbit-hole. Search for a door. Enter and get SHOTGUN here. Descend
ladders. Go through metal door.
Enter Toxic Waste Room. Jump broken bridge. Wait by broken ladder
until beam falls. Use it like a ramp. Try both doors at top. The
well-dressed man will let you in.
Take elevator down into another waste-room. Use conveyer to get
across sludge.
Enter room with 2 stop-gates. Enter room with a broken pipe. Enter
hole in pipe. ---> waterslide ride. Hole in grate leads to 2
barnacles. Look around. Climb red ladder.
Go to robot-loader room; clear robot blockage. Descend ladder. Clear
sewage overflow. Exit room via automatic door. Ascend elevator.
Enter monorail room. Jump onto metal plank/bar, and into the monorail
car.
II. WE ARE PULLING OUT
======================
Arrive at station platform. Drink some pop. Across from "Security"
there is a science room. Get scientist to heal you. Go up inclined
lift. Pick up a MACHINE GUN. Go through vent. Ascend ladder. Enter
2nd vent. Approach the escape bi-rotor osprey.
III. MISSING IN ACTION
======================
On the floor there are some puddles. Climb a stack of (3) pipes and
go through the vent. Arrive at a water filled room with an electrical
fault. Keep jumping until you are at the foot of the fallen air duct.
Use it like a ramp and go back into the ceiling crawl space. Use your
remote explosive to clear out the weak ceiling tiles. Jump the gap
into the new crawl-space.
Continue to ceiling Fan Unit 1. Walk the beam to Fan Unit 2. Exit.
Superjump to the cell-door. Get goodies. Go to the fan with 1 propeller
blade, and down into its vent.
Enter furnace room. Time your jumps across the fires. Get goodies.
Go through vent. Time your run across the fire. Time your run into
the tail of fire #2. Follow it through its tunnel. Crouch down and
kill baddies. Approach the "living-light plants." Place explosives
crate into the "test fire" lane. This blows a crawl hole for you.
Go through. Enter vent.
Enter a cavern with a truck inside. Go to "storage area 2 and 3."
Open doors in storage area 2. Get goodies. Approach "service elevator."
Go into the elevator shaft and down the yellow ladder. Enter broken
elevator car and proceed to the first (floor) entrance. Where it says
"caution, wet floor" keep jumping boxes until you arrive at "unit 2
power" room. Turn the box off. Go back to elevator shaft. Climb up
the yellow ladder. Jump onto the (dead) power cable; climb up top and
enter top floor.
Break vent and crawl through. You end up in water. Go through the
hole in the wall. Exit the red door & grab your silver cube. Use
cube and jump over the garbage can. Now grab the cube and go through
a side room and use the far vent. You end up in another room. Exit
the room and go through hole in the floor. Turn off the power box.
Climb up the cable. Two soldiers will come rescue you. The engineer
will open door marked "elevator." Go in with the soldiers.
IV. FRIENDLY FIRE
=================
The engineer opens up the 1st floor door for you. Go inside security
for goodies. Go to 2nd floor now. Kill baddies.
Room B-591G: a pipe will knock a hole in the wall. Go in and up.
Go up the twin pipes. Go all the way and climb red ladder. Superjump
to steel door. Kill 2 behemoths. Superjump bridge. Go up the steel
lift. Climb the beam like a ramp to the surface!
A medic awaits you. Enter vent into surface structure (Ordinance
Storage Facility). Kill ninjas. Free the engineer. Get the medic to
heal him. Get the engineer to open the "Secured Access Lambda Sector
Transport" door.
This leads down to transit system. More ninjas. Open the "Secure"
gate. More ninjas. Ride Train. Take out the last ninja. Get to the
goodie room. Climb pipe ramp to vent.
V. WE ARE NOT ALONE
===================
You are in front of the entrance to the Portal room. Don't follow
Freeman. Go around the track until a skyway falls and becomes a ramp.
Go up this ramp to the alternate portal and enter. Jump to some
stalactites until you find the green PORTAL-GUN. From here, jump to
an adjacent s'tite with a pop-up crater. Use crater to pop-up to the
4th s'tite. From here shoot 2 turkeys, and then jump to their s'tite.
Now elevate to s'tite in the middle (the tall one). Now all that is
left is to run toward the green portal.
VI. CRUSH DEPTH
===============
Take the elevator to the basement.
[left door = restricted retina scan]
[right door = Hydrofauna Studies Lab. Level B] Help the scientist with the
transporter. He will assist you with the retina scan. Go up the
second aquarium ladder. Kill rhinos. Enter vent and then aqua-transporter
room. Go inside and transport yourself. You end up outside the room
about to drown. Escape by finding hidden waterway.
Enter vent and fall into the pool. Climb out and kill chicken. Climb
down red ladder. Turn red valve. Go back up and jump back into the
pool. Kill Ichthyosaur; Go through tunnel and turn red waterlock.
Go to x-ray room. Shoot the powerbox. Kill aliens and get ALIEN
SHOCKWEAPON.
Enter the airlock. Go through portal and another portal*** brings you
back to airlock-B. Follow to flooded pathway. Submerge yourself in
the water and kill 2 ichthyosaurs. Swim up to hidden tunnel.
[*** optional sidestep here: right mouse click the green portal-gun &
it teleports you to a stalactite closer to goodies.]
VII. VICARIOUS REALITY
======================
"Biodome Drainage System" Go up an electrical/steam ramp. to the
Biodome complex.
"Specimen Observation Area 1" * jump into biodome. Go to cave tunnel
with elevator. This leads you to specimen house (1).
[From specimen house (1) going right takes you back near biodome*]
Going left takes you to the specimen containment room hallway:
First Aid
|
|
|
***Specimen Room ----------- --------- Specimen house (1)
|
|
Storage ------------ --------- Storage
|
|
|
elevator
Go to the elevator and break the glass and climb in. Go up. Climb the yellow
ladder; then, jump onto the top of a toppled elevator door to gain access.
Door <---- ---- steam
|
|
|
elevator
Going right leads you to steam; Take the left path to the door.
Danger Sign! ----- <-----
|
|
|
elevator3
Continuing left brings you to a dead end skyway with a danger sign. Here you
can jump on top and destroy crates below. You cannot kill the tall dragons.
Take the elevator (3) down. Enter "control" room. Shoot glass. Go down into
the biosphere. There is a fountain of youth (health) here. Head for the
tunnel/cave. This leads to the SEAHORSE room.
From here, going in one direction leads you back to the Specimen room*** above.
Go in the other direction and it takes you to "specimen observation area #2".
Follow path to lobby, and then to a chicken room, and then to "Data control ops".
Continue to the specimen test lab. Activate the hologram. The specimen
containment room unlocks at the completion of the hologram. Get yourself a
BARNACLE GLOVE. Go to "Testing lab BDRC-101". Go to specimen cultivation room.
Collect seahorse AMMO here (max 20); You will need the barnacle-glove to get
across! Go to the lift. Enter barnacle room. Go to the next lift. enter a
beastie room:
[going up the stairs leads to an elevator and then a control room with
goodies]
[going to the adjacent room leads to the pit of dragons]
In the pit of dragons, the tunnel cave is defective, and the opposite
entranceway won't work. Use your b-glove and go to 2nd floor room where you
will find a tunnel. Take the tunnel to "maintenance area". Turn off Unit1
power. Go through the fan vent.
