Yep, the method linked is the 'correct'/'best' method... Takeown and then icalcs Rod

So you can keep track of all devices, look at Ubiquiti Unifi. Replace your WiFi router with a Dream Machine (that's what it's called) and turn on DPI and you get a good breakdown of the types of data and what is causing it. Use it at a few clients and recently converted at home and find it really useful, despite being on an unlimited plan, just like to have an idea what's going on. Rod

Pink Floyd in Aus - Delicate Sound of Thunder, about 1984. Was amazed by how much gear they brought. Gilmour stated in the press that they brought the whole show, even though that meant they weren't going to make any money.

I found similar to you. Basically worked OK, but occasionally gets VERY slow - particularly when connected via 3G on my laptop. Seems related to adverts, but why they seem to load an order of magnitude slower than other stuff, I don't know. Also seems to sometimes not respond to page up/down keys, have to use the touch screen. Not sure why, but it's annoying until I work out what's happening and just use my finger ;-) There's a few things I do that need plugins, so the inability for it to use them is annoying and forces me to use another browser. A bigger issue is that it seems to cause hangs when entering/exiting sleep mode - I think a problem with my video driver (Intel HD Graphics). Occasionally get that still, but much less than when I used Edge as the default browser - I had to switch to another for stability. Rod

I find that web site archaic and ugly - not sure we should listen to what he has to say about usability and design as a result. I've had Windows 8 on my 3+ year old laptop for about three weeks since the old SSD died. I have to say I hate it less than I though I would. The jumping between UI's is only a slight PITA. Most of my day is spent running Windows apps on the desktop, and I hardly see the start screen. It all therefore looks very much like Windows 7 with a flatter theme. I can even run a 'Metro' app side by side on a single monitor with the desktop - i find docking the messaging Metro app like this is quite efficient. Some things are harder to get to, and that's annoying, but I remember feeling much the same by some of the changes in XP as opposed to 2000. In general, though, I now have a laptop that: 1. Runs desktop apps faster than under Win 7 2. Runs cooler 3. Has longer battery life 4. Has faster shutdown/startup/sleep/wake times I can't imagine I will ever sit and stare at the start screen as it's tiles scroll through three lines of info, so think it's a bit pointless. However as an occasional app starter, it's quite efficient with a little customisation. I've added no third party utilities to 'improve' the interface, wanted to live with it out of the box for a while. I found adding a toolbar pointed to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs (the old Start Menu location) and a few apps pinned to the taskbar provides a pretty good way to start most things without context switching. Rod

Always love a really obscure reference to old Pink Floyd songs... ;P

Don't do a great deal of this, but prefer to have a CHM. Sometimes supplement with an online version for 'updates'. Still don't think we can always assume that people will have Internet access. I use HelpNDoc http://www.helpndoc.com/store[^]- even the free (non-commercial use) version produces CHM/HTML/DOC/PDF versions of your file that look remarkably similar. The full version isn't expensive at EU$139. Always some limitations and quirks, but this works well for my limited use.

Thanks again, I've seen those code converters and even used them to get some example C# code into my VB program. Now to make the purchase(s)...

Thanks for the answers - appreciate them. Those MS videos do look both interesting and useful, and the Head First book also. That sounds like the way I learn best (by doing) and I don't take the train often - when I do, I have my laptop so I can play. There's also a second edition which covers VS2010 - Here [^]. I'm nervous about going to C#, but then VB.Net is different enough to most of what I've done, that it represents a challenge too. It does seem that either language would do what I need, but most people tend to think that C# is a little more capable. It does look like I should use VS, rather than Sharp Develop. If I do use VS, then I do think that Pro is the minimum level - Just can't believe that MS dropped the standard edition (A$400, instead of A$1200!). I like YAGNI, not heard that one before - makes sense to me. I do think that WinForms will be most of it - don't think the little utilities I written in the past or likely to create in the future need a fancy UI, just an easy, serviceable one. Thanks again, Rod

Hi, I'm a bit of a lurker around here, love reading the articles, but as I'm not a programmer in anything other than the loosest of definitions, am unable to contribute much. I ask your indulgence with the following: My 'programming' until now has been largely in VB (6 and earlier) and mainly done to fill some gap in the OS, or other specific need. I'm actually proud of many of these little utilities as many of them have continued to make my life easier for many years, despite being constructed in something of a spaghetti fashion - copying of other peoples code (leagally!) plus my own. I have my own IT consulting business, supporting several hundred users across many small businesses and some of these programs are still in use. It is becoming obvious though, particularly as we move to Windows 7, that many of these old programs really should be reconstructed in a modern language. Additionally, there is a need for some new types of tools for use in our business. With a lot of help from the code samples on this site, I have even created my first such project - about 2000 lines of VB.Net code. The program works well, but I'm certain that it would seems 'confused' to an experienced eye. I'm keen to get a bit better/more confident/maybe faster at this programming caper and have some basic questions - but I don't want to kick off any religious wars ;-). I'm thinking that the best way to acheive this is to purchase a book and read it, but which book... - VB.Net/C#.Net - I've mostly done VB 6 in the past, but C# code does make some sort of sense to me. - Development environment - Visual Studio Express/Pro/Sharp Develop (why did they drop standard?). I need add-ins, services, probably the ability to create Office Add-Ins. I think that means I need to get VS 2010 Pro, or can Express do this stuff, its just templates, any thoughts? - Winforms/WPF/WCF - I barely understand the differences, I feel I'll mostly use Winforms. How do you decide which is 'best'. Don't believe there will be much need for web based apps. Lastly, this will probably be covered by simply learning the language/environment better, but .Net often has several ways to achieve what seems to be the same result. How do you know the best way, and determine the best layout for a project - this function in module x, that one in module y. I know this is long, I'm sorry. Thanks, Rod

1.21 Gigawatts / Watt the hell's a gigawatt?

Web browser? Most can load text files and can't edit... Could load 'IE' from a custom VS program if you didn't need/want the UI. Rod