Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2015 April 1

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April 1

computer windows

windows not update shut down time also instal update but no instal check for windows update -windows could not search for new update pl help me — Preceding unsigned comment added by 27.109.13.254 (talk) 03:35, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Usually your best option is to take the "exact" wording of your error and put it into google. There would be TOO many variables to effectivley help you without knowing exactly how your computer and network are setup. You haven't even said which version of windows you have. here are a couple of links to get you started Vespine (talk) 05:48, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Also How do I reset Windows Update components? -- Gadget850 ^talk 06:35, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Source code copyrights cases

I am looking for list of well known cases in US for source code copyrights violation. Can you give me some pointers. Thanks. 49.248.133.181 (talk) 06:29, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Cisco and Huawei?

Look in the software copyright article. --Mark viking (talk) 10:13, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Oracle America, Inc. v. Google, Inc. is a recent/ongoing one not mentioned in the software copyright article. -- BenRG (talk) 17:48, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

There is a case that is on going between Oracle Corp v. SAP AG. Bhbr224 (talk) 19:46, 6 April 2015 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Bhbr224 (talk • contribs) 19:38, 6 April 2015 (UTC)

A few sources that offer info on US copy right cases are http://fairuse.stanford.edu/case/ , http://www.ala.org/advocacy/copyright/copyrightcases , http://copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-infringement.html .Bhbr224 (talk) 19:46, 6 April 2015 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Bhbr224 (talk • contribs) 19:43, 6 April 2015 (UTC)

Calendar in Java

I want to create a GUI with a calendar where the user will choose a date which will then be put into a .csv file. I keep running into examples of code that create calendar apps. Does anyone know where I can find a code example of what I'm looking for? Basically help me separate the signal from the noise? Thanks, Dismas|^(talk) 10:34, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

There is a date picker component for Swing on Sourceforge - JDatePicker -- Finlay McWalterᚠTalk 10:46, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Thanks! I'll check it out! Dismas|^(talk) 16:40, 3 April 2015 (UTC)

@Finlay McWalter: I hope you don't mind me pestering you like this but I don't see the answer online. How would I, in Eclipse, add this to my project? From what I have been able to find, I'm supposed to add a .jar file to the project but the download did not include one. Thanks, Dismas|^(talk) 05:45, 7 April 2015 (UTC)

I don't know anything (worthwhile) about Eclipse or other IDEs, I'm afraid. -- Finlay McWalterᚠTalk 07:21, 7 April 2015 (UTC)

Okay, thanks. Dismas|^(talk) 07:23, 7 April 2015 (UTC)

Setting Up A Remote Database Accessible Via Web Browser

I have been asked to design a small web-based service, and need some advice on this.

The requirement is this:

• The user opens a web-browser and navigates to a suitable secure webpage.
• The user logs in securely.
• At my institution there is to be a relational database containing user information in several tables. This database will run on a "server" running Windows software, almost certainly Windows 7.
• On logging in the user is immediately presented with a webpage containing some information from the database.
• From time to time the user can click buttons on the webpage, causing queries to be run on the database and the results to be delivered back to the user's web-browser.
• The user also has the ability to request the download of a report. This should be triggered by a suitable button on the webpage, and should provide a download of a formatted report in a suitable spreadsheet or word processor format (we are agnostic on which) to the user's computer.
• In later versions of this project we would also like to add some other functionality: we would like to give the user the ability to edit some (but not all) of the data held in the relational database (whilst maintaining a record of these user-initiated changes), and we would like to give the user the ability to upload such changes in bulk using a suitably formatted file.

My questions are these:

1. Is it possible to do this relatively cheaply? (I expect the answer to be "yes".)

2. Can you recommend a cheap or free equivalent to MS SQL Server or MS Access that will be suitable for holding the database?

3. What would be the best way to design the web page? I'm unclear about the different versions of HTML, web scripting, and so on, and need guidance on how this can best be done.

