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January 14

Scheduled commands in Google Assistant

I have only recently started to use mobile computing devices. I bought my first "smartphone" in December 2021, and today I have one Android phone and two Android tablets.

I'm hugely impressed by the hardware, operating system, and software, especially the applications made by Google. I'm amazed by all features and the fact that everything just works and all data is synchronized between the devices.

I have also discovered how convenient Google Assistant can be. Using this application, I can set alarms, create reminders, turn on/off my lights, and more -- all using only verbal commands.

However, the other day, I stumbled upon a bug that seems just too horrible to be true.

I asked, "Turn on all lights at 05:50". The Assistant misheard this and thought I said "Turn on all lights at 00:50".

That happens. (It'd be great if the Assistant would repeat what it heard and ask for confirmation instead of just doing what it thought I said, though.)

Now, I obviously wanted to change the incorrect time, or to remove this incorrect scheduled command and create a new, correct, scheduled command. However, this appears to be impossible. I tried saying, "Undo", but the Assistant didn't understand that. "Remove/Change the last scheduled command.", "Remove all scheduled actions.", "Show scheduled actions.", "Delete scheduled command.", "Give me a list of all things you are scheduled to do.", "What will you do at 00:50?", "View scheduled commands.". No matter what I said, the Assistant seemed to have no idea what I was talking about.

I tried, "Do NOT turn on the lights at twelve fifty", but since I sometimes struggle to find the right words when I talk, this come out as "Do NOT turn on the lights at twelve [pause] fifty". "Yes, I'll turn on the lights at 12:00", the Assistant replied.

Now I had two incorrect scheduled actions I couldn't get rid off.

Surely the Google Assistant cannot have a bug of this magnitude? What do I say if I want to change or remove a scheduled command? --Andreas Rejbrand (talk) 00:52, 14 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

@Andreas Rejbrand: I found this link [1] that says you can do "Hey Google, cancel my scheduled Actions". I don't have one of those devices, so I can't try it. There is also a link there on that page to other forums for support and how to file a bug. RudolfRed (talk) 02:31, 14 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

This isn't necessarily a bug but simply just how the AI works. The Google Assistant isn't a human so it is simply listening for specific sounds. A way to prevent it is to speak very clearly so it understands you. ― Blaze Wolf^Talk_{Blaze Wolf#6545} 15:27, 14 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not quite sure I understand your point. I could see on the screen that the Assistant performed the required speech recognition accurately: I could see my words correctly appearing on the screen. (In fact, I am hugely impressed by the Android system's speech recognition abilities.)

Regarding phrasing and choice of words, I don't think "Remove all scheduled actions" is particularly difficult English. I even tried several synonyms.

--Andreas Rejbrand (talk) 18:19, 14 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

I mean, if a software developer since 20+ years and near-native English speaker cannot find out the right command in 20 minutes, something is not right! As a comparison, setting alarms, creating reminders, performing computations, asking questions etc. have always worked flawlessly. To me, it certainly appears that the system has a "set scheduled action" module, but no associated "enumerate", "change", or "delete" module.

Also, in case of speech UI issues, I can always start the Clock app to fix my alarm, the Reminders app to fix my reminders, etc. But to the best of my knowledge, there isn't any app with a GUI for managing scheduled actions. I did search Google Play Store hoping to find one, but to no avail. --Andreas Rejbrand (talk) 18:27, 14 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not sure how to help you here then. I myself use Amazon Alexa instead of the Google Assistant. ― Blaze Wolf^Talk_{Blaze Wolf#6545} 18:30, 14 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

This issue might be something that only happens in some regions or locales, or on some devices. I have reported the issue to Google. --Andreas Rejbrand (talk) 17:41, 16 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

MS Word Styles Blown Away When Word Restarted

This is a problem that I have been having recently with Microsoft Word. I am using Office 365, and Word says that it is version 2112. I am using Windows 10, in case that matters, because I have a four-year-old computer that runs well but is not eligible for Windows 11. I think that the problem started when Word automatically upgraded to a new version.

