Google Takeout Downloads All Your Google Files

Want most every file and picture associated with your Google account? No emails.
Use Google Takeout. Check the little email notify box on the bottom left and let the takeout build. When done you can download the zip file.

You can even open docs and spreads created within Google Docs.

I am trying SpinBackUp to backup Google Drive. It is easy and works but when I download a native Google Doc, I can't view it. Spinbackup is still a good easy solution that works automatically.

If You Just Can't Live Without Windows 8

Get it here.

Amazon Prime Movies

Edit: I am enjoying Prime more the longer I have it. Yes, I am buying more but Amazon's prices are getting more competitive on computer merchandise so that may be the reason. The streaming selections are a surprise. Amazon has some things I have wanted that were not available elsewhere. Seasons 1-2 for "Suits" for example were not on Netflix or Hulu.

Summary first: The free streaming selection is sadly lacking but it does have seasons two and three of Downton Abby.

I finally tried Amazon Prime. No reason really, we paid very little on shipping anyway and only ordered when we had enough to qualify. Netflix works fine and I use it off and on like all my other OCD endeavors, always or never.

Finding free worthwhile movies tricky on the Amazon site. I'm still not sure how plentiful they are but I did find one way to locate some of them, IMDB. Just log into IMDB with your amazon account and add Amazon watchlist movies from there. Once I got a little more accustomed to Amazon's site I was able to find them but they don't make it easy.

I will probably  keep Prime for the year. There is a certain feeling of power when ordering Prime items with free 2nd day delivery. They may be a disappearing breed but all mine have qualified so far.

I already have recently viewed movies that I never used. Maybe the NSA is sharing my account.

My panel's HDMI will not sync with Roku or WDLive. Their interface may be better than Amazon's. A PC hooked to the TV is the way to go anyway. Throw together an A4 thru A10 AMD and stream away. Mine is an A4 and works fine.

For what it's worth, I have given up on Plex and all the other media interfaces and just use good old Windows and a browser. The others are cute but the quirks are not worth the effort.

GIMP Extensions Pack for Windows

Trying to install the Gimp Animation Pack or simply finding it is currently impossible. I decided after great deliberation to try installing GAP through the extensions pack, which I never previously trusted and thought was a cruel joke. Holy Cow it worked. What a great compilation. Many thanks to the originator of the compilation installer.

Finding working plug-ins and extensions can be a struggle. This link provides and install program for many of the plug-ins in one package and claims to keep them up to date. Of course reinstall of the plug-ins and extensions would be required. I was shy about using it and tried installing the GAP portion, which is impossible to find anywhere else. GAP worked perfectly. Here is the full link:
http://registry.gimp.org/node/27656

For a quick portable version with many tweaks and improvements go to Partha's place. You can also grab the cutting edge beta version. http://www.partha.com/

Recently installing the entire extension pack seems to be too heavy so I started being selective. However installing one plugin from the pack may break another that is already installed. I am back to installing individually. Anyway this is what I currently install:

My addons to Gimp
gmic
resynthesizer (mostly for the healing function)
Layer via Copy/Cut
Place layer into selection
Scale layer to image
Save for web
Wavelet denoise
Wavelet sharpen
FX Foundry (but I don't use it often)
layerfx script (a little quirky)
fake hdr effects (not too useful but at times can perk something up)
Gimp Paint Studio (maybe)
Script-Fu http://www.gimphelp.org/script28.shtml#downloads
High Pass Filter

Settings I do:
Do not show layer boundry:
From the main menu, navigate to Edit > Preferences > Image Windows > Appearance
Uncheck Show Layer Boundary under Normal Mode and also Fullscreen Mode
Restart GIMP to for the changes to take effect

Move active layer:
Select the Move Tool for the Tool Box in the left panel
In the Tool Options dialogue box check Move the Active Layer
From the main menu navigate to Edit > Preferences > Tool Options > Save Tool Options Now
Restart GIMP

Mouse Wheel increase/decrease brushsize
edit>preferences>input controllers
double click "main mouse wheel"
highlight Scroll up>edit>select decrease brush size
Do opposite for Scroll down

Meet, Meet the Gimp.org

I just found a new great Gimp site. Of the highest value is all of the old video podcasts of Meet the Gimp found on this page. Just download them all into three folders and start watching. I have seen this site before but not previously discovered the bulk download page.

Just Installed Linux Mint 13 Within Windows

I haven't used Linux for awhile so thought I'd give it a try. Mint was good last time I tried it so decided on v13 which is the version providing long term support at the moment.

Download the ISO and mount it with some virtual drive software like WinCDEmu. Start the Mint installer and choose "install within Windows". This sets up dual boot but allows uninstallation from Windows "Add/Remove" programs.

Install was flawless. Upon reboot Mint starts and the screen was black for too long so that was unnerving. I am in Mint now and I hope reboot shows the dual boot. I'm streaming now but while typing this in Firefox typing is starting to lag. That's irritating. I changed streams to see if lag goes away. Bitgravity works better than Ustream for me. Yes the lag went away.

Media:
The Magic behind Mint was always media working out of the box. This install was no exception. Probably Ubuntu works that way now, too. I opened and watched an episode of Nixie Pixel in honor of the Mint installation. Flash works.

Wifi worked without issue.

NTFS drive access worked with full access. I could not see the Windows OS folder so editing or fixing Windows is not useful unless I'm doing something wrong.

Setting Up VPN

Best video I've seen on setting up VPN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIcaE5YotmY
or
https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/forum/index.php?p=/discussion/369/how-to-setup-vpn-connection-on-windows-7-my-easy-way/p1

sharing center
change adapter settings
file, new incoming, check user
through internet
default allow access
note computer name
see new connection
cmd
ipconfig
see address of server 192.168 etc
may wish to set static ip
go to router, port forward, pptp 1723 1723 put in server ip
run open \\windows pc name

then do client
sharing center
set up new network
workplace
use my internet
enter server ip

Set up connection for both lan and wan if needed
check for wan at whatismyip in browser

List Of Remote Desktop Software

Ammyy seems easy.
http://www.ammyy.com/en/admin_screenshots.html

LogMeIn of course is very easy but I hate being tied to them.
TeamViewer
http://jumpdesktop.com/free-remote-desktop
Chrome Remote Desktop I need to try this but I don't think file transfer is possible.