I am done with Adobe period

Seven years ago i bought a copy of Creative Suite 6. It activated and was registered with Adobe online. It has been happily running along until February 2020. All of the sudden, and without warning, a big pop-up window appears on top of everything else that says the serial number is invalid and to call an 800 number for assistance. BTW, that popup window cannot be cancelled or iconified. It is forced to be on top of every other window. Essentially blocking me from using my PC altogether. You can shove it out of the way for a while, and the it re-centers itself on the monitor. You also cannot right-click on the taskbar icon and close it. Boy these guys are pushy.
So I call the number and speak to someone, who I assume from the accent, is in India. They are adamant that Adobe is in the right and there is nothing I can do about my initial substantial monetary investment at this point. I can, surprise-surprise, sign up for a monthly subscription for an online web based substitute for my desktop CS6. This is somewhat like throwing good money after bad. Other than spend more money with Adobe, he has nothing to offer.
And it strikes me odd that my continuing to use the desktop software isn't causing Adobe any additional harm; financial or otherwise.
And personally, I do not like the subscription based model for using software. If I can't buy it and install it, then I am not interested.
So I also have a copy of Acrobat X Pro which is also activated and registered online with Adobe. I ask him to confirm that the serial number is valid. It is right now. But he can't guarantee that it won't be invalid tomorrow.
So I am done with Adobe. I have uninstalled everything from Adobe on my desktop computer. And when I get around to it; I will also uninstall whatever is on the rest of the PCs. If I need to use something that was from Adobe, I will find another vendor even if it isn't built with the Adobe specialness.
I cannot think of another company that has acted with such callous disregard for its customers and offered so little help as Adobe.

Venmar Constructo 2.0 Repair

The Venmar Constructo 2.0 HRV was sadly signaling a problem; the LED was flashing amber indicating a damper error. It was just cycling open/closed endlessly. (Although the door has an interlock, reed switch-magnet, the magnet can be removed from the door and placed on the reed switch so that you can observe the damper motor operation with the door open. Caution: carelessness could result in serious injury since the damper and fan motor are both operating.) Time to replace the damper actuator (p/n 17235) and electronic board (p/n 17242). Used Gordon Electric to supply equivalent Broan parts: damper actuator, p/n SV17235 and electronic board, p/n SV60809. These came carefully packaged; each with its own installation instruction sheet:  Damper Actuator Electronic Board The instructions are excellent. You will need a #2 philips screwdriver and silicon sealant. The foil tape and new washer for the damper actuator are included with the part. The old circuit board in the damper actuator has to be removed to disconnect the cable; there are two rubber plugs to simply pull out in order to release the small PCB. All of the electrical connectors are different so I don't see how they could be mixed up during reassembly. But take some pictures for reference later, with your smart phone, of the details before you begin disassembly. PCBs are subject to static electric damage, so keep them in their foil bags and maintain a contact with ground while installing. Unplug the unit BEFORE you do anything and do not apply mains power until everything is installed and all connectors attached.

Vacuum Tubes aren't empty

There has been a renewed interest in vacuum tube devices and vacuum tube circuit design. If you are interested in either, then you NEED a uTracer. This is truly one of the great designs that helps users to better understand vacuum tubes and how to get the most out of them. Please click on over to see how great it is.

The Root Problem with Technical Support Desks

Having interactions with hundreds of technical support help desks, I have come to the conclusion that they all have a root problem. A problem which causes frustration for the end users and often times results in no problem solution and no help.
That root problem is that the help desk starts with the overarching assumption that the user is wrong or has done something wrong; and everything on providers end is perfect.
Think about your own interactions and consider how different it would have proceeded if it was approached in an unbiased fashion focused only on first, understanding the problem, and second in finding a solution no matter where it lies. It is possible, but seldom exhibited.

FolderMatch is an Essential Tool for all PC Users

FolderMatch is an essential tool for All PC users. Whether you write code, administer systems, handle media etc. One way or the other, you are going to deal with files and folders.
FolderMatch:

• has an intuitive graphical user interface
• handles files and folders
• can be used to copy/move, backup files/folders and verify the results
• compare/synchronize two folders
• line by line file comparison
• and much more

If you haven't been using FolderMatch, you will wonder how you got by without it.

KiB - GiB Ranks Among The Dumbest Ideas Ever - The Unnecessary "i"

KiB and GiB solve a non-problem.

Everywhere in the digital domain and computers KB , MB, GB etc mean the binary, powers of 2 domain, EXCEPT in drive capacities. ie hard drives, SSD, Flash Drives etc. Some twit marketing type back in the 1950s/1960s decided that the capacities would "look" larger if they used MB where M is in the power of 10 domain (or they just couldn't wrap their head around binary numbers - whatever). It was a stupid idea then and an even more stupid idea now.

And, by the way, it is only applies in the advertising and cardboard box world. As soon as you look at the drive size on a computing device, it shows it in the powers of 2 domain.

But no, do we fix the problem by changing how drive capacities are shown in literature and on the cardboard box? Some really well meaning, ignorant person/group decides we should re-label everything is the entire computer world as xiB where "i" means it is in the power of 2 domain.

Yes there is an "i" in binary, but that isn't the point!
All I have to say about this "i" movement is Kibbles 'n Bits...

Deactivate RC4 in Firefox

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Deactivate RC4 in Firefox