List of ComputorEdge Sponsors

San Diego ComputorEdge Sponsors

Colocation and Data Center

redIT

With approaches like smart security, customized colocation and an extensive range of managed services, redIT helps you intelligently leverage IT.

Computer Store, Full Service

Chips and Memory

New Systems Starting At $299 Visit Our Website or Call for Hardware, Software, Systems, or Components Laptop*Desktop*Server IT Service * Upgrades * Service Everyday Low Prices

Macintosh Specialists

Maximizers

Serving San Diego County Since 1988 * Onsite Macintosh Service for Home and Small Office Needs * ACSP: Apple Certified Support Professional ACTC: Apple Certified Technical Coordinator Apple Consultant's Network

Repair General

Hi-Tech Computers

Notebooks, Monitors, Computers and Printers We Buy Memory, CPU Chips, Monitors and Hard Drives Windows 7 Upgrades Phone (858) 560-8547

Colorado ComputorEdge Sponsors

ComputorEdge™ Online — 06/13/14

Click to Visit ComputorEdge™ Online on the Web!

Windows 9, the Turing Test, and Box Cloud Storage

An Update on Windows Rumors, 13-year Old Ukrainian Boys, and Cloud Storage for Business

Magazine Summary

List of ComputorEdge Sponsors

Digital Dave

by Digital Dave

Digital Dave answers your tech questions.

Dual Monitors Set Up; Sorting Photos by Date with Windows 7; Where is the Missing Data Space?

Windows 9, the Turing Test, and Box Cloud Storage

by Jack Dunning

Update on Windows 9, Computer Fools Scientists, and Box Cloud Storage

Microsoft may have given up on Windows 8.1 as the rumored Start Menu appears to be delayed until Windows 9. Was Einstein right? Let's vote! Box Cloud storage has file locking—if you pay for it.

Use Hidden Files to Avoid Prying Eyes

by Jack Dunning

Toggle Hidden Files, System Files, and File Extensions with this AutoHotkey Scrip

If you use hidden files and folders to prevent casual users of your computer from finding secret files, then here is an easy AutoHotkey tool to toggle them on and off.

Wally Wang's Apple Farm

by Wally Wang

The Swift Programming Language

The Swift Programming Language; Incompetence is Everywhere; Open Source iPad App; More Innovation Right Before Your Eyes; Saving a File to the Desktop.

Editor's Letters: Tips and Thoughts from Readers

by ComputorEdge Staff

Computer and Internet tips, plus comments on the articles and columns.

"Shopping for a Laptop PC"

Send mail to ceeditor@computoredge.com with questions about editorial content.

Send mail to webmaster@computoredge.com with questions or comments about this Web site.

Copyright © 1997-2014 The Byte Buyer, Inc.

ComputorEdge Magazine, P.O. Box 83086, San Diego, CA 92138. (858) 484-1998

Click to Visit ComputorEdge™ Online on the Web!

Digital Dave

“Digital Dave answers your tech questions.”
by Digital Dave

Dual Monitors Set Up; Sorting Photos by Date with Windows 7; Where is the Missing Data Space?

Dual Monitors Set Up

Dear Digital Dave,

I have a PC computer with an i7 processor and a Geforce Nvidea card with a HDMI, VGA, and DVI ports. I prefer to have the VGA monitor as #1 and the HDMI as #2 and the screen resolution page only allows the VGA monitor to be #2. I have removed the drivers and attempted to reset and have not had success with that method. Basically, what I want to do is reverse the IDs of the two monitors. They are both Samsung TVs with the monitor options. The Samsung that has only the HDMI option is the one that insists on being the #2 and I don't have a VGA option on that TV.

Don Saba

San Diego, CA

Dear Don,

I could be wrong, but rather than removing drivers it seems that you should be taking advantage of the utilities that come with the Nvidea graphics card—in particular the Nvidea Control Panel. Looking these tools over, it seems that you may be able to do exactly what you want within this setup (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. The Nvidea Control Panel includes tools for setting up multiple monitors.

It looks like rather than changing the monitor numbers, you may be able to drag the icons in the control panel to the position you prefer. I haven't worked with multiple monitors much, so there may be others who can add more specific information.

Digital Dave

Sorting Photos by Date with Windows 7

Dear Digital Dave,

The method you provided me of using Windows 8.1 to sort photos by date using the view mode works great! Is there any way to do that using 7? It doesn't appear to offer a date sort option.

Mike

Cardiff, CA

Dear Mike,

Almost all features which appear in File Explorer in Windows 8 are available in Windows Explorer in the earlier versions of the operating systems—although they are not found in the same way.

In Windows 7, the sorting and filtering is done when using the Details view mode. (There is a "Change your view" button toward the right side of the main menu bar. You can also open the old View menu by first hitting the ALT key.) To sort a column by the heading, merely click on that heading. Click again and the sort is reversed.

You can pick the column you want to display by right-clicking on any of the current column heads and checking the appropriate boxes (see Figure 2).

Figure 2. When in the details mode, right-click on a column header to select the columns to be displayed.

If you want to filter a list, hover over the header and click the arrow that appears on the right side of the header (see Figure 2).

Figure 3. Filtered lists can be set up in Windows 7 Explorer by clicking on the little arrow which appears when the cursor hovers over a column header—in this case the date.

As for adding metadata to the files, it works pretty much the same as it does in Windows 8. Right-click on a file (or group or files) and select the Details tab. Add the data or tag and click OK.

In the other non-Detailsview modes, you can get to these same settings through a dropdown menu when you right-click on an empty area of the same file's pane.

