Computing desk
< December 31	<< Dec \| January \| Feb >>	January 2 >

Welcome to the Wikipedia Computing Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

January 1

LaTeX Graphics cut off at the side of the page

Hi all,

I'm trying to format a piece of coursework in latex, using MacTeX(TeXshop), and I have the following code and image: (I think it would be a breach of my plagiarism declaration to upload the whole document, so here's the start of the page and the offending bit of code in question, with a printscreen (since I don't know what's relevant):

\documentclass[12pt]{amsart} \usepackage{geometry} \geometry{letterpaper} %\geometry{landscape} %\usepackage[parfill]{parskip} \usepackage{graphicx} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{epstopdf} \DeclareGraphicsRule{.tif}{png}{.png}{`convert #1 `dirname #1`/`basename #1 .tif`.png} \usepackage{float} \title{...} \begin{document} \maketitle

...

\begin{figure}[H] \begin{center} \includegraphics[width=10in]{graph1} \end{center} \end{figure}

Now I was wondering if anyone could help me get the rest of my graph onto the page! I don't care what the code for it looks like, since I'm the only one seeing it, but I'm fairly sure that graph isn't actually centered, since I don't think it was so wide it'd be that far off the page, and I really can't afford to make it much smaller! (I'd really prefer it stay on this same page as the table above though, if possible). Is there any way I can shift it leftwards so it all fits on one page? I may have to redo the graph, but it should be the same size so that won't be a problem hopefully.

Many thanks, Spamalert101 (talk) 00:17, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It is a long while since I tried any LaTeX. There is plenty of documentation on the LaTeX homepage. In particular, I think you should take a look at this PDF about graphics. However, I did notice you appear to set the papersize to "letter" and the width of your image to 10 inches (which is too wide for letter paper), while the line to set landscape paper is commented out. Maybe you could try:

\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{graph1}

Astronaut (talk) 02:09, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Make that \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{graph1}. Another possible problem is that your PDF original may not be cropped well, and may have too much white space on either or both sides. Use a PDF tool to recrop it. Preview can do this (Activate the select tool, select the right area, then Edit->Copy and File->New from Clipboard), or get Skim. --Stephan Schulz (talk) 01:00, 2 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Simpson Animation

In wich software is "The Simpsons" made in? --81.227.69.141 (talk) 01:03, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

A quick google search got this as one of the first results. If you are referring to the movie, this article and this article will probably be of interest to you. I hope this helps. JW..[ T..C ] 05:23, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

antivirus

I have a program scheduled to start with windows task scheduler. When I run the program right now it works fine, with no problems whatsoever, but come morning after the scheduled was supposed to happen, I find that avira anti-virus has blocked it from starting and is awaiting me to decide if I should let it start or block the process. Obviously this is extremely frustrating. I've tried adding exceptions to avira anti-virus but it only allows you to exempt one file at a time, and there are literally thousands of files in this program. What do? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.44.54.145 (talk) 10:29, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

disable the firewall on that security program and use windows 142.176.13.22 (talk) 00:00, 2 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I am using windows, and what does the firewall have to do with a virus scanner making false detections on local files?

If you don't want to disable anything, why don't you set your program to start right before you go to bed? That way, you can glance at it, approve it and move on. It will be on when you wake up in the morning, and you won't have to do a single different thing except look at your computer right before bed.--76.123.193.254 (talk) 08:19, 3 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Because it doesn't work like that. It needs to be closed in order for the automated part to begin, which is only supposed to happen at a specific time. Oh never mind. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.44.54.145 (talk) 10:38, 3 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

processors

modern trends and technologies in processor —Preceding unsigned comment added by 117.204.88.143 (talk) 12:34, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

This question is way too vague for anyone here to begin to answer it. It does sound like a homework question; Wikipedia's Reference Desks will not do your homework for you. Xenon54 / talk / 14:52, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Also, we are not a search engine. Technically, I'm not so sure. The Central Processing Unit article may be of interest to you. Comet Tuttle (talk) 16:58, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Norton Internet Security

Does any one know if this works at all once your subscription is up? I have never paid for Norton but most computers come with a free trial. A computer I bought 2 years ago, so maybe using version 2008, came with it. The free trial is long gone and I can not update it but the firewall and virus scans still work. With a computer I just bought 30+ days ago, it seems as if the software does nothing at all now that my free trial is up. I can not figure out how to do anything at least, so I just assume I can not. Does any one know more about this? I read the Wiki article on the software mostly and looked around on Norton's website a bit but I find nothing about what happens when the free trial is up. Thanks. StatisticsMan (talk) 14:31, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I believe the subscription only entitles you to receive updates. You can use the program if you don't have a subscription, but it will use the last definitions before the subscription expired. If it's newly installed, then obviously it won't work at all, as there are no definitions to go by.

