Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Software

How do I run a single Mac application on a Windows machine?

Unhyper — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 20:53:33 -0800

How do I run a single Mac application on a Windows machine? Is there any way to run a single Mac application on a Windows platform without some kind of Hackintosh setup? There is an application (Scrivener) that only exists for Mac, and its Windows counterparts are just substandard in comparison. Is there a virtual machine solution that can be used?

Looking for good system monitoring / task scheduling software

Nothing — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:09:28 -0800

Looking for good system monitoring / task scheduling software to run on Windows for server monitoring as well as running custom scripts for keeping track application specific metrics. Right now I am using a hand-rolled solution which runs scripts and updates logs / sends emails on output. It's nice because it is easy to add new custom tasks and metrics, but I am looking to migrate the functionality into something a little more robust, possibly with the ability to keep track of tasks running on multiple machines, etc.

Christmas amateur DJ time

mooreeasyvibe — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:48:33 -0800

Does anyone know of any good software for mixing mp3s and making mixes on a mac or pc? That is free/open source.

Looking for audio cart software for Ubuntu.

magstheaxe — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:49:45 -0800

Looking for audio cart software for Ubuntu. Bonus points if it imitates Jazler Show! 1.5.1. Some friends and I have been doing a podcast now for a few years, and have been using the usual Windows-compatible freeware for production--Audacity for recording and mixing, and Jazler Show's freeware edition (1.5.1, found here, second from the bottom) for an audio cart.

Our executive producer has had a computer failure and is not in a position to replace it right now, so he's switched to another, older computer. He's installed the latest Ubuntu distro on it, and is overall very pleased...except that Jazler Show isn't compatible with it. He even tried running Jazler Show using an emulator and has had no luck.

We've hunted around to find a suitable replacement software but so far have come up empty. Our producer has been making do with dropping our promos into the show after we record, but really it's a lot easier to have an audio cart to drop in bumpers, promos, etc. as we record.

Can anyone recommend some freeware or inexpensive audio cart software for Linux?

Thanks in advance!

Help me chart a course...

Zinger — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:46:23 -0800

What's a good, open source alternative to Visio? I'm looking to do some flowcharts, absolutely hate working with the draw tools in Word, and need something fairly simple, easy to use. Prefer not to use web based, don't like trusting data to third parties.

These photos, let me show you them

Lyn Never — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:32:19 -0800

Can anyone recommend a simple PC slideshow application for a friend? Most of the other slideshow questions I could find had various levels of additional difficulty, but really I just need to find a simple 'ware-free slideshow program for PC for a funeral this weekend. Doesn't need to be free (though reasonable is good), no internet features (no internet will be available at display time), no music, no text, just a series of digital photos displayed on a laptop hooked to a projector.

I don't believe PowerPoint is an option, but if anyone can vouch for Open Office's Impress as a viable alternative for this use, I can get that installed for her.

Scrobblin on a Mac with no privileges

puritycontrol — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:34:17 -0800

Please help me install a Last.fm scrobbler for iTunes on Mac OSX 10.5.8 without administrator privileges. I'm a Windows guy, so please keep the explanation simple! This is for my iMac at work, which I've been using for a few months.

I know that you can scrobble iPod tracks, but my iPod is formatted for a PC. And my desk is tiny, so I'd rather not have to bring in an extra set of speakers and hook the iPod up to those. Thanks in advance.

A start menu for Windows 7 where I type "i" for Internet and "f" for Firefox to open that browser?

oxit — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:12:54 -0800

A start menu for Windows 7 where I type i for Internet and f for Firefox to open that browser? Prior to Windows 7 I was using the classic Windows start menu to access most of my software by pressing only three keys on the keyboard:

1. the Windows key, then
2. a key for the folder, e.g. (I)nternet, or (O)ffice, then
3. a key for the application, e.g. (F)irefox or (I)nternet Explorer.

Typing a part of the name in Windows 7's start menu is a lot slower, more cumbersome and error-prone.

Is there a solution to have this in Windows 7? There are many start menu replacements out there, but none I've seen does this. Can you help?

How do I keep my new laptop new for as long as possible?

wet-raspberry — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 15:51:55 -0800

How do I keep my new laptop new for as long as possible? What tools and utilities should I run on to troubleshoot and minimize the risk of losing all my data yet again?

All I have though of so far is:
- scan for viruses using the antivirus software I have installed
- scan for viruses using another antivirus maker's free utility (something along the lines of Free Dr.Web)
- run Spybot Search and Destroy
- defragment

What am I missing?

What's the best WYSIWYG software for web design these days?

julen — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:03:57 -0800

What is the best WYSIWYG website builder for PCs out there these days? My uncle is still using an archaic version of Front Page to produce his family websites. The results look OK but are unusable (hyperlinks don't work) if you are using a Mac or Firefox, which is pretty much rules out 90% of his audience.

