Computer Questions Not Worth Their Own Thread II

When I leave a browser open and go afk or something for more than like 20 minutes or whatever and I come back there's like a "connection lost work offline" message that comes up. It doesn't really mean anything I can just close the browser and close the message and everything seems to be back to normal. I'm concerned it could be like some spyware thing. When I get a new computer or reformat one that message eventually shows up months or years later but by default it doesn't come up. Does anyone have any idea what I'm talking about
 
I'd go with a crappy browser or a weird extension or spyware.

Going offline shouldn't change anything unless you have a running process like an embedded video.
 
Are there any models of tablets you all would suggest for use in class?

I really like the asus ones that have a keyboard dock you can use with it.

Things I really am looking for:
Detachable Keyboard
Able to use stylus
Access to good notetaking apps
Access to a large library of e-textbooks
Good battery life
USB ports would be a big plus, even if they are only on the keyboard/dock

Surface Pro 128GB, you can play civ in class too.
 
I've been looking into tablets and they all seem out of my price range. I *might* be able to cover it by combining gifts from multiple people, but the one thing that's also holding me back is the availability of e-textbooks. I'm not sure I'll be able to find digital copies of most of them and I'm mostly getting this to replace everything in my backpack.

Of course, there is the 'no-computers' profs, but that can't be helped. But if I'm still having to buy physical copies of most of my textbooks and have only replaced pen and paper for notes, I just have a hard time justifying the purchase.
 
the one thing that's also holding me back is the availability of e-textbooks.
At this point, that's like saying the one thing holding you back from a Kindle is the availability of e-books. :p

EDIT: I actually don't know. They're widespread for core subjects, but I'm not sure about once you get deep into your major. Try a google search. Or look to see the textbooks you'll need, and then search amazon.com and Nook store.

EDIT2: If you really wanted to, you could probably go the route of just downloading all your textbooks as pdf files for free, wink wink.
 
At this point, that's like saying the one thing holding you back from a Kindle is the availability of e-books.
Not really. It's a big purchase and the only reason I need it at this point would be to replace my backpack, essentially. Sure, it'd be awesome to have nonetheless, but if I still have to carry around a bunch (or basically all) of my textbooks then my justification for buying it is moot.

Then again, I don't usually carry around my textbooks....wait nevermind yes I do. I carry them so I can study between classes but I rarely need them in class.

actually don't know. They're widespread for core subjects, but I'm not sure about once you get deep into your major. Try a google search. Or look to see the textbooks you'll need, and then search amazon.com and Nook store.
Yeah this is what I'm going to do. I was just hoping that someone with knowledge of the textbook industry might have something to say on this to save me a lot of searching. It's a hassle because I'll have to look up all my future courses and find all the books for them.

The campus bookstore usually will tell you when they have a digital copy of a textbook, which in my experience hasn't been that often. Then again, there are other places I can look.

If you really wanted to, you could probably go the route of just downloading all your textbooks as pdf files for free, wink wink.
I could, but such PDF's have to actually exist in the first place....
 
Low tech low cost solution: Get a locker at your university, so you don't have to carry the stuff all the time.
 
So I recently got a computer from my parents, it was damaged by a surge and the processor, motherboard, and graphics card were damaged. The motherboard and CPU were replaced (Core i5-661), but I don't seem to have any real graphics capabilities now. Even for old games that onboard intel graphics should easily be able to do. I feel liker for some reason my onboard graphics aren't activated, but I have no idea how to do this...?

Or should I just drop $60 on a mediocre graphics card and use that?
 
I somewhat have to agree with Zelig, I've found mouse reliability to be a bit suspect lately. My current one's been happily avoiding cats for over a year now, but I had two or three fail in relatively short succession (perhaps a year) before that. Still, I suspect part of it had to do with hauling the mice across long distances regularly, and that not being good for either them or their tails.

At this point, that's like saying the one thing holding you back from a Kindle is the availability of e-books. :p

Not really. Textbook makers have been a lot slower to adopt electronic versions than fiction publishers. I'm sure their availability has improved a bit in the past year, but when I was in school not that long ago, e-textbooks often didn't exist. And some of the time they did exist, it was only in the form of one-semester rentals that cost two-thirds of what the paper book did anyway... so of course I'd rather have the paper book that I could then either sell, or keep if it was a particularly good textbook.

