Multiple monitors

On 8/24/2014 7:21 PM, krw@attt.bizz wrote:
> On Sun, 24 Aug 2014 16:12:50 -0700, Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi Rick,
>>
>> On 8/24/2014 3:49 PM, rickman wrote:
>>
>>>>> I wanted to add a TV to use as a monitor. I did a little estimation and
>>>>> realized that if I mount it on the wall about 10 feet away it is
>>>>> actually smaller in my view than my laptop at about two feet. Due to
>>>>> limitations of arm length my laptop screen is usually a bit closer than
>>>>> that actually. I'd have to get a TV some 70 inches diagonal to improve
>>>>> on the size of the display.
>>>>
>>>> Perceived size is only one issue. The idea of watching a movie sitting
>>>> in a chair -- especially one where I would likely interact with a
>>>> computer -- is not my idea of fun/comfort. In addition to body
>>>> position, it's too "imposing"... too "in your face".
>>>
>>> Lol... so you are in an uncomfortable position for computing but want a
>>> more comfortable position for watching movies? Ok.
>>
>> Yes.  I have to be seated where I can type in order to write code,
>> etc.  I *don't* have to be seated in a typing position to watch a
>> movie!  Indeed, if I have to read a lengthy datasheet, I will print
>> a copy just so I can take it into the living room (etc) and read
>> it in a more comfortable setting.  Then, toss the paper in the recycle
>> bin later (clutter) knowing where I can find individual items in the
>> electronic copy at a later date.
>
> I do the same, but don't recycle them.  I make notes in them and put
> them in binders with other datasheets for that project.  I find that
> if I make notes in the datasheets, I'll remember more information.
> I'll also mark up the PDFs so the information stays with them, too.  I
> tend to use both when studying a new part.  The PDFs allow searching,
> while the dead trees are easier to digest.

I like to markup PDFs too, but some idiotic manufacturers lock their 
data sheets against editing, sometimes even copying data from them.

-- 

Rick

On 8/24/2014 7:02 PM, krw@attt.bizz wrote:
>
> I prefer *not* to have it on my primary screen (and that 40 pixels is
> more than 10% of my laptop screen).  It might be something worth
> putting on an "upper".  Though, thinking about it for a minute, it
> might not be possible to put it at the bottom of an "upper".

What kind of laptop are you using that is only 400 pixels wide?  I've 
seen cell phones with more resolution.  BTW, I put the task bar on the 
side of my screen.  I find that a more natural fit.

-- 

Rick

On 8/24/2014 9:43 AM, krw@attt.bizz wrote:
> On Sat, 23 Aug 2014 22:40:58 -0700, Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> Yep.  What that taught me was to ignore the horizontal dot pitch and
>> concentrate on getting the largest number of vertical pixels possible.
>> For 24" that's about 1200 pixels.  For 27", I can go to 2560x1440.  I
>> guess when I run out of space for more icons on my desktop, I can
>> justify a bigger monitor:
>> <http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/crud/desktop.jpg>
>
> Good grief!  I could never work that way.  I get pissed when my icons
> move because each has a place and if it isn't there, searching for
> them takes too much time.  YOY can't there be separate desktop setups
> for each display setup?

There can be.  I used a free app on my old laptop to manage the desktop 
icons, worked great.  But that machine is dead and I don't remember the 
name of the program.  It would remember a default for each screen 
resolution and you could save off setups to files and recall them.  It 
worked well under Windows Vista, but my new machine is Windows 8 and 
there are lots of things like that which don't work so well anymore.

Aren't OSes supposed to be backwards compatible?

-- 

Rick

Hi Rick,

On 8/25/2014 6:38 PM, rickman wrote:

> I like to markup PDFs too, but some idiotic manufacturers lock their
> data sheets against editing, sometimes even copying data from them.

Often, simply printing the PDF to a (non-Adobe) "PDF Writer" and
using the resulting PDF gives you what you want (though you can
lose other things present in the original!).

There are, of course, "other" methods for achieving similar goals!

(something about "locks" comes to mind... :> )

On 8/26/2014 2:12 AM, Don Y wrote:
> Hi Rick,
>
> On 8/25/2014 6:38 PM, rickman wrote:
>
>> I like to markup PDFs too, but some idiotic manufacturers lock their
>> data sheets against editing, sometimes even copying data from them.
>
> Often, simply printing the PDF to a (non-Adobe) "PDF Writer" and
> using the resulting PDF gives you what you want (though you can
> lose other things present in the original!).

Every time I have done this I end up with a graphic rather than a text 
based document.  Not very desirable.


> There are, of course, "other" methods for achieving similar goals!
>
> (something about "locks" comes to mind... :> )

I've looked for software that lets me just turn off those pesky 
settings, but not found any so far.

-- 

Rick

Hi Rick,

On 8/26/2014 1:11 AM, rickman wrote:
> On 8/26/2014 2:12 AM, Don Y wrote:
>> On 8/25/2014 6:38 PM, rickman wrote:
>>
>>> I like to markup PDFs too, but some idiotic manufacturers lock their
>>> data sheets against editing, sometimes even copying data from them.
>>
>> Often, simply printing the PDF to a (non-Adobe) "PDF Writer" and
>> using the resulting PDF gives you what you want (though you can
>> lose other things present in the original!).
>
> Every time I have done this I end up with a graphic rather than a text
> based document. Not very desirable.

Don't use Adobe's "printer" product.  E.g., I just tried printing
a "SECURED" PDF via "Corel PDF Printer" (or, maybe it's "Writer"?).
The resulting document is still "text" (i.e., you can highlight
text and copy/paste it into another document) -- but no longer
"secured".

