Mandolin Picker

That's it! Worked like a champ and simple. Thanks.

Is there a method of turning off the metronome at a specific measure? What I am looking at is a way to turn off the metronome near the end of the song (the last 2-3 measures), where things slow down and there is a bit more wavering in exact tempo. I have looked and found methods to adjust tempo (speed up/slow down) once the track is recorded, but nothing while doing the actual recording. Trying to slow down while the metronome continues its steady beat is a distraction.

A "CHM" file is just a modified "ZIP" file. You can see everything in a CHM file by making a copy (so you don't mess up your original CHM file!), change the extension from CHM to ZIP and use a program such as WinZip or 7-Zip to open it up. Here is a CHM help file opened in 7-zip I have been working on for a database I am writing. The folder you are probably most interested in is HTML (CHM help files are really just small, self-contained web sites made from HTML files). Here is what my HTML file looks like. The file labeled "Table of Contents.hhc" is also just an HTML file. It provides the table of contents that is displayed on the left side of the CHM file. Also, forgot to mention, you can still download the HTML Help Workshop from Microsoft at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=21138 Hope that helps

We pull out the trains every year at Christmas. We set up a Christmas Village under the tree. This year we used the Mickey Mouse engine and cars from wife's set (it was her dad's back in the late 70s). Most everything train related we have is at least 25 years old. The transformer is over 50 years old (still have the train set that went with the transformer that my father got for me in 1966 - and it still runs). I must admit I do prefer the Fastrack over the older stuff. Although it is way too expensive for what you get. Its the main reason we only have one loop running. Here's a few shots from our village this year

Sometimes its not just the song and the instrument, but the association. Have been to many a fire department funeral. Always bagpipes. Always Amazing Grace. Always the ringing of the bell. It breaks you down every time.

And now there's this (Reuters is all over this): Second hacking team was targeting SolarWinds at time of big breach A second hacking group, different from the suspected Russian team now associated with the major SolarWinds data breach, also targeted the company’s products earlier this year, according to a security research blog by Microsoft. “The investigation of the whole SolarWinds compromise led to the discovery of an additional malware that also affects the SolarWinds Orion product but has been determined to be likely unrelated to this compromise and used by a different threat actor,” the blog said. Security experts told Reuters this second effort is known as “SUPERNOVA.” It is a piece of malware that imitates SolarWinds’ Orion product but it is not “digitally signed” like the other attack, suggesting this second group of hackers did not share access to the network management company’s internal systems. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cyber-solarwinds/second-hacking-team-was-targeting-solarwinds-at-time-of-big-breach-idUSKBN28T0U1

And then there's this from TechDirt and Reuters "No doubt the company [SolarWinds] claims to take security seriously. But while users are being subjected to password requirements that demand them to utilize most of the alphabet and multiple shift key presses, internal security isn't nearly as restrictive. Here's the "OMFG are you ***** kidding me" news via Reuters, which first broke the news of the malicious hacking. Security researcher Vinoth Kumar told Reuters that, last year, he alerted the company that anyone could access SolarWinds’ update server by using the password “solarwinds123”. https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20201215/13203045893/security-researcher-reveals-solarwinds-update-server-was-secured-with-password-solarwinds123.shtml https://www.reuters.com/article/global-cyber-solarwinds/hackers-at-center-of-sprawling-spy-campaign-turned-solarwinds-dominance-against-it-idUSKBN28P2N8

But if I provide an override, you might use it all the time, and then I wouldn't get the surveillance data on you so that I can sell more advertising!

"Saving Grace" - Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver

One other thing I'll throw out in this discussion. But let me preface this first by saying I love Cakewalk, have been using it close to 20 years, was one of those who originally paid cold hard cash for the program. I think its very good and use it almost everyday. However, Cakewalk (like most other Windows based software) is moving more and more to Windows 10 and compatibility with Windows 7 and 8 is no longer guaranteed. I understand the reasons and advantages of doing this. However, for me I will not be moving to Windows 10. I have too many issues with Windows 10. Instead I currently use Linux Mint for most everything I do on the computer (except audio). Have been using Linux for nearly 10 years now. Why do I bring this up? One thing that REAPER has that Cakewalk does not have is a Linux version. Cakewalk is very much a Windows product. REAPER can be used on Windows, Mac and Linux. If I create a template in Windows it transfers just fine to the Linux version, and vice-versa. One thing to be aware of is that REAPER for Linux is still considered experimental. But they do have versions for i686, x86-64, AARCH64 and ARM v71. Just something else to think about.

