Stupid Questions |OT| of questions that don't deserve their own threads

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If you're watching TV in the US, what channel do you get to when you press the 1 button on the remote?

Depends on your service. Basic Cable usually starts at 3, with subscription channels like HBO on 1 or 2. Satellite is different - it might be an interactive channel, a viewing guide, and so forth. If you only have broadcast TV, 1 is probably nothing but static.

Short version: there is no consistent channel 1, it depends on location/service.
 
Should I switch to Ubuntu? I know nothing about it, have never used it, but am tired of getting viruses on my computer running Windows 7 Ultimate and I want a fresh restart.

The only things I would need on it are Firefox, Chrome, Photoshop, Paint.NET, and some DVD programs. Could those work on Ubuntu?
 
Should I switch to Ubuntu? I know nothing about it, have never used it, but am tired of getting viruses on my computer running Windows 7 Ultimate and I want a fresh restart.

The only things I would need on it are Firefox, Chrome, Photoshop, Paint.NET, and some DVD programs. Could those work on Ubuntu?

Paint.NET is okay with Wine, Photoshop isn't really (varying degrees of stability depending on the CS*), the rest works well.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend Ubuntu specifically right now. Stuff's in turmoil atm, things get changed left and right. And the default desktop experience has suffered significantly in the last 2 years or so in my opinion.

Try clicking around on http://www.ubuntu.com/tour/ to get a feel for how things are on the default desktop. Or run it from CD without installing (see point 3 on http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download).

I'd probably recommend a format / reinstall / offline update of Win 7 if the only other alternative to you is Ubuntu right now.
 
This is going to sound extremely ignorant, but how do you wipe EVERYTHING off of a computer and fresh install an operating system?

You would have to format the hard drive.

If you've got no idea how that works, you might want to contact support, or get help from the local geek slash fuck buddy ;)

I say that because formatting a hard drive involves getting rid of your documents, applications, settings and so forth, so you want to backup hand-picked stuff. And the formatting and install process involves making informed choices.

Have you already poked at your virus problem with a virus scanner? Maybe things aren't as bad as you think. Can you describe your symptoms in a general fashion?
 
This is going to sound extremely ignorant, but how do you wipe EVERYTHING off of a computer and fresh install an operating system?
Easiest way would just be to stick the new OS disc in the drive and boot off that. When the option comes up, format/re-partition the drives how you like.
 
You would have to format the hard drive.

If you've got no idea how that works, you might want to contact support, or get help from the local geek slash fuck buddy ;)

I say that because formatting a hard drive involves getting rid of your documents, applications, settings and so forth, so you want to backup hand-picked stuff. And the formatting and install process involves making informed choices.

Have you already poked at your virus problem with a virus scanner? Maybe things aren't as bad as you think. Can you describe your symptoms in a general fashion?

As for formatting the hard drive, not really.

Well, my computer has lots of problems. If I don't leave Windows Media Player playing at all times, my computer will go into sleep mode and then not respond to waking up at all - and then turn off.

It also never shuts down when you turn it off by the Start menu button. It'll go to the shutting down screen and stay there forever until you turn it off by holding down the power button. So, I turn it off and on using the button every single time which results in booting up with the "Windows did not shut down correctly" screen and having to press "Start Windows normally". Not to mention it seems to not get off of the Starting Windows screen if you're not moving the mouse.

Sleep mode and hibernate mode obviously don't work.

The fan is super loud and gets really loud all the time freaking time. Especially when playing videos. I've taken the case off and cleaned out the minimal dust that was there, but it didn't do anything.

I apparently just got this new one - every time I try to search for something on Google and click a result, it re-directs me to a spam site.

Lots of things don't install right. The installer always tells me I'm missing Windows files or something.

So yeah. I'm ready to start anew.
 
So yeah. I'm ready to start anew.

Okay, do what ch0mp says AFTER copying all the stuff you want to keep to a USB drive.

After Win 7 is installed (make sure you have the key that came with it before going at it!), install a virus scanner. Avira Antivirus works, for example. Update the scanner.

Only after doing that, plug in the USB stick. If the virus scanning software doesn't detect any virus, copy the stuff over.

Also, once you're 100% sure your system is perfect after all the hassle with driver installations and shit, look into how one makes a system backup, and do that. At the very least, make one Windows restoration point. You really don't ever want to run into this situation again, and this is a step towards that bliss.

Don't ask me about specifics concerning Microsoft's in-OS restore functionality, I haven't got Windows 7. But it should be documented, flip through the manual of Windows 7 or try to figure it out with the help of Google. It should be easy to figure out.


