Software Recommendations

kalina

12:20 AM

right, I'm going to go and do that sleep thing

nn

Gilles

@kalina looks ok to me, the main requirement is detecting a headshot in a picture, which is nontrivial

kalina

oh it's been edited multiple times already

that second paragraph was missing before

danijelc

yap actually look k now

Nick Wilde

6:43 AM

gah! power out for the last arround 9 hours!

gargh

kalina

8:39 AM

morning

Fractaliste

Hi

kalina

o/

Stack Exchange

9:18 AM

0

Q: Is the perfect enemy of the good?

I have a general question, which, I think, is well demonstrated in this Q&A (and the comments beneath my answer). So, the TS has a question about good tool for beginners. Obviously, that's the main feature request. In addition, he asks specific questions regarding other features (secondary requi...

discussion

Izzy

\o_

kalina

9:32 AM

_o/

Izzy

9:47 AM

\o/

Stack Exchange

0

Q: Changed SO response to "recommendation questions"

I posted a request on Meta SO, that questions "closed as a software recommendation" have the closure complaint modified to suggest that SR be used as an alternative. I'm posting the link here, so that SR-meta people might respond here or at Meta SO as they see fit: Changed response to "Recommen...

feature-request

kalina

/o\

Izzy

10:45 AM

_o_

¯o¯

Liar Liar Pants on Fire

someone recommend me softwares for 1 day old installed fresh windows 7 ultimate

kalina

a full list of softwares?

interesting

what do you use your machine for?

do the basics anyway...

all windows updates

graphics card drivers

7zip

steam (if you play games)

putty into the windows folder or location included in %PATH% if you ssh to anything

google chrome with ghostery and adblock extensions

vlc

install windows components > tablet extras

pin snipping tool to the task bar

skype

Izzy

A boot manager, and Linux on the second partition.

kalina

@Izzy lol

Izzy

Alternatively, A VM to run a decent OS in #D

kalina

10:54 AM

I resisted stating "upgrade to windows 8.1"

Izzy

@kalina Yupp, I love "generic questions" without any specifications.

kalina

you should resist "install linux"

Izzy

@kalina That would make things worse #D

@kalina That's at least an improvement!

kalina

@Izzy nah, 8.1 is the best OS Microsoft has ever made once you get used to its quirks

Izzy

Oh yeah. With greetings from the people who brought you edlin...

Honestly: If the only spec is the OS on the machine, how shall I know any orientation? So I assume mine, and fit the recommendations based on that. And that would be to first get a real OS on the machine #D

kalina

10:56 AM

so many people laugh when I say "windows 8.1 is the best OS microsoft has ever made"

Izzy

Not a "game console" which tells me to reboot as soon as I move the mouse pointer.

(if it moves the mouse pointer at all when I move the mouse, that is)

kalina

once you get over the start screen (which, if you spend some time putting all your stuff on it is actually pretty useful) it's basically windows 7, but faster, more secure, less cpu/gpu intensive, etc

Izzy

(20% of the day is "Simpson time" here – where Windows shows me a donut instead of a mouse pointer...)

kalina

I see the start screen so rarely now I have my PC configured how I want it to be configured

I pin everything I use to the taskbar

every application I use on my PC is a single click away

Izzy

I have no choice with that Win-stuff at work. They get a security fix every week at least, and we all have to "log off".

kalina

10:59 AM

except games, which are two clicks away

oh my PC has been complaining about needing to reboot for updates for ages

I just ignore it

Izzy

And I guess even an update to edlin asks you to reboot...

kalina

I reboot once every 4 to 6 weeks

Ubuntu pesters me to reboot because of updates more than Windows does

Izzy

Reboots are for hardware changes. And maybe kernel updates. My machine at home gets bootet 2 or 3 times a year.

Journeyman Geek

>_>

Izzy

</rant> #D

Journeyman Geek

11:00 AM

I shut down both my regular systems at night ;p

Izzy

=:-0

Journeyman Geek

I have something specifically for long running tasks like downloading livecds, and staying on SE chat

kalina

my Linux machine has an uptime of...