And that's the other challenge I see for e-textbooks, is that if you do tend to sell your textbooks, they can wind up being quite a bit more expensive. I don't know how much of traditional book costs is printing/paper/binding/shipping versus going to the authors for their knowledge, but given what I've heard author royalties usually are, I can't help but feel that e-textbooks (and e-books in general, for that matter) are overpriced versus regular books.

nc-1701 said:
So I recently got a computer from my parents, it was damaged by a surge and the processor, motherboard, and graphics card were damaged. The motherboard and CPU were replaced (Core i5-661), but I don't seem to have any real graphics capabilities now. Even for old games that onboard intel graphics should easily be able to do. I feel liker for some reason my onboard graphics aren't activated, but I have no idea how to do this...?

Or should I just drop $60 on a mediocre graphics card and use that?

Are you sure that the Intel graphics drivers are installed?

If it's just that the games run slow, however, it might just be that they aren't actually old enough for the integrated Intel graphics...
 
Of course they are, the entire industry is hella greedy.
 
I've had the same optical mouse for about 12 years.

My mouse mat is even older. I got it when they released Championship Manager 2, which was in like 1995 or something. It's probably older than some of you lot.
 
I've had the same optical mouse for about 12 years.

My mouse mat is even older. I got it when they released Championship Manager 2, which was in like 1995 or something. It's probably older than some of you lot.

You say optical, is this wireless. If not, I would say that it is not unusual. If it is wireless, then what make and model is it as I may have to consider it (though it is probably no longer made and cost and/or manufacturing quality has gone down).
 
Low tech low cost solution: Get a locker at your university, so you don't have to carry the stuff all the time.
1) They don't have lockers to rent out. 2) Even if they did, my classes are scattered everywhere around a largish campus and I have about 10 minutes between them. Making trips to the locker would more hassle than it's worth, even if I only did it once a day.

I somewhat have to agree with Zelig, I've found mouse reliability to be a bit suspect lately. My current one's been happily avoiding cats for over a year now, but I had two or three fail in relatively short succession (perhaps a year) before that. Still, I suspect part of it had to do with hauling the mice across long distances regularly, and that not being good for either them or their tails.
I have never had an optical mouse fail on me ever. However, wireless mice never work satisfactorially for me. They always cut out, even without a cell phone around (with a cellphone nearby they are unusable). I sometimes even have issues with my wireless keyboard but not as bad.

I have no idea why they can't make a damn mouse and keyboard that is both wireless and doesn't suffer from random drop outs. And I'll have them within a half meter of the reciever!

Not really. Textbook makers have been a lot slower to adopt electronic versions than fiction publishers. I'm sure their availability has improved a bit in the past year, but when I was in school not that long ago, e-textbooks often didn't exist. And some of the time they did exist, it was only in the form of one-semester rentals that cost two-thirds of what the paper book did anyway... so of course I'd rather have the paper book that I could then either sell, or keep if it was a particularly good textbook.
This, this and this. Yeah I can't find e-texbooks for most of my classes (even when pdf versions of the answer keys for the textbooks exist :confused:) and the ones that do exist are expensive rentals. PISSES ME OFF.

And that's the other challenge I see for e-textbooks, is that if you do tend to sell your textbooks, they can wind up being quite a bit more expensive. I don't know how much of traditional book costs is printing/paper/binding/shipping versus going to the authors for their knowledge, but given what I've heard author royalties usually are, I can't help but feel that e-textbooks (and e-books in general, for that matter) are overpriced versus regular books.
Textbooks are very overpriced and they can get away with that unfortunately. The companies act like mini-monopolies. Not that they technically are, but they engage in monopolistic behavior anyways.
 
You say optical, is this wireless. If not, I would say that it is not unusual. If it is wireless, then what make and model is it as I may have to consider it (though it is probably no longer made and cost and/or manufacturing quality has gone down).
Ahh, yeah, it's a wired optical, not wireless. I guess that makes the difference?
 
I have never had an optical mouse fail on me ever. However, wireless mice never work satisfactorially for me. They always cut out, even without a cell phone around (with a cellphone nearby they are unusable). I sometimes even have issues with my wireless keyboard but not as bad.

I have no idea why they can't make a damn mouse and keyboard that is both wireless and doesn't suffer from random drop outs. And I'll have them within a half meter of the reciever!

I will continue to promote the Logitech M510 which has never failed or disappointed me in a year of use.
 
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