I have added a number of Styles to Word and think that I have saved them. I think that there are supposed to be saved in a template named normal.dot. If I make a change to one of the styles, and then Word is restarted without being shut down cleanly, on restart, I am asked whether I want to reload changes to normal.dot. So far, that is all right. However, if I say yes, I get an error message that says: Word cannot open the existing file. (C:\Users\rober\AppData\...\Normal.dotm. What then happens is that all of the styles revert to the default configuration, which means that any named styles that I have created are lost. Only the basic styles are included. I have to add any new styles all over again.

Does anyone know what causes the styles to be lost and how to preserve them? Robert McClenon (talk) 05:47, 14 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

@Robert McClenon you may have a corrupt Word installation, which may require reinstalling.You can set your named styles to be the default in all Word documents (this also works if you save a template). You can do this by:

Clicking the little arrow at the bottom right of the styles panel in home
In the dialogue that pops up, click the A icon with a tick over it (Manage styles)
In the "Manage Styles" dialogue, click the "import/export" version at the bottom left
The organiser dialogue should show up, here you can select a style you want and click "Copy" to move it to normal.dotm

Here is a screenshot explaining these steps.
This support page may also be a worthwile read. — Berrely • ^Talk∕_Contribs 18:51, 14 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

User:Berrely - Oh. I had left out that detail. I was already saving my styles into the normal.dotm template in the way that you describe. But then sometimes when Word stops and has to be restarted, the updated normal.dotm template that I have saved is blown away and replaced with the default with only four styles. I was already following the advice that you give me. So I think I will try uninstalling Word and reinstalling it. Robert McClenon (talk) 22:46, 14 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Windows 10 LTSC

I need to buy a copy of Windows 10 LTSC (long term service channel) for controlling an automated CNC machine. As usual you can get a pirated version on The Pirate Bay but I want to stay legal.

For details on LTSC go to Windows 10 version history and search on "LTSC". See[2] for the difference between Enterprise and Iot.

It used to be true that you could buy these (you had to buy all five to be legal):

1x Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 - Upgrade License (KW4-00190)[3]
4x Microsoft Identity Manager - software assurance - 1 user CAL (NK7-00031)[4]

Those were discontinued on January 01, 2022.

Searching the CDW website, I now see:

Windows Enterprise LTSC - upgrade license - 1 device (AAA-12384-CCG)[5] -- $259.99

What I can't find is whether I still need another four CAL licenses and if so what the part number for them is. Can anyone find the actual licensing requirements for LTSC?

Also, that "MPSA" scares me. See [6]

21:51, 14 January 2022 (UTC)2600:1700:D0A0:21B0:AC32:2217:63EC:43B0 (talk)

January 15

Internet search engine with working exact search feature

Up to last week I was able to do an exact internet search using DuckDuckGo with the +"search term" +"another search term" syntax. Google has lost this essential feature already several years before and Bing followed later. Is there any publicly available search engine still supporting exact searches ? (Exact search means that all the results must contain all the serch terms or a "no results" message is returned.) -- Juergen 134.255.193.13 (talk) 09:52, 15 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Nobody does that any more. The result set is now always the entire internet, and your qery terms only influence what order the results are presented in. The technical reason it is done this way now is explained here but I agree, the old way for the most part was better. 2602:24A:DE47:B8E0:1B43:29FD:A863:33CA (talk) 03:18, 16 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for the insight 2602:24A:DE47:B8E0:1B43:29FD:A863:33CA (talk · contribs · WHOIS). I've tried quoting text and using plus signs end even underscores and didn't understand why DDG failed to restrict searches to the relevant ones. Are there any search engines that offer straight-forward text searches anymore? Martin of Sheffield (talk) 10:48, 16 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Can you give an example of such terms that Google/DDG are not respecting? Searching +"Welcome to the computing reference desk." +"Want a faster answer?" on Google brings up this page and its various mirrors only, as it should. As the second phrase is found on every reference desk page, the fact that Google only pulls up the computing reference desk shows that it searched for both terms exactly. If I replace some of those words in the search with gibberish, it correctly displays no results. Pinguinn 🐧 14:08, 16 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