I assume you know that it's a bad idea to not run Windows without antivirus. There are free programs out there (Avast!, Microsoft Security Essentials and Clam Antivirus are examples) that are as good as - or better than - paid programs, so if you don't want to pay for antivirus, you don't have to. Just be prepared to deal with worse support and, in some cases, slower updates than a paid program. Xenon54 / talk / 14:49, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

What I'm saying is that's how it used to be. When my subscription ran out, I could still use the program. I could open it and run a scan and I can turn on the Norton firewall and change settings and lots of other things. But, I could not update the definitions and that's about all the expiration meant. But, with this newer version, I open the program and there is nothing at all that I can do except "Subscribe now" and a few things like "Leave Feedback". I have no option of running a scan and I can not change settings. As far as the program itself, I seem to be able to do nothing. Also, the day it expired, I got a message in the lower right hand corner that said the firewall was turned off and such things. So, it seems to me that the program does nothing at all now except bother me and tell me to subscribe, but I want to know for sure.

Yes, I know I should use virus protection... sort of. Honestly, the computer I have had for over 2 years has never had a virus. The worst thing I have ever found was a tracking cookie. And, virus software slows down the computer at all times (the Wiki article says the newest version of Norton makes everything take 5% longer and that is an improvement over previous versions). So, I have a slower computer 100% of the time and I have been protected from nothing because if you don't go to weird websites and open obviously dumb emails (which I don't even get any way), then you probably won't get a virus. I still use AVG Free just in case and have Windows firewall turned on, but the point I am making here is anti-virus software may not be as important as people make it out to be if you're not an idiot and the costs of it probably outweight the benefits most of the time. By costs, I mean both the money and the slowing down of your computer. I would certainly never pay for such a thing. StatisticsMan (talk) 16:01, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

There is certainly no reason to pay for it. You should probably have it if you have a Windows machine, even if you are savvy about such things—there are a lot of ways to get Windows viruses other than just downloading and running bad content. "If you're not an idiot" it's easy to avoid most of them but most of us aren't quite as clear as to whether we're computer idiots or not until it is too late. ;-) Most dangerous are people who don't think they're idiots but know a lot less than they think they do! So having AV is probably a good idea, as "idiot insurance." But AVG Free seems to be about as good as anything for-pay. So why pay? --Mr.98 (talk) 16:42, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Yea, I agree. The fact is, no one is 100% safe and it'd be a huge pain if I lost everything. I have my files backed up but even if I just had to reinstall all my programs and uninstall all the stuff that comes on the computer when you get it that is not useful, that'd take hours and hours and I'd hate that. StatisticsMan (talk) 18:20, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I think this hits on a key point: a rigorous backup regime is probably better security than a rigorous anti-virus regime. --Mr.98 (talk) 18:26, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Note that a mirror backup which backs up all the sectors of your hard disk will avoid the problem of having to waste a day reinstalling everything. Comet Tuttle (talk) 18:38, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

EMI shield needed for installing internal HD in external case?

I recently upgraded my MacBook's 2.5" SATA internal hard drive. During installation, I was surprised to learn that I needed to take the EMI shield (which I didn't know existed) from my old drive and put it on my new drive. Now I want to put my old drive in a cheap external enclosure I bought off eBay. Do I need a new EMI shield for that? This Lifehacker article doesn't mention it, but I'm worried that it might be assumed. Thanks! --Allen (talk) 17:19, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I've never heard of having to do this, no. Presumably it's to avoid interference with some part of the Macbook's motherboard, which won't be an issue for you because the external enclosure will be far from the motherboard. Comet Tuttle (talk) 17:51, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Because the components in the laptop are so closely packed, it is entirely possible that the drive requires a shield. You won't find such shields in desktop systems, nor do you need them in and external enclosure. ---— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk 13:36, 2 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks very much! This is a relief; not only do I not have to buy a new part, but I don't have to deal with screwing in Torx screws without a Torx screwdriver again. --Allen (talk) 15:13, 3 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

ebay

i want to buy this gadget. http://www.cellcorner.com/xshp/unlock-phone-codes/data-card-unlocker-option-merlin-html... On ebay it's almost 100 dollars cheaper but i hear i can easily get ripped off . who knows the cheapest place to buy the unlocker - —Preceding unsigned comment added by 212.49.88.34 (talk) 20:54, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

In general on ebay, if you buy it from someone who has high seller ratings, you are probably going to be OK. The reason for this is that high seller ratings are hard to come by legitimately, and it only takes a few complaints to sink you. Now the only seller I see on ebay selling this cheaper is a "top rated seller" with over 500 reviews, 100% positive. That guy's probably not going to rip you off—he has put a lot of time into looking legit (especially since he works out of Hong Kong and most Americans are going to have their "scam alert" visors on when they see foreign sellers). So if it were me, I'd probably go with the ebay guy, knowing that since it is HK it will take forever to arrive, though. (I've ordered a lot of cheap stuff from HK before. It arrives, but it is very slow, if you are in the US, anyway.) --Mr.98 (talk) 22:10, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Although - [1] (check the alt text)--Jac16888 ^Talk 22:12, 1 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Well, that's why it is important to read the comments rather than just looking at the percentage, especially if much money is involved. --Mr.98 (talk) 22:58, 2 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Have you tried Deal Extreme? Nil Einne (talk) 19:29, 5 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]