Digital Dave

Where is the Missing Data Space?

Dear Digital Dave,

Twice now that I have noticed that my primary Windows 120GB SS (Solid State) drive seems to have expanded in content, and I cannot locate where and what is in it that is showing this 25% more content.

From the attached snips, you will see when I show the size of the "C" Drive by highlighting its content, it shows 51GB total (Capture 3).

But when I look at it through "C" content (Capture 2), it's revealing 84.7GB, or 75%Full.

By using Paragon Disk Manager, it shows all its partitions and I see nothing in the other two partitions that would account for the missing 25GB or so (Capture 1).

I have Show Hidden Folders turned on in Folder Options.

Why the discrepancy? I needed to reload Windows 7 Pro recently, and I don't recall seeing this "extra" 25GB when I first installed the system.

Dave, Is there another link where I may send you the three Windows Snips that show what I am seeing?

*                    *                    *

Before Marc had an opportunity to e-mail the screen shots, he sent the following:

Dave,

Just as I was about to forward you the screen shots of the "mystery," a retired Factory IBM engineer friend of mine also responded to my pleas for help.

His answer came in two words of an e-mail: "Page File". I immediately researched and now I am aware of this hidden file that was taking up 25+ GB of my C drive. I followed the instructions I read and disabled its storage on my C Drive, and reassigned it to a separate partition on another Drive I use for non-Windows programs. And magically the 25+ GB of hidden storage was no longer filling up my 120GB SSD.

I would guess that many other readers of yours are unaware of this "hidden" Windows File, and the ability to off load it elsewhere.

Thank you for all your weekly lessons!

Marc

San Diego, CA

Dear Marc,

Thank you for making it so much easier to answer your question. Those are the ones I like the best. However, I do have some reservations about your solution.

The primary reason for turning to Solid State (SS) drives is speed of operations. The time it takes to access a mechanical drive is much greater than it is for an SS drive. One of the most accessed portions of any drive is the pagefile. Remember that the paging system uses a storage medium (usually a hard drive) as virtual memory temporarily holding portions of RAM contents when it's given a lower priority. Its purpose is to make the dynamic RAM more efficient.

By moving the pagefile to a mechanical drive you're actually working counter to the purpose of the SS drive—which is to speed things up. It would be better to move programs or data files to alternative drives, rather than the pagefile. Generally, once a program is loaded into memory, there is no need to reload it. It may be temporarily placed in the pagefile by the system while other activities are going on, but it will be quicker to access when needed. Your initial load times may be slightly longer for those programs on a hard drive, but that's all. Moving the pagefile could cause numerous different activities to slow down.

If you notice that sometimes when you click on a previously loaded window that it takes a few seconds to wake up—especially if you have a lot of windows open—it's usually because the system is reloading the window from the pagefile. For speed of operation, you want the pagefile to be as fast as possible. I would keep it on the faster SS drive.

Digital Dave

Windows 9, the Turing Test, and Box Cloud Storage

“Update on Windows 9, Computer Fools Scientists, and Box Cloud Storage”
by Jack Dunning

Microsoft may have given up on Windows 8.1 as the rumored Start Menu appears to be delayed until Windows 9. Was Einstein right? Let's vote! Box Cloud storage has file locking—if you pay for it.

The Coming of Windows 9

It seems that we may not be seeing Windows 9 until the spring or summer of 2015. Plus, what we thought was going to return in Windows 8.1 Update 2, the Start Menu, may have to wait until Windows 9. According to multiple secret sources, Microsoft has decided that the Windows 8 name is so damaged that it is better to wait to make any more major changes until Windows 9 is available. Of course, this is all rumors and will only add to everyone's reluctance to invest in a new Windows computer.

With the addition of the Universal Taskbar in Windows 8.1 Update 1 which bridges the worlds of the Windows Desktop and Modern interface, I have now given Window 8 my glowing "good enough" recommendation. Despite my good words, people are continuing to avoid Window 8 like the plague.

The major two features people are now looking for is the return of the Start Menu and running Modern apps in Desktop windows. In other words, the majority of people want Windows 8 or 9 to work like Windows 7—which is pretty similar to Windows XP. It's a hard concept for Microsoft to get, but people like what they know.

Figure 1. The latest rumor is that Microsoft is saving the return of the Start Menu for Windows 9 next year rather than another update for Windows 8.1.

Sure, if you're Steve Jobs you can get people to do something totally new, but remember he wasn't asking people to change what they were already doing. He was asking people to do something that no one was doing at the time. It's much easier to accept something new if there are no habits to break.

Microsoft also wants to tie everything closer to the Cloud—one integrated solution. Internet storage is a great thing—especially when it's free—but it doesn't seem to generate that much enthusiasm among users. I have Apple iCloud, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox and now Box (more on Box later). The only one I use regularly is Dropbox and that's mostly for sharing photos and AutoHotkey scripts. I have posted test files on everything else, but almost never use them. I don't really care about using Microsoft's OneDrive. I prefer third-party solutions because the operating system related companies (Apple and Microsoft) want me to join their collective. I sense that ComputorEdge readers are also growing weary of marketing gimmicks and overblown claims. At least that's what the numbers suggest. I know that few people want to hear about Facebook or Twitter anymore.

I think that the Cloud is very important to the future of computing. That's why all the services are offering free storage. In the future, I'll start digging a little deeper to see if I can make any sense of the chaos.