One more thing: I used to recommend offline updates, but I'm not sure how that can be achieved with Win 7. So instead of that, install the virus scanning software without networking plugged in at the earliest point possible, then do the usual update thing. And get used to keeping both your operating system and the virus scanning solution up-to-date.
 
Is there a free, legal progam I can use to rip DVDs to my (Windows) computer?

The DMCA forbids circumvention of copy protection measures (like CSS). As long as that's not part of it, anything suited for the task should work just fine. I would recommend Handbrake with the caveat that I'm a Mac dude. But even VLC should be up for it, really. Back in the days when I still cared about DVDs, I used to use mplayer and a hand-tuned script. If you want a one-click solution, I think Handbrake with a profile should meet your needs.

If you want a walkthrough, tested.com has one that's pretty good in my opinion: http://www.tested.com/news/how-to-rip-dvds-to-play-on-any-devicefor-free/19/
 
Depends on your service. Basic Cable usually starts at 3, with subscription channels like HBO on 1 or 2. Satellite is different - it might be an interactive channel, a viewing guide, and so forth. If you only have broadcast TV, 1 is probably nothing but static.

Short version: there is no consistent channel 1, it depends on location/service.

That's cool and interesting. Feels so different compared to European countries where channels have numbers in their name. Thanks.
 
The DMCA forbids circumvention of copy protection measures (like CSS). As long as that's not part of it, anything suited for the task should work just fine. I would recommend Handbrake with the caveat that I'm a Mac dude. But even VLC should be up for it, really. Back in the days when I still cared about DVDs, I used to use mplayer and a hand-tuned script. If you want a one-click solution, I think Handbrake with a profile should meet your needs.

If you want a walkthrough, tested.com has one that's pretty good in my opinion: http://www.tested.com/news/how-to-rip-dvds-to-play-on-any-devicefor-free/19/

Thanks. Walkthrough video looks good.
 
A long shot, but I'm looking for a specific short story I read in high school. I can't remember the name.

It starts off about a boy who lives in a house with some relatives or something that probably don't like him. The house has a library and there's one book he reads that has one page that's so scary that he pins it down so he'll never see it. (It might be a picture of a creepy train station or train tracks or something.) The story skips ahead to the kid as an adult. He's on a train platform, waiting for a train, when a man appears with bandages wrapped around his face. The kid/man is afraid, and starts running, and the man in the bandages chases him. They eventually come to a house (I think) and the kid/man goes inside and runs upstairs, where he finds the book. (I don't remember what he does with the book. He probably opens it and looks at the scary page.) The bandage man enters the room and the kid/man realizes who he is. The kid/man slowly removes the bandages from the other guy's face and the person under the bandages is him. (The doppelganger might not have eyes or a mouth or something.) Then the kid/man reaches out and starts strangling the doppelganger, and the doppelganger does the same, and I think they choke each other to death.

It's very creepy when told properly. :P Does this story ring any bells for anyone? I've wanted to read it again for like ten years but I don't know what it's called and I can't seem to find it on the googles anywhere.
 
Why do people use addicting instead of addictive? It's annoying, and I've been putting those who do on ignore. But this requires some ammount of effort on my part. Could we just issue a firm warning across the boards that it's unacceptable behaviour?

Cheers.
 
Is it true that Canada no longer uses bagged milk?

Osietra said:
Why do people use addicting instead of addictive? It's annoying, and I've been putting those who do on ignore. But this requires some ammount of effort on my part. Could we just issue a firm warning across the boards that it's unacceptable behaviour?

Cheers.
Because it's a logically derived adjective that's in common use, as opposed to an irregular adjective?

Edit: I also suggest you read up on the idea of language descriptivism, and why presciptivism doesn't actually make sense. At all.
 
A long shot, but I'm looking for a specific short story I read in high school. I can't remember the name.*snip*

It's very creepy when told properly. :P Does this story ring any bells for anyone? I've wanted to read it again for like ten years but I don't know what it's called and I can't seem to find it on the googles anywhere.
No bloody clue. I could maybe write you a story like that. ;)

Edit: I also suggest you read up on the idea of language descriptivism, and why presciptivism doesn't actually make sense. At all.
Communication goes both ways. Nothing wrong with a little prescriptivism to keep the channels open.
 
Communication goes both ways. Nothing wrong with a little prescriptivism to keep the channels open.
That is fair enough, but using "rules" to call something that is logical, makes sense, and is perfectly understandable "wrong" is pretty bullshit.
 
