If anyone can recommend a more appropriate *well**populated* group, feel free to do so. Most computer groups I can see are either overrun with spam and trolls or only have about half a dozen posts in the last four months.
Win 7 Ultimate x64 - when any program is open and you then open a second one, normally the new window will take focus and open in front of whatever is already running. Last night, for no apparent reason I can see, that situation altered so that the new window now opens
I think that 'poor' groups have always been the norm. Certainly in my experience of something more than ten or twelve years anyway. There are still plenty of specialist groups with good people on them. There are at least six that I use for my limited interests, that have always maintained a good level of knowledgeable people and 'regulars', this being one such. You can ask or discuss just about anything on here. Aside from very good and expert DIY advice in many fields and disciplines, this group has always maintained a 'down the pub' air about it, where threads can wander into interesting and often controversial ground.
There are plenty of people who are either computer professionals, or very experienced amateurs who happen to have a DIY interest as well, and will be happy to offer advice on computer issues. That said, in some cases, the phrase "Google is your friend" is often appropriate, and seems to have resulted in you getting a fix for your problem, as was suggested that it might.
In cases like these, as with trying to find the answer in a Linux/Unix man page, the problem is less that the information isn't there, but more knowing where to look.
Listening to the problem it was clear that it was a windows 7 specific issue, and it was a problem of moving focus to the newest active window. That gives a better chance of setting up the google search to give the real answers.
I had a similar problem last night when my pop mail server died - with the error that the computer clock had suddenly shifted 50 minutes,. The answer was buried deep in the way virtualised machines pick up the 'hardware' clock and eventually I found a workaround for what is effectively an issue with te host machine that was beyond my ability - or its seems of the hosting companies means - to affect.
(In essence you have to tell Linux to disregard the host machines clock and synchronise entirely to world NTP time. This is still less than ideal as even that is adversely affected by the host machines overall load factor. So you an get the c*ck slowing down massively and then being corrected in a big 'jerk')
But the point is the answer is there, *if* you know what questions to ask. Knowing more helps.
But still you've had two people telling you to ditch Windows and, by tomorrow afternoon, someone else will be along to tell you to get a Mac. I'm guessing you've paid good money for Win7 so not exactly useful advice.
I agree. It's not that I'm lazy or don't like to 'google', it's more that I've used usenet for so long that it's sometimes like a habit to ask in a usenet group first. As you say, it's a sort of 'down the pub' thing so I think of it like asking my mates a question, and if none of them know then I google :D
Not in this case admittedly, but sometimes it can be difficult to phrase a question so that google gives a reasonable answer.
But where unix is concerned, I'd rather *not* know more. Your man page example is a good one. Too often, either the page isn't installed. or it refers to a version you don't have. Every time I foolishly think I ought to learn more about unix, after 5 minutes I've thrown the computer out of the window.
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