The Turing Test for Artificial Intelligence

There was a supposed breakthrough in artificial intelligence last week. A computer passed the Turing Test by fooling more than 30% of a group of scientist into thinking it was a 13-year old Ukrainian boy. The Turing Test is a benchmark for determining if the computer is getting any closer to displaying human intelligence. This particular test is important because the vast majority of people in the world can't convince a group of scientist that they are a 13-year old Ukrainian boy.

Wait! The computer didn't do that either. The majority of scientist weren't fooled. In most school subjects any score just over 30% is still a failing grade. Plus all the tests were done via text messaging so they judges couldn't hear the computer's accent. However, it might be a step in the right direction. After all, who wouldn't want a computer that could convince you that they were a really person? I know who would—scam artists.

The Turing Test results fits in with our scientific culture where we determine truth by polling scientists. Could 95% percent of the world's scientists be wrong? There was a time when we looked for experimental evidence. It was called the scientific method. Now we just vote, then look for evidence to support the outcome of the vote. Science shouldn't be about taking sides, but seeking the truth.

Box Cloud Storage

With my recent purchase of a Windows 8.1 laptop, I was awarded 25GB of Box cloud storage. Naturally, I was curious about how it stacked up against Dropbox—my current favorite. I've read that Box is more business oriented, but wasn't sure what that meant. In particular, I wondered if it dealt with the problem of file locking which I discussed in an earlier article. This is a major hole in the business use of Dropbox. Without file locking, someone else can simultaneously mess with a file that you're working on. This can be a major problem causing the loss of data or programming code.

Box is fairly straight forward to set up, but it is slightly more confusing than Dropbox. Once I was up and running, I uploaded some files. It took considerably longer than Dropbox to complete the upload and any later syncing. I was excited when I found that Box does include file locking—but it was short lived. You can only get file locking if you upgrade to a paid account. If you do upgrade, it will cost you $15 per user per month, but that includes unlimited storage. (Actually, there is a $5 per user per month package (includes file locking), but strangely once you have an account, Box won't show you the $5 deal.)

There is a separate program to sync the files to your computer called Box Sync which places all the files on your computer as well as in the Cloud. However, in most business uses, the files would be locked (see Figure 1) and downloaded directly from the Web by the individual users since the number of files for most business would be unwieldy if they had to reside on all computers. Once someone had finished working on the file, they upload it back to the Web and remove the lock. This protects against the loss of data. File locking is the primary Box feature that may make it worth considering in a work situation.

Figure 1. Box offers file locking which is critical for multiple people working on the same files. (This menu appears when right-clicking on a filename on the Web platform.) Note that an upgrade to a paid version is required to get file locking.

There is an app called Box Edit which allows you to edit files in box using your regular word processing (or other) programs without first downloading the file. (It appears that the file is downloaded to a temporary file in the background before editing.) Whenever you save the changes, the Web file is automatically updated. Although there is a warning on the Web for other users that the file has changed, there is no automatic file locking (at least not in the free version).

Since I have 25 gigs of free storage I'm planning on using Box for my key ComputorEdge editorial files. This will make the transition from my old laptop to the new one easier since I will be able to work on either one without worrying about keeping things up-to-date. This is better than using Dropbox because I don't need all these files automatically showing up on the iPad. Plus, I should be able to access the files from any computer by simply logging on—as long as I have an Internet connection.

The bottom line is that Dropbox (2GB free) is much simpler and better for sharing photos and other personal items. It updates quicker and is easier to use. You can do the same things with the free version of Box (10GB free), but the interface is a little more confusing.

It is possible to earn more free storage on Dropbox through a variety of methods. The number one way I used was adding a link to Dropbox through ComputorEdge articles. (I think I've maxed out what I can get through referrals. My current storage level is 19.25GB—11GB are filled with photos.) I didn't see a way to do the same with Box.

I'm thinking that one of the best ways that people can take advantage of all this free Cloud storage is to designate certain brands for particular type of work. Otherwise, it could get confusing. "Did I put that file on Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, or Box?"

Jack is the publisher of ComputorEdge Magazine. He's been with the magazine since first issue on May 16, 1983. Back then, it was called The Byte Buyer. His Web site is www.computoredge.com. He can be reached at ceeditor@computoredge.com. Jack is now in the process of updating and compiling his hundreds of articles and columns into e-books. Currently available:

The latest ComputorEdge E-books offering is his AutoHotkey Applications, an idea-generating intermediate level e-book about using the AutoHotkey Graphical User Interface (GUI) command to write practical pop-up apps for your Windows computer. (It's not as hard as it sounds.)

Hidden Windows Tools for Protecting, Problem Solving and Troubleshooting Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP Computers.

Jack's A Beginner's Guide to AutoHotkey, Absolutely the Best Free Windows Utility Software Ever!: Create Power Tools for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 and Digging Deeper Into AutoHotkey.

Our second compilation of stupid ComputorEdge cartoons from 2011 and 2012 is now available at Amazon! That Does Not Compute, Too! ComputorEdge Cartoons, Volume II: "Do You Like Windows 8 or Would You Prefer an Apple?"

Special Free Offer at ComputorEdge E-Books! Jack's Favorite Free Windows Programs: What They Are, What They Do, and How to Get Started!.

Misunderstanding Windows 8: An Introduction, Orientation, and How-to for Windows 8 (Seventh Edition)!

Windows 7 Secrets Four-in-One E-Book Bundle,

Getting Started with Windows 7: An Introduction, Orientation, and How-to for Using Windows 7,

Sticking with Windows XP—or Not? Why You Should or Why You Should Not Upgrade to Windows 7,

and That Does Not Compute!, brilliantly drawn cartoons by Jim Whiting for really stupid gags by Jack about computers and the people who use them.