VIII. PITWORMS NEST
===================
This is a puzzle stage. Here are the pieces of the puzzle:
- Turn on Gearbox
- Turn on Vent
- Turn on Valve system
- Flush toxic waste (& resident caterpillar)
- Extend the telescopic bridge.
IX. FOXTROT UNIFORM
===================
Kill ninjas; use boxcar ramp; There is a sniper on the second floor
where the camouflaged window is. Go inside warehouse and go down the
bugs-bunny hole.
Here are a set of tunnels with (big) bedbugs.
Go through to water pool. Close 2 metal doors so no more rhinos come.
Get goodies. Go to the next tunnels
There are more bedbugs. Find the red ladder and climb out.
At the surface base, you get helpers: Medic, Engineer and Muscle.
Go on an Alien hunt. Go in to the "secure" building.
Gargantuan is on the bridge. (In this stage, you can refuel your
seahorse if you want to). Blow up the bridge. Enter pipe in the
middle of the blown-up bridge. Take a ride down (waterslide style).
X. THE PACKAGE
==============
Follow the river and kill ninjas. Take the sand-path to "mortar
headquarters". Kill mortar-ninja at an angle due to the Lexan. Enter
a side door and get goodies. Use a radio if you see one. Now go to
the tornado door at the left of the mortar. Enter the area between the
pipes. Get goodies. Go to the mortar. Blow up the side gate. Enter
revealed side door. Blow up chopper. Get on roof. Come down and crawl
under ajar red side gate. Turn off powerline box. Go back on roof.
Walk across the tightrope. Enter roof vent. Go down into underground
parking lot. Climb up on top of the SUV truck and up into the vent
where the cop is. Continue in the vent system and emerge out the other
end of the parkade. Dismantle bomb. Go inside cop room and then down
to storage.
XI. WORLDS COLLIDE
==================
Kill ninjas. Cross the track at the end of the conveyor to the secret
storage rooms. Duck between cars to cross track several times. Go to
far storage room where the conveyor can't be heard. Kill ninjas. Go
on top of palettes and superjump to the very top of crates, all the
way to hidden conveyor room. From the conveyor room, you want to go
to the area in the upper left corner (ie., 10 o' clock) because there
is a panic room here. Take the elevator down.
Big Boss Stage
--------------
Shoot the boss's eyes so he opens his belly. Shoot his belly. You
have to do this several times. Weapons which will work: seahorse;
sniper rifle; rocketlauncher; machine gun; heavy machine gun; final
stage gun emplacements.
===================================================================
written by Carpediem2100
2006-09-12 updated on: 2006-09-12
Impetus
-------
My interest in this plugin was sparked by my desire for a small
portable windows Instant Messaging client with the ability for
secure (encrypted) chat. I chose "baloo's" plugin because it was
ranked high in popularity and seemed quite recent.
I am writing this because there is lack of documentation on setting
up and using this plugin. I searched online Forums and searchEngines.
I configured it via trial and error.
What is required
----------------
SecureIM - modified by baloo 1.0.9.16 (plugin)
Date updated 18/08/2006
http://addons.miranda-im.org/feed.php?dlfile=2445
Crypto++ dll by baloo 1.0.0.5 (plugin)
Date updated 18/08/2006
http://addons.miranda-im.org/details.php?action=viewfile&id=2669
What else is needed but not readily evident
-------------------------------------------
I looked up other secureIM plugins & they needed a "popup" plugin.
SecureIM 1.0.4.4c by johell needs "PopUp Plugin v.1.0.1.9+"
Secure IM - modified by __alex 1.0.4.5 needs "PopUp Plugin v.1.0.1.9+"
Therefore, you need one; I found these available for download and they
both work with SecureIM by baloo (you can use either one):
PopUp 1.0.2.1 by hrk
Date updated 18/05/2005
http://addons.miranda-im.org/feed.php?dlfile=299
PopUp Plus 2.0.3.8 by zazoo
Date updated 22/09/2004
http://addons.miranda-im.org/feed.php?dlfile=1170
version of Portable-Miranda (from PortableApps.com)
---------------------------------------------------
I discovered SecureIM by baloo works with PortableMiranda 0.403Beta.
It does not work with MirandaPortable 0.51 (ansi nor unicode)
With version 0.51, the right-mouse click option "Create SecureIM
connection" is not displayed & thus cannot be activated.
Using your im-client
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
You and your im buddy both need a copy of Miranda with SecureIM by baloo.
(If your buddy doesn't use Miranda, he/she will receive the session's Key,
but the message will Never be encrypted.)
1. enable plugin
go to Options; Plugins and check the SecureIM & Crypto & Popup boxes
2. enable plugin protocol
go to Options; Plugins; SecureIM; Protocols tab and checkmark the
protocols to use (i checked them all). [note - My buddy and i used this
with Yahoo. I didn't try it with any of the other protocols]
3. enable plugin options
go to Options; Plugins; SecureIM; General tab and
checkmark these (my personal prefs) options:
Enable Secure Offline messages
Enable Secure File Transfer (I couldn't exchange files)
Always show status icons in contact list (didn't work)
Miranda Client Detection
Status in Context Menu
on the same tab, (under User List) right-mouse click on your buddy's
nickname. Available choices :
Status - enable/disable you & your buddy's secure connection
here if you want.
Pre-shared key (PSK) - Set key or Delete key
you don't need a set key. But if you do set a key, both
you and your buddy need identical ones. If you don't
set a key, your buddy can't set one neither. Keys can
vary between buddies.
After logon, right mouse click on your buddy. There should be a green
arrow next to "Enabled". If it is Disabled, change it.
Next, on the same list click the "Create SecureIM connection" option.
When you do this, a key exchange will take place with your buddy & this
is confirmed in the system tray popup window(s). It will indicate if
key exchange is successful or has failed. You really must pay attention
to this as there are only a few ways to tell if you are encrypted.
Ways to tell if your connection is secure.
a) status icons (this didn't work for me)
b) right mouse click on buddy
or
hit the drop down menu in private message window
the red "Disable SecureIM connection" shield should
be visible. It means you are currently secure.
c) look for "enabled"/"disabled" in options list. *This has a
higher priority than b) above.
d) system Tray popup window.
e) occasionally the private chat window **(See Below)
** The private chat window will indicate one instance of a non-secure channel,
but only with the particular scenario:
during a secure chat, YOU change your BUDDY's green arrow "Enabled" to a
red arrow "Disabled" (note - I'm not talking about the red Shield). If at
that point, BUDDY types a line "...a.b.c...." and hits enter, YOU will
not receive that line. "...a.b.c...." will be lost to cyberspace. If your
BUDDY continues to type another line "...d.e.f...." for example, you will
receive that line, but it will be preceded by this message:
SecureIM received unencryped message: ...d.e.f....
Final criticism(s)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
So, SecureIM appears to work. However, I an not smart enough to use a
sniffer or other method to validate that the text is encrypted.
Have faith.
Epilogus
========
This may not be as elegant as some other bulky im-clients with secure chat.
But to be fair, here is the other side of the coin:
1) Miranda is freeware. SecureIM is freeware.