4. Is is possible for a web-page to simply "connect" somehow to a database? (I rather imagine the answer to this is "yes".) If so, how is this done, and what is the best way to do it?

As well as the answers to these questions, I'd appreciate as much guidance as possible on what I should be doing here, what software and hardware should be used, and so on. Although I have plenty of experience of writing and using software to solve mathematical and econometric problems, and of designing and using relational databases on my own machine, I have no experience of internet/web-enabled systems and certainly no experience of designing a web page. My principal resource in this project is likely to be an extremely bright but temperamental graduate student with excellent skills in writing C++ code and databases but less experience on the "web" side of things.

Anyway, I hope I've given enough information for you to give me some advice. If I've been unclear about anything, or you need more information, please ask, and I'll answer as best I can. Thank you. RomanSpa (talk) 10:38, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Do you only need one user? Or several users but only one logs on at a time? Does the user ever enter data? MySQL is cheap has lots of support and supporting front ends. SQLite is even lower on the resources required, but can only do a small scale installation. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 10:57, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

There will be one user (using one machine) able to make edits to the data, but it would be helpful if other users could log in for "view" purposes only from whatever machine (or other device) they are currently using. We anticipate that this will be a medium scale project, by which I mean that the largest table in the database is likely to be at most several tens of thousands of lines and several tens of columns, the second-largest table is likely to be a few thousand lines and several tens of columns, and that there will be a few tens of other, smaller tables. RomanSpa (talk) 11:51, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Microsoft SQL Server Express is free-of-charge, and you are unlikely to run into its limits for your use. LongHairedFop (talk) 13:49, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

(EC) I recommend reading through the PHP tutorial here [1], with special attention to the mySQL section. You can use PHP to query a mySQL database; I have no doubt your grad student can write this short time, although there are security pitfalls to guard against (you might look at SQL_injection). Good luck! OldTimeNESter (talk) 13:52, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Does phpMyAdmin, also bundled in XAMPP, fulfill all Your requrements? --Hans Haase (有问题吗) 14:13, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

• Thank you all for your suggestions. It looks like a combination of PHP and MySQL will do the job admirably, and after discussions with my tame graduate student it seems likely that he can master these products in the relevant time frame. This question can now be marked closed/solved. Thank you all. RomanSpa (talk) 11:29, 2 April 2015 (UTC)

I repeat:Chrome is worthless

It's not IE that is constantly shutting down on this computer at a library.

There is a place to click to see what's wrong.

Okay, it's different. "The exception Breakpoint A breakpoint has been reached. (0x800000003) occurred in the application location 0x624251a5." I'm not certain of the number of zeros.

Restarted for the tenth time or so.

Okay, that didn't take long.

Problem signature:

 Problem Event Name:	APPCRASH
 Application Name:	chrome.exe
 Application Version:	41.0.2272.101
 Application Timestamp:	5503f436
 Fault Module Name:	chrome.dll
 Fault Module Version:	41.0.2272.101
 Fault Module Timestamp:	5503f08d
 Exception Code:	80000003
 Exception Offset:	005151a5
 OS Version:	6.1.7601.2.1.0.320.65
 Locale ID:	1033
 Additional Information 1:	0a9e
 Additional Information 2:	0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789
 Additional Information 3:	0a9e
 Additional Information 4:	0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789

Read our privacy statement online:

 http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=104288&clcid=0x0409

If the online privacy statement is not available, please read our privacy statement offline:

 C:\Windows\system32\en-US\erofflps.txt

— Vchimpanzee • talk • contributions • 17:51, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

What makes you think that complaining here will have any positive outcome? You are using a public machine with an outdated version of Windows with who knows how many add-on programs with who knows how many malware and virus infestations. The fact that anything runs is a cause for celebration. The fact that something doesn't work is to be expected. The fact that you have been told this time and time again indicates that you are not posting here in good faith. You are just trolling. 209.149.113.207 (talk) 19:29, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

