With recent release of 2.3 version, I have updated my installation as well.

Few bug fixes may not worth mentioning, but noticeable change is in slide show plug-in. Starting this version slide show uses Cooliris’s PicLens. You can see a sample here.

Why would I want to mention it?

Aside from being nice piece of software, CoolIris was a place where Danny Thorpe was working for some time.

“Was” because Danny is back at Microsoft (see some notes in his blog above).

The post Menalto’s Gallery 2.3 has been released appeared first on Dragonsoft Technology View.

Colegue of mine asked me this question… WOW! What do you know…
It is actually very easy if we think about it for a second…

So lets fun begin…

--First Day of the Current Month:
select DATEADD(mm, DATEDIFF(mm, 0, GETDATE()), 0)

-- Last Day of the Current Month:
select DATEADD(ms, -3, DATEADD(mm, DATEDIFF(m, 0, GETDATE()) + 1, 0))

-- Last Day of Prior Month:
select DATEADD(ms, -3, DATEADD(mm, DATEDIFF(mm, 0, GETDATE()), 0))

-- First Day of the Current Year:
select DATEADD(yy, DATEDIFF(yy, 0, GETDATE()), 0)

-- Last Day of the Current Year:
select DATEADD(ms, -3, DATEADD(yy, DATEDIFF(yy, 0, GETDATE()) + 1, 0))

-- Last Day of Prior Year:
select DATEADD(ms, -3, DATEADD(yy, DATEDIFF(yy, 0, GETDATE()), 0))

And some more…

-- First Day of the Quarter:
select DATEADD(qq, DATEDIFF(qq, 0, GETDATE()), 0)

-- Monday of the Current Week:
select DATEADD(wk, DATEDIFF(wk, 0, GETDATE()), 0)

-- Midnight for the Current Day:
select DATEADD(dd, DATEDIFF(dd, 0, GETDATE()), 0)

-- First Monday of the Month:
select DATEADD(wk, DATEDIFF(wk, 0, DATEADD(dd, 6 - DATEPART(day, GETDATE()), GETDATE())), 0)

-- Last 2 full months
select DATEADD(ms, -3, DATEADD(mm, DATEDIFF(mm, 0, GETDATE()) - 2, 0))

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2. Mount

My BT-359 works just great and helps me on the road several times already. Keep in mind if you want to feel comfortable at all time then make sure you have enough juice in your batteries before the trip otherwise you might be stuck in the middle of nowhere and would have to use “old” ways to navigate.

As I mentioned before I am using Dell Axim 51 (now an obsolete device since Dell stopped production of it, but still working for me just fine) and I started to look around for something I can use to mount it in the car, so I have options to:

• recharge it while driving
• firm mount solution with good grip
• and will be nice if I can charge my GPS at the same time.

There are several things you can use, but I found iTrek Powered Mount Kit just what I needed. You have options to choose from for your base and after several tries, I went with this one. Actually I have got two models in one: 1 and 2. As you can see one is a shorter version of another and you can swap between them when have to. As far as a kit itself, it meets all my expectations – I have firm mount with extra power for GPS (there is special port for the device) and Axim. If you are looking for something like that – this is your choice. If you do not have Dell Axim, browse the other models for your PDA/Phone.

Warning. Try stay away from “simple” mounts with “spring-like” base. It is great until you start diving and then it starts shaking like the scared rabbit. It won’t be good for your eyes and probably will distract you from the road. And in addition when you are trying to return it you might be asked for money or so-called restocking fees to return it.

The post GPS or Merry-Go-Round. Part II appeared first on Dragonsoft Technology View.

How was it? This is my story.

Ok, original code and layout did come to life back in early 2000 and main purpose was to have a web-site to collect Wise scripts written by me and contributed by others. Over last 7 years many things have changed and many new ideas were introduced. Technologies, new browsers, new styles and ideas flooded the web and one can find so many styles and ways of creating web-sites as many web designers (and not only) are around.

First thing first. Old version has been using frames. Not the best thing anymore and not to easy to maintain from the standpoint of caching, search optimization and web-referencing.

• Changing layout to do not use frames and/or tables

Use of tables is not as robust anymore with availability of CSS, even it could be easier in some cases. Also CSS becomes very handy when simple theme related questions have to be addressed.

• Take advantage of CSS theming

I was using Java Script to create dynamic content. Well… many things could be done simply by using pure CSS. (Yeah, yeah… we will come back to those IE flaws later. You can find that current version of the web-site might be rendered with small problems in different browsers since it was originally “purified” using IE 7 only. I am working on it.

• Use of CSS when creating menus and arranging elements

It is time to make graphics looks nicer and more up to date. With all this nice monitors and screen resolutions, it is nice to get advantage of it. With introduction of Windows Vista, UI design has made big step further (yes, I know, Apple had it for ages… but… well… we are Windows developers.) And after all, your web-site is like your business card these days. It should be good looking and fast/smoothly running.

• Increase base screen resolution and introduce better graphic element.

Those are main requirements which did make into final list. Not short though.

Did you ever try to do something like this to your web-site? I am sure you did. Was it easy? Might be, if you are doing it for 8 hours a day as a business, but it is not that easy if your projects are more client driven and time limited.

The post Web-design: Through the thorns to the stars – I appeared first on Dragonsoft Technology View.

One distraction though – constant advertising. Having Kaspersky Internet Securityfor some time I almost forgot how it feels. But then it is not available always. Then you start to look for something simpler and free. After some research I have found something which might fit here – IE7Pro – addition to your browser which will help you block active advertising…

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1. Hardware

I’ve decided not to look at any standalone units like Garmin. Why? Well, I have one of last Axim 51  (Dell decided to discontinue making them and I do not really know why… since unit is very nice.) Therefore I have an antique … also I have a laptop and I want to use both when I am traveling. I was using MapPoint for quite some time, and I can say that it worked well for me but I had not have a GPS for it, so trip planning was mostly visual.

There was an occasion to get something nice for myself and I have decided to get myself a toy – GPS receiver BT-359W from USGlobalSat (don’t look at their advertised price, you can get it for ~ 90$).

Ok, so I’ve got my toy… It came in nice box with CD and variety of charging options – car or regular outlet with US or Europe adapter… nice. Oh, I’ve forgot to mention – it is a Bluetooth enabled, so there are no wires around. Unit is small and easily fit in your pocket, so if you want to go outside of your car you can easily do so and do not worry about battery for about 11 hours. (I did not try that walk for so long, but it was sitting in the car for the week and still on the same initial charge…)

Lets connect… it took me about 5 minutes to set everything up and… vuala… I’ve got my position in space with +-10m error… not bad, but you might get a funny effect with this… (we will talk about this later;)

Read more here.

The post GPS or Merry-Go-Round. Part I appeared first on Dragonsoft Technology View.

Yes, few years ago we were at the point deciding about our new car. One which my wife will like, off course. And I want to give her a credit – idea was totally hers.
So this is how it went back then and I will do this again a next time.

1. try different cars to figure out a set you like
2. then see what is said about them in reviews
3. Check online resources for prices advertised in your desired area [ADDED]
4. then… instead of going to the dealer… send THEM an email
5. it works between dealers in 100 miles radius – many big enough dealers have an on-line department – guys who are not on the floor, but rather seating behind a computers and answering emails…
6. so in the week time you will get a dozen on emails asking what you want exactly and proposing a price…
7. and here a nice thing – you can compare and you do not worry about your zip code (we will come back to this later…)

now… would you like to pay 100s of nice dollars less for an hour drive? this This what happened to us… after week of communication and week of waiting we got a car we like for the price we like most.

So you avoid trips of this nice salesman between you and his “boss” which is just a coffee machine around the corner.

What is the catch? My guess that on-line department allows dealer not to have inventory and avoid associated expenses…

Now… lets come back to the end of story I kind of enjoy – we go to the local dealer and sit with the man there… old story… trips between you and the coffee machine… you need to see that. We know how much we would pay already and this nice man showing us “secret” list of the prices dealership paying for the car and telling that he cannot go below…oh wait… he can go with the little loss and sell us a car out of his good heart… no?… oh, why are we going to buy somewhere else or driving so “long” distance… or risk that car would not be served on this dealership (oh, man)… or out of our heart to support local business…

Therefore, before you go to the local dealer see what the best is for you and not for him….

The post Buying a car? Use your computer first appeared first on Dragonsoft Technology View.

IN PRISON: You get three meals a day.
AT WORK: You get a break for one meal and you have to pay for it.

IN PRISON: You get time off for good behavior.
AT WORK: You get more work for good behavior.

IN PRISON: The guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you.
AT WORK: You must often carry a security card and open all the doors for yourself.

IN PRISON: You can watch TV and play games.
AT WORK: You could get fired for watching TV and playing games.

IN PRISON: You get your own toilet.
AT WORK: You have to share the toilet with some people who … on the seat.

IN PRISON: They allow your family and friends to visit.
AT WORK: You aren’t even supposed to speak to your family.

IN PRISON: All expenses are paid by the taxpayers with no work required.
AT WORK: you get to pay all your expenses to go to work, and they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for prisoners.

IN PRISON: You spend most of your life inside bars wanting to get out.
AT WORK: You spend most of your time wanting to get out and go inside bars.

IN PRISON: You must deal with sadistic wardens.
AT WORK: They are called managers.

The post Did you ever consider that prison is better then work? appeared first on Dragonsoft Technology View.

First, I saw those ghost towns when was driving upstate North California. You can find those empty or half empty places on the way up.

Then I took a trip from California all way to Wisconsin… You can find few places on the road which will remind you Radiator Spring from the movie…

Do you want to hear more about history behind the movie – very nice site telling a story of route 66 and the movie Cars. And there is another one about route 66 in Arizona.

The post Movie `Cars` and route 66 appeared first on Dragonsoft Technology View.

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