2) Miranda with this configuration is small and portable.
approx 1.7MB (1.2MB zipped)
3) SecureIM is a brilliant piece of programming. (Hats off to Baloo &
the original developers)
(I will keep you updated on other plugins that I test/use)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
using windows XP's (innate) zip program
=======================================
20060529 written by carpediem2100
I wrote this set of instructions, primarily for myself , because I am used to using "Winzip(R)" and its features.
Windows XP's own zip program doesn't appear to be as user-friendly, but alas
it is better than nothing.
Notice, that using windows xp "help & support" function will not reveal how
to use its password protection feature on a zipped archive. (I used keywords
such as: zip, compress, encrypt, & password).
Creating a zip file
-------------------
create a new zip file by using the "file" button on an explorer window and
next choose "new" ---> "compressed (zipped) folder".
[alternately, you can do this by right-clicking your mouse and
choosing "new" ---> "compressed (zipped) folder".]
rename this zip file to your liking, and then drag and drop file(s) or folder(s)
into the zip archive.
Another way of zipping a folder is to right-click the folder and selecting
"send to" ---> "compressed (zipped) folder".
[alternately, highlight the folder and right-click your mouse and
choose "send to" ---> "compressed (zipped) folder".]
When finished, rename the zip file as you see fit, or leave it as is.
Password protection
-------------------
you can password protect the zip archive by opening it and then choose
"file" --> "add a password"; or similarly, open the zip, and right-mouseclick
the explorer window and choose "add a password".
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Half-Life: Opposing Force Hints Guide
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
written by: Carpediem2100
date: March 29, 2006
updated: March 31, 2006
I purchased & played the whole single player game. It was difficult
& I couldn't consult hints/cheats (but I sure wanted to,) as I didn't
have access to the internet at the time. Another foolish thing was
that I went through the entire game the first time on the "hard" skill
setting. I got stuck & frustrated a lot. One of these times was due
to the fact that I played the game in a D3D (Video Acceleration) mode,
and this configuration wouldn't show details under water; I stumbled
on this solution when I switched back to Software mode.
I realize that the names of the monsters and equipment are not
accurate but they are descriptive enough to help other players who get
stuck in parts of the game. Please enjoy these hints.
I. WELCOME TO BLACK MESA
========================
You start at the lab. Get a POWER VEST. Go down to cop's room; he'll
let you through the door via retina scan.
Pick up WRENCH. Disable laser by breaking mirror. Go upstairs.
Go outside to terrace. Jump down and follow ridge to the top of the
other side. Then jump back over and end up on the same side you
started. Walk to the wall; get KNIFE from Alien. Superjump across
the ravine into the open door. This eventually leads to the outside
again.
There is a crashed plane here. Go inside hangar. Follow outside to
electric fence. Crawl in fan tunnel and exit another tunnel (be
patient!). You end up inside the fenced area. Turn off the power box.
Get your 357-GUN here. Return to plane. Get goodies. Go down the
rabbit-hole. Search for a door. Enter and get SHOTGUN here. Descend
ladders. Go through metal door.
Enter Toxic Waste Room. Jump broken bridge. Wait by broken ladder
until beam falls. Use it like a ramp. Try both doors at top. The
well-dressed man will let you in.
Take elevator down into another waste-room. Use conveyer to get
across sludge.
Enter room with 2 stop-gates. Enter room with a broken pipe. Enter
hole in pipe. ---> waterslide ride. Hole in grate leads to 2
barnacles. Look around. Climb red ladder.
Go to robot-loader room; clear robot blockage. Descend ladder. Clear
sewage overflow. Exit room via automatic door. Ascend elevator.
Enter monorail room. Jump onto metal plank/bar, and into the monorail
car.
II. WE ARE PULLING OUT
======================
Arrive at station platform. Drink some pop. Across from "Security"
there is a science room. Get scientist to heal you. Go up inclined
lift. Pick up a MACHINE GUN. Go through vent. Ascend ladder. Enter
2nd vent. Approach the escape bi-rotor osprey.
III. MISSING IN ACTION
======================
On the floor there are some puddles. Climb a stack of (3) pipes and
go through the vent. Arrive at a water filled room with an electrical
fault. Keep jumping until you are at the foot of the fallen air duct.
Use it like a ramp and go back into the ceiling crawl space. Use your
remote explosive to clear out the weak ceiling tiles. Jump the gap
into the new crawl-space.
Continue to ceiling Fan Unit 1. Walk the beam to Fan Unit 2. Exit.
Superjump to the cell-door. Get goodies. Go to the fan with 1 propeller
blade, and down into its vent.
Enter furnace room. Time your jumps across the fires. Get goodies.
Go through vent. Time your run across the fire. Time your run into
the tail of fire #2. Follow it through its tunnel. Crouch down and
kill baddies. Approach the "living-light plants." Place explosives
crate into the "test fire" lane. This blows a crawl hole for you.
Go through. Enter vent.
Enter a cavern with a truck inside. Go to "storage area 2 and 3."
Open doors in storage area 2. Get goodies. Approach "service elevator."
Go into the elevator shaft and down the yellow ladder. Enter broken
elevator car and proceed to the first (floor) entrance. Where it says
"caution, wet floor" keep jumping boxes until you arrive at "unit 2
power" room. Turn the box off. Go back to elevator shaft. Climb up
the yellow ladder. Jump onto the (dead) power cable; climb up top and
enter top floor.
Break vent and crawl through. You end up in water. Go through the
hole in the wall. Exit the red door & grab your silver cube. Use
cube and jump over the garbage can. Now grab the cube and go through
a side room and use the far vent. You end up in another room. Exit
the room and go through hole in the floor. Turn off the power box.
Climb up the cable. Two soldiers will come rescue you. The engineer
will open door marked "elevator." Go in with the soldiers.
IV. FRIENDLY FIRE
=================
The engineer opens up the 1st floor door for you. Go inside security
for goodies. Go to 2nd floor now. Kill baddies.
Room B-591G: a pipe will knock a hole in the wall. Go in and up.
Go up the twin pipes. Go all the way and climb red ladder. Superjump
to steel door. Kill 2 behemoths. Superjump bridge. Go up the steel
lift. Climb the beam like a ramp to the surface!
A medic awaits you. Enter vent into surface structure (Ordinance
Storage Facility). Kill ninjas. Free the engineer. Get the medic to
heal him. Get the engineer to open the "Secured Access Lambda Sector
Transport" door.
This leads down to transit system. More ninjas. Open the "Secure"
gate. More ninjas. Ride Train. Take out the last ninja. Get to the
goodie room. Climb pipe ramp to vent.
V. WE ARE NOT ALONE
===================
You are in front of the entrance to the Portal room. Don't follow
Freeman. Go around the track until a skyway falls and becomes a ramp.
Go up this ramp to the alternate portal and enter. Jump to some
stalactites until you find the green PORTAL-GUN. From here, jump to
an adjacent s'tite with a pop-up crater. Use crater to pop-up to the
4th s'tite. From here shoot 2 turkeys, and then jump to their s'tite.
Now elevate to s'tite in the middle (the tall one). Now all that is
left is to run toward the green portal.
VI. CRUSH DEPTH
===============
Take the elevator to the basement.