Use Hidden Files to Avoid Prying Eyes

“Toggle Hidden Files, System Files, and File Extensions with this AutoHotkey Scrip”
by Jack Dunning

If you use hidden files and folders to prevent casual users of your computer from finding secret files, then here is an easy AutoHotkey tool to toggle them on and off.

This week's AutoHotkey script serves a dual purpose. First, it offers a way to quickly change the viewing status of files in Windows Explorer without the need to access the settings in a Properties window. Second (and probably more important), the AutoHotkey script offers a road map for changing Window Registry values which toggle various features on and off. While there are only three values changed in this script (Show System Files, Show File Extension, and Show Hidden Files), the same line of codes can be modified to work with virtually any other value found in the Registry.

This "Toggle Hidden Files, System Files and File Extensions" script was posted on the AutoHotkey forum by rbrtryn (Robert Ryan). (This is the same rbrtryn who posted the original Dictionary Lookup script (see "Five Cool Little Windows Apps") which I now use regularly in my daily work.) It's not a long script and any AutoHotkey user with a little scripting experience should be able to modify it to suit their needs.

If you're new to AutoHotkey and would like to make use of this script, then you can get started at the Web page "Installing AutoHotkey and Writing Your First Script." The script can be quickly compiled into an EXE file for running on any Windows computer—even without AutoHotkey installed. It's really not that hard.

Hiding Secret Files

Some time ago I wrote a column about how to hide your files in Windows from inadvertent discovery by someone using your computer. This technique doesn't protect you from the computer sleuth, but it could stop someone from accidentally stumbling across your secret files. If you have something that you want to keep secret (perhaps the planning for a surprise party), then it could be the way to go.

The downside to using hidden folders and files is that every time you want to expose them, you need to go through a number of steps. This Toggle Hidden Files script makes showing and hiding the files a simple one-step process.

For example, suppose you have a Secret Documents folder that you want to keep hidden away. You will first open the Properties window (right-click on the folder or filename), check Hidden and Apply. By default, the folder or file will no longer appear in Windows Explorer. To see the folder/files you need to open the View tab of Folder Options and set on Show hidden files and folders. But if you use the Toggle Hidden Folders script, then you have both a hotkey combination and a right-click menu—either of which will change the setting.

In Figure 1, although it exists, the folder Secret Documents does not appear in the Documents folder listing.

Figure 1. There is a secret folder here with secret files, but it is hidden.

After loading the new Toggle Hidden Files script, right-clicking on the AutoHotkey icon in the System Tray will give the option to Show Hidden Files (see Figure 2).

Figure 2. Right-click on the AutoHotkey icon in the System Tray and select Show Hidden Files.

The folder name pops up in the listing pane. The folder icon is faded to show that it is a hidden file (see Figure 3).

Figure 3. After changing the setting to Show Hidden Folders, the hidden folder Secret Documents appears in the listing. The folder icon is faded showing that it is marked as a hidden file.

Double-click on the secret folder and the listing of hidden files is displayed (see Figure 4). All of these files are also hidden files.

Figure 4. Open Secret Documents to view the hidden files.

To hide the files, use the same process to uncheck Show Hidden Files (see Figure 5).

Figure 5. Uncheck Show Hidden Files to hide the files again.

The file names disappear (see Figure 6).

Figure 4. After deselecting Show Hidden Files, the Secret File names disappear.

The key combination of CTRL+ALT+H (^!h) will also toggle show hidden files/folder on and off. The same can be done with the file extensions using CTRL+ALT+E (^!e) and system files CTRL+ALT+S (^+!s). If you find that any of these hotkey combination conflict with your other hotkeys, then you can easily find them in the script and change them to hotkeys more suitable for you.

Note: An interesting technique found in the script which I haven't used before is the GroupAdd ExplorerWindows line which is later used in the Update: label (subroutine) to refresh all of the open windows after the Registry change is made.

While Toggle Hidden File is not a beginning script, it is not so complicated that someone couldn't use the bits and pieces to tailor their own Windows Registry editing. This is a much safer way to work with registry value since it lessens the chance that important keys will accidentally be deleted. I will definitely keep this one in my bag of tricks for changing the Registry.

*                    *                    *

The second edition with more chapters and an index to the AutoHotkey commands found in the book is available in e-book format from Amazon (and other formats—EPUB and PDF— at the ComputorEdgeBooks Web site linked below). Jack's A Beginner's Guide to AutoHotkey, Absolutely the Best Free Windows Utility Software Ever!: Create Power Tools for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 offers a gentle approach to learning AutoHotkey.

Building Power Tools for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8, AutoHotkey is the most powerful, flexible, free Windows utility software available. Anyone can instantly add more of the functions that they want in all of their Windows programs, whether installed on their computer or while working on the Web. AutoHotkey has a universality not found in any other Windows utility—free or paid.

Based upon the series of articles in ComputorEdge, Jack takes you through his learning experience as he explores writing simple AutoHotkey scripts for adding repetitive text in any program or on the Web, running programs with special hotkeys or gadgets, manipulating the size and screen location of windows, making any window always-on-top, copying and moving files, and much more. Each chapter builds on the previous chapters.

For an EPUB (iPad, NOOK, etc.) version of A Beginner's Guide to AutoHotkey click here!

For a PDF version for printing on letter size paper for inclusion in a standard notebook of A Beginner's Guide to AutoHotkey click here!

*                    *                    *

Jack's second AutoHotkey book which is comprised of updated, reorganized and indexed columns from ComputorEdge is now available at Amazon for Kindle hardware (or free software) users. Since the columns were not all written in a linear fashion, the book has been reorganized and broken up into parts by topic. The book is not for the complete beginner since it builds on the information in A Beginner's Guide to AutoHotkey. However, if a person is reasonably computer literate, they could go directly to this book for ideas and techniques without the first book.