11:00:49 up 89 days, 23:20, 2 users, load average: 0.59, 0.31, 0.22

Journeyman Geek

@Izzy: I quite literally have too many systems ;p

kalina

that's the PC that warms my feet up under my desk

Izzy

11:01 AM

I use my computer for work, not for boot! Boots belong to the feet!

kalina

my Windows machine has an uptime of...

Izzy

Oh no...

kalina

10 days 17 hours

Izzy

"my uptime is longer than yours" #D

kalina

@Izzy lol no I'm not interested in doing that

Izzy

11:02 AM

Last time I've checked, it was ~ 187d

Journeyman Geek

My uptime at the moment is not very high, I had a power outage ;p

kalina

the longest uptime I've ever had out of a linux machine is ~400 days (running Gentoo)

Izzy

@JourneymanGeek Good point! If I'd run Windows, I'd pretent "we have frequent power outages in this area" #D

kalina

the longest uptime I've ever had out of a Windows PC is ~4 months

but the usage patterns between the two machines was wildly different

Journeyman Geek

@Izzy: Oh, I run linux on the long running task systems

Izzy

11:03 AM

@kalina Yupp, I remember those. Several years ago, had something like that. Then decided "size is not all that matters", installed those long-pending kernel updates, and rebooted #D

Journeyman Geek

much more stable, less likely to reboot in the middle of the night

kalina

I find because I don't get on with Linux I'll configure it and leave it running by itself for months between logins

and with Windows I use it daily

Izzy

Yupp. To stop the "flame war" before it starts: There's no such thing as "the best OS". There's just "the OS best fitted for you".

kalina

I don't think this was going to devolve into a flame war

Izzy

So for me, that's Linux. Which does not mean that applies to everybody else :)

kalina

11:05 AM

but yeah, best OS is the OS that fulfils your requirements

Izzy

@kalina Nope, right. Not here, not with us.

kalina

I did run Gentoo as my main OS for months

I found that it didn't have the application support I needed for it to fully replace Windows

Izzy

I used SuSE for years. Until every bug fix they brought up introduced more problems than it solved.

kalina

when you get to the stage where half of the programs you're running are running through Wine, it's time to reinstall Windows

Izzy

Then switched to Ubuntu. Until they started with that stupid Unity stuff, and broke privacy (integrating Amazon into desktop searches by default).

kalina

11:07 AM

and Windows these days is just as stable as any other OS, it's not like XP and it's certainly no vista

Izzy

Next will be plain Debian.

kalina

Unity is soooo bad

Windows 8 got so much flack for the start screen but Unity is just as horrible

Liar Liar Pants on Fire

@kalina thanks

Izzy

@kalina It's oriented on mobile devices with a maximum screen size of 10". Who runs a desktop with a display like that?

kalina

If I was going to run Linux as my primary OS, I'd use XFCE

Izzy

11:08 AM

Good choice!

I'm using LXDE currently. Liked the design a bit more.

kalina

I never really got on with KDE, it's too much like...

well, it's too much like what Microsoft did with the default blue Windows XP theme

Izzy

But LXDE uses several components of XFCE AFAIK :)

kalina

like it's some kind of toy

and I've heard (but not personally tried) that GNOME3 has gone downhill a bit

well, "that GNOME has gone downhill in version 3"

Izzy

KDE was good before it reached v4. I was using it since the early v1.

But with v4 they've introduced Plasma (purge it with fire!). Caused me nothing but trouble.

Took me a couple of month to figure Plasma was the cause (see my posts on AU)

Killed it immediately, and switched to LXDE.

Got me a huge boost in performance, available RAM, and other things...

Liar Liar Pants on Fire

@kalina NONSENSE LINUX

because of it my pc crashed

and alos i have a lot of ram

i dont need

kalina

11:13 AM

Installing Linux is unlikely to cause your PC to crash

Journeyman Geek

11:46 AM

@Izzy: I kinda like KDE 4 ;p

(though, my main DE seems to be LXDE these days ;p)

Undo

2:18 PM

-3

Q: Changed response to "Recommendation questions"?

