Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2007 January 9

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[edit] January 9

[edit] Kubuntu - Disabling Switch User Option

Hi. I'm using Kubuntu 6.06 and I was wondering if there was some way to disable the "Switch User" button when you lock the session. Thanks - Akamad 14:46, 9 January 2007 (UTC)

You can do it by manually setting the GConf key "/apps/gnome-screensaver/user_switch_enabled" to false. Don't know of a more user-friendly way to do it. May I ask why? —Keenan Pepper 04:28, 10 January 2007 (UTC)
Try the Lockdown Editor. --wj32 talk | contribs 01:17, 11 January 2007 (UTC)
Unfortunately, I have Kubuntu installed (KDE) so I couldn't find the KDE equivalent of the gconf file. To answer Keenan's question: The reason I was asking was that I know that in Windows you can go CTRL+ALT+DEL and then lock the screen, and there is no menu to log in as another user. I was wondering if that was possible in Kubuntu too. A quick google only finds gnome versions of the lockdown editor. I'll have a proper look around later for a KDE version. Thanks. - Akamad 05:10, 11 January 2007 (UTC)
Then, I don't know. --wj32 talk | contribs 06:06, 11 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Transmission

Please how do i draw out a correlation between Baseband Transmission,Broadband Transmission,Asynchronous Transmission and synchronous Transmission. Thank you.196.200.115.132 15:36, 9 January 2007 (UTC)Dairo Adesola

Have you read the articles, Baseband, Broadband, Asynchronous communication, and Synchronization? —Keenan Pepper 04:22, 10 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Windows XP Background Graphics

View of Mount Rainier from the observation deck of the Space Needle.
View of Mount Rainier from the observation deck of the Space Needle.

Can anybody tell me what mountain is featured in the Windows XP desktop background known as "Ascent"? Many thanks, Mike Harris. 213.131.125.106 18:07, 9 January 2007 (UTC)

Don't you mean Bliss (see the article), Windows XP default wallpaper? — Kieff 18:21, 9 January 2007 (UTC)
I believe he is referring to ascent.jpg, the image of a mountain at dawn/dusk with snow blowing right to left off its peak, and a partial moon to the left. Not being from the Northwest, I offer no expert knowledge on this, but as Microsoft is based in the Seattle area I would strongly suspect it is an image of Mt. Rainier, take a look at this for comparison... --66.195.232.121 19:44, 9 January 2007 (UTC)
Excellent! Thanks guys - just what I needed to know. --- MikeyHaz 15:23, 14 January 2007 (UTC)

Why do the call it Mt. Rainier ? ...because, being near Seattle, it's rainier than the other mountains. :-) StuRat 04:36, 10 January 2007 (UTC)

But remember that it's pronounced like Mount Rain-ear.

Well, unless you have a hat that covers your ears, you will end up with "rain ear". :-) StuRat 17:50, 15 January 2007 (UTC)

Captain George Vancouver reached Puget Sound in 1792 and became the first European to see the mountain. He named it in honour of his friend, Rear Admiral Peter Rainier. Todd Armstrong 08:47 1 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] GIMP question

In the GIMP, is it possible to have a layer with a transparent background, and add a fully opaque layer (for example, a JPG photograph) on top of that so that the transparent pixels stay transparent, but the non-transparent pixels get their colours from the new layer? Or is it possible to "substract" a layer with a transparent background from a layer with an opaque background, so that the "substracted" pixels would become transparent? JIP | Talk 18:28, 9 January 2007 (UTC)

Yes I'm sure it's possible as I've done it before, but I haven't used it in ages and haven't the slightest idea of how to do it now --frothT C 20:05, 9 January 2007 (UTC)
If I understood your intention correctly, this is something that can be done with masks. Go to the layer with the transparent background and choose Layer → Mask → Add mask... and then select Layer alpha and click OK. Now activate the opaque layer, choose Layer → Mask → Add mask... and proceed with whatever settings there are. Go to the transparent layer's mask (by clicking it in the layer list), Ctrl+A Ctrl+C, then go to the opaque layer's mask, Ctrl+V. Anchor the mask, and you're done. –mysid☎ 21:01, 9 January 2007 (UTC)
Yes, this works. Thank you! JIP | Talk 10:11, 10 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] could u please help

hi if some one could find this out for me it would be a great help could u please find out Joseph Delaney (who wrote the wardstone chronicles eg the spooks secret)email adress this is very important to me as he is one of my heros and i would like to get a email from him so please could some one spare some time to find this out please —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Ukpc5 (talk • contribs) 20:50, 9 January 2007 (UTC).

This should be on WP:RD/M. I also don't think a mailing address is available. However, you can write him by post. See http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/HarperChildrens/Home/ContactUs.aspx?TCId=100. Superm401 - Talk 00:07, 10 January 2007 (UTC)