[left door = restricted retina scan]
[right door = Hydrofauna Studies Lab. Level B] Help the scientist with the
transporter. He will assist you with the retina scan. Go up the
second aquarium ladder. Kill rhinos. Enter vent and then aqua-transporter
room. Go inside and transport yourself. You end up outside the room
about to drown. Escape by finding hidden waterway.
Enter vent and fall into the pool. Climb out and kill chicken. Climb
down red ladder. Turn red valve. Go back up and jump back into the
pool. Kill Ichthyosaur; Go through tunnel and turn red waterlock.
Go to x-ray room. Shoot the powerbox. Kill aliens and get ALIEN
SHOCKWEAPON.
Enter the airlock. Go through portal and another portal*** brings you
back to airlock-B. Follow to flooded pathway. Submerge yourself in
the water and kill 2 ichthyosaurs. Swim up to hidden tunnel.
[*** optional sidestep here: right mouse click the green portal-gun &
it teleports you to a stalactite closer to goodies.]
VII. VICARIOUS REALITY
======================
"Biodome Drainage System" Go up an electrical/steam ramp. to the
Biodome complex.
"Specimen Observation Area 1" * jump into biodome. Go to cave tunnel
with elevator. This leads you to specimen house (1).
[From specimen house (1) going right takes you back near biodome*]
Going left takes you to the specimen containment room hallway:
First Aid
|
|
|
***Specimen Room ----------- --------- Specimen house (1)
|
|
Storage ------------ --------- Storage
|
|
|
elevator
Go to the elevator and break the glass and climb in. Go up. Climb the yellow
ladder; then, jump onto the top of a toppled elevator door to gain access.
Door <---- ---- steam
|
|
|
elevator
Going right leads you to steam; Take the left path to the door.
Danger Sign! ----- <-----
|
|
|
elevator3
Continuing left brings you to a dead end skyway with a danger sign. Here you
can jump on top and destroy crates below. You cannot kill the tall dragons.
Take the elevator (3) down. Enter "control" room. Shoot glass. Go down into
the biosphere. There is a fountain of youth (health) here. Head for the
tunnel/cave. This leads to the SEAHORSE room.
From here, going in one direction leads you back to the Specimen room*** above.
Go in the other direction and it takes you to "specimen observation area #2".
Follow path to lobby, and then to a chicken room, and then to "Data control ops".
Continue to the specimen test lab. Activate the hologram. The specimen
containment room unlocks at the completion of the hologram. Get yourself a
BARNACLE GLOVE. Go to "Testing lab BDRC-101". Go to specimen cultivation room.
Collect seahorse AMMO here (max 20); You will need the barnacle-glove to get
across! Go to the lift. Enter barnacle room. Go to the next lift. enter a
beastie room:
[going up the stairs leads to an elevator and then a control room with
goodies]
[going to the adjacent room leads to the pit of dragons]
In the pit of dragons, the tunnel cave is defective, and the opposite
entranceway won't work. Use your b-glove and go to 2nd floor room where you
will find a tunnel. Take the tunnel to "maintenance area". Turn off Unit1
power. Go through the fan vent.
VIII. PITWORMS NEST
===================
This is a puzzle stage. Here are the pieces of the puzzle:
- Turn on Gearbox
- Turn on Vent
- Turn on Valve system
- Flush toxic waste (& resident caterpillar)
- Extend the telescopic bridge.
IX. FOXTROT UNIFORM
===================
Kill ninjas; use boxcar ramp; There is a sniper on the second floor
where the camouflaged window is. Go inside warehouse and go down the
bugs-bunny hole.
Here are a set of tunnels with (big) bedbugs.
Go through to water pool. Close 2 metal doors so no more rhinos come.
Get goodies. Go to the next tunnels
There are more bedbugs. Find the red ladder and climb out.
At the surface base, you get helpers: Medic, Engineer and Muscle.
Go on an Alien hunt. Go in to the "secure" building.
Gargantuan is on the bridge. (In this stage, you can refuel your
seahorse if you want to). Blow up the bridge. Enter pipe in the
middle of the blown-up bridge. Take a ride down (waterslide style).
X. THE PACKAGE
==============
Follow the river and kill ninjas. Take the sand-path to "mortar
headquarters". Kill mortar-ninja at an angle due to the Lexan. Enter
a side door and get goodies. Use a radio if you see one. Now go to
the tornado door at the left of the mortar. Enter the area between the
pipes. Get goodies. Go to the mortar. Blow up the side gate. Enter
revealed side door. Blow up chopper. Get on roof. Come down and crawl
under ajar red side gate. Turn off powerline box. Go back on roof.
Walk across the tightrope. Enter roof vent. Go down into underground
parking lot. Climb up on top of the SUV truck and up into the vent
where the cop is. Continue in the vent system and emerge out the other
end of the parkade. Dismantle bomb. Go inside cop room and then down
to storage.
XI. WORLDS COLLIDE
==================
Kill ninjas. Cross the track at the end of the conveyor to the secret
storage rooms. Duck between cars to cross track several times. Go to
far storage room where the conveyor can't be heard. Kill ninjas. Go
on top of palettes and superjump to the very top of crates, all the
way to hidden conveyor room. From the conveyor room, you want to go
to the area in the upper left corner (ie., 10 o' clock) because there
is a panic room here. Take the elevator down.
Big Boss Stage
--------------
Shoot the boss's eyes so he opens his belly. Shoot his belly. You
have to do this several times. Weapons which will work: seahorse;
sniper rifle; rocketlauncher; machine gun; heavy machine gun; final
stage gun emplacements.
luddite-archive20101110b
How Roadkil's Disk Image 1.1 killed my computer by Carpediem2100
===============================================
Feb2006
First, I don't blame Roadkil. My computer crashed and died because I
am not good with technology and I couldn't interpret the options Windows
had offered. Disk Image probably works fine if you use it appropriately.
I downloaded from Roadkil's site, http://www.roadkil.net a small app
called Disk Image version 1.1. I was fooling around with it and
attempted to make an image of a 3.5" floppy disk to my harddrive. This
was on an older computer with a Windows98 platform. So, using the
floppy disk as the source and the harddrive as the destination, I
proceeded.
Windows blurted out a warning/error box saying there is an
incompatibility as the DOS version seems to be older. At this point
there were 2 choices, and only 2 choices. Choice 1 said the program
will proceed but will not print if you press "yes". Choice 2 said
press "no" and the program will end.
So, like a dummy, I murdered this old loyal Windows98 hound by pressing
"no" (How many of you out there would have pressed "yes"?). My computer
would not reboot afterwards.
Looking back on this it is kind of funny. The frustration of it all.
----------------------------------------
Here is what happened. (note, I tried a reboot after each item listed
below.)
Windows would not boot into safemode. I used a Windows98 recovery floppy
disk (which I made 6 years ago and didn't lose). From here I performed a
Chkdsk, and a Scandisk. Scandisk said it found errors and fixed them.
Next it recommended to do a SYS C: at the a:\> command prompt. The
computer responded with "there is not enough space to do a sys c:".
My CD-backups were useless because its proprietary system requires a
working Windows OS to function properly.
Now, I still don't have a clue of what to do so I decide to reinstall
Windows from CD. Windows replied, "can't perform setup as there is a
compressed drive." I have to try something else.