For an EPUB (iPad, NOOK, etc.) version of Digging Deeper into AutoHotkey click here!

For a PDF version for printing on letter size paper for inclusion in a standard notebook of Digging Deeper into AutoHotkey click here!

*                    *                    *

Jack's third AutoHotkey book is an intermediate level book of ideas and applications based primarily on the AutoHotkey GUI command and is available at Amazon for Kindle hardware (or free software) users. The book emphasizes practical applications. The book is not for the complete beginner since it builds on the information in the other two books. However, if a person is reasonably computer literate, they could go directly to this book for ideas and techniques without the other books. There is an extension index to the ideas and techniques covered in the back of the book.

For an EPUB (iPad, NOOK, etc.) version of AutoHotkey Applications click here!

For a PDF version for printing on letter size paper for inclusion in a standard notebook of AutoHotkey Applications click here!

Jack is the publisher of ComputorEdge Magazine. He's been with the magazine since first issue on May 16, 1983. Back then, it was called The Byte Buyer. His Web site is www.computoredge.com. He can be reached at ceeditor@computoredge.com. Jack is now in the process of updating and compiling his hundreds of articles and columns into e-books. Currently available:

The latest ComputorEdge E-books offering is his AutoHotkey Applications, an idea-generating intermediate level e-book about using the AutoHotkey Graphical User Interface (GUI) command to write practical pop-up apps for your Windows computer. (It's not as hard as it sounds.)

Hidden Windows Tools for Protecting, Problem Solving and Troubleshooting Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP Computers.

Jack's A Beginner's Guide to AutoHotkey, Absolutely the Best Free Windows Utility Software Ever!: Create Power Tools for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 and Digging Deeper Into AutoHotkey.

Our second compilation of stupid ComputorEdge cartoons from 2011 and 2012 is now available at Amazon! That Does Not Compute, Too! ComputorEdge Cartoons, Volume II: "Do You Like Windows 8 or Would You Prefer an Apple?"

Special Free Offer at ComputorEdge E-Books! Jack's Favorite Free Windows Programs: What They Are, What They Do, and How to Get Started!.

Misunderstanding Windows 8: An Introduction, Orientation, and How-to for Windows 8 (Seventh Edition)!

Windows 7 Secrets Four-in-One E-Book Bundle,

Getting Started with Windows 7: An Introduction, Orientation, and How-to for Using Windows 7,

Sticking with Windows XP—or Not? Why You Should or Why You Should Not Upgrade to Windows 7,

and That Does Not Compute!, brilliantly drawn cartoons by Jim Whiting for really stupid gags by Jack about computers and the people who use them.

Wally Wang's Apple Farm

“The Swift Programming Language”
by Wally Wang

The Swift Programming Language; Incompetence is Everywhere; Open Source iPad App; More Innovation Right Before Your Eyes; Saving a File to the Desktop.

Almost every time Apple introduces an innovative new product, hordes of critics claim that Apple didn't innovate anything. Then those same critics rush to support products that closely mimic Apple's innovation that completely changes the market. To those who lack imagination, innovation only becomes obvious after everyone else has already accepted it.

When Sylvan Goldman invented the shopping cart on June 4, 1937, nobody would use them. Men thought that shopping carts looked too effeminate while women thought it looked too much like a baby carriage. "I've pushed my last baby buggy," an offended woman informed Goldman. Only after Sylvan hired greeters to show shoppers the advantage of the shopping cart did the public finally accept them. When confronted by innovation, most people don't understand it and often fear and hate it.

Alexander Bain invented the fax machine in 1843. Look how long it took before that innovation finally caught on over one hundred years later. The next time you hear someone criticizing something as either useless or not innovative, take a second look. Far too many people see the world only by comparing it with what they already know. Anything outside their limited sphere of knowledge simply gets dismissed, tossed aside, or attacked as useless.

Although everyone expects Apple to release innovative products every few months (while failing to apply that same standard to any other company), they often fail to recognize those innovations when they do appear simply because they were expecting something completely different.

At Apple's latest developer's conference, Apple introduced a new programming language called Swift. While the idea of a new programming language might not sound innovative, it can be surprisingly innovative in ways that you may not think.

First, Swift is meant to overcome the problems and flaws of Objective-C. If you ever tried writing a program in Objective-C, it often winds up looking like a series of cryptic and redundant symbols. Yet Objective-C was meant to overcome the problems of C++, which was meant to overcome the problems of C.

C itself was meant to overcome the deficiencies of assembly language, which was meant to overcome the problems of machine language. Every programming language evolves but eventually adding so many new features makes the language complex and cumbersome, making it easy to make mistakes. That's why even Microsoft decided to overcome the flaws of Java and create C#.

Besides making programming easier, Swift introduces two innovative features to make programming more reliable and versatile. First, Swift is one of the few programming languages that allow constants and variable names to use Unicode symbols, which includes the Roman alphabet but also mathematical symbols and foreign language characters.

Currently most programming languages rely on the Roman alphabet, which means Arabic, Chinese, and Russian programmers need to write programs using mostly English. Imagine the reverse situation if American programmers had to use Arabic, Chinese, or Russian characters to write a program. Guess how many Americans would want to do that? Now you can imagine how many people in other parts of the country don't learn programming because they'd rather write programs in their native language.