So what is the best desktop app for designing websites on a PC these days? He doesn't know HTML, and online webapps aren't an option. It should be easy to use but produce good clean code. Help me only fix the HTML once!

Are there any free Mac programs to remove PDF encryption?

raddevon — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 10:39:12 -0800

Are there any free Mac programs to remove PDF encryption? I purchased a PDF book which I would like to transfer to my new Kindle. I have done the transfer, but the Kindle cannot open the book. I assume this is because the book is encrypted. Does anyone know of a free program for the Mac which will remove this encryption?

How to emulate an older printer....

Kalepa — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:15:47 -0800

Does anyone know of a program that will capture a program's printout to a variety of different printer formats and allow me to print out the output on a newer printer? My problem is this -- I have several older programs that print out to older printers and I would like to them to print out to my newer printers. Two of the programs are 10 plus years old.

I think I'm looking for a printer emulator system but I can't find the right one. I have gone through about 5 of them laboriously.

Otherwise, I think I am looking for what used to be called a "printer capture" file.

Any thots on this?

Thanks!

Recommendations for DJ samples/songs ala Fatboy Slim?

heatherfl — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:30:56 -0800

My husband mixes dance music using Fruity Loops. I want to get him some CDs for Christmas for samples -- particularly stuff that sounds like Fatboy Slim. Help? I can buy loops already sampled or I can buy songs for that he can sample himself, it doesn't matter.

This song is a good overview of what FBS sounds like and what I'm looking for:
Mad Flava

There's a lot of retro sounding piano and brass, some funky bass/guitar, syncopated percussion, a bit of synth/electronica, and non-rap but rhythmically interesting vocals. If you're familiar with Fatboy Slim, you know what I mean!

FYI, I already got him "The Ultimate DJ Sample Box" which has actual Fatboy Slim samples. Just looking for supplemental goodies now.

So what should I get for him, music experts?

Thanks so much!

take a job improvement or wait for something better?

Anonymous — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 11:42:35 -0800

I apologize in advance for complaining about job choices when so many people would love to have that problem. That said, should I take this job that is an improvement but still not what I want? I am in my mid-to-late 20s and work as a consultant/software developer in a big city. I have been meaning to switch jobs for awhile since there are things I dislike about my position - the fact that I almost never work on a project start to finish, the disorganization of my company, the months spent at client sites where I do a lot of non-developing things (which is ok, but not, you know, great). There are still parts I enjoy which has made my need to look less urgent, but I would prefer to do more developing. Specifically I am hoping to find a job that focuses more on web development and UIs (which I do some of now, but not all the time). Also I'd probably prefer being a regular non-consultant employee somewhere and stay still for awhile.

Anyway I haven't actually gotten around to applying anywhere. And then I got contacted by a recruiter and long story short now have an offer. It's more money, but since there is no bonus and less other benefits it isn't that much more, so money isn't the issue. The job is also as a consultant but its full on-site development in a language I like, but its not web development or an area of my industry that specifically interests me, although I would probably enjoy the developing part well enough.

It would be more experience and I know I would learn a lot - on paper it seems logical - but something doesn't feel right, I'm not excited. The fact that they contacted me and not the other way around? That something rubbed me the wrong way about some of the other employees and their hiring process? It's not exactly what I want? Or that I am generally risk-adverse and may be looking for excuses for not having to change jobs?

Developer-specific question: Do places tend to hire web developers if they haven't been doing web stuff for the last year or two? I do want to work in web development eventually. Right now I do it maybe 50% of the time and this new place would be 0%, but I'd probably get better general full project lifecycle experience, does that balance out?

General question: If you don't hate your current job but still want to leave, is it worth taking a job that is currently better but not necessarily in the direction you want? Or wait around for something you are actually excited about? Should I try to do a proper search on my own, or am I being too picky?

Input from anyone with a similar experience is also appreciated.

Thanks!

Writer meets arthritis

grumblebee — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:18:40 -0800

Mac voice-recognition software for a writer with arthritis. My father's arthritis is making it more and more difficult for him to type. This is hard for him, because he's been a writer for decades (over 25 books and countless articles). He is considering switching to voice-recognition software.

Here are some things to note:

- He is originally from England but has lived in the US since the 1950s. He is a very clear speaker, but his accent is a mix of British (cockney originally) and American.

- He owns a Mac.

- He is not highly computer literate, but he lives in a university town and could find people to help him set things up if necessary. He probably will have trouble if the voice-recognition software itself is overly complicated to use.

I am looking for any advice and experiences with this. What is the state of the art these days? What's available for the Mac? What is the experience like for people who are heavy users?

Best simple Windows backup software?

fishmasta — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:37:05 -0800

Looking for good easy-to-use Windows backup software. I'm looking for a backup solution for my dad that will be as easy to use as possible. He's not very computer savvy so the simpler the better. Basically I'm looking into something similar to Time Machine for OS X that will automatically update his backup drive every time he plugs it in with an option to restore from his backup should anything crash. He's currently on Windows XP, but is looking at getting a laptop (which presumably will have Windows 7 installed), so something that will function well across both would be best. Thanks!