I was not going to bring my computer to a shop to have it repaired for
hundred(s) of dollars. (I think I seen for sale, a pre-owned computer of
the same vintage, in the newspaper ads, for about $62.00).
I tried using an UltimateBootDisc (UBCD). This CD performs the
functions of the recovery floppy disk and likely has more features.
Even though I don't know what I'm doing, I highly recommend it. Search
on the internet for it. I tried some of the features on the UBCD, and
most of them wouldn't finish because it found a fault. ie, a typical
message would be "...mcb corrupt...".
Now I used the OEM diagnostic disc. Following its instructions I made
the program "perform all tests". The program indicated all tests
"passed".
Next I decided to do a complete recovery with the computers OEM discs.
These discs are supposed bring the computer back to the original
retail-store-like condition, although it will delete all your existing
data. The OEM disc would not proceed saying there is no drive available.
At the command prompt, I tried to list the contents of the C: drive
using the "dir" command. I have done this years past with success, but
this time, it listed the contents of my ORIGINAL floppy disk!!!
This is what I think occurred. Disk Image wrote my floppy disk to the
C:drive and called the image (which is about 1.4 Megabytes) the new
C:drive. That's the most likely reason why I couldn't do a SYS C:, or
a Reinstall, or an OEM-factory reinstall.
Somehow (I forget the sequence of events), I repartitioned the drive by
using the FDISK command and subsequently the FORMAT C: \s command.
After this, my OEM discs were able to function properly, and I
performed a factory reinstall.
Now I was able to use my proprietary backup CDs. The bad news is the
backup is a month old. I lost 4 weeks of data, but I consider myself
lucky as the damage could have been much worse (- This is another
argument for regular/frequent backups -).
I spent all day resurrecting this old machine.
I can recommend another app for archiving floppy disk images: Rawwrite
for Windows is freeware and appears to work quite well.
All this headache and pain occurred because I pressed the "no" button,
when I should have pressed the "yes" button.
-----------------
shortcut kills computer
=======================
2006-01-12 written by Carpediem2100
summary:
clicking on shortcut caused Windows98 desktop computer to boot
into DOS mode only.
I was trying to get at the shortcut called "ms-dos prompt" and instead
clicked on an identical looking shortcut called "Dos Mode Games with
EMS and XMS Support.pif"
that is when all the trouble started. the computer would only restart,
or boot into DOS mode.
What i tried:
boot into safe mode & looked at control panel; nothing seemed to help.
In safe mode, cd-drives will not function, therefore my backup on cd-r's
would not work.
System file checker (part of System Information) did not fix it.
How i recovered:
i went back into safe mode & searched for files: Config.sys amd
AutoExec.bat. I found these files in either in C:\ or C:\windows\.
Clicking on their properties showed they were newly created. I moved
these 2 files onto the desktop. I restarted the computer and the
windows98 OS was back!
----------------------
~...
Password Glitch in Windows XP Home by Carpediem2100 Jan2006
----------------------------------
My computer was purchased in June2005. The operating system included
in it is Windows XP Home edition, with service pack 2 already built in.
Normally one would navigate to Control Panel --> Profiles --> User Acct
--> and click on "prevent a forgotten password" to create a "password
recovery (floppy) disk."
My computer didn't come with a floppy disk drive and I didn't purchase
one. So when the password recovery disk wizard prompted to insert a
floppy disk, I instead inserted a USB flash drive.
The computer finished the process. On examination, no files in my USB
drive were altered and no files were written to it.
Windows, had written a file onto the C: drive, I think was called
userkey.psw.
The problem is that after inserting my USB drive, I could get access to
the password change function (password recovery). I erased all the files
on my USB drive and tried again. I was still allowed access.
I moved the user.pwd file onto my USB drive and tried again. This time,
Windows disallowed access.
Don't get me wrong, I think this is an excellent feature if you are able
to create a recovery floppy disk. But my scenario seems to be a glitch
and could represent a security flaw.
I can't offer any remedies but my only suggestions are to keep your
password in a safe place (cookie jar), and to do regular backups of
your data/files.
```````````````````
ports 20060911 (there are 65535 possible ports)
item host port other
==== ==== ===== =====
baracuda-drive HTTP listen 80
baracuda-drive HTTPS listen 443
bfilter 1.06 8080
darkstar deltasource/bittorent 6881-6999
eDonkey network (p2p) 4661-4666
freecap 3.18 1080 (socks)
gnutella network(p2p) 6346-6429
icq instant messenger login.icq.com 5190
jabber jabber.org 5222
kazaa (p2p) 1214
microsoft -DS (aka netbios for newer NT) 445
msn instant messenger messenger.hotmail.com 1863
multiproxy 1.2a 8088
mute 0.5 (p2p) 4900
napster (p2p?) 6699
NNTP (news network transfer protocol) 119
picophone 1.64 11676 (udp)
old Windows file sharing 135-139
polipo 8123
privoxy (127.0.0.1) 8118
psst 0.2 4516
smtp (anti-spam) convention 25
speakfreely 7.2 2074-2076
tor 9050
voiperized 2.4 4379 (udp)
web-secure 443
web-standard 80
yahoo instant messaging scs.msg.yahoo.com 5050
===============================================
Feb2006
First, I don't blame Roadkil. My computer crashed and died because I
am not good with technology and I couldn't interpret the options Windows
had offered. Disk Image probably works fine if you use it appropriately.
I downloaded from Roadkil's site, http://www.roadkil.net a small app
called Disk Image version 1.1. I was fooling around with it and
attempted to make an image of a 3.5" floppy disk to my harddrive. This
was on an older computer with a Windows98 platform. So, using the
floppy disk as the source and the harddrive as the destination, I
proceeded.
Windows blurted out a warning/error box saying there is an
incompatibility as the DOS version seems to be older. At this point
there were 2 choices, and only 2 choices. Choice 1 said the program
will proceed but will not print if you press "yes". Choice 2 said
press "no" and the program will end.
So, like a dummy, I murdered this old loyal Windows98 hound by pressing
"no" (How many of you out there would have pressed "yes"?). My computer
would not reboot afterwards.
Looking back on this it is kind of funny. The frustration of it all.
----------------------------------------
Here is what happened. (note, I tried a reboot after each item listed
below.)
Windows would not boot into safemode. I used a Windows98 recovery floppy
disk (which I made 6 years ago and didn't lose). From here I performed a
Chkdsk, and a Scandisk. Scandisk said it found errors and fixed them.
Next it recommended to do a SYS C: at the a:\> command prompt. The
computer responded with "there is not enough space to do a sys c:".
My CD-backups were useless because its proprietary system requires a
working Windows OS to function properly.
Now, I still don't have a clue of what to do so I decide to reinstall
Windows from CD. Windows replied, "can't perform setup as there is a
compressed drive." I have to try something else.
I was not going to bring my computer to a shop to have it repaired for
hundred(s) of dollars. (I think I seen for sale, a pre-owned computer of
the same vintage, in the newspaper ads, for about $62.00).
I tried using an UltimateBootDisc (UBCD). This CD performs the
functions of the recovery floppy disk and likely has more features.
Even though I don't know what I'm doing, I highly recommend it. Search
on the internet for it. I tried some of the features on the UBCD, and
most of them wouldn't finish because it found a fault. ie, a typical
message would be "...mcb corrupt...".