To show you how two different groups of people respond to innovation such as the ability for Swift to use non-Roman alphabet characters, first you can read this comment from someone who fails to see any type of innovation in letting programmers use their native language to write programs:

"Stupid and useless, except for teaching programming to...uh...kids. Professional and experienced programmers know Roman characters and if you haven't noticed yet, they have been using them to program everything till today, iCrap invention."

Now look at the other extreme at someone who can recognize innovation and can see how it can be useful in ways that current technology can't offer:

"For the domain I care about, math/physics, it means the ability to use variables names that are greek (and perhaps to be even more ambitious, we shall see—maybe a variable named ∫α rather than integralOfAlpha?)

Another domain where I could imagine this to be useful is code that is either targeting a foreign language, or targeting somehow translations between two languages. I'm sure if you're Chinese, for example, you'd prefer to have your variable names in Chinese."

By reading both comments, you can see how one person recognizes innovation and how it can be used in ways that current programming languages can't offer. Yet another person sees the same ability to use non-Roman alphabet characters as "stupid and useless" and to support his argument, claims that Roman characters have been used to program everything till today. Therefore there must be no point in offering features that can make programming accessible to more people who speak other languages.

Apple is specifically wooing developers in other countries to create iOS apps for specific regions such as China. By making programming more accessible to people who use non-Roman alphabets, it's easy to see how Swift can encourage more programmers to create apps for Apple products instead of any of their rivals.

Notice the similarity of criticism between Swift's non-Roman alphabet feature and how critics typically react to anything introduced by Apple? When Apple introduced the iPad, some people saw the iPad as useless because people were already using netbooks for computing on the road, so why did they need anything else? After all, the iPad didn't have a removable battery, a physical keyboard, or the ability to run Adobe Flash like a netbook.

Critics who fail to recognize innovation often claim that innovation is useless because what currently exists is good enough so what's the point of ever changing? When the iPhone appeared, critics claimed it wasn't innovative. When the iPad appeared, critics claimed it wasn't innovative. When the Macintosh appeared, critics claimed it wasn't innovative. Anyone recognize a pattern? Critics consistently fail to recognize innovation because it doesn't exactly duplicate what already exists, which contradicts the meaning of innovation in the first place.

Perhaps the most innovative feature of Swift is called Playground. Back in the early days, programming meant writing a program, then compiling it so you could run it and see if your program worked. This made programming tedious, especially for beginners.

That's the reason why the BASIC programming language was originally a simplified interpreted language. That meant you could type a command and immediately get feedback from the computer if that command worked or not.

Such immediate feedback made BASIC programming fun and more instructive than other programming languages. That's the basic idea behind Playground. Just type Swift code and Playground lets you see the visual results of your code right before your eyes. With Playground, you can also freely experiment with your code to see how it changes the final result. Now you can spot and fix problems right away, making programming easier for beginners and professionals alike.

Figure 1. Swift's Playground feature lets you see the results of your code as you type it.

It's easy to claim there's no innovation in anything if you're unwilling to look for it and unwilling to acknowledge it right in front of your face. Think of Steve Ballmer laughing at the iPhone while claiming that Windows Mobile, which had roughly 20-30 percent of the mobile phone market share at the time, was a better strategy.

With the Swift programming language, Apple has introduced a programming language that prevents common errors that Objective-C, C++, and C cannot prevent, makes programming accessible to a global audience who may prefer using non-Roman characters, and makes programming interactive so it's more fun while providing immediate feedback on possible errors.

Despite what critics may think, Swift is innovative. Now we just have to see how Swift will help Apple change the world while all the harshest critics are proven wrong. Again.

Incompetence is Everywhere

Apple may create innovative products, but they've made mistakes in the past, often due to incompetent people unwilling to take responsibility, which is no different than people in other companies (think of General Motors where nobody is taking responsibility for the ignition switch recall failure over close to a decade).

One of Apple's earliest missteps was MobileMe, an early cloud-based solution that was expensive, limited, and more importantly, didn't even work correctly when it was introduced. One side of the story was that the MobileMe team failed so Steve Jobs fired the manager of MobileMe on the spot. The other side of the story is that the MobileMe team had warned Steve Jobs that it wasn't ready, but he went ahead and launched it anyway.

The two latest and most prominent failures of Apple involve music. First, Apple released their Ping social network, which was mostly a way to help sell more music downloads on iTunes. Since Ping had no other purpose than to make a sale, it's not surprising that few people used it until Apple finally killed it altogether.

A second failure in the music industry involved iRadio, which Apple's own engineers ignored in favor of Pandora and Spotify. Apple's managers reportedly remained so clueless about streaming music services that threatened the iTunes download business model that they failed to offer a compelling alternative. Because of this myopic obsession on protecting the iTunes business model that's fading into irrelevance from streaming music, Apple had to buy Beats for $3 billion to get back into the streaming music business on a more credible basis.

By failing to acknowledge change, Apple's managers missed the streaming music revolution. By trying to protect the iTunes business model of downloading audio files, Apple's managers clung to the past despite all evidence that the world was changing around them. Notice the similarity between Apple's managers failing to recognize change in the music industry and Microsoft's failure to recognize change in the shift from PCs to mobile computers?

Apple isn't immune from incompetence because any time you get a large organization, you will always find far too many people trying to shirk responsibility while still cashing a paycheck. (Think of all those people at General Motors who failed to resolve their ignition switch problems in a timely manner.)

Even worse, you'll always have myopic people who insist that the current business model will never change so they can avoid thinking of the customer first but only on how to make more money propping up the current business model that's no longer working. (Think of the failure of the Ping social network.)