I'm getting Déjà vu. Didn't the OP recently 'state' this rather than asking a question. Reminds me of that saying:a bad workman always blames his tools. Troll sounds like a good adverb to me.--Aspro (talk) 20:30, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

I'm just trying to make the point that merely giving people the advice to "switch to Chrome" doesn't mean anything. I was hoping someone would read the above and see something specific that could be fixed. I've tried to get them to fix this. The computers were recently upgraded. And why do people here accuse the library of having malware and viruses? I'm sure they have software to prevent such things.— Vchimpanzee • talk • contributions • 20:40, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

You have been complaining that the library computers are buggy for many years. So, accept that they are buggy. The likelihood that anyone here works at the library you visit is very very small. Nobody here can go and fix the computer. You cannot fix the computer because it is not your computer. So, wasting everyone's time by repeatedly complaining that the library computers are buggy reeks of trollish behaviour. I agree that your behaviour is not in good faith. 75.139.70.50 (talk) 22:03, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

That's the latest version of Chrome, running on MS Windows Vista. The error 0x80000003 means that it hit an assert, which performs sanity checks, and for whatever reason the test failed. It is not possible to get any more information that that, without internal resources from Google. We at Wikipedia have nothing to do with Google (or Microsoft). If you want the bug fixed, report it to Google with the information above, what you did to trigger the bug, and a full list of of plugins and extensions that Chrome is running. — Preceding unsigned comment added by LongHairedFop (talk • contribs) 20:46, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

I didn't do anything to trigger the bug. Every time I would go to Chrome it would shut down before I had a chance to do anything. I asked someone at the library for help, they gave me some advice, and then it started working for a little while, and then it would always shut down after a few minutes. IE had a problem maybe once. I remembered I had asked this question (well, not really a question, but I got some answers) and at some point I posted this new question. Not actually a question but I was hoping someone here would see what i was able to see and have some advice.— Vchimpanzee • talk • contributions • 20:50, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

I'll show this section to someone at the library (I'm not going back there today and I hadn't seen a response when I left there) and maybe they'll come up with a solution. I need to remember the specific computer. I think it was 3. I promise to follow up here if they do anything and I can find out what.— Vchimpanzee • talk • contributions • 21:00, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Try starting Chrome in safe mode (not Windows in safe mode). It doesn't have a safemode per say, but if you start it in "incognito mode", then the extensions are disabled. LongHairedFop (talk) 21:07, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

We'll see what happens next time. Thanks.— Vchimpanzee • talk • contributions • 21:26, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Why do people pay for Windows servers?

People use Windows on their desktops because it's already there when they buy the machines. since most users do not care about learning anything slightly technical, they get stuck with it.

However, why would someone with a technical background pay for a Windows server? What can be done with Windows Server that can't be done with Linux or BSD? Nowsome (talk) 21:39, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Some of it has to do with Empire-building. What I mean by that, is that a head of an IT department (like any other manager) is remunerated for the number of people he supervises (and some other things). Windows requires more maintenance and therefore more staff. Why in the hell make your department more efficient and risk a cut in salary? --Aspro (talk) 21:55, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Many people believe that Windows can be administrated without much training or education. So, they figure that if you pay $X for Windows, you will save at least $X in IT salaries. Of course, that is completely false. You cannot buy computer security. You cannot buy computer stability. You must hire people with knowledge and training. Regardless, compared to Linux, people believe that if you purchase Windows and there is a problem, you just call up your friendly Windows support line and someone will fix the problem right away. Of course, that won't happen. In Linux, it is free. You download and install it. You don't get a support line. Of course, that isn't true. You can purchase a service, such as RedHat, and have a support line that is actually very superior to Microsoft support. So, all in all, it is about FUD: Fear of something different (Linux), Uncertainty (what if something goes wrong and we can't call Microsoft?), and Doubt (can we actually function without Windows?) 75.139.70.50 (talk) 22:10, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Much of it has to do with applications. If your dental practice has been using Dentrix for the last 15 years, you are not likely to switch to Open Dental simply because there is a Linux version. As a managed service provider, I support all sorts of software that runs on a Windows server: accounting, billing, insurance claims, CNC programming, membership, quality assurance and so on. Most of these do not have a Linux version, or would be expensive to convert and learn. -- Gadget850 ^talk 22:24, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

