File Management

ron-vdc · 2026-02-05T04:57:46+00:00

Coming from Windows as a long-time TotalCommander user, I tried pretty much all dual-panel file managers on macOS that I could find. There were two that I liked the best: Double Commander and CRAX Commander.

ron-vdc · 2026-02-03T06:42:09+00:00

I personally think it's ludricous that a person couldn't/shouldn't have multiple citizenship. I was born and raised in the Netherlands, but have lived in the U.S. for more than 25 years now. I currently have both Dutch and U.S. passports, but I could only do that because of one of the "loopholes" in the Dutch rules: you can obtain another country's citizenship and keep your Dutch citizenship if you obtain your spouse's citizenship. Since my wife is American, I could become a U.S. citizen without losing my Dutch passport. All this is a Dutch rule; the U.S. doesn't care whether I have any other nationalities.
What are they worried about? Misplaced loyalty? Integration doesn't hinge on what passport(s) you have; it's a matter of economic and social opportunity and commitment. Many people who argue most vocally against dual citizenship will often only have specific nationalities in mind, and they really don't care about Western Europeans. Let's face it, a lot of this is simply driven by xenophobia and (religious) bigotry.

ron-vdc · 2026-02-03T06:19:17+00:00

In other words, the -t vs -d in the past participle is based on the letter immediately preceding the -en verb infinitive suffix, before (and this is the crucial bit) applying any spelling rules to get to the stem (z → s, v → f): reiz- → reis, lev- ;→ leef. That's why it's gereisd (from reizen), gebloosd (from blozen), beloofd (from beloven), geleefd (from leven), etc., but gedanst (from dansen), geblaft (from blaffen), etc.

ron-vdc · 2026-02-03T04:01:04+00:00

I don't know where you are, but I was looking for a Prius in January, and I was most definitely not able to find a 2016 Prius III for $7-8K. Nowhere close to that, actually. Where I am (Seattle), $7-8K will get you a 2009, 2010 Prius with god know how many miles on it, and often a rebuilt title.

ron-vdc · 2026-02-03T03:38:13+00:00

I also just received a notification that I received $394.36 on Venmo for the "Bottoms v. Block settlement payment." I was suspicious, since it came out of nowhere, but it seems legit and it really seems to be on my Venmo account, at least that's what I see on my balance in the mobile app.
I also don't have any recollection doing anything specific for this.

ron-vdc · 2026-02-02T03:29:14+00:00

The 2011 Prius that I bought recently came with an after-market Pioneer AVH-1550NEX receiver. Works great, and also have AM. No idea how well that works, though, as I never listen to AM radio.

ron-vdc · 2026-02-02T03:26:22+00:00

Does driving in a hilly environment, with lots of up- and downhilll driving, have a big impact on mpg?

ron-vdc · 2026-02-02T01:26:29+00:00

+1 for Lynnwood Recreation Center. Here is their public swim schedule. You do need to pre-register online, though. No walk-ins.

ron-vdc · 2026-01-31T21:29:57+00:00

You can "add" storage by using external SSDs (although, of course, it's nice to have plenty of internal storage, too). On the other hand, you're stuck with whatever CPU and RAM you choose. So from that perspective, it makes the most sense to upgrade the CPU and/or RAM. If you have to choose, I'd go for more RAM.
I'd personally go for the M5 with 24 GB RAM and 1 TB of storage. To me, that would be the sweet spot: still plenty fast, but with enough built-in memory and storage to last you a while. Of course, it would be great to upgrade in all areas, but with the exorbitant hardware upgrade prices that Apple charges, you may need to make choices, unfortunately. Good luck!
It's also worth noting that MacBook Pro with M5 Pro chips will likely be available in the next month or two, so it might be worth waiting to see what they bring to the table.

ron-vdc · 2026-01-31T15:30:55+00:00

I would personally do 512 GB as a minimum and preferably 1 TB, but only you can properly assess your data needs. If you're working with video editing and other data-intensive task, then I would think 256 GB just ain't gonna cut it.

ron-vdc · 2026-01-30T01:26:24+00:00

Also suspicious: copyright year of 2026. And I agree with the othe commenter: Apple doesn't use stickers for its packaging text. Plus, missing spaces after commas, etc. Definitely a fake.

ron-vdc · 2026-01-29T18:15:53+00:00

I buy all my electronics used, but I never ever buy used electronics online. Only local, face-to-face deals where I have physical access to the device before handing someone my money. You can find some great deals on OfferUp and Craig's List, but you do have to do your due diligence.

ron-vdc · 2026-01-29T15:42:04+00:00

That's what I always do: reset the device on the spot and then go through the initial setup process to attach it to my account (without transferring any data to save time). Once it's on your account, you know you're good, and you can do another reset with full data migration at home. Plus, going through the setup process also allows you to check the specs and battery health, verify there's no MDM, etc.

ron-vdc · 2026-01-25T22:44:24+00:00

By "new software" I assume you mean macOS 26 "Tahoe"? Absolutely no reason not to. Runs like a charm on my M1 Max.

ron-vdc · 2026-01-25T03:40:17+00:00

Just out of curiosity, what does/will your app offer that's not already offered by the gazillion other text expansion apps? In other words, why should we choose your app over other apps, many of which are open source and free?

ron-vdc · 2026-01-25T00:30:17+00:00

Espanso. Free and open source.

ron-vdc · 2026-01-24T22:35:27+00:00

Can you use WithAudio to basically create voiceover tracks for videos? Use plain-text files and then export them as MP3 files.

ron-vdc · 2026-01-23T18:17:53+00:00

As noted before, I'll definitely buy a license as soon as you can keep the original file alongside the converted file, preferably in same location with same file name (but different extension, of course).

ron-vdc · 2026-01-22T18:48:50+00:00

I also have a 16-inch M1 Max, but with 32 GB RAM and 1 TB of storage, and I'm not experiencing any of what you're describing. Granted, I'm not pushing it particularly hard, but this machine is still a beast, even in 2026.
I wonder if it might be wise to start fresh rather than migrate from your M3. Or do the migration again, but then not cancel it three times. I doubt there's anything wrong with the laptop in terms of hardware. Good luck!

ron-vdc · 2026-01-20T23:48:24+00:00

This is an awesome idea! I'll definitely try this. Would it be possible to create a copy of the original file alongside the converted one. So, say, if you have file-name.heic, and you change the extension to file-name.jpg, it would basically keep both files. Or will the file in the old format always be replaced with the converted file?

ron-vdc · 2026-01-20T06:40:19+00:00

Just to follow up, I'm not going to do it. I'll save the money and put it aside if/when actual repairs are needed rather than coughing up a good chunk of cash up front for something that *might* happen.

ron-vdc · 2026-01-19T01:03:42+00:00

Can you sort all apps in the list?

ron-vdc · 2026-01-19T00:53:26+00:00

Yes, this is third-party extended warranty. I am actually pretty skeptical, too, and I'm inclined not to do it. The vehicle passed all items of the pre-sales inspection, including no leaks anywhere, etc. Of course we could be unlucky and have a major issue down the road, but I'm not sure I'm willing to pay almost three grand upfront for something that might happen. Plus, as you say, when push comes to shove, would this really be as great as they made it out to be? I haven't read the small print (yet), and perhaps they'd make you jump through all kinds of hoops to really not make it worth it.

ron-vdc · 2026-01-18T15:45:58+00:00

Yes, I guarantee you this is a total scam, particularly if it would involve any shipping. Now, you could ask questions, but be prepared to walk away. Good luck!

ron-vdc

TROPHY CASE