What is the most likely cause and/or solution to Internet connection dropouts under the following circumstances: I am using Verizon DSL (yeah, I know FIOS is better, but can't afford it right now) and have been for years, mostly without incident. This intermittent service has only happened twice as far as I know, and both within the last six months. My connection will be fine, and then it will suddenly drop for minutes at a time, then come back, then drop again. If it lasts long enough, my taskbar will show that the network has no Internet access, but my router and DSL modem will show no indications that they've been disconnected. I'm almost positive that this is something that I can't really fix on my end, and it doesn't happen frequently enough to raise that much of a fuss, but it would be nice if it didn't happen a third time.
 
Why does my profile show "N/A" for a bunch of stuff that I left blank, while everyone else just has the things they filled in show up?
 
Why does my profile show "N/A" for a bunch of stuff that I left blank, while everyone else just has the things they filled in show up?

Because it's your profile, so you get a chance to remember that "oh, that thing is a field and I haven't filled it out" instead of neglecting what's there and what's not. Your "N/A"s don't show up to me.
 
A long shot, but I'm looking for a specific short story I read in high school. I can't remember the name.

It starts off about a boy who lives in a house with some relatives or something that probably don't like him. The house has a library and there's one book he reads that has one page that's so scary that he pins it down so he'll never see it. (It might be a picture of a creepy train station or train tracks or something.) The story skips ahead to the kid as an adult. He's on a train platform, waiting for a train, when a man appears with bandages wrapped around his face. The kid/man is afraid, and starts running, and the man in the bandages chases him. They eventually come to a house (I think) and the kid/man goes inside and runs upstairs, where he finds the book. (I don't remember what he does with the book. He probably opens it and looks at the scary page.) The bandage man enters the room and the kid/man realizes who he is. The kid/man slowly removes the bandages from the other guy's face and the person under the bandages is him. (The doppelganger might not have eyes or a mouth or something.) Then the kid/man reaches out and starts strangling the doppelganger, and the doppelganger does the same, and I think they choke each other to death.

It's very creepy when told properly. :P Does this story ring any bells for anyone? I've wanted to read it again for like ten years but I don't know what it's called and I can't seem to find it on the googles anywhere.

Do you remember what time period the story is set in?
 
Use a smooth bore firearm. No rifling to leave marks.
Note that this'll make the gun crazy inaccurate.

Orellio said:
Scratch the shit out of the barrel after you've fired the bullet so the striations are different?
I don't think that would work; wouldn't the rifling marks and finger scratches look pretty different under a microscope?
 
So what's the best way to shoot someone without it coming back to a gun with a serial number? Shoot them point blank and then try to find the bullet?
 
Use a smooth bore firearm. No rifling to leave marks.

A smooth bore could still leave uniquely identifiable striae if it were something like a muzzle loading rifle or a shotgun firing slugs, though. I suppose it would depend on if there were any nicks or imperfections in the barrel.
 
So what's the best way to shoot someone without it coming back to a gun with a serial number? Shoot them point blank and then try to find the bullet?

For the purpose of what you're writing does the perpetrator have to keep the gun? To me it seems it would be easier to file off the serial number, wipe down the gun and leave it at the scene of the crime. As long as there were no witnesses there would be nothing to trace it back to a specific person (aside from motive), in theory.

That's what TV tells me anyway.
 
For the purpose of what you're writing does the perpetrator have to keep the gun? To me it seems it would be easier to file off the serial number, wipe down the gun and leave it at the scene of the crime. As long as there were no witnesses there would be nothing to trace it back to a specific person (aside from motive), in theory.

That's what TV tells me anyway.

Unfortunately, the gun has to be kept. And TV doesn't tell me what to do in this situation, so I'm asking the professionals! (What?)

Fuck it, I'm not using a gun. Thanks anyways, guys!
 
Anyone have the "you've found a quality one" image with the kid talking to that south american prostitute as a rite of passage with his father?
 
I don't think it ever really came up.

Do you remember if the story was a modern story? or a classic?

The first time I read your post, I thought it was an E.A.P story; but it's wildly different to yours.

Context might help. do you remember if the story sounded like a classic narrator, like Victorian times, or whether it was more modern?
 
What are those things called that push a poster from being flush against the wall? It's looks like a white hollow border that goes behind the poster, supposed to be a substitute instead of framing pictures and posters. Unfortunately I can't find an example
 
What are those things called that push a poster from being flush against the wall? It's looks like a white hollow border that goes behind the poster, supposed to be a substitute instead of framing pictures and posters. Unfortunately I can't find an example
Mat?
 
Who should I ask for a username change. Using my real name for GAF is turning out to be a silly idea considering all the idiotic stuff I say on here.
 
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