The Frying Pan

@BobMcGee Hmm surely I can find some other program that can do that? I have never tried that on Google Docs, actually. I could do it in Windows Mobile 6.

BobMcGee

I'm married to google services for the forseeable future. Can't imagine going to Apple products because of the less tight integration with them.

Cerberus

@BobMcGee Hmm what do you mean? Why do you need Google Docs for that?

BobMcGee

@Cerberus Why would you want to use Windows Mobile 6 though?

@Cerberus Because it's much easier?

Cerberus

2:34 AM

@BobMcGee I don't have a good reason to switch, and they're very good and convenient.

@BobMcGee Because that was all my phone could do!

@BobMcGee Why not just use any application where you can write down stuff?

I don't think I understand your scenario completely.

About the apartment.

BobMcGee

@Cerberus Because then you lose the cloud integration, with automagic backup and accessibility anywhere

Cerberus

I have that with Dropbox.

BobMcGee

for example, you could split up with friends and each look at different apartments, jotting down notes and adding pictures as you tour each.

Cerberus

Dropbox can do all the cloudy stuff? But I guess Google Docs get a big extra point if it is the only application that can edit office documents on Android.

I was going to find and download such an application, but I never got round to trying it.

BobMcGee

It's the most convenient one for doing that sort of thing.

Cerberus

2:37 AM

Are you sure?

Now I will try it.

Never used it before.

BobMcGee

There are word processing and so forth suites for smartphone, but Google Docs is just... handy.

It has made organization and file management much, much simpler for me.

Cerberus

@BobMcGee First time I try: weird error.

I already had Drive installed and connected.

The files were displayed, but couldn't open the one I tried.

@Cerberus Wait

Didn't see it?

2:40 AM

My wifi is super strong.

@BobMcGee Sorry, posted wrong stuff from clipboard.

BobMcGee

scratch head

You'll need to be logged into your google account

It's like any office suit though, where there can be conversion issues with other formats

Cerberus

@BobMcGee I am. I always am. Let me try again.

It is unfair that I am using this error against you now, hehe.

But fun.

BobMcGee

If you aren't automagically logged into Drive with your phone, it's on crack.

Cerberus

Ah, now it works.

@BobMcGee No, I saw the correct list of my files inside the Docs drive. Just got an error opening one.

But not any more.

Hmm it opens Word and .xlsx files in some kind of "document viewer", a different application.

But the .xls file opened in Drive as it should.

@BobMcGee What happens when you open a Word document from your Drive?

BobMcGee

Its Office import isn't perfect, but export is generally good to go

Hold on while it syncs

sigh this might be a moment

Cerberus

2:49 AM

holding on

BobMcGee

the google drive local folder thingy is wonky sometimes

Cerberus

What did you do to it?

@BobMcGee On your PC?

I don't use that.

BobMcGee

It views fine, error on converting

But I'm using an ANCIENT version of office

Office XP IIRC

except this file is probably even older than that!

Cerberus

I'm using Office 2003.

I think most people are using older versions of Office.

Meanwhile, it tries to open .docx files in Drive itself, I think (not in this Android document viewer), but they give errors.

BobMcGee

scratch head

Cerberus

2:53 AM

Perhaps I have blocked Drive from certain permissions, hold on.

Checking permissions...

BobMcGee

"Server error" is apparently a temporary thing.

Cerberus

In any case, Dropbox never gives my any errors as long as I can remember.

BobMcGee

Does it offer built-in editing though?

Cerberus

I don't think so.

BobMcGee

shrug I generally use Docs as the Office suite in its own format

Cerberus

2:56 AM

So that's where Drive would come in handy, if there's no better option on Android itself.

BobMcGee

It does a pretty good job when pasting in formatting.

@Cerberus I can't swear to this, but it does work fairly well.

and it has good portability.

Cerberus

I don't know, Word works better for me than anything. Google Docs on my PC can be a bit flaky or slow.

BobMcGee

It's the best solution I've found for when you work on the same stuff on both phone and computer.

Cerberus

The permissions I had disabled for Drive were Use Camera, Access Contacts, Access Call Log.

I really don't see why it needs all that.

But, then, Google already has my contacts.

And they won't abuse my camera.

BobMcGee

Maybe it uses the call log for security?

Or something?

rfusca

2:59 AM

I use docs for personal stuff

for work, kinda have to use M$ stuff

Cerberus

Hmm apparently "Read Contacts" also includes call frequency. Google doesn't have that from me yet.

@BobMcGee Sounds weird.

rfusca

i wish we didn't use Outlook at work

they've talked about going to gmail

Cerberus

The desktop client?

rfusca

ya

Cerberus

I've always hated that.

rfusca

3:02 AM

nod

Cerberus

It is also said be less safe.

rfusca

wouldn't surprise me

BobMcGee

@Cerberus It is. Everything stored locally, often passwords too...

Cerberus

@BobMcGee That, but also much more vulnerable to viruses.

Okay, I have enabled all permissions, and now Drive opens my .docx document.

BobMcGee

@Cerberus Not an issue for me, because I don't open dicey attachments like a moron.

Cerberus

3:04 AM

So it wants to access my private data for opening a .docx document, but not for other documents.

BobMcGee

@Cerberus That is... bizarre

Cerberus

@BobMcGee They said Outlook automatically displayed certain pictures in emails, and that there were certain vulnerabilities that could allow viruses to be executed that way.