Here's a bit of uplifting news about the fires. A 5 year old sent a baby Yoda doll to the local fire fighters donation center. "A 5-year-old Oregon boy and his grandmother delivered a toy version of the pointy-eared Force user to a donation center for firefighters on Sept. 12 along with a note that read: “Here is a friend for you in case you get lonely.” Since then, Baby Yoda has been to four wildfires in two states, ridden in helicopters, checked people’s temperatures for COVID-19 symptoms, and even used “the Force” to move a firefighting tool known as a pulaski." Full article at https://www.registerguard.com/story/news/2020/10/01/spreading-force-baby-yoda-provides-boost-western-firefighters/5881512002/ There is a Facebook page to see all the places Baby Yoda has been "helping out". https://www.facebook.com/Baby-yoda-fights-fires-105042248019357/

Don't be surprised if you need to reinstall drivers (audio and video) and check all your settings. 2004 also had a nasty habit of deleting files and folders. I maintain a Windows 10 laptop for our church tech crew and 2004 hosed the laptop. I ended up having to do a fresh install to get everything back up and running.

That's the issue I have with the laptop that I maintain for our church. After an update it may take a week (or longer) to get it running stable. If I could keep it like that we would be fine. I push back updates as far as I can (I think it is like 45 days you can delay). But after that time period it will update, like it or not, and I usually have to spend another week putting settings back and getting it to run stable again.

Agree that all Window OS prior to Windows 10 had issues. However, Windows 10 changes the dynamic in a major way. Prior to Windows 10 you could watch the tech sites and tell if there was an issue with an update. There are always those who want to be on the cutting edge. They would find issues, report on the problems, and if available, any work-arounds. However, you could always wait until an update was stable before you installed it. That option is no longer available in Windows 10 (yes I know Enterprise edition allows that, but it is not realistic for the "average" user to pay the expensive price for the Enterprise edition). The best you can do in Windows 10 is "delay" the update. Even when you set up a delay it doesn't always work. I have had Windows 10 (with the delay properly set) update in the middle of a church service. You can't stop it. It takes over the machine. That is different - in a big way. I personally own one machine running 7 (its a Compaq that is about 10 years old but still does the job) and one machine running 8.1. I use the 8.1 machine for my audio work. Everything else is running Linux Mint. When CbB stops working on the 8.1 machine, I'll probably transition over to REAPER on Linux. Its not perfect, but it works. But there is no Windows 10 in my future. Keeping up the church's tech laptop is aggravating enough.

For some reason Amazon apparently thinks that I have started a new hobby of furnace humidifier collecting after we purchased one a month or so ago.

Which I believe goes back to the basic premise of the original posting and in fact validates the original posters question. Most technology things given away today have something else that pays for the product, and as you said it is typically your data. Its not unreasonable, especially if one is not familiar with the company, their business practices, etc. to look at "free" software with a skeptical eye. Open source (or Free as in freedom not free as in beer) software helps take some of that skepticism out of the equation because you can see the source code and compile it yourself. A review of the source (if you have the ability, or dependent on others who can) can reveal such issues. Closed source doesn't allow that type of scrutiny, so I didn't think the basic premise of the question (as I understood it) was unreasonable. And I think the responses about how BandLab is using the software and what they are getting out if was explained well.

One thing is for sure - Google, Facebook, Twitter and many others in the Tech industry have made billions of dollars giving away "free" stuff. Free search, free storage, free office software, free interactive discussion software, etc. There is plenty to be made by giving away the "right" free stuff.

And while some folks see that as a weakness, I tend to think of it as a strength. By the same token, its not for everybody. Some of us buy a car from the dealer with the options installed that we desire. For 4 (8, 10, 15) years we do nothing more than put gas in it, change the fluids regularly, and repair the stuff that breaks. Then there are the other folks who buy a car and commence to make it their own. New wheels, special paint, modifications to the engine, etc. Some vehicles are better at being "forked" into something different (I can get far more add-ons and accessories and regular parts for my 98 Jeep than a lot of other vehicles that are not near as old). Is it for everyone - nope. But for those who enjoy it, they can make something that is truly fascinating, unique and meets their needs.