It's true that most modern search engines do not always respect supposedly required terms, but it's more complicated than the IP suggests. Your example is one of them, but also '"meow" "tsunami" "musk" "jacinda" "google" "bing"' currently returns 19 search results on Google for me. But as an example for why it's complicated '"meow" "woof" "kitten" "tiger" "volcano" "earthquake" "tsunami" "musk" "jacinda" "google" "bing"' which has the same search terms and more returns 28 results. Nil Einne (talk) 14:36, 16 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Of course Google's results also depend on other things hence why [7] returns 32 results, although [8] still does 19. Note that most of those are words lists or have other junk if not visible then embedded in the page so do have all search terms. So it's possible all do have the search terms, but there are definitely cases when Google decides to ignore your quotation marks and assume something is close enough. See also this discussion [9]. I think one of the reason my search terms possibly didn't get anything else is because there simply wasn't anything that Google was able to decide I might want instead. Nil Einne (talk) 14:59, 16 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

That referred link does explain how some search engine might work but it does not at all explain why they all desupported the exact search feature, which means not to do any alias interpretation and not to correct any possible misspellings but only to search for the words as input. Or did I miss something ? -- Juergen 217.61.206.150 (talk) 23:19, 16 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

January 16

1. What does the Norwegian Wikipedia have in place of this Reference Desk? 2. What does Norway have in place of DoorDash?

Does the Norwegian WP have a reference desk like this one? I'd like to ask questions about Norway there from now on, if they have such a service. (If not, what could I use instead over there?)

What 3rd party delivery service does Norway have in place of DoorDash and what would it take for a foreigner living there to be eligible to become a 3rd party delivery driver? Is their delivery app available in both Norwegian and English or Norwegian only?

If nobody here knows, can someone summon a Norwegian user over here? Thanks. --2600:1700:D740:1720:E047:6DE2:61E9:7C0A (talk) 06:46, 16 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Norwegian reference desk: no:Wikipedia:Orakelet. Doesn't look very active, but just try that. --Wrongfilter (talk) 07:13, 16 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Wolt, expected to be taken over soon by DoorDash, also operates in Norway. Other online food delivery companies/brands also serving Norway include Foodora, HelloFresh and Just Eat. --Lambiam 09:24, 16 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

January 17

Moving email to a new computer

How do I save the configuration for Claws Mail from my old Windows 10 computer and restore it to my new computer? I just spent several hours searching for the answer. Lots of places tell me how to save my mailbox but none of them tell me how to save the configuration.

If I could figure out where Claws Mail stores the configuration information, I could try manually copying it, but the only info I could find told me where it stores the configuration on Linux, not Windows.

I also failed to find any online forum where I could ask for help.

03:43, 17 January 2022 (UTC)2600:1700:D0A0:21B0:746D:FE74:E2BA:ACEB (talk)

I don't know but the first thing I would try is copying all the Claws subfolders to the exact same path on the new computer.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 09:24, 17 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Have you looked in C:\ProgramData and C:\Users\xxxx\AppData where xxxx is your username? C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Roaming\Claws-mail\ seems to be the place configs are stored on Win 7. --TrogWoolley (talk) 13:03, 17 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

January 20

Dark web, not tor?

Is there a example of the dark web beyont the tor hidden services?--2A02:908:426:D280:3835:4224:D301:960C (talk) 20:14, 20 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Dark web article refers only to Tor. There is also Darknet and examples beyond Tor are given in that article. RudolfRed (talk) 03:28, 21 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

I2P and Freenet are both quite popular. or at least were like 20ish years ago. Last time I used tor was at the same time, and those were the big 3. 50.234.188.27 (talk) 11:15, 21 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

January 21