The real challenge of any company isn't competing against rivals but in weeding out the useless people in their own organization who are costing them money while blocking progress at the same time. Every company has these problems. The difference between Apple and Microsoft is that Apple has a history of producing more innovative products in recent years while Microsoft has a recent history of simply confusing their own loyal customers with products like Windows 8, Vista, Zune, Windows RT, and Kin.

Apple isn't perfect, but they've produced more innovative products in recent years than their main rivals. Given the huge number of incompetent people who manage to infiltrate any organization and grind it to a halt, even Apple risks becoming as clumsy as Microsoft, Blackberry, Blockbuster Video, Borders Books, or Palm Computing one day. If that happens, let's hope another company will create innovative products. Otherwise we'll risk getting stuck with mediocrity and believing that because everyone's using the same mediocre products, then they must be superior as a result.

Open Source iPad App

Anyone familiar with computers knows there are plenty of free, open source software available that's often nearly as good (or sometimes even better) than commercial software. On the iPad, open source software is more of a rarity, but in case you need an iPad vector-based drawing program similar to Adobe Illustrator, download a free copy of InkPad.

Figure 2. InkPad offers vector-based drawing tools.

When you draw something in InkPad, you can save your files in SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) format so you can continue editing that file in another program like Adobe Illustrator. Obviously InkPad won't offer all the features of Adobe Illustrator, but it offers the basic features so you can create drawings of all types on your iPad (which critics still insist can only be used to consume content but never create it, like making vector-based drawings).

Figure 3. InkPad provides basic drawing features including layers.

When you see the power of InkPad on your iPad, you may be amazed that this is open source software. Then again if you've ever used any open source software such as LibreOffice or Linux, you know that open source software can often amaze you for its features combined with its free price.

More Innovation Right Before Your Eyes

At Apple's developer's conference, the company announced HealthKit, a software development framework for tracking health data. Yet much of this health data, such as monitoring your sleep schedule, your heart rate, or your cholesterol makes no sense with an iPhone or iPad. How many people want to sleep with an iPhone or iPad connected with a wire to their body? How can you measure someone's blood sugar or cholesterol level with an iPhone or iPad?

Clearly HealthKit is meant to give developers a head start developing apps for a device that can access this information, and that device won't be an iPhone or iPad. Without any imagination at all (which many critics clearly possess), anyone can imagine that a device that can monitor health-related information can only be a wearable device.

As rumors about Apple's iWatch device continue to spread, it's a safe bet that the iWatch will eventually arrive, possibly as early as this fall along with the iPhone 6 that possesses a larger screen. Most likely when the iWatch does arrive, only some people will recognize the features and capabilities that a wearable computer offers that can't be duplicated by any current technology.

Just as likely, as soon as the iWatch arrives, you can bet people will complain that it's not innovative. Then when they finally admit that it might be innovative, they'll complain that Apple hasn't released any new innovative products since three o'clock this morning so therefore Apple must be a failure.

Innovation is coming and it's right in front of your eyes. All you have to do is look and wait. This fall, you may be surprised at what you'll find out.

*                    *                    *

If you ever need to save a file in any program, you need to specify the folder where you want to save that file. However, if you want to save a file to the Desktop, just press Command+D to choose the Desktop as your destination. This simple shortcut should save you the minor hassle of clicking on the Desktop icon yourself.

In the early days, before Wally became an Internationally renowned comedian, computer book writer, and generally cool guy, Wally Wang used to hang around The Byte Buyer dangling participles with Jack Dunning and go to the gym to pump iron with Dan Gookin.

Wally is responsible for the following books:

Microsoft Office 2013 For Dummies

Beginning Programming for Dummies

Beginning Programming All-in-One Reference for Dummies

Breaking Into Acting for Dummies with Larry Garrison

Strategic Entrepreneurism with Jon and Gerald Fisher

How to Live with a Cat (When You Really Don't Want To)

The Secrets of the Wall Street Stock Traders

Mac Programming For Absolute Beginners

Republican Fairy Tales (Children's Stories the 1% Tell About the Rest of Us)

The Zen of Effortless Selling with Moe Abdou

The 15-Minute Movie Method

Erotophobia (A novel)

Math for the Zombie Apocalypse

How to Write a Great Script with Final Draft 9

How to Write a Great Script with Fade In

The Elements of a Great Script: Star Wars

The Elements of a Great Script: Die Hard

The Element of a Great Script: Back to the Future

The Elements of a Great Script: Rocky

The Elements of a Great Script: It's a Wonderful Life

In his spare time, Wally likes blogging about movies and writing screenplays at his site "The 15 Minute Movie Method," finding interesting news stories about cats at his site "Cat Daily News," giving advice to authors who want to self-publish e-books at his site "The Electronic Author," and providing the type of advice he wishes someone would have told him when he was much younger at his personal Web site. Wally can be reached at wally@computoredge.com or you can follow him on Twitter @wallacewang_com.

Editor's Letters: Tips and Thoughts from Readers

“Computer and Internet tips, plus comments on the articles and columns.”
by ComputorEdge Staff

"Shopping for a Laptop PC"

Shopping for a Laptop PC

[Regarding Jack Dunning's May 30 article, "Shopping for a Laptop PC":]

OK, so what brand/model/specs laptop did you buy? Approximate price?

Thanks.

-Rich Ernst, San Diego, CA

The computer that suited me best was the HP Pavilion 17-e140us 17.3-Inch Laptop. I'm not necessarily recommending this system for anyone else, but I've always had good luck with HP laptops (experiences do vary). I upgraded the memory with a $44 4GB card and bought the external backup drive at Costco.

