Wednesday, May 20, 2009

May have Found Good Webcam Software

My webcam's been on the fritz for some time now. Actually, the camera is working fine. But, since getting my oldest daughter (with assistance from my son) to de-worm my computer, the software I use to connect the webcam to the Web hasn't worked.

I'm sure that there is a way to restore what I've got to the way it worked before: but I'm also no longer sure it would be worth the time and effort it could take.

So, I started looking for alternatives.

And, may have found one: "How Webcams Work" (part 4 of 6 (HowStuffWorks)) identifies Webcam32 as a fairly simple, easy-to-use bit of software.

When I can have my 'tech support staff' around, I'll see whether it's my solution.


Update (May 22, 2009)

Just one problem: Webcam32 is obsolete. The company that produced appears to be alive and well, under a new name, and into robotics: Surveyor Corporation. They're apparently looking for someone to buy the rights to Webcam32: good news for some software developer, but not so much for me.

Back to looking for some good software.
Later, the same day:

My oldest daughter suggested I try Download.com, and talked me through a search. This looks promising.

Now, why didn't I think of that?!
Maybe TrueTech WebCam Personal Edition 2.25 or webcamXP Free 5.3.2.410 - We'll see.
Update (May 25, 2009)

On examination, it seems that TrueTech WebCam Personal Edition 2.25's main function is to generate traffic for a particularly nasty porn site. That one's out.

webcamXP Free 5.3.2.410 doesn't look too good, either: 11 wonderful votes, one awful review - could be made by a company with 11 employees.

Dorgem seemed promising - if I were satisfied with posting to an FTP root directory, not a specific folder. Which I'm not.

Later -

So far, I haven't been able to disqualify WebCam2000, a freeware program developed several years ago by Jeffrey Coleman Carlyle "Ruler of Earth," and apparently a rather competent programmer.

Still later -

WebCam2000 seems to be a neat little program. If I wanted to make my desktop computer a server people to visit, it would be dandy. That's far from what I am looking for, need, or want, however. Back to searching.

Even later -

Going back to the webcam's manufacturer: WebCam Vista (Creative Labs). This might prove useful. Or, not. It's late, and I need sleep.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Waiting for Inspiration? Start Working!

Thought for the day:

"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action."
Frank Tibolt, The Quotations Page

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