You can also print to an XPS document (and convert to PDF from there).

Of course, any enhanced PDF features tend to get lost in the
process.  But, for the most part, I don't see datasheet publishers
making use of any of these!

>> There are, of course, "other" methods for achieving similar goals!
>>
>> (something about "locks" comes to mind... :> )
>
> I've looked for software that lets me just turn off those pesky
> settings, but not found any so far.

I think PDF Unlocker (or something like that) is one I have used in the
past.  I think there are also online services that will do this...

On Mon, 25 Aug 2014 21:38:30 -0400, rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> wrote:

>On 8/24/2014 7:21 PM, krw@attt.bizz wrote:
>> On Sun, 24 Aug 2014 16:12:50 -0700, Don Y <this@is.not.me.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Rick,
>>>
>>> On 8/24/2014 3:49 PM, rickman wrote:
>>>
>>>>>> I wanted to add a TV to use as a monitor. I did a little estimation and
>>>>>> realized that if I mount it on the wall about 10 feet away it is
>>>>>> actually smaller in my view than my laptop at about two feet. Due to
>>>>>> limitations of arm length my laptop screen is usually a bit closer than
>>>>>> that actually. I'd have to get a TV some 70 inches diagonal to improve
>>>>>> on the size of the display.
>>>>>
>>>>> Perceived size is only one issue. The idea of watching a movie sitting
>>>>> in a chair -- especially one where I would likely interact with a
>>>>> computer -- is not my idea of fun/comfort. In addition to body
>>>>> position, it's too "imposing"... too "in your face".
>>>>
>>>> Lol... so you are in an uncomfortable position for computing but want a
>>>> more comfortable position for watching movies? Ok.
>>>
>>> Yes.  I have to be seated where I can type in order to write code,
>>> etc.  I *don't* have to be seated in a typing position to watch a
>>> movie!  Indeed, if I have to read a lengthy datasheet, I will print
>>> a copy just so I can take it into the living room (etc) and read
>>> it in a more comfortable setting.  Then, toss the paper in the recycle
>>> bin later (clutter) knowing where I can find individual items in the
>>> electronic copy at a later date.
>>
>> I do the same, but don't recycle them.  I make notes in them and put
>> them in binders with other datasheets for that project.  I find that
>> if I make notes in the datasheets, I'll remember more information.
>> I'll also mark up the PDFs so the information stays with them, too.  I
>> tend to use both when studying a new part.  The PDFs allow searching,
>> while the dead trees are easier to digest.
>
>I like to markup PDFs too, but some idiotic manufacturers lock their 
>data sheets against editing, sometimes even copying data from them.

Usually printing the PDF to PDF will unlock them enough to print. Some
will print protect theirs (usually those under NDA), so that doesn't
work.  The ones where printing them doesn't work, can't be searched or
copy-n-pasted to, either so they really are pretty useless. I let the
suppliers know in pretty nasty terms when they lock them down that far
(watermarks are understandable).  The customer facing people are try
to get this fixed.  But like corporate Internet systems, functionality
is way down on the list of priorities.

On 26/08/14 18:11, rickman wrote:
> On 8/26/2014 2:12 AM, Don Y wrote:
>> On 8/25/2014 6:38 PM, rickman wrote:
>>> I like to markup PDFs too, but some idiotic manufacturers lock their
>>> data sheets against editing, sometimes even copying data from them.
>>
>> Often, simply printing the PDF to a (non-Adobe) "PDF Writer" and
>> using the resulting PDF gives you what you want (though you can
>> lose other things present in the original!).

> Every time I have done this I end up with a graphic rather than a text
> based document.  Not very desirable.

You're doing it wrongly. PDF is very like postscript - there's a direct 
mapping between most features - and tools like CutePDF convert quite 
accurately - it uses ghostscript to convert the Postscript output from 
the Windows Postscript print drivers. It works a treat.

Clifford Heath.

On Tue, 26 Aug 2014 04:11:10 -0400, rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> wrote:

>On 8/26/2014 2:12 AM, Don Y wrote:
>> Hi Rick,
>>
>> On 8/25/2014 6:38 PM, rickman wrote:
>>
>>> I like to markup PDFs too, but some idiotic manufacturers lock their
>>> data sheets against editing, sometimes even copying data from them.
>>
>> Often, simply printing the PDF to a (non-Adobe) "PDF Writer" and
>> using the resulting PDF gives you what you want (though you can
>> lose other things present in the original!).
>
>Every time I have done this I end up with a graphic rather than a text 
>based document.  Not very desirable.

PDFWriter and the Adobe PDF printer seem to work fine, 99% of the
time. 

>> There are, of course, "other" methods for achieving similar goals!
>>
>> (something about "locks" comes to mind... :> )
>
>I've looked for software that lets me just turn off those pesky 
>settings, but not found any so far.

Not sure it's possible.  If it's a picture to begin with, there isn't
much you can do.

On Mon, 25 Aug 2014 21:42:35 -0400, rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> wrote:

>On 8/24/2014 7:02 PM, krw@attt.bizz wrote:
>>
>> I prefer *not* to have it on my primary screen (and that 40 pixels is
>> more than 10% of my laptop screen).  It might be something worth
>> putting on an "upper".  Though, thinking about it for a minute, it
>> might not be possible to put it at the bottom of an "upper".
>
>What kind of laptop are you using that is only 400 pixels wide?  I've 
>seen cell phones with more resolution.  BTW, I put the task bar on the 
>side of my screen.  I find that a more natural fit.

Wide?  High (read what *you* wrote).  OK, 40 lines is >5% but the
screen is already too small for most web sites.