SO has long had a policy of closing questions asking for recommendations as "off topic", with the following kind of closure annotation: Questions asking us to recommend or find a tool, library or favorite off-site resource are off-topic for Stack Overflow as they tend to attract opinionated a...

feature-request questions

Braiam

@olli about my edit, old hardware will change with time and each person interprets old hardware differently (some thinks that old is 2 years, some 6 years, some 6 months)

Undo

That scares me.

Braiam

@Undo yeah

on the third hand, I'm the most hated candidate in the AU mod election

Undo

;(

I wish I had enough rep there to un-hate you.

Braiam

heh, you would need enough suckspuppet to do that

Undo

2:31 PM

Ooooh I'm at 990 rep >:D

yay 1000!

DanteTheEgregore

@LiarLiarPantsonFire Is this another new Linux distro? I swear I can't keep up with them...

:P

Fractaliste

@JasonDown Oh I havn't seen it on the title, thks

I delete my useless comment

Jason Down

@Fractaliste np :)

deleted mine too

Braiam

2:49 PM

You mean that the server should run on Linux or Windows? A web interface only needs a browser. — Braiam 2 mins ago

@Braiam Yes, that's what I mean. — Rinke 36 secs ago

WELP!

Undo

heh

kalina

3:22 PM

site first: softwarerecs.stackexchange.com/help/badges/12/strunk-white

Braiam

anyone knows better tags for this? or should we create new ones for bug/ticket tracker

kalina

don't we have a project management tag?

hmmm we have project-planning

I think we should change that tag to project-management

and then apply it to that question also

"FogBugz is an integrated web-based project management system featuring bug/issue tracking"

^ wikipedia

and that's the sort of thing he's after

nevermind, I'm blind

Undo

3:38 PM

@Izzy Ping about the comments

Izzy

@kalina Are you sure this should be tagged "project-management": Is there a good incident management tool?

@Undo Oh -- OK, coming...

kalina

8 mins ago, by kalina

"FogBugz is an integrated web-based project management system featuring bug/issue tracking"

FogBugz being described as project management means I suspect yes, it shuold be

ultimately, if your project has bugs in it, it's still project management to keep track of those bugs

Izzy

@Undo Done, your turn (one left, it's from you :)

Undo

done

Izzy

@kalina Ah, OK. Was just wondering. I've got another tool in mind – and yes, one could talk of "managing software projects" :)

@Undo Thanks!

@Undo Yuck. Just saw something about self-destruct and wanted to check, but it was gone boom... #D

Undo

3:48 PM

hehe

kalina

@Izzy I'm not sure that question required the gratis tag

3ventic

Why do I relate "gratis" to "thanks"

Undo

gracious in spanish

3ventic

OOOH, Spanish, of course

and Italian, probably

Braiam

> requesting software for any kind of management of a project, be it roadmap, issue tracking, support tickets, collaborative development, etc.

project-management tag exerpt

oh well, there it goes

Izzy

4:00 PM

@kalina OK, roll back if you like, no prob with me. You mentioned that as a preference, not a "strict requirement", right. While rolling back, please check my comment there: I might have something nice if "full feature coverage" might be limited to DE/ES/FR/IL/UK :)

(speed of course should work world-wide #D)

kalina

4:11 PM

@Izzy answered

well, updated

kalina

4:26 PM

@Izzy I have flagged you as obsolete btw, since I made my edit

That Brazilian Guy

4:47 PM

@3ventic Because you feel grateful when you get free stuff?

3ventic

@ThatBrazilianGuy Free stuff is either crap or has hidden costs.

... most of the time

Izzy

@kalina Humm? You flagged me as obsolete? (looking around) Can't see a flag. Back on my head, or where?

kalina

just there

points

Izzy

Btw: Answered and removed my comment (as you've included that information with your question meanwhile)

@kalina Argh! Gamers. Always those paintballs... #D

And I look for flags...