Now I used the OEM diagnostic disc. Following its instructions I made
the program "perform all tests". The program indicated all tests
"passed".
Next I decided to do a complete recovery with the computers OEM discs.
These discs are supposed bring the computer back to the original
retail-store-like condition, although it will delete all your existing
data. The OEM disc would not proceed saying there is no drive available.
At the command prompt, I tried to list the contents of the C: drive
using the "dir" command. I have done this years past with success, but
this time, it listed the contents of my ORIGINAL floppy disk!!!
This is what I think occurred. Disk Image wrote my floppy disk to the
C:drive and called the image (which is about 1.4 Megabytes) the new
C:drive. That's the most likely reason why I couldn't do a SYS C:, or
a Reinstall, or an OEM-factory reinstall.
Somehow (I forget the sequence of events), I repartitioned the drive by
using the FDISK command and subsequently the FORMAT C: \s command.
After this, my OEM discs were able to function properly, and I
performed a factory reinstall.
Now I was able to use my proprietary backup CDs. The bad news is the
backup is a month old. I lost 4 weeks of data, but I consider myself
lucky as the damage could have been much worse (- This is another
argument for regular/frequent backups -).
I spent all day resurrecting this old machine.
I can recommend another app for archiving floppy disk images: Rawwrite
for Windows is freeware and appears to work quite well.
All this headache and pain occurred because I pressed the "no" button,
when I should have pressed the "yes" button.
-----------------
shortcut kills computer
=======================
2006-01-12 written by Carpediem2100
summary:
clicking on shortcut caused Windows98 desktop computer to boot
into DOS mode only.
I was trying to get at the shortcut called "ms-dos prompt" and instead
clicked on an identical looking shortcut called "Dos Mode Games with
EMS and XMS Support.pif"
that is when all the trouble started. the computer would only restart,
or boot into DOS mode.
What i tried:
boot into safe mode & looked at control panel; nothing seemed to help.
In safe mode, cd-drives will not function, therefore my backup on cd-r's
would not work.
System file checker (part of System Information) did not fix it.
How i recovered:
i went back into safe mode & searched for files: Config.sys amd
AutoExec.bat. I found these files in either in C:\ or C:\windows\.
Clicking on their properties showed they were newly created. I moved
these 2 files onto the desktop. I restarted the computer and the
windows98 OS was back!
----------------------
~...
Password Glitch in Windows XP Home by Carpediem2100 Jan2006
----------------------------------
My computer was purchased in June2005. The operating system included
in it is Windows XP Home edition, with service pack 2 already built in.
Normally one would navigate to Control Panel --> Profiles --> User Acct
--> and click on "prevent a forgotten password" to create a "password
recovery (floppy) disk."
My computer didn't come with a floppy disk drive and I didn't purchase
one. So when the password recovery disk wizard prompted to insert a
floppy disk, I instead inserted a USB flash drive.
The computer finished the process. On examination, no files in my USB
drive were altered and no files were written to it.
Windows, had written a file onto the C: drive, I think was called
userkey.psw.
The problem is that after inserting my USB drive, I could get access to
the password change function (password recovery). I erased all the files
on my USB drive and tried again. I was still allowed access.
I moved the user.pwd file onto my USB drive and tried again. This time,
Windows disallowed access.
Don't get me wrong, I think this is an excellent feature if you are able
to create a recovery floppy disk. But my scenario seems to be a glitch
and could represent a security flaw.
I can't offer any remedies but my only suggestions are to keep your
password in a safe place (cookie jar), and to do regular backups of
your data/files.
```````````````````
ports 20060911 (there are 65535 possible ports)
item host port other
==== ==== ===== =====
baracuda-drive HTTP listen 80
baracuda-drive HTTPS listen 443
bfilter 1.06 8080
darkstar deltasource/bittorent 6881-6999
eDonkey network (p2p) 4661-4666
freecap 3.18 1080 (socks)
gnutella network(p2p) 6346-6429
icq instant messenger login.icq.com 5190
jabber jabber.org 5222
kazaa (p2p) 1214
microsoft -DS (aka netbios for newer NT) 445
msn instant messenger messenger.hotmail.com 1863
multiproxy 1.2a 8088
mute 0.5 (p2p) 4900
napster (p2p?) 6699
NNTP (news network transfer protocol) 119
picophone 1.64 11676 (udp)
old Windows file sharing 135-139
polipo 8123
privoxy (127.0.0.1) 8118
psst 0.2 4516
smtp (anti-spam) convention 25
speakfreely 7.2 2074-2076
tor 9050
voiperized 2.4 4379 (udp)
web-secure 443
web-standard 80
yahoo instant messaging scs.msg.yahoo.com 5050
anti-blogseed
copy of anti-blogseed.html from website carpediem2100.tripod dot com
as of nov.10.2010
===
anti-blogseed.html
Date (approx. d) / Prose
------------ ------------
20061220 I downloaded & installed latest version of CobianBackup 7.6.0353. To clear the native error 00045,
one has to do a regular non-compressed backup & next modify the task to do a zip compressed backup. It's kind
of a buggy fix, but so far so good.
20061219 Cobian 7 is acting up on my w98 computer. All of the sudden, it would not compress backups in
the zip format. I get a "nativer error 00045"
Why is startup and shutdown so much faster on Windows 98 ? On Windows XP this is very slow even though
I have turned off the flaky "System Restore" feature.
20061218 My Hitachi CRT TV is still working.; However, my RCA vcr is acting up. When you fastforward
or rewind scan your tape, sometimes it shuts off & resets the tape counter. HDTV: Higher resolution is ok even
though it is more costly. I have no problem with it. But really it is not high priority. I would rather watch a good
movie at present resolution, than a poor movie at crystal clear high definition/high resolution. On a similar note,
I am happy with movies on VHS or DVD resolution. There is really no need for HD-discs or Blu-ray discs. This
is just another scheme for the TechnoCorporations to make $.
20061210 I updated my dvd-drive firmware to DW-D56A PDS7 in order to cope with the 16x dvd blank discs.
Without the update the burns are slower than with the 8x discs! Why don't they come up with newer firmware than
PDS7? Why don't manufacturers print the media id codes on the packaging of blank discs? (Only after purchasing,
the spindle, can you see which mediacode it has.) Does Omnipatcher work? Does it really work?
20060130 System Restore doesn't always work; It can't handle virtual drives.
20060122 used sdelete v1.2 to erase 1 file off desktop & 1 (recursive) directory. later, pressing
"shutdown the computer", caused the computer to restart & giving a message that there was a serious
error. (windows xp home) this has happened once before, but with a different/unknown cause/application.
20060118 Eraser 5.7; using this to erase your recycle bin may causeWindows XP home to "restart"
when you click on the "turn computer off "icon. Then, it immediately reports 'a serious error has occurred'.
20060115 Eraser 5.7; using this app to erase free space on Windows XP home, will erase your
System Restore points.