What's the best agile project management tool?

bshort — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:24:47 -0800

What's your favorite agile project management tool? I'm looking for something that allows tracking of backlog, user tasks, developer time for tasks, and provides reporting for sprints, projects, and user stories on a daily, weekly, and sprint-level basis.

I've looked at AgileBuddy, which is pretty great, but the reporting isn't very good. I need to be able to see who did what 6 weeks ago, and I need to be able to do it without referring to the "activity view", which shows every action by every team member.

Is there another tool out there that I should be looking at?

Oh, and it needs to be web-based.

Back to the basics

jfricke — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 09:36:15 -0800

I really like the idea of text-based programs like WriteRoom (Mac) or DarkRoom (Windows). Are there similar applications for other purposes? I am looking for any software that is more or less text-based, is not a game and runs with Microsoft Windows or Mac OS. Examples would be a text based email-client, text based to-do list or a text based diary.

Nerd seeks Leigh Steinberg

Anonymous — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:25:01 -0800

I'm a veteran software engineer / technical lead working for an internet company. I think I've got an opportunity to really cash in at my job, and need guidance on how best to do this. For the past two years I have been working on a product that is about to make my company some serious revenue.

Right now, I feel pretty irreplaceable. Because of some organizational turmoil and chronic understaffing, I have enormous development, management, and operational responsibilities. I have no backup for any of these roles. I have a good reputation in the company, as far as I know, and have done well-received presentations for our executives. I also have offers from other companies as a security blanket.

There will be a short window of opportunity for me to cash in, between the time when the deal to sell the product is signed and the time when I can train up whatever new staff comes along. Our product is a B2B thing with significant professional service opportunities. It's not turnkey. During this window, the sale will live and die on my efforts.

I would like to capitalize on that in a career-defining way. Exactly how I'll do that, I'm not sure. I have some ideas, but I need help with them.

So: I would like to hire someone who can give me a reality check, who can help me hone my pitch and define my requirements, and who has a background in business, negotiation, and contract law. I want this person to help me look like I know exactly what I'm doing. I don't think I want to hire someone to do the actual negotiating; I want more of an advisor. Can anyone suggest where to find such a person? I am in Seattle so if you have a recommendation in this area, that'd be especially cool.

Quark Problems

aburd — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:58:21 -0800

My mom is a graphic designer and uses Quark. She just switched from a PowerPC based Macbook Pro to an Intel based MacBook Pro. Using the new Macbook Pro, she can't seem to open the Quark files she created using the old MacBook pro. It produces an error saying something about the processor. Is there a nice program for converting such files? I don't know much about Quark or design software but please let me know if I am skipping some obvious detail. I want to get her this software for Christmas so I can't be too obvious but I can probably get some details out of her without being too obvious.

Make it speak English!

crazylegs — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:35:47 -0800

Just downloaded Play65 but it isn't in English! Help! I want to play backgammon online for money. I just downloaded some online backgammon software called 'Play65'. When I open it on my computer it is written in a language I don't recognize, possibly Hebrew? How do I make it into English?

SEEKING SOFTWARE

cameronfromedinburgh — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:33:39 -0800

KODAK i220 scanner software: can any of you fine meta-types point me in the direction of the download for the operating software for this piece of hardware? I live in the UK and have Vista as an o/s. I have tried googling but could only find an upgrade, and an email to Kodak has gone unanswered. I have borrowed this scanner from a relative who is currently contracting in Australia, so I can't just pop round and collect the original disc.

In Search of Events Management Software

redarmycomrade — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:09:55 -0800

What are some good software platforms/services that will help us run our conferences? My company runs a number of small conferences, and we're looking for an events management software platform to handle session content, agendas, registration, and call for proposals. Looking for suggestions along the lines of ExpectNation and Cvent. Hopefully cheaper!

Help Get Me Going at my New Gig

sidd.darko — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:17:28 -0800

What are your tips when starting a new job as a software developer? Looking for coding, organizational approaches and social hints as well. Happily, my way out of this situation was to find myself a new job. YAY ME !

I've read this thread but I'm hoping to find answers specific to development. I'm also going back to a language on another platform and I'd like to ramp up quickly. Any tips along these lines would also be appreciated.

Thanks Green !

chinese language educational software for native chinese speaking kids

alcahofa — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:48:34 -0800

my kids (ages 3 and 6) are beginning to learn chinese. i am looking for useful materials and strategies to get them fluent. i don't speak chinese. one thing that helped a lot in learning spanish (their second language) was spanish language education software that targets native spanish speakers ages 3 to 5. does anyone have any recommendations both for the chinese educational software of this type and how to buy it when you don't speak chinese. there is absolutely nothing more daunting than a chinese language web site.