The OP is asking about servers. Sure, run AutoCAD and Photoshop etc on VM's but how do servers come into this. Oh and also: Why do you think that the tail (apps) should wag the dog? --Aspro (talk) 22:33, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

To use my example, Dentrix is a client-server application. Each client instance connects to the server database. You would have a client instance for each position: front desk, office manager, insurance claims, each operatory and each dentist's office. I have a large office with 25+ desktops running Dentrix and three Windows servers. -- Gadget850 ^talk 22:46, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Why do you think conversion is difficult. The US switched from British pound, shillings and pence to dollars and cents. The cost saving is worth a couple of weeks of getting the hang of getting used to something out of one's immediate comfort zone. No wonder China is forging ahead.--Aspro (talk) 22:55, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

The anecdote used is in dental medicine. If it is anything like hospital IT, I agree that it cannot change. Another anecdote to explain why: I was asked to separate a website that has forms on it into two different websites, one with the hostname "reports" and one with the hostname "forms". That is trivial. However, the holdup (for weeks now) is that training has the URL in their screen captures. If I change the URL, they have to redo all training slides and then send all employees back through training. It may sound silly, but that how medicine works. Nobody has a brain. They just run through the routine, sucking in patients on one side and pooping out money on the other. 75.139.70.50 (talk) 23:11, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

"However, why would someone with a technical background pay for a Windows server? What can be done with Windows Server that can't be done with Linux or BSD?"

1. Ease of use. If you're already familiar with Windows, why go through the time and expense of retraining your entire IT staff in a completely new OS when they're already familiar and competent in the existing OS?
2. More importantly, compatibility: If you're already invested and created VB6, WinForms, ASP and ASP.NET apps, why spend the time and expense to rewrite all these apps for a completely new platform?

An alternate question to the original would be, why would anyone with technical background spend all that money to retrain their entire IT staff and rewrite their applications just to use Linux or BSD? Rewriting all your apps is hugely expensive, far more costly than the cost of the OS.

A Quest For Knowledge (talk) 23:29, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Why? Answer: TCO.--Aspro (talk) 23:37, 1 April 2015 (UTC)

Can you even use Linux or BSD as a domain server on Windows network? Do they support ActiveDirectory or group policies for Windows client PCs? A Quest For Knowledge (talk) 08:08, 2 April 2015 (UTC)

Yes. When I set up a network, all servers are RedHat/CentOS. I run all Windows shares and active directories and whatnot off the Linux servers. All home directories are on the Linux servers (and mirrored - just in case). If you login to a Windows machine, you see your home directory. If you login to a Linux machine, you see your same home directory. Shibboleth is used as the service authorization system - so the entire system has one password for logging into your machine, the same password for your email, the same password for logging into the secure section of the website, etc... With Shib, I can limit services based on time/date and necessity. This is where the arguments come in. A Windows-only person will say that there has to be a catch. It can't possibly work. It has to be so complicated that it takes a team of PhD's to get it set up. The Linux-only guy will complain that I shouldn't waste time supporting Windows. Just make everyone use Linux. What everyone fails to realize is that it does NOT take a lot of training to set up and administrate a Linux server. It DOES take a lot of training to set up and administrate a Windows server. I can do both (and I am very good at both). For desktop use, Windows is superior to Linux. For server use, Linux is superior to Windows. So, I use the best tool for the job. 199.15.144.250 (talk) 12:10, 2 April 2015 (UTC)