200601## My CRT TV delivers crisp sharp and vibrant color images. It is probably 25 years old and I
got it second hand. By the way, it is a Hitachi brand. There is no remote control; you change channels by
turning the dial, and yet it delivers the most bang for the buck as far as picture quality is concerned. Sure
with LCD or Plasma technology the resolution is higher, but I don't notice a big difference. New CRT TVs
cost a fraction as much as the new tech. TVs! (ie., a plasma tv could easily cost $2000.00 - $3000.00)
200512## My RCA brand vcr (model vr603hf) is likely 10 years old and still works pretty good. Show me a
dvd player which lasts 10 years. (call me when 10 years approaches). Some of my VHS videotapes are
20 years old. DVDs have better images but someone show me a dvd-movie which lasts 20 years. (call me
when 20 years approaches).
20051122 I've owned a $43 dvd player made by Magnasonic (model DVD830) for several months.
What is impressive, is its built-in fan. My dvd's are COOL to the touch after I have viewed a movie.
20050812 - installed Windows XP fax service. What a doozie! Again another OEM edition of winXP,
lacking the fax service. Aggravating again (similar to NTBackup) but I fixed it.
20050804 - installed windows XP NTBackup; aggravating because OEM computer cds erase your
harddrive. & this backup program doesn’t come pre-installed. I had to download it from a Non-Microsoft
site. (I’m not the only person in this boat with this problem! See http://www.onecomputerguy.com or
http://winxptutor.com )
20050801 -installed Tweakui for xp, seems to work ok. -installed driverheaven tuneXP 1.5, tweaked
the settings comfortable with: it really works! It shortens Shutdown time and shortens Bootup time
drastically!
-used resident XP defragmenter. 53GB processed in about 2 hours.
-used Excessive Software powerdefragmenter 2.0. poor GUI but seems to be very fast. (not for windows98).
-ran Diskcleaner 1.55 by R.J. Moerland on windows98; seems to work.
- installed driverheaven tuneXP 1.5 on windows98; tweaked the settings comfortable with: no apparent
reduction in boot or shutdown time.
20050731 - SE Backup 0.9.1 Beta requires internet connection for license
- Backup Genie 1.7 Trial is a 30day trial
- Bushido Backup doesn't work*. (*The version I downloaded doesn't work)
- Cobian Backup 7 is the last version for Windows98 ; future versions will support newer Windows.
The standard version of Cobian does not have plug-ins needed for the Registry or Restoring your
backup.
20050730 - Diskeeper Lite 7 just blows past Windows98 resident defragmenter as far as speed is concerned.
20050701 I purchased a Diamond Vision DVD player from Wal-mart; inexpensive unit;
nice features; remote control failed - rendering the unit a paperweight.
20050615d I phoned Telus and cancelled my LongDistance servicebecause the fee $4.95/month is too
costly. Also, calling the same LD phone number (a pal of mine) in Canada, at similar times of day was more
than twice as costly per minute compared to another long distance service. The call center operator could
not explain why my friends were not charged this fee. (My friends could not explain it neither). The fee
initially was $1.25/month
20050201d I am not impressed with my Citizen JDVD3842 dvd player. It cost about $75 and it conked
out 2 months after the 12 month warranty expired. The built in computer chip wouldn't recognize any discs
at all. At least it didn't breakdown the day after the warranty ran out.
20000101 [Updating the blog ]
Hi, this is privycrypt. 381 0
_JOD!M`.?V:ZDD^*5;U\GUF4NK-9L:*EDB294?_/Y*O'C?IBXS3](R44\B%^BUZ7-?0'DKK%*>3P
PO%RX7M,EF1CKHV(<=c03g#8]?^2[24ypiccnz;2`7j)j=_4>Q"_RI35X\"YVDC@M"$_WL[A6E
)W;;1'*2>_I!4:)VL`+"Q/F44Z@C!)`@,A"T6>K?DW9!BY\\CDVL^;SJOODFL75989[S.3?7SJMP
<+/D0& 5ER.V?Z;(8\!5YCYIS=T/JUL<*S:`4/$PI,IO44N+FW-8[& 7<:1HR@VK+/(C[R^8Z6=.B0 JAN8UP5)"]3CM]DL*:.I2;;`5M8*=2,0FY!N9100Z2KDDPBWL/J0')C8V^;QZ'K:,$3N0A^-4<(# ?)B7@_U9_,(P6)RSK:G((3LS^\OAU@H6EAZ*U09+H*!I(6,FGFH$`1(1@NJE!--E_>DY+3)LX"$M
4A7_5_\2_;G$/M%8!?#`JTVSG6,)YM_VH,M$9.X!H$L& BKJD.P27
Goodbye! SeeYouLater
Date (approx. d) / Prose
------------ ------------
20061220 I downloaded & installed latest version of CobianBackup 7.6.0353. To clear the native error 00045,
one has to do a regular non-compressed backup & next modify the task to do a zip compressed backup. It's kind
of a buggy fix, but so far so good.
20061219 Cobian 7 is acting up on my w98 computer. All of the sudden, it would not compress backups in
the zip format. I get a "nativer error 00045"
Why is startup and shutdown so much faster on Windows 98 ? On Windows XP this is very slow even though
I have turned off the flaky "System Restore" feature.
20061218 My Hitachi CRT TV is still working.; However, my RCA vcr is acting up. When you fastforward
or rewind scan your tape, sometimes it shuts off & resets the tape counter. HDTV: Higher resolution is ok even
though it is more costly. I have no problem with it. But really it is not high priority. I would rather watch a good
movie at present resolution, than a poor movie at crystal clear high definition/high resolution. On a similar note,
I am happy with movies on VHS or DVD resolution. There is really no need for HD-discs or Blu-ray discs. This
is just another scheme for the TechnoCorporations to make $.
20061210 I updated my dvd-drive firmware to DW-D56A PDS7 in order to cope with the 16x dvd blank discs.
Without the update the burns are slower than with the 8x discs! Why don't they come up with newer firmware than
PDS7? Why don't manufacturers print the media id codes on the packaging of blank discs? (Only after purchasing,
the spindle, can you see which mediacode it has.) Does Omnipatcher work? Does it really work?
20060130 System Restore doesn't always work; It can't handle virtual drives.
20060122 used sdelete v1.2 to erase 1 file off desktop & 1 (recursive) directory. later, pressing
"shutdown the computer", caused the computer to restart & giving a message that there was a serious
error. (windows xp home) this has happened once before, but with a different/unknown cause/application.
20060118 Eraser 5.7; using this to erase your recycle bin may causeWindows XP home to "restart"
when you click on the "turn computer off "icon. Then, it immediately reports 'a serious error has occurred'.
20060115 Eraser 5.7; using this app to erase free space on Windows XP home, will erase your
System Restore points.
200601## My CRT TV delivers crisp sharp and vibrant color images. It is probably 25 years old and I
got it second hand. By the way, it is a Hitachi brand. There is no remote control; you change channels by
turning the dial, and yet it delivers the most bang for the buck as far as picture quality is concerned. Sure
with LCD or Plasma technology the resolution is higher, but I don't notice a big difference. New CRT TVs
cost a fraction as much as the new tech. TVs! (ie., a plasma tv could easily cost $2000.00 - $3000.00)
200512## My RCA brand vcr (model vr603hf) is likely 10 years old and still works pretty good. Show me a
dvd player which lasts 10 years. (call me when 10 years approaches). Some of my VHS videotapes are
20 years old. DVDs have better images but someone show me a dvd-movie which lasts 20 years. (call me
when 20 years approaches).