@BobMcGee It is doing so too on your phone, hehe.

You just don't notice.

BobMcGee

@Cerberus JPEG exploit ftw

@rfusca Do you also find Google Docs nicely fills that niche between a note-taking app (such as Evernote) and a professional-grade word processing suite (with all the bells and whistles)?

rfusca

@BobMcGee ya, i do

Cerberus

@BobMcGee Yup.

@BobMcGee So can you open a .doc document in Drive?

Because I can't.

Doesn't offer me the option.

BobMcGee

3:07 AM

@Cerberus It's not letting me either.

Cerberus

OK.

BobMcGee

RTF exports fine though

Cerberus

I mainly use .doc.

BobMcGee

ODT from Libreoffice imports OK

Cerberus

But I wahant doc!

BobMcGee

3:10 AM

@Cerberus And I want a piece of cake, but apparently neither of us gets what we want?

Docx works fine for me too.

Cerberus

stamps foot

BobMcGee

Solution: don't use an obselete format :P

It's supposed to support it, there's just some sort of short-term problem

sigh I dunno, Cerberus

Use one of the other formats. All I know is that Google Docs makes my life much easier on a regular basis.

Cerberus

@BobMcGee Okay, I have consulted The Internet.

And most sites say Drive is so-so as an office suite.

Of the free suites, Kingsoft is praised all over.

Installing...

BobMcGee

@Cerberus Let me know if it works out well for you. I am curious about the other options (although happy with Google Docs for the niche it inhabits)

It has to beat the pants off of Libreoffice, which is just... ugh.

Gotta try and find a way to get Office 2010 for now, because LibreOffice + Google Docs just doesn't cut it on the new computer, and I don't even know if Office XP will install... nor do I want to.

rfusca

3:26 AM

sweet! my best friend is driving up to Dallas to see me off before I head to atlanta

BobMcGee

@rfusca Betcha it'll be a hell of a send-off!

rfusca

lol, i don't know about that

Cerberus

@BobMcGee So far, it works. It seamlessly opens documents from Dropbox too.

@BobMcGee I avoid the ribbon thing like the plague, so I use 2003.

BobMcGee

No ribbon prejudice.

Hrhm, it would appear that I need to make a grocery run before the store closes.

Back in a bit.

rfusca

wow, the moving company wants $234 just to pack my TV

its a 32 inch tv..i could nearly buy a new one for that

Cerberus

3:36 AM

@BobMcGee Bye!

@rfusca Outrageous!

Just to pack it?

Or for moving it too?

rfusca

@Cerberus just to PACK it

they claim its the expense of the box

and the bubble wrap

Cerberus

@rfusca Ridiculous! You will pack it yourself, then.

rfusca

@Cerberus well, the quote from the moving company was too high overall

Cerberus

Ah OK.

rfusca

so we'll be packing everything ourselves

and moving in a rental truck

I'm thinking of getting The Windup Girl as an audio book for the drive out to atlanta

Cerberus

4:03 AM

Doing it yourself sounds wise.

But, if you ask some friends to help you, you will be fine.

Most people don't mind.

It is carrying the responsibility and the burden of organisation that suck.

BobMcGee

4:17 AM

@rfusca Bull effing SHIT.

rfusca

@BobMcGee i know!

i'm gonna call the person in charge tomorrow

thats just kinda insane

BobMcGee

@rfusca That's not "kinda insane" it's either an error or someone trying to rip you off blatantly.

rfusca

lol ya

there should be a tiny thumb drive with a usb micro connection

BobMcGee

@rfusca Can't you just get a converter?

(You mean for travel, to plug into cars, right?)

Or to hook into your phone for extra storage?

rfusca

@BobMcGee nah, something that could plug into the Nexus 7

Cerberus

4:28 AM

Does no suck thing exist?

And won't the N7 take normal USB?

rfusca

@Cerberus no, micro usb connection only

@Cerberus doesn't look like it

BobMcGee

4:50 AM

Ho, @rfusca, this might be of interest:

androidcentral.com/how-use-your-usb-flash-drives-nexus-7-root

rfusca

@BobMcGee lol i was reading that right now

BobMcGee

Great minds, @rfusca, great minds.

rfusca

i was really wanting something tiny that could just stay plugged in though

BobMcGee

@Cerberus I'm doing something mildly sketchy which I probably ought not to be.

rfusca

@BobMcGee like this, but with a micro usb connection

amazon.com/SanDisk-Cruzer-Flash-Drive-SDCZ33-016G-B35/dp/…

BobMcGee

4:52 AM

@rfusca I get the idea, I just don't know if they exist

rfusca

@BobMcGee ya, i know :(

BobMcGee

Especially since Android isn't supposed to support that use.

Holy christ on a stick, is it already 1 AM?

rfusca

seems a pity

@BobMcGee lol

Cerberus

@BobMcGee Wait, what, what?

I like sketchy!

BobMcGee

@Cerberus Er, you should probably tell me not to do it

:-/

rfusca

4:57 AM

@BobMcGee oh my

tsk tsk tsk

Cerberus

@BobMcGee The first question is: why?

BobMcGee

I know, is bad.

Cerberus

What do you expect of it?

And do you think you can get what you want out of it, i.e. not go past the limits that you have set yourself?

Can you trust yourself?

BobMcGee

I think so?

Cerberus

You need to be pretty sure.

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