@Caleb LOL! Changing out your entire navigation software stack to get a speedometer readout is like changing out you car because the rear view mirror fell off.

I'd recommended a HUD, but that was not requested #D

Caleb

@Izzy No but a Navigation solution that does everything Google Nav does plus a speedometer was. I am not recommending a HUD, I am recommending an OVERLAY. The solution is keep Google Nav but get your extra feature too.

kalina

5:01 PM

@Caleb An overlay seems like a perfect solution

since you get to keep Google's navigation stuff

I'm going to test DigiHud on the way home

Izzy

@Caleb Yupp, you're absolutely right – I was taking it a bit too literally...

Took the freedom to integrate some screenshots, and then upvoted my ed... umm, your answer :)

Caleb

Thanks l was going to do that ...

Izzy

5:21 PM

@Caleb Oh... sorry then. Feel free to replace :)

Angelo Neuschitzer

So, did I miss something important?

Caleb

No no I get distracted and am on mobile so that's great that its done

Izzy

@Caleb NP, you're always welcome!

kalina

6:17 PM

@Caleb have some more internet points, DigiHud is exactly the solution I needed

I need just 40 more internet points to be able to do reviewing in the other two queues

Seth

6:45 PM

@kalina Have a couple more :)

I really need to answer a question.. Hmm.

kalina

@Seth ta

Seth

@Caleb I was thinking of answering your git question with GitHub for Windows, but I'm not entirely sure it meets your requirements.

kalina

judging by the downvotes on my mod post, I'm guessing I should just remove it at this stage

Seth

It's dead simple though.

@kalina I don't recommend that.

but shrug.

kalina

mmh

I just closed the window, it's the nominate temp mods

+post

Seth

6:48 PM

I don't think Github for Windows supports the RSA key stuff.. but I don't know as I've never used that feature of git.

kalina

I'm quite disappointed since this is just going to end up in whoever does end up getting the role complaining about the number of edits/flags/everything else I raise

Seth

heh

emm.. I'm not sure GitHub for windows does anything other than GitHub either.

kalina

7:15 PM

I just put a nice answer on that ambiguous question asking for methods of remote control > softwarerecs.stackexchange.com/a/1400/305

I haven't missed any steps have I?

Caleb

@Seth I'm impressed by how simple/clean they made that, at least from the site. But the github ecosystem is not an option here, the push has the be over ssh to a dedicated server, if it won't do that it's deal breaker.

Seth

@Caleb Yeah I don't think it works on anything other than github :(

Braiam

9:38 PM

Anyone things that this is a good canned comment?

> If you like, you can ask in Software Recommendations for one solution that fits your needs. Remember that they will ask to follow their quality standards.

3ventic

Seems good to me

Izzy

Yupp. Just a little "soft" :)

But friendly :)

I just tried something similar on Android Enthusiasts, even a little stronger, and directly indicated that question would need improvement before posted there. Guess what the next comment from the OP was?

Braiam

f**k off?

Izzy

A simple request to "migrate" the question as-is.

Braiam

Izzy

9:41 PM

Admitted, on ASE terms it was clear what was asked about (OT, right :) But migrated as-is, noone would even know it's about Android in the first place...

@Braiam How did you know what I answered? #D

3ventic

No, that's still a beta site (so no migration). Did you follow the second link of my previous comment? If you'd post a 1:1 copy of this question, it will be closed as well. So even if we could migrate it over, we would not. — Izzy 17 mins ago

That one?

Gilles

4

A: Changed response to "Recommendation questions"?

I expect this should happen, but not just yet, wait at least a few weeks. The site entered public beta yesterday and doesn't even have moderators yet. We need the site to grow gradually. To accommodate an increasing number of questions, we also need an increasing number of answerers and of janit...

