DVD creator software
by James Pluck
Hi all!
I'm in a bit of a bind. I'm trying to create a dvd out of some home
movies we've made of our foster son so we can give them to his birth
parents and his grandparents as part of their Christmas gift. However,
the only software I can find is commercial and I can't afford it - let
alone know how to use it.
I could do with some hints, please
I need software that will allow me to create a DVD that is a mix of
approximately 10 video clips (in MOV format as that is the only format
for video that our digi-cam uses) and a slideshow of approx 50 photos -
so it's definitely less than a DVD's worth of footage.
FOSS software preferred but I will try shareware or commercial if I have to.
Any help that can be provided would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
James.
--
A Mathematician named Klein
Thought the mobius strip was divine
Said he "If you glue
The edges of two
You'll get a cool bottle, like mine!"
12 years, 5 months
Java or Python?
by Chris O'Halloran
I am looking for some thoughts/opinions on the merits of these two languages.
Over the years I book a few books on Java including
Java in Nutshell
Java Foundation Class
Java for Scientist and Engineers
The latter being the most useful to me.
However, I've never really got the hang of how it all works. I don't
have a formal programming background
In recent times, I've come across Python and lately stumbled upon
SciPy,ipython, NumPy and matplotlib.sourceforge.net. I've also
noticed that Python has PyQt that enables you to use the Qt and poss
KDE for widgets and gui interface. KDE is the desktop of choice for
me and QT Designer are all "sudo apt-get install " away.
Both Python and Java are cross platform which a plus.
What I would like to do is put together small applications often using
complex numbers and array for the engineering work that I do.
Sometimes importing csv text files containing data from measurment
devices.
I have always thought Java was the tool for this but lately, I've
noticed how easy it is to make things work with Python. especially the
interactive "try a line of code, did it do what you wanted?, no, try
this, ah, that works"
I'm thinking that Python might provide the fast feed back approach
that gets you enthused about actually coding than the steper learning
curve of a more comprehensive language and not actually knowing where
to start with a gui or even just how to get the IDE to use the
classpath you want.
I'd be interested if people had thoughts or comments on the merits.
Cheers
12 years, 5 months
Next year's presentations
by Roderick Aldridge
Wanted: presentations for the new year.
The committee is trying to plan for a variety of presentations next year
which will interest and benefit current members and make known the
benefits of Linux and open source to others (and bring in new members).
Make your suggestions please to the list or on the wiki at
http://wlug.org.nz/IdeasForFutureMeetings
or to any committee member. Preferably ones you can do yourself or can
supply suitable presenter(s), but if the subject is intersting enough,
other members may be able to suggest presenters.
Roderick Aldridge
WLUG Committee
12 years, 5 months
scanner2.malware-scan.com
by Michael McDonald
Has anyone else had problems with this site? It pops up a message
telling you your computer is running slowly, scans your disk (I don't
think it does , just makes believe it does), tells you you've got
viruses, and tries to download fixes.
Now, the interesting thing is that I've triggered it twice in the last
few weeks, but I haven't the foggiest idea how. I've got a suspicion
it may have been triggered by from my Gmail page, but when going back
over my actions everything seems normal.
Of course, since I'm running Ubuntu/Firefox I'm not unduly worried.
I'm curious to know how I got directed there from supposedly safe
sites (if it wasn't Gmail, then it must have been Computerworld NZ).
I did a bit of a Google and came across this discussion on an Apple
forum. Knowing the fierce loyalty of Mac owners and their claims of
immunity from Internet problems, it was interesting to see that they
also had the same experience as me ... but no clues as to why it was
happening.
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1239037&tstart=0
Now, this makes me worried for the Windows community. It would be
extremely difficult for them to avoid damage in this instance.
Closing the window in the normal fashion just gets you further into
the mire. I don't know just what protection the standard anti-virus /
anti-spyware programs and firewalls will give a Windows user ... and I
certainly don't want to experiment to find out!
Have you got any information / data / comments that you can add?
Michael
12 years, 5 months
Arghhh - Help
by James Pluck
(I apologise for the spam if you've gotten this twice. I think the email I
originally sent it from is not subscribed to this list).
Hi all!
I'm in a bit of a bind. We're experiencing very poor connectivity at
the moment from Slingshot. We're lucky to be able to stay online for
more than 3 minutes at a time. I've just called Slingshot support and a
very bored woman who sounded like it was beneath her to even talk to me
was very unhelpful. refused to run any checks on the line or check logs
or anything at their end unless I tried an alternative router on the
line. She basically wanted me off the phone as fast as possible -
presumably so she could get back to her WoW game or Puzzle Pirates or
something more important than actual customer support (I tell you - if
we had someone who behaved like that to customers at Quicksilver they'd
be on notice pretty bloody fast!)
Anyway - does anyone have a spare adsl router that I could borrow for a
day or so to do some troubleshooting and see if it is my problem or
Slingshot's problem. I'm in the process of choosing another provider
because we've not been hapy with the service from Slingshot for some
time but I'd kinda like to work out if it's a hardware issue or a
connection issue before we switch.
If I had the knowledge and the skills I'd probably just bite the bullet
and rewire the jackpoints in this house - the current phone wiring seems
a little amateurish - but we've had no troubles with any
telecommunications services up until a couple of weeks ago. I have a
drum of cat 5 but no skills on how to use it - *sigh*
anyways - if anyone has a spare serviceable adsl router they would be
willing to loan me I would be most grateful!
James.
--
James Pluck
PalmOS Ergo Sum
"Dear IRS: I would like to cancel my subscription.
Please remove my name from your mailing list..."
12 years, 5 months