20051122 I've owned a $43 dvd player made by Magnasonic (model DVD830) for several months.
What is impressive, is its built-in fan. My dvd's are COOL to the touch after I have viewed a movie.
20050812 - installed Windows XP fax service. What a doozie! Again another OEM edition of winXP,
lacking the fax service. Aggravating again (similar to NTBackup) but I fixed it.
20050804 - installed windows XP NTBackup; aggravating because OEM computer cds erase your
harddrive. & this backup program doesn’t come pre-installed. I had to download it from a Non-Microsoft
site. (I’m not the only person in this boat with this problem! See http://www.onecomputerguy.com or
http://winxptutor.com )
20050801 -installed Tweakui for xp, seems to work ok. -installed driverheaven tuneXP 1.5, tweaked
the settings comfortable with: it really works! It shortens Shutdown time and shortens Bootup time
drastically!
-used resident XP defragmenter. 53GB processed in about 2 hours.
-used Excessive Software powerdefragmenter 2.0. poor GUI but seems to be very fast. (not for windows98).
-ran Diskcleaner 1.55 by R.J. Moerland on windows98; seems to work.
- installed driverheaven tuneXP 1.5 on windows98; tweaked the settings comfortable with: no apparent
reduction in boot or shutdown time.
20050731 - SE Backup 0.9.1 Beta requires internet connection for license
- Backup Genie 1.7 Trial is a 30day trial
- Bushido Backup doesn't work*. (*The version I downloaded doesn't work)
- Cobian Backup 7 is the last version for Windows98 ; future versions will support newer Windows.
The standard version of Cobian does not have plug-ins needed for the Registry or Restoring your
backup.
20050730 - Diskeeper Lite 7 just blows past Windows98 resident defragmenter as far as speed is concerned.
20050701 I purchased a Diamond Vision DVD player from Wal-mart; inexpensive unit;
nice features; remote control failed - rendering the unit a paperweight.
20050615d I phoned Telus and cancelled my LongDistance servicebecause the fee $4.95/month is too
costly. Also, calling the same LD phone number (a pal of mine) in Canada, at similar times of day was more
than twice as costly per minute compared to another long distance service. The call center operator could
not explain why my friends were not charged this fee. (My friends could not explain it neither). The fee
initially was $1.25/month
20050201d I am not impressed with my Citizen JDVD3842 dvd player. It cost about $75 and it conked
out 2 months after the 12 month warranty expired. The built in computer chip wouldn't recognize any discs
at all. At least it didn't breakdown the day after the warranty ran out.
20000101 [Updating the blog ]
Hi, this is privycrypt. 381 0
_JOD!M`.?V:ZDD^*5;U\GUF4NK-9L:*EDB294?_/Y*O'C?IBXS3](R44\B%^BUZ7-?0'DKK%*>3P
PO%RX7M,EF1CKHV(
)W;;1'*2>_I!4:)VL`+"Q/F44Z@C!)`@,A"T6>K?DW9!BY\\CDVL^;SJOODFL75989[S.3?7SJMP
<+/D0& 5ER.V?Z;(8\!5YCYIS=T/JUL<*S:`4/$PI,IO44N+FW-8[& 7<:1HR@VK+/(C[R^8Z6=.B0 JAN8UP5)"]3CM]DL*:.I2;;`5M8*=2,0FY!N9100Z2KDDPBWL/J0')C8V^;QZ'K:,$3N0A^-4<(# ?)B7@_U9_,(P6)RSK:G((3LS^\OAU@H6EAZ*U09+H*!I(6,FGFH$`1(1@NJE!--E_>DY+3)LX"$M
4A7_5_\2_;G$/M%8!?#`JTVSG6,)YM_VH,M$9.X!H$L& BKJD.P27
Goodbye! SeeYouLater
carpediem2100 blogger favicon
Tinypic.com
cdfavianigif <=== currently this one (an anigif) is in use on this site. works v.well in Firefox
cdfavianigif <=== currently this one (an anigif) is in use on this site. works v.well in Firefox
http://i54.tinypic.com/s6hu0m.gif <=== hotlink address
<a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=2elv3vk" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/2elv3vk.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" /></a>
http://tinypic.com/r/s6hu0m/7
normal gif --- this is normal gif.
http://i51.tinypic.com/2elv3vk.gif <==hotlink address
http://tinypic.com/r/2elv3vk/7
[IMG]http://i51.tinypic.com/2elv3vk.gif[/IMG]
the embed code for this image 
is:
is:<a href="http://tinypic.com/?ref=2elv3vk" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/2elv3vk.gif" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic" /></a>
the notation for left lessthan alligator mouth is & lt ;
the notation for right (greaterThan) alligator mouth is & gt ; you have to type all these characters without spaces
Tinypic will not host .ico files.
------
Tinypic will not host .ico files.
------
Mediafire.com
These are similar files on Mediafire. note you cannot host .ico files on Mediafire.
gifs are converted to jpgs, which are hot-linkable from Mediafire:
1cd-favicon-G.ico
These are similar files on Mediafire. note you cannot host .ico files on Mediafire.
gifs are converted to jpgs, which are hot-linkable from Mediafire:
1cd-favicon-G.ico
NOTE .ICO FILES DON'T WORK ON MEDIAFIRE
Uploaded: 11/10/2010
File Size: 318 B hot link address of the jpg (which doesn't work is)
http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/
Uploaded: 11/10/2010
File Size: 318 B hot link address of the jpg (which doesn't work is)
http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/
45bba9626536739e977e80603b72ed8eb18109c5f8ba23ebaa688897c8f841c36g.jpg
1cd-favicon-G.gif <-----normal gif
Uploaded: 11/10/2010
File Size: 205 B HotLink address of the jpg is
http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/
1cd-favicon-G.gif <-----normal gif
Uploaded: 11/10/2010
File Size: 205 B HotLink address of the jpg is
http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/
9fcf3f367390f2e0c8f64aea92a8c2fdf2d7367e8e813dd98ff836129bbb973b6g.jpg
1cd-favianigif_c-G--500cs.gif <---Anigif
1cd-favianigif_c-G--500cs.gif <---Anigif
Uploaded: 11/10/2010
File Size: 1.25 KB hotLinkAddress of the jpg is
http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/
File Size: 1.25 KB hotLinkAddress of the jpg is
http://www.mediafire.com/imgbnc.php/
Funny thing, I just clicked on the above jpg link; what happened was the anigif opened up in a browser window; the tab showed a "hazard"symbol; and the link ended with .jpg. but, i was viewing the anigif because it did change color! (googleChromeBrowser). -- weird...
Thursday, May 06, 2010
I finally did it
I finally did it!
Heaven knows why I have waited so long to update my blogger template. I signed up since 2004, (it says it my profile), and until now I have used the old html coding template. The current WYSIWYG template is such a pleasure to use. Much of the unnecessary pain of blogging is no more.
My coding skills are very poor. With the page elements, it is actually fun to edit and manipulate the blog's side bar
Heaven knows why I have waited so long to update my blogger template. I signed up since 2004, (it says it my profile), and until now I have used the old html coding template. The current WYSIWYG template is such a pleasure to use. Much of the unnecessary pain of blogging is no more.
My coding skills are very poor. With the page elements, it is actually fun to edit and manipulate the blog's side bar
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