Braiam

@Gilles yeah, well, saw a Q on AU that got closed as duplicated of another too broad Q that just lists all the DLNA servers available

Gilles

-1

Q: What is the best GUI for Source Control (SVN, Git, or Mercurial) on OSX?

I've been using the command line to make commits to my repositories, what could I be using instead? I'm particularly interested in SVN.

osx git

^^^^ typical example of what we don't want

Braiam

this askubuntu.com/q/408395/169736

@Gilles yuk!

danijelc

9:51 PM

@Gilles yap voted to close it...

Braiam

@Gilles did you used a canned comment for that one?

Gilles

@Braiam no, I haven't got one for questions yet

Izzy

@3ventic Exactly.

Gilles

we could start a meta thread about canned comments (or is there one already?)

164 meta questions already

danijelc

I dont think we have one for caned responses

Gilles

9:55 PM

in two weeks, this site had more meta questions than French Language Meta did in two years

Izzy

@Gilles Yepp. Hence my above comment. And I only mention SR when the question is at least, well, somehow near of what we'd expect. On crap, I rather stay silent :)

Gilles

@danijelc I want caning responses for the really bad ones

@Izzy the problem on crap is when someone has already mentioned SR (in which case I've proposed a different canned comment template: meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/221970/…

danijelc

yes I agree @Gilles and there will be more and more bad ones

Gilles

Remember: downvote, vote to close, comment

danijelc

would be possible on such sites to direct a new user to specific meta page prior they post for first time?

Gilles

9:59 PM

@danijelc not to a meta page, but there could be a click-through screen, like there is on SO. However the experience on SO shows that people click and post crap anyway.

danijelc

k well it's in human nature.. I mean not to read prior acting

Gilles

Anyone care to edit softwarerecs.stackexchange.com/questions/1399/… ? It looks like it could be ok, but I can't get through the wall of text

danijelc

give me sec

Izzy

@Gilles Read and upvoted. What a pity I can only do so once! Would read it a second time if then I could upvote it again #D

Just a thought: Can we have a popup on "the first question asked" by a user? With a "I have read this and agree" button available only after a delay of... um, don't want to be too harsh... say, 20 seconds?

danijelc

@Gilles are u able to check edit? made it readable added links and bullet points

Gilles

10:15 PM

@danijelc no, but @Izzy can

and thank you

danijelc

@Izzy good idea Izzy that may slow new user to just post so maybe it will slow bad questions and answers

np

consider english is my third language so read proof is welcome :)

@izzy we re speaking bout this one softwarerecs.stackexchange.com/questions/1399/…

Izzy

@danijelc Yeah, just on it (was in the queue). Where did you pick those specs from?

DanteTheEgregore

0

Q: Windows based software to test "net neutrality" of ISP

I'm looking for Windows, or MAC, based software that I can use to test if my ISP(Comcast) is throttling traffic to some domains but not others. I've tried tracert but are they better solutions with a GUI and report generation capabilities?

windows networking network-monitor

Is this question really so bad?

Izzy

@danijelc Yupp. The impatient will just close the tab/browser (those are the same which otherwise post "low quality), hopefully #D

Gilles

@DanteTheEgregore not very bad. It just needs a little clarification.

danijelc

10:21 PM

thats right

Izzy

10

Q: What is required for a question to contain "enough information"?

This is the question edition of What is required for an answer to be high quality? One of the key problems that I see Software Recommendations having, is people asking extremely vague and simple questions that ultimately boil down to one of the two close reasons we see on the rest of the network...

discussion question-quality questions faq-proposed

@danijelc approved your edit. Not sure if it needs a second approval...

I'm not a mod, after all :)

danijelc

@Izzy I dont mind thing is english is my third language so mistypings u know

17

Q: How to ask and answer software recommendation questions - aka 'The Ground Rules'

This was originally posted by me on Area51 Discuss and has proved to be a valuable guide when it comes to asking and answering the kinds of questions a site like this needs to thrive. Please, use this as a base line, but refine it, tighten it up and use it for the basis of your help center ent...