It boots up and shuts down quickly. Some people complained about the Sleep and/or Hibernation mode, but that's not an issue for me because I never use those features since I'm continually monitoring various activities. It's definitely a huge improvement over my old laptop.

Not buying locally can be a little risky since returning a bad system is always a little bit of a hassle. I would like to hear what computers other people have purchased recently and their reasons for buying that particular machine.

-Jack Dunning, ComputorEdge

I bought my laptop a week ago. I went with a Dell. Mainly because I wanted a Windows 7 machine, and because I wanted to buy it at Costco for their return policy and competitive pricing. I tried a Win8 laptop and was completely turned off with no chance of recovery.

The selection of Win7 machines was small, but I got the i5 Intel for around $750. That is about twice what I paid for my last laptop (an HP six years old now), but it is a business expense and I needed to have it now.

One thing it did do well was not get the annoying palm cursor movement that I experience with my HP. I'd also like to say that the resolution of this particular laptop is terrific and the colors are rich. Boot up is quick and I had no learning curve since I am familiar with Win 7. In my opinion there is no need to buy a Win8 laptop unless you want a touchscreen, which is useless in a laptop format.

-Paul Anthony, San Diego, CA

Comments and Letters about Windows 8 Fails

"Users Are Opting for Windows 7"

by Jack Dunning

Thank You, and Here's My Experience

Jack,

Thank you for an excellent summation of the latest follies at MS. Here was my experience...

I was ready to upgrade to a new laptop or tablet. I went to my favorite place to select one, Costco, because of their great selection, pricing, and return policy. I was able to narrow it down to the following three choices, 1) a laptop with touchscreen for around $750, 2) same power laptop with no touchscreen for around $400, and 3) a tablet that had a stand and remote keyboard (basically convertible laptop) less memory and weaker processor for around $900. I decided on the $750 choice number one because of the extra power over the tablet and the wow of the touchscreen.

I found that I made a mistake after around four hours of trying to work in Windows 8. It had too many dead ends, getting stuck, not being able to find things, having a hard time navigating. The login screen itself was ridiculous requiring an account setup with Microsoft. I honestly couldn't even figure out how to turn the damn thing off.

I won't be using Windows 8. But if I was, I would only have used it on the choice number three, as it would only make sense to use it on a tablet with a touchscreen. A touchscreen is pretty much redundant on a laptop and counterproductive, so the extra money spent on the touchscreen was a waste, for a laptop forgo the touchscreen (and save a few hundred bucks), and use windows 7 and save yourself the frustration of a susceptible to dead ends operating system).

-Paul Anthony, San Diego, CA

Jack, Jack, Jack, your current system is fine!

Slap! Remember that scene from "Moonstruck" with Cher? She slapped Nick Cage and told him to "Snap out of it!" Well, Jack, brace yourself, because you have one coming.

While I appreciate all the points you touch on with your article on buying a new computer, I could not help but notice that with almost each and every point (CPU, RAM, Screen, etc.) you casually mention that you really don't need it, and in fact, what you currently have is more than adequate (Slap here again). Jack, you need to pull yourself together. You are just suffering from a case of CCBBYTYSII! (Compulsive Computer Buying Because You Think Your System Is Inadequate). You're fine, Jack. Your system is fine. Just keep your hand away from your wallet and wait until they come out with something that makes buying a new computer really worthwhile. We all have enough perfectly good junk in our closets as it is.

-Joe Piluso, San Diego, CA

Joe, I think that you may have misunderstood me. When I said "adequate" or "good enough" I was referring to features in the new computer. My old laptop is no longer adequate nor good enough. Maybe, if I didn't have a Windows 7/Windows 8 desktop to compare with it, I would be satisfied, but I do. It's possible to be perfectly happy with what you have if you don't know what else is out there.

I really like Windows 7, but when I compared the speed and performance of Windows 8 (on the exact same hardware), I knew that I could do much better—now that they've mostly fixed Windows 8 with 8.1 Update 1. (I expect that Update 2 will address even more of the complaints about Windows 8.) I've been pondering making a change for years. It is only now that the stars have properly aligned.

-Jack Dunning, ComputorEdge

Avoiding Windows 8 RT:

If anyone is considering Microsoft's Surface line, they should keep in mind that Microsoft dropped the "RT" in the name. So the "Microsoft Surface" does not run "Real Windows." However, the "Microsoft Surface Pro" still does run "Real Windows".

-Ron Cerrato, San Diego, CA

While the computer no longer is called the Surface RT, if you check the specs you will see that the operating system is listed as Windows RT 8.1. Watch out for anything which includes RT. It won't run Windows programs. The Surface Pro is safe for Windows programs. The Surface (either version) doesn't look like a particularly good deal.

-Jack Dunning, ComputorEdge

ComputorEdge always wants to hear from you, our readers. If you have specific comments about one of our articles, please click the "Tell us what you think about this article!" link at the top or bottom of the specific article/column at ComputorEdge.com. Your comments will be attached to the column and may appear at a later time in the "Editor's Letters" section.If you want to submit a short "ComputorQuick Review", or yell at us, please e-mail us at ceeditor@computoredge.com. If you would like to review our recent e-books, please visit ComputorEdge E-Books.

Send e-mail to ceeditor@computoredge.com with questions about editorial content.

Send mail to cewebmaster@computoredge.com with questions or comments about this Web site.

Copyright © 1997-2014 The Byte Buyer, Inc.

ComputorEdge Magazine, P.O. Box 83086, San Diego, CA 92138. (858) 484-1998

Click to Visit ComputorEdge™ Online on the Web!