pc tips

It was only when we needed to batch rename a group of files we rediscovered Power Toys.  There are so many toys in the box it's a bit overwhelming but PowerRename appears with a right click and does just what we wanted and ImageResizer looks useful.  PT is open source so probably not absolutely bomb proof.

The Beeb is not being helpful with the red button, today the market info has gone away to make it nicer for us ... don't think so.

1974 the BBC started the world's first teletext service Ceefax.  It didn't survive the 2012 digital switchover but a similar text service is available on the red button if the tv is not connected to the Internet and despite a threat to end it in 2020.  Journalistic standards are slipping with clumsy copy and pastes from the web but it does make a less brutal way to get the news.

The BT Cloud will close tomorrow so probably a good idea to download your stuff before then.  Other free services are available.

Even allowing for it's always longer than you think we're still surprised that Detectorists is ten years old!  It's gentle humour is still endearing and tonight Radio 4s Screenshot will be celebrating the anniversary.

Custom made for David Mitchell (he's one of the six! executive producers) the second episode of Ludwig on BBC1 tonight like episodes one and three criminally under employs Sophie Willan in a wig and glasses.  Thankfully Alma's Not Normal returns for series two Monday BBC2.

We suspect it's the awesome power of AI that caused our Facebook page to go away for a bit today.  Our page was suspended for Impersonation (something to do with that there Ed Sheraton?) but returned within minutes of us appealing.

Our Ctrl + wheel pc tip below we're told by users is particularly welcome when really you need new glasses.

A shortcut we stumbled across that seems to be mouse only.  In web browsers Chrome, Edge and Firefox hold down Control key and rotate the mouse wheel to zoom in and out.  Don't forget Ctrl + wheel to get back where you were.

In the early days we unwisely used the same easily remembered password for multiple accounts.  Then Yahoo a sort of pre-Google search engine got hacked revealing users' passwords.  Our Google account has started sending slow to load emails pointing out our vulnerability.  If you have a Google account go Manage your Google Account/Review security tips/Your saved passwords to deal with it.

More PC nostalgia than a PC tip but Finland's Windows95man is wonderful Eurovision daftness with the final this Saturday.  If you think Windows 95 is ancient earlier we stayed with DOS because we thought (correctly) Windows 3.1 far too slow.

We did say Radio 4 Long Wave is not going away but now we're not so sure.  Some of the web thinks it was closing at the end of last month but we can still get it on our analogue Roberts.

As plugs have got smaller in this connected digital world (Apple's lightning and the increasingly ubiquitous USB type C) the tolerances of the physical dimensions must be more critical.  Our experience is the cheaper varieties can be a sloppy fit and consequently less reliable.

Radio 4 Long Wave is not going away but from March (or possibly April) it will no longer have its own programming like the Shipping Forecast and the 198kHz broadcast frequency will still be maintained as an off air standard (see under Tech Spec).