General Computer Thread

[Gingerbread Demon]

OK fixed Messenger without really trying. I opened the program files folder and then had to take ownership of the WindowsApps folder inside that. Found the Messenger .exe and discovered that it has to be set as "run as administrator" for it to actually open. I think something got changed during the update which removed that setting because it wasn't launching at all. But now it's all fixed.

 

[publiusr]

The god-computer?
https://arxiv.org/abs/2001.04383
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/...-sized-quantum-computers-with-god-like-powers

Some AI news

A new Artificial Intelligence (AI) has allowed AI researchers, for the first time, to demonstrate a useful and reliable way of sifting through masses of correlating data to spot when correlation means causation.

https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/...when_correlation_does_mean_causation_999.html
https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Artificial_intelligence_sees_quantum_advantages_999.html

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

LOL look at the date on this windows update for Windows 10

https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/..._term=day&_branch_match_id=709902198927061495

 

[Santaman]

Pff! so that update is older than I am.. couldn't be much of a typo either even 1986 would be quite a while back now.

There's not much news I can tell, Linux Mint 19.3 has been great so far even on the 2200G, APU's were problematic for a while but lately it's really working well, my gaming rig still runs windows 8.1 despite being a Ryzen 5 2600X and so called not compatible it doesn't give me any problems whatsoever.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Pff! so that update is older than I am.. couldn't be much of a typo either even 1986 would be quite a while back now.

There's not much news I can tell, Linux Mint 19.3 has been great so far even on the 2200G, APU's were problematic for a while but lately it's really working well, my gaming rig still runs windows 8.1 despite being a Ryzen 5 2600X and so called not compatible it doesn't give me any problems whatsoever.

The date on that update is Intel specific. Namely the date Intel was founded.

 

[Haggis and tatties]

^^I remember that update coming out in 1968, i was one, but it fixed a major hole in my PC....(Pram cover).

 

[Marc]

Could be a new type of power supply to become the standard over the next few years if Intel is successful with the standard called ATX12VO.

At present your PSU provides 12,5 and 3.3 volts which isn't the best for efficiency. What Intel is proposing is the PSU will supply 12v to the mainboard which will then then step the voltages down as required.

At present it will just be implemented by OEMs, for the hobbyist/self builder it could be a bit longer as we have a chicken and egg situation. PSU vendors won't build for it unless the motherboard manufacturers release support products but they won't build them unless the PSUs are available.

https://www.pcworld.com/article/351...power-supplies-with-its-atx12vo-spec.amp.html

 

[Santaman]

I have my doubts that it will go outside the server world, Intel wanted to have BTX replace ATX and see where that went..
As a concept, well yes, it would make PSU's less complex and more reliable.

 

[Marc]

I have my doubts that it will go outside the server world, Intel wanted to have BTX replace ATX and see where that went..
As a concept, well yes, it would make PSU's less complex and more reliable.

not sure it's aimed at the server market at this point in time - just oems for home and business desktops at the lower end.

servers and high end desktop processes might need a bit more given their power demand.

 

[Santaman]

It could be used in servers, these already have backplanes etc voor drives would be easy to implement.
As for desktop PC's I actually have IBM PS/2 Model 30 machines which power the drives through the mainboard so the idea isn't new.

 

[Marc]

It could be used in servers, these already have backplanes etc voor drives would be easy to implement.

and rather then implementing the power regulation through the motherboard you could do it through the backplane.

That said I think with the ATX12V0 Standard the plan is just to have a single 10pin cable from the PSU so you'd have to carry the power from the motherboard to the backplane.

The other is power for graphics card (either for stuff like PCoIP doing VDI or machine learning/AI etc) in servers which mirrors the problems with demand for video cards in desktop PCs.

They'd either have to redesign the PCIe spec to deliver more than 75w or still need the 6pin aux power cables.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Odd question:

Anyone know of a budget 61-Key mechanical that doesn't have RGB?

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

Odd question:

Anyone know of a budget 61-Key mechanical that doesn't have RGB?

61 key? Isn't the standard layout more then that?

I have an Azio MK Retro which has zero RGB and full mechanical switches.

 

[Marc]

61 key? Isn't the standard layout more then that?

as always google is your friend.

Anyone know of a budget 61-Key mechanical that doesn't have RGB?

probably a hard ask.

Not sure why they think the because some-one wants a mechanical keyboard they must be a gamer and want LED.

found this one on Amazon - but I'm not sure about a white keyboard unless one keeps their desk and hands immaculate.

https://www.amazon.com/Redragon-K55...d=1584535495&sprefix=61+key+k,aps,162&sr=8-19

Your best bet might be to a keyboard with just one lighting mode or see if you can turn the lights off.

If it's about paying extra, looking at some of the prices I'm not sure it's really making the much difference.

Plus if you can touch type you won't be looking at the keyboard anyway

 

[CorporalClegg]

Thanks. It's a bit bigger than I'd like, but not enough to fuss over. I spent a good hour browsing Amazon; don't know how I missed that one.

It isn't just keyboards. They put LEDs on everything these days. And I don't get it. I think it looks ridiculous. It only ever reminds me of that one gag with Shatner in Airplane 2.

 

[Santaman]

Yeah.. the RGB craze, you name it and it is fitted with LEDs to make it look like a christmas tree going bananas..
I don't have any case with a stupid glass panel and yet my mainboards came with LEDs.. which serve no purpose.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

The whole RGB thing is just gaudy and tacky..... I look for options where that shit can be turned off or deactivated, and if it can't I look for wires that I can cut.

Even RAM sticks now have this shit.

 

[Marc]

Thanks. It's a bit bigger than I'd like, but not enough to fuss over. I spent a good hour browsing Amazon; don't know how I missed that one.

Amazon's search and filtering options need work. Go to somewhere like newegg and you can filter by feature. I did a search on mechanical keyboard no LED which is how I found the one linked above. Plus a shitload of other keyboards that did have LEDs

Yeah.. the RGB craze, you name it and it is fitted with LEDs to make it look like a christmas tree going bananas..
I don't have any case with a stupid glass panel and yet my mainboards came with LEDs.. which serve no purpose.

It's for all the cretins who do have clear panels in their case

I will admit that I like the red LEDs on my keyboard which can help if I've typing in bad light (though I generally touch type) and it's a nice keyboard.

the mother-in-law also wanted me to get her a keyboard with back lights for the same reason and she's more likely to be using it in a dim environemnt (a lot of older Canadiam homes tend not to have central light fittings in rooms so rely on table lamps etc). Hers in a mechanical-feel though because my father-in-law can be tetchy at times and clicky keys would set him off.

and if anyone wants to look at some retro computing to while stuck at home.

https://www.reddit.com/r/retrobattlestations/new/

I'm sitting at home in front of 2 x 27" monitors and after looking through that forum had the thought - how the hell did live with guis on such small, low res single screens

 

[Santaman]

When something is fuctional then I have no problem with it, but when you for example make fans which are less effective than the old ones without LEDs just so they have ridicilous RGB effects then you really messed up..

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

When something is fuctional then I have no problem with it, but when you for example make fans which are less effective than the old ones without LEDs just so they have ridicilous RGB effects then you really messed up..

Yes well style over effeciency I guess.

Retro computing is fun. My old 486dx2100 was a perfectly serviceable machine and did fine with Windows 98 and ran all my old games, or rather did up until 3 or 4 years ago when the power supply croaked it. When that died it took out other vital bits.

